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$2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS. Price.
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SPORT agalllst SPORT.

I A Romance of Magic City.
I i": _ ~_  \ g ‘ BY WILLIAM G. PATTEN,
‘l l‘ §$ 7  _,  .   , AUTHOR OF “ WILD VULCAN,” “ DAISY DARE,”

~ ‘ ‘  - “ IRON FERN, THE MAN OF FIRE,” “ OLD
MISERY," ETC., mu, ETC-

///////////////I I,

/

I -l/l/l/ll

CHAPTER I.
“ SOMETHING INTERESTING.”

MOUNTED on a milk-white horse, a man was
riding along the rugged mountain trail that led
to Magic City.

The horseman was young and something of a
» x“; ~ - r dandy, as could be qun at a} glance. He was
THE RUFFIAN REACHED FOR DANDY VANE'S COLLAR T0 DRAG HIM RUM THE ANIMAL’S dressed in 8 finely—fining 51!“ Of “8011 velvet.

BACK; BUT AT THAT MOMENT SOMETHING HAPPENED. the legs of his pantaloons beIng tucked into the A

 

 

 

 

B Violet Vane, the Vontriloquist Vidocq.

 

 

tops of high boots. He wore a “ b’iled ” shirt
and standing collar, and his head was crowned
with a high silk hat. A small bunch of fresh
mountain violets was fastened on the lapel of
his coat, and not a weapon could be seen about
his person.

This neatly-dressed individual was rather
handsome, although there was a sad, dreamy
look about his dark eyes. A well-trained mus-
tache shaded a firm, yet pleasant mouth, and his
square~cut chin denoted a resolute nature. Hon-
esty and integrity were written in eVery line of
his countenance, and a perSon of good judgment
would have pronouncad him “a man to tie to.”

Despite the fact that the horseman was some—
what below medium height, and was not quite
so heavy as the average man, he was a person of
rare strength and suppleness. His grace was
apparent as he sat in the saddle, seeming for the
time a part of the horse. The individual Who
picked him up as a “ weaklmg,” or thought him
“ skeery,” was apt to come to his senses and find
he had made a tremendous fool of himself. The
dandy was entirely able to look after Number
One.

This was Philip Vane Howard, or, as he was
better known in the West, Violet Vane, the
Velvet Sport.

An honest gamblcrl

The existence of such a person is not an im-
possibility, although they are rare indeed.

But, such was Violet Vane. Not that he did
not understand all the tricks of the profession,
for had it been otherwise, he could have made
more money sawing wood than playing cards;
but he never employed any of those tricks except
in self-defense, when matched with an unscru—
Eulous opponent whose dishonesty it was impossi-

le to expmo and prove. At such times he was
forCed to fight fire with fire, figuratively speak-
ing, and meet the tricky gamester with his own
tricks.

When playing in an honest game he depended
entirel on his own keen judgment and the won—
derful uck that had never failed him.

From camp to camp in the mining regions he
wandered, going wherever chance or fancy led
him, leading a roving life of excitement and ad-
venture. There was a reason why he chose
such a life, as the unhappy lOok in his eyes plain-
ly indicated.

V ane rode slowly, his head bowed, paying no
attention to the wild and picturesque scenery
about him. His lips moved and he muttered:

“ Another chapter of my life has closed. I go
to face new scenes and new adVenturcs, and an-
other chapter will soon be begun. In this wild
life I try to forget the past—to forget what it
has cost me. I try to forget I ever loved one
who played me false— God bless her! Yes, I
say it for all she has done—God bless her! It
was not fated she should be mine. Now she is
happy with the man she loves, and her child
sleeps on her breast! And I—my God! I am
a wanderer on the face of the earth!”

What bitter mental anguish was expressed by
those words!

Suddenly the breeze Sent a slip of paper flut-

tering along the trail in front of him. It caught
his eye.
“ A bit of paper,” he murmured. “Strange!

I wonder how it came here, in this wild place?”

He drew rein, dismounted and picked up the
paper. It was folded and seemed like a leaf torn
from a pocket diary. When he had unfolded
it, he discovered there was writing upon it, and
with astonishment he read the following words,
which were written with a lead—pencil:

“ To run UNKNOWN FRIEND Wno Frans 'rms LEAF!—
“ l ap ieal to you for help. for I am a captive in
the ham s of unscrupulous villains—men who have
plotted my deal hi I was «11 my way to Magic City
to take possession and look after the propcrt 7 left
me by the sudden death of my father, when was
captured by two rufflans, since whij time—now
two days—l have been kept a prisoner in an old hut
among the mountains. From a conversation I over-
heard I know there is a plan afoot to rob me of what
is rightfully mine, and—oh. Godl—I fear I am to be
murdered! I heard them whisper of pullinq me
ou/ of the way! I have also heard enough to
cause me to have a horrible suspicion that my father,
Daniel Marden, was murdered by these same. scoun-
drelsl To-night I am to be taken from this old but
and carried to another place of imprisonment, and
I have determined to dro this piece of paper while
on the ijourney, hoping ‘ovidence will cause it to
reach t 1e hands of one who will aid me. My heart-
felt— I hear a step l-some one comesl I must—”

That was all.
The writing, though hurriedly scrawled, was
plainly that of a female.
“But it ended abruptly, without so much as a
in nature.
or a long time Violet Vane stood beside his

 

milk-white horse, staring at the strange note,
reading it over and cum, and wrinkling his fore-
head with a scowl. Finally he gave a low
whistle, then muttered:

“ Well, here is something interesting! I seem
to have stumbled upon a mystery and struck the
scent of crooked Work before setting foot within
the limits of Magic City. I wish this had been
finished and signed. Still I have a pointer as to
the name of the writs-r. if she is an unmarried
daughter of this Danicl Marden, of course her
name is Marden. Vane, old man, there is work
for you in Magic City!”

Again he fell to studying the bit of paper,
reading it over and over until every word was
fixed in his mind. Then he carefully folded it
and placed it Within a note-book he took from an
inner pocket, after which the book was restored
to its usual place of concealment.

Then Vane swung into the saddle again.

“Here is a chance for me to turn detective
again,” he murmured, as the white steed carried
him onwnred toward Magic City. “My success
at Collin City leads me to think I might make
quite a ferret. Old Daddy Duzmiherry is to
meet me in Magic, although Ishnll probably
get there first. It is possible the queer old fel-
low may be able to give me some assistance, for
he is sharp and trustworthy. If I am suspected
as being interested in this business, it may be
necessary for me to assume a disguise, so I
will provide for such an emergency at the
start. ’

Thirty minutes later he came in sight of
Magic City, a little camp of two hundred and
fifty souls, lying well down in a picturesque
pocket through which ran a brawling mountain
stream.

Vane paused and surveyed the town.

He saw a few placers were being worked, for
there were men toiling at sluice and rocker near
the stream; but the principal cause of the camp’s
existence seemed to be a mine whose mouth he
could see in the mountain-side. The monoto-
nous sound of an ore-crusher came to his ears,
and be discerned men and mules moving about
the buildings at the opening of the shaft.

Having “taken in ” the town, the Velvet
Sport rode onward down the trail

Entering the camp, he halted in front of the
building which bore a sign reading as follows:

“BANG UP HOTEL.
“HI JENKS, Head Boss.

“Good Feed, Good Drink, Clean Banks.
Undertaker Next Door.”

This singular reference to the undertaker was
explained when Vane came to read that worthy’s
sign. It bore these words:

“BOB JENKS, UNDERTAKER.

“ Plain Four-Cornered Cofiin Made to
Order Dirt Cheap.”

The hotel proprietor and the undertaker were
relatives, probably brothers.

There were several loafers lounging in front of
the hotel when Violet Vane drew rein, one of
whom, a large, brawny, ugly-looking customer,
aroso t0.his feet, stared ha rd at the stranger in
town, then placed his huge handson his hips, his
arms akimbo, threw back his head and burst into
a hoarse laugh.

Quite naturally, every eye was turned on the
velvet dandy, for there was much curiosity to
know how the big fellow’s course merriment
and evident derision would affect the new-
comer.

In a moment Vane understood what was com-
ing. He had floated around in the West enough
to know there was trouble brewing when a big
tough like this one selected him as an object of
ridicule. He was not the person to avoid an en-
counter, for he had learned that the only way
for him to hold his own in a strange camp was
to “ show his sand ” as soon as he entered the
placs.

The sport instantly decided on an old ruse of
his, and swinging his right leg over the pommel
of his saddle, he sat facing the hotel, staring in
apparent amazement at the laughing ruflian, his
under jaw having dropped till his mouth was
agape and the expression of his face that of
blank surprise.

At this the big fellow laughed the harder, and
several of the others joined in the merriment.

“ 0h, ther great catamaran l” snorted the
tough. “ Jest take a look at it! Hain’t that
thar er sight fer ye, oh, my countrymenl Hain't
thet ernough ter wring tears frum er stun? Oh,
holy pokerl Jest looker ther critter, will ye?”

 

At this the dandy seemed to gasp, with diffi-
culty:

“ Goodneth gwnthuthl”

“ Haw! haw! haw l” roared the big fellow
flapping his arms as if they were wings. “ Did
ye heur thet, pards? Huuhl huab!”

“ I weally believe the cweacher can talk, ye
know!” exclaimed Vane, as if still more aston-
ished. “ It ith wonderful what things they are
twaining jackathes to do in these dayths—it
weally ith!”

This brought a snicker from the others, and
caused the big rufiian to suddenly grow sober.

" Looker hyer!" he growled, cramng his thick
neck forward and glaring at Vuue With a bull-
dog expression. “ D’yer know who I be?”

The Velvet Sport ignored the question, but
muttered, as ifspeaking to himself:

“ It mutht haVe ethcaped fwoni thome men-
agerwie. I will have to thecnre it and take it to
New York few the Zoo. 1 wenlly believe there
will be money in the cweachel‘.”

“ Waal, I’ll be jozzled l” snarled the ruf’fian.

Svme ol' the others laughed, and ouc cried:

“ Ther dude is makin’ sport of ye, Sam, shore’s
ye’r’ born l”

In truth the tables had been turned in a re-
markably brief space of time, and the tough
found himself the object of derision instead of
the one who was having the fun.

“ Go fer him, Sam!”

“ g’il his mug!”

“ noclr Hm silly!”

“ L’arn him better’n ter lafl‘ at yel”

The bully deliberately spat on his hands,
keeping his his eyes on the dandy all the time.

“ I’m goin’ ter kill‘ the leetle runtl” he de-
clared.

“ Oh, gwathuthl” gasped the velvet fop, be-
ginning to look alarmed.

At this a gleam of evil satisfaction shot from
the big man’s eyes and he advanced a few steps.

“Yep,” he added, “I’m jest uacherly goin’
ter chaw him all up. I won’t leave ernough of
ther blasted dood ter hev er fooneral over 1’

“ I believe the watch weally mennth it!”

“ You kin bet that high but I mean it!
P’r’aps ye don’t know w’at .I be?"

“ [Saw Jawvel you are Wight. I thould have
to look in the nawcheral hithtory to find yer
name, ye know.”

“ Waal, I’ll tell ye w’at I {be—I’m er terror!
Round in these yere parts I’m called Sledge-
hammer Sam, an’ thar’s my sledge-hammer,”
clinching his huge hand and shaking it under
sport’s the nose. “With thet thar thing I’m
jest goin’ ter nacherlly knock thunder outer
you, you leetle tailor’s dummy l”

CHAPTER II.
VANE IS PUZZLED.

“ GOODNETHI” cried the dandy, starting back
and catching hold of his nose with his thumb
and first linger. “ Pleathe don’t do that till you
have wathed your handthl The sthmell ith
weallv thockingl”

“ Ugh-r-r-rr!" snarled Sledgehammer Sam.
“ Thet is the wu’st yitl Now I will kill ye with-
out so much 92 er throb of regretl Kern down
oil.’ that boss!”

The ruffinn reached for Dandy Vane’s collar
to drag him from the animal’s back; but at that
moment something happened.

The Velvet Sport’s foot shot upward; the toe
of his riding-boot caught the bully under the
chin, and, a moment later Sledge-hammer Sam
was lying on his back in the dust.

Slipping from the saddle, the wearer of the
violets motioned to the hostler, who was stand-
ing near. When the man approached, he said,
in a 10w tone:

“Take excellent care of my horse, please; I
am going to stop here.”

The hostler gave him a queer look, but led the
white steed away. H0wever, he paused at a
(fierttain distanCe to observe the outcome of the

g t-
The overturned bully sat up and glared

"around:

“ W’at done itl” he mumbled, carefully feel-
ing of his jsW. “ Seems like my chin wuz all
tored ter slivers. I jest reckon er reg’ler charge
of dymonite must hev s’ploded tharl It’s derned
lucky my tongue wuzn’t atweeu my teeth, else I
w’udn’t hev hed nary tongue now.”

Then he ceased speaking and glared hard at
Vane. The spectators were all on their feet
now, for they felt sure they were gomg to
something worth witnessing in a few momen

“ Sam ’11 shorer kill ther dood now i”

“ You bet!” .

“ 1 w’u’dn’c be in that velvet critter’s place fer
five thousan’ dollars I”

  
 

 

   

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. lightly around his big foe.

Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq. V 3

  

 

 

“ Bob J enks ’ll git er job!”

“So you’re er kicker, be ye?” growled the
Sledge-hammer, arising to his feet “ Thct’s
ther way 6 treats people, is it? Wuul, l’m
darned of 1‘ ct don’t settle it! Say yer pi'a’rs!”

“ Oh, thirl” cried Vane, in assumed terror.
“ What would you weally do?”

The touin laughed, harshly.

“ I did jest think of l’ernin’ ye er lesson at
fu’st,” he asserted; “ but new I’m goin’ ter chaw
ye up. W’at wuz you thinkin’ of ter come inter
this yere town togged in tiiet thar way? We
don’t ’low but one man in Magic City ter dress
like thet, an’ he’s Elegant Ed. Thar he is!”

The speaker pointed toward a man who had
come out of the hotel, and Vane cast a hasty
glance in that direction to behold a medium-
sized man attired in the finest cloth, patent
leathers, white shirt and silk hat. His face was
cold but handsome, a heavy mustache shading
his lips. He was calmly smoking a cigar.

“ Thet’s ther only man we ’low ter swell roun’
an’ wear er silk hat in Magic,” Sam again as-
serted. “ Ther fu’st thing I’m goin’ ter do is
bu’st thet dice-box on yer head, sonny.”

Ulinching his rude fists, the bully rushed
straight at Vane, but the dandy dodged. Sam
follomad him up, his eyes blazing fiercely.

“I’ll l’arn ye ter kick me on ther jaw! l’ll
punch ther head ofl’en ye! Let me git my
claws on ye, an’ then I’ll tear ye all ter pieces!”

“Help! help!” faintly squawked the dandy,
as he continued i0 avoid the bully of the camp.
“ I cawn’t fight thith horwid beatht! Take him
ofl’, pleathe!”

But nobody paid any attention to the suppli-
cation.

“Mutht I fight?” moaned the Velvet Sport.
“ Oh, marmar! What a horwid thing to do! 1
wish I had nevah come to thith dweadful
plathe!”

The crowd began to laugh, for the spectacle
was really a comical one.

“ Looker ther foot-race l”

“ Ther dood’s er dodger!”

“ Sam’ll ketch him 2”

’ Sudden] Vane faced his foe.

“ Now ’ve got ye!” gritted the tough, reach-
ing out to grasp the dandy.

Quick as thought the hand was knocked
aside, Vane leaped forward, and then Sledge-
hammer Sam Went reeling backward before a
steam-drill blow.

t A cry of amazement came from the specta-
ors.

“ Ther dandy punched him i”

“ Shore’s yer shoutin’!”

“It wuz or clean cut!”

“ Brace up, Sam!”

There was no need to advise the bully to
“ brace up,” for he was fairly fuminor with rage,
and as soon as he regained his “ level” he made
another rush for the deceptive fop.

“ Rot ye!” he panted. “ You’re wass then er
’skeeter, but I’ll crunch ye w’en I do ketcli ye.”

“ When you do!” laughed the dandy, dancing
“ My dear thir, you
will have to get a move on yonrthelf before you
do. I nevah thaw thuth a big blunderheelth in
all my lit‘e—weally I nevah did!”

“ 0h, great catamaran! Holy smoke! Thun-
der an’ tar! I’ll wring ye all ter pieces! Ugh-
r-r-rr-rrr l” ‘

With this savage snarl, Sledge-hammer Sam
began pounding the air in a vain endeavor to
strike his fee. I Time after time he delivered tell-
ing blows straight at the little sport’s head, but
Vane did not wait to receive them.

He did not content himself, however, with
dodging the blOWS, for he sent back some in
return. He began poundng the bully’s exposed
body, for Sledge—hannner Sam knew very little
about the manly art, and every blow counted.
Once in a while he would send the tough stag-
gering backward with a. heavy one on the jaw
or sconce.

During all this time the dandy had not re-
moved so mnch as his tail hat, and, although he
had made several attempts to do so, Sam had
been unable to crush it. This seemed strange to
the spectators, and they yelled;

“ Kill ther hat!”

“ Sp’ile ther dice-box!”

“ Crush ther Shiner!”

But one of them shouted:

“Sam’s met his match, ur my name hain’t
Brad Thorne!”

This became more apparent as the minutes
passed, and the big fellowcontinued to get the
worst of it. The crowd ceased its cries and
watched with new interest andincreasing won-
der. Could it be possible the 118 igg to would
pimp a match for the acknowle g “ his: of

agic City a”

 

Elegant Ed puffed furiously at his cigar as he
watched the contest.

“ Hanged if that feIIOW isn’t a game-cock!” he
muttered, his eyes following Vano’s movements.
“I swear I cannot help admiring the way he
handles himself! There is something singular
about him, and I reckon ho is not what he
seems. If he downs Sam, it will fall to me to
cut his comb.”

Suddenly a great cry went up from the
throng which had gathered; with one terrific
blow, Violet Vane had sent the bully to the
ground.

“ Didn’t I tole yer!” yelled Brad Thorne. “ I
knowed it all ther time!”

But, Sledge-hammer Sam was not whipped—
? fact which he announced as he arose to his
eet.

A knife gleamed in his hand!

A warning cry broke from the throng, but
Vane did not need it. He had met men like the
bully before, and well knew the knife was their
favorite resort when they saw they were fairly
flogged.

As Sam rushed forward Vane sprung to meet
him. The knife descended but the bully’s
thick wrists were caught by fingers which
seemed like grips of steel. Then came a ter—
rible wrench, and, with 8. ye]! of pain, the
“ chief" dropped the knife and fell on his knees.

With a surge and another twist, the velvet
dandy flipped the man fairly upon his back in
the dust, the bully’s right arm being sprained
so badly it was useless t'or the time.

Then Vane turned calmly away and moved
toward the hotel steps, his dark eyes running
over the throng.

“ I’ve seen that gaIOOt afore!” cried Brad
Thorne. “ I saw him over in Coflin City. Dern
it all! thet is Violet Vane!”

At this Elegant Ed started, and gazed with
greater interest at the dandy, making it plain
he had heard of Violet Vane before. He stood
fairly in the center of the Steps, and he made no
offer to move as Vane came up. The Velvet
S ort halted, and the eyes of the two men met.

nwaveringly they stared at each other, and
gilcll recognized a fee in the man who confronted

llll.

Politer lifting his silk hat, Vane said:

“ Will you have the kindness to permit me to
pass, sir?”

Elegant Ed blew out a ring of smoke, showed
his faultless white teeth in a tigerish smile, lifted
his hat a. bit and moved aside, saying:

“ With pleasure, Sir.”

There was another exchange of dag er-like
glances, then Vane went on into the hotel.

“I shall have trouble With that man," decided
the sport. “It is plain he is a card-sharp, and
he will probably try ‘20 13191! a quarrel over the

asteboards. Well, he W111 find me ready for
1m.

“ I am known here by my traveling title, so it
is useless for me to attempt to keep up a decep-
tion. One of those fellows out there shouted my
name and declared he had seen me in Coffin
City.”

He registered as “ Violet Vane, Coffin City,”

After he had eaten a square meal, he sent to
the stable for a pair of shoes he had brought
with him, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips
when his feet were withdrawn from the riding-
boots.

Jenks, the landlord. was very attentive, for
Vane had paid his bills three days in advance
and had not deniiirred at the exorbitant price
Charged. So when the sport seated himself by
an open window to enjoy it flood cigar, the pro-
prietor of the hotel sat down near at hand and
volunteered a large amountof information about
magic City and its inhabitants.

bile they were sitting there a rather nice-
looking young lady rode past on a spirited horse.
She sat as if glued to the saddle, and Vane fol-
10wed her with admiring eyes till she vanished
down the street.

“ A graceful rider!” be exclaimed. “ Who is
she, landlord?”

“ That’s old Dan Marden’s gel,” was the
prompt reply, “Her dad’s dead—shot hisself,
though I dunno why he sh’u’d ’a’ done it seein’s
he wuz makin’ money band OVer fist. But, he
wuz quare, old Marden WUZ- Left fl” “is Prop-
perty tar his gal as you saw an’ ter er boy thet’s
dead, I reckon.”

It is needless to say Vane was interested.

‘ It agpears to me I have heard of Dan
Marden. he remarked, deliberately blowing out
a ring of smoke, appearing quite calm, although
his heart had given a, great thump and was beat-
ing faster than usual.

“ Quite likely ye hev of ye ever heard much
of anything ’bout Magic City,” nodded Jenks.

 

“ It wuz him as made this town. He diskivered
ther Leetle Marion Mine, an’ Magic City sprung
inter existence arter thet.”

“ How long ago did he die’i”

“ Two weeks yisterday.”

“ And when did his daughter arrive in town?”

“ Three days ergo.”

The Velvet Sport seemed to have struck a
puzzle.

 

CHAPTER III.
THE sroa'r‘s GALLAN’I‘ ACT.

VIOLET VAN}: quickly took a mental observa~
tion of the situation. Could it be Daniel Mar-
den’s daughter had esca ed her foes and reached
Magic City in safety? f so, she certainly would
have related her adventures, and the landlord
must know somethin of them:

“Did the young Indy come on the regular
stage!” Vane carelessly inquired.

It Y9 )IH

“ I do not suppose this section is troubled with
road—agents?”

“ Nary whit! We did hev er leetle whirl with
ther critters ’bout three months ergo, but ther
citizens jest formed er kermitty an’ went fer
’eni. In 'est four days we hung five men, an’
thar haint bin no Sign of agents sauce thet.
The: jest cleaned ’em out, on bet!"

“ ’1‘ ion the young lady a journey to Magic
City was of an uneventful nature?”

“ Wan], I dunno. I never heard her say any-
thin’ ’bout it a tall.”

The mystery deepened. If Miss Marden had
been kidnapped, she surely would have told of
her adventure on escaping from the clutches of
her enemies.

What meant the slip of paper he had found
on the mountain trail? Wns it a “ fake?”

After a few moments of silence, during which
his brain was busy, Vune spoke again:

“ You say Daniel Marden committed suicide?”

The landlord looked around as if to make sure
there was no one else within hearing, then he
answered in a low tone:

“ No, I don’t say nary sech thing.”

“ But I surely understood you so.”

“ Waal, niebbe I did guv ye thet impression;
but I don’t sa so, all ther same. I hain’t
makin’ much to k ’bout it, anyhow.”

Vane believed himself on track of something
interesting, and by skillful questioning he led the
man on till Jenks said:

“ It has allus seemed ’tarnalsing’ler ter me
thet er man like Dan Miii'den sh’u’d kermit
suicide. W’y, he wuz on ther high road of pros-
perity, jest inakin’ money fast as he c’u‘d pull it
in. l‘her Leetle Marion wuz puyin’ big, an’ Dan
seemed ter be er jol! i’eller all ther time. He
didn’t hev enny enem es that I knows of, 1111’ he
owned ther best house in Magic. Wus allus
tellin ’bout hevin’ his gal come out hyer, some
time. She was at school. Thar wuz snthin’
’bout er boy thet wuz wild an’run erwny, though
I never caught jest all of it. Sence Dan died
I’ve heerd ther boy’s dead.

“ W'aul, things wuz thet-a-way wign one
mornin’ Dan Mui'den wuz foiin’ dead in his own
house. Ther winder wuz open, an’ he lay on
therflOor with his revolver in his han’ an’ er
bullet in his brain. One chamber 0’ ther revol-
ver bed been fired. At fu’st some thought it
wuz murder, but w’en they begun ter ’zumino
an’ see thar wnrn‘t no robbery they didn’t know
w’ut ter think. Then Il()b0( y knew of Dan
hevin any enemies, which wuz ’tarnul sing’liir,
fer er man in his place. Thar wuz an’ inquest,
an ther jury uv a verdic’ of suicide.”

Then Hi cnks loaned toward the Velvet
Sport, speaking in a whisper:

“But, 1’]! tell ye this: don’t take er blamed
bit of stock in ther suicide theory!”

“ Then you believe the man was murdered?”

“Er he didn’t kermit suicide, he wuz mur-
dered!” .

“ But, what was the ob ect?”

. “ Timp—rig’ht thar you ve got me, pard!”

H There is never a murder without an object,
unless the man who commits the crime is a
maniac.” '_ ,

H I reckon ye’re right, but I hain’t got this
yere case through my ole head, though I hev
puzzled over it some.” ‘

H How does Miss Marden seem to feel over
her father’s death? I did not notice she was in
mourning." .

“ I ’low she hain’t got no mournin’ for her
ridin’ suit. She wears black w’en she don’t go
out ridin’.”

“ She might wear a vail then.”

Vane shook his head, feeling sure there was
something strange about the case. The convic-
tion increased when he was informed that Miss

 

 

  

I

i l

4. Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq.

