:J \ _ { . \_ x ‘ “‘ ’\ 3w . -—_-.-”~_'__ A“? .\._“__._’,'\\ mun _ nu Ll Humanism-u ,é‘lltr...s\§‘,.:‘| Ill-um Iii “Mill _ , ‘- 9.30 year;___Entf:red nt thfml’osténlof ltlerv York. N. Y.. at Second Class Mall Rates. Copyright. 1895. by Emu: Aim ADAKS. May 19. Wis. Sin 1e PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Price, VOL Nun er- No. 98 WILLIAM STREET. NEW YORK. 5 Cent'- NO° ) ,/[’y_r ‘ I '(7' ll \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \W %\ v s l - \ \ OLD J UMBO’S CURSE. BY PHILIP S. “C‘RNE, >‘ & , . ~ ‘ ' ‘ , ,. AL‘TBOR or “CAPTAIN ARIZON‘A," “ALWAYS ox "Yun£‘ , :1, , mum,” “LITTLE oan',’ no, ETC. ~ H . - fl fil‘“\\ \ . . CHAPTER I. my I j— ‘ . ' ‘ Tm: voonoo WOMAN. ' SHORTLY after the close of the war, Jason Ash- . Sal: _ mead led a com ny of farmers from the State of Maine acroas t 8 great plains into the heart of Colorado. They were steady-going, hard~headed Puritans. content to give 3 dollars worth of honest, sweat I. 9 \ nus A mun: Lu) _ racy!” cmnn nu: PRIESTESH or romusn. “ BUT 11’s for every man runs 70 BE RUNG ON THE AxvxL.’ dollar they put into their eta, and rather dlspowd to “squeeze the coin ill the eagln screamed” before letting it slip through their ii era. 11 their arrival in the New Eldorado it chanced that they found the Powder Creek Gulch "‘ booming” and in an hour the idea of trudging after the plow-tail was scorned, and every man of them saw himself a millionaire— i'n imagination! But the Powder Creek Gulch “ petered out,” “' in a way ”—to quote Bill Nye—“I des>ise,” and one ear from date our hunters o the golden eece found themselves with both brooches pockets turned inside out—“bu’stcd!” There were “ natural-born” miners in the Gulch, and they slung their kits over their shoulders to their pick-helves, lighted their lit- tle black pipes, gave a jaunt cock to their rag- , ged hats as if in defiance o Fate and “stem- peded,” cheerin wishing one another “better uck next time. ’ , Then Farmer Ashmead called his company to a serious consideration as to whether that sort of thing ayed. "' It’s a very well for men who have nobody but themselves in the world,” he said; “ but we have women and children on our hands; and when it comes to a question of dragging them up hill and down dale through these mountains, I for one vote No! \Ve are farmers, and if we keep to that, we shall know what to look out for. Now, on all know that ten miles down the creek t ere is as pretty land as lies out- doors. I propose that we take it up, and leave ofl’ this fooling.” This wise counsel prevailed; and fifteen years later, at the o ning of our story, Glendale was a thriving litt e village, in nowise envious of the mining-camps which all about sprung up, flour- ished, and disappeared, almost in a day. So much b way of “ getting the lay of the land." Now or the story. “Ha! ha! ho! ho! The devils are, out to- night! How they writhe and hiss and spit their Venom! Hear them howl with ra e, and chat- ter and laugh with impish glee! 0! ho! I’m with ye, my little ones! my pretty ones! Come down—come down! Fill earth and air and heaven! Ha! Beezlebub, old Mumbo Jumbo hails ye Prince of Darkness!” A vivid flash of lightning that seemed to rend the sk from zenith to horizon disclosed 3. hide ous o! hag standing on a pinnacle of rock over- lookin avalley. Herient form, her fantastic dress of flutter- ing rags, her withered and leather-brown face, her eyes twinkling with crafty malice, the one discolored fang that shut down over her nether lip, her fingers like the talons of some bird of prey—made up as hideous a creature as ever haunted the dreams of a half-crazy religious fanatic. , She supported herself with a long staff, a sapling roughly stripped of its leaves; huge brass crescents him from her 110% and ears, and her hair was bui t u in tufts on either side of her head, after the ashion of some of the savage people of Africa. Legend said that this was once a beautiful quadroon, driven to (138 ir and enmity toward all mankind b the crue ties of race hatred: but another said t t she had been a belle in New Orleans in her youth, and that it was a freak of madness that made her now play the Negro Voodoo woman. , At all events, her speech was free from the pato'is of the slave, and her features were un- mistakably Caucasian. , “ Ha! ha! afair night! a sweet night! a night for such work as mine! Come with me, ye devils! I have a prett si ht for ye! Ye love murder, do ye? So do ! 9 love dead men— dead by the hand of violence? Ha! ha! come with me. my little ones! In pretty ones!” So chuckling to herself, s e hobbled off in the darkness, picking her way with her stafi‘, quite indifferent to the pclting rain and eddying blasts, until she Game to where a tumbling brook rested for a while in deep, still holes. “ Here’sa lace for mnrtlcr!” she whispered, hoarsely. “ a! ha! here‘s a famous place to whisper perjured vows! Ho! ho! here’s a place to leap out of the world, down! d0wn! down! into t e bottomless pit, where the devils dance in the flames!” . Where a stunted tree, dra hearily with a vine, hung over the water, 5 e knelt, parting the leaves and gazing intently into the black 5 water waiting for a flash of lightning to illumi- nate the spot. . It came presently, a long, quivering, Zigzag stream of re. Something gleamed white in the bottom of the p’eol. One beholding it unexpectedly would have _no, m Little Leather-Breeches. shrunk back with a shudder of horror and a i she had unnerved, no doubt by awakin r his con~ quailing chill of fear. The old hag cackled in her hideous glee. “ Ha! ha! Did you see it, my little ones? did e see it, my pretty ones? Come all e imps of His csh to the arkness! here‘s a prett sight! fishes, his bones to old hinmbo Jumbo, and his soul to the devil! Ho! he was a fine fellow, I tell you! No dyin in bed for him! He died with his boots on! 2it was a blood death! Ho! 6 should have seen the blood, an the knife I— 0! ho! a famous knife! Here it is! Do 011 see that black 5 t on the hilt? That’s bl !-—— his heart’s bl ! All the water that falls from heaven in a twelvenionth couldn’t wash that out! “ But the night’s going! To work! to work! Ha! ha! here you are, 10veys! One! two! three! four! flve!—” ' At each count she thrust her hand into the water and drew somethin forth. Presently she rose; am now the flashes of gghfining showed that she had a bag on her ac Thus burdened, she tottered back to the (rug where we introduced her to the reader. In the valle below appeared the twinkling lights of Gle ale. . She waved her staff toward it, crying in a harsh, shrill voice: “ Curses on ye all! curses, I say! Ma pesti- lence, famine and murder scourge ye, til youth withers in its bloom while old age chides the lagging death that will not free it from its mis- eryI! . urses on ye! curses! curses! curses!” ‘ Oarser went out her voice on the blast, her execrations dyin away in a sort of gurgle that horribly suggested strangulation. As is in answer to her bitter curse, the heavens opened, and the earth shuddered with the reverberating thunder. An instant later one of the buildings in the villa e was enveloped in flames darting their bloo -red tongues up toward the black and mut- terin heavens! “ a! ha! ho! ho!” chuckledthe witch. “ The charm begins to work already! Didn’t I tell yo, my little ones, my pretty ones! It’s the mur— derer pleading with the devil that does it! Ha! ha! ho! ho!” “Hallo, you'old vagabones!” shouted a gruff voice close at hand. ‘ What have ye got hyar? Been stealin’, have ye? Come! trot it out!” The old hag turned, and a quivering flash of 11 htning showed her a man in the rough dress of the mountains, with his hat sloucth down over his e es and the collar of his coat drawn up about is neck while his hands were thrust into the side~p(x:kets. “ Ho! master,” she cried, with no evidence of alarm, “is that you! I know yc, Hank You’re left-hand cousin to the devil! But I like ye all the better for that. You’re my kind you You‘ve a liking for striking in the dark! Ha! ha!” “ Stow yer aft, ye old buzzard! VVhat’s that you’ve got in t at bag?” “ Ha! ha! ho! ho!” cackled the oldhag. “Ye think it’s chickens don’t ye? Ha! ha! 0r may- be ye think it’s a amb, or a suckling pig. Oh, lad! I didn’t get it in the village. They don't eep such things down there to steal. Oh, no! the devil gave it to me!” “Turn it out, and let‘s see what it is, any- way.” . ‘ It’s a friend of yours," she said, with her malicious chuckle. \ Then stoo ing, she took hold of the lower cor— ners of the mg, and timing the movement with a vivid flash of lightning, she lifted the bottom and poured the contents out on the ground, say- ing: “It‘s Toni Grnyle! Ha! ha! ho! ho! He was a rare one, and a friend of yours! Ye didn’t think to meet me here to—night, did get” The man stared with e es disten ed with ter- ror at a mass of bones, t 0 human character of which could not be mistaken. ~ The skull fell so that it seemed to rin at him. “’ith a shriek he rushed away in t e darkness, down the declivity. toward the village. The old hag caught u her staff, and waving it toward him, scream , after him: “ Murder! murder! murder!” The rapid tolling of a church bell in the village now s )read the alarm of fire, and dark forms could seen rushing to and fro. Faintly in the occasional lull of the wind came the cry: “ v're! fire! fire!” I And there on the cliff stood the bag, shriek- mg: “Curses on ye all! It’s Mumbo Jumbo that execrates ye! Curses! curses! curses!” The shivering and shuddering wretch whom Drake. . science, rushed 0n headlong towaid t e light until, with gliastl face, protruding eyes, an chattering teeth, e s aggered up to the exoit'ed villagers. “Hallo, Hank Drake!” cried one of them. “ What’s the matter with ye, man? Ye look as if ye had seen a ghost!” “Boys!” he gasped, pointing backwar , “ it‘s ‘ up thar! up thar! ’ “Up whai‘? What is! VJ hat air ye talkin‘ about?” “ It’s that old devil’s dam! She done it!” “ Mumbo Jumbo?” ' “Yes! yes! This hyer’s her work! She done it. HS,he cursed ye an‘ called down the light- nin ! When'he h‘ad bebome a little more composed, he described the curse, but omitted all reference go the skeleton the sight of which had so startled 1m. It was, lain that his auditors Were re ar‘ed for somet ing of this ‘sort. They ‘liEte c‘ with gloomy brows while the flames roared heaven— ward and the charred timbers crumbled and tell to a heap of ruins. , Then rose murmurs of wrath, ivhich'S'Welled into open denunciation. “Boys,” said one man, presently. “‘Vc’ve stood this thing about long enough. VVhat’s the matter with the widdy'Mowry’s cow, I want to know? It ain’t two weeks since that old devil’s limb cursed the widdy for stoppin‘ her from stoalin’ a loaf that she had set out to cool. ‘Ye‘ll want milk fur that bread!’ sa she; an’ thar’s the critter with bloody mil ' a’read ‘. An’ then didn’t little Ben Darrach fall into t e cellar ten days ago, with the chance of his never standin’ unre on his pins ag’in in this world?” “’ith this beginning the vindictive excitement waxed until it was proposed to go and “tear her out.” Then there was a hurried snatching up of fagots, and, lighted by their lurid glare, the mob rushed up to the witch’s hut. lVithout stopping to see whether the door was fastened or not,‘ they beat it in and rushed into the hut. “ Boys, thar ain’t hide nor hair of her hyar!“ said tpne, in evident disgust at their! disappoint~ men . , “ Of course not,” said another. “When it’s as eas to go up in the air as down in the groun , what kin you expect? She’d be a fool to stop hyar fur ye to pounce onto her.” “ I'th’s bin'n the old rookery down, any- VVB. . nd the fellow applied the torch ’imder the eaves. But while the search had been in progress, a light spring-wagon with four 3 ritcd horses at- tached to it had dashed up, edriver swing- ing his long lash and yelling at the top of his voice. “Just in time!" he cried, as he drcw his horses in 'so sharply that they reared and pawed the air. “Now 0 for ’cm! Lay ’em out! Ha-n- a-a-ah! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!” . “The Mad Millionaire!" tried one of the men. v From the seat beside him a youth made a fly- ing leap over the wheel, and s ringin u n t e fellow who was about to set re to t e ut he snatched the torch from his hand and dashed it to the ground. “None 0’ that, boys,” he said, with as’mm-h assurance as if he had bccn a man among them. “Who air you?” was the an mere formula of wrath, since 0 him perfectly well. His reply was prompt and pointed. “ Yours truly, Little Leather-Breeches!” And drawing a brace of revolvers, he stood between the mob and the witch’s but, with cool determination stamped on his young face. prewnt knew CHAPTER II. AN OMINOUS FORTUNE. THE afternoon of the day following the'night ' . on which our sto opens. A ionic groun ! A vy of girls such as the outdoor Life of the West can produce—some pretty, some not so pretty, but none Without freshness and rosy good health. . “For my part,” cried the rather haughty Kate Ashmead, “I think he is altogether too A boy of his years had no busln' 688 ins: ' fresh ! termeddling with men.” , retorte Mary Dennison. “Because couldn’t spell able i?” demand—a ‘ “ Wh didn’t your men put him down then?” . 5 - , ._ . . ..._.. “Hold on, girls.“ interposed laughing Sadie Cartwright. “There is no use in your uiiri‘cl- ing over Little Leather-Breeches. The L ushiiig Miss Brig s looks as if she had something to say on that su iject !"’ “Sadie Cartwright, I think you are as 11101111 as you can be!” " Oh! don‘t make an mystery of it, my dear Belle. Everyb(xly Knows that there is a fair pros )ect of your devoting the rest of your natural life keeping buttons on those famous buckskin unmentionables !"’ And the laugh went round at Belle Briggs’s _ expense, while Kate Ashmead‘s eyes flashed scornfully at her. They rested on the most sensitive and lady- like face in the group; yet there were times when the irl asserted herself with a quiet (lig— nit walilic mastered even headstrong Kate As i . “Still water runs dee l” the latter was fond of quoting. “One of tEese days you will hear from Miss Belle Bri gs mark my words! Ben Souder is nobody‘s ool!” Ben was the villa e cobbler—the man who knew everything. 0 had, or, to the simple folk about him, seemed to have, all history, an- , cient and modern, at his tongue‘s end; and he could quote Scripture to prove that every event, discovery and invention, past, present and to come, had been foreseen and described “ as plain as the nose on your face,“ if you only had the e 'es to see it as he did. \Vliat he had said about Belle Briggs was: “ Ef she onc’t gits waked up—" And he had finished his ominous prognostic with a mysterious shake of the head. So often had this been urged by Kate Ash— iiiead, irompted by jealous rivalry, that every one had unconsciously come to halfw-xpect some startling fulfillment. Kate was now casting about for some sarcasm when Sadie Cartwright interwised: I‘f' Hush! here he comes to speak for him- Se !" All turned to see a youth of nineteen or twen- ty approach, dressed jauntin in a slouch hat. red woolen shirt and buckskin breeches with fringes down the leg. A leather belt hel a revolver at his back and a bowie—knife on his hip. For the rest, he had a frank cheerful face, and wore his blonde hair to his shoulders. " See! the con uering hero comes!” shouted ga Sadie Cartwright. “After this the rson wi l have to take a back seat, and Abe ver will be just nowhere! Poor Abe! Sheep’s eyes will re begging this winter!“ “ 'hi-n will saucy Sadie‘s ton rue enable her to ride in her own turnout ?” asked ittle Leather- Brwxdies, entering into her spirit of banter. “ ()h! anybody can answer that!” laughed the beauty, prom itly “If she keeps it a-waggin‘ till she‘s a little hoarse!“ “Meanwhile. I suppose you irls are off here by yourselves plottin r mischie of some kind.” "Not a bit of it! “We have been engaged in target practice.” " IVith Cupid’s darts! enough at that already." “ La! hasn’t he a swect tongue! But we have been using a far more deadly weapon. Ever since last night there seems to he a general de- sire to qualify as a warrior’s bride l“ “ You don’t say! proficient f" “ Ha! ha! ha! Just him! Oh! you needn‘t look at the bashful Miss Briggs! ‘ a hymn-book more cleverly than a hair trig- or." g “ Don‘t believe her, “'ill!" cried Mary Denni— son. " Belle beat us all." " lI--re comes the parson,” persisted Miss (.‘urt- wright, “ “3911590 if he hasn’ta word to say about that!“ “ Down a woodland aisle came a very fine gentleman of about tive-and-twenty with white hands and long, slender fingers. dressed in cleri- cal black, and Wearing mutton—chop whiskers and a white crnvat. He was ncconqiaiiied by a middle-aged lady, who seemed greatly flattered by his attentions. " \Vho is this young Fosdick, Mrs. Ashniead?” he had 'ust asked. " “'ell. nobody rightly knows," was the reply. " You see. fourteen years ago the Indians mm o a clean swwp of the country noth of here: and the day after the massacre a little chap rode iii- to the Glen on a very big horse, and introduced himself as Willy Fosdick, but said that he was enerally called Little Leatlier—BrN-ches. A ‘ttle girl, scarcely more than a baby. was mount— ed behind him, and the two were tied fast to the horse. She could give no account of herself; and when asked he said that she was not his You are all skillful And who has proved most , She handles i 1 Little Leather-Breeches. ‘ sister, but his little wife, and her name was Belle. Mrs. Briggs had just lost her twins by ‘ scarlatina; so she adopted them both. I “ Quite a romance!” said the Rev. Mr. Vance, who had introduced himself asa divinity student seeking health in the \Vest. And now, before Sadie Cartwright could as- sail him with her merr banter, there came an interruption from anot er direction. “ I say, girlsl here‘s fun! Old Mumbo J umbo’s comin‘ this way. Now’s the chance to git yer fortins told.” The. speaker, who was hurrying toward the roup, was a young man whose virgin cheek iad never never been violated by a razor. It was covered by a fine blonde down. He was what is known as “ shock-headed." He was a prime favorite with all the middle- aged women of the village; but with the young girls— W’ell, Abe Seaver was a good fellow when you wanted anything done, he was so obligivng. “ hat d’ye say, Belle?” he asked, at once going up to Miss Briggs with o n homage. Catching a twinkle in Sadie ‘artwright’s eye, Belle flushed and replied inaudibly. “ Here they are!" cried a cheery voice, and a lot of young fellows, rough in dress, yet honest looking, made their appearance with a long ro . With a rush they swept down upon the group of girls, circling around them so as to wind them in the rope; and for a few minutes all was confusion, the whisking of draperies, and screams and laughter. This s ort was broken in upon by the harsh voice of umbo Jumbo, crying: “ A gay world! a merry world! as if death and sorrow wasn’t always lping m or onc’s shoulder! Ho! ho! we laug to—day, but to- morrow brin s tears! The brighter the sunshine on one side, t e blacker the shadow on the other; and ye can look out of heavon into hell! That’s gos 1! Can ye deny that, person?” e laughter ceased, and the girls drew near- er to the gallants with whom they had got more or less markedl paired off without any apparent desi n, while t e gazed at the old hag with di— lat e es and H tle shivers of dread made de~ li rhtf by the sense of security. he stout 01mg fellows who were not afraid of the devil in the person of an old woman pro- ceeded to coax her into goodhumor, while they urged forward the girls, who were certainly not entirely free from superstitious fears. With the varying fortunes of the young peo— ple who are not intimately concerned in our story, we will not trouble the reader. Suffice it to sa that they got amusement, embarrassment, bewi derment, 'oy and fear out of them. In his turn A Beaver st00d forth with a red spot in either cheek and his breath hurried. “ Dark! dark! dark!” muttered the old wo- man, as she bent over his hand. “ Your line of life Is crossed before it reaches midway. The heavens did not smile on your cradle, my r boy! There’s mourning here, and in—bitter am and disa ointment, worse t an death. ‘hat’s life. A . the curse of it!" Her voice choked with passion and her old frame shook. The color all gone out of his face, Abe sluuk away. “ t‘s all right,” he said to himself. “I ain't worthy of her, an‘ that’s a fact!“ The minister came next. On his face was a smile of kindly )atronage. Instead of to ing the silver he extended, old Mumbo Jumbo looked into his face, and raising her hand with the palm toward him, wuvod him off while she retreated without a word. oni v a slight tightening of the lips, a quiver- ing 0 the nostrils, and a hardeniu of the eye. showed the minister‘s chagrin. e recovered himself instantly. “ My good woman." he said, “ I have only sympathy and pity for you!" She made no reply, but looked at him steadily as he turned away. Some of the fellows, who liked a joke better than a Sermon, snickered. “ c parson’s one too many for her." But already Little Loathcr-I’in-eches had taken his turn. ‘_‘ Here’s a brave lad and true!” cried the priestess of fortune. “But it's metal that’s to )0 rung on the anvil. Here’s a dark wood filled with terrors; but if you have strength and cour- (we, you'll find a fair country on the other side. Ifere’s grayK hairs and honor, and a woman‘s tears and isscs—tears of )ride and kisses of tenderness. But you’ll fln a scorpion under rose leaves. Beware! Its sting is swift and deadly!" Little Leather-Breeches smiled with easy in- credulity. “ I should like to know what can be made out of that!“ Belle went forward with a strange stillness upon her. Mumbo Jumbo looked into her face with a smile as she took her hand, and then dropped her eyes to the fair palm with its delicate tracery of creases. Then a startling, a terrible change came over her. “Ha-a-ah!” she fairly shrieked, flin ing the hand away from her. “ It’s red with blood! Take it away! take it away! take it away!” And spitting upon the coin she had received. she threw it on the ground, and hobbled off as fast as her tottering limbs could carry her. still waving the startled girl off with her opposed palm, and muttering hoarscly: “ Away! away! awa l” Belle turned round and azed at her friends in piteous helplessness. A the color had fled from her cheeks, and a white circle formr d about her mouth. Little Leather—Breeches sprung forward and threw his arm about her. ‘ “ What does she mean, Will?