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NO $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE ANI) ADAMS. Price. V01 
' a Year- No, 98 WILLIAM STREET. NEW YURK. 5 Cents- ' '

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Peed Detectives’ [llevee Heel
I
' THE ROMANCE OF A BLUNDEB.
BY J. C. C(JWDRICK, K
AUTHOR. 01" “BROADWAY BILLY” NOVELS, ETC.
CHAPTER I.
MOTHER menu’s WARNING.
“ SWEET pertaters!"
“ What is it now, Billy?”
” You have no right to complain about it’s
beiu’ hot. If I could take of! my flesh, and go
around in my bones like you do, I‘d never say u 4' "q’" ‘A A - '
word about hot weather, you bet.” “GO BACK] GO BACK!" sax (mum, 1N nva GOOD ENGLISH. “1N sewn n

“ Great ginger! don't you s’pooe I on (001 the xs ONLY bum FOR you.”

z
1

Broadway ’ Billy ' at Santa? Fe. I \

 

heat as well as anybody élse, even if I am
thin?” .

“ Yes, I s’pose you can, but only in proportion,
you know.”

“ Oh, you git out! To hear you talk, anybody
would think you weigh a ton.’

“ Say, though, Skinny, why don’t you try to
pick upa little meat? I don’t want to have to
take ye home as thin as I brought ye out. I’d
be ashamed ter do it, and that’s the fact.”

“ Pick up meat! I’d like to know how I could
do that, with the worry l’ve got on my mind all
the time.”

“ Worry on your mind—you?”

“ Yes, mel”

“ I’d like to know what you have got to worry'

over i”

“ The troubles I have in trying to keep you
straight, that’s what.”

“ Sweet pertaters! you are gettin’ personal in
igur remarks, my gay an’ festive feather-weight.

t’s change the subject.”

Broadway Billy and “Skinny,” his artner.

It was the afternoon of a terribly hot ay, the
latter half, the sun being far in the West.

The two lads were about entering the city of
Sante Fe, on horseback, coming from an easter-
ly direction, both. ’

Splendidly mounted, attired in their typical
cowboy costumes, each with a lariat coiled on
the saddle-horn, and both well armed.

As Billy made his last remark, they turned a
point and a view of the city burst upon them.

“ Sweet pertaters!” exclaimed the New York
dele te, “ but it isa sizable town, Skinn ."

“ should say so!” Skinny agreed. “ t is a
bee. bigger than I expected.”

“ es, it is quite a place, that’s certain. Come
now, my shadowy lieutenant, brace up and
stiffen your back a little, and wipe that drop of
sweat 03 your nose, and We’ll ride into the
metropolis in somethin’ like style.”

“ Yes, and you stop talkin’ and give your
jaws a rest so’a you’ll be able to eat your dinner,
if We’re fortunate enough to get any.”

“ Don’t fear on my account, partner,” said
Billy to that. “ It will be a colder day than
this when I can’t eat my sh re.”

“It’s hopeful that we’ll see a cooler day soon.
But, say, what’s the matter with the old dame
ahead there?”

“ Just what I am trying to get through my
hair. Guess she’s got the bats, or somethin’ like
it. She seems to be makin’ signs to us.”

“ And by the motions she’s makin’ I’d say she
means for us to stop and turn back, wouldn’t
you?” Skinny ventured.

“It looks that way,” Billy agreed, “but if
that is what she does mean she can motion till
she’s deaf, dumb, blind and toothless, and it
won’t do any geod. We have come to see the
old town, and I have/a notion that we’ll stop
long enough to take it in. But, sweet oertatersl
that is what she means, sure as you live l”

The person in question was an aged woman.
She was just ahead of them in thestreet upon
which they had entered, and coming toward
them, she was waving a crutch desperately, as
if warning them to stop, and as she waved it,
she hobbled to meet them as fast as she could,
shouting.

“ What seems to be the diflikilty, old lady?”

, Billy inquired, when they came near enough.

“ Go back! 0 back!” she cried, in fairly
gogdflEnglish. ' In Santa Fe is only death for

0

She proved to be a hideous-looking old hag,
probably a Mexican and Indian half—breed; was
coarsely clad, and bad a shawl over her head.
Hler back was bent and her hands were like
c aws. .
“Just as likely as n t,” agreed Bill cooll .
“ but you can’t scare u of! that way. yThe oId
fellow on the pale horse can’t overtake us but
once, that’s certain, ani I suppose it is as likely
to occur here as anywhere else.”

They had now stopped their horses.

“ But you must go back,” the old hag cried,
; still waving her crutch at them. “ Mother
Bruja makes no mistakes. and she knows there
isdanger here for you. Go back, go back!”

“ Nary a go back,” declared Billy, decisively.
“ We have tackled danger before and we won’t
back out this time. But. seeing that you are so
well posted. old lady suppose you give us a hint
what the danger is.” '

“Mebhe there is somethiu’ in it” observed
Skinny, aside. “ Sh looks enough like a witch.”

“ Can’t help it i there is,” answered Billy.
“We are here, and we’ll face the music. But
let’s hear what she has to say.”

“Mother Bruja cannot be mistaken,” the old
woman declared again. “ Mother Bruja has
had a dream, and her dreams never fail.”

'.

“ And I take it that you are Mother Bruja,”
put in Billy.

“ Yes, yes, I am Mother Bruja.
warn you, turn back.”

“ It. can’t he did, old lady,” Billy declared.
“ We have come to stay a little while. But, tell
us, what was your dream?”

“ I saw you, brave American boy, coming up
this street,” the hag explained, “the same as I
saw you a moment ago. I knew you at sight as
the boy of my dream. And with you came a
shadow—"

At this Billy broke into a loud, merry laugh.

“ She means you, Skinny, sure!” he cried.
“Don’t you feel flattered? There is hope for
you yet, for you see there is enough of you to
dream about; ha, ha, ha!”

“Oh, you shut up,” Skinny growled. “She
didn’t mean me at all. Let’s hear what more
she has to tell.”

“ If she didn’t, she hit your case pat anyhow.”

They turned again to the old woman, and she
went on with what she had been on the point of
telling.

“Yes, I saw you, braVe boy, and with you a
shadow,” she declared. “ And that shadow was
the shadow of death—of death 1 Chi if you
value your life, go back, go back! Death awaits
you here.”

“ Can’t do it nobow,” assured Billy. “ I’m
sure we feel a heap obliged to you for your kind
interest in us, but I think we’ll go on and see it
out. If there’s a difliculty a-brewin’, I’d just as
leave try a whack at it as not. We haven’t
had any excitement Worth'mentloning in several
days n0w, and we‘re likely to die of chronic lazi-
ness if we don’t get stirred up soon. But you
haven’t gth‘n us the hint I asked for. Where is
this danger roosting?”

“Oh! why don’t you heed my warning?” the
old hag sighed despairingly. “ You think I
must be crazy, I suppose, and are making light
of my words. I saw you coming into Santa Fe,
full of life and health, just as I see you now,
but the dark shadow of death was hovering
over you, and even in my dream I felt a chill
in my blood at the sight. Many and many such
dreams have I had, and death always follows.
And now that I meet you and recognize you as
the very boys of my dream— Oh! be warned,
and do not enter this city I” -

The manner of the old woman was so impres-
sive that the two lads became very sober-minded
as they listened to her words.

“ Don’t you think we’d better steer clear of
the town?” suggested Skinny.

“ Couldn’t think of it, my slender sapling,”
responded Billy. “ Don’t begin to croak till the
danger looms up."

“ I know, but see how straight her story is
about the dreamoshe had. Haw did she recog-
nize us, if her story isn’t straight? I tell you I
feel shaky in my boots about it, Billy, and I
don’t deny it.” ‘

” Sort of a skeletonrattle as it Were, eh ?”
Billy joked. “ Well, you want to brace up and
put some stiffness into your upper lip, for ‘we
are going on into the town, and there We’re‘go-
ing to stop and stay for a little while, danger or
no dan er.” ‘ _

Theo d hag, upon hearing this decided avowal,
turnbd away with a heayy sigh.

“ Don’t .go ofl.’ mad, cried Billy. “ You
havgn’t told us what you know about this dan-

er. ‘
g The woman stopped and turned back.

“ I“ don’t know what the danger is,” she
owned.

“ And you can’t tell us where to look for it,

eh!”

“ No, only that I know it is here in Santali‘e.
I saw you ride into the city, in my dream, Just
as I see on now. The next I saw of you you
were hot lying over there in that gorge, dead—
dead !”

Billy was strangely impressed.

There was something about this old woman he
could not understand. .

Her langmmge was good, showmg that she
must be educated in English, or had had unusual
advantages in acquiring it.

And then her strange dream—what could he
make of that? Simply nothing. There was
the fact, as she had stated it, and he had no
reason to think it was a lie.

“ And what happened after that?” he asked,
after a moment. '

“ I don’t know," the old ha responded.
“ That was the end of my dream. he sight of
you there, cold in death, shocked me and I
awoke. It was such AI Sad Change from the first
[sight I had had of you. Oh! turn back. I beg
, of you, if yonjvalue your lives. The first part of
3 my dream has come true; the second is sure to

Once more 1

 

 

follow. Turn back, tnr back, and donut a
another step into Santa e.” ~

Billy shook his head. l 'v "

“ Not ter be thought, of,” he said, carelessly.
“ VVe’ll go Oil, if it takes a leg. But are you a
fortune teller, or something of that sort 1”

“I ama witch, if y0u want to believe what
eVerybod y will tell you. Mother Bruja has had
more dreams than one that has come true. And
those who know me best give most heed to my
warnings. Oh, for the last time, I beg you to
turn back. You are too youn to die.”

“ And too beautiful, too,” added Billy. “But
I can‘t think of turning back at this late hour.
We Will go on and take our chances. By the
way, where do you live, old lady, in case we
should want to see you before we go away? If
we don t meet the terrible fate you dreamed
about, we will drop around and let you know.
But we can’t turn back; oh, no, not any.” .

CHAPTER Ii.
BILLY’s DETECTIVE FEVER cons.

THE old hag made no answer.

With bowed head she went on her way.

Billy and Skinny looked at each other ques-
tionin ly.

“ ell, my gay and festive toothpick, what
do you think about it?” demanded Billy.

“ I don’t think that it’s any matter to make
fun about, for one thing,” was the grave re-
sponse. “ It may not be much of a joke before
we get done with it.”

“ A 'oke! Why, bless your innocent little
heart, Skinny, I should think not. Not much
of a joke about being found dead over there in
that gorge, I should say. 01‘ if it was a joke,
we Wouldn’t be able to >99 the point. Bless you,
no. I don’t look at it in that light, nary a time.
But what else do you think about it?”

“ Well, I think the quicker you stop your fool-
in’ and begin ter talk sense, the better, that’s one '
thing. You are makln’ fun over somethin’ that
is ter my way of thinkin’, mighty serious. It
hits me that we had better take the old dame’s
advice and go right along to some other camp.
There must be somethin’ to her dreamin’, or she
wouldn’t took on as she did.”

“I don’t deny that,” answered Billy, “ but l 

her dream was'n’t full enough ter satisfy my .
curiosity. S’pose we do go back, and get laid -
out on the way and left dead, wouldn't that
bring her dream, true jest the same? Oh, no:
we’ll go on and face the music, if it takes a leg
off. That is the sort of a chicken-hearted peeper-
I am, my gay an estive whalebone, and if the
old lady’s dream comes true we won’t liveto
lament our mistake.’ Come along, my crdaking
lieutenant.” \  ~

With that and aflnsl glance at the old hag; 1
who was still bubbling along without lookingh ; ~
back, Billy stai ted forward. . , 1

Skinny started too, but continued to complain
against his headstrong partner until they were
well into the town.

“ Well, here we are, Skinn .” Billy at length
observed, “and is looks ikea pretty good
hotel. Guess we’ll top here.”

“Just as you say.” Igreed Skinny. “We
may ’as well die in one place as another, I sup-

se. ’

“Don’t see as it makes much difference,”
laughed Billy.

They rode to a curb and dismounted, and
Billy spoke greeting to the group of men who
stood around.

“How are ye, citizens?” he exclaimed.   

the genuine broad touch of accent culiol'vm'

the region. “Able to close tber id of'yei‘t  7'

locker Over yer grub, I opine. Any chance» 
heur fer two weary pilgrims to roost and rat!” l

One of the men on the Piazza happened *0 b0 ,
the roprietor of the bots . - . .

v “ 98, you bet,” he answered. “ That’s what
I’m here fer. Want yer critters stabled, J
opine.” _ _

“ Yes. and the bestcare taken of them,”as-
sured Billy. “ We think as much of our horses
as we do of ourselves, almost. -We want to stop
a few days, and we have 'got the racks to foot
our bill.” _ .

“ All right, no doubt about that, to jedge by
yer appear. Panto.” to a half-breed who stood
“981'. “ take the critters to the stable and give
’em good care.” . .

“ And here’s something to remind. you of the
kind of good care I mean,” added Billy, tossing
the fellow a com. .

The half-breed caught the com and went on
with a grin. \

Billy and Skinny went into the house. _ -

When they had made their terms with the ‘
landlordr, they sat down to rest. ' .‘ 

In a ew minutes the landlord Jomed them, ‘..

/

 

  

i
l
1

Broadway Billy at Santa. Fe.

 

 

 

eager to know where they had come from, and
to et what news he could cut of them.

illy entertained him, telling him a straight
story, answering all his questions. And when
the landlord’s curiosity had been in a measure
satisfied, then Billy set out to question him.

“ Is there an old woman around here called
Mother Bruja?” he asked.

The landlord looked at him in quick surprise.

“ What do you want with her? he demanded.

“ Which is the same as saying there is such a
person living here,” Billy passed over. “ Who
and what is she?”

“ Well, she’s an old hag who lives hear in
Sante Fe. Some folks calls her a witch. I don’t
know much about her, only from what I’ve
heard. They say she has an eye to future
thin .”

“ ort of a prophetess, eh?”

“ Wal, yes, something like that, I reckon.”

“ Where does she live?”

“ In a little but on the north side of the
town.”

“ Does anybody put any faith in her dreams
or visions, or whatever she calls them?”

“You bet. You kin find men right heur in
Sante Fe who will swear by Mother Bruja,
ever tlme. She’s a quare old critter.”

“ simpl asked because I wanted to know,”
explained illy. “ We met her as we were rid-
ing into town, and she made herself known to us
and warned us that we had better turn tail-to
and slope off somewhere else.”

“ She told ye that!" the landlord exclaimed.

“Yes; said she’d dreamed about us, and
thought there was danger here.”

The landlord looked troubled.

“ If she told ye that, young fellers,” he spoke,
" you want ter keep yer eyes open, as ’most any-
boei‘y around hour will tell yer.”

ith that he went off, being called away, and
the two lads were left to themselves.

“ I’m afraid we’re in fer it, Billy,” remarked
Skinny.

“It looks that way, thin one, and that’s the
tack,” agreed Billy. “ But we have been in for
it before in our brief careers, and we are still
able to take our rations.”

“ I wonder what the danger can be.”

“ And I give it up. That is what is troubling
me at present, and I feel just like I do when
there’s an attack of the fever coming on.
Wouldn’t be surprised if it took hold of me be-
fore long.”

“That’s 'est it, I’ll bet. That’s what is going
to make a the trouble. I s’pose you’ll go to
pokin’ your nose somewheres where you have
got no usiuess ter poke it, and you’ll git killed
fer your pains. i won’t draw a full breath till
I kin see ye safe back in New York again.”

“ Then you are destined to go around on half
gations of air for some time ter come,” laughed

illy.

While they were thus talking, a man entered
the bar-room and proceeded to tack a notice up

on the wall.

The lads were interested in this, and the more
so when they caught sight of the word “Re.
ward.”

“ Somebody or somethin’ has got lost, strayed
or stolen,” observed Billy.

“Let’s see what it is, anyhow,” suggested
Skinny.

Several others in the room had stepped up to
liarn what the notice was, and the lads jomed
t em.

In a moment more it was in place on the
wall, and the man stepped down and away
from it.

It read as follows:

“ REWARD.

“A reward of one thousand dollars will be paid
for the detection and arrest of the robbers of the
Traders’ National Bank.

~‘° A. Smenimnm, President.”

Billy immediater gave Skinn a playful poke
in the ribs, at the same time jerking his thumb
toward the notice.

“ That’s our cheese, pard,” he whispered,

Skinny looked alarmed.

“You dont mean ter try for it, do ye?” he
asked.

“ Sure as yer skin coVers yer bones, little
one,” Billy assured. “Can’t let a chance like
this slip by.”

" It may bring about the truth of that old
woman’s dream.”

“Can’t help it if it does. No use talking to
me no". fer the fever is ragin’ hard. But. et’s
keep our ears open here, and hear what’s said.”

"‘50 Old Amzi is goin’ fer ’em, is he?” the
landlord was saying,

“Yes. and with a sharp stick, too,” answered

the man who had posted the notice. “ He
means to find ’em if he can.”

“ That’s all right, but the chances is they have
skipped out long ago. It was done two nights
ago, you know.’

“ Yes, I know it was, but he was waiting for
the bank detective to do something, you know,
and,so lost time. That feller hasn’t got a clew

et. ’

“Sort 0’ funny, too, fer Downsley seems ter
be asmart sort of feller, ter my way of think-
in . ’

“ Right you are, in that. It is mighty strange.
The robbers were no beginners.”

“No, I bet they wasn’t. it was a slick job,
an’ I don’t believe they will be ketched.”

The man who had put up the notice now went
out, having more of them under his arm to put
up elsewhere, and Billy turned his attention to
the landlord, to learn more about the affair.

“ What’s all this about?” he questioned.
“ Been a bank robbery, I take it, by the general
drift of what I heard.”

“ Yas, that’s what it was,” the landlord af-
firmed, “ and a stran e one, too. it was the
Traders’ National. t was broke into night
afore last, and cleaned out of all its ready cash
as slick and clean as a whistle.”

“ And there’s no clew to who did it, eh ?”

“ Nary a one, as you heard said. It is a puzzle
that Santa Fe is strugglin’ With at present.”

“ Who is this fellow who put u the notice?”

“ His name is Job Muller. Ige is a sort of
handy-man-in-general about the bank, or was,
store it shut down.”

“ Then the bank has suspended?”

“ ,Yes, it’s shut up tight. It was skinned right

t

“ Well, this is quite a sensation. You said it
was broken into, I believe. It must have been
the work of genuine burglars.”

“ Yes, you’d think so, but the funny thing
about it is that the safe was unlocked instead of
bein’ bu’sted open. The fellers must have had a
key to it.”

“ That is the way it looks, sure enou h,” Billy
agreed. “ But, where is this bank? e’ll take
a walk out and satisfy our curiosity by lookin’
at it while we wait for supper-time.”

“ The landlord gave them the desired informa-
tion, and they went forth.

“Sweet pertatersl” Billy exclaimed, “ I feel

little detective excitement. Now is the time for
us to get right up on our muscle and show the
folks what we can do. If we don’t drag out
these measly robbers and show them up, it will
be because we have lost our grip, that’s all.”

CHAPTER III.
PICKING UP POINTS.

SKINNY was troubled.

And the cause of it all was Billy.

He saw danger ahead, and feared that Billy
would come to grief.

Of course it was the warning of the old wom-
an that was back of it all, and the solicitude of
the lean lieutenant was great.

“Billy,” he remonstrated, as they went along,
“I hope you won’t have nothin’ to do with this
bank robbery business. Somethin’ tells me that
there is danger in it, an’ I’m afraid you’ll get
laid out.”

“There, now, croaker,” Billy chided, “just
wring out that saturated blanket of yours and
hang it up to dry. You are not goin’ fer en-
velop me in its chilling folds, you bet. It is that
old woman’s story that has unhinged your
‘nerves, and you must shake it out of your
mind.”

“That is easier said than done,” Skinny re—
sponded to that. “I tell you that old hag’s
dream does stick in my crop, Billy, and I can’t
get it out. If there is any truth in it, you are
takin’ jest th’ very course to git into trouble.

“by can’t you let detective work alone fer jest
this once? You will get a clip over the head
that will put an end to you, the old woman’s
dream will come true, and then where will I be?
I tell ,you you had better drop out before you
get in.

“No use, Skinny, no use at all. You might
talk till yer teeth drop out, and ye couldn’t turn
me. I’m goin’ inter this thing, and I’m goin’ in
ter win, you bet. An’ I hope the fever will soon
take hold of you, too, for we are a team when
we both get it together. That old dame’s tale
can’t scare me off, not even a little bit, and if it
is destined to come true I reckon it will come
true anyhow, without any help on our part.‘ 80
now don’t croak any more, but jest buckle on
yer armor and wade in with me to show this

ank detective how to do it.”

“Talk is cheap,” grumbled Skinny. “TOP

 

tickled all over, Skinny, at the prospect for a,

 

hear you, one would think you are a never-fail
detective. One of these days you Will get left so
bad that you will go out and bury yourself.
You’ll go into this case puffed up like a big
bubble, and you’ll come out as flat as a pancake,
and mebby dead, too.” .

“ All right, my gay and festive penny-
weight, we’ll see about that. All I ask of you is
to stand by me. But no need to mention that,
for I know you are as true as steel, and just
about as tough, too.”

And so they wrangled and disputed as they
went along, at the same time taking in the
sights of the city, and finally they reached the
closed bank.

The doors and wind0ws of the building were
shut tight, and there was a notice on the door to
the effect that the bank would remain closed for
ten days. Also another setting forth the offered
reward.

“The robbers must have. unhinged the con-
cern pretty had,” observed Billy.

“I should say so,” Skinny agreed. “Can’t
open till they get hold of another boodle, I take
it.”

There was quite a number of persons in front
of the rifled bunk, some of them in earnest con-
versation.

One man, a man of about fifty years of age,
was loud in his remarks.

“ I tell you it’s a big swindlel’yhe emphati-
call y declared.

“ Do you mean to say you don’t believe it was
a robbery at all?” another demanded.

“ It must have been a robbery, or the money
would be there,” the first speaker retorted, “ but
it is mighty strange how that safe could be open-
ed without forciug it. I can’t understand it.”

“ But what do you mean by saying it is a big
swindle?” hotly demanded ayoung man, pushing
forward.

“ I’ll tell you what I mean, Walt Singerland,”
was the return shot, “I mean that somebody in
that concern must have left the safe open on
purpose.”

The young man became white and red in
turns, and his fists clinched ina very nervous
manner.

“If you were not an older man than I am,
Mr. Moreway,” be rated, “ I would strike you
to the ground. hat you say casts reflection
u on my father and me. I u ill not stand that.

on must take your words back, or—”

He did not finish the threat.

“ I take nothing back, sir,” the elderly gentle-
man stormed. " You and your father were not
the only ones in the bank. No one else there,
though, was supposed to have a key to the safe.”

“No one else had one, to my knowledge,” the
young man boldly declared. “ For that reason

take up your insinuation and demand that you
take back what you have uttered.”

“ And you may demand till you are blind.
When you show me how that Safe was opened,
then I’ll get down in the dirt and grovel, but
not before you do. Other men, as good as you
and your father seem to be, have been fou ud out to
be precious rascals, and who can say that you are
any better?”

The young man—and he was a good-looking,
muscular fellow, about twenty-six years old—
the oung man sprung forward, with his arm
upli ted, to strike the traducer to the ground.

But another man stepped uickly in front of
him caught his arm, and exc aimed:

“ on’t, Walt! don’t strike Mr. MorewaY- He
is hardly to be held to account for what he says.
You know his loss by the robbery is mighty big.
Don’t boil over at what he says.’

“Let him keep still then till he knows what he
is talking about,” the young man cried. " I
know that I am innocent of any part in the rob—
bery, and I will not hear my father’s name
mixed up in it. You want to be careful how
yq? ,talk, Mr. Moreway, or I can’td‘estrain my-
se .

The young man had 10wered his arm and step-
ped back, as if ashamed of what he had been
about to do. ‘

“Well, then, show me the proof,” the elder
man demanded. “ I want to know how that safe
was opened, and I want to see the robber brought
to account. I do not mean to lose my depOSIt
without a fight, that I tell you.”

With that he turned quickly and walked ofl’.

“ I could choke him with a good will," young
Singerland muttered, as he looked after him.
“ He had no business to speak out as he did, small
it be thought as he does. I swear to you, my
friends, that I am as innocent as a babe of any
part in this matter, and I can say the same for
my father. You know how he feels about it.
He is almostdown sick.”

“ Oh, we don’t believe you had anything to do

   

Mg. Ker s0»"‘ « . r'.

i?
‘u
a
‘1‘

 

 

 
    

Br‘oadway lBilly at Santa

 ‘t ’i.“ " ‘I'v', ';.‘

Fe.

 

 

 

  

with it,” two or three quickly exclaimed. “ But
it is a strange case, none the less, and we want
to see it settled, even if the robbers don‘t get
bagged.”

“ And our man Downsley is doing all he
can,” the young man assured. “But he can’t
seem to strike a clew anywhere. ’

\“ But your father’s offer of reward may bring
something to light.”

“ So we hope. Does not that offer, which m
father makes upon his own responsibility, spea
his innocence?”

“Of course! Of course!”

So exclaimed half a dozen or more in the
crowd.

Broadway Billy, though, gave Skinny a nudge,
and remarked in a low tone:

“ He’s said sometiiin’ now, thin one, that
drops him to zero in my estimation. Did you
ketch on to it?”

“ What was it?” Skinny inquired.

“ Why, callin’ attention to the offer of a re-
ward as a proof of innocence. It may be all
right, but it hits me hard that it ain’t. What
do you think about it?"

“I think there’s nothin’ in it,” was Skinny’s
opinion. “ This feller looks like a good straight
chap.”