 

 

Marden had been out to ride every day since ar-
riving at Magic City.

" Does no one accompany her?”

“ Nop. She don’t seem ter keer fer any one.”

After talking with the landlord a while lon-
ger, the sport arose and sauntered out of the ho-
te He was favored by the curious glances of
the crowd gathered in the shade in front of
the building, and more than one admiring whis-
per came to his ears. Noting Elegant Ed was
not with the throng, he walked slowly onward,
apparently indifferent to the stir his appearance
had created.

Unconscioust he turned in the direction pur-
sued by the young lady he had seen from the ho-
tel window.

“ It’s plain I have struck a mystery that
needs clearing up,” be cogitated, as he sauntered
along. “ It is my opinion there has been a large
amount of crooked work here, but, if I can get
at the facts, I will be pretty apt to step on some
rogue’s toes. I believe the note I found on the
trail is honest and square, and, if it is there is
something rotten in Denmark. A bold game is
being played and somebody’s hands are red
with human blood. I have brought more than
one piece of villainy to an end, and I will see
what I can do on this case. For a time I will
turn detective again, for the excitement of the
thing, and to satisfy my interest in this strange
note.

“ My first move must'be to meet this girl who
claims to be Daniel Marden’s daughter. She is
probably an impostor and an adventuress, but,
there is certainly a power behind her, and that
is what I must get at. It will puzzle me to find
an excuse for calling on Miss Marden, self-styled.
I must set my wits at work about it.”

But, fortune had decided to favor the sport.

Buried in thought, he walked along until he
had passed beyond the limits of the town and
entered a canyon.

Suddenly the clear crack of a revolver gave
him a start, and the next moment the gorge
rung with the fri'litened cry of a female, fol-
lowed by a sharp c utter of a preaching 'noofs.

A short distance ahead of ane was an abrupt
bend which kept from his view the exciting
scene beng enacted, but he knew the horse would
soon burst into view. The cry he had heard led
him to believe the rider of the horse was 9. W0-
man.

Perhaps the animal was running away with
herl

To think was to act with Vane Howard. In a
moment be determined on a course of action in
case it proved he was right—he would make a
desperate attempt to stop the runaway.

Gathering himsclf for action, he was ready
when the horse came into view round the bend.

It was as he surmised; the horse was running
away, and, clinging to his back, was a. girl,
while one of the reins hung dangling as if cut
clean off. '

When the horse appeared Vane was ready for
the run, and took the same course of. the fright-
ened animal, having the start and aiming to_in-
tercept the creature. _

Fortunately the horse seemed blind with ter-
ror, and so it did not swerve and thwart the
sport. _

As the runaway came 11 , Vane caught it by
the bit, getting a firm ho d at the first grasp,
which was a most lucky thing, as he would not
have been given time for a second attempt.

" Cling fast l” he cried: and then he exerted
his wonderful stren th.

With a powerfu twist that threatened to
break the animal’s jaw, he set the horse back on
his haunches, something like a laugh breaking
from his lips as he felt sure he was master of the
situation.

CHAPTER IV.
SAVED BY A TRICK.

THE horse recognized its master, and with'a
few soothing words Vane swiftly cooled the
fri htened animal down.

he girl sli ped from the saddle as soon as it
was safe to 0 so and stood watching the sport
till he had overcome the fears of the horse.

“Oh, sir!” she cried; “ how can I thank you
for saving my life l”

“Thanks are quite unnecessary,” smiled the
dandy, lifting his silk hat gallantly. “ Do not
. put yourself to the trouble.”

“ Oh, but I must thank you! and that will be
but oorly showing my gratitude. .You see the
bridYe-rein is cut, and so Moro was quite un-
manageable.”

“ It was fortunate for me you were here.

 

 

There are but few men who could have stopped
him so easily, if they had succeeded in stopping
him at all.”

Her words were flattering enough, but her
blue eyes spoke more than her words expreSSed.

“ She is a coquette,” thought Vane.

He saw the girl was decidedly charming, to
say the least. She could not have been much
more than twenty years of age. Her figure,
though slightly below medium height, was per-
fectly molded, its outline being one of curves
with no angles visible. Her riding-habit dis-
played it in all its charming contour. She was
neither slim nor too plump, but seemed fashioned
in a happy medium.

Her face was oval and her complexion good,
although it was slightly tanned by exposure.
There was a flush of perfect health in her cheeks,
and her lips were red as berries, being a trifle
too full, if anything, thus having just a sugges-
tion of sensuality. When she smiled her chin
had a strange quiver that was most bewitching.
Her hair was golden-brown, being coiled in a
knot at the back of her head.

At a glance Violet Vane recognized the charms
of the girl whom he had saved. He was struck
with her uncommon beauty, and in his heart he
wondered if she could be an adventuress. Such
a thing did not seem possible.

“ I am sure you give me too much credit,” re—
turned the sport. ‘ I did the most natural thing
under the circumstances. I saw you were in
danger, and I did my level best to save you, as
hundreds of others would have done in the same
position.”

“But only one out ofa hundred could have
succeeded. You took a great risk, air, and I
will not soon forget it.”

She seemed sincere, but Vane wondered at her
coolness after such an exciting adventure.

“ By Jove she has nerve l” he thought.

Aloud he said; .

“ How did your rein become cut in this
manner?”

At this the girl cast something like a frighten—
ed glance over her shoulder, the color leaving
her cheeks for an instant.

“ It was done by a bullet.”

“By a bullet? That is strange.”

“ I was fired at back there.”

“ Fired cit—you? Great Scott! Who did
such a thing?”

“ A man who arose from behind some rocks.
It was the sight of him and the whistle of the
bullet that frightened Moro.”

“ How far back was that?"

“ Only a. short distance beyond the bend.”

Vane came to a sudden determination.

“Here, can on take care of this horse now ?”

“Yes, sir. ut, what are you going to do?”

“ I am going back there and find that das-
tardly whelp who fired at you i”

h Sicile caught him by the arm with one gloved
an .

“No, no!” she cried. “Do not do it, sir, I
entreatl He is a desperate man, and he might
shoot you! Do not venture—”

She paused abruptly, for she saw she had
struck the wrong chord; the man before her was
not one to be detained by fear. Realizing this,
she turned upon another course.

“ Do not leave me now! I have not recover-
ed mly composure. I beg you not to leave mel”

“ ut the dastard may make his escape!”

“ Let him go, for the present.”

“ If we let him go now, he may yet find a
chance to do his foul work before he can be
prevented.” ,

“ No; for I will have him looked after.”

“ Then you know him?”

She hesitated.

“I have seen him in the past,” she reluctantly
confessed. “ I knew his face.”

“ Then it was an old enemy?”

The girl bowed. -

“ Will you tell me his name?”

She broke into a short laugh and seemed con-
gpsed. For a moment she turned away, and

ane was puzzled to understand her manner and
its meaning. When she turned back her faco
was very grave. -

“ I have a favor to ask of you,” she said.

“It shall be granted,” was his impulsive as-
surance.

“ It is that you do not seek to meet the man
who fired the shot at me and that you make no
mention of the occurrence in Magic City.”

He bowed. “ You have my pledge, lady.”

She held out her hand, a grateful look in her
blue eyes.

“ I thank you,” came softly from her red lips.
“ It is a favor 1 will remember.”

He clasped her gloved hand, and felt a gentle.
pressure of those slender fingers-a pressure that

 

sent an electric thrill along his arm. Their eyes-
met, and he saw no gleam of treachery in her:
biue orbs.

“ Great heavens!” was his mental exclamation?
“ can this beautiful girl he an impOStor—an ad-
venturess“ I cannot believe it! Her face is
frank and open as the day. It must be this is
the genuine Marion Mardenl”

“Now,” she said, “ we have arrived at an
agreement, as it were; but as yet we are stran-
gers to each other. Of course, I have not a card
with me. I am Marion Marden, and anybody
in Magic City can tell you whereI live. You
must call.”

Vane produced a card and handed itto her.

“ I am more fortunate than you,” he laughed.
“ I always carry cards.”

“ Philip Vane Howard,” she read. Then she
looked him fairly in the face again, saying: “ I
like that name.”

“ I am glad you do.” he assured.

“ You will call on me? It is so lonesome here,
and I am just from school. I long for some one
to talk with. ”

“ I will call.”

“Thank you. To-morrow?”

“Yes, to—morrow P. K.”

“ I will be expecting you. Do not fail to
come.”

“ I will not.”

“ Now, can you fix this rein so I can ride
home?”

“ I think so.”

In a few moments he had knotted the rein se—
curely so it could not slip, and it was found still
quite long enough forvuse. Again she thanked
him, and then he assisted her to mount.

It seemed as if there was an unnecessary
deliberation about his movements, 9. clinging of
his touch, as if he were loth to part with hero
She smiled down at him from the saddle.

“You will not forget me?”

“ Forget you i” be repeated, a strange thrill in
his voice. “ I will never forget you!’

That was enou h; what woman could ask
more? She felt tie emotion expressed by his
words, even though his voice was even and de-
liberate in its tone. The color in her cheeks
grew stronger, and then it suddenly faded as if
with fear. A light of terror came into her eyes
for a moment, and he saw her hands tremble.

What did it mean?

The question was not anSWered,

With a word of parting, she rode away to-
ward Magic City. Before she disappeared she
looked back and waved her hand, to which he
lifted his hat in response.

Then he was alone in the canyon—apparently.

Seating himself on a bowlder near at hand, he
fell into a reverie. Some of his thoughts were
expressed aloud.

“ It seems as if fortune had favored me. I
was wondering how I could meet this girl, what

‘excuse I could find, when this occurrence ave

me the very opening I was desiring. But am
disappointed. I expected to find a cold and cal-
culating adventuress, and I found a warm, im—
pulsive girl. By J ovei she is handsome!

“Who could have fired at her? But for my
promise, I would try to find the devil now and
call him to an account. And why should any
one fire at her? Gracious! can it be she is the
genuine Marion Marden, and her enemies,driven
to desperate measures, are trying to put her out
of the way in some manner? I declare it looks
like that!

“The thing that puzzles me most is why, if
she is the genuine Marion. she tells nothing of
her adventures after being kidnapped by her en-
emies. f she were a man, I could understand
that, well enough. But as she is not a man, I
am puzzled. Perhaps she has good reasons for
keeping it quiet, and it is possible she will tell
me when I call to-morrow. If I can do so with-
out being too inquisitive, I shall question her
some.

“ The girl has a charming face! Those e es—
those red lips! B Jove! I begin to fear am
hit ! I am afraid stand on the verge of mak-
ing a fool of myself. If she. is an adventuress,
her acting is mOst admirable. . '

“But stop! That look of fear! What did it
mean? The color suddenly left her face and a
haunted light filled her eyes. I almost fancied
she was on the point of fainting, but she quickly
recovered her composure, I cannot understand
the meaning of that.”

For some time he sat thinking it over, but the
more he thought the more puzzled he grew.

At length, he arose to his feet.

“Well, I will return to town, for it ispaat
sunset and night is coming on.”

It was true darkness was not far away. Al~
ready there were dusky shadows in the canyon,

  

 

   
 

Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq.

  

v 5

 

 

but he paid little attention to his surroundings
as he walked along.

“ Halt thur, you critter!”

The words :grated harshly on his ears. He
looked up to see a man confronting him with a
ecocked revolver.

It was Sledge-hammer Sam!

“Hello!” chuckled the ruflian, with an evil
laugh. “ So I hev can ht ye. hev I, purty bird?
Wal, wall I reckon ’ll jest rumple up yer
feathers or hit. I’ve got or leetle score ter squar’
with ye. Han’s up!”

“Stan'l aside and let me pass!” commanded
'Vanc, sternly.

“Not by or derned sight! You can’t come
nary bit of tlict on this chick! Ef you don’t
putt yer han‘s up ter once, I’m derned of I don’t
‘salt ye ’thout no more p’laverl”

The tough meant it, and Vane saw he must
‘ obey or be shot down in cold blood, so he eleva-
ted his hands.

“ Thet’s right,” nodded the desperado, with
an ugly leer. “ I reckon you knows which side
yer bread is buttered on. Oh, hain’t I goin’ tor
soke ye!”

Vane discerned that the man was drunk. It
was probable he had been “ filling up” since the
encounter in front of the hotel, intending all the
time to tackle the sport again. Not only was
he drunk, but he was “ ugly drunk.” here
was no telling what such a rascal would do
while under the influence of liquor, and the
Velvet Sport knew his situation was one of per-
sonal peril.

“Oh, yesi”chuckled Sam, nodding his head
and rolling his bloodshotten eyes; “I’m goin’
ter fix ye fer what you done! I’m ther Chief of
Magic City, an’ I don’t ’low no leetle runts like
"you ter dowu me fer keeps. I’ve got my own
private graveyard up ther gulch hyer apiece,
an’ l’ll plant ye thar. You’ll never he missed
any ter speak of, an’ them thet misses yo Won’t
make no fuss over yor disappearance.”

“What do you mean to do?” asked Vane,
-calml .

“ 0! ho! he!” came harshly from the tough’s
lips. “So ye are beginnin’ ter git kinder in-
t’rusted like? We], you’ve got good reasons ter
be int’rusted. W’at am I goin’ ter do? D’yer
see this gun?”

t‘ e ”

“Wal, it’sloaded—yes, it am! I’ve got ther
drap on ye.”

“ Well?”

“ I’m goin’ ter shoot ye.”

“ In cold blood?”

“Cold blood ur hot blood don’t make no dif
with me.”

“ Aren’t you going to give me a chance for my
life?”

“ W’at kind of er chance?”

“An even chance with you. Of course you
are not going to shoot me while I am standing
with my hands elevated in this way?”

“ Oh, I hain’t, hain’t 1? Wu], thet’s whar ye
fools yerself, t'er I jest be!”

“It will be murder!”

“ Pishl W’at’s thetl I’ve killed lots of fellers
in that way.”

The ruflian made the (leclaration with evident
pride, and Vane shuddered as he saw the kind of
a man he had to deal with.

“ Are ye goin’ ter beg?” asked Sam. “ Go
crhead, fer l wants ter heur ye. Thet’d tickle
me like fun l”

“ You have made a big mistake if you think
,you will hear me beg.”

“ So ye hain‘t gom’ tor beg for yer life?”

“ Nar be .” _ .

"Then I reckon I might Jest ez well finish ye
Eff. "Say yer pra’rs an’ make ready for ther final
. op.

The tough really meant to shoot.

“ Are you aware I have friends who will
avenge me?” .

“ Deru yer friends!”

“ You may say so now, but they will know no
'rest till they have hunted you down.”

“ I don’t keer or boot for ’em!”

“ You would be apt to care if you knew just
how you stood at this minute. ’You would be
apt to care if you knew One of my friends was
behind you with a cocked revolver held within
two feet of your head.”

Sam grinned.

“But thar hain’t no such galoot thar. You

in‘t fool me in that way.”

;Then _the tough heard a voice behind him
43':

“You are mistaken, Sam. I have the drop
on you! Hands up, or I will blow the roof of
your head off!”

With a snarl of amazement and fury, the
tough whirled to confront the individual behind

 

him. To his astonishment he saw no one. He
had no time to wonder what it meant, for Violet
Vane’s hard fist struck him in the back of his
head, and a moment later he was stretched face
downward on the round.

He had been trio edl

CHAPTER V.
ELEGANT isn‘s LITTLE GAME.

IN a moment Violet Vane was upon the ruf~
flan’s back, pinning the stunned man to the
ground, as he swiftly disarmed him.

His ventriloquial powers had stood him in

ood stead and saved his life without a doubt.

y a trick of his voice he had led the Sledge-
hammer to believe there was some one behind
him.

“ You see the tables are turned, my dear sir,”
laughed Vane, as be secured the weapons of the
tough. “ Just at the moment when you fancied
yourself high cock of the walk you are beauti-
fully fooled. It is very aggravating I will con-
fess, but such things will occur."

The would-be murderer was too dazed and
astounded to made any resistance, and Vane had
soon disarmed him. Taking possession of the
deSpei-ado’s weapons, he sat doWn on a bowlder
near at hand, holding Sum “covered” with
one of his own revolvers. The tough sat up
and stared around, still looking for the man
who had spoken behind hiln.

“Whar did ther cuss go ter so quick?” he
mumbled, shaking his head. “He must be or
holv dodger!”

Vane laughed aloud.

“ Well, he is pretty qui(k,” acknowledged
the sport. “ He is always around when I want
him, and nobody else seems able to see him.”

The tough could not understand it, and free-
ly confessed to that fact.

“ Well, I would not puzzle my head over it
if I were you,” said Vane. “ It is a small mat-
ter anyway. I suppose you are ready to climb
the gol'len stairs?”

“ VV’at’s tliet?”

“I suppose you are ready to shuffle off this
mortal coil, for of course I will treat you as you
were about to serve me.”

“ You don’t mean ter shoot me, pard?”

“ Don’t 1? Well, ifnot, why not?”

“ Oh, ye w’u’dn’t do that!”

“But ou were about to serve me that way. ”

“ No IYwuzn’t nuther.”

“ But you said So."
“ I wuz only foolin’.”

“ That won’t hold water. I saw it in your
eye. You meant to shoot me, and now it is m
duty to serve you with a dose of your own medi-
cius. Say your prayers.” _ .

The rascal flopped over on his knees, holding
out his hands to Vane in supplication.

“ Oh, say, pard, don’t ye do it] Don’t be hard
on me! i reckon I am or dite full of bug-juice,
but Inever meant tel' salt yel Don’t shoot,
pard—don’t, fer God’s sake!”

Vane gave an exclamation of disgust.

“ You miserable coward!” he cried. “ You
haven’t a bit of sand! Take your medicine like
a man.”

“ No, no. no! I hain’t reddv ter die yit!
Jest let me off this time, pard! Don’t shoot!”

“If I let you off, you must tell who put you
up to this job.”

“ Thar didn’t nobody,” declared Sam, hesitat-
ingly. “ I wuz jest doin’ of it ter git even fer
ther lickin’ ye uv me. But I didn t mean ter
shoot ye a tall!” e hastily added. “ Thet‘s ther
honest gesiml truth, pardl”

“ Well, see I will havo to shoot you, for you
do not mean to tell the truth. There is some-
body behind you iii this affair. and I reckon I
shall have to blow your head off if you do not
tell who it is.” '

Once more the tomb protested there was no
one behind him, but Vane cut his words short.

“Say your prayers, for I shall fire when I
have counted up to twenty.”

Then, in a deliberate manner, he began to
count aloud. That was too much for the ras-
cal, and by the time fifteen was reached he
cried: I

“ Say, hole on! I’ll tell! I‘ll tell!”

“All right, spit it out. I have no time to
W??“"._for it is growing dark. Who W88 It?”

“ Will ye let me go of I tell?” , , ,

Yes; but talk lively. Who was it?’

“ It wuz Elegant Ed, I wuz sw’arin’ I’d hev
revenge 0!! ye w’en he comes up 60’ says he'd
guv. me fifty dollars e: m salt yea. I felt like
saltm’ Y9: anS'how, so 1 tuck ther J°b-”

Vane laughed,icil .

“ It is about as I thought,” fell from his lips.
“Elegant Ed will find me a bad man to butt
against. As for you, for all of your protests

\

 

that you did not mean to kill me, it is plain you
did mean just that. You are a miserable red-
handed dog, who ought to have your neck
stretched, and if you remain in Magic City, I
will see that it is stretched. My advice to you
is to get out as soon as you know hOW. Do you
see that bend down there?”

“ Yep.”

“ Well, I am going to count twenty once
more, and if you are not out of sight, eyond
that bend, by the time I finish, I shall practice
on you for a target.”

“ ut, my Weppins, pard—w’at’ll ye do with
’em?”

“ [will leave them with Hi Jenks, at the hotel.
You can call on him for them. Are you ready
to start?”

“Say, Jenks an’ I hain’t very good frien’s.
S’ )<8 you—"

hit Vane began to count, and the “chief”
instantly took to his heels. Before the twenty
were counted he had disappeared.

“ Now,” said Vane, arisin , “ I will go back to
Magic City and Elegant  l have taken a
fair look at his cards, and I ought to be able to
thwart his game.”

The lights were beginning to twinkle from
cabin windows when he entered the town.
At the hotel he came face to face with the dandy
sport of Magic City. Something like an ex-
clamation of surprise, of disgust, escaped Ele-
gant Ed's lips, and Vane smiled sweetly in his
face. Then each passed on.

Later that evening, Vane entered the “ Gol-
den Hnnd” Saloon, which was directly across
the street from the hotel. He found the place
lilled with a motley assemny The bar was do.
ing a rushing business, am the gaming-tables
were surrounded by the throng of men who were
eager to stake their hard earned-money on the
turn of a card.

To some the scene would have been strange
and facsinating, but Violet Vane was used to
such things. With a lighted cigar between his
teeth, he sauntered leisurely down the room till
he reached that portion occupied by the gum—
blers. He kept his dark eyes roving restlessly
about till he had taken in everything in the
place and then, although constantly on his
guard, he scarcely seemed to notice anything
that occurred at his elbow.

Among others, Vane noticed Elegant Ed, the
gambler being seated at a table playing cards
With a seedy-looking lid“) of uncertain age. The
clothes worn by Ed’s oponent fitted his person
in a sloucliy manner and his faCe was covered by
a tangled beard.

Unobserved by the Magic City sharp, Violet
Vane took a position where he could watch Ed’s
every movement.

The game was a. quiet one and therefore at~
tracted little attention. Everything was favor-
able for Elegant Ed to work whatever game he
saw fit, as it appeared, without being detected by
any of the spectators. Vane well knew the gum-
bler would play some kind of a trick if he found
himself matched against a lucky or skillful op-
ponent.

After watching the game a few moments, the
Velvet Sport came to the conclusion that the
cards were running to the seedy man. This he-
lief was conflrined when the man drew in a pot
with a laugh, saying:

“ Wal, this is ther fu’st time Seth Slouch
ever bed any bit of luck at keerds, but he’s right
on it fer-day, an’ don't ye fergit it! Ef this
streak keeps on, I‘ll bu’st ye wide open, pard.”

“ That is true,” confessed Elegant Ed, coolly.
“You are having wonderful luck, stranger. I
reckon I am no good to-night."

“Now he will try his little snap,” thought
Vane, and from that moment he watched the
gambler’s hands still more closely.

In less than than a minute be detected a,
crooked move.

CHAPTER VI.
THE GAME BLOCKED.

ELEGANT ED was working a sleeve hold-out,
but the fellow who had called himself Seth
Slouch was playing a square game. Ed drew a
pair of kings and an ace, and with the aid of his
hold.out “ filled ” his hand with aces, thus mak-
ing the strongest “ full house” in existence.

Seth Slouch “ drew ” to a pair of ten-spots.

The Magic City sharp started the ball with a.
light bet, and Slouch promptly “ saw ” him and
“ set” him in return. Then there was some
lively betting.

Elegant Ed felt sure he held a hand that would
be “ good," for it seemed certain the other had
drawn to a pair, Of course Slouch could not
hold a straight flush or anything of that sort.

“ You have good pluck, partner,” observed

 

 

 

fl

6 Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq.

  

 

 

the gambler, coldly as Slouch continued to
“ raise” the pot. “ It is ssihle, however, your
pluck is superior to your Judgment.”

The seedy man laughed.

“ Oh, I’m on it!" he declared. “ I’ve jest got
or ’tarnal streak of luck, an’ I’m oin’ ter shove
it ter ther eend. I’ll tell ye w’at ’11 do.”

“ Well?”

“ I’ll putt up my hull pile on this han’ ’ginst ther
same ermount of yourn, then we’ll show keerds.
W’at d’yer say?”

The card-sharp hesitated a moment, then a
look of desperate determination passed over his
face. He would put up the money and claim a
foul if it happened that he was beaten.

“ I am agreeable.”

“ Then it’s er go!”

The seedy man produced a roll of. bills and
counted out nearly fifteen hundred dollars. De-
liberately Elegant Ed covered the sum with a
similar amount.

“ Thar ye hev itl” cried Slouch, excitedly.
“ Now show up an’ We’ll see who’s ther best fel—

I

er.

Calmly Elegant Ed turned his cards so the
seed man could see them.

“ t is the best full house to be found in the
ask,” he said. “Have you anything to beat
t?

“ You bet yer boots 1” laughed Slouch. “ How

duz them look ter yer eyes?”

Then he displayed his cards. and with dis-
may the gambler saw four ten spots spread be-
fore himl

“ They look rich, don’t they, pardl” chuckled
the seedy man.

The card-sharp turned white, then flushed
hotly, a light of anger in his eyes.

“ ckon I scoop ther boodle,” and Slouch
reached to rake in the pile.

“ I reckon not!” retorted Ed, icily, his words
being accompanied by the click of a revolver.
“ Hands off, or chew lead !”

Slouch started back in apparent amazement.

“ W’y, w’at in thunder d’ye mean?” he cried.
“,I won thet thar money, didn’t I?”

“ By a foul.”

“ It’s er derned liel I played er squar’ game!’

Elegant Ed’s eyes Were blazing with a deadly
light. He had determined to secure the money
at all hazards.

By this time the attention of the crowd was
drawn to the two men, and s ctators began to
surge around the table. iolet Vane placed
himself directly behind the Magic City sharp, al-
though others were careful to keep out of prob-
able pistol range.

‘.‘ I1 say you played crooked,” declared Ed,
grim y.

“ An’ I say it’s er liel” again retorted the seedy
man. “I played a squar game, an’ thar’s my
keerds. Four tens allus beats ary denied kind
of er full house you kin sear’ up, so I takes ther
monfiy."

