if .Illnll'ellillllli‘i‘H-illnH N ‘q N x \ . Vl‘ \ ® e\ WNW \ / ‘ new» «w . MIN“ 7/' l ‘ \(\\\\\‘ \\\\ . 7 ..\\ _ Mill-“Wk lime WM mull 51L he i III I film: at New York. N. Y.. at Second Class Mall Rates. ll ill Ii! IIIJ “Will [UL m Copyright. 1336, by HEADLE AND ADAMS. ,A A July 20, 1886:“ __ Entered at the P $2.50 PUBLISHED \V'I'II'IKLY BY HEADLE .»\_\'l) ADA MS, Price, VOL a Year- No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents- NO' The Brotheles’ League. BY JOHN W. OSBON, AUTHOR OF “THE DIAMOND HOAX,” “YANKEE vmocq’s DISCOVERY,” ETC-, ETC. CHAPTER I. GIANT vs. GIANT. “HEUR me, pilgrlms, w’ile my'royal trump does sound; list ye to th’ kingly edlctl “ I, Shasta Sam, proclaim myself ng of No. whar!” . The huge form of the speaker loomed up In the doorway of the Fair Play, the prinm a1 saloon and gambling-hell of the isolated Ida o mnnng- ‘ > camp of Nowhar. . ” Each of hisbrawny hands clasped the shming “so YOU ARE GOLD GABE, KING OF NOWHAR, ARE YOU? HE (mum), HIS BURNING gold butt of a. heavy self—cocking revolver, the EYES NEVER WAVERING IN THEIR HATEFUL s'ruun. hammers of which were half raised by the pres— sure of his long foi'olingcrs on the triggers, as he and on beyond at the throng surrounding the gaining-tables. His full, deep tones rung through the long room with startling suddenness, drawing more than mere cursory glam-es from its inmates, ae- eustonied to that particular style of rodoniontado as they were. And S‘iust'a Sum, of Cinnabar, as the. now- eomer had introduced himself, was truly worthy of more than a passing glance. In liight andbuilda giant, yet an ideal of grace and symmetry, with a kingly head, dark, finely- molded face adorned by drooping jettv mus- taclies, large and keen black eyes, he would have attracted attention anywhere and under any circumstances. His garb was of purple velvet of the finest tex- ture; his linen immaculate: his weapons of the latest and best pattern, heavily plated wit 11 gold. He looked every inch the dashing, reeldess sport from the crown of his jauntily worn silk hat to the soles of his glossy patent-leather boots. There was an insolent, taunting ring in his deep, powerful tones that seemed to challenge , each individual Nowharite within hearing to dispute his right to the title he had just as- sunied. A full score of hands leaped to ever-ready weapons; half a hundred pairs of eyes stared straight at the vaunting sport. “Hear me, pilgrims,” he re ted, returning look for look with savage in rest; “ , Shasta Sam ov Cinnabar, pr .claim myself King ov N owhar! You ov th’ common herd must cruu-l where I walk!” - Mechanically, almost every eye turned from the boastful giant to the central figure amid the group at the bar, a personage of striking p’iy- sique. . _ The exact counterpart of Shasta Sain.in hight, build and feature, he was a rfect blonde, with eyes of sparkling blue, an lon , curling hair and inustaches of a bright go] on color. In dress, too, there was a remarkable resemblance, the only difference being that while the self- styled King of Nowhar was clad in purple this man was garbed in black velvet. - A mocking laugh, irritating in its, peculiar s: ii'i nos s, fdl lowed swift upon the giant sport’s loud words, and the Hercules ot' the golden locks, set- ting down‘ his glass of beaded liquor untested, dropped his broad white palms upon the revol— ver butts protruding from his belt and strode directly toward the man from Cinnabar. “ An exalted perch, trul ; is this upon which you propose to roost, gent e Shun vhai!” he ox- elaimed,in smooth unruflled tones, altingwitb— in three paces of Shasta Sam while the mocking smile deepened on his f ulll‘ed lips. “ \Ve galoots ov Nowhar are a generous set, and I doubt not that it you/remOVe th’ single obstacle in your way and read our title clear th’ sportiVe s rts at my backwi bow th’ knee and acknow edge you their most high and mighty. sovereign; yea, will even prostrate themselves in th’ dust that lordly King Shanghai me not soil his dainty boots in ascending his cove roost. ' " But, my lend-drawn-out friend, first remove th’ obstacle, and prove your right to th’ royal perch, or th’ aforesaid gents 0v Nowhar may take it into their fun-loving heads to reverse your order ov' things and p’sonify even thy lordiy form. ~ “ n other words, as th’ cultured BostOnian ', probably wouldn’t say, ,they may climb gently ‘ up kyour frame and amble gracefully on your nee . ' , “ You see, Shanghai, th’: obstacle in your way is simply this, and nothing more: Nowhar has a king; that kin is th’ alcalde; th.’ alcalde is Gold Gabe; and—Ii . it-"J am Gold Gabe. ' “ And I haven‘t abdicated as yet in favor of anybody, nor have 1. th’ remotest idea of so- doin . If you are really and truly pining to be Ia“ nfihty nionérch, I would advise you, as a , trio and a brother, amble on to some other ’ man's town. o . , . "“Ncwhar is a live camp, but she isn’t bi ‘ gigoth gofihold two such men as you and , ' .30 ' ‘L'ig . \ ee ' l ' inmeck-heroic accents thigdo . _ ’hgd £303.39? 13th:; tgfsthé o n, 51 on n as am filmostW Yet, garelessfiy as he had f ' s ken, those who stood near enou h fancied ‘ . 1: 9y could detect In. the depths of 1d Gebe’s .' bri liant blue eyes a‘ lurid gleam of jealousy. ~ . The dark Hercules moved slightly forward as ‘ i ‘the contemptuous mocking tones of the“alcalde” ceased, his black eyes glowing with i rage, i glared fiercely at the motley group at the bar. lush from sheer, modesty to say is The Rival Giants of Nowhar. the hammers of his old-mounted revolvers moving ominously bee and forth under the varying pressure of the long white lingers on the triggers. “ So you are Gold Gabe, King of Nowliar, are you?” he grated, his burning eyes never waver— ing in their hateful stare. “I have once so stated, Shanghai,” softly uttered Nowhar’s alcalde. " If my word is not me can bear me out in what I iave said.” The “gentlemen” in question, as rough a set as any other mining-camp in all Idaho could boast, perhaps, had discreetly bctaken them- selves to one side of the long room, out of range of any stray “ outcroppings ” ot’ lead. They were (>sz in some of the alcalde’s little pecu- liarities~knew that when his voice was at its softest his anger was deadliest.- “ I reckon tbar’s no need ov any of th’ galoots to chip into our little game,” slowly enunciated the man from Cinnabar. “ If i you say you are King ov Nowhar, it simply brings you to th’ scratch, that is all.” Again that mocking, insulting laugh rippled from the alcalde’s lips. The red light in the black eyes of the dark Hercules deepened; but he went on, steadily: “It brings you to the scratch, that is a l. I have sought and found you, you monumental fraud. 'l‘h’ name and fame ov Gold Gabe, King ov Nowhar, have spread far and wide through tli’ hills. A mountain mogul you have grown to be from th’ mean coyote ov a sneak thief and . card shar th’ camps 0v th’ Stanislaus once. knew, to t icir sorrow, Buzzuid Bill.” The thrust seemed to tell, for the alcalde, covered as he was by the niuzzles of the two revolvers, crouched as if to spring forward and fasten his fingers upon the throat of the man from Cinnabar. “ Squirm, ye carrion-reekin’ vulture!” uttered Shasta Sam, a grim smile breaking the stornness of his face 1‘ or a brief, fleeting second. “ Sqiiirm but (10th you move so much as a finger in th way ov'drawin’ a weapon, for I hold th’ drop on you in a way you ought to despise, and I tell you I won‘t hesitate a half minute in sendin’ you to meet th’ on’ master you ever really served, th’ old boy 0v re and brimstone fame. ’ “Squirm nothin’!” retortcd the giant of the golden locks, grasping fiercely the butts of the revolvers he dared not attempt to draw. “ then Gold Gabe backs water for rant and blow and blustcr from such an overgrown chunk ov human cussedness as you, Shanghai, N 0whar’ll have need ov a new alcalde, for I twear I’d hang my- self to th’ nearest tree.” “If th’ blind critter known as Justice ever gets her dues, you’ll disfigure th’ landscape in just that way, oii’v good Judge Lynch will have a flinger in the pie,” said the man from Cinnabar, ea in y. Gold Gabe laughed—a grim, sardonic laugh, utterly devoid of mirth. . These who knew the alcalde best fancied the dark Hercules’s words had struck home. “ A nice critter, you, to talk ov J ud're Lynch,” sneered Gold Gabe. ‘f Why. you black- nozzled shark, your face alone would be enough to convict you ov half th’ crimes 'in th’ deca- logue before any honest 'ury th’ country can share up. You caught ti’ drop on me in th" meanest kind ov a. sneakin’ way, too, and, on- less you’ve experiencd th’ biggest kind ova. chanrre 0v heart since we last met on th’ Stanis- lausfi reckon you’re mighty apt to use your advantage. You see I know you, you ongninly galoot‘: down thar you were 'way-down Bummer ob, too lazy and shiftless to wash, too coward- lv to gather toll on th’ highway. But 10! th’ filth and rugs have vanishe ! How art th’ low- ly risen! Whose bleed 'd for th‘ agony you’re pilin’ on, Bummer Bob ’ As the iceringswords burst forth, the bronzed face of S asta, am grew dark and lowering; his blazing eyes flashed fltfully ' the slowly-mov- ing hammers of his readyrevo vers leaped back until they were almost upon a poise, requiring but a hair’s weight against the triggers to' hurl the soul of the blonde giant into eternit . Staring at eight into the (glowing or s of the man from Cinnabar, Gold abe again uttered that soft, insolent,‘ irritating laugh, courting death swift and sure. , A low murmur broke from the roughs and ten hairline”, sggrts and speculators grouped at $116. fie ‘of t .long room, The alcalde’s “sand” 6 grown into a proverb in the camp of Nowhnr; but just now the magistratic giant seemed bent upon eclipsing his previous record at the hazard of, his life. _ , i . And there were men there who, secretlxor openly 'inimical to the alcalde, waited With 7 w enough, porhaps'some of the eiitleinen behind - , . _.-.... A,-, ___."Z.'!T-._-::_':___ , _. bated breath for the outcome of the strange broil, exultant in the belief that field Gabe had at last met a Roman fully as noble as himself. Slightly apart from his fellows, with his arms folded careless] y across his broad chest, a fish— ed revolver gleaming in each hand, a col smile on his 1 minohile lace, and a strange glitter in his big blue 0 'es, stood the )(lllofhke Proprietor of the Fair 1’ ay, Julian St.- 'lnio. Between this liandsenie sport and Gold Gabe there was anything l»utlove., It was, therefore, ' with deep interest that he watched the two _ giants, knowing full well that the controvers must have a tragic cnding,| and that the alcalde Would doubtless end his days then and there. “ Don’t stack it on too uhi'gh-r-don’t crowd me' too hard,” warned Shasta Sam, in tones of sun» - pressed fury, as King Gabe’s mocking laugh died away. “ Every man has his faults his ups and downs, in this world. had, mine, and I reckon you c (1 say as much, if you were honest enough. ‘Just now, you’re away up at th’ to -notch; but you’re comin’ down, and when I’m one with you thar’ll be a new king in Nowhar. ‘ “Down on the Stanislaus, when night was at' its blaekcst, you, Buzzard Bill, cowardly, thiev- in’ coyote that you are, murdered my pard, Montercy Merle—as white 11 man as ever set hoof in th’ mines—for th’ sake ov a few ounces ov yellow dust! I swore I’d find you, and that oath has made a man ov me. It‘s taken me five long years to hunt you down: but I’ve got you hard and fast this time, i or you )oked yolu‘ fool head strai ht into th’ 'aws ov th’ trap I set for you when entered this place. ‘ ' “ \Vhat have you got to say cowardly assassin?” ' . "‘ That it is a lie—simply and purely a lie—— hatched by you, you overgrown loafer!” hotly returned the alcalde, gnawing savagely at his nether lip. “ It’sa cock—and-bull story tor which you can’t produce a word ov proof. “ Hold. right thar l” terser interrup _ Sam. “I he) on to have th’dyin statement ov Monterey Mia-19, th’ man you stabbed in’ thv back, then robbed, and I reckon that’s proof, fast enough. If it’s not, then th’ galoots ov No. whar must be common hogs.” . - _ i The alcalde, starting slightly, remained Silent, gazing, on beyond the man from Cinnabar into the darkness ‘without the open door, a strange, half-puzzled,half-expectant expression on his face. ' for yourself, you allowed the niuzzles of his revolvers to sink, and cast a swift look over his shoulder. . In that brief instant, ere a she Julian St. Elmo could warn. the dar of his peril, Gold Gabe whipped a revolver from his belt, flung his hand straight out, and fired! tr'om he report stung through the room with str nge force. . - ttering a low groan, Shasta Sam dropped his weapons, staggered forward, and fell in an , inert heap on thefloor, the blood tricklinglin a ‘ tiny stream from a bullet-hole in his head. ,, Instantly all was confusion. ' ‘ CHAPTER II. - . AN .ASSASSIN’S sum 1 . ' FOR 9. Single instant after the report of his trusty revolver had died away Gold Gabe stood like a. bronze statue, every sinew in his superb form drawn to its utmost tension, his handsome face a gray, ashy hue, his steel-blue eyes dilated with horror. , ‘ i ‘ . Straight out the open door he stared, his brawny arm extended, his hard white hand clas ing‘ With almost despairing fierceness the gel butt of his heavy revolver, up from the pale bluish smoke. _ ' Then. above the almost infernal din ‘ that broke forth, arose the voice of Julian St. Elmo, cold, clear and ringing: . f‘Gentlemen, it was murder—they desperate act of a cowardly assassin brought .to buy. Al’, calde though he is, he must not 9,50 P6 ust and- speedy punishment. The reputatlo 0f owhar is agnstake, as well as that or establish. men . ‘ tcd'Shasta ‘ ‘i I have and have ,‘ ' Thrown on? his guardapparently, Shasta Sam 1 a \ 4 (K i ‘i ,l I d; c[lilfarculeis I ' V 1 deadly muzzle of which still curled a wreath of » 'V ‘ V l There was a ring of exultation in the tones of ' » -, the handsome sport that passed undetected by all save Gold Gabe himself, _ ' ' , Reluctantly tearin 'his gaze from the fateful. doorway, through w ich he longed to dash, but dared not, the blonds giant allowed his burning eyes to dwell one brief instant on the . ate, bleeding form of the dark Hercules, w some. .v thing wondrously like a deep 30b seemed almost to (L rend his massive chest; then, with tempestuoun , a. storm-blown oak, he wheeled‘and .l \ fury. swayinfiand Quivei ing in ,his‘mn. mm . I , Juliet". \ i \. .r _ ." ," \ ' x .J' 1.1;"; . »M—*_17‘"‘*;**" ’ I V y ' t s: \,.: .; -. .m. n»..-.« ..._...._._V ..._-. v . St. Elmo, to find tho cool, calculating lipul'l.’s ‘ ngvolvers leveled at his heart. “This is your work, St. Elmo, and, by the Eternal, you shall pay i'o it, you cold—blooded hound l" he hoarscly (nunciuted, voice, words, and manner plainly revmliug his intensohatrcd of the gambler. “ The shot that laid him low came from the darkness out thur, and was in- tended for me, was; tired lay one ov your hired assassins. “Quick, l,.~o_x,-:;”—~with an appealing glance at his friends in the excited crowd— “quiok! th' murderous wretch is still lurking ’ thar in th’ darkness. Five thousand dollars to th’ man that captures him, dead or alive!” A Wild yell burst from the crowd, and a score of men at once surng toward the door, eager to rove the truth of the alculdc‘s assertion, ' old Gabe was not without friends; then, too, the munitlcent reward was a poWerful incentrm to the gold—seekers. A Cold, cynical smile ilitted owr Julian St. Elmo’s face, as with a. swift. sidelong glance he :‘notcd the exodus of tho inaudiuntors. Thcn his , eves turned to meet the searching gaze of the Vi ulczlldo. 5 " You seem to overlook the fact that your ‘, own Weapon exploded the instant it reached a level, King Gabe, and that that was the only l, ',., at; on heard,” he remarked, snecrmgly. ‘ Pf'va’fThcre’s no two ways. about it, my gentle “"21 ' alcalde; you killed the bigstraiiger, and I reckj on you‘ve got to suffer for It. .1} ndcr your iron ,9”. rule, you’ve carried thing‘s w1th a_high hand in ' Nowhar long enough, and the cmmmgruso your L: quiCk wit suggested won‘t save your bacon this time.” ,“ I Overlook nothing,” ~- 3" giant ‘of the golden locks. hotly rctortcd the “ I did pull trigger, Kn. ; ,, . 1. I :. :" I admx but not at that poor lump ov clay. -t i vi .- was 01:23 your heclcrs, J ulc St. Elmo, that I l i tried to wing, and I think I succeeded, too. I 3" sighted him sknlkin in the darkness out thar, 7 I just as he drew a boa on me, and tried a snap- :‘ f. .shbtin return. Our weapons cracked together.” ' “A liker yarn, that, alcaldc,”observod the gambler, sarcastically, yetwith an undercur- ’ rent of uneasiness in his tones. “Do you_cx- ' _. q «fins to'swallow that in its entiret , or 15 it to elk: ':i';(<~qn«, in homeopathic doses? on say, too, . n. “ ‘ id‘iimking assassin was a licelcr of’mine— flimsy- , jprool'pf such a fact?” , ,3 “:in35,; r'rcsponsof‘mld Gubenvas about 4') 3?; W: | _ r. . . I .5 ._. ’1‘11‘ ‘ a salon}; oi Hus- '~ shouts and yells from women hers won‘tsido. l l war I The next ininutg. the motley crew came surging through the doorway, its leaders dragging in their relentless grasp the cause of all tho tumult. ’y “ Reckon I’ll hov tor claim flict lcotle five thousand, King Gabe,” shouted the foremost, a red-slurted miner; who, in that camp answered to the euphonious appellation l. brawn at leas ,, of Sweet By-and-By. , :29 As he spoke, the red-shirt half-pushed, half- ” ’ ' dragged into full View as odd a specimen of humanity as it had ever fallen to the lot of any present to come in contact with. ' A mountain‘tramp it was who writhed and twistedlin the strong grasp of Sweet By-and- By—a'Yankeo of uncertain age, tall and pre- ternaturally lank, w1 th a thin, beardlcss face, and shrewd gra eyes. His dingy swallow-tail coat had been sp it two-thirds of the way up the back , , during the scuttle, and his battered white plug 1" hat had been Jainde dowu over his left eye, ‘ , giving him the a pearance peculiar to the unre- generate bum. 116 hand clutched the remains of what had once been a. green in ham umbrel- I la, the other the handle of a di apidated carpet- ‘ ba . _ . ‘g‘Yaas, King Gabe, I reckon I’ll hev ter take xr-‘Ihwnu‘ner dust,” repeated Sweet By-and-By, push- i’ ’ in his captive forward. *“ Hyar’s thcr it enti- , 'caI cuss w’ot plugged thor Shasta pilgrim. Gaze . ' on him—his mu r’s_ enqu ter make piizen sick!” ' “ Plugged not 111’, Yer towarin’ monument ov '- '. r fraud an’ deeceptlonl” snorted. an indignant ' voice in the midst of the crowd hanging about the doorway. “ Alcalde, 91‘ can trot outlyer Iyaller Shekels. Hyar’s t er inooine Simon- ' ' . pure,lead-slinger, an’ I’ll law It for all ther i galoots ov Ndwhar of 1115 face lmm’t enufl‘ ter ’ ' make a dead man git out 0v ther way. It’s .. ipuffectly hidjusl” , ‘ , ‘. failing. and panting from lns exertions, his , h nest face a low with exc1tement, the speaker ’ '1 cod-his cap ive across the rough floor. ~ ' dudicrous appearance of the luckless Yan- ‘ , kee' was only heightened when he was brought 'into contrast with the “specimen” stoutly' ll Slims lin in thelgr of gaunt grizzled eetps I fRiVerga—ag short, fatmtund fi re, incased in clothing originally intended f r a man of far less avowdupois" around, beardless red face, out 0111119 center of which, from between the two : Cd ,. is " ' ' A " 'Wu K I . { ._,,‘ j, “- _ ,..‘ . ~ ~-~- . , i , - The Rival Giants of Nowhar. . affifi‘ _ unusually full, pul‘l'y checks, } coped a yet redder pug pose: a pairot’ pale blue 0. was; a shock of bristling; straw-colored hair, a most White; a small, parsed-up mouth, and immense double chin; all in all. an indescribahly comical, inno- ccnt-lookmg.; wanderer, far from his Iiob rater- land. “For huzvi'n': sake, gentlemen, some of you go scare up the rest of tho menngcriel” exclaim- od Julian h‘t. Elmo, in much astonishment, smiling coldly, exultzintly. , The, next instant he started back With a bitter oath, stripped of the zidvimtagc ho had heldover the alealdc; for shrew-rd Jccuis Rivers, stanchcst among ( Iold (labels adherents, had deftly w hirled tho stout form of his captive directly bofore'tho nuizzlcs of the gamblch leveled weapons. Then l’ollpwr-d a swift movement upon the part of both fit. l'llmo mid tho alcaldc. " The fare”: r .5.cr~ d n. sharp cry of rage. " Kw p 1'. d-ei'i'y sport?” softly murmur. d l livid (fine. ‘ i: 7 i" i not l-luw w-‘ mowing holly over tho put; hi ll 1, a; ml 1.: revolver, the muzzle of which now bore (Still on the gamblcr’s head. “ 'l‘h’ tables have turned, thanks to our mutual frieul , inmost Jecms Rivers. Yield up your weapons and we will call a truce until this affair is sifted to ih’ bottom; refuse, andI pledge you my Word good J udge Lynch will will never m t th’ ghost ov a chance to crack your soft white neck.” The crowd waited in deep sus enso for the dc- flant answer the sport scenic about to fling back. “ Reckon you’ve got me in a corner this time, alculde,” at length obserVed Julian St. Elmo, slowly and with forced calmness, as he delivered his weapons mto the keeping of one of his‘fnrcr dealers. “ Fate is against me, and I yield with the best grace possible. lNhe-n this side—issue is settled, we can have our little reckoning: but it galls me to throw up my hand when called by an owr-grown two—legged coyote low dowa enough to work a trick as scurvy as the one you played on him,” with a swift inclination of his handsome head toward the lifeless form of the dark Hercules. , The giant of the golden locks bowed, in sheer mockery. “ King Gabe, hyar’s ther OWdaSlllfi annymile yer: want tcr See,” squeaked Sweet By-and-By, again mshing forward the Yankee, as the al- calde t rust his revolver inniliis belt and turned With an icy smile from the disconifitcd gam- bl string ov lankncss hain’t nerve onufi’ tcr shoot oll‘ his mouth, say nothin’ about {1 gun,” growled Jeems Rivers, irasvibly. “ Why didn’t ycr lasso a he’lthy shudder, sweet ’un?—thcn yer mought hcv stood sum’ show for ther money. Right hyar’Si thcr bloody-minded Lucreshu. Borger wanted by ther alcaldc.” Wheezing, gasping fronithe tightness of the miner’s twisting grip in his collar, the hepless Tcuton was whirled slowly around, like a moun— tain of fat on a rusty pivot, his red face grow- ing yet redder, his short pug-nose gleaming like a miniature beacon-light below his twinkling, dim blue eyes. . An explosive burst of laughter escaped Sweet By-and-By. to be caught up by the care. less throng unmindful of the inanimate, bleeding form of Shasta Sam lying m a ghastly heapa few cos away. “ What! that kraut-vine fang a man in ther back!” snorted the Yankee’s cantor, in a shrill falsetto, an expression of unfeigned disgust spreading over his usually beaming taco. " J 9': ms Rivers, yer‘ro crazier than a rattler in dog-days! IIyau’s ther sneakln’ critter w’at slowed ther stranger-sported fact I’ll gamble on!” And Sweet By-und-By, highly indignant at the imputation that tho alcalilc’s reward was not for him brought his heavy hand down upon his captives back With a slap that made the Yankcc’s teeth fairly rattle. _ Staggering forward underthe Weight of tho uneXpectcd low until his hands came in contact with the floor, the mountain tramp dropped his precious carpet-198:2, and With an agile spring regained his ulhbrium. turning in the act so that he faced Ins red-shirtad cantor. “ Monkey with Jonathan Trotter, will ycou, yeou gosh-darned skunk!” he thundered, with a. werful that it almost caused the roof to trem- lé h lank form growmg still’ and towe‘rin with ri hteous indignation. “ By th’ holy mackerel! l'fi tickle yeour diaphragm with my umberella, darn yeou !” . And he did. With the skill of an expert fenc- er he caught the astounded Sweet By-and-By in / I , y‘ r / marked nasal twang. in a voice so deep'and is keen ‘gray eyes snapping wxck ly, his. er. “Git out! That Whopper-jawed, flat-footed. the midril! with the pointed steel tip of his nov- el weapon, so suddenly and so forcefully that the miner dropped in a heap, gasping for breath. \ As the red-shirt went down, clawing frantic- ally at tho pit of his stomach, a dcrisivc shout went up from the crowd. Ono kooi , H nitinizmg look at the faces of the two nllcgwl «ulprits, and Gold Gabe, his face plainly >howing' his disappointment, turned to deems Rivers and said: , ' “ Thar is a mistake hcrc, Jccnis-ncitlier ov these follows is guilty. 