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THE JASPER EfTY ULEAN-UIIT.

A Companion Story to “ Violet Vane,
the Velvet Sport.”

 

 

W

BY WILLIAM G. PATTEN,

AUTHOR OF “VIOLET VANE,” “DAISY DARE,"
“ow BOMBSHELL,” 1:10., ETC-

W,

 

CHAPTER I.
A SINGULAR DISAPPEARANCE.

IT was a great night for Jacktown. .

The best—or worse—men of Jasper City had
been defeated in an open contest, and the gang
of tough; that had come to Paradise Gulch. re-
solved on wipi out the little miniu camp,

 

 

 

hm returned to e boomers’ town in a ecided- m A now run vuvu SPORT HAD THE DAGGIB m umrrm
ly cresme condition. ._ IN ms mo. " 1

 

 

.-

 
   

2

Violet Vane’s Victory.

 

 

This is how it came about:

There was a rivalry between J acktown and
Jasper City, and while the former was the older
camp, it had not the “ get up and hustle” pos-
sessed by its nearest neighbor. Long before the
first slab shanty was erected near the spot
where Jasper City afterward sprung into exist-
enCe, J ucktown had flourished like a green bay
tree, and had boasted that it was the liveliest
camp of its size in the State. But, with the rise
of Jasper City there came a change. The best
citizens of Jacktown deserted the place for its
new-born rival. Some did so voluntarily and
some were attracted by the tempting lures
which the cunning land-sharps of the boomers’
camp dangled before their eyes. Gradually the
situation in the little t0wn in Paradise Gulch

ew worse, and slowly the citizens who stuck

y the place grew desperate.

What could be done?

This was a poser for the Jacktownites. Day
by day they saw their glory fading and felt
that they were unable to prevent it. The citi-
zens of Jasper sneered at them and openly rc-
viled them, hurling insult after insult into their
very teeth. The men of J acktown were not
lacking in courage, and promptly resented every
insult, although they ’inost always came out
second best in the pitched battles which fol~
lowed.

A few of Jacktown’s citizens bad faith in the
future of their camp, and these sought to devise
some scheme whereby their lost glory could be
regained. There were several romising lodes
in the vicinity, and not a few be ieved that were
some of those opened up by parties who had

lenty of capital, the little town would score a
in that would soon put Jasper in the shade.
But, strangely enough, men of capital who were
willing to invest their money in opening unde-
veloped lodes were not plenty.

The athletes, dead-shots and all—round fighters
of J acktown had deserted the place for the boom-
ers’ camp, leaving the little town in Paradise
Gulch sapped of its strength and unable to cope
with its rival. There were those in Jacktown
who claimed that the crying need of the place
was one man able to whip the best men of Jas r
at anything they might name. Had they sucfiea
man they would soon have the colors of the J as-
r City sports trailing in the dust. Others be-

ieved in a different method. Could Jacktown
secure some peculiar attraction which would
draw the attention of the surrounding country
capitalists mi ht be enticed to that camp, an
afterward I to invest some of their capital
there.

One day the desired attraction came. It was
in the form of a beautiful young girl of not more
than eighteen who was searching for her brother,
supposed to be somewhere in Colorado. She
was tired of moving from place to place, and de-
cided to remain in Jacktown for a while hoping
that fortune might bring her brother to er.

The girl gave her name asLuona Howard, and
besides being more than retty, she had the air
and breeding of a lady. ghe was at once called
the “Queen of J acktown,” and her pleasant
ways and musical laugh soon gained for her the
aobriquet of Laughing Lu.

But Jacktown was soon robbed of its ueen,
for when the news reached Jasper, the citizens
of the boomers’ camp resolvod on a bold move.
Without delay, they made their way to the town
in Paradise Gulch, coming upon the place in an
overwhelming number; and when they returned
Laughing Lu went with them!

Then there was a stir in J acktownl

The result was an indignation-meetin in the
bar room of the Silver Bell Hotel, at which time
Judge Blowbugle, one of Jacktown’s pompous
citizens, made a fiery speech and called for some
one to come forward and champion the cause
of the camp. A decidedly ragged and seedy-
a pearin vagrant who hailed to the name of

rastus ag , and called himself the “ ’riginal
woolly-headed man,” came promptly forward.
He was f0110wed by a small, foppish-appearin
stranger, attired in a black velvet suit, b’il
shirt, high silk hat, and wearing a bunch of
fresh mountain violets in a button-hole. The in-
mates of the saloon thought that they had struck
a tendcrfoot, and without delay sought to have
some sport at the dandy’s expense.

But the fun came the other way. The little
stranger proved to be a “ holy terror.” Without
an trouble at all. he whipped Blizzard Ben, the
ac nowleiiged “chief” of the town. Then the
velvet fop got at Dandy Dirk, the proprietor of
the Silver Bell, and really the chief of the camp
with cards, pistols or fish, and after he had
beaten Dandy at draw poker. the wearer of the
violets knocked him out in a fistio encounter.

\ Whereupon the stranger, who had given his

I

 

name as Violet Vane, was promptly hailed as
the best man in Jacktown, Erastus Wagg, the
tramp, being among those who shouted the loud—
est over his Victory.

At about this time the regular stage brought
Owen Wilson and his beautiful daughter, lose,
to J acktown.

Mr. Wilson had been connected with an
Eastern bank until that bank was robbed, when
suspicion turned upon him as having a hand in
the job. The gentleman was in danger of arrest
when Philip Howard, Ione’s lover, confessed
that he was one of the robbers and cleared Mr.
Wilson. The self-confessed criminal was arrest-
ed but after ward escaped and disappeared.

But the confession of Philip Howard did not
entirely clean Owen Wilson of suspicion. and
one day he was invited to resign his position or
be discharged. He chose to resign and with his
beautiful daughter went West. When they ar-
rived at J acktown, both Mr. Wilson and Ione
saw and recognized the Velvet Sport, Violet
Vane. It was Philip Howard!

Meantime, in Jasper City Laughing Lu had
met an old-time lover, Ned Morris. She had
also seen a man who gave his name as Solomon
Snide and professed to be a life insurance agent,
but whom she believed to be a detective in pur-
suit of her brother.

Elated by the capture of J acktown’s Queen, a
drunken gang from Jasper decided to clean out
the little camp in Paradise Gulch. Ned Morris
had learned of their intentions and had warned
Jacktown of its danger, so that *jen the gang
from the boomers’ camp arrived, they were
given a warm reception and driven from the
place. Violet Vane and Erastus Wagg were
prominent among J acktown’s defenders.

After the gang from Jasper City had been
driven back, they demanded satisfaction for the
damage sustained, for they had lost a number of
horses in the battle. It was finally decided to
settle the affair in a bloodless manner With cards,
Violet Vane pitting his skill against thatof High
Card Harry,Jasper’s champion short-card player.
If Vane was defeated,Jacktown should pay for the
horses which the men of Jasper City had lost in
the scrimmage; if Hurr was vanquished, the
gang from the boomers camp was to depart
without more ado. Once more the Velvet Sport
came of! the victor, but the crowd from J aspor
was not satisfied till Vane had defeated their
champion wrestler, Hickory Jimmy.

Meanwhile Dandy Dirk Was not idle. He had
seen Ione Wilson and made a resolution to pos-
sess her. With this object in view, the proprie-
tor of the Silver Bell hired two rufilans, Blizzard
Ben and Tiger Joe, to abduct the girl, which
was done while the exciting events were taking
place on the outskirts of the camp.

As soon as Voilet Vane learned the truth con-
cerning the dastardly outrage. he and Wagg,
together with a number of J acktown’s citizens,
started in pursuit of the kidnappers. Vane was
the first to overtake the two scoundrels, and
single-handed, fought them both and hurled
them down to their doom in the depths of a ter-
rible sink-hole called Pluto’s Pit.

When the victorious party returned to J ack-
town they found the place ablaze with light—for
darkness had fallen—and wild with enthusiasm.
The news of the Velvet Sport’s wonderful battle
had preceded him and all J acktown was ready
to do the champion honor. A life and drum
corps was on hand, and Vane and lens were
escorted into camp amid the shout: of the multi-
tude and the roar of some anvils which served as
cannon. It was the grandest occasion that
J acktown had ever known and the little town
did itself proud.

At Silver Bell a surprise awaited the party.
Dandy Dirk alias Thomas Alicar had been arrest-
ed by the little detective, “ So omon Snide ”—
Broperly Alan Dale—for being t e robber of the

urnton Bank. Dale had not been after Philip
Howard at all, for he claimed to have positive

roof that Alicar was the man who planned the
Job and carried it out with the aid of one or two
accomplices. Young Howard confessed that he
was the robber in order to save his sweetheart‘s
father from disgrace and imprisonment—a noble

act.

Jacktown went wild with enthusiasm. The
toughs from Jasper had been defeated and their
stolen Queen was restored tothem, for Laughin
Lu had found her brother in Violet Vane an
had refused to return to the boomers’ camp.
Ione Wilson was equally as beautiful as her
lover’s sister and was also hailed as the Queen of
the camp. That night J acktown had two queens
and more than one happy Citizen drank himself
into insensibility in trying to at away with
:39 numberless toasts to the cons of Jack-

wn.

 

      

The Velvet Sport found it no easy job to es-
cape from his admiring friends. Erastus Wagg
and Judge Blow bugle were among the most en-
thusiastic, and the amount of “ tanglefoot ”
which they disposed of was amnzing. When
Vane finally tore himself from them, the camp
tramp and the judge were in a decidedly “ balmy”
condition.

When midnight had passed the excitement
began to subside, and by two o’clock the town
was as silent as if nothing unusual had occurred.
Between that hour and daybreak strange things
transpired in Jacktown.

The Velvet Sport was awakened by a heavy
knocking on the door of the room in which he
had slept. . '

“ Hellol” he cried. “ Who is there?"

“ It’s me, pard,” was the immediate reply in a
voice which Vane instantly recognized as be-
longing to Erastus Wagg. “ I hate m0st might-
ily ter break yer beauty slumber, Sweet Violets,
but ther fack is ther devil hes bruck loose an’ I
reckon ye’d better cum see "bout it.”

“ What’s that?” demanded Vane, sharply,
being in none too pleasant a moood for be-
ing aroused in such a manner. “ What are you
driving at?”

“He’s gone, pard,” was Wagg’s rather va ue
reply. “ I’m 'vin’ it ter ye straight fer ’ve
bin ter see an be hain’t thar. H’s disappeared
like ther mornin’ dew, an’ Satan hisself only
knows whai' he’s gone ter.”

“ Whose gone? His name, Erastus?”

And the_ woolly-headed man answered:

“ Thet thar varmint 0’ sin, Dandy Dirk—he’s

sloped l”

 

CHAPTER II.

“usrna CITY cums HER QUEEN!”

VIOLET VANE sprung out of bed instantly and
opened the door to admit the tramp. Wagg
came in quickly, looking none the worse for the
night’s racket, but appeared a little excited over
the startling, information which he had just
imparted. ane caught him by the shoulder.

‘ What’s this you say ?” he demanded. “ Dandy
Dirk gone? How do you know?”

“ ’Cause I’ve bin ter see. Yen bet yer boots,
pard, thet Erastus 'Wagg don’t make mcnny
crooked statements w’en he tries for shout GOSpil
facks. He S gene, plum dead sure.”

Vane hastened to get into his clothes.

“ Where is Dale, the detective?” he asked.

“ Give us an easy one! Thar hain’t hide ner
ha’r ter be fonn’ 0’ either 0’ them. I reckon thet
p’r’aps he’s bin utt out o’ ther way by ther
cusses w’at got andy out o’ ther scrape. It
looks thet way, by ther jumpin’ jimcracksl”

“ How long since you discovered that Alicar
had escaped?”

“ J es’ foun’ it out, Violets. I kem straight
ter”you, fer I knew thet you’d know w’at ter
do.
“ How man others know of this?”

“ I reckon udge Blowbu le’s ’bout ther only
one, an’ he’s so numb thet e kin skeercely git
roun’. I lef’ him in ther room, whar he sed he’d
stay till I got back. He tried ter drink Ole
Wooltop oi! his pins, but foun’ ther job or
mi hty bi one fer er galoot 0‘ his size.”

be lit e sport spent no more time in asking
questions, but he was soon ready to accompany
the eccentric vagrant. He paused an instant to
lance out of the window, noting that, although

t was not far from sunrise, the entire town
seemed still sleeping of! the effects of the night’s
carouse. Then he followed Wagg along the
corridor to the room which the detective and
his prisoner had occupied. The door of the
room was wide open, and Judge BlOWbugle was
within, fast asleep in a chair tilted against the
wall. Evidently the racket had come pretty
near “knocking him out.” for the entrance of
Erastus and the sport did not arouse him.

Vane’s keen eyes took in the general 'aspect of
the room in a moment, and the first thing noted
was that there seemed to be no indications of a
struggle. The bed had not been slept in, but it
was plain it had been slept upon. Everything
was in as good order as could be expected in
any room occupied by two men. Not even an
overturned chair proclaimed that anything of
an unusual nature . ad taken place.

“ Jest as I foun’ 1t, pard,” assured the watch-
ful Wagg.

'The man in velvet said nothing, for he was
not ready to talk Just then. He was doing some
“tall thinking,” and always made it a practice
to think first and talk afterward. The aspect
of the room puzzled him not a little, for he did
not beliOVe that Alan Dale was a man who
could be taken b§surprise and overcome with-
out a struggle. inally he shook his head.

 

 

      

 

, keep mer blood from gittin’ ant,

Violet Vane’s Victory.

3

 

 

“ I reckon we will find the prisoner safe
enough, Erastus,” he smiled.

Wa g looked amazed.

“ at d’yer mean!” he glaSped.

“ I hardly think that e has escaped,” de-
clared Vane. “ Probably the detective has
taken him from this room for some reason of his
own.”

“Jeehocus! w’at a blamed ole fool I be!”
grunted the tramp. “ I never thcrt o’ thet, an’
I reckon thet ther jedge wuz too fur paralyzed
ter think 0’ ennythin’. Jest hear him snorel”

Regardless of their presence, Blowbugle was
still sleeping, and was snoring in a truly terrific
manner.

“We shall find Dale and the prisoner some-
wherein the house, I think,” observed Vane, as
he turned to leave; but, at that moment, a piece
of paper, pinned to the door by a small dagger,
can ht his eye.

“Ila! what is this?” he cried, as he sprung
forward.

In a moment the Velvet Sport had the dagger
and the tell-tale paper in his hand,and this is
what he read:

“Good-by to poor fools who thou ht the had me
fast! I am a hard man to catch an still arder to
hold. My arrest was a trick which deceived you all,
for Alan Dale, the detective, is no detective at all,
but is one of my well-paid tools who stands ready to
come or 0 at m motion. Let the Velvet dandy
beware, or he s all hear from me when he least
expects such athing. To my enemies I am worse
than poison. DANDY Dink."

Truly a startling message. _

Wagg was watching the sport’s face and .m-
stantly saw that the paper contained something
of an unusual nature, for he asked:

“W’at is it, pard? Hes ther blamed critter
got erway arter all?”

“ That is about the size of it, I reckon,” con«
fessed Vane. “ You were right, Erastus, and I
was wrong.”

“ Jeythutter! you don’t say so i”

“Yes, it is a scandalous fact. We all have
been beautifully sold and I feel like kickin my-
self for a thick-headed clown. But I don’t now
whether to believe this pa r or not.”

“ W’at’s it say, pard? d it. Durn ef I’ve
got mer spettac es hyer.”

Then the sport read the note aloud for
Erastus.

“Jeehocus! Ther durned imp o’ Satan hes
bruck loose arter all. An’ ther dashed detec—
tive wuz or fraud?”

“ It looks that way,” Vane acknowledged;
“but, for all that, it may not be ‘true. Tom
Alicar would not hesitate to tell a lie if it would
gall us in any way. Perhaps the detective was
white.”

“ But it don’t look thet way.”

“That is what I said, but we will have 'more

roof before we condemn him. He may have
Eeen tricked a‘nd overpowered by the prisoner.”

“ Wal, w’at are ye goin’ ter do, pard .1"

“I am going to capture Dandy Dirk,” was
the uiet reply.

“ hoopee! Thet’s ther stuff! I’m with ye,
Sweet Violets, bone, mussil, sinew an’ rags? I
calkerlate thet atween us we kin scoop ther
varlet an’ not hate try.”

“ We shall have more than one rson to con—
tend with, Erastus. for he will pro bly enlist a
gang of ruiflans in his service. He is a des-

rate man and will make a hard fight.”

“ Ther harder ther better. I’m ther kind 0’ a
rosebud as likes er leetle kercitement est ter
ou kin
count on me, pard. Hello! w’at s that?”

There was a sudden commotion in the house,
the sound of a closing door was followed by
heavy footsteps and hoarse shouts. Revolver in
hand, Violet Vane sprung through the open
doorway just in time to confront an excited
man, who was rushing wildly along the corri-
dor. The sport caught him by the shoulder, ex-
claimingvgv

“ Mr. ilson—youl What is the trouble?”

It was indeed Owen Wilson, and the Easterner
looked half-crazed and wholly frightened. For
a moment he lifted his hand as if to dash aside
the grasp which detained him, but the spert’s
revolver disappeared like a flash, and he caught
Mr. Wilson by the wrist, crying sharply:

“ Slow and easy! Are you blind, sir, that you
cannot recognize your friends!”

A light of recognition flashed in Wilson’s eyes,
and he hoarser sped:

“ Philip—than God! Rouse the town, Phil!
Stir them up! Quick, or it ma be late!
Why do you stand like a statuer Make haste,
for the love of Heaven !”

The man’s words were almost ineohersnt, and
his manner that of one who had received e

severe mental shock. For a. moment Vane
thought him deranged, and his thoughts found
expression in words.

“ Are you crazy? What is the meaning of—”

“ No, no! I am not crazy. You are wasting
time. Call for aid! Help! help!”

Then the Velvet Sport’s hand closed over Mr.
Wilson’s lips, effectually stopping his wild cries.
To his ears came the sound of slamming doors
and hurrying feet. Already was the house
aroused, and he knew that in a few moments
they would be surrounded by a ga ing throng.
He must learn the truth before t e crowd ar-
rived.

“ It is you who are wasting time, Mr. Wilson,”
came sharply from his lips. “ Tell me the truth
‘ so that I may know what to do. What is the

trouble?”

Something seemed to suddenly restore Owen
Wilson to his senses, for he gasped:

“ The girls—lone Luona—”

“ What of them i’

“ My God—gone, both gone I”

The Velvet S ort waited to hear no more.
With Erastus egg close at his heels, he sprung
away alon the corridor, hurrying toward the
room to w ich the two girls had retired the night
before. He was confronted by one or two per-
sons who had been aroused by the cries of the
excited man, but he hurled them aside as if they
were children, paying no heed to their eager
questions. Reaching the room, he found the
door slightly ajar, but it was not without an in-
voluntary feeling of hesitation that he swung it
wide open.

The room was indeed empty.

“Here, Erastus,” came crisply‘ from Vane;
“ stand by the door while I make an inspection,
and admit no one but Mr. Wilson.”

“I’ll do thet same, mer posy,” said the va-
grant, promptl . “ Ef enny one tries ter crowd
over me, they 11 fine thet I’m er b-a-a-d man
frum ther rustlin’ leetle town 0’ Red Hot.”

The Velvet Sport, examining the room, saw
that, unlike the room he had lately left, there
were evidences of a struggle. The bedclothes
had been partially torn from the bed and every-
thing seemed to indicate that one or more of the
blankets had been used to smother the cries of
the unfortunate girls. But, it was also evident
that the rufilans had known how to carry out
their work, for the poor girls had not made
noise enough to arouse those of their friends
who slept nearest them.

A cloud settled on Violet Vane’s face as be
noted the general aspect of things. Suddenly
his attention was arrested by a slip of paper
which was pinned to the door in the same way
that the one had been which he found in the
room from which the prisoner had escaped. He
did not have to remove the paper to read the
five words written upon it. They were:

“Jasper 0m] claim her Queen 1"

CHAPTER III.
somn sm snnxs ASSISTANCE.

BARELY had Violet Vane read the words writ»
ten 11 u the paper which was pinned to the
door y the tiny (1 er when that door was
hurled o n and wen ilson staggered into the
room. he unfortunate parent was near! dis—
tracted by grief and excitement. Seizing ane‘s
hand. he cried:

“Where is she? What have they done with
her—my darling?”

For answer, t e sport pointed at the writing
on the slip of paper.

“ What does it mean?” hoarsely asked the
Easterner. ’

“ It meass that your daughter will probably
be found in Jasper Cit ,” was Vane’s calm re-

ly. “ Brace up, Mr. V ilson. Things may not
as bad as they seem. This is a wi d country,
and strange things transpire here." I

“But I feared that she had again fallen into
the hands of villains like those who kidnapped
her yesterday. The thought nearly drove me
frantic.”

“ We will hope that Fate has been more kind
to her. You knew that Jasper City claims my
sister as Queen of the camp. The words on that
9“ “f Paper seem to indicate that, although
59 Gated. J’lispei' does not intend to give up her
Queen. They came for my sister some time in
the night, and finding Ione with her, carried
“my both of the girls.”

“ Thank Heaven that it is no worse!” came
slowly from Mr. Wilson’s lips, as he sunk down
upon a chair. “ There must be honest men in
Jasper City.”

“ Without doubt there is. If the 'rls are in
I that camp they are comparatively as e.”

“Ifthey are!” exclaimed the shaken parent.

 

 

“What do you mean by that ‘if?’ Does not
that slip of paper prove beyond a doubt where
they are!”

“ We will hope that it does,” returned Vane
“ but we are not sure of it till we know. I shall
take immediate steps to find out the truth.”

“ Heaven aid you, Philip! God grant that
my poor girl may be restored unharmed to my
arms!’

“ Amen.”

At this moment Erastus Wagg thrust his head
in at the doorand cried:

“ Dunno but I shell hev ler hev reinforce-
ments hyer, pard, fer they are cumin’ by ther
leetle millyon an’ all yoopin’ ter know w’at ther
racket’s erbout.”

“ Stand them off for three minutes, Erastus,
and 1 will explain. Get the drop on the gang
and hold them back.”

“ Ay, ay, old man: I’ll do thet same. Ef the
attempt to climb me w’en Ihold the drop, they’
think they hev tackled a bigger job than mount-
in’ Pike’s Peak, by jimcracksl”

Then Wagg’s head disappeared and the door
closed with a slam.

Hurriedly Vane continued his inspection, but
found nothing more that could aid him in deter-
mining the fate of the unfortunate young wo-
men. The room was at the front of the build-
ing and a window which stood wide open seemed
to indicate that the kidnap rs had entered and
made their exit there. lit, the shrewd little
sport knew that appearances were ofttimes de—
ceptive, and 80 examined the window stool
closely to see if he could discover any indica~
tions that the kidnap rs had entered through
the open window. 9 found nothing from
which he could draw a conclusion.

Once more his eyes fell upon the slip of paper
tacked tothe door by the tiny dagger and he
made haste to possess it, for he fanc1ed that he
had seen similar writing before. Then he turn-
ed to Owen Wilson.

“ You gave the alarm as soon as you discover-
ed that the girls were missing, did you, Mr.
Wilson?’

“As soon asI could comprehend that they
had been foully dealt with."

“ H0w did you learn that they were gone?”

“ When I arose I discovered that the. door of
this room was standing slightly ejar. Of course
I thought that somew at singular and I at once
determined to learn the meaning of it. M
knocks failed to elicit any answer, and when
looked into the room I found it as you now see
it.

“There has been bold work done here,” de-
clared the sport. “ It is evident the girls were
carried out of this room by the way of that
door. If that is true, the kidnappers must
have had friends in this house. There is some-
thin rotten in Denmark!”