“ at this evening, stranger. I have the drop
and ”—reaching out to draw in the amount of
the wager—“ I also have the boodle.”

“ Go a. little slow there I” advised Violet Vane,
as he thrust the cold muzzle of a revolvar against
Elegant Ed’s head just back of the right ear.
“ I believe I will chi into this little game. I
ha pen to know somet ing about it.”

he card-sharp vented a furious exclamation.

“ Kindly accommodate me by removing your
hands from that money,” commanded the Velvet
Sport. “Many thanks. That will save me the
trouble of blowing off the roof of your shapely
head. Now we will come to an understanding.”

“ Look here!” cried Ed. “ What do you mean
by this? You are not in this game anyway.”

“ But I have invited myself to come in. See?
It may not be pleasant to you, but it is a way I
have.”

Then the Magic City sharp appealed to the
crowd:

“ Gentlemen, are you going to see me robbed
in this fashion? It is a put~up game. This
money is mine.”

“ Gentlemen,” came deliberately from Vane’s
lips, “ this man claims the pot, but cards talk in
this case. There are the two hand: before vour
eyes. One is a full house, the other four tens.

verybody who knows a thing about draw
poker knows fours beat a full house always.”
b1“ But I claim foul play,” insisted the gam-

er.

“ In what way?”

“ H’s, did not get those four tens in a fair

draw.

“Is—that—sol Well, if you are going to
make such a claim as that, I suppose you will
submit to have your own sleeves searched!”

The card-sharp paled.

“ This is all a trick—a game torob me!” he

 

fumed,finding himself fairly cornered. “Some
one shall pay dearly for itl I will yet call them
to an account!”

“ There is no need of getting excited about it,”
came slowly from Vane’s lips. “ I fancy this
other gentleman stands ready to be searched?”

“ You bet!” was Seth Slouch‘s prompt reply.
“ I’m willin’ ter be pawed all over.”

“ Of course you will stand the same test?” and
the Velvet Sport addressed Elegant Ed. “ You
cannot refuse under the circumstances.”

“ But I do refuse. I see you are bound to beat
me anyway. Take the money ”—to Slouch—
“ but you will hear from me again.”

“ Thankee,” nodded the seedy man, as he
raked in the pot. “Now I am onter ther kind
of a cuss you be,I shell be reddy for ye ’most
any time.”

With as much calmness as he could command,
Elegant Ed restored his revolver to a pocket and
arose from the table. Then he turned and faced
the Velvet Sport a ho rd, cruel look on his
rather handsome ace.

“1 will not forget you very soon,” he said,
harshly. “ You have stepped into my path, but
you shall rue the moment you first saw me!
am a man who never forgets an enemy, and you
have shown yourself my enemy.”

“ Good enough 1” smiled Vane. “ Now we un-
derstand each other, and an open fight is to be
preferred to an underhand one. I knew you for
an enemy as soon as I saw you. Something
told me to look out for you. You hired an as—
sassin to put me cut of your way, but he failed.”

“ It is not true!”

“ It is true, and Sledge-hammer Sam is the
man.”

The Magic City sharp flung out one hand with
a gesture of contempt.

“'What kind of a story are you trying to hatch
up? When I want such a job as that done, I
attend to it myself, and it is done in a manner
fair and anew-board. That is the way 1 shall
dispose of your case if you have not taken your-
self out of Magic City within the next twenty-
four hours 1”

Having uttered this threat, Elegant Ed turned
away and left the saloon.

 

CHAPTER VII.
GUILTY on nor.

THAT night Violet Vane took extra precau-
tions against being taken at an advantage by
an assassin after he had retired to his room.
He knew Elegant Ed was a dangerous man who
would pause at nothing to rem0ve an obstacle
from his path, and the Velvet Sport had plainly
proved himself such an obstacle.

“It would be like him to hire two or, three
toughs to break into this room and wipe me out,”
muttered Vane, as he prepared to obtain some
sleep. “ That is the way such as he usually get
rid of their foes. Well, if the thugs come they
will be received very cordially.”

He looked to his weapons to make sure they
were in perfect working order, then placed
them where his hands would grasp them at the
first alarm. With the revolvers be deposited a
knife that had a “ business look” about it.

“ That will be handy at close quarters,” laugh-
ed the wearer of violets. “ I despise the thing, for
it seems to me like an assassin’s weapon, but it is
necessary to carry it in this section. 'If there is
anything I dread it is the thought of being cut
with aknife. It does not seem half so bad to
think of being plinked with a_bullet. But, when
a fellow is crowded, a knife is worth more than
a dozen revolvers.” 3

He was right.

Vane lay down, determined to “ sleep with
one eye open,” as it were. _He fully anticipated a
call from the hired assassms of the Magic City
sharp, but he was to he happily disappointed.
The night passed quietly away and he was not
disturbed.

Despite the fact that had retired at a late
hour, the Velvet Sport arose bright and early
and took a wall: in. the clear bracing air before
breakfast. He rambled far enough from the
border oi: the little town to find a fresh bunch of
violets, and when he returned to 3310 hotel, they
were pinned upon the lapel of his coat, the dew
still glistening upon them.

Vane looked as neat and fresh as one could
wish, for there was a barber connected with the
Bang-Up Hotel, and the sport was the “ ton-
sorial artist’s ” first customer that may.

The barber seemed inclined to talk—a strange
thing for barbersl—and Vane skillfully led him
(tic speak of Daniel Marden and his mysterious

eath.

“ I tell you,” confidentially declared the bar-

; "j 57"». ‘

 

ber, lowering his voice as if he did not wish to
he overheard, “ there is something pOWerful
singular about that l”

“ What do you mean?” asked Vane.

“ I mean it seems queer such a man as Dan
Marden should shoot himself. There was no
reason in the world that I can see why he
should have done so.”

“And yet he did?”

“ Well I am not so sure. I believe there are a.
few in agic who have their doubts about it.”

“ But he was found with a bullet in his brain.”

“ That may have been the work of other hands
than his.”

“ Hal Do you think he was murdered?”

“ Well, I am not willing to say what I think
but it was only yesterday I heard something that
set me to thinking powerful hard.”

it Yes?”

The barber coughed, hesitated, then Went on:
“ It has been a wonder who could have had a
motivein putting Dan Marden out of the way,
if it was not snicide; but I believe I haVe struck
something worth investigating.”
gdgpu think you have found a motive for the

“ Perhaps so.”

“ Would you mind letting me in?”

“ Well, I do not want to throw suspicions on
any one who is not guilty, but I have heard he
had trouble with his mine superintendent only
two days before he died.”

“ That is important, if true. Who was his
superintendent?”

d “ .3 young fellow by the name of Bruce Wel-
on. '

“ Where is he now?”

“ Here in Magic. He gave out he left Marden,
but I reckon he was discharged.”

“ What is he doing?”

“ Nothing that I know of.”

Vane made a mental determination to see.
Bruce Weldon and have a talk with him, and
after breakfast he set out to find the ex-'
superintendent. The task did not prove a very
severe one, but, to the sport’s surprise, he was
favorably impressed by the young man’s appear—
ance.

The Velvet Sport represented himself as being
a speculator looking for an investment in Magic
City, and he gave the impression that there
was a syndicate of capitalists at his back. In this
flay he led Weldon to speak of the Little Marion

ine.

“ I have been informed you were Daniel
Marden’s superintendent?” was an interrogative
inflection.

“I was, sir,” was the young man’s reply, as
his brown eyes met the sport’s black orbs square-

Y- .

“ Then it is pOSSible you can tell me something
about that 'Dieee of property l"

Weldon 3 col: his head with a faint smile.

“You have come to the wrong party for in-a

formation. Mr. Marden often requested ine _to
remain silent upon the very point you desire in-
formation about.”

“ But Daniel Marden is dead now.”

“That makes no difference with me; his daugh-
ter is in possession of the property.”

“ But I hear you were discharged by Mar~
den.”

“It is not true.”

Ct  I"

“I resigned my position.”

“Oh, that was it?”

“ Yes, sir.”

“Then there was some trouble between you
and your employer?”

Bruce Weldon scowled a bit, as if he scarcely
fancied being led to talk about that, but he an-
swered:

“ No, sir, there was no trouble.”

Vane scarcely knew what question to put next,
b3: the ex-superintendent solved the problem by
a ing:

“ There might have been some trouble, but;
when Mr. Marden began to complain I prompt-
ly resigned my pOSition. He thought he knew
of a better man to fill my place, and Dinformed'
him he was at liberty to fill it as he chose. But,
if I am not mistaken, 1 know the man who was
at the bottom of the whole affair. He plotted
to oust me, and he succeeded; but he has not
heard the last of Bruce Weldon. 1 have my eye
on him, and he may yet find himself With a rope
around his neck.” _

Vane was curious to know who this man was,
but he felt it would not be prudent to question
Weldon on that line. Still he believed in bold-
ness, and he suddenly asked:

“ Do you think Daniel Marden committed
suicide? 1 .

The young man started, gazed searchingly at

   

 

‘sw.

 

 

   

 

.
I
i
l

I“ “g”... .— .

 

 

i

l

Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq. 7

 

 

the sport, pulling nervously at his brown mus-
tache then sent a question in return:

“ hat makes you ask that?”

“ Well, to tell you the truth. I have heard it
hinted that he was murdered.”

“ Who hinted such a thin i”

“ More than one since struck Magic City
yesterday.” . _

“I thought every one believed in the suicide
theory,” muttered Weldon, speaking more to
himself than to Vane. “ They all seem to think
he killed himself—all who have talked to me.
Can it be—”

He stopped abruptly and glanced swiftly into
the sport’s face.

“I should fancy you are more interested
about this point than you are concerning the
mine,” he asserted.

“ It is possible,” acknowledged the wearer of
the violets, his keen eyes fixed almost accusingly
0n the other.

“ Then you are a detective?”

Vane fancied there was an expression of alarm
in the question.

‘t No 3

H No?”

“ I have simply taken an interest in the affair.
I am not an officer of the law. But, if 1 am not
mistaken, there is good material for a detective
to work upon in this case.”

Weldon did not immediately reply, but he
finally said:

" on may be right. I have thought as much;
but Miss Marden does not seem to think there
was anything crooked about the affair.”

“ Then you have spoken to her about it?"

“ Yes.”

“Did you mention such a thing as murder?”

“ I hinted at it.”

“ How did she receive it?”

“ It seemed to distress her very much, but she
did not appear to think it was possible her father
had been murdered.”

" From your words, I infer you consider it
quite possible.”

Again the ex-superintendent was silent for
a moment, then he lifted his eyes till they were
met by Vane’s, and with apparent frankness he
asserted:

“ I do think it possible."

Once more Vane resolved on a bold stroke,
and fixings piercing gaze upon Weldon he said:

“ Do you know there are those who think you
may know more about Mr. Marden’s death than
you care to tell?”

Bruce reeled back as if struck sqafrely in the
face, growing pale to the lips. hen he at-
tempted tospeak he seemed to be choked, and
be grasped at his throat with his hands. A
thrill passed over the Velvet Sport as he wit-
nessed this display of emotion.

“ God I” cried Weldon, hourselv. Then he
sprung forward and caught Violet Vane by the
shoulders, grating harshly:

“ Is that true? Speak out! Do not dare play
any tricks on me! Has any one so much as
hinted 1 had anything to do with Dan Marden’s
death? Speak, I say!"

The sport was as cool as you please.

“Now what is the use of getting excited,” he
began. “ It will not—”

“ Excited l” echoed Bruce Weldon. “ W’ho
would. not get excited with such a suspicion
hovering over them? But if you are trying a
mic}! on me. I will make it a sorrv joke for you!
I am not a man to be fooled with!”

“ Evidently not. But you will not gain any-
thing” by losing control of your nerves. Keep

“Cool-cool! Is a man who finds himself
suspected of murder apt to keep cool? Look
here! I want you to tell me Just what you have
hefi%” 1”

hat if I decline

:IThelll I will force it from your lips 1"

ans aughed,

“ You might find you had tackled a large job.
But,hif yigub are tinnocent, there is no reason why
was on ave rouble.”

“If! if! I would like to face the man who
dared accuse 111110 of l:luch a thing! You must tell
me what on ave card!”

“ I hazdly fancy there is any compulsion
about it, but I do not mind telling you. It is
very insignificant for it was a simple hint that.
as you had trouble. with Marden, you might
at??? more about 1115 death than you cared to

“And who said this?”
“ I trust you will pardon me if I do not call
an names.’ ,
1: first, Weldon seemed determined to know
who it was, but when he saw Vane Would not
tell, he dropped that point.

 

“ This is the first time I have dreamed I was
suspected of such a thing,” he said. “Now I
see there is work ahead. I have thought I
would investigate the affair and seek to discover
if Mr. Mardcn really committed suicide; now
my mind is made up to do so. If he was mur-
dered, the wretcli who did the foul work shall be
brought to justice!”

“ ’, hat talk has the right ring.”

“ 1 mean it! I shall turn detective on my own
account.”

“ I wish you success.”

“I shall succeed if such athing is possible.
If the man was murdered, his assassin shall be
given little time to cover his tracks. I think I
recognize the handiwork of a foo in these sus-
picious hints against me, and that foe— “fell,
Elegant Ed, the foxy gambler, shall find me a.
hard man to d0wn!”

 

CHAPTER VIII.
A SIIRIEK.

WHEN Violet Vane parted from Bruce Wel-
don he was in a decided y puzzled state of mind,
for he could not arrive at a conclusion concern-
ing the young man. Some of Weldon’s acts had
seemed like those of a guilty man, while others
—the majority—made the sport think the ex-
superintendent innocent.

“ If he had any hand in the murder of Daniel
Marden—and I now believe the mine~owner was
murdered—he is a skillful actor, to say the
least. Once or twice I detech something like
a look of guilt on his face, but the most of the
time his eyes met mine squarely and frankly. I
must watch him.

“ This afternoon I will visit Marion Marden—
if she is Marion Marden. _ It scarcely seems
possible such a beautiful girl can be anything
but honest, but I am not the person to be easily
deceived. She has found a way into my heart
for I dreamed of her blue eyes last night; but if
she is an adventuress, I will cast her out, even
though it may cost me more than acoinmon
struggle. I could law such a girl as she seems
to be!”

The remainder of the forenoou Vane s nt in
wandering about the place, taking manta notes.

Near noon the sta 0 came in and stopped in
front of the Bang-Up otel.

The Velvet Sport was one of the throng that
witnessed its arrival.

About the first passenger to appear was a tall,
awkward-looking old fellow, whose long legs
and gawky appearance brought smiles to the
faces of many who saw him for the first time.
In one hand he carried a large, old-fashioned
carpet-bag, that Seemed stuffed full.

“ Wal, by gosh I” he drawled, stretching him-
self almost as soon as he reached the ground.
“ I don’t know as I hear abaout ridin’ more’n
three ur four millyon mile in that 010 waggonl
I'm all crampy from bein’ doubled up so nienny
times. I tell you, folkses, my laigs wur never
built fer conveyance in sech anusquarters. 811’
that’s er fac’, or my name hain’t Ole Bob
Shucks, of Mizzury.”

Having thus expressed himself, the old fellow
ascended lhc steps and entered the hoth, brush-
ing against Violct Vano as he did so.

The two exchanged meaning glances.

Thirty minutes later they were together in
Vane’s room.

It was plain the two were not strangers but
they had no desire to be known as friem s in
Ma ic City.

. ear the middle of the afternoon Vane made
his way to the most imposing residence in the
little town. As he ascended the steps the door
was opened and a young man appearo . O
_ one saw before him a rather rakish-lookmg
individual of tWenty-two or three, whose face
indicated he had lived a decidedly. fast life and
whose clothes were of the sort best designated
as “ loud.” This person was smoking an exceed-
ingly black cigar and had his stiff hat cocked
over one eye in a “tough” manner.

“ Hellol” he exclaimed, as his face rested on

ane.

“ Hello!” retorted the sport.

“ ho are you?” saucin asked the young man
of the black cigar.

“ The same to yourself,” flashed Vane, re-
solved not to be outdone in impudence.

The young man scowled.

“ ms to me you’re sassS’-”

“ That is what I was thinking about you.”

For a moment it seemed doubtful whether the
young fellow would fight or laugh, but he finally
decided to do the latter.

“Say!” he exclaimed, surveying Vane from
head to feet; " I like your style! You’re a J iml

I

 

 

Reckon you’re something of a sport? \Vcll, that‘s
my lay, though to tell the honest truth, l'm not
getting rich at it. First I’m up, the-n l’m down.
111 the business a man is rich one day, poor the
next and poorer the next. What’s your handle?”

“ I am called Violet Vane.”

“ Oh, a fancy cog! Well, shakcl I am Mnrk
Marden, and this is the ranch that lit‘lullgwl to
my dad before he turned toes up to tho daisiu 3.
Maybe you know all about that, as you \‘Vt‘l‘d
coming here. I just struck town this morning.
Didn’t hear of the governor’s demise till thrco
days ago. “Was dOWn in New Mex thcn, but
humped it hot-foot, you bet. Calling to see any
one?”

But Vane was so astonished he could not reply
at onco. So this was Daniel Murden’s son, so
long believed to be dead!

“ Calling to see any one!” repeated Mark Mur-
den.

“ Yes—yes,” stammered Vane. “ I was call-
in to see Miss Mardcn.”

I‘he young man scowled a bit, but said, with
apparent carelessness:

“Oh, it’s sis! Well, she is in. She’s grown
to be a stunner since 1 saw her last. Hope you’ll
haven pleasant call. See you later. So long,
old man.”

With this he descended the steps, leaving
Vane to ring.

The bell was answered by Marion herself, and
she greeted him warmly. He glanced search-
in 1y at her face, and made a discovery.

he had been weepingl

Although pains had been taken to conceal all
trace of tears, there was a suspicious redness
about her eyes.

The sport followed her into the parlor, which
he found was luxuriously furnished for that
part of the country, and in a short time they
were seated teta-a-Mc.

“ I am so glad on came 1” exclaimed the irl,
impulsively, her aco growing warm with 1) «ans
ure. “ I was afraid you won d forget.”

“ I never forget when my word is pledged to
a lady,” replied Vanc. “ You may rest assured
I was glad to come.”

Her eyes fell before his earnest gave.

“ I see your brother has arrivvd.”

She started.

“My brother? Oh, yes!”

She seemed strangely confused for a moment,
then she added:

“ You must have met him?”

“ I did at the door. You were probably
greatly surprised to see him, for I hear he was
supposed dead.”

“ Yes, it was a surprise,” came slowly from
her lips, as she nervously twined her fingers
about each other. “ He has changed so I scarce-
ly knew him at first.”

Vane could not help thinking the change had
not been for the better, and to his mind that
was a possible explanation of her tears.

For a long time they talked of various sub-
jects, the girl proving herself a charming con-
vers:itionalist. It did not take the sport long
to discover she was well informed, but this
seemed to rob her of none of her bcwitchin
air. Indeed, with each passing moment he fe
more and more under the influence of the
spell the beautiful girl unconsciously cast over
him. From books and authors he led the talk
to other things, and after a. time he turned it up—
on herself.

Up to that moment, while they were talking
of foreign subjects, the girl had seemed quite
at ease; but; as soon as they Wcro drawn by
the sport’s subtle craft to speak of herself and
her past. life, she began to grow uneasy. This
was not lo~t to Vane’s keen eyes.

“ I cannot understand it,” he thought. “She
seems so frank and honest that I am almost
sure she is not an adventuress, yet there is some
secret about her life. How am 1 to got at it
without being Hide?” _

That was :2 difficult question to answer.

He turned the talk upon the mine.

“ I went over and took a look at the mouth
of the shaft this forenoon,” he laughed. “ Every-
thing seems booming there iiow.” , _ V

“ Yes; but it is a horrid place! I ViSIted it
once, and that was quite enough for me.”

“ Who is canducting your father's business, for
there seems to have been no break caused by his
death?”

“ He had it arranged so evcryihlng 31‘0"“ go;

on if an thin ha J wued to him.”

“ Ah!"y thogghtI [Vane “ That Surely 100k!
like contemplated suicide. It may be Daniel
Marden killed himself after all.”

The girl arose and seed across the floor to a.
window. It seemed ike the act of one who was.
too nervous to remain in her seat.

   

g 1
l

8

 

Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq.

 

“ Poor papa!” she sighed, chokingly. “ He
has not been right since mother died, although
it was a secret he managed to keep from the
world. He was troubled with his head. He
wrote-—ine—that——”

She paused as if choking, turned her eyes to
Vane in an appealing manner. He saw her be-
come very white. She put out her hands and
tried to Speak finally succeeding in gasping:

“ I can t! can’t! Forgive me for—”

She started as if. to return to her chair, but
staggered blindly, causing Vane to spring to his
feet and assist her to the seat.

“ What is it?" he anxiously asked, bendin
over her. “ You are so pale! W'hat can I do? ’

“ Nothing, nothing!” she panted, plainly
struggling to regain her composure. “ Oh, what
will you think of me? I know not what the mat-
ter is! It must be speaking of—of—hi’m!”

“That is it!” was the thought which passed
through his head. “ It was a faint spell brought
about by speaking of her father. Poor girl! She
is dreadfully shaken!”

His genuine anxiety was apparent in the way
he hung over her, and the look in his dark eyes.
She saw this, and a feeling of joy—a wild thrill
of delight—pasm-d over her.

“ He loves me l” flashed through her mind. “ I
can read it in his taco -in his midnight eyes!
And l—I love him! I love him!”

With this thought the color came back swiftly
to her cheeks. He still held one of her hands,
which he had caught as he assisted her to the
chair, and he felt her fingers trembling in his

ms .
g With all the impulsiveness of his warm nature,
he lifted the slender hand to his lips and pressed
(1 kiss upon it. It was a rash and thought-
less act, and he realized his folly the moment it
was done, but there was no time to back out
then.

With a little cry of amazement, she snatched
her fingers away, springing to her feet with a
quick return of strength.

“ Mr. Howard 1”

His face became crimson with dismay.

“ I—I beg your pardon!” he stammered. “ I
should have controlled myself more. But now it
is done, it cannot be helped. I assure you I
meant no indignity! It was an act controlled
by my feelings and not by my reason. I beg
you not to be offended!”

She stood in an uncertain attitude before him,
seeming almost angry, yet apparently unable to
resist his appeal.

“ We are almost strangers,” she murmured.
“ It was only yesterday we met.”

“ That is true, but yesterday seems weeks ago.
You must remember that we are in the West,
and here the people are not bound by such iron
ru es of society as control everything in the
East. Won’t you forgive me this time?”

A soft smile crept over her face and her chin
guivered in that manner he thought so charm-
mg.

“I suppose I shall have to—this time,” she
said. “ at you—”

At that moment a mufiied cry like the shrill
scream of a woman in a distant partof the house
came faintly to their ears.

Vane uttered an exclamation of astonishment
and the girl turned pale once more.

CHAPTER IX.
OLD BOB IS BELLIGERENT.

“ WHAT was that?”

Violet Vane asked the question, but for some
moments the girl did not reply. At length she
answered:

“ It sounded like a cry of fear or pain.”

“It surely did,” agreed the sport; “and it was
uttered by a woman.”

H Yes.”

“ It seemed to come from below.”

“ ]n that case it must have been the cook. I
will go see what has happened.”

She hastened out of the room, and the door
gave a strange click as it Closed behind her.

“ That was strange,” muttered Vane. “ That
cry seemed to cut me like a keen knife. It
sounded like an appeal for aid. And Miss
Mai-(Jen’s manner is strange. By George! I
know not what to think! I feel sure I have
struck a mystery, but I am almOSt afraid to in-
vestigate. If it should turn out she is an adven-
turess—great heavens!”

With a gesture of horror, he glided softly to
the door through which the girl had vanished;
but when he tried it, it refused to Open at his
touch.

It was locked!

“ That looks had—bad!” he muttered, a look
of pain on his face. “She was careful that the
door should be secure behind her. Can it be

 

she susects I have an interest iu this strange
case? hings have a black look!”

N ervously he paced the carpeted floor.

“It is possible the girl is an impostor, and it
may be that cry was uttered by the genuine
Marion Marden, who is a captive in this very
house! The thought is horrible! Those blue
eyes—that wrl'ect mouth—those pearly teeth!
By Jove! ; am in love with that girl!”

He struck his hands together, and then seemed
to suddenly become cool. When the girl return-
ed she found him calmly seated on a chair.

“ It was nothing,” she laughed, but he fancied
the merriment was forced. “ The cook was
frightened by a. mouse, that was all.”

He Seemed to believe her words, and the mat- I

ter passed without further comment, the even
tenor of conversation being again resumed.

From that time till he left the house Vane
carefully avoided speaking of anything that
could give the girl a thrill of pain. He was un-
der the spell of her hewitching ways and musi—
cal voice, and when at last he left, it was with
reluctance he did so.

She gave him a parting hand-shake at the
door, and he clung to her soft, warm fingers a
little longer than was absolutely necessary.

Once clear of the house, a feeling of dejection
settled upon him.

“ If she proves to be anything but the noble
girl she appears, I shall curse the day I ever saw
her!” he muttered, bitterly. “It may be I am
making a fool of myself, but if I am, I cannot
help it. It is a pleasant thing to be a. fool some—
times. But I am not blind. I am going to
know the truth if it takes a wheel! Once I was
tem ted to show her the note I found on the
trai , but my better judgment prevented. It is
possible she could explain everything with a
word; and it is possible I might give my game
away to my worst enemies by showing it.’

There was one thing he resolved to find out,
and as soon as possible, he began making in-
quiries about the cook who the girl said, had
been frightened by a mouse.

The result was astounding.

He learned the cook was a man!

“ That {looks like a nigger in the wood-pile!”
he thought. “A man is not going to be fright-
ened of a mouse and scream in that manner;
besides that, the cry was that of a female. It
looks black, black!