“ she asked him. her voice seeming to die awa with a sigh. “ I‘ll very soon show her w at I mean?” cried the youth, hotly. “ Here, stay with Abe until I break every bone in her wretched old body. the dev—” But the girl’s slight frame swayed and her head sunk on his shoulder. She had fainted. She was immediately surrounded by friends. with ejaculations of sympathy, and everything was done to restore her to consciousness. Only Kate Ashmead stood aloof: and when Belle was herself again, save for white cheeks and 1i s, and a frightened piteous appeal in her eyes, ate whispered to a li tle circle who drank in the poison of suspicion o n-mouthed: “ I’ve said it before, and say it againz—Ben Souder is nobody’s fool!" CHAPTER III. MURDER! Tm: great kitchen at farmer Ashmead‘s was filled with a golden glow from the wide fire- laCc, with its pile of crackling, flame-wrapped 0 rs. t was not that the night was cold enough for so roarin a fire. Indeed, to temper its heat the doors an windows had to be thrown o n. But farmer Aslimead had been “ ' " in Maine, and he thought that a merry-making would be no merry—making at all unless the “boys and girls ” could dance in the firefight. Ben Souder was .ted beside the door lead- ing from the kitc en to the “best room,”sln that the “old folks,” sitting there in straight backed Yankee sedateness, might have the bene- fit of the music—so called—which be worried out of a rather squeaky fiddle. But whatever it lacked in sweetness it made up in quickness of time, a little jerky becauSe Ben despised the cider With which the dancers contented themselves. and would “steady his hand ” with nothing short of New England mm. The young fellows “heed down’ the rapid measure in their heavy boots as nimbly, if not as gracequ ', as any French dancing-master. and now an then found their way to a sly cor— ner for lovemaking. But the girls, whenever there were two or three together, must have their gossip. ‘ And the way she has been carrying on with the person! I wonder that “'ill Fosdick stands i . “ Oh! Little Leather—Breeches ain‘t afraid of the Pretty Man from the States! Lily-white fingers do to turn hymn-hooks but “'ill knows Belle is too spirited to live on donation parties“ "Look! 10ok! There comes Abe new! Just see how pale he is. And he is watching Bdle and the parson like a hawk! I tell you! thenc‘s going to be mischief there before they get through with it!" The villagers were for the most part that sort of good folk who must have ideas driven into their heads with a. beetle and wedge; but once in, they stuck. And the witch’s terrible p10“ nostic had made a dwp impression. From this vague suspicion of Belle, they go: to thinking that Abe had bum hard used. though heretofore they had laughed at his 10vcn akin; Then rose rumors of quarrels, 'whic‘: soczi tOok definite form in stories of abusive l: n napu and threats hurled at Abe, to which he an ~it- ted with the dumb humility of a do . “’ho would have believed that ail this fabric of misrepresentation was based uan sonic inn Little~ Leather-Breeches. natured immcndocs of Kate Ashmcad and pieced out by gossip, as it passed from lip to ip.’ Now. as Abe made his appearance, looking so wild, a buzz of eager tittle-tattlc ran round the I'OUIU. Belle saw him staring with wolfish menace at her partner, and s'gnaling to her with a look of l apgea . ' _ he saw the girls exchange meaning glances as they turned in the dance. Even from the “ best room” the older women came to the door to r through. The girl’s cheek amed scarlet, and a bitter indi ation burned in her eye. - “ ’hat right has that lout to ersecute me like this?” she cried to herself. ‘ And Will, if he cared a straw, would take him out and cool the ardor of his calf-love in the horse—pond !” And she flashed a blaze of scorn at poor Abn, that cafised him to slink from the room with his head on his breast and tears starting to his eyes. “ Take me out of here, please!” she said to her partner. “ This room is suffocating!” The Rev. Mr. Vance was nothin loth. His heart was beating more rapidly t an was its wont. The house was set in a grove and surround- ed with clusterin shrubbery, and a few steps took them out o sight and hearing of the re- velers within-doors. Then the minister claspled the hand that rested on his arm, and wit an impulsive mo— tion assed his arm about the girl’s waist. “ elle, migarling!” he whispered, bending so as to bring ' face close to hers, and peering into her eyes to catch their expression in the dim light that came to them from the house, the night sky being overcast. “ Can it be that this great happiness is coming to me? I lovw” But she tore herself from his clasp with a cry of exasperation. , " You too?” she exclaimed. combined to annoy me?” “ To annoy you?” he repeated, in low, tense tones. “ To annoy you with the declaration of my love?” “A fig for your love! I tell you I am sick- ened by this nonsense; and if I am to be made an object for every fool to gape at, by a lot of ulin —” ut e okin with anger and distress, she broke off and ed from him back to the house. The minister stood perfectly still in the darkness. No eye could see the expression of his face, to know how he was affected by this rebufl. But Belle’s angry voice had been heard as far as the house. A moment later she appeared at the door, pant- in and white with emot on. other figure was seen to follow her; stop- pinger just be 0nd the threshold. in Beaver p ucked her by the dress, whis- 90 83— “ 8! Belle! one word! I have something that I must tell you!” As she turned round the light streamed out upon him showing his face fairly ghastly in its pallor and drawn with pain. Everybody turned toward the door, and a buzz of wonderment and condemnation arose. “ Abe Seaver!” cried the tortured girl, whirl- ing upon him with one foot on the threshold, “ you ever dare to speak to me again as long as on live, I’ll—I’ll—’ ut passion and pain choked her. She was sizing beyond endurance. She knew her gossip- loving neighbors and their narrow prejudices. She knew that all her life her treatment of Abe Seaver would be commented upon behind her back.‘ Knowing this and how entirely innocent she was of blame, the instinct of resentment from which we are none of us free blazed up; and as quick as light she struck him a stinging blow on the cheek with her open hand. With an exclamation of distress he shrunk back out of the range of light as quickly as if the blow had knocked him down. A cry of indignation came like an echo from the com ny in the room. The girl turned and faced them, with her eyes dilated and her lips apart, as if frightened at what she had done. She saw frowns of condemnation on every side. It seemed to her as if her life had been Mi hted by that one unlucky loss of self-control. he community in which she lived would make her an outcast, and Will Fosdick would (7‘: ise her! ith a blended cry and sob, she turned and flccl like a hunted creature. ‘ Little Leather-Brooches had been in the “Has everybody »__., ,LL -, “best room,” playing the gallant to ’a toothless old lady, and enjoying her pleasure hugely. His attention was first attracted by Belle’s angry rebuff of Abe Seaver. Then came the blow, the exclamations of disapproval, and the flight of poor Belle. ‘ar from being affected as she had supposed, he was in a rage with everybody who dared to judge her harshly. With a resentful blaze in his eyes, he sprung forward, shouldering everybody out of his way, whether man or woman, with equal want of ceremony, and so s (1 through the kitchen and out of doors like a i ash. But he was too late to prevent a terrible calamity from involving the one in whom his heart was wrapped u ! Down the road came a mad rattling of wheels and clatter of boots at full gallop, which drew up before the house at the moment that Abe Seaver stop 1d Belle on the threshold. As Little .eather—Brceches leaped through the door. another s )rung into his place, shouting: “ Come, good people! Down with your win- dows and to with your doors! The very hea- vens are going to clap together in less than thirty seconds! Listen! Don’t you hear the roar of the winds?” The speaker was the person who had driven Little Leather-Breeches up to the witch’s but some weeks before in the nick of time. He was dressed in black, with a flowing cloak and a high-crowned, sugar-loaf hat. A mus- tache and pointed beard of black, and hair fall- ing to his shoulders of the same hue, together with a dark corgplexion and intense! black eyes that glitter with an unnatura light, made him a man of start ing aspect. “The Mad Millionaire!” exclaimed somebody. But several voices cried: “ Hush!” Then in the silence that fell was heard the roar of the approaching hurricane; but above it, cut- ting the listening silence like a knife, came the sharp ring of a pistol-shot. A spasmodic gasp passed throu h the room. Everybody looked at everybody e so with star- tled questioning in their eyes. Then all shud- dered, as a woman’s piercin shriek seemed cauglit up by the whirling win 5 and swept from cart to eaven! “ It is the witch’s prediction!” cried Kate Ashmead and then shrunk shuddering, as she realized the implication of her words. The men sprung toward the door with angry ejaculations, an oath escaping the lips of one or two coupled with a threat in one case. W'ith murmurs of distress and fear, the women clung to each other, cowering and sobbing with drea . Then the house was, invaded by the tem . Windows rattled and doors slammed, an the whole building shook and strained under the fierce buffets o the Storm King. The women n screamed in terror, fearing a whirlwind in which. all would be blown away to destruction. ‘ V The men shouted, and one or two stopped to secure the windows and doors; but the rest kept on fascinated by the horror of that pistol-shot. They found a man lyin dead on his face, and a woman kneeling beside im who wailed: “ Oh! I am a murderess! He is dead! dead! dead!” The man Was Abe Seaver. The woman was unhappy Belle Brig 5! Before them stood Little Leather- reeches, gazing from one to the other as if stupefied. CHAPTER IV. A WILD RIDE. “A MURDERESS!” repeated one of the men, with an ugly scowl. “ The devil’s dam said it, and here it is to the letter!” Little Leather-Breeches started as if stung, and whirled upon the . ker. _ “ What’s that, John oyce?” he cried, anOl- untarily carrying his hand toward his back, and then remembering that he was not armed. “ You’ll not better it by being .over~ready to add another to it!” said the older man, severely, noticin the gesture. “In eaven’s name, what’s this, neighbors?" cried farmer Ashm , now coming up. “The 'ade has finished by putting a bullet throu h him,” was the reply. “ O ! no, no, no!” cried Belle, starting up. “ I did not do it! Indeed! indeed!” “We came upon her while the horror was on her, and before she thought of dengng’ it; and it was she herself that first 'put 8 rand of murderess on her!” “ Oh! but I did not mean that! He killed ‘ apart, the . ._., _..__.V..'.. .- .-.- -m ..._d himself. I meant that I had driven him to it by my harshness a minute ago. But he killed him- self. I saw the flash of the weapon. And then when he fell I screamed and ran here to him. I (lid not suppose that he would do anything so wicked as this. I did not mean to strike him 2, but he goaded me beyond endurance." “ He’ll goad you no more!” was the bitter re )1 . L dine one had knelt beside the prostrate man. and was fumbling about his body to see if there were yet signs of life. “ Lights! lights! bring lights!” shouted far- mer Ashmead. “ Here comes a light.” In that roaring wind, against which the men could scarcely stand, no candle or lamp could have lived for an instant; but some one had snatched a brand from the fireplace, and now came running, the blaze at the end of his fagot burning blue when it burned at all. Every once in a while it was blown entirely out, but to start into flame again at the shift— in!r of the wind. It was brought under the lee of several men who stood close together, and gave forth an un- certain, flickerin illumination. By it the man neeling by Seaver was reveal ed. It was the minister. He was very ale. Those about suspected him of interest in elle; ._ but none of them know that words of love for her were scarcely yet cold on his lips. “ Friends,” he said, looking up and speaking with the gravity and the hush that death in- spires, “ this is a sad business. The man seems to be quite dead, and yet, strange to say, I find no trace of blood on him. By this time every one was chilled by the ie wind that seemed as if it drove fairly throng one. “ Fetch him indoors, boys!” said farmer . ‘ Ashmead. “Nothing can be done out here in the cold.” ,3 “ Give us a hand here, under his back.” said my one who knelt to lift him. f, A volunteer sprung forward, but ere he had 8 got hold of the other’s hand the first exclaimed: .3 “ Ey! what is this? W hy, his back is all ' 4 bloody! Hold the light here.’ . It was done, and troubled eyes strained to see what horror would be revealed. ‘- gelle had hurried to farmerlAshmead’s side, , an e asped his arm despairing y. -, “ Oh, sir!” she cried, sinking u 11 her knees, ' “you do not believe that I woul do anything " .- so wicked? so terrible? He shot himself, I de- clare to you! I was over there—we?——by that L, 1‘ bush when I saw the flash !” I But the man had stern Puritan blood in his veins. The bitterness of an iron creed had so 5., permeated his nature that he knew nothing but , a the fierce justice of an eye for an eye! *' i! He shook off her suppliant touch, and bent- -,, r' forward to see what the torch would reveal. 'w' ' “There it is! Do you see that, men?” asked ,;{_. one of the examiners. ’: “What is it?” asked farmer Ashmead. _,’ f, “ He shot himself ” re ied the other with sav— “‘ " age scorn—in the ack ’ l. 5 “What’s this?” cried another. “ Hold the light here. I struck something just now with .. my foot.” ‘ x " ' . - a W ‘ There it is! A pistol! It’s the weapon that "2.; finished him i” , 2 Eager hands picked it up. ’134' It was a beautiful little pearl-handled revnl— er. “Give it to me!” cried Little Leather-Breech; . - :w . es, extending his hand quickly, as if to snatch I, * V it. . “Not so fast, my young buck!” said the man, s . g. holding it out of reach. “We’ll know who it “ ' ‘ ‘ belongs to, first.” - “It is mine!” cried Belle, in wonder, not realizing what gravit lay in such a confession. “.Oh, no, no!” cried Little Leather-Breeches, t ng to stop her. ut it was too late. taill'he man who held the weapon laughed bru— ‘ ,. y' . . .3. “No thanks to you for owning it,” he said. , ' “ There’s a plenty that know it by sight; I, for ' one. I knowed it the minute I set my peepers v on it.” . *i . Belle now stood With eyes dilated and lips , " ‘ -, ,‘g icture of terror. She saw the net‘ . g. - that Was 0 osing about her. ‘ “Oh!” she cried, .wildly, “I am innocent ', v Indeed! indeed I am innocent!” , ., ~v ,fl, The minister turned his eyes upon her- " w; “ said, not a word, but his white face . w'.‘ sad eyes her more than the cruel chuckle of the. illiterate brute who gloated over the possession of that telling evidence against her; Little Leather-Breeches. 5 “ Weyby—Winters—take charge of her!” said farmer Ashmead, sternly. “ Never! You shall not touch her while I live!” shouted‘ Little Leather-Breeches. - With the spring of a panther he swooped down ,2 upon the man who held the revolver, dealt him if: a stunning blow,‘ and, at the same instant, {Li snatched the weapon from his hand. ‘ -. lVith another bound he laced himself be— 31’, tween the cowering girl and er foes. "‘ “ Stand back!” he shouted, now fairly beside i‘ himself with terror at what he—evcn he !—now R believed that the rash hand of his loved one had done. , But love comes before law! No regulation of ’ human justice—no need of human society— weighed a feather with him now. lVith every man’s hand against her, he put himself at her . side. ' V ‘ She was a murderess? Be it so! He would be 'a murderer—her equal in that!——before a hand - . '5, should be laid upon her in anger! “Stand back!” he shouted, “ or, by the ever- ,' livin God, I will dro the first man that dares 1;. to ta 6 a step forwart !” They knew him. He daunted the boldest of them. Still he knew that he could not, single-handed, withstand them all for an length of time. Was there not one in al that knew her and him who would stand their friend in this their time of sorest need? Oh! if it were any one but Abe Seaver! He could have been counted upon to defend her, right or wrong. But it was he, the most devot- ed of the devoted, that her hand had beaten down to death! Little Leather—Breeches turned sick at the thought. His despairin eyes went round from face to face, and sudden y a light of eager relief broke over his countenance. “Barcla !” he cried, starting forward and extending ‘s hand. “I’m your man!” was the prompt response. And afigure lea forward and him, with a great flapping, hke the wings of a men. ster bat. “ The Mad Millionaire!” exclaimed a voice. “ The devil!” declared another. And all were suddenly impressed with the ap- propriateness of the suggestiOn, applied to that weird-lookin rson. . At that instant the snow came in a blindin flurry, extinguishing. the torch and wrapping afi in rofound darkness. ‘ After them, men!” cried farmer Ashmead, thinking to take advanta e of that protection from Little Leather-Breec es’s aim. There was a rush and a fierce struggle. Little Leather-Breeches had the good sense to know that the killing of a single man at random would not help his cause, so he flung down the revolver and grappled with the first man who tried to rush st him. The Mad Millionaire seemed to have scarcely ten steps the start of the others; and et he made such good use of his advantage t at he yeaught Belle up in his arms, rushed with her to his waiting wagon, fairly threw her in, follow- ed himself, and was off as if riding on the hurri- cane. The excitement of the strug 1e seemed to set fire to his distem red brain. 9 yelled to his horses, and shrie ed with maniac lau hter as, standing erect, he swung the long las of his whip round and round and sent it darting through the air, to crack over the heads of his fri htened beasts like a rifle-shot. hey were used to this wild driving; but , the snow blinded them, and the rear and rush _. of mighty winds maddened them, and they _‘ tore through the blackness unable to see the ' ound they trod on or any surrounding ob- gcts, and kept in the read only by some subtle animal instinct of which human reason can give no account. . ' They were running away, With no one to check them but that madman, who reveled in their wildest speed, reckless of the destruction v thg might be rushing upon. a lie, forgetful of all else but present peril, 4 clung to the sides of the boundingxyhicle, fear— ing eve moment that it would overturned , ’and she urled to a horrible death by mangling! - ‘ The blind instinct of fear made her shriek for help where there was no chance for it from hu- ~man hands; and so they rushed on through the knees and ic chill! "Down'thrpug the village they swept, with gum-Mug speed; then away toward the [where dwelt the old crone, whom all had ‘ ht to fear as a veritable emissary . e ' _ ' now the hissing lightning rent the black , . x,‘ ' curtain of ui lit, and the voice of the mighty Thod, the g of thunder, drowned the eerie shrieks of laughter of the imps of the tempest. Directly in their path the mad horses saw an ob 'ect of hideous aspect. er bent form, her flapping garments, the r crooked staff she waved, shrieking: “ Ha! ha! ha! Come on to death! Come on to the mangling rocks! Come on where chasms yawn and crags lie in wait! Come on, to )erish in the snow and cold! Come on! come on ! wel— come ye! Ha-ha-a-a-a-ah ! The curses I’ve scattered like the sower in seedtime are spring- in up, a rare crop of the thorns and nettles of he 1! Now shriek ’and wail and pray to yer deaf Heaven! I answer 0! Fall to, my lads! Let every man strike his lVrithe in the death—grip! till yer thews and sinews crack! hoarse curse between yer gnashing teeth! ho! we’ll have the fiends‘ revel!” This horrid spectacle appearing in their path as if it had started out of the earth caused the frantic leaders to rear and paw the air, then swerve sharply to one side; and in a flash the vehicle slewed round and rolled over and over, hurling the yelling madman and his shrieking victim to an invisible fate. The wagon lay a wreck. The horses, broken loose, coursed madly on into the darkness, the winds sweeping the clatter of their hoofs away. The unearthly cries of the insane driver ceased abruptly, as did the terrified voice of poor Belle Briggs. Amid the bellowing of the thunder, the roar- ing of the winds, and the crash of riven trees, no sound of living creature remained save the eerie strains of the witch's voice screaming: “ Ha! ha! ho! ho! The dead man’s bones— dead by the hand of hate !-—works the fierce will of the Tormentor! Blow ye bleak blasts out from the frozen pole! The touch of yer breath is death! Fall ye dread bolts from the pitiless heaven! The wrath of the gods sears and blackens as it destroys! Scourge with yer scorpion whips the vile earth-worm, man! Bring revenge! revenge! revenge! to the witch they fear while they hate!” CHAPTER V. A FRUITLESS SEARCH. THE struggle for the capture of Belle Briggs was a brief one. Satisfied of her escape from her human foes, Little Leather-Breeches awoke to her peril from the violence of nature and the eccentricity of the madman. So, shaking himself free from his assailants, he slip awa . With no one to fight an nothing to fight for, the icy blast soon cooled the ardor of the crowd. Blinded b the snow, shivering and with their teeth c ttering, those who were not called to the task of bearing the dead man scudded to the house. The minister staid b 001' Abe, urging gentle- ness upon those whoii ted him, lest some flick- ering of life might hold him to suffering, and so advanced himself in the respect of those who had looked upon him as rather efi'eminate. To spare the women the shock of that bloody horror, the body was carried to the granary, where, a lantern having been lighted, the min- ister once more knelt and satisfied himself that life was indeed extinct. Then they went to the house, to find a W0- man quivering with terror, yet ready to do bat- tle with a mother’s undaunted courage. It; was Mrs. Briggs, who having been up— stairs, was ignorant of what had occurred, until the breaking of the storm fri htened her into joining those below, where she earned the terri- ble suspicions that blanched all faces. “ \Vhat is this I am told?” she cried—“that my daughter has taken the blood of a fellow- creature on her hands! Who has started this monstrous slander? Why don’t you speak?” She had deen a quiet woman—a woman of many sorrows and gentle resignation. But now her low voice was high and rm ing; her kindly eyes blazed; her hand, that soothed many an aching brow was clinched. Farmer Ashmead dropped his eyes. He had been. her friend for twenty years and more— over since she was a light-hearted girl 110 Older than Belle! The minister came to his relief. “My dear friend!” he said, endeavoring to take her hand. But she shrunk from him. ‘ “ I want no soft words!" she cried. “ You cannot caress me with one hand and stab me with the other! Are you all my child's accu- sers? Tell me that!” “Madame, she is her own accuser!” Strain yer muscles Grind the Ho! rother to the heart! . i | “ Her own accuser?” , “ We found her kneeling beside the dead man. and she called herself his murderess!” “ But it cannot be true! She was beside her- self with terror! She could not have killed him with her own hand! Great God, men! you who have known her ever since her bab 'hood !