“1 know he does, but he may be a bad and
crooked one. . Now jest suppose the case. S’pose
he or his dad or both of ’em robbed the big box,
Wouldn’t it be jest th’ natural thing fer ’em ter
do ter put up a reward?” ‘

" Well, yes, I don’t know but you’re right.”

“ Jest like the, pickpocket who grabs your
ticker and then boilers with the crowd while his
p'irtner does the running.”

“ But what made you drop to him so quick?”
Skinn inquired, still a little in the dark.

“ hy, didn’t I jest explain?” Billy made an-
swer. “ Yo r brain must he sufferin’th’ general
effect of yo _ constitutional thinness. When he
called attention to that reward, as he did, it
struck me that he wanted that to fill the eyes of
folks so that they wouldn’t be able ter see any-
thing else; that’s all.”

“ And from that you flgger that this feller or
his dad is the one who stole the lum, eh?”

“ It strikes me that it won’t 0 any harm ter
give ’em a little attention, anyhow, and see how
they an.” -

“ ell, go ahead, it’s your funeral.”

“ You mean it will be, if that old hag’s dream
comes true.” \

“There, you bring that all back to mind. I
wish you hadn’t done it. That is a thing that
troubles me.”

“ Never mind, lean one, there’s a deal of
life in me yet, and if my usual run good luck
sticks to me, I am worth a dozen dead men.
Try to hold back your briny tears, anyhow,
Skinny till they are called for.”

Skinny looked disgusted, to think Billy could

‘ joke in the face of what was to him a serious
danger, and turned away.

Billy laughed to himself, but there was in his
mind a haunting recollection of the warning.

Meantime, the talk among the men was going

on.

“But, Wait, what is your theory about it?”
one man asked.

“ I haven't any theory at all,” the young man
answered. “ I know I looked the safe that
night, as usual: Next morning it was open,
and robbed. My key was not out of my
sion all night, and father says his wasn’t.”

“ Then do you think it was a duplicate key?”

“ I don’t know. It would seem so but I don’t
see how a duplicate key was made 0 you?"

“No, it is away beyond me. But the fact is
there. Hello! here comes your detective.”

Billy and Skinny looked in the direction he in-
dicated. '

They saw man approaching, a man about
fort yearso ,dark, keen-eyed and of nervous
quic ness of movement. ,

In a moment he had joined thegroup, and
with only a nod to the others, laid a hand on
youn Singerlaud’s arm and drew him aside.

No y heard what he said, but the effect of

' his words upon the young man was marked. He
short turned pale, and glared hard at
the tective or,a moment before he spoke.

‘ CHAPTER Iv.
BILLY saunas ACQUAIN‘I'ANOI.
‘8‘ng can’t mean it!” a
you man presen ygaspsd.
The detoctigeresponded, at some length, in

I" r ‘ Singorland
wrongr—wrong youn

cried. “I willpot believe it if hgotslls me so
himself!” ,

“ What do you say to this, then’i” the defective

 

 

asked—and Billy had stepped close enough to
hear; and he took a bill from ,his pocket and
held it under the young man’s eyes.

Walter Singerland, the cashier of the robbed
hank, turned even more pale than before, and
stepped back, looking the detective full in the
face.

The group around them drew nearer with in-
tent interest.

No one took more than passing notice of Billy
and Skinny. Fellows of their present appear-
unce were no unusual sight at Santa Fe. ,

“ I—-I can say nothing to it,” the young cash-
ier said, slowly. “ It is something I cannot ex-
plain. But, 38. nothing about it, yet."

“ Very well, will keep it close for the pres-
ent. Ionly wanted to et you knew h0w the
case looks. This is the first clew I have picked
up, and as you were hot against me for not find-
in one sooner, I thought I would show you
this at once.”

With that the detective thrust the bill back
into his pocket, and walked away up the street.

The two New York lads looked at each other.

Billy’s suspicion was strengthened and Skinny
shared it.

To be sure they had not Overheard much, but
enough to show them that the detective had
startled the cashier not a little with some discov—
ery he had made.

“ It’s crackers ter cheese that the detective has
got the bulge on it,” remarked Billy, “ and it’s
cheers to crackers that this fellow Singerland is
in for it in some fashion or other.”

“ And I’ll bet you’re right,” supported Skinny.
“Tickle me with a club if I ain t beginnin’ ter
feel interested in it myself, Billy.”

“ Glad to hear it. But let’s hold our chin and
see what more we can pick up here.”

The group was now pressing around the cash-
ier, eager to hear what he would say, they hav-
ing demanded to know what the discovery was.

‘No, no I can’t tell you what it is, he re—
fused. “ be detective has picked up what he
think is a clew but it don’t seem possible to me
that it can be what he thinks it is. An how, no
mention can be made of it till he loo sinto it
further.”

“ But we have a right to know,” one man de-
manded. “Iam interested in this thing to the
tune of ten thousand dollars, and I demand an
explanation Walt.”

“ No, no, the young man still held out, " I
can’t give it—I won’t ive it. It mighthurt the
case if it got out be ore the detective is done
with it. No, I will not say what it is, and that
settles it. Go right to Downsley himself, and if
he can tell you no doubt he wilL”

“ But, dast it, Walt, it was on that told him
to keé it still 2” the man excla med.

“ ell, I am not prepared to say angthing
now, anyhow,” the young man declared nally.

With that he pushed his way out of the group
and went off.

The other men looked after him in a wonder-
ing way, and presently one of them remarked:

' Somethin’ has cut Walt Singerland up,
that’s certain.”

“Yes,” another agreed, “ that defective has
found out somethin’ that he don’t relish much.”

“ But you don’t suppose that Walt or his dad
had anything ter do with ther robbery, do yer?”
another put in.

“ Oh, no, not at all,” the first speaker assured.
“ They ain’t that sort 0’ man. What it is I
can’t guess, unless the claw points to some
friend of theirs.”

“ Yes, it may be that. No use thinkin’ it was<
Walt or the old man. They ain’t that sort.
Mr. Moreway was altogether too bust in what
he said, too. But he don’t believe it o ’em, I’m
sure."

In this manner their talk ran on for some
minutes, and presently the group broke up and
the men separated.

Billy an Skinny were left there alone, with
the exception of an old negro who was seated on
the bank

Persons were log along, in both direc-
tions, of course, but these did not count in the
exce tion. ' .

“ ell, Lieutenant Skinny, what is yer pri-
Vate think?” asked Billy.

“Don’t know what ter think,” answered the
lean lieutenant.

“ Do ye believe the Singerlands had anything
tor do with the robbery?” . .

“No, I don’t—that is to say, not the young
man. Haven‘t the old one t.”

“ Well, that’s w are we don agree, for it
sticks in my threat that they know more about

aware of. But this is only

it than an one is
wwo‘rg. you know. We must get at the
mf of the case.” ,

 

‘ together.”

     

“We will attend to gettin’. at_the bottom 
some supper first, I am thinking. I am“, ,

emp as a base-drum.” ‘
‘ a, ha be! As empty as a base-drum—
you! Well, now, that’s a good one. The idea.

of comparing Nyour inward capacity to that of a
base-drum. ow if you had said its empty as a
piccolo, there would have been—” 7

“ Oh! you shut up,” Skinny snapped. ‘ “I
said empty as a base-drum, and that’s whutI
mean. f you have lost your appetite I haven’t.”

“Truth is, Skinny, my tender peony, I had
forgot all about being hungry. I seldom think
of that when the'detective fever gets hold of me
strong. But, as you say, I sup ose it will be
just as well to go into this t ing on a full
stomach, and then if that old hag’s dream comes ‘ .
true we’ll go ofl’ with a full—” I

“ If I couldn’t talk sense when I opened my
mouth,” snapped Skinny, “ I’d keep it shut a e

“ Jest so,” returned Billy. “ That’s why mOSt
of the talking falls to me. I have to wag my
jaw for both of us. But, say, I’m oin’ ter buzz
this colored gentleman here on t 9 steps. It
strikes me that he belongs to the bank.”. 

“ Do it if you want to, but if he feels like I do ,
he’ll kick ye out into the middle of the road.” I

“ No danger of that, I guess. I know you  .
feel out o’ sorts, slender one, but you Will come ,i-
around all right when ye have had yer feed.
Here goes fer the dark’.’

With that Billy strode forward to the steps , 
and laid his hand on the negro’s shoulder. vi ‘ ‘

“ What are you pining away over?” be good— 
naiuredly asked. ' ' ,.

The colored individual looked up. . 1 '

He was a man of fifty or so, and his face was- ‘ '_ ‘;
sad in expression. _ .-,‘, 1 _

“ Yo’ go right ’long, now.” he ordered, wav. ,,  V
ing his hand. “ I don feel like takin’ no foolin’, -:

I out.” 3 ' -

...-- w.m-~-,~¢.¢ 1.... .

.V .9

am.  _'

 

“Bless our honest old soul, uncle,” assured
Billy, “ l aven’t the least intention of 'fooling
with you. I wouldn’t trifle with yer feelings for
anything, and you lookin’ so sad and down-1m
the-month.”

“ What yo’ want then? I has had my eye on
yo’, I has, ah' I has seen you two tellers laughin’
an’ snickerin’, I has.”

“ Do you mean to tell me
shadder over there?” cried
thumb toward Skinny.

“ Why, shua; why not?”

“ Then, there is nothin’ the matter with your
eyesight. uncle, and that’s the fact. If you can
see that blade 0’ grass at that distance, you can,
seeanything. But, say what has happened to
the bank? The was talkin’ around i at it has
been robbed. take it you belong to the institu-
tion don’t on?" ‘

“ as so ,I’longsheah,ldoes. Yes,it hob r-v
geen i1;..o’hbed, clean out, an’ nobody knows who .

one

Billy had taken a seat on the step beside the
dark , now, in a very friendly manner. r

“ nd it happened night before last.”

“ Yes, ssh.

“ Well, it was lucky for me thatI hadn’t made ~
9. do it there.” , 3

“ es, hit was dat, if yo’ was goin’ tor do it. , . , -
But, we is goin’ tor Open up ergain in a few ‘  .

da 9.” a 

Billy had to smile at the “ we” part of the reg . 7,
mark. The dorky was evidently employed .tof
clean windows and owes the 1100!“, etc.  ’

“ What office do you hold in the conceme   I

asked.
“ Oh, US do emce-man, 88h.” v 4' .'

, «011,1 see. But, say,tell me a.. about it, will  .
you? You see, if it is all strai his and no tricks -*
about it, I may make my depos t anyhow. when r i
you reopen.” .

“ Yo’ hab just come inter San’ Fe, I takes hit.”
“ Yes; haven’t been here an'hour.” ‘
“I thou ht so. You would know all about
bit if you ad n heah any longer. Every-'
body knows all or ut hit." V _ ' M; ,, i

h“ Yes, sfofitugeems, and 3 want to be as wise as,  

to to o 5. oases. v a
m y laughed in ‘a half:

  
   
  
    
     
   
    
  
   
   
  
   
   
     
    
  
  
  
  
   
    

on could see that
illy, jerking. his '

   
  
    
  
  
   
  
  
  
  

At this the colored man
hearted .
nd labilesteem,ash9: 1,

   

way.
Bill was gainin gran
never’lalled to do vgvhon he set about it. 3.
“Well, I’ll done tol’ a all about it,” no
“ H night ’fo’ last, as y

   
  
  
  
   
 
  

' ittin’ hour, an’ sheath
w

y mawnin’ ’ ha
toropenu a9 oahwarbu’stod moij >,
do ssz wE’r did In’ slide money  .
on}, ob hit. yogi? 'Il'gksrt.” 2 2 v. 
and vs alarm a once, new -
“Yoifigutgi‘iuid.”  .

     

    
 

  

   

 

L Broadway Billy at Santa Fe.

 

 

_“ You say the front door had been broken
. Open?”
_ “ Yes, sah.”
“ How had it been done?”
“ Some strong thing had been pushed ’tween
(16 crack, an’ de lock pried open so’s hit don’
slip d de socket.” ‘
“ at nothing of the kind had been done to the
safe, eh ?”
“ No; da’ wa’n’t a mark ob any kind on hit.”
“Well, it is strange, truly. But, say, Pom-

‘Hol’ on dar, sah; my name am Samuel
Washington.”

“ Beg yer pardon, Samuel. But, say, do you
believe there is any truth in what that man
hinted at awhile ago—that the president or
'cashier may have had a band in it?’

The colored individual straightened up with

» dignity.

“ No, sub!” he exclaimed. “ No, sahl Mistah
Moreway am clean gone mistaken, sah. Mistah
Singerland and Walter am two of de mos’ hon-
estegt gentlemen what lib, sah, an’ dat I’s tellin’
YO - _. _

CHAPTER V.
THE SUSPICION STRENGTHENED.
, BILLY had a long talk with the darky. ,
, It was by far too long to be quoted here,
though it might be of interest.

The young detective “ let himself loose” with

' a good many of his quaint sayings, and at times
the amused darky had to hold his sides.

‘ What Billy learned may besummed up in a
short space. Amzi Singorland, the president of

9 uk, was a man sixty years old. He had
one son, Walter, who was cashier; and a daugh-
ter named Rosamond. The daughter was about
gvventy years old, and one of the belles of Santa

e.

Singerland and his son, according to the
darky’s estimate, were men of eXCelient repute.
Honest and honorable, they were men much ad-

mired, and their word was considered as good as ,

their bond. The daughter had suitors many, of
whom one Kenward W hiteheath was the favor-

.' He was a young man, about the age of

, alter Singerland, engaged in mercantile busi-
ness and making money. He and Walter Were
close friends and companions.

Henry Moreway, he learned, wash man of
considerable wealth, who had been in Santa Fe
some months, boarding at the same hotel where

, Billy and Skinny had put up. He was a gentle-
" man in, evsry way, in the darky’s mind, and
i had had quite a big deposit in the bank. Downs-
. ley, the detective, had been in the employ of the
' ,bank for some time, and was well liked and eon-
sidered honest and faithful. The darky did not
v know where he had come from. There was no
', suspicion against any one respecting the rob-
: bery. No suspicious-looking persons had been
around before it was committed. In short, the
whole thing was a mystery, pure and simple.

These points and a good many more Billy

stored away for future reference, and finally
- taking leave of the darky, he and Skinny went
back to the hotel.
,, “ Tell yer what it is, Skinny,” he said on the
4 ' . way, “ there is a crooked stick in this pile some-
‘ wheres, and I mean to bout it out.”
v “And get or back broke with it for yer
'  $lm,”(grumb ed Skinny“ “ You would do bet-
; r to rep the whole thing. It ain’t none of
syour-business, anyh0w.’ .
f “Ain’t none of my busmessl SWeet pertatersl
Tfi’d like ter know whose business it is, then.
' Here’s a reward of a clean thousand offered, and
. -- if William 0’ Broadway ain’t got a right ter try
 for it I’d like tar know who has?”

“ Yes, and come out dead, and then what good
 will the thousand do ye?”

“ You Will find it is no use your croakin’ that
 way, my gay an’ festive splinter. I am into the
. case already, clear up to my ears, and the best
. ! thing you can do law 1 off your coat and
" come in with me. If We don't ma’ke Santa Fe
dizzy, it will be a caution.” ' -

. Skinny continued to mutter something, but
not in outspoken words.
,' “Yes, sir—cc, I’tn gOin’ inter it, moth and
hail,” Billy went right on. “I tell ye, Skinny,
,re is fun ahead fer you an’ me, and we have
ttor get it. What Wm yer tune be when we
8000p that thousand and I hand “over your half
of iti, Wh ,, ye wil swell so with pride that
cum ' beam an ounce heavier than ye
Var did in yer life.” _ ‘”
. , - jog». seem ter tergit that old woman.
:- “Oh. no, not at all. I remember it well
{ enough but 11am not going to let it worry me
r all)“ . OWoSHuny, lend your ear to my rattle

 

while I sift my ideas and get ’em straightened
out so’s I can handle ’em. Here’s a bank
been robbed. Nobody knows who did it. One
man throws a hint out against the president and
cashier. It cuts up the young cashier consider-
ably. Then along comes the detective of the
institution and cuts him up a good deal more.
Somehow it sticks in my crop that the cashier
had u hand in it, though I can’t say just why.”

“ No, I don’t believe you can.”

“ Well, but don’t it look so?”

“I don’t care how it looks, I’ll bet on his inno-
cence.”

“ And how about the old man, his father?”

“ Don’t know nothin’ about him. That young
teller, though, has a face that I kin trust. I’d
trust him with my pocketbook anywhere.”

“ It don’t do ter go accordin’ ter looks, in all
cases, Skinny, my little pippin. If I had been
judged accordiu’ to my looks I’d been hanged
long ago. No, that don’t do. But, we’ll see
what’s what afore we are done with this thing.
I’m goin’ in ter win, jest as soon as I fill up my
inner gentleman.”

Billy had a starting point in mind.

He intended to o ien his campaign with an in-
terview with Mr. oreway.

About the time they reached the hotel sup-
per was ready, and they went immediately to
the dining-room.

There were quite a number of persons present
at the table, and among them was Henry More-
way, the man whom Billy had in mind.

Seated opposite to him was a fine-looking
young man, and when Billy heard him addressed
as Kenward he jumped at once to the conclu-
sion that it must be the Kenward Whiteheath
the darky had mentioned.

He was not mistaken in his guess, for it was
that personage.

For some time the talk was general.

Billy and his partner took no part in it, for
Billy desired to learn all he could from what
othbrs had to say, and did not want to draw
any attention to himself.

Another who was, present at the board was
the detective, Downsley.

“By the way,” young Whiteheath presently
spoke up, “ anything new regarding the bank
robbery?”

His remark was more to Mr. Moreway than
to any one else.

“ No, nothing new,” that gentleman snapped,
“and Phi afraid there never will be. It’s the
slowest case I ever heard of."

“ A case has to be slow, sir,” spoke up the de-
tective, “ till there is a slew to Work upon.”

“ And a case that is a case ought to furnish a
clew ” was the rejoinder.

“ hen you have discovered nothing, Mr.
Downsley?" interrogated Whiteheath, turning
to .

1m. ,
‘t‘ngell, no, or that is—nothing of importance
ye .
“ You speak as though you had something of
a clew." ,
i “”Something that may prove to be a clew,
a r

“ Well, that is encouraging, anyhow.”

“ It will be encouraging when we see the
whole thing exposed,” grumbled Mr. Moreway.

“ You are sore-headed over your loss, I see,
sir,” observed Whiteheath, smiling. “ But, you
are not to be blamed for that. A cool ten thou-
sand is not to be picked up in a day, generally.”

“ It is not So much that,” Moreway answered,
“but there is a sticker in my mind that ever -
thing is not straight in that institution. It Will
be asatisfaction for me to see the president and
cashier come out with clean hands.”

Whiteheath grew slightly pale.

“You don’t dare to insinuate that you think
Mr. Singerland or Wait had a hand in it. do
you i” he demanded.

“ I insinuate nothing,” Was the retort. “ I
want to know how that safe was opened as it
was, that’s all.” r

“ By heavens!” the young man cried. “ but I
can’t sit still and hear this manner of charge
made against my friends. Why, I would as
econ belieVe myself guilty of the crime.” *
b.Billy had his ears open and hiseyes Wei.) about

1m. ~ .

Looking at the detective, be imagined he saw
a smile Play around his mouth. ‘ . '

“I don’t say they are guilty,” Mr. Moreway
urged, “ but what I do say is, that it is more than
strange how that safe was Opened. When only
they have keys and know how to open it. Make
out of that what you want to, sir.”

“ And I make out of it a clear insinuation that
they know more about the crime than is sup-
posed. It you think they d0. sir. why d ’t you

ave them arrested? Otherwise, kin y keep

 

your thoughts to yourself. You have no right
to slander their good names and excellent repu-
tation.”

W hitheath was fully roused, now, and finished
his supper in silence and in haste.

W hen ,he had left the room the detective
observed:

“ Mr. Whitheath takes it keenly, on account
of Miss Singerland, no doubt, but he had better
not stand too strong in the defense of the old
man.”

“ Why, what do you know ?” demanded Mr.
Moreway.

“Nothing that I can explain yet. The closcr
to the Singerlands I come, however, the warmer
the trail seems to get.”

“ I was sure of itl” exclaimed Moreway. “ By
heavens, if I find they are the ones at the bottom
of it, I’ll send them higher than a kite!”

“Whether they are or not,” the detective
went on, “I am done wilh the institution as
soon as 1 am out of this case. Young Singer-
land has abused me, almost, in his urging me in
the matter.”

hBroadway Billy was keenly awake to every-
t ing.

And as he listened to what was said, he fell to
reasoning the matter in his mind.

First, there was the impression he had formed
against Walter Singerland, in respect to his
hav'ng had something to do with the robber .

.U n that were the outspoken hints of gdr.
Moreway, who had the appearance of being a.
solid man, and one whose opinion was Worth
considering. And then to that was added the
hint of the detective.

Little by little points had fixed themselves
upon Billy’s mind, till he was arrayed against
the bank president and his son; something new
too, in his experience, for be generally required
proof positive before taking sides in any such
afl'air. He was as ready to work for them as
against them, however, should anything lead
him to change his opinion. .

After supper he and Skinn returned to the
bar-mom, where they foun Mr. Moreway in
conversation with the detective.

Their talk lasted for some minutes, when the
detective went awa .

“ Now,” Billy observed to Skinny, “ I’m going
to tackle my man, and see what I can make out
of him.” . ‘

“ You’d best not make yourself too numerous,”
warned the more slow-going partner. “Soon
as you make‘ yourself known, you are likely tar
get into trouble. Remember the old witch’s
warnin .”

Billy miled at that, and full of self-confidence
stepped over to where Mr. Moreway was sitting.

Drawing up a chair, the young cowboy prince
as he had been lately dubbed, sat down with all
the assurance of an old acquaintance.

Mr. Moreway looked at him keenly, and Billy
met his gaze with his own cool and steadywyes.
Neither spoke for a moment, but presently Billy
took it open himself to do so.

“ I take it you areasolid, s%uare«toed, upright
and honest citizen of these nited States, sir,”
be obscured. .

CHAPTER VI.

BILLY BUZZES MR. Monnwnr.

MR. Monswav smiled.

“ You have got assurance,” he remarked.

“ Which is the next thing to spot cash, in these
times,” returned Billy. .

“ Well, what do you want, young maul I
take it that you have something you want tosay
to me.” 1

“ You tap the nail right on the head, sir,”
Billy aesured. “I want to talk With you about
this bank robbery, if you don’t object.”

Mr. Moreway gave the youth a searching look.
Billy noted it, andmet it in his usual manner.
He thought the gentleman must be wondering
what he could have to do with that affair.

" I hava no objections to talking about it, 001'? ‘
thinly," Mr. Moreway reioined. “But how can
it interest you? Did you have money there?"

“No, sir, I’m happy 10 say I hadn’t,” Billi
answa-red. “ What 1 nm after is pointers.
want to trv my band at winning that reward.”

“Oh-ho! that is it, oh!” and the gentleman
eyed him witha new interest. ~

Skinny, Sitting by himself at some distance
away, was noting everything, although he could
not overhear. ‘

He imagined that at this point Mr. Moreway
favored Billy with a look that was not alto-
gether pleasant, though it was but a momentary
expression. , ‘

“That is just my distress,” Billy amrmed,
“Andasl understandyonue a heavy loser, I "

‘15.} ‘ ,

 

 
 
  

' folk

 

~bad e?’

, thousand dollars by that robbery.”

v and stands out all over his head as still’

1

Broadway  at Santa Fe.

, :vx ... . ,1 ., .N ,

  

\H.

  
 

 

believe you will takb enough interest in it to
give me all the help you can. What do you
say?”

“ Well, you' seem to have nerve enough for a
detective, anyhow. Have you had any experi-
ence in that line? I took you and your compan-
ion to be cowboys.”

“And so we are,” assured Billy. “ We have
drifted over from Texas, where we s nt half a
{Iear rounding up the lon -horns. e are from

ew York, though, and t ere I have had a lit-
tle experience at thief-catching.”

Billy said this Without any air of boasting.

He was stating simple facts, and he stated
them in a matter-of-fact way.

Assured by his own impression of the man,
and by all he had heard abOut him, that Mr.
Moreway was a man of honor, he had no hesi-
tancy about revealing himself.

There was no question in his mind but that a
man who had lost ten thousand dollars through
a robbery, would lend all the help possdile toward
bringing the robbers to justice.

And there was nothing the matter with that
reasoning, either. Billy seldom made a mistake
when he formed an estimate of a stranger =
, “ But you are a young man to be a detective,”
the man noted.

“ I growed up in the biz,” explained Billy.
“ I’ve been a. detective ever since I could talk
strai ht.”

“ here does not seem to be much brag in
your talk, but can you rcve what you assert?”

For answer to that, B ly unbuttoned his vest,
threw it open, and displa ed the badge that had
been presented to him in an Francisco.

Mr. Morewa looked from the badge to the
lad’s face, an from the face to the badge,
several times.

Then he read the wording upon the badge,
greatly interested.

“ Do you mean to tell me,” he demanded,
“ that you are the person mentioned on this

“ ’m the chap,” Billy assured.

“And you are going into this matter to win
that re ward.”

“ Jest so, if my boots cleave to my feet, and
the chances are they will. And when I go into
a case I generally mean business, too.”

“ Give me your hand on it, then,” exclaimed
Mr. Moreway, and he offered his own. “ I
admire you, lad, and I hope you will win and
bring the scoundrels to the reward they merit.”
1 Billy gave his hand, and it was shaken heart-

1 y. .

“ And now what do you want me to tell you?”
the gentleman asked.

“ Everything you can about the alfair.”

“ Good enough, I will do that. But, let us be
guarded in our talk.” _ .

.“ lfionone will overhear us if we speak no loud-
er, sir.