“ And there is this youn fellow who claims
to be Daniel Marden's son; am not able to say
I like his appearance. I wonder if it is gener-
ally known he has turned up.”

He soon found the appearance of Mark Mar-
den was a common topic of conversation. Then
he set out to find the young man.

“ I will draw him into conversation and see
how he will talk,” muttered the amateur detec-
tive.

After visitin several places, he learned the
young man ha been seen in the Golden Hand
Saloon, and he turned his ste sin that direction.
As he crossed the threshol , he heard a high-
pitched voice saying:

“That’s what I kem heur fer, ter lick ther

stuflin’ enter that galoot who calls hisself Violet
Vane. He won abaout seven hundred dollars of
my hard-’arned money at keerds in Coffin City,
then be skipped. Old Bob Shucks is a kinder
penceable critter, but I’m gosh darned ef I kin
stan’ ter be robbed! I tell ye what, I don’t think
much of these fellers as goes around over the
kentry all rigged aout in their fine togs skinniu’
folks’ money at keerds. You wait tell I t my
han’s on this Violet Vane, an’ you see if Tedon t
warm him up in— Great gosh!”
. The long-legged old fellow known as Old Bob
Shucks was the speaker, and he nearly fell over
with apparent consternation when he saw Vio-
let Vane before him. Old Bob’s listeners were
the loafers in the saloon, among Whom were
Elegant Ed and the flashy youth who proclaimed
himself Daniel Marden‘s son.

Vane regarded Old Bob sternly.

“ Were you speaking of me?” he demanded.

“N-n-no!” stammered the Missourian. “It
must have bin some other teller.” But, as he
heard a snicker go round, he made a sudden
change, blustering:

“Yes, I wur speakin’ of you! I hain’t goin’
ter deny it. You are ther very feller!”

“ What were you saying?”

“That you are ther gosh blainedest cheat
outer jail, by thutter!”

“Are you aware you may have to back up
your talk i”

“Wal, I don‘t keer fer that. I’m able ter
back it up ur back it down. I know whut I’m
abaout.”

As Vane seemed decidedly cool and unaggres—
sive, the old man began to prance around, wav-

 

ing his arms and trying to 100k very savage.
He presented a comical aspect. and many of the
spectators laughed outright. Vane smiled.

“ Grin. darn ye, grin!” cried Bob shaking a
knotty fist under the sport’s nose. ‘ You beat
me aout of seven hundred dollars in Coffin City,
dash ye!”

“ That is not true.”

“ Do ye mean ter say I lie?”

“ If,you say I ever best you out of seven cents
-— es.

mmediately the old man peeled off his coat
and spat on his hands.

“ That duz settle it!” he squawked.

“Go for him, ole coon l” shouted one.

“ Down him!” yelled another.

“ We will bet on you!” put in a third.

The crowd was anxious to see the sport, and
so they urged Old Bob on.

“ Oh, I’lldo him, I wull !” nodded the old man,
and then he made a rush for the smiling dandy.

Vane did not attempt to avoid the charge and
in a moment the two men were clinched. Then
there was a bowl, 0. pair of long legs waved
wildly in the air, and a crash followed. '

Old Bob found himself flat on his back on the
floopdwhile Vane leaned against the bar and
sun 6 .

“ Wal, by gosh!” mumbled the fallen man, as
he slewly sat up and then struggled to his feet,
rubbing his back. “I didn’t hev time ter git
bolt.”

“ Go fer him again I” shouted a voice.

But Old Bob shook his head.

“ Not new ” he said. “ My back’s party nigh
broke. But I’ll git at ye ag’iii, you velvet shark!
I want ye ter understan’ you can’t jump on the
ole man in this way an’live ter brag ’bont it. I’ll
flx ye w’en ye hain’t lookin’ fer me.”

With that threat he turned and walked slowly
out of the saloon, still keeping his hands pressed
upon his back.

 

CHAPTER X.
A TRAGEDY.

WHEN Old Bob Shucks had disappeared Vane
looked around for the young fellow in search of
whom he entered the saloon, but to his mrprise,
he discovered both Mark Marilen and Elegant
Ed had disappeared. During the scuffle they had
left the saloon by the back way.

“That looks suspicious,” thought the sport.
“ They both departed at the _same time, and so
it is probable they are acquainted. If the self-
styled Mark Marden is on familiar terms with
that shark I will guarantee there is something
crooked about the fellow. It must be they
thought I did not see them. when I entered,
else they would not have slipped out in com-
pany'”

Ho purchased some cigars at the bar, but in
putting them in his case be extracted one of his
own and lighted that, for he had no fancy to
smoke the villainous weeds to be obtained in such
a. place. He was deCidedly particular about the
kind of a cigar he smoked.

As he was standing by the bar Seth Slouch
entered the saloon. The seedy man espied Vane
and immediately came forward, holding out his
hand.

“ Pard, ou’re er Jim!” he .cried, with enthu-
siasm. “ ' ou skipped las’ night afore I had a
chance ter thank ye fer chippin’ in jest as ye did
an’ savin’ my boodle._ Thet’s doin’ a galoot a
great turn! Thar critter’d Swiped me ef on
hedn’t exposed his trick, fer I didn’t see 1111
gork ther game. I’m jest glad ter grip yer

n!”

The seedy man shook Vane’s hand in a hearty
manner.

“ ’Tain’t uvery day I play poker,” he went 0n;
“ an’ 80 I hain’t posted on all ther skin games. I
play a squar’ ame, I do. I reekon you must
hev handled t er keerds some yerself ter tumble
ter sech er trick?”

“ Well, I have played some,” smiled the wear-
er of the violets.

“I knowed it! Sa , hev er drink with me?
Come poison yerself.’ .

“ You will have to excuse me; I do not drink.”

“ W’ati”

Slouch seemed almost paralyzed with amaze-
ment.

“ hat is straight goods,” smiled the sport.

" W81. YOU’re or good one! An’ you’re one o
ther boys tool I sw’ar!” .

When the seedy man had gotten over his as-
tonishment somewhat, he drew Vane toward
one of the card-tables, and the two sat down.

“ I want ter ax or few questions,” said Slouch.
“ Ye see I’m er stranger in this yere camp,”

“ So am I.”

“Is thet so? Wal, wall Then mebbe you
can’t tell me northin’. Iwuz goin’ ter ax ’bout

  
  

 

   

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r: ’ I...-.,.p;itvl‘hi'~"- I  IWSW...aa-. ..

Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq.

    

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‘

 

'er young teller in checker-board pants as I saw
slippin’ out at the back door jest afore I kem
in.”

“ You must mean Mark Marden.”

“ I ’low that’s w’at he calls hisself. Him an’ I
hed er leetle muss ter-day aii’I upsot his applev
cart. He made fun of my togs, an’ w’en I shook
er fist-full of bills in his face he snickered an’
said he c’u’d cover ev’ry cent I hed with or ten-
dollur bill. He said he wuz ole Dan Marden’s
son, an’ ole Dan owned the biggest part of this
town afore he kicked the bucket.”

“Well, he was right in regard to Mr. Mar-
deii’s financial c0ndition, whether he is the
genuine Mark Marden or not."

“ Then you think inebbe he bain’t straight
goods?”

But Vane was too cautious to freely express
his 0 )inion.

“ ave I said so?"

“ No; but ye kind of guv thet impression. Ef
you do think so, I’m ’lowin’ ye are right.”

“ What makes you say that?”

“ Wal, I’ve seen this feller afore I saw him in
Mpgic City.”

C

“ Yep; an’ I hev seen Mark Marden too!”

Vans uttered an exclamation,

“Hal that starts yel” chuckled Slouch, rub-
bing his hands together and looking delighted.
“Ireckoned it w’u’d. Ikiiid of surmisedyou
hed an int’rust in this yere ’fair, fer I saw
ye go inter Dan Marden’s house ter-day, an’ I
saw ye meet ther checker—board feller on ther
steps.”

“Are you honest in saying you knew the
genuine Mark Marden?”

‘t Ye H

‘  $hleln and \i‘liere?” ”
e , not so ver ion er 0.

“ Where?” y g g

“ Down in New Mex.”

“ But how do you know it was Dan Marden’s
son—the Dan Marden of Magic City?”

“ Cause I heerd him brag ’bout his dad an’
how rich he wuz. Said he run away frum
ther ole gent an’ he wuzu’t goin’ back tell he
wuz rich too, though I’m derned of I saw much
chance fer him ter ever he wu’th shucks he wuz
80 sliiftless. He said his dad hed moved rouu’
sence he run erway, but he hed kep’ track of him
an’ he wuz owner of or mine in this very
cam l”

The Velvet Sport regarded the man closely.
feeling somewhat doubtful about the truth of
the statement. A sudden suspicion flashed
through Vane’s mind: was it not possible Seth
Slouch was an accomplice of Elegant Ed and
the card ame all a trick to blind the spectators’
e es? 6 had known of such games being
p ayed successfully, and the more he thought of
this one the stronger became his belief that
Seth Slouch was not just what he claimed. The
man’s story about Mark Mnrdeu did not seem
a very straight one; but Vane resolvwl not to
let the seedy man know he was suspected.

“ Then you mean to say you know this person
Who represents himself as Daniel Mardeu’s son "‘
not the genuine Mark Mardeu?”

_ “That’s whatever,” nodded Slouch. “ Down
in New Mex he called hisself Burt Bishop.”

‘0 Ab?”

“ Yep; an’ he an’ ther ginnowine Mark Mar-
den wuz pards.”

“ That is interesting information.”

“ It’s straight, too.”

“ What became 0f the genuine Mark Mar-
den!”

“Thar, now you hev axed suthin’ as puzzled
W’ite Lightnin’ Bar fer some time. The ginoov
wine Mark Marden suddenly disappeared, aii’
nobod seemed ter know w at bekem 0’ him.
Even urt Bishop declared he didn’t know. He
never turned up in thet camp arter that.”

“Um! What do you think?”

Slouch leaned across the table and lowered his
v0 ce.

” Foul play!” he hissed. “ Thet is jest wet I
think.”

“ You believe Mark Marden was—”

Vane paused, and the seedy man declared:

“ I be ieve Burt Bishop c’u'd ten w’at happen.
ed ter Mark Marden.”

Vane understood that what the man had
told was important if true, but how was he to
be sure it was not all a crafty invention to on-
trap him?

louch seemed to read the dopbt expressed by
the sport’s face, for he said, With great; earnest-
n . .

ess.

“Thet is honest Injun, pard- Burt Bishop
skim out of W’ite Lightnin’ Bar shortly arter
thet78n’ nobody knowed whar he hed gone. 1
didn t see him arterwards tell I met him tor-day,”

 

 

“Didn’t he know you?”

The seedy man shook his head.

“Ye see I hev let my w’iskers grow,” he ex-
plained.

Vane regarded the man’s beard closely and
made a surprising discovery.

It. was false!

'1 he Velvot Sport was obliged to feign a cough
to disguise the exclamation that forced itself
from his lips, but in a moment he was as cool
and unconcerned in manner as before. But the
(llSCOVl‘l'y seemed to confirm his suspicions. The
seedy man was playing some kind of a. game,
and what could it be if he was not an accom—
)lic. of Elegant Ed and the self-styled Mark

ardeii. It looked as if the story of White
Lightning Bar was a myth invented for the
occasion.

“That explains how he failed to recognize
you," came calmly from the sport’s lips. “
you are right in believing this fellow to be the
Burt Bishop you speak of, there must be some
kind of a crooked game afoot; but it seems that
Marion Marden has recognized the fellow as her
brother.”

A strange light passed through Seth Slouch’s
eyes.

“Marion Marden!”he repeated, with some-
thing like a bitterlaugh. “There may be two
Marion Mardcns in ther keutryl Did ye ever
think of thet?”

Vane seemed greatly surprised, and pretend-
ed he did not catch the man’s meaning.

“ I reckon 1 hev talked ei'nough,” nodded
the disguised man. “ It will set vo thinkin’, of
you hain’t bin thuukin’ already. I hev said this
tor you becauseI reckoned you wuz w’ite. Thar
is goin’ tor be an overturn in this yere town
afore long, you heui' incl W’en tliet time comes,
you want tcr be on ther right side, for ther fiii'
will fly. you bet. Keep yer eyes open fer devel-
opments. Solong.”

With this advice, the seedy nian arose and
left the table. Straight out of the saloon he
walked, not once turning to look back, and the
sport’s eyes followed him till he disappeared.

“ Well,” thought Vane, “ I am getting more
and more puzzled. Who and what is that man?
That is a question I would like to have unsWered.
That he is not what he appears is very plain
now that Ihave discovered heis in dis uise. He
is up to some kind of game, but what ind of a.
game is it? Icaii scarcely fix upon the belief
that he is in league with Elegant Ed, although I
know there is a possibility such is the cam», If
he is not, then he must be an enemy of the
smooth shark and the fellow who claims to be
Mark Mardeu.

“It is possible there is no deception about
this affair, for if the young man is not Mark
Marden, then it cannot be possible the girl is the
genuine Marion. .

“Oh, it is the worst infernal tangle I ever
struck! Instead of getting ahead, I am becom-
ing more and more puzzled. The case is grow-
ing too com )licated: it would puzzle a Vidocq.
\V be killed an Marilen? What has become of
Marion Mai-den? Who 15 the_ girl who pretends
to be Marion? What relation dOes the self-
styled Mark bear to her? Is Bruce Weldon con-
cerned? How is Elegant Ed connected with
the case? ‘Vho is Seth Slouch? What——

“But what is the use to go on? These are not
half the question: that am troubling me!”

He arose, relighted the Clint? which he had
allOWed to go out while talking with Slouch,
then left the saloon.

“ I believe I will find Bruce Weldon and have
another talk with him,” he muttered.

But he was unable to find the ex-superin-

tangent.
. V ane spent the rest of the afternoon in study-
ing the situation, and trying to set things
aright in his own mind, _but the more he puz-
zled over it the more mixed and uncertain he
became. Near sunset he Wandered away into
the hills, to be alone with his thoughts.

The sun had gone down, and he was return-
ing to the town, when his attention was at-
tracted by the sound of voices. A moment
later he found himself looking down into a little
hollow where the shadows of night had already
begun to gather.

Within the hollow two man stood face to
face, and an ry words were passing between
them. One 0 them Vane reco nized as the per~
son known in Magic City as ark Marden, and
he was speaking.

“ Wh have you followed her here, Jack
Corkeri’ he angrily demanded. “ ou know
she is tired and sick of you! You forced your
attentions on her in the first placel”

“Bah!” cried the other. a rakish-appearing
young fellow, who was an utter stranger to

i l\.

 

Vane. “She is a flirt! She gave me encour-
agement at first, then treated me like a dog 1”

“ You liel She only used you decent, that
was all the encouragement she ever gave on.”

“ You’d better go slow i” growled orker,
with a tlireatenin gesture. “I hain’t got no
lovg for you, and won’t stand everything from
yel

Marden laughed, sneeringly.

“ Bosh Corker! You have not the pluck of a.
kitten! I know you of old, for we have been
concerned in more than one deall liottle up,
old man, and simmer down! The best thing
you can do is get out of these parts lively.”

“ And leave the field to you! Hanged if I
will!”

“Then'i you will get into trouble. She says
you fired at her, and your bullet cut the bridle—
roin of the horse she was riding. If you ever
try that again, Jack Corker, I won’t leave
enough of you for a funeral! You must be
craz l”

“ love her—”

“ Bah! Is that the way you show your affec-
tioni”

“ I have sworn she shall never marry any
other man.”

“,The more fool you! She is going to marry
me.

“ Never!"

“ But she is, just the same.”

“ She does not love you i"

“Love niel Hal ha! ha! \Vell, I can’t say
she "does; but Tom has said she shall marry
IIN‘.

“ He would force her to it?”

“ Oh, I do not think it will be necessary to
force her."

With an attempt at calmness, Jack Corker
decla rcd:

“ You shall never have heri”

“ You will not be able to prevent it.”

“I will kill her first!”

Mardeu’s hand fell on the other’s shoulder,
and he spoke with terrible earnestness:

“If you ever harm her, it will be better for
you to blow out your own brains the next iii-
stantl I will make you rue the day you were
born 1”

Corker struck the hand from his shoulder, ut-
tering a savage snarl.

“ Curse you!” he grated. “ You will not be
alive then! I have stood enough from you, and
I will finish you right here!”

A knife glistened in his hand!

“ Keep oil‘!” cried Mark Marden, retreating a
step, his hand falling toward his hip-pocket. “ I
will bore you if you try it!”

“ No you won’t, for I will not give you timel”

Then the man with the knife leaped forward.

Marden tried to draw the revolver, but the
hammer caught and he was not successful.
With remarkable nimbleness, be avoided the rush
of the infuriated man, then he wheeled and his
list shot out from the shoulder.

The blow caught Jack Corker behind the right
ear, hurling him face d0wnward on the ground.
The fallen man uttered a horrible groan and lay
still.

“ The fool!” exclaimed Mark Marden, assum-
ing a position of defense and looking for the
man to rise.

Corker did not stir.

“ Well, I must have hit him a swynderl" mut-
tered the victor.

Then be bent down and turned the other over.
I. A cry of amazement and horror escaped his

ips.

Jack Corker had fallen. on his own knife, and
the blade was driven thronizh his heart!

“ My Godl” gasped Marden. “ He is dead 1”

Then he turned and fled the spot, quickly dis-
appearing in the gathering darkness.

CHAPTER XI.
vasn’s ALLY cars A POINT.

THE Velvet Sport had witnessed the tragedy,
but the fatal part of the affair had occurred too
quickly for him to have interfered had he been
thus inclined.

“ That fellow must not get away!” he thou ht,
as Mark Marrien hurried from the spot. “ ith
the aid of this little ocourrence, I may be able
to force a confession from his lips.”

He started in pursuit of the fleeing man, but
fear seemed to lend wings to Marden’s feet, and
the darkness surely favored him. Vanewas a
swift runner, but the other succeeded—quite un-
consciously-in giving him the shp.

“Well,’ muttered the sport. as be halted on
the outskirts of the camp, “ that fellow has got
away for the resent, and I haVe lost a grand
opportunity. hen I see him next it is possible
he will have regained his c0mposure, then it will

 

‘ y‘ ‘ \Xx' ,\

 

75412?ng f .

 

 

Q
l

10 Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq.

 

 

be useless to attempt to frighten anything like
the truth from him. The other fellow was killed
in selfodefense. He was armed, while the one
he assaulted was bare-handed. It was by a
stroke of fortune that the knife slew its owner.”

The conversation which the sport had ever-
heard settled one point in his mind: The ones he
knew as Mark and Marion Marden were not
brother and sister!

“The game is crooked, that is sure now.

There is no longer a doubt in my mind about
that. I am sorry—sorry on acoount of that
girl! And so he is to marry her! If I am
not mistaken, she cares nothing for him, but
there is a third party in the case who is com-
pelling her to marry this fellow. That explains
the traces of tears l detected about her eyes
when I called on her this afternoon. And he
was just leavmg her then. She is entangled in
some kind of a net from which she cannot es-
cape, and [—1 am going to help her out. When
the crash comes, as it surely will, the others
will find themselves in a tight box—a very tight
box!
“ I believe the real Marion Marden is a cap-
tive in the heuse that is rightfully hers, and it
was her cry that I board. She said the cry
came from the lips of the cook, who was fright-
ened by a mouse Oh, that those red lips should
tell a falsehoodl But, no matter what she is, l
10ve her still!”

 

He fully understood his own folly, but love 

does not listen to reason.
With bowed head, he walked onward into the

wn.

By this time it had grown quite dark.

As he was passing a small cabin, a man leaped
suddenly around a corner and struck at his
breast. He saw something bright glisten in the
fellow’s hand, and, by a rare stroke of luck, he
parried the blow.

The next moment he sent the fellow reeling to
the ground.

As the man went down his head struck heavily
on a stone, and he lay still, making no offer to
arise.

“ Knocked out with a single stroke!” half
laughed the Velvet Sport, bending over the
would-be assassin. “ I wonder who he is? Ah—
Samuel!”

It was Sledge—hammer Sam.

“ Instead of taking my advice and getting out,
he remained and watched for a chance to finish
me. Well, this is the second time he has met
defeat; I wonder if he will try it again?”

He turned away, leaving the unconscious man
where he fell. '

Vane went straight to the hotel and ate a
hearty supper. Then he ascended to his room.
Lighting the candle allowed him, he glanced
around.

Near the center of the floor lay a small stone,
around which a slip of paper was wrapped and
made fast with a bit of string.

Vane laughed as he saw this.

“ Ah, the old man is at work! Well, let’s see
what he has to say.”

He removed the paper from the stone and
found there was writing upon it. Carefully
smoothing it out, he sat dewn and with great
difficulty, deciphered the fo110wing message,
written in a wretched band with a lead-pencil.

“PARn:—i am jest foolin them in Grate shape. I
hav got some pints and lHe right Gal is a Prizner.
Thev Think i am down on On y .u and i bet igit Onto
the hole Bizness. mark Marden hain’t Mark maroon
no more then whut i Bee. D. D.”

Vane laughed aloud when he had read this
to

o .

“That old fellow is a shrewd one!” be ex-
claimed. “Taken together, we make a great
detective team. But look at the spelling of this!
By Jovel that is unique and original 1”

Then he held the slip of paper in the flame of
the candle and allowed it to burn to ashes.

“ It is best to cover all traces,” muttered the
sport. “ I know they suspect I have taken an
interest in this cuss, but I do not reckon they
dream I have an ally, and I do not want them
to discOVer the fact.”

A few moments later he left the room and de-
scended to the street.

“Now what shallI do?” was the question he
put to himself. “I am growing impatient to
crowd this affair to a close. If Marion Marden
is a captive, the hours must drag wearily for
her. I wish I might get into that house and go
through it. I would seen discowr if she is con-
fined there.”

At that moment he noticed two men entering
the Golden Hand Saloon.

“Elegant Ed and Sledge-hammer Sam I” he
softly exclaimed. "I would give something to
hear any talk that may pass between them. It

 

is so early in the evening there cannot be many
people in the saloon, and they would spot me the
moment I entered.”

A sudden thought struck him, and he cried:

“I will try it I”

Then he wheeled and hurried back into the
hotel. Straight to his room he wont.

Thirty minutes later a rather slouchy-IOOking,
roughly-dressed man came down the stairs and
left the hotel. When he reached the street he
softl chuckled:

“ t is lucky the old man brought that carpet-
bag of disguises. This one will work in very
handy to-night. If any one recognizes me it will
be Old Daddy himself!”

It was Violet Vane in disguise!

Straight toward the saloon across the street he
made his way. At the door he paused to pull
the slouch hat still further dewn over his eyes,
then he lurched heavily against the portal, burst
it open and staggered into the reom.

“ Whoop!” he gurgled, clinging to the door-
knob and seeming to keep on his feet with con—
siderable difficulty. “ Hour 1 be. ther Howlin’
Horror from Hot Hill! I’m on er rip-holy ole
tear an’ I’m boun’ ter schplit things all open or
bu’st my b’iler. I’m loaded wish boodle thet I’m
jesht boun’ ter blow in! Git out ther way an’
gnv P’ison Dave 3. chance ter spread hisself.
Yow-wowl Whoop!

Letting go the door, he staggered toward the
bar, down upon which he slapped a ten-dollar
gold piece.

“ Coan varnish, barkeepl” he shouted—“ cof-
fin varnish fer zish whole crowd! Cum up,
pal'ds, come up an’ guzzle wish zer Howlin’
Horror! I’m P’ison Dave, an’ I’ve made er ten-
strike, bet yer bouts! Feller ash don’t want fer
drink hain’t ’bliged ter, but I kin lick schtufiin’
outer him, b‘thunderl Whoop!”

Elegant Ed, Sledge-hammer Sam and Mark
Marden were sitting at a card-table in a distant
part of the room. They were not playing, but
were talking earnestly in a low tone. Neither
of them offered toa preach the bar, but the rest
of the crowd hurried forward at the prospect of
free drinks.

“ Who ish zem galoots?” inquired the disguised
Vane, pointing unsteadily toward the trio.
“Reckon zey ish too good to drink wish mel
Wal ”—spitting at his hand and missing it
by a foot——“ I can lick zer hull six uf ’em,
b‘thunder!”

As he reeled toward the three the barkeeper
called for him to take his change. '

“ Drink it up,” was his reply. “ W’at I care
’bout zat. I hash got lots more shame stuff. I
ish goin’ lick Zem fellersh, b’thunder!”

But before he reached the table where the
three were sitting he seemed to change his mind,
and started to turn back. Then he reeled un-
steadily and fell into a chair at a table. Utter~
ing something like an angry grunt, he made an
attempt to arise, but fell back. Then he glared
around as if ready to fight.

Elegant Ed had been watching this perform-
ance.

“ He is carrying a big jag,” said the card-
sharp. “ I’ll bet he’ll be sound asleep at that
table in less than two minutes.”

CHAPTER XII.
UNMASKED.

To all appearance the disguised man was
sleeping within a minute, having fell forward
on the table in a sprawling position. The trio
at the adJoming table paid little attention to him
after that.

But it was plain they were speaking of some-
thing of a secret nature, for, to Vane’s disap-
pointment, their voices were so low he could
only catch a word now and then. However,
what he did hear was enough to make one or
two points doubly certain in his mind.

Elegant Ed seemed to be the leading spirit,
and, as he was speaking earnestly, Vane felt cer-
tain he was making his schemes plain to his
Companions. The others listened attentively,
now and then putting in a word.

Vane lay in such a position that he could look
through his fingers and watch the faces of the
bully and the young man of the loud clothes,
but the card-sharp sat near] back toward him,
which made it more difficu t to understand his
words.