“ beg you Philip, not to lose time in useless
s culations,” entreated the Easterner. “ Make
a I haste to eflect the rescue of the poor girls.”

“ It is better to go slaw and sure than to rush
and make a failure. There is such a thingas
overshooting the mark, sir.”

At almost any other time Owen Wilson would
have recognized the sound logic of those words,
but just then his nerves were qpite unstrun
and it seemed that the sport in ve vet was nee -
less! wasting time. Vane read the thought on
the ace of the excited parent, and coming for-
ward, he laid his hand on the gentleman’s
shoulder, while he said, earnestly:

“Trust in me, Mr. Wilson. I promise on
that there shall be no unnecessary delay. t is
my sister, as well as your daughter, who is in
danger. You know how much Ione is to me,
and you should know that I will leave no stone
unturned but I will find and rescue her. Luona
hasa lover, Ned Morris, who, I am confident,
will stand by me through thick and thin, and
will lay down his life for mfister, if it is neces-
sary. All 1 ask of on, . Wilson, is that
you remain quiet an permit me to do what I
think best.”

Calmed by the young man's words, Mr.
Wilson consented to trust all in Vane’s hands.
Then the level-headed little sport advanced to
the door, beyond which he could hear the clamor
of many voices. True to his word the camp
tram was holding the throng back beforethe
muzz es of his long-barreled revolvers. As
Vane appeared with uplifted hand the Babel of

voices became hushed.

With a few well-chosen words, the sport ex-
plained everything in a satisfactory manner,

ut the indignation of the crowd on learning
the truth can be better imagined than describ-
ed. Fierce oaths and cries of re from their
lips, all directed toward the men 0 Jasper who
had played them such a trick.

 

 

  

I».

 

 

As soon as he could make himself heard above
the u roar, Violet Vane cried:

“ here is Ned Morris?”

“Here,” was the instant replIv as Laughing
Lu’s lover pushed forward. “ have been to
Jasper for some of my more valuable personal

perty and have just returned. What is this
Wear about the girls being kidnapped?”

Grasping Morris by the arm, the little man in
velvet drew him into the room where Owen
Wilson still remained, bidding VVagg remain
outside to still restrain the curious crowd, a
thing which the faithful old fellow readily con-
sented to do. In a few moments Vane succeeded
in making everything clear to Ned, and but for
a restraining hand and calm words, the startled

outh would haVe become as excited as Mr.

ilson had been.

“Keep cool, Ned l” commanded Vane, his
hands on the other’s shoulders. “It is a cool
head and steady hand that is wanted now. We
shall find enemies on every hand to pit our skill
against, and if we are rattled it will be the
'worse for us.” . 

“You are right,” acknowledged the youn '
man, instantly becoming calm. “We shafi
need cool heads in Jasper City, for the town ,i‘

ning things as they please and have inaugura
a perfect reign of terror.”
‘ How long has this been?” . .

“ Since the gang returned from this place last
night. There is a prospect of a battle between
the honest men and the toughs of the camp.

I am not mistaken, there will soon be warm
times in. Jasper City.”

“ One thing is certain; we shall have the
honest men on our side.” ‘

“ Sure."

“ But. there is one point which I wish to set—
tle before I leave this hotel, and that is; was the
room adjoining this occupied last ni ht?”

“ It was,” asserted Mr. Wilson. ‘I am sure
of it, for I tried to obtain it in order that I
might be as near my daughter as possible."

. “ And now,” said Vane, “ the question is; is it
still opcupiedi Ned, I propose that we investi-
ga e.

“ But, what is the object?” A

“This: if that room was occupied last night,
whoever was in it must have heard something
of the noise which the kidnappers made, how-
ever careful they were. It is ssible—or prob-
able—that whoever occupied t e adjoining room
had a hand in this dastardly work, and by be-
ginning right there, we may get on track of the
scoundrels.”

Two minutes later Ned and the Velvet Sport
were in the room which was separated from the
one which the girls had occupied by merely a
thin board partition. It was tenantless.

“ The indications are, that its Occupants have
sloped,” said Vane, rimly. “ I will bet five to
one that they had a agar in the pie.” .

" But why is it necessary to go to all this

. trouble when we know quite well where to find
the girls?” '

“ Do we know where to find them?”

The question startled Ned Morris as a sudden
clap of thunder mi ht have done. He caught his
breath and gras the arm of the little sport as
he asked: ' "

“ What do you mean!” .

“ Simply that Ione and Luona may not 'have
been carried to Jasper City.”

“ What makes you think so?”

Vane produced two slips of pa r. '

“This,” said he, “ I found on t e door of the

rls’ room; this I found on the door of the room

rom which Dandy Dirk esca . Can you see
.any similarity in the handwri 'ingf”

f‘ Yes, the same hand wrote both of those!”

“ Exa t‘liv. That means that the same person
had a in both obs, and I am willing to give
big odds that Tom ‘
hands the girls have fallen.”

"Gods! I believe you  right. But why
did éou not say so before?" ‘ v

“ imply because I did not want Mr’.‘Wilson
to suspect what I fear. He ianearly crazed now;

I that would uite upset him.” _ ‘ -

"I see. on think that this slip which yin
found upon the door of the girls’ room was put
there to Head us?” -

in

“ I think that it may have been put there for
that purpose. At the same time it is not impos-
sible hat though he has the girls in his power,
DandyDrkhssfied to Ja r. ,He may have
decided to gather the 7 us "of that cam
around him and make a rate ht.” ' '

At that moment Erastus agg th his head
'hltthodoornndcallsd: 

B’west

       

“0mm: you nation's"
Nioists. a». mugmdgokln’hflm: . .'

in the hands of a gang of toughs who are  ,_

licar is the one into whose

   

 

Violet Vane’s Victory.

“ Sh0w him into this room,” said Vane,
prompt] .

Waggs woolly head disappeared. and a few
seconds later, the door swung open to admit a
man who would command attention anywhere,
for he was at least six feet tall and must have
weighed two hundred pounds. But at a glance
any one could see that there was not an ounce of
superfluous flesh upon him; everything was bone
and muscle. An exclamation broke from Ned
Morris’s lips as his eyes fell upon the magnificent
form of the man from Jasper.

“ Solid Sid.”

“ That’s your humble servant,” bowed the bi
man, “ Solid Sid, Marshal of Jasper City. DoI
haVe the honor of meeting the little sport who
cleaned out the best men of both J acktown and
Jasper?” with his eyes fastened curiously on the
Velvet Sport.

“ Yes. sir,” replied Ned, promptly, “ this is
Philip Vane Howard, known in this camp as
Violet Vane. Philip, this is Sidney Sharon,
Marshal of Jasper City.”

Solid Sid extended his hand.

“ I am proud to meet you, sir," he declared.
“ I have heard of you as a mighty bad man to
crowd, and that is just the kind of timber I am
looking for.”

“ The pleasure is mutual,” said Vane, quietly,
as he pad the marshal’s brawn hand.

“ es, you are just the man am looking
for,” repeated Solid Sid. “ The devil has broke
loose in Jasper City, and I need a good deputy
to help me quell the ruction. Ramon as I heard
what you have Idone, I struck straight for this
camp."

“ am afraid that you have wasted your time,
sir, for just at present I have more than both
hands full.”

The marshal’s face fell.

“ How is that?” he asked.

Briefly Vane explained.

“ Ah! ’ broke ‘from Solid Sid’s lips. “ And so
you fancy that Dandy Dirk had a hand in the
dirty work? Well, if Dirk i the coon y0i¥are
after, you will find him in Jasper City, for am
ready to take my Bible oath that I saw him
there less than two hours ago. And now will
you 0 back to Jasper with me?”

“ on may wager your wealth that I will,” was
the Velvet Sport’s reply.

CHAPTER lV.
a PAIR or ANGRY RASCALS.

IT was an angry and sullen gang of half-
drunken ruffians who were returning to Jas ,r
City after meeting with defeat in their law ess
raid on Jacktown. They had expected to take
the camp in ParadiSe Gulch by surprise, and
have no trouble at all in “ cleaning” out the
place. Just what their real intentions had been
they Were not willing to confess, but certain itis
that J acktown would have suffered seVerely bad
the raid proved a success It is possible that
the drunken scoundrels might have fired the
town.

Jacktown owed much to Ned Morris, who had
warned the town of its danger. But for him,
the place might have been taken by surprise and
fallen into the hands of the toughs from Jasper
almost without a struggle. But Morris knew
that Jasper City would be too hot to hold him
after what he had done, for the worst class
would consider him a traitor to the place. That
was why he hurried back to the boomers’ town
on the night of the jubilee in Jacktown and se-
cured such personal propertyas he could com-
fortably bring away.

Of the Jasper City roughs, High Card Harry
and Hickory Jimmy took the defeat most to
heart, although they said less about it than did
their companions. Neither of them had been
drunk at the time of the raid, but had joined the
gang for the excitement of the thing. They had
anticipated little resistance from the citizens of
the camp‘in Paradise Gulch, and their defeat at
the hands of one man, the dandy sport, Violet
Vane, gelled them to the quick. Within their
hearts they were to have vengeance.

Both High Card Harry and the champion
wrestler had opposed the retreat from Jacktown.
It madeilittle difference to them that the Jasper
City card-sharp had pledged his word to Violet
Vane that if they were defeated the wpuld with-
draw and leave the place 11an ested in the
future. _ Neither High Card or his athletic pard
were men of honor. Their word was as as
their bond, and neither was worth a nch of
snuff. At the time of the fire in Jackson
which
very hard
'another d

 

   

   

to make

to persuade their follow
But the

to raid on the camp.

‘ anglhsd received a lesson which had taken away
1:

of the false courage which Jasper City

    

destroyed asingle 'oabin. the had tried ,

 

  
 

s

“ tanglefoot ” had instilled into their veins.
They wanted to go home and go home they did.
The baffled Sport and wrestler accompanied them
—part of the way.

‘ Curse that velvet dandy l” gritted Hickdry
Jimmy, bitterly.

“ Double curse him!” came ina low, fierce tone
frOm the card-Sharp’s lips. _

“ I have something laid by for him,” declared
the defeated athlete.

“ So have I-—a lead ill 1”

“ In my case it is a it of cold steel 1”

“ Oh, we both love him 1”

“Yes, dearly 1”

Then the two scoundrels looked into each
other’s eyes and read the deadly determination
written there.

“ Bet you fifty I down him first,” proposed

Harr .

“ I’ll go ye,” was the instant reply.

“ He has my money.”

“ An’ he pritty nigh broke my neck.”

“ How in the world did he ever work that last
flip on you? I thought you had him foul and
was just ready to cheer when he kicked you into
the air and sent you over on your back.’

“ Don’t ask me how he dun it! I reckon it’s a
reg’ler trick in a mu h-an’-tumble, but I never
had it worked on me fore.”

“ I did not believe that it was in the little in- '

si niflcant-appearing fop.”

g“ No more did I. I calkerlated on havin’ er
reg’ler walk-over, but he dun me up jest as easy
ez he got erway with you at draw-poker. He 3
er sardine!”

“The trouble with us is that we Were looking »

for an easy victory. If we had been prepared,
it might have been different.”

" Well, we’ll be ready for him next time.”

“ And the next time will come mighty soon if
I have anything to say about it.”

“ The sooner ther better it’ll suit me. I’d like
ter turn back now.”

The wrestler’s words set High Card Harry to
thinking, and for a long time he rode along in
silence. Finally he made a motion which Hick—
ory Jim understood, and gradually the two
fell back till the entire gang were in advance

“ That is a pretty sight ” observed Harry,
sarcastically, as he pointed to the straggling
crowd ahea .

The wrestler uttered an oath. .

“ I reckon we owe ther most of it ter him'” he

growled. “ He an’ thet ragged tramp shot down >

more than bafe our bosses. ’

Nearly half of the crowd were mounted double
and a few were walking. The unlucky ones had
left their horses dead in the streets of J ack-
town, shot down by the defenders of the camp.

H Jim.” I '

“ Waalf” '

“ I’m going back to J acktown.”

“ NOW!” I

“ Directly.”

“ Are you goin’ alone?” _ .

“No: you are going with me." ‘

“Is that all?” .

High Card was silent for several moments,
apparently thinking deeply. Finally, he asked:

“ Do we want any more?”

“Good men are allus handy.”

“ You are right, but this time we will not
enter the cam publicly. Whatever work we
do must be none swiftly and silently. We
want no one with us who will be an incum-
brance.”

“ What do you propose far do?” ' - \

“Kill the velvet dandy if ssibiel No man
can call Ha Harkman a c eat' and live long
to boast of domg so.” '

“ An’ no man can flop Jim Carnes'an’ not v e

hear from him erg’iu.” ,
“ That is the right kind of talk. But even if

we do not get a chance at this Violet Vane, I

have work to do there.”

“ What kind of work!” -

“ Laughin Lu, the Queen 0! Jasper, is in
that camp. have sworn that she shall be mine
by fair means or foul. It is quite apparent that
I cannot obtain her by fair means, therefore!

shall try foul. But on know everything is fat .

in love and war. al” V
Hickory Jimm smiled. .

“ An’ you wan me ter help you ,git a bolt of ‘

they€alix

“An inducements‘l It’s risky, you know.”  K

" I w ll pay you well.”
“ That’s eirnufl. You
with me. I’m with ye.”

“I knew I could depend on

    

hev anus kep’ yer 

     
  

ym.” .

"How many men will you take with us! We“

ins tints:- sn the»
an WW «We.

‘ V r“. h '
rig-a]:  my}; 1-,»: .- ;_  _, V

5.. r _. 7%,(5‘1a‘ii'7ifii. . .3
‘ " ' . V; ,
. . , . ,d.

j. a .551

 

     

 

 
    
   

 

, .v _, ,Iv - o " .. . m. g
N. V. ',- -- ‘, g '.,g" - " “'

Violet Vane’s Victory.

  

 

 
 
  

 “Not a man. I have friends in that camp
Whom I can depend on. For instance, there is

Dandy Dirk.”

, “ An’ er mighty good man he is too,” asserted
_ ’ 'the wrestler. “ Are there enny more like him?”

“There are others, but none of them are the

' i. V equals of Dirk. We don’t need any from this
i ‘ half-drunken crowd of cowards.”
Z; “All right, you knows best. W’en shell we

 I; turn back?”

“ Now; but we will not enter Jackt0wn until
after dark. We can lay low near the place and
wait till night. It might not be healthy for us
if we were recognized by some of J acktown’s
citizens; and besides that we may do work that
we will not care to have laid at our door.”

Watching their opportunity, the two plotters
, _ turned aside from the trail when no one was no-
F.; j ‘  ticing and allowed the crowd to go on without
them. Then they turned their horses‘ heads back
toward Jacktown.

“ Now for Laughing Lu and reVenge,” said
the Jasper City spurt, grimly.

Reaching a point near acktown, they con-
cealed their horses and stole forward till from a
high bluff they could command a view of the
victorious camp. There they remained, con-
versing in low tones, laying p ots and plans, till
darkness fell. When they finally stole forward
into the place, they noted that the camp was
brilliantly lighted, and it seemed that the cit-
izens were greatly excited. Just as they reached
the eastern boundary of the town a burst’of
music; a, wild cheer and a thunderous report
saluted their ears. '

“Great! osesl” gasped Hickory Jimmy, in
alarm. “ ’at’s that?” _

. “The Jac townites are rebany celebrating
their victory,” Harry exp ained. “ Come on,
[we are on hand to witness the fun.”

 

CHAPTER V.
ran WORK or A NIGHT. :-

HIGH CARD HARRY and Hickory Jimmy wit-
-.nessed the reception given the party returning
from the successful ursuit of the kidnappers
of Iona ilson. ingling with the excited
crowd, the Jasper City desperadoes attracted no
attention and were enabled to see everything
that occurred. When Violet Vane appear-
edon the platform in front.of the Silver Bell
Hotel and made a speech after being presented

‘ by Judge Blowbugle, the vindictive wrestler in-
» voluntarily reached for a revolver, but his com-
. panion’s hand restrained him. ,_ I

“ Slow and easy, pard,” came firmly from the

card-Sharp’s lips. “ This is not the time for
that. You would hang higher than Haman if
‘ you dropped him now. He is the idol of this

cam , and the men of Jacktown Will visit a

s y vengeance on the one who harms him—

- providing they know who does the job.”

, ‘ ' , Hickory Jimmy relinilinished his evil purpose
 withasi h of regret. t was hard for him to
' restrain is passion, but he knew that Harry had
 spoken the truth.
I ‘ “ It must be done silently and swiftly,” hissed
the card’player, softly. “ No open work. Have
~, ' a care if you wish to leave Jacktown alive.”

It was some time later that the two learned of
‘Dand Dirk’s arrest. ’

“ e must be rescued,” declared Harry, with
some excitement. “ You must help me, pard,

and that must be our first work. After Dirk is
' .free we can look after the girl. The girl—h
Jove! there are two of'them, and both are ban -
' some. One is Violet Vane’s sister and the other
his sweetheart. If we kidnap them both, we
shall be striking a heavy blow at the velvet
' ,dand .” .
" " gut won’t it be er mighty hard Job ter do?”

“ The chances are that it will; but we can
work it with some aid, and I fancy I have struck
., the vergeman to help us. He has a room in the
Silver ll and will admit us. We can make a

go of it." .

._“ And if we fail ter kill Violet Vane, we will
have him hot at our heels to-morrOW.”

“Just what we want, for then we can lead
him into a death-trap. Savvy?”
. “ Yes, but it’s goin’ for be mighty dangerous,”
“Y n are right. Any games against that lit-
ed ption in velvet will be dangerous. Are
 afraid of himi” , E
' “ Not by or darned sight l”
. “ Allright; that settles in."
, High Card Harry was busy _
ward. He laid is plans well, taking ca;

 

  

  

  

  

   

    

 

 
  

from that time

. tin no way should he meet with defea

. the-night wore on and the carousel continued he
V nervous ‘nd tearful lest he should not
an opportunity to carry out his schemes.

\

    
 

He had managed to let Dandy Dirk know that
he was near and waiting for a chance to effect
his rescue, and he knew that the prisoner would
be ready for anything that might occur. ,

The room ne xt to the one in which the unsus-
pecting girls were to spend the night was occu-
pied by the ally of whom the card-sharp had
spoken to Hickory Jimmy. But instead of
waiting till things were quiet and admitting the
two plotters, it was decided that they should
secretly enter his room and remain there till the
time for work arrived.

High Card Hurry had once been an actor and
was able to successfully imitate the voice of
almost any‘ person whom he had ever heard
speak, providing he had taken particular notice
of their manner of speech. The sport from
J aspel‘ resolved to ti'yto make use of this ability
in rescuing the prisoner.

The hour for action finally came. High Card
and the wrestler crept from the room into the
corridor. Quietly and with a steady tread the
gambler advanced along the corridor, and with
the step of a. cat, a revolver in either hand,
Hickory Jimmy followed. Before the door of
the room in which Dandy Dirk was confined,
guarded by the detective, Harry halted. Then
he rapped boldly on the door. There was a stir
within and a voice—that of the omcer—asked:

“Who is there?” -

For answer, the card-sharp rapped again in a
peculiar manner, at the same time saying:

“ It is I—Violet Vane.”

And his voice sounded exactly like that of
the  elvet Sport. It was a perfect imitation.

His second knock had been a signal to Dandy
Dirk, and the gambler knew that the prisoner
would be all ready for desperate action. x But it
was evident that the detective’s suspiciOns were
easily aroused, for be advanced to the door and
again demanded: .

“ Who is there?"

Harry replied in the same tone of voice used
before:

“ Violet Vane.”

“ What do you want!” » »

“To talk with the prisoner a few moments.
Five minutes is all I ask.”

After a few moments more of hesitation, the
cunning mimic heard the key turn in the lock
and braCed himself for a snrin‘ , intending to
launch himself straight at Alan ale’s throat.
But as the door. swung open, the gambler saw
Dandy Dirk strike the detective on the back of
the head with the iron manacles which held

his wrists together and Harry was just in

time to catch the body of the unlucky man in his

arms. .

The detective had been stricken senseless-—
perhaps killed. '

“ Slickly done!” laughed High Card Harry,
softly. as he bore the unconscious man to the
little bed in the room. “ I knew that you would
be ready to act, but I hardly thought you would
have a chance to do such effective work as
this. Here, I will place my coat under his head
to keep the blood from smearing the clothes. He
13 not bleedingyery profusely. We do not want
to leave any Signs of a struggle if it can be
avoided.”

“Right you are.”agreed Dand . "It would
please me to make people believe t at it was all a
put-up Job between me and the sliarpy here.

f there are no Signs of a stru gle, 1 can do that
for I will leave a little notegbehind which will
prove anything but a balm to their souls."

Swiftly Harry and the wrestler bound dud
gagged the unconscious man, then the key to the
manacles was found and Dandy was released.

“ Gods l” he exclaimed. “It seems good to
get out of those cursed things. I was in what
you might calla mi hty tight box. and when I

orget this serwce shall be unable to remem-
ber anything.”

“That is all right. I only did for you what

'you/ would have done for me had I been in the

same flx. But there is more work for us to do
and the quicker we get at it the better.”

“I am‘ with you in anything, and perhaps I
may be able to assist you materially. J list tell
me Iv‘onr plans.” ‘

_T edoor was closed‘and in a short space of-
timethe Jasper City sport had made ’Dirk ac-
qiiainted wi h his plans. ‘

“ Gmdl” exclaimed the liberated Scoundrel.

I have taken ii fancy to Owen Wilson’s daugh-
ter and have registered an oath to gain posses-
sion of her. on may have Laughing Lu; I
will take the peerless lone.”

:: Elie arrangement seating?ki it

nu, as you say, we w‘ , Di! 8m
at that cursed velvet top when we carry away
his sister and his sweetheart. We can take the

 

girlsto some safe place amid the mountains,'

a .a

 

and lure Violet Vane into Jasper City by mak-
ing him believe that they have been carried
there. In Jasper we can easily find a way to
down the man whom the toughs of the place
(Ilnust, cordially hate after the work of yester-
ay.

“ Solid lioss sense. If we can get away with
the girls, Mr. Vane is as good as done for.”

“ lVe will get to work at once. First let me
write a few words, then we will carry this
bound of justice out by the back way. I have
keys which will take us anywhere in this old
building.”

In afew,momen'ts Dandy had written and
posted the note which Violet Vane afterward
found pinned to the door by a tiny dagger.
Then they lifted the still unconscious detective,
and with his head wrapped in Harry’s coat to
prevent leaving a. trail of blood, carried him
from the Silver Bell. The Jasper City. sport
had made arrangements for horses to carry
them all away from Jacktown, but Dandy se-
cured one more to carry the detective, who was
bound upon the animal’s back. Then leavin
Hickory Jimmy and the man who had serv
them by secreting the Jasperites in his room,
High Card Harry and Dandy Dirk once more
stoleI into the Silver Bell to complete their vile
wor .

In less than half an hour they issued forth,
carrying two unconscious forms in their arms.
Dandy’s keys. 9. little chloroform and a great
dealof cat-like cunning, had enabled them to
secure the unfortunate maidens without arous-

‘ ing a soul within the house.

Behind them they had left the writing which
they hoped would lead Violet Vane to Jasper
City-into the lion’s jaws—to death!

Hidden by the darkness, they rode out of
town and away into the mountain fastnesse:i
leading the horse upon whose back was ban
the silent detective. ’

For nearly two hours they rode onward
through the' dark. passes. Finally High Card
Harry fell back to see if there was still no sign
of life in the detective’s body. ‘

Then he made an amazing discovery.

The led horse was burdenless—the detective

- was gone .’ ' -

 

CHAPTER Vi.
THE SITUATION IN JASPER CITY.