—you who know that she never harmed a iving thing in all her innocent life !—you caimot believe that she would suddenly develop into such a wretch ——such a monster! You know that he was fond of her—everybody knows that—a poor simple creature, good and kindly enough in his way, but not one to win the favor of such a girl as Belle. She may have told him so,and he in a mo- ment of (les )air, have made ’wa ' with himself. Men have one such things. T on what more natural than that, in her terror and 'sorrow at what had happened, through her and yet leav- ing her without blame, she should call herself his murderess—meaningJ that she had driven him to it? Oh! it must e that!—it is that, and no other!” “ That was her defense afterwards, but—” “ She said it? she said it?” screamed the mother, leaping toward him as if about to clasp his arm, and yet shrinkin back before her hands touched him. “ Now irod be praised!” Then turning to her friends and neighbors. with clas ed hands and streaming eyes: “ You car! you hear! She is innocent!” But with gentle dignity the minister recountr ed the facts as they had been witnessed, from the first appearance of Abe Scaver to the ick- ing‘ up of the revolver known in belong to elle. he mother listened at bay. her lips apart, her breath panting, her eyes hard with defiant in- credulity. “It is not true!” she persisted. “ If all the prophets of Israel were to appear before me and declare her guilt, I would not believe them! I know her better. Where is she? What have you done with her?" “ With the aid of your son, she was carried ofi’ b the Mad Millionaire." “ ill did it? “Yell now. I am truly proud of him! It is not the first time he has protect- ed a defenseless woman from your heartless cruelty!” The men winced as she laughed in their faces. But then a wild blast swept round the house causing it to fairly rock’, and the snow beat against the windows as if it were being thrown by the shovelful. “ In mercy’s name!” cried the mother, now I awaking to the other peril, “is it possible that you drove a helpless girl into such a night” this? Where were your hearts—you who are fathers with daughters of your own?” “It was not our doing,” said farmer Ash~ mead. “ She was snatched out of our hands by your son and an irresponsible lunatic, whom——” “Where are m things?” cried the indignant mother. “ May ed for ive you all for your iron hearts—I never will!’ She got her shawl and bonnet, refusing to lis’ ten to the women who crowded about her, gagging her not to go out into that terrible m pes . As she entered the kitchen Joe Weyby step- ped forward, sayin 2 “ If you’re boung to go, you don’t 0 alone.” “ It’s low down, and that’s a fact, or a lot of hulking fellows like us to pitch onto a little girl!” cried Jake Winters. “Mrs. Bri ., if you will count me on your side, I’ll be tinged to e!” fire infection of sympath took rapidly among the oung men, thong the older and less suscepti 1e held out in unforgiving con- demnation. ' Murder was murder! Half a dozen stalwart fellows soon had their coats buttoned up to their chins and their caps drawn down over their cars, and with a oung giant supporting her on either side, Mrs. riggs went out into the storm. They took her home, and then set out with lanterns to look for Belle. The r “ stool- igeons ” were sitting l.- zily about the stove in Tuttle’s grocery, smok- ing his tobacco and “ swapping lies." ‘ I sw’ar!” drawled Sam Trueman, stretching lazily, “ I begin to think we’re goin’ to have. rou h night to (git home in.” “ it we di n’t start an hour ago,” assented Andy orrison, as the frame building shuddered under the buffets of the wind. “ Who ever knowed it. to blow up such a bliz— zard without a minute’s warning 1" . Old-man Van Dyke remembered a similar case in ’37: and drawing a black plug from his breeches pocket, and biting 011' a p 000,110 prov cecded to tell all about it, making it as much worse than the present storm as his imagination would permit. In the midst of his description they were star- tled by a series of yells, the clatter of hoofs and rattling of wheels, and the screams of a woman. “ Good heavens! what’s that?” The sprung to the door, to be blinded and have eir breath taken away by the fierce as— saults of the elements. The light streaming through the door showed them a runaway team tearing by. “ The Mad Millionaire!” “With a woman in the wagon! be!” “ Whoever it is, her life ain’t worth two bits, out in a night like this!” “We can’t stand hyer an’ let her perish?” “ What’s the reason we can’t? The man that goes out in that blow had better git measured ur his coffin! That’s my advice !" While they stood debating the question, a dark object was seen to approach. It was some one staggerinrr through the snow, swept now this way, now that, by the furious Who can it blasts. “Look! he’s down!” “ Lend a hand till we snake him in hyer!” The rushed out caught the fallen man by the shonl ers, and set him on his feet. “ Hyer friend! well soon have you in a more comfortable berth than this!” “ Van,”—which was short for Van Dyke—— “you’re just the man I want to see!” “ Hallo! it’s Little Leather-Breeches! “'hat i :i Cain air you doin’ out hyer?” “That’s you, Morrison, is it? And who’s ’. his?” . “Sam Truemaii, an’ don’t yo furgit it! But I wouldn’t ’a’ b’licvcd you‘d knock under the little while this blizzard has been blowin’——liang ine cf I would!” “It ain’t that,” gasped Little Leather-Breech- cs, as the dragged him over the threshold, “ but I’ve ad an’ ugly wrench. I reckon it has nearl broke me in two!” “ hat you’re wantin’ is three fingers o’ rum,” said Old-man Van Dyke, with unswerving faith in his universal remedy. “ That’ll set you all ri ht in no time.” ‘ What I want,” said Little Leather—Breeches to Deacon Tuttle, “is every lantern you can scare up, and a good man each to carr them.” In a word he told them, not the who 6 truth, but that the Mad Millionaire had taken Belle in his wagon and made off with her from the gathering at Ashmead’s. . As they bustled about, each knowing where to get what was wanted as well as the proprietor himself, they made the natural demand: “And whar’s they all? Hain’t they got no lanterns up to Ashmead’s?” “They may be along presently. But every minute counts in such a mght as this, so I hur— ried on for on fellows.” “ And rig is you was! You’re sure to find us at the old stand!” “ Come, then!” “Hold on! We don’t start without somethin’ warmin’! I’ve seen more days than on have, boy. Give the old man credit fur nowin’ a leetle somethin’.” The drank all round, while Little Leather- Breec es waited impatiently at the door. “ Now, then!” he cried, as they. approached, throwing o n the door and leaping out. Old-man an Dyke muttered something about youngsters, and followed less agilely. They went up the road as fast as they could make their way through the deepening snow and against the sw1r1ing wind. Little Leather-Breeches could not step with- out pain, for in his tussle he had received a bruise and wrench ot the leg; but he kept on without murmuring. Two or three times all of their lanterns were blown out at the same time, and they were left in total darkness. Then one had to take his lantern under his overcoat while another lighted it. So they reached the scene of the overturning of the wagon of the Mad Millionaire. “ Hyer’s something!” cried one. It was the vehicle already half-drifted over. “ Blow me if it takes long to cover things up hyer! Hyer’s the wagon, but neither hide nor hair of any livin’ critter!” “ Hold on! Hyer’s somebody! Dash the light! , Hold yer lantern liger, Sam.” ‘ It’s a man—the Mad illionaire!” “He was pitched out when the wagon went over. It’s knocked him as stiff as a sledge- stake!” “It’s lucky for him that he wasn’t pitched ] fur off. She might ’a’ made Little Leather-Breeches. ovei; a cliff! Has it fixed him for good and “ But Belle Briggs!” interposed Little Leather- Breeches. “Boys, tramp around here lively! She must be under the snow!” But no trace of her was found. “ She must have been able to walk 03,” said And Morrison. “ ut she could not go far. Belle! Belle! Belle!” And Little Leather-Breeches shouted her name at the top of his lungs. No r onse came. The 0t ers joined him in a united halloo, with the same depressin result. “She may have een thrown out somewhere along the way,” said Little Leather-Breeches, his heart sinking at the thought. “ Look a-hyer,” suggested Old-man Van Dyke. “ The witch’s but on htn’t to be so very er way thar.” Our hero caug t at this hope. ‘ h They toiled forward up the steep to the witch’s iit. There were no windows in the hut: but the door was so ill-fitted that a ruddy glow of a brilliant fire shone through the chinks. “ Hallo within !” cried Little Leather-Breeches, rapping on the door, which was all the worse for the rude entry of the mob a few weeks before. “ What d’ye want?” was the querulous de- mand. “Can’t ye let a poor lone woman bide in peace? Stay where ye are, with the curse of old Mumbo Jumbo, who has nothing to thank you for but ill-usage!” “ You have to thank me that you have a roof over your head at all,” replied Little Leather- Bi'ceches. “Come! open to us! All we want is to ask you a few questions.” The old beldam hobbled across the room, opened the door, and muttering inaudibly all the time, turned her back on her guests, and hobbled back to the fire, where she crouched for warmth. “Have you seen anything of a young girl— Belle Bri gs?” asked Little Leather-Breeches, glancing a out, thou h he knew that there was no place in the hut w ere she could be secreted. " What! the accursed one?” asked the old witch, glaring around at him, “ she with the blood on her soul?” ' The men stared. They had heard the gossip about the woful prophecy. But now they saw Little Leather-Breeches turn ghastly pale, and shudder. Old Mumbo Jumbo rung up, and seizing her staff waved him ofl.’ With it, cryin : “ Avaunt, with yer names of evi omen! Have ye come here to darken my threshold and bring down the wrath of heaven on me? Go! go! go!” She advanced upon him menacingly. “Take yer blood?)i tracks from my door!” she shouted, so shrilly t at the men retreated before her, with a superstitious thr l. “ For God’s sake, let us gi out o’ hyer!” cried Old-man Van Dyke. “ Thar’s nothing to be got in this accursed lace but ill-luck !” ‘ It was enoug for Little Leather-Breeches that he des aired of finding Belle there. “ Come!’ he said. “We must seek her along the road. She must have been thrown out be- fore the wagon overturned! My God! what will become of her? Belle! Belle! my darling!” The last he whispered to himself, in an agony of despair. They began the search, kicking about in the snow and shouting her name. There was no hope of success. It was im - sible to remain longer out in the cold. we; were alread becoming chilled and exhau. . How could t ey search on either side of the road for a mile for an object buried out of sight? ()nlv Little Leather-Breeches persisted in it, 1,.‘_T!Ig_-; relieving each other in carrying the l m. .3. \rizurc. So: i! the boy became so exhausted that he had to be helped, and finally carried. So they met another rty, the youn who had escorted Mrs. riggs home an gone forth in quest of her daughter. Hearing the report of those who had already gone over the ound, they were disheartened. By Joe Wey . ’s urgin the went a little fur- ther but soon a andon the opeless task. “ t’ll save the hanginan a mighty disagree- able task!” remarked Jake Winters, gloomily. “We’ll find her to-morrow, looking better than she would with her neck stretched!” Little Leather-Breeches was carried home, where Mrs. Briggs went almost wild over her accumulated sorrows. When the oung men returned to farmer Ashmead’s With their report, Kate con her eyes with shrewd suspicion, men then .._._ _ 7b.._...__ .s_ .- , -, __...__... .__. “ It’s odd that they should find Mr. Barr-la , and not Belle,” she said. “Where could s e have gone, if she escaped unhurt? Suppose Will Ffiosdick got Tuttle’s crowd to help him spirit her 0 l “ That’s more like it!” John BoyCe assented. The matter was discussed until everybody was half-convinced. On the morrow a new complication arose. Abe Seaver’s body had disappeared! There were half-filled tracks in the snow under the lee of the ranary; but where the wind had a fair sweep t ey were wholly obliterated. When informed of this the minister stared blankly, turning alternately red and pale. “ Can it be that we made a mistake, and he is yet alive?” he exclaimed. “ If he has gone out in the storm in delirium and perished, I shall never hold myself free from blame!” “Dear me!” exclaimed Mrs. Ashmead to her husband, when they were alone, “did you ever see such a soft heart? I shouldn’t wonder if he worried himself sick, if Abe is found dead in the snow!” “Boys,” was a ruder, yet not less hearty com- ment, “that parson is no slouch! I thought the wind would saw me in two when we stood over Abe—an’ I ain’t no chicken !—an’ thar that preacher took it like ,a little man!” CHAPTER VI. A LiviNG GRAVE! WHEN Belle Briggs awoke to consciousness, she found herself in total darkness. The air about her was damp and had the chill of the grave in it. “ Oh! I am blind! I cannot see a ray of light! And how dead and heavy the air is! ’ She had struggled to a sitting posture. She now passed her hand over the surface of the ground, and found that it was sand. “ It is the shore of a lake or river. But I can- And this profound There is not the not hear the ripple of water. darkness !—it cannot be night. faintest glimmer of light!” She strained her eyes to their widest extent, without avail. “ No! no! I am stone blind! Oh heaven! I shall never see again! What can have happened to me? “That fearful ride! I must have been thrown over a. cliff, and the shock has paralyzed the op- tic nerve. “ But I must have help! I shall perish out here alone, Without shelter or food, and unable to move a step without the fear of being dashed to death! “ But if I return to men, it will be to be hang— ed! Why did I not tell some one when I discov- ered that I had lost my revolver at the picnic? ‘ Now, no one will believe it!” Still, whom there is life there must be effort. She rose and legan to grope about. Sliding one foot before her as she advanced, as a precaution against pitfalls, her extended hands presently came in contact with the cold, damp, rough surface of a rock. It was sheer as high as she could reach. It must be the wall of a canyon. . I Putting her back against it, she strode direct- ly forward at right angles. “ One! two! t ree! four! five! six! ei ht! nine! ten! eleven! twelve! thii-—-” seven ! er foot struck an obstruction; her hands felt , a wall like that she had just left. She'shuddered at the fatal number thirteen! She proceeded along the wall, keeping one hand in contact with it. It was somewhat tor tuous, yet bore, as far as she could judge, in the same general direction. ‘ She tried to remember any canyon like this. There was a mountain gulch about a mile from her home, not far from the hut of the old witch, ! which at this season was for the most part a “ dr run.” “ ut what has become of the snow? If it melted while Ilay unconscious. the Water-Course , should now be a rushin torrent.” _ While she reflected t us, she experienced that sensation of proximity which we have all felt in the dark when the face or head is brought near an extended surface. It was the echo of her breathing against the , V rocky walls. , This attracted her attention more particularly to the sense of hearing, and she became con- ' not in distinct repetitions, but as if the reflecti surfaces were so close that the original so scious that her slightest movement was ac , blended with the reduplication. ‘ l Her imagination cau ht at this, and : » a, . erated it. She stop in sudden fright. ‘ er excited fancy it seemed as if the walls that; passed her were closing in about hard , encom , > . 'and usin both hands. " ’i ' The“ S 6 turned her attention to the fOOtWayi: u Little Leather-Breeches. On a sudden impulse she shrieked at the top of her voice: 6‘ He] 1” The e ect was terrifying—stupefying! It was as if her wild cry had filled the whole’world— as if a thousand fiends shrieked the word back into her ears! She cowered to the ground, quivering in every nerve. “And, oh, God! I am blind! blind!” That was the especial terror of it. She could not see the den er that menaced her. But oontinu observation impressed her with the dead stillness 0f the air, which equaled the silence. It was not the free air of heaven, which always has some motion, so that the cheek can feel a faint coolness. Then flashed upon her a revelation which caused her heart to leap with a thrill of delight such as she had never before ex ‘I‘ieuced. “I am not blind! no! no! am not blind! Thank God! I shall live to see again the blue sky and the green fields and the golden sun- shine 1” And with a wild sob of ecstasy she scooped up a handful of sand, leaped to her feet, and threw it into the air. , Then she uttered a scream of delight. “ It struck! it struck! I heard it distinctly!” To make assurance doubly sure, she threw several handfuls more, crying as she did so: “No! no! I am not blind! The rock extends overhead! I am underground! I am in a cave! That accounts for this rayless darkness! Oh! I shall see! I shall see!” She had been in caves before, thinkin it great sport to explore them with candles, s rinking at each step with fear, though assured by her companions that a few steps more would fetch them to the end, when they could turn about and go back to the renewed beauty of the sunlit worl . “ Even in the darkness I have only to follow along the wall,” she assured here-Alf. “ If one way does not lead out, the other will. So I am perfectly safe.” She now hastened, moving as rapidly as she dared, with the necessary caution to avoid striking against some obstruction. “ then I come to where I can go no further, I shall know that I am in the wron direction, and can turn back,” she said, strivmg to thus fortify her courage. - So she groped forward throu h numberless windingsi until the roof drop} so that she could no onger walk erect. . “Yes! es!” she panted; “ this is what I ex- pected. ere is no use in oing any further in that direction. That is t e end of the cave. Now I have only to follow the wall back. I sup— pose I was near the entrance when I set out, and taking the wrong direction have been walking away from it ever since. f course I couldn’t have been far from the mouth.” This reflection started a new train of thought. “ But how did I get in here at all, I wonder?” But that question opened 11 such a dark vista of uncertainty that she fear to ex lore it. “One thin' at a time,” she sai , trying to laugh. “ W on I find my way out, it will be time enough to ascertain how I got in.” She oped on and on for what seemed to her to be ours though she assured herself again and again that of course that was an illusion born of amnety—that it was, in fact, only minutes. Then it occurred to her that she ought to try to recall the irregularities of the way, to assure herself that she was retracing the path she had come. . “And here I am gIomg back with my left hand to the wall, as came. That is to say, I am following the opposrce side. How thought- less ” And yet it sprun from the desire to have the right han free tokgrope with, while using the left hand as a gm 6, which only re- . quired to be kept in contact with the wall. With quickenjng heart, she immediately cross- ed over. _ And now rose a treacherous play of the imag- ination. One moment she thought that she had come ' u u some remembered landmark, but the next . ' all seemed strange. . “ It is the strangeness of usin my right hand, and of approaching the irre ritics from the posite direction,’ she said, urrying forward, “B . j “It seems to be rougher,” she mused. flien it was broken in songplaces.” Presently it occurred to er to turn round and in the opposite direction. “ I need go but a few step?” she said aloud, feeling a growing terror at t e thought of los- ing a moment. “ It will relieve me of this awful uncertainty. I cannot endure it another moment! O-o—oh—” It was a quavering mean of terror; but she broke it off. “No! no!” she whispered to herself, “I must not yield!——I must be calm! The danger is in losing presence of mind and selfrcontrol. I will be collected!” She struggled heroically against the terror that was bearing down upon her, threatening to destro all wer of rational thought. \Vit ua "ng knees she groped a few steps, her trem ling hands feeling every inequality of the rocky wall. “Yes! yes!” she said, “I recall this crevice. I remember that it hurt my finger when it slip- ped into it. ” But the fact was, her fevered imagination was beginning to people the darkness with undefined shapes of horror. The place where the wall had dropped until it touched her head seemed to be cree iing toward her like a living thing! “ 'cs! yes!” she whispered, hoarscly and turning hurried so precipitater that she stum- bled and hurt herself, yet kept on with increas— ing eagerness. ’resently she ran against an abrupt wall. It was another terminus. “ This is the real end of the cave!" she said to herself, breathlesst. “ Where the roof shut down must have been the opening. I should have gone as far as possible before turning back. But it is not tOo late yet. I can return.” She hurried back, now stumbling and run- nin against projections, yet on and on, hecdless of t 10 cruel bruises she received. For a little while she would follow one wall and then cross over to the other, with a fickle- n.ess of purpose which came of growing confu- men. In one of these assach she found herself in an open 5 ace. hen everything seemed to whirl roun , and she lost all sense. of direction, and groped about aimlessly. Then she cried aloud for help until the weird echoes frightened her ’.ito silence. But the sounds did not die with her voice. The silences thus waked gave back fiendish, chuckl- ino‘ laughter. Horror froze the blood in her veins. She fled blindly, madly. S1 6 rushed against a wall, and fell, stunned and bleeding. She gathered herself up, and with her head spinning round and her knees tottering dragged herself on! on! on! whither she knew not. So, overcome with terror and exhaustion, she sunk to the ground and lay unconscious. From her swoon she passed directly into a profound sleep. When exhausted nature had thus recuperate], she woke slowly, feeling chilled and stiff and sore. She la utterly hopeless, until her idly-roving,r lanlce c auced to range directly above her eat . There she saw what thrilled her to her heart’s core—a gleam of light! a ray of heaven’s glad sunshine! She sprung to her feet, and shrieked: “Help! help! help! 0h, help! Is there none of God’s free creatures within the reach of my voice? Help! help! liclp!