When Ed had unfolded his plans, the one
known as Mark Marden began speaking, and it
was_not long before the Sport came to the con-
clusion he was telling of his encounter with Jack
Corker, and the tragic termination of that meet-
ing. As he went on, the disguised man could
hear enough to be sure he was right.

A sudden thought entered Vane’s head. and
he came near laughing aloud.

 

 

“ I will do it!” he thought. ‘

Then, listening closely, he heard Mark Mar-
den say:

“ I did not mean to finish the fool, but he
went down on his own knife.”

“ Well, it is good riddance,” laughed Elegant
Ed, speaking a bit louder than before. “ 1 am
glad he is out of our way. He never amounted
to anything in the gang.”

Then Sledge-hummer Sam seemed to declare:

“ It wuz er derned murder, jest ther same!”

“ What’s that?” exclaimed the others, in
chorus, turning on the tough with amaZenienI.

“ What did you say?”

“ What do you mean?”

“ Il never said er derned word,” asserted the
tong i.

“Oh, come now 1” growled Elegant Ed, an—
grily. “ That is too thin! How long since you
have turned pious, Sam f”

“ You’re a pretty fellow to talk about mur-
der!” sneered Marden. “ Your hands are red
enough! I am no hired assassin!”

The big rnfilan uttered a subdued snarl and
seemed ready to leap at the daring speaker.

“ You want ter go mighty slow, young feller!”
he hissed. “I hnin’t ther man ter stan’ much of
thetl”

“ Here, here!” broke in the card-sharp. “ We
can’t afford to quarrel.”

Then their voices were .owered once more.

Violet Vane felt like hugging himself with (is.
light. His little trick had worked like a charm,
and he believed he knew where to look for the
hiled assassin of Daniel Marden.

For several minutes the three talked in a low
tone, then they became less cautious, and Vane
could catch a word' now and then. Among
other things, he heard “ plucky girl,” “safe in
cellar,” “ have to dispose of her,” etc.

With the listening man these bits of conversa-
tion made “ assurance doubly sure,” and it gave
him a direct clew to the whereabouts of the real
Marion Marden.

She was, without doubt, “ safe in the cellar”
of the house her father had built.

“ I don't think much of this business,” Sledge-
hammer Sam seemed to suddenly assert.

“ \Vhat business?” asked Elegant Ed, in as—
tonishment.

“ This gabketchin‘.”

The words were uttered in quite a loud tone,
and the other two glanced around in consterna-
tion to see if they were overheard. The crowd
near the bar were laughing and talking, and the
apparently drunken man at the next table
snored audibly.

" You fool!” hissed Elegant Ed, glaringI at
Sam. “ What in thunder do you mean? on
will give everything away! Speak lower 1”

The rufflun returned the glare with interest.

“ W’at’s gnawiu’ ye?” he snorted. “Ihain’t
said northin’.”

“ You said you didn’t think much of this busi-
ness.”

“ I never! It wuz one of you as said thet.”

Ed and Mark looked at each other.

“ Did you say that?” asked the card-sharp.

“ I didn’t yip. Did you?”

N No.”

“ You fellers are both liars!” were the words
which seemed to come from the hully’s lips.

“Look here, Sam,” sibilated Elegant Ed,’

“you are either drunk or crazy I”

At this thebig fellow bristled,

“ I dunno w’at’s chawin’ of you two critters,”
be snapped: “ but I kin lick ther both of ye!”

Elegant Ed tried to make peace, but Mark
Marden seemed to sneer:

“The big fool can’t lick anything!”

That was enough to thoroughly arouse the
bully. The next moment he reached for Marden's
Bose and caught it between his thumb and fore

nger.

“ I kin twist your rooterl” he averred.

And he proceeded to twist it.

With a howl of rage, Mark Marden arose and
struck straight at Sam’s face, but Elegant Ed
thrust the blow aside and shoved the furious
young man dewn into his seat.

“ None of this!” exclaimed the card-sharp.
sternly. “Are you both deranged? We cannot
afford to quarrel l”

“ He insulted me, an’ I kin chaw him up!”

“ The big bloke pulled my nose.”

“ Rats !”

The three stared at each other to see who had
uttered the word.

Suddenly from beneath the table a solemn
voice seemed to proceed, and they distinctly
heard these words: ,

“You are all doomed! I am the shade of
Daniel Harden. and I will follow you to your
graves! Ha! ha! ha !'"

    

-a—
‘ - »-_.....-..

 

_~ Wm; _

   

se-.—.~..n~

 

Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq.

 

11

 

 

The startled trio turned pale and started
back.

“ Holy blirzards!” gasped Sam.

“ My God!” came from the gambler's lips.

Then they all looked under the table, but no
person was there.

it would be difficult to imagine a more dis-
conrierted trio. They were all badly fright-
ene( .

“ What does it mean i” asked Mark Marden.

“ I reckon ther ole cuss is arter us!” faltered
Sledge-hammer Sam.

“ ’Sh !” cautioned Ed. “ We are attracting at-
tention.”

It was not strange their curious actions should
cause the inmates of the saloon to stare inquir-
ineg at them.

And at the next table the apparently drunken
man seemed sleeping peacefully, the sound of his
snoring coming to their ears.

“ I believe there is some trickery about this,”
averred Elegant Ed. “ Which of you fellows is
tr ing to work a practical joke?” ’

oih of his companions asserted their inco-
cenco.

“ Burt Bishop J”

The youngest of the three started.

“ Who spoke my name?” he demanded, looking
around.

“ It was I,” answered a voice that seemed to
come from the air above his head.

" It was the devil himself!” muttered Ed.

Suddenly from beneath the table came a shriek
that seemed uttered by a female.

“ Help, help !” cried the strange voice. “ 1
am Marion Marden and these three men are
m 3/ deadly enemies! They have me confined in
the cellar of my father's house, and they mean
to murder me I Help I help I”

The villainous trio lea d to their feet in con-
sternation and horror. very person in the sa-
loon had heard the cry, and the eyes of all were
turned in that direction.

Sledge-hammer Sam trembled from head to
feet and his knees knocked together. Elegant
E I was pale, but he had dropped a hand on the
butt of a revolver.

Without a word, the gambler wheeled toward
the disguised sport. Two strides carried him to
Vane’s side, and his hand fell on the shoulder of
the apparently drunken man. _

“I believe you know something about this
monkey-business!” grated the gambler, yanking
Vaneinto an upright position. “ Great Scott 1”

His fingers had become entangled in the sport’s
false beard, and the disguise was jerked from
Vane’s face.

“Violet Vane!"

With that cry, Elegant Ed tried to draw his
weapon, but a revolver was dashed in his face,
and the sport said, quite coolly:

“ Go slow, Eddie, or chew lead!”

CHAPTER XIII.
THREE TO ONE.

Of course the reader has already fathomed the
Velvet Sport’s ruse and understands Vane had
been bringing his ventriloquial powers into play.
In that manner he had succeeded in Settling
several points in his mind.

He now no longer doubted Daniel Marden had
been murdered, and he believed he c0uld lay his
hand on the wretch who did the deed. Elegant
Ed was at the bottom of the whole affair. But
he had learned another important thing. Seth
Slouch had told the truth when he declared the
name of the false Mark Marden was Burt
Bishop. ,

Although not expecting the gambler’s move,
he had been ready for. any emergency, and in
the astonishment followmg the ex sure of his
face by the accidental removal of t e false beard
he had obtained the “ drop.”

“ Hands of! that barker!” commanded Vane.
his dark eyes flashing dangerously. “ I am not
goigg to provide a. target for you to practice
on.

“So it is you, is it!” came hissingly from the
gambler’s lips. “You were playing a pretty
game, I swear!”

“ If you swear you won’t catch any fish,” was
the calm req 01186. “ It is avery bad practice—
swearing. 8110"” a«l-ilv'ise you to swear 017‘.”

“ Curse you i”

“ Now don’t!”

“ You are an internal spy l”

“ Is that the worst name you can think of?
You are an infernal villain.” .

Elegant Ed fairly gnashed his teeth.

“ So you pretended to be drunk and was list-
enins all the time!” he fumed. . ~

“ That is about the size of it," smiled the Vol-
vet S rt.

“ 011 shall pay for your meddling l"

 

 

“ I am afraid you will have to charge it, and
it will be a long time before you collect the
bill.

Sledge-haiiimer Sam and Mark Manlen, the
false, came forward. As they did so, a revolver
appeared in the sport’s left hand, and he cover-
ed them.

“ Dern ye!” scowled the big bully.

” Hello, Sammie!” was Vane’s bland greeting.
“ Is this really you? The. last I saw of you, you
were lying beside a cabin with a stone for your
pillow. You seemed to be fast asleep.

This caused the tough to rub the back of his
head and make a griniace.

“ Head aches now, I suppose?” smiled the cool
sport. -

“Oh, you’re goin’ ter come ter ther eend of
your rope purty soon.”

“ Bet you ten to one you come to the end of a
rope first. The fact is, there is a rope waiting
for you now, and the end will be around your
neck when you come to it.”

“ You wait tell I git another chance at ye!”

“ I should think you would be satisfied,
Sammie. You must be a regular hog.”

“ I'll do ye yit.”

“ If you remain in Magic, you will not live to
do much of anything more. Your neck will get
a bad pulling for what you have already done.”

“ VV’at are you rcferrin’ ter’f”

“ The murder of Daniel Marden.”

The buliy paled.

“Blast )6!” he grated. “Do you mean ter
’singowate I kn0w ary blamed thing ’bout thet
job ’

“ You have struck it first shot.”

“ You’re a derned lier ef you say so!”

“ You will be giVen a chance to prove your
innocence before long. Justice is on the track
of this trio of villains.”

“ This is foolish talk!” cried Elegant Ed. “I
do not understand what the idiot means!”

“ You will understand a little later on.”

“ Put down those revolvers !"

“ Well, I guess not.”

“ lint them dawn, or it will be the worse for

on! ’

“It would be the worse for me if I did put
them down. No, no, Eddie! I know on for
what you are—a treacherous rascal. would
not trust you so far as I could sling a steer by
the tail.”

“ What do you mean by the trick you played
a few moments ago?”

“ Trick—what trick? Do you mean coming
in here in this rig'l My dear sir, there is no
law for such a little escapade.”

“ That is not what I mean.
what I mean well enough.”

“ Think so?”

The sport’s manner was terribly aggravating,
and the elegant sharp of Magic City longed to
fly at Vane’s throat; but that threatening revol—
ver told him he had better “go slow.”

“ You had better surrender,” asserted Ed.

Vane looked amazed.

“ Surrender! What for? To whom? There
are two questions for you to answer.”

And it puzzled the other to answer them.

“ Well,” came Savagely from the card-Sharp’s
lips, “if you will not surrender, We will take
you. pr‘i’ad out, boys, and come at him from
different directions when I give the word.”

“ Keep your places, boys.’ ordered Vane. “ The
first one who moves gets perforated.”

Neither of the elegant gumbler’s satellites

dared make a move.
' The crowd within the saloon looked on with
increasing interest. It was a novel sight to wit-
neSS one man holding three helpless beneath the
muzzles of his i'evolveI‘S. Violet Vane had won
quite a reputation in Magic City since arriving
there, and mutterings of admiration were heard
on BVery side, ,

“ He. is a. cooler!”

‘ He is a man of nerve!”

as], you bet!”
“ He’s built of pure sand l”
“ Elegant Ed has met his match.”
“ Yes, more than his match.”

The Magic City sharp heard these words, and
his face flushed hotly then paled till he looked as
white as a corpse, He would have given any
sum he possessed at that mmiient if he could have
obtained a fair advantage over the cool man of
the violets; but, being unable to obtain a fair
advanta e, he was Willing to get it in any man-
ner possi 19,

Just then it seemed a deadlock, and how to
get out of it was something that puzzled ViOIet
Vane. However, be resolved to try a ventrilo-
quial trick, trusting to luck for success.

“ Talk about surrendering,” he laughed; “ you
are the ones to surrender.”

You understand

“

 

“ That’s a fact,” cried a voice behind the three.
“ \Vo have them all covered, and they may as
well cow: in.”

With one motion, the trio whirled to see who
was behind them.

There was no one there!

Vaiio had “thrown” his voice and deceived
them, but two or three moments passed before
they understood this.

Then they whceled back, with angry OXClllIIlfls
tions, to find that—-

The sport was gone!

An open window explained how he had made-
his escape.

“ Satan seize the luck 1” snarled Elcgmit Ed,
snatching out a revolver and leaping toward the
window. “ After him, purdsl is must not get
away 1"

Without pausing for a look, he vaulted
through the window into the darkness. His
satellites were about to follow him, when they
were amazed to see the form of their leader
shoot back through the window and land on the
floor at their feet!

Then the sound of a merry laugh came from
without.

“ Jump out, boys, and I will toss you back i”
cried the voice of the slippery sport. “ It is
dcaxl loads of fun!”

Both Sledge-haniiiier Sam and his companion
drew revolwars and blazed away through the
open window, regardless of who they hit, if they
could “ wing " their enemy by a fortunate:
chance.

At the very first shots there came aloud groan
and the sound of a body falling to the ground.

“ “'hoog! Hooray!” bellowed the heavy-fisted
tough. “ V0 hev )lugged ther cuss kerchugi
Thet’s royal luck! our 1 go fer his ha’r!”

Then he vaulted through the window. revol-
ver in hand.

 

CHAPTER XIV.
A DESPERATE MOVE.

SCARCELY had the bully’s i'cct struck the
ground beneath the window when he felt him-
self seized hya clutch of steel, and a mocking
voice laughed .in his ear:

“ Fooled you, Sammie—fooled you in great.
shape’l You did not even graze me with vour
lead.’

Then the tough was lifted bodily into the air
and cast back through the window, as his chief
had been a few moments before. Although a.
small man, the strength of the Velvet Sport was
simply marvelous.

Elegant Ed was just struggling to his feet
when the huge body of his satellite came hurt-
ling through the window. Sam’s head struck
the gambler fairly in the )it of the stomach,
and both fell sprawling and owling to the floor.

To the spectators of this strange scene this oc-
currence seemed supremely ridiculous, and the
crowd burst into a roar of laughter.

“0h, holy Rinses and the prophets!” howled
one fellow. “Did you ever see the likes of
that? That little .cuss in velvet must be a holy
jim-howlcrl lie is up to all manner of tricks,
and it will take more than a good man to down
him.”

The false Mark Mnrden drew back from the
window, as if he feared the sport would come
vaulting through himself in another minute.

But Vane did not appear.

Sledge—hummer Sam and tho gambler were-
furious as they arose to their feet. The laugh-
ter of the crowd cut the proud spiritof the card~
sharp to the quick. He did not fancy being the
sport of such a throng.

“ lloumo darn ther slipperty leetlc rip!”
snarled the bully. “ W e'll git at him yit!”

“Jump out of the window and he will throw
you back i" laughed one of the crowd.

“ He is more than a match for the three 1” as~
serted another.

“ He is a J im-dandy from Headwaters 1"

“ I am betting all my wealth on him!”

“ Me tool”

Elegant Ed took note of the speakers, and his
heart; was hot with anger as he saw among them
those who had professed friendship for im in.

the mst- ,

“ If Violet Vane is not destro ed, he will work
my ruin!” was his thought. ‘ The little devil-
must be put out of the way !”

But he did not offer to follow the sport
throzfih the window again. Instead of that, he
turn to his companions and asked them to fol-
low him, then led the way from the saloon by
the back entrance. I

As soon as they were outside they began to
look for the man who had tricked them but
Violet Vane was already far from the vicinity
of the saloon.

 

   

-.._--.....__.__-.- _.._:.__I.....4.---W .

in: ‘ ..

gen—fr“, s": .

    

12 Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq.

 

 

After causing the bully to follow his master
’back through the window, Vane waited for
nothing more. .

“ I do not fancy any more of them Wlll follow
me by the window,” he thought. “ If I remain,
they will try to get the drop on me in some other
way, so I will take a skip.’

Not till he was far from the saloon did he
pause; then be halted in the deeper shadow of a
cabin.

“ Well,” he muttered, “ things have about
come to a boiling pomt. There will be hot
times before long, or I am mistaken. I can
now see quite through the scheme, and I have
the chief rascals spotted. I suppose Iought to
go to the marshal and have him search the
Marden house, but thoughts of that lovely girl
hold me back. I would save her when the crush
comes. How she became entangled in this

ame with such a set of villains is more than
Ican understand, for I will not believe she is a
common adventuress. I am verSed in the art of
reading faces, and I kn0w she has not an evil
countenance. She can never be anything tome,
but for all that I love her!"

For some moments he was silent, as if think-
ing deeply, but at length he began muttering
again: _

“I would give something to know if Bruce
Weldon is concerned with this gang of rascals.
His face was a puzzle to me, I will confess, al-
though I decided he was honest. If he iscrooked,
he is a good actor, to say the least. But he has
disappeared. I cannot find him, and that looks
bad. It almost seems as if he had skipped to
escape the crash that is coming. My words gave.
him the knowledge he was suspected, and his
disappearance looks bad for him, to say the very
least about that point.

“ Then there is Seth Slouch—who and What is
be? He is not what he appears, that is plain to
me. He is in disguise, but IS he an honest man
or a rascal? His story sounded peak. but the
fact that he told me the false Mark Marden’s
true name counts in his favor. Ho maybe a
detective.

“ One more man in disguise is Old Bob Shucks.
His disguise is simple, indeed, but my enemies
little dream he is Old Daddy Duzenberry, as
faithful a friend as I ever had. He has succeed-
ed in working his way into their confidence, and
together we will baffle their schemes.

“ I wonder where Daddy is now.”

“ Waal, I’m jest abaout heur,” observed a
drawling voice, and the tall figure of the man
who had given his name as Old Bob Shucks an-
peared.

“I never’d knowed you in that rig if I hedn’t
heered yer voice, pard.”

“ And still I obtained this rig from the nag of
disguises you brought, old man,” laughed Vane,
.as he warmly shook his all ’3 hand.

“ Waal, I never pawed em over ter see whut
thar wur thar. I jest fetched ’em along, as you
said.”

“ What news?"

“Good ernough.”

“ Then that is good enough. You have made
a discovory?”

“ Yes.”

“ What is it?”

“Did you git my letter?”

“ I did.”

“ Waal. in that I tole ye Mark Marden warn’t
110 Mark Marden.”

u Yes.”

“ An’ ther right gal war a prisoner.”

(I Yes."

“ Waal, sence then I have found aout whar
she is.”

“You have! Where?”

“ In the cellar of the haouse that b’longsto her. ”

“ I sue ected as much.”

“ Waa , I know haow ter git inter that
haouse.”

“ You do?”

“ Sart’in.”

“ How?”

“By a winder.”

“ But they must keep the Windows fastened ?”

“ I have left one of ’em unfastened, fer I man-
aged to git inter ther ranch with ther gang. I
foun’ er chance ter unfasten a winder while I
wur ,thar, an’ you bet I ’proved my oppertoo-
nity.

“ You had no chance to make an investiga-
tion?”

“ Nary chance.”

“ Did you See the girl?”

“ Thunder, no. She’s cooped up in the cellar,
.I tell ye.”

“ I do not mean that one, but the other.”

“ Oh, yes I saw her. 83,, thar’s suthin’

mighty sing’ler abaout that g ’

\

 

“ How? What do you mean?” .

“\Vaal, I only got a glimp’ of her, but that
war enough ter see she bed bin cryin’.”

“ Crying ?”

“ Tell her eyes wur red.” .

“ And she had been weeping when I called: I
swear I cannot understand it!”

“ That warn’t all. I heard her an‘ ther feller
as they call Elegant Ed have a terrific set—to.”

“ A set-to?”

‘6 Yes.”

“ What kind of a set-to?”

“He wur tryin’ ter make her do suthin' an
she jest swore she’d be ’tarnally jimflzzled if
she’d do it.”

The Velvet Sport struck his hands together
ex<~it~idly.

“ For all of her position, I do not believe that
girl is all bad I” he cried.

“ Mehbe not,” acknowledged Daddy Duzen-
berry; “ but she’s in alliired bad comp’ny.”

“ That is true, but we must not judge her till
we know what fortune placed her there.”

“ l hain’t settin’ myself up as jedge.”

“ She must be saved from the catastrophe that
is coming.”

“ Haow ye goin’ ter do it ’thout givin’ her
chainch ter warn t’others?”

“That is a difficult thing to tell; but I shall
try to find a wa .”

“ Saay,” drawled the old fellow.

“What is it?”

“ Aire ye stuck on that gal i"

Vane faced Daddy Duzenberry squarely, lay-
ing a hand on the old man’s mm.

“It is not often I make a fool of myself,”
came slowly from his lips. “ Do not be hard on
me, Daddy, if I am a trifle foolish in this mat-
ter!”

The old man laughed.

“ I have bin thar myself, pard,” he asserted.
“ I once did love a blue-haired au’ auburn-eyed
dam-sci ter distraction, an’ I kinder thort she
returned my alfectation with compaound int’rust.
I wur younger than than I be naow—younger
by sevarial moons. I spent my time in lally-
gaggin’ raound ’Mandy an’ buyiu’ peanuts an'
merlasses candy for her. I swore she wuz ther
sweetest of sweet sweet-cakes, an’ she called me
her ducky ducksy-wucksy. I thort I bed her
solid fast, an’ I knowed I c’u’dn’t live ’thout her.
She tole me I wur ther very soul of her existence.
But she went an merried ’Bijah Bodfish, an’ if
thar wur ever a feller I jest deespised it wur
’Bijah. It nighly broke my heart, an’ fer as
much as three days I felt like doin’ suthin’ des-
prit, but I got over it arter a. time!”

Vane had scarcely heard the old fellow’s
words, for he had been buried in deep thought
while Daddy was speaking. He now observed:

“ You say you can get into the Marden
house?”

“ Sart’in.”

“Then let’s go there at once. We may as well
do so now as at any time. Perhaps We can get
in Iandnrescue Marion Marden without lfurther
de ay.

Daddy was ready for the adventure, and they
were soon moving toward the residence of the
murdered mine-owner.

CHAPTER XV.
AN UNFORUNATE GIRL.

IN a short time they had reached the house
and were at work on the window which Daddy
declared he had unfastened from the inner side.
It was soon opened, and Vane followed the old
man into the house.

“ Do you know the way to get into the cellar?”
asked the sport, in a cautious whisper..

” No; we’ve got ter find ther way.”

They moved with caution and were soon in a
hallway. Daddv was some distance in advance.

Suddenly at Vane’s very side a door swung
open and the false Marion Marden appeared with
a light in her hand.

“I thought I heard a slight noise,” she said.
Then she caught sight of the sport and uttered a
suppressed scream.

Filled With dismay at this occurrence, Daddy
Duzenberry stood still and was not seen by the

irl.

g In a moment the wearer of the violets turned
toward. the girl, speaking with wonderful self-
possession:

“ I beg you not to be frightened, miss. There
is not the least cause for alarm.”

She had fallen back a step and nearly dropped
the lamp. Her face was blanched and she trem-
bled in every limb.

“ Who—who are you?” she gasped. with the
grantest difficulty. “ Can it be—Mr. How-

r .

“ Yes, it is I.”

 

.. _....L.....L‘..-n. _J. .t..... .1.L»A.w«.-1‘1J.Lh‘ ‘ ‘ "

 

“ But—but, how came you here?”

“Business brought me.”

“ Business? I do not understand.”

He step ed boldly into the room and closed
the deer, eaving Daddy Duzenberry in the hall.
A glance showed him the curtains of the room
were drawn so any one could not look in from
without.

The girl placed the lamp upon a small stand,
then sunk tremblingly into a chair.

“ You gave me such a. fright!" she said, faint-
ly. “ Oh, this horrid house! 1 will not stay in
it another night! How came you here?”

“ Never mind how I came here,” was his re-
tort, as he stood before her, drinking in her
quivering beauty with his dark eyes. “ I came
for your good.”

“ For my good? I do not understand 1”

“Possibly not. I will explain. I fancy my
appearance was like that of a burglar.”

She attempted to force a smile, but it was a
sorry failure.

“ I fancied I secured the door, but I must have
left it uufastened. Did I?”

“ I cannot say, for I came in by a window.”

“ A window!”

“ Yes; and now I seem more than ever like a.
burglar.”

“ Oh, but I know you are not! Still I cannot
understand it.”

“ Have you thought of the other possibility?”

“ Which?”

“I may be a detective.”

She sprung to her feel, uttering a low cry of
horror and shrinking from him.

“ You—you a detective?" she gasped.

Her dismay and fear cut him to the heart, for
her appearanCe was that of a guilty thing. A
low groan forced itself from his ips, and he
turned his head away. When he looked back
she had sunk into the chair again and covered
her. face with her handkerchief.

For some moments both were silent. Vane
was the one to speak first:

“ I have come here to save you.”

"' To save me?”

u YOF.”

“ I do not understand.”

He walked twice the length of the room, then
paused before her again.

“ I speak the truth When I say I am here to
save you,” he declared. “ It all depends on
whether you will consent to be saved or not.”

“ I do not understand you now.”

“ How can I make my meaning plainer? You
must know how desperate is the game in which
you are enga ed.”

“ Game! hat game?”

He made a gesture of entreaty.

“ Do not feign innocence, I entreat you! It
can avail you nothing now, for I know the whole
black truth. I know how you have deceived
the people of Magic City. You are not what
you pretend to be. I am not the only one who
knows this, and a terrible storm is approaching.
I am here to save you from its fury. ’

“ Why should you do this for me?”