THE defeated tonng upon returning from
Jackt0wn had indeed “taken” Jasper City.
The unexpected result of their raid had amused
all the ugliness in their natures, and they pro-
ceeded to vent their spite on their own town.
Had High Card Harry been‘ with them when
they reached Jasper, such a thin would not
have occurred, for the cool-head card-sh
would have seen thatastruggle that might be
disastrous to the Itoughs would surely follow if

they attempted to hold the place. But the gam- ‘

hler was not on hand to restrain them, and
within thirty minutes after charging do ya the
main street of the place they had the m jori‘ty
of the law-abiding citizens under cover and
everything in their hands.

Then began a genuine reign of terror in Jas-
per Cit . Up. and down the streets of the
ioomers camp rode the liquor-madden'ed mob,'
yelling like Indian warriors and firing their re-
volvers to the right and left. Two or three of
the quiet citizens of the place were wounded,
and one man who came out and tried to argue
with the ruflians with a shot-gun was dropped

. in his tracks, the bullet striking a. vital spot.

The first place seized by the mob’ was the
Night Hawk Saloon, one of the worst drinking,

and gambling resorts in the town. The proprie- -

tor of the place was fired through a window, and
at the mnzzles of several revolvers, the bar-1
keeper was forced to set out liquid refreshment:
for the gang. Right then and there the mob
would, have got paralysed so that the honest
citizens of t a place would hgve had little
trouble iguauellihg the riot, but a that Juncture
a icool-h ed and desperate man graspdi the
re ns. ‘ ,.

“ Whisky, may be tempting. pards.” said a lit?
tle man, whose steel-blue eyes seemed to look one

mighty r udgment in turning down so in
of the stat; n’t you better let up?”

A doaen men wheeled. with their hands rm
‘on their revolvers, but their fingers never c
to draw the weapons, for they
one who had spoken.

$5 Saul the Spgtter l” '

ma ion came from the
thirds of the inmates of the saloon. 0! knew.
the small man with the steel-blue eyes. Sou!

through and thrOugh, “ but you are displaygg' ‘

I“,

oftwoi'

    
  
    
    
   
   
   
  
   
 
  
  
   
   
    
   
   
    
    
  
  
    
  
   
  
  
  
   
 
 
   
     
   
      
      
     
   
   
      
           
      
     
    
       
   
    
    
     
       
 
      
    
        
      
        
    
     
      
       
    
     
     
      
    
         
      
       
               
       
   
 
 
    
   
    
       
      
    
    

        
        
       
       
 

 
  

 

Violet Vane’s Victory.

 

 

istol-shot of the camp. He never missed, and
it was said that he could draw and shoot while
most men were reaching for their guns. He was

Spot, called “ Saul, the Spotter,” was the crack i

 

“ ’Tain’t very invitin’.”

Saul smiled, grimly.

“ There is only one way to prevent this clean-
out, and that is to hold the camp. Do you think

a dangerous man to tackle, as his own rivate | that a gang of drunken men can do that?”

graveyard in J acktowu would testify. e was
a very peculiar man, for he never drank a drop
of liquor, never avoided a quarrel, and some—
times picked a fuss for the mere satisfaction of
having some one to shoot. He had enemies
enough, but they were careful not tolet him dis-
cover that they were his enemies. A man who
carried his life in his hand, although he did not
grink, he was classed with the toughs of Jasper
ity.

And now as he stood within the Night Hawk
Saloon, his arms folded, leaning lazily against a
post, he looked like the meekest and most inof-

enSive of men. But the gang around the Spot-
ter knew him quite Well, and their hands fell
away from their weapons as they uttered his
name. No change came over his immobile fea-
tures to indicate that he noticed the sudden
change, but his keen eyes took it all in just the
same. Slowly he repeated:

“ Don’t you think you had better let up?”

“ What do‘ you mean i” asked several.

“ Just what I said. You are displaying
mighty poor judgment in filling yourselves with
liquor in this manner. If you do not all want to
be fired out of town before another day, you will
chain up a little.”

“ How is that?”

“Plain as the nose on a man’s face. You have
made fools of yourselves to begin with in raid-
in this town in this way, but now that you have
to. an it, you must hold it or be fired. Where
in the name of the prophets is High Card
Harry?”

“ Dunno.
Jacktown.”

“ That was smart! I always counted him a man
of good jud ment, although I did not exactly
a prove of t e raid on J acktown and he di .

e should have staid by you and saw that you
broke up and hunted your holes when you got
back here. I know that he would not have coun-
tenanced this wild raid.”

“ W’at’s thet got ter do with our drinkin’i”

“ Hello! So you are there, Todd Tom. I
might know that you would bearoun when free
whisky was running. You don’t know enough
to reason about this matter, but that the others
may understand, I will say that as sure as the
crowd get paralyzed tocnig t the Sunday school
people of this camp will rise up and overpower
you when you are unable to resist. What does
that mean i”

The Spotter paused a moment, but no one
answered the question.

“ I will tell you what it means.” he said, slow-
ly and distinctly. “ It means Jud e Lynch 1"

There was something terribly loodochilling
about those four words, and more, than one law-
less fellow trembled and rubbed his throat as he
heard them. After several moments of_impress-
ive silence, Saul continued:

“ You all know that for some time Jasper has
been threatening a general clean-out of the
gamblers and bums, and your judgment should
tell on that that clean-out will come now if the

y- ood men can make it Work. You have
leizer' t e town and on must hold it or go.”

“Au’ er leetle whisk’ is jest the stuff ter ve
us ther backbone ter hole it,” asserted T dy
Torn.

“ And too much whisk’ is weakening for that
some backbone. If you could get the stuff, you
would drink till you was blind drunk even if

on knew that the blamed p’isen would kill on.
on take a reef in your mouth and let us ear
law of you. I would be doin the community
a turn if I loaded your 0 d ’carcass down
th lead, and I may be t- pted to do so if you
put in any more of your lip.’

That was enough for the bummer. Swiftly he
slunk out of sight behind those who we‘re gather-
ed around the pistol prince, and nothing further
was heard from him.

Th Spotter went on: r

“ on men of brains can see the common sense

He left us on the way back from

in what I ve said. If you fill up with liquor,
there will an uprising in this camp and some-
body will be hanged for drn ing old Solomon

Drew, who attempted to hol the town with a
shot-gun. If there are serious charges against
any others of the gang, he may hava company.
The rest of the crowd will be escorted to the out-
akirts of the place and ven a certain cc of

game intwhiclzhto makftt simlselges ipvisitnl. If
eyreurn epena y a eceo em .
How like ydu the prospect, pardsfg p

Therewu a

"and silence, then some one an-
! 3 .

 

 

“ It’s pritty doubtful.”

“ Right on are. Now, pards, you have your
choice. hat will you have?”

“ W’at d’yer want us ter do, Saul?”

“ Let up on liquor and hold the town. I will
help you.

“ An’ you’re as good as fifty common men,”
declared an enthusiastic admirer.

“Er durned sight better,” shouted another.

The gang needed a leader and th all knew
that in the absence of High Car Harr the
Spotter was the very one for the place, t ere-
fore they were ready to listen to him almost to a
man. And those who did not wish to listen did
not dare to say so. Saul readgliy perceived that
he could carry things as he lik .

“ Purds,” he said, quietly, “ I propose that we
turn this saloon into the hands of its rightful
owner. Whatever liquor comes over the bar
after this will be paid or, and for to-night the
bar will be closed. I shall order the other
saloons closed until to—morr0w. Who kicks
against that?”

The Spotter’s hands were in the side-pockets of
his coat-and no one kicked.

“ That settles it," declared Saul, and for the
remainder of that night the toughs found it very
difficult to obtain liquor in Jasper City.

Where was Solid Sid, the marshal, all this
time? . Nobody seemed able to anewer the ques-
tion. Sid was known as a migE‘Q bad man, and
the peaceable citizens of the town had expected
that he would soon quell the riot. But the solid
man failed to show up, and the toughs had
everything their own way. There seemed to
be iii. screw loose somewhere, to speak figura-
tive y.

It was near morning when there were three
new-comers in the place. Two of them were
well-known, for they were High Card Harry
and Hicko Jimmy. The third was the Jack-
town amb er and desperado, Tom Alicar, or
Dandy irk.

Harry’s appearance was hailed with delight
23 the toughs, of whom he was the acknowledg-

leader. The Spotter at once stepped into the
ranks, And the card-shar assumed command.
But he depended on San to explain the situa-
tion, which the pistol ex rt did in a very lucid
manner. For a time t e gambler seemed to
hesitate between dismay and delight, but finally
a grim look settled on his faCe, and he said:

“ There is no backing out now. We must hold
the town and rule it from this time onward.
This dimculty was needles. but there is no use
in crying over spilled mi k. We had quite a
grip on the place before, and could have held our
own had the cits tried to get rid of us, but now
against get everything into our hands and cling

Morning came, and at Harry’s direction the
Night Hawk Saloon was opened again, although
the card-sharp warned his men to go light and

y for all they drank. Thus far the lawoabid-

ng citizens of the place had made no or anized

attempt to regain control of the camp, ut the
tpnghs were looking for such a move at any
t me.

The forenoon passed without a pitched battle,
although there were several little skirmishes in
which no one was seriousl injured. Near mid-
day a delegation from he peaceable citizens
of the placo appeared in the Night Hawk Sa-

oon.

“We wish to see the leader of the party that
is raising such a riot in this place,” declared the
spokesman of the delegation.

Hi h Card Harry Egomptly stepped forward.
“ eckou I must the man you are looking
for,” he admitted. “I am the leader of the
part that has taken possession of this lace.
and ’y common consent the Aloalde of asper

he

Cit .

‘FNow hole a leetle on there!” cried a voice
from the doorway. “ I reckon e’rd troddin’ on
my corns w’en ye make that ind o’ tork. I
heard that this hyer town wuz needin’ 0’ er al-
calde ter kine o’ yank ther knots out 0’ things
an’ bring ’ein roun’ ship-shape, so I jest hoofed it
all ther way frum Jacktown hyer ter resent
meraelf fer thet oraflce. Ef ye’re lookin fer er
galoot ter do thet same, I’m ther very galoot
ye‘re lookin’ fer. ’ I prOpose ter becnm ther Al-
calde o’ Jasper, an’ my name’s Wagg, with
Erastus ter ther frunt. Whoogee I”

And straight into the saloon ripped the wool-
ly-lieaded man, hat in hand, bowing to the right
{ind 1left and grinning all over his homely, beard-
ess ace.

 

    
 

CHAPTER VII.
nmsrus GETS INTO TROUBLE.

Tm: ragged vagabond of the mines was on
hand as usual and was anxious to get into the
midst of the excitement. Apparently without a
thought of danger, he boldly entered the Night
Hawk Saloon and proclaimed himself acandi-
date for the office of Alcalde of Jasper Cit . It.
is doubtful if Erastus knew just what an a calde
was, but he was certain that it was some exalted
position else Hile Card Harry would not care to
represent himself as holding the place by com—
mon consent of the people; and it is positively
certain that the tramp did not pause to take a
second thought before he announced that he was
a candidate for the oflice. The woolly-headed
man usually talked first and thought afterward.

Wagg’s appearance and loudly-spoken an—
nouncement caused a ripple of excitement within
the saloon, and more than one man allowed his
hands to creep toward his revolvers. Every—
thing seemed to indicate that there would be
lively times directly, and if appearances were
not very deceptive, the vagrant from J acktown
would find himself in warm company. While
the toughs were smarting from their recent re-
pulsion in Paradise Gulch, it wasa bold thing
for any man to appear in their midst and boldly
declare that he was just from J acktown; but the
camp tramp put himself in double danger by
announcing himself as 'alcalde ’in opposition to
the card—sharp chief of the lawless ang.

But what cared Erastus?
1y as if in the midst of friends and advanced into
the room without the least hesitation. The
woolly-headed man was a strange combination
of bravery, braggadocio and cowardice, and it
was impossible to tell, when he was forced to do
one or the other, whether he would fight or run.
He would do either at the mOSt unexpected mo-
meats.

Pausing in the middle of the floor, he fanned
the air with his long arms as if they Were a pair
of win s and uttered a very’creditable imitation
of the oarse crow of a Brahma rooster.

“ Hyer I be,” he loud] announced, “therfine-
feathered, high-steppin , loud crowin’ cock-a—
doodle—do from J acktown. Jest feast yer bleared
optics outer me an’ see ’f ye kin realize yer own
utter insigniffycanse. Common critters hunt
their holes an’ prepare fer Gabriel w’en I let off
steam in a ood-sized ole-fashioned 00p. They
think that it’s ther las’ trumph an’ t et ther final
day 0’ deestruction hes cum. I’m a leather-
lunged howler frum Hurrycane Gap, I am. I’m
er mighty bca-a-d
hawse ter crowd.
heavy-hitters an’ see me interjnce ’em ter one 0’
them ancient s’prise partys w’at ole Samson use
ter kerry cODCealed in ther sleeves 0’ his every-
day ulsterett. If ye want ter see fun—fun—

Whoopeel Trot out yer

hayd ins o’ it—jest give me er chance ter

s read.

pHe paused a moment to catch his breath and
to glare around in a manner that was both de-
fiant and beseeching. It was a wonder that
half a dozen of the fighters in the crowd did not
make a jump for him without further ceremony,
but something seemed to hold them all motion-
less till the vagabond began a in.

“ Hev I took ther place wit out er struggle?”
he asked. “ By jehocusl it looks thet way.
did think thar wuz er leetle sand in this ole
town, but I reckon I must ’a’ bin Woefully de-
ceived. Theysed thar wuz sum mighty good
meh in Jasper an"thet if er teller wuz cokin’

He smi ed as serene-

man ter tackle. an’ er hard ‘

 

fer invigoratiu’ exercise he c'n’d fine it h or »

without hafe tryin’. Reckon thet must ’a‘ in
an error. I didn’t expec’ ter hecum' Alcade o’
Jaspe
but it looks'as if I had slid riglbt inter ther place
as easy ez grease. Dinged if don’t admire ther
jedgmint o ther gang, though I can’t say thet I
think much 0’ their pluck. . Gentlemen, allow
meter interjuce merself: E. Wagg, Esq., Al—
calde o’ Jasper City ”

And once more
hat in hand. The crowd

r without hevin’ ter ranil fer ther posish, '

he' bowed to the right and left, --
looked curiously at ,-

 

 

High Card Harry to see what the card-sharp .

would do or say. Harry was regarding the
loud-spoken v at with a look of mild annoy-
ance on his ark handsome face. Still the
Jasper City rt did not seem vei angry. It
was a ran .
annoy than anything else. The crowd
for him to make some kind of a_ move. We
pretended to accept their hesitation as an-ev -_
dence of fear.

“ Tails down that hull o’ ’em ” he laughed.
“Score one fer Erastus! 0h! Ikn then- 51;;
bowler w’nt makes them hunt their holes!
thar—” ,,

op!”
“"33 High Card Harrywhospoke, andhhf

that he Was more “gum and?
waited

 

   
 

 

if} .

 
 

 

  
 
   
 
 
  
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
   
 
    
     
  
 
  
 
 
 
   
   
    
  
  
   
  
  
 
 
  
   
  
  
 
  
    
 

.sharp command caused the tramp to pause with

his mouth wide open, the picture of sudden sur-

rise. .
P :‘ Ehlddid you speak!” gasped Erastus.

‘ di .

“ Waal, waal! Thet’s most s’prisin’! I didn’t
s’pose no one dared open their clam-traps. W’at
’d yer say?” .

“ I said stop, which literally means chain
up. You are using your mouth altogether too
freely.”

“ ho! Is thet so?”

“ You are a t to discover that it is. You
have evidently n drinking or you would not
dare to come in here and fire off your mouth in
this way. I advise you to go somewhere and
snooze it off. If you want any fun—fun—conie
back when you are sober and get your stomach
full. Now slide.”

But Erastus did not slide.

“ Oh, no !”'hc grinned. “ Excuse me if I pause
a while. You are ’way of! if you think that I
am drunk. It takes uite a lot 0’ ther stuff ter
git Ole Wooltop fu died, an’ I’ll sw’ar thet
atween us, J edge Blowbugle o’ J acktown, and I,
only surrounded one small gallon las’ nite. We
both went light, though ther jedge c’u’dn’t see
quite as well as usual this mornin’ an’ his pins
was a leetle shaky. But I’m all right, bet yer
boots!”

Then the woolly-headed man took a double-
shuffle to convince every one that his legs were
all right. Gradually the scowl on High Card’s
face rew more ominous.

“ you will wait till I attend tobusiness with
these gentlemen,” said the gambler, “ I will see
what can be done for you, my friend.”

“ Oh, cert,” nodded Wagg, gravely. “ I’m no
hog ter want ter take yer tention all ther time.
Jest go ahead with yer tooth-pullin’ w’ile I ’muse
ther congregation.”

A word from the card-sharp warned the crowd
not to “jump” the vagrant till he should give
them rmission, and then he turned to hear
what t e delegation from the peaceable citizens
had to propose. Wagg promptly made his way
to the bar and called for a “ bracer.”

“ I would like to see the color of your change
before I set out the moisture,” said the cautious
bartender.

“ Hain’t my credic good i” asked the tramp,
appearing somewhat surprised.

“ Yes, good for nothing.”

“ ls thet so? An’ I ther Alcalde o’ Jasper!
Waal, waal! Reckon I’ll hev ter pa spot cash
then,” and his hand slowly descendyed into the
capacious pocket of his ragged ntaloons.

' Wonder whar in puss is he muttered. as
he slowly felt arena in all of his pockets. “ I
don’t seem ter fine it, an’ it orter he hyer. Guess
I must ’a‘ drapped it. Oh, well! I don’t mind,-
ifer it only contained a con Io or three hundred.
Guess I won’t drink now; hain’t hafe ser dry
as I wuz."

Then Erastus turned his back to the bar, and
for five minutes his tongue ran without stop ing.
No one tried to interrupt him for the di not
care to put their fingers into High Car Harry’s
soup. and every one felt that the card-sharp had
something in store for the tram from J ack-
town. In one corner Harry was talking earnest-
ly With the delegation, evidently discussing the
Situation.

“ I hev taken er contrac’ ter ’muse the con
gashun,” observed the woolly-headed man, ‘ an’
I’m goin’ ter do in best ter do so. P’r’aps you
folks don’t know at I’m er pole?”

No answer. i
I,“ I thort likelly,’; he nodded. I “Wain, I be,

ll sing ye a eete songwat composedasI
was cumin’ from Jacktown. Jest lissen.”

And without further ado, he began to roar at
the top of his voice:

“ Cum lissen to my ditty,

I’ll sing it soft an' low —

There dwells in Jasper bitty
A gallant sport you know;

He’s tallan‘ straight— ther dandy!
His e es are dark an‘ keen,

An’ wit ther kcerds he’s handy.
W‘en he strikes er chap thet‘s green.

“ 'ler {when came this daisy
An er sang ter take ther town;
Besobs! it wassent aisy
W'en ’Rastus wuz aroun‘l
He tried er leetle poker—
It is his fav'rite me-
He met his match—ther jolser
Thet we call Violet Vane. ’

‘ Ever-1y one within the room knew that this
wasa irect thrust at High Card Harry, and
more than one expected to see the card sharp
drop the reckless vagrant in his tracks; but the
gambler seemed topay noattention tothe woolly-

“ Vagrant.

 

       
  
 

Violet Vane’s Victory.

headed man or his song. Quietly he continued
his talk with the representatives of the law-
abiding people of the town.

Finally the interview ended. the delegation
left the saloon and High Card Harry turned to-
ward the bar. There was a slight stir, for every
one expected trouble at once. The tramp was
the only one who did not seem to notice Harry’s
approach.

“ Yes,” Erastus was saying, “ I hev kinder
made up my mine ter becuni alcalde 0’ this hyer
towu. I understan’ the thar is er leetle trubble
hyer ’bout suthin’. If het’s er fack I’m jest
ther lad ter straighten things out. Ikin do it
in er leetle o’ no time, an’ I’ll ergree ter hev this
runnin’ as it orter be afore twenty-four hours.”

“And I will give you just twenty-four scoonds
to get out of that door,” observed High Card
Harry, quietly, drawing a gold watch from his
pocket and glancing at the face of it. “ If
youdafe not gone in that time, I will have you

re .

 Wagg gave vent to a whistle of astonish-
men .

“ Now you don’t mean thet,” he asserted—
“ you can’t! There is apt ter be fun in this
ranch store I am fired.”

The card-sharp said not a word until the
twenty-four seconds were up, then he turned to
Hickory Jimmy, who was standing near:

“ Fire him, Jimmy.”

The wrestler grinned and spit on his hands.

“ Bet yer life I will,” he chuckled, savagely,
as he began to advance toward the intended
victim. -

“ Bet yer life you won’t!" came promptly
from the vagrant’s lips, as his long-barreled
revolvers a peured in his hands. “ I am a
mighty har man ter fire w’en I hold ther drop.
Jest chain up or chaw lead !”

And it was plain that Wagg meant business,
therefore Hickory Jim paused irresolutely.

“I’m no rassiler.” admitted the woolly-headed
man, as he leaned lazily back with his elbows on
the bar, the rusty-looking revolvers being

inted to the front. “ I thort I wuz yesterday,

ut 1 got bolt 0’ this same galoot an’ mighty
soon changed my mine. My back hain’t got
over achin’ yet. He gnv me ther all-duruedest
flam 1 never got. No, thank you, I don’t keer
fer enny more in mine. I know w’en I’ve got
emufi’ 0’ er good thing.”

The wrestler looked toward High Card Harry
for instructions. The gambler scowled, an evil
gleam in his eyes.

“ I will give you one more chance,” said the
dark-faced sport. “You may leave this room
unmolested now. If you appear again, you will
be shot on sight. If you do not go peaceably,
you shall be thrown out.”

. “An’ w’u’d ye throw me revolvers an’ all?”
inquired Wagg, blandly.

“ Yes, through that Window. to your right.”

“ All right, throw away! Jasper City will
hev severial funerals ter-morrer, I reckon.
Su’thin ginerally draps w’en one 0’ these anti-
mortem pill-dispensers an’ system-perferators
kersplodes. Wade in, sinners!”

Just then Erastus felt something cold just
back of his right ear. It was the muzzle of a
revolver held in the hand of the bartender, who
commanded:

“ Dro them revolvers! If you don’t I’ll blow
the who e roof of your cabeza off!”

Wagg suddenly grew pale.

“ Hole on! hole on !” he spluttered. “ I cave!
I’m reddy ter git out now. I don’t believe I
want ter run fer office ennyhow. Fact is, I
w’u’dn’t be alcalde 0‘ this ole camp if I c’u’d jest
ez well ez not.”

“ Disarm him,” ordered Harry, coldly.

Two men sprung forward to obey.

“ ’Tain’t no fair,” whiued the tremblin
“This cotchin’ er man frum behin
is low dirt. I reckon I stabbed inter ther wrong
place, and I’m willin’ ter depart quietly now.

his h yer gittin’ mixed up in pollerticks au’ run-
nin’ fer office is danger'ns business.”

Wagg’s long reVOlvers were taken from him
and laid on th bar. Then the two men looked
to Harry for further instructions.

“ Fire him through the window,” was the
grim command. ‘~

They eeimd the woolly-headed man. and were
about to obey, when a clear, ringing voice cried:

“Hold a little on there! What’s all this row
about, anyway?” ,.

CHAPTER-VIII.
aromas CANDIDATE FOR omen.

THE speaker was a new-comer in the saloon.
and a stranger in town. He wasarather un—
dersized man, and was areal-ed in a seedy-look-
ing suit of faded black. His rather florid face
I

:5

 
 

' . ' V ‘ \  _'»y.‘"l';.i‘n

 

' 

<,  . mi”, 
flit.  \

 
 

was made to look doubly florid, as his stubby
whiskers were fiery red. A mass of reddis

hair formed a “fringe” entirely around the
lower extremity of the battered silk hat that
was set upon the back of his head. His hands
were thrust deep into the pockets of his pants.-
loons, and a half-smoked cigar, held in one cor-
ner of his mouth, gave him a rakish air. But
his eyes were dark and keen, and his voice had
Sounded clear and distinct despite the cigar,
causing the men who werea out to throw Eras~
tus through the open window to pause and look
around.