'l‘h’ man out thnr wore a full board and a dark slouch but, as was re— vealed by th’ flash 0v his pistol.” “A remarkably keen eye is yours, alcalde!" snecrcd Julian St. Elmo. “ There was lint one report heard, and I can take. my Bible oath you tired. I will leave it to the other gentluiscn present. ’7 -“ Thar was two shots,” calmly declared Jccms Rivers. “ Tiny rung out cxactl ' togctlcr. I saw thcr flush cut thur but not t or man w’ot held thcr woepon. W’en I went out, I ‘found this hunk ov fut skulkin’ in" tlicr darkness, nn’ I run him in. Rf tlier alcaldc scz he hain’t their main, he hain’t: same way with Yank tliar, though he do look p’izcu.” , “ Sec heur, yeou holler—«jest ycou let J Oliathnn Tl‘Ottcl' an’ his looks alone,” exclaimed the lank tramp sharply, turning from the writhing Sweet lly-a; .l-By to'Rivch, and savagely brandishing ' 2.5 umbrella in that worthy’s face. “I belong ' ~ one 0’ th’ fu’st families 0’ th’ State 0’ Maine, . ' 1 he»- trumped all th’ way to this heathenish , :icc w :‘nrch ()7 'old, an’, by smoke! of ycou ' Lo ; r a 1' me, turn ycou, l’ll puncture 'cour :i...‘iton: :m tb’ p’int ,o’ my uniberclla— will, by th' l.-)1_) mackerel! ‘ “ Say. 11m", capting,” turning inquisitively to Gold Halli-m“ did ycou ofi‘er five thousand col- lars for tl" man that blazed away from cont thar in th’ dm' ' jest ncowl” The nlcnlde started, then quickly replied: “ I did, my man; why do on ask?” . “Not jest cont 0’ curiosity: ycou see, cap- ting, I lzcvlin sum’at o’ a hunter. amighty Nimrod, in m day—hev cleaned eout my weight in wil'Cats an painters an’ arch menny a time up in th’ dark shadows 0’ big Mount Katahdin. Jest now I‘fcel kinder savage—dike a meat-ax, yum know, an’ to rcli-wo‘my mat-up fecbn’u 1‘ ~ goin' to s’arch’ for th’ hyena {hat was prowlrn’ ’round cont thar. I thort I sce’d a flash in th’ darkness cs Hunki Hans thar an’ me kcm up.” Impaticntly, the giant of the golden locks lis- '- tencd until the mountain trap had finished, thm turned to examine the corpse of the dark Hercu- les, confident that. eVen if the lurking assassin .was never found, he could clear him. 1’ of the (11%;): charge brought against him by lian St. 10. . The. pathway of . the fatal bullet must prove conclusively that it had been fired from a paint directly opposne to that at which the alcalde had stood But no sooner had Gold Gabe turned and push- cd his way through the gaping crowd than a sharp cry escaped hnn. ‘ ,. _ Shasta Sam’s body was gone! , Crowding forward, with cxclamations of sur- prise, the excited inmates of the Fair Play clus- tered around the Spot where. the ill-fated giant had fallen. A small pool of blcod marked the ' place—that was all. ’ , “ Alcalde, allow me to congratulate you,” softly uttered Julian St. Elmo smiling mali- ciously, as his coldly glittering blue eyes ,met those of the nqnplnsed giant. “ It seems that the machinery of the law—your law— has been put in operation. A most damag— ing piece of evidence has been suppressed—the body of your victim tolen awn . I shouldn’t wonderif you escaped, after all.’ ‘ “You devil!” hissed Gold Gabe. through his hard-set teeth, a vivid tongue of flame seeming to start from his glowing eyes. “You have done this. I would rid the territory of its worst post if I sent abullet through your treacherous heart.” . , “ It may up that wa_ to you, my dear a1- calde—there is n account ng for the opinions some men bold; but allow me to suggest that it would be a veiiy unhealthy Thing for you to at— tempttodo. f you will take the 'trouble to look, you will observe that I have you ‘ lined!” “ As I hav you, ver two-legged hunk oV-‘déo , pelt pure .an’ on led!” chimed 'in Jeems Rivers. grimly. “‘ n‘t yer ketn fer tor» try. any ov yer skin games on ther alcalde Well I’m ’round, 0r saltpeter won’t .keep yer; 08117011. frame from s ’ilin’.” , ' The aSSemb ed Nowharites- dropped back out of range. ' ' ' ‘ l l a. "an..- __.-__ . L7,, \(""’ " 4 “ i . ../ ,’ \ 4 The Rival Giants .of mm. But the impending triangular conflict was not to occur. ' Jonathan Trotter and his fellow tramp, scarcely missed by an of the excited throng so brief had been their a sauce, suddenly appeared at the door bearin between them a writhing, twisting, bleeding orm. “ Hooray!” yelled Jeems Rivers, in delight, as the mountain tramps gently deposited their burden on the rough floor. “ Boyees, King Gabe war kerectl bar’s ther galoot be seen— vhiskers, slouch bat, an’ winged in ther leg, too.” A’sound akin to a malediction escaped Julian St. Elmo. “ A truce, alcalde,” he muttered, lowering his weapon. “ A truce be it,” assented Gold Gabe. “Capting I calc‘late we hev fetched yeour man,” complacently announced the Yankee, his voice husky, apparently from his recent exer- tions. “Jest hold on to that leetle five thou- sand bag 0’ dust till Hunki Hans an’ me call fer it. Guess these card sharps ’u’d skin us putty nick—I’ve hearn tell as how they was gosh- arned slip’ry cusses.” quick, impatient nod, and the alcalde bent over the wounded man. A sojourn of half a year in the gold-camp had rendered the giant familiar with the faces of the remaining members of the original few who had pitched their tents on Nowhar’s site. This man was one of the number. “Jabez Fourche, what have you to say for - yourself l” demanded the alcalde, his face grow- ing cold and stem as he gazed steadfastly into the e es of the luukless wretch who had at- temp to take his life. “ Let your tongue move glibly and truthfully, or I’ 1 take care that Nowhar plants you to-morrow, as well as - the; victim of your cowardly shot. Speak! 5 IV ho put 11 this job against me?” , The blan e iant’s hand was upon his revol- F vor; a deadly ight shone in his big blue eyes. ‘ A few paces distant his arms carelessly fold— ,‘ed. stood Julian St. Elmo, smiling cynically. At Gold Gabe’s terse inquiry, J abez Fourche’s glance shifted uneasily to the gambler’s face, and thence to the two mountain tramps. “ Thet berderned windin’-blades an’ is ball ov soup-fat hev laid me out,” he muttered, glaring swager at Trocter and Hunki Hans. “ Ef v they hadn’t ’a’ pounced on ter me ther minute I 1 tumbled over ’ith thet bullet in my laig, I c’u’d i ’a’ crawled of! inter ther bresh, hurt es I war; but they touched me up ’ith a ga an’ ropes, an’ _' snaked me of! in ther dark. rat ’em! sech , trash hev no biz’ness inther hills! ' “ Alcalde,” he went on, his eyes turning back . to meet t e steadfast. piercing gaze of the giant, , “I don’t why I sh’u’d stay by them as won’t , lift a finger ter help me w’en ’m down thro’ , tr in’ ter do their dirt work. They say ye’re ,w ' , an’ p’rhaps I’d tter chaince it ’ith you. “ 'I‘her bullet w‘ot drapped ther big galoot .war intended fer you. Ther hull thing war a set-up 90b, an’» ther man at ther bottom ov it war—’ A revolver cracked spitefully, and a strange tremor ran through Fourche’s frame; his jaw ~l dropped, his eyes assumed a glassy, staring as- spect, and over his I strange rigidity. . . The hiatus in his words would never be filled. ‘ He was dead. Uttering a sharp, fierce c , the bamed K' grimy features crept a .of Nowhar whipped out is revolvers, an i sprung to his‘feet. , . ‘ ’ CHAPTER III. i , yr A son’s sun. ' A SARDONIC laugh riplpled lightly from the ., full red H of J uJian St“ lmo. “ Alcal 9, you are playing in hard luck 1” he exclaimed, in mock sympat . ‘ The blonde giant vouchsafed no immediate response. His face was white and drawn, and v, in the intensity of his passmn his big steel-blue eVes gleamed like redly smoldering coals as be cast about him a steady. sweeping glance in , search of the author of that dastardly shot. He ‘ was in a dan erous mood, and a man with a thought loss 0 daring, of. reckless bravado, than Julian St. Elmo would have held his peace. 9 Behind the gambler. a trifle to’his left a l- fished “six” at full cock ih each hand, stggd 'zzled Jeems Rivers. Not a motion of the ndsome sport, however slight, escaped his wary eye. :" Between the alcalde and the door was a g of a dozen men—strong, rugged fellows alfi an I l stout adherents of the blonde giant. Facing them, at an equal distance beyond the alcalde, gereh: score of Nowhar’s gamblers, roughs and u D T at a desperate battle for the supremacy was imminent between these two factions of the gold-camp none present could doubt, and those identified with neither party discreetly retired, ranging themselves along the bar and the wall opposite. ther shot kem from among thet pack ov bums back thar, an’ yer can depend they’ll keep dark who did it,” observed Rivers, slowly. “ It was more 0v St. Elmo’s devilish work,” muttered the giant, in a voice scarcely audible. “Time will tell; and when our leetle reckoning does he will find it against him.” “ J est say ther word, alcalde, an’ I’ll amp the cock-eyed coyote full 0v lead!” said Rivers, laring fiercely at_ the nonchalant gambler, his ngers playing hghtly on the triggers of his Willi nci' lid t1 th r n g e en y over e range or your ins!” retortleg Julian St. Elmo, smiling ma- iciously. “ Slow and easy, my genial Jecms; don’t identify yourself too closely with this overgrown, murderous boaster; Gold Gabe, alias Buzzard Bill— it mightn’t be exactly healthy, you know.” ‘“ Have a care, St. Elmo!” gritted the alcalde ' turnin menacingly upon the gambler, the blood sudden y surging back into his face. " Gentlemen l” cried the handsome sport, step- ping back a !pace, and deigning the blonde giant not so muc as a glance. ‘ Gentlemen, you know that I am a knight of the green cloth—a ambler; and, that, ike all others of my class, am looked down upon by the majority of the people with whom come in contact. But I think you will agree with me that I have played ' a square game in Nowhar. whether the tools were pisto s or cards. Gambler though I am, I gount myself on the side of law and order, every ime. “ To—night, within half an hour, you have seen two men shot to death; the first,‘ the giant stranger, by Jabez Fourche, at the instigation of some party or parties unknown; the second, Fourche himself while confessing to the so called King of N’owhar who were his accom~ plices in the murder of Shasta Sam. “ Because of some rivate grudge he holds against me, this Gold abe, alias Buzzard Bill, charged with the murder of Monterey Merle in one of the mining-camps of Stanislaus, has seen fit to accuse me of being an accessory in both of the tragedies 6f to-night. “ Gentlemen, with almost his last breath Jabez Fourche declared that the bullet killing Shasta Sam was intended for this other moun- tain of flesh, Gold Gabe—a statement that 1 be- lieve utterly unworthy of credence. “ But I do believe that both J abez Fourche and myself were the victims of as diabolical a plot as ever human brain evolved. _ “ To settle all doubt in my own mind, and to convmce you that I am not guilty of the crime laid tome, I am going to paint ut the murder- er of J abez Fourche, and t en wring from him a full and free confession of the details of thisdhellish plot, or scatter his brains to the four mu 5. “ 'g’here he stands—you know him as Truthful And Julian St. Elmo flung out his right hand, elevating a revolver at full cock at the head of a squat, heavily-built ruman in the midst of the crowd of roughs. “ Yes, it was Truthful Joe as great a rascal as evercursed a old-camp, and there he is,” stem- ] reiterated t e gambler. “ I saw the revolver flvash in his hand.” ‘ - A buzz. of excitement went up from each of the two factions. The giant of the golden locksstood astounded; than a m smile played fltfully around the cor- ners of is mouth. . " S out here, voracious Joseph, and be lively a t it, or I’ll accelerate your la movements with a bullet or two ” continu , St. Elmo, his blue eyes gleaming coldly. “ For once since we have met I am anxious to hear the music of your voice.” An expression akin to terror crept into the heady black eyes of the squat, misshapen ruflan: his swarthy faiilgrew livid, and he trembled lite-done palsy cken as he shambled for- w . “Alcalde. foronce assert the authorlt you don’t ‘ and disarm the wretch,” 8a the gamb r, with an ill-concealed sneer. “ If I am not mistaken, you will find one chamber of his revolver empty. ’3: . ' i “ I reckon it’s no use ter look, King Gabe—' (thing ter Flashing a look of deadly malignit at the handsome s )ort, King Gabe xnechuniciilly com- plied with t e pointed re quest. Truthful Joe offered no resistance; he trem- bled yet more violently. and verge of sinking to the floor when the alcalde anxiounced that the gambler’s assertion was cor- rec . seemed on the‘ , Julian St. Elmo smiled coldly. I - ‘ “That will do. King Gabe—you may pass,” he : uttered. “The game is now between this muro‘ ' derous wretch and myself. and he has got to, Show his hand. No matter who his allies ma be, he is going to ‘ peach ’ the whole thing or die without a minute’s warning.” ' “An’ of I peach—w’ot- then?” demanded Truthful Joe, in quavering accents. “Tell you better afterward.” tersely replied St. Elmo, his gleaming eyes fiXed in a steady, gnwavering gaze on the face of the squat ruf- an “ See thet I’m not sarved like Fourche war—- that I git a fair chaince fe mrly white alley w’en I’m done, an’ I’ll talk,” sai ruthful Joe, in a slow, hesitating way; “ Go on—you shal have a square deal,” de- clared the gambler. _ “ Wal, er all knows thet I hev bin prospect?- in’ on grub on ther Elk City trail,” began the ruman, am... profound silence. ~“ ’Bout noon ylstiddy, that tall pilgrim, Shasta Sam, rounded up et my lay-out, an’ we drifted enter a talk ’bout this h ar camp, an’ be axed a heap ov questions ’bout , old Gabe hyar. ' i “ I hain’t so smart ez I mou’t be. mebbe. but I c’u’dn’t help seein’ through a knothole bill 82 my hat. I kno'wed in a minute that ther her- i wane: 57.151ka V. . v _- _‘_ -.-......._ -_..._4._ ‘_..__. __... .._.-.-._......_. R my __,.., g . a i 3" darned big cuss war no fr’end 0v ther alcalde, _, an’ as soon cs he putt out fer Nowhar, I lit ther same we . , takin’ a short cut ’cross ther hills so’s ter beat 1m in_a good six hour. “ Et war King Gabe as hcd grub-staked me, an’ I war p’utty sart’in thet he ’u’d kim down Wlth ther dusn ef I putt him onter ther big pil- , grim’s lay. ' ‘ “ Et war jest noon w’e'n I struck Nowhar, an’ I hoofed it straight ter ther-Yaller Bo , ther alcalde’s mine. or I found ’im, all one in ther leetle office at ther jaws ov ther drift, ant~ V let ’im in on wo’t I bed diskivered. “ I seen in a minute thet I hed struck pay— dirt, fer w’ot I bed sed putt ther. a} de into;- hot water. He walked up an’ down” ' ' a few times, then stopped short an’ asked me 91’ I Wanted ter make a clean thousand dollars. “An’ I war 'ist fool etiqu ter tell [him I did. , Wlen a feller li e me gits down on his’ luck, he” - 'hain’t very pertic’ler how a raise are made, jist so he makes et, yer know. Ther alcalde went ‘ n ter say he wanted a feller ’bout my size ter ’tend ter sech leetle matters es ther one in hand, . t cane" "V j} w an’ thet he w’u’d make et wu’th while ftl‘ me tor; y do things up in shipshape. I “Arter more palaver, he kem down ter biz,- ness. W’at he wanted done war this: Thar war two fellers in camp, besides ther big pilgrim on ther road, w’at he held a grudge ag’in’-you, St. Elmo an’ J abez Fpurche. I war ter lay fer Shasta Sam an’ steer ’im ter ther Fair Play ter find Gold Gabe; Fourche war ter lay outside, an’ at ther proper time put a bullet in’ ther dark giant—he thinkin’ at war on puttin’ upther job, fer I war ter tell ’im thet, so thet of any- thing went wrong an’ he war caught, ther al-r calde w’u’dn’t gi his foot in ct. He war tar say. too, at caught, thet he war la in’ fer Gold , Gabe, an’ war .paid b you fer thet ther shootin’ (W S asta Sam war anacc'i ent. ‘ “He allowed at war a putt good plan, an’ _ _,'. thet yer an’ ther rest ov t er oyees w’n‘d pull ’im throu b. He didn’t know thet at war a put. up job he wixt ther alcalde an’ me ter wing ’im essoon es he had settled Shasta Sam. , he never even s’pishuned Kingv'GabO lied any— do with ther matter—ther pore: cuss thou ht you war a-doin’ et. “ er alcalde kalkilated the? .F 0111‘0110’3 yam w’u’d jest aboutsettle yer in the War camp. an’ v at ther best yer ’u'd hev tor amble on ier some. other man’s town. An’ et‘did seem fer awhile I thet ther plot war a-ggin’ tel‘ Work 1110'st booti- ‘. fully, fer lordyl how er alcalde did pile on ther agony! oin‘ et, an’ ' Fact war, ’ “ But w’en at kem ter ther scratch, I seen from Fourche’s e es thet .1 war a gpner of he went ahead, so Ilet ’im he? at. You seen the?» worked, an’ brought me tor taw. “Thar er hev ther hull thing b’iled down. Thar alcal W” 11110? galoot w’at 90‘? “P ther job. 'an’ I reckon be are the;- on. yer want“, .7 v tackle, not me.” \ . i Slowly and with hesitaacy at first, but in. I trick. . I. ‘ In? ' -stake for sum days ’mong ther hills, ’ _ “' ’ #41)»; .,\ I i l I l i l g , _._ .__..~......_—.......,, _ . i 1 i . s. is 'i l l j. 'l _ l “'1‘”. a . . ..,..».. ,. .... . , . ._. g“ -..... "fir -"~ .A...,., ’ ,“9‘” 'r 11‘— _._~——_~.__- . “fin-n. , .\_ 7 . .w \f“ “In? .i-wz "V-M’ki‘rn—a. ‘j .41... -.MM~. ‘ \ ‘ A! . REP “ti - - ___m_______~‘_§/ \ 0‘ -~_. .- .s w... «W... -- his throat. .1 "volvers in the hands ‘ .‘titiends. The Bival Giants of Nowhar. ‘ creasing fluency and confidence, had the rascal- ly Truthful Joe unfolded his tale. At its conclusion, a. hoarse yell went up from the St. Elmo faction: Gold Gabe’s friends pre- ared for action, and the ominous clicking of iswl-loeks became generaL . The giant of the golden locks stood like a bronze statue, his polished self-cocking revol- vers drawn and ready, his big blue eyes fairly blazing. “‘ As foul a tissue of lies as was ever hatched, Julian St. Elmo,” he enunciated, in cold, cvon tones. “ ’I‘ruthful‘ Joe 1 brand as a liar, a fraud, and a cheat; you, his abettor, a wretch too low, mean and soulless to longer pollute God’s footstool!” _ An expression of horror crept sw1ftly over the white face of the handsome sport—death stared .him in the face! . The alcalde’s long arm liad swung to a level with lightning-like quickness. and there was an ; unmistakable gleam in the lurid depths of the eye looking along the polished length of his wea— pon—a gleam that meant death! A flasli,a keen report. a curlin wreath of “thin white smoke, and Julian St. E mo dropped cry he was about to limp and lifeless, the shar ollow gurgle deep in utter dying away with a Before a ma in either faction could lift a hand the dead y weapon again exploded, and Truthfnl .150, with a hoarse yell, staggerel back and fell to the floor, shot through and through. ' At the second shot, as one man, the blonde - iant’s friends, headed by faithful, grizzled eems‘Rivers, spread quickly in the form of a crescent, the cocked revolvers in the hands of each bearing full on. the surging crowd of .roughs. . “ Stiddy‘thar, you critter!” thundered Rivers, 'his voice rising high above the uproar. “ Crook :a finger at King Gabe an’ We’ll mow ye i” The tumult subsided, and the turbulent crowd relapsed inio quietude. Far- braver men than . “the roughs thirsting for the life of the blonde giant would have quailed before that crescent of I deadly muzzlcs. “ We’vo layed the wrong cards this deal, boys,” m tered Hump Dunklc. a hunchback gauihler-d'esperado, his long white fingers: toying with the hammers of his weapons. “VVe’re in the hole, deep; notlonly mutate—Jasmin let-the utmlde‘slip us,. but we shall have to look sharp that hisLaw and Order Committee don’t kick us out of Nowhar to boot.” Not without a purpose wererthe words ut- tered. They were intended for the ears of Gold Gabe and his followers, and to cover the low, guarded tones of Faro Frank, St. Elmo’s right .hand man. I 7“ Throw down your weapons—own yourselves "beaten, and we will declare a truce until Truth- ful Joe’s story has been proved a lie." cried the .alcalde, facing the crowd, his eyes aflame, his ‘w,ea s ready. “ would be madness to fight, even if we Were so disposed,” responded Faro Frank, moving “ The only thingr we can do is—” forwénd. ' ', Q ick as thought he fired. A sharp volley rung. thrmigh the room with a deafening crash, and every light in the Fair Play flickered and went out, shroudlng the place in an instant’s :time in the deepest giloom. - Gold Gabe dropped to the floor, escaping the :mUITlePOUSStOI'm 0f blillets that followed. “ Treachery. bo eesl Let tlier p’ison varments *hev it!” shouted eems Rivers, rapidly working 1 his weapons. In answer a series of brilliant flashes ran ' "Valeng the human crescent, the cracking of the revolvers sounding in a crash. , ' V Following out the hastily formed plans of Faro Frank, the St. Elmo 13110151011, under cover of the intense darkness, had flogged lightly to the floor. Unharmcd by the ‘70 y, the d radoes crept rapidly toward the 890t :a't Whic the al- vcalde had last been seen- “‘ The big cuss is as full of 'holes as the aver .age peeket in this hyal‘ Camp. in all probability,” muttered Hump Dunkle, as With Faro Frank he Zled the advance, his Tome rendered almost in- audible by the continuous cracking 0f the re- of the blonde giant’s “I had a head on him, and 83 soon as 'the lights went out I let slip tWO bllnets- Then, toe, the rest of the boys tried their hands, and :it is‘ not at all likely he escaped.” ‘ .