In a moment he was at her side and had both
her hands clasped in his, while he gazed into her
blue eyes. His entire being was athrob with a
devouring passion; his warm breath fanned her
cheek. At that moment the usually cool and
nervy sport quite lost control of himself. He
threw reason to the winds. Swiftly, almost
fierce] , he spoke:

“ hy should I do this for you? Because I
love you! Nay, do not attempt to take our
hands away, for I will not let them go! ou
must listen to me! I love you! I love you!
Your eyes, your hair, your lips—your whole be-
ing I low! You are more than life to me! It
must be you love me in return! it cannot be
otherwise!”

She seemed too astounded to Speak, but the
bot flush that filled her cheeks gave him courage.
He felt her hands trembling in his grasp. In
another moment he had her in his arms.

“ My little darling l”.be murmured. “ I know
you love me, and nmhmg shall tear us apart! I
will pass through fire and flood to retain you 1”

Her face was upturned, her. red. lips were
tempting—in a moment he was raining kisses
upon them. .

That seemed to arouse her. With the cry of 9-
frightened creature, she tore her herself from his
grasp and stood pantin before him, She drew
herself u to her full eight and her blue eyes
flashed. hen he would have clasped her in his
arms once more, she waved him back.

“ No!” she cried; “ no, no. no! I am not what
you think! I understand you only too well! I
may have fallen, but I have not come to that!”

He saw she misunderstood his love, and he
was cut to the heart.

no:—

 

 

 

 

 

 

Violet Vane, the 'Ventriloquist Vidooq.

  

13

 

 

 

“You do not understand me!” he hastily as-
serted. “ I mean you no wrong!”

But she shook her head.

“I swear it!” he cried— “ I swear it by high
Heaven !”

Still she seemed to doubt.

“ How can it be otherwise?” she asked, doubt-
ingly. “ You say you know me for what 1 am.
Then how can you love me with an honest
love?”

“ I care not what you are, I love you! You
must believe me! I will make you believe!”

Elbe seemed to hesitate, and he sprung to her
81 e.

“ I will prove my lova by any test you may
demand!” he declared. “ If you will marry me
at once—”

“ Would you marry me?”

“ Yes, yes, yes i”

“ Can you mean it!”

“ Again I swear!"

She ut out her hands, as if struck with sud-
den b indness, and sank into the chair, moan-

in :

% Oh, God! why did not this love come to me
before? Now it is too late—too late!”

A horrible chill struck to his heart; he fell on
his knees at her side; he caught her hands and
held them fast.

“ Don’t say that i” came tremblingly from his
lips. “ Don’t, don’t! It cannot be too late!”

But she only sobbed:

“ It is, it is!”

“How too late! wh
words! Great God!
ried to another?”

She shook her head.

“ Not yet, not yet!”

“ Then it is not too late! That is the only no
that could hold you. You love me—I can read
it in your beautiful face and in your blue eyes!
I love you! What can keep us apart? The
whole world shall not!”

“ But, you do not understand—you do not
know all the truth. You know I am an adven-
turess—usurping the place of another. You
know that, and still you love me?”

“ Yes, yes, yes!”

Her bosom rose and fell convulsively.

_ “ It does not seem possible; I can scarcely be-
have it! Oh, that I could set myself right in
your eyes, for I do love you i”

“ I knew it!” he cried, exultantly.

“You know not how I despise myself—you
cannot know! I was forced into this wretched
plot, and I did not know how bad it was. Oh,
that poor girl. I have threatened to set her
free ut he swore he Would kill me if I did.”

“i knew it was like that!” cried Vane, ex-
ultaptly. “ But, who holds this power over

on
y “ My brother.”

“ And your brother is-—”

“ In Magic City he is known as Elegant Ed.”

“ Ha l”

“ Yes, he is at the bottom of this scheme. He
says Daniel Marden once did him agreatin-
gury, and he is only trying to get what is right-

ully his due. It was by telling such a tale he
lured me into the wretched deception. He did
not let me know another girl was to be made a
prisoner. Now I have begun to believe he did
not tell the truth when he said Mr. Marden had
done him an injury.”

“Surely not. But. who is this fellow who
professes to he Mark Marden. your brother?”

She made a gesture of repu nance.

“He is one whom my brot er‘ swears I shall
marry l” ,

“ Do you care for him?” .

“ I abhor him, yet fear him!”

“ Yet you have consented. to marry him?”

“I dared not do otherw1se. Oh. Sir, you do
not know my brother—you do not understand
the Influence he wields over me! Never have
I dared disobey him in anything. When he
tells me to do a thing I am compelled to do it
whether I wish or not, for a will other than
my own seems to govern me. I am in con-
stant fear of him, and, oh: so unhappy!”

“The wretch! You shall be removed from
his evil influence, for it wou1d ruin you, dar-
ling! I will protect you from him, my little
one. And this other—do you think 1 will give
you n tohim! He shall never possess you—
never ’

“ And would you still marry me?”

“ Yesl—a hundred times. yes!”

 lad cry came from her lips.

hen let’s go from here—let’s go at once!”

She exchimed, excitedly. “They may come
and find you! There is no time to be lost!”

‘ gen are right, little one. What shall I call
you

too late? Explain your
t cannot be you are mar-

 

“ My name is Lona Lewis.”

“You are right. Lona; no time is to be lost.
But the rightful Marion Marden must be set
free before we leave this house; our brother’s
crooked game must be bullied. or your sake I
will not attempt to bring him to justice, though
he richly merits punishment."

“ Are you truly a detective?”

“ Not a professional. I am working this case
on my own account.”

She looked at him admiringly, and he caught
her in his strOng arms once more, kissing her
tenderly on the lips.

“ Where is the girl confined? he asked.

“ In the cellar.”

“ Then we will go down.”

“ There is another prisoner there.”

“ Another?”

‘t Yes.”

Cl "‘Th0?”

“A young man who attemped to rescue her.
He was Daniel Marden’s mine superintendent.”

“ It is Bruce Weldon!” cried Vane.

Then he took up the lamp, adding:

“ We will not lose another moment. Lead the
wa , Lona.”

hey passed from the room together and
Vane looked around for Daddy Duzenberry.
To his amazement, the old man had vanished,
but he found himself confronted by Elegant Ed
and his two satellites, Burt Bishop and Sledge-
hammer Sam!

CHAPTER XVI.
'riiin STRUGGLE IN THE CELLAR.

THE Velvet Sport’s hand disappeared into a
pocket where lay a ready revolver, but before
he could produce the weapon he received a
terrific blow on the head and was knocked
senseless. ‘

“ Ha! ha l”, laughed Sledge-hannner Sam, who
had wielded the club that robbed Vane of his
senses. “ I reckon thet kind of knocks the
slippery critter stiff fer ther time! Holy Moses!
but I did wat him a good one!”

“ Have you killed him?” asked Elegant Ed,
ea erly.

‘Dunno, boss; mebbe so, mebbe not. But I
kin finish ther job with one or two more licks
like that. Reckon I’ll let him hev.”

Lona had seemed dazed by the sudden
calamit , but now she uttered a scream, sprung
forwar and struck out with both hands. Her
hard knuckles found the brutal bully’s face, and
Sam reeled back against the wall.

“ Wretches !” she cried.

Then she wheeled and faced her brother and
the man he would force her to marry. She
stood over the fallen sport as if she would protect
him from further harm. Her fl rure was drawn
to its greatest height, her ham 8 clinched her
blue eyes flashing, her lips drawn back till her
white teeth were exposed. Regally beautiful
she looked in all the fury that possessed her soul
at that moment!

Burt Bishop had caught the lam from Violet
Vane’s hand as the sport fell, but e came near
dropping it in his amazement as he witnessed this
exhibition of s irit on the part of the girl whom
he had consk ered spirit ess in her brother’s
presence. For the moment Elegant Ed’s power
over his sister was naught! Some other influ-
once was greater!

“ Great Jinks!” gurgled Sledge-hammer Sam.
“ Thet wuz er reg’lvr swynder! Your pussy cat
has claws, Pard Ed.”

No one could have been more astonished than
the gambler himself.

“ What does this mean?” he demanded.

“It means you shall not murder this man!”
Iw_asl”the brave reply. “You shall not touch
nm

“You fool!” hissed Ed. “ Will you spoil every-
thing now we have him fairly in the snare? You
have played your part well.” .

“Yes,” she cried, wildly, “ I have played it
well—too well! too well I”

“ What do you mean '9”

“ Mean? Just this: you wished me to lead him
into a snare by making him fall in love with me.
I have succeeded, but at the same time I have
learned to love him.”

_“Fool I” again broke from the card~sharp’s
I‘llps- “ You should have possessedmoro reason!
0li_ can be nothing to him! He IS 8. Spy—a de-
tective! He would ruin us all! Another has a
claim on you, as you must Well understand!”

“ It is false! No living being has a claim on
me! You have tried to force me into an ob-
noxious alliance with one for whom I feel
nothing but rOpusznance, but Burt Bishop shall
never possess me!”

Bishop himself said nothing, for he knew not
what to say, but his face turned pale.

 

 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
   
  
  
   
 
  
   
 
  
 
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
  
 
   
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
   
 
  
 
 
  

“ Now the doom of this velvet-clad spy is
sealed!" Elegant Ed snarled. “ He shall never
live to leave this house! Lona, you must be in-
sane! He would drag us all to ruin! he would
cast us behind rison bars! Even you would not
escape! His a! action for you is a farce gotten
up to deceive you while he worked his game!
Girl, you must come to our senses!”

He saw his words ha some eerct upon her,
and he followed up the advantage. Suddenly
she sunk on her knees beside the rostrate sport
and lifted his head to her lap. W ldly she gazed
into his allid face.

“ Devi s!" she shrieke< , “you can do him no
further harm! He is dead!‘

It looked as if she had spoken the truth.

“ Et ma be, boss,” nodded Sam, as Ed cast an
inquirin 00k toward him. “ 1 ’low I swatted
him a so id ’un, though I didn’t think it ernough
ter finish him.”

Again and again Lona called to the man she-
lovcd. In utter abandon she kissed his lips.
They seemed cold to her touch, and once more
crying out he was dead, she sunk fainting on.
his bed .

“It is all the better,” said the gambler, al-
though there was a look of pain on his face.
“She will not bother us nOW. Burt, take her
back into that room, while Sam and I look after
this do of a detective.” _

Burt ishop lifted the unconscious irl in his
arms and carried her into the room ndicated
Ed following with the lamp, which he returned.
to the stand. _

For a moment the gambler stood looking-
pityingly down at the marble-like face of his
sister, his countenance working strangely, then
he turned away, with something like a groan.

“Look after her, Burt,” he said, hoarsely.
“ Get some water and bathe her face and wrists.
Loosen her dress. When she recovers, tell her
we have set Violet Vane free. That may keep
her quiet.”

He passed from the room to another where he
found a candle. Lighting this, he returned to
Sledge-hammer Sam, who was standing over the
body of the still inseiisible sport.

“ Can ou carry him, Sam?"

“ Waal’ you bet!”

The bully lifted Vane in his arms, and Ed led
led the way. In that manner they descended to
the cellar.

The cellar was not Very large, but it was
well built, the floor and walls being cemented.
At one side an iron door was Set in the wall.
Whatever Daniel Marden had it built for no
one knew, but beyond the door was a dungeon-
like apartment. This cell the plotters had
found very handy for their use in carrying out
their (ice crate scheme to secure the whole or a
part of arden’s wealth. '

The two villains did not take their new cap-
tive to the dungeon. At the chief conspirator’s
command, Sam unceremoniously dumped the in~
sensible Vane on the cemented bottom of the eel»-
lar. Ed had brought some cords along, and they
proceeded to bind the sport, although suc .
trouble seemed like wasting time.

“ I don’t reckon he’ll squirm much for some-
time ter come,” grinned the brutal tough.

But, Vane’s head was harder than the thought .
and it was not long before he shows signs of
returning conscwusness.

“Dorn my eyes!” exclaimed the big rough.
“ He is er tough lcetle nut.”

When Vane opened his eyes his gaze rested on
the face of Elegant Ed revealed to him by the
light of the candle. At first the sport was dazed
and his head throbbed with a terrible pain that
prevented him from recognizing the exultant
countenance of his bitter foe; but. the sneering,
triumphant voice of the Magic City sharp
cleared away the clouds which seemed hanging
around his brain. . . .

“ Well, my pretty Illl‘d," Cl‘led Ed, “ we have
you safe and fast. Your goose is as good as
cooked.” ,

“ Thet’s or fact, fer I’m goiu’ ter finish cookin’
it urty soon.” ‘

be sound of Sledge-hammer Sam’s harsh voice
gave Vane a start and he turned his eyes .to see
the wrotch leering down upon him, '1‘ evillains
certainly seemed triumphant.

The sport tried to speak, but his tongue seemed
paralyzed. He was unable to utter a sound Just
then. and his captors lau bed in his face.

“You are not so very rave after all ” cried
Ed, “ Fear has frozen your tongue. on will
be begging for your life in a few moments.” '

The did not know him yet. Beg for his life
of we creatures as they 1 No torture they could
inflict would cause him to do that!

“ You made a fool of yourself when you at.
tempted to butt against me,” went on the elegant»

  
   
 

 

.. .__. it.-..?f.ng?.«fe-z!:—~,-._~Lc —_..._‘1

__ ‘.
\

~_;;LJ_...._.

._....~_

g .~---.. 4'.

14 Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidooq.

 

 

sharp, as he crouched by Vane’s side. “Did
you think on were my match in cunning? Ha!
ha! ha! know tricks you never dreamed of!
You came here through a trick, for you fancied

on had won the love of my sister. Ha! ha!

ou must consider yourself a charmer indeed to
be able to win the love of a girl in such a short
space of time! She played her part well, and
now—”

“Stop!” cried Vane, suddenly recovering: his
power of Speech. “ Say no more of her! She is
too good, too noble for her name to pass your
Satan’s lips! You her brother! Great I-Ieavenl
it cannot be pessiblel”

“ That is the stull‘i” laughed Ele ant Ed. “ I
am glad to see you can still talk! want to hear
you whimper and whine before Sam here shuts
off your wind for good!”

“ You murderous devil!”

“ Hard words do not cause broken bones, you
know. I have not a little bit of love for you,
and I reckon Sam has less than I, if possible.”

“ Thet’s kirect, boss.”

“ You are our captive, and you are alone with
us in this old cellar. Yell—scream for help, if
you will; no one will hear you. Daniel Marden
must have planned this cellar foraprivate risen,
but he could not have dreamed who won] put it
to use.”

“I should fancy his spirit would haunt his
murderer. Crimestained wretch! how can you
sleep nights 1”

“ As sweetly as a child. It was not my hand
that struck the blow which ended the life of Dan
Marden. He was slain by another person.”

Then he was murdered! The gambler had
confessed as much.

“ If your hand did not strike the blow, I be-
lieve your brain planned it, and that boast,
there, was the executor of your foul plot?”

“ What if you are right! I had good cause to
hate Dan Mardcn—a cause of which none in
Magic knew. When I came here and found
him prospering, I resolved to ruin him; but he
was owerful and wealthy. I coveted his wealth,
but saw no wa to gain possession of it while
he lived. Then resolved he should die. He is
dead!”

“And you are as much his murderer as if
your hand struck the fatal blow!”

“ Have it that way if you like; you will not
live to prate it to the world.”

“ You would stain your hands with more
blood?”

“Without a shudder, so long as it is your

“ What a heartless wretch you are!”

“ Heartless? Perhaps that is the right word,
but I have been called nervy.”

“The nerve of a villain!”

“ Oh, w’at’s ther use of bandyin‘ words with
ther critter, pard?” impatiently cried Sam.
“Let’s finish him ofl’ an ;it ther job ofl? our
han’sl”

“Don’t be in a hurry, Sam. I want him to
fully understand how he has played into our
hands. He fancied he had deceived Lona. by
winning her love, and he was going to use her
against us. Ha! ha! ha!”

u“Hal ha! ha!” laughed the card-Sharp’s sat-
e ite.

“ Now I will tell you the truth,” and Ed gazed
sneeringly into the prostrate man’s dark eyes.
“My sister cares not a whit for you. I asked
her to lead you into the snare if she could, and
you stumbled right into it. While you are lying
here she is with the man who is to become her
husband. They are in a room above, waiting
till I shall return and announce that your are
forever out of our way. Did you hold her in
your arms? Did you kiss her? Now she is in
the arms of another and his kisses are on her
lips. She is—”

With a cry of a furious animal, Vane burst
his bonds asunder and leaped to his feet.

“Wretches! murderers!” he thundered, his
face convulsed with his terrible fury, the cords
standing out upon neck and temple. “ You
shall not kill me like a dog! I am unarmed, but
I am a match for you both!"

Sledge-hammer Sam sprung toward the sport,
but Vane sent him reeling to the floor with a
single blow. Then he was clinched by the Ma-
gic City sharp, and a desperate stru gle en-
sued. Vane knew he was fighting'for h life-
for more than life—for Lonal

CHAPTER XVII.

DADDY 0N HAND.

WITH a wonderful exertion of strength, Vane

(flashed his foe to the hard floor with stunning
o .

 

roe.
But, Sledge-hammer Sam was on his feet, and

Vane was dazed by the violence of the fall.

“ New, dern yo! I will wipe ye out!”

The candle-light fell on a knife that glittered
in the up-raised hand of the murderous wretch,
but, at that instant, a sharp scream was heard
above, then came the sound of hurrying feet.
With a snarl, the rufflan struck at Vane with
the knife.”

By a quick squirm, the sport evaded the stroke
in a measure, although he felt a sharp pain that
told him he had been touched. Had he not
moved, the blade would have reached his heart.
Again the knife was lifted. Vane saw a flit-
ting form leaping down the stairs.

“ Cuss ye!” grated the desperate bully. “ I’ll
fix ye this time i”

Vane attempted to evade the stroke once
more.

Useless effort!

But for the hand of another he would have
been doomed.

With another cry of horror, a repetition of the
shriek heard above, the flitting form sprung at
the murderous tough and hurled him aside.

But the knife had fallen again, and once more
it found a living sheath.

Vane knew he was now badly wounded. He
tried to rise to his feet, partially succeeded,
then black spots floated before his eyes, his head
swam and he sunk down limply.

Was it fancy, or did he hear the loud calling
of manly voices and the tramp of booted feet?
He knew soft arms were about his neck—lie felt
kisses on his lips! Then he heard her calling to
him—Lona!

IVhat was that? Though his senses were reel-
ing and consciousness was slipping from him, he
recognized the voice of a man who shouted:
“Come on, you fellers! Heur they be, ther
hull gosh blamed pot an’ b’ilin’l Naow We have
got ’em l”

Old Daddy Duzenberry was on hand.

He found the sport unconscious and bleeding,
in the arms of a beautiful girl who seemed crazed
with grief and despair. as she shrieked:

“Dead! dead! dead!”

To Vane all was like a wild dream that fol-
lowed. For days he seemed fighting his foes,
but they always had the best of the Conflict.
He was not battling for himself, but for her——
for Lonal He thought they were trying to tear
her from him, and life was nothing without her.
There were other fancies. He fell from awful
heights; he waded in blood; he fought his mad
way through scorching,r flames. He was in the
bleak desert, devoured by a horrible thirst. He
shricked for water, water! Then she came and
held a cooling draught to his parched lips. Ho
begged her to stay with him, and she promised
not to leave his side. He would sleep, then
awake with a start and call wildly to her. She
always answered; she was always there! Like
a good angel she hovered near; and her soft
touch calmed him in his wildest moments. How
he loved her! how he loved her!

One day he recovered his right mind and found
himself lying on a clean white bed. He looked
around for her, but she was not there. Then he
fell to wondering how much of the strange things
he could remember was real and how much were
the imaginings of a disordered brain. He knew
he had been very ill-—nec.r to the door of death,
for he remembered about being stabbed.

The doctor came, and with him came a bean-
tiful girl. The wounded sport gazed eagerly at
her, but uttered a sigh of disappointment.

It was not Lona.

The doctor pronounced the patient much bet—
ter, but cautioned them to keep him quiet. Vane

would have asked questions, but the privilege
was denied him. At length he fell asleep, hav-
ing eaten some light but nourishing food.

With one or two brief waking intervals, the
sport slept until another day come. When he
awoke a pleasant-faced young man was sitting
by his bedside.

“ Hello!” exclaimed the young man, in a cheer-
ful voice. “How do you feel now?”

“ Better,” was the prompt reply.

“I am glad to hear that, for you have had
quite a pull at it; but the Doc said yesterday
you Were all right. You will be around in a
short time new.”

Vane looked hard at the speaker, then said:

“ There seems something familiar about you,
but I can’t make out just what it is.”

The other laughed.

“ I suppose you remember Seth Slouch?” he
asked. "

es.
“ Well, I am be. That was a disguise."

Then the young man explained that he was
the genuine Mark Marden, and Burt Bishop had
been his pard in the past. He acknowledged he
had led something of a wild life. One night he
qnarreled with ishop, and the young fellow
tried to murder him. Bishop thought he had
succeeded, but Mark was cared for by an old
mountaineer till he was ready to take the trail
and call Burt Bishop to an account. He tracked
him to Magic City, and there learned of the des-
perate game in which his former partner was
concerned. Knowing Lona Lewis was not his
sister, and believing his sister had fallen into the
hands of the schemers, Mark attempted to probe
the matter while still keeping disguised as he
had been during the time he was trading his
treacherous pard.
'When Vane followed Lona into the room, the
night he entered the Marden house by a window,
Daddy Duzenberry had feared a trap and at
once hurried away for aid. An hour ater, fol—
lowed by the marshal and a crowd of men, among
whom was the disguised Mark Marden, the
faithful old fellow broke into the house. The
party reached the cellar just in time to save
Violet Vane’s life though they found him seri-
ously wounded. beyond the iron door at one
side of the cellar Marion Marden and Bruce
VVfildon were found, confined in a dungeon-like
ce .
In conclusion Mark said:
“The girl who had so successfully played the
part of my sister fancied you were dead, and
she denounced Sledge-hammer Sam as your
murderer. Within ten minutes the furious
crowd had lynched the wretch. Thus the mur-
derer of my father met his doom, for he con-
fessed the crime before. he was strung up.
“Elegant Ed and Burt Bishop were made
prisoners, but they succeeded in escaping. How-
ever, Daddy Duzenberry is on their trail, and
he swears he will round em up.”
“ But the girl—Lona?” asked Vane, eagerly.
“She remained by your side as your nurse
till night before last,” was the reply. “She
suddenly and mysteriously disappeared in the
night, and she has not been seen since. I fancy
She has gone to join her brother.”
For a long time the wounded sport lay with-
out speaking. He seemed Very calm. At length
be stretched out one hand and said, with a sim-
ple earnestness that made his declaration bind-
ing as the most solemn oath:

“ I will find her.”

 

The affair was the greatest sensation ever
known in Magic City. As may be imagined,
Violet Vane was given great credit for the
part he had played in the exposure of the creek-
ed game, and the camp was filled with delight
when it was known the gritty little sport would
surely recover from the wounds he had received.

Mark and Marion Marden came into posses-
sion of the property that was rightfully theirs
by heirship.

Bruce Weldon, Daniel Marden’s mine super-
intendent, fell in love with Marion while he was
confined with her in the dark dungeon beneath
the house, and before a year she became his
wife.

The caller dungeon was filled up and oblitera-
ted.

When Violet Vane was able to do so, he
turned his face from Magic City. He was
cheered by the large crowd assembled to wit-
uses his de arture. Some tried to induce him
to remain onger in the camp, but be firmly
shook his head,

He now had a double mission!

THE END.

 

Beadle’s [he library.

BY WM. G. PATTEN.

663 The giant; ispurt: or, Sold to Satan.

U56 Old Plug gly. the Rough and Ready.
618 Gold Glove Gid. the Man of Grit.

641 Aztec Jack, the Desert Nomad.

631 Colonel 0001. the Santa Fe Sharp.

602 Ca tain Nameless. the Mountain Mysh
571 Oh. Dismal. the Range Dctectiw.

545 Hustler Harry, the Cowboy Sport.

BY DR. NOEL DUNBAR.
604 The Detective in Rags; 0r. The Grim Shadower.
500 The True-Heart Pards.
A new issue every Wednesday.

NBeagalle’s tgimet Library is fort agile halal!
ewsd ers, n can 5 per co or sen in CI
p hADLE aywas.

 

“ Who are you now i” '

 

the sport was caught behind and hurled down.

“ I am Mark Marden!”

recei t of twelve cents each.
Publighers. 98 William street, New York.

 

  

 

 

 
  

 

BEADLE’SieHALF-DIMEeieLIBRARY.

Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers.

 

 

B Y 0LL CDO.“ ES.

5 Vagabond Joe. the Young Wandering Jew.
18 The Dumb Spy.
27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guldn.
Keen-knife, the l‘riiu'e nl‘the l'valriea.
Lulth Junk, the Young Mustang”.
The Border King; or, 'l‘hu Set-nut Foo.

Delaware Dlek. the Young Ringer Spy.
74 Hawk-eve llurr ' the Young Trapper Ranger.
Rollo, the Bo Ignnger.

Iii} Hure Hhot Set i, th. i'my thluiunn.
148 Hear-Face haul. the Silent Hunter,
140 Silver Htur, the lioy Knight.
Eagle Kit. tho lioy lh-nion.
Little Texan. the Young Muetanger.
5 Did Holitury, the liarurlt’l‘r2pprr.
152 Little Ilurrleane. the Bo ' antaln.
202 Pron eet Pete; or, Thu 'oum: Outlaw Hunten.
203 The oy lien-ulnar or, 'i'im I'rairin Trauipl.
2]” Tiger Tom. the Texas Terror.