——in the name of heaven, help!” But even as she appealed to it, extending her arms in wild sup lication, that faint, far-off beacon was blotter out. “It was a delusion! I am going mad!” she cried, clasping her head in her hands. Then the chamber, in the center of which she had fallen and now stood despairing, echoed with a wild unnatural laugh. “ Ha! ha! ha-a-a—ah! ha! ha! So you are there, are you? Come up, you little devils! come up! come up! I’ve been waiting for you and trying to sp you out for years and years! Are you there? Some up and show yourselves! Nobody’ll harm you !” “ I’m mad! I’m mad!” breathed the poor girl, her cup of misery now full. CHAPTER VII. A VOICE IN THE DARK. Bp'r there was no escaping from the impor— tunity of the voice which rung in her ears. f‘I say, brownies. ghouls. hobgoblins. elves, fairies, whomcr and whatever you are. you needn‘t be afraid of me. I’ve always had a fancy for you, and I wouldn’t mind an exchange of civflities, all in a friendly way, if you are agreeable. Ha! ha! I'm an odd Dick, myself ; so on needn’t stand on ceremon with me." he bewildered girl brushed er hand across her brow, listening as the voice rattled on. It sounded stran e and muflled and was so multiplied by the 60 cos that it defied every t!— fort to determine where it came from, though she turned her head in different directions Still, that it spoke intelliginy gave ita cer- tain human quality; and when it ceased she called tremulously: “Is it a fellow-creature that is addressing me?” “Ha! ha! ha-a-a-ah! ha! ha!” it shrieked. so wildl that the frightened irl cowered and shud ered as she listened. “ hat’s a good one! Ha! ha! ha-a-a-ah! ha! ha! Afellow—creaturci I should say not! I’m about fourteen times as tall as you are, and weigh at least a hundred times as much. I say! do you know that I eat. more beef every do for dinner than your whole body would ma e? But then you needn't be afraid of me. I‘m not hungry just now. Ha! ha! ha! ha! But there! thats chaff. If you only knew it, I’m the best» friend on little folks have got. And I’m a right jaly follow when you once come to know me. Ion’t you let me see you! Do you live down there without any light ?’ “Sul‘cly, surely this is delirium!" moaned )(Kil‘ Belle. “ But my strait is so desperate that linust not lose the most unpromising hope (if Sll('('()l‘. “ \Vho are you 5” she asked aloud. “I‘m the modern Rip V an Winkle! You rc— mcmber Rip? He hobnobbed with some of your folks earsa 0. But he wasn’t a. jollier fellow than am! ust try me! “'on‘t you come up and let me see you 2‘” “God knows I cannot escape!" sighed poor Belle. “Can’t escape? 'Wh , what‘s the matter? I thought you folks coul go anywhere you want- ed to—down into the ground, or up into the air. just for the wishing. What can’t you escape from?” “ From this living tomb!” “ ()h! 'ou’re in a tomb, are you? TVell. that‘s queer! 0 you bury your folks alive? We bury our folks that way sometimes. Ha! ha! But then it’s a bad way to plant ’em, so we try not to, as a rule. You see, they can‘t come up, like carrots and such, and they don’t like to stay down! That‘s a matter of taste, thou h. Do ou knowf—I fancy I shouldn’t min being uried alive. But I’d want a trap-door, so that I could come up 0’ nights and skirmish around in the church-yard, and make folks‘s hair rise! “'ouldn’t that be a rig to run? But, say! you don’t seem to enjo that sort of thing. do you? I wish I could be p 'ou out. I like to make everybody coinfortab e, I do. Oh! I'm a right 00d fellow, as I told you, when you come to 'now me!” “ Oh! can you not help me? I am lost in this horrible lace! If you would but lead me once more to t e light of the sun, I would give you a life-long grati ude!” “ Well, that is queer! Ain’t all of your folks down there with on?” “ My folks? ow should they be? Oh, no !— I am entirely alone!” “ They’ve gone off and left' you. have they? \Vell, that 'ust shows! I reckon all mortals are pretty muc alike, thou ,h I did think that no- thing could quite ual t escalawags we have on top of the earth! say !——I can’t do much for you myself. I‘m a no-account fellow with a crick in my cranium, so they say. But I know a young chap that’s greased lightning on things that nobody else can do; and if you don’t mind waitin a bit, I’ll have him here, in two jerks of a lamb s tail. He’ll fetch you through. you may (10 ,nd !” n a clear, rational moment Belle would have known that this was human help, and w. mld have sent word to her friends. But in her half— delirious state she was like one in a dream, who is not surprised at meeting the weird creations of superstitious fancy. “ Oh! if you can send one to my aid,” she sighed, “ I will be ever grateful to you.” “ All right! Here goes! Keep your heart up until I get back! Ha! ha! ha—a—a—ah! ha! ha! That’s a 1 one, that is! I wonder what the little cuss is like, anyway!” The concludin sentences did not reach Belle‘s ears. The last 5 e heard was the dying away of the demoniac laughter. The voice did not seem to recede in the corri- dors of the cave, but ceased as if it vanished out of the air close to her. So once more she told herself that it was a cheat of the imagination. “ It cannot be that there are spirits other than a ' ' mastery of her reason. dreaming. No! no! it is the flightiness which comes of weakness." She sought to steady herself. something to tix her eyes upon. If she only had I human souls," she said, struggling to keep the i ” Nor am I asleep and ‘ She recalled ' the gleam of light, and looked to see if it would ‘ rca )pear. \esl there it was again! and the: gh she be— lieved it an illusion and that it would presently , vanish as it had done before. she grand at it as a castaway on the lone ocean stares at a dim ‘ speck on the horizon, which may prove to be a sail, or only a film of vapor which will shortly liissi hate in the air. “ ut it is blue!" she suddenly cried aloud. " And see! there is a point of light in the middle . f it! It is the sky !—it is the blue sky! I haVe : eurd that, looking upfrom the bottomof a Well, our- can stars in the daytime! Yes! yes! it 1" no illusion, but a glorious reality! I see the riling heavens once more. and that is my star . promise!” A wild ecstasy thrilled through and through 'ier A flood of grateful tears sprung to her ' ves. Shedashcd them away, lest for an Instant he should lose sight of that shinnnering point I 1' hope. So there, on her knees in the darkness, with her hands clasped as in prayer and her eyes draining upward, she waited, panting and sob- ixzog and murmuring— “ l )h Hod! you are good to me! You will - ‘fili deliVerance in your own time and way!" While she waits t us, let us explain the source of the Voice with which she has been holding .‘i )I I \'i‘l'St.‘. 'l‘he blizzard having blown itself out by mid- night was followed before morning by a. furious ruin-storm, which washed away every trace of SHOW. At dawn tWo parties went in search of Belle Briggs—one consisting of her friends, and the other of the vindicators of the law. The distracted mother insisted upon being one of the former party, and as her despair increas- ed with the evidence that there was no trace of Belle to be found, she toiled amour the crags, frantically crying her name until s e was car- ried home compleme exliaiisted. Those under the lead of Jason Ashmead met with no better success, and both parties were equally jeered by old Mumbo Jumbo. Meanwhile, almost himself again after a night’s rest, Little Leather-BreH-hes had gone out alone, resolved if he found the girl alive to take her beyond the reach of the law at all haz- ards. A arently little the Worse for his fall, the Mmfgfilliouaire had gone in search of his run- away horses. By the middle of the afternoon he had not met with any better success than the others in their more im rtant quest; but his fortune. took him into t 10 heart of the hills, where, as he was about to ste overa hole upon which he had come unex )ecte( ly, he heard issuing up through it the mu ed sounds of a human voice. His diseased imagination at once caught at this, a glance into the black orifice showing him that it was the opening into some subterranean chamber. ' “ Ho! it‘s brownies!“ he cried, eagerly. “ I've wanted to see them all my life. Now‘s as good a time as any to make their acquaintance. “ I’ll speak to them!" So he knelt and thrust his face. close down over the hole, entirely cutting otf the light that streamed through it. He rose from his interview with Belle believ- ing that it was some underground spirit in trou- ble, and went in quest of Little Leather- Breeches. He did not find 'ill Fosdick at home, but the distracted mother so rocking her body to and fro, or paced the floor, or was now and then forced to lie down for a few minutes by the sympathetic women who surrounded her. At sight of the Mad Millionaire, she sprung up and seized hold of him. " What have you done with my child?” she screamed. “ Where is shot You were with her last! You tore her away from all who loved her! Where is she now?" The lunatic took the contagion of her excite- ment as tinder ignites from a spark. “ Yes! 88! yes!" he cried with the rapidity of lightning, fairl dancing. “ That was a. famous ride, with t e devil at the end of it! Ha! ha'“ " You fiend!" cried the mother, enraged at his lau hter, so that she shook him with all her strengt . " But I say!" he cried. Little ‘ ‘ where‘s Leather-Breechesf He‘s the man for my iiioncyl Say!" and he lowered his voice to a mysterious whisper, “don’t you give it away: butr Eh.‘ You understand!" And winking and bobbing his head rapidly, he poked her in the side with his finger, with a knowin r look. and throwing back his head, shriekeil out his wild laugh once more. Then glancing around at the other women who shrunk from him with fear, he sidlcd up to her and whispered in her ear: “ It‘s all right, between you and me and the graVeyard. Little Leather—Breeches is the best man in the c rcus. right!“ Then the mother began to tremble with a wild “me. She too suddenly became apprehensive of the women, as seizing him with both hands she whispered buck: " You have found—“ “ Ha! ha! ha !“ he shrieked, throwing his head back, and then winking and nudging her again, added: “\Vhat some folks Would give their cye~teeth to find! But, mum‘s the Word! Where‘s Little Leather-Breeches? I can‘t man- age it myself, what with the crick in my head. you know.” “Hod bless you, you faithful creature!" sob- bed the mother, overcome with the new hope. ‘ “ ( )h, be careful! Do not trust any one. They are all her enemies! Do not even let it be known that you are in search of \Vill, or you may be followed. But you will find him some— whore among the hills. You must search un- ceasingly until you do find him.’ So, “building better than he knew," he left the mother with a priceless boon of joy and gratitude. while he went back to the hills. The sun had almost touched the horizon when he came upon the object of his search, looking hag rard and deswrate. “ {cllo!" he cried. “You’re just the chap I'm looking for. I sayI—I haven’t found the horses yet, but I've found what I‘ve never lost. Ha! ha! ha! You don’t believe in witches and devils and fairies, do you! ‘4Vell, there‘s the witch over yonder among the crags. You can’t deny that she told you all this trouble about the murder beforehand: and it‘s my opinion that she had a hand in it. It Would be an easy matter for her to make you all believe that Abe Seaver was shot, when it wasn‘t him at all, but only one of her familiars that had taken the form of his body, and la there as if he was dead. You see, she couIiln‘t spirit off a real bod , but if it was a cheat, I reckon it van— ished be ore Ashmcad and the rest of them had got half—wa ' to the house. “ If that isn’t the business of a witch, I don‘t know what is. “ As for devils, you can see them dancing in the tire any stormynight, and hear them shriek- ing and laughing down the chimney. “But now, I’ve got something else to show you—something that you don‘t get a chance to see every day. I‘ve been on the lookout for them all mylife, and this is the first time I ever had the ghost of a show to get at one of them. “ VVe‘re all very independent when we‘re all right, ain‘t We? But when we get into trouble, we‘re glad of some one who will help us out. “ And now, who do you think has got into a hole— Ha, ha, ha! That’s a good one. Into a hole! Ha! ha! ha-a-a-ah! ha! ha!" “Look here, Barclay!" said \Vill, wearily, “ I haven’t any time to listen to your nonsense! I’Vhat has become of Belle Briggs! That‘s what I want to know." “ Oh, yes! Belle Briggs. It was queer about that, wasn't it! I wouldn‘t have believed she had it in her. She was always so quiet, you know. But then 'ou can never tell." Little Leather- reeches turned away in de- spair. “ But, say!" continued the Mad Millionaire, following him up. “You’re a good fellow. You’d be] ) anybody out of a scrape. wouldn’t you? We 1, I’ve found a fairy shut up in a tomb under ground. Her folks have actually buried her alive—I don‘t know what for; she didn’t tell me. But there she is, and she asked me to help her out. That’s the queerest thing I ever heard. I always thought that these ground folk could come and go as they leased. and that they preferred to stay down t ere. But I suppose she knows best whether she feels com- fortable. So I told her that my head-piece wasn’t 00d for much, but I knew a likely young to ow who would be glad to render her any services that lay in his power: and that if he couldn‘t find a way of getting her out there was no use in looking to any one else. I’ve come for you. Now’s your chance to see a Eh.’ he‘s the one to fix it all ' I thought you wouldn‘t want to regular fairy. 1 never saw one luxfere. my miss the sight. self." “Barclay,” said Little IMither-Breechcs; “come, he a good fellow and try to think what happened after you left Jason Ashmead’s house with Miss Briggs." It was plain that he was not IIIIIII'OSSUCI. by what he considered one of the madman‘s va— garies. But the Mad Millionaire was full of his one idea, and he urged it with every argument he could think of, going over the details of his in— terview when Little Leather-Breeches showed his incredulity, until our hero, impatient at having this nonsense, as he supposed, thrust upon his grief, rem-lled him angrily, and shook him off. But soon after he was alone something that had been said came back with startling force. Ilis attention once arrested. the whole situation suddenly flashed upon him in a new light, and he stopped abinptly with a cry of wonder. The next instant he was flying back toward the spot where he had left the madman, shout in ' his name at the top of his lungs. he Mad Millionaire quickly forgot his disap— mintment, and dclightedly led Little Leather rceches to the crevice in the rock. Trembling in every limb, our hero knelt with the setting sun shining full in his face. He had not time to speak, when a wild cry came up from the opening. “\Vill! Will! oh, Will! thank God, you have come at last!" (,‘lIAPTER VIII. AN i'NkivowN FATE. IVITH his heart in his mouth, Little Leather- Breeches asked: “Belle, darling, is it you 5" “Yes! yes!" she painted. nearly died of fright l" “ \Vell, it is all over now," he said, sooth ingly. “ ()h, I am sure it is, now that I have you with me." “ But how did you get down there in so strange a place !“ “ I’m sure I don‘t know." “ Try to think. You were with the Mad Mil- lionaire, you know.” “ Yes. I shudder at that fearful ride! But I do not remember how it ended. Imust have lost consciousness. When I came to myself I was in this terrible place all alone!” “ I think you were thrown from the wagon.“ “ That may be. I feel bruised and sore. ’ “Then you must have got up in a half-con- scious state and sought shelter from the cold in the mouth of some cave. But I do not know of anything of the kind anywhere near our home. Ilo you?” H Noot “However, the first thing to think about is how to get you out. Can’t you find your way out as you got in?” “ Oh, no! I have wandered about in the dark ncss until I am nearly wild! This is the only gleam of light I have seen since I have been in this horrible place!” “ “'ell. we must try some other way." Little Leather-Breeches reflected. “ Belle," he said. after a muse. “you need not suffer any more anx1ety, or now that I know where you are. you are perfectly safe. But it be impossible I“ get you out at ()ncp_ You cannot be got up through this small opening, nor can I get to you. And it is irobable that, with a light and proper means of eeping track of the ground you have gone over, you can find the way out much room-r than I could find the way in to you. “But first, you must be hunriy.“ “I have been t0o greatly irigltened to think of hunger. thou h I am weak and faint for want of food. But am famishing with thirst! If you could get me some water first!” I: You will not be afraid to be left alone?“ h 0m “ Oh, “'ill, I have “ Well, I will be back as soon as ible.“ He rose, to find the Mad Milliomnre staring at him in wonder. Little Leather-Brw-hesfelt that it would be safer to leave the lunatic in his delusion than to tell him the truth. _ He therefore got rid of him on the pretext that he had frightened the fairy b his wild laugh, and with the promise that, w en he had got her out, and she had got used to human beings so as not to f them, he would tell her who her rescuer was and ask her to let him see er. The Mad Millionaire thereupon resumed the .__. _- “.— -.__.._,,...L.a l t E l l l 2’ ..»——-~—.(———--‘ A sear-h for his horses, and our hero got water in a flask in which he always carried spirits for use in emergenc and dro ped it thro h the opening; so that 9 00111 catch it in 6 lap 0 her 'em. in the same way he gave his match—safe and “lill(‘l'lili\ with which to build a fire. Then he left her, to get food and the means of effecting her escape. Rushing home as fast as he could through the gathering twilight, he found hisniother by adop- tion surrounded by several sympathizing neigh- bors, By his instruction she got rid of them with a woman‘s nice tact. They doubtless suspected that something lay beneath this polite invitation to leave, but they went. ex iressing their sympathy. Then This. Briggs bustled about getting warm clothes for Belle. while Little Lenther—Breeches put up food and candles and a ball of twine. She plied him with a flood of questions, but. he told her indefiniwa that he had found Belle hidingr in a cave where she was safe from pur— suit. He packed everything in a long bundle, which was small enough the other way t< ) be gt it through the opening. Then Mrs. Bl'iigs was about to get really to accompany him. ut he dissuaded her. “ If you were seen going out with me,“ he said, “ every one would know that we had found her, and it would be the easiest thing in the world to follow us. But, alone, 1 can easily elude pursuit, even if the truth is suspected." It was a hard struggle for the loving mother to forcgo the opportunity to see her outcast child, perhaps the last time for she knew not how long. She charged Little Ifather-Breeches with an almost endless message. It would be nu )ossible for him to remember half of it. ut its whole. purport was love and confidence in her ii.nocence; and Little Mather-Breeches repeated enough of it to make Belle weep tears of ratitude and feel that all would not be lost so oug as she retained her mother's love. She exchanged her wet clothes for dry ones and ate heartily, and it revived her strength and courage. Then Little Leather-Breeches instructed her how to fasten one end of the ball of twine to a jagged point of rock, and explore the corridors, paying out the string as she wont, so that she could always find her way back. He had also supplied her with some flour tied in a ba . so that, by striking it acainst the wall she con (1 mark the various corrh ors as she cn- tered them, and thus might avoid going down the same one twice. “And now, dearest,” he said, finally, “keep your presence of mind, and you can do this as well as if I were with you. “'heu you reach the mouth of the cave come directly to the knoll northwest of the wife 1’s but, about a. quarter of a mile. That is where I am now. I will wait here, so that you will be sure to find me, whether you come back above or under ground.“ “Oh, “'ill! how good you are to me! If I ever get out of here alive, I will show you how I love you!" t “m won‘t say good-by, my darling—only, has— en. She threw a kiss 11 in his direction, thou h, the Hi ht having fa len, she could not see fig face. ut he could see her. in the light of her tire and the candle she carried; and he saw the brave smile with which she left him. Then she went down the corridor, the light of her candle was swallowed up, and the muffled echo of her footste )8 died away. He waited hreat ilessly, his heart now beating so wildlv with anxiety that its dull thud in his ears drowned every other sound. “ God protect her!" he whispered, feeling a cold chill of dread creep over him. For a moment he blamed himself for letting her go out of his sight. To what nameless ter- i'ors’had she gone with that hopeful smile on her ips.’ But then reason told him that this was the only WBSY. and he tried to control his fears. till he waited, starin down into the cavern at the waning fire, and ffairly counting the min- tea I: . As the time passed his mind became agitated with a conflict of wild hopes and fears. Every once in a while he thought that he heard footsteps, not in the gloomy cave, but near him tune the nightrshrouded crags. Then he wo d start up with a glad cry of re— lief. She was coming! A bound, and she would be in his arms! But it was only the dropping of a twig, or the loosening of a stone from its place. Little Leather-Breeches. 