“What’s all this row about anyway?” re-
peated the seedy stranger, blowing out a cloud
of cigar-smoke. “ I would like to inquire what
our friend of the shaggy head has done that he
should be so rudely eJected through yon yawn-
ing window.”

Cool as an icicle was the red-haired individual
as he leaned lazily a ainsta post near the center
of the room, and a lowed his keen eyes to pass
swiftly and senrchingly over the throng. Al-
though he appeared anything but dangerous,
there was something about his careless manner
that caused the card-Sharp’s satellites to pause
and hesitate ere carrying out the orders of their
leader.

High Card Harry wheeled with an oath, re-
volver in hand.

“ Who in blazes are you?” he demanded, sav-

agely.

“ Well, now, partner, I don’t knew as that is
any of your business,” was the calm reply.
“But for all of that, I don’t mind swapping
handles, to speak figuratively. Who in blazes
are you !”

The scowl on the gambler’s face grew still
blacker. He did not fancy the stranger’s cool,
impudent manner.

“ You are either a fool or a lunatic,” declared
the angry sport.

“ Possibly you are right,” admitted the red
head, sobcrl '. “ I’ve been told that same thing
before, but notice that I ’most always manage
to rustle around and hold up my end with the
rest of the boys. I must say that if I am either
a fool or a lunatic, I am about the smartest one
that I know of.”

The gambler laughed sneeringly.

“ You are altogether too smart,” he asserted.
“ You had best have a care, or you will wish
you had not thrust your nose into High Card
Harry’s business.”

“ Thanks, awfully! I am so glad you men-
tioned it. So your handle is High Card Harry!
A gentleman who sometimes feels of the papers,
I should infer. In other words, a shark who
makes food of the foolish little fishes which come
in his way. I wonder if some of the little fishes
ever turn out to be full-grown whales.”

At which the woolly-headed man snickered.

“Jeehocus!” he grinned. 4“ Now you’ve hit
it, ard. He run plum erg’in’ er whale w’en be
tackled Violet Vane at Jacktown. Sweet Vio-
lets is small, hut—oh, my!”

The stranger smiled knowingly as he blew
out another cloud of smoke.

“ It ofttimes happens thus. The mouse some-
times proves to be a tiger with claws worse than
Damascus blades. Now I am a sport myself,
and I must admit that I have been there many
a time. Some of you people may have taken ’
me fora millionaire in disguise. I am not. I
am no aspiug monopolist. I am no Jay
Gould. gram simply one of the bloods, deuoedly
down on my luck. I heard that this t0wn was
off its trucks and needed some one to yank things
into running order, so I just slid in here to
present myself as a candidate for the office of
alcalde.”

The camp tramp gave a whoop of delight.

“ Great jeeswax!” he bellowed. “Ernuther
one inter ther ring! This hyer‘s gittin’ _kinder
interestin’, I swow! Stranger, w’at as your
name?” .

The seedy individual removed his .left hand
from his pocket long enough to dOfI’ his battered
high hat, as he answered:

“ Most honorable sir of the shaggy caput,
my baptismal handle. is Coolan Casey, a eculiar
name I think you Will admit. Out in t island
of rustlers, however. they have altered the title
somewhat and call me a 1 Case. I have been
told that the abbreviated c omen suits me to
a full-grown capital T, as 9.] who know me say
I am indeed a very Cool Case.” _

High Card Harry gave vent to an oath of dis-

st.
gu“ You are too fresh for killing,” he asserted,
conten: tuously. “ You had better take a back
seat an witness the performance from a safe
distance. for something may fall on you and hurt
you if you get too near.” , I

 
 
  

     

. ,making a fool of yourself.

 

 

. 1

8

W. — . ,.... l  .‘

3%.." ,‘-"  . .., , I . .' 3., . . '

Hanger ‘ l, rm I _.3 l“.
. . , _. ~=

Violet Vane’s Victory.

in

 

 

“Thanks again, dear sir. You mean well
enough, but it is very plain that you have not
sprouted your last,wisdom tooth yet. There is
lots in this world for you to learn if you try.
This brings me round to my original question.
What has the gentleman of the dilapidated at-
tire and lamb-like topknot done that he should
be so rudely ejected i”

Wag: hastened to rep] :

“Northin’ at all, para, only jest announced
meself as a candidate for ther orafico o’ Alcalde
0’ Jasper. This hycr High Kecrd Hurrah says
thet he is ther alcalde, an’ so he wuz goin’ for
hev me fired.” ~

The Cool Case buried his hands still deeper

in his pocketsgand surveyed the Jasper City.

sport in a uizzical way. ‘

“ And W o is this high horse that attempts
to run this town?” he inquired, a touch of con-
tem t in face and voice. '

“Yam the Alcalde of Jasper City,” answered
Harry, hotly. .

“Naow is that so?” drawled the red-bend.
“ You quitesurprise me! How long home you
held the office, may I inquire?"

“You may inquire and be hanged!” snapped
the furious sport. “I am not answering ques-
tions for everybummer who strikes the place.”

“ Quite right, dear sir—iquite right. But it; is
always best to_answer a gentleman. I fancy

that you do not answer because you cannot.
You are no more the Alcalde of Jasner than I
am, and neither of us Will rightfully obtain that
glosition till We do so by a vote of the people.

ow l presont myself as a candidate for the
office, and until I am defeated at the polls or
some other fatal spot, I intend to make a strong
fight for my rights. Please jot that down in

o’ur memorandum so that you may not forget

“ Bah!” sneered the gambler. “ You are
You can no more
obtain the office in opposition tome than you
can creep into heaven.” , .

“A place where' one could waste ten then-
sand years in a vain search for you, my friend,”
smiled Case. “But let that drop and come
around to the business in hand. Why is it that
I stand no show at all in opposition to you i”

“That question shows your utter ignorance.
D.» van observe these men around you?”

“De 1r sir, do you fancy that I am blind or
asleep!” '

The gambler ignored the question as be con-
tinned: .'

“ Every one of these men are friends of mine
and they are all heeled. A word—a look from
me and down you go, full of lead.” \

Case surveyed the crowd critically.

“ Quite a select gang of cut-throats,” he finally
observed. “ And are they really all tools of
yours, my friendi”

An ominous murmur came from the gang,
and half a score of hands crept toward concealed
weapons. They did not fancy the stranger’s
plain talk.

The peculiar ‘little 'man noticed the alarming
aspect of the crowd, but he did not appear
startled in the least. Calmly he blew out a thin
column of smoke, and withone roll of his tongue,
shifted hi3 cigar to the other corner of his

.mouth. High Card.seemed to hesitate about .
something. ' ,
“ What is it, sir?” asked Case. “Are you

thinking of pulling the string and letting the
animals loose! Perhaps you had better consider
it alittle longer. I have no desire to wi out
the entire gang, beginning with on. . have
simplfv come here to present mysel as a candi-
d to or the office of alcalde, and if elected to
yank things into running shape. I have wiped
out entire battalions' of too hs before now,
but it is a very unpleasant job very l”

“ Whoopee .” cried Erastus. “ If I kin git
bolt 0’ my resolvers, I’ll help ye, pard. I reckon
we kin clean out this place an’ capter ther town.
I’m er might?7 b-a-a-d man w’eu I git started, an’
don’t ya fer t it.”

High Car Harry uttered a snarl and wheeled
toward the men who were still holding fast to

egg.

“Fire the fool out of the'windOW!” shouted
the card-sharp."
galoot.”

“Stop!” came crisply from Cool Case’s has.
“ Release that man or suffer the consequences.

The men hesitated. .

“ Throw 'm out, you fools l” roared Harry.
“What are on hesitating for?” " ‘

But just then somethin uite ' unexpected oo-‘

e510 suddenly become
With a sudden movement, he
of the men
whoheld him, letting them fal to this floor.

curred. Erastus seem
very mucuslive.
- knocked the feet from under botih

‘ tell you to.

“Then we will attend to this

 

Then, one after the other he seized them by. a
convenient part of their clothes and buried them
through the window!

For a few moments the entire crewd appeared
dumfounded. Wagg im roved the time in se-
curing his revolvers. hen High Card Harry
cried, furious with rage:

“ A thousand furies! Jump him, lads! Down
him in his tracks!”

But louder and clearer than before rung Cool
Case’s voicev

' “ Chain up or chew lead! I always shoot to
kill, apd High Card Harry is the first man to
dropl‘ ' ‘

His hands had left his ockets and both‘ of
them held revolvers of tho atele and most im-
proved pattcrn. Th3 careless stranger had sud—
(lmll y resolved into a very dangerous‘tappearing
individual, and the card-sharp observed that one
of Case‘s revolvers had him “ lined.”

“ Call off your dogs l” commanded the red-
hended man—“call them off, I say! The first
shot means death to you!”

The gambler hesitated, but there was some—
thing in the black eyes of the little man that
caused him to fling up one hand with the order:

“Hold a. moment, pardsl Don’t shoot till I

” We will avoid bloodshed, if possi-
ble. ‘ '

“Many thanks,” smiled the Cool Case. “I
thought you would not be so very rush, for if,
you are any like me, you have no desire to
shuffle of? this mortal coilyet awhile. Life is
SWeet to us all, and it would he aghame to cut
you dewn in the flower of your manhood."

“Curse you!"grittcd the baffled and defied
gambler. “ You are not yet out of the woods.”

Before any further words could‘ be exchanged,

there was a sndden hubbub near thefioor and a r a

man gushed into the room, crying: '

“ here is High Card Harry?”

“Here,” answered the sport.
wanted i” - .

“The south guard have been taken by sur-
prise and passed by a party from J acktown.”

“ When did that occur?”

“ Nearly an hour ago.”

“Furies! And why was I not “Otlfled be-
fore?”

“ Because the guard was bound hand and foot
and gagged. They were discovered less than
ten minutes ago.”

i The card-sharp swore roundly. ‘

“This is a pretty mess!" he snarled.
the guard recognize on y of the party ?”

“Yes, three.”

' “ Who were they 3” r

“The young fellow who warned Jacktown’
that we Were coming to take the place,'Solirl
Sid and- the velvet dandy they call Violet
Vane.”

“I will look after those gentlemen directly,”
declared the gambler. “But first I must at«
tend to the case in hand.”

But, when he turned toward the s 01: where
he baddest seen Erastus Wagg and col Case,
lie discovered that both Were gone. The open
window told how they had succeeded in so
quietly and suddenly making their exit.

CHAPTER IX.
‘TIIE CAPTIVE QUEENS.

, ALAN DALE, the detective, had made. his es—
cape in some remarkable manner. When the
Jasper City sport discovered that the led horse
was riderless he was both amazed and startled. ,
. “ Hey, there, pards, hold on 1” he cried. “The
deuce is to pay hero!” ‘

“ "What's the matter?” demanded Dandy Dirlr.
'“Matter enough. That cursed detectiim has

“Did

 

Flipped us.”

“ Impossible l” '
" Well, .I guess not: He’s gone, sure as shoot-

ing! Here, Hickory, your hands are empty ;

see if you can tell how the trick was worked.”

The little party halted and Hickory-Jimmy
sprung ofthis horse to obey the gambler’s coma
ni'and. He examinrd the riderless horseras well
as the darkness would allow and answered
directly: »

J‘Not' a sign. here, old ma . I reckon ther
cuss must have got his Mob 1 an' out bisself
clear some way. Hefi gone, an‘-so’s every trace
0v him.” ‘

It dawned upon the villains [that they had
been tricked by the detective.

“ Idon’t understand this,” asserted the man
from Jacktown. “ 1 hit him a killing belt with
those irons and was afraid that I had cracked
his skull. 0 must have a hard head. I 'was
desperate and did not care how hard I hit.‘ I
was striking’ for liberty.” ,

“ Well. it seems that our friend, the detective,
has struck for liberty.” .

   

“ What is ‘

.sorp

“ Yes, and he will be on my trail-again ‘ ‘  I
directly. Ixshall have to watch out for him. ’ ’ '- .

“ Yes, down him on sight and down him for .
keeps.”

“I will do that same, but the blamed bound is'
mighty Sharp in the way of disguism. No one
would haveimagined that Solomon Snide was a
detective. I shall have to keep my eyes peeled
or he will close in on me again.”

“ B,ut there is something that bothers me juht
noxv.’

“What?”

“ How long was the fellow conscious before
he escaped.”

‘l Why does that trouble you?” .

“ I would like to know how much of our con-
versation he heard.” '

St  I” -

For several moments the perplexed rascals
were silent. They all understood that the de-
tective might have heard things that would
enable him to make it very uncomfortable for

them.

“What if he heard us state where we intend
to take the girls?” finally came from High Card
Harry’s lips.

‘z‘ He will be able to organize a party and res-
cue them,” anSWered Dandy, promptly.

" Just that. What shall we do? -

“Do you think we had better take the
chances?”

“No: I am in favor of taking them some-
where else.” '

“ But where?”

“ That isa diflicnlt question. I know of no
other good place. Can you-think otany!"

“Not one.” - . I -
At this point Hickory Jimmy came to their

id. ,
“ I can tell you where ye had better take ’em,”
he asserted. . ‘ , ’ c _
“ You can?" exclaimed Harry and Dandy in
a breath. “ Then fire away. ” '
“ Take ’em straight inter Jasper.” ,
_“ What?" The word was both a question and
an exclamation.
“ I sed take ’em'straight inter J asper,” repeat-

 

" ed the wrestler. -

“. You are crazy!” growled the J acktown des-

perado._ _ _.

“ Not by er durned sight. W’at mecks ye think i
I’m daft?" . ' . ,

“Why the. idea of taking them to Jasper City ‘
.is simply ridiculous!” ' '

“ Do ye think so! An’ w’y is it?”

“ That will be the first place where their
friends will look for them.”

“ An’ we will be there ter meek it mighty in-
terestin’ for their fr’en’s. Jasper will be too hot
to hold elnnybuddy frum Jacktown arter this. ‘
\-We kin git ther gals inter ther place afore
day-peep an’ hide ’93:. Then let their fr’ens

um ‘

H“ I believe Hickory is right,” put in High Card
arry. j ' .

" ut where can we hide them i” asked Dirk,
who was still doubtful about; the policy of the
move. ' '

“ In ,ther secret cellar under my own wig-
wam,” said the wrestler. “ Ther cellar has hid
more-nor one aloot as was wanted'by ther laW.
It will hold her gals safe, an’ no matter how
mucgi they squawk, they won’t be heard by no
one. ' -

“The very place i” exclaimed Harry. 'But -
Dand y Dirk did not arrive at'such a sudden con-
clusion. « For several moments he considered the v
matter, and when he spoke, his mind did not.
seem fully satisfied. ‘ . ‘ '_ ‘

“ Well. if there is nothing better, we Wlll car
them to Jasper. ] shall hays to trust everything
to on, my friends.” '

‘ And you will never regret doing so,” as- »
sored the card-sharp. “ You may be sure that I
would not wish to carry m' prize to Jasper if I '
lose her if,I did.” . I ..

And so it was settled. The party turned their
faces toward Jasper Cit and entered the place
0 time before day reak Where they ex-
pected to find a. sleeping cafnp they discovered
one that was very wide awake. At first they
were at a loss to comprehend the meaning of the ,
uproar ’ which. seemed to be going ~on', but ' r »
the quick~witted gambler soon suspected the ‘.
t . _ .

ruth. . r ' ' -

“ The drunk fools have taken the town i” he
exclaimed. '
more than once, butI have alw ys held them in
check; but now they have done it, for sure. ‘ -
That axis a stiff fight with the Sunday-school! ‘
men owill try to incite the majorityof the ‘,
citizens to go, in for a general clean-(mt. ‘ '

 

is hotwork ahead.” , g, .}.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'thought there was much 0 a chance forms to '

“ hey have thr tened to do so 

is}?

  
  

 
    
   
   
  
   
 
  
  

  

   
   
   
   
  
   
  
    
 
    
   
  
  
   
  
  
  
   
   
   
   
 
  
   
  
    
   
  
   
    
    
    
    
   
 

 

 

/

. men.” declared Lulu.

 

Violet Vane’s Victory.

 

 

The succeeded in entering the town and
reac ng the secret cellar without being seen.

When the two unfortunate girls recovered con-
sciousness they‘found themselves in a low, dun.
gem—like place with walls of stone on every side.

hey were lying on a hard bed, and alantern
which was suspended from the planking above
their heads. gave out a dim light. Ione started
up, and seeing Luona by her side, cried:

f‘ Where are we? What has happened?”

But Laughing Lu‘s reply'was a faint moan.
She was still in a semi-unconscious state.

“Heavenly Father!” gasped Ione. “ How

came we in this horrible place? My lead is,

bursting with pain and I can remember noth-
in .’

She pressed her hands to her head, and sat up-
on the bed staring vacantly at the rocky walls

l when Luona opened her eyes and sobbed:

“Oh, this is fearful pain!
sick!” I

The words seemed to arouse the other girl
from the strange lethargy that was upon her,
and she bent over the moaning girl, softly calling
her name. -

“What is it?” asked Lu, in a dazed manner.
“Who‘ are you? Oh, I know! You are his
sweetheart—my brother’s sweetheart! How
came you here? How came I here? Where are
we. -

I am so sick—so

“ I don’t know,””answered Ione, dazedly. “ I’

cannot remember.-

Suddenly Laughing Lu sat u . crying:

“I remember it all now! 6 were seized
while we slept. I felt strong hands grasp me,
but when I tried to cry out, something which
gave out a sickening smell was pressed over my
mouth and nose. Heavens! I thought they were
killing me! Everything grew pitchy black,.after
which bright lights flashed before in eyes, and
I knew no more. And now I
here.”

“Ab! and now I remember the same things!
But where are we?” .

The two fair captives looked into each other’s
face, but failed to find the answer to the ques-
tion there.

“I think we have been kidnapped by wicked
“This place looks like a
dungeon, and I know well enough that We are
prisoners here.”

Her wOrds seemed to deprive I one of strength,
for the poor girl sunk back on the rude bed, cov-
ering her face with her hands and bursting into
tears. At the sight of her companion’s distress,
Miss Howard appeared to sudden! become
strong and almost 'cheerful—nearly {let usual
self. ' ‘

“Don’t cry, lone," she entreated. “ Don’t
give may to your feelings. ' Bear up, dear
friend.” '

Between her sobs,'the weeping girl replied:

“ It is so terrible—just as—as everything had
been explained and I was so—so happy.‘ Just as

'. the sun had broken through the black clouds—

then‘ came this.- Oh, mother in heaven! what
will become of us?" '
Lu did her best to soothe the dis-

. Lau hin
A' tressecfgir , and after a time she succeeded in a

measure. a i

“ It may not beso bad' as it seems,” said the
dark-eyed queen. “Remember that we have
friends who will Idave no stone unturned but
will find and rescue us. Be as brave as you can
and let’s examine our prison.”

But Ione’s nerves were too, unstrung. 'Lu’s
last words fell harshly on her ears, and she could

., only wring her hands and repeat:

1 searcejz stand erect in the low, cobwebh
t

l' f overhea .

 

 

 

  
   
 
 
  
    
 
   
 
   
  
    

 bra’v

 their arms aroun

“ Our prison l'our prison! our‘prison !”
, Duona arose and carefully examined the dun-
geon-like cellar. \She found that she could
lace.
her feet was the damp ground, agd on
side were stone walls. She put up her

Bones

eve

' ban 9 and pressed against the planks over her

. They were immovable. In one of the
walls she found an iron gratin , and from the
small saage beyond came a raught of fresh
air. . 0where in the walls could she find a door,

~ but near one corner of the cellar she discove

what up red to be a trap-door in the planking

"not be moved from within the cellar., Finally

7 she went back to the bed. I

“ is there no hope?” asked lone. .
..“ While1 there is life there'is hope,” was the
a rep y. - .
Then the two (girls lay down on the bed with
each other and talked in low
tones to: a very long time. Finally Ione fell
,asleep. and after watching her ', for a tithe, Lu
318° '10!”- Neltbel‘ 0.1 the capti es had seemed
think it worth while to call to he , for they
idid‘not' believe that, theirfiries would heard.

nd myself

A $113! convinced he!“ that it COIfld' have dared to come in here and face this entire

 

They had no way of telling how long they
slept, but when they awoke they found a small
stand near the bed and on the stand a tray with
dishes of food and glasses of water. It had been
placed. there while the slept. Evidently their
captors did not intend tostarve them.

The girls did not hesitate long about eating,
for they were hungry and thirsty. When they
had eaten they felt much better. Then once
more they fell to discussing the situation, and so
the long dreary hours dragged away. No more
food was brought them, for there was enough
left the first time to serve for two meals.

It seemed that they had been imprisoned for
twenty—four hours at least when they were
startled to heara slight noise near the corner
where Luona had discoverer] the trap—door in
the planking. They started up and held their
breath while they listened for a repetition of the
sound. It came in a few seconds. Some one
was trying to open the trap!

\Vho was it?

They asked themselves the question and seem-
ed to feel that there was but one answer. Their
captors Were coming to see how the birds were
getting along.

Aftera short time the door Opened. Amo-
ment later a face appeared, the face of—

NCIl Morris I

Both of the girls uttered a cry of amazement
and delight, which was echoed by the young
man, who sprung down into.the cellar. _
h_“1Found at last!” burst in joyful accents from

is ips.

But, _ an instant later two forms followed
the young man through the trap and two burly
ruffians flung themseIVes upon him.

Then began a desperate strug le in the cellar
prison, one man against fearfu odds, fighting
for more than life.

——

y 0
CHAPTER. X.
THE MARSHAL’S raocnauarron.

HIGH CARD HARRY for a moment could
scarcely believe the evidence of his eyes when
he discovered that both Erastus IVagg and the
Cool Case had disappeared from the room; but
the open window told how the feat had been
accomplished, and With afearful oath, revolver
in hand, he sprung forward. _But a lance out
of the window showed him neither 0 the men
he was looking for. -

“ Curse it all!” he snarled, wheeling on those
within the room. “Are you all blind? 'How
came you to stand and allow them to escape be-
fore your very eyes?”

No one ventured an answer.

“I care nothing for that rag’muffin of the
woollyfibead,” Harry declared; “ but I fancyithat
the other was a deSperate foe in disguise. The
removal of that heard and wig might have
shown a face well known to the most of us, al-
though not a man here ever saw it before yes-
terday.” .

There was a moment of silence, then Hickory
J imm asked:

‘,‘ ' hat in ther uame ov sin do ye mean, ole
man? Who do ye think” ther critter was!” .

“Can’t you guessf’sneered the tricked des-
perado.

is No,
thet—” _ ,

“And that is just what Ido mean. I am
willing to wager my life that Cool Case is none
other than the velvet dandy, Violet Vane!”

A chorus of exclamations burst from the men
within the saloon. They had not suspected the
little man of the red' head of being the Velvet
S rt, but now that High Card Harry declared
h 5 firm conviction that Case was Vane in dis—
guise they at once accepted that view as being
the robable truth. . -

“ am certain that I am right,” declared the
card-sharp. “The man who called himself the
Cool Case was about Violet Vane’s height and
build, he had the velvet dandy’s eyes if not his
vo‘ce. But on know a man’s voice can be easily
disguised. 0t one man in athousand would

blamed if I kin, unless you mean thet—

crowd with High Card Harry at its head; but

olet Vane is an exception. I believe that be
little fop dares anything. It will take a mig ty
good man to get him of! his pins.” . i

“ Ye’re right,” nodded Hickory J immY: “ an’
if thar's a man on ther face dv this by“ ’nrth as
km ‘10 it. you’re ther one.” ,

“ Thanks for the compliment.” smiled the
gambler. Who,seemed‘to have suddenly regained
his usual composure: “ It may sound like boast-

a,

 

ing but I must sav that I reckon you are right.
If i don’t down Violet Vane, it will be uselem l

for the whole town of Jasper to make the at-
tempt. He has got to Come under.”