221. "fight. luck; or, Trapper 'l‘nni'l i‘nntlu.
229-; Lune filldflro, the Yuung l'riihiu Nniiind.
2 The I'arnon Detective; or, The Little Ranger.
2-13 The. Dinkuined Guide; or. “'lld Raven, the Ranger.
200 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young l’rnirie Ranger.
272 )||"k,.k|“ Mike, the lioy Sharpahootur.
290 Little Foxfire, the Buy SDy-

300 The “k v "onion; or, Ruinholi. the Ranger.
8"} ‘v hip-King J00. tlio lluv Riiiit'hn-ro.
409 llcruul‘xfl; ur, Dirk, tlin Boy Ranger.
417 \Vohi'oot Mone, tlw ’l'riuup Dr'trmtivu.
422 "3], sun“, Lila lioy (Hunt ui'thn Yellowutone.
444 Litt e IlIu-kukin. tnu Ymnu.r l'ralrie Centaur.
457 “’lncedi'oot Fred; or, old I'olar Saul.
468 ’l‘nmarae Tom, thn ilig Tm qmr Boy.
478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red ivor Epidemic.
482 Htonewall IIOD, ih.» lln_\' Tram”,
61m Iiiundering Bani]. iiu- iimnit Boy Trapper.
652 Don Barr, the Plains l’rr-n-lant‘e.
601 Did kit Bundy’n Deliverance.
670 Norway \elu, the Big Boy Mountaineer.
680 Duuntlem Dan. the FIl‘PlflilCt'. or, Old Kit Bondy in Arcadia.

«H1932
...;_-‘

I
a

inn-int
Ha?!
3:6

BY BllCKSKIN 8AM (Maior Barn. 8. Hall.)

284 [Did Roeky :- " Boyeea; or, Bonito. the Horne-Breaker
’48 Giant George; or, The Ang'i of the Range.
275 Arizona Jnek t or, Giant. Gwrgo’u Paul.
897 The Tarantula oi' Tao»; or. Giant George’l Revenge.
80? The Strange l’nrd ; or, Little Ben'l Death Hunt.
818 Ker-whoa . Ker-whoot or. The 'i'urnntula nf'l‘ana.
887 Creeping got, the Caddo; or. The Red and white Pants.
83% Frio Fred: 0". The 'l'onkaway’a 'l‘ruat.
8-14 The Fiyhtinz Trio; or, Rattlesnnku. tho Tonkawny.
849 Wild \\ oil; or, Big-Foot “'nllnca to the Front,
857 The R nneh Raldora; or. The Siege of Fort Purgatory.
361 Snap-Shot, the Boy Ranger.
375 Chiota. the Creek: or. The Thron- Thunderbolt...
881 Bandera Bill: or. Frio Frank to thu Front.
309 Romeo and the Roda; or, 'l'lm lluluaguered Ranch.
404 Little Lariat; or, l'o-t‘ali Poto'l llig Ramme
4l4 The Daily from Denver. ‘

27 The Three ’l‘ruliera; or,~0id Rocky on the Rampag-
442 Bluff Bill; or. The Lynx ofthe Leona.
455 Little Lone Ntnrt 0?. Thu Belle of the Cibolo.
684 Cache Carl. tI-u- Chico Giant.

BY PHILIP 8. WARNE.

0'! Patent-Leather Joe] or, Old Rattle-nah, the Charmer.
I75 Captain Arizona; or. Patent-Leather Joe's Big Game.
10“ Captain Muak; or, Patent-Lentils? Joe’l Defeat.
919 Den urd. the Dueliat; or, The Mountain Vumpirel.
883 A 'lou ll Boy; or, The Dwnri’e Rovenge.

863 Little ‘ornado; or, The Outcnnte of the Glen.
873 Little Jingo; or, the Queer Pard.
883 Little 0h-my or, Caught in Hill Own Tran.
401 Little Hhon-I‘ ly ;: or, A Race for a Ranch.
408 Little Leather-l rem-hen; or, ()ld Jumbo’ac
43I Little Ah Hill; or, Tho Cur-a of lllood.
451 Colorado Rate. A Tale ot‘the ullnel.
480 Three Jolly I’arda.
517 Jim Gladden'h Deputy.
627 The Jolly l’ardn to the Rel-one.
647 Randy Andy; or, A (Mai Mun Down,
550 Lariat. Lil: ur. The ('Iut for ll Life.
574 Did “'ean -l-top. the Man with the Dogl.
508 Keen Clem. th.- llniu‘h imp.
599 JIIII Dandy the No-Nainr- Sport.
618 Billy Blatzenz vr,'l‘h~- Sin-lumer Lognry.
 I'llklilliotfiu "i. l-llt“lil'it‘v(‘tvfli. Scout.

IIDDy any": I In Find.
664 Cheeky Charley. tln- Special.

in' nnwmm WILLETT. “

167 A311 fleott. the Steamboat Bay.

199 I‘ entherwelzht the Boy Champion nftha Mulldngixm.
228 “mark All or, Featherweight Among the Outlaw".

mm The Typo Detective; or. Wannol, the Boy Tramp.
$95 Feurlenu l’hIl; or, The King onuartzvillo.

811 The Roving Sport; or. The Pride of Cimckaiuck Camp.
822 Nomo. the Detective; or, Kit Kunyon'a Vendetta.
84.0 Clip the Contortioniat; or. The Montana Vigil-um.

B Y J0 Pl ERCI’Z.

897 Bob 0’ the Iiotrery: 0?. The Prince of Mulbe Str at.
415 The Vagabond lleteetivet 0!. Bowery notargomf
45$ "otn ar Bob. the Strm-t-lloy Detective.
460 The .nwyer’n Hhudow: “Yul-"ks" Minty.
478 Jaunty Joe, thu Young Horse-hing.
494 Huriy film, we Young Ferrylllilll Detective.
504 Five Poiuta I'h .
500 Jack Jn gel-a, the, Butcher Roy Detective.
5‘“ 1vnn’nr l"It or. Five Points l‘hil’a Mantle?“-
526 North River Nut, u... Pim- nl‘tt‘CtlYi‘.
583 “ rel-tiling Rex, the. Prlrlpoftlie Sixth Ward.
5-“ Jeff I‘ l'leker. the sum]... 3W Detective.
551 Nick Nettle. the Boy Shnd'nw.
550 Ilarlem Jack. the Om... um. “MN-five,
569 Brooklyn Ben. the On-Hia-nwn-Hook Detective.
577 Pavement Pete the Snwt Sifter.
588 Jack-o‘-l.nntern. the. Under-Sea l‘roIpOCiOT-
mm “'ide-A wake Bert. illo strp.t.3m.,orl
0H4 “'hintllluz Jaooh, the- Datsctivor' Md.
028 Buek Bumblebee, the Illrlmn Hummer.
 (gonna-“Eryn ll}; EXPWRN-Trnln Ferret. s ‘.
amln o .t v nwvr)’ m tier; on i e
ans Rky-lirwket Rob. the “lb-Saver. 3mm“ ' 81””
8A8 Snitpeter Sol, the New York Navigator.
694 Spicy .nm, the Oniv One of fin Kind.
700 Tom Thinle' the ani-llrluin» Det‘ectlve.
oaqulto Jar-k, the Hunt er (lam n.
726 Dennla Duif, the Brown Sport'si Kid.

BY J. W. 0RBON.

469 The Rival GI t’Nowhnr'u
498 ouch“ nurrji't‘ethlzn from Hard Luck.
Buckeye. tho Sierra Shadow.
i], the Boy Miner.
“90 L.“ camirtit.‘ the Veteran Detail};- u “no”. I“...
0
use Pluck: «3.1 .‘afi‘iflfiéfih ° " "

  

 

 

BY ALBERT \l'. AIKEN.
II The Two Deteetlven; ur,’I‘he Fortune: 0!: Bowery Girl.
76 Abe (3011,, the (‘rovaiih'n
7” Hal Ginger. th.» Giant Trapper.
288 Joe Rut-l. oi'Angeln and "in Boy Pard.
" New York Nat. A Thin oi Tricks and 'I‘rnpa in Gotham.
4.38 New England Nick; or. 'l'ln' l'brtunel ot'a Foundliug.
404 N imble, N lt‘k, tlu' ('in'ua Prince.
498 Tao» Ted. tun Arizona Sport.
510 Cool Colorado, thu llnll‘-llrr-ud Detective.
518 Cool Colorado In New York.

BY GI‘IORGI‘Z “'ALINI BRDW'NE.

86 Dllnd Rook iliu Man from Tuna.

90 The I read Rider; or, The 'i'rxan Duollai.

99 The Tiger oi’Taoa: er. Dandy Rot'lt'a Angel.

15 The .\I ad Miner: or, Dandy ltuch’n ITHOHI.
181 The Golden lland; or. llnmiv ltm-lt to the Reacue.
164 Dandy Roek’a I’led e; or. lluntmi to Death.
173 Dandy Iloek’a "Iva ; 0;. The Haunted Maid oiTm.

BY GEORGE C. JENKB.

485 GM- Thar Owney the Unknown.

49,3 “it Thar (iwney‘a Pledge.

518 The Demo r.

u ' Dan. in:- l‘ltcln-r Detective.
59H Flute. tin- Singer in-tr-t-tlw
00" The Pitt-her Detective I Foil: or, Dan's Double Play.
.Em 1:1... up“... "New"... .... 'l i... ithmi... nrth. lilack Bear.
(.81 ’l he Pitt-her lictet-tlve‘n Tougher-t Tnaaol.

BY J. (I. C0“'DRICK.

.60 silver-Mania, the Man at Myntory.

369 'H‘hantu, the Gold King: or. FM 50"“ Yul" Dud-

420 I he Detective}; A prontlee: or, A Boy “lithoui a Name.
424 ('ibutu John; or, rd-liot 'l‘iuwa at Ante Bar.

4150 Handy Nam. the Strm-t Smut.

” DIM-o Dan. the llalay lluda.

Broadway Billy. the lionthlai‘k Bravo.

Redll 'ht Ral rh thu Prim-n- ut the Road.

514 Bl'oa way Di Iy'a Boodle.

524 The Engineer Detective.

Broadway Bllly‘u ‘Dilllkllty."

5 i8 “art, ih.~ Niulit leprr-na llt'tt't'llvo.

" Broadway Rilly‘n Death Rat-ket-

.\|r.|,ln(- Ilul‘o the Young Engineer.

(370 The (‘himney “it.” i". “"WIWI)’ WHY" S“"P"'“'P'"Y-
592 The Boy Pinkerton.

60:» \Viliiam 0' Broadway: or. Tlu- Buy mtoctivv’a Big Inning.
our. Fighting Ilarrv thu mu...- of Chained Cyclam-
Broadvny Bllly‘n Dead Aet.

Iiareln'ek Beth. thn t'uutuur at th.- Circle.

“.37 1”“... . n...- ’l‘i||y, tlu- Mr-rt'liiinl'a Ward.

“50 Moonlight Morgan, tlm -‘ l‘izvm-et " Man of Ante RM-
669 Broadway Billy Abroad.

675 Broadway Blily'u Beat: "hilt-nth!“ 3-“ Fflucuco" “Mn”
Broadway Billy in Plover.

606 Broadway Billy in Texan.

Broadway Billy'~ Brand.

711 Broadway Billy at Santa Fe.

720 Broadway Billy'a Full Iland.

B Y FREDERICK DE‘VEY

818 Oimarron Jack the King-Pin of Rm .3), .
473 Tangemund, that lh-wrt ilatuetivu. ” o“
542 The C-"-yon l’ardu.

BY ARTIII'R (l. GRIRSOM.

440 Little Foxi’oot, th» Gold Bowie Klll.
558 The Sure-Hhot I'arda.
621 'I‘ruihi'nl .Inmea. tlm “l‘mmllur” Man.

BY MAJOR E. L. RT. VRAIN.

992 Hunt-ho Pedro. thu iiuy iluudit.

801 IA‘iNIVIIIl‘ Niel” tlh- llny Squirt.

812 Redtop Rube, tlm Vigilante Prince.

“88 Brimatone Bob. and “in Lightning Iloraa Quartotte.
852 Tomhatone Turn. the Arizona liny oi'“Snnd.”
8539 Durauuo Dave. llm Y ung t'huimrinn “'rtmtlur.
87] Kinubolt Chi-la. the Y may Hard-Shell Detective.
8’10 Avalanehe All'. that Foothilla Guido.

390 Jaguar Joe. of the Mountain Mall-Line.

BY ICD‘VARD 8. ELLIS.
6 Bill Ridden, Trap wr.
8 Ruth Jone-n; or, 'l‘iia- Captives oi'the Frontier.

‘0 Not Todd: or, 'l‘lin Fate of the Sioux Captive.

’l The Frontier Angel.

93 The Roy “Incl-p; or, Tlm Enchanted Inland,
182 Tim “um”; “unto” or, Thu Strnnzo "0mm...
854 The "unznlumh or, 'l'liu l'nnthor of th» mull",
27] The Huge Hunter; (-r, The Steam I’rniriu Man.

R'” )iAJDR LEIVIfl I". CARNON.

273 The 1‘nre0 1‘"; on: or. Thu- .‘li'lllltillll Manner.
.83 India" Joe: ur_ li'li’c “'hito Spirit of the Ililla.

in' oar-'1‘. MARK wnxrou.

250 Young- Konhlpkg or, The Red Lnaan.
970 I‘llzznrd "9"; or, The “lot. at Kano Camp.
“86 JOIII. the Boy ’I‘enderi'oot.

m. mmmmmouu nmn'uu.

89 Island Jim: or, 'l'iia Pet of the Family.
91 The Captain ofthe (‘lnht or. 'l‘lu- Riyal Athletes.
10] Jaei.’ "urknwuy In New \ ork.

"Y .\I AJDR "EN RY R. P‘TDDDARD. I‘ll-Scout.
306 Neokxne NH]. M, Tho Dug-Out l'arril.
846 Rn ier Raphael! "V-Th"g“’°"'”"“"' “‘IZMM‘WU-
Bill KI. .“love K", the Dandy ofthu Rot'kloa.
898 Kid-Glove Kit and Paul: (‘l’.'l'hoGnld King.
406 The Mad Man-Ilnnter: or. The Golden Gulch Mystery.
505 Powell”: Paul; or, ’I‘ht' UHU-Armr-ii Giant.

BY CAPTAIN FRED. “'IIITTAKER.

15 The Remumg or, in... Witch ofDarion.

39 The Dmnh Page: 0T.Tl'° "WW llnllfllller-

43 Diek Darling. tho Pony Exl‘m‘“ RM"?-
‘50 Lnnee and Lani-o; or. 'l'lh‘ (‘l'll‘ll’t'll of the Charo.
15 The inward "unto"; or, Th.- Liqu oftllo Eluphant Riden.
“5 he Loat, (‘uptging or, Skim)!" JMlMl Coflln’n Cruile.
:2? 3"“) "0y Bedonlna; or. 'l‘lw ""‘ll‘erl of the Plumed Lance.
3

=
-I
v
G
‘7
.-
a.
v

      

.'
a
’2

  

Volf Inc. the Rnbhor of the Rhine.
49 Milo tomer the Animal Klnl: or.Round the World.
965 The Ti§er Tumor; or, The League at the Jungle.
“1 “hu‘k 30k. the Demon Rider.
895 California Joa'a war Trail.

“Y 00L. A. F. “0LT.
899 Black Bunk-kin 0 Th Masked Men ofDeethC
419 Kenneth. the Knifj-Klr'iz. o “’0‘.
485 Little Likhti’oot. the Pilot. of the “'oorla.
In The Dandy Sport; or, The King Pln Con. lrator.
678 Ralph Renwood. thr Lightning Expreu tective.
091 Ileadlln‘lll "III'ry‘u Ilaul.
787 Headlight llnrry‘a sin-n,

 

IIY JiillCI'II I'I. BADGER. JR.
2 Yellowndmu J nek; or, This Tru l VOT-
4H Blael. John the ltuml—Agunt, on“... Hutlaw’l Retreat.
(if) Ilnrrienne iill; M. Murmur Sam and Illa i'urd.
110 Multan Ham or,'l‘hu Kiuuoi'tho l'hlm.
llltl Ni lit-l. nwl. (it; ur.'l‘lm Daughter of tho Ram-h.
I44 Ila nty Laure thi- llny Sport.
Il’rl Panther Paul: or, “Milly Lnnm to the Roman.
I60 The lulu-k (Hunt: or, llnlnty Laure in Jeopardy.
ltli'l Deadly "nah; or, Fighting Flrn with Fire.
It'll The Boy Trnilera; ur, lluluty Lance on the “Hr—Path
208 The Boy Parda; or. l'aluty Lam-o llnniaalu.
Ell (‘rooked vale, ihv l‘ulihnu ni'tfrloailul City.
8'0 The Barram-n ‘YOII‘; or,'l'ho lir-autli'nl Decoy.
810 The. Blaek Rider; or,Tlio liorw-'i‘hl.~v«a‘lat-gun.
835 Old Double Flat ur.'l'h« SlrnnuM-‘ulde
851'» The Kllur of live \‘ 00.1.; ..r liuniul iiooue'n Lani Trail.
‘19 Kit Fox. tho llordor llov Dutertlvo
625 (‘hlnenpin him. the Boy Trailer.
077 (‘lllnt'flillll Diln‘a herond Trail.
til"! (‘hlneapln Dan'- Ilome flirt-tell.
mm Old Crazy. ihv Mun \\'uhunt n “and.
708 LIght-lleart Lule’n Lemar-y.
71S Liu'lIl-Ilenri Lute’n Lu-t Trail.
728 Sliverhlnde. the h'honhone.

BY \V. J. IIAMILTON.

63 The Red Brotherhood ; or, 'i‘hu Twelve Avengen.
66 Phil Ie "and; or, A min for a Lilo.
72 Mat Tom “'elliern, the ’I‘uxun Ranger.

337 Ron Bird. the Cave King; or. Big Pete's Scoop.

BY J A(‘I\' FARRAGUT.

815 Ned. the (‘ahln Boy.
820 The Sea Soreereaa; or, The llny Skippn.

BY LIEUT. II. D. PER RY. U. 8. N.

170 The Boy Runaway; or. 'l‘im llut‘rnnolr oi‘the Bay.
1N0 The Hen Trailer: or, A Vow “'oil Kopt.
I99 Captain Kit; or, The Mystery of Montauk Point.

BY CAPTAIN MAYNI‘I RE").

73 Illlle Diekx or, Tho Yellow Chlul‘» Vengeance.
187 The Land I’iratea or. The lasagna o‘.’ llm'll'l island.
87 The Ilelpleaa “and t or, Nachwoudl Rutrihution.
989 The GoltI-aeeker Guide! or. The Lent. Mountain.

RY “'ILLIA“ R. ICYB'I‘ER.

190 Dandy Dnrke; or. The 'l'luorl of High Plus.
910 Fer Frank; or, handy Dnrku'n (Jo-Down Para!

BY C. DIINNING CLARK.

185 Captain l’nul: or, 'l'hu Boy Spy oi tho Mnuntainl.
.80 The Yankee Rajah; or. 'i'li.il"atu of tho Blark Shared.

BY CAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR U. B. A.

19] Iiuifnlo Billy, the Boy Ilullwhm‘kor.
194 IIIIil'ulo Bill I not; hr. The Gambler Guide.

BY LI I'IIT'I‘. A. K. RIMS.

6-16 Captain (‘at-tnn, tiu- Chaparral Cock.

Gilli The Dandy of Dodge.

576 The Hllver “port.

533 Nltll'ron Ho]. thr- Man “'lth a Shadow

5H0 ToIII-(‘ut and Pnrd; or. ’l‘in- lh-ad Set at Sllnr City.
(Nil Happy “Mm. thv llutrh \‘irhm.

(ill Rildnd linrnnele. thr- mm-tlvoi urculrl.

822 Texas- Tom-(‘nt'v- Triad

Mil Tom (‘ni’l Terrible Tank.

“RN Tom-i‘at'n "I rlumph; nr. lllrrk Dan's (in-at Combine.
640 (‘owho ’ Gill. thv ('nltlu-llnugn ln-twtlve.

om “'arhllnn “'Illlnm, ih-- Mountain Mountobank.
005 Jolly Jeremiah, lltl' l'litina llr-inctlvu.

“7.; pugnul lium, thu Lamina”. Scout.

080 Billy the Gym-y FD!-

000 Simple film. 7"" “""”"“' ""“h'r-

712 In“. “Hungry; sport; or, Tho Myltiilud Detective.

M IBCI‘ILLAN I’Iiillfl AUTIIORH.

4 The “'ild-Ilorne lluntera. By Capt. Mayne Reid and
Frrtriorlvk “'hittukur.
9 Adve turm- of Baron Munch-upon.
12 Gulll 'er‘n 'I‘ravela. lly Donn hwiit.
I4 Aladdin; or, 'l‘lu- “'mniori'nl Lamp.
10 Rohlnaon Crnaoe. ('17 llllllll’llltlljl-l
I” Hindhad the Huilor. lllI Sum: I uyarzon.
133 The’ Sea Norm-at: or. The Hay Rohlnaon Crusoe. By Jun
10W I.
88 The Iieenn Bloodhound; or, The Red Pinto. .! no
Cnrrlh-ma. lly S. W. I’iurvu.
86 The Boy Clown: or. 'l‘lm Aroma Qin-en. By I 8.11“-
B” Ned “'yltlt‘. “'0 lth Scout. lly 'l't-xnn Jack.
5| The Boy Illi‘l'li "7. Thu Undnrground (.‘amp. By A. Cull’o‘l-
95 'I‘Ill‘ "IV!" “0V0”; "1'. Thu Fruubootorl oi'tlle Milliulppi.
By LiouL-(Tol. liazoltllm.
98 Robin Hood. thu outlawed Earl; orfl‘he Merry Men 0! Green-
wood. ll' l‘rot‘. iiililrirulu..'o_
105 {Did Rn re. tho iluutur; or, Th. Crow Cantlvo. Dy Captain
llmiillton llolnu-u.
119 The M ad llunter; or, 'llmCave of Death. By Burton Sue.
124 "Pippy. the Texan; or, The Young Champion. By George
«Mun.
128 The Young: Privateer! 0". Th0 WNW" Sinmlhold- 3!
llarry (‘nvondllh
14.3 flhnrp Hum; hr, The Advoniuroa oia Friendleu Boy. By J.
Alexander Patton. ‘
327 liuaky "urn-ll, Tra Mr: or. Tho (uroon Ranger 0! the Yul.
lowntone. [Iv Edward lllOl’Inn-
26] F". "I Febrnnught tho New Y tl'h Boy. Ev G. L. Allen.
266 RH War. the Guide; "nmvy Crock-ww- Croohd Trail.
By Enalzn C. D. “"7"”-
293 "(Id 0an u". Ono-Eyed Trapper: or, The Maid at tho Clix.
linaptaln rim-tori.
317 Ironmwk page, the Lively Lad iloni Lottdvilla. B, LI...
tenant Alfred Th'W’W‘
man The row Detective! 0'. A BOW-Flam tor Lil-and Honor.
ll Maior Mlcko." F7?"
350 Red nnlvh. the '"v" Rover: 0?.Tho Broom lb-
“.mm. [1y Nod lluntllne.
365 Baltimore Ben “M linofl’lflt‘k Detective. By A. 1’. Morris.
874 GoldJlnat 1 mm Mum" I [hmhlc‘ Match. are [1. Marco.
37o California Joe's r irat l‘rnll. By colour Thon-
owr .‘lonatery.
413 luin Bomb-hell, the CllflCllinhar. By I'. S. Winthrop.
475 The Biaek l"Mil- n." John 8 Warner.
434 (lominll'llo Dick and "in Three Invincible. ly
Honrv .l. Tl‘omm.
58 The (‘owbo nuke. By Edwin Brooke Format.
55 Ariel il‘" Ai Mu. By David Druid.
M15 Will “'atera, tie hm, hm“, 3y [Linton u
682 The Dead “etveatlvo‘. Double, ily Gerald Carlton.
721 Maverick Mole. the Arm,“ Dotaotlvo; or,'l‘ho Win": or
0'1"” PM“ 33' “'lll Llaenbue.

A New Inuo Ever! TIIoIIIny.

ThoJIalf-Dime Library In {or «do by all nowadealen, In
“In?” °°P¥r 0' unt by mail on receipt of six cent- each.

BEADLE AND ADAXS. hill-hora.
9: Willie. “not. New York.

 

   

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BEADLE’SatHALF-DIMEarLIBRARY.

Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Covttplete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers.

 

BY lCIHVAIlD L. “'IIEELEB.
Deadwood Dick Novel-t.