9 He would turn again to his agonizcd vigil. only to stare at the embers slowly crumbling and burying themselves in white ashes. " This will never do!" he cried, at last. “ She has been gone for hours! Something has happen- ed to her! 011. wliydid I not find means of getting . toher. instead of leaving her to face these hidden perils alone!” He was nearlv crazed with suspense. An icy sweat stood on his forehead, yet his brain sceni- ed on tire. lie kept repeating to himself: “ :My (iodl my Hod!” Not a sound had come from the cavern. the voices of nature whispered about him. Then suddenly a wild, agonizcd shriek filled the cave with blood-curdling stridor! “ Good God!" he cried aloud, quivering in every limb, as he pressed his face l it use down over the owning. Not a sound followed. Then his whole soul leaped from his lips in the wild cry: “ Belle! Belle! me!“ His blood was frozen by the horrible re:ponse. The cave echoed and re—echoed with a round of fiendish laughter. Something like the wing of a monster bat fluttered for an instant below, and the dying embers were wholly extinguished. lle st arcd into the darkness, dumb! Only Belle! in God's name, answer ('lIAl‘TER IX. (‘L'T orr FROM THE \vonLn. For. a time Little Len flier-Breeches lay flat on the rock, so frozen with terror that he hardly breathed. Then he woke the wild echoes of the cavern with his cries. “Belle! Belle! Belle! \Vhat has happened to you! For God‘s sake, speak to me!" But not a sound answered him. Then wild frenzy seized him, and leaping to his feet, he fled down the mountain-side as if pursued by a legion of fiends. In the horror of that moment he lost all pre- sence of mind, and rushed on at a iace that would have. been perilous even in the daytime. Now he tripped over a twig, sprawling his length, tearinr his clothes and bruising and laceratiug his flesh. Up and on again, to step into a hole and crash once more to the ground. Before he reached the level land, he looked as if he had passed through a desperate life-and- death struggle. ' His clothes were in tatters, his hat was gone, he was covered with blood and dirt. So he rushed headlong into the presence of his ado: ted mother. “\Vill! \"ill! for heaven‘s sake what has happened? You have found her? éhe is dead? ()r is it that those fiends have got possession of . her 3" “l have no time to ex lain,” he cried. dies.” It was lucky that, besides hunting, he had given a great deal of his time to u~ospecting. and so had some mining—powder in t 1e house. Of this he took what he thou ht he would want, and slung it over his bac ' with a coil of rope. Candles and matches he thrust into his pock- ets. Then. before setting out, he looked to the loading of his ievolvers. “ “'ill, what are you about to do?” cried the : widow, alarmed by this warlike preparation. “I am goin to fetch Belle to you, living or (lead, as I fin her, if it costs me my life!” he cried, almost breaking down with grief, as he thought of the more terrible contingency. “You are not going to fight all of those men 2‘" “Men or devils, I am going to fight every- thin that stands in my way to—night !“ “ shall go with you, “'ill!" “ N0. mother, you must not. You can do no good, and—“ . “I can prevent you from rashlv putting yourself in the grip of the law. “'i ‘ You are all that I have left. I can‘t bear to have you too under the ban." “ There is no danger of that, mother. not oing to fight our neighbors. ”, “ Vhom are you oing to 11 ht, then?” “I don’t know. fiVhoever‘Iias Belle in their power." “ What do you mean t” “You must not ask me now. I will tell you everything when I come back." Little Leather-Breeches wished to spare his Iam LEI ', want blasting-Imwder, am ropes, and more can- ' ! that haunted moth r the horrible uncertainty him. “Trust me," he pleaded. “ And above all, do not detain me! There is not a moment to lose!" “ My son, what is the meaning of this mys» terv't" "'It is only in kindness to you {that I do not tell vou now_ “'ait until—” “ \Vhy are you so terrified; and whom have you been struggling with f“ “It. isn‘t that. It is only that I have been running. and have had two or three ugly falls in the dark. There! if you want to do the best. for Belle and every one. stay here in the house, and let me go without any more delay." And the mother, more and more bewildered, afraid to oppose him and afraid to let him go. finally yielded. It was the darkest hour just before dawn. No one was yet astir in the village. and Little Leafher-Brceches‘s aim \\ as to get off unobserv- cd. He got away to the hills. and then striking a light, searched for a crevice into which he could tamp his powder. so as to enlarge the hole enough to admit his body. “'ithout knowing what danger he was rush ing into, he was resolute to face it alone. “There is no time to drill holes," he said. “This break in the rock will have to serve.” He charged it. with powder, and then tamped it in solid with some reddish, sandy clay. Then he lighted the fuse and ran to a safe dis— tance. By this time the dull glow that had appear— ed in the east while he was at work was streaked with red, and the fleecy clouds were taking on the iridescent tints of mothcrot pearl. For a moment all was still, save the sighin r of the wind and the monotonous “(‘aw! caw! ' of an early crow that was slowly flapping over- head. Then. as the cast began to quiver with in mu- lous light, came a puff of white smoke. followed by a roar that woke the hills to wrathful rever berations. High in the air tossed the fragments of rock, to return to earth in a pattering shower. Little Leather-Brushes ran forward, crying: “ It won‘t do to have another such uphtaval. or I shall have the whole village up here to see what is going on 3” But it proved to be unnecessary. The aper- ture had been enlarged enough to admit the passage of his body easily. Fastening a rope to a spur of rock near by, he dro ped the free end into the black hole. “ may never see the sunlight again 2“ he said. a chill of apprehension creeping over him, when the moment was at last cc me to descend. He looked about him. A wild desire seized him to wait and see the sun rise. But he thought of Belle and the unknown cause that had cut short her cry for help. “'ith a sense of self—reproach that be (mild waste an instant, he swung down into the hole and slid down the rope into the darkness. Too late be r( fiected that he ought to have lighted a candle, so that he could see al.out him as he descended. However. he reached the floor of the cavern without. incident, and all about him was as still as death. He looked up, to see the stars shimmering lnmbently through the opening. Then he struck a light. There was the fire, its cmbers black and scat— tered about. “ That. at least, was done by some human hand.” be reflected. Then he turned to the string which led away into the darkness of one of the corridors. He was about to follow this, when an irresis- tible longing to take a last look at the world he had left behind before plunging into the dark Illnkllltwnl turned his eyes to the opening over~ iem . Then his heart leaped! Just as the setting sun had illumined his face the night before and called forth a glad cry of recognition from Belle, so now the rising sun fell upon another face, its owner kneeling on the oppOsite side of the orifice. “ Mumbo Jumbo !" he cried, involuntarily. “ Yes, my dearie!” replied the old witch. “ What are ye doing d0wn there?” “The blast has called her out, bad luck to her 2” he muttered, trying to think how he could get rid of her without the danger of having her attract the attention of the villagers to what she had discovered. “Ha! ha! ho! ho!" she chucklrd. “Yni‘re caught in there like a rat in a trap. ain‘t y u. my lovey?“ - 24" ’ a, x a}? as o , 3‘5“ 'Wf \b l ’A ..~. 31f}. V's. $54? I“ .A 5. ,1" f' -‘«.. « ._ \-,< it? wen: i 2“ \ . ' place. And 5 purpose of carrying out his threat. 10 Little Leather-Breeches. This was a new su gestion. “ Confound her! t ere is no telling what may come into her crazy noddle! Suppose she takes a. notion to shut me up in here ?” This opened up a new source of anxiety. Lit— tle Leather-Breeches felt that ill-luck dogged his footsteps. “ I say, Mumbo Jumbo!” he called. “ Say What you’ve got to say (HIJIiCkly; for I’m in a hurry to be off,” answered t e hag. “ Were you thinking of going to the village?" “ Well, that just de nds.” “ If I was in your p ace, I wouldn’t do it.” “ Oh! You wouldn’t, eh ?” H No. 1) “ Well, that’s no reason wh I shouldn‘t.” “ But you remember that saved your but from having the torch put to it.” “ That you did, lovey!" “ That shows that I’m your friend, don‘t it?” “All the more reason why I shouldn’t trust you. It’s our friends that betray us. VVe’re not fools enough to let our enemies get the chance I” “ But I have no wish to betray you; and it’s only good advice when I tell you not to get in the way of the villagers just now. Remember, they’re not very well pleased with what hap- pened last night.” “ Are you well )leased with it i" “ At any rate, ’m not disposed to vent my spite on you for what I don‘t like about it.” “ Oh! you ain’t, eh? Ha! ha! ho! be!” And the 01d hag chuckled to herself like a. malicious ghoul. “Will on go home and wait until I come for you? I ave something that I want to say.” “ Oh! I’ll go home fast enough; but if you have anything to say this side the grave, now’s yer time to say i‘.!” “What do you mean?” cried Little Leather- Breeches, alarmed at her voice. “ Life’s a weary pilgrimage till ye come to the end on’t, and then we all wish that it was a day’s march further on. Ha! ha! ho! ho! we’re brave in the morning; We lie basking in the sun at noon, but when night comes on—when the darkness begins to gather, then we shiver with, dread, and try to recall forgotten pray- ers! She looked down at him with a wicked smile, her eyes glittering with snake-like cunning. ,Her hand came into view over over the ori- fice. Something flashed in the sunli ht. Then -it was no longer clearly distinguisha le, as she reached down through the openin . “ Good Heavens! that was a inife!” cried Little Leather-Breeches, his heart leaping into his throat. “Hold on i” he cried, aloud. about there?” “ Putting you out of harm‘s way, lovey!” “ Stop! hat are you doing?” He feared to ask her if she was cutting the rope. If he was mistaken he dreaded to put the tho ht into her crazy rain. “ Ha! ! ho! he!” she chuckled. “ It’s dead men’s bones that does it. I’ve been in luck ever since the spell began to Work. His flesh to the fishes, his ones to old Mumbo Jumbo, and his soul to the devil! But he was a brave fellow was Tom, and he died with his boots on! And now he brings (grist to my mill! Come here, little loveys, an leok. Here’s another of them! Ha! ha! ho! ho! Here’s a brave lad that’s not afraid of death—not he!” “ Good Heavens! what can I do ?” cried Little Leather-Breeches, within himself. “One!” cried the old hag. “ Ho! ho! this was made for han ing men with! It’s a thou- sand pities to s oi it! And we’re in want of more, instead 0 less, now that the pretty, ten— der-handed and tender-hearted misses are taking to the sport! Ho! it’s rare sport, this sending men out of the world!” Little Leather—Breeches gazed up at the old witch as if fascinated. It seemed as if he could scarcely breathe, not to say speak. But a quivering of the rope caught his eyes, and sent a thrill through his heart. “ Two!” said old Mumbo Jumbo. “ Ha! ha! ho! ‘ho! like a rat in a trap!” “ Stop! stop!” shouted Little Leather-Breeches, springing forward and seizing hold of the rope. In '3 dismay at the thought of being left in that den of unknown horrors and having the only avenue of escape for himself and Belle cut ofl—and that to gratify the freak of a crazy old hag—he scarcely knew what he did. Involun- tarily he held up the rope, as if to stay it in its “ YVhat are you top!” he cried, “ or I will shoot you !” e whipped out his revolver With the full in But the old hag only cackled: “Ha! ha! ho! ho! three!" ' And the rope dropped, coiling about him like a snake! He shuddered with horror! The thing,was done beyond recall! He was stupefied. He no longer felt any desire to execute his threat. He would have shot her to prevent the catastrophe; but to seek such a revenge would now be futile. . She chuckled at him, cursed him, and then withdrew her face. He was alone! Then, recovering himself, he shouted to her wildly, hoping against hope to move her to ity. But it was too late. She was one. ere was nothing left him but to seek Be le, no longer wifli the hope of being able to restore her to life among men! CHAPTER X. HANDS UP!” “ CONFOUND such a country! Last night we were buried in the snow, and to—day we are hub‘deep in mud! I say, driver! is it this way the ear round, out here?” “ Vaal boss, I judge we’ve got about as much climate to t e squar’ inch in these hyer parts as anywhar betvv’een the two frog—ponds.” “ H’m! it looks like it!” “ It ain’t often as the doctors growls.” H lab?” The outside passenger, who sat muffled u to the chin, started and looked sharply roun at the J ehu. He thought that he detected some covert sig- nificance under the words spoken. “ “Iliat do you mean b that?” he asked. Hen Halladay chuckle softly. “ \Vaal, boss,” he said, looking out of the cor- ner of his eyes at the man at his elbow, “ I thought as you had a kind 0’ saw-bones way with ye.” “How do you make that out?" asked the pas- senger, his eyes quiekening with curiOsity. “ Waal, ye see any one could tell that you get yer livin’ by craft.” “ Craft?” “ Head-work. So I says I, he ain‘t no gospel-slinger; he pays as he goes. He ain’t given to swappin’ lies fur to cheat widders an’ orphings; he don’t have the cheek 0’ that sort. He don’t dress the politician, nor come the soft— sawder with an ax to grind. But he looks as if a good fat fee wouldn’t turn his stomach; so I jud e he’s a salivater.” ' T e assenger smiled, but did not gratify the stage river’s curiOSity. ‘ I guess the chances are that he has caught a glimpse of my instrument case,” he said to him- se f. ’ “ Are we oing to strike some dinner before 1011 ?” he asked. “ aal, stranger, at this rate, I judge we’ll make the Glen not fur from sun—down.” The passenger settled himself further down in- to his muffler and grunted his discontent inar— ticulately. . “ Confound a man who will 0 to the world’s end on a fool’s errand!” he re ected, moodily.‘ “ The bo ’s rubbed out, as they sa , ears a o; and as or health, bah! this one in ernal ride has used me up more than a year’s practice at home!” Turning to the driver, he asked: “I say, friend! do you know anything about the massacre that took place out here a dozen or fifteen years ago?” “ Fourteen by the watch, stranger! \Vaal, ef I don’t, thar’s no use in your goin’ further for information i” “ You know all about it, I Suppose?” “ D’yesee that thar groove that ye kin lay yer finger in?” The driver took ofl’ his hat and held over his head so that his passenger might satisfy himself that this was no exaggeration. The stranger was content with merely looking at the. spot. “ Waal that thar means massacree! They laid yer humble servant out as white as tripe; an’ it was fool’s luck that I didn’t git my hair raised." _ “ Then perhaps you can tell me if there were any other survivors.” . V “ 'est kin, boss, ef I’ve a mind to.” “ HJa've 'ou a mind to?” “ I hain nothin’ ag’in’ it.” “ You would oblige me greatly.” “ Waal. boss, thar was jest two kids that come through that scrimmage with hides that would hold water—two kids, the Mad Millionaire, and yer humble sarvant.” “ Kids?” “Young ones.” “ Children.” “No! Who told ye?” “I gathered it from your somewhat enigma- tic expressions.” “ Smart boy! Go to the head 0’ the class I” “Who were these children?” “ Now e’r’ ittin’ me!” “You on’t 'now?” “ Bein’s as I was jest put onto the fine. I hadn’t been in the place an hour, when it was whoop! crack! ban ! an’ the devil to pay! They didn’t leave not in’ 0’ that thar burg but a grease-spot an’ a hole in the ground!” “But the children escaped?” “ Somebody had the good sense to tie ‘em to a boss an’ then cut the critter loose. He run ’em out without nary scratch, which shows that boss—sense beats t e human.” “ What has become of them?” “They fetched up at the Glen, an’ a good m.— man ado ted ’em both.” “ At lendale?——the Very place We are 3‘1»- proaching !” “ Exactly !” “ But was there no attempt made to trace the parentage of the children?” “ Who’d give it away, with everybody “hat knowed huntin’ their hair?” “ You spoke of a mad millionaire.” “Clean one, boss! He got a tap on the knowledge- ox, like I did. I managed to crawl into the bushes, whar they found me laid out the next day. He must ’a’ had ’nuif sense to git. away in the woods; but when the folks in the Glen come up to reconnoiter, they found him Eeggin’ away at a minin’ claim, as crazy as a bed— ug, the whlch he hain’t been no better over sense. Thar wa’n’t no one to dispute his title, an’ the claim panned out big money, while ye couldn’t make grub-stakes anywhar else. He’s sharp enough to look after the pay-dirt. but that s all. . “ An’ now, boss, you’ve pumped me dry." Without aword the passenger handed over his wicket-flask. T e stage-driver laughed as he accepted it. “ Stranger,” he said, “ you‘d win the heart of a lime-kiln, you would!” “ You haven’t told me the name of the people who adopted the children.” “A widder, boss, what answers to the name 0’ Briggs. They call the boy Little Leather— Breeches. “ lVaal, l sw’ar!” The ejaculation was called forth by the sud— den coming upon a solitary horseman, as the Siiage swept round a bend in a densely-wooded g en. The. stranger had a carbine at his shoulder, and cried in ringing command: “ Hands up!” The prancing and snorting stage-horses were drawn u , and out of the surrounding thickets appear other horsemen. “ H’m! it seems that we are to have a taste of true Western life,” said the passenger, coolly, having complied with the order of the road- agent. “ That’s right, stranger. Take the thing quiet‘ 1y, an’ it’ll save stickin’-plaster!” “ Do you observe a peculiar limp in that horse?” asked the stranger, as the road-agent advanced. “ I jest do i” “ It may be Worth remembering.” “I don’t see what good kin come of it." "We may see it again some time.” “ An’ spot the rider?” H Yes. ” “ Boss, you air a cool hand! Ever been West before?” “ No.” “Waal, you’d better stay. This hyar is jest the countr ' fur such as you.” “I say, ohnny! stop yer chin-music, an’ feel about that ent’s clothes for his war supplies.” “ Pard, I ear yel”. And the driver complied, but, having passed his hands over the body of his passenger, was I} forced to report: I “ Pard, he ain’t heeled, an: that’s a fact!” “He has no business 1n this country, then.” “ Don’t you be too sure 0’ that!” The passenger now spoke for himself. ' “On principlehl am opposed to cheatin the‘ hangman,” he Sold, COOHY. “ I understan than“ you have effective executers of justice in this part of the country.” i _. The highwayman laughed. ., , ‘ ’ ‘ “ You’re welcome to call on Judge 143’th you think he can help you out,” he said. ‘ ~ Est n,(’)w we’ll trou le ’you to get down 08,. . ere. ‘ . “g... K“ 11 Little Leather-Breeches. H—i “ He speaks in a disguised voice,” mused the passenger, as he got down. The inside passengers were called out and ' made to stand in a row. ; Then the road-agents “went through” them ' with a. celerity which bespoke practice. Meanwhile, the gentleman first introduced to the reader quietly observed the men, all of whom were masked, and their horses. “And now, gentlemen,” said the chief of the outlaws “ I wish you a leasant good-after- noon! hen you report t is outrage, be kind enough to say that I treated you with courtes .” The road—agent dashed away down the ma . The despoilcd passengers got into the coach and continued on their way. Some were grumpy; some took it philosophi- cally, laughing at it as a joke; the outside pas- senger was thoughtful. But their misfortunes were not over yet. An unlucky rut wrecked a wheel, so that, after a night of unmixed discomfort, they entered the \" age of Glendale just at the break of day. The outside traveler registered himself at the tavern as Doctor Denslow, of Rochester, New York. At breakfast he was treated to a detailed ac- count of the tragedy that had occurred two ,» , da spreviously. ithout committing himself, he drew from ; his ioquacious landlord an account of Little ; Leather-Breeches. " 3241 He then went to call u n Mrs. Briggs. The poor woman was in a high state of nerv— . ous excitement. A sleepless night, followed by 3‘, the suspense and uncertainty of the new mys- tery as to Belle’s fate, was too much for her. Instead of obtruding his business at such a time, he was considerate enough to look to her well-being. “ Madam,” he said, “I have heard of your distress, and have come to see. if I cannot be of service to you. I am a physician of many ears’ experience in the city of Rochester, and think I may say of fair success. Giving way to your trouble as you are doing may be follow~ ed by serious consequences to your health. I beg that you will be advised by me, and allow me to prescribe a composing draught.” “ Oh, sir!” cried the poor mother, “if a kind Providence has sent ou to offer some protec- tion to my misjudg child, it will relieve me more than anything you can do for me person- al] _” ind clingin to his hand with a sudden con- fidence in his isposition and ability to befriend her and hers, she gave vent to tears. , “Depend u n it, my dear madam, your daughter sha have considerate treatment, whatever the facts may prove to be.” In an hour he had the distressed mother in ‘bed, slee ing profoundly, under the care of a kind neighbor. ' Returning to the tavern, he was arrested on the threshold by a furious clatter coming down _ , the road. , . 4' " “Waal, I sw’ar!” e'aculated mine host of the ' 7‘ 3 Glendale Tavern. “ f hyer ain’t the Mad Mil- lionaire, as spick and span as if nothing had ha pened!” d down the road came a wagon, drawn by four horses, the_ driver standing up and cracking his long whip out over their heads, as he laughed: “ Ha! ha! ha-a-a-ah! ha! ha! Here we are again! Hallo, neighbor costar. You see, I‘ve found them! Richard is himself again !” " Consarn his pictur’! It’s the same old rat, ' tle-head, every time ye see him!” said the stage— dflver who was lounging before the door. ' But Doctor Denslow was looking intently at the horses, and then with penetrating scrutiny " at their driver. ~ _. «Is that the man you call the Mad Million- aire?” he asked, as the team went by. , “It ain’t nobody else.” was the reply- “ And those are his horses?” “ Whose else should they be? They stood him at a thousand dollars a span.” , .