These words were received with growls of ap-

roval by the scowling toughs gathered around.
They all felt that they had no cause to love the
little sport who had done so much to contribute
to their defeat at Jacktown, and there was not
one among them who would not have felt a
thrill of satisfaction had he Seen the Velvet
Sport lying dead at his feet. It was indeed a
very bad gang which had gathered beneath the
roof of the Night Hawk Saloon. High Card
smiled again as he noticed the signs of approval
from 111056 gathered around.

“ Evdrything is fair in love and war,” quoted
the crafty gambler. “ With that for my motto,
I shall undertake to get the best of the little
sport from Jacktown by fair means or foul. He
will probably join with the goody-good people of
this place in the warfare which will, without
doubt, be organized against us. He will proves.
desperate foe, but I fancy that we can cut him
off in the early part of his career. He has been
lured to this town for the pu )se of making an
end to his high horsemanship in these parts, and
some of the very ones whOm he cbnsiders friends
are his foes, plotting the best way to destroy
him. And I am at the bottom of it all.”

With that declaration, Harry ceased speaking,
and instantly some one )roposed:

“Three cheers fer igh Keerd Harry, ther
Alcalde 0’ Jasper!” ‘

Then the room rung with their cries. The
gambler bowed his thanks, and when silence
was restored, his voice was heard again:

“ And now, pards, we will 0 out and look for
our foes from Jacktown. I ; we find them, we
will make it mighty pleasant for them. Jasper
City is a warm t0wn, but it’ is .not every day
that we suspend business for such a holiday as
this Drink all round at my expense, and then
we will capture the street.” ‘

I And after they had turned down the vile
liquor they did go out capture the street. Honest,
peaceable men sought the nearest cover when
the wild, yelling mob came tearing alon the
public thoroughfare, the occasional ratt e of
fire-arms and jingle of broken glass telling that
they were bent on mischief. Above other sounds
could beheard the voice of High Card Harry
crying:

“ Where are the men from J acktown? Where
is the veIVet dandy, who calls himself Violet
Vane? If he is not a cowardly craven he will ‘
come out here and meet me on the open street
where I will might ‘ soon cut his comb and dull
his spurs. I am igh Card Harry, Alcalde of
Jasper City.”

But, if the card-Sharp‘s boastful words reached
the ears of the Velvet Sport, that individual
made no Sign. His silence angered the desperado,
and louder than ever Harry called:

“ Where is he—where does he hide—this mighty
chief from Jacktown? He dares not show his
head! I fling my challenge in his teeth. If he
is a man he will come forth to meet me. He is
a cowardly dog who hides in some safe corner.
I defy him!’ I laugh at him! He is a squawi
Let Little Johnny-jump—up show himself if he
has the least sand in' his crew. In Jacklown
they call him a chief; in Jasper we call him a
c0ward.” , ;

The gambler more than half—expected that his
taunting words would call the little sport into the
street where he would bays an advantage, for
the entire 'gan fired by liquor, were looking
for Vane, intending to shoot on sight. Had the
sport appeared, he would have found fifty foes
instead of one. But if Vane heard the gambler’s
taunting words, he allowed his good judgment
to control his actions and remained under
cover. . .

If High Card Harrv did not find Violet Vane,
he found something e so When he returned to the
Night Hawk Saloon. U n' the outer door of
the saloon was pinned a large sheet of brown
Ezper, upon which was written’in a clear, bold

nd the following:

“ PROCLAMATION.

“ We, the undersigned grardians of the peace in
Jasper. do hereby reclaim the parties who are
causing'the riot in t is town law~breakers ard ruf-
flans who are, dangerous to- the ence. of the coun-
munity an a. disgrace to the pace. While:
men are a lowed to dwell in our midst no peaceahlo
'man‘s life is safe end no“ honest man can rest assured
that his property will not be taken from him. The
onlv way to assure the safety of the law-ablde
citizens of Jasper is to get rid of the rufl'lans and
cmrthroats in one way or another. This the peace-
able citizens have d ded to .o. A general clean-out
of the rough! and toughs w ich infest our fair
has been decided upon. and we, the undersign
have been instructed to accomth this end, there-
fore we give the following

 
   

     

 

   
 

Violet Vane’s Vlctory.

 

 

 

WARNING.

“ The rioters in Jasper, including all the bums,
loafers, dead-beats, ruffiaus, cut-throats and law-
breakers in general, will be given until sunset to
leave the lace. if at that time Such parties as are
above inricated are still to be found within the
limits of Jasper, they shall be generously treated to
a dose of Colorado justice administered by Judge
Lynch. This is not an empty threat, but isafair
warning. We are backed by all the peaceably-
incllned citizens of the town and shall enforce the
law with rope and revolver. Take heed. ye evil-
doers, and leave the place while there is yet time.

“ (Signed,) “ SIDNEY SHARON.

“ Marshal of Jasper,
“ VIOLET VANEZ -
‘ Deputy.

The card-sharp read the proclamation and
warning aloud to the crowd at his heels. He was
listened ‘to with almost breathless interest.
When he had finished, he turned to the men
around him, asking:

“ Well, what do you think of that?”

Alow murmur arose, and graduall swelled
toa wild yell of fury. When silence ad been
restored in a measure, igh Card Harry cried:

“ Here are my compliments to that!"

Then he wheeled, a revolver in each hand,
and, a few seconds later, twelve bullets had per-
forated the proclamation and splintered the
door. His example was infectious. Every man
in the crowd drew one or more revolvers, and a
perfect storm of bullets was poured into the in-
offensive sheet of paper, riddling it from to to
bottom so that in twenty seconds scarce y a
dozen words of the writing were complete.

High Card laughed aloud as he witnessed this
little iece of wor

“ our actions speak louder than words,
pards,” he cried, in a clear tone. “ You are not
ready to leave Jasper (just yet, and you do not
gropose to be frightene out of the place. The

unday-school children of the town will have
lots of sport ejecting us.”

A hoarse growl came from the listeners.
Harry continued: ,

“ A great many of us who are now warned to
leave the town were induced to come herea
short time ago by the flattering prospects which
were held out to us by the citizens of this place.
They were booming the camp, and wanted us
for a pur ose. We came and served their pur-
gise, an now they want to at shut of us.

adn’t we better go without k ckingi Hadn’t
we better sneak out of the place that we
were enticed into? Hadn’t we better steal away
like a pack of whipped dogs?”

Saul the Spotter stepped forward.

“ Any one can take a sneak that wants to,” he
said, calmly; “ but I am goin to stop right
here, if I have to stay alone an fight the whole
town.” 

And every one there\knew that the pistol
dead-shot was a man who never broke his word.
“ An’ I’m stayin’ with ye "came from Hicko
Jimmy, as that Worthy also stepped forwa .
“They paid me money ter git me hyery, an’

they’l hev tor pay me more tor git me out.

‘ We’ll all sta l” roared the crowd.

“And we‘ll nl have to fight,” said High Card
Harry, grimly. “Did you catch the name at
the' very bottom of the paper which we just
filled with punctuation points! It was that of
the champion all—around fighter of Jacktown, a
gialoot who is little, but wears twelve-inch spurs.

iolet Vane is the most dangerous foe we have
to Contend with. When he goes down for keeps
I shall breath easier. He is the one against
whom we must direct the heft of our energies.
Down with the velvet dandy i”

Brandishing their weapons, the desperate
crowd echoed the cry. It looked as if the lit-
tle isport would have desperate odds to contend
a a ns . ,

g“Now,” continued the gambler, when silence
was restored in a degree, “ we must et to
business. Probably on all know that have
proclaimed myself A calde of Jasper. Is there
one among you who wishes to dispute in right
to the position and my power as an arb tratorl
If there is, let him step forward.”

No one stirred.

“It is evident that there will be no trouble
about that,” smiled the cunnin card-sharp.
“And now' I will tell you wha I think we
had better do. I think that we had better 0

' into the saloon here and call a meeting to e-

cide upon a plan of action. There are enough of
the boys scattered through the town to hold the
place or give us warning should the other party
make any decided move.” .

This proposition was favorably received, and
the bullet-shattered door swung open to allow
the crowd to file into the room at the heels of
the self-chosen Alcalde of Jasper City.

 

CHAPTER XI.
A LITTLE GAME AND AN UNMASKING.

NIGHT came again and found Jasper City
still in the hands of the roughs led by High
Card Harry. Despite the marshal’s reclama-
tion, the law-respecting citizens ha. made no
move to drive the rioters from the town. But
this silence on the part of those whom he con~
sidered his foes did not lull the card-sharp in-
to a feeling of security, for he realized that
the looked-for onslaught might occur at the
most unexpected moment. Bearing this in
mind, he kept the soberer and more trustwurthy
of his followers on the watch at various parts of
the camp. Relying on these men, he felt sure
that the peaceable citizens could make no or-

nnized move without his being apprised of the

not immediately. Having everything thus ar-
ranged he strolled into the Night Hawk Saloon
to see ow things were moving there. Just as
he, entered he heard a. sharp, crisp voice saying:

“Yes, gents, I am Handy Jack, and I am
here to make good the boast when I say that
I am the best all-round short-card player in
Colorado. I reckon I was born with the devil’s
bible in my hands and have been fingering it
ever since, for I cannot remember the first
time that I saw a pack of cards. I am a
sport by nature and a sport by profession. I
love a good game as I love anything in which
there is excitement. I can live on excitement.
It is like mother’s milk to me. I have been
informed that there are some full-blooded sports
in this little town Will'ch nformation caused
me to lean in this direction. If you have any
real good poker-players, trot ’em out and see
me do ’em.”
drew back a little and sur-
vey the boastfu speaker. He saw a man
somewhat below medium height, whose dress
was a strange mixture of Mexican and Ameri-
can attire. There were the sombrero and sash,
but on his feet were patent-leathers, and the
open front of his jacket showed a “ b’iled "shirt,
collar and crimSnn tie, from the midst of which
flashed either a large diamond or a very good
imitation. There was another stone in the ring
upon the smallest finger of his left hand. No
weapons were visible about his person, but his
general ap arance was decided y loud, to say
the least. is face was covered by a handsome
coalblsck beard, which appeared to have been
carefully trimmed and parted in the middle.
His general aspect was that of a dandy crank
who dressed in that manner to attract atten-
tion. But High Card was cautious, and there
fore decided not to be in haste about forming an
opinion of the stranger.

After uttering the challenge, the little un-
known leaned carelessly against one of the posts
in the room and proceeded to produce and ight
a cigarette while he allowed his dark eyes to
rove searchineg over the faces before him.
High Card Harry fancied that he was looking
for some one. No one stirred to accept the
challenge.

“ Come, come i” laughed Handy Jack, as the
dandy had called himself. “ Is this the kind of
a place that you call warm 6' Why, there are
lots of towns in Colorado that make no preten-
sions of being more than half-awake whereI
could not crow half so loud or long asIhave
just done without having three or four bantams
on my back. Warmi Is this whntyou calla
warm receptioni 3001 It chills mel'

And the speaker shivered and drew his jacket
close about him in mock pretension of being
cold. High Card Harry muttered acurse and
'tOok a step forward, but halted suddenly and
shook his head.

“ N 0, I’ll not dive at the fool just yet,” said
the gambler, beneath his breath. “Let’s see
what he will do if given alittle more rope.
have more than half amind that this is some
kind of atrick to get me entangled in some
scrape. Perhaps our foes are playing the game
to get me pinned down to cards while they
carry out some kind of a move that I would 
liable to thwart if I was looking round. No, if
any one climbs Handy Jack, it won’t heme.”

“ Do you all belong to the church?” inquired
the stranger sport, mockin ly. “Have you
suddenly reformed and left a1 your bad habits
in the lurch? I swear it looks that way! Per.
haps you have heard of me and are afraid to
try me on. I will allow that Iam bad medi-
cine, but I sup I should strike a town
which contain some bloods with sand. The
reputation of Jasper is Wide-spread, but I fancy
that I have been misinformed about the golgce.
I reckon this must be a colony of retired pel
sharps. For Heaven’s sake, isn’t there one man
among you who will come forward and play me

 

a little game of penny ante, just to keep me
from perishin and passing up the flume?”

High Card arry ground out a guarded oath
and again seemed on the point of advancing, but
at this moment another voice was heard.

“ Whoopee! Pm ther lily-like lulu ye’re look-
in’ fer. I’m er full-blooded sport 0’ ther ole
school—hicl—I be! Wazzer masher with me,
hey? If a want fun, I’m jest ther galoot as kin
give ye a lye want.
frum ther—hicl—town 0’ Red

thills. J esh name yer game an’ I’m wish yer.”
Once more the woolly-headed man was

around, and if appearances Were not very de- -

ceptive, he was ” gloriously elevated.” It ap-
peared to be quite a task for him to keep on his
feet, and his tongue was very thick, to judge
by the words he uttered. For some reason no
one within the room had offered to molest him,
and since entering he had patronized the bar in
a very liberal manner. It is probable that the
gang was waiting for the Worr from High Card
Harry before they “climbed” the vagrant from
Jacktown. "

Wagg reeled up to Handy Jack and halted be-
fore the small sport, swaying unsteadin as he
delivered the 5 each just given. Jack surveyed
the tramp, an a quizzical smile settled on his

ace.
. “Hello! hello! hello!” be repeated, in, three
different tones of voice. “Is this the kind
of timber that Jasper City produces? Is this a
specimen of your terrible sports? Ha! ha! ha!
ReallyI am amused! What do you call this
bundle of rags anyway?”

“ They call it a terror ter~dawgs,” replied the
woolly-headed man, grinnin in a very “ boozy”

way, apparently thinking t t he had uttered‘

quite a Joke.

“ I should think it would frighten anything.”

“Then you’re skeered out— on take—hie!—
washerr’came quickly from rastus, who evi-
dently misunderstood the stranger’s meaning.
“I knowed it. You hain’t got no san’, you
hain’t, arter you done all the crowin’. Hoop!
I'm ther bully boy wish ther keerds—hici—I be.
Oh, I’m er lulul Where’s ther galoot as wants
me ter clean him out o’ hisb loose wealth? I’d
like ter git inter or game wish erbout ten ante
an’ or thousan’ fer ther limit.”

At this moment Wagg felt a heavy hand on
his shoulder, and a hoarse voice growled in his

ear:

. “Get out 0’ this, you drunken, no—’count crit-
ter! Stan’ back on give or man or show. You
hain’t got ernufl.’ stuff erbout ye fer pay for er
drink, say nuthin’ ’bout playin’ poker. Ef this
hyer sport wants amoozement, I can ’commy-
date him.” . -

The speaker was a tall, supple-appearing fel-
low, who was attired in cowboy make-up, and
wore a belt around his waist supporting a sine]!
arsenal of weapons. His face was covered by a
heavy, brown board, which somehow looked
strangely out of place.

Just one look at this person did Erastus
take, then he clinched his hand and drew back
his fist with a suddenness that caused him to
reel back several steps. .

“ J eeswax i” growled the drunken tramp. “ I’d
good mine for hit yer one.‘ I swan—hicl—I
w’u’d if ’twaru’t fer killin’ ye. Who be you,
anyhow?”

“ I am or bad man tor fool with,” was the re-
ply. “I dunno ’8 I’ve got er name, but I’m
generally called ther Tough frum Tucson. I’m
an onpleasant man ter r’ile."

The speaker glared savagely at Erastus as if
trying to frighten the vagrant; but agg
glared back as well as he was able toin his
nunstelady condition, and shook his flat at the

u .

“ reckon—hici—I’ll hev ter thump ye oncet,”
nodded the camp tramp. “I’ll hev ter do it
Jest fer luck. I don’t reckon you knew w’at ye
wash foolin’ wish w’en ye kem roun’ ole Wagg.”

“ Oh a think
Waal,I unno but '11 thump on once.”

But when the Tong: sta forward with
clinched fists, Wagg gun to retreat so sud-
denly that he lost his balance and fell flat upon
his back. This caused a burst of laufihter, and
with a contemptuous gesture, the an. frOm
Tucson turned from t e fallen boasts: to the
stranger rt.
{11“} hev ther rocks,” the Tucsonite asserted,

sp ayin
long in th s ole win, I c’u’dn’t b’ar tar hear ye
crowin’ ther wa ye was, I know .how tor
hau’le ther hes s or leetle, fer I made this a
at poker, an’ I didn’t git it out 0’ or tend oot
eit e
I’m brok

I’m ther boss poker-player >
Hot, I be. My v
name’s Wagg, with Erastus booked in ther ,

e’d better hit me. do yel‘

a roll of bills. “an’ w’ile I don’t be»

. If, you want sport, I’m with yer till '
e. ' _

  

 

    

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 

"\‘fl' .12, .3527», ~ v ‘x, ‘ :I: U   I, C ., '

Violet Vane’s Victory.

  
   

1'1-

 

   

 

‘ picnic.

“ There, that is business,” laughed the dandy.
“ I was afraid that I could find no fun in this
slow town, but it seems that I am going to have
a small show, if nothing more. We will take
the nearest table, sir.”

It did not take them long to get down to busi-
ness. The game was soon opened with five dol-
lars for the ante, and a thousand as the limit.
A crowd of spectators crowded around to wit-
ness the sport, among whom was High Curd
Harry, who scanned )oth Handy Jack and the
Tough from Tueson in a searching manner.

The deal fell to Handy Jack and the game
began. The first pot—a light one—was raked
down by the Tough.

“ Oh! I am really a bad man with ther
keerds,” laughed the winner. “Ef ther feller
I’m playin’ with don’t win on his own deal, he
don’t win a tall.”

The professional sport smiled.

“ By that I should infer that you can put the
pa .rs just where you want to. My dear Sir, it
wi l prove mighty unpleasant for you if I catch
you cheatigg. ’

“Whos ennythin’ ’bout cheatin’? I plays
a. square game, an’ if you ketch me cheatin’,
ye’re welcum ter. I reckon I kin chaw you up
ennyhow.”

“ Dost think so, partner? Remember that
appearances are ofttimes deceptive. It is safer
for me to carry a. derringer in each sleeve than
for you to carry two aces in one sleeve. If you
think not, Just try the aces a whirl.”

The game went on, and the Tough took the
second pot.

“ Ha! ha!” he laughed. “I reckon this is a
I thought from your loud talk that you
was er mighty chief, but I calkerlate I was off
ghsgntrail. Now, honest, can you play a little

1

Thelittle man smiled in an unruflled manner.

 Oh. yes, I think so. If you don’t mind I
Will take a few of the pots.”

And he did, but from the first the Tough raked
down the majority of them. The small sport
watched 'his Opponent’s play ver closely, and
soon deemed that the Man from ucson was a
great band to bluff. He made no sign of his dis-
covery, but decided to catch him on a big pot,
whifh he finally did, much to the tall man’s dis-

s .

“ Never mind,” came grimly from the Tough’s
lips. “I’ll make that all right directly. I am
goin’ ter sink ther knife deep w’en ther chance
comes.” .

And when he held four gueens and an ace and
discovered that Handy ack possessed a good
band, he decided' that his time had arrived.
Jack laid his cards face down on the table, and
in a few moments the betting became decidedly
brisk. The spectators grew excited when they
saw the limit raised several times, and there
wasa eneral move to get out of the “line of
march which would probably be taken by the
bullets that average: ted to follow the show-
ing of hands. Final y Hand Jack called.

“ I have four ueens an! an ace,” declared
the Tough, layin is cards face upward on the
table. ‘If you ghave four kings or a straight
filial}; the money is yours. “ If not, I scoop the

_He Spoke calmly and without a trace of the
dialect which he had at first assumed, And as
calmly Handy Jack asserted:

“ I hare the four kings.”

Then he turned his cards over so that all could
see that he spoke the truth. For a moment ut.
fir silence reigned, then the Tough from Tucson

seed:

“ Devils! I am beaten, but I will see the face
beneath that heard.”

Like a flash. he snatched away the false beard
which concealed the winner’s features. As be
new the face revealed, a cry burst from his lips
and was echoed by the crowd.

The man thus unmasked was Violet Vane,
the Velvet Sport!

 

CHAPTER XII.
nor wonns mu norms. wonx.

“ Vienn- Van!"

The name was re ted in accents of amaze-
mnt by a dozen witnesses of the sudden unmask-
ing. The Velvet Sport’s work of the day before
had given J asper’s toughs cause to remember his

sém as had been the Tough of Tucson’s move-

, meat, the man unmasked was equally as uick,

and as be raked in his winnings with one and,
with the other he flashed a revolver from some
handy pocket and covered the Tucsonite.

For several moments the two men sat in si-

  

lence. glaring straight into each other’s eyes.
Finally a lig t laugh broke from the lips of the
venturesome little dandy.

“ You have seen my face, partner,” he said. as
cooll as if he was not surrounded by a murder-
ous and of deadly foes; “but I figure it that
you have paid well for the privilege.”

“ Yesh, tha’s er fac’,” mumbled the woolly-
heat‘ed man, as he reeled up to the Tough. “He‘s
paid fer it—hicl-he hash. But now he’s seen
your face, Sweet Vi’lets, s’posh you take er look
at hisb.”

And with these words, the vagrant seized the
Tough’s whiskers, gave a quick pull, and lo!
they also proved to be false. It was Violet
Vane’s turn to utter a cry of amazement as he
saw the face exposed.

“The 'Tough from Tucson” was none other
but the Velvet Sport’s deadly foe, Dandy Dirk!

“ Whoopce I” came from the lips of the intoxi-
cated Erastus. “ I knowed it all ther time. Ye
can’t fool ther ole man in thet way. Hoorawl
Fush scalp fer ’Rastush !” and he waved the beard
wildly around his head.

Seeing that his identity was exposed to the lit-
tle sport, Dandy reached for a revolver, but
Vane‘s sharp words caused him to pause before
his hand touched the butt of the deadly weapon.

“Hold hard, Tom Alicarl If you attempt to
draw, you are a dead man l”

There was a look in the dark eyes of the man
with the drop that caused Dandy Dirk to shiver
in spite of his usually steady nerves. The face
of t e little sport was like that of an avenging
Nemesis. '

“ Where is my sister ?"

Low, cold and stem came the words from
Vane’s lips. He glared straight into the eyes of
the cowering man whom he addressed, and
Dand seemed incapable of making a reply.

“ hy don't you answer. Vou cowardly kid-
napiégr? Where is she? Where is Ione Wil—
son

Still the man addressed spoke not a word.
Violet Vane leaned forward till the revolver
which he held nearly touched the forehead of the
threatened scoundrel.

“ S k, you villain!” he hissed. “ Speak, be.
fore bury a bullet in your brain!” ,

In an instant Dandy seemed to regain some of
his usual composure, for a strained laugh broke
from his lips.

“ Shoot awa , my little bantam, if you want
to. If you thin you will find your sister quicker
by dropping me, drop away.”

For a moment Vane seemed staggered. Dirk
noticed this, and laughed again.

“ I thought you would put on the brake when
you understood just how things stood. If you
salt me, the chance of ever seeing your sister
agigin will be mighty slim.”

he Velvet Sport’s face paled visibly.

“ Ha, ha! That hit you where you live, didn’t
it?” came mockingly from the'sli pe bank-
breaker. “ I thought it would. gut? fancy
you care more to find Miss Wilson than your
sister. The chances are that you will never live
to see either of them; and if you do live. it will
be_but to greet Ione Wilson‘as Mrs. Thomas
Alicar.”

For an instant it seemed that Violet Vane
would hurl himself across the table straight at
the throat of his mocking foe. He half-arose.
and Dirk leaned further back in his chair to

sa :

y‘ Keep your clothes on, baby. You will get
into a mlg ty bad mu if you try it on.”