“ don’t think he dodged us. WOW!) I heard no all,” as cautiously observed Faro Frank, in return. . “Union he hears a charmed life some heavy, continuous of the bullets sent pointsbIank at his head must havereached a Vital g , "touched the dry,- parchecl earth; sparkling venomously; the wretch, bearing (L I,” A bright flash, a stunning report, and Hump Dunkle caught a fleetintr glimpse of the White, stern—set face of Gold Gabe crouching, revolv- ers in hand, as Faro Fran , with that sharp exclamation, rolled over with a ball through his shoulder. “ Shoot low, boys! they’re creeping in on you under your fire!” shouted the alcalde, backing away, his weapons exploding with web pace he retreated. ~ A hoarse yell from the baffled roughs; a wild rush toward the blonde giant, in which friends and foes became inextricably entangled; a mo- ineiit of blindly desperate struggliii ——then a series of sharp, exulting cries, and t e “hard crowd” of Nowhar surged toward the door, with the alcalde a captive. Close at the heels of the victorious party ushed grizzled Jeenis Rivers and .his men, out in the sultry August night. Once in the open air they halted to form some plan for the rescue of the blonde giant. The entire camp had been aroused by the fierce affray; half-nude but thoroughly armed miners came hurrying to the Fair Play from every direction. Straight to a lightning-blasted tree a hundred yards from St. Elmo’s place hurried the roughs, headed b the huiichback desperado, Hump Dniikle. espite their haste the alcalde’s cap- tors worked methodically and in grim silence. A dozen torches Were soon aflame, casting a weird light over the strange scene. The noosed end of a rope was quickly drawn tight around Gold (labe’s neck. and the other end hurled over a straight limb to be grasped by a dozon eager hands. . “Up with him!” yelled the hunchback. clap- ping his hands together in fiendish glee. “ Quick! up with him before the galoots from the Yellow Boy get here. Judge Lynch is too good for the dirty cuss!” Speechless, gasping for breath from the terri- ble, cutting pressure of the rope on his throttle, his hands bound tightly at his back, Gold Gabe glared c fiantly at his implacable foes, his glow— ing eye in a measure revealing the deadly hatred he could not otherwise express. Amid low, inhuman jeersand yells, the roughs tightened their clutch on the rope, and drew their helpless victim up until on] his toes . hen, with devdisli brutality, they loosed their hold, allow- ing the half-choked alcalde to fall headlong. “ Up, boys, up!" shrieked the deformed fiend, his eyes glowing like living coals. “To-night this tree must hear such fruit as it never here before!” Tn response, as their helpless Vii tim staggered blindly to his feet, the grimy hands again tight- ened on the rope; one move of the brawny arms, one pace backward, and Gold Gabe would no longer be King of Nowhar. In that single instant intervening b. tween the blonde giant and a terrible death, a strange sound riuig high above the clamoring voices of the lynchers—a sound never before heard in the isolated gold-camp. A woman’s scream, loud, clear and piercing! With one accord, the roughs started forward, the rope slipping unheeded through their hands, while thegv stared“ at a fresh scene of commotion astounde . Through the lawless throng. Pushing. kicking, striking, his long arms and legs working like flails, a short. heavy rerolw-r of the “ bulldog” pattern clutched in each hand, came Jonathan Trotter, closely followed by a fair young girl! Perfect in contour of form and feature, attired in the deepest black, her lustrous dark eyes di- lating wit horror, her face gleaming white and deathlike, she appeared more like a visitath from another world than auglit human under the garish light of the flambeaux. A snarl, not unlike that of some maddened beast of prey. escaped the thin, bloodless, froth- flecked lips of the huncliback desperado. “ Upl” he screamed, drawing a glittering re- volver. “ Up With him, you devils! Are we to be cheated of our reVenge by the sight of a. woman’s face? Up, I say! or upon my oath I’ll send your coward souls to meet the ter you all owe allegiance, the Old Boy of Bimtmel” His voice rismg high and shrill, his misshapén figure quivering With assion, his feet beating an irregular tattoo on the hard, dry earth, his face cold and livid, his hollow, restless 8 es throughout a streng resemblance to as pictured fiend of the infernal regions, with a hand that never trembled, a_nerve. that never faltered, covered the hes‘itating lynchers with his deadly wearon. That he would carry his threat into effect the roughs never doubted; one slow. stead pull, and Gold Gabe swung clear of the ground: At that instant, just as a second anguished scream broke from the tottering woman, the Yankce‘s revolver Went up, and its heavy report run r out. V hirling half-around, the giant of the golden locks hung quivering a moment' then, with a sharp, snapping sound, the strands of the rope parted, and he fell heavily to the ground, to all up )earanccs lifeless. iie swift bound, and Jonathan Trotter con- fronted the enraged linncliback desperado, with flu deft blow knocking the revolver from his nd. “ Ycou, p’izen serpent!” he hissed, shoving the‘ smoking muzzle of his “bulldog” under the ganiblcr’s nose. “ Creek a finger, yeou or yeouis—open yeour iertatcr-trap. an’ by smoke! yeou’ll choke to dth on cold lead! I amt I” The Yankee’s wor were distinctly audible, and the roughs turn sullenly from their leader to stare curiously at Trotter’s protegce. Baiting beside the giant form of Gold Gabe, and pressing her hands to her‘throbbing tem- ples, the girl gazed at his enipurpled face a mo- nient. then in a. sudden, tempestuous outburst of grief, flung herself on his broad chest, sob- hing: “ Oh. Ronald! Ronald, my ‘ brother! They have killed you!” CHAPTER IV. I THE PLOTTERS. THREE hours later. In a small but rather comfortably furnished apartment in the rear of the Fair Play, at a. rough deal table abundantly supplied with hot- tles and glasses, wore four mini—Julian St. Elmo. Faro Frank, the hunchback and the dark Hercules. ' That both Shasta Sam and St. Elmo had narrowly escaped death Was attested by the bloody, tightly drawn bandages about their heads. The right arm of Faro Frank hun in a sling. Of the four, Hump Dunkle nlone ad passed through the fierce mclee unscathed. The faces of all were dark and lowering. for each had tasted of the bitterness of defeat. “ So, after allyKing fully. “ I tell you, gents, this blue-eyed iant is a hard enstoiner for us to buck against. alf a year ago he struck the camp, a perfect stran- ger; to-day, two—thirds of the one hundred and fifty men of Nowhar swaar by him. He oivns the only paying mine yet discovered here, and seems as rich as Croesus besides. Before he was here a month he was recognized as ‘chief’ to such an extent that he was called upon to set- tle all disputes, and was generally known as the ‘alcalde ’—-a title, by the way, that was be- stowed upon him by his mine superintendent, J eems Rivers, who is full of the ueer v ays of oldSanta Fe. May the_ Old Boy y away with them both, sa I; for neither isa slouch at slin - ing lead, am both display a natural aptit e for slipping out of unpleasantly tight placas with nnruflied feathers. ’ “There was no way to prevent his escape; when it came to the scratch it was, throw up our hands or go under,” .declared the bunch- back desperado‘. “The game was well layed from the moment our new pard here, haste. Sam, was gotten out of the we so neatly, un— til you and Trutliful Joe went own under the alcalde’s fire. After that Frank, here, and my- self attempted to carry out the instructions $11 .9 ‘had given us at the opening of the ball. passed the word to the boys to shoot out the" lights and let Gold Gabe have a. volley. That part of the scheme seemed to wash all right. he boys dropped to the floor in time to avoid the return fire, and we ere t forward to see. if we had settled the alcal e. He must have adopted our tactics and dropped, for we found him ready for us, as Franks arm shows. In the struggle that followed, the boys kept to- gether by using our code of signals. We sue- ceeded in overpowerin the alcalde, and drag-‘ ged him outside for J u go Lynch, knoWing that the superintendent and his men, w thet ht, would hardly dare atteni t a rescue un 1 Boys. . . V “Right there the strange part of the aflflr comes in. The alcalde was dangling at the! end of a rope when that meddling Yank. With a young and, beautiful woman, . , ‘ Gabe is aliveand Httld' the'worse for wear,” uttered St. Elmo, wrath- einforced by others from he Yellow 3* eakened by l‘ a . and with the skill of a dead-shot cut‘tfie rape with a bullet.” “ This woman,” eagerly interpolated St. Elmo; .‘ ~ *~ x'. , .Ww—R,,l.-,w..-._.c.i.v . .. _ a r»: '3‘?" ‘ :'-~_.¢ v”:- ‘A .p. ‘-.:'_ ‘ V \ ‘- O '6 ThemRivalm giants _ of Nowhar. r"-.. .. .7. _. . “ what was she to the alcalde—wifc, sister, or Sweetheart?” “ A sister, she claimed; at all events, a rarely beautiful creature,” replied the hunchback, re- / filling his glass. “Alia! Go on,” said St. Elmo, impatiently, a strange. glow in his blue. eyes. , “V6011, the Yankee struck the weapon from my hand, and shoved the muzzle of his bulldgg revolver under my nose in a we y that was alto- gether savage. I knew then that I was out of the game. I tell you, gents, that walking graveyard relic isn’t so innocent as he looks. Io’s rank poison, depend upon it.” / “And the woman, what of her?” queried St. Elmo as the speaker paused to swallow his liquor. “O , she flung herself upon the half-dead giant, calling him ‘ Ronald, my brother.’ Had the boys acted with a grain of sense, things would have ended diil'erently. Two or three wellvdiroeted bullets would have rid Nowhar of both the alcaldo and the. Yank. But our crowd stood open-mouthed until Jcenis Rivers and a fresh body of tho Yellow-Boy men appeared, then scattered in the dark, leaving the rame in the hands of our foes. In the confusionI got off with tho others.” ' “ And lucky at that,” commented Faro Frank. “ Yes, he was fortunate to escape: for Rivers hates him above all the galoots of Nowhar, and you may be sure, would lose no chance to do him up.” said St. Elmo, staring moodin at Dunkle. ‘f But it really is a shame that the alcaldo slip- through our fingers, after our having brown away the lives of Jabez Fourchc and Truthi’ul Joe, 1n weavingr a. web to entangle him. The affair has been sadly mismanaged in some of its details.” “ It W no fault of mine that King Gabe es- caped t 10' noose,” grimly provastod‘ the bunch- "back, a steer ring in his voice. “And for the present St. Elmo, count me out of the, light. When I have wiped out that cursed Yankcq you will again find me pitted against the alcaldo -—not before.” “Soho!” exclaimed Shasta Sam, his black eyes sparkling. “Then, since I have cast. my lot with th’.so~called ‘ hard crowd’ ov Nowhar, allow me to take your place in this deadly game. My fingers itch for a chance at th’ throat ov Buzzard Bill; thar is an old score between us ov years’ standin’. Monterey Merle must be ‘ avenged.” ‘ “Bravo!” cried St. Elmo. “‘Vhat say you, lads—shall it be giant against giant?” “ Why not! I, for one, am sure that King 'Gabo will find in our big friend here a foeman worthy of his steel,” Observed Faro Frank. . The hunchback’s thin, bloodless lips curled contemptuously. “And I am equally sure ‘ our big friend here’ will catch a Tartar,” he rejoined, with a sneer. “ But I have no objection to offer—the arrange- ment promises a funeral or two. My hobby, you know, St. Elmo.” ‘ l “ Trust me to handle th’ Tartar—you look out for th’ Yank, dear boy, else you may lead th’ wan-on th’mournfub occasion you mention,” lightly retorted Shasta Sam. “Our misshapen little pard is slightly out of humor, nettled by his unexpected defeat,” said St. Elmo, half apolorretically, to the dark Her- cules. “He has spoken, and the days of the meddling Yank are numbered.” “ As are th’ alcalde’s,” quickly returned Shas- ta. Sam. “Mark it, gentlemen. Ere ten days have come and gone, this giant ov th’ golden lacks shall pass from time into eternity.” . “ And the girl?” queried Faro Frank, nipping the end of a cigar with his sharp, white teeth. St. Elmo laughed softly. ‘ “I’ll attend to her,” he replied. “In his dy- ing moments, I Want the alcalde to know that the dainty beauty is a captive in my hands.” The eyes oi the dark Hercules glowed yet more brightly. . “ You propose to—” “I propose to abduct the girl.” interrupted the gambler. ' “ I have formed a. plan of action. We will steal away the little beauty, and em— ploy her as a. means of luring the giant to de- Motion.” ‘ , y “A capital idea,” observed Faro Frank. “Ca ital,” assented Shes Sam. “It will simpli y matters greatly. . e are all working against the alcalde; we shall all obtain our, re- venge. I want th’ murderer ov Monterey Merle , its) su’fler th’ torments ov tb’ damned. I hate l m ‘ n “ ot a tenth‘ as bitterly as I do,” declared ,Julian St. Elmo.- bringing his clinched hand down upon the table with a force that made the bottles dance. “ Not only do I hate him, but I him; for—l” . Checking himself, the gambler glanced sus— piciously at his confrcres. “ For—what?” asked Faro Frank. “ For several very good reasons,” answered St. Elmo, laughing nervously. “ Let that suf- fice. A man shouldn’t grow too confidential, you know, even with the best of his friends.” “ Oho! oho! So there’s a skeleton in the closet of our dainty sport!” sneered the bunch- back. “Probably the lordly King Gabe holds the key to the secret. It’s a wise saying that ‘dead men tell no tales.’ Fill, boys, and let‘s drink success to St. Elmo l” CHAPTER V. A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. THE warm, golden light of the morning sun, entering at the open door. lay in a broad belt across the rough puncheon iloor of the olllco of the Yellow Boy Mine, bringing out in strong ro— liof the dark, stern look mantling the rugged face of J cems Rivers, the superintendent. Pacing restlesst up and down/ the length of the strong slab shanty; his gray eyes fixed on the floor, his brawny hands clasped behind him, the old miner strove hard to curb a feeling of impa- tience. Pausing anon at the open door, be cast a sweeping, expectant look up and down the narrow valley, only to resume his monotonous walk with a half-surly shake of his gray head, and a muttered imprecation. “ 1t are. more than sing’lar thot pcekin’, pryin’, windin’-blades don’t come,” he exclaimed, sav- agely jerking his slouch hat well down over his eyes. “I kin onderstand why King Gabe are not hyar, but this Trotter beats me. “"01; on airth this alcaldo meant bringin’ scch a jumpin’- jack inter ther game, I cain’t see, nohow. An’ thet Hunki Hans—tech a pair 0v hothouso plants I hein’t see’d fer nigh on ter a year. Do- tcctives, too. Dern my cats, they're no good, though ther Yank mou’t ’a’ done Wuss last night. The boyees say it War a fine shot he made w’en he cut ther alcalde down. But they’re innocent cusses, an’ thcr cits ov this hyar camp are jest a lectle too tuff for ’em. I’ll look ’em up.” Leaving the office, Rivers strode moodin in the direction of St. Elmo’s place, where, be con— jectured, he would be likely to hear of the man he seemed burning to meet. The gold-camp was situated in a narrow val- ley, down which coursed asmall. swiftly-flowing crock. On each side. of thissircum, the precip- ‘itous hills loftily reared their bald crests. Upon a strip of bottom-land, on the eastern bank of the creek, "were ranged the rude habitations of tho Nowherites, the Fair Play being almost cen- trally located. Straightway to the saloon and gambling-den hastened Rivers. ’ The honest miners of the camp were nearly all at work, and as it was yet far too early in the day for many of the recognized bums to be astir, the Fair Play resented a strangely grim and half-deserted 100 i as the mine superintend- ent stalked across the threshold. All traces of the night’s spiteful affray had been carefully obliterated, save the numerous fresh bullet-holes in the rough walls. Along the bar, presided over by C ckney Jim, a short, heavy-set, bull-necked Englishman, were ranged perhaps a dozen men of a. type known to the gold-ca'np as “ Cripples.” ‘ Dependent upon their wits for a living, an indolent, shiftless set they were, mifcrlngall sorts of purely imaginary aches and pains as an excuse to avmd their common bugbcar-L—WOI‘k. A body unto themselves, they had in one Ugly Mike, a burly, hairy, square-jawed despe- rado, a leader whom they feared and obeyed. Ever ready for any undertaking, however dark, in which there was but little work and bi g pay, the Cri ples Were recognized as the worst element of the camp: and that they found plenty of dark, underhanded work to do was amply at- testeal by the yellow dust they ever ,had at com- man . J eems Rivera’slnose elevated itself in open dis- gust as his eyes played over the ill-odored group. Between the mine superintendent and the Grip- ples no very amiable feeling existed. ‘ ‘ “ Smoke—an’ what thar’s smoke thar’s giner- ally flrel”.muttered Rivers, sententiously, from sheer force of habit dropping his hands upon the revolver butts protruding from his belt. “ Never .see’d them buzzards hangin’ ’bout St. Elmo’s lace yit ’thout su’thin’ crooked tnmin’ up a’ter. her question are, 'whar are Ugly Mike? In confab ’ith ther dainty sport, ov course. Bet my share in ther - Yaller Bov thar are sum game afoot ag’in’ ther alcalde.” . ‘ ‘ Upon the entrance of the mine superintendent in. warning look from Cockney/Jim had caused a glance at Rivers. pear’ed at the Fair Play, jointly ca dilapidated carpet-bag of the Yankee. surd was the action. so jealousdhe car, each ex- pass, boys,” said the gambler. dollars is a sum that is not to be picke day in Nowhar, even with a brace box. The money is as good as the bank’s, for it’s ten chances to one that they tackle the game.” complete change to take place in the bearing of the Cripples. A sudden hush came over the group, which each assumed a sickly, woe-begone expression lugubrious in the extreme. . 'fH-how are yer ru-roomatiz this mornin’, P-l’ious P-l’etel” wheezed a fat, oily~lookingras~ cal near the end of the bar, casting a stealthy “Wuss—much wuss; I kiu sca’cely move,” We; the (lipleful reply. " An’ how are phthisic. eezy en?” ‘ ' “J-cs’ ther s-same; I b-breathc—th-th'at are ‘ all," e okingly replied the fleshy lcat, whcczin and guspinrr, as he raised his glass of bead liquor. “ H- ieur are a t-tcast: May our h-health. be b- better s-soon l” . , And the fat fraud’s twmkhng little eyes blink- ed knowingly at the roof as he. allowed the fiery whisky to trickle slowly down his throat. c Smiling grimly, Rivers strode past the Grip-- ples and on to tho card—tables beyond the bar. Early as was the hour, half a scorepf men were there, clustered closely around a, fare lay. out, nearly all engaged in play. A close observer might have noticed a scarce- ly perceptible widening of the. gray eyes of the' mine superintendent as he scanned the group. Shasta Sam, the dark Hercules, occupied the (lcaler’s chair, a cool, half—insolcnt smile parting his full red lips just enou gleaming white teeth. At the giant‘s right hand sat Faro Frar'ik, with his injured arm in a sling, an cxultant look upon his usually immobile face. Seated opposite to the giant dealer; cold , heady drops of perspiration oozing frcm his narrow forehead, a strangely greedy glare in his round eyes, his long, claw-like fingers working nervous. lv, was the object of the superintendent’s search, Jonathan Trotter, the Yankee. Beside him was Hunki Hans, cquellyagitated. At the end of the rough table. his niml lo white fingers playing methodically upon the buttons of the cue-box, was Hump Dunkle. A sardonic grin distorted the face of the I hunchback desperado, and a sneering lr och rip- pied softly from his lips as stake la' placed by the mountain tramps drorpu. one the bank’s com. = I r stake" Two hours earlier, the two odd pflngllfld ap-‘ a , 3 ing the I So ab—' creiscd over the previous “ relic, "that Hangings L ers—on at the gambling-den readily jumped to the conclusion that the bag contained the reward of live thousand dollars olfered by the alc'alde the night before for the capture of the mysterious assassm. The mountain tramps had earned the reward. by apprehending Jabez Fourche. Then, too, both had been-seen shortly after daybreak prowling around the alcalde’s quarters—a fact that quickly led to a general belief in the cor- rectness of the first surmise. ,Firm in the belief _ that a lead had been struck. that could be made to “pan out” well, the cap— ners at once conveyed the intelligence to St; , lmo . who, with the dark Hercules, Faro Frank and the hunchback, was yet in the/small apart- ment at the rear, of the ‘ Fair Play. “ It’s an opportunity that we mustn’t allow to “ Five thousand every ~' Accordingly, the four men at once repaired , to the fare tables, where with consummate cun- ning St. Elmo quickly ascertained that his cap- . pers’ sus 1c10ns were well-founded. After that. a . i.» it prove an easy matter to induce Trotter and,‘ his rotund Eard to hazard their suddenlyac- t . quired weal . , During the opening deal, the gambler himself manipulated the silver box: but theappcarancq oil. Ugly Mike and his Cripplea, some fteen' minutes before the arrival o the mine Nigeria-~ tendent, led to St. Elmo giving we to the dark Hercules, while he, with the 01119 0f the Who fians, returned to the small room back of the 5' ‘. tables. / - - What followed proved that Shasta Sam was: an expert with the cards. At the end of the. third dealhthe mountain tram )s were losers tom the extentofi two thousand do lars. They were“ following exactly the ,same line of play, Trotter in each instance singlin out the card and plan 3113:; his stake, to be ollowed clasely by tho- euton. . , ~ “ Dat v9.8 oped peezness,” mefuuy muttered the latter watching the long, supple \fingers of - g, the dark fiercules as he deft! shuffled the cards.» ' ', - “Mine tr’ent, ve hat lose c “31-. dlerxsameae‘t . \ "5‘ , , ,3! gh to reveal the l'OWSOf ‘ " _ an... A... [WM—1W ; A. ‘._,< »-u—......V. m... . . ' ‘ ‘n‘ I‘ w..._;. _.i. ‘ -- '_ ~ _ I xi ’4 it. ‘11. .7 l .4, ii i l l .., . l 1‘ I l l l \ ‘ i , i’ ‘ . .l " . I won the old miner. _ L‘yeou won‘t scorch yeour lnigcis. "fm-‘fiorward, and ,pair of short, heavy I sold. smiling .——-——- A—- hair of turn foolts. Chust gnzc on dnt gnrpet' sack!” The miners at the table laughed. “ Y eou keepquict,” irritatny retorted ’l‘rottci', turning to Hans. “ Guess I’m be H o’ the: thin- leetlo stack 0‘ wealth; un’, by smoke! ill be chewed into gory ribbons til‘oro I’ll turn my back to those licnr slick sharps. Yeou beer me, 'Hunki Hans—by th’ holy niuckcrcll l'm goin’ to buckle th‘ slab-sided skunk ug’in, cf 1 hcv to boot it all th’ we;r buck to th7 States!” “An’ thet are jcs’ w'ot yer’i‘l do, of yer don’t git out ov this, yer spidcrdeggcd galoot,”uttered .Jcems Rivers in a. tone oi' unrning, stormy; straight into the dusky orbs of Slinsin Sum, us he drop )ed his broud palm upon the uni’ortmiutc Yankees shoulder. " Thur liuin‘t n mite ov u chzunce for sech es yer in this liyar skin game; these sharks ’ll rob yer ov every dollar nl'ore yer know it.” “ Hands out of St. Elmo’s pockets, J cemzi Rivcrsl" sharply enunciated the lmnehb'uk des- pcrado, his eyes sparkling wickedlv. ‘ “It is it fair game, mun against man, and you’ve no right to interfere. If the festive tcndcrt’oot wishes to buckle the beast, it’s his affair—not ..ui‘s. Keep out, I say.” “'An’ so sez I,” snarled Trotter. turning ungrin “ Keep cont, red—shirt, nn’ Dam u ined- dler, anyway.” . “ I’m no meddler,” protested the mine superin- tendent, calmly. “ Secin’ cs ’twns thcr ole, story ov a fool nn’ hismoney, I c’u’dn’t well hi ilp chip— pin’ in. No harm done, strziunger; e'.‘ yer i":il’y want ter blow in yer hard cash, keep right on~ . I’ve nothin’ ter—-—” “Now’s yer chance tcr make or lose :1 fortune, , gentsfi’intergolated Shasta Sum, in silken tones, a. arting a de nt 'lance at the old miner, us he slipped the pack 0 cards into the box. “ If ye have th’ sand in yer cmws, shake up yer weasel— skins—roll‘out yer dust. Th’ gnmc’s made un’ away she goes I” ' Urged on apparently by the hope that by a turn of fortune they might retrieve their losses, the two odd pards again plunged deeply into the game, betting heavily and with u scientific ac- " curacy that created no little surprise among the ' spectators. Yet Sh asta Sam remaincc master of the situation, raking down bet after bet until at the end of the deal the two men arose from the. Table lil'lllllit"§‘;_ , , a“.-. 5- . _, . .. .~.‘\%-i‘ous——fui' shrewder than St. Elmo himself. Accordingly, we spread the re— port that we had received the reward of five thousand dollars for the capture of J abcz Four- chc, last night. Of course that brought St. Elmo and his C‘ippers around us in a swarm, and We were quickly inveigled into a brace game of faro. Shasta Sam dealing. , “Losing the dust, I picked my quarrel with ‘hunchback, with the intention of disabling or killing him then and there; but. bad and dan- gcrous as the man is, I disliked the idea of de- liberately shooting him down, and so gave him a fair and equal chance.” “Rather a hazardous proceeding, I fear,” commented the alcalde, who had in a great measure recovered his Wonted immobility. “This hunchback is a master of almost every weapon in vogue.” " So I have been informed by Rivers. clusters are to be the weapons.” “ That is worse yet; if there is a deadlier shot in Nowhar than this deformed wretch, it is not known. This, too, in the face of the fact that the camp has its full quota of crack marks- men.” “Really, the thing begins to look serious,” murmured the mock Yankee. "But since I have blunders-d into the affair, I must trust to luck and a fair degree of proficiency in the use of the weapon to pull through right end up. Rivers informs me that you have a weapon of the kind named, and I shall have to request the 1mm of it.” . " You can have it, most assuredly, together with what assistance I can render in the mat- ter,” promptly returned Gold Gabe. “ “There is the meeting,r to take place?” “ At a point designated as the horseshoe pla- teau. up the mountain-side.” “ Humph! the wily rascal again has you at a serious disadvantage, I fear. The horseshoe is certainly a strange place for such an affair. What are the conditions of this duel?” “ Can’t say,” replied Trotter, laconically. " They are to be fixed upon after we have reached the ground. Right here I have another favor to ask—that you act as my second in the affair.” . “ Willingly; for it I am not greatly mistaken there is something decidedly crooked back of all this. Evidently, Dunklowishes to confer with some of his confederates before naming the terms. Was St. Elmo present?” ' “No; U ly Mike, chief of the Cripples. ap- peared whfie the amp was in progress, and he and the amble etn'ed to the private apart- mentof t elatter.” “ Then, depend upon it, the hunchback wishes to talk the matter over with St. Elmo before meeting you,” declared the alcalde. “ Do you think it possible that they suspect anything!” " PosSible?