1 Deadwood Dick, the Prime ol‘tlm Road.
20 Deadwood Dick‘u Deliaacc; or, Ilonllle Damien.
2H Deadwood Dick ill Diugaitte; or, iluti‘al/ tit-n
85 Deadwood Dick in "In Paulie.
42 Deadwood Dick‘n Bonanza; on, Thu .mlltunl Miner.
49 Deadwood Dick In Danger; or, ()umnatlii.
57 Deadwood Dick's Eagle-t: or,'l'he l'ards 01 Flood liar.
:3 :;01|1:“00(:  onI De'clt‘: or. Calamity .' |nt9.thollierolne.
7 eat woot e "I not 4‘ e : or. Corturu Char it.
100 Deadwood Dick In Leathlllc. y
104 Deadwood Dick‘u De~ Ice; or. The Dnuhio Crouu Sign.
109 Deadwood Dick an Detective.
129 Deadwood chk'n Double: or. The Gnrzon's Gulch Ghost.
188 Deadwood Dlek'u Home Bale; or, lilonde iiill.
 lI:cat||woo:: :nt-Lt‘n'_li|i'g ran-Ina; ur. A1ltullanlttiull‘i'gvyd.
cat woo c ' 0 ea woo t or, ‘ e ’c e ‘artv.
195 Deadwood Diek'n Dream; or.'l‘he itivltln ol'the Ron .
24H Deadwood Dick‘u “'nrd; or, The Black llill'sdozehei.
gill? II’leadwoot'I  llb’oos‘sll ’er, fllulllltydnno’l Adventure.
eat woot c ‘ a ea ca .
221 Deadwood Dick’s Death-Plant.
232 Gold-Dani I e '. A Romance of lioughs and Tougha.
 Beatlwoog Ines. Rivlttiei l'rvI'lrIlt‘ Spirit of Swamp Lake.
(‘34 wot c I ca I"ru .
809 Deadwood Dick’u Dealt ur.'i‘he(lold Brink of Oregon.
32l Deadwood Dick:a Dozen: or, The Faith oli'hantotn Flats
I47 Deadwood Dick a Ducal-t or, Days in the bi ginp.
 lll’eai‘wggt‘li Il=llt'llt;‘S(;tIltt}IIt-ed; or, the 'isrriblo sndelta,
e I w c ‘ a a In.
405 Deadwood Dick in Dead Cit .
410 Deadwood Dick’u Dlatnonda.y
421 Deadwood Dick In New York: or. A "Cute Case.”
22:; :rrnfllu'osu: :Dlot’uJDuut; or,’l‘he Chained ilund.
ea woot Hc . r.
448 Deadwood Ick. Jr.‘u. Deilance.
453 Deadwood lick Jr.’u. Full "and.
59 Deadwood Dick. Jr)». Big Bound-lip.
465 Deadwood Dick, Jr.‘~. Racket at Claim 10.
27a Ill’cadlwoot‘ll  uir-Zfl. ifiorrslt'l; or, Iiiozunusn Bill.
7 eat woo e '. n . u, og ctet-t ve.
H - 'ood Dick. Jr. I - .
29: lit-irii‘tl‘ood Dick. 011‘.:N:I"1:I‘l’:::il‘2‘80d
496 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’n, Iahcrltnnee.
500 Deadwood Dick. .1 rill. Dig Inga.
50S Deadwood Dick. .I r.‘n, Dcl veraaee.
5I5 Deadwood Dick, Jr.‘n. I’rotcgee.
522 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’u. Three.
529 Deadwood Dick. Jr.'n. Danger Ducks,
531 Deadwood Dick. Jr.‘~y Death Hunt.
569 Deadwood Dlek, Jr.. In Texas.
51% Deadwood Dick, Jr.. tln- Wild Vi'oat Vldocq
5-H; Deadwoot: “Fifi, in. :m ‘llluhllettle.
55~ Dem W001 c . r.. a lot. am
561 Deadwood Diclt. Jr.. in Boutou. .
567 Deadwood Dick, Jr.. Ill Philadelphia.
2:372 Readwood  :Ilru I‘unfh‘lcago.
)7 cat woo: c . r. on .
5H 1 Deadwood Dick, Jr]. III Denver.
500 Deadwood Dlek Jr.‘~. Decree.
595 Deadwood ch ', Jr., in Becllebllb’fl Baaln.
 Bcadwood  gr" at (‘ore'yl'llullanth
catwoot c . I'.’lly .catv e .a'.
612 Deadwood Dick. Jr., III Detroit. l
618 Deadwood Dick. Jr-y III Cincinnati.
62‘! Deadwood Dick. Jr., in Nevada.
680 Deadwood Dick, .Ir.. In No Man’s: Land.
686 Deadwood Dick. J r.. Alter the Queer.
6-1.2 Deadwood Dick. Jr., in Buil’alo.
645 Deadwood Dick, .1 r.’u. (‘hauc Aeroun the. Continent
65 l Deadwood Dick. .lr.. Among the Smugglers.
660 Deadwood Dick, Jr.‘u. luuurltilee. Fame.
666 Deadwood ick, Jr.. Back ill the Milton.
672 Deadwood Dick. Jr.. in Dnrangot oni‘h‘athered in."
 Ili’t‘INI'\V00(‘: Die-ii, ‘51:?“ “lgglvery; 0r,I‘0und uFortune.
cat woo e ', . I. l c.
690 Deadwood DIqu Jr.’n. Dollaru.
69.". Deadwood ck. Jr.. at Danger Divide.
7:"; I'D’eadiwoodi  J'r.‘a, {twink P t
'2' i. eat woo e , . In, a ac '- o .
710 Deadwood Dick. J r.. In San Francisco.
716 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’n. Still "out.
722 Deadwood DIch Jr.’u. Dominooa.
728 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a. Dir-guine.

'1

——
vv
——

BY CHARLES MORRIS.

Will Rome", the Boy Detective.

I’IIII Ilard , the lion» Iloy.

I'lcaynne l'cte, ; or, Nit-,mlelnus, the Dog Detective.
Detective Dick; or, The Hero in Rags.

Iiaad-ome Harry, the Boothlavk Detective.

11’ III Wildfire, the Thoroughbred.

“luck "0..., Will Wildfire s Racer.

Mu“: Merry, the Harbor Pan“ Boy,

Will Wildfire In the Wooda.

"llly no“ age. tho Railroad iio ,

A Trump lard; or. Will “'lhl re Wins and Loses.
Dob Rot-kettt or. Mysteries 01 New York.

Bob Itoekett. the ilunk Runner.

The Hidden "and ' or, Will Wildtire’s Revenge.
187 Fred Ilalyard. tile .11.: Boat linv; or. The Smugglers.
1349 Bob Bot-ken: or. Driven to the \anl.

196 Shadowedt or, Hot: itot-kutt'a Fight for Life.

206 Dark Paul. the Tiger King.

212 Daahlng Dave. the Dandy Detective.

220 Tom Tanner: or. The illack Sheep ol the Flook.

225 Sam Charcoal tlm Premium ilarky.

1335 Shadow HIIIII. the Menu-anger Iioy.

242 The Two “ Bloodl"; 0!, Shenandoah ilill and His Gang.
9252 Dick Daahnway : or. A Dakota iluy in (‘hlcalrm

262 The Young Shurm: or, Rollicklng Mike's iiot TralL
274 Jolly Jim. the lieiel'ilve Ap wreath-o.

2ND Jolly Jim’s Job; or, The onng Detective,

298 The Water-Hound: "r. The Young ’l‘horoughnrnd.
805 Dauhaway, 01' Dakota: W, A Wraiurn Lad lu Quaker City.
8121. Ralph Ready. the Hotel My Detective.

841 Tony Thorne. the Valzaimnd Detortlvo.

356 The Ilenorter-Dctectlvct 0r. Fred Flyor’s Blizzard.
867 \V hie-Awake Joe: or, A Boy (tithe Times.

879 Larry. the cheler; or. Tho Iiloodl oi the Boulevard.
403 Firein Jack. ll"! “Her-Rat Detective.

423 Tile Lolt Fill (‘rt or. The Entrapme Cashier.

4'2" Fred Flyer. 110 Reporter Detective.

432 luvlaelhlc. Logan. the Pinkerton Ferret.

456 Billy Brick. the .ioilv Vaganond.

466 “tide-Awake Jerrv, Detective; or, Entombed Alive.
479 Detective Dodgct M. The Mystery of Frank Hearty.
4S” “ lld Dick Racket.

50! Boot“. the Boy Fireman i or, Too Sharp tor the Sharper.

566 The Secret Service Boy Detective.

596 Jimmy the Kldt or, A Lamb Among Wolves.

627 Tom Bruce oi Arknnsm‘i or. The Wolfin tho Fold.
655 l’iuelty Paul, the Boy Speeulator.

667 Bob and Sam, the Daisy Detectives.

709 The Curbotone Detective; or, Harry Hslo's Big Best.

HH‘HHHHflHHHd-fld
Iflflfla$€iafiégfififl
==a¢aa~n~n==ar

 

Other Novcla by E. L. “'hecier.

26 (‘Ioven "001', the liutialo Doltton.
62 Bob “’ooll'; or, The Girl Iii-liilASIlnl.
Bil Death-Face, “elective; or, Lil}- in Now York.
45 Did Avalanche: or. Wild i-Zdna, the Girl ilrigand.
53 Jim Bluduoe. Jr.. the lioy i'henix.
6| Bm-khorn Bill; or. The Rod itillo’i‘umu.
69 Gold liillc, the .‘iltllriwllotvit'r; or, The llo V Dorm-11m,
H0 Bonehud Roll; or. Nugget Ned. the Knight.
S4 Id) I, the Girl llluer: or. lionehnd “(ill on Hand.
HS I’hoto raph I’hil; or, Rourhud ltui-‘s lieamwarance.
92 Clint“ a I'het : or. (lid Anaconda in Sitting linll's Camp.
96 \\ ntch-IC c: or. A rains and Angela of". Great City.

If Jliek Hollie the Young Sm-culutwr.
GIIt- I‘Idged "It-L, the S]: rrt lh-loctlvo
( lunamon ('hlp, llle (-‘lrl Sport.

Bonanza .till. .‘iiiner.

"on Bob the Kingof lioothlnclts.
- Solid Sam the liov Road-Agent.
Captains ‘crret. the Nt-w York Detective.
New York Nell ille tiny-Girl Detective.
N olnn’ Ti lck 01' . evsulat or. The Sierras Scamps.
\l' I... Franlr, the ilut-kskiu Bravo.

1 ritz, the Hound-Roy Detective.
i‘ rltz to the Front; or, The Ventrlloquist Hunter.
226 Summer. the tiny Sharp; or, The Aral: Detective.
286 Apollo Bill, the Trsii Tornado.
2-10 U done Kit, the Young Gladiator.

4|- Sly-rra Sam, tho Frontier Ferret.
24” Sierra Sam'u Secret: or The Bloodv Footprints.
258 Sierra San-’- l’urd: or, he Angel oi Big Vista.
258 Sierra Sam‘u Seven” or,’i‘ho Stolen liride.
273 Jumbo Joe, the hey i’uirul: or. The Rival Heirs.
277 Denver Doll. the Detective Queen.
on 'er Doll‘a Victory. »
2S5 Del 'er Doll'a Decoy: or. Littio Bill’s Bonanza.
291 Turk the Boy Ferret.
296 Denver Doll’a Dril'i ; or. The Road Queen.
299 A No. I, the Dashing Toll-Taker.
808 ‘Liza Jane. the Girl Miner; or. the iron-Nerved Sport.
32:, Haney, “ML-ow & (20.. the hen-«imi- ofl‘hlladelphla.
880 Little Quiek-S‘hoti "r, The Dead Face of Daggersvlllo.
884 Kangaroo Kit: of. The Mysterious Minor.
389 Kan aroo Klt’n Racket.
848 .\i an Ia‘ttaa Mike, the Bowery Blood.
858 Flrut-Ciaan Fred, the Heat lrotn Gopher.
84 N Yrcka .llln. the Gold-Gatherer; or, The Lll’o Lottery.
872 Yre.ka Jim’a Prize.
8711 Nuhol) Nod; or, The Secret of Sir-h City.
882 (‘ool Kit. the Kine 01' Kid“; or. A Villaln’a Vengeance.
8H5 Y rekn Jlm‘a Joker: or, The Rivals or Red Nose.
BN9 Bicycle Bent 0r. The Lion of Lightning Lode.
B94 Yreka Jlra ol’ Yubn Dans.
400 “'riukleu. the NiglwWatr-l. Detective.
416 lllgh llat Harry. the Babe Iiall Detective.
426 Sam Slahnldeu. llw llrggar-Iioy Detective.
484 Jim Beak aml I’ai. Private Detectives.
‘33 Santa Fe Hill, the Slasher.
‘86 Seal-thin Sam, the Sparkler.

III-Id-I-s-s
“Cl’lay’npflh’rQG-fl
Quay—a)

(clans-nun:
az—rim

 
 

BY T. 0. llARBACGII.

23 .Viek o’ the Night: or. The Boy Spy of "18.
I37 The lllddcn Lodge: or Tho Little Hunter.
47 Nightln ale Naté or, The Forest Cognition.
64 Dnnd . ack: or, ‘he Outlawnot' the )regon Trail.
S2 Kltl arel‘oot the Wond-iiawk.
94 Midnight. Jack : or, The [toy Trapper.
106 Did It‘routy, the Guide: or. The White Queen.
123 Kiowa Charley the White Muelanper.
13” Jail 1‘ Lynch Jr.: or, The Ilov Vigilante.
155 (Jolt Trigger. the S mrt; or, Tim Hirl Avenger.
169 Tornado Tom; or, “jun .lllt'li From lied Core.
1SS Ned Temple, the liorder lioy.
1! Arkannaw : or. Tin- Qltr'rn ol Fate‘n Revenge.

v
I.

207 Navajo Nick. the Buv Gold Hunter.

2I5 (‘aptaiu Ballet 3 or, Little Tonknot'a Crusade.

21H I’Illeky I’IIII: or. Rona, the Red Jezebel.

1 IIIII Bra\ 0: III', Toe Roughs of the. Rorltios.

255 (‘nptniu Apollo, the Kinri’lu ol‘ Bowie.

267 The Bucknklu Detective.

279 (IId “'lnch; or, The lillcltltitin Desperado“.

294 Dvnnulltu "an; or, “to lit-wits lilude of (In hetopa.

802 The Mountain: Detective: or, The Trig-user liar Bully.
16 "Id l'It-Illmc. Trunln Card of Arilona.

826 The Ten l'urdu: or. The Terror or Take-Notice.

336 Big “canon; or, The Queen of tho Lamo.

B45 I'Itileaa Millie; w", Red Thtinilerholt’a Secret.

356 Cool Sum “mt Purrl; or The-Terrible Six.

866 Velvet Foot. the lndian Ih'tct‘ill‘r.

8S6 (‘apt aln (‘utlaso-g or, 'i h.- li- «muleor's Girl Foe.

896 liongh Baht or,'i‘he lwi-n Cluunpiunnol‘ Blue Blazes.

411 The Silkeu Lam-o: or, The rinse ul‘ Ranch Robin.

41% Fele Fox. tho Boy Spotter,

425 Texan ’l rump. Iiir Border Rattler.

436 Phil Flauh. the New York Fox.

145 The (‘ity l'nnlnlrelt nr. ltwl Roil'e's Flirt-on.

461 Due Again-t Fifty; or, The Last Mall of Keno Bar,

470 The Boy Shadow: or. Felix Fux'n Hunt.

477 The Execiulor Sport: or. Th.- Wauhington Spotter.

499 Single, Sight. the "no-Event Sport.

502 Branded Ben. the Night Ferret.

512 Dodger Dick. thy Whirl-Spy Detective.

52l Dodger Dick'u lie-it Dodge.

59" Fox and Falcon. Iiu- IiownyShndows.

588 Dodger Dick. Hi“ “Wk Ferret.

548 Dodger Dick’n Double: or, The Rlvnl Boy Detectives.

558 Dodger Dick‘u DeHDI‘rate Cane.

568 Dodger Dick. the Buy Vldocq.

578 he Two Shadowl.

5S2 Dodger Dick‘n Drop.

59-1 Little Lon. theStreet-Slnm't‘ Detective.

610 D‘Id Skinner. the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sharp on Guard,

626 'l he (‘hampioa I'arda.

637 D'Iek Doau. the Duck liuy Detective.

6.15 kit. the Pavement Shari»

658 Billy Bantam, the “W Bennie.

671 Jerney Jed. tin- ilm- Hustler: or. Shadowing the Shadower.

6S5 floppy liu h. the Bov Manirinn Detective.

701 I’hotograp Fred. tho Camera Sharp.

715 \VIde Awake Lea, the Quaker City Ferret.

BY WM. G. PATTEN.

489 The Diamond Sport: or, The Double Face of Bed Rock.
519 Cant-In Mystery: or,Flve in One.

531 Dale Dare tin-Sport from Denver.

587 Old omht-hell. the Ranger Detective.

604 iron Fern, the Man at Fire.

ms The Boy Tramp Detective: or,'i‘ho Double ourWitneu
629 Violet Vane, the Velvst Snort.

641 Dinmnl Dave'n Dnud Ford.

651 Round Boy Frank. t 9 Young Amateur Detective

668 Vials-t. Vane’a Victory.

6132 Wild Vulcan, the Lonedhmze Rider.

69R Violet and Daily, the flaw Pards.

705 Violet, Vane’a Vow; or. The Crafty Detoctivs’s Craft.

71 Did Misery, tinl Man from Minsourl.

724 VIolet. Vane’s Vengeance.

 

BY CDLDNEL I’III‘INTISS INGBAIIAM.

7 The Fl) lag Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast.
17 Ralph Ho ', the lioy Iillt't'lIH-vi; or. The Fugitive Yacht.
24 Diamond Dirk or. The )I)t~l~vt'_\'-vi'ill1' Yellttwatone,
62 The Shadow Slslpt M. ’l he liivai Lit-utenlultn.
75 'I'Ilt‘ Boy "IIQIIHI: or. The ( “like "i' llll‘ SelLVt'OII'.
102 Dick Dead-live. llm lloy Smugulcr.
Ill The Sea-Devil; or. The .\lnl.i.ipman‘s Ia-gnrv.
116 The Honor Ca vtalaz or. ‘l lu' IIt‘lllllI ox Iiell into.
197 Little Grit: or, «hair. the Stock-'l'endrr'a Daughter.

204 “Dill I'Iulne: or, Bull‘qu Itill, the I'onv Ex Irena Rider.

216 illnon Bill the Prince. ol the Reins: or. iiullidu llill’s Pluck.

222 Grit. the Bravo Sport t hr. The \i'ollliill Trailer.

229 (irialuon Kate - or. The (‘uwhoy's Triumph.

287 I. Slur, tho éIIWIIOy (‘n tIBlII.

245 .‘1tl'll‘ the Middy or, ' ‘he Freelance Iieli’.

250 [The Midnhiplnun utineerz or. ilrandt, the Buccaneer.

264 Ihc Floating Feathcr: t-r. \irrle Monte'l Treasure.

269 The Gold Ship; or, Merle. the Condemned.

276 XI eric .‘I onte‘u (‘rnlaet or. "The Hold Ship " Chase.

2510 )1 erle .\lont.e'n Fate: or. I'rnrl. the i’lrnte‘s Bride.
S4 The Sea Marauder: t-r. Merlv Monica" l‘lcdge.

2H7 Billy BIIIc-I‘chu, the lloy lion-r .‘l‘ [he lilo Grande.

804 The Dead Snot. Dandy: or. Iienliu. the Boy Hugh",

808 Reno Kit; or. “and Shot linndy'e ltmthle.

314 The M yuterloul Marauder: or. The Boy Bu ler'.'1‘nn_

B77 Bollodel, the Boy Rover; or.'l‘hc Flaeious Sc runner,

“NB The Indlsm I’llot: or, The Search for Pirate island.

8R7 “'arpath \"III, the Boy I'hantmn.

898 Seawall} the lioy Lieutenant.

402 Iaodor. the Young Cormnlrator: or. The Fatal Lsaguo.

407 The Boy lnunrg‘entt or. l‘he l‘uhan Vendetta.

412 The “lid Y lll‘IlIt‘llllllI! or, The War-Clouu’s Cruise.
29 Duncan Dora. the Iioy Refugee.

438 A (‘ahlu Boy'u Luck: or. The Corsair.

437 The Sea Raider.

4-1.] The open“ [Th-onyx or. A Middy‘a Vengeance.

446 Ilunlsnzurd "arr '3 or, The Script-{rave (lithe Sal.

450 “'lzard “’1”: or, The [by Ferret oi .Ncw York.

45-! “'lzard “'lll'u Street Seoull.

462 The Born Guide: or. ’l'hv SuiII-r Buy Wanderer.

46S Neptune Ned, the Itoy Coaster.

474 Flora; or. Wizard \i'ul'u Yneanomi Part].

486 Ferretn Alioatx or. Wizard Will‘s Last Vase.

4"? Nevada Ned. the Revolver Itaut'rr,

495 A rlzoua Joe the lioy I‘nrd on Texas Jack.

497 Back Taylor, King (\I .lh.~ Cowhoya.

503 The Royal .VI iddy t or. The Shark and the Sea Cat.

507 The lluutcd Mldnhi man.

511 The Dutlawed Midi y.

520 Iluckukln Bill. 1hr ('t'llllllu‘lh‘ Shadow.

525 Brothers: in Bucks-kin.

530 The Buckskin Bowern.

535 The line akin Itoveru.

540 (‘optain Ku—Klux. the Marauder ot the Rio.

545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte.

550 I.alltte‘n Legacy: or. The Avt-Illlll'il 5011-

555 The Creole (.‘ornalr.

Bill) I’awace “III, the Prairie Shadowel’.

565 Kent Kingdon. the Card King.

570 (‘lullille. tho (‘ard Queen.

575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective.

5H0 The Dutcaut (‘adctz or, The Fallo- Detective.

5N6 The Bach-hill Avenger.

591 Dclatoutc. tlw Ymmt: Sva Rover.

597 The Young Texan Detective.

602 The Vagabond ot'the Milieu.

607 The "over Detective: nr, Kenn Kit‘s Champions.

617 Baiph, the Dead-Shot. Scout: or, The Rio Raiders.

(MI The llereulcn liighwaymuu.

650 Butterfly Billy. the Pony ititier Detective; or, Bull'an

liill'n lioy Porn.

656 Buttcrliy Blily‘u “an "Hut.

662 Butterfly Billy‘~ Bonanza.

66S The Buccaneer Mid~hipluan.

67- The “'izard Sailor; or. Red ltalph,tln-Rover.

679 The Sea Shadows-rt or. The Fri-ennui. r'u Legarv.

6S6 (lrlnudo. the Ocean it'rre Fine: or. The ’l‘nrnishrd Name.

692 Tile Illval Sharon; er, I{t-Iilt'1'll.ill- Set'rt-t Service Scout»

697 The Scarlet Sombrero: or. The Sharp titan 'l‘exan.

 

 

702 Blue Jacket Bill; or. The Red lint Runut-ra‘ lied llot Racket:

07 ' ‘hc lied Sombrero Bangeru: or. itmll‘ern'n Last Trail-
Iii Carl, the Mud t‘owhoy; or. Tl.- l.:lrint Qllcvn.

l9 I'au'nee Bill'n I’lcdgct or,'l‘in-,l'owivov Kidnanper.

25 During Dick, I’nwnee liill'n l'ard‘, or. The Ru] Cavalry Raid-

'1 ’l 'l '1

BY BUFFALO BILL (lion. “'m. F. Cody).

3 KIIIIIIIM King; or, The Red Right Hand.
19 The Phantom S Iy: or,'l'ln- i'ilot oi’tho Prairie.
55 Deadly-Lye. the linknown Scent.
6S Bdrder Ilohia flood: or, The Prairie Rover.
158 Fancy Frank 01' Colorado: ur, Tho ’l rapper’n Trust.

LATEST AND NEW ISSUES.

729 Silvorhladc. th-~ llnlf-nlmwl: hr, The ilnrdor Iieugln at Buy.
By .In“. E. liaduv-r, Jr.

780 Violet Your“ Verdie ; or, The, Crooked Game at (,‘oflir.
(Tit '. I‘v “'m. G. l’atlvn.

I: t, Redmond. the Girl Shadower; or, The Rivals h,

llucknkln. lly ( ul. I’reniiu ingrahnm. ‘

782 Dailuy Die-II. thohi’avelnent Detectivv; or, 'i rapping it.“ Gm...“
iiv  (‘. arhan V .

738 Toltec Tom. lin- llind Prnspwhlr; or. Unearthing the. Caverr.
I.elIL'll". |'»\- I.l-‘III. A. K. Sims.

184 Deadwood Dick. Jr.'n. Double Deal: or, The All-
Around Sutpriw. Ily Edward 1.. \\ hut-hr. .

735 Broadway Blilv'n Bunincnu; or. \\ lilting Up Wind Can—
vun ('anlp. By ‘. (". Cowdrick.

786 Larry. the IThoroughbred; 0r, Beaten on Ewry Side-
lv lieurL't' C. . rn <.

787 Back Taylor, the (‘nmanche‘s (‘nptivez or, Buckskin Sam
to n“, Rem-u... Hy Col. l‘rcntlss lneraham.

T38 Bromlwny Bflly’u Cut-louv- ('nue: or, The lilyntcrimxs
Disamu-aranco at Manitou Springs. By .l. C. (‘owdru‘ly

739 Sllvorbludo, the IIUBlllv, or, The Border Iiullules Ghost,
Trail. Ii\' Jon. E. Bad '0'. Jr.

7-10 Deadwood Dick. Jr.‘~. Deathwatch: 0,",le Moving
MYSIH‘Y at Mexican Mustang. liy Edward L. \\ l‘letqt‘r, ’

741 Violet. Vane. ill" Vunlriloquht \‘ldorq: 01'. Sport against
Sport. liv Wm. G. I‘aitt-n. ‘ I )

742 Billy “’Illklo thi- llt'II Rey i}.-tt;clt:r\?":uclr. Breaking tn.-

. : . - - . ‘,, : n: z I.

Meshes of tilt ( illillll (oil. Ii) T. Red RH”. m, we Rib

 

031

743 Back Taylor‘n Bayes; or, The
Grandtfi (I’VV g'nl. Prentiss ingrnluun.
Ready rtnn-r 20,
744 XVIII-“Witch Dick, the Life Sawr of the Docks. By .1.
Pierce.

Ready October ‘21.
A New lune Every TucsdnY-

I
The "a"; mum le'nfy is for pal..- hy all newsdsslers. flvu

cents per copy, or sent. by mail on receipt «1 six cont- "(‘h.

BEADLE AND ADAMS. Publishers.
98 William Street, New York.-

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