Vane sunk back, still keeping the mocking
rascal covered. ~-

“ If you dare to harm a hair on her head, you
shall suffer the tortures of the damned i” came
from the little sport.

“ Oh, I’ll not harm her, but she shall become
my wife justthe same. Your sister will robably
marry my very dear friend, Harrv Hparkman,
known in these parts as High Card Harry. How
do you like the prospect, baby i”

‘ You villain!”

andy b0wed.

“ That is what some folks call me,” he smiled.
“ Rather an unpleasant word, but unpleasant
words hurt no one. Sinner or saint, I seem to
hold the winning cards in this game.”

- Violet Vane seemed little like the cool, nervy
sport of the day before. Now that his sweet
heart and sister were in danger, his blood seem-
ed to have turned to molten lead. It was with
the utmost difficulty that he refrained from
shooting his tauntin enemy. He seemed to
have no thought 0 his position, surrounded
thgush he was on all sides by deadly foes:

You shall give them up, or .1 mil 
1 heart

 

ever drop of cod from your black
cri the little sport.

 

“ Be kind enough to invite me to the wringing .
will you?" smiled Dandy.

Once more the two gazed into each other’s

eyes in silence. The crowd looked on breath-
lesslv.
“ Thomas Alicar,” said Vane, with an attempt
at compOsure, “if you do not tell me where
those girls are concealed, I will kill you where
you sit! My chance of finding them will be as
good then as it is now.”

“ Do you think so? IVell, go on with your kill-
ing, then. If you think you can shoot me and
get out of this ro lm alive, just try it.”

“ I will give you one minute in which to con-
sider my words. If you are not ready to speak
at the end of that time, you die!”

“ It is folly to waste sixty seconds in that.
manner, for I shall be no more ready to 
when they are past never to return than am
now. I know where the girls are, but I defy
you to find them. They are safe in my power.”

“ The minute is passing.”

“Let her pass. If she doesn’t hold the cards
to open the (pot, she had better pass.”

“ f ou 0 not talk, at the end of the time
allot you pass out of the game forever.” ,

“ I may have something to say about that my-
self. You think one six enough to rake the pot,
but I may go you one better, in which case you
will be apt to get a raise.”

For a few moments utter silence followed these
words, then Vane announced:

“Time is up. Will you talk?”

“Yes, I'll talk, and the first thing that I will
tell on is that you are covered by half-a-dozen
revo vers, held in the bands of as many of my
friends who stand behind you. Had I wishedto
do so, I could have given them the wink some
ltinllefggo and you would have been riddled with

ea

“ Tha’s er fac’, Sweet Vi’lets,” affirmed the
woolly-headed man. “ They’ve got yer kivered,
but if I don’t—hicl—shee double, there’s jesh er
duzzen o' ’em, ’stead 0' six. They’ve all got
their re—hic!—-solvers out an’egot ye kivered.
I’ll bet them resolvers are load too, I will.”

Violet Vane was in a tight box. For a mo-
ment silence followed the cam tramp’s words,
then a startling and one thing occurred.

A wild ell peeled from the Velvet Sport’s
lips, and li e a flash he kicked his own chair
from beneath him and dove under the table at
which he and Dirk had been sitting. Up into
the air shot the table, and at the same instant
Dandy went over backward, his chair being up—
set by the nimble rt. Then a volley of pistol-
shots rung out, fol owed by cries of pain. Up
from the floor sprung the velvet dandy to plunge
into the very midst of his foes, striking right
and left.

A terribly unequal battle had begun.

But, Violet Vane Was not to contend unaided
with his many foes. With a whoop, Erastus
Wa was at his side, his drunkenness seeming
to disappear like magic.

“ Sock it to ’em, Sweet Violets!" bellowed the
old ragamuflin, as he plunged into the thickest
of the melee. “ Give ’em Hail Columby an’
Yankee Doodle! We kin wallo ther gang!
This is w’at stirs er feller’s bl . Whoopee!
This is ther galorious day 0’ salvation !“

Whoops, oaths, pistol-shots and all the sounds
of a d rate hand-to-haud conflict echoed
through t e room and the smell of burned pow-
der filled the air.

CHAPTER XIII.
LAUGHING LU CHIPS IN.

SUDDENLY through the smoke of battle which
had commenced to gather within the room a
brawnv form appeared, and, an instant later,
Solid Sid, the marshal, launched himself into
the midst of the fray, utterin a shout that was
heard above all-the uproar. he gang knew the
marshal. and for a moment there was a lull in
the conflict, during which Sid was heard to
shout:

“ Make we here, make way! Give me room 1”

His muscu ar arms sent the men to the right
and left as if they were so the y sticks and with
little trouble he gained the Ve vet Sport’s side.

But the pause, in the battle was only mo-
mentary, for E gh Card Harry’s voice was
heard crying: . _ t.

“ Down with him! Jump the velvet dandy!
Don’t let him esca from this room 1” .

Thus adjured.,t e dosperado’s satellites once
more premed toward the Velvet Sport, who was
fighting with Wagg on one side and Solid Sid
on the other. In a few moments the conflict be-
came nearly twice as furious as it had been at
any reVious time. '

‘ um on, you heavy hitters!” howled the
woolly-headed man, as he worked his arms like

 

 

   
 
 

 

 

  

 

' a hand to defend himself, and

 
 

‘ and voice.

'12

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. 2 .-~‘ r". - :_,.A - .l I a.

. r?

Violet Vane’s Victory.

 

 

 

‘pistomrods, his hard fists catching many a rufiian

on some tender spot.
0’ us, but we kin ma
fer yer hull dirty gang.

this is l”

“ Back!” roared the marshal.

“ There hain’t only three

ke it mighty interestm’dike

Jeehocus what a time

“ The man who

touches Violet Vane has to walk over my body!

You all know me.

If you don’t let up on thi~,

I’ll pull my harkers and wipe out your whole

gang.”

Sid had the repu
man With a “ gun,” but
Still the rufiians pressed forvmrd,

the riot.

t

ation of being a very had
his words did not quail

urged on, by the card-sharp and Dandy‘ Dirk.

The battle waged

fiercer and fiercer and the

smoke which filled the room grew dense and

suffocating.
tion in the

As if hoping to create consterna-
hearts of their foes,

many of the

toughs were firing their revolvers straight up at
the heavy planks above their heads.
Now that the danger was very great and the

odds were against him, Violet
haVe regained his usual coolness.

ane seemed to
He kept his

eyes on Dandy Dirk and tried to fight his way
t0ward the‘slippery bank—breaker; but the surg—

'iug crowd pressed between
them further and further apart.

them and carried
A desperate

resolve gleamed in the little sport’s eyes and his
hands flew to his revolvers. At that moment a
most unfortunate thing occurred.

For some reason Solid Sid reeled sideways and

fell against his deput

y, and then, in some unac—

Countable manner Violet Vane was hurled to the

floor.
rising,

In a moment he 3
he received a how on the head that

rung up, but as he was

knocked him senseless for the time. ‘

A yell of delight

'ruffians as they w1

misfortune.

hurled themselves upon

aled from the lips of'the

messed the Velvet Sport’s
In another instant they would have

the fallen man and

Vane’s life would have ended then and there.

Through the room rung

and a small figure

and came to a halt near

the unlucky sport.

" Back, you wolves!” came sharply from the
.fiirl standing there with ac0cked revolver in

or right hand—“ back, I say!

The first man

who tries to lay ’a hand on my brother dies!”

‘ “ Laughin’ Lu l” .
Queen 0’ J asperi”

“ Ther

“She holds ther drop!"

“ An’ her eyes say shoot!”

“Look out fer cold lead!"

“ Hold hard, pards; don’t crowd or leddy.”

These and a score of similar cries broke from
the thron , and in an

ceased. s is often

instant the mad turmoil
the case, one'womau had‘

done more than a dozen men could have accom-

plished.

Like a tragedy queen looked Luona Howard
as she stood over the senseless form of her bro-
ther, holding the angry crowd at bay with a

cocked revolver.

More than one ‘of the rough

throng gave an involuntary gasp of admiration,
and the eyes of all were riveted upon her.

“ Are you. men?” cried
,“ You would murder this help-

ringing voice.
less man like a dog!

of ravenous wolves.

t

the daring girl, in a

Forshame! Hecannot lift
on, like a pack

hirsting or blood, would

fling yourselves upon‘ him and end his life

here.
P1

Men of Jasper, I scarcely thought that of
u .
Romans though they were, they could but feel

the withering scorn and contempt in her face

Many of them shrunk back, as if to

hide from her sharp eyes, but one coarse wretch
in the midst of the gang cried out: . ‘

“ I reckon we’ve got or reason fer jumpin’ ther
cuss. He don’t love us, an’ we ain’t dyiu’ outer

’fecshun for him.”

“ A very good reason
derl” - sneered the" girl, her
“ But you cannot touch him while I

scornfully.

Iivel I will defend him with my life!

for committing a mur-
dark eyes flashing

I fancy I

can name the contemptlble wretches who are
at the bottom of this dastardly piece of busi-

ness.”

Her eyes ran from face to face as if searching
for some one. WasDandy Dirk the man she was
looking for? Be this 'as it may, the Jacktown

desoerado took good

care to

keep in the densest

of the crowd and avert his face so'that she could

not recognize him. I

With a revolver in

either hand, Solid Sid

stood at the girl’s side, his aspect being that of a
man who is undecided what move to make. On

the other side stood

pearance
nus had

  

the woolly-headed vagrant,

Erastus Wagg, appearing somewhat amazed, but
glaring defiance at the
it was quite evident that his drunken-
n assumed, for
The-cam tramp was a very successful actor in

partain nos.

crowd. From his ap-

  
 

he was quite sober.

 

a shrill feminine cry‘
dashed through the crowd

   

 

High Card Harry had been amazed at Laugh-
ing Lu’s sudden appearance in the saloon when
he thought her safe in the secret cellar, guarded
by two trusty rufiians, and for a. time the curd-
sharp’s astonishment rendered him incapable of
action; but, with a sudden efl’ort, he became l
himself once more—a crafty, scheming scoundrel !
wand turning to the ruffian nearest him, gave a l
few hurried orders in a low tone of voice. The l
gambler was not ready to give up all hope of
(liSposiug of the man he so bitterly hat ed, and he
intended to again get Vane’s sister in his pos-
session, if such a thing was possible.

dSuddenly Harry found Dandy Dirk at his
81 e. '

“ Curse the luck l” hissed the man from J ack-
town. “ How did she escape!" .

“ Don’t ask me,” answered the gambler, in a
cautious tone. -“ She is here; that is all I knew
about it.”

“ And the chances are that the other is free
too. Their friends have stolen a march on us.”

“ It looks that way.”

“‘ What are you going to do?”

“ I am going to regain pOSsession of Laughing
Lu and wipe out her brother.”

“ How will yen work it?”

“ I Could easily set the gang on herif I wished,
but I have a better way. At a signal from me,
out go the lights. When they are restored, the
girl and her brother will be gone. No one but
my special tools will be able to tell what has
happened, and I have taken care to select men
with close months.” "‘2'

“Good enough! Wi 0 out the velvet dandy
by all means! With im removed from our
way, we will have little trouble in holding this
towri. Work lively. Harkl what is she say-
ing'f

“ I fancy I can name the wretches at the bot-
tom of this piece of dirty work," repeated the
brave girl. “ They are cowards and kidnappers!
One of them is well known here in Jasper; the
other is a villain from Jacktown.”

“You’ve struck ’em first pop,
mistake.”

A cool, placid voice—a voice that sounded
strangely familiar lo High Card Harry. A mo-
ment later a small, seedy, red-bearded man
stepped forward and halted beside the girl.

It was the Cool Case!

Lifting his battered high hat, the little man
bowad to the girl with a grace that no one would
have dreamed him capable of, at the same time

miss, and no

sa mg: ,

Y‘ If you will allow me, Miss Howard, to assist
you in holding these creatures off a little. They
really look quilt) ravenous, and I fear they may
jump for you at any moment. If they do so "—
producing a )air of elegant revolvers—“I may
be able_to ai you in welcoming them warmly.
Aheml”

Before Luona could make any reply, Erastus
exclaimed:

“ Jeehocus! It’s leetle Casey! Galory! Pard,
we kin lick ther room full 1”

" Ah-ha!” ‘ laughed the strange sport. “ So
you are here, are you, Erastus of the lamb‘like
top-knot}, Greeting! You and I will stand like
a mighty wall between our fair friend and the
clans of the enemy. I have their leaders spotted,
and when hostilities begin, my load shall be
wafted toward High Car-—” . '

He was interrupted b a wild yell and a ford]-
lade of pistol-shots. hen the lights were sud-
denly extinguished, and darkness and pande-
monium reigned within the Night Hawk
Saloon!

 

CHAPTER XIV. ,
WANTED FOR MURDER.

A GRAND rush for the doors and windows fol-
lowad the extinguishing of the lights. There
was'not a man within the room who did not
know that he had one or more enemies near at
hand, and he also knew that the'darkness Would
favor the settling of old scores and doing so in a
very secret manner. Some of the very men.
who had stood shoulder to shoulder and howled
for .the Velvet Sport’s blood were the first to
make a break for the outer air. In the sudden
darkness they ran into and fell over each other
while curses, yells, blows and an occasional
pistol-shot made a medley of sounds which were
appalling.

It seemed that everything favored High Card
Harry’s crafty ,ame, In the excitement both
Violet Vane an his Sister could beseized and
carried from the room to some place where they
Would be safe in the card-sharp s power. If the
hated velvet dandy failed to appear again in

 

 

J aspsr, who could say what his fate, had been
or p2,?!“ to the men who put him “ out of the
way . .

    
    

  

    
  

And when the lights-were restored within the
saloon, it did seem that the gambler’s treacher-
ous trick had succeeded, for both Vane and his
sister were gone. Erastus Wagg and the Cool
Game had also disappeared. '

Solid Sid lay upon the floor, groaning faintly,
apparently badly hurt in some way. Within
three feet of him lay one of High Card Harry’s
ruflianly tools with a bullet in his brain, his
wicked career ended forever. There Were sev—
eral more of the gang lying on the floor, all
severely Wounded, making it apparent that

, some of the desperadoes had tried to settle old

scores. Neither
the room. . .

But, the villainous gambler’s scheme had been
a failure, for the seedy little sharp, Cool Case,
had been looking for just such a move, and the
instant the light went out he worked with in-
credible swiftness. His first move was to in-
vert one of his revolvers and strike a terrible
blow with the butt of the weapon, aiming
straight toward the spot where he had seen a

High Card or Dandy were in

man’s head an instant before the lights went.

out. Fortune favored the small man, for his
l‘eVOlVel‘ landed on the temple of the very man
he hoped to hit, dropping that individual like a
log. At the same instant that he delivered the
blow he cried to Wagg:

“ Look out for Vane.”

But, already had Erastus seized the Velvet
Sport in his arms, having first knocked down a
man whom he found over Vane in the darkness.
Then the quick-witted vagabond made for the
nearest window.

When he got-outside, Wagg was amazed and
delighted to find the Cool Case‘at his side, sup-
porting LaughingLu.

“ This way,” came sharply from the little
sharp’s lips. “ We must hie ourselves away from
this vicinity with all possible speed. A few mo-
ments hence this spot will swarm with angry
rascals as might a shaken hornets’ nest with
angry hornets. We had better vanish in the
gloaming if we do not wish to be stun .”

“ Right you are, your reverence. ad on.”

Five minutes later they were in the midst of a
little party of friends and Violet Vane was sit-
ting up, rubbing his head in a dazed manner.

“ What has happened i” he asked, gazing blank-
ly around, and finally allowing his eyes to rest
on the face of his sister, who was beside him.
“ I feel as if I had been struck a heavy blow.”

“ My dear sir,” smiled the 0001 Casez who was
watching Vane with evident interest, ‘you did
receive a gentle tap on the. knowledge-box which
sent your wits wool-gathering."

“ But ye’re all right now, pard,” asserted Eras.
tus, his face beaming with satisfaction. “ I
yanked ye outer that, w‘ile leetle Casey looked
arter yer sister. They didn’t git thei‘ chance ter
snuff ye out arter all.”

“ Ha! I remember!” burst from the little
sport’s lips. “ I was tripped and then struck.
After that I know not‘what .happened— But
Lu, how came you hereil How did you escape
from those villains?” ,

“ Ned found us, and—” .

“Rescued yen! Bless the lad! But where is
Ionei” .

" No, Ned did not rescue us. Ione is still in
the power of those villains, and Ned must be a

risoner also.” ‘

With sudden and unlooked-for strength, Vane
sprung to his feet.

“ Lead me to her !” he cried. “ Where is she?
I will save her!”

Cool Case’s hand fell on the excited Sport’s

arm.

“ Easy partner, easy !” admonished the strange
man. ‘ You have a cool head if you keep a tight
grip on your nerves, and I know it. Let’s hear
the lady‘s story, then we shall 'knOw what kind
of a place we are going to. It is best to go slow
and sure.”

The words served to cool the Velvet Sport in a.
measure, but he began‘ to examine his weapons
as Luona told her story. _The reader knows what
she had to tell up to the time of Ned Morris’s ap-
pearance. .

“ When the two men sprung upon him,” con-
tinued the girl, “ I was rozen with terror. I
did not seem able to move a_hand or foot, but
sat staring at the struggle like one fascina
For a time Ned seemed almost a mat/ch for his
two assailants, and I began to he that he
would he the victor. But. flnall , saw that
they were overpowering him. 'I‘ e realization
that he was being conquered broke the spell
which seemed to bind me, and my first thought
was to aid him in some why. I ooked at Iona
and saw that she was lying face downward on
the 9 next moment I saw the open

mafia T11}

    

      

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Violet Vane’s Victory.

 

 

assistance! Without being discovered, I
reached the corner beneath the opening. The

' cellar was shallow at best, and we could not

uite stand" erect in it. To my joy, I found that
could reach up and grasp the edges of the open
tra .

"pl can scarcely describe what followed till I
found myself on the street. I was almost be-
side myself with fear, frr every moment I ex-
pected that one of the men would clutch me
and drag me down into the cellar. How I ever
succeeded in pullin myself up through that
opening I cannot to l, but I did so. In some
way I found my way out of the cabin to the
street. There I halted, not knowing which way
to turn. Fate finally led me toward the saloon,
through the open door of which I saw my
brother. A revolver lay glistening on the floor
as I crOssed the threshold. I seized the Weapon
and rushed forward. I need not tell what fol-
lowed.”

Violet Vane had listened with marked im-
patience to his sister’s story, and now asked:

“ Can you lead us to that cabin, Lu?”

“I think so, for i took particular notice of its
appearance when was on the street, thinking
that I would bring some one to aid poor Ned.”

“ Then lead us there at once,” adjured the
nervous fellow. “Every moment we delay
but diminishes our chance of rescuing Ione and
Ned ”

In a few moments the little party was on the
street, followmg Laughing Lu toward the spot
where they hopedto find the imperiled ones.
Ina short time the cabin was reached. The
door was closed and everything around it seemed
silent and gloomy. Vane uttered an involun-

tar;y groan.

‘ They have taken the alarm and fled,” came
hoarser from his 11 ‘

“P’r age not." said Erastus, hoping to en-
courage is little “ pard,” who seemed strangely
unnerved just then. "They' w’u’dn’t be very
ap’ ter ’luminate ther place. They may be thar
jest ther same.”

Casey said not a Ward, but immediately tried
the door, only to find it fastened. Without an
instant’s hesitation, the small man hurled him-
self against tho door with such force that it
flew open. Then he turned to the others, saying:

“it Come on.” .

The red-headed man stood by the door till
the had all entered the cabin, then he closed
andy fastened it as well as he could. His next
move was ‘0 PFOduce & small bull’s—eye lantern
and open the slide.

“You will observe that I am equipped,” he
laughed softly. “ In fact. I have been thar be-
fore many a time.

The door was readily. found and opened.
Uiiter darkness reigned in the shallow cellar

0w!

-“ It is as I feared,” came fiercely from Violet
Vane’s lips. ;

Then he fell on his knees and called;

“ Ione! Ione! Are you there?’

No answer. All was silent in the secret cellar-
prison.

“ Give me that lantern,” and with it in his
possession, Vane sprung Into the cellar. A
quick surve of the dismal place convinced him
that it was ndeed deserted.

“ Ione. my darling!” he boarser breathed.
“If they dare to harm you, I will have their
hearts’ blood 1”

When he became convinced that the place was
deserted by the livin , he more_than half ex-
pfcted to find the den body of his Sister’s lover,

ed Morris. Once more he flashed the light
around the place, and he drew a breath of relief
when he discovered nothing of the dreaded
sight he feared to behold. , .

‘They have gone, as I feared, ’ he said as he
patsed the lantern up to Cool Case and then
sprung throu the trap into the room. “ There
is no trace of one or Ned. 1 fear. the latter has
been disposed of; and they have Without doubt
removed has to another place of confinement.”

‘- Hark!” exolaimed the Cool Case suddenly.
“ What’s that?"

They all listened and plainly heard a chorus of
wild cries and Babel of voices which appeared
to be swiftly approaching.

“Snthin’s bruek loose,” observed the woolly.
heeded man.

Casey hastened to the .front of the cabin and
gored out into the street. Several of the others

itated his exam le. .

Swiftly the c as came nearer till a dark
h jag down the street.
halted directly in front of the cabin occu-

.  byonr mendaandmghCu-qnsnywu

to cry:

‘ NOW. Miss Howard, will you
I show us the locality Of that trap-door?" '

 

“ Surround that building! .He is in there!”

Th mob quickly obeyed their leader’s com-
man ‘, and almost, before our friends could
understand what was happening they were sur-
rounded by the yelling gang.

“ J eehocusl” granted the woolly-headed man.
“ It looks like we wuz in er tight boxl”

Then came the cry: ‘

“Hello, within the cabin!”

To which Erastus promptly responded:

“ Hello, yei‘self, an’ see how ye like it!"

“ Is Violet Vane in there?” .

“ None 0’ ver d urned business,” was the prompt
retort. “ Hain’t ye glad ye foun’ out?’

There was a moment of silence, and then an-
other voice cried: '

“ We know he is in there, and he may as well
come out and give himself up. He is wanted.”

“ Wanted fer w’ati” .

“ For murder 2” was the amazing reply.

CHAPTER XV.
THE STRUGGLE BEGINS iN EARNEST.

FOR a. moment the lit‘le party within the
cabin was speechless with astonishment; then
Violet Vane uttered an improcation, and reached
Erastus’s side by the window. Before the
woolly-headed'man could prevent, he cried:

“Yes, I am here, Tom Alicar. I recognize
you; voice, .you vile bank-robber and kidnap-
Pel‘ '

There Wasa brief silence, then Dandy Dirk
shouted, triumphantly:

“I knew you were there, you slippery little
devil! We have you foul this time. You may
as well surrender. ’ '

“ Surrender !” retorted the Velvet Sport.
scornfully; “never! If you want me you will
have to take me.”

“ An’ we’ll make it durned interestin’ fer our
darned gang 0’ hyenasl” yelled Erastus. ‘ We
kin hole ther fort hyer for all we’re wu’th.
There are jest tWenty in hyer, an’ everv man’s
armed wither breech-loadin’ cannon. W’en we
git ter slingin’ rape an’ canister inter your
ranks you’ll thin you’re struck by Ole Death-
an’deestrucshun, you will.”