—yes, it is more than possible; else why the hunchback’s eagerness to get me out of the way’i”. beGold Gabe’s fingers beat an idle tattoo on the nch. . " You are assuming that St. Elmo, being the party we suspect him to be, has made aaconfl- dam; of Dunkle?” he queried. " Not only a confidant, but an ally.” “ The assumption is plausible; yet, while their suspicions may be amused as to our working in concert against them, can they _be aware of our personal identity, or the barns of our opera- tions?” ' “I don’t know, I’m sure,” observed Trotter, reflectively. “ The fact is, we are by no means For the life of us, we couldn't tell whether we are on the trail or only working a blind lead. We are working at a disadvantage. If we were positive we. had struck the trail at last, our movements could quickly be ridded of much cumbrous secrecy and unnecessary by-piay. The developments of, the next few hOurS promise to throw much light ‘ on the, subject. We can only WaitXnd watch. Win— The Rival Giants of Nowhar. v Our allies are at work, and St. Elmo’s every move will be promptly reported.” “ You are right—we can but wait and watch,” wearily assented the giant of the golden locks. “But time is flying. Two-thirds of the hour have rolled into the past. “"0 must be moving toward the horseshoe.” Arising, Gold Gabe secured his Winchester, and with the mock Yankee left the cabin. CHAPTER VII. THE SPORTIVE SPORT. THROUGHOUT the camp, with re id'ity trul wondrous, had spread a report of rottcr's a - venture at tho iair Play, of the challenge and its prompt acceptance by the hunchback. Alto'rcther out of the order of things orthodox in Nowhar was the conflict pending, and draw— ers of the long-bow quickly succeeded in so mag— nifyinnr and exaggerating the explmts of the mock Thin kce since his unheralded advent, that at the expiration of the hour the denizens of the gold-camp were gathered on massc on the horse- shoe plateau, intent on witnessing the duel. Bowlder-strewn and barren of vegetation, this plateau was nothing more. than a terrace, of the uniform width of a hundred yards, and a thousand in length, five hundred feet above the level of N owhar, and curving in almost the exact shape of amammoth horseshoe around the base of a bold, jutting, precipitous spur of the mountain. A deadly place for such a combat, for the dis- tance between the duclists would be short. Among the last to reach the level of the pla- teau were the alcalde, Trotter, and the mine superinten ent. “ By hemlock l” exclaimed the pseudo-Yankee, breathing hard from the rapid and arduous ascent, as the trio halted to view their surround- ings. “ Thar’s th’ hunchback an’ Elmo over tliar, confabin’. .Alcalde, they’re beckonin’ us‘ to advance an’ meet ’em half—wa .” “ Go you with Rivers here and try to get the bearings of this terrace,” quietly returned the giant of the golden locks. “ You will find an insight of the nature of the place an advantage, no doubt, when you are brought face to face with Dunkle. I will go forward alone, and- nmke the best terms I can.” ' Nodding a careless assent, Trotter, with the superintendent, turned aside, while Gold Gabe, rifle in hand, strode forward to the point where stood St. Elmo and the hunchback, surrounded by a number of their friends. “ I su pose‘ I can trust the men of the Yellow Boy to cop well together,” grimly mused the alcalde, as he noted a suspicious massing of the rough element of the camp about tWenty yards beyond the proprietor of the Fair l‘lay. “ It looks very much as if St. Elmo has prepared for a general conflict.” ‘ Walking- calmly up to the little group, Gold Gabenwith a careless nod, dropped the butt of his Winchester to the ground and said, crisply: “ Gents, I respresent Mr. Trotter in th’ affair ov honor about to occur; who among ye is th’ second ov th’ other party?” Back into his speech had crept in a slight de- gree the peculiarities of the miners’ dialect. Julian St. Elmo trod lightly forward, doifing his white sombrero, a mocking smile curling his red lips. “ I have the pleasure to enjoy that peculiar distinction, my dear alealde,” he said. “ Very good,” responded the blonde giant, running his eyes over the group until he encoun- tered the fiery gaze of Shasta Sam. “ Your man was the challenged party. I supposn you are ready to name th’ conditions ov th’ duel ?” “Quito ready: they are as follows: The two ‘men are to he placed at the ends of the horse- shoe, so that the base of this rocky spur is direct- ly between them, a coin to be tossed for choice of ends; each man is to be armed with a Win- chester rifle, fully charged; Shasta Sam is to be placed at the outer edge of the plateau yonder, iii-distant from the two men, and in full view 0 each: at a signal shot from his revolver, the duelists are to be at liberty to proceed in any manner they see fit, with the restriction that the other's consent; the battle to continue until both are satisfied. . “ Satisfactory?” “ Perfectly.” 4 “ Then call up your man, and we’ll settle the question of cgoice of positions; it is a com ra- tively small utter but Dunkle here is star-- mined that after the aflair is over‘it shall not be said that he held any advantage over the stranger Yank.” I I "Don’t fret yourself,” retorted Gold Gabe neither attempts to leave the plateau without-.71 ! iratcly, as he turned to signal Trotter to ape proach. “ As for our misshapen friend—isn’t he crowin’ at rather a premature stage ov th’ game?” _ St. Elmo laughed softly. . ’ ,» “ Why, my dear alealde, your Yankee friend really has no show at all 11] this here affair ” he declared. “The little gentleman whom I, ave the he or to represent 18 right in having every thing fair and open—that is all he wants. noth- ing more. His victory was assured from the moment the challenge was issued. All this is gone through with for the sake of form. When it comes to the scratch, he will pick 011’ the V ‘ Yank at leisure. I “And, right in the face of the solemnity of this occasion, allow me to remark that I have with me something like five thousand dollars, which say, at the generous odds of two to one, " that my man will win the fight.” Trotter, in answer to the alcalde’s signal, had rapidly a preached, and was within hearing when thelbantering offer was made. , , “Neow don’t yeou add insult to injury,” he v protested, striding quickly forward and facing the gambler, frantically sawing the air with his long arms as he spoke. “Whack up to him, al- cnlde; kivcr every dollar yeou kin at them thar odds. By tar an smoke! I guess somebody ’11 find they was kinder fooled w’cn they monkey- cd hill the b’izness ceud 0’ Jonathan Trotter, “ Say. yeou .’”—-—staring straight into Strljll- mo’s eyes, his thin sharp nose curling With copktempt unutterable—‘ kiver thet ! Money ta sl’ , . Forth from an inner pocket, with a quick, impatient jerk, he drew a small packet, secure- ly wrapped in oilcloth, which, With a careless gesture he flung into the hands of Gold Gabe. “ Thar yeou are, alcalde—thar’s th’ dust, an’ ct sez I’m a winner in this heur leetle scrimmage to come,” he cried. , ‘ With eager, expectant faces the gamblers sur- rounding St. Elmo pressed forwardas the giant \ of the golden locks carefully opened the oil— cloth. . A package of bank-bills, those in view of large denomination, was revealed. “Fall .into line, yeou gallant sports 0’ No- wbar,” continued the mock Yankee. in sharp, bantering‘tones. “Yeou, that hev th’ sand in yeour crews, trot for’ard—that’s' ,7 be good hard cash \v’ot Sex Jonathan Trotter, .sq.".‘“w111'safi-‘ vate th‘ measly-mouth mounting kiote over thar, an’ bear 011’ th’ proud pennant o’ a ga-lo— ‘ rious victory. Stride —glide-——eny way at all so yeour dust kivers my money.” ' Attracted by the loud words and strange ges— tures of the mountain tramp, Nowhar’s denizens began to gather closely around. ' - » “Heavens! What is it?” exclaimed St. Elmo, _ starting back, his hands raised, his blue eyes opening wide in well-simulated surprise. “ Real y, my dear alcalde, I fear we shall have to appeal to you for protection aganist this ' ranting, mouthing, what-mayTIt-he.” . “Don’t ye worry, dainty sport,” coolly re- torted Gold Gabe, his words almost drcwned by ‘ a burst of sycophantic laughter from the gam~ ' bler’s heelcrs. “It, as ye are pleased to term him is "a. man—a man ov sand. ' “ iEf ye, mean business an’ hev a few thou- ' sands to lose, hyar’s yer chance. Ye asked f or it, an’ ye’ve got it. Hyar it is, as good an" honest as any coin ov th’ realm can be. It will," ,' cover any amountye or yer friends may caretb hazard at the odds ye proposed. Do yer toes meet th’ scratch or are ye goin’ to climb down ha ck wa rd ?” / And the giant of do golden locks. with a tan-I . I ' , talizing smile, waved the racl'ct of bank-bills t0 . < , 1 .; - and fro within an inch of St. Elmo’s none. A hot flush suffused the Eambler’s face. “ Five thousand dollars t plethoric wallet. “ Covered!” laconirell counting two thousan “ Who holds the stakes?” “How willSweet By-nnd‘-By suit?” queried ' St. Elmo, running his eyes oVPr the crowd am A . ti 's . 1 on the worthy named. ~ I‘Péulgtliallllf: ft‘d :Pdot.” returned the alc‘alde Placing his mone in the miner’s hands. _ ' ' For the next ew minutes the giant of the golden locks was kept busy booking bets at the odds named. In the opinion of the average Nowharite Trotter was a. doomed man. i Afte the s rtiveside of the afi' rhad been . duly ,selttled, Elmo drew a 5117 dollar from: w his pocket. 1 i is Now, Yank, make your call as She gogs u, —hmds or tails?” he exclaimed._‘ “Hold a minute!” cried Trotter, excitedly. Z" at Dunkle -wi¥15“‘°5 ‘. fight,” be promptly reiterated. Pmducmg 3” lcnred Gold Gabe‘ "l; gr: hundred dollars: ‘l‘ . . .. ,‘_:- "_k .,I am i A; .e, “i .1 -»—~,., .. «has wen ” he observed, easily. ‘ I I; is: l stakes. The Riv a1 Giants of Nowhar. “ I’ll 'est go yeou a leetle stake o’ a thousand thet win choice 0’ posish—th’ alcalde to hold Are yeou game?” “ At this rate you won’t leave much for your heirs to quarrel over!” sneered St. Elmo. ‘ Put - up your money—anything from one to five thousand.” ' “I reckon a thousand is enou h,” calmly re- s onded the mock Yankee. “ f I lose clear ' > t rougih. there’ll be enough left to grub-stake some )udding Blackstone. My dust is in the alcaldo’s hands.” Covering the last bet the gambler stepped back a. pace and raised his right hand, reveal- ing the silver- coin between his thumb and fore~ fin rer. ‘é‘NOW, Yank, for the last time—heads or tails?" he cried sharply, as the coin spun swiftly "upwar . “Heads!” called Trotter, as the now descend- ing coin struck the earth. , ,. ‘ Heads it is!” announced a dozen Von-cs, as the excited miners clustered around the silver com. .7 , With just a trace of annoyance reeptible in “the action, St. Elmo daintily twn' ed his tawny mustache. ." ‘9‘ My dear alcalde, I see your skeleton friend “Just turn the "thousam into his hands.” “Not jest yet, King Gabe,” spoke up Trotter, crisply. “I don’t like th’ installment plan— ,jcst wait till th’ performance is over; then I’ll take th’ entire pot.” x." Gold Gabe nodded assent. “Having won th’ choice 0’ positions, I select ‘th’ south eend o’ the boss-shoe,” continued the pseudo-Yankee, coolly. “ Alcalde, will you go down With me an’ let me into the p‘ints 0’ th’ . leetle brigazee ’l Yeas? 7— I thought yeou w’u’d. l‘ Say, yeou—St. Elmo! trot th’ deformed critter ’round to his post, an’ take-’im through his ‘Now I lay me,’ etc. Yeou might send a squad down to sum nice sunny spot in the val- dey to fix up his final two-by—five resting-place; it’ll save time for the mourners by and by. " An’ yeou, Bummer/Bob, 0’ th’ Stanislaus”— 'wheeling abruptl u on Shasta Sam. who stood -,with his arms fciiiecf lightly across his massive chest, watchinrr with a cynical smile the vary- 1 _. V, ing phases of t e afi‘air—“ yeou amble gcntl y to th’ p’int assmned yeou cont tharbnnl w’e_n__we,. 2: y, ,hey ' or .Lgoocrnn’ ready Iet'gd eou1"gun. ' Bo keerigul, too, thet yeou don’t gits cored un’ blow th’ hull top 0’ ye‘our head off a-givm’ th’ Sig- n .nal.” A ' “Fol-de-rol enough, Winding-Blades!” sharp- , fly enunc1ated the hunchback desperado, biting ' his thin lips until the blood trickled from the ' ~corners of his mouth, in an attem t to repress i . fl ‘ ‘ . an outburst of rage. “I’m per eetly agreed {-~ ' with you on the subject of a grave; but I reckon ' ' ‘We Can wedge your bones into some crevice among the rocks—it will save the boys the thankless task of an hour’s digging. I “ It’s useless to deny that you’re gritty; but bmverY-Willavail you nothing—I shall scatter your meager brains to the four winds without an atom of trouble.” “Tut. tut! don’t 9011 do it! Sech a collossal bra1n-powcr_a-floa 'n’ Ground at large might 'V8 th’ Territory 1311’ big-head an’ forever blight lts prospectsl” And the mOCk Yankee grinned maliciously. “ Enough 0f “’19 PIEasfilltry, gentlemen,” said ’St. Elm0._steI‘D1Y- _It 1s obvious to all that Dunkle Will be the winner 1n this fight; and I am glad that'lt ls sot-not that I am in the ' least» prejudiced against Mr. Trotter, under- ;iiSLd me. but because my sympathies are natu- , rally with friends before strangers. ‘ i “ Alfidde. put, 3331;311:111; I mu see that mine ' s uic in . 51 - , , . gatisflgd, ligparently. With haVing' had the last word, the meek Y ‘38 turned away with Gold Gabe, casting a last glance over his shoul- der at Shasta Sam as they strode rapidly to- ”ward the southern termmus 0‘ the weaned horseshoe. . , . “ Kin Gabe; there’s something rotten in Den. mark,” 9 muttered, when they were Well away from the groun. ' ‘ ' “ I agree with you—St. E11110 has Some under- hand move afoot.” promptly returned the giant orthe’ olden locks. “ But the nature of that , more 1g cannot guess, unless it be 130” Precipitate ‘ ;, a free fight at the close of this duel. ‘ " . Trotter shook his head. . es: we {Mfr-1. ,. 4:3 . j‘ j “That is not it. "‘ , eye When he looked at you. . yr _ -.“ When you rejoin the crowd, keep your twea- -' aloha ready, and don’t get too far away mm l / 'Whatever the gambler-’sJ ; ‘5'» ' :‘schame may be, it is directed against you alone ‘ r-I could see that in the exultant gleam of his _ l ' fer a couple ov gold ‘ slugs’ apiece, Shasta Sam. Keep within easy pistol-shot of him, at all events.” “ You think—” “ l conjecture nothing—I am simply advising a safe course.” In silence, the two men strode on to the end of the plateau. There the blonde giant handed Trotter the W'inchcster, and spoke rapidly for a moment in low tones. ' “ It is a bad business, I will admit,” said the mock Yankee, at the conclusion of Gold Gabo’s remarks. “But I am going to do my best to teach this dcsperado a lasting lesson. Perhaps I may open the eyes of these Nowharites—who knowsl” . “There is more in you than than they sus- pect,”rcmurkcd the giant. “ But this bunch- back is a bad man and a dead shot. Look to it that he secures no greater advantage over you. Aside from this, I can only wish you success.” A hearty clas ) of the ham. s, and the. alcalde turned and wal ed rapidly b ck to the crowd congregated on the edge of the plateau, opposite to the utting face of the bluff. St. tlmo was already there. Raising his revolver, Shasta Sam fired in the air, the signal agreed upon. CHAPTER VIII. DECOYED. HUDDLED together within the small. apart- ment in the rear of the Fair Play, just before the time set for the hostile meetin between the bogus Yankee and the hunchbac despei‘ado, were three men—fellows whose faces alone were sufficient to stamp them as hardened villains. Prominent among the ill-favored trio was Ugly Mike, the leader‘of the Cripples. A short, squat, broad—shouldered ruflian, in the attire of an honest miner, and “armed to the teeth,” as the saying goes, was this chief of the desperadocs. His head was crowned with ashock of matted, unkempt red hair, while a heavy beard of the same fiery hue, foul with the tobacco—juice cone tinually oozing from the corners of his capacxous mouth, covered the greater portion of his face. Under his beetling brows gleamed a pair cf small, blood-shot black eyes; and at some .eriod in his eventful career his nose had been un-r t'ontmte» recipient "of a ' blow of some sort, which had flattened it out in a way more pic- turesquo than beautiful, adding greatly to his general repulsivencss. ' The reputation borne by this bestial desperudo accorded well with his personal appearance. Closeted with U gly Mike were two of his fel- lows, each equally as unsavory in looks and in character. “ It are a bold game we hev ter play, boyees,” mumbled the chief of the Cripples, in hushed, barely audible tones, leaning OVer the rough deal table at which he was seated until his head almost touched those of his companions. “ An’ 1t are PISkV, too. an’ none but ther gamest 0v ther gang iev a finger in ther pie. “ But I knowed I c’u’d sw’ar by Wheezy Ben an’ P ous Pete, an’ I hes culled yer hyer ter deal yer ver hands. _ “ Yer knows Jest how matters stand atwixt St. Elmo and the alcalde?” “ We does!” cautiously chorused the Cripples. “Wal, then yer hain‘t ’t all s’prised w’en I tells yer thet ther dainty sport are fixin’ ter uv ther giant 0. sxck’nm’ swipe, then his last Sick-' ness. be yer?” “ Not ’t all,” in duet. “Dern me, cf yer hain’t long-bended cusses, both ov yer!” exclaimed U gly Mike, lost in patronizing admiration. “ Wa , wall who ‘u’d ’a’ thort ct? An’ St. Elmo_hov bin playin’ et es fine es ther p’int ov a rib-tickler, tool” . Both ruflians smiled broadly at this flaming tribute to the acuteness of their perceptive facul- tics. “Reckon we kin see through a knot-bole so far es the1 next one,” complacently “marked Pious Pete, ' , . “ So ye kin," graciously adnnttedfhe chief. “ An’ out v ther hull gang thar bani t two men w’ot kin iamlle this hyar leetle 30b fer St. Elmo eny tter than either one 0V Yer 1,9119“- An’ thet are jest w’ot I told him, not tell mmuu‘s ago. w’en he asked about yer. . , . “Yer are ready ter do a leetle lively rustlm' Irec on?” The two men nodded assent so quickly that their heads came rather violently into contam- “ In course yer are—ye’r’iiestsz-fj umpln’ at the}? Chaim-e,” laughed Ugly Mi e tly. as the Pa“ 0f rufllans recalled, staring at each other: “ but yer needn’t either butt out ther other’s brains 3‘8“me so. ‘ ' ' ' A “But ter git right down ter bizness, the trick ter be worked are jest this: Last uig thet purty female, w’ot hes turned ther heads ov half ther chaps in camp, arriv’ in Nowhar. Thet gal are ther alcalde’s sister, an‘ she air now over at his lay-out. St. Elmo wants her snaked off up inter ther hills an’ hid away. Are yer game ter do ct un’ keep yer moutns shot arterwardi” Wheczy Ben’s beady little eyes expanded, and he stared first at the speaker, then at Pious Pete, while he dubiously shook his head. “ St. Elmo’s neat little scheme can’t . {is worked,” he declared slow] . “ Fifty yeller slugs w u’dn’t tempt me ter uckle on an take bolt 0v thor job. A feller’s life w’u’dn’t b0 wu‘th 8. empty ca’tridge—shell, fer w’en 'er steal thet gal away yer start King Gabe on t or war- palxh. An’ yer knows him.” . “ Benjy are a-singin’ my tune edzactly,” affirmed Pious Pete. “ I w’u’d a heap sight ruther tackle a bun grizzly than ter git lher alcalde r’iled at me. ern my cats! cf he hain‘t a genooine cyclone, I nevyer see’d one!” Leaning far back from the table, Ugly Mike stared at the lesser rufllans. his expression one of ineifable disgust. ‘ “ Great Scott I” be growled; “ an’ I war fool enufl’ ter count on yer es men ov sand!” ‘ Utter] crestfallen, the two desperadces fol- lowed t e scornful remark with lugubrious silence. “ See hyar, galoots, yer squealed afore yer war hurted, both ov yer,” continued the chief a momenblater, resuming his confidential air and again leaning over the table until within a few inches of his confreres. “ Yer hain’t bin asked tor run a particle 0v risk. “ ‘hcr gal are ter be got at lay strategy, not by force, an’ in jest sech a, way thet. ther alcalde can’t lay her disappearance at thcr door ov eny ‘ an: or two pussons. Jest listen a Lit till I ’10051- a e. “A half-hour from now thcr camp will be desarted, fer everybody w’ot kin shake a leg at all will climb up thcr mountain-side fer sce Hump Dunkle lay tbcr Yank by ther heels. “ St. Elmo. bein’ a derned slick cuss at figger- in’ out scch things, see’d in a minute thet this war ther accepted time, as ther passon usty say , fer strikin’ ther fu’st bilirblowut King Gabe, an ’condin’ly called me in er superinte nd this ab! ductin’ ov thcr gal. “Now yards, ther way hes bin made easy fer ther tric {, fer thcr cappers ov ther dainty s ort hcv spread a report ov ther comin’ due all through ther camp, twistin’ up ther leetle scrim- mage ontil at fu’st glance et looks es of ther ail‘air ’u’d blossom inter ther biggest sort ov a fight, an’ tharby drauin’ tor ther hcssahce plateau every soul but us fellers, ther gal, an’ a ispy w’ot hes bin sot ter watehin’ thcr alcalde’s uy-out. ‘ “ Jest cs soon es ther way are puffectly 0pm., ther spy ’11 report te-r US. hen all we hev ter do, are for cne ov us fellers ter 0 ter ther gal with a cock-an’-bull story w’ot ’ll raw her away from tlier cabin ter a spot wbar ther rest ov us are in waitin’, w’en we km POPPCB outer her an’ escort her ofl‘ ter a secure h1d1n’- lace in ther hills. Arter thet, We kin break or camp, nn’ reach ther plateau afore ther sarkus up thar are eended. “Oh, ther bull snap are es soft es dough, an’ ef yer don’t 'call fer a hand in ther game, yer‘ll miss ther biggest (-haince 0v yer lives. so yer will; fer tber yaller slugs anted by ther dainty sport hain’t a sarcumstance ter ther wealth ter he captured in tber job w’en ther bluflin’ are all done, fer arter we iii: thergal inter our clutches oncet, St. Elmo ’11 ev ter shower out tber dust afcre we guv her up. ' , “New, w’ot sez yer, Wheezy Ben, an’ you, Pious Petr?” A head gun gradually spread over the fat, flaccid features cf the ruflian first addressed. “W’ot scz Is” he hearsay gurglcd, waving his hand tragically. “Pa Mike, sence that are no bullets to be encountered an’ stopped by our corporosities, 1 want a finger in tl‘er jack- pot ter be scooped; an’ ef Wheezy Ben Meggins can’t wheedle ther bonnie lassie inter leavin’ tber pertectin’ roof ov her big brother’s ea in, 311’ elollill’ pfl.’ inter ther woods or ther bills 3. - V PUTW fool's errant, at are ’cos he‘ hes los his « youthful b’uty an? winning elerquencen Ef—"‘ ' With a sulphurous oath. “0v course 391‘ 1“" count on us, Mike. But as fer this by” 1“ friend bvar,_shet him up afore 1:”?!an than: ’1th_ his mouthin’s. ,Dern Ii 10- I take in him, anyway.” " ’ _ “ Nevsr mind him, Peter‘ said Ugly Mikeym a pacific tone. “ Let Ben hev his may 61 be en- joys et—et can’t hurt anything, yer know. \ I O ‘ 011, shet up, you I" interrupted Pious Pete, v a The Rival Giants of Nowhar. I $10 r g? l»: . 