“ Lk'now, but it will do no harm to be cautious.
You mi ht injure your own chances, you know,
were it nown who you are.” ‘

“Well, we’ll take care. Now, you are out ten

“ About that sum, yes.” ,

“ And naturally you want to get it back, and
see the robbers hauled up. Now, what is your
suspicion about the affair ”

“ I hardly know, my lad, what it is. You see,
the outer door. of the bank was forced, but not
the safe, That was opened evidently with a key
that fitted it exactly. Not a mark or scratch is
on it anywhere.”

“ And it is that that has led you to suspect the
Sin erlands, one or both, isit?"

“ es, that is it. It seems strange how any
one else could have opened the safe so easily.”

“Is there any one else that you might sus-
pect? That is to say, any one who might have
taken the money, with their help. It would be
cue for them to leave the safeo n, you know.”

‘ So it would. Let me think a moment.
There is one man who might have had a hand
in it. Strange I had not thought of it before.”

“ And who is he?”

“ He is a fellow called Half-breed Brown. I
have seen young Singerland in conversation
with him at odd times.”

“ What sort of looking fellow is he? Where
does he hang out?”

“He is a big, roughslookin man, with stub-
born hair as straight as stub 1e, and as black
as night. ,It is about three or four inches long,
as
bristles. You could know him by that without
any further description, but he has a scar
across his nose that is not to be mistaken.
Looks asif his nose had been cut in two at
some time or other. As to where he holds
forth, you will very likely find him at the Black

Miner, a low saloon out on the edge of the town.
It will be easy to find the place; any one can
direct you.” .

“ Have you seen this gentleman Since the
robbery ?”

“ No, come to think of it, I haven’t. Do you
know, I believe you have struck upon the right
trail, young man.”

“ I hope so, anyhow,” ventured Billy.

“ There is this much about it, if Half-breed
Brown did have anything to do with it, Watch-
ing him will be sure to trap him.”

“ You say he makes the Black Miner his
hangng-out place?”

“ es; you ought to find him there in an
hour or two from now. I have heard it said
that he spends his evenings there. He is a sort
of local loafer, not of much use to himself or
anybody else, and generally half drunk.”

“And you say Walter Singerland bad deal-
ings with such a fellow as that?”

“ Just as I told you.”

“ thich doesn’t speak very well for him.”

“ I have menti med this to no one else. Hadn’t
thought of it, you see. You have this clew all
to yourself.”

“ And what about the bank detective, Down-
sley? Do you think he is on the same trail?”

“ I hardly think so. But, what if he is? You
may be able to beat him in the case. You win
that reward, my boy, and I’ll double it for you.
I must recover my lost money, or it will place
his in a bad way.”

“I’ll do the bestI can, sir. AsI told you,
andI don’t say it to brag, I have done such
business before, and with good success.”

“ That badge you have proves it. Well, go in
to win, and if I can be of any help to you, let
me know.”

Billy asked any number of questions, and
finally left Mr. Moreway and rejoined Skinny.

“Who is his undertaker?” Skinny asked, so-
berly.

“ Who is whose undertaker?” demanded Billy.

“ Why, the man’s, of course.”

“ How should I know. What are you driv-
ing at, anyhow, my gay and festive shadow of a

hai in?”

“ was only thinking that he had better be
sent for, that s all. Didn’t know but you meant
to talk the man to death.”

“ Oh, now I ketch on, my beloved partner,
now I ken-h on.
in one lump? No danger of my talkin’ him to
death, I guess.”

“ Well, I hope you feel better, now that you
have let out who you are, and I su pose you
think you have made an impression, on’t you?
If you could have seen the pretty look he gave
yo: as you turned away, you wouldn’t think
so.

“The pretty look he gave me? What do you
mean by that?”

“ Mean just whatI say, of course. When you
got up and turned this way he had his eye on
you with an ugly look.”

Billy laughed at that.

“ You only imi%ined it, Skinny, that’s sure,”
he declared. “ on are so ug y yourself, to-
night, that you see everything else in the same
light. Why, he is one of the finest men I ever
talked with.” .

“ All right, you keep on thinkin’ so. Put him
an’ Walt Singer-land up together for choice, and
I’d take Walt, ever time.” _

“And I wouldn t, and that’s the difference.
That young fellow has a shady history, and I’m
bettin’.on it.”

“I’ll back his character against your man’s,
every time. But, say, let’s take a little stroll
about the town; and then go to roost."

“NIXey, McGinnis! I’ll take the stroll, but
you don’t catch this duckling in bed till he has
taken a squint around for a clew to that rob-
bery. I have got my eye on a fellow that ma
have had somethin’ to do with it." »

“Jest what I was afraid of,” Skinny com-
plained. ‘

“ Afraid of what, my little bony bantam’l”

“ That you would take it into your head to go
nosing around.”

“ Can’t help it, the fever is on me and it
must hhve its run, jest like a case 0’ measles.”

“ But who is the fellow ‘you want, to look af-
ter? You didn’t mention it before. What put
you onto him l”

“ Didn't mention it, Skinny, cause I didn’t
know of it till I had pumped r. Moreway. I

t it out of him. The man is a fellow they call

alt-breed Brown. He is a local bad charac-
ter, and your pet,, Mr. Singerland, was seen
talkin’ with him not over a moon or two ago.”

“ We I don’t care if he was. You have

 

, talked w th some of the very worst men in New

Why didn’t you spit it out all.

 

i .

York, ,and that didn’t make you any the were;
did it? ’ "
“Do you mean that for a compliment? or

   
   
   
  
  
   
  
   
 
    
  
   
   
  
  
  
   
   
  
  
   
   
     
  
   
    
    
   
   
    
  
  
   
   
   
  
  
  
      
  
  
    
  
   
   
   
    
    
   
    
  
   
   
    
    
   
 

 

am I to take it for an insult? Do you mean to th
insinuate that it is hard to spoil a bad egg? of

that an angel is not to be injured by contamié u]

nation? As you are so stuck on Singerland, f0.

take it you mean the last mentioned, and 7

thank you exceedingly much.” co

CHAPTER VII. 1;:

THE TRAIL GROWING BOT. .

SKINNY gave a sniff of disgust. se,

“ If it wasn’t too much trouble,” he declared, 4

“ I’d kick you.” I

“ Take my advice and don’t do it,” cautionfej l

Billy, smiling. “Fat folks are liable to fa be‘

results, if they over-exert themselves.” I
Quite a little more of the same manner of 33'
plenszmtry was indulged in by both, Billy get{ i
ting back about as good as he gave, and at last
he called a halt, saying: ,
“ There, there, my little man, don’t go to say-
ing harsh things about me, for I can’t stand it,. J
you know. 0mm and we’ll take that strol
you spoke about. When we get out and begin to'
see the sights, you’ll feel better.” '.
As Skinny had no desire to sit there, and had
a greater desire not to lose sight of Billy, he
agreed and they went out.
They had been a considerable time at supper, A
and had spent a great while in the bar-room the
since, and it was now night and the streets and 1
shops, etc” were lighted up. ‘ too
As they went from the room, Mr. Moreway. co,
row and followed them. ' am
On the piazza he laid a detaining hand on I
Billy‘s arm. ’1' to
“You want to take- care not to get intt'ithe
trouble, my young friend,” he cautioned.g '1
“There are bad places in Santa Fe, and bad wa
people, too, as well as everywhere else. in the E
world. Look out for them.” but
“ Much obliged to you,” Billy responded, “ but so I
I guess you need not worry about us. I hardly me,-
think you can show us any worse places than I
we have at home.” ed ‘
“Perhaps not, but I thought I would caution the
you. And, more, if you should discover what u
you are in search of, an need help, send right BK
to me. And if you need inoney—” ,. pm
“ There, now, say no more,” interrupted Billy: n
“We have got some small change about our W,“
clothes, i guess. If I want help, though, I’ll let u
you hear from me, post haste by telegraph.” tori
/ “ All right,” rejoined Mr. Moreway, with 8- mis
smile, “don’t forget it.” i’ u
With that he turned and went up the street; stm
while Billy and Skinny set outin an opposite di4 u
rection. yer
The lads strolled around for some time aim< .n
lessly, looking at whatever there was to be seen, mit
and amusing themselves in innocent ways. on 1
At last Billy came to a short stop. ‘ ‘79,.
“Well, we have had your litt e stroll now,‘ ‘ m
Skinny, my gay and festive Cu id, and now we
will come down to business. e’ll pay a visit, a. t
to the Black Miner.” T
“And who is the Black Miner?” Skinny asked,‘ 0th.

Billy laughed. l the
“ Not a person at all,” he explained, “buts; u
saloon that bears that name.” , tha
“ And what will on gathers for?” ' jest

“ That’s{ where
out.” ,
“Oh, I see. Well, as you are determined, 5 “T
ahead. S’pose I’ll have to go along with you. 4. , u
“Oh, to be su‘l‘e. Couldn’t think of goi I re
anywhere without taking my shadder with me. wit
Come right along. We’ll get there, Eli.” “
“ But you don’t know where it is, do you?” rig}
“,What’s my tongue for? Hold on a second, 3pc]
aux [’ll ask this renew.” d h 3 u
man was a roaching, an w en he cam ’
up Billy stopperffiim. 1.08
“Not wantin’ io trouble you,” he observ u
“ but can you tell us where the Black Miner is?’ disc
The man smiled. f on
“You are away of! ther trail,” he declared 
“ It is on the other side of.the town. Foller this ye)
street, though, till you git purty well out, and u
than anybody there km show ye. ’ - But
“ All ri ht, and much obliged,” thanked Billy,
“ Come a ong, skeleton, and we will pick ou
feet one after the other till we find th

lace. 4
p They set out it n the back track, as directed
the hote , and continued right on ti
they were satisfied they had gone about fa ' “
enough. “n
Stopping, Billy made further inquiry of tb had
first person they encountered, and they were di “
rooted to their destination. 1 .pp
When they reached the doors of the. Blue how

r. half-breed Brown hangs any
(I

 

      
 
 

 
  
  

     

u

“s?

 
   
     
    
 
 
      
 

  

             

 
 

 

     

Broadway Billy at Santa Fe.

 

 

  

- Miner they found thatit was not a very desirable

resort.

. “ I don’t like the flavor of it at first blush, and
» that’s a tack,” Billy honestly declared.

' “ No, nor I don’t, either,” agreed Skinny.
“I move we wheel face about, and make tracks
for the hotel. Who seconds the motion?”

“ No, you don’t,” cried Billy. “ We have
come so far, and we’ll see it out now if it takesai
le’g. IVe’ll go in, and I’ll see if Mr. Half-breed
Brown is here.”

“ HOW do you expect to know him when you
see him?”

“ B the descrip’ Mr. Moreway gave me.”
“ ell, go ahead, if you are determined.”
Billy entered boldly, and Skinny was right

  
  

d.

2%

, behind him.

There was nothing of fear in their movements,
as there was nothing of it in their hearts.
Skinny, though, had a constant feeling of
dread, as though something was going to hap-
pen. He could not get that old hag’s warning
out of his mind.
Billy’s keen eyes took in the whole interior in
I a few seconds, and in the rear part of the room
‘ he saw a rsonage whom be instantly recog-
‘ nized as alf-breed Brown.
“"1 He was in conversation with another fellow
be about as evil-looking as himself, and both seem-
ed to be deeply inmrested.
3’" A bottle of vile stuff was on the table before
’1“ them and they held glasses in their hands.
“‘1, Billy walked leisurely down the room, and
 took a seat at a table behind the pair, Skinny
53," coming on after him and following his ex-

'5 anliple.
05;} elf-breed Brown and his companion seemed
., to take no notice of them, but went on with
'“l their talk.
“iii The lads were no sooner seated than a waiter
F 3 was at hand for their order.
he Billy was in the mood for a set-to with him,
but under the circumstances had no time «for it,
so he ordered‘cigars to get clear of him, though
neither he nor. Skinny ever smoked.
Having got clear of the waiter, the lads pass-
» ed some words between themselves, idly, and
0“ then listened to the men behind them.
'at “But I tells yer it is ther fact,” Half-breed

o
a
is,

.y-‘
it,,

nut

Ily
an

it", Brown was insisting. “ I have got ther sugar ter
,_ prove it.”
1574 “Then it was you what skinned the consarn,

“1" was it!”
let “ Bet your life on it, me and ther youngster

.tergether. Oh, we made a dizzy haul, and no
i Ejmistake about that.”

‘ “And where have ye got your share of ther
‘9 stuff bid?”

1 “'Yer don’t see nothin’ green about me, do
yer?" Half-breed Brown demanded.

ml -“Well, no, can’t sa “as I do ” the other ad—

Bnl mitted. “ But, come,’ he add , “ don’t be light

1 on ther likker. It won’t hurt ye, I bet. - Fill up

,, yer glass again, an’ down with it. You are
“H proo a ainst ’izen.”

7' Half— reed rown laughed at this, and gave it
‘31 Pas his opinion that he was, and refilled his glass.
1 His companion did likewise, and wishing each
other health,long life“ and prosperity, they drank
the stuff down.

“ Not much health, long life and prosperity in
that stufl’," Billy whispered to Skinny. “ It’s
jest the opposite, every time. You’ll never get,
an of it down my neck, you bet.”

‘ No, nor down mine, either," echoed Skinny.
net’s one thing we agree on, anyhow, Billy.”
- ht you are. But keep yer ears open, fer
, I reckon we’ll hear somethin afore we get d0ne

with these tellers.”

,“ And you say ther young feller made it all
right for ye, hey i” Half-breed’s companion

spoke. . _

“ Yer kin bet he did. He left the safe onlocked
so’s all I had ter do was ter hu’st in ther outside
door an’ wade in.”

M“ Well, you are a cool one, Half~breed, and no
‘ discount on you. Tor think that you had this
on er mind, and never told me a word aboutit.
a. yen y, I would been only'too glad ter helped

ml ' “ Ha", ha", ha“?! I reckon: yer would, too.
1 2 But I was workin' on small enough shares as it
yr was, and couldn’t afford a para. If I had been
m ' Sbln’ it alone I’d tooken yer in with me.”
“1 131%le nudged Skinny. I
l “ hat did I tell ye?” he demanded. u What
9‘? Wigs think of yer dashin’ young cashier now i”
h ' ,J‘inny looked rather glum. . , I
' I wouldn’t ’a‘.’ believed it,” .he muttered.
m t a good face again. unless it is
rtiflcate of character.”

ed

l

t

 

.never t ,
up by

 
  

di, “ Which is a 00d resolution to stick to,” Billy.
. V “9900'”. “ H a face is good enough, but some-
’° 110' I set not against'him, and that settled his

 

case in my esteem. I couldn’t help it. But,
open yer ears now."

“ Yer don’t believe it!” Half-breed Brown had
just exclaimed.

“ No,” asserted his companion, “ I don’t.”

“ An’ why don’t yer?”

“’Cause, if ’you had robbed ther consarn ye
gould be more flush wi’ ther rocks nor what ye
i e.’ ' l -

“Flush wi’ ther rocks! an’ a detective nosin’
around? Oh, no, not any in mine, if you please.
I’ll keep it shady till ther thing quiets down.”

“ That’s a good story, but I don’t believe it all
ther same. I won’t believe it till I see it with
me own eyes. And, by ther same token, I’d be
mighty glad ter borrer some of it.”

“ See‘ heur, CrOss- rain Jake,” cried Half-
breed, “ Did yer ever now me to lie to yer?”

“No, not’as I knows on,” was the answer,
“ but I’m afraid that’s what ye are doin’ now
jest ther same.”

“ And I tell yer I ain’t.”

“ Yer will have ter pr0ve it.”

“ An’ how d’ye want me ter prove it?”

h; g‘ake me to ther place whar yer boodle are
l .

“ Will yer give me a square deal if I do?
Won’t tr ter rob me?”

“ VVou dn’t rob ye of a cent, on me word. All
I ask is ther loan of a hundred for a time.”

“ All right, I’ll do it. Don’t want yer to
think thet I would lie to yer. I will take ye
there, in about a couple 0’ hours, soon’s it is safe
for go, an’ I’ll lend ye th’ hundred, too.”

CHAPTER VIII.
IN A DESPERATE DILEMMA NOW.

11' was a bargain, and the two rascals shook
hands.

They talked on, but nothing more of such im-
mediate importance was said.

Finally Billy and Skinny got up and left the
saloon, with all the careless coolness they had
shown upon entering.

“Sweet pertatersl” exclaimed Billy, as soon
as they were well away from the den, “ don’t it
beat the hob-nailed Dutch? Who would ’a’
thou ht we’d get onto it so soc?”

“ at you ain’t done with it yet,” reminded
Skinny. “It is one thing to get the right clew,
and it is another to foller it up. You want ter
keep er eye peeled all tb’ time, and not fergit
that o d woman’s warnin‘.”

“ I’ll soon begin ter think thet you are an old
wl'lomgn yourself, if you keep on croakin’ about
t at.

“ I can’t help it. It sticks in my throat, and
I cau’t cough it up and it won’t go down. What
am I oing to do about it?” .

“ ell, take care that'it don’t choke you then;
that’s the best advice I can give for your deeper.
ate case. But, say, do you know what I’m going
to do?”

“ I think I can guess.”

“Well, what?”

“You are goin’ ter lay around and shadder
these two fellers when they come out of the
saloon.” '

“ Right you are, my gay and festive little

in .

“ I thought so. It wouldn’t be you if you
didn’t. But, say, did you notice the we they
were pourin down that rotten‘rum? bet a
dose of it would kill you or me.”

“I reckon it would, perd. but you can bet it
never will,” responded Bill .

“ And it is a wonder it don’t kill them, too.”

‘6 ‘ ' ' D .

It Will, in time.

“ I can’t see what they like about it, can you?”

“ Well, Skinny, as good old Uncle Abe Lin-
coln once remarked—For men who like that
land pf thing, that is about the kind of thing
they like. And they’re welcome to swim in it,
If they want to, for all I care. So speaketh the
oracle.”

ThPY Walked a little distance from the saloon,
and there stopped to wait and watch.

It was pretty certain, they belieVed, that the
two rascals would keep the agreemth they had
made, and they meant to be on hand.

Skinny, too, was now waking up to the im-

rtsnce of the case, though he did not like to

et on that be was much interested in it. ' Billy
would have the laugh on him if he did.

They had quite a long time to wait, almost
the whole of the time specified by Half-breed
Brown, but at last that worthy made his ap-

 

cally companion, Cross-grain Jake.

Once outside the door of the den, they stop
and looked around for alfew moments, and t on
they set off out of town.

Billy and Skinny wentfifter them, keeping
well in the shadows, and using all caution.

 

pearance from the saloon, followed by his ras- ‘

They had no thought that they would be dis-
covered, for they were silent as the shadows
around them, almost; and even if they were de-
tected, they were armed and knew. how to use
their weapons.

They a1|0wed the two rascals to keep some
distance ahead of them, and in this manner they
all proceeded until they were finally out of the
town, and the last of the lights had been left be-
hind them.

“Sweet pertatersl” Billy muttered, “I won-
der if they are going right on out of the terri-
tory?”

“ It seems to me Brown went off far enough
to hide his swag, anyhow,” complained the lean
lieutenant.

A little further on they came to a Very dark
place.

Here was an old adobe hut, evidently unoccu-
pied, with trees all around.

“'hen they came to this spot they could see
that the two men had passed it, and were going

on.

Billy and his partner followed boldl after,
but just as they were passing under t etrees
that surrounded the but, something startling
happened.

Two forms sprung suddenly out upon them
from the deep shadows, revolvers were clapped
to their heads, a strong band fell upon a shoul—
der of each, and a velce hissed into their ears:

“ Make one move, or give one yaup, you little
cusses, and Iyou will be dead before you can do
it again. f on know what’s good for you,
keep still. e mean business, so don’t make
any mistake.”

“ I told ye so,” croaked Skinny, at once.

“ Seems it is SO, anyhow,” agreed Billy, philo-
so hically.

either of the lads made any fuss, great as the
surprise was and startling. And there was no
chance to resist.

There was no way out of the fix just then.
They were under the “drop” onlytoo badly,
and well enough did they know it. too.

“ Durn me if they ain’t cool ones i” cried the
other man, in whisper.

“ What seems ter be the difiikilty, anyh0w,
gentlemen?” inquired Billy, coolly enough.

“You will find that out soon enough,” was
the answer. “ All you have got to do for the
present is to keep still and quiet, unless ,you
want to go off on the win to spirit-land.”

“ Thanh ye,” said Bil y. “We are in no
hurry to depart, so we’ll do as you kindly sug-

est.”

“And it’s the best thing you can do.”

This had occupied but a few seconds at most,
and now the man gave a whistle signal.

In a. moment running steps were heard, and
soon two other men appeared upon the scene,
who to the real: surprise of the prisoners,
proved to be i every men they had been shadow-

in .

It was dark there, as said, but still light enough
to make out the features of a person immediate.
ly near. The other two, the fellows who had
ca tut-ed the lads, were masked.

roadway Billy was puzzled.
And for that matter so was Skinny.
The same thought had come to them both at

once.

And that thought, what meant this capture!
and how bad the men they had been shadowing
come to hav a hand in it?

But the e questions were immediately an-
swered. thoagh not to their satisfaction, by Half-
breed Brown, who exclaimed: ’

“Iiul yer thort yer would foller us, did yer,
ye little make-believe cowboysi We‘ll show yer
that it don‘t pay. We got onter yer game. Yer
leetle scheme was overheerd, an’ yer has walked
right inter our trap. Yer is too youthful ter
book horns with ther likes of us.”

But was this the true explanation of it all?
Billy questioned it. though he could not think of .
any other we of explaining it,

While Hal -bre.ed Brown was yet talking, be
and his comrade had Proceeded to bind Billy‘s
and Skinny’s hands behind them, a proceeding
which the lads did not relish, but which they
were werless to resist against.

“ Vi ell,” inquired Billy, easily, when that
pleasing service. had been rendered, “ What do
you think of domg about it, gentlemen?”

" 1 told you you would find that out soon
enough.” one of the masked couple made reply.

“ Yes. but being slightly interested,” persisted
Billy. “_I would like to know-now, _80 “to get
piyewgf into a proper frame of mind for my

a

“ You are a cool one, and that’s a root,» the
man observed. “ But that won’t _do you any,
i good now. As to what your fate is to be, a,“

 

 

\

   

 
 
  

 

 

 

  
 
  
 

I»

 

 

Broadway "Billy 5t  Fe.

 

. rests with this gentleman,” indicating Half-
breed.

“ Yer will learn all in good time what it is ter
be,” that rascal assured.

With that he stepped away a few paces and
talked for a moment in low tones with the
two masked men, while Cross-grain Jake stood
guard over the prisoners.

“,Pard, we’re in for it,” observed Billy to
Skinny.

“It's that dream, that’s what,” Skinny de—
clared, stoutly.

“ “That’s a dream? What ye talkin’ about?”

So demanded Cross-grain Jake, roughly.

“ Why,” answered Billy, “ we lllld a dream
the other night when everything was still; we
dreamed that cheese was sour-krout, of which
we ate our fill. lVe dreamed that pumpkin

ie was'—”

“ Shut upl” Jake ordered, in disgust.

“ Then don’t ask for information if you don’t
want it,” advised Billy.

Now Half-breed Brewn left the other two
men, who immediately went away, and rejoined
his companion.

“What’s that he’s sayin’?” he demanded.

“ Oh, only some gulf,” was the answer.

“ W'ell, you bring one of ’cm along, and I’ll
take, the other, and We’ll settle accounts with
’em. ’

“ W'ouldn’t it be best to gag ’eln first, don’t
ye think?”

“If one of ’em opens his head, we’ll kill him
on the spot, that’s all.”

“ That’s all rlghtlbut they might do it jest the

, same, and make a mess fer us of it.” v

“Well, mebbyK you are right. We’ll do it,
anyhow, fer luc . Then We’ll know they can’t
holler if they want to.”

“ We’d be just as much obliged to you if you
wouldn’t,” Billy put in.

“ We won’t ask you anything about it,” was
the retort.

They were gagged, after some minutes’ delay,
Billy making good use of his tongue to the last
moment. ‘

And that done they set forth, going on further
out of the town, and in the direction as Skinny
presently disCOVel'ed, of the gorge where the old
woman had indicated as the place of her finding
them dead, ill her dream. .

This discovery gave Skinny’s honest little

. heart great trouble, and he wondered whether
Billy had noticed the fact too. ' ,

If he did not then, he could not help being
aware of it later on, when the trail led abruptly
down-hill and finally into that very gorge.

It was a dismal place, and Billy now felt a
chill at heart.

He believed there they were to meet their
doom, according to the forewarning dream.

They were led into the gorge for quite a dis-
tance, but finally the two men came to a stop.
And then Half-breed observed:

“Ireckon we have gone about fur enough,
pardner.”

“Well, what’s goin’ to be done with the fel-
lers?” inquired Cross-grain.

“ They have got ter die, that’s what is goin’
(for be done with ’em," was the decisive response.

CHAPTER IX.
new IT FARED WITH THEM.

Pooa Skinny uttered a groan.

He could not have helped it had he tried.

And Billy felt like doing the same himself, but
did not.

His nerve and will were 'of steel and iron, as
we know full well. . ,

He had no hope that they would escape the

 

"fate that awaited them here, whatever it might

And he‘knew, t , that a groan or a sigh

more or less woul not alter the case any, one
way or the other. Such was his logic.
'5 ‘fWell, how be ye goin’ ter giVe ’em their
send-off?” asked Cross-grain Jake, with as little
regard as though they Were contemplating the
killing of a chicken.

“ I’ve got a plan in me head,” answered Hall—
breed, “and that’s the reason I have brought

’ ’em away out here to this place. 'Only fur that
. we could have d of ’em. nearer to home,
and saved the w ”

“ Be yer in’ tor shoot ’91!) l”

“New: ey ain’t worth wastin’ powder an’

than on. Besides, th‘chots might be heard an’

be th’ nileanl cf gettin’ us into trouble.”
“ We , then. yer must mean ter tickle ’em
with th’ knife."