Of course Wagg exaggerated the number
within the cabin—he could not repress his natu-
ral inclination to “stretch ” the truth. Besides
that, he thought that if he made the toughs be-
lieve that there was a large number within the
building. they would not be in such a hurry to
attack the place. There were really just eight
men within the cabin, the 0001' Case having
quietly and mysteriously disappeared.
than half a minute before the ruflians surround-
ed the placc he had silently slipped out of a rear

door. Thus far no one had noticed his absence.‘

“ Will some one put a plaster over that fool’s
mouth?” came angrily from High Card Harry.
gamegp him still if you can, while his batters
“ You see that the doors and windows are
fastened and guarded. Erastus;” said Vane,
“ I will parley with these fellows. Have the
men prepare for a desperate fight, for we may
as well open the ball now as to wait longer. If
the other party pnly learns of our trouble and
comes to our assistance, we will be all right, for
that gang will be overpowered.”

The vagrant turned to obey the little sport’s
orders, although he could scarcely repress his in-
clination to fling one more‘ taunt at the ruffians
around the cabin. As soon as Wagg left the
window, the vowe of Dandy Dirk was heard
9. am:

g“ Are you going to surrender, Violet Vane?”

“ Not to you, you dastardly kidnapperl” was
the swift reply. I '

“Then. we Will ll down the but ‘o‘ver your
head. You are c arged with murder, and we
are bound to have you.” . .

“ Charged with the murder of whom!” ‘

“ Ducky Splinters.” .

“ And who was Ducky Splinters?”

“ A gentleman well known in this place. His
friends say that you salted him.”

“Splinters was a bummer and tough of the
lowest order,” volunteered one of the men with-
in the cabin. “ If he is dead, the town is well
rid of a desperate character. and the respectable
citizens wil thank the man who put him out of
the way for the serVice he has done them. He
was one of High Card Harry’s trusted tools.”

Vane thanked his informant, and then'turned
to the window once more. '

H When was this gentleman killed?” he in.
quired of the spokesman for the tough. ‘. -

“ I reckon you know well ernnfl,"
unfamiliar voice. “'38 will mv For , an’ you
laid him out. You’ve got ter swing for it. too.”
~“Ho was shot in the Night Hawk Saloon,”

vs

«San

 

answered High Card Harry. “ The boys all say

that on dro him.” .

“ 1y deny gagedcharge, for I did not use my
weapons to finish any one.”

A yell of derision came from the mob, and the
gambler cried:

“That won’t hold water! If you have any
defense to make, you can make it before the
judge. As Alcalde of Jasper, I demand your
surrender.”

‘jHave you a warrant?”

‘ No, nor do I need one. We are here to take l

vo , dead or alive, and we are going to do it.

_ 'You sh ll have a fair trial.”

The elvet Sport laughed scornfully.
“ A fair trial!” he sneered. “ I know the
kind of trial I should get. You would all unite

in a trial of speed to see how soon you could get:~

to the nearest tree with a good stout limb. No,
thank you; no Judge Lynch in mine when the
judge is a‘ consummate villain and cowardly
wretch.” ;

“Thanks for the compliment,” came coolly
from the gambler’s lips; “ but if you are re.

ferrin to me, I will inform you that there is no 1

way 0. escaping a trial before Harry Harkman.
As alcalde, m word is law.” ‘

“ But the onest men of the place deny your
'being the alcalde. By what right do you hold
that emcei” . ,

“ The right of might, and the Sunda -good

.men of this town will find they have tac ed, a

mighty big job when they attempt to displace
m .

e. .

At this moment the voice of Dandy Dirk
broke in sharply: a

“ What is the need of all this talk! We are
wasting time.”

“Ah-a!” cried the rt. at bay. “You are
still there, are you? W at have you done with
lone Wilson, on dastardly kidnap r?”

“That is or you to ad out,’ Wastbe tri.
umphant reply. “ She is safe in my power.”

“ If you dare to harm her in any we , I will
have our heart’s blood 1” was Vane’s erce dos
cla ion.

It was Dirk’s turn to laugh.

“ When we are through with 3701):” he re-
torted, ” on will not thirst for any cash; heart’s
blood. here isa tree within the limits ‘of Jas-
per that will bear singular fruit before another
sunrise.”

To this Vane made no response, but turned to
call to Wagg:

“ Come here, Erastus.”

The woolly-headed man promptly obeyed.

“ Where is the small man who broke down the
door?”

. “ Is it Case you mean?”

“ I believe heard you call him that.”

“ Waal. I.reckon he’s gone, pard.”

“ Gone!” exclaimed the sport. “ How can
that be? He was here when that gang came
down the street."

“I know itéJJard; but heyvuzn’t hyer arter
they surround ther cabing.”

,This piece of information startled Vane some—
what. He could not understand how the little
red~headed sharp; h'ad escaped from the place
without being 'seen. For a moment he was
silent, then he said slowly:

“ That looks bad. I don’t like it. anyway.”

“ It duz look quai‘e tbet he sh’u’d skin jest
w’en we wuz in ther tightest corner.” admitted
the tramp. .“ He might have staid an’ holped
us hole ofl’ ther gang.”

“ That is not what I mean. I fear treachery,
old man.” ‘

For a brief space of time Wagg was too
startled to speak, but be finally exclaimed:

“ No, no! Don’t git thet inter yer head. pardt
Leetle Casey ain’t no traitor!” .

“1335 how do you know?“ ~Who is be any-
wa '

‘ Wa-al,” drawled the ragged vagabond, “ I I

dunno how I know, but I’m willin’ ter bet lift
thousan’ erg’in’ ten that he hain’t crook .
Who he is excep’ that he calls hisself a Cool
Case. I can’t tell. He’sler mighty queer critter.”

“ That is a fact, and that is one reason why I
am suspicious of him. Who is he? None of the
men with us seem to know him.” ' '

“I reckon he must beia stranger in thei-
camp.” .

u an what can be his motive in pretending

“tube friendly to uni”

To this Erastus could make no reply and could
only say that the Cool Case hadbeen friendly
to them and had rendered them'a‘ great Mice
by coming to their aid when they were hemmed
in‘l‘w Whit in the Night Hawk 83100!!-

saii I do not fully trust him,” declarod’

Vane. “We are to have a. desperate

aghtand must keepan month for anny

13’

 
   
 

7+.

L' Q.

. l,
.
,2

 

 

 

 

  

}

Violet Vane’s VictOry.

 

 

 

move that will give our enemies the advantage
of us. Are the doors and windows fastened and
guarded?”

“ Bet yer boots!”

“ And ever man is ready to fight?”

“Ter ther eath.”

“ They are calling to me once more. Seethat
Lu is in the safest place possible, for I fancy
that the fight will begin directly.”

u Then he again turned to the window.
 “ What is wanted 3’”

The voice of High Card Her y responded:

“ This is the last call. Wi you come forth
and surrender? If you refuse I shall let my
men loose, and will have you out of there in
twenty seconds."

“Well, then, you may as well let them loose,
but let me warn on that we shall give you a hot
reception. My riends are armed to the teeth
and can shoot to kill. We shall make a hole
in your little army.”

‘ Bah! You cannot frighten us that way.
You are our meat. Ready, boys! New, fire I”

The ringing command was heard all round
the cabin and a perfect rain of lead was poured
into the windows and walls. Two of the
defenders of the cabin received serious wounds,
but the rumans’ shots were immediame ans-
wered in a similar manner.

Standing in one of the windows, Violet Vane
worked his revolvers with a coolness and rapid-
ity that was quite amazing, and every time his
fingers touched a trigger the bullet that left the
weapon found a living target. He seemed to
bear a charmed life, for although the bullets
whistled thickly around him, not one touched
his flesh.

Whether he was doin much execution or not,
Erastus Wagg was ma ing considerable noise.
The crack of his long-barreled revolvers was
mingled with his wild yells as he shouted his de-
fiance and derision to those outside the cabin.
The other men were doing all they could and
Laughin Lu was i ng flat on the cabin floor.
where agg had to (1 er to get to escape the
flying bullets. ‘

High Card Harry did not long delay in giving
the order:

“ Break down the doors and Jack ’em out!
Down With the doors! Come on!

But, the rnfllans never hurled themselves
against the doors, for at that moment a wild
cheer came from up the street. Then down
through the darkness swept a band of horsemen,
uttering a chorus of yells as they charged on the
besiegers of the cabin.

The leader of the party that had so oppor-
tuner arrived on the scene was the Cool Case!

Like chaff before a stron wind the ruflians
scattered before the menu men, who began
to use their revolvers as soon as they were near
enou h to discern the forms of the gambler’s
sate ites in the darkness. With a dozen of his

‘ supporters following him, Dandy Dirk being of
the number, the card-sharp fled down the street,
pursued by the victorious horsemen.

Tearin o n the cabin door, Violet Vane
stood wit h s empty revolvers in his hands gaz-
ing toward the dark retreatin mass of men, his
eyes noting every red flash an his ears drinking
in the sounds of pistol-shots and wild yells.
“£116 struggle has begun in earnest,” he mut-

 

CHAPTER XVI.
DANDY man’s pummel.

Tim defeated and furious rufllans took refuge
in the Night Hawk Saloon, whither the mounted
men, who had so 0 portunely arrived on the
scene of action, coul not pursue them. To say
that High Card Harry and Dand Dirk were
furious would be expressing it mil 1y, for both
of the baffled villains were fairly beside them-
selves with rage. The J aektown desperado
nearly swore himself into a fit.

As soon as he r ined some of his usual com-
posure, the card-s arp an to inspect the men
who had fled to the saoon. He saw that at

: least two-thirds of his supporters were within

\

the buildin but to his surprise he could find
nothing of ickory Jimmy. Saul the S ter,
however, was on hand, and on being nes ioned,
stated that he had seen the wrestler all at the
first fire of thqmounted men. This information
again filled the gambler with the fiercest rage.

“ The shall  dearly for this night’s work!”
he rav . “ 0 et Vane shall hang and some of
the too-good-to-live people shall keep him com-
pany. Remember, the velvet dandy is marked

or the rope. Spare him with your lead.”

In the struggle that afterward occurred it is

well that Vane s relentless foe gave this order to
hismen for more than once could they have
roppod the Velvet Sport, but remembering

d

 

Harry’s words, they refrained from doing so.
Both the Jasper City gambler and the J acktown
desperado seemed to feel that Vane was responsi-
ble for thecondition of affairs, and nothing but
the little man’s blood would satisfy their craving
for revenge.

“ Barricade the doors and guard the win-
dows,” was High Card Harry 5 order. “ The
fight has begun in dead earnest, and it’s ten to
one that they attempt to drive us out of here be
fore morning. It is not going to be boys’ play
either.”

The gambler took charge of the lower part of
the building and sent Dirk to look Out ,for the
upper portion. Preparations were made for a
re ular siege.

‘There are more of the boys who should be
here,” said the self-appointed alcalde. “ Where
are Hook-Nosed Jim and his party?”

“ At ther south eend ov ther camp,” replied a
man who was standing near.

“ I know they were sent tolook after the south
end; but they were told to 'oin us at the first
indications of a regular bathe. I cannot under-
stand why they are not here.”

Then, after glantin around:

“ Hustler Hank an his men do not seem to be
here. . Haven’t they come in from the north?”

“ I reckon not."

“ Well, then you slip out and send in both
parties. You can do so now without trouble in

articular, but in a short time from now this
uildin will be surrounded so that such a move
will be impossible.” «g!

The man hurried away to obey the order, and
High Card Harry’s amazement and re. 6 cannot
be described when, thirty minutes ater, his
satellite returned with the information that
Hook-Nosed Jim and his men were not to be
found within the limits of Jasper. The indica-
tions were that, fearing the final defeat of the
toughs, they had “ skipped ” while there was yet
time to do so. The gambler swore like a
troopgr.

“ here is the Hustler?” he demanded.

Then came a still greater surprise for the card-
shar . The Hustler and his men had been cap-
tur by their enemies and were all risoners
under a close guard. Harry’s rage new no
bounds and for atime he was like a madman.
When at last he had cooled in a measure, he
hissed:

“ They have stolen a march on me, but I am
not downed by any means. Curse them all!
They shall learn what it 'is to buck against
Harry Harkmaul I can hold my own in this
town, as they will discover before this affair is
ended."

Meanwhile the respectable citizens of the camp
had been gathering around the building in
which the rufllans had taken refuge and every-
thin seemed to indicate that a combined attack
on t 9 place was contemplated. After see-
ing that his sister was in a place of safety,
Violet Vane ,had 'oined those around the
rumans’ retreat an , by common consent, had

ractically taken command of the citiZens who

ad resolved to clean out the toughs. Solid Sid
could not be found.

As usual Erastus Wagg was on hand. It was
veryseldom that the camp tramp gave his mouth
a rest, and on this occasion he seemed to be
“ working it for all it was worth.”

“ Feller-citizens,” he bellowed, " we hev run
ther enemy ter his hoel. Thar in thet rum-hoel
o’ ruin he has turned ter show his teeth fer ther
las‘ time. Ther time hes cum w’en he hes got
tor succum’. Thet’s er pun, but in course if ye
hain't eddicated like I be, ye can’t ’preciate it.
Bu if ye hain’t eddicated, ye kin fight est on
he in this year tussil thet’s cumin . eyend
them walls is ther galoots as hev caused all this
motion. Their leaders are High Keerd Hurrah
an’ Dandy Dirk, two cusses that are jest fit for
ther rope. One 0’ them has proclaimed hisself

Alcalde of Jasper, an’ he proposes ter run this

ear cam jest as he durned pleases. Reckon
th 0’ t em hes fergut ther time w’en the
{afckled Violet Vane an’ get heaucherfully l—e—f— ,
e t.
" Sweet Violets takes ther lead-—
Er jolly lad, you.betl
We’ve got ther rascals treed,
An’ now we’ll make ’em sweat.”

Erastus was becoming poetical, but those who
heard him sing were incl ned to think that he
was anything but musical. However his “ eflu-
sion” caused more than one to smile.

Violet Vane was tly worried about lane.
The uncerhlnty of or fate prayed upon him,
and he was impatient to get h a hands on Dandy.
Dirk and force the truth from the scoundrel
lips. Perhaps it was this impatience that caused

 

him to consent when the men begged him to be
allowed to charge on the saloon and attempt to
dislodge the ruflians at once. Be that as it
may, he did consent and he led the charge in
person.

It is impossible to describe the terrific
battle that f0110wed. A concentrated attack
was made on all sides of the saloon, and the be-
siegers did their best to force an entrance by
some of the windows or the doors, but they were
finally repulsed with a loss that was far from
trifling. The ruflians within the building were
in savage earnest, and they had not wasted
their lead by any means. More than one of
Jasper’s citizens received his “last sickness ”
during the struggle, and at least a dozen were
wounded. The damage done the defenders of
the saloon could not be determined by the at-
tacking party.

Great was the excitement and rage which the
besiegers felt when they learned of their loss,
after being forced to retreat before the gelling
fire poured from the saloon windows. The
fallen men’s friends swore to have revenge, and
the entire party united in pledging themselves
to hang together till JaSper was freed of the
scoundrels which infested‘the town. The re-
pulse seemed to make the defeated rty all the
more determined in their purpose. be wounded
were removed to a building near by and their
injuries attended to, while the dead were taken
in charge by their friends. ‘

It was a black night for Jasper City!

Although he was greatly affects by there-

ulse, the Velvet Sport sucressfully disguised

is real feelings and did his best to encourage
the desperate citizens. He searched everywhere
amid the besiegers, hoping to find some one who
knew something about the marshal, but no one
could give him any information. Solid Sid was
not to be found. The Cool Case was also miss-

m .

gaming the struggle, Erastus Wagg had been
safe] hidden behind one of the cabins which
stoor nearest the scene of action. His position
afforded him the utmost security from flying
lead. while he could listen to the sound of the
conflict and feel all the excitement of acom—
batant. Occasionally he would peer around the
cornerto see if the attacking party had forced
an entrance to the building. The woolly-heii'ded
man had a great desire to be with the first to
reach the bar of the saloon, and he did not want
to expose himself amid the flying bullets for fear
something would happen to prevent him from
getting there at all.

“ It’d be jest my durned luck ter be perforated
fu’st off.” he muttered. “Someway feel ree-
markably peaceful jest now.”

And when the stru is was allover, the cau-
tious vagabond ming with the defeated fac-
tion, and boasted about how hard he had fought.
Truly, the tramp was an enigma—an unfath-
omable mixture of cowardice and bravery.

Within the saloon the roughs were jubilant
over their victorg. They were drinking freely,
much to High ard Harry’s secret annoyance
and ave vent to their hilarity in wild yells o
delig t. For reasons of his own the card-sharp
did not come out 0 nl and declare that any
one of his followers 3 on d not have any more
liquor, but he managed to make the barkeeper
understand that he did not wish certain ones to
have another drink. And the harkee r was
careful not to let them have any—w en the
gambler was around. .

Harry was confident that ‘the defeated_citi-
zens would not make another attack that night'
and he was light. The rest of the night Passf‘ii
gluietly and morning came. Just at sunrise

iolet Vane, bearin a white flag, was 89:61! ad-
vancing from one o the cabins a short distance
up the street. High Card Harry balm]? med
Dandy Dirk in the upper part Of the bu! ding,
and together the two appeared at one of the
windows, Dirk covering 1: e Velvet Sport witha
cocked revolver. as he cried:

‘éHalti V533!“ do yfal want!”

ane stop prom y.

“ I came to demamfthe surrender of yourself
our aide,” he replied, ooldl .
esperado laughed sneering .
gall! Why should we sur-

and that man by
The Jacktown
“Well, you have
render?”
“ Because the citizens of Jasper demand it. I
call on those deluded men who are there w th
on to come out eEnlist] and leave the town.
The will be allow to epart in peace.”
“%Vhile wewill be retained as prisoners?”
I

‘ xactl ."

“ gm {advise you to go soak your head!”
“ If you do not sorrender,” pursued Vane, .

calmly. “ you will be driven from that building -

before the sun is two hours high.”

 

 

   

i

I

Violet Vane’s Victory.

  

, - 15

 

 

“ My dear sir, do you take us for fools? You
can’t drive us from this building. You have
tried it once, which I should think would be a
lesson to on. If you want another dose of the
same, sai inagain.”

“ But we shall go about it in an entirely differ-
ent manner this time.”

“ And we don’t care a continental how you go
about it. We hold this saloon and defy you to
oust us. Go ahead with our picnic and see
which side gets the worst 0 it.”

CHAPTER XVII.
SOLID SID snows HIS HAND.

“PERHAPS you will change your mind when
yfou know what we have decided to do,” said the

elvet Sport, as serenely as ever. “ The citi-
zens of this place have agreed that the building
which you occupy is a disgrace to the town.
There are no cabins in the immediate vicinity of
the saloon and scarcely a breath of air seems to
be stirring this morning. It is an excellent time
to make a bonfire of that old ark.”

The two desperadoes looked startled. This was
something quite unexpected and for several mo-
ments they conversed in ow tones. Finally
Vane grew im atient and called:

‘fWell, wha do you say—1s it surrender or

not?”

High Card Harry spoke for the first time:

“ your little band of Sunday-school chil-
dren have turned incendiaries, have they?” be
sneered. “ A very commendable method of
procedure.”

“ When we deal with rattlesnakes, we should
not have scruples about our methods of handling
them. All is fair in war.”

“ Exactly. But I will tell
You will not burn this building.

“ Then you will acce t our terms?"

“ Not at all. We sti 1 hold the winning hand
in this little game. If you would like it, you,can
see the cards.”

Vane was puzzled, but quietly replied:

“ I do not catch your meaning.”

Dandy Dirk disappeared from the window,
and the gambler said:

“ We will explain with pleasure. It only
takes a knave and a queen to whip the hand you
hold. Here they are. ’ _

And then Ned Morris and Ione Wilson ap-
peared at the open window, closely guarded by
several men. Ned’s hands were tightly bound
behind him.

“ There are my winning cards, dear sir,”
smiled the card—sharp, as he waved his hand
toward the captives. “ If you thinkyou have
got anything that will lay over them, Just trot it
out.

you one thing:

For several moments the Velvet Sport was
_ bless. High Card Harry watched Vane
Withalook of triumph on his handsome, cruel

ace.

. “Ha! ha! ha!” he laughed. “How d0 30“
like their looks, little runtl You may be able ‘30
outocheat me at poker, but I am more than a
match for you at this little game.”

“ You cowardly kidna per!” cried the Sport.
hotly. “_You shall be ca led to an account for
this. It is a Villainous trick worthy of such a
dastardly rascal as you.”

“Thanks, awfully,” bowed the triumphant
man in the window. “I will repeat your words

. of a short time ago: ‘ All is fair in war.”

v
f .
u

     
    
   
  
  
  
 

  
  
    

“ We shall c0nquer you yet,” declared Vane.
u Beware how you treat our prisoners, for if
they; are harmed, you have to answer to

me.

“Exactly. They shall not be harmed, unlea
you see fit to fire this billldlollf, in which case
they will undoubtedly be cook . in great aha
-—routed alive! But I do notfancy’yon will
so fierce about burning the building.

The sport made no respcnse, an Harry went
on:

“ You have been making terms to me; now it
is my turn to dictate. I. am Alcalde of Jasper,
apoeltion which I shall hold b fair means or
foul, and the men who are buc 'ng against me
will have to come under in thumb sooner or
later. It will be better for t em if they cave at
once and give up the fight which can only end
in one way. If they are ready to retire peaco-
fully their homes after surrendering you into
my h nds, I will agree to straighten thin out
in this camp and restore order within six ours
so that a stranger in the ace would not know
that anything, unusual ad occurred. Those

are my terms.

Vio et Vane bowed. .

“ That is all I have to say,” concluded the
triumphant gambler. ‘f The sooner ou trot
back under cover the better twillbe

. and et
tbr you. Some of the boys may take a notion

 

to perforate you for all of the fact that you
carry a white flag.”

And without another word the Velvet Sport
turned and walked away, Harry’s scornful
laugh following, him.

“Take away the risoners, men,” was the
card-Sharp‘s order. nd then, to Dandy Dirk:
” reckon that cooks them fellows. We need
no fear a roasting to-day. Ha! ha! 01d pard,
the ameis ours.”

“ t kinks that way,” admitted Dirk. “But I
do not like the sounds below. I fancy the men
are filling with li uor. If you allow them to
get drunk, We may ose our grip after all.”

“ You are right. I must close the her.”

But the bar was not the trouble. A ragged,
dirty-looking old fellow, who agpeared to be a
stranger in the camp and who ad entered the
saloon in some mysterious way, was getting in
his Work. He appeared to be loaded down with
liquor, for as fast as one bottle was emptied
he would produce another from some secret

pocket.

“ I’m Rattlin’ Rufe, ther Rustler frum Rat—
town,” he announced. “ An’ I’ve kem inter this
hyer camp fer ter hev an ole-fashioned four.
leggOd tear. I’m loaded with ther stuff, an’ I
want all my frien’s ter drink with me. It’s
ther prime artikle an’ mecks or man feel good
all over. Hyer ye go, boys; drink hearty.”

And, much to the barkeeper’s rage, he passed
the bottle around. When the regular dispenser
of “liquid refreshments” attempted to inter-
fere, declaring that nothing could be drank
there that did not come over the bar, the little
stranger, Rattlin’ Rufe. threw him down and
sat astride his body while the bottles continued
to go round.

When High Card Harry and Dandy Dirk
came down the stairs, Rattlin’ Rufe managed
to slip past them and ascend to the upper story,
where the bottles once more went a merry
round. When the card—shar learned the facts
and came to sea ‘ch for the ustler, that indi-
vidual seemed to ave mysteriously disappeared.
He must either have been an adept at disguises

or have known the secret hiding-places of the'

building very well for a stranger.

When Violet Vane reported to his friends
there was consternation indeed. It did seem
that the ruffians held the winning cards. Erastus
Wagg was wild with rage.

“ ll go out an’ lick ther hull durned gang!”
he raved. “ I kin do it! I’ll let ’em see ther
kind 0’ stuff Erastus W'agg is made outer, I will!
I’d like ter it my han’s onter thet High Keerd
Hurrah. ’u’dn’t I make him smart! Durn
his hide! I’m goin’ ter challenge him ter im-
mortal combat!”