2‘7! I. II at: ‘ n, V :3: x, Hark! thar are ther spy’s signal! He are at ther door—~a sign thet thcr way are cl’ur.” The door swung open ere he ceased speaking, and Cockney Jim, the bartender, glided into the apartment. “Der camp’s deserted, gents, bnn’ der gal’s halone,” he announced. “ St. Elmo’s last order .was that yer strike Swift hand sure, or heat lead w’en ’0 got back from dcr plateau.” Silence deep and unbroken brooded over the deserted gold-camp). \Vithin the narrow con~ fines of Nowhar at a single living moving figure was to be seen—\Vheczy Ben Meggins, ambling along at a sharp trot toward the cabin— hon‘e of the giant of the golden locks. Alternutcly groaning and cursing in subdued accents, that for the sake of appearances he must feign haste, and for once move rapidly in the now broiling rays of the sun, the corpnlent ruscnl headed straight for the open door of the nlcalde’s cabin, every ounce of his superfluous flesh u—quiver and burning, and the perspiration trickling freely in oily drops down his face. The goal reached, he rapped sharply with his knuckles, then withdrew a pace, pushed back his greasy slouch hat and nervously mopped his brew with his shirt-sleeve. ‘ A moment of waiting: then a starry-eyed vision of loveliness, that fairly astounded the hardened wretch, appeared at the door. “ Mornin’, m-niiss,” he exclaimed, jerking out the Words with a painful effort, and clutch- ing absently at his but as he awkwardly at- tempted a bow. The girl, an expression of mingled surprise and expectancy showing on her face, returned the salutation. , “ B—be yer ther alcaldc’s s—sister?” “I am; why do you ask?" was the quick re- sponse. . Wheezy Ben looked around, hesitated, then sought to cover his confusion by again apply- ing his sleeve to his fevered brow. “ I h-hate ter s-say ct, m—miss; but I hev b-bnd news fer yer. Now, (lo-don’t get excited; j-jest be p-patient ’ith m-me, for I hev ther tis—phthisic an’ c-can’t talk f-fast. Yes, I hev b-bad news fer yer." ‘ l‘fith a swift, impetnous movement, the star- tled girl advanced a trifle, a look of fear creep- ring over her pretty face.” ‘Bad news for me!” she exclaimed, anxious;- “ Speak, man—is my brother—” “ Thar! she hev gone 'an’ guessed et!” broke in the rufiian, the grieVed tone in which the words were uttered in perfect keeping with his facial expression. “ Onhanpy Ben Meggins! w’y, ohl w’y war yer sent with s-seeh an orful t-tale ter distress this b—b’utiful c-critter!” The rascal’s adroitly couched apostrophe was V not without its effect. One fleeting instant the girl reeled back, her slender hands pressed tightly to her painfully throbbing heart. The look of unutterable hor- ror, distress and despair in her dark eyes would surely have moved a being less burdened than the. brutal wretch before her. Then. with a suddenncss that ‘fairly startled Wheezy Ben, every trace of weakness vanished as if by magic; her slender, willowy figure was i drawn erect, her tightly clinched hands dropped to her sides, her black eyes filled with a curious sparkling light, and her face became set and at cm. “Speak out, man—I am listening,” she said, in cold, abrupt tones; “ Very well, m-miss,” Wheezingly uttered the ruffian, gasping for breath, and clutching at his throat as it’ in the last stages of suffocation. “Ther good Lord knows B-Ben Meggins are g-glud ter s—see yer -gritty an’ able ter stand ther b‘bad news he b- rings. ‘ “Ll-miss", ther alcalde, yer b-brother, hev bin six-shot, an’ b-badly w-wounded. Et ’ll k-kill ’im ter- b bring ’im h-here. He hes s-sent m-me ter lead yer ter him.” A great shudder ran through the slender form of the girl; a single sharp, convulsive sob broke the oppressive silence. “ Wait!” The one word, and ,she abruptly retreated inié the cabin, closing the door. Ejectin from his capacious maw an amber rill of to coo-juice, Wheezy Ben blinked his eyes knowingly at the rough wall. “ A sly ole galoot are you, Benjy—a very sly ole cuss.” be mused; “ but look out tbet this hyar (party leetle gal With ther bright black eyes on’t Jay yer by ther heels. She are a. daisy—a puffect hummer.” , A moment later, just as the corpnlent fraud Hbad succeeded indistortmg his features with an expression of settled woe, the blonde giant’s sister appeared from the cabin. “ Como!” she ejaculated, hastily knotting the ribbons of her v'ide straw hat beneath her shglpely chin. “ Come—I am ready; let us go.” i onplused at the coolness and abrnptncss of the girl’s words, Wheczy Ben hesitated a mo- ment, then started to lead the way through the deserted camp, limping violently. “ I’m a puffectly inisabul wraek, m—miss,” he gurgled, with a dolorous attempt at a sigh. as e noticed the impatience with which his victim regarded his shambling gait. ‘ T-time war, iii-miss, w’en I war es spruce an’ es b-brush es eny ov them: but B-Bcn Meggins are past ther p—prime 0v his oncet n-noble in-manhocd, an’ every j’int in his pore ole c-curkase arc racked ’ith p—pain. “But w’en thcr alcalde l-looked up at ni-mc ’ith sech a s-sorrowin’, pleadin’ look in them the r b-big b-blue eyes ov his’n, an’ 502, s-sez he, ‘ M—most trusted f—friend, go b—bring my s—f‘istcr ter s-soothe my d—dyin’ minutes; w’y, I j-jost c-c’u’dn’t refuse, an’ away I kcm, fergettin’ my own p-pain un’ s—snlferin’. I j-jcs—” Seized here with a skillfully feigned .aroyysm of violent coughing and strangling, tie rnfiian tore feebly at his throat with his grimy Minds, and staggered weakly along—inwardly chuck- ling at the pity evoked from the alcalde‘s sister. “ Poor fellow!” murmured the girl, never for an instant suspecting the true character of her guide, and too dazed and grief-stricken by his skillfully concocted story to note her surround- ings as they hastened onward. Her thoughts were constantly with the strick- en giant. Biting her ncthcr lipto keep back her tears, she followed in the footsteps of treacher- ous Wheezy Ben. A few minutes sufficed to see them half a mile from the camp. At a lonely spot between the bills the ruflian suddenly turned from the faint trail and entered a nar- row canyon. . Here their path was rough, dark and dreary, the sunlight being excluded by massive, over- hanging walls ef rock. The girl shuddered; a sense of impending peril oppressed her. Slipping her hands into the folds of her dress, she nervously clutched the butts of a pair of trusty revolvers. As they pushed onward the way grew rougher and darker; the canyon contracted in width, Endlthe giant walls seemed to 111Cct far over- Ca( ; I ‘ “Where are we going?” suddenly cried the girl as they reached an abrupt bend in the can- yon. “ Patience, leetle g-gal—we’re iii-most thar,” returned Wheczy Ben, evasively, as he disap- peared around a jutting rock. “ \Vatch wxwhnr yer step, miss—thcr s-sloucs are slippery an’ yer may fall ” he called back. With 'er eyes cast dowu, the girl passed around the angle. A moment later she missed the'feotfalls of her guide, and at once looked up to find herself confronted by two villainous- looking men. They were none other than Ugly Mike and his ally, Pious Pete. 7' . One glance at the evil, leering face of the chief of the Cripples, and with a wild cry of alarm the girl turned to flee down the canyon. theezy Ben, whom she had linseed, adroitly blocked the way. “Quite a surprise party, hain’t et, mum?” he cried, a mocking grin spreading over his oily face, a devilish light dancing in his heady black cs. r “New yer hev her, Mike, safe nn’ sound,” continued the fat rough, in a gurgling voice. “ An’, darn incl cf 1 eVer see’d a purtier bit ov‘ kalikcr an’ ribbons than she are. An’ she ino- sied right along arter me, too, past ez ef I war a Baptist person. Oh, I’ll bu’st!’ , And the rough quivered violently with sup— pressed mirth. ‘ . “ Gals like her is ez sca’ce ez four~leaf clover,” observed Ugly Mike, striding forward. “ Stop er foolin’, Benjy: le’s git her under kiver up yar, nn’ putt back fer ther plateau.’ ‘ Et won t do for King Gabe tei' ’spicion that ice lied eny- thing fer do ’ith ther girl’s makin’ herself sca’ce at camp, or Nowhar ’ll be too bet ter hold us.” Confronting the apparently helpless girl, the chief thrust out his grimy hand to grasp her arm—only to start back with a hoarSe oath, with the deadly muzzles of a, pair of self-cocking revolvers staring him full in the face. . . Swift as th ht itself had been the action of the girl—so de tly performed, in fact that she was about toassume the defensive. ' -“ Stand _ it, you secundrell keep your hands of! and all w me to pass from this p ace unmo- lested or I’ll kill you as [ would a crawling ser— pent,” she cried, the words coming in calm, measured accents over the glittering lengths of her wea ens. / “ Jew illcrkens!” gasped Ugly MikE, abruptly ducking his head, as if to avoidablow. ‘f Benjy, ' yer hes corrulcd a puffect screamer—dcrn my cats cf yer hnin’tl Close in, galoots, an’ take- hcr We’ponsl” ,/ . i "' Sthnnd chust vci’é'you vas, mine tear frient‘s’ or py chimminettil you vus potter order goflins fer t’reel” cried a stern voice at the bend in the canyon, and the Teutonic tramp, I'Iunki Hans, slowly advanCed, his short. heavy “sixes "‘ raised and at full cock, his mild blue. eyes glean1—~ ing brightly. “Mees Morton, cf t’ey vas soinoech as der , leedle fin ers move, shoot.” , Ugly 1V fire and his allits exchanged glances of ’ alarm. ‘ The next instant the chief of the (‘ripples placed his fingers against his lips and blew a loud, piercing blast, which echoed and rc-echoed l up and down the gloomy canyon. “ We shall see!” he muttered, grimly. CHAPTER IX. . HOW THE DUEL ENDED. ' r . A HUSH fraught with expectancy came over the motley group upon the plateau’s verge as the: sharp crack of Shasta Sam’s revolver died an ay;;"‘-" *1 The dark giant had taken up a position di- - rectly opposite to the jutting face of the tower— ing spar, midway of the horseshoe, in full View of the tWo duelists. A few paces distant, be» tween him and the crowd, were Gold Gabe, St. Elmo, Faro Frank and the mine superintendent. i “71th revolver uplifted, Shasta Sam stared ' {ixegly for a full minute at the distant hunch- :ac . Then Dunkle was seen to throw himself flat upon his stomach among the huge howldcrs, with his rifle in position for instant use. On the other hand, Jonathan ' 'otter remained erect, his rifle carelessly grcunded, engaged to all appearances in a close survey of the trend of the plateau. » Satisfied, apparently, with the action of the hunchback, the dark Hercules wheeled half. around, facing in the direction of Trotter, their. with a careless downward sweep of his long arm restored the wee on to his belt. . ~ Handlin his inchester with painful awk- wardin‘ss, he " erode-Yankee, “gro— ,, ,. ~ ment, then wal gcd forward with long, deligcra'te " ' strides. ’ " " Honest J eems Rivers clinched his horny hands in sheer vexation. , ' “ Alcalde, what say you now?” exclaimed S‘. Elmo, exultantly, as the quick eyes noted the move. “Your man is actually the most ver- dant specimen of the Yankee tribe I ever saw. 4 ‘ He don’t know enough to get behind a rock and V- ,. stay there. No, no! he must needs walk right " into good range and let Dunkle toast him to his heart’s content. Nowhar’s first duel is degen~ crating into a mere farce—a butchery.” . i “ Don’t bother 1your head about that thar Yank, dainty‘spor -,” retcrted the blonde. giant, with provoking coolness. “It’s pretty safe to._ ‘ a . . say he isn’t as green as he looks. 'We can’t tell how much experience he’s had in jest sech afi'aim as this. He is a mountain tramp, you know, an’ . / mountain tramps are sometimes derned eeivm ing critters. ' - ‘Then, too, in ructions ov this sort no man , , can tell who is to be th’ victor. It is all onsar- tainty until th’ fight is fought, th’ last round. fired, an’ everything ready for th’ obsequies. An’ even then you can’t sometimes tell. , ‘ “New, look over thar, will on? Th’ Yank has made his fu’st move in t ’ game, an’v‘l’c smacks ov a lon head. Hidden from sight 'z T hind that big owlder in th" chain extendin" across to th’ outer edge of the plateau, .th’ (-rit-,_ " ter’ll have things pretty much is own Way‘. an" will play with th’ lcetle hunchback urty much «_ as a cat toys with the mouse sa 9 uncler 112173 ‘ claws. " _ “ V “ Taken all around, I give it as my 013mm, that Mr. Dunkle will have 170 8917‘ U hump himself even to dislodge the ank.” . . There wasa ring in‘fliealcalde’s words express.» ‘ive of a great de e of satisfaction. ' \ The position ta on by Trotter was beyond'dis— . 3, jg; pute a strong one. ‘lth this unpleasant fact ' ‘ ‘5 staring him in the face. ulian St. Elmo gnawed. savagely at the ends of his tawn mustache, and, .. ,, ,1 cast an anxious glance in the’ hunchback desperado- . , i. r . ,.1 That worthy was creeping cautiously from ,, -,P . rock to rock, wprking slowly toward the'edgeof .- _. 3 .l' the , . . ' . R I “ Ff he makestbe point he, seems to be aiming; , 3,. for—the long, flat bowlder 'at-the very \- u \.' j l r .. J,“ V T 4'. by. i. '3 J12: if. V" ' ' A4 .I K . r w l ‘77 \ M N ’ r‘ v .« ,“ x .‘u':.-' an'fairly ‘1' 1". I ‘ incision of the ,, .r L,“ 2.: ‘ \ . l‘ \ lithe. ‘ ' doomed. Dunklc is merely playing: for time . ; ’ tabtes, and at the same-ti " l *a reached. _ igokfim the girl, or, is his absence due to too ' '-' .much whisky?” .In either case, he would 13va but a trifle in ‘ * Bead men tell no tales. . -, y-«‘, all remained behind to watch over the al- I fl ‘1 Ygains interests heWi The Rival Giants of N owhar. will likely have the Yankee at a sharp disadvan- tage,“ muttered Faro Frank, in tones so low that none but St. Elmo heard. “ I judge a shot from that quarter Would be a disagreeable surprise to the tenderfoot." ,“Truo,” assented the gambler, in tones equal- 1 guarded, as he drew his confrerc. aside. “ But ‘ fear we are playing a losing game. If this Trotter is half as shrewd as I begin to suspect he is the jig is well nigh up with unklc.” “ ficw so, J ulc?” ' “ I base my conclusion upon this fact: Just be end that chain of rock sheltering Trotter, a gully sufficiently deep to ail’ord him concealment cuts across the plateau. If he has been kw n enough 130 1‘000<*nizo its advantages and taken to it, as I suspecting has, he is even now in a posi- tion to open fire on Dunklo when the latter east expects a shot.” “ I see,” said Faro Frank, with a significant nod. “ If the Yunkeo has crept down the gully, Duuklc is in danger of u. death-shot every time .he leaves one rock to creep .0 another on his way to the plateau’s edge to bring his antagonist into r was.” ' . “Exactly. If we could only hit upon some - way to put our misshapen friend on his "uard, I believe his final success would beassuro ; fl )1" pitted man against man, there is to my mind not slightest doubt that tho Yankee would be now. The affair must be prolonged to give U g- ly Mike and his allies a fair chance to work out their ians below. - “ 6 must warn Dunklo in some way, for taken in all its bearings the affair promises to be a very profitable one if he succeeds in killing his man. “ In the first place, it will effectually dispose of Mr. Trotter, a. character entirely too curious and too,prying to suit our somewhat fastidious enrich us to the ex- tent of some five or six thousand dollars. “Then. too, it is a direct and bitter blow to the alcalde; for at one stroke we deprive him of an ally dangerous to us, and open up the way for. Ugl Mike to steal the girl.’ “An if the Yankee wins the fight—what then?" asked Faro Frank. _ ,.....“VVe still ,have the girl in our possessmn— . , just now the most important consideration of , all, to my mind. ‘ as well as the future servntcs of the Yankecr Of course, the money staked, would be lost.._.l?or the-hm mannchba’CK “C‘aré"i§othlng. It is only for the sake of the ' money up. and from a desire to rid the camp of the Yankee that I wish to see the internal little beast win the fight. “And for these selfsame reasons I want to ‘ ,put him on his guard against the move probable upon the part of Trotter; but just how to work the trick is a problem too deep for me to solve. though as a. general thing I rather pride myself on being pretty apt in such delicate wrinkles.” f‘ I have nothing to suggest,” said Faro Frank, musingly. " “ The fact is, Gold Gabe and his friends are watchimr us so closely that none but I a mastel‘rhnnd coul hope.to work the trick un- detected. Shasta Sam might be tried.” “ The suggestion is good. at all events,” re- turned St. Elmo looking over his shoulder for the dark Hercu es. “ Whatever is to be done must be done qulCldY. for I have an intuitive feeling that the cursed‘ Yank has 118.0le the very plan of action .we have the most reason to . fear. “’13?” the giant? he was here a mo- " 1 meat ago- . “He has been back anions t_he crowd; he is coming onder. And With his left hand the ‘woundel gambler beckoned Shasta Sam, I. j ;. There is yet another thing that I do not like .333 absence of limb Hans, Trotter’s Dutch - p d, from the plateau at this time,” continued t“ Elmo, hurriediyhas the dark _Hercules slow- HDid he remain ln camp to the way of Ugly and his allies,” dedared Fr k. . . Fsgmggnmh, and the chief of the cap les _ has a firm belief in, the truisth the saying t at the valiant Hans ll hardly live to tell what i h. asta. is here—not a word about We { the dark Hercules passed the giant.“ the f: {golden locks, their eyes met in a. Single intense l lance. \ 3 . . v Th8 nextinstant the heavy repcrt of Trotter’s rifle 'rungout across the plateau, bushing for a \ / h moment an voices of the crowd. down at once a “We are too late!” exclaimed St. Elmo, in low, intense tonos, profacing the words with an oath. “ See! that faint wreath of smoke otl.’ yonder at the very cdgoot’ the plateau marks the Yaukeo'sposition. He has taken advantage of the gully, just as I suspected. lute I’ll take, it. A quick eye an’ a steady hath \ ; have turned on me th’ smiles o’ tickle Dame» Fortune. List, you sportive sports! if you have ought to say, speak, or forever hold ycour _ l peace!” The bunch- ! Lightly and unflinchineg had the mock Yan— back’s only hope is to remain quiet until Trotter ' kce spoken, his words at times bordering on the grows restless or reckless and shows his precious person. “Look! he has no hope—the light is over!” cried Faro Frank, clutching St. Elmo’s arm, and pointing across the level of the plateau, as a ‘ hoarse shout Wont up from the crowd. “ A sin- gle shot has forever settled the matter. now until eternity Jonathan Trotter has naught to fear from tho hunchbackl" And to all appearances the wounded gambler spoke the truth; for, extended at full length, flat on his back upon the hard, dry earth of the level, there was the misshapen dcspcrado, shot down while creeping from rock to rock. Confident that his single shot had ended the duel, tho pseudo-Yankee sprung into View, hur- rying forward with his rifle at a trail. Instantly the crowd became wild with excite- ment, not unmixed withoxultation. The. hunch- back had been heartily disliked and (le-zpiscd be- cause of his contentious nature, and from the beginning popular sympath had to a great ox- tcnt been with the whimsica mountain tramp. During the tumult that ensued, a pellet of crumpled paper was thrust into the ah:aldo’s band. A quick glance over his shoulder failed to discover the source of the surreptitious mes- sage. 'With an ejaculation of surprise, Gold Gabe covertly unrolled the paper, which proved to ho a loaf torn at random from a memorandum- book. I-‘cncilt d on it, in scrawling, irregular charac- teis, were the words: "Jessica. is probablv imperiled by a plot of St. I Elmo, as Ulily Mike, Wheczy Ben and Pious Pete, , » most desperate of the camp pests ‘ tin on of th known as the Cripples. are n' t here. arty Slrong enough to beat ofi’ the outlaws should t my attempt anything crooked." Take or send Anonymous, and surre itiously delivered though it was, the warning ind a marked eifect upon the giant of the golden locks. Hard by stood J eenis Rivers, narrowly watch- in;r every move of St. Elmo. . In a moment, Gold..Ga.be had pushed his way through the surging crowd to the side of the mine superin- tendent. ' Hurriedly, and with cautious utterance, the contents of the mysterious message were im- parted to the latter. , “ Oho, ohol” grated Rivers, shutting his teeth hard. “ I kin see ther finger ov thet artful cuss in ther abSenico 0v thcr three cut-throats men- tioned. Shall I pick six good men an’ putt ofi’ for ther cabin at a double-quick? You are needed hyar.” ~ “Yes; pick your men and get down to the camp stt as nick as you can,” returned the alcalde. _“Iwilfollow you just as soon as I can. Thismatter hero is almost over. It' you find anything wrong below, signal me with three pistol—shots.” , ' A quick nod, and the mine superintendent pushed his way through the crowd. . Crumbling the ‘blt of paper into a wad, Gold Gabe drOpped it into his pocket, and turned to note the movements of Trotter. But little time had been consumed in learning the contents of the message and in starting Rivers back to the camp; yet the giant of the golden locks found that the mock Yankee had crossed the level and reached the side of his van- quished foe. v A moment the mountain tramp stood calm y azing' down at the pallid face of the bunch- gack, then wheeled abruptly and faced the throne; that had followed in his footsteps. “ Wal, gents, it do appear as if th’ scrimmage was over,” he remarked, dryly. “ I haln’t sayin’ it in a boastful way, but yeour leetle para 0’ th’ crooked-back wasn’t much 0’ a man. artt'l‘ all: an’ if he was as good as th’ cam C’u’d Show. It huin’t sayin’ much for Now ar. ’An’ _ , hain’t no use 0’ any wry faces or hard feelin s over th’ matter, either. ‘ “But I didn’t lay myself coat to slaughter him: I kalkulate yoou’ll find a hole drilled through his right shoulder. an’ that is about all th’ wuss ofl.’ he is'fer tr in’ to amuse blSSElf all th’ expense 0’ Jonathan rotter. If he has had his fun, he is welcome to it. “Neow. some 0’ yeou tellers thet are hand at sech things git to work an’fix him up. reckon he wasn’t so eternal bad but he had some friends among yeou. '. {As for th’ money up, by, hemlock! I hallu- ‘ ' , From . thar ‘ reckless, and kindling in the breasts of many of Nowliar’s citizcnsa spark of resentment: yen. , in the depths of his coldly gleaming gray eyes, in the peculiar smile hovering upon his thin lips, in the easy else of his wiry form, there was something w ich held the turbulent spirits. in check. “ We have no wish to dispute your claim—the money is yours,” uttered St. Elmo, coldly. “ You have won the tight; but, if you will take a bit of advice, you w l1 make yourself scarce-- in Nowliur. Ours is a quiet, law-abiding camp, and we halve no manner of use for gentlemen of your ilk.” “Opinions differ,” retorted Trotter. “ It sorter runs in my head that Nowhar will yet. ' have cause to shake hands with be. self because— 0’ my boin’ hour.” "'Wind enou'rh, gents.” interposed the al‘ caldo, im )atient y. “ This hyar unfortunate ai- fair hes con settled. an’ it‘s high time we were-- gottin’back into tli‘ valley. tho knowsl~ i’i"aps lh’ durnci'l Cripples~Ugly Mike. Wheczy' lion an’ Pious Pete, have carried off th’ hull camp.” _ ' So unexpected by St. Elmo was this thrust, that for a moment he wasthrown off his guard; his face plainly betraying alarm as he retreated a trifle. while his Sllilldcl' hands drop; ed swiftly upon the butts of the revolvers bolted to his. waist. At the some instant the sharp report of a fire- arm of some sort echoed faintly from the valw ley below. Its effect upon Gold Gabe was extremely startling. A smothered cry of rage burst from lll: throat; his blue eyes glowed madly, and with a. single swift, convulsive bound, he cleared the space between himself and the. gambler. St. Elmo stood spellbound, a look of horror' on his ashen face, utterly powerless to stir. “Your life shall pay for your treachery, dainty sport!” biased the giantJot the golden Jocks, every fiber 'of his massive form aquiver with passion. " You haven’t a minute to livel'. If you’ve a word to say, say it!" ‘ The gambler moved not a muscle. IIe strove to speak, but not a sound escaped his palsied tongue. Known to the camp as a man of iron- nerve, of desperate courage. he had at last- iveakened in the face of peril, and the prestige, that had been his pride was gone. A tragedy was imminent. The crowd reveal- ed its appreciation of the fact by a strange hush. “Speak out. you treacherous devil!” grated. the giant alcaldc once more, his long forefinger" playing lightly against the trigger of his self~ cocking weapon. “ What have your hired as- sassins done with my Sister ;’ Speak, quickly— or never!” Silence, dead and unbroken, followed the slowly enunciated demand. The lurid glow in; the eyes of the blonde giant deepened. Like a flash of light, his glittering Weapon was raised/ until its deadly muzzle-bore fell between the. glassyfl horror-frozen eyes of the doomed gem. lei‘. . A single instant, then the herculcan form of Shasta! Sam, the man from Cinnabar, shot out- from the front rank of the crowd, as if hurled from a catapult. aligihting squarely at the Side of the enraged alcali c. Ere his feet had fairly touched the earth, the dark giant’s long right arm swung- u ward in aGSlggrp, swift stroke at the pistol ban of Gold. a T60 late; the leveled weaglon exoloded spite-v fully, and Julian St. Elmo upped. m a writh» ing hen , a. short, gasping cry issumg from his tightly-c rawn lips. . . With the abru tness of thought, the ,iant- 6f the golden 100 s wheeled and ‘faced S sta m. With eyes blazing ’with intense rage. their re- volvers in hand ready for instant use the Rival. (fights for a full minute glared fiercely at each. 0 er. , t Then tho'impending storm burst in all iw . uryv . ‘ 1 ’CHAPTER X. Hum HANS snows His HAND. Tn‘sfidden appearance of Hunki Haas. the» , mountain tramp, around the bendlin the canyon. , / \ M "'V's . r . ~ .,_.