. g- ' “Now, not that, nuther. ‘Mi ht git some of
' th’rod on1ns, and that wouldn’t  Give anoth-
" \

l"$&n¢mlf1know what tor ghesunowmn.

 

 

less that’s it—hangin’, I mean. Have I hit it
this time? Is that your plan?”

“ No, hangin’ won’t do. Besides, we hain’t
got no rope to do it with if we wanted to. No,
yer can‘t guess it, so I’ll have tel‘ tell ye. An’
no doubt ther lads tho’rselves is dyin’ ter know.”

“ I reckons yer is light about that.”

“ Well, th’ plan that I‘ve got will kill ’em an’
bury ’em at ther some time.”

“ Thor deuce it will. Then I give it up.
You’ll have ter explain it to me, old man.”

“ And it is easy explained, and then you’ll see
how mighty simple it is. Yer knows this heur
sand bank over us hour. Well, we will bind
their feet and lay ’eln close ill under it heur at
th’ bottom, and then go around and push some
of the bank down over ’om.”

“ Wal, I he hangedl” Cross-grain exclaimed.

“ That’s what I’m goin’ ter do,” Half-breed
Brown affirmed, “ and I rather pride meself on
th’ plan. There they’ll rest till ther day 0’ jedg-
ment, nn’ nobody will be th’ wiser.”

Once again Skinny gave out a groan.

“ on, yer kin groan,” cried Brown, “ but that
won’t make no difference, not a bit. That is
what is goin’ tel‘ happen to you, sure’s yer is
born. All’ it is ther last time ye will poke yer
noslns into business that don’t consarn ye, I’m
Eellln,’ yc. Lay holt, Jake, all’ we’ll tie their

eot.

With that the two scoundrels threw themselves
upon the helpless lads, bore them to the ground,
and proceeded to billd their feet.

It was so dark there that nothing more‘tlian
the outlines of one another could be seen, even
at that close range, but the darkness was no
hinderance alld Billy and his lean lieutenant
were soon bound.

Thatdonc, they were picked up, one at a time.
and carried and laid close ill under the edge of
the overhanging bank of loose earth. .

It looked as though there could be no help to
them now.

“ D’ye think they’ll stay here till .We git
around on top?” questioned Jake.

“ I don’t see how they kin help stayin’, do
you?” queried Half-breed Brown.

“ It has struck me that they might roll away
from under here as soon as we leave ’em.”

“ By hokeyl but you are right. I never
thought of that, Jake, and that’s the truth. But
we’ll soon but the block to that lectle game.
Here’s a. stout bush. We’ll tie ’em together and
fasten ’em to that.”

“ That will fix ’em, sure enough.”

. This further measure of certainty for success
in their diabolical scheme was soon carried out,
and there the lads were, utter] helpless.

“ Ha, ha, ha!” laughed elf-breed Brown,
then. as the two rascals turned away to go,
“ we’ll hid ye adieu, young tellers. on are
promisin’ young detectives, but we will cut
short our careers of usefulness. This is no
place er you ter set up in business, so we‘ll
make use of ye to start a cemetery out here ill
ther gorge. Good-by, and hope you’ll have a
pleasant trip. Ha, ha, ha l”

And thus laughing, the human fiends went

away. 1’

Hard to tell the thoughts that were in the
minds of the unhappy prisoners.

They were thoughts of home, of the mothers
who would wait and watch for them in vain,
and of their whole past lives.

But their thoughts were suddenly turned from
those of despair to others of hb .

Soon after the departure of tggir enemies they
heard cautious steps approach them, and imme-
diately a voice whispered: .

“ Do not make a sound. I am' here to save
you if  can. I will balk them in their hellish
desing if I can do it. Mind, not a sound, not a
scum .

Billy recognized the voice, and knew who the
person was. ,

It was the old hag, Mother Brujal

Swiftly her hands passed over them, feeling to
learn Just how they v: re secured.

“ Ah—hal” she excla med in whisper, ‘f you are
“figm, I find. That is good. I am Sure you
wi not make a noise with your ton es. I will
leave you so for the present. But must make
haste,

The next moment they felt her knife sever the
thongs that held their feet, then the one that
bound them together and that which held them
to the bush. And that done she bade them rise,
and takigg hold of an arm of each she hurried
them 3W8. .

They passed down the gorge a little distance
further, and there stopped and waited.

“ I am Mother Bruin,” the rescuer whispered.
“ You would not been my warning, so I was re-
solved to save you; if ,1 could. Icame here, to

l

i this place where I saw you dead in my dream 

 

   

and here I have waited and watched ever since-.- “?

   
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
 
  
   
 
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
   
 
   
  
   
  
  
   
  
  
  
   
   
     
  
  
   
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
   
 
  
  
  
  
   
    
  
   
  
  
  
    
  
   
  
  
   
   
   
  
 
  
   
   
 
   
  
   
  

I knew my dream was sure to come true, but I . ag
hoped there would be a chance to cheat Death of m.
his prey this once. And so 1 have, so I have. ml
You owe your liVes to me, or on will, if you I’d

get off free. But you must— a! bear that l” '

The hoys—wv may still call them boys, though
fihey were on the threshold of manhood, now— ‘ ‘
could not help but hear.

There was a sudden rumble, like that of very trl
far distant thunder, then a slight trembling of set
the ground, followed by a heavy thud that could h01
be felt as well as heard. Yc

And then all was still.

“ What an awful fate must have been yoursl”
the old‘woman gas Jed. /

Billy was struggling to get his hands free, so .
that he could get hold of his weapons. 5

The lads had not been robbed of anything I
whatever, and could they have had the use of; Brt
their arms just then they might have made it a I

sorry piece of work for the villains who had , tur
attempted their lives. “
The old woman still had hold of the boys’ w01

 

arms, and she understood what Billy was trying 1’ 
to do.

“No, no,” she Whispered, quickly, “you must thil
not be free yet. You would ‘try to do some des- sett
perate thing, and they would overcome you, and it h.
my dream would come true after all. No, no, I “
will not allow it. You are securely bound, and
so you must remain till these men are gone.”

How Billy did want to use his tongue then! i heal
But trying was of no use. The men had bound ‘case
hiul only too well. 8-1101

There was no help for it, they must abide the com
old hag’s plgasure, and they were only too eager own
not to betray their escape by any noise, while eltln
bound. you
x ' Some minutes passed, and then the voices of dro}
the rascals were heard. “

“ What did I tell yer?” Half-breed Brown was take
heard to exclaim. ‘ YOU!

“ Yer has done it for ’em, sure enough,” cam
Cross-grain Jake responded. - t10n

“ You bet we has. We’ll never hear from knov
them again. There’s a hundred ton of dirt on “'4
’em, if there’s a pound.” hear

“ W ell, come, let’s git back now, fer I don’t #3301

mill

6‘

like ter stay around hour, that I kin tell yer.
Not that I’m afoer’d, but it ain’t pleasant, yer

know.” uni
“Ha, ha, hal Yes, Iknow. Well, comealong, Willi
and we’re off.” ‘ “14

 

That was the last that was heard of them.
But Mother Bruja kept the lads waiting until
she was doubly sure the men had gone.

_Bllly fretted and fumed, and longed for.his
liberty, but he had to abide the old woman’s.
pleasure, and it seemed as if she would never re- '
lease them.

Finally, though, at the end of what seemed an i
hour, and what may have been a lull half-hour,
she was ready to set them fully free, yet even

 
   

then she hesitated, to listen just once more before. “’1
doing so. an ‘

“ I guess 1 can risk it now,” she muttered to “’5 01
herself. “Yes, I will risk. it now. But you 0m
must use caution, brave American boy,” she 1
spoke to Billy. “ The danger may at be over» ("Tb

yet, so be careful, both of you. And now I set Bi“

  
 
  
  
    

you free.” He.
With that she cut the cords that bound their hat:
hands A

, / .
A3 ,oon as his hands were freed, Billy tore the;
gag from his mouth.

“ Sweet pertutersl” he cried, “I thought you
would never set "5 at liberty. old lady.' Better
late than never, though, Isuppose. And I want
to tell vou right here and now that we are a heap
obliged to you for our lives. Thanks mull: [do
till we can pay you better.” '

“ And now maybe you will ,listen to the 00d
old lady,” piped 'v“ Skinny, be having just reed.
his tongue, “m... be ready to get out of this V
place as soon as you can do it. I have had just A
enough of the West to satisfy me, now. Tha ,
was the closest shave I ever had, and I don’tfi h
grant guy more of it.- I’m for home by the 

rain. ' - x

“ When on get through I supposc you’ll b'e
done,” obsgrved Billy, quietly. “I will chip in mm
justa word new. if you’ll let me. N37 IIUO‘O r. , ‘
for home. orallywhere else dol make ,t 11' have 9 ‘8
had it out With these measly rascals here! hY. ,
we haven’t had time to look around the .
town yet. No, sir, there is a good deal 0‘ life "
left in me, and now it is my inning.” ' ,

“ But. You will not dare .,t  remain hard (‘61.
longer!” exclaimed the old w an. excitedly, k I

“Tbe will kill you. if t discover you now‘,‘ 

      

  

    

  

       
 

  

 
 
 

 

  

 
  
  
  
  

I

i.
u

     

  

     
 

  

     
  

       

 

 

 a way that will we e doubly gm   y A.
\ ‘. I ' i J L ‘ , é

\

 

    

Broadway Billy at Santa. Fe.

 

' 9

 

 

 

“ Can’t help it if they do it two or three times
over,” cried Billy. ‘They have bucked up
against a reg’lar old snag in me, and I’ll bet
they’ll find it out before the game ends, too. No,
ma’m, can’tpblige you this time, however much
I’d like to.”

“ Then, alas! maybe my dream is to come true
yet,” the old Woman sighed.

. “ Can’t help it,” Billy firmly declared.

“William 0’ Broadway, which same is yours
truly, is on his muscle now, and if there isn’t
if some blue smoke here in Santa Fe before man
(1 hours, I’ll resign my seat in Congress, that’s al .
You have heard what the oracle saith.”

l ‘2
'i
if
11
h

 

1”

CHAPTER X.
,0 ‘ BILLY AND SKINNY CAN’T AGREE.

SKINNY and the old witch were both opposed.
lg But their opposition made no difference to
)f : Broadway Billy.

a l His mind was made up, and nothing could
id i turn him from his intentiOn-

“ Oh! why will on not heed me?” the old
'3’  woman sighed. “ ave you not seen enough to
g satisfy you that my dream means Something?”

“ You bet 1 have,” cried Billy. “But now I
51; a think the dream has come to pass, and that
.3- settles it. But I don’t care a picaroon whether
1d , it has or not, You have heard my chirp.”

I , “Then you won’t go home with me, eh?” de-
ld ‘, manded Skinny.

“Nary a go home, my skeleton friend, as you
n! iheard me say before," answered Billy, “ till this
)d case is brought to a head. No use your whining

'about it, for that’s the verdict of the highest
he court I recognize in affairs appertaining to my
er own business. And no fear of your goingr home
us either, for you wouldn’t leave me, you know

:you wouldn’t. No, sir, it can’t be did, so let it
of idrop.”

, “Well, then.” spoke up the old has. “you
as take your life into your own hands; my brave

{young man. . But I do admire bravery, and if I
j ‘n .can do anything to help you in your determina-

ition to bring these rascals to justice, only let me
,m iknow what it is.”
on i “ There, now you are a. girl after my own

heart!” egrclaimed Billy. “That is just what I
an; want. You help us, and your reward will be
an assured.”
er “ And I will do it.

want. I see
lg, jwill help you.’

“ All right, then, lend your ears. In the first

lace, can you take us to your house and let us
,til odge there?”

“ Yes, youn gentlemen, I can do that, if
his ou ,wlll be satisfied with my humble home and
D’s are.

“ Don’t mention that part of it,” Billy waived.

“ That’s settled, then.”

“ Yes, you are Welcome to come, if that is
our desire.” \

“ And it is, and we’ll set out at once.”

This was agreed to, and guided by the old wo-
an the two supposed dead lads made their way
to at of the dismal gorge.
mu Once _out of there they could see their way
she tter, in the slight increase of light, and set
vel- forth in the direction of the city at a brisk Pace-
seg‘ Blll ’s tongue was not silent on the way.

L He. at it run as though tr ing to make up for
leir , be time lost during his spel of enforced silence.

I “ Another thing that We shall need,” be 1:6-
the arked by the way, “and that is a good 6118-
u‘i‘se. How about that old lady?”
‘ I don’t know,” Mother Bruja answered.
XVhat manner of disguise would you desire?”

,Anything that will prove a good one,
on t care what it is.”

f‘ If you have money I suppose I can buy any-
hi? you want. I will gladly do that for you.”

‘ hats just the cheesel We’ll rest easy till
eed owing 0“ ,that. though, and then we’ll begin
this he warfare in dead earnest.”
inst Finally they arrived at the point where Billy
hat nd Skinny had been taken prisoners, and from
mm here it was not a great distance to the home of
it“ he so-called Witch.

_It proved to boa small and humble adobe but,

be ith no pretenslons at ahything beyond bare,

Only tell me what you
on are fully determined, and so

ore

:ter

cap

5 in mmonplace comforts.
, When the old woman had secured the door
ave he lighted a small lamp that stood on a. big box.

This box as they afterward found out w
hy’ hled in lieu, of a better table. ’ as
_The li ht revealed a very small room, With a
still am ler one adjoining it in the rear.

‘ are you are safe,” the old hag assured,

for no one ever comes to see me. I have no

ow callers. or at any rate they are very few and far
’ between.”

“ And itis just as good as a palace,” Billy

 

 

hastened to assure. “ Don’t see what better any-
body could ask. I think we’ll be able to sleep
like logs, right here on the floor if you say so, for
I am pretty well tired out.”

“ Here to,” put in Skinny. “I have had a
little more than I bargained for, this day and
night. We’ll sleep till noon, unless you call us,
Mrs. Bruja.”

“But you mustn’t let IS do that,” Billy
hastened. “ We must be astir bright and early.”

“ Never ,fear but I’ll waken you, if you want
me to.”

“And we do. And be careful not to step on
Skinny when you move around, for you might
not see him, you know, he’s so thin.”

“ Oh! you shut upl” Skinny cried. “ No fear
of her steppin’ on me, but she will have to look
out she don’t fall into your mouth, for it’s awful
big and it’s never shut.”

“There, now, that is enough for you,” pro-
tested Billy.

The old woman chuckled over their joking,
and when thty had done she set about making
them a bed on the floor.

“There,” she remarked, “ I guess you’ll be
comfortable, and I’ll sleep in the back room here
where I always sleep. And now good-night.”

“ Sleep!” cried Billy, “ We’ll sleep like tops. A
king couldn’t ask anything better than this.
Good-night.”

In less than ten minutes both lads were sound
asleep, and knew no more till morning, when
the old woman awakened them.

“ Como,” she called them, “ it is late enough,
and your breakfast is all ready for you.”

Billy and Skinny were on their feet in a mo-
ment.

“Sweet portatersl” Billy exclaimed, “ but
that was a short night. t don’t seem but a
minute ago when we lay down.”

“ I hope it’s been long enough for you to come
to your senses in and change your mind,” ob-
served Skinny.

“ Nary a change, little one. Don’t mention it
again, or I shall be tempted to strike you real
hard,” making a motion as though to tap him
with one finger.

The breakfast proved a very frugal one, but
it was enough to satisfy, and the lads did justice
to the old woman’s efforts.

“ NOW,” said Billy, when the meal was over,
“ we want to see about that business of getting
up a disguise. I want to get out and take a sur-
vey ,of the town by the light of the morning
sun.

“ Well, I am ready to help you in any way I
can,” decl ired the old woman.

“The diffikiltv is, what manner of rig are we
to take on? Skinny, what’s yer think on the
question?” '

“ You know well enOugh what my opinion of
it is,” was the answer.

“ Then I’ll count you out of the argument and
go it alone. What we must have is something
that can’t be suspected. What’s it to be?”

“ If they see your faces, they’ll be sure to
know you,” remarked the old hag.

“ Right you are, aunty,” agreed Billy.

“ But how would it do to black your faces?”

“ There, now you are comin’ at it,” Billy
cried.

“ But,” Skinny put in, “ it won’t do for us to
be seen together.”

“ And why not, thou chronic croaker?” Billy
demaagded. “ Are you ashamed of my com-

n .

“It’s ’most time 1 was getting ashamed of it
anyhow; but, they will tumble to us by our size.
We’ll have to go it alone.”

“No fear of that,” Billy quickly responded.
“You are almost invisible. now, Skinny, and
when you come to get blacked up nobody will be
able to see you at all.”

“ You will die of swellin’ of th’ brain, th’ first
you know,” retorted Skinny. “ You are gettin’
too smart to live long.”

“ Putting joking aside, though, Skinny,” said
Billy, seriously, “ your idea is all right. It
might give us away to be seen together, even
though in disguise, We’ll have to go it alone, I
guess. makin’ this our headquarters.”

“ Which you are welcome to do," the old
woman assured,

“ Thanks,” from Billy. “ I’ll tell you, though,”
he added, “ what we can do. I will rig up as
a colored girl, which I kill play off to kill,
bein’ plump and fair and sweet to see—or
words to that effect; and you, Skinny, you
can be my brother.”

Billy’s earnest manner, in spite of his playful
mood. was Winning Skinny to take interest in
the affair again.

“ All fight, I’ll do it,” Skinny cried. “ I
think that will do the trick so that we won’t

 

be discovered. But, where are you going to get
your outfit?”

“I can see to all that for you,” assured the
old woman. “Only give me money, and I’ll
get whatever is needed.”

“That’s it!” cried Billy. “Ohl we arebound
to get thar, Eli; ou bet we are, and with
both feet, too. ere’s money, you dear old
soul, you,” to the old woman, at the same time
giving her a playful slap on the shoulder; “go
forth and buy the most elegant and attractive
outfit you can find; somethin’ real niggery,
you know.”

This was all talked over in detail, and finally
the old woman set out upon her mission.

Billy and Skinny put in the time until her re-
turn in conversation, talking about home and
their Own affairs there, and then coming to the
case they had in hand, to take a survey of that.

“ I’ll tell you what it is,” Billy declared, sud-
denly, while they were talking about it, “we
have been barking up the wrong tree, my con-
suinptiVe shadow, and that’s the grim fact be-
fore us.”

“ How do you make that out ?” Skinny asked.

“ By rnniiin’ the whole thing through a Course
0’ algebraical calculation as it were. What will
you bet that Mr. Moreway didn’t have a hand
in the robbery?”

“ Mr. Morewayl Oh, get out, you’re foolin’.”

“ Not a bit of it. 1 tell you I’ve been barkin’
up the wrong tree, my little pippin, and that’s
the humiliating fact. Now my suspicion has
Eaken another turn, and Mr. Moreway comes in

or it.”

“ Pshaw!” Skinny exclaimed, “ you’re crazy.
He’s no more in it than Walter Singerland is.
[The’ next thing I hear you’ll say I am the rob-

er. ’

“All right, think what you please, Skinny,
biit you see if it don’t come out as I tell you.
You remember the voice of the man who cap-
tured us last night, don’t you? I mean the one
who talked most.”

“ Yes, I remember it a little. Think I’d know
it again.”

“ “’ell, I thought then that I’d heard it be-
fore, biitl couldn’t tell where it had been. But
now it hits me hard that it was the voice of Mr.
Moreway.”

“ Oh! you’re ’way off.”

“All right, if you think so. .But, take this
point and chew on it: We did not get into any
trouble until after I had shown my hand in the
glilmée’ to Moreway, did we? You can’t deny
t a .

“ No, and we didn’t get into trouble till after
we had gone into that saloon and listened to the
two rascals there and then Come out and blowed
about what we’d do, and right in the street
where we was overheard, just as the fellows
said. You are ofl", Billy, away off.”

 

CHAPTER XI.
AN UNEXPECTED TURN.

So they kept it up till the return of the old
woman.

They could not agree upon anything save one
point, and that was to disagree and see which
would be right.

Mother Bruja had performed her duties well.
She had procured everything the lads had com-
missioned her to buy, and exhibited the pur-
chases with some pride,

“You have done viell,” Billy com limented.
“ I couldn’t havo done as well myse t‘ if I had
tried. No, no, newr mind the change,” as that
was offered to him, “you keep that for your
trouble.”

“ But I did not want any pay. young gentle-
men,” the old woman protesiefi. “ and I——”

“Never mind what you_ didn’t want,” inter-
rupted Billy. “ just put lilaway in your inside
pocket, and it will come. In handy some time.
And now we want you to help us rig up in our
fantastic costumes. I think I’ll cut as good a
figger ns a darky gal as I did .when I was a
Chinee.”

Picking up a dress, which was ared of the
load polka-dot sort. he proceeded to get into it,
much to the amusement of Skinn v.

“You’ll never do it that way,” cried the old
woman, and she laid hold toassist him. “ You’ll
tear it. Besides, this skirt must go on first.”

“ I give it up,” declared Billy. “ I don’t
know anything about female rigging- Y0“
ahead and fix me up as you think I’d ought to be,
Woman is fearfully and wonderfully made, and
that’s the tack.”

It is needless to dwell upon the half-hour that
followed. With the help of the 01d witch they
were both finally fitted out in their disguises,
and after a finishing touch or two and an inspec-

. r‘wm.‘l~,3 ’ ~

 

  

  
   
  
   
 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  
  
  
     
   
  
    
  
 
  
    
   
  
  
   
  
   
    
    
   
 
   
  
  
   
  
  
    
   
   
   
  
   
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
     
   
   
  
  

   
    
   
    
  
 
   
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
 

    
  
 
 
  
     
    
  
   
 
      
   
 

10

 

 

 
 

   

., ~‘.r.  '  4
, . , , ,

BroadWay Billy at Santa. Fe.

” v

 

 

 

tion of her work she declared she couldn’t believe
they were the same boys.

“ You’re a darling now, for sure,” cried
Skinny, taking a survey of Billy.

Billy filled the assumed character well. His
face was full and plump, and with the black on
he made a really good-looking colored girl.
And then with the rod dotted dress, a hat to
match, a green parasol and a fan, he was well
made up. He had on gloves, considering them
better than the lilacking for his hands.

“ And you’re a little nigger dude, Skinny,
what there is of you, which isn’t much. I was
going to say: ‘Ah, there, my size!’ but it would-
n’t do. Yo’ is nowhere near my size, yo’ isn’t,
honey.” ;

“ You shut up about my sine,” Skinny growl-
ed. “ But what are we going to call each other?
What’s your name?”

“ Let me give you a pointer right here,” Billy
switched off.

“Well, what is it?” Skinny in uired.

“You are a. dark’ now, my s ender blade 0’
grass, and you want to talk the best darky lingo
you can muster up.”

“ All right, honey, I’ll try to ’member dat,
shun.”

“ That’s the stuff!” Billy complimented. “ And
now we’ll talk nothing else while we are rigged
up so, and then we won’t make any mistake.”

“ W'ell, it am erbout time you was beginnin’,
den,” Skinny reminded.

“ Don’ yo’ worry erbout me,” returned Billy.
“ I is all right, child, I is. And now le’s sally
out an’ take er look around de town.”

“But yo‘ hasn’t tol’ me what yo’ name am,”
Skinny reminded.

“ Shua ’nutf, child, so I hasn’t. Well, yo’ name
am Samuel Johnsing an’ mine am Lucinda
ditto.”

“ But I thought we was to be brudder an’
sister,” Skinny observed.

“ Well, who hab said anything to de contrary,
Samuel, I should like to know?” Billy returned.

“ You, yo’self, dat’s who. Yo' said my name
was ter be J ohiising an’ yo’ own name was ter
be sgiiiet’ing else, I didn’t jes’ ketch what it
war. .

At this little misunderstanding Billy laughed
heartily enough.

He explained the point, and then when they
had exchanged some remarks with the old wo-
man they passed out.

They set of! immediately in the direction of
the center of the city, intending to go to the
closed bank first, to see who might be around
there, and then on to the hotel, perhaps.

Finally reaching the bank they found no one

there save the old darky whom they had seen .

on the previous day.

Many were passing up and down, of course,
but he was the only one who was idling there.

He was seated on the ste , as before, with his
head supported in his hand:

Giving Skinny a nudge and a word to put
him on hisguard, Billy stepped up to the old
darky and spoke to him. '

The old fellow looked u quickly.

“ Did yo’ speak ter me?’ he asked.

“ Shua I did, uncle,” Billy answered.
ed yo’ if de bank am closed.”

“ Yes, hit am closed, chil’,” was the sorrow?
ful #ffirmation. “ Hit hob. been robbed clean
out.

Billy gave a gasp, sto fanning himself and
almost let his parasol (K'ggdto the ground. His
eyes opened their widest, and he showed his
Eeiifecthteeth in a way that almost caused Skinny

aug . . \

“ Robbed l” he repeated; “ yo’ don’ tol’ me so.
An’ ain’t dey no mo money in de instertution er
tall uncle?” -

“ Prashus little. an’ dat am de fack.”

“ Good hebbensl what be we gwine ter do?
Dar I had sebenteen dollars in dat bank, all in
good money, an’ n0w it am gone, an’ me with
a poor consumptive brudder on my han’s, and
both of us orphings.” I

And Billy looked as though it would have
taken but little more to make him weep salt,
sad tears.

Skinny had toturn away to hide his broad

grin.

“Ohl hit will be all right,” the colored man
hastened to assure. “ De bank hain’t gone
bu’sted, hit am only sufferin’ wid temp’rary sus-

ders, dat am all. Hit am gwine open ergain

n er few days, and yo’ sebenteen dollars will be
all ri ht.” ;

Bil y’s smile returned, and he brought up the
parasol and set his fan in motion once more.