And, before any one could restrain him, the
woolly-headed man ranced down the street to-
ward the Night Haw Saloon. He paused about
five rods from the building, toward which he
shook both fists. while he roared:

“ Whar's High Keerd Hurrah! Let ther
durned sneak come out hyer au’ fight er mam!
He’s er c0ward frum Craven Crick! I kin lick
ther best two men e’ve got in that ole hoel. My
name is Wagg. hoopee!”

At this pomt Saul Spot appeared ata window,
and with a single well-directed shot knocked the
boaster’s hat from his head. This seemed to take
Erastus by surprise, for, without pausingr to re-
cover his head apparel, he wheeled and fled from
that dangerous locality as fast as his legs would
carry him. With a laugh, the pistol sad-shot
sent a few bullets whistling past the fleeing
man’s ears, and Mr. Wagg did not pause till he
was safe behind a large dry-goods box which sat
in front of the nearest store. _

After this there were no more Signs of hostili.
ties for nearl an hour. At last the door of the
saloon open , and a man stepped forth, hearing
a white flag. A cry of surprise came from the
besiegers. . _

It was the marshal, Solid Sid!

Without a pause the marshal came forward
till he had joined the besiegers. His face looked
very yo, and his first words were:

“ here is Violet Vane?"

Sid’s deputy instantly stepped forward.

“ I am here, sir. Do you bring us word that
those_rufiians have concluded to surrender!”

Sh’aron shook his head.

“ No; I have come on diflerent businea. I am
sorry, sir, but it is my duty to arrest you.”

‘ 0 arrest me 13’ repeated Vane, in utter
amazement. “ What do
“ Just what I said.”

“ But what is the charge against me!"

f‘ Murder. You killed Duck Splinter. in the
Night Hawk Saloon.”

‘ It is false! I know nothing about it !"

“ You will have a chance to prove that when

you mean?”

u:

 

the case comes to trial. I hope you will have no
hard ”feelings against me, but I must do my
duty.

“ Stop!" came sharply from the Velvet Sport’s
lips, as the marshal took a step forward. “ \Vait
a moment, Mr. Sharon! I cannot submit to ur—
rest now, but I will give you my word of honor
that as soon as the trouble in this camp is settled,
and Mr. Morris and Miss WiISon are rescued
from the pOWer of those villains, I will stand my
trial and take the consequences. While they are
in danger I must have my freedom.”

“ I would like to accommodate you very much,
but it is impossible. Duty is duty, and it is my
duty to arreSt- you now. Please come with me.”

And then, just as the marshal‘s fingers touched
Vane’s shoulder, the sport’s hand flew out and a
hard flst caught Solid Sid under the chin. Two-
thirds of the witnesses afterward declared that
it was the handsomest knock-down blow they
ever saw.

 

CHAPTER XVIII.
ran GRAND CLEAN-OUT.

THAT the little sport had knocked the brawny
marshal down with one swinging left—bender
seemed hardly possible and not a few who wit-
nessed the feat caught their breath with a gasp
of amazement. For a single moment the un-
lucky man seemed stunned, then he suddenly sat

up, uttering a fierce oath and reaching for a re—"

volver.

“ Go a little slow, pard; I have you lined.”

Violet Vane spoke the truth as the fallen man
could plainly see. ' The sport’s right hand held a
ihining revolver and the drop covered Solid Sid’s

rain.

“ I mean business from the shoulder,” came
calmly from Vane’s lips. “This charge of mur-
der is a piece of bosh hatched up by my enemies
for the purpose of having some pretext for get-
ting me out of the way. I can see through the
whole scheme, but I am amazed to discover that
you are in with the rascals, Sharon. I hardly
thought that of you.” .

“ I have to do my duty when called on,” de-
clared Solid Sid, glaring vengefully at the little
man who held the drop. “ For that purpose I
came here. You shall discover that it is no tri-
fling thing to resist an officer of the law. I pro—
mise to make you sweat for that blow.”

“Spare your threats,” sternly commanded the
Velvet Sport. “ I am not in a mood to listen to
them, for I fancy that I see through your little
game. You are hand and glove with those vil-
lains, a thing which I half su ted ever since
you tripped me in the saloon ast night. You
did that little trick very neatly and it seemed
like an accident, but I now know that it was in-
tentional. You have been playing a treacherous

ame from the first. How much did High Card

arry and Tom Alicar give you to induce me to
come to Jasper City where. in the midst of ene-
mies, I could be easily disposed of? I fancy they
find the disposing of me a harder trick than they
ima ined it would be.” '

“ our insinuations are false,” asserted Sid,
as he‘ slowly arose to his feet. ‘ I induced you
to come here to aid me in quelling this riot, and
I made ou my deputy.” -

“ An now you want to arrest me for killing a
man while attending to my duty as an omcer!
That is a little thin, my dear sir. It won’t hold
water. Your ob' ct is only too plain. You
have shown your and in great shape. A pretty
officer, you are! I reckon this town will have to
elect a new marshal as soon as things are
strai htened out again.”

“ ow soon will that be?” sneered the burl
traitor. “ From the present indications, it wil
not be very soon. At the present time, the
men within that building up r to have the
best of the situation. n t e future. Harry
Harkman is apt to make the laws of this town. ’

“ There!” laughed Vane; “ now you are com-
ing out in your true colors and showin your
sympathy with Harkman and his rasc y fol-
lowers. Bah! Once I did think on a man,
but now I know you for the treac enous two-
faced whelp that you are! The best thing
that you can do istoget back with your matesin
that building. Git! Go before I am tom ted to
give you what you deserve—a dose of lea !"

Casting one vindictive look at the speaker
Sid turned and walked straight back to
the saloon, the door of which opened before him
and closed when he had entered.

Vane was congratulated by his friends on the
very neat manner in which he had handled
the brawny officer. who had never before met
his match since becoming marshal of Ja r.

But the Velvet Sport was mood can silent,
for he was flatly troubled by condition
of affairs. not hb foes held young Mor-

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'16

‘ “Show me that window as soon as

 

 

  

ris and Ions in their power, he would have
known how to act, but as it was, he knew not
what to do. While he was buried in deep medi-
tation, Erastus Wagg appeared at his side. The
woolly-headed man was somewhat excited.

“ Pard,” he hoarsely whispered, “ hev ye
notissed ennythin’ unusual OVeI‘ thar?” pointing
toward the saloon.

“ No, I have not. What do'you mean?”

“ Say, don’t ye observe thet it’s reemarkably
kinder (pilot like in thet ole ark?” .

“ It ( oes seem quiet,” admitted Vane; “but
what of that?”

“I dunno; but I reckon thar’s su’thin’ tuck
place over thar. I‘ve bin roun’ onter thor back
side 0’ that coop an’ see’d er feller cum ter one o’
ther winders an’ beckon ter me. I c’u’dn’t tell
ef I knowed jest who it wuz, but I reckon he’s a
frien’ o’ ourn. Ef I’m right, thar’s su’thin" in
ther wind.”

The sport sprung to his feet.

“ You may be right!” he cried, eagerly.
ossible.”

Without further words, Wagg ed the ‘way
round the building. Finally be halted.

“ Thar’s ther very winder,” he declared, as he
pointed toward the saloon. .

And then an exclamation of surprise came
from the lips of both, for at that moment a
man whom they recognized appeared at the
window.

It was the Cool Case!

Seeing Vane and Erastus, the little sharp be-
gan to make signals tothem. Ygoth men watched
him closely, but could not ake out what he
meant. Finally the man at the window seemed
to hit upon an idea, for he changed his mode of
signaling. V

“W’at in thunder’s he tryin’ ter’dol” asked
the tramp.

“ He is using the deaf and dumb alphabet to
communicate with us,” was the reply, as the
sport put up his hands and madesffew rapid
passes. “ I understand him.” '

And when the signaling ceased, Vane turned
swiftly away, saying:

“ There is work ahead of us, old man. I
fancy we will soon have the winning hand in
this desperate game. That man says that more
than two-thirds of the rufl‘lans within that build-
in are drugged, and in a drunken sleep. He
wi i admit us by that window, and we can take
them by surprise. Our first work is to get a
part of the men here without attracting the at-
tention of those within the building who are not

rugged. That will not-be an easy task.”
' Nevertheless, it was accomplished. Silently
the men stole up to the rear of the building,
Vane leading. Cool Case was there, and be
promptly opened the window, through which
the men passed into the saloon. A large num-
ber had gained admittance when the fact was
discovered by Band Dirk.

What a battle fol owed! ~ ,

The men who had not partaken of the drugged
liquor made a desperate resistance. Their com-
rades were unable to do so, for they were lying
on the floor, wrapped in a slumber which even
the sound of battle failed to break. .But the
“rebels? were finally OVerpOWered and forced
to surrender. This did not happen, however,
till High Card Harry deserted his then useless
tools, and Dandy Dirk fell, mortally wounded.

Then what a cheer went up from the victors!

“ Hooraw !" roared Erastus 'Wagg. “ Hooraw
fer us! We’ve downed ther skunks, an’ Sweet
Violets led us ter vict’ry! Three cheers for ther
p0? sport!” . n
, he cheers were given with a will, but when
they had ceased, Vane said: ,

" It is not 1 to whom you owe this success
but to the man who ventured into this den an
succeeded in druzging our foes. 'He took‘ des-
perate chances, and but for him we might have
«met with defeat in the end. I propose three
cheers for Cool Case.” ‘ .»

They were given, three and a tiger. The lit-
tle red-headed sharp, who was bending over
Dandy Dirk, arose.

“Gentlemen. I thank you,” he said, bowing
finely. “ I fancy ou do'me too much honor.

Rattlin’ Rafe, t e Rustler from Rat-town,
I did delude these gentlemen somewhat and suc-
ceeded in filling the most of them with drugged
liquor. But. it is a part of mv trade to deceive.
I have deceived you You know me - as
Coolan Casey, ‘the 0061 Case,’ but when I re-
move” this beard and wig you will see that I
am— . .

“ Alaan, the detective!” .

"-Exactl ,” bowed the craggy little blood-
hound; “ em Alan Dale, a this wounded
man is my prisoner. He is wanted hack in the
East for a bank robbery.” ’

' 1"" #1?“ {azure ; "" 

Violet vane’s Victory.

“ But you will never take me there,” asserted
Dirk, with a touch of triumph in his voice. “ I
have got it for good. Within an hour 1 shall be
a dead man.”

He spoke the truth, for he lived barely fifty
minutes, but during that time he made a confes-
sion which was taken down by Alan Dale and
signed by several Witnesses. The confession
cleared Philip Vane Howard of the lust suspicion
that he was in any way Connected with the
Burnton Bank robbery and left him with an un—
tarnished name.

High Card Harry and Saul Spot were not to
be found. They had escaped in some mysterious
manner, and neither of them was ever again
seen in Jasper City. Solid Sid and Hickory
Jimmy were among the prisoners, but, at Vane 5
request, were not treated any more severely than
than the others, all of whom were disarmed, es-
corted to the southern extremity of the camp
and given one hour’s start of the Vigilance Com-
mittee which. was‘ afterward organized. The
committee were like bloodhounds on the trail,
and it was said that a dozen trees within twenty
miles of Jasper bore “ human fruit ” before
In htfall. '

he citizens of Jasper were unanimous in fer-
ing Violet Vane the office lately held by L olid
Sid, but, much to their disappointment, he de-
clined to accept.

Alan Dale decided to accompany Vane to
Jacktown, from which place the detective in-
terlided to return 13:136.] 1 l hat 1 f

twasquteajuiantitte rt t et
Jasper City that afternoon ansa named their
faces toward Jacktown. Of them all none was
more elated over the happy result than Erastus
Wagg, who bestrode his old white horse with
the grace of a monarch, while he waved his
dilapidated hat and cheered back at the cheer-
ing crowd who were watching them off, till he
was quxte hoarse. Ione and Lucas. rode beside
their respective lovers, and were very happy,
indeed.

Before Jacktown was reached they were met
by a party from the place, coming to take a
hand in the struggle at J asper City. Mr. Wil-
son was with them. Despite the fact that Vane
had promised to restore I. he to him within three
days if he would remain at Juckt0wn, he had
started for Jasper. is joy at seeing his daugh-
ter alive and well must be imagined.

At Jacktown every one turned out to greet
the victors, and the people were wild with en-
thusiasm when the party rode into the camp.
Judge Blowbugle recovered from his “ bOoze ”
sufficiently to appear on the steps of the Silver
Bell and shout thickly:

“ Zare zey cum! Hoop! . Zare’s er two Queens
ov Sharktown! Zara’s Vierler- Vane, zer bull
boy wish zer glash eye! Hoop! He ish zer fe -
ler ash warmmzem up! Hooray for him I”

The people from Jacktown looked upon Violet
Vane as a conquering hero, and once more the
camp echoed with their cheers for the man in
velvet.

THE END.

 

A‘Beadle’s Halfrllime library.

BY 0L1. 000MEI.

5 Vagabond Joe. the Young Wandering Jew.
18 The llnmb Spy.
2? Anielo c Abe. the Boy Guide.
31 Room "We, the Prince nl'the Prairies.
4| Inn-o Jack, the Young Mustang”.
\ 58 The Border Kill 3 or, The Secret Foe.
1 Delaware lllrk. t e Young lancer Spy.
4- Ilawlcgevo Ilnrrv lhe Young Trapper Bangor.
88 Rollo the llo “an er.
1“ Sure Shot Set ) ill- oy lilflemsn.
48 Scnr~l“m-e Saul. the Silent Hunter.
140 HIlvrr Mar. the Boy Knight.
158 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. \
1le Little Texas. the Young Mustang". I
17" Old flolltury. the Hermll ’l'n per. - _
132 Littlollu rlonne, the Boy .nptnln.
20* l’rosm-e Pete; or, The oung Outlaw Hunters.
20R The Boy “oi-onion: or. The Prairie Tramp-.1
218 Tiger Tom. the Texas Terror.
82!- nm:th "ink: or. Trapper Tom’s Cutie.
29R Lit-“o Ildflre, the Young Push-ls Nomad-
288 The. P "on Detective; or The Little Man.
248 The D Ignlned Guide; or, IVth Raven, the Ranger.

260 "IN-n07“ “In, the Young Prairie lung".

.79 Mink-kin Mike, the Boy Sharpshootor-

890 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. I
000 The Sky Demon x or, Rnlnboli,the Ranger.

884 Whlp-Klng Joe. the Boy Benchero.

409 Hercule" or. Dick, the Boy lung".

41‘? Webfoot Moos. the Tramp naked“.

4!. Baby Gain. the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone. .- ‘
“4 thtlo Bligh-kin. ins Young Prairie Centaur.
‘57 Wlnledfint Frqdr or. Old Polar Saul.

“C 'TQIII'M Tom, the Big Trapper Boy.

4?. old Toll Rattler, the Red River Epidemic.

‘33 Stonewall Bob. the Bay Troian.

 

 

‘ “I Bluderln‘ Bull, lilo Heroin Boy Trapper.

 

  
   
 
  
    
 
  
   
 
 
 
 
  
    
 

l

. BY CHARLES mom'us.

118 Will Some", the Boy tectivs. f
122 Phil Hardy, the lines my.

126 I’ll-“yum: Petr; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Dewctlvo.

130 Detective Dir-k: or, The Hero ln Rugs.

l~l [land-mus Ihirr), the liontblsrk Detect'l‘s.

I47 \Vlfl \Vfldflrc, the Thoroughbred.

159 “luck "can, Will “‘ildrire's liar-er.

‘5? “Ike Mon-y, lllv Harbor Polite Boy.

162 Wlll Wlldllre In the “ oodn.

165 Billy Bug‘qu the Railroad Buy.

170 A Trump Lard; or, Will Wildlire Wine and Lot“.

174 Bob "coke"; or, Mysteries of New York. .
‘79 “oh “(M-ken. the llank Runner. '

1N3 The Hidden ilundE or, Will Wilillire’s Revenge.

1%? Fred Ilulyard, the
1H9 Bob ltor-kett; or. Driven to the “'all.

196 flliudowedl; or, Bob Rockstt‘l Fight {or Llle.

206 Dark Pull , the Tiger King.

21% Dashing Dave, the Dandy Detective.

320 Tom Tanner or, The Black Sheep of the Flock.

225 Sam Churcoa the Premium Darky. ,

235 shadow Sum. the Messenger Boy.

42 The Two “ Bloodl- "; or, Shenandoah Bill and His Gang.
’5“ "It'll I’lflhnwny : or, A Dalton Boy in Chicago.

868 The Young Sharps: or, Ro|liclllng Mike’s Hot TrsiL

HEW} Jolly Jlm the Detective, Ap iremice.

289 Jolly Jim‘s Job; or, The oun Detective.

898 The Water-Hound; or. The oullg Thornu hored.

305 anal-away. of Dakota; or, A We-iem La in the Quaker
’ ‘ Iv. '

884 ll ulph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective.

3-“ Tony Thorns. the Vagabond Delectlvs.‘

853 The Reporter-Detective; or, Fred l‘lyerll Bllmrd.
367 W hie-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times. l

379 Lurr . the Leveler; or, The Bloods of the Boulevard.
403 Flrelly Jar-k, Ills River-Rn! Deterlive. ‘

4M! The Lost Finger; or, The Enlrnpped Csehler.

423 Fer Fl er the Reporter Demure.

482 Inviner 0 Logan. the Pinkerton Ferret.

456 llllly Brit-k, the Jolly Vagabond.

46 Wide-Awake Jerry. Detective; or. Entombed Alive.
479 Dotevtlve Bod e': or, The Llyllerv of Frank Hearty.
48s Wild luok Rae 'et. '

501 Boots. the Boy Fireman i or, The Sharp for the Sharper
566 The Secret herrlee Bov Detectlvo. . ‘
596 Jlmm the RN] or. A .amh Among “'olves.

62? Tom ruee of rkannn“ or, The Well in the Fold.

BY '1‘. o. IIARBAUGII.

23 Nlok o’ the ngllt: or, The Boy Spy of '16. “
37 The lllddell Lodge; or The Liltll- Hunter.
4? Nightln ale Nat; or, Tue Forest Captains.
84 Ilundv lick 3 or, ‘he Outlan of the Oregon Trail.
es Kit ll’nreroot the Wood-Hawk.
94 Mlillilxht J ark & or, The Boy Trapper.
06 0h! Frosty, l e side: or, The \Vhite Queen.
3 Klowa Charley the While Muslangsr.
9 Jud e L 'nvli, Jr.: or. The an Vigilante.
if'l‘l' er, the Sport; or, The Girl Avenger.
om; or. njun Jack From Red Cure.
8 Ned Temple, the Border Boy.
3 Arkannaw ; or, The Qum-n oi Fate’s Revenge.
7 Navajo Nick the Boy Gold Hunter.
15 .apt-uln Bullet; of, Little Tonkuot's Crusade.
881 lucky Phil; or. Rose, the Rel Jezebel.
241 “Ill Bravo; or, The Rough. of the Rockies.
255 Cupt‘ln A 011- , the Kiinin of Bowk.’
267 The Bucks In llelerllve.
2’39 01d “'llu-h; or, The lluckskiu Desperado».
294 llvnnmlte Dani 01'. The Bowie Bind? "f Oochewvn-
802 The Mounlaln Ilelectlve: or. The Trigger liar Bully.
316 010' Ei-Ilpae. Trump Card of Arizona,
82“ The Ten l’nrdn: or. The Terror or Take-Notice.
836 "ll: Bennon; or, The Queen of the Lawn.
845 Pltllefl Matt; or, Red Thumierholv‘s Serra,
5“ 000' 'film and I’nrdg o'- The Terrible Slx. ‘
866 Velvet Foot. the lnrliun Detective.
8M! (‘nnmlu Cutlass; or, 'I he B'TNIHEQT’S Girl Fee.
896 Ranch Rob: or. The 'I win Chaumions 0: Blue Blush
4“ The Nikon Imam: or. The Hose ol‘llsuph liobin.
413 Felix Fox. the Boy Spoiler. '
425 Texas 'I‘rum . the Border Rainer.
480 I’ll“ Flu-n. t 9 New York For.
445 The City Vampires: or, Red Rlvll‘o’mwnn.
461 fine A Must Flfty: or. The Last Man of Keno Bar.
470 The I 0y Shadow: or, Felix Fox’s Hunt.
477 The ercinlnr fiport: or. The Washington Spotter. ‘
499 Single h‘l lit. the One-Eyed Sport. - .
508 Branded ten, the Night Ferret.
519 "Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective.
521 “Dodger Illek’s Belt llod .
58“ l: . nnd‘finE-or‘i, [Ill’rmgng'a -.Shsd_owl.
nu In 0 , t no one . t l
548 In .t. IDIi-k’n Double; onfl‘he Blvd 30! Detectives.
558 3m ‘xr Dick’s Desperate Cue.
 =In KI r “‘(‘kq “12 Boy 
578 'l‘llr Two Rl’dnws. ‘
5R2 "ml or Dir-k a Drop. .
594 J .mfe Lon, the Street-Fins" Dmrtlve-
010 old Skinner, the Gold shark; or. Tony Slurp on Guard.
626 The Champion Fords. , .
637 ‘Ml‘k Donn, the DOCk Boy Detective.
845 Kit, the Pavement Shin-p.

mm AND NEW ISSUES.-

050 Butterfly Billy. the Pony Rider Detectlw; or. Bufl'slo
Bill’s Boy l’urfl. By Col. Prentiss lngrshnm. _

651 Bound Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective. My

‘ Wm. G. Patten. ‘

658 Don Barr. the Plains Freelance. Bv Oil Cmmn.

658 Blll Bantam, llw liar Beagle. Ev T. C. Harluulrn.

654 lift: vzvlooélwllir‘dt, J15, Among. the Smugglers. By
. war .. lei- er

 :;II:(-k‘yfll'alil.lthe 1&0! B centlntgrbo?.\’1}‘l;?rl:nlMania.

ll '1‘ ll V”! an ill . .V i - 'L' 9 mm.

657 “’nrbllny ‘h'llllam. the Mountain Mountebunk. By
Lieut. A. .Slms. ' .

658 filly-Rocket. Rob. the Lire-Suva: or, The Storm-“'n” of

‘659 film“)??? L]? J‘ ""31: “Pimeul’Wlnn H! t B r
.oon t 0 an e‘ 1‘ (thallium
(‘ibufn Jo m’s Phnmlon‘Chm. By J. C. ( owdrick.

I

nus-inun-
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"4?)
G 5
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9

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e:

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It
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. er.

661 old Kit Randy's Deliverance; or, Banner Ben. the
“Vlldfirs of the Prairies. BV Oll Coomes.

663 Butt-ray Billy’s Bulimia: w, The Spectre Soldier of
the Overland. By Col. P. Ingrnhnm, I

068 Violet Vane’s Victor" 01'. The Jun-r City Olson-Out.
ll ' \V G

. . m .
664 Cheeky (git-Joy“. “W Saeclnl: or, The le Racket It
Rattlesnake mm " P- 5- 'Mne *
oes Jolly Jeremiah. lh
linm’n Home Rn . k 3} eu‘l‘. A.l‘l(.'fiilrrsi lune” 0 Th.
and e I’. Q r
“a 23m Amen!“ Double Gum. Bl; ward L. Wheslu’t. .
A New Issue Every Tunic!- I
Nlelf- Dine Library is, to.» m. by all IIst In
“to” copy. agent by mail on receipt of six cents each.

smut AND mule. Publishers.

 

.ile Boat Buy; hr. The Smugglers. ,

660 Devan-{ma luck, Jpn" Insurance Cm. By Edward,
I “'hrv

e $l’lalns minim; or, Warbllng Wil- %

08 Willie- ltroot. flew Yeti: '
V l