~.._'. ,i. s... was, to Ugly Mike and his two allies, a surprise decidedly disagreeable. From the loquacious, but hardly voracious Wheezy Ben, the chief of the Cripples had re- ceived an artistically amplified account of the parts played by Trotter and the Teuton in the difficulty with the hunchback desperado at the Fair Play a short while before, and he had at once jumped to the conclusion that the two mountain tramps would be pretty tough cus- tomers to encounter, even with the odds largely against them. Then, too, the ready recognition of the decoy- ed girl by Hunki Hans was not reassuring to the cunning ruflian. And both the actions and the words of tho corpulent Teuton, as he has- tened toward the girl, pointed .p‘lainly to the fact that he was determined to ma '0 a desperate fight, if need be, to effect her rescue. Such a conflict as that promised was not ex- actl to the taste of Ugly Mike, desperate and law ess as he was, and be instantly decided upon a pflan of action likely to lessen the risk to him- In accordance with this plan he sent his signal echoing through the canyon, then, with the ex- clamation: “ e shall see!” drew back a pace and quickly folded his arms, an ugly grin part- ing. his bearded lips. either he nor his companions in crime made any attempt to draw or use a weapon but con— fined themselves for the nonce to watching nar- rowly each movement on the part of unki Hans and the girl. “ Krautvine, yer hev tackled a hefty ole job this time, sure’s ye’re a foot high!” jeeringly observed Wheezy Ben, after a moment of si- ,lence. “Yaw; dot vos all right, mine tear frient!” responded the Teuton, from his position at the side of the girl; “but vat you do apoud id, he ?” XDoi—do nothin’!” retorted Ugly Mike, in well-feigned disgust. “ Ef thet sweet pink ov a gal are fool cnuil’ tcr desart her present pcrtec- ters an’ trust herself in ther hands 0v sech a or ergrow’d hunk 0v p’izen wickedness an’ deceit ~es yer ugly'mug shows yer ter be, we hain’t got 'nothin’ ter say. Hes we, pards?” “ Nothin’ a’ tall!” choruscd the two ruffians, grinning broadly at the supposed facetiousness ' of their leader. “Protectors! Abductors, you mean!” cried the girl, her black Syes flashing angrily. “ 0h! Lawd! est listen at thet!” groaned W’heezy Ben, raising‘his hands and slowly roll- ing his eyes in moc horror. “Did yer ever heur tell ov sech depravity?” “ Never!” sighed Pious Pete. “So young, so ’luv’ly, an’ yit so worldly! Werily, she hev .strayed from ther flock!” I Amazed at this bit of audacious im udence on the part of the three roughs, the ir stared at them a moment, then turned a irupt-ly to LHunki Hans. - "‘They are a trio of cowardly ruflians!” she rexclaimed, indignantly. “The fleshy rascal— the fellow in the middle there-decoyed me from camp with a cooked-u story to the effect that .my brother, the so~ca ed alcalde had been shot -.and was dying out here in the kills. . "‘ In return for the treacherous trick, With your assistance I will march them back to camp, where they shall receive a portion at least of the punishment they so richly merit.” “ Yaw; t’e vas a lot uf gowai'dly poogers,eny- way and PM toder gamp t’ey must go,” coincid- ed flunk Hans, a vicious sparkle showing in his mild blue eyes. “Py chimminetti! der foot uf King Gabe vas pound to make t’em vellers sore somedimes, he .’ “Hour w’a ther base villyuns ’perposes!” roared Ugly Mike tragically, giving his arms a frantic fling. “fieur! oh, heur! my feller suf- ferers. an’ tell me ef it are ter be or not ter be?” “ Down with ther foreign inwader! ” shrieked Wheezy Ben, his eyes ‘in fine frenzy rolling,’ a broad grin hovering over his oily countenance. “ Guv me liberty or guv me whisk .” “ W’yvstand we here idle?” exc imed Pious Pete, oracularly. “Ter avoid punishment un- becomin’ galoots ~ov our cloth, we must fly—flee t fer he who runs away may live ter in ill b r' flghtg gin cocktail sum other day!” “ This idiotic nonsense is to gain time,” de- clared the l to her corpulent rescuer in ailow tone, kee mg her eyes on the rumans disdain- fully. “ whistle sounded by the one with the red heard was a signal for help from some quarter. - Whatever is to_be done must be dead quick! . If the feat can in any wa be accom- plishe we should take the trio in 0 camp, for ‘ithere is some motive for this bold act.” ' , Eunki Hans nodded assent, and in a voice .a.....,.,...«..’~. _,< r.... in“, ~ -,~~m-- The Rival Giants of Nowhar. Vf‘wfx. 7:4. .m- / . u .r - ,h n a. .. scarcely above a whisper spoke hurriedly for a full minute. “Ste all dat foolishin’, you vellers,” be ex- claim , sternly, addressing Ugly Mike and his allies. “I am gomin’ to dake you brisoners. Chust geep your hants 00p and pe shtill mit you all, or vill shoot und der young lady likewise. 001’ you dry to run avay, or make a fight, you will tint yoursellufs tead mit no goifins py, py dander!” At these words, a dark scowl flitted ovor the face of Ugly Mike. That Hunki Hans might at- tempt anything more than the rescue of the girl was an idea which had not even remotely oc- curred to the cunning rufflan. Darting a swift glance up the canyon, he ground out a savage oath between his hard-set teeth, and in a scarcely audible voice muttered: “ Pards, we hev pla ed ther fool in lettin’ ’om git ther drop on us. They hev us lined ter kill, an’ they mean ter shoot ef we lifts a finger. Er“ ther cussed dogs don’t ken), the game are up with us.” “It makes one feel amazin’ sick,” remarked Wheezy Ben, as the strange pair moved slowly forward. “ So far as I kin see, we hev put our feet in it, an’ ther next thing we knows we’ll be gettin’ our necks in a noose. h! we hev no show at all; even ther leetle gal are a puifect whirly—gnat ov sand.” An odd smile played around the month of the girl as the cautiously uttered words reached her ears. “ Put out your hands—empty !” she exclaimed, sharply, halting within a yard of the obese roug . - For a moment Wheezy Ben hesitated, then sullenly complied. In the girl’s flashing eyes, in the muzzles of the dainty revolvers she held so steadily, there was a persuasive force not to be lightly resisted. No sooner were the hands of the rufflan ex— tended than Hunki Hans, with a. single deft movement, drew from the pocket of his tattered coat and snapped around the waiting wrists a pair of glistening steel handcuffs! At sight of the manacles the consternation of the three desperadoes knew no bounds. “ An OSSlfeI‘, by ther Lawd!” woefully groan- ed W'heezy Ben. “ Exactly—not a Dutch trampybut a member of the Rocky Mountain Detectives’ Association,” responded Hunki Hans, coolly, his voice and ac- cent changing as if by magic. “ Han’cuifs! A detective! Now we’s in for it, sure, ards,” muttered Pious Pete, his cada- verous Visage a picture of dismay. “ You have predicted aright, my prophetic friend,” and with the declaration the speaker brought into view a second pair of handcuffs, with which Pious Pete was at once secured. During the moment consumed in ironing his two allies, Ugly Mike remained silent, rage and chagrin plainly showing in his distorted face. “Dern my cats! ef this hyar hain’t a metile mean deal—a'cold—blooded outrage l” he growl , as the detective confronted him. “Have your owu way about that. The only thing I re uire of you is a com lete surrender. A galoot 0 about your size an build is pretty badly wanted just now over in Southwestern Colorado. “ Do you twig, Can on Kit?” The detective's wor 8 brought a sudden blaze of des eration into the eyes of the chief of the Crippfes. Glaring fiercel at the man whom he now recognized as an imp acable foe, he seemed at the point of risking life and limb in a bold dash for libert . But the revo vers in the hands of the undaunt ed girl still here full upon his breast, and with a bitter snarl be cowered back, wholly unrcrvcd. “ It’s no use kickin’ ag’in’ you, Belly Dorrit— I cave,” he muttered, sullenly. “But I’d jest like ter know how on airth yer kem ter stum- ble on ter ther hidden trail ov ther Canyon Scourges.” “ An accident, .Kit—merely an accident,” laughed the detective. ’ “ l freely admit that _1t was on] by chance that I penetrated your dis- fiise, a though I was on the lookout for V911- ere is a vast difference between Ugllly Ike and his Cripples and. Canyon Kit and, 8 band ' of daring road-a _ ents. . “ Butsince a h therto adverse fate has so'kindly placed you in my power, I am fully inclined to profit by my accidental discovery. It was only an hour ago, while ygu and your two allies here were plotting the a notion of this young lady, ‘that overheard Enough to open my eyes to ‘your true character.‘ Circumstances prevented ,m blocking your bold scheme, but I was close ‘be ind‘ your tool apd his unsuspecting Victim all the way here. “ And I came provided for just such an emer- gency as the present. Here is my third and last pair of bracelets. Extend your wrists until I satiate your desire for jewelry.” , U ly Mike, as we shall continue to know him, slowfiy raised his hands, then drew back sharply as a peculiar sound reached.his ears. , The next instant, he uttered a mocking laugh, in which he was joined by his inanacled allies. The detective and his fair companion retreated a trifle, their faces showmg surprise if not alarm. “ Sorry, Bolly, but I really can’t obleege er to-day,” gleefully exclaimed the chief. as a ull pack of gaunt, heavy-jawed, ugly-lookin dogs, swee ing down the canyon, crouched w lining at his feet, their tails restlessly whipping the earth, their fierce, bloodshot eyes fixed intently ,, upon the detective. ‘ “ It’s not beca’se I don’t want ter‘ help yer along, Bolly Dorrit, but beca’se my friends hyar won’t allow it.” cautioned the rufiian. “ An’ Belly, they’re ther best friends a pore hunted devil ever had, I reckon—four—footed friends, w’ot can‘t be bought ter play me false. “ Up, good dogs, an’ at him I” -‘ With a series of deep-toned growls, the well. trained pack, ignoring the girl, sprung straight at the throat of the detective. -. . Startled be end measure, for a brief moment, by the terrib e peril with which he was, men- aced, Hunki Hans swiftly drew back, barely es- caping the fangs of the leaders of the pack. Only or the briefest space poss1ble was he 1rres-_ olute. ' Circling agilely about, now advancing, again retreating, working his revolvers With Wondrous celerity and certainty, he executed each more with the prom tness an ecxs‘ion of a thorough- ly brave man ghting‘f . fe, , And in this extrem , mar ency the alcalde’s sister likewise showediremabfible courage. her revolvers exploding rapidlya -' With an. effect decidedly deadly to the pack of bloodthirsty brutes. ‘ "'38 “ Oho! oho!” roared Ugly lake in’ferocious glee. “ Tear him, ye dogs—tear hiim ter rib; hens!” : “Shoot ther cussed spotter an’ putt an eend ter - ther racket,” suggested Pious Pete, uneasily. " Shoot nothin’l” savagely returned the chief. “ Long agn'f swore that of. ever-'1 ganglitfllfolllyl 1 e‘ on i Dorrit, ther scourge ov ther Scout‘gés, D be torn tcr pieccs by ther wild dogs 0v ther ‘ band.” ‘ “ Then stop ther gal, or thar won’t be a purp left,” muttered Wheezy Ben, sulkily. “So far es I kin see, she are slayin’ mops ov ther critters than ther man-hunter. -' i -' The truth of the obese ruflian’s words was manifest to Ugly Mike. ith a single swift bound he reached the unwary girl, and struck the weapons from her hands.‘ The next instant she was s ruggling in his short, _ werful arms. A piercing scream ap rised t e detective of her eril; but, torn an . by t e snapping, snarling, leaping brutes, he was owerless to aid her, even in the least. bleeding, hemmed in j : “ eep the critters at work—I’m goi ’ {ter ‘ putt ther leetle angel away,” cried Ugly sharply, as he rapidly moved off up the canyon.”. " “ Fascinated by the the terrible stru gress before them the manacle’d out no response beyond a surly growl. , , His revolvers empty and useless-at last, the closely pressed detective, with the ck-dimin— ished in size but still ravenously erce—in fulV 1e infprog" we made cry at his heels, fled down the canyon, staggering , ‘ ‘-" W." “ Ther bloke amalghtin’ aghn’ fate,” observed ' blindly as he ran... Wheezy Ben his voi .tee'mtng with grim satis- faction. “l‘le mi " ’a’ know’d better’n tar tackle three sech rustlers es us, en way.” ' ike, ' “Right yer are, ver fat frau ,”gried Pious Pete, jccularly. “Bf we c’u’d on’y t rid 0v these bracelets now, w’ot a‘time— 0 0! ’he are down at last I” a», At these words the desperado eagerly Started forward, his usually saturnine Visage .aglow with malevolent satisfaction; for slippingmr the ooze which in places covered 6 bottom of the canyon, the uckless detective had fallen heavily'upon his face, to be instantly set u n by’the gaunt, powerful dogs, eager to rend im , into fragments. CHAPTER XI. V a ninnan’s weak. , , , V WHEN the giant of the golden locks abruptly; " i ,wheeled and confronted the dark ,Hercules was quite plain to the men on the horses 00 plateau that the most eventful day in the history " l .‘ 1... .4 .‘4‘ $.— .,~ 'w‘. .‘ 4 . r _ ; r v.2 .-’ o » I M-w- ,. . v~ .-J.t:».~ 1.- r. A! "'l xz'i— l-m u... ~«uu. ad sfiMnfl-‘Jm‘ . - ~ ' 'M saw-“A‘s‘m , r ,- . ’rv. I“ A' ‘ determined faces and‘ ready The Rival Giants of Nowhar. [if l 1,3. ’ of the gold camp had been ushered in with the rising of that morning’s sun. There was an immediate massing of the oppos- ing factions; on every side belts were drawu tight, and hands dropped instinctively upon pro- truding revolver-butts. For a moment, the rival giants faced each other in dead silence the eyes of each aflame with seeming hate an anger. . Then Gold Gabe spoke, in his deep-toned vmce, his superb figure swaying lightl to and fro as if he was 11 on the point of urling himself full ainst t e man from Cinnabar. “ hat do you mean b this meddling inter- ference, Bummer Bob?” he demanded, the lurid glow in his blue eyes deepening. “ Who asked on to thrust your carcass between me and Julian St. Elmo?” “Touch me gently, you mogul of fraud and deceit,” returned the dark giant, the words fall- ing slowly and deliberately from between his hard-set teeth. “ It is the duty of eVery honest man, be he large or small, to use every possible effort to prevent bloodshed; and, if he fails and an unprovoked murder is done, it is then his duty to see that justice gets her due—that the dead is avengéi. ' ~ “And this latter is exactly what I intended do. On two occasions you have foully mur- dered your men- first Monterey Merle, whom you assassina in e dead of night for the sake of a few ounces of gold; now, under a shal- low subterfuge fetched u to conceal your real motive, you have spill the blood from the veins of this lifeless lum of clay at our feet. “Such a crime as t is last cannot go un- avenged, even in this mountain fastness of the Territory. The law, and the law’s executives, are unknown in the camp of Nowhar; but there is at hand the material out of which to create a tribunal that never fails to mete out due punish- ment to the criminal—a tribunal more to be dreaded by the ruthless breaker of laws human and divine than the most carefully organized court of justice in the'land—a tribunal in a Eord31 whose presiding ofilcer is good Judge ync i :f‘ You may well uail, Buzzard Bill, for you at last stand face to ace with the doom I swore should be yours live long years ago, when on “that fatal morning i came upon the cold, rigid cor e of Montereg Merle.” hen up from t e closely massed followers of Julian St. Elmo arose ells and cursesloud and \ «bitter. accompanied wi h a restless surging por- tending a wild outbreak. )Naught but the set, wea us of the blonde giant’s stanch friends held meat in check. No trace of fear was to be seen in the face of the alcalde. On the contra , a peculiar smile [parted hi full red lips. and is voice grew sin- e WOrse ole. ' gularly 5 ft and purring as he spoke: “Upon my word! you do it well, Bob!” he exclaimed. “A vast improvement marks the ebbing of yourlife’s sands. One hearin your tongue wag might well believe that a ember of Co: zigzltlllbagl itilisdglogydr, Vlvitlfll justicia his one a o su on o own in‘t‘o £1111; hurtane mil-gt. y pped , ye your gicall ,el uent slop-OVer is like a house builtu n t e shifting sands—it amfunts to nothing rem the simple fact that its oundation is technically insecure. - “ There may have been such a person as this , Monterey Merle, and he may have been mur- dered; or the entire story ma be but a freak , of your imagination. Our on y proof of such a, murder is your word, and, so far as we know, your reputation for veracity is not. worth an ounce of uncrushed quartz. . ‘,....“As for the dainty s rt here, he is no more dead than either you or I, unless he has died of sheer fright. Not a drop of his .blood has been "spilled—not so much as a hair of his head harmed. u Had I sent my bullet crashing through his, brain, instead of hurtling harmlesst through the air, not a. man In all the camp would have declared the act murder when the whole truth ' ’ had been laid bare: for fun am} just revoca- ztion existed—provocation sostron tha even a tribunal of your idolized Judge Ilynch would have held the killing as nothing more than a, vindication of the very laws You regard so hi y.” , _ nd th to the a. parently uuutterable dis. ' gust ,of flash: Sam? Julian St. Elmo slowly arose. ' “ Look for yourself Bummer Bob!” cried the alcalde, mockingly. 3‘ Have I told the truth, or _ has the dead risen?” . . Andias'the unnerved ambler moved away .crestfallen, furtively eying the DOW 39911118 / crowd, the giant of the golden locks darted a quick glance into the face of his rival—then: “Halt! Julian St. Elmo. Not another steE, or by the heavens above us! you shall die 1i ,e ghexgursed coward you are, with your back to a 00 The rin ing tones and words of the alcalde brought t 10 gambler to ba ; the second time Within the hour Julian St. lmo abruptly halt- ed, his aspect one of uncontrollable fear. Then, directly contrary to the expectations of the crowd, Shasta Sam, with a mocking bow, stepped aside, allowing the giant of the golden ice 3 to stride unmolested toward his unnerved oe. v What passed between the two men was spok- en iii tones so low as not to be overheard, al- though there was eager listening. At the expiration of five minutes the alcalde turned away from the gambler and walked over to the mock Yankee, with whom he ex- changed a few words, then hastened across the plificau to the path leading down into the va e . Le t to himself, Julian St. Elmo skulked quickl out of sight around the curve of the horses 0e. . l A fearful glance over his shoulder discovered no pursuit, nor to his strained hearing came the slightest sound which would indicate that he was being followed. That the gambler was perfectly familiar with the ground he was traversing was obvious. Not the slightest hesitanc marked his move- ments as he oft the level 0 the plateau and be- gan a toilsome ascent of the mountain. 0n- ward and upward, slowly and laboriously, he clambered, bending his course to the south- ward, until at the end of an hour he stood upon genarrow ledge overlooking the gold-camp far ow. “Accursed spot!" he muttered, through his set teet, staring down, with a mad glow in his blue eyes, at the distant collection of rude habi- tations. “Never more shall I dare set foot within your bounds, for from this hour forth I am a hunted man! “There, in your narrow limits, I felt that I was almost safe—that the sleuth-hounds seeking my trail were forever at fault. Fool! fool that I was to delude myself, to remain and tempt in- exorable fate! “With all my shrewdness, all my cunning, I have been fairly outmatched. From the advent of Ronald Morton, in the guise of Gold 'Gabe, until that moment when he faced me there on the plateau, with death in his mad eyes, I never suspected that the avenger was present in N0- whar. In that moment I realized the truth, though five years had wrought their changes in his a pearance. “ ‘ve ears! Years of constant fii ht, of un- ceasing read; years inlwhich men ave 'd tribute to my bravery, even while I af- frighted at my own shadow, while my heart quaked and stood still with fear! “ I grew to fear and hate the iant as I never feared or hated man before' an yet, unheeding fate’s unerring warnin , I wondered at that fear and hatred, while felt that we would be foes ever and always. “ Hired assassms have attempted his life, only to fail, one by one. Had I even dreamed the truth, his death would have been swift and sure, for with my own hand I would have slain him. “ Yet, during all the weeks in which we. were thrown together, it did not occur to me that he was Ronald Morton, nor did he more than sus- pect until that terrible moment upon the plateau that he had at last found the man so long searched for. Then I could see that I had been tricked—couldsee by the red glow in his eyes that he at least partially realized the truth, and rather than again encounter him, I have taken to the wilds like a hunted beast. - . “Curses upon the spot! Curses on all wh linger there; be they friends or fees. Had. I the power, now, in the bitterness of my humili- ation and defeat, I would crash them all as I would crash a creeping. obnoxious spider. “ Ha! those dark specks Imovmg through the camp are men gathering at the office of the Yellow Bov Mine. They are called together, no doubt, by Ronald Morton, to be sent ovor the (hllls and through the canyons in search of the missing girl. “She is in my power, and never again shall the eyes of the avengin 'ant look upon her ovmg face. Crushed, gegated, driven at bay hke a hunted hound though I am, yet shall I deal b11551: blow for blow. I are the giant dead, and the events of this day blotted out, I would lay siege to the heart 01 “393111 and win her for my wife, for since that ill—starred day fivelyears ago, her face has haunted me, sleeping an waking. She is been—- tifiil as an houri, and rich. Again could I lure. the world, and bid defiance to that dread Nam:- esis, retribution.” Staring down the mountain-side, his eyes:- glowing with a deadly light, his voice, accentu~ ated with bitterness, rising and fallingr fltfully, his aspect that of one with “a mind iseased,’ ' Julian St. Elmo stood until he had ended his. soliloquy, then started back from the verge of the narrow ledge, a look of horror spreading, over his pallid face. “Why not?” he exclaimed aloud. “Why not'r Curse them! would they not crush me 3’” Then horror and hesitanc vanished, giving: place to fiendish deli ht and eliberate action. Hastening from t e ledge, the gambler re» sumed his way up the mountain, ascending with. rapidit and feverish strength invoked from his newly- ormed purpose of evil. Up the steep he toiled, never pausin , his eyes: alert for the vantage point sought, t e breath leaving his parched throat in short sharp gas , telling with voiceless eloquence of the terri le. strain upon his endurance. Upward, until the coveted point was gained, when a harsh, raspin r laugh, escaping his bleedm ing li s, jarred weird y on the brooding silence. “They are doomed!’ he cried shrilly, halting beside a great bowlder overhanging the edge of a terrace, and peeringl down at the just discern-- ible gold-camp. “T eir fate is in in hands!' My humiliation shall be avenged! ne stout push, and this monster stone w 1 go thundering downward, with each mighty bound starting others in its train, and the others, until a resist-— less avalanche hurls itse f upon the camp of Nowhar and blots it and all within it from ear—- istence. “Weeks ago, when I discovered this hanging rock and warned them of its constant menace to the camp, they laughed and jeered at the idea of an avalanche. Now, when it is too late, they shall recall my Words, and lament with shrieks and roans and curses!” Again his elflsh augh rung out. With a swift. bound, he threw himself behind the bowlder, eager to put in execution his devilish design. In his madness, he seemed vested with the strength of three ordinary men. ,A hardy draWn breath, a powerful and over the!- 'edge of the terrace topple the at rock, crashing downward on its mission 0 death. , True to his expectations, a constantly swelling volume of debris swept downward in the wake of the thundering bowlder, the noise of its pas~ sage increasing in a moment from the sharp rattle of a few rolling storms to the dull roar of. a mighty avalanche. “ a! ha! It is done! They are doomed men!” he shrieked, his voice rising high above- the din, his blue eyes glittering with a strange, unnatural light, as he swung his arms vie» lently to and fro. “ Not a vesti e of the camp- will remain—not amen escape he avalanche- of death to' hound me down. No! no! buried beneath tons of rock and earth, all will lie still. and voiCeless till the crack of doom! I am safel.