“Glad to hear yo’ say dat,” he declared.
“I ’clar,’ I was skart when I foun’ de place
shut up. But if it am all right I’m happy.

“ I ask-

 

Come erlong, Samuel, an’ we will mope erlong
an’ takein de sights.” . *

With that he and Skinny went on, leaving the
old dlarky looking after them in something of a
puzz e.

The old fellow knew most of his color at
Santa Fe, and wondered who these two could

There was no suspicion in his mind that they
were not what they seemed.

“Well, Samuel,” observed Billy, as the two
proceeded in the direction of the hotel where
they had put up, “ dey war nutiiii’ to be picked
up at de bunk, an’ now we’ll tackle de hotel. I
reckgns we’ll go dar an’ ’ply fer board; what yo’
say? /

“Yes, and get found out,” Skinny complained
dropping the dialect. He could not give ex-
pression to the objection in lighter vein.

“ Yo’ must stick to de lingo, Samuel,” Billy
cautioned. “ Yo’ am too fo’gitful, yo’ is. I bet
yo’ hab done fo’got what yo’ sisteg’s name am;
now hain’t yo’ i"

“ Hang me if I haven’t,” Skinny had to ad—

mit.

“ Well, it am Lucinda, an, yo’ don’ want ter
fo’git it. An’ yo’ want to talk nigger lingo, too,
an’ mind dat.” _

By this time they had reached the hotel, and
there was no chance for further talk upon Billy’s
proposed plan.

Billy went right up the steps and boldly into
the ladies’ entrance of the house, and Skinny
had to follow. ‘

There happened to be a girl in the hall, and
Billy addressed er.

“ Am de lun lord at home, miss, does yo’
know?” he inquired.

“ Yes, ’he is in the bar-room,” was the re-
sponse. -

“ Well, will yo’ done tell him dat a young lady
would like to see him fo’ a minute?”

The girl responded that she would, and went
to deliver the message, Billy and Skinny wait-
ing‘in the hall. '

he landlord soon made his appearance, and
Billy stood in the best light the hall afforded to
give him a chance to recognize him if he could.

This was one of his reasons for coming to the
hotel. He wanted to put his disguise to the
test, and he felt that if he could pass under
the eyes of the landlord undetected he could
trust it anywhere.

“ We], miss, what do you want 0’ me?” the
landlord inquired.

“ I want to ask yo’ if yo’ will ’low me an’ in
pore brudder to stop heah for a day or two Whl 8
I look about fo’ work in San’ Fe.”

“ Wal, I don’t know about that,” was the an-
sw’er.” “ This ain't no charity establishment,

“ Ohl bless yo’!” cried Billy, quickly, “ 1 hab
money to pay, if dat am all yo’ is dubious erbout.
We jes’ want or place ter sleep, an’ We kin eat in
de kitchen if yo’ draws dc line at pussons ob our
Shade 0‘ complexion, sah.”

‘f Wal, on them tarms, I reckon you kin stay,”
the landlord agreed.

“But, say,” he added, “ what sort 0? work are

you lookin’ fur?”

.“ My best holt am waitin’ on Eyeing ladies,”
Billy answered, “ but at present am 0P0" to
’most any sort ob engagement, self. Would like
a place in some and family, it I could get it.”

_“ Well, now I appen ter know where a good
girl is wanted,” said the landlord. “and it
might be that you could git the place.”

Billy seemed to have got himself into it here.

lie did not want any place, and bad onl
said so for want of something else to tal
about.

But he did not know what was coming—that
he had begun in just the right course to make a
success of the case he was working on.

“ there am dis place yo’ mentions?” he in-
quired.

“It is in the family of Mr. Singerland, the
bank president.”

“ Sweet pertaters l”

So Billy exclaimed in 'mind, and he had to
shut his teeth hard to keep from saying it
aloud. .

“ He am de president ob de robbed bank, ain’t
he?” he asked. “I wonder if I could git dat
place. Will yo’ tell me where he lives, ssh?”

The landlord gave the desired directions, say-
ing further that any one in the town could show
the house if his directions were not plain enough.
And then, when the lads had engaged a room
for the rest of’ the week, which, as Billy ex-
plained, was the prOper thing to do, in case he
could not get the situation, they left the hotel

and set out in the direction of the banker’s resi- '.

deuce.

“ Sweet pertatersl” Billy enclaimed, when
they were clear of the house, and the dialect was
too cumbersome to give expression to his feel-
ings; “ but we are in for it now, Skinny, my gay
and festive colored dude. I'm going to hire out
as a work girl, if I can do it, in some capacity
or other, and you’ll have to shirk for yerself for
a little while. You can make your headquarters
at the hotel and at the old woman’s but, and
you’ll be big help to me as my outside ally.
Skinny, we are going to jerk this colored gen- :
glgmanput of the woodpile new; 1 feel it in my .

nes.

 

CHAPTER XII.

BILLY BEHIND THE SCENES.

THE two detectives lost no time in making
their way to the neighborhood of Mr. Singer-
laiid’s residence.

They had agreed that they could perfect no
plans until Billy learned whether he was able to
get the situation or not.

Accordingly, Skinny was to wait on the cor-
ner until Billy had put that matter to the test,
when Billy was to Fiji)!" him and they would
talk it over. -

With that understanding they parted, and
Billy went boldly to the house.

It was about as fine a residence as Santa Fe
could show, and Billy felt that the chances for
his getting employ there were slim indeed.

But that thought did not deter him from
making the trial, and he Went boldly to the
lower entrance and knocked loudly at the door,
which was soon opened.

As it happened, it was a colored irl who
came to the door, and that gave Bi ly some
hope. That Colored servants were employhd
there spoke favorably for his getting the vacant
place. .

“ Am de missus in i” he inquu‘ed.

“ She am," was the answer. "

“I hearn she want a girl,” Bialy'went on,
“an’ I am heah to apply for de Job, if it ain’t
yet tooken.” I

“ Yes, so we do want a girl, and pow’ful bad,
too,” the servant declared. “ I Will tell de missus
yo’ is heah.” '

“What am de '0‘!) dat am sufl‘erin’fo’some—
bod to tek it?” illy inquired.

“ it am (is place ob chambermaid. Yo’ jest
wait right heah an’ I’ll done tol' de missus in one
minute.”

Billy waited, of course, and the girl Went off.

“ Chambermaid, ch?” he thought to himself.
“ Wonder if I kin fill that bill? Guess I’d better
not brag what an expert I am in that. has, any.
gloliV.’ I’ll leave plenty of room for an easy
a l.’

In a few.moments the colored girl returned,
preceded by the‘ lady of the house, a Splendid-
looking V ~oman, past middle 829- I ‘

She fa cred Billy with a keen, searching look,
and observed: ; '

“ You want a situation, do you ?"

“Yessum,” Billy answered, politely, with a
jerky bow.

“ Have you any {Effieuct’s 3” was asked.

“ Haven‘t none in writin’, ma’am,” Billy had
to own, “but I kin tell yo’ ob folks what
knows me.” ‘

“ Where are you from i”

“ From Texas, mn’ai‘n.”

“ You are a good ways from home.”

“ Yes, so I is. I didn’t- flnd some ’lashuns
heah, wbnt I specks must be dead, nn’ so.» I want
to git work."

" Well, to whom can you refer in Texas?”

Billy gave the names of his friends there, .
readily enough. '

Then came the question as to whether he had
ever acted in the capamty 0f Chambermaid.

“ Well, no, I neblvel' hf“), not jes' dat,” be ad~
mitted. “ But I is WllllD’ to learn,”he added),
“ de mos’ willin’ 13053011 3’0’ ebber seen. ml’am.

{{‘Well, what have you been doing, then?” was
as ed. ‘ . l

“I hab been handy at de table, ma’m.” was

that he meant handeith a knife and fork; “an’
I has ’tendod de door a good deal.” .
Billy put in his best licks, as the Port liaying ,
has it. He Wanted to secure the situation. in
order to t a view behind the scenes in the Big.
garland amily. A good many questions were
at to him, but he was equal to them all, and
n the end had made a good impression upon the

I d . ’
’JWen. I will try you,” she finally decided.

“ When can you come?” ~
“ In erbout a nour ” Billy answered. l, “Yo’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Billy’s answer to that. with the mental addition . . l' ’

see,” he explained, “I hub a sickly brudder with . ' r
I me, an’ I must see him settled in a placu to board» if

 
 

./‘

 

 

 

 

 

' "0d sir-i, and learned

 

 » r“ that

\ ' Fuck is, I has got him a room at de hotel. but I

Soon as

And

must see im comf’hle ’io’ I leaves him.
I do dat will be heah.”

. “All right, come, and I will try you-
n0w about the wages—"

. “Nebber yo’ mind ’bout d , ma’m,” Billy
Interrupted. “ Yo’ piy me what yo’ jes’ please,
if yo’ find me wurf anything or tall.”

This seemed to make a good impression upon
the lady, and assuring that she would make it
all right, she allowed him to go. .

Billy lost no time in rejoining his lean lieuten-
ant.

“Hit am all right, Samuel,” he exclaimed.
“ Yo’ han’sum sister am engaged as chamber-
maid in a most ’spectable family.”

Skinny had to laugh at the idea of Billy’s

Playing sueh a role as that.

“ They will find you out before you are there
an hour,” he predicted.

“ All right if they do,” returned Billy, “but
I’m betting they don’t. But, now let us get
down to business and lay some plans.”

And so engaged they made their way back to.
ward the hotel.

Before they reached there Skinny suddenly
interrupted Billy in something he was saying,
and pointed to the opposite corner.

‘9 Look there!” he directed.

“ Sweet pertatersl” Billy exclaimed in turn,

The cause of their excited words was simple
but effective.

On the corner Were standing Walter Singer-
land and Half-breed Brown, in conversation.

“What do ye think 0’ that, Skinny?” Billy
asked. “ Sick your dog on my cut it this case
don’t rattle me.” - .

' “ I don’t like the looks of it,” Skinny admit-
ted, “ but I ain’t ready to haul down my fla

.yet that Walt is innocent. 1 tell you his facg

shows it.”
“And I ain’t ready to give up my new sus-

' 'icion against Mr. Moreway. either,” declared

illy; “,but this sort 0’ uts me back onto young
Singerland again. It is a puzzler, my gay and
festive little tomtit.” .

“ I agree with you there,” coincided Skinny.
f‘ Let’s stop and see what they do. No use try-
ing to get near enough to hear.”

This they did, and while pretending to be
talking e rnestly, were watching the two men.

Young Singerland and the rascully Brown
talked for some minutes. when they Parked com-
pany and went off in opposite directions.

»“ t is a puzzler to me,” declared Billy again.
“I don’t know what to think about it all, but
I’ll soon be able to pipe oil? the Singerland
family a little, and then I’ll have more light on
th’ subjeck.”

The lads continued on to the hotel, talking
over their plans as they went alon

By this time they werb quite at fiiome in their.

disguises, and did_ not fear detection. And it
was pretty certain that neither Half- breed
Brown nor Cr088«grain Jake Would take them
ah: the fellows they had buried under the sand:

n 0

They spent alittle time in their room at the
hotel, after which Billy took the opportunity to
slip into their own room pro r for a moment,
and then he took leave of is lean lieutetiant
and set out for the scene of his new avoca-

tion.
./ At the hotel he had heard some comment be-

ing made by the landlord upon the disappear-

: ‘  V (we. of the two young cowboys who had come

there on the previous day, but of course he did
nonstop to enlighten him any.

,When Billy reached the Singerland home, he
knocked at the lower door as on the other occa-
8100. and was admitted.

He had now taken the extra precaution to
blacken his hands, and as he had a woolly wig
[he was not «from but that he would escape de-
tection for a little while anyhow.

He found the colored domesticquite an agree-
able personage, and fell into conversation with
herimmediately. _ -

It was a big “lief to his mind when he found
that the chamber duties for that day had all

 been performed,and that there was mm, for
‘ . I 111th do

He asked all the questions he dared, of the.,col_
8‘  deal abOut the
family. But he learned nothing so the discredit

‘ of any one of the household.

_ \
,«One little lees of information that was given

' - father upset is calculations, and told him out

" 303mm there must of necessity be brief.
An that was, that he would have to share the

,~  Of the other domestic.

’“sweet pertatersi” be exclaimed in thought,
to the veto to my staying long in this
“mp- _ at it rather more than I bargained for.

 

Broadway Billy at Santa. Fe.

Too much of a good thing gets to be tiresome.
No. I reckon I’ll have to decline with thanks.”

Billy did not make very free about the‘house,
but took things rather easy, only keeping his
eyes and ears open. ,

The afternoon was waning when there came a
ring at the bell. '

It was part of Billy’s duties to answer the bell
and he went to the door.

The caller proved to be Kenward Whiteheath,
and he asked for Walter Singerlun'l.

The young man was in, and so Billy informed.

“ Very well, I’ll run right up
then,” \Uliiteheeth said, and with no further
ceremony he started. ‘

Billy closed the door, and he, too, went up-
stairs. .

If there was any chance for doing so, he want-
edto hear what passed between these two young
men.

In the room next to Walter’s was a pipe-hole
that connected the two rooms. as Billy had al-
ready observed, and he thought that would an-
swer his purpose.

And so it proved. “'hen he applied his car
he could hear all that was said in the next room.

“ Yes, I have heard of the suspicion,” Walter
was saying, “and it pains me greatly. I can
assure you that fatheris as innocent of such a
crime as I am. Both of us are blameless in the
matter.”

“ But this detective, it seems, claims to have
proven that your father has been passing some
of the stolen money. Mind you, Ido not believe
the suspicion, but something must be done to set
the detective right before he goes any further.”

“ Yes, I know it, but I don’t know what is to
be done. And then there is Mr. Moreway. I
cannot see why he should be so determined to
force attention upon us. I am sure he has no
real reason for so doing. I swear to you, Ken-
ward, that father and I are innocent in the mat-
ter.”

“ f course you are. I have no thought other-
wise.”

Just then came a ring at the bell again, and
Billy had to dodge down to the door.

This time it was the detective, Downsley.-

He wanted to see Mr. Singerland.

 

CHAPTER XIII.
BILLY carcass ON NOW.

BILLY ushered him into the parlor with all
ceremony. . '

Mr. Singerland was up-stairs in his wife‘s pri-
vate sitting—room. ,

Going up there. Billy announced the caller”
and when the banker had gone to the parlor
Billy had business in the room adjoining it in the
rear.

Folding doors separated these rooms, and they
happened to be open a very little, just enough to
accommodate the young detective’s eye and ear.
And he made use of the advantage.

“Yes, I have heard that you have found a
clew, sii-,”.Mr. Singerland was saying, the first
words Billy caught, “ and it strikes me that you
have not been Very discreet about the mutter.
You seem to have told about it freely enough.”

“ Perhaps I have spoken out when I should
not have done so. sir,’ the detective responded,
“ but that is done and can’t be undone
now. What I desire, sir, is to drop the case
right where I am. I
the pay that is due me, I will go away immedi-
ately‘.’
“ his is rather sudden. is it not? What is
You reason for this move?”

“I was taking it for granted that you have
hfal'gi the import of the clews I am in possession
o , sir. ( ,

‘f And so I have. It seems that your suspicion
pomts to me as the thief.”

“ Such is the fact. For that reason I want to
MOP right out of the matter. You have been a
good employer, and I cannot go ahead and fol.
low up the claws that all point so strongly in
your direction.” ’

“ You are ve considerate. anyhow,” Singer-
land observed. ‘ And if I will pay you off, will
you go away and take these claws with you?”

“ Eu i” thought Broadway Billv, “ there is
milk in this cocoaniit, sure. If Singerland
comes to any such terms as theso, he’s the oyster
I’m raking for, and I’ll. bet on it. If he don’t,
then I’ll join forces with him for keeps, that’s

ll.”
i? This passed through his mind in a second, for
there was no break in the conversation.

. " Yes,” answered the detective, “I will» drop
right out and go away, and these claws will dis-
appear with me. You will not be troubled on

to his room, I

If you will kindly advance .

 

 

 

account of them, because no one else will ever
be able to find them.”

“ Well, that will be a big thing, certainly.
What are these clews of which you speak? How
came you to turn your attention to me?”

“ To tell the truth, sir,” was the cool reply. “ I
thought of you or your son at the very first,
owmg to the fact that the safe was found open
and uninjured. And then the great eagerness
with which both of you urged me to the work of
finding the robber made me suspect you the
more. And I was not alone in my suspicions,
either, for others have expressed the opinion
that you knOW more about. it than any one else.”

“ But the claws,” asked Mr. Singerland, with
impatience.

‘ Well, sir, some of the stolen money has been
spent by you since the robbery, and I have
gathered it up after you.”

“ You are an infernal liar and scmnp!” cried
the bank president, hotly. “ I defy you to
prove it.” '

The detective smiled.

Billy’s suspicion was against the banker,
strongly.

“ Well, look at these, then,” the detective
quietly said. taking some bills from his vest
pocket. “ One of these you spent at Dun’s yes-
terday, and the other at Howard’s this morn-
mg.

Mr. Singerland took' the bills and looked at
them closely, and as he did so his face poled.

“ It is impossible,” he muttered. “ There
must be some mistake.”

“ There is no mistake,” the detective insisted.

“But how could these bills come into my hands
after the robbery ll”

‘f You still insist that you are innocent, do
you ?” observed the detective.

“ Of course I do,” was the prompt reply.

“ Dare you show me what money you have in
your pockets this minute, sir?”

“ Confound your impudence,” was the cr ,
and the banker started up as though he won d
pitch the detective out of doors. “But, I must
keep cool,” he immediately added. “ Of course
I dare show you my money, and will. Here,
look at it as much as you like."

With that he tassed his pocketbod: into the
detective’s lap.

Downsley opened it, took out the money and
examined the bills one by one.

He proceeded carefully, and when he had done
he had selected six bills from among the others,
and he handed them to the banker.

“ Cast your eyes over these,” he invited.
“ You will find that they belong to a series you
claim was among the stolen funds.”

Billy watched his face narrowly, and noticed
that it paled “still more, and that there was a
nervous twitching about the mouth.

“ I must admit that these bills were with the
stolen funds,” be slowly spoke, when he had ex-
amined them all. But I do not know how they
came to be“ in my possession. There is some
trickery back of all this, Downsley.”

“I haven‘t anything to say about that, sir,”
responded the detective, “ but I have the proof I
have shown you. Now, sir, if you will pay me
what is due me, and let me dr0p quietly out. I
will go away and you will have no trouble in the
matter further. I don’t want to arrest you.”

For some moments the banker sat quiet and
thoughtful.

Broadway Billy awaited his decision eagerly.

And it was soon forthcoming. ‘
he}; he rese, drew himself up with dignity, and
8m :

“ Mr. Downsley, I am innocent of the charge
you make, and I will not allow you to go away
my the manner you 311855981:- f you consider
your proofs sufficient, arrest me. Otherwise
take yourself out of my presence in as shorts
time as possible."

There was no room for further argument

after that. It must be one thing or the other,

and that at once.

And it was a decision that highly gratified I

Broad way Billy.

“Bully for you i” he thought. “ Now I’m for
you, Mr. Singerland, and here’s my hand on it,
though I reckon I’d better not show it just yet.
Take your salts like a man, Downsley, old boy,
and put or shut up.” . '

“I w' not arrest you now,” returned the de-
tective, he also making a show of dignity.
you want to see me, send for me.”

W ithlthat, and a how, he was gone.

The banker paced the floor, talking to himself.

“ Would that I could lay hands on the
thief,” he, muttered. “ Would that I could
know the right one, and lift this load from m
mind. This is terrible, to be under thissusrl

Tiiking his pocketbook from the detective’s‘
1

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.cion, and knowing that I am as innocent as a
child unborn. And it is worse to have the fin-
ger of suspicion pointing at my son.”

At that moment Walter and his friend came
into the room. '

“ Who has been here, father?” the young man
asked.

“ It was Downsley. the detective.”

“ And has he told you—”

“ Of the suspicion against me? Yes, he has,
and of the claws he claims to have discovered.”

“ I had heard of it before, father, but I could
not tell you. I hoped it was some mistake that
would come to nothing.”

“And a mistake it is, son, but one that I am
at loss to explain.”

“ But the marked bills, what of them, father ?”

“ It is true that they “met have passed through
my hands, but I swam that I do not know how
they came into my possession.”

“ Then you are innocent, father— Forgive
me for such a question, but—”

“’Wnlter, my son. I am innocent.
assure me the same?”

“ I swear it, father.”

“ It is enough.”

The father and son clasped hands, and tears
were in their eyes.

“ That settles it,” thought Broadway Billy.
“ Skinny was right, and hereafter I will take
off my hat to his jud meat, thin as he is. Now
my business here is one, and I guess I’d better
go and resign. But I’ll hold on alittle, yet, and
see if I can’t play for further points here.”

Mrs. Singerland and her daughter came into
the room while the others were talking, and
Billy heard more than enough to convince him
that the Singerlands were entirely innocent of
any part in the great robbery.

Billy stood ready to hasten from the rear room
at the first sound of alarm, or to respond to the
,bell should it ring, but for a long time he was
not obliged to leave his post of vantage.

Finally all left the room save Kenward White-
heath and Rosamond Singerland.

As soon as they were alone they embraced
fonds]? ,

“ um-yuml” exclaimed Billy, to himself.
“ The mat be engaged, I shouldsay. Reckon
it is a out time for me to retire, too.” »

He was about to draw away from the doors
when something that was said caused him to stay.

“ I have something of importance to tell you,
Kenward," spoke the young lady, “ and it is
something that I thought best to mention to you
before i told father about it. Father is so wor-
ried and nervous already, you know.”

“ What is it, dear?” the young man asked.

“ I believe it may lead to a clew to these rob-
hers."

. “ Hal is that so? Well, tell me about it at
once.”

“ You know Job Muller, who was employed in
the bank?”

“ Yes, to be sure.” . i

“ He has sent me another pressing offer of
marriage. He is not aware that we are on-
gaged, you know.”

" T :o scoundrell He is not worthy to look at

Can you

' you."

“ ll 1 not worry, I shall not accept the offer,”
smiling. “ But with the offer is a hint that per-
haps he can be of service to me in more ways
than I imagine, just at this time, provided I,Will
have him.”

' “ What can he mean?”

“ I do not know, unless it is something about
this robbery.” -

“ It may be that it is. But tell me all that he
says. I must look into the matter."

“That is about all, except that he wants an
answer immediately, and wants me to marry
him this night, secretly, if at all.”

At this the young man laughed.

“ Well, that is rich, I must own,” he exclaim-
ed. “ But we will attend to his case, and see
What there is in if.”

‘f‘ And shall I tell father?” asked the lady.

“ No, I would not, yet. He might act too
hastily in the state of mind he is in at present. I
will t alsmart detective upon it at once.”

This'was something that Broadway Billv did
not want done. This was just the role he
wanted to play himself. With a tap at the door

. i v to announce his coming, he drew the door apart
' r and entered the room.

“ I reckon I is de pussnn yo’ wants to see at

‘  about dis stage ob_de proceedin’s,” he observed

with a grin.

 

CHAPTER XIV.
BAITING was: paws

' Musfimolamn and her lover looked at

Billy returned their stare with a broad grin
upon his blackened face.

“ What do you mean, Miss Impudem-e?” de-
manded the young lady, Severely. “No one
called you here.”

“Golly! nobody had any need ter call me,”
responded Billy; “ kein in widont callin’. Fact
is, want to talk with you in private.”

This last sentence was spoken in Billy’s natural
tone and manner, and the two persons could
only stare at him in greater astonishment than
ever. They knew not what to make of it.

“ I am not exact! what I seem to be,” Billy
rattled on, “ and lyam ready and more than
willing to help you to clear up this bank robbery
mystery, and clear Mr. Singerlnnd of the sus—
picion that is against him. So, as I said, I
think, I am just the person you ,want to see
now.’

“ Who the dickens are youi”demanded VVhite-
heath.

“ My rightful name is Billy \Veston,” was the
straight answer.

“ Then what are you doing here in such a rig
as this!” asked Miss Singerlund.

“ Thereby hangs a tail,” responded Billy.
“I’ll reel of)? the whole chapter to you, if you
will lend me your attention for a minute, and
then you’ll understand all about me and why I
am here.”

“ Let us have your story, by all means,” said
VVhitehenth.

“ All right, but if anybody comes in while I’m
tellin’ it I’ll cork right up, for I don‘t want any
one in it but you and Miss Singerland.”

“Very well, but perhaps no one will interrupt.
And I warn you that your story will have to be
remarkably clever, if you want as r’ to take any
stock in it; eh,rRosamond?”

“Indeed, yes. It will have to be a. remark-
able story, I should say, if it is to give us any
confidence in him, after the manner in which he
has gained entrance into our house.”

“I’ll risk all that,” exclaimed Billy, and he
proceeded with his story forthw1th.

It is needless to en y that he had attentive
listeners.

And fortunately no one entered the room to
interrupt him in the recital.

" Can it be possible?” exclaimed Rosamond,
when the end was reached.

“It is quite remarkable,” commented White-
heath, “ but it is evidently true.”

“ It is just as true as the sun, moon and stars,”
Billy averred, earnestly. “ l have given you the
facts as straight as a string. And now, as I
said, I want the satisfaction of rounding up
these p’izen rascals and bringing them to the
end of their rope with a snap. And I can do it
'too, if you’ll let me go ahead now in the we I
have roposed.” '

“ ou might get caught again, though,” ob-
jected the lady.

“I’ll try to look out for that. You just fix
up a note for this fellow Muller, and let me
take it to him. I am in 'ust the right disguise
for work of that kind. e’ll never suspect me.”

“Shall we do it, Kenward?" the young lady
asked her lover. '

“ Yes, I approve’of the plan,” was the hu-

swer.
“Var well, 1 will do it.”
“Bul y fer you!” cried Billy. “Now if we

don’t bring this thing to a focus before very long
I miss my guess, that’s all.”