“Do'you notice anything peculiar about the nigh leader?” , , ‘ ‘ w Only this—thar ain’t nothin’ in this hyere It’s the best 0’ , section that kin touch it! v the four, by all odds.” 9“ As a saddle-horse?” .5“ Yes.” _‘i ,gffExacthy. Well, do you observe that it has a; 1 ; “That’s so, boss. It limps. I reckon it had night before last, fore they got over the ' W'from that blizzard.” ', Rave on recently seen ,an animal that fight at way?” fl 7’ “In short, didn’t I call your attention to i “ If I am summoned before the proper author- that rticular horse only yesterday afternoon?” ity, I will do that with pleasure, growled the “ on? Me? That boss? Yesterday after— doctor, who was not partial to "the cloth." noon?” The stage-driver stared at the animal, then at the speaker, and back a ain, in bewilderment. Doctor Denslow sm' With a peculiar signi- ficance, and waited in silence for the other’s mind to make the proper associations. After a lon stare at the horse in question, the stage-driver xed his eyes on the face of the doctor in a steady look of inquiry. Then he blew a prolonged whistle of surprise, and muttered: “ Dang my skin!” “ What’s that?” demanded the landlord, his interest iqued. The Mid Millionaire wheeled his horses and came down the road again at a spanking pace, as if making the home stretch on a race-course. Before the door of the tavern he drew them up in ma nificent style. “ ell, gentlemen,” he said, a shade of anx— ious inquiry passing over his face, “ I have my beauties back again—a little the worse for their tear through the storm, but better than I dain to expect. I hope others have been as fortunate. “'hat’s the good word from the search for Miss Briggs?” A lot of the villagers were before the tavern, listening 0 )Cl’l-lllOllthOd to the account of the attack on t 0 stage. From them the Mad Millionaire got only sul- len frowns and wrathful mutteriiigs. They were not quick to forgive him his share “ Meanwhile, in impression of this section is that it is rather bloodthirsty all round!” With this cold comfort the minister turned awa , and the Mad Millionaire remained in the ban 5 of the mob. CHAPTER XI. A NEST OF OUTLAWS. FOR a moment after the rope fell into his iied. The necessity of kee ing Belle’s whereabouts a secret had led him to eep even Mrs. Briggs in igii name of where he had gone. His only chance of succor then from the out— side world lay iii the curiosity of the Mad Mill- ionaire. If he returned to see what had become of the supposed fairy, Little Leather—Breeches could make himself known. But this involved the betrayal of Belle. Then our hero remembered that there must be another way out—the way by which Belle had found her way in. “ Here is the string!" he exclaimed. catching sight of it. “ \Vith its aid I can thread the laby- rinth as I directed hcr to do.” He then recalled the wild shriek which had filled him with fear as to her fate, and lcavin the problem of escape until he should have i'oiin her, he set out at once down the corridor into which the clew led. in the escape of the murderess. He smiled nervously and drove on. “ And the same voice—disguised, of course?” : continued Doctor Denslow, looking at the stage— 1 driver. Hen Halladay scratched his head nervously. “ The deuce and all, boss,” he said, presently, “ that can‘t be! The man’s as crazy as a bed- bug—has been so these fourteen years.” ‘ Not so crazy but that he seems to have a keen eye to the main chance,” persisted the doctor. ‘ “ W'hat is this hyer?” again urged the land- lord. “ Let us into it, Hen.” “ I leave it to the doctor hyer,” said Halladay, shrinking from the responsibility. “ You are better known to these am,” said the doctor. “ Besides, go to bed.” And he walked into the tavern without more ado. Hen Halladay was at once besie ed; and ten minutes later, when the Mad M lionaire re- turned to the tavern he was stopped and drag- ged out of his wagon by an intense y excited mob. “ Gentlemen! gentlemen! what is the meaning of this?” he cried. “ You infernal road-agent!” was the retort, “ you’ll mighty soon find out! The fool dodge is played out, and won’t go dewn any longer with this community!” The passengers of the robbed coach being ap— aled to, i(lentified the horses as those ridden B; the road-agents; and thou b there was some doubt as to the voice beingfr t 6 same as that of the di uised man who pul ed u the coach, the more the matter was discussed, t c more general became the impression of its identity. “ That’s his ‘ pocket?” cried an indignant, be— cause unlucky, miner. “ That’s why, while the rest of us, as hasn’t had the sense to chuck our picks an’ pans down the nearest prospectin’-hole an’ itch in an’ see what we kin git of! the top 0’ t e airth—that’s why, while the rest of us have been scratchiii" a poor man’s back these fifteen years, he’s (lrivin’ four-in-hands ’round the country, whoopin’ ’er up all the time!” It was notorious that the country had been in- fested by road-agents ever since its first settle- ment, and though the Vigilantes had cut ofi‘ a straggler here and there, the leading spirit had always managed to elude capture. )ple than I propose to Carrying his revolver at full cock, he held the candle above his head in the other hand. and so advanced, on the alert for a surprise. He soon came to where Belle had dropped the ball when she fled from the old witch. After that there was nothing to guide him, and chance led him to take the .assagc before which Belle had hesitated, an down which Mumbo Jumbo had made her appearance. But there were innumerable ramifications in this branch of the cavern, and he did not ro- ceed far over the way by which the witch iad returned. He had advanced for full half an hour, care— fully markin his course so as to know what passages he (1 visited and the direction in which he had gone through them, when he perceived a murmuring sound, as of voices in conversation. “ Now then I must be careful!” said he. “ This light will betray me. By keeping hold of the string, I can alwa s find in way back, even in the darkness. I wi mark t is s t, so as to know it a ain when I come to it, an then count myistepls.’ e 'd so, and then blowing out his candle, proceeded in the darkness. As be advanced the sounds became more dis- tinct, until he became sure that there were sev- eral men talking excitedly. “They are our enemies!” he exclaimed at once identif 'ng himself with Belle. “ They have traced er to the cave, and ca tured her 5” With a sudden swelling of the cart, and a determination to fight for her to the death if necessary, he gring his weapon more firmly, and crept forwar . Presently he discerned a dull glow, and turn- ing an angle, came in sight of a torch stuck in a crevice of the cavern wall. But the speakers were not within range of his vision; and the abundance of light showed that this was but one of several torches by which the chamber was illuminated. Little Leather-Breeches paused and listened. “I tell ye what it is, pards,” said a voice which Little Mather-Breeches recognized as Hank Drake, “ we’ve got to handle our irons mighty gingerly, or we ll git our fingers burnt." “It wasn’t such a bad scheme to use the. hiny’s homes to pull up the coach with,” re lied another, whom also our hero identified. “ iat So now only one voice was raised in behalf of the Mad Millionaire. “Friends,” said the Rev. Mr.‘ Vance, “I beg of you to proceed with caution. The evidence seems to me very inconclusive, when you come to consider that this man has lived in our midst f9r_years, and has never before fallen under sus- picion of an kind. I appeal to you» Sir,” he continued, a dressin Doctor Denslow, who had come down in not t e pleasantest humor from an ineffectual attempt to sleep. 'Somehow Belle Briggs had got to running in his head, though he asked himself impatiently what concern he could have with a total stran— ger, accused of murder. “ I appeal to you, sir,” urged the minister, “ to pass upon his sanity.” gent had a sharp eye in his head: and by the i way he spotted them critters, he’ll know ‘em , ag’in when he sees’em. Ha! ha! ha! it’ll be a l joke if he drops onto the luny and jugs him, 1 and maybe stretches his neck!” “ The parson knows what he’s about, an’ don’t you furgit it! It was the Mad Millionaire that | run off the gal; an’ ef he kin git him in a box, he’ll come the lioney-fugle psalm~singin’ an’ prayin’ dodge over him, an’ make him :2 it out what he done With her, before he puts ' on the straight shute to glory.” “ But, sav! that wasa bad kink in that Seaver affair. ga oot?” . “£11 tell ye some other time—after we find - out! ‘ hands Little Leather-Breeches was fairly stun-l What do ye suppose has become 0’ the 12 Little Leather-Breeches. “ But dead men don’t git u an’ walk off.” “ No more they don’t. '1 erefore he wa‘n‘t dead.” “ It ain‘t like the person to bungle things like that.” V “ We all make mistakes, Johnn '. Ef' ‘~ lid- n’t, nobody ’d ever git caught. ' hen whar'ii be the use for Vigilance Committees!” “ Say, pard! this hyer will be a mighty good place to emigrate from et' Seavcr gits off an’ blows on us. He had us piped down tine, an” no mistake.” “So much the worse fur him! It was curi- osity, ye know, that made all the trouble in the world.” “ But, Hank, how was it that the parson man- ~ aged to shunt the thing off onto the leetle galt” “ Waal, that was more luck than anything else. Ye see, he found her little barker at the picnic whar she lost it, and was soft enough to eep it jest because it belonged to her.” “ Sweet on her, ch?” “ Slightually!” “ But how in thunder did he come to put her in such a box, then? That was a mighty queer way of showin’ his affection!” ‘ “’aal, ye see she give him the mitten in a way that was calculated to r’ile any man.” ‘ You was hangin’ around whar you had the chance to hear it!” It i) fig} thought it was your duty to pick him 0 : “ Ef I got the chance. But the parson seen his opportunity, an7 went fur it. He put a stopper on the blab-mouth, an’ got the leetle al in a hole at the same time. Then he calcu ated to run her off an” have his way with her, after all." “An’ now she’s the deuce knows whar, an’ Abe Seaver is spirited off ditto! What do you suppose that crazy ecot done with her, any- way. ‘ Ask me an easy one!” “ Hold on, pards! Hyar comes the Cap!" The conversation was brought to an abrupt conclusion, and the speakers, of Whom there ap- pear be a dozen or more, moved about urriedly, like eye-servants preparing to receive their master. Little Leather-Breeches stood in the dimly- illumined corridor with mouth agape. In the few minutes while he had listened, there had been opened upto him a deep and damnable plot of villainy. Whom did it involve? The ver man against whom be brushed every day !- is neighbors, whom he had never dreamed of suspecting of such a thing! But he learned that the scream he had heard had not been caused by Belle’s capture by the conspirators. They had just expressed igno- rance of her whereabouts. There was one suspicion which he hesitated to entertain until it had found confirmation in the sound of the voice of the new—comer. In his eagerness he forgot the danger of being detected by some one coming to a point where they could see down the corridor in which he was, and crept further forward. “ Come, my men!” said a brisk voice, so dif- ‘ferent from the genteel drawl for which he had listened that he scarcely felt sure that it could be the same, “ there is no time to be idling here. The Mad Millionaire is in the calaboose, where he can be got at any time in the next twenty- four hours. that lies immediately before us, is to find Abe Seaver and to head off this young bantam, Little Leather-Breeches. “We can man- age him without much (lifiicugy, I fancy, if we once get our hands on him. e is virtuallv an outcast; and no one will take the trouble to look him up, if he mysteriously disappears. He is now somewhere; either looking for Belle Brig ., or keeping her in hiding; I am not sure whic . ‘ In any case all I ask is to get him once safely in our den. l‘Iobody tells any tales who once gets in here!” And the speaker finished with a laugh. “ He!” muttered Little leather-Breeches, scarcely able to believe, the evidence of his senses. “Well, of all the wolves in sheep’s clothing!——” Without warning 9. man suddenly appeared before the mouth of the passage, and stood star- in at him blankly! Eur hero’s wits were never wool-gathering. Taken by, surprise, he instantly conceived the only plan that would protect him from be- tra Lilia a flash his revolver flew u so as to cover a s t directly between the out aw’s eyes; and ‘ vi the other hand he beckoned to him. The man turned pale, realized his situation, and without uttering a sound to attract the at- tlention of his comrades, advanced t’o the corri- ( ()1‘. Little Leather-Breeches retreatcd backward, keeping his Weapon trained on his victim; and the other followed him, step for step. So they reached an angle, passing which they would be in darkness. Our hcro knew that in such a situation he would lose the advantage he held as long as his mark was visible; so he passed out of sight, but in a whisper commanded the other to halt, when he had come so c10se that he could almost have reached him with his extended hand. “ I’ve got you, you arch villain!‘7 he whisper- cd: “and if you utter a sound, I’ll blow your cheating udge Lynch! A pretty leader of road- agcnts you are! All you want is to get Little Leather-Breeches into your den! “'ell, you’ve got him; or rather he’s got you! Put your weapons on the ground; but be careful not to trvtoget in a snap-shot on me. Remember, when you get ready to shoot, 1 may not be just where you expect to find me, as you cannot see me, though I can see you. And if you were to make a mistake, on would never have a chance to retrieve it in t iis world 1" White to the li s, the outlaw captain drew his revolver and lai it on the ground at his feet, without a word. . He knew when he was “ down.” Having Seen his bowie placed beside it, Little Leather-Breeches lighted a candle, and then i commanded his captive to pass him and walk on in advance. The discomfited villain did as he was bid, still without a word. They had proceeded but a few paces further, i when our hero discovered that what would have 1 proved an advantage had the disappearance of 1 the captain passed unnoticed, was destined to t prove a mistake. Voices were heard calling from the chamber l they had just left. “ Hallo. Cap! where have 'on gone to? What aip‘you doin’ in thar in the dark!" ith the quickness of light Little Leather- Breeches sprunrr forward. “Tell them that it is all ri ht, and that you don’t want to be interfered wit 2" he whispered, holding his revolver in unpleasant proximity to the captain’s temple. “ It’s all right, boys!” called the ca tain. “Just attend to your own affairs, and ‘11 at- tend to mine.” But even as he spoke a flood of light came down the passe e; and at the angle where our here had compe led the outlaw ca tain to dis- arm himself appeared a group of is followers, one of them bearing a flamin torch. Instantly Little Leather- reaches blew out his candle. But the precaution was ineffectual. The ruddy light from the torch brought him and his captive out in bold relief against the black background of raylcss space beyond. At a glance the whole situation was revealed to the astonished rogues. , “ Wal, I swear!” cried one, with an oath, “ ef that’s what you call all right, I should like to see something that was all wrong !“ “ Crowd against the wall and let me pass you; or you are a dead man!" fairly hissed Little Leather—Breechcs. And so terrible was the intensity of his men- ace that the man whom he held in his power sprung aside. ‘ Little Leather-Breeches flashed by, and so es— ca ,d the danger of getting a shot in the back. 'ow he was able to face his enemies; and still holding their chief under cover, he cried: “New, men, it must be plain to you that I have your captain. There are enou of you to make mince-meat of me in short or er; but you can’t do it in time to prevent me from laying him out. “And you, sir!"—to the captain—“ recom- fiifen’d discretion to your men, if you value your e. “ What do you wish me to do?” asked the out- law, to gain time to think up some way of out- Ivitting the boy who had trapped him so clever- y. “ Order your men back into the chamber where I came upon you.” “ And what do you propose to do with me 2” During the moment that had passed since the outlaws came upon him, Little Leather-Breeches had entirely changed his plans. \Vith the necessity of guarding his captive every instant, and ex to ambush by the outlaws in a cavern t e windings of which he knew nothin about, while they mi ht know all about them, e knew that it won] be hopeless for him to attempt to find and rescue Belle and ‘ brains out as you deserve, but that it would be , take her safely to the outer world. But now that he could face all the World and prove her innocence, he had but to effect his own escape to command the whole force of the vil— lage to return and search for her. So he answered without hesitation: “ I propose to march you out past all of your men, and carry you a prisoner to town!” "‘ And do you fancy that I will girefcr the cer— tainty of hanging to the chance 0 being fatally shot hercf” “ No. You will count upon the chance of es- caping me somewhere in the passage through your men 01' after we have left the cave.” “ You are very shrewd.” ‘ “ I am also getting impaticnt!” The captain of the outlaws understood this hint; but just as he was about to turn to his men and give them the required order, Little blather-Breeches saw his face suddenly lighten, as he glanced past our hero in the direction op- posite to that where his men stood. At the same time, a low ejaculation escaped from some of the mcn; and their captain's eager look was reflected on their faces. Like a flash Little Imather-Brcechcs whirled round, and saw at his back a man whose blank look of bewilderment showed that he. had just made his appearance at that end of the corridor, and was at a less what to make of the scene be- fore him. Little Leathcr~Breechcs reco nized in him a crony of Hank Drake’s; besi ' es, the evident pleasure with which the outlaws had hailed his appearance was sufficient proof that he was one of them. ‘ It was plain, then, that the lad stood between two fires; and only the )romptest action could save him from capture, it not death. ‘ He saw his one chance, and leaped for it with- out an instants delay. “'ith a lightning snap-shot he senta bullet into the brain of the last intruder, and springing to- ward him, snatched the torch out of his hand lx-fore it fell to the ground. Then he turned, to recewe the ca tain of the outlaws with an equally effective ullet, if he found him in the act of trying to leap upon him: but that worth ' knew too well the wonderful activity of the 0y he had to deal with to try to capture him empty-handed. Instead, he bound- ed toward his men, shouting: “ A revolver! a revolver! ver!” They rushed forward with vindictive yells; and, knowing that he could not cope with them, Little Leather-Breeches sprung away, now forced to trust to his star of destiny. The windings of the passages gave them little opportunity to fire at him, though they im- proved what there was of it. He ran what seemed to him a mile, without the faintest idea of direction or anything save that certain death was behind him, whatever might lie before, when suddenl he ran into a small chamber, which was nothing more than a swell in the passage, and discovered that it con« tained a lot of open powder-kegs, which to his hurried glance seemed to be full of the com- bustible. His thought was that, by a circuitous route. he had come back to the outlaws’ retreat, and that escape lay just beyond. What then was his dismay to see some one rushing toward him with a blazing torch held above her head! But before he had liftcd his revolver with that fatal aim which would have carried swift death to any one opposing his progress be dis- covered that it was not an outlaw, but the witch to whose malice he owed his imprison- ment. She glared at him with a wild shriek of fury, and it seemed to be her purpose to thrust her torch into his face. However he had no time to bother With an old beldam, besides that at the same instant he Give me a. revol~ cau ht sight of something on beyond that sent. - his cart into his mouth with mingled delight and terror; and deftly dodglng.r her, he kept on, while she continued toward the chamber con. - taining the powder. His pursuers reached the other entrance to.‘ this fatal chamber in time to see what it con— tained, and to divme the pu se of the insane creature who thus held their ives at the mercy '- " 'of any whim that might cross her distraught fanc . “ geek! back!” she shrieked. “Ye shall not. desecrate the temple of the god 2” t . She waved the torch over her head L i seemed impossible that no dro in rk fall into one of the open kegspp g spa .a h 361.-.; 7.; t I. i 5, l. I I. L: 7 I... .~‘".(~.“ 4“ fa :. 3.. -‘ 4 ‘-. '~' a“ - cs.» 4 L. ‘x ' “ Ye’re there, with the . I, I, Ha- . 7,7 . 7.7 . -77-- Yith cries of terror they turned to fly. Then the poor. crazy creature was thrilled with an insane triumph. “ Ha! ha! ha! ha—a-a-a-a-ah!” she shrieked. “ Now is the hour of my long-waited-for tri- umph! Before death claims me I Will bury the world under this mountain of rock! B‘clzebub, I come to you, bringing my tens of thousands!” And she plunged her torch into an open pow- der-keg! CHAPTER XII. rm: wrrcn’s LAST 31.0w. BELLE found herself in an immense and in- tricate labyrinth, but saw nothing to startle her save the vast, still solitude. She therefore entered upon her attem;:: 1') thread the maze with liopefulness. If the worst came, and she failed utterly to find her way out, she knew that the opening could be enlarged so that she could reach the outer world through it. ~ “Will is at the other end of the strin !” she kept saying to herself; “and with him t ere, I have nothing really to fear.” So she buoyed up her courage until she had exhausted one great ramification of the cavern. Finally, as she stood before a black opening which led she knew not where, she was over- powered with a sense of weariness and a long- in to see once more the face that linked her to Iifg and love. Several hours—it seemed like days to her!