‘ safe at last! Never more need Jason Dyke the. gambler and murderer, stand in dreado the.- gallows! “But why do I stand here? Away to the: cavern and the girl; then farewell forever to / this accursed spot!” , , Turning abruptly he strode away, shaping- his course to the southward along the mountain.- si e. For fully an hour, never once pausing to look back, he sped along as rapidly as the rugged nature of his pathway wou d permit. his brow- knit in thought. At the ex iration of that time, be halted upon the verge c an apparently bot.- tomless canyon. After a sweeping glance around, to assure himself that he was not: watched, he gave three short, sharp whistles, then threw himself flat on the earth. _ 0 r1? mlgsmentlllatelr, Ugly Mikegtzheichief tog the in en appeared p ng ou rom theIche of an apgarently solid bluff a short dis. tance up the can on. St. Elrfiio ra ‘ his head, and him, to. a roac p’Fhe desparado lided forwaid. “W’ot on ' er doin' up hyar, Jule St. Elmo?” he exclai in surprise. it I came up to see how affairs were progress- ‘ Yout ‘ ing,” craftin replied the gambler worked the trick with the girl, Mike?” “ We caged her, slick an’clean,” and the rut-— flan sunk lazily to the ground. “ How’d ther duel item out?” i “ Dunkle was killed.” The reply was given at random, for whether.- 1 ‘. mufalfofall ‘ myse 14' The Rival Giants of N owhar. ‘the hunchbael: desperado was dead or only wounded St. Elmo knew not. “She; now; are thet a fact? Yaas? lVal! wall thar’s no a’countin’ fer ther things tliet happen in this hyar wale 0v tears,” and Ugly Mike evolved a lugubrious sigh. “ Yaas, sur; sum’ derncd queer things do I happen. New, in snakin’ ther gal out ov camp I ther hull three ov us kem mighty nigh a-cashin’ ‘ in our chips. IVheezy Ben wheedled her out ov Nowhar all right, an’ get her safe inter ther canyon; but w’cu we went tor lay han’s on her, We found we bed miskalkilated sum’, for she outs with a brace o’ ‘ sixes’ an’ shows signs ov light. “ Afore we c’u’d rekiver from our s’prise, inter ther canyon pops ther dirty fat cuss w’ot ha»: bin'passin’ hissclf OH in camp cs 11. Dutch tramp, an’ atween ’em they got ther drop on as in ther wu‘st way I ever see. Then ther two ov ’em sized ct up that they c’u’d take ther three 0v us inter camp, tor be booted by King Gabe till we w’u’d tell who hed putt up ther leetle job on ther gal. “ I had whistled fer ther purps, but afore they vc’u’d git down from ther cave, ther Dutch son- « ~0v-a-gun lied bracelets—bracelets, do yer mind -—round ther wrists ov Pete an’ Ben. n course 'thet took all ther starch out 0v ther boyccs, an’ they wilted, wharupon ther fat cuss laughed an’ let ct out that he war Bolly Dorrit, 0v ther mountain detectives, an’ that he hed bin doin’ sum purty tall listenin’ ’round ther Fair Play, an’ lied got on ter ther gal racket. W’ile he war blowiu’ away, ther purps lzem‘ down an’ lit , inter him, an’ then thar war ther purtiest leetle scrimmage ever yer see. “ I see’d in a minute thrt ther dorgs war goin’ for be too much for Belly, belia’se ther fat cuss ‘c’u‘dn’t shake a leg fastcnufi’ ter keep out 0v their way: so leavin’ ther boyees tor watch ther fight, I grabbed the gal an’ putt elf fer ther cave, whar she now are. “ W’ile I war gone, ther dorgs downed Belly, an’ war jest a-makin’ mince-meat 0v him. w’en ther boyees heerd Jeems Rivers an’ a pack ov galoots kemin’ licketyisplit up ther canyon. Bein’ as how they war han’cufl’ed an’ in no fix fer a fight, they up an’ cut for ther cave, escapin’ ‘dmnt bein’ seo’d. r - “ Rivers an’ his men cleancd'out w'at war left or ther pack, an’ get Belly stretched out more dead than alive, then went a-moseyin’ up an’ down the canyon lookin‘ fer our hidin’—place; but ther secret path leadin’ up ter ther cave war too much for ’em, an’ so they finally up ’ith ther lat cuss an’ putt back fer ther camp. “Thet war party nigh two hours ago; sence. thet time thar hes bin no sign ov life in ther canyon.” ' Julian St. Elmo smiled grimly. He recalled the gathering at the office of the Yellow Boy Mine. He readin understood why there had been no Signs of ife in the canyon during the 'past hour. “ Ther iiol) ov stealin’ ther gal war a success.” continue: Ugly Mike. “But ther Cripples won’t be see’d around Nowhar much arter this, fer King Gabe are a holy terror, an’ he’ll hov a rod in pickle fer ther boyees.” ‘ “Quite true,” said St. Elmo, quietly, his long fingers toying nervously with the haft of the bowie in his belt. “ You say Pete and Ben are in the cave?“ ‘ The chief nodded asscnt. “ Alone with the girl?" “ Yaas." . “ Then who is that f” and the gambler, spring- ing half-erect, pointed with the index finger of his left hand toward the cave. Startled, Ugly Mike turned his head and glared in the direction indicated. St. Elmo’s knife flashed in the sunlight. A swift, dowuward stroke, and the loo blade . sunk to the hilt in the back of the trio ed des- redo. p0“ You, Jule St. Elmo—did you do thet?” be gasped, whirlin over and staring with fast V glazing eyes at t 9 face of the treacherous gam— bler. “ VV’al; hev I done that you sh’n’d stab me in ther back? Cuss yer! hain’t I sarved yer long an’ well T.’ ' “‘Dead men tell no tales?” quoth the mad homicide. and with“ the jeering response, the life of Ugly Mike ebbed rapidly away. . CHAPTER XII. , JESSICA anurns A STORY. — “ HE has gone the way of all flesh,” muttered St. Elmo. turning from the lifeless farm of Ugly Mike, and moving cautiously toward the cav» , em. “All that now remains for merto doto ling. alliances, is to rid of Wheezy n and, Pious Pete. Luckily / they are handcuffed, and with my revolvers in prime condition, the affair will be altogether one-Sided. “ Adroitly performed, the not can be made to mantic‘girl, too; and, once in her good graces, I doubt not that I shall be perfectly competent to la successful siege to her heart and hand. “ here is nothing like turning these little up and swell the total. “Fortunately, the girl has not seen me since that day on which occurred our first and only meeting, and the change in my appearance is so marked that the chances are a hundred to one that she will never recognize me. “ After she is onée Mrs. J ason Dyke, how- ever, I don’t care a picayune how quickly she opens her eyes to the real facts in the case. I think I can depend upon myself to see that no secrets go out of the family. “ But here is the cavern entrance. dash!” Perfectly familiar with‘ the cave and its vicinity, the crafty villain had so.arrauged his approach as to remain unseen by any one chanc- ing to look forth in quest of Ugly Mike. The secret haunt was a roomy, well—lighted place, and the forms of its denizens were easily discerned by the gambler as he darted a single piercing look through the narrow, cunniugly conceal aperture serving as an entrance. At the rear end of the cavern, seated upon a large flat stone, her hands bound secure] with a rough rawhide thong, and her head bowed down, was Jessica Morton, the blonde giant’s sister. Just within the entrance sat the two ruffians, side by side upon a narrow ledge, conversing in low tones, and anon regarding their manacled hands with rueful looks. As St. Elmo noted the respective positions of the three persons, an evil smile curled his thin lips. “I would not have it better,” he thought. “A single leap, a brace of shots, 8. little artful rodomontade, and I shall be face to face with the fair charmer, and deep, at one bound in her g aces.” I , “Tit drawing from the strained position he had assumed, the gambler abruptly stepped be- fore the narrow aperture in the rock, each hand clasping the butt of a weapon, his eyes glowing fiercely, his athletic form bent shghtly forward, and his muscles bunched for a mighty bound. An instant, he Swayed lightly back and forth, then shot forward with ‘the ease and suppleness of a panther, alighting face to face With the brace of astounded ruffians. falling swiftly, his full tones filling the cavern with strange ringin'r echoes. “What! you show fight! Then—ta 0—2?!” The hiatuscs betWeen the last sharply hissed words were each filled with the crack of a re- volver, and the two deSperadoes, each with a bullet hole in the center of his forehead, fell killed before they could- utter a word. _For a moment St. Elmo stood quite still, with his smoking weapons gracefully poised, his gleaming blue eyes peering into the darker corners of the caVern, and his hearing that of a gal? who expected an immediate and deadly at— c . “ Can it be possible there were but three of ’them?” he ejaculated, the words just audible. “ And the fair captive—where—is— Ah!” With the exclamation, he deftly returned the revolvers to his belt, then glided forward, for the girl hadstarted to her feet. in evident a m. \ “ A thousand pardons, miss, if I have startled on!” he murmured, bowing as be deferentially ifted his hat. “ mpt, decisive action was neccssary, as it was evident that those two ruf— flans were bent upoumaking a desperate fight.” have fou ht to the then b tbgy were.” ,“ andcufled?” ’ ' ted surpri and chagrin. , - . “Yes; t y. were handcufi'ed.” repeated J95“ sica; then, in a few brief sentenCes she related the ironing of the two ruflians by Hunk: Hans. “It must have been'that the. glitter 0‘ the manholes misled me,” mused the apparently crestfallen gambler, as if tvlée words were intend- ed for himself alone. “ I , . . ‘ ' I matters to account, for it is the trifles that count , “ Hands up, or die!” he shouted, the words lifeless upon the sandy bottom of the cave— - “ An apology is not. to be thought of,” return? edthe girl, promptly. Then, with a peculiar. . smile hovering over her pallid face, she added: I tion of the conversation of your captors. ‘fThe men were desfig'tate fellows, and Would I know the result." /‘ , no doubt, handcuffed l The exclamation teamed with artfully simula— , l i give me a hero’s prestige 1n the eyes of the r0- 5 I l I Under the keen edge of St. Elmo’s knife, the ' rawhide thong parted and fell away. ‘ noted the interest glow in the gamblers eyes, r Now for a f glimpse inside, then be! for the bold, heroic ,1 i l i I i r l l l I l I l l i i ' ' l” , . ' - \ . ~ as merally sure that The girl shot a covert glance at his face,- ;V_ é , l . . l , - I. I I ’ ~ i ’ ‘ .1. each had drawn a Weapon. Then, tdo,.I was .1 tr,” expecting a determined resistance, for I had ‘ - just headed a terrible struggle outslde with the, red-bearded member of the trio. r ' A' x “I shall never excuse myself for my haste,” \ ‘ r ‘ he continued, aloud, addressing his words to the '. .5 girl “It is incxpresslbly galling to a man of ‘ spirit to find that he has slain a'comparatively helpless foe. ‘ "lint permit me to free your hands. And I . . . » dare say a glimpse of the outer world would be ‘ - '3, ".4 both agreeable and rcireshing alter your con- , lincmcnt in this noisoine place. ’ / ' . ‘ ' Jessica Morton niutely extended her hands. ' ' “ Than you,” she said, quietly. Then, as she her glance shifted, and a faint flush crept over her face. ’ Inwardly exultant at the successful working of the plot evolved from his crazed brain, St. Elmo turned and led the way from,the cavern. ‘ I , “ In passing the body of Wheezy Ben, the girl‘ " , stooped and drew from his belt a heivy revolver, ~ ' which she instantly concealed in the folds of her . ( ress. , ' , “How long have you been a captive in that I '- den, Miss—Missr” - .. “ Miss Morton,” supplied Jessica, as they cmer ed from the sheit assage. “I don’t thin . ' I've con there more t ion two hours. I was: , ‘ 7‘ . fl enticed from Nowhar this morning. ‘ , .‘_ ‘ “ From Nowhar, you If you had friends ~.~ ' in that. camp. Miss Morton. I have sad news to import,” and the gambler’s face assumed a serious expression. ‘ “ Sad news! Oh! what can it he?” cried the girl, sinking upon a rock, facing the canyon, and ._ .. wringing her ands despairingly. ‘ ‘ ~ ‘ ‘ St. Elmo averted his face to conceal a 100k, of . - , f | ,3, triumph. ‘ ‘ . ‘v ‘ ' ' “ If you had friends there, my dear MiSS’MOI“ . . - ; ton, pray prepare yourself for news of ramble ' ' ' V .- import,’ he said, with immeasurable gravmy. . ' - ' At that instant, the girl started Sharply, and. 1 _ a look of great relief crept into her face. . v ‘ “ Friends!” she exclaimed almost impatiently, , It her face in turn eluding the gamblers glance. ' . ‘ . ~ “ The last of my kindred—my brothers—were ,. there.” " “Then, lady,,l have for youythe worst news i possible. " - '. “ But little more than an hour ago, an awfi h»? avalanche swe t down upon the,fated camp, buryin everyt ing beneath tons of earth‘s out Elf ,all owhar, not a. man' escaped: Atvlast, “At last you—have what?” interrogated Jes- . ; :Lcafsharply, wheeling and staring him full in. 'A ’ e ace. , i " St. Elmo hesitated, and hit his lip. His men-gag ~. ing brain had led him almost into making an irc v . re arable blunder . V __ } ‘At last I have discharged a disagreeable vi , .‘ duty,” he concluded. ‘ ,_.. . "é,- . “ Oh! is thi t all?” and a cold smile flitted‘ov .. , mtg; J essica Morton’s face. * J' “ The gambler was nonplused. He had expecit- I ,, . ‘1 ' ,if ed a wild outburst of grief. , I » - ' ‘ “ But are ytu sure no one escaped from the. . . dcomcd camp?” continued the girl. r ‘ f3) . “ Positive, ,’ replied St. Elmo. “' From a Spur ' :5 of the mountain overlooking the camp, I'W .‘ iii - messed the. descent of the avalanche. Note. man : 7‘“, esca led. Many attempted to flee, only 'tO, be "3 1-,; crus ed l,Wneat the mass of rock and earth.” :5 ‘.« l A moment of silence ensued. ‘ , . ‘73:" i '1. .. “ How did you discover that I was a captive i. i" . . in the cave, Mr.—” V . p a" “Donald Clark, is my name—a tourist, tramp I, ing these bills for leasure and adventure,” Said 1 "£le ' St. Elmo, seating imself on a rock. "In reply A3 to your question: After'the falling of the, ava-H "L; lanchc, 1 turned away, sickat heart, W(’ll-k110w'- 1 1 inc that I could be of no assistance to the poor . (7.. fe110ws buried in the valley below me. . I , '3: chance. I laid my course m,thls direction, find . i , again, by the merest accident, Overheard a. or-l ,1 on ’ “My abduction this morning seems to have n a very fortunate circumstance, in. some 1'8" ., . ., spects. Mr. Clar ,”observed Jesaica,aftel'an70'= “ i v ; U ment’s thought. “At all events, it led-t0 my ' ' , ,‘ escaging the avalanche. V -: ~ . ’ “ ut now that I am alone in the world, how ' f; , shall Lever get back 1:? Civilization?" * - , ' ' i .' “I am at your service, dear lady.” Grid 31“?- .- r ;’ ‘ * 3 gambler, bowing. 10W. Mentally. he added} ii ,- 5‘ t “ And, hang me! If You ain’t selfishness persomgr: , ; v, \ -- } , . _ tit The Rival Giants of Nowhar. What-W .,' her foot beat a restless tattoo against the ‘: rocks. . ' “ Really,‘Mr. Clark, yours is a most generous . -"'and self-sacrificing nature!" she cxrlanned. a l - x scarcely perceptible tinge of irony spicing her ' words. “I dislike the idea of misting myself '1 ‘ ' ‘ “upon your protection for an indefinite period, but. I really don’t see how I can reject) your ' .1 ‘ 7: Jiiagnanimous oil’er, alone and helpless as‘I .am. ' “However, before the matter is definitely 1' I L. ‘ agreed upon, there are certain ironditions sur- , rounding my life that it is only right you should ‘ under the circumstances, understand. 231‘ A§ain St. Elmo bowed. '. ‘ "if. s. i l continued the girl. y father was Arr..ch ‘ Morton, for many years a popular Mississippi 5 "' steamboat captain and I was born .nineteen years ago, in one oi the northern counties of the I: commonwealth of Kentucky. . “I had two brothers, ' onald and Hour , 7 'twi‘ns, some seven ears older than myseli. 1; my mother’s dent , when I was in my eighth Vcar, these boys were sent away to school, while 4,. ' was put under the care of a Widowed aunt. _ ' “ A fcw. months later, in father resiigned his 1., position, and went to Cali ornia. There he re- i'TV: ,inained four years, returning quite wealthy. . " '_ “ He at once purchased a large )la'ntation in 71115” nativ‘e county, and in a short time, through i .a series of fortunate, speculations, more than 3' l- ' .- doubled his fortune. -‘ f i ‘ t “ His life thenceforth might have been. one of . ‘ ease, prosperity, and honor, for he ranked well - in his community; but the fascmations and “t ' .‘ temptations of_ river lifev'ei'e strong upon him, ‘ i . ,. and against his better Judgmephhelinane fre- ' ‘ quent excursions down the Missmsmpi. “ It was while with him, upon the last of these .. ‘trips he was fated ever to make, that the tram- .1 cal adventure destined to becloud my future life ' me. ' - be‘t‘e‘lil’ou are listening, Mr. Clark?” . “I am’ listening,” replied St. Elmo, uneasily, Ibis face filled with a strange pallor, and his ‘ Shifting glance refusing to meet the steady, carn- ’ .est gazeof the girl. . ” _ ' . , ii “On that particular trip resumed JesSica ’ .. .‘ " "‘ thcre wore an unusual nuin er ot professmnal .' 2"", "rniblers aboard; and, as manyof them were ' banking heavily, trouble was‘freely predicted. "Just above Natchez, despite my entreaties , furl 1,1‘otestations, my untortu ate father was 1' ‘ j'fl‘l‘9l.'.a(l(‘£lm_i'9_’ ) - ,5 as I'hfterwar t‘ x1 . .1, i ,Y, J .o earned, was Jason Dyke, and ’s 7,: 1 ' . ' others. . ‘ I»! - , tWEDid you say Something, Mr. Clark?” 3 . “Go on ! ' go 0111”, muttered St. Elmo. “I said Qt. v ‘ . Man outracre. ‘ ' 11S‘V‘VAn outrage?f IVorse than that!” exclaimed he girl. “ But‘to resume my story: . “Not half an hour had paSSed when loud ‘ _ ‘ words from this Jason Dyke attracted my atten— »- v - . mm m the group. Iii-a moment I saw that seri- . g . , -.‘4(m.s trouble was imminent, for the three gam- . mars had Sprung to their feet, and with drawn 1 Na; .1 . , Tovolvers were confronting my father, who the ' ’ maxi; instant was shot down hke adog before my . es. v ' .,~ .617... In the cohfusion that followed the three mur- 4..:,derers made their escape from the boat; but Q .gmven deep upon the tablets of my. memory v ' ,wgia’ never-fading, never-changing likeness of .,.'._ \ " :‘grave, my brothers and I, in the dead of night, v ' ‘. ‘stered a vow never to rest until the three 7’; Q ; cold-blooded Slayers had been hunted down and ' ’ handed over. to justice. “ That was five years ago; since then two of th miscrean have ex iated tlieirmany crimes. - .' ‘1: one rem ins, and t at one is Jasonll) ke. I . “ Fortwo years his trail Was lost; t on, in i" 1115 tireless search, in his restless wanderings to " and fro, RonaldI here in NQWhar came upon ; 'f a man in the person of Julian (St. Elmo, who gamed. almost exactly With my description of ason D . ‘ 911; 1333:6911 my assertion that at an time , ,un‘d under any circumstances, I woul at a ~.=Hg13me recognize the- murderer; hence, to make ‘ sure that,St. Elmo was the party wanted. bro- . n the: Henry and myself were called here from, . Colorado, where we had been pursuing the ; search. , i I ‘f Ronald’s suspicions had ' and it was determined to guard . 733' “my precaution possible. ‘7 v “ Theref been deeply amused, against failure are Hen and myself. will two .flaents of the law, 13; encamped a ,feW 1111195 be‘ r“? , ' ‘t' ‘f l‘i”"’,N° bar for several days, until our plan of ~ ,' “Wm been fully and carefully mapped Willi .“Alld it proved thatithe precaution was We 1: -. .stakanitpr. as Romld had feared, 'I tailed utter- ly name, as I told 'ou, is Jessica Morton,” r by a good. ~rwx'mse 'Iiafl’no, w. I .u When my father had been consigned to the' ly to recognize St. Elmo when, disguised as‘a man, I was taken into Nowliar and brought‘face to face with the villain. " Time and art had wrought wondrous changes in his a ipcarance. “Bac ' to the camp in the hills I went. and last night, in my proper person, with Henry and our two agents, again entered the goli - camp. Thcn,‘ cvonts over which we had no con- trol, forced us to alter our plans; and now this avalanche renders an entire and radical change necessary, for I am determined that J 115011 Dyke, or Julian St. Elmo, shall yet pay the penalty of his many crimes.” _ As the girl concluded, she looked squarely into the eyes of the gambler, a deadly gleam showing in hcr own black orbs. _ By a pmvcrl’ul cfl’ort St. Elmo had succeeded in bringing his nerves partially under control, and met the piercing gaze with comparative steadiness. “ I do not exactly understand you, Miss Mor- ton,” he began, with cool assurance. “Your chase is sure] ended, for, if this Dyke, or St. Elmo, was in rowliar this morning, he is now beyond the reach of allearthly vengeance.” “ lIe was not in the camp when the avalanche fell,” sharply responded the girl, rising to her feet. “ Nor is he beyond the reach of earthly vengeance. “ I know you at last, Jason Dyke! Surrender, or you die!” _ ( n a level with his heart she held the revol— ver slipped from the l-clt of VVheez ' Ben, and in {air voice there was a ring of dead y determina- iou. : St. Elmo laughed outright. "‘Why, this is the spiciest little scene I have taken part in for a long while,” he declared. “That is a dangerous weapon you have, my dear Jessica, and you hold it well; but if you will, take the trouble to lower your glance just a trifle, you will see that two are playing at that game. “ I saw whither you were drifting, and, wo- man though you are, I took the precaution to get your angelic form under the mu‘zzles of my weapons, for I confess to a stron antipathy to dying by the hand of a half-cram girl. “Drop your weapon, and sit down, and we will talk the matter over like rational creatures. “ You are now alone in the world and here in . this. iiiouiitaiaous solitude are completely at my mercy ’ ‘ “I admit that you have found a true bill against me, so far as that unfortunate afl'air of five years ago is concerned; but I am inclined to be reasonable and forbeariiig, and I have a proposition to submit. “ What I have to propose is, that you become Mrs. Jason Dyke. The ladies whom I would honor with such a proposal are not many. Duly considered. it is a magnanimous proposition. “ Come, now, what do you say?” The girl made no answer; her black eyes blazed steadily at the mocking face of her tor- mentor. . A shadow fell across the relied earth at the gainbler’s feet, another erculean form bent swiftly over him, and a pair of strong hands ctl’psazd about his slender wrists in a gripe of s we . “Don’t you think your proposal just a. leetle premature, dainty sport?” interpolated a stern veice Slipping from the rock, St. Elmo faced his ca or. ‘ ‘ Gold Gabe, by the eternal l” he shifieked. CHAPTER XIII. ~ CONCLUSION. HAD 3. bolt from heaven descended, the half- crazed gamblerpould not haVe been more terri- bly astounded. ‘ » “I reckon ye have called the turn,” grimly returned the giant of the golden locks, as he deft] disarmed St. Elmo. Re eased from the vise-like grip of the giant, tbfi gambler stared around like one dazed. ho! oho!” he sudden v cried, a dash of hope appearing in his face. “ he battle is not ended yet, for here is Shasta Sam, your sworn foe!” The dark Hercules slow] advanced, a. deadly Single playing about his r lips. . Nay. Jason Dyke, the play is done—the farce 1.8 ended,” he cried. “Sooner than harm one hair of Ronald Morton’s head, I would hurl your worthlefs, carcass to the bottom of yonder can- yon._ know We. murderous wretch, that blood is t ker than water—that we rival giants are twiiKbrothers 1th g . i . _ now ye. a from the moment I is ad in Nowhar Ronald and I were in secret ea 9 to wrest from you the se’cret 01 your identi ; l l 4 that, on the plateau, by a anVC of my arm, I warned Trotter of. the course about to be pur- sued by your faithful ally, the hunchhack; that on the plateau, b v means of a written message, I again warned fitonald of Jessica’s abduction: that Trotter and myself followed you up the iiiountaiu-side, to iind \\ here you lied hcr con— cealed, and in so doing witnessed your starting of the avalanche, and the cowardly assassina- tion of Ugly Mike. I ' “ Know yo, that your red race is run—that the cud is here!” ' As the dark Hercules ended, Gold Gabe step— ped forward. “At last you are defeated at every turn, Jason Dyke,’ he said, speaking slowly. “Your doom is at hand; .