“ But what am I to say to the villain?” Rosa-
mond asked. r

“ That’s jest one of the fine points Of the play,”
declared Billy. “ You must parley with him,
as it were, and wind, up by saying that you can-
not brmg yourself to answer at once and by
note. Request him to meet you at some point
at about an hour after dark.”

“ But I would never agree to meet him,” the
lady exclaimed quickly.

“ You won’t be required to meet him,” ex—
plained Billy. “ You just let me know the
place, and I’ll attend to the meeting part of it,
you bet.” _

“ Hal I begin to catch your idea in full now,”
declared Mr. Whiteheath.

“ i mean to make a capture of the fellow,”
explained the young detective. “and scare him
into turning a ainst the rest of the rascals. If
I can do that will be able to bag them in short
arse)?” 00d ' l ood id

g l( as a K 9
you will tend min, Rosamolié,
man carry out his plan.”- I

“ But just hear me onto a little more.” inter-
pmed Billy, H I want this all kept perfectly
sun for the nt. It I can bring everythins

Prepare the note
and let the young

swoop of it as it were, and
they will remember.” . \
" And eSpecially the fellows who tried to kill
you. i suppose.”
”, You bet. lf‘I don’t make ’em sick I’ll apply
for a change of name, and that is all. I’ll— ’

give ’em a carpi-lib

opened.

It proved to be Mr. Singerland, and he came

ri lit in and toward the trio.

illy realized that his presence there must be
explained immediately, and in a very matter-
of-fact way, so he said:

“Yessum, I kin find de place. Did you say
git fo’ yards ob de’ goods, an’ a spool ob white
thread?"

' And this he said so naturally, just as thou h
in answer to a question the lady must have as -
ed, that it was a successful ruse.

As he said it, too, he moved to back out of the
room in the way he had come, as though he had
been on the point of going anyhow.

Whiteheatb “canth on” immediately, and
signaled to the lady, and she, too, taking the
cue, responded:

“ Yes, that is it, and now be off with you and
hurry back.” .

Billy was oil? at once, closing the doors after
him, and the next moment the door leadin
from the rear room to the hall was heard to
close. But Billy had not gone out. Instead, he
returned to listen again.

He heard nothing of interest, as Mr. Singer-
land had merely wanted to speak will? the
young man upon some matter of other business,
and he soon took his leave from the room
again.

“How was that for high?” asked Billy, once
more slipping back into the front parlor. “And
n0w I must scoot out of here, for I have been
absent from the lOWer regions too long already.
Please prepare the note, Miss Singerland, and as
soon as it is ready call me and let me beofl.’
with it.”

“ I. will write it immediately,” was the
promise. _

A few other remarks, and Billy left the room,
when the young lady prepared the decoy letter,
assisted by her lover.

Billy was talking away to the other colored
domestic, making himself agrleable to her,
when he was called to come up to the hall
above.

“Dere am Miss Rosamond wantin’ ob yo’,”
the colored girl quickly whispered. “ Yo’ better
go right up, quick, anmdy.” i

“ I’m off, like a cake off de griddle," returned
Billv, and he started immediately.

The young lady was awaiting him in the hall,

and hnd armed himself with his pal‘asol and fan,
he was ready to set out upon the errand.

The note he received was addressed to Mr,
Job Muller, and Billy was given very careful
directions where to find that worthy.

“Now for it,” Billy muttered, when he set
out. “ I am getting there now, \and it strikes
me that when I get the ring in the nose of this
chap, all the rest of the p’izen crew will. soon
be squealing. \Ve shall see." .

He looked around sharply for Skinnyoas he'
went along, and especially in the neigh

sicrht.

eBilly’s destination was a hotel of the third
ratekorder, not a great di tones from the closed
ban . ,

Arriving there, he entered in a make~believa

in quest of.

room of the house at the time, and thenote
carried into him.

Billy waited in the hall for the answer, and he
had not long to wait. In a few moments- the
door opened and‘Mnller came out.

It needed but a glance to Shaw that he was .
hi hly elated over something that toe note had
toil him, {01‘ he was flushed, smiling 811d eager.
" Did you bring this?” he asked. , ' _

“ Yes, sah, I am de pusson Whit done fotch, ,
it,” Billy assured. ‘ ’

sear:

Billy agreed to wait, and the_ man darted up-
stairs as though his heels bad Wings attached. , izi
“ Sweet pertatersf” the. lad exola‘imed to him-

self, “but he is eager after the bait. I’ll
him like a hpn r rat, the first he knows.” “ l '

 

around to to t me I , want to capture the whole

 

Billy "in amazement.

p’ n crew at- once. Want to makelone grand

Inaiittle w the man reappeared. with»-

But just then a step was heard, and adoor

and when he had put on his hat and gay shawl, r

rhood _ _
of the hotel, but the lean lieutenant was not in '

timid manner, and inquired for the man he was ;  ,-

As it happened, Job Muller was in the bar? 1,

z

I

     

\

‘ You are a good girl,” the man complimented. ~13
“ Are you one of Mrs, Singerhnd’s servants!" ‘ ‘
“ Yes. sah; I lib dab, gab,” was the‘ murance. 
“Well, wait just a few moments and I win, ~~
send a reply to this.” ' ‘ v,

sealed note in hand; and giving it. to “mpg: .

 

'4

i.

5"...

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.._-x‘ h' - fink;

 

 

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if 

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- It.

      
  

  
  

 

1,;

Broadway Billy at Santa Fe. ’

 

 

 

posed colored miss, he impressed the importance
‘0‘! not losing it, and sent her back.
’Billy set out in the direction of the Singerland

 residence, flirting desperately with a colored

‘barber whose shop he passed on the way, but he
did not go right home. ,

When he had gone far enough to deceive Mul-

“ler, were he watching, he chan ed his course,
' and in due time was at the but 0 Mother Bruja.

The old bag was at home, and was highly
pleased to see him. Skinny was not there.

“I suppose he's at the hotel, snoozin’,” Billy
sugvested.

‘ L.Yes, perhaps,” the old hair Supported. “I
hope no harm has come to him.”

“ Oh, I guess not,” Billy reassured. “ He’s so
very thin, you know, that. harm wouldn’t have
a very easy job to find him. But say, Mother
Bruja,” he quickly added, “ I want your help in
a little skeem l’ve got on hand.”

“ You shall have 1t.” was the ready promise.
“ Onl tell me in what way I can serve you,
and , will only too cheerfully do all I can for
you. ’

“ I was sure you would. I’m going for those
robbers, and if 1 can wm the first trick against
them I am pretty sure of all the est.”

He went ahead then and unfol ed his plan.

The old woman fell in with it at once, and
agreed to his proposal.

Having fixed that, Billy left a verbal message
for his partner, In case he came there, and took
his la" ve.

When he arrived at the Singerland home the
message he brought was eagerly opened by

, Rosamond, and was heartily enjoyed by her and
her lover.

A little time later came a summons at the area
door, and the applicant proved to be the lean
lieutenant. He wanted to see Billy, and his de-
sire was speedily gratified.

CHAPTER XV.
ONE RAT IN THE NEAT TRAP.

“ WHAT yo’ want, yo’ po’ lean little orphing?”
Billy sympathetically asked.

"I wants to see yo’,” Skinny made answer.
“ Kin I see yo’ fo’ erbout a minute, alone?”

“ Yes, I spec 3 yo’ kin,”agreed Billy. “ Come
right in, yo’ po' child yo’, an’ rest fo’ a minute
or two.”

Skinny entered, Billy closed the door, and the
thin partner was conducted to the spacious
kitchen, where he was introduced.

“ Dis am my po’ sickly brudder,” Billy made
known. “ He hab gone into decline ob con-
sun'i ion an’I don’ speck he am long fo’ dis
wor d. Bo’ kin see day ain’ much left ob him.”

Skinny was immediately the object of sym-

sapathy, and he could have choked his partner

' with a good will.

After a few minutes Billy asked him out into
the rear hall, and there inquired what he
wanted.

“ I am onto their haze now, Billy, sure,” he
declared in whisper. ‘

“ ’ you have got the dead roof a ainst
Walt ingerland, haven’t you?” as ed Bil y.

‘ “ Oh, tri to talk sense. You know he isn't
the one. ’ve got the proof that he is’ innocent,
If that suits you."’

, “ And it does, I’ll own. I have found out the

1 same thing. But, what is your tale of woe that

 

: you want me to hearken to? Reel it off.” '

Tykin -beeo

' 'rPflid a dollar for the privi

Bil] .
L.‘  . «£7911, the note was for the Half-breed

I , ; “ That last guess of yours was right.”
 ‘,‘ Sweet pertatersl” exclaimed Billy, “what

.‘3 w" my 1.33 guess? I am all the time trying to

M loniethin or other.” ,
 9 And sues}: you’re right. But I mean your
suspicion

ainst Henry Moreway. He is the
“he, p’izen lot.” ,

d (‘1‘ 0“ do? Igly sol ButI felt sufre of it. How
i 0“ 3° 3 it m and estive Oun
Pinksertoni” . ’ 5' gay y g

“ Why, I was in the bar-room this afternoon,
pitting there doing nothing, and he asked me it
, didn’t want 90 earn a uarter. I asked how,
and he said he wan a letter taken to a
man in another part Of thetown. You can be'
‘ ~lieve I was ready to en"! the quarter. I’d have
7 _ lose. if necessary."
, ’ “Ilshould smile if you -wouldn't,” agreed

Brown,
J“ the same saloml W ere "9 rhnd’ shadow on
,him and his pard last night. want there, and
I ,was a little afraid that he might. a. m,
n Jake. his Must. m with
Brown open the no“ “‘1 food it, and
. he had done he turned it over to Jake
‘Ildremarked that the b0“ "0 80‘!!! to'lottle
mar saris"...
. was , a y
Skinny paused there.

s a

 

 

heard!” asked 3..., _..

“ No, not quite all. Moreway is to meet them
at ten o’clock to—night, at that old adobe cabin
where they captured us, and there the settle—
ment is to be made, and the rascals are going to
get out of Santa Fe at once, in different direc-
tions. I thought I would come right and tell
you, for that will be our chance to gobble them,
if we expect to gather them in at all. What do
you think?”

“ Sweet pertaters! What do I think? I think
you’re a brick. Skinny, lean and hungry-looking
as you are. We‘ll be there, sure, and if there
isn’t a surprise party there at the hour named
then I give you leave to kick me, that’s all.
But, say, I have got a little trap to spring before
that one is ready.”

“ And what’s yours?”

“ I’m going to catch Job Muller.”

“ And who the dickens is Job Muller?”

The name had escaped Skinny, asthe man had
not been prominent.

Billy explained it all. and directed Skinny to
go to the old woman’s but and remain there till
he came.

A careful understanding was had, after which
Skinny took his leave, Billy going With him to
the door and cautioning him to be careful of his
health.

“ Yo’ knows yo’ is a po’ frail flower, honey,”
he remarked, “ an’ yo’ must be ’stremely keerful
ob yo’self. It yo' gits a cold yo’ is a goner,
shua, an’ dat I is tellin’ yo’, so be wery keerful,
child.”

Under the circumstances Skinny had no re-
dress, as he could not retort, but he made his
mind up to the effect that he would get even
with his partner on some other occasion.

Evening came on in due time.

At the hour set for the meeting between Miss
Singerland and Job Muller, Billy set out from
the Singerland residence to go to the place agreed
11

pm.

He was still in disguise as a colored girl, of
course, and no one had suspected that he was
anything other than what he seemed. He could
play the role to perfection.

When he reached the rendezvous he found Mr.
Muller already there, dressed in his best.

He was clean shaved, had a bouquet in his lapel,
had on a brand ‘new pair of kid gloves and
sported a cane.

And he was looking his prettiest, too, as he
kept watch for the appearance of his expected
idol, but when he caught sight of Billy a shade
of disap intment swe t over his face.

“ Wel , what word 0 you bring me?” he de-
manded. as soon as Billy came up. 4

“ I has a very ’tic’lar message fo’ you,” Billy
answered, importantly.

“ Well, what is it?” was the eager inquiry.
Egon: yo’ know where old Mother Bruja lib,
sa

“ Yes. of course I know; but what about her?”

“Well, sah,'de leddy done say she meet yo’

“ What is her reason for changing her mind,
and ’selecting such a place as that old hag’s
hutl’

“ She done say you might ask dat, sah, and I
was to tell you, sah, dat she think dat de bes’
place, ’cause no one be likely to come foolin’
round dere. ”

“And she sent you to tell me tocome right
there?”

“Bhua; an’ I.is ter go with yo’.”

_“ All right, then; come along, only kbep be-
hind me.”

“ ’Shamed oh my ’plexion, hey?” laughed Bill .,

“ Well, I don‘ keer; yo’ go on an’ I’ll roller yo .”

“ Is the lady there now, do on know?”

“I ’speck she am, ssh, but i not, yo’ is towait
dere fo’ her.” \

“ All right. She must have a ood reason for
chan ing the place of meeting I ave no doubt.”

W th that Mr. Muller set 0 in the direction
of the old ha ’s but, Billy following on behind at
a respectful istance.

In due time the adobe house of the old witch
was reached, and Muller stopped for, Billy to

,come up with him before he knocked at the door

for admission.

“ Is the old woman expecting us?" he whis-

pe‘red.
‘Yes she hab been told "B" and.
With ’that he, Billy, kno’ckes. Y new
The door was Opened by the old woman
at  til} In? I0!], is“  rooted. “ Come
insir”o uer. y not}.
biit no, doubt she will be, ml °r° I“.

Billy walked right in, and Muller followed.
, him, takings.
1m

seat in a chair the old woman
placedl'or onthesideopposltethedooraot
not near-the rear door. -

“I have seen you often, Mother Bruin,”

Muller remarked, when he had taken the seat. V

“and I have heard a good deal about you. "

They say you are an expert at fortune-telling."

“ Well, yes. it is so.” the ha ackn0wledged.

“ And would you mind te ling my fortune,
while I am waiting?"

"‘ Not at all. But what is it you would desire
to know in particular, sir?”

“ Well, I want you to tell me whether I shall
experience the happiness that I have nearest to
heart.”

At that moment there was a sound at the rear
door, and Skinny still in his disguise, entered
and stood just Within the door. ‘

Before the old woman had time to respond,
Billy took it upon himself to give the answer
for her.

“ I reckon I kin answer dat problem fo’ yo’,”
he remarked.

“ What do you you know about such things?”
Muller demand sharply.

“ I kn0w dis much,” returned Billy, at the
same time covering the fell0w with a revolver,
“ an’ (int am, if yo’ don’t put up yo’ han’s mighty
soon; down will come yo’ castle, an’ dat I’s tellin’

And with the words he squinted along the
barrel of the weapon in a way that caused
Muller to turn pale,

“ Wh—wh—what is the meaning of this!" he
cried.

“It means that you are my prisoner, that’s
what,” Billy answered in his natural voice.

Muller grew more pale than ever, and one hand
made a motion as though in search of a weapon.

“Hold on 1” Billy warned. “Up with your
hands, or I’ll be under the unpleasant necessity
of drilling a! hole in you that will fit you for a
pine box. I mean genuine business, so don’t
make any mistake.” '

Muller’s hands were now up, and he sat trem-
blin in his boots,

“ ut wh—what does it mean?” he asked.
‘,‘ Do you mean to rob me? Have I been led into
atra here?”

“ on have been led intoa trap, sure enough,”
Billy informed, “ but we have no idea of rob-
bing you. You must lacka button tothink
Miss Singerland would meet a sick pill like you
by alppointment, like this.”

“ us what do you mean? What do you
want? Who are you, and why have you
brought me here?”

vo‘no- ‘

These questions were rattled off quickly _

enough.

“ It means that you are a prisoner, to answer
for our part in that bank robbe ,” said Billy.
“ ho I am don’t matter. You’ find that out,
if on live long enough.”

uller was now completely broken and ter-
rorized.

"‘Heavensl” he gasped “you can’t mean it.
I know nothing about that robbery, on my
honor I don’t.” ‘ ,

“Your honor be hanged,” cried Billy. “You
haven’t got any of the article. You are in a
bad box now, and there isn’t but one way out of
it for you” .

At a motion from Billy, Skinny had stepped
forward and clapped a pistol to the head or the
tremblin coward, and as Billy spoke heclapped
handcu s on his wrists in short order.

Muller uttered a groan.

“ You must let me 0!” he gasped. " I’ll give
you five hundred dolfiirs if you will let me 88-
cape. I’ll give you all—” ‘
' ‘Nouse,” Bi ly broke in. “You are in for
it, and there’s only one door open for you, and
that isn’t open very wide, either. You are in a
tight box.”

“What is it you meani” the unhappy wretch
ea erly inquired. ' '

‘You must tell all you know about the at, . 

fair, and give the name of every one who took
part in it.” .

“ I’ll do it.” was the Instant agreement. “ I’ll
do anything, if you will only let me get off.
tell you the whole thing, from first to last.”

CHAPTER XVI.

* mume rnn nnaonr. _

1311‘ that moment the door opened,and into the
small room stepped Walter Singer-land and Ken.
ward Whiteheath. .

The firinnsr looked at than in helpless fear,

lwhile roadway Billy regarded them in some.

 

what of. surprise. He had not looked for them , .

“Pm: ‘ ,,
“ X2“ here, he lpoke-

you 308." answered Walt, smiling.

fig; thought you might need help,”added, " ‘

oath .‘

 

“And thdtfiht "would be on hand in out
you did," ter supplemented. ,

 

  
    
  
 
 
   
   
  
    
    
   
    
  
  
  
   
   
    
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  
    
   
  
  
  
  
   
   
  
     
   
 
   
   
  
   
   
   
  
   
    
  
   
   
   
          
       
        
            

  

    
 

 

   
    

   

    
       
     
     
  
  

 
 

 
    
  
 
  
    

  
    

 
 

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mu 7&2

._..,, a...‘ ‘
V

 I“ Eli—3' 

    
    
  
    
  
   
  
 
   
 
 
  
    
    
 
  
  
   
  
  
   
   
  
    
    

“* , I “ Well, you see I didn’t.” observed Billy.
' ' - " So we see,” returned Whiteheath.
seem to be no novice at this sort of business.

W , You did the job neatly.”

 “ For Heaven’s sake let me go,” pleaded Mul-

“ ler. “ I will tell you all I can” and then let me

get out of this part of the country as fast as

steam can take me.”

r , , “ We will let' you tell your story first,” Broad-

if 9 .j way Billy told him, “ and we’ll talk about other

" ‘ things after that. Go right ahead, now, and

F these gentlemen will be Witnesses to what you
have to say.”

. ,, “ But you will promise to let me go, will

.' 3' you not?” the rascal whined.

P “ We’ll promise nothing,” snapped Billy.
“ We’ll see what sort of story you get off first,

and then we’ll talk about that.”

“Yes, you infernal scampi” cried young Sin-
gerland, “ tell us what you know about this
robbery, and that with as little loss of time as
you can at about it.”

i “ Oh! r. Singerlandl you will let me go,
won’t you ?” whined the fellow. “ You won’t be
hard on me, will—”

“ Shut up!” ordered Whiteheath, sharply.
“ Tell us all you can. and after that we’ll attend
to your case. ’

Muller was a thoroughly cowed man.

The handcuffs on his wrists seemed to chill
him all over.

He broke down, begging and crying, but was
finally driven to a confession.

To set his confession forth just as he recited
it, would be to draw out this chapter beyond
limitS.

It was a clever scheme, and one that ought to
have been successful, if careful planning counted
for aught in the matter.

Henry Moreway, according to the confession,
was at the head of the robbery. It was he who

lanned it, with the assistance of Detective

"" ‘ ownsley, Muller, and Half-breed Brown and
 Cross-grain Jake.

 Moreway and Downsley had made their ap-

fiyarance at Santa Fe at about the same time.
oreway had made a deposit of ten thousand

. dollars in the bank. Afterward he had recom-

mended Downsley to Mr. Singerland for the post
of bank detective. This post the rascal got, and
after that he proceeded to sound the employees
of the bank. ‘

Finally he selected Muller as his man, and

, proposed to him the scheme, at the same time

threatening his life if he dared to divulge the

’ secret. Muller was thus ina manner forced into

the plot, accordin 0 his own story, though he
'had no heart in it. And it was he who left the
safe open on the night of the robbery. He had
made a duplicate key.

He, Muller, was in love with Rosamond Sin-
gerland. After the robbery, and when suspi-
cion was being turned upon Mr. Singeriand, it
entered his head that if he could obtain an in-
terview with Rosamond, he could oblige her to
marry him in order to clear her father’s good
name of the suspicion. And once she was his
wife, then he felt that the family would save
him from any disgrace in the affair. and he
could expose the others without fear. Such was
the shallow plan he had in mind

, Moreway was handling the niatter with skill,
and probably wouirl havo made a success of it had
it not been for the interposition of Broadway

, Billy and his lean lieutenant. It was Moreway

, ,rr . who had, managed toget some of the stolen money

into Mr. Singerland’s possession. and who, with

the help of the detective, was pushing the case
against him with all the power at his command.

And belt was, too, who had planned the death

of Bill and Skinny as soon as Billy had made
himsel known to him. All the minor points the

reader can readily supply.

“ And you expect us. to let you go free, after
that, do you i” demanded Walter Singerland.

It was all he could do to keep from choking
the rascal then and'there.

“ You see I was forced into it,” the crin ing
wretch whined. “ I could not help mysel . I
was forced—”

.“ Bah!” mocked Broadway Billy.

“ That sort of story won’t help your case any,”

put in Whiteheath.

’ “ But you promised on would have mercy on
’ me if I would tell all could about it, and—”

- ‘ Said nothing of the sort,” interrupted Billy.
.“ We will give you the chance to be a witness
against the others, and that’s all we will do for
you. If you get off easy for that, it will be
more than you deserve.”

This stand was taken by the others, and in a

, little while the party set out from the hut, tak-

infietggrprisoner with tliem. .
' going, however, Billy and Skinny had

/

 

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laid ofi‘ their disguise, and appeared in their
proper persons.

The prisoner was taken by a circuitous route
to the lock-up, where he was put in a cell and
under good guard, and then the youthful detec-
tives, with help sufficient, started out to capture
the rest of the evil set.

When they arrived at the old adobe but, the
platfe of meeting, they were about half an hour
ear y.

This was all the better, and just what they had
calculated on.

Taking u their stations in convenient places,
they wai patiently for the coming of their

pre .

Tim of the party were armed with dark-lan-
terns, and the others had their revolvers in hand,
ready for instant use. ,

Finally steps were heard, and four men came
down the road from the direction of the city
airlid entered the old hut, closing the door after
t em.

Soon after a very dim light'was seen within,
and the watchers, looking in upon the fellows,
recognized them as Henry Moreway, Detective
gogmsley, Half-breed Brown and Cross-grain

a e. ' '

“ Where can that man Muller be?” Moreway
was heard to question.

“ Impossible to tell,” answered Downsley.

“ He was notified to be here, was he not?”

,“ Yes, of course.”

“ Well, we’ll wait a little while, and if he does
not sh0w up he will get left, that is all.”

“ And sarve him right, too,” spoke up Half-
breed Brown.

“ An’ we’ll have all the more to ourselves,”
mentioned Cross-grain.

The watchers made no move yet.

There was yet one point they desired to learn,
if possible. 

And that point was, where the stolen money
had.l been hid away pending the dividing of
SpOl s.

The wait was not a very long one, on the part
of the robbers. They were not safe there, as
they knew and acknowledged to each other.

“ Well, we’ll wait no longer,” Moreway finally
decided. “If that fellow is not here it is no
fault of ours. I’ll give you your‘portions of the
money, and we’ll get away from here as speedi-
ly as possible.”

With that he stoo ed and took up a loose
portion of the floor 0 the hut.

And there lay the stolen funds of tlie‘bank, a
sight that made Walter Singerland’s heart leap.

Now Broadway Billy gave the signal, the
dome were thrown open, front and rear, both
at the same moment, and the watchers sprung in.

“ Up with your bands!” was the cry from all.

fIt wasa surprise such as had not been dreamed
o .

At first no one offered to move or speak, and
the next moment they were powerless to do so.

Billy and the others, and there were about
seven of the party, threw themselves upon the
Emails, and they were speedily disarnied and

“IN .

One thing that had served to unnerve the fel~
lows, was the sight of Broadway Billy and Skin-
ny, alive and in the flesh. That sight had ren-
dered them utterly incapable of movm

It had proved a far easier victory
one had expected;

But it was natural, under all the circum~
stances. The attack had been so sudden and so
surprising.

“ Sweet pertatersi” cried Broadway Billy,
now iving vent to his teenage, “ but this is
like 0 d times. How do you like it, my gentle
cherubs? S’pose you are glad to see me and my
partner alive and kicking, ain’t ye?”

“ it’s all up,” muttered Moreway. leaning
back helplessly against the wall. " I give in,
but there is one thing I want to ask. and that is
how you boys got out of that death-trap you
were put into.”

Billy laughed.

“ Don’t let a little trifle like that worry on,”
he said. J‘Let it be enough for you to knew
that we came out alive and well, and right side
up with c re.
Billy and ‘s slender ard, 01‘ you would never
have tried okill us. ut "0 have turned the
tables on you, old hose, and here you are.”

Two more amazod men_were never seen than
Half-breed and Cross- mm.

It was some time fore they could do any-
thing other than stare at the two victims of their
evil plot.

In the mean time Walter Singerland and Ken-
ward Whitehead: had gathered, up the stolen
treasure, making it into a bundle, and soon all
were ready to set out.

ghan any

may Billy at on... Fe.

You do not know Broadway!

 

Space forbids, or much of the interestinfijofiq,
versation of the hour might be set forth. ter-
on, the iiour fellovlrs were in the lock-up, company
for the one already there, and Billy and Skinny

were being entertained like princes at the Singer- .

land residence.