— must have passed since she left him. “ I ought to return, if only to reassure him," she said. “ He must be anx10us at my long ab- sence. Besides, I must be not far from the chamber where he is waiting.” Even as she thus debated with herself, she saw an illumination of the rocky walls down the corridor before which she stood hesitating. _ “Oh! it is he!" she cried, with a sudden thrill of wild delight. “ He has at tired of waiting for me. and resolved to find his way in to me! Will! Will! Will!” She 5p forward, heedless that the rapid moVement b cw her candle out. In her ammnce that the next moment would see her leaping into his arms, she threw away the now useless taper. “Ha! ha! ha! ha!” she laughed, hysterically. “Oh Will! Will! m darling!” “fin! ha! ho! ho!’ came the res raping tone that curdled her bl with ter: ror, “ ’m yer darling am I? I’m yer Will! I’ve open arms for ye, l have! I’ve a love-kiss for ye that ye’ll not soon for etd I’ll bite my one tooth through yer lip! ow’s that, my deary? Ha! ha! ho! ho!” And there before her, at the other end of the black vista, stood the hag she had always feared, though more than ever since that horrible pre gicfion of the fate that was so soon to overtake er. Mumbo Jumbo stood holding a torch above her head and clinging to her staff with the other hand, while she peered at the maiden With a malicious grin. Her h about her like Spanish [moss from the imbs o a dead tree. Belle stood aghast, terror chaining her feet t: the spot. “ Ha! ha! ho! ho!” chuckled the old h . . blood on yer soul! Won d 6 like to see yer Victim—the fool ye sent to his Kong reckoning because of his love for you? Ho! here’s a fine world! We’re turning the Scrip- ture round in these modern days. It’s a blow for a kiss now; and it’s the woman that gives the blow! Well, that isn’t so bad. Generally it’s lies and perjur and shame and sorrow in return for love, With the woman the sufferer. But come with me, my deary. I’ve had a ten- der spot in my heart for you ever Since you shOWed er rett pluck. and 8913 them by the cars so 0 ever y. here’s bad blood among them yet, and it’s bound to be let out by one or an- other before they’re quit of it. Come With me, use ina my Pretty murderess! Ha! ha! ho! ho!” And the hideous old wretch hobbled forward y thum ing her staff on the rocky floor, an chuc ing with ghoulish glee. For a time Belle stood with lips apart and fluttering breath, staring at the approaching monster as if fascinated. “The; a shriek of abject terror she turn- :- , an own the passage. *4 " " \Tho Wicked laughter of the old beldam fol- Jowed her, rushed to her feet‘ but as she darkness she stumbled ving win her, as much ong nto and fell, consciousness leaving mm terror as from the shock. lumbo Jumbo overtook her, and stood over like a hideous old incubus. ! 1 ‘. i Little Leather-Breeches. Then she heard Little Imather-Breeches call- ing; frantically: for Belle had fallen within a = i'cw paces of the chamber above which he waited. “ Who‘s that?” she asked herself. “There can‘t be another with her? How could they get in! I've always feared these endless windings would admit some one to my temple. block the passage—that’s what I must do! I‘ve. been a fool to put it off so long. They mustn’t see this light!” And dashing the torch against the rock, she extinguished it, leaving herself in total dark- ness. Then turninr her face down the passage in the direction w ience the voice came, she cried: " Eh? what’s that? A light!" It was a faint illumination of the wall of the ; corridor, so faint that it had not been percep- tible while her torch cast its brighter glow. "I’ll see my enemies, at any rate!” she mut- tcrcd. Shuifliug forward, she discovered the dying embers of the fire Belle had built. She also found that the cries came from over- head. “It’s some one at the chimney-top! Oh! I know that well!” she cried, her ugly face lighting , with relief. “There’s no harm in their amusin themselves there. Cry away, my dear! But 1’! give you a little start, if there’s superstition in your soul.” And taking off her cloak, she beat the last waning embers out with it. Then she advanced boldly into the darkened chamber, and looked u ). She now recognized ldittle Leather-Breeches’s veice. “ Ha! ha! ho! ho!” she chuckled, “it’s our brave young lover! The spell works better and better!_ He ll not stay above ground with this mysterious uncertainty overhanging the fate of his love! VVe‘ll have him down here next! Ha! ha! it’s dead men’s bones that does it! All my luck i coming at once after all these weary years of waiting! ButI must get ready to re- ceive him. It won’t do to let h in get back, to lead all the world in on me. No! no! whoever enters the witch’s den must never leave it alive!” She hobbled back in the darkness to where she had left Belle lying in a swoon. There she rehghtod her torch and stuck it in a crevice in the wall. She then picked up the unconscious girl, throwing her over her shoulder as if she were a sack of grain, and so hobbled of! with her down the corridor. We have seen that she was in the up world in time to cut oi! Little Leather- reeches’s escape from the the trap into which he had low- cred himself. Returning to where she had left Belle, she found the girl just recovering consciousness. Our heroine opened her eyes on as stran e a scene as ever appealed to the superstitious ears of mortal. She was in the midst of a vast subterranean chamber, illuminated by a fire burning on a tri- pod or three-legged brasier. This stood on a sort of natural dais, which oc- cupied one side of the cavern, forming a plat- form higher than her head, the sloping sides of which had been wrought by art into rude steps. At the back of this dais, and resting against the wall of the cavern, stood a throne of mOSt hideous construction. It was fashioned out of the glistening white bones of dead animals! The framework—1e , seat and arms—was made of leg bones. he high back was “her- ring- boned ” with ribs radiating from vertebrzr. The seat and overhanging canopy were made of shoulder-blades and the flat bones of the pel- vis. At intervals all around the edge of the dais, like the foot-lights of a theatrical stage, were placed the skulls of cattle. Before the dais, in the center of the cavern, was a chair made of the horns taken from these skulls. Belle awoke to consciousneSS to find herself seated in this chair, bound to her place. At her feet la the body of Abe Seaver, ghastliyy and dabbled with blood. _On the dais, besi e the brasier, stood the old hag, Mumbo Jumbo, wav- ing her staff over the blaze, and muttering some crazy incantation. Looking beyond the witch, Belle saw seated on the throne what chilled her blood more than all the rest. It was a human skeleton perfectly articulat- ed, and posed as with ghastly life! On its head was a crown made of teeth: its left hand was extended, grasping a long, lance- I must ‘ 13 ilike scepter, the end of which rested on the , ground; the right hand hung idly, the forearm , yiug along the arm of the throne. 1 Frozen with terror, the girl stared at this § weird spectacle, while the old witch went through a ceremonial such as was 1.11 .bably never seen anywhere except among {Lo lowest order of savages. It consisted of a chant in' unintelligible jar— gon. often accompanied by a rude. hopping dance. while she Went round and romid the dais. waving her staff over the blaze, and dropping things into it. Every time she passed lciorc the enthroncd skeleton she would prOstrate hcr~ self before it. From time to time she would descmd and wave her staff over the frightened girl, or back and forth over the stark body at her feet. At such times she would fix her glittering eves upon Belle, and her Voice Would be infused v. ith the harshness of bitter Condemnation. At last she withdrew into the darkneSs of one > of the corridors, but presently returned. bear- : ing a chalice, the bowl part of which was made of the top of the skull of some small animal. Holding thiS, she prostrated herself before the skeleton. Then she descended, approaching Belle, drawing a knife as she came. “ The god will do nothing until he is propitiat- ; ed with a feast of human flesh and a drau ht E of human blood!” she said. “Ha! ha! ho! o! i It’s arare charm I‘m working now! Did you ;ever smell the odor of burning flesh—human ‘ flesh, I mean? It’s swam—ho! sweet! that’s a i matter of taste! But the gods all like it. Queer ‘ taste—eh? I say! blood’s a rare drink, though. 5 Maybe you never drank any? But blood’s the ; wine of life, you know.” She knelt eside poor Abe’s body, and began to strip the clothes from his breast. “A rare charm!” she muttered, recurrin to i her purpose “Ye didn’t know—did ye?—t at yer lover had followed you into the witch’s den. to see what had become of you. Well, he did. Ha! ha! ho! ho! they’re all coming to it! It’s the 11 of dead-men’s bones that does it! “ ow, I couldn’t meet him in the natural way, could I? No! no! he’d be one too many for this oid rack of bones! But the god can manage him! The charm will cast a also over him. Then he’ll be helpless, and I’ll fete him here and draw off his blood and burn his flesh to work new spells with. Oh! I’ll have the whole lot of them under my thumb before I’ve done “gth them! Curse them! curse them! curse t em! “ Look! look! Hasn’t he a fair white breast? There’s not a scar on it. That’s what the. god likes best. Ye know, Jehovah would only have firstlings without blemishes. Well, now, you’d wonder they’d be so particular, when they only smell the stench from the burning. But they like the heart best. That’s queer, ain’t it!” She drew the back of her knife down the breast bone then from this line outward to the arm it on the left side. “ £0! he!” she chuckled. “ Here's carving for 1ye! I reckon that’ll do it cleverly.” S e then reversed the knife, prepared to cut the flesh. Upon this fearful spectacle Belle gazed dumb- ly. She strove to cry out, to deter the wretched creature; but her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth. She tried to close her eyes, to shut out the hor— ror: but she was fascinated. The witch drew the point of her knife over the last line she had made, now cuttin through the skin, though not deeply, as if 0 y an experi- mental cut. A moment after the knife had left it, a fine crimson line a peared. Then dro s of blood oozed forth, an ran down over the y. That broke the spell that had thus far chained Belle’s will. She uttered a piercing shriek. “See! see!” she cried. “He is alive! The blood flows! I tell you, he is not dead! Stop! stop! you wretched creature! Do you not see that you are cutting into a living man? You will be a murderess!” The witch looked up with surprise. Alive?” she repeated. “ Why, of course. Do you suppose I would try to draw blood from a dead body? And the god is like a lion—he wouldn’t ave carrion. It’s the quick flesh he wants. Oh! the ’re a dainty lot! Ye wouldn‘t believe it! Ha! a! ho! ho!’ “But this is horrible!” cried 1‘ Belle. “I never heard of anything so tern 1e. You can- not beso wicked! It is murder of the most aw- ful ’ hag looking ‘ ur erl're tedtheold , ' withagrin. “mu there’ll be two of 118.33 ~ age“? r ‘ E’s-ITW‘V .‘\\”‘;‘h¢~ ,. v. 3; , g g. 33:31"? a, 1-9. ties v3.3.4. :2 h I " " Little Leather-Breeches. But you’re young. What wrongs have you to av enge? But I, now—I who have a hell of re- collection, well, that’s different. I’m old Mum- bo Jumbo. Ye wouldn’t believe, to look at me, that I was once as young and pretty as you— that I had lovers— Ha! curse them! curse them all, I say!” Thrown into sudden ra e, she lifted her knife, as if to plunge it into the eart of the inanimate body stretched before her. But just then her attention was diverted by a confused sound—a murmur of echoes which re— verberated through the cavern. " What’s that?” she cried, starting up. She stood listening, while the sound increased. First was distin ruishable the clear, sharp crack of firearms. hen the echoes revealed a Babel of excited voices. Last] could be made out the clapping sounds of m i footfalls. Belle’s heart ave 8. eat ound. Anything in the shape of uman ife would be preferable to seclusion with this malicious lunatic. She shrieked: “Help! help! help! oh, help!” “ No, there is no help!” cried the witch, with a burst of wild excitement. “ In yonder corri- dor I have stored enough giant powder to blow this mountain to atoms! Do you suppose I would permit a lot of wretches to invade my temple and desecrate the altar of the No! Better that we all be buried together! And leaping u the rude steps of the dais, she snatched a bran! from the brasier and ran with it toward the passage from which the approach- ing sounds seemed to come. " Fool! fool!” she repeated, bitterly, “that I have so long delayed cutting off this avenue for unholy invasion! Now that the charm has just to work l—now that my wearily—waited- for reven e is being slaked! No, no; it shall not be! efore their sacrilegious hands shall break thels ll of dead men‘s bones, letus all perih toget er 1” As she ran with the blazin torch, her hideous face illuminated by its rudt y glare, she looked like a fiend of destruction. Helplessly bound, Belle could only scream: “Stop her! stop her! She is going to blow up the cave!” She twisted her head round, to see who first ap red where the Old witch had gone. he voices became louder and louder, and the fall of footsteps more distinct, until she was as- sured that there was a life and death race in progress through the black corridors of the hor- rible place. Again and again the air quivered with the sharp, clattering echoes Of pistol-shots. Then a dark figure dashed past Old Mumbo Jumbo, who was just disappearing in the black mouth of the passage. Belle heard voices crying‘; "Kill him! kill him! e are lost if he es- canes!” Then arose the shrill scream of the witch: “ Back—back, ye devils! Ha! ha! ha! ha!” , The laugh was a wild shriek of rage and tri- uiii h. It? was followed by cries of terror and warn- in in the deep base of masculine voices. hen rose a yell of fear and an instant after came a roar as if the solid earth had been riven to its center. Blended with the terrible concussion, Belle was conscious of a voice quite 'near her, utter- ing words that were unintelligible to her; then she knew dimly that a pair of arms were thrown about her. and 1i 3 which thrilled her with delight were presse to hers, while a loved voice murmured her name. She strove to respond: “ Will! Will! dear Will!” But the sound died on her lips. She struggled onl ' to see him, feeling that it might be the last 0 earth—~tlint the witch had effected her terrible revenge. But everything faded out. The rocky roof of the cavern seemed fallen upon her, crus ing and smothering her. Then came the blank of un- consciousness. __ A word will finish our story. When Doctor Denslow came to know a little more about the situation, he began to think that he‘miaht have made a mistake about the iden— tity of the Mad Millionaire and the road-agent leader. ’ A more careful examination of the lunatic satisfied him that this was so. During that examination he learned all about the “ fairy,” and was not slow to see that it must be somet ° more than a madman‘s fancy to interest Little then-Breeches so mysteri- L usly. He raised a squad of men, and had himself led to the spot. The blasting told its mute story, the cut rope causing even the good doctor to scratch his head for some time in perplexity. But a happy remembrance of the part the witch had played in the whole matter gave him what he thought was a clew; and going at once to her hut, be searched it, and found an entrance to the cave at the back of her chimney, far enough up the flue to be out of sight. While they were preparing to enter here, the earth was shaken by a terrific explosion. Hurried by this portentous occurrence, they plunged in, and after threading a short pas- sa e, came to the witch’s temple. ‘he sight that there awaited them filled the more irnorant with superstitious fears; but Doctor enslow only saw that there were three persons in the chamber who might be alive or ( ead. Abe Seaver lay on the floor; Belle sat bound in her chair: and Little Leather—Breeches lay with his head in her lap, clinging to her as with the gri of death. The doctor sonn satisfied himself that none of the three was dead, though all were uncon- scious, doubtless from the force of the concussion. His medical skill brought Belle and her lover round without much difficulty; and leaving them in each other’s arms, he addressed himself to Abe Seaver. He was in a worse way; but he recovered con- sciousness, and had the strength to make it known that Belle had had nothing tO do with his being shot. The last thing he remembered was seeing her approaching him; so the shot must have come from the opposite direction. But more than that, he knew a quite different motive for the shot. He had discovered that the supposed minister was an impostor, indeed, the captain of a band of road-agents; and his purpose had been to warn Belle and save her mm the humiliation of having received the love addresses of a man who was soon to be un- masked. He died, with Belle holding his hand and weepin her regrets at her mistaken treat- ment of him, and her gratitude for his unselfish love. The scene of the explosion was terrible beyond descri tion. Among the torn and charred and mang ed remains, some few were recognized when they had been been dug out and carried out to the li ht of day. The Rev. 1‘. Vance was not disfigured. As he lay awaiting burial, his serene face looked like that of a ood man laid to rest. Old Mumbo umbo had been blown to atoms. Her history died with her. In Little Leather-Breeches Doctor Denslow reco ized a nephew of his wife, to make more care inquir into Whose fate had been a part of his errand Yest. But in the Mad Millionaire he found a subject for his professional skill; and by a notable tre— panning O ration succeeded in restoring him to reason, w en it transpired that he was Belle Briggs’s father. Little Leather-Breeches is a hero in his sec- tion -of the country, and every one for miles around—save and except Kate Ashmeadl— loves his beautiful wife, Belle. THE END. in: DIALOGUES AND SPEAKERS FOR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS , A ND II 01!! E ENTER TA INMEN TS. Dialogues, Nos. 1 m3? inclusive, l5 to‘25 popu lar dialogues and dramas in each book. Each vol~ ume 100 pages 12mo. Speakern. Nos. 1 to 24 inclusive. Each speaker 100 pages 12m0. containing from 50 to 75 pieces. YOUNG PEOPLES SERIES. Dime Book of Winter Sports. . Dime Book of Summer Athletic Sports Dime Gents’ Letter Writer. Dime Book of Eti uette. Dime Book o Verses. 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A Tale oi the allure. 480 Three Jolly l’ardl. 51? Jill Gladden’n Deputfi'. 52! The Jolly Parde to t e Rev-cue. BY CAPTAIN FRED. “'llITTAKl-IR. 15 The Sea-Cat; or. The Witch of Dnrien. 89 The Dumb i’a e or. The Dofle'l Daughter. 48 Rick Darling. t no any Exprm Rider, 150 Lance and one: hr. The Children of the Chm. 154 The BWord Hunters; or, The Land of the Eh: heat Ridere. 159 The PLO»l tgaptoin; or, Skim“ Jobel Coflln’e ruin tothe ll 0 U l on. .00 e Boy Bedouin" or, The Brothm of the Piumed Lona. 214 Wolf any, the Robber of the Rhine. 249 Milo olner, the Anim-l King; or, The Round the World Wanderer. 665 The T r Tamers or, The [.ea'gne of the Jungle. “1 Black iekq the Demon Rider. 805 California Joe's War Trail. BY BUOKSKIN SAM (Major Sam. 8. Roll.) 884 OldkRoeky’o “Boyeeo 3” or, Bonito, the Young Home Hreu of. .46 Giant Georlei or, The Ang'l of the Range. 8715 Arizona Jack: or. Giant George’l Ford. 89? The Tarantula of Taoai or, Giant George's Revenge. 80'! The Strange Port] or, mi. Bon‘e Death Hunt. 818 Ker-Whooat Ker-w out or, The Tarantula of TM». 827 Cree In! ‘at. the Caddo; onThe Red and White Fords. 389 Frio red: or, The Tonluwny’e Trust. 844 The Fighting Trio: or. Rattleenake, the Tonhwq. “9 Wild “ olf; 0P. Big-Foot Vt'allnce to the Frvvnt. 851 The Ranch Raiders or, The Siege of Fort Pug-ten. 864 Snap-Shot. the Boy anger. 375 Chioia. the Creek t or, The Three Thunderbolte. 881 llundera Bill: or. Frlo Frnnk to the Front. 899 Romeo and the Reds; or, The Beleaguerud Ronda. 404 Little Lariat; or. Pecan Prete’l Big Rampage. M4 The Daily om Denver. 487 The Three Trailer-3 or, Old Rocky on the Runpngo. 443 Blul Bill: or The Lynx of the Leona. 455 Little Lone it»; or, The 3.11. ofthe cnoio. BY EDWARD WILLETT. 16? Ana Scott, the Steamboat Boy. I99 Featherweight! the Boy Champion olthe Lin-kin... 228 Ozor K All or, l'enthervveight Among the Oath" 283 The 'll‘ypo eteetive; or, Weuel, the Boy Tramp. 995 Fear-en Phil; or. The King of Quorixville. 811 The Rovini’smrt; or, The Pride orChnchluek Mp. 8” 110-0. the eteetivez or, Kit Ken on‘l Vendetta. 840 Clip. the Contortioniot; or, The iontan- Vigil”. BY J. C. COWDRICK. 360 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 3 thntu, nu- Gold Kim” or. For Seven Your Dead. 0 '{fhe Detective'o Apprentice: or. A B0! WI“ ' . ame. ‘ 48% Cibuta John: or. Red-Hot Timeo at Auto Bar. 48 Randy Sam, the Street Scout. 46? Disco Dan. the Dale Dude. 590 BroodwofiB . t e Bootblock Bravo- 006 Redli ht til i, the Prince of the Rood. {514 Bron ‘woy Bi 1 ’o Boodle. 324 The ltngineer-ileteotivc. 986 Broadway Billy‘s ‘ Diiiikilty.” .- ~ .— BY J0 PIERCE. 39? Bob 0‘ the Bowery: on'nu Prince of l nun-t. 415 The ‘ agabond Detective; or. Boraqu 459 liougur Bob. the Street-Boy Detective 400 The .uwyer’n Shadow; or. Luke’o 472 Jaunty Joe, the Youn Hone-King ' 494 linrly film. tlual)l'!‘riiihg$errymm “My”. 509 Jack In rl. the Butcher Bo 516 Tartar "Fifi; or. ‘Five Point. pikiflh 626 North River Not. the Pier Detective. 588 “'rentllng Rex, the Pride nfthe Sixth Wu“. 5 11 Jcif Flicker, the Stable Bny Denna" BY CAPT. MARK WILTOR. 856 Young Kentuck: or, The Rod LR-o. 270 Blizzard "on; nr. The Riot at Keno Cong. $88 Joell, the Roy Tender-foot. or CAPTAIN nun}: am. 7’“ B‘lue Dick: or, The Yellow Ohiofi Vengeance. 3‘? '1 he Land Pirates or, The horn o Devli’l bug, 187 The llelpleu llnn ; hr. Backwoodl Retributiol. 089 The Gold-seeker Guide: or, The Loot Moo-bio. or MAJOR "nxnv n. s'ronnARD. Ex-Bcolt. I 806 heck-Tie Nod: or, The Diurnlli Pflrdl- 846 Radple‘r Raphael: or. Th.- swordnmen oflneotoeon. 891 it] 4:10": Kit, the Dandy of the Rockies. lfid-(nlOVe In“ um] I’lrd; or, The Gold King. 4 6 he Mm! ManJlunter: or, The Myltery at Golden Gu ch. ,606 Powell’s l’urd; or, The One-Armed Ginni- I BY BRACEBRIDGE HEXYNG. Inland Jim: or. The Pet "(the Fmily. a 1 The Contain ofth n a“ a“ 1 Jack Horkov'oy i: (19;?‘1'52' BY ALBERT “'. AIKEN. ii The Two Detective-g Or. The Fortunes oio Bowery Girl. 76 Abe (loll. the Crow-Killer. 79 Sol Ginger. the Ginnt Trapper. 238 Joe Buck oi’Angeln and liin‘Ruy l’ard. 447 New York Not. A 'lnla oi'l‘rlcks and Tape in Gnthua. 45A New En lund Nick; or. line Fortunel oiaFouadlluc. 464 Nimble .‘hi’k’ the Cirvue l‘rlnce. 493 Too: Tod. the Arilonu Sport. 510 Cool Colorado, the Hull-Breed Dem-tin. 515 Cool Colorado in New 1' ork. n" GEORGE WALDO nuown 86 “and Rot-k, the Man 'rmn Tenn. 90 The l rend Rider: m. The Texan Duelilt. 99 The Tiger oi’Tnon: or. Dandy Rock's Angd. 115 The Mail Miner: or, Dandy Rock’s Doom. 181 The Golden "and: or. Dandy Rock to the Re“ 164 Dandy Rook‘n Pledge: or. Hunted to Death. 173 Dandy Rock'e Rival; or. The haunted Mnld ol'lh.» BY CAPT. J. F. C. ADAMS. 84 Oregon Sol: or. Vick Whlfl‘lns's Boy Spy. 46 in‘rlann- Eye. tho- Great Shot of the West. 54 Net] Iluzel, Ill? lluv 'l'ramrer. 5“ Nick ‘l'hiilivn’o Pct; or, It: The Valley of Death. 60 The “'hlte Indian; or, The Scout ni‘th» Yellow.“ 70 Old Zl ‘a Cabin; or. The Greenlmrn in the \Voode. 81 lailhtn II‘ Jo. lln- Terror oi the Pruiriv. 