‘but before you go to meet your Maker, thereare a few things 1 want you to know. . “I want you to know that Hum Dnnkle, your only really faithful ally and confidant, has made a clean breast of everything—~0f the plot to assassinate me at the Fair Play last night and of the fact that Trutliful Joe’s statement there was a tissue of falsehoods.” . “I want you to know that the avalanche started down the mountain b you to crush out the gold—camp and the men in it was a grand fiasco—that of all the camp the huncliback and Faro Frank were the only men killed.” And with a mocking how the giant‘of 1h, golden locks drew back. ' Then, as Jonathan Trotter stepped into view. Jessica arose and glided forward. “Mr. Dyke,” she circlaimed, “ it is but due you that you should have an answer to your magnanimous proposal for my hand. As brief and pointed a reply as I can give is to introduce you to my husband.” “Mr. Jason Dyke, Mr. Jonathan Trotter, otherwise Mr. Eldridge Gerry, of Denver.” The bogus Yankee bOWed with studied polite ness. Through it all Jason Dyke stood like a hunted beast brought to bay. . At a sharp word from the blonde giant No- whar’s entire population appeared, lassing up from the canyon by the secret pat used by U ly Mike and his Cripples. or‘a moment the doomed wretch staggeied. blindly, then clinched handsand with a wild yell dashed straight toward the you ning chasm. A ‘cry of horror went u from the rapidly as- sembling miners, and ami the rush that iollow- ed fifty pairs of hands were outstretched to seize St. Elmo. . ‘ ' Too late: crouching for an instant on the very verge of the canyon, the maddencd wretch cast a swift glance over his shoulder, then with an. clfish scream leaped far out into the abyss. The crowd stood appalled. There could be but one end to that leap—death, quick and terrible. 15. Verily, the giant avengers had tollowed the. , trail to the bitter end. I A few words more, and the end is reached, The dead gambler was buried in the canyon in which he met his grim and tragic fate. ‘ The next day the giant brothers. their sister and her husband. together With the Wounded Belly Dorrit, left the gold-camp of Nowhar for. over, the “alcalde” turningooverto the faithful J eenis Rivers, the Yellow y Mme, ma END. . , DIME DIALOGUES AND SPEAKERS, 1’ OR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS AND HOME ENTER TA INMEN i8. Dialogues. Nos. 1 toflh inclusive, 16 to 25 pop“, or dial ues and dramas in each book. ,Each vol- ume] pages 12mo. i Speakers, Nos. 1 to 25 inclusive. .Each speaker 100 pages 12mo. containing from 50 to 75 pieces. YOUNG PEOPLE’S SERIES. Book of Winter Sports.- mmemme Book of Summer Athletic Sports , , Dime Gents‘ Letter Writer. Dime Book of Eti uette. . Dime Book 0 Verses. v Dime Book of Dmms. Dime Forum Dime Ladies' Letter Writer. 9 Ten” Dime Lovers' Casket. Dime Ball'Room Companion, Dime Book of 100 Games, Dime Chess Instructor. ‘ , , Dime Book or Beauty. The above ublicationn are for sale 1) all he dealers or will be sent, y ":1- rice. ten cents each, by 88 WW 3mm, N. Y. Mttt' fxflfim 1 BEADL’SE’S I HALF-DIME LIBRARY. ~ 51 The Boy Rifles: or,Tne Underground Csum. By LCJron 62 The W lilie iiuli'ulo. liy C. E. Lulnile. 58 Jim lilmlsoe Jr., the Boy l’kenix. By EL. Wheeler. 54 .\ed Hazel, lhu lhw ’l‘rupper. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams. 55 Dcndl '-l‘l_vo, the Unknown Seoul. iy liiill'ulo Bill. 56 Nick \ 'hliiles’ l'ct. liv Captain .l. l“. C. Adams. is? 'Doadwond Dick's Eagles. By Edward L. \Vheeler. 58 The Iiorder King; or. 'l‘ln' Secret Foe. [iv Oll Coonies. [)9 ill I lllckor : or. ilnndv Ellis's S’cnlp. By Harry St. George. 60 The “'hlte ndinn. lly Cnpmiu J. F. C. Adams. ill lillek’horu Bil] : or, The lied lliile Team. iy E. L. “'heelor. : 62 The Shadow Ship. lly Culullei l‘routiss lugrshssi. j . 68 The. Red Brotherhood. By W. J linuilltou. ' « til: Duiid ' duck. liy 'l‘. (7. llarhnugh. “5 Hurricane. lilll. “V Joseph l6. Izurlur-r, Jr. ' till Home "and; or, A Life fnr u Lil’v. My W. J. Hamilton. - ii? Dntent-lmnthcr Joe. liy Philip 5. Warm. (in ’i he liorder Robin Hood. llv liuii‘uln llill. 09 Gold Hlilo tlm Shair shooter. liy lidwnrd 1.. Wheeler) .' 70 Did Zip’s Cabin. 4,. 7i Deluwure lilt'k. the Young Hangs-r Spy. By 0” Gnomes. . v 72 Mad Tom “’estern, the 'i'exun Hunger. ly \V..l. llmniiton. 8 Deadwood Dis-k on Deck. lly Edward L. “herein. .1 Huwk-cye Harry. “3' (ill Connirs. 5 The Boy Duelist. ll Colonel l'rontiss lliu‘hlllilll. ii Ahc Coll. ihrr Crnw-Kll er. Bv Albert \\'. Aiken. ‘s’ Corduroy Chm-no, the Boy lirrn‘n. By E. L. Wheeler.‘, 75 "Inc Dick. lii' (‘nptuin Mayne Reid. 79 501 Ginger, tho(.iinnt'l‘rupiuer. li_\’ Alllz‘l’l. \‘i'. Aiken.. 80 Rosebud Hob. liy l-ldw-ird L. \l'hcr-ler. “l idizhtlllng Jo. By Captuin .l. i“. (3. Adams. 82 RH Ilurel'oot tho “'ood-llnwh. By T. C. llurbnugh.‘ 282 83 Rollo, the lloy Runner. lii' (ill Coomes. s4 itlyly the Girl Miner. liy lidwsrd L. \Vheeler. 85 Buck iluekrum. lly Cuptuiu J. l“. (f. Adrunq. £6 Dund Rook, the Mun from Texas. By G. \andn Brown. 87 The .and Pirates. By (‘uptaiu Min-us fluid. 88 Photo rrnph Phil, the Boy Sleuth. liv E. L. Wheeler. R9 Islam Jim. llv the author nl “Juck llnrkaway.” ‘ 0 'l'he lil‘esul Rider. llvfleorge \\ nldo llrowne. 91 The Captains of the Club. By ll M'c-‘ruice Hell 92 (‘uuadu Chet, the Counterfeit" Chief. By E. L. \ 'hesler. 98 The lio Miners. By Edward S. Ellis. 94 Mldui It -' sick, the Road-Agent. By T. C. llurbaugh. 95 The R \‘lll RIH’QI’I. By Lieiil. Col. llalellinc. ' 96 \Vnteh-i‘lye, the Shadow. By Edward l.. Wheeler. 9? The Outlaw Brothers. hr Juhn J. Marshall. 98 Robin flood, the Outlawed Edi]. liv l‘rnf. Gildersleevo. 99 The Tiger ofTuos. lly Goo-1's “Nil-lo iirowm. 100 Deadwood Dick in liudvlllc. By E. L. \Vhesler. warlord 101 Jack llnrkawny in ew York. lino-«bridge Hemyng. 102 Dick Dead-Eye. Ry '(‘llflilr‘l Pro-“ling Inflrnimm. 108 The Lion oi’thc Ben. By (‘ulnnrl llelle Sum. 104 Deadwood Dick‘s Device. Hr Edward L. Wheeler. , 105 (Nd Rube. the iiilliiel‘. liy l'riptain ll. llnlmes. ‘ 106 (“ii Frosty, the Guide. By '1'. (‘. ilnrbuugh. 107 line-Eyed Sins. lii' Jnmcn L. linwen. 103 During Davy, the Young Bear-Killer. By H. St. George. Deadwood Dli-k us Detective. By E. 1.. \Vheelcr. The lllnel.‘ Stfed oi'the l’rssirles. By J. L. 15m"... he Fen-Dch . liy ('oinnrl l’w iiss lngrnhain. e iii Isd Hunter. By linrlnn Snxe nek Hoyle the Young Sprculrrh r. By i‘.. l.. Wheeler. he liluek fiehooner. liy Rum-r Starliiick. he. Mud Miner. My Gear-,9: Waldo Browne. he Hussssr Ca tuin. By Cul. i‘rrnliss I..grnhnm. lit-Edged ic -. liy Edward L. Wind". ill Sinners the Bm D lei-live. By ('harles Morris. . ustnng Plain. nr,Tlie Kine hf the Plains. By J. E. Badger. he llruniled land. By From. Dninont. 'iisnumon Chip, the Girl Sport. By E. L. “'heeler. ’hll Hardy, llm ii» In Buy. By Charles Morris. Klown Charley, the White Minimum-r. By ’1‘. C. Hurl-sugh. 'l‘lmiy. the 'I‘exun. By (r'enl‘L'e (ii-'iuvvll. ' Bonanza Dill. Miner. 13;. Hdwuril L. “healer. ienyune Pete. By Charis: Morris. 7 “Hid-Fire. ihe Boss of the Road. By Frnnk Duinont. it The Younc. Privateer. By ll. ('iwenrlish. 9 Deadwood Dick’s Double. By Edward ' Wheeisr. 0 Detective Dick. By Churles .‘lurris. l The Golden Hand. By George Waldo Browne. 2 The Hunted Hunter. By Edwsrd S. Ellis. ‘ lions "oh the King of tho Boothlnckl. By 1-..L. “hseler. Sure Shot Seth. .v By 0 l Chum... Captain Paul. M C. Dunning Clark. Night-Hawk Kit. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. . The llelnless Hand. B Cs‘glnin Muyue Reid. Blcnnde Iiill. By Edwsrr L. 'lieeier. Judge Lynch J r. By T. C. Harbsugli. r Blue lilazcs. By Frank Dumoht. ’ Solid Sam, the Boy Bond-Agent. By Ed. 1.. ll heeler. Handsome Harry. Bv Chnrles Morris. sear-Face Saul. By ii Canines. Dainty Lance. the 80 v Sport. Bv Joseph E. Dado", Jr. Onotuin Ferret. the i ew York again. ‘By “healsr. flilver star. the Boy Knight. By Oil Co‘nmelo v “1" Wildfire, the Tlioroaithbm . By Charles Morris. Rhos-n 8am Br J. Alexander i’snen. A Game of Gold. By Edward L. \‘\ healer.V Lance and Lass-o. Hy Captain Fredrrirk Vi hittnkrr. Panther Paul the Prairis l‘lrnte. By Jog. la. Badger. J. Block Bess, ill Wildfiru's Racer. By Charles Morris. 802 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. By Oil Cnomes. ' he Sword Hunters. By Capt. Frederick Vi hittaker. I old Tr] er, the Stir-rt. By . C. Hiirbuuuh. . 6 Dcudwooc ick of Deadwood. By E. 1.. Vi heelrl’. . 57 Mike Merry, ths Hnrimr Pulng Boy. rh- Clinrles Morris. Mi Fancy Frank of Colorado. By Buiinlo Bill. 59 The Lost Captain. By Captain Frederick ii hiltnksr. i unison—sic harmonic-c: =--i-i 5‘ fl fl—t-d niei 269 ‘A-ES L'fll I $6li‘sflfi-O: — « nonunowmon savanna ans-as 333W GIN: HHHHflHHHHHHHHI-JHdHHHHHHHHI‘HH-dflfldflfl sagas-5:52:32: -- ‘uuuuuuuuuuuui—s UHF 9'93 .4 78 Dnndv “Oak's Rival. By Grows Waldo Browns. By 1‘. c. Hubsulb- Dfl IIW tho his with tho Rails». 5 mo illiilsrwiigin. 73,14...“ wui. " i ‘ ' o. f r ' I00 The Boy Bedouisss. By Capt. Frederick wmun». 21’? Captain Crank-Shot. 213 Tiger 'l‘0ln the Texan Terror. ‘ , , 219 Dcspnrd, th V' L“l"“”‘ J- I“ “- Admmr 220 Tom Tanner, Svislnwug and Sl‘npeurm'r. 221 Sugar-(looted Stun. 222 Grit. the Hruvo Rpm-t. 228 Dzark 224 Hashim: Dick. 25 Sam Charcoal, the Premium Dnrky. 2726 Boomer. “H3 ll -y Sharp. By Edward L. Wheeler. 22? Dusky Darrell. Trapper. 223 Little \Vildllre. By 011 Commas. 229 Crimson Rate. 280 The. Yankee Rn‘iull. 231 Pluckv Phil. nl't Gold-Dust Dlek. 288 Joe Buck of An ch. 234 Did Rocky‘s “l 0"00I.” 2811.") Shadow h‘nm. the 286 Apollo Bill. 23? Lone fltur, the (‘owhoy Captain. 8 The 289 The Gold-seeker Guide. 240 (‘ elone Kit. '"2- 241 ll ll Hruvo and ills Dear l’urds. 242 The T 248 The Disguised Guide. 244. Sierra Sam. 245 Merle, the Mlddy. 246 (Hunt 247 Did Grizzly and His Pets. 247‘ Sierra S I 249 Milo Rumor, the Animal King. 250 The Midshipman M utlneer. 251 Light-house Line. 252 Dick Dssuhnwny. 2585 Sierra Sam’s Ford. 254. The Half-lilood. 255 Captain Apoil--. 25“ Young Kentuck. By Cn tnin Mark “'ilton. 257 The Lost Hunters. Br ‘u rt. .1. F 258 Sierra Sam’s Seven. 25!) The Golden Harpoon. 260 Dare-Devil i 26 l Fergus Feurnanflit. 262 The \ onus: fileutlis. 268 Deadwood lilok’l Divide. 264 The Floating Feather. By (‘ 265 The Tiger Tamer. 2036 Killh‘ur. the Guide. 267 The Buckskin Deieetive. 26in Deadwood Dick’s Dcutli ’l‘ruil. The Gold Ship. 270 Blizzard Bell. 271 The Huge Hunter. 2‘62 Mlnkakln Mike. uinho Joe. 2%! Jolly Jim. 2’35 Arizona Judi. 2‘26 Mei-lo Moore's Cruise. 2?? Denver Doll. 27% The 'l 279 Did \Vlnch. the Rifle. Kink- 2S0 Merle )lonte’s Fate. 281 Denver Doll‘s Victory. 282 The Tyyo Detective. BSB lndiun . 284 The Sea Marauder. 2.35 Denver Doll’s Decoy. 2R6 Josh. the lloy 'l‘cnderi’oot. By Capt. Mark Wilton. 25'? Billy Blue-Eye's. By Colonel l’re‘miss incrrihain. ' 2R8 The Scalp King. 289 Jollv Jim’s Job. 290 Little Foxfire. 291 Turk, the Ferret. 292. Sancho l’edro. 298 Red 296 Denver Doll’s Drii't. 29? The Tarantula of Tunis. 29“ Tile “'nter-Ilound. 299 A No. '1. the Bushing Tull-Triksr. 800 The Sky Demon. 801 L‘ udville Nick. The Mountain Detective. 808 ’ldza June. the ’r‘irl Miner. 804 The Dead ill at Dandy. 305 Danhaway. of Dakota. 806 Neck-Tie Ned. 80? The Strange Par-d. 805% Reno Kit. the RM Bllzler’s Pnril. 09 Deadwood Dick’s Big Deal. 8 8 Arkansaw Jae . :1: lupin Raphael. 84? Deadwood Dick's Dues“. By Edward L. Whoslsr. 201 The Black Hills Jezebel. By Edward L. Wheeler. 202 l'ros ect Pete. of“... Boy llrimnlr». 208 The 204 Gold ]' Illne, tho Boi' liundiL 205 Deadwood Dick's Doom. 206 Dark Pillil. the Tiger King. 207 Nov: 0 Nick. the “my Gold ilunir-r. 203% Tho l oy Hercules. 209 Fritz, tho liuuiinl~lioy ne-tentivo. 210 Faro Frank of High l’lne. 211 Crooked Colo. 212 Dashing Duve. thu~ Dandy i‘t‘tcvtii'n. 218 Fritz to the Front. 21 l \Voli’g‘llllf. Um iii-hiwr id the Rhino. 215 (‘nptuln ! lo l’ards. liy Joseph E. lindgvr. Jr. By (ill Cryonics. liy Joseph l6. Budue', Jr. liy Edwurri L. “'lier-‘er'. ullet the Risillrl’ King. By '[‘I ,, Hurt “ugh. u 5“ \ m “- ' 2m in...“ mu. m. rim... oi u... mu... B5. on. r. ingrown. 860 Silver-Mask. the Man Of “Nerv- By J. 0. Cowdvlrk. ny Edward l.. Whm‘lcr. 861 The Phantom Lighthouse. By lion-rburbnck. lu- (ill 0...”... e Duelist. By Philip S. \\'ariie. liy Edward L. “'hr-eler. Ali'. King oflhle Mountain. lly Oil Co mes. By E. Emerson. liy C. Dunning Clark. ie Mountain Trnil. liy Edward L. \l'lieeler. llv Alln-rt \i'. Aiken. liy Buckskin Sum. By lt'dwnrd L. “'herier. Parson Detective. liv (ill Comnes. ii\‘ Edward L. \Vlii-r- er. wo “ Bloods.” ily ChurHK Morris. By (ill Coouies. By Edward L. “'lierler. George. By Buckskin Sum. nm’s Secret. Ry Clinrlss Morris. liv Edwurrl L. \theler. By Edward 3. Ellis. By T. C. linrhnuvh. By l‘u'flcr Stnruuck. iiy Cumin-9. liy (in-rye L. Aiken. liy (‘hnrh-s Morris. inn. By Emir" Wnrren. Iiy Col. l’rvntiss lnzrnhuin. Ry Captain Mark Wilt-In. liv Edwurd 8. Ellis. lly (Ill Conmes. liy Edward L. Wheeler. ' By Chairlo-s Morris. liy liuv-kskiu Sam. By Eilwnnl L. ‘Vlieelvi‘. ‘hree Troopers. [iv Edward L. “ li Br Edward Willett. 00. By Major Lewis \i’. Carson. By Cuptsln .l. i. C. Adams. By Charles Morris. By Oil Champs. By Edward L. “'heeler. B¥Mnjgr E. L. St. Vrain. (‘l w tho One- .yed ‘rs 'r. a ‘ y 'l'. C. l‘l'xl‘illlflll. llv Edward W'illett. By But-kskin Smn. By- Charles Morris. RV Oil Gnomes. By hlniur E. L. St. Vrnln. By E. L. \Vhreler. By Clrnrir-s Morris. B" Major ll. ll. Stoddard. By Buckskin Sam. i. ' - Plant. Br Jose h E. Bruiser. Jr. . V . in i E. ii d .l . Iznrd “'ill the “'ond r-Wo ksr. C l. P. In slum. ‘ i i genr 3-" “will; I‘- Wl‘" M'- iii? The. ii::i::(§p¢ll£lrniv liliTrli’ll'illrll. gar, r 451 Colorado Katie. By Phlle S. l’l'srne. y 0 K, i i ‘ 62 Will “'ildllre in the “'oods. By Chm“ 5‘0"“ 812 Redtop Rube. the Vigilante Prim-o. By Maj. E. Va. St. Vrsili. 459 "01!!!!" Roll, the Street-Boy Deter-tire. By Jo Pierce- ! i “a “m? Trix? “i532?” Mllliflufr‘mah ii; ?i' (13mg: 3‘3 (Th-INN" Jnvk- ‘l‘h’ Fredrick Dome-.1 P I h 458 Sunflower Sum. oiShnsta. By Edward 1.. “'heeler. .-. ' 64 Dam y 0c ' s e in. \' Mm “ ' ° "“"’ '. 1314 Th M t rious . arunder. liv u . . him nm- ' 7 9 . . .. 4 65 Billy an use. the Rullmd M'- B.\' Chnrle- Morm- mn No.3. old said“ Do .' Bv no. Farraent. 4“ “"1"”: “ m "' Sim“ sw‘m“ By C“ P “Wk” -' Bil Hickory arry. By llnrrv St. Genres. ' 313 0” Earp-o, Trump ,mi at Admin, M 'l‘. c.}inrb.ugh, 455,Litt 0 .one stsr. By Buckskin Sam. . ‘ -~ . _ N 4 «a . ' ‘ g: ‘A’sasl‘eog. Huh. Stfismlhnnt my.an Edyrd V‘ “10”. 817 l’esseoek Pets"; Br lat-infinity}: gridklhr-srne- 456 Billy Brick. the Jolly Vagabond. By Chas. Morris. ;'i ‘~' - ‘ on as . \‘W’WI v H I" - 8 fl ' . 1| 'er-w on c- s [1 am. ' , ‘ ('r: j 6,, Tomato Tom. 3". T. a Hlmm; V _ 8}” “z ‘1‘, ‘33?“ a". By Imp) E Wm h 45: Wingedront Fred. B, on Coomss. I I .Y i '. l #b'xl'lflfiv Coral. er Ihgnfl’lls I 8:? lil’hcdSeu By .l‘ruzl;3 l";irrdraiziilti.I Wk 1 458 New England Lick. _ By Alb."- w- Aiken. r“. ' - v s n M‘- "n " ‘ ' ' ‘ Den woo c ' s onen. y . war .. so er. _ _ v _ ' ' , . . 7. Thunfie'bon am. 5). Hum. 5," “PM”, exNemo. "‘0 “define. By Edmrd wmm’ 459 Flush Fan, the Ferrel. iiy Edwsrd L Vi healer . y Harry Hazard. ‘ 74 Bob Rec-lie“. the 3W Dndlm- 33' Chm“ NUT" 824 Rnl h Bondy. ilm Howl Boy Detective. By Ln.- Norris. 461 One Agalnts Fifty. Bv 1'- C- Hsrbaugh. , ' ' , . B Pl il‘ 8. \VII’YIP- r . - r r ' _ r i ' . ‘ ‘ g “.1: y' l 7: gggtfiglvi‘nriltlonn:ay. yllyl L'lCHienaiit H. ‘D Pili'fi’, U.S.N. 826 lyi‘l'hfiglbrliii liifillui’ommny’ me Shun]. 0 “find. ph“ 462 The no?“ anide- BY Co" Prenli“ Inimihsm. ;;_. l 1,: :fibgylfiick ofiufiVfld‘t-gr 3“ m'fi'dgfi 33:12" :26 The Tonlléar-di‘l.l| BE Ta Hilfilml'i‘zlli M ‘ 488 Turn roe Tons, the Big Trapper Boy. By Oil Cooinosy . ' 1y ' _ o r to arm rapper. ,\' - 2 (3 i "t , e I. o. - to s il ..l\m. v . . V ‘2. . ’3 05 Rookie. 0‘3 34"“ “Him”- 85' Gim'l“ hum" 82; Thieglihamtéctlves. By Mnioi3 Mickey Free. 464 Nb“ 1e hiek’ “‘0 Cl"flu/Pym“ By “but w. Ali“. A I“! i ‘ ' , so The Eco Trailer. Bv Lieutenant H. D.-l"err\'. U.S. . 399 “64.5mm Tom. By Harrv Hum}. 465 Philo Fly, oi Phsnlx. By Edwsrd 1.. Wheeler. ' / y \ 2; nil-sink.“Moat-ag.cflnf|f:l\rr§f gillggggg- 880 Little nickz'Shgt. Bialwarg nbwmgierd. Whmk 466 Wide-Awake Jerry. ,Dmcll" Br CW1" Mm" ' ‘ a ‘ . I . f - i o r . a "- i ‘ h ' 38 The 9 will. “To By Char rs Morris. 3‘; 3.? 3:35;” 5;;- y “p n i 46'? Disco Dan. the Daisy Dude. By J. c. Cowdriclt. 84 The 0’ "ileno 3-” “WP” I may“ J" 888 Brimstone Bob. and His Lightning Horse Gust. 468 Neptune Ned, iii. Boy Cos-tor. By Col. P. lngrshsmp V 3:; EV“ Eye, King of tho Cattle Thieves. By Frnnk Darnell». “no. 3y Major E. L. St. Vrnin. 430 The Rival any.“ ofNowhuo B ’J W 0.5” ~ . 3. col Desmond. By Cnlnnvi Delis 9mi- mm Kangaron Kit: or. 'l'hs Mysterious Miner. By E'. L. Wheeler. 0 y . ._ . V I, “7 Fred llslyord.'tlm Life Bust Bar. 82" Charles Morril- 835 "la n0uble rant. 3 Jmopl‘ E. Mg", Jr. 470 The Boy Shndnwg or, F.“‘ For. Hung {or 3b. Nun». _ :3 ,N‘ ‘aomfle. this Bertie; 30.“ fibull'hci'w3il.“ 8 in Benson. 3y '1'. Hnrbflllflll. ' BY 7- 0- i“?"‘“““' r B l l ‘ '3. 1‘ o 09 1“ no no smnn. v . sir-s or . a B In.“ "I. “. mum 3vw,JIHflmnmn, . “I o I Dudmd k V”, 90 MI Dork; “3' WWW" Rv Ev'l‘". 1 83; Ac'l‘ou‘h ho . 85‘ Philip S. Warn. 4?! 1gb. ‘W'hoslein' Baal 0" m ’7’. ‘ ’ "1‘ l in Russia lily, or. no.- Bullwhacksr. n-~cspi.s.a.'rsy or. a” “alum (w. nuke“ Bv am"! Liwhum . “I Y ‘ 1 ii! Capt In It. tin. Wi l-o'-tir..W‘ir{». Bv ngut. Petty- 340 mm, the Contortionist. iiy‘Eriwrmi “’illett. 472 Jan-ti Joe. a (mug Handling. By Jo Pisrcs. ii: iii:- .iir'd'i"r:"~c.3.‘.r‘;i":f.“""" "more? 23’0me ~ U'wxwrw-m ‘ ' inn sewl' IU- r. .nnn . . / ' 95 Deadwood Dick's Dream. By Edward L. thelof- I gaminfmkfi' By EinFyL, Wilmer. The Rolf-Dine Library is jar ‘snlo by an hiwnm.h./ ’ ‘ ' i Mi shadowed. By "hurl" MOMI- m The Figb n: Trio. Bv Buck-kin Sam. costs per copy. of '0" by mail on rsesipt of, six costs mi. I. r - l tlso Wild Riddf. B.‘ COl- l‘rsntlss lirmhsm. By T. c_'H'rh““zh‘ i By Major K. B. Stoddard. I My 0” Coomes. By (‘01. i'reliliflfl lngraham. lly Edward l.. “'hoeler. liy‘Churles Morris. By T. C. Harbnngh. n). E'lwmd 1“ Why‘d". 39., The him: oi the “Wed-stint unite. mum‘s L..- . lull. . . liy “'iliiaiii It. l‘Iyster. lli- (‘hn rlul Morris. iii' (in it. \vhllinkeh liv Chas. Morris. lly Col l‘rr-ntiss liigrnhani. By Edward \\'iilett. By Charles Morris. Bv Colonel Prentiss lngrnhnm. llv T. C. Ilnrbsugh. hlr-ssrnuer linv. liy Charles Morris. By Col. lngrnhain. lii‘ (Ta lllllll Mayne Reid. By T. C. llarbnugh. I By Coloiirl Prentiss lnzruhsm By Capt.“ Bruin ” Adams. liy Edward L. Wheeler. Iiv Capt. Fred. \Vhlltaker. y Cnl. P. lngrnhain. liy i uptuin J. l“. C. Adams. . C. Adams. 15y Izdwnrri L. “'hc-elsr. lh- Edward L. Wheeler. 406 The Mad ul. 1’. liiurnhnin. liy Cliptniii Fred. \Vhittuker. Br T. llnrhanzh. lly E. L. W'heeler. By Culnl’li’l Prsiitiss lngrshum. - By .\ininr Lewis W. Carson. By T. C. ilarhnugh. By Col. Prentiss lncrrihnm. ' eeler. By Colonel Prentiss Ingrahsm. lly Edward l.. “'heeler. By Captain Comttoek. By Edward L. “'heeler. By Edward L. Wheeler. lly T. C. Hnrhaugh. By Culnnel Prrntlss lngrahsln By Col. 1’. lnzrslism. By E. L. Wheel". 848 Fire-igllcelst or, Old Blinfllut the Death-Shadow. 3’ / " {(bui‘r . nr Iic . ‘ ‘ i 849 “'ild \l’oli’. the “'uco. By Buckskin Sum. 8530 Red Ralph the Rlver Rover. By Ned Burrilinn.‘ . 851 Deudwood Dick Sentenced. Bv Edward L. WLdo‘r. 852 Tombstone '1 am. By Maj. E. L. St. Vrain. 858 The Reporter-Detective. By Charles Morris. r 8?} Big Horn lke the Hill Tramp. By linger sinrimi‘k’. » _' liy Joseph E. Bntlflfir- Jr- ‘ 85“ "gal rum "nti I'nrll. BV T. i". "uhnugh, ) 857 The Ranch Raiders. By Buckskin Sam. r 3 858 First-Clams Fred, \ha Gent tron! Gopher. By E. L. “'hoclsr. 51'“ 359 ilinrisiiiv‘o lune. NI" " "Hi! \' lushu. our-n... u. l.) ....J. L. n“. 862 Deadwood Dick’s (‘lulsu. llv 'lidwnrd L. thlun' 868 Little Tornado. "3' l‘illiil' 5- MW- 864 Sun -Shot, the Boy Run -r. By Buck-kin Sun. 865 Dal imore Ron. 15’ A. 1’- lOH‘h- ’ , 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Deieeilve. By Lenin-tun. . 867 \V lde-Awakc Joe, By Charles Morris. ‘. - 868 Yrekss Jim, the Gold-(lulhercr. iii- if: L. When-l. r. ~ ’ * 869 film-tn, the. Gold King. By . C. (‘owdrn'k. "70 [beaker Ben. the Reef-Runner. lh- Rncur Fl:‘*l-iirk.;_ 821 Kin bolt Chris. the Young [lard-Shell Detective. Bv fiaj. E. L. St. Vrain. , . 872 Yreku Jim’s Prize. By Edward L. “'iicelcr. 8‘?” Little Jliigo; or. the Queer Purd. By Philly S. Home. 74 Gold-Dust Torn. By George H. Morse. . 375 Chioto. the Creek. liy Buckskin Sum. 87“ (‘alli‘ornla Joe’s First Trail. By Cnpi; F. Whinnkvr. ‘ 87‘? Honodelz the Boy Rover. By Col. Prentiss ingrrdmm. 373 Nnbob Led. Hy .dwnrd L. “'heelor. 879 Larry. the Loveier. By Charles Murrlsy , . {3R0 Avalanche Alf. Bv Minor E. L. St. Vrnjm. ' ' 381 "under" Bill. By BiicksklnSam. : V. “I 8742 Cool Kit. ‘lll! King: at i\l(ll. , By Edward L. Whosler. 8938 The Indian Pilot. By Col. Prentiss Inurnhnm. . {.4 ' 884 “'hIp-Klun Joe, the Boy Ranchern. Bv on C ~ 885 Yreku Jim’s Joker. By Edward L. 'heeler. , ' 8136 Captain Cutlass, the (lcsrm Spider. By 1‘. C. illil'l'lrugh. 88? “'nrpnth “'ill, the Bov Phantom. By Col. P. inguinal).- 888 Little Oil-say. By Philip 5. Warm-- 889 Bicycle Ben. lly Edwan LI Wheeler. 390 Jaguar Joe. By Mn'. E. L. St. Vrnin. 891 Hi -Glove Kit. By . lsj. H. B. Stoddard. Ex-Swnt. 892 Romeo and the Reds. By Buckskin Saul. . 898 Feawaif the Boy Lieutenant. By ColuPrsntiss lngrshain, 394 Yrcko film or Yuba’Dans. By E. L. Wheel». 895 California Joe’s “'ar Trail. RV Cunt. Whilmkcr. 396 Rough lhbfiof Dynamite. By - 0- Hal‘hwshe e By Jo Pierce. _ 898 Kid-Glove Kit on By Md). H. B. Stoddard. 899 Black Buckskin. Bv Co]. A. F. Holt. ' 400 “'rlllltles. the Night-Watch Detective. By E. L. Wheeler. 401 Little Shoo-Fly. Bv Philip S. “'arne. » 402 Isndor. the Young ons irutor. By Col. P. lngruhsin. 408 Flrefl Jack. liy Charles .lon-is. .ssrlut. By Buckskin Sam. 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead Cit . By Ed. L. Wlw‘ev. Man-Hunter, By in}. H. B. Stoddard. 407 The Boy Insur cnt. By Col. Prentiss lulu-sham. 408 Little Leather- rec es. Bil’hillps. Warns. . 409 Hereules, the Dam!) D stroycr. y Oil Cooinss. 410 Deadwood Dick’s Di moods. By Edward 1.. Wheeler. ‘ 411 The Nikon Lasso. y'I‘rC. Harts-ugh- 412 The “'Ild Yoehtsmnn. By Col. Pren in In 418 Billy Bombshell ths CllflCl inbor. Bv F. s. 4l4 The Daisy from cover. By Buckskin Sam. 5 The Vagabond Detective. By Jo Pierce. ‘ l 416 Hilh Hat Harry, the B... an] Detective. Bv E. nation... 41’? Webi’oot Mose. the Train]: Dctos‘tlvo. By Oil Comm... 418 Felix Fox, the Bo Spotioi'. By T. C. Harbsugh. _ 419 Kenneth. the K- e-Klng. By A. s‘. . 420 The Detective -~ Apes-entice. By ~. 0. Cowrlsielr. ‘ »-‘!‘ 421 Deadwood Dick in how \ ork. Bv E. L. “'heelel’. 422 lgaby .Sum, the Boy Ginnt ol' the Yellowstone.’ By 011 ‘uonies. . - 428 The Lost Finger. By Charles Morris. 424 (‘ibnta John. ‘B J. 1-vadrlck. 425 Texas Trump, t is Border Rattler. By T. C. Barbarian. 426 Slim Slabsides. the Beggar-Boy Dsh‘ctive. E. L. Whaler ' 427 The Three Trailers. B Buckskin Sam. .. 428 Fred Flyer. the Re mrlrr elective. By Chsrlss Morris. 429 Duncan Dare. thn y Refugee. By Col. P. ingmlrmn. 480 Deadwood Dick’s Dust. Bv Edwsrd L. theler. 481 Little All Sin. By Phil p S. Wis . i \ . ‘ 482 Invincible Logan, the lnkerton rret. By Chris. Morris. 488 A thin Boy’s Luck. By Col. Prentiss lvimham. 434 Jim Ben]: and Pal, Prlvste Detectives. ByE.L. Whoelem , 485 Little Liflhtrooi. the Pllst of the “'nnds. By A.‘F. Holt. . 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox. By T. C. llarbsugli. ‘ ' ‘~ 487 The Sea Raider. By Col. Prent'ss lngrshsm. , r 488 fissnta Fe Sol. By E. L. Wheeler. 489 Randy Sam. the Strut Scoot. By J. C. Cowdrir-k. 440 Little Foxfoot. the Gold Bowls Kid. By Arthur C. Gris-rims. 441 The (ls-eon Firefly. By Col. Prentiss lv grnhnm. 442 Blufl Bill: or, The Lynx of the Looms. Bv Burkskln Sum. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jrq or,'l‘hs Sltn oftlie Criinsoqucmu. lly Ed. L. “Wheeler, . - . 444 Little Buckskin. Ry Oil Conmes. ' f; 445 The City Sleuths. , B ' T. C. Harhsngh. . "~ " 446 Huplsnsard Jim-r . llv Col. Prentiss ingrshsm. .r i r ‘ ‘ 44? New York but. y Albert. W. Aiken. 448 Nickel-Plate Ned; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Definite. By E. L. Wheeler. ' . . 5:), a,“ Fox, the Border Boy Drtoctlvo. -B\' Jos. E Badll‘l‘nll’v rf-‘i ahan». 'lntJirop. 460 The Lawyer’s Shadow. By Jo PM“. > ~r .nwm 'Axn sous-s. Publisher... . 1 98 William Street, New York. l v k 1