“ The idea,” Mrs. Singerland exclaimed more
than once, “that my new servant should turn
out to be a detective in disguise.”

Next day the city rung with the news, and
Billy and Skinny were looked upon as beings a

little more than human. Their names were upon ~

every tongue.

They appeared at ihe hearing of the prisoners
that forenoon, and Billy’s recital of his part in
their arrest was greeted with cheer upon cheer.
It was the biggest sensation of the year.

The proof was conclusive, there was no chance
for the rascals to get out of the net, and they
were sent back to jail to await trial. The pros-

t before them was not by any means a cheer-
mg one. And they vowed hatred undying
against the brave lads who had been the main
cause of their coming to grief.

The bank reopened that same day, and Billy
was promth (paid the reward that had been
promised. _n not only that, but a sum be-
sides, which Just doubled the amount. And he,
in return, de sxted half of it in the bank to
the credit of other Brnja, the old woman who
had saved the lives of himself and Skinny. At
first the old woman would not accept it, but was
finally prevailed upon to do so, and her gratitude
was rest. . .

“ hat’s the kind of pippins me and Skinny
are,” declared Bill at. the hotel, where he was
treated like a roya prmCe,’ and required to tell
about the affair over and over again; “ and
when we take hold of a case somethin' generally
happens. We make mistakes once in a while,
and sometimes get into trouble, but when the
bag is shook for the last time we generally come
out on top of the heap. I am not much past be-
ing a boy yet, and Skinny is only ii shadow, but
when there is a tussle between right and wrong,
and we get a chance to chip in, you can bet that
we take sides with truth every time. And now,
Skinny, my guy and festive little shrimp,” Billy
“said finally, “as we have time for a breathing-
spell, let’s go out and take a walk about the
town. We have not had a fair look at it yet.”
And so we take leave of them for the present, to
take them up again, perhaps, for another adven-
ture in that sleepy old town of Santa Fe.

THE END.

 

Beadle’s  library.

BY NBD BUNTLINE.
14 Thayondanegea, the Scourge;or,.The War-Eagle.
16 The White Wizard; or. The Seminole Prophet.
18 The Sea Bandit; or, The Queen of the-Isle.
$3 The Red Warrior; or, The,Comanche Lover.
61 Captain Seawaif, the Privateer.
111 The Smuggler Captaiiizbr, The Skipper’s Crime.
122 Saul Sabberday, the Idiot Sp . .
270 Andros, the Rover' or. The irate’s Daughter.
361 Tombstone Dick, the Train Pilot.
517 Buffalo Bill‘s First Trail. .
584 Fire Feather. the Buccaneer Kin .
621 The Red Privateer; or, The MidsfiipmanRover.

BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID.

8 The Headless Horseman.

12 The Death-Shot: or, Tracked to Death.

55 The Scalp Hunters. A Romance of the Plains.

66 The Specter Barque. A Tale of the Pacific.

74 The Ca tain of the Rifles' 0r. The Lake Queen.l
200 The R e Ran ere; or. A ventures in Mexico.
208 The White Ch of. A Romance of Mexico.

‘213 The War Trail: or. The Hunt of the Wild Horse.
21s The Wild Huntrm: or. The Squatter.

~ 228 The Maroon. A Tale of Voodoo and Obeah.

234 The Hunter's Feast.

mi The White Squaw. a , _

BY EDWARD WILLET’I‘.

129 Mississippi M080: or, a Strong Man '3 Sacrifice.
209 Buck Farley, the Bonanza Prince.

222 Bill the Blizzard; or. Red Jack‘s Crime.

248 Montana Nat, the Lion of Last Chance Camp, ,
274 Flush Fred. the Mississippi Sport.

289 Flush Fred's Full Hand.

298 L'Vg‘fl’e!‘ Lem; or. Life in the Pine Woods.

808 Hemlock Hank, Tough and True-

315 Flush Fred’s Double: or, The Squatters’ League,
8‘37 TNT!!le Dick. the Wildwood Detective.

337 Old Gabe, the Mountain Tramp-

318 Ban Dillon, King of Crosscut.

868 'l he Canyon King; or. a Price on his Head.

483 Flush Fred. the River Sharp.

A new tune every Wednesday.

Beadle’a Dime library is for sat. by .n
Newsdealers. ten cents per copy or sent by "In-
recei t of twelve cents each. BEADLE & mm
Pub shers, 98 William street, New York, -

 
   

 

 

 

' Si

 

         
 

 

    
     
    
      
        
    
     
         
        
         
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
      

  
      
  

. I.
5
R:

n.

.5

Jun...

1.4.3.4....

 

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" Published Ev

i_

tot

he

,HL.

V ‘A ‘ ‘ t ense'yixv 
92/" l . ‘ w.

’, ’.,n ' e!‘  vi:  ‘
’ o {2‘ am» .3: .l‘vr V ’

 

 ” BEAD'LE’sakHALF-D1ME.LIBRARY. 

erg Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents.

x

No Double Numboro.

 

BY .OLL COOMES.

3 Vagabond Joe, tho Young Wondoring Jow.
IS The Dumb Spy.
'7 Antelo e Abe, the Boy Guldo. ‘
81 Keen- nii'e. the Prince of tho i’roinos.
‘1 Lasso Jack, the Young Muntnngor.
58 The Border King‘s or, The Secret Foe.
71 Delaware Dick, t a Young Ranger Spy.
74 Hawk-e 'e llarr the Young Trapper Bong".
88 Rollo, t 0 Do I anger.
B4 Sure shot Set , th. Boy Rlflomon.
148 Scar-Face Saul. the Silent Hunter,
146 Silver Star, the “my Knight.
1“ Eagle Kit, the Iloy Demon.
163 Little Texan, tho Young Muttongu,
178 old Solitary, the Hernut Trapper.
183 Little ilurrieane. the B0; Coptoin.
'00 Pros eet Pete; or, The oung Uutlow Hunton.
'08 The oy lierculeot or, The Prairie Trompo.
.18 Tiger Tom, the exos Terror.
"4 Noah Dick; or. Trapper Tom’o (Tune,
SSS Little lldilre, the Ynung Prairie Nomad.
'l‘he Parson De tective: or. The Little Ranger.
.48 The Dioguloed Guide: or, Wild Rovon, tho Rongor.
loo 19.".DQV11 Dan, tho Young Prolrlo Bangor.
.7. Mink-kin Mike; the Boy Shorpohootor.
:90 Little Foxlre, the Boy Spy.
3: The Sk Demon ; or, Rulnbnlt, tho Rongor.
8 Whip- ing Joe. the Boy Ranchoro. .
‘09 Iiereuled or, Dick, the Boy Rongor.
41‘! Wehi’oot one tho Trump Detoctivo.
Bab Sam, the oy Glont of tho Yollowstolo.
‘44 Litt o Buck-kin, the Young Pralrlo Contour.
45? Wingedfoot Fred; or, 01d Polor Soul.
468 'i‘alnarac ’i‘om, tho Bl Tra por Boy.
478 Old To- Rattler, the d Ivor Epldomio.
‘88 Stonewall Bob, the lloy Trajan.
‘62 Blundering Basil, the Hermit Boy Tnppor.
53 Don Barr, the Plain" Freeionco. .
061 old Kit llnndy’o Deliverance.
.70 Norway Nels, the Big Boy Mountaineer.
‘80 Danntloss Dan, the Freelanco. or, Old Kit Bandy 1. ma...

 

BY BUCKSKIN SAM (Maior Sara. S. Hall.)

.84 Old Roeky‘ "Bo ooot 0'. B"iii-0. "10 HonoBrookor
.46 Giant Georg ; or, The ADK’NY “'0 RID”-
ITE Arizona Jack: or Gm“ 90°?!“ Pu“-
IO'! The Tarantula o Tami 01’. GM} Gum’l Rovongo.
:1" The StrangeKI’afll or. iotrtlgrhqlp Deon; 
' - er-w oo Aron u _
82g '63:.".“.‘.’.°‘é‘.t. the Guido for. The Rod Janwfi: mm.
on: nto'i'redz onTh' “mi-"Y" Tm"-
 lam ¥:°.:,.‘:'t$‘.i::'.'::“l;"l'
y or - O o In .
3:1  R.:eh;|§.'lgero or. Tho Siege of FortI Purgatory.
4 5.. 3h as oy anger
.75 ch75” “:3 Greek; or Tho Three Thunderbolto.
.31 “.nder. Bill: or. Frio l‘ronh to the Front.
.9. Romeo and the Bed” or, Tho Boloognorod Rsnoh.
‘04 Little Lariatt 0" Pee-n Poto’o Big Rompogo.
fl ' l” 111:" '1'"II ilnnveh on Rock Rampage.
e rs ero or
a; all: null or. Tho Lyiu o'r tho Loons’. M u"
455 Little Lone Star: or. Tho Bollo of tho Clhoio.
on Cache Carl, the Chico Glont.
BY EDWARD WILLETT.
‘07 Ag. Scott, the Stromboli. Boy.
Featherweight the Boy Chompion of tho Mnohingnm.
.88 01-? ( Alf ur, Feothorwelght Among the Outlnws.
.8. The Typo Detective; or, Wooool, the Boy Trump
5 Fe -eoo Phil; or. Tho King of Qnortzvlllo. '
.tt it:i§ti‘:h5l’:.§lt.°{'$‘ii'i2: “Came-'3“ m»
n on s u .
“0 Clip the Contortioniott’or. Tho ontononlfigilhntoo.

BY PHILIP S. WARNE.

‘07 Patent-Leather Joe; or, Old Rottloonoho, tho Chorlnoo.
Arizona: or, Potent-Leothor Joe'o Big Gomo.

198 Captain Mask; or Putent-Loothor Joo’o Deiont.
I19 Denpard. the Duelist; or, The Mountoin Vompiroo.
833 A To h Boy: or, Tho Dwori’o Rovongo.
868 Little ornodo: or. The Outcooto of tho Glen.
8T8 Little Jingo; or. tho Queer Ford.
388 Little Oh-Iny or, Conght in Hlo Own Trait.
hoe; ly or, AhRaco {mas-fellow,

‘ roec eo 01'. “I '0“
481 Little Ah Sin; or, The Cure: of Blood.

 

 

 

is: gonna}: Kato. A Tole of tho dimo-
511' ll.- Giadd ’

a; 32:: “Agata. .3; Round.
uo Lari 't w.’.’.,°1"l.. 0°“ "Em"

tho N -N . M
Billy Binge? or,1?ho 3:13.“ Log“,
out Oklahoma 1 1, n. Blue-Cost Scout. '

48 Happy iiarry’o Big Find ‘

, C .
“ '1;  Cheeky Charley. tho Spoelol.

nY‘Jo rumors.

.07 oh o’ the Bowery: or. Tho Prinoo or 5.",
‘1‘ Vogobo-d Detectivet or. “mghilm
“'0 Tito Ir Bob. the Staeot-Boy Dewitt".
o t h owtor..u oo .
‘7. lint 333530;... Hono-Kink- L...”
l-o the Young Forrymon Dotoctivo.
- o
th B 9. her Boy 091061".
, ‘l 3. Flew uPliinia Phll'l M'IIIKMO.
1‘0"" 3"" Not. the Pier Detective-
? Rex. cu. Pride oftho Sixth Word.
“'0 Stable Boy Dotoctlvo.
'0 Shodno‘w. ‘
co Detwt vo.
ognéfliszn-Hooh Dim
“k-0"I"nte'l’ u“ Ulitl:r§gg:yP.mIpOCWo
-Aw“ke Bern “'6 Stmt-Qteenr
no I’m", “‘0 Detectlvo‘n Aid '
lebee. the flu] H '
5;, xm...°:r. am"-
% lv 5 ""3 .
I 3,223; Bob. o... 333323;. Scooping . ohms-t
g" tutor Sol. 1 “5; York hunt...
m" fill. th' 0“ Y ' 0' Hlo Kind.

' BY ’- “7- “Soon.
2;“ Niven Giant! 0" Nwiu».
tho Mil“ mm Hard M
tho Siam Sit-don.
Minor.

OOOOOQQGIG
“ 9 'I
3:33:3oaio3o-Za
I
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O

"‘ "'7 Lemon:
"L": .“w MK“.

  

Int-7"“

U.» ~..

BY ALBERT W. AIKEN.

11 The Two Detective” or, Tho Fortunoo oro Bowery Girl.
?6 Al“- (fuli. the Crow-Killer.
79 Sol (.lnger. the Giont ’l‘ro per.
288 490 Intel." oi'Angeis an “in Boy 1’; id.
44’? .\ew ork Nat. A 'l‘olo of Tricks and ’l rupo in Gotham.
458 New England Nick; or. The Fortunes oi o Fondling.
464 1‘ llnbie Nick, the Circus Prinu.
498 Too: Ted, tno Arilomt S on.
510 Cool Colorado, the Ho! .Breed Detoctivo.
518 Cool Colorado in N ew York.
BY GEORGE “'ALDO BROWEE.
SCrnandfi Rock the Mon from Torso.
DOI'I‘he rem] Rider; or, The 'i‘exon Dnolist.
99 The Tiger 01' Taos: or. Dandy Rock’s Angsl.
115 The Mad Miner: or, Dandy kock’o Doom.
Ill The Golden “and; or, Dondv Rock to the Rooooo.
1‘4 Dandy Rock’s i’ieife; or, Hunted to Doath.
178 Dandy Rooh’s Riv x or. ’i‘ho Houutod Moid oiToos.

BY CAPT. J. F. C. ADAMS.

M Ore on Sol: or Nick Whliiieo'o Bo s .

40 31.5.5, m. (on... Shot oftho.wzot."

‘4 Ned line tho Bo! Tnpper.

50 Nick Whiiieo’s lot: or, I. Tho v.11. ofDoath.

.0 The White Indian; or, The Scout oft o Yollowotolo.

70 Did Zi ’I Cabin: Or, The Greenhorn in tho Woods.

81 Lightn 3 Jo, the 'l'orror oi the Prolrio.

8 Buck Bnekram; or, Ben, the Fomolo T per.
.4? Old Griuly and lilo Pete: or, Tho Wil Hunt.
.51 L ht-houoe Lige; or, Omolo, tho Firobrond.

.57 T e Loot Hunters; or, The Undo and Comp.
“8 Tho Scalp King: or, Tho Hnmsn nndoroolt.

BY ROGER STARBUCK.

.5 The Boy Captain: or. The Plroto’o Doughtor.
114 The lilnek Schooner: or, Jib Junh. the Old Tor.
959 Theuolden liar on: or, boot Among the l “F0.-
848 Fire-lleelo' or, 0 d Skinnint. tho Booth-Shadow.
.54 Big Ilorn I e. the “ill Tramn; or, The Odd Pordo.
.01 The Phantom Light-house.
S’ZO Breaker Ben. the Roof-Runner.

BY WILLIA“ R EY STER.
190 Dandy Darke; or. The Tigers of High Plno.
.10 Faro Frank; or, Dondy Dnrko’s Go-Down Pardl
BY 0. DUNNING CLARK.
185 Captain Paul: or, The Boy Spy of tho Mountains.
“0 The Yankee Rajah; or. The Foto of tho Bloch Shorooi.

RY GEORGE C. JENKS.

’ 485 Git Thar Owney the Unknown.

492 Git Thar Owncy’n Pledge.

518 The Demon Dootor.

681 Double-Curve Dan. the Pitcher Detoctivo.

598 Flute. the Singer Detective.

608 The Pitcher Detentive’l Foil; or, Don’s Double Ploy.
816 The Ocean Deter-tin»: or. The LutCruloe ot‘the Bloch Boar.
681 The Pitcher Detective’s Tougheot 'I‘usoei.

BY CAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR U. S. ‘

191 Bulalo Billy. tho Boy Bullwhochr.
194 Bull'an Bill s Bet: or. The Gombior Guido.

BY WM. G. PATTEN.

489 The Diamond Sport: or, Tho Double You dBod Rock.
‘19 Ca tun niyoter gunfire In o.

581 Da o) "are tlw npon from Donvor.

587 Old Bomboheli, the Rangor Detoctivo.

604 iron Fern, the Mon at Fire.

819 The Do Tramp Detective! 07.7110 DOING GripWitnooo
629 Violet ‘ane, tho Volvot Span.

641 Diurnal Dave’s Dand i’ard.

651 Round Boy Frank. t 0 Young Amateur Dotoctivo.

668 Violet Vnne’s Victory.

632 Wild Vulcan, the Lone-Range Ridor.

698 Violet and Daisy, the Pony Purdo.

BY MAJOR E. L. ST. VBAIN.

l9. Sam-ho Pedro the Boy Bandit.
801 Lendville Nie , the Boy Sport.

13 Redtop Rube, tho Vigilonto Prinoo.
388 Brimstone Bob, and His Lightning Hons Q
85’ Tombutone Tom. the Arinono Boy of “Sud.”
859 Durnm'u Dave, the Ynumr Chump-ion Wrestler.
I71 Kingbolt Chrio, tho Ymng Hord-Sholl Doioctivo.
.80 Avalanche Alf. tho Foothill- Guido.
.90 Jaguar Joe. of tho Mountain Moll-Lino.

RY EDWARD S. ELLIS. I

0 Bill Ridden, Trs’FKor.

8 Seth Jones; or, o Coptivoo of tho Frontior.
1. Nat Todd: or, The Foto of tho Sioux Copttvo.
I! he Frontier Angel.
I The Boy linen: or. The Inchontod lolond.
S The III-ted Banter: or, The Stron Horne-ha.
The Ralf-Blood: or, The Ponthor tho Plains.
1’1 The lingo Iinnter; or, Tho Stosn: Pnlrio In.

BY MAJOR LEWIS W. CARSON.

'78 Th '1‘ rot or. Tho Mo ntnio him.
'8‘ t  White Spirit oftlio Rillo.

BY CAPT. MARK WILTON.

.56 Young Kentuok: or, The Red Luna.
ITO Blizzard Ben; or, The Riot ot Keno Comp.
.8. Josh. the Boy Tenderfoot.

BY BRACEBRIDGE “Ema.
5’ Island Jill: or. The Pet of tho Font .

fly
.1 The Captain of the Club: or. The Rivol Am"...
101 Jack liarkaway in New York.

. BY hiAJOR HENRY B. STODDARD. Ex-Seoat.
N . , Th D z-Ont Fords.
:4.” filer'fififi’ef’f or. The“SwordImen oibeotouoo.
.1 Kitltfllove Kit, the Dandy of tho Rockies.
1%: Kid-(got: Kit and Pardt 01%“; 9‘0”  M
0 . or. o 0 on It
“5 Powell’s  112%eerO‘ne-Amod Giant. "w‘
BY CAPTAIN "mo. wm‘r'umcn.
The loo-0...}: or. n. macaw-gm,"
'n. I I I.
4. Dick Darling. tho lag} dye-"Rider.
Laooo: or, Tho Children oitho Chseo.
154 he Sword “Intern ; or. 'l‘ho Lond oitho mom“
M Contain; or. Skipper Jshol '0
I00 The Boy Bede-In... o., n. Brotholl o! tho Pinned 1......
W no. tho Rohhor oftho not...

1

'E

3

BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR.

I Yellowstone Jack: or, The Tro Yer.

48 Blank John. the Rood-Agent; or, II“ In Outlsw's Soho“.

65 Illu'riuhno Bill 3 01, Mustang Sam and His Paid.
119 Mustang Sal- or.Tho King of tho Plolno.
186 Night-hawk ' t: or. The Daughter of tho Ruth.
144 Dainty Lanoo the Boy Sport.
15! Panther Paul: or, Dulnty Lonoe to the Roscoo.
160 The liluuk Giant: or. Dainty Lincoln Joopordy.
ltifi Deadly Duh; or, Fighting Firo with Fire.
184 The Boy ’l'railoro ; or, Dointy Lonco on tho Wor-M
l’ardo; 0r. Dainty Lonco Unmooho.
211 Cruuka Cab, tho Unlihnn ofCelootiol City.
810 The llarranoa “'olf; or, The BeoutifulDoooy.
819 The Blank Rider; or, Tho liorsefi‘hievos’ hog-s.
885 (lid Douth Flat or, The Stu-go Guido
‘55 The King oi tho  or, Donlol Booao's I‘M
4-19 kit Fox. tho Border Bov Doioctlvo.
625 (Thinenpln Ian. tho oy Trailer.
67? (Ihlneapin I ’a Sooond Trail.
688 Chincapin D s lIo-e Stretch.

BY W. J. HAMILTON.
08 The Rod Brotherhood: or. Tho Twolvo Avon...
66 Son lo “and; or. A Lilo for o Lilo.
't’S Ma Ton- “'ootnrn, the Tenn Room.
88? Ben Bird. tho Covo lung; or. Big Poto’o Scoop.

BY JACK FARBAGUT.

815 Ned, tho Cabin Boy.
1390 The Soa Sorooreost or. Tho Boy Shipper.

BY LIEUT. Ii. D. PERRY. U. S. I.
176 The Boy Runaway; or Tho Bucronoor of tho Day.
180 The Sea Traitor: or, A Vow Wail Kopt.
19’ Captain Hit: or, The Mystery of Montoah Point.

' BY COL. A. I". IIOLT.

.99 Black Book-kin; or. Tho Manhod Mon ofDooth Conn
419 Kenneth, the Knife-King.

485 Little Lightfoot. the Pilot Of the- Woodo.

678 Rai h Renwood. the Lightning Expreu Detective.
691 Headlight Ilarry’n Ilaul.

BY CAPTAIN MAYNI‘Z REID.
78 Blue Diuk or, The Yoliuw Chloi’o Vongeonro.
8? The Land [rates or, The Looguo of Dovll’o hind.
187 The lie] [on Hand; or, Bachwoodl Retribution.
889 The Gals-welder Guide! or, The Loot Mountain.

331' FREDERICK DEWEY
818 Cimarron Jack, the King-Pin of Riiio-Shoto.
478 'I‘ungemund, the Desert Dotoctivo.
542 The Canyon Pardo.

BY “until: 0. omssou.
440 Little Foxfoot, the Gold Bowie Kid.
558 The Sure-Shot Yards.
621 Truthi’ul J11qu. the "Pecooilor" Mon.

BY LIECT. A. K. SIMS.

548 Captain Caetuo, the Choporrol Cook.
568 The Dandy of Dodge.

576 The Silver Sport.

588 Sal'ron Sol. m. Mon Wm. . Shodow

689 Tum-Cat and Pard; or. The Dood lot st Silva City.

601 Ila 9 “than, the Dutch Vldoc .
(ill Bil oi Barnacle; tho Detective orculeo.
o Triad

622 Teng Toll-Cat ‘
681 Torn Cat'- Terrihle 'iaok.

688 Tom-Cat’s Trio-pin; or. Block lvon'o Gust Combho.
646 Cowho aid, the Csttlo-Rnnro Detective.

657 Warh ng \h iIUIII. the Mountoln Mountobanh.
665 Jolly Joremiah. the Ploim Datum...

676 Si nal Sam, the Lookout scout,

089 B ly. the Gypsy Spy.

HISCELLAN EOUS AUTHORS.

4 The “'ild-Ilorse Hunters. By Coot. Hoyle I‘d one

Frodorlch WhittaItor. ,
0 Adventure-- of Baron Honcho-ooh.

18 Gulliver‘s Travels. B Doonnwiit. g

14 Aladdin; or. Tho Wondo l Lamp.

18 Rohinson Crusoe. (91 Illultfl‘hlt)

18 Sindhad the sonar. HII So"- Viz-nu.

SS Bu; Sea Ser'onti or. Tho Boy Rob noon Crlsoo. Iy ha

W I.

88 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, Tho Rod rim of m
Corrlhooo. a3~ - “u- .

86 Tho Boy owlt 0". Th0 Ann QIooa. Iyl' Eli-n.

as Nod Wyldo. tho Boy Scout. By Toxoo lock.

51 Tho Boy RiIoot or. Thu Undoggronnd Coup. Iy matron.

95 The Rival ovorlt or, The rsohootsro oitho My“.
By Llont.-Col. mltino.

98 Robin 11.“. tho Outlowod [or]; ".11:on loa oiGrooa- i
wood. I Prof. Gildoroloovo. J

l05 Old Ru e. the Huntor; or,'l'ho Crow Coottvo. lye”

v-lomllton Holmos. \
119 The Mad ill-tor: or, file Covo olDooth. Byline-
194 15inch the Texan; or. Tho Young Clo-plea. h

- SIMI-
118 The You Privatoort on“. Pl"WI Stronghold. Dy

\

 

orr Coven lsh.
148 ShallpdSaP-t or, Tho Adgootoros of o Friendlo- on. Dy I.'
run or stton.
oor Dusky Darrell. - 0?. “0 GNO- Roogor ol tho Yol-
lowstolo. By Edward

261 Fe o Fearnal ht “'0 N" V "’k Boy. I G. L. on...

one Kill v... to. o.- oe; mD-vy Croctott'o 5...)... “0
By Em C. D. Warren. [-

”. no. on... tho one!!!“ Tnpw; 0r.'l'ho Itoioot tho CI...
By Coptoin Comstock-

317 Peaeoelt Poqtme. "II “'0‘! Lod imn Loodvillo. Iy noo-
ten

out frod

ono.
SIS The Sky lotutlvet or, A 30,511!“ M m.“
By Molar . lckey Froo. 5“

“‘s “k ..

850 Red Ralph. the River Rover; 02.7}. W I,
vonn. B Nod Buntlino.

865 Baltimore Ben the Bootblodt Dotoctivo. A. I. m

874 Gold-Dnot‘Tom: or. Ben'o Donn. um“. . I.“

816 California Joe’o First Trail. By Cooaol M.
Howr \lnnetory.

4'1'8 gulyfitumgnglfill, thBo Cilgmslmh'or. By 7.3. Winthrop.
5 e no . y n n other.
:84 Comanche Die-ll:I and Ill- Three Ip'ildufll- 

a9?" hafnium bond 3 mf’B-h.
la - rm o rt. -
, Em Your. l'onost. I
ote. By David Droid.