35 Buck lluokrarn: or. lions. the Female Tm War. 24’? Old Grizzly mid "in Print or. The Wlh lluntreeo 25! ].|¢ht.||ouae Lire; or, Oureoln, the Firebrnnd. 25? The Lord lluntoro: or. The Underground Camp. .88 The Scalp King; or, The Human Thunderbolt. BY noonn STARBUCK. 25 The Boy Captain: or, The Pirate‘s Daughter. 114 The Black Schooner; or. J“: Junk. the Old Tar. 259 The Golden “or on; or, Lost Among the Floeo 343 Fire-"eels: or, 0 d skinfllnt, the Death-Shadow. 854 “is: "orn Ike. the "ill Tramp; or, The Odd m 861 Tim Phantom Light-hon”. TO .. :-..il.vr lien. the Reel-Runner. BY WILLIAM R. EYSTER. 190 Dandy Dal-lie; or. The Tiger: of High Pine. 210 Faro Frank; or, Dandy Dnrkz'. Go-Down Pam. RY COLONEL DELL}: SARA. 108 The Lion ofthe flea: or. The Voiled Lady. 186 Cool Denmond: or. The Gomhler’e Big Game. BY HARRY ST. GEORGE. 30 Roaring Ralph Rookwood, the Ranger. 44 Rattlin Rube: or. The Nizilthawkl of Kentoch. 59 "Id liiu oryg or. Pandv Ellie's Song; 108 During navy; or, The Trail ui'the riler Well. 166 Hickory "arr : "r. The T“ )lW'Rrizndo'l Spv. 1.79 Thunderbolt out; or, the \ oil-Herder. BY JAMES L. BO\\'EN 10? One-E ed film: or. The Almndnned Forest Bonn. 110 The B ack Steed oi'the Prairies. A storyel Tun. RY C. DUNNING CLARK. 185 Captain Paul or, The Buy Spv of the Mountain. 380 The Yankee alah: or. Tho‘F-te of the Bloch Sh“ BY GEORGE 0. JENKS. git "Paar Ownoy, thfiflnknown. ; t 0 "I edge. 516 The Ilenlr'ion‘lllagtor. BY CAPT. ALFRED n. TAYLOR, u. g, A, 191 I'Il‘ugulo Billy, the Boy Bullwhoctu; or. 1|. w 0 n 194 Bur-ll. Bur. net; or. The Gambler Guido. BY CHARLES E. LASALLE. 50 Hurt "linker, (he Trapper. 62 The White Buffalo. A TIM 0‘ 9‘0 Northvd. BY JOHN J. MARSHALL M Roving Ron. A Story ofa Young Amerlm. ’7 The Outlaw Brother-t or, The Captive dfih BY WM. G. PATTEN. one The Diamond I: ort: nr. Th» Doubl- Face on. OI taln “yr-turf; or, Fin- in Hun. m 581 D“ I" “are, the Sport i'rmn lh-nvur. BY MAJOR E. L. ST. VRAI]. 293 flnnoho Pedro. the Boy linnillt. 801 Ill'fldt'illc the “or Sport. Bl” Rcdtop Rube. tie Vigilante Prince. 888 Brim-tone Rob, nnti His Lightning Home Qum 85. Tombstone Tom. the Arizona Boy ni “Sold.” “59 "'ll‘fllll'fl l.ll\‘fl. tin Y ‘llli' ‘I ~ n ‘ ri-exlo-r. 871 Kingholt Chris, the Young llnrd-Rhell Detect!“ ‘80 Avalanche Alf, the Fonthillu Guide. .90 Jll’uar Joe. oithe Mount .in Mull-Line. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. 6 “ill llld'on Tm I . p H". I: S‘s-til Jone-q or. Tln- (lupilven M the Frontier. . nt Tod“: or, The Fate oi the Sioux Cnptlve. 21 The l' roniler Angel. 1:: ghe Roy Minor-n: or, The Enrhnnh-d inland. .r4 lu- lluntod Hunter; or, The Stmnxe Hm '51 The llulf-l'llood; or, 'l'h-n Panther of the Pink The llzge Hunter; or, The Steam Prelrie Mg. BY MAJOR LEW'I! W. CARSON. m The Three Tro era Th M t- m Indian Joel or. Tile Wllitzrlsuirlt «Dill; Flint”... E: BY “'. J. HAMILTON. 68 The Red Brotherhood; or, The Twelve A“ 66 Single "and: or, A Life for a Life. '22 Mad Tom “'eotern, the Texan Ranger. 883' Ben Bird. the Cave King; or, Big Pete’l Scoop. BY J ACK FARBAGUT. 815 Ned. the Cabin Boy. .36 “In; loo We 01,1}. lath” BY MK 3"”,- 130 new“ Hondtm.1\vl-dlnv 1.7 Wild-Fire. the Bone oithe M 140 Blue Blaze" or, The Brook 0’ Day Medu’ 171 Ebony Dan: or, The Rivol Leagues. 185 Evil Eye: or, The Vulture. oi the Rio Grondo. BY LIEL'T. II. D. PERRY. U. S. N. 176 The Boy Runaway; or, The Buccaneer oi' the u 180 The Sea Trailer; or, A Vow Well Kept. 19‘ Captain Kit; or, The Mystery of Montouk Nat BY HARRY HAZARD. 328 Arkamaw Jack; or, The Scourge ofthe Ming “9 Red-Skin Tom; or, The Delnnll'l Trail. 842 The Mountain Devil; or, Yellow Jack. “sewn. BY COL. A. F. HOLT. 899 Black Buokakln; or, The Linked Men “Death M 419 Kenneth, the Knife-King. 485 Little Lighti'oot. the Pilot 0! the Womb. BY J. W. 0830K. 469 The Rival Giant-I ofNowhar’. 498 Cat-tun Burr. the Man from Hard Loci. 567 Old But-keye, the Sierra Shndow BY FREDERICK DEWEY. 618 Cimorron Jack, the King-Pin of Rifle-Sh“ 6T8 Tangelnund, the Deerrt Detective. 542 The Canyon Pardn. MISCELLANEOUS AUTflon 4 lluntero. By Capt. Hoyle “ .1 9 Adventure: of Baron Munchoueen. 12 Gulliver'n Travels. By Donn swift. 14 Aladdin; or. The Wonderful Lamp. 16 Rollinnon Crnooe. (91 lilo-notions.) 18 Sindhad the Sailor. Hie Seven Voyogu. 22 the. Sea Serpent: or, The Boy Roblneoo Cm h u Wll . 88 The Ocean Bl dho (1 Th Pinto. Corribaes. By S. iffl’ierc‘in . o" o M d k 86 'ghFe Roy Clown; or. The Queen olthe Arena. 37 Fruit . in". '3 Ned “'ylde. the Boy Scout. By Texan Jack. 51 The Boy Riflea; or, The Underground Comp. By “I 6. iron. 95 The Rival Rover-3 or, The Freebeoter: '.”the Milli-im- By Lleul.-C0l. Huleltlne. 98 Rohln flood. the Uutlowed turner.me . Ion eta... wood. By Prof. Gildereleeve. 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Cm Captive. Dym Hamilton Holmes. 112 The Mad Hunter; or, The Cnve of Death. Byl‘mtooflo‘ 184 '51:)”. the Texan; u,'l'he Your. Men. h h lerwn. 138 The Young Privateer; or, The Firm: ’1: Strongholl. Dy Harry Cavendish. 148 Sharp Sum; or, The Adventuru oi a Friendle- how. 3, J. Alexander Patten. ' .2? Du-ky DarreEldl. Tn per: or, The Greeo Ranger olthe Yel- lowstone. By ward mereon. 261 {simu- Fearnaught, the New York Boy. By Georgel. l C“. 266 Killb‘ar. the Guide; or, Davy Crockett’e Crooked Till. By Ensign C. D. \Varren. 298 Red Claw. the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Hold oi th Cllfl; By Captain Cometox-k. 817 Peacock Pete. the Llrely Lad from laodvllle. Dy“. tenant Allreli Thoma, 8.8 The Sky lbo‘rotive; or, A Boy’s Fight I! Uieond Hon. By Mayor Mickey Free. 850 Red Ralph. the River Rover. «.11- Brothofi It venue. By Nell Buntline. 865 Baltimore Ben, the Boot!)le Detective. By A. I, H. 6?} Gold-Dust Tom: or, Ben’l Double Hatch. By Got. 3. hinrle. 376 California Joe's Firet Trail. 3] aim! M llnyrr Monrirry. 413 llilly liomhohell. the Cllil Climber. By F. 6. Win” 440 Little Foxf’ooi. the Gold Bowie Kid. By Arthur C. on. 4?5 The “look Ship. By John S. Warner. 484 Comanche Dick and In: Three Invincibl‘ h Hean J. Thomas. 528 “'lznrd-Arm, the Dandy Sport. By Arthur F. H‘- 582 The (‘owhoy Duke. By Edwin Brooke F“ A New lune Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library in for Iole by on m” on. per copy, or tent by mail on receipt of Ii! Colin“. BEADLE AND ADAIIS. Pam 98 Willia- Street. ’0' 'CI' i BEADLE’SrHALF-DIMErLIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. BY EIHVARI) L. “’lliil-ILER. Deadwood Dick Noveln. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 20 Double Dagger-n; or, Deliliwomi Dick‘s Defiance. 28 lluil’aio lien: or. Deadwood Dick in Disguir-e. 135 \Tlltl Ivan. the iioy (Tlnude Diwnl. 42 Phantom .tiiner; or, llcliiintmd Dick‘s Bonanza. 49 Omaha (“1' or Deadwood Dick in Danger. 5 x' Deadwood Die .‘Is Eagles; or, The Panda of Flood Bar. 78 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or. (‘alaniity Jane, the Heroine. 7‘? ('orduroy ('hiirilcz or, Deadwood Dick's Last Act. 00 Deadwood Dick in Lendvllle. 04 Deadwood Dick‘s "in ice: “r. The Double Cross Sign. 00 Deadwood Dick an Detective. 29 D‘epdwood Diek'n Double: or, The Ghoet oi Gorgon's Ill (' l. 88 ltlwmie lllll; or, Deadwood Dick‘s llonie Bust. 49 .\ Game of Gold; or, l)?flth(l0(l ilir-k‘s lllg Strike. 156 Deadwood Dick ot' Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood chk’n Dream; of, 'ihe Riv ila m'the Road. 201 The Illack Illlla Jezebel; or, Dwuiwmrd D ck‘s Ward. 20.") Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamin Jnnu‘a Lost Ad- venture. 21? Captain Crack-Eliot, the Girl Rri nd. 22 (“agar-Coated Ham: or. The Bhu' i (town. 232 Gold-Dun Dlek. A iiumunre 0f Rough and TouthI. 268 Deadwood Dick'n Dl\ Me or, The Spint of Swamp Lake. 208 Deadwood Dick’n Death rail. 809 Deadwood Dick’n Big Deal; or, The Gold Brick oi‘ lrcgon. 821 Deadwood Dlek‘a Dozen; or, The Fakir ul’l’lmntnm Flute. 847 Deadwood Dick‘s Ducatn; or, Rainy Days in the Dig- inns. 851 Deadwood Dick Sentenced: or. The Terrible Vendetta. 862 Deadwood Dick's Claim; or, The Fairy Face 0! Faro Huts. 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City. 410 Deadwood Dick’n Diamonda; or, The Mystery of Joan orter. 421 Deadwood Dick In New’ York; or, A ‘ Cute Care.” 480 Deadwood Dick’n Durst; or, The Chained “and. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr. 418 Nickel-Plate Ned; or, Deadwood Dick Jr‘s Defiance. 458 Sunflower Sam, oi Shasta; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Full I‘fl HHIH “and. 459 Flash Fan, the Ferret; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Big Round- 465 EllllomFiy, of Phenix; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Racket at ‘ aim . 471 Rozeman Bill; or, Deadwood Dick Jr's Corral. 476 Humboldt Harry, the Hurricane; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Dog Detective. 481 Moll Mystery; or,.Deadwood Dick Jr. in Deadwood. 491 Prince Pistol, the King of the West; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Compact. 496 Monte Crlnto, Jra or, Deadwood Dick Jr's Inheritance. 500 Dear wood Dick’n Dlgflingu or, Dr. Death-Grip‘s Swoop. 508 Deni wood Dick le veranee. 515 Dem Wood Dick‘s Protegee. 522 Deac wood Dick'a 'l‘hree. 529 1'01". wood Dick’s Danger Ducks. 584 Deni wood Dick'n Death Hunt. 589 Dead-wood Dick Jr., in Texan. 544 Deadwood Dick, Jr., the \ 'iid Won Vldooq. Other Novela by E. 1.. Wheeler. 26 Cloch "00f, the Buflalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot. 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 45 Old Avalanche or, Wild Edna, the Girl Bripad. 58 Jim Bind-me, r., the Boy Phenix. 61 Bucklsorn Bill; or. The Red Rifle Team, 69 Gold Illile the Shar rshooter. or. The Boy Detootlvo. 80 Roaelrad Rob or, uxget Ned. the Kn gin. R4 ldyi, the Girl . inert or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. 88 Photo I’- 3 or, Rosebud Roh’l Renppeanncg. 92 (Jana a C et ; or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp. 96 \Vateh- E e: or, Arabs and Angela oia Great City. 118 Jack 1103' e the Young Speculator. 11? Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective 121 Cinnamon Chi the Girl Sport. 125 Bonanza Bil iner. 188 lion [$05 the in; oi'liootblacks. 141 Solid Sam the Boy Road-Agent. 145 (manta erret, the New York Detective; or, Bo" Bob’. 0 s 161 New York Nell the Boy-Girl Detective. Nick offievndat or, The Sierras Scamps. 8 rank, the Buckskin Bravo. 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventrll 226 Snooler the Boy Sharp: or, The Arab 286 Apollo Dill, the Trail Tornado. 240 C clone Kit, the Young Gladiator. i {erra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 24% S'erra Sam’a Secret; or The Bloody Foot rints. 253 Suerra Sans’l Ford; or, The Angel oi‘ Big htg. 258 fi-erra Sam’n Seven; or.The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Joe the Do Patrol; or, The Rival Hahn. 277 )enver Doll. the elective Queen. 281 Denver Doll‘n Victory. 2‘5 Denver Doll's: Decoy ; or. Little Bill's Bonanza. 291 Turk, the Boy Ferret. 296 Denver Doll’s Drift; or, The Road Queen. 299 A No. I, the Dashing Toll~Taker. 808 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or. the iron-Nerved Sport. 825 Kelley, lllckey «I: 00., the Detective. of Philadelphia. 880 Little Quick-Shot; or, The Dead Face of Daggersrllie. 88 i Kangaroo Kit; or. The Mysterious Miner. 889 Kangaroo Kit’a Racket. 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood. 858 “int-Clan Fred, the Giant from Gopher. 863 Eureka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer) or, The Lottery 0! I. uist Hunter. etoctive. 8’32 Yreka Jim’l Prize. 878 Nabob Ned; or, The Secret of Slab City. 882 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or. A Villaln's Vm 885 Yreka Jim’s Joker; or, The Rivals ofRed No... 889 Bicycle Ben; or. The Lion of Lightning Lode. 894 Yreka Jim of ana Dans. 400 Wrinklca, the Night-Watch Detective. 416 High "at Harry, the Base Ball Detective. 426 Sam Slobaiden, the Beggar-Boy Detective. 484 Jinn Beak and Pal, Prints Detectives. 488 Santa Fe Sal, the Sin-her. ' 666 loci-kin Son, the Sparkler. BY COLONEL I’RENTISS INGRAIIAM. 7 The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. 17 Ralph Ro ', the Boy BiiCCMnrt'l’; or. The Fugitive Yacht. 24 Diamond Hrk or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 62 The Shadow Shlp; or. The Rival Lirutemmtl. 75 The Boy Dncllat; orY The Cruise of the SewWoli. 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the iioy Smuugier. 1| The Hen-Dev l ; or, The hlidnlilpliifln’s Legacy. 16 The Ila-mar Captain; or, The limrnit of Hell Gate. 97 Little Grill: or, leesie, ihe Stork-Tender} Daughter. 04 Gold I’Inmez or. The Kiddilm-e Sport. 2|“ Dir-on Bill. the Prime oi the Raine. 222 Grit. the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer. 229 (‘rimnon Kate ' or. The (.‘owlloy‘s Triumph. 287 Lone Hiar. til.- Cowboy Cu .tain. 245 Merle the Mlddy or, 'i he Freelance Hair. 250 The .Vi’lduhlpman . lutlneer; or. Brandt, the Buccaneer. 264 The Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure 3 and. 260 The, Gold Ship; or, Merle, ihe Condemned. 276 Merle Monte a Cruise: or, The Chase oi “ The Gold . np.’ 230 )lcrle Monte‘n Fate; or. Pearl, the Pirate‘s Bride. 2 The flea Marauder; or. Merle Monte'n Pledge. 2N? Ililly lilac-Eyeu, the, iioy Rover hr the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Shot Dandy ; or, Benito, the Boy Bugler. 808 Keno Kit: or, Dead Shot llandy’u Double. 814 The Myltcrloua Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Long l’ltl . 877 Bonodei, the Roy Rover; or, The Fiaglean Schooner. 883 The lndlan Pilot; or, The Search {or Pirate island. 88? “'arpath “'lll. the Boy Phantom. 393 Heawnli’, the iiny [Acute-mint. 402 landor. the Young- Connglrator: or The Fatal League. 407 The Boy inn-urgent: or, ‘he Cuban Vendetta. 412 The. “ ild \ uehtnman: or, The War-Clouds Cruise. 429 Duncan Dare, the Roy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy’- Luek; or, The Corsair. 48? The flea Raider. 44! The Ocean Firefly or, A illiddy’s Vengeance. nut-ins 446 Ilaphnznrd Ilarr ; or. The Scapegrace or the Sea. 450 “'lzard “'illt or. 'he Buy Ferrel. oi‘New York. 454 Wizard “'ill’n Street Scouts. 462 The "or" Guide; or. The Sailor Boy VVInderor. 46$ Neptune Nod, the Ho - Coaster. 474 Flora; or, Wizard “'ii ‘11 Va nhond Pard. 488 Ferret: Afloat: or. Wizard ili's Last Case. 47%? Nevada Ned. the Revnivu Runner. 495 Arizona Joe tln- lloy Yard of Texas Jack. 49? Buck Taylor, King oi the Cowboys. 508 The Royal .\1 Iddyt or. The Shark and the Sea Cat. 50? The llunted Midnhi man. 511 The Outlawed Mid y.‘ 520 Bucknkln Bill, the ('onmnche Shadow. 525 Brothera in Bucknkin. 580 The Buck-kin Bowers. 585 The line Ikln Rover-o 540 Captain Ku-Klnx, the Marauder oi the Bio. 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. BY CHARLES MORRIS. 18 Will Somera, the Boy Detective. 22 Phil Ilardy, the Bull Boy. 26 Picayune ’ete; or, Nicodemus, the Do‘ pagan, 80 Detective Dick 3 or, The Hero in . Handsome Harry, the Boothlack Detective. 47 Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. 52 Black lieu, Will Wildi'irn'e Racer. 5? Mike cl's')‘, 1hr Harbor Pollen Boy. 62 Will Wildfire in the Woodn. 65 Billy aggage. the Railroad Boy. 10 A Trnlnp Card; or, “'lil “'iidhre Wins and L0... T4 Rob Rockettt or, Hyatt-Pie: of New Yuri. 79 Bob lloekett. the Bank Runnrr. 88 The Hidden "and: or. Will Wildfire‘s Revenge. 87 Fred llalyard. the [Me Boat Boy: or. The Smnflien. 89 Bob Rooks-tn or. Driven to the “'all. 96 [lhadowed ; or. Bob Rmkett'n Fight for Life. 06 Dark Paul. the Tiger King. 12 Daahing Dave, the Dandy Detective. #20 Tom Tanner or, The Black Sheep oi the Flock. ‘ N5 ilans Charcoa the Premium Darky. 85 “hadow Sam. the Manager Boy. ' "he Two “ ltioodu ”: or. Shenandoah Bill and Hi. Gang. 2,52 Dick Dalhaway t or, A Dakota Boy in Chic 0. 262 The Young Sharpnz or, Roillcklng Mike’s ot ML 274 s oily Jim; the Detective Ap‘prentice. 239 . oily Jim a Job; or, The oung Detective. 298 'i‘he Water-Hound; or. The Young Thoron him“. 805 lulu-shaway, of Dakota; or, A Western in the Quaker y. 824 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. 841 Tony Thorne. the Vagabond Detective. 858 The lleporter-Detectlvet or, Fred Fiycr's Bliss-rd. 867 W ide-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times. 879 Larry. the Leveier; or, The Bloods of the Boulevard. 408 Fire y Jack, the River-Rat Detective. 428 The Lost Fin er; or, The Entrappod Cashier. 428 Fred Fl er t e Reporter Detective. 482 lnvinclb e 0 an, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 Billy Brick, t e Jolly Vagabond. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive. 479 Detective Dodge; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket. 501 Boots, the Boy Fireman y or, Too Sharp for the Sharpen BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR. 2 Yellowstone Jack; or, The TWIN"- 48 Black John, the Road-Agent; or, The Outlaw'l Retreat. 65 Hurricane Bill; or, Mustang Sam and His Pard. 119 Mustang Sam ; or.The King of the Plains. 186 Night-Hawk Kit; or, The Daughier oi‘ the Ranch. 144 Dainty Lance the Boy Snort- 151 Panther Paul: or, Dainty Lance to the Rescue. 160 The Black Giant; or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy. 168 Deadly Danh; or, Fighting Fire with Fire. 184 The Boy Trailers; or, Dainty Lane. on the War-Path. 208 The Boy Pardat er. Dainty Lance Unmuh. 211 Crooked Cale, the Caliban or' Celestial City. 810 The Barranca Wolf; or. The Beautiful Dewy. 819 The Black Rider t‘ or, The Horse-Thieves’ League. 885 Old Double Flat; or, The Strange Guide. 855 The King of the Woodn: or. Daniel Boone’s Lari Troll. “2 Kit Fox. the Border Boy Detective. BY BUFFALO BILL (lion. “'In. F. Cody) 8 Kant-an King: or, The Rm] Right Hand. 19 The Phantom S y: or, 1 he i’iiot oithe Prairie. 55 Deadly-Eye. the 'ulinown Scout. 6‘ Border Robin flood; or The Prairie Rover. 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado: or, The 'l'ruppcr‘s Treat. BY OLL COOMES. 5 Vagabond Joe. the Young Wandering Jew. 18 The Dumb fipy. 27 Antelo e Abe, the Boy Guide. 81 keen- nll'e, the Prince (lithe l'rniriel. 41 Lam-o Jack, 1h» Young Mustangcr. 58 The Border King: ("31.116 Secret Foo. 71 Delaware Dick, the Young R-nger Spy. 74 Hawk-f“. llarrv ihe Young Trapper R ingot. an Rollo, the no llanger. 184 Sure iihot Set I, ih.- Boy Rifleman. 148 Sear-Face, haul, the. Silent Hunter. 146 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. 158 Eagle Kit. the Boy Demon. 168 Little Texan, the Young Mustang". 178 Did Solitary. the Hermit 'l‘ra rper. 182 Little Hurricane, the 80 aptain. 202 Prom eet Pete; or, The oung Outlaw Human. 202 The Boy llereulen: or, The Prairie Tramps 218 Tiger Tom, the 'exas Terror. 224 Dar-hill Dick; nr, Trapper Tom’s Castle. 228 Little \ lldll re, the Young Prairie Nomad. 28H The Par-on Detective; or, The Little Ranger. 248 The Dinuuiued Guide; or, Wild Raven, the M30. 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger. 2T2 Mink-Akin Mike, the. Roy Sharp.hooter. 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. 800 The Sky Demon; or. Rainbolt, the Ranger. 884 “'hlp-king Joe, the Box" Rnnchero. 409 llereulea or, Dirk, the Boy Ranger. 417 “'ebfoat o the Tramp Detective. 422 Bub Sam, the lay Giant oi the Yellowstone. 444 Liit e Duck-kin. the Young Prairie Centaur. 45? “'ingedi'oot Fred; or. (lid Polar Saul. 468 Tamarae Tom, the Big Tm per Boy. 478 Dld Tom Rattler, the Red iver Epidemie. 482 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. BY T. C. IIARBAUGII. 28 Nick 0’ the Night; or, Tho- Bo Spy oi ’16. 87 The llidden Lodge; or The L m» Hunter. 4? Nightln ale hat or, The Forelt Cs talus. 84 "and “(-k; or, he Catlin" of the rogon Til-D. 82 K“ 1 arei’oot the “'ood—Hnwk. 94 Midnight Jack or, The Boy Trapper. ‘ 106 Old Frosty, the uide; or The White Quun. 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustang". 189 Jud e Lynch, .lr.x 0r. Tho Boy Vigilante. ifTPl r, the S ort; or, The Girl Avenger. 169 Tornado om; or, njun Jack From Red Core. 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 198 Arkannaw ; or, The Que. n at Fate’l Raven”. 207 Navajo Nick the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captain lluilet; "r, Little Topimot’s Cruudo. 281 Piucky Phil: or. Rosa, the Re-I Jezebel. 241 Bill Bravo; or, The Roughs oi the Rockiu. 255 (‘aptain A Iln the King-Pin oi Bowie. oer The Ruck-Tin Detec 279 Old Winch 294 D narnlle V0. 1.1 or, The Buckskin Desperado... an; or, The Bowl. Blade of Cochetona 802 T e Mountain Detective: or, The Trigger 1hr Bah. 816 014 Eeflpae, Trump Card of Arilona. 826 The Ten Parda; or. The 'l'orror ofTake-Nofleo. 886 Big canon; or. The Queen of the no. 845 Pitlleu Matt; on Red Thunderboli’s Secret. .56 Cool Ham "ml Par": 0* The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet PM the lndian Detective. 896 Captain Cut an: or, ‘I he B ccnneer’s Girl Fee. 896 110 II Rob or. The lwln Champions of Blue 311‘ 411 Thailken Lat-no: or, The Rose or Ranch Robin. 413 Felix Fox, the Boy tier- 425 Texas Trn- , the rder Rattler. 466 Phil Fla-h tie New York Fox. 445 The City In! ire-r or Red Rolfe's Pigeon. 461 One Again-t 1" fly: or. The Last Man of Keno 3.. 470 The Boy fihndow; or. Felix Fox’s Hunt. 47'? The Excel-hr Sportt 0r, The Washington Spotters 499 Single 8| ht. ‘59 Ont-El.“ 3P0”- Bran en, the Night Ferret. 512 1lodger Dick, the Wharf-S y Detective. ‘ Dodger Dick’s Beet D . "ox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows. 535 l Dodger Dink; the Dock Ferret. 543 M”;- Dlek s Double; or, The Rival Boy Detectives. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 548 Captain Cactna, the Chaparral Cock. By Lient. A. K. Simo- 547 Randy Andy or. A Good Man Down. By P. 3. Warm. 5 . By J. C. Cowdriek. 549 Deadwood Dick on Ilia Mettle. By EL. . 55o Lailtte'a Legacy; or. The Averaging Ben. By Cal. Prentice ' "2'2 Rm. 551 Nick Nettle, the Boy shadow. By Jo Pierce. firidel, lllhAil‘i‘lt-heh By David Déuid. B T c H m h r o cor (- ’II elperate are. y - - I t . 554- Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Gotham. 31y 3- L Wham 555 The Creole Conalr. Ry Col. Prentiss nmhnm. 556 Lariat Lil; or. The ('nst (or a Life. By Philip 8- Worm. 557 Broadway Billy‘a Death Racket. By J. C. Corvde _ 559 The Sure-Shot, Par-(la, Ry Arthur C. Grluon. 559 Harlem Jack, the Ollice Boy Detective. lly Jo Plem. 560 Pawnee Bill, the Prairie Shadower. By (.01. P. 111mm 561 Deadwood Dick in Baton. By Edward 1.. Wheeler. 562 Blundering Basil, the Hem“ 30! TNPPGI’. “5' Oil Coolnea 568 Dodger Diek, the Boy Vidooq. By T. C. Har sugh. Ready Mav 8. 584 magma, the For Him By 301"! “7- 0-hour. - Ready May 15. 565 Kent Kingdon, the Card King. By Col. Prentiu rum ' , Ready 'l l _ . lay 2'). 566 The Secret Service Bo! Detective. By Charles Maui. Ready May I J . 1 Phil ll 56’? awgoomehm Is". I I ciphia. mums. A New lune Every Tuesday. The Half-Dino Library in for sale by all M m. w W,” untby mail on receipt ofsix cents each. ML l r