58. The Cowboy Duke.
. ev'I‘l‘ilVllmtAH ti 3. r B H In”!
585' a ero, o g. v . .
coo Tho Dead Detective". ill-ole. 37W 0-1!- l

A New loo-o Every TI“,-

‘Thol IfoDi-o i' ooiohyoll willed-o,
“fighfluotflmgmukmkofl. ..

13mm no not“. rout-hon.

 

 

i

.49 Milo o-or the All I ; loud tho Would.
no: a.  ofdnom‘tho’m
3:; California Joo’s '1'. Mn.

. on Winso- I Horton.

   
 
    
   
  
  
   
   
  
   
    
   
    
   
    
 
   
   
   
  
  
   
   
  
  
   
    
     
   
   
   
 
   
   
 
  
  
   
   
   
    
   
    
  
   
   
   
    
       
   
    
   
     
 
   
  
  
   
    
   
      
     
     
        
         
   
      
         

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BEADLE’SakHALF-DIM‘EaiLIBRARY.

Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. ‘

 

c

BY EDlVABD L. WHEELER.
Deadwood Dick Novela.

1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road.
20 Deadwood l’il'k'u Dciiance; or, Double Dustycrs.
3f} lizcadiwoos‘il llzlli'llfi‘ Ila illllllgillnoaiir, Buii‘ai, Ben
0 eat woo c' n a last 9.
42 Deadwood Dick‘~ Bonanza; o ,The .mntoin Miner.
49 Deadwood Dick in Danger: or, Oinshnilil.
5? Deadwood Dick‘s: Eagle“ or, The Punk 01 Flood in".
78 Deadwood Dick on Deck: or.(':.ln1nitv .; inc.t|n- iiernino.
1’55 Beudlwooi‘l :l’i‘ck‘i; Llard  ol'. Cui‘dliruf Cnurliu.
eat o oo ek n 401)! \ e.
 Illeagwoo‘iil {Net's Din ice; ‘ur, ll~e Double Crows Sign.
)ea woo lic ' an Detect \e.
.129 Deadwood lllck‘n Double: "r. l'he Goruon'n Gulch (Shout.
188 Deadwood Dick‘s Home Bane; or, Island.- isill.
149 Deadwood Dick'n Big Strike; or, A (innit-oi Hill.
156 Deadwood Dick oi‘ Deadwood: or, Th.- i'ii-lmd i'nrtv.
19.3.Deadwood Dick’il Dream; HY. i'hi- Riv .ls oi tile limni.

2012dleadwood Dick‘n “'ard; or. The liIni-k iiiil’. .Iezi'lwl,
206 " Deadwood Dick‘s Doom; or, (.‘ulaniity June's Adventure.
21s Deadwood Dick’s Dead Deal.

Dick‘n Death-Plant.

Dick. A liouinnce oi Roung ntid Toughs.
Dick's Divide ' or. The Spirit of Swamp Lake.
Dick’s: Death ' ‘ra .

Dick’n Deal: Or. The Gold Brick of Oregon,
chk'l Dozen; “r. The Vukir ot'l’hantoni Hats.
Dick’n Dueatn: or, [lays in the Digging...
Diek Sentenced; or, 'lnu Terrible Vendetta.
Dick’s (,‘lalnl.

Dick in Dead (My.

Dick'n Diarnondn.

Dick in New 1' ork; or, A “Cute Cm.
Dick'n Dunt; or, ’l'liu Chained “and.

Dick. r.
Dick, Jr.'is, Defiance.
Dick. Jr.’n. Full "and.

Jr.’rs. Bi 7 Bound-K'p.
Jr.’§. Bucket at (‘lnlln 10.
sir-’8 (‘Ol’l'nli “r. Bolclilau iiill.
.lr.'~, Dot: Detective.

Jr., In Deadwood.
Dick. Jr.’-,‘ ('ompact.
Dick. Jr.fn. Inheritance.
Dick. .ll'.’ll. Diggingn.
Dick. Jr.’n, Deliverance.
inch, grit» ’{:}l;(tl('flei.‘s

c ', r. n, rec.
Dick, Jr.'si, Danger Dneka.
“lief. ill-Jul, Death Ilunt.

c -, r., n exam.
614 Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild Vi'est Vidoq
5-19 Deadwood Dick, Jr., on Ill-I Mcttle.
554 Deadwood DI - ' Jr-, in Gotham.
561 Deadwood D Jr., in Boston.
56? Deadwood ch ’, Jr., In Philadelphia.
572 Deadwood Dick, Jr., ill Chicago.
578 Deadwood Dick. Jr., Afloat.
(SJ-i4 Deadwood Dick. Jr., in Denver.
690 Deadwood Die . r.’is, Decree.
695 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Beelzebnb’n Basin.
600 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Coney inland.
606 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’p, Leadvllie Lay.
612 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Detroit.
618 Deadwood Dick. Jr., in Cincinnati.
624 Deadwood Dick. Jr., in Nevada.
680 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in No .‘ian’a Land.
686 Deadwood Dick. Jr., Alter the Queen.
642 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Bufl'alo.
648 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’n,fhaue Across the Continent
:2: 35:32:23 list; :3. flfisfi.fil‘.?.‘ii:':.‘."°"'
666 Deadwood Dick. Jr., aok in the Mines.
672 Deadwood Dick. Jr., in Durangoz nr.“Gathmd In.”
 Beugwogg met, in?» :D’incolv'ery; or, Foundsi-‘ortuns.

est wo c . r. s. all e.

690 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’n. Dollar-is.
695 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Danger Divide.

‘Othcr Novels by E. 1.. Wheeler.

’6 Cloven Hoof, the anslo Demon.
33 Bob Woolf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot.
39 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York.
45 Old Avalanche ' or, Wild Ednn, the Girl Brigand.
58 Jill Bludooe. in, the Boy Phenlx.
61 Buokhorn Bill: or. The Red Rifle Team.
69 Gold Rifle the Shnr shooter; or. The Hop Detoctivo.
80 Bonehud Bob her, ugget Nod, th~ Kn .rht.
84 Idyl. the Girl . iner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand.
88 Photo ra 1: Phil; or, Rouhud Roh’l Reap enrnnoo.
92 Court a C et; or, Old Anucondalu Sittin: uii's Camp
96 “'ntch-E e: or. Arab- and Angels on amt City.
8 Jack Iloy e the Yonng Speculutor.
17 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detoctlvs,
’1 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport.
95 Bonanza Bill Miner.
88 "(III Bob the king of Boothlackl.
141. Solid Sam the Boy Road-Agent.
145 Captain Barret. the New York Detectivs.
161 New York Nell the Boy-Girl Detective.
177 Nobb Nick oi’fievadat or, The Sierra Scamp;
181 Wild rank, the Buckskin Bravo.
’09 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective.
.1! Fritz to the Front: or, The Ventriloquist Hunks.
I26 Snoozer the Buy Sharp: or, The Arab Detective.
.36 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado.
'40 clone Kit. the Young Gladiator.
.44 8 erra Earn, thu Frontior Ferret.
Sierra Sam’s Secret; or The Blondv Footprint;
.58 S-‘erra Sam’s i’ard; or, 'i‘ne Angel oi Big Vin...
.58 ll -erra Sam’- Seven: or,The Stolen Bride.
278 Jumbo Joe, the im- Patrol: or. The Rivsi Hoin.
277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen.
381 Denver Doll’s Victory.
.95 Denver Doll‘n Decoy : or. Little Bill’s Bonanza.
I91 Turk the Boy Ferret.
.96 Denver Doll’l Drih : or. The Road Queen.
No. 1, ths Dashing Toil-Tsksr.
’lea Jane, the Girl Minor or. tbs lmn-Norvod Sport.
Kelley. llickev J; 00.. the Detectives of Philadelphia.
.lttlo Quick-Shot: 0?, The Dead Face of Dagger-"ilk.
(aux-r00 Ki or. The Mysterious Minor.
889 Ran aroo Kit Racket.
.48 .III attain Mike, the Bowory Blood.
First-Clan Fred, the Gent irom Gopher.
ill 'reka Jim; the Gold-Gatherer; or, The In. Low}
81. lireka in I Prise.
678 linbob ed; or, The Secret 01 Slnh City.
'8. Cool Ki the King of Kidl‘ or. A Yillain’s me
385 Yroka J m’s Joker; or, The Rivals or Rod Non.
889 Bicycle Ben; or. The Lion of Lightning Lods.
8.4 Yroka J III of Yuha Dam.

0 Wrinkles. tho Night-Womb Detective. '

6 High "at Barry. the Blue Ball Domain.
a. San Flair-Idea. the r-Boy Detectng

Jim Book and Pal, m
8 Santa Fe Sal, tho Sis-hos.
6 Deal-Rh Sam. its swim. .

221 Deadwood
262 Gold-Duut
268 Deadwood
.68 Deadwood
809 Deadwood
821 Deadwood
C47 Deadwood
351 Deadwood
662‘Deadwood
405 Deadwood
410 Deadwood
421 Deadwood
480 Deadwood
443 Deadwood
4-18 Deadwood
453 Deadwood
459 Deadwood
465 Deadwood
471 Deadwood
4'36 Deadwood
431 Deadwood
491 Deadwood
496 Deadwood
500 Deadwood
608 Deadwood
515 Deadwood
622 Deadwood
629 Deadwood
584 Deadwood
539 Deadwood

.—
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"

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0

 

 

 

3 BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAIIAM.

7 The Flying Yankee: Or, The Ocean Outcast.
17 Ralph Boy, the, Boy liilCl‘nllit'i’; or, The Fugitive Yacht.
24 Diamond Dirk or, The Mystery oi'the Yellimttnne.
62 The Nhadow lilting or. The Rival llil'llit‘llfllilfl.
75 The Boy Dnellut; or, The (Iruine oi'tlle Sea-Wolf.
102 Dick Dead-Eve, tho Boy Sinuggner.
11] The Sea-Dev l; or, The Diltlfilllltllillll’fi Legncy.
116 The Honor Captain; or, 'i he lleiiilit oi lleil (him.
19? Little Grit: or, Bessie, the Siovli-Tendcr'a Daughter.
204 Gold l’inme; or, The Kiii.i.‘l..\~e, Sport.
2“; Bil-on Bill. the Prince oi the Reina.
222 (:rit. the Bravo Sport ; or. The aniri Trailer.
229 (Irina-on Kate ' or, The (‘owlniy’s Triumph.
237 Lone Star, lllt‘ (lowhoy (7n itaill.
245') Merle the Mlddy ' or. The Freelance Hair.
250 The . idahiplnan intlneer; or, Brandt, the Buccaneer.
264 The Floating Feather: or, Merle Moniu's Treasure.
269 Th6.I Gold Ship; or, Merle, the Coudeiniwd.
276 Merle Monte n (.‘ruinc: or,“'1'het“nld Ship " Chase.
2'“! Merle Montc‘n Fate; or, Paul, the l’iruii-‘ii Bride.
284 The Sea Marauder; or, Merle Monte‘s i‘iwlgu.
257 Billy Blue-Eyen, tln- lioy lion-r of the Rio (irnuile.
804 The Dead Shot Dandy; or, Benito. ti... 15”)- angler.
303‘ Reno Kit; 01'. llt‘nd Shot llnndy‘s Doilhle.
814 The Milk-Hons Marauder; or, The licv Bugler‘s Trail.
677 Bonodel. the Boy Rover: or. The Fiwulesu Si-iinnncr.
8&3 The Indian Pilot: or, The Search for i‘imte island.
387 “'arpath \Vill. the Boy l‘liantoni.
398 Neawait‘, the lioy Lieutenant.
402 inodor, the Young Colmpirnior: or. The Fntnl League.
407 The Bov Inn-urgent; or,'i'he (iiiimn Vendetta.
412 The “i d Ynchtunan: or, The Wiir-Clouu’s Cruise.
429 Duncan Dare. vii. Boy Rmi'ugee,
483 A Cahlu Boy’n Luck; or, The Corsair.
48’? The Sea Raider.
44] The Ocean Firefly; or, A Middy‘a Vin prince.
446 llaphazard llarr '; or. 'I‘ne Scripecrnc», m‘ the Sea.
450 \Vlzarll \l‘lll: or, The iioy FPrIeL oi lNcw York.
45!. “'izard “'lll’u Street Hcontis.
462 The Born Guide; or. This .Sniior Bny Vi'nnderer.
468 Neptune Ned. tln- liny Coaster.
4T4 Flora: or. Ti ward Will's Viiuaimuil Pnrd.
483 l‘fcrrctn Aiioat: or. Wizard Will‘s Lust t'nso.
48? Nevada Ned. the Revolver Ranger.
4915 Arizona Joe the tiny l’nrii oi Ts'xnll Jack.
49? Buck Taylor, King at tho Cowlmyn.
508 The Royal )llddy: or. The Shark and the Sea Cat.
50? The lluntcd Miduhi man.
511 The Outlawed Mid y.
520 Buckskin Bill, the (‘oinunclie Shadow.
52?) Brothch In Bucknkin.
530 The Bucknkln Bowcrn.
535 The Buc ukin Bovcrn.
5-10 (‘aptain Kn-Klux. the .‘lnrflllt‘lt'f oi the Rio.
545 Lieutenant Leo. the 50" of Lafitte.
550 Lalltte‘l Legacy: on Tim Awnzinz Son.
555 The Creole (‘or-air.
560 l’awncc Bill. the Prairie Shadower.
565 Kent Kingtlon, ihe ('ard King.
570 Camille, the ('ard Queen.
575 The finrgeon-Hcout Detective.
580 The Outcast Cadet: or. The False Detective.
586 The Bucks-kin Avcnzcr.
591 Delmonte. the Young Sen Rover.
597 The Young Texan Detective.
602 The Vagabond oi'illc Miners.
60? The Bovcr Detective: or. Kenn Kit‘s Champions.
61? Ralph. the Dead-Shot Scout; or, The Rio Raiders.
644 The llcreuleil llighwayman.
650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony Rider Detective; or, Bufl'slo
Bill‘s lioy ’am.
656 Butterfly Billy’s Man Hunt.
662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza.
669 The Buccaneer Midshipman.
674 The “'izard Sailor; or, Red Rslph,the Rover.
63'9 The Sea fihadowcrx 0". The Fret-boot. r’s Legacy.
696 Orlando, the Ocean Free Flair; or, The Turnishcd Name.
692 The Rival Sharp's; or, Redfurn. the Sorrel. Service Scout.
697 The Scarlet Sombrero; or, The Sharp from Texas.

BY BUFFALO BILL (Don. Wm. F. Cody).

8 Kan-3a King; or, The Red Right Hand.
19 The Phantom 8 yr or,The i'ilot oi the Prairie.
55 Deadly-Eye. the unknown Scout.
68 Border Robin flood: or, The Prairie Rover.
158 Foley Frank of Colorado: or The Trspper’s Trust.

BY CHARLES MORRIS.

118 Will Some", the Boy Detective.
129 Phil Hardy, the Boss Boy.
196 Picayune ’ctc; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Dotsotiu.
180 Detective Dick: 0r. The Hero to Rags.
"and-mac Harry, lhe Bonihlni‘k Dstectlvs.
Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred.
Black Ben. Will Wildfire‘s Racer.
Mike Merry, the Harhor Police Boy.
Will Wildfire in the Woodn.
Billy Ba one. the Railroad Bo ,
A Tram; ardx or. Will Wildfire Win! and Lola.
Bob Roe kett: 0?, Mysteries of New York.
Bob Boc (ett the Bank Runner.
The Bids on land: or, Will Wildfire‘s Revenge.
Fred Ila yard, the Life Bust Boy: on The Smuyglsrs.
Bob Boo (cttt or. Driven tothe “'nll.
6 shadowed or. Bob Rorkett's Fight for Life.
206 Dark l’au . the Tiger King.
2H} Danhin. Dave. the Dandy Detective.
220 Tom Tanner; or, Tin. Black Sheep oi the Flock.
225 Sam Charcoal the Premium Dnrliy.
2355 Shadow 81"". the Messenger Boy
24% The Two “ Bloods "; or. Shenandoah mu nnn His Gang.
2152 Dick Ila-haway; m», A anota Boy in Chic”...
269 The. Young sun"... 0,, Roiiickiug Mike’. Hot Tax].
274 Jolly Jim. the Belem... Apprenlli‘e-
989 Jolly Jim’n Job: or. The Young Detective, .
898 The Water-lloand: or, The Ynunr Thnrnuirhorod.
805 Da-howay. «fink-«ta: nr. A vaiarn Lad in Quaker City.
884 Balpll Ready. tho Hotel Boy Detective.
841 Tony Thorne. the Vanhond Demo...
.58 The Reporter-Detective: 0?. Fred Fly-r'r Biirurd.
867 Wide-Awake Joe: or. A Boy nrthe Tun...
679 Larry. the Leveier: or. The Bloods oi the Boulevard.
408 Firefly Jack. the River-Rat Detective.
483 The Lot-t Fin on or, The Entrnpped Collier.
428 Fred Flycr. t n Ropnrirv Detective.
2 lnvino ble Logan. the Pinkerton Ferret.

233 WP Brick; tho Jolly Vagabond.

c- W. e Jerrv. elective: or. Entombed All".
479 Detective Dod ex or, The Mystery or Frsnk Hurt .
6:: link: nil-sh [lilac eh ’ yharp-r.

no I. e oy Fireman t or, Tun Si... for tho 8
666 The secret Service Bov Detective. w
596 Jimmv the Kid or. A and: Amonz Wolvu.
 "1;?"- Jlrtllfe fithrlrfilluai or. 7;)... Woliil tbs Fold.
uc y no , e 0! been ator.

061 Bob and Sam. tus Dslsy Detectives.

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BY J. C. COWDBICK.

660 Fllver-Ma-k. the Man of Mystery.

869 Khanta, the Gold King: or, For Seven Years Dead.

490 The Dciective‘n Apprentice: or, A Boy Without a Nsms.
424 (‘lbutn John : or, lied-Hot Tunes at Ant. Bar.

439 Sandy Sam. the Street Scout.

467 Dinco Dan. tlm Dainy Dude.

490 Broadway Billy. the lionthinck Bravo.

506 Iiedll hi. "lllpll, the Prince oi the Road.

514 Broa way Billy’s Boodle.

524 The Engineer Detective.

586 Broadway Billy'n ‘Diilikilty.”

543 “art, the Night Exprcn‘n lletei‘tiVe.

567 Broadway Blily’u Death Racket.

1??!1’ Ali-[ailin- lmke the Young EngimwnB ’

’7  e ‘ limney Spy: or, Broadway iilys Surprise-Part .
59? 'i he Boy Pinkerton. ,
600 William 0’ Broadway; or, The Boy Dctecthc‘u Big lnnlnr.
615 Fllzhtinu' Harry the Chief of (‘hailicd Cyclone. ‘1
628 Broadva Billy’l Dead Act.

640 Barebrc Beth, thi- t‘i-utuur of the (‘ircle.

“47 '1 )‘DEV'lter Tilly. thiI hit-ri'huni‘fl “End.

659 Moonlight Morgan, the “ Pilenest ” Man of An?» Bar.
669 Broadway Billy Abroad.

675 Broad way Billy’s Bent; onBi-nting San Fruncisco'sFinIfl.
68? Broadway Billy in (lower.

696 Broadway Billy in Texas.

BY T. C. "ARBAI'GII.

23 Nlol" 0’ ll") Night; 01', The Boy Spy n "16

37 The lliiltll‘ll 1.06201 or The Llitl- Hunter.

47 Nightlnfale hat? or, Tne Forest (‘npinins~

64 Dandy . acki or, 'he ()illltlwlllilllc(}r9ut)llTr1il.

82 Kit llarci'oot the Wood—Hawk,

94 Midnight Jack a of, TI..- iloy Tmth
106 Old Frolty, (he Gnldv: or, Th.- “'hitr Queen.
138 Kiowa Charley the Willie Musinnger,
189 Jud c L ‘nch, Jr.: or. The Ban Vigilante.
155 Go]. Tr ‘ er, tlw Spoil; ~r. Th» Girl Avenzer.
169 Tornado fol"; of, "Jun Jack From lied Core.
18“ Ned Temple, the Border lioy.
19S Arkanuaw; 0r, ’i‘in- Qilt‘l‘n oi Fate's Revenp,
207 Navajo Nick the Boy Gold Hunter. I
215 Captain Bu] 1-1 3 or, Little Tohluint'n Crusade.
231 I’lncky Phil: or. Rona. thr Re i Jezehel.
241 Bill Bravo: or, The Rough: oi the lim'kiel.
255 (‘aptaln Apoliv , me King-Pin of Bowie.
267 The Buck-kin Detective.
279 Did Winch; or, The. liuclmkin Desperado".
294 " 'nnmite Dan; or, The Bowie Blade of Oochetops.
802 '1‘ e Mountain Detective: or. The Trigger Bar Bully.
816 Old Eellple. Trump Card of Arizona.
826 The Ten l’ardax or. The Terror 0! Tnke-Notirn.
836 Big Ben-on: or, The Queen of the lam.
845 l’ltilen Matt; 0', Red Thunderbolt”: Secret.
856 Cool ham and Ford: or The Terrible Six.
866 Velvet Foot. the indinn Detective.
8’36 (‘aptain Cutlannt or, 'I he, Bi'ccaneer’l Girl Fae.
896 Rough Bob: or. The Twin Champions oi Blue Blunt.
411 The Silken Lain-o: or. The Rose of Rnnch Robin.
418 Felix Fox. the Boy Spotter.
425 Texan Trump. the Border Rattler.
436 Phil Fla-h. the New York Fox.
445 The City Vampires; or, lied Rolic'n Pigenyh
46l One Again-t Filly; or. The Last Man of Keno Bsr.
470 The Boy Shadow: or. Felix Fox’s Hunt.
477 The Excclnlor Sport; or. The Wuhington Spotter,
499 flingle flight, the 0ne»Eyed Sport.
50’ Branded Ben. theI Night remt.
"’Od¢er Dick. the Wharf-Spy Detective.
i Dodger Dick”: Best Dodge.
58" to) andg‘ial‘con, tau lioigery‘shsdowa.

- v -- e the or one .
548 ‘ Z Dickln Double: arm-e Riv-l Boy beam...
658 .u ‘tr Diok'n Desperate Cale.
568 3... .rr Dick. the Bay Vldocq.
as: 11“]? Twlgifl'hpdfiwn.
0 cr 0, ’ a rev.
594 1”“ c, Lon. the Street- ingot muffin-
610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Slsrp 0n 6|:er.
323 The Champion Pardn.
687 Dick Donn, the Dock Boy Detective.
“45 K“! the Pavement Shari!-
658 Billy Bantam, tho Bov Ben“- V
1 Jeraey Jed, the Boy Hustlsr: or, Shadowing the Shadow...

685 In," Hugh, the Boy-Musician Detective.

LATEST AND NEW ISSUES.

698 old Opaly, the Man “'lthnnt ll Head; or, nghthsnrt Luke’s
Clean Swoe . By .1th E. Badger, Jr.

399 lump]. arm, the Broncho Buster; or, Playing the F00| i0!
Binsukos. B" Liout. A. K. Sims.

700 Degdwood Dick. Jr.’-, Dro i 0" n. S°J°um “
simm’. Spring. By Edward L. When or.

101 Photo rsph Fred. um Cnmora Slurp; 0?. The Fish: to
the Fin Ih. By T. (‘t linrhauzh.

709 Blue. Jacket Bill: or. The Red Hat Runners Red Hot
Rocket. 3 Col. l’rcittianlngrnhnm.

703 Bromian Billv’n Brandt "Um" New York Udell“.
hi Hard-up Camp. ‘By J. C, Cowdrlch

704 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot; or, Msliing Omaha
Thine! Straight. P.v Edward L. “ healer

705 Violet Vanc‘n Vow; or. The Crlity Detectivs’s Craft.
Bv “'m. G. Patten.

706 Tom Thlltlc. the Road-Houn- Detective; or, The Harlem
Swift’s Star-Faced Pacer. “Y J" WM"-

70? The Red Sombrero Banner“; “'7 Rmmm" 1“" Tnn‘
By Fol. Prentiss Inrrahnm. ,

708 II'llIt-licart Imte’l Legacy: or. The inn-hf Lad I
“'inning HnmL‘ By Jon. E. Rodger. .lr. _

709 The Curb-tone Detective; 01’. Hln’y "Rh" 3‘“ 3""
liv Charles Morris. KM k

'(10 Deadwood Dick. Jr.. in San Francis-cot 0“, "

rite, the, Snap Shot. RV Edward 1.. Wheeler d mt C" V
711 Broadway Billy at fiantn Fe: 07.5"” P" e "'
ever on . Bv J. C. Cowdrick. w H B

719 The Menmcrilt Sport; on The “Sum” D” c v" ’
Lieut. A. K. Sims. Que“ 8 Col

“8 Carl the Mad Cowboy; orfl'ho w“ ‘ y '

Prom as Inn-ham.

 

 

 

 

 

 

- R , d M h 9‘.

’14 Olde'hivimig. the Man from Mimlfi; 0'. Tl“ "in"? Of tho

MgmtninMIMsfigi By “'11:. G. PAM.

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716 Wide "AJi'ke Len, iii. quum cw Fm“ ’0'. Carin: a.

Cormmnts. Ly 'l‘. C. Barbau‘h.

heady April 1.
.A New lune Ever! T'cfilii
The Ilaif- m... Library is Ior solo by .i. .m‘.”

cont-perm orsntbyydlonnosiotoilixmhmh,

Brahms m ADAIS. nut-hm.
I! William Street. low Yak