Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York. N. Y., Post Office. Copyrighted 1897, by BEADLE AND ADAMS.

August 31 , 1897.

 

 

Five Cents a Copy.
$2.50 a Year.

: :Publishcd Every
Tuesday.

BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers,

92 WILLIAM STREET, New YORK.

N0. 1049.

V01. XLI.

 

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een Edna,

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Queen Edna, of the Panthers.

 

 

Queen Edna, of the Panthers;

CYCLONE SAUL’S SEARCH.

"—

BY WM. R. EYSTER,

AUTHOR OF “THE DUDE DETECTIVE," “ THE
ALL-AROUND SPORT,” ETC., E’l'C.

 

CHAPTER I.
FOUR WEIRD GUIDES.
" Friend or foe? 

" You say. I’m not hunting hard for
either.”
“Call your cats to heel, and we'll

talk the matter over.”

“ Wouldn't do a. bit of good. They are
running this thing to suit themselves.
I reckon they mean you well, but i
wouldn’t swear to it. I’m alive, and
that’s the best I can say for them.”

The young fellow lounged back as he
spoke, and the four panthers looked
around them with that far-away glare in
their eyes which means more than the
observer knows.

Out on the plain Tom Calvert, the
first speaker, was reining in his calico
mustang, which snorted, and gave other
evidences of discontent at the presence
of unwelcome neighbors.

'Had it not been held by a firm and
fearless hand, it would doubtless have
bolted at the first discovery of the
strangely assorted quintette, of man and
catamounts. '

“ Well, say, are the brutes tame? "

“ You say. I’m still outside.”

“ If you can risk them, I guess I can.
If they are going to make trouble, two

I to four renders the odds a shade better.
I’m coming in.”

“ All right! May as well have the cir-
cus now as later on. and I’d Just as soon
have you for a pard as any Otuel‘ strang-
er. Leave your cayeuse out there,
though. There is water here, and he
won’t go far from it, if his looks count."
' “ Right you are,” answered Calvert,
springing down, and speaking a low

.word or two to the mustang, which had
somewhat recovered from its terror.

Without apparent uneasiness the young
man strode forwar ,.

i The panthers arose, stretched them-
3' ‘ selves, and glided toward him. A trifling

mistake about the temper of the usually

 untamable brutes might make trouble
beyond remedy.

The young fellow on the ground never
offered to rise, but rolled lazily. over to
the right, which actiOn brought his right
wrist across the butt of the Winchester,
over which, a moment before, one of the

. animals had been crouching. .

In a second he could begin work!

, Calvert was, if anything, cooler. His
bright eyes met those ofthe brutes as
they advanced, and there was in the
smile with which he received their ad-
 both distrust and preparation;
but in'amoment he spoke;

ffiTher'e‘sino mistake about it; the kit-

" . tens  glad‘to see me. If I couldn’t
swear to the other thing, I’d say' they
.twereyold friends. ,What does it mean? ”
‘ The beasts ctually. were fawning at
the fed of utter stranger. and he
pushed them aside with a “glad-to-see-
you—'but-get-out-of-the-wayl” air.

9' Reckon it meanstthey aren't hungry.

 

to" say what else. Th yJ: may go for us;
they may be  with horseflesh.
. The cusses were» everlasting “friendly
, ldn’t hear to give them a shock;
 u soon theyhad buds

 some,  where else.” ' 9‘

.Along toward morning will be the time

   

 

“Looks to me as though they were
lost; but, that’s a tough theory. They
must have a friend somewhere that has
trained them up to the queen’s taste.
Let them go till they show different
colors. Which way are you drifting?
It‘s a blessed thing to strike a man here
who looks as though he would do to
tie to."

“Thankee! Your humble servant is
out on the make, but might not object to
a pard. My name is Saul Sanders; other-
wise Cyclone Saul. Present avocation,
a hunter of a hidden treasure. If I’m
not mistaken, you are right on the same
line. Chances are, both will go up the
flume before We reach the richness. I’m
young in years, but I have a veteran
head. If you say, ‘pards,’ here’s my
hand.”

“I have heard of you, and there’s no
one I would sooner have met. As to
treasure—I’ve got one in View, but it’s
not the same as yours, I’ll be sworn.
Help me and I’ll help you. As for filthy
lucre—I’ve got all I need of it, so there
is no danger our interests will clash.”

The two gripped hands while Calvert
was speaking.

Here, on the edge of the desert, with
no sign of human habitation or life
about them, was a good place to make a
quick friendship, and eath looked as
though he was fit to be near the best.

“ Can’t imagine what brought you
here, all by your lonesome self, unless
it was some such scent as drew me; but
if you say not, we’ll let it go till you’re
ready to say more. Perhaps we’re not
headed the same way, after all. As .I
said, I’m not yearning for a pard; yet,
I’ll take one of the right stripe."

Calvert smiled, though it was a trifle
nervously, and gazed into his compan-
ion’s face a few Seconds before answer-
ing: ‘

“ Oh, I may as well own up first as
last. There is a woman in the case.
This seems- like a hard road for you and
me to travel; what must it be for a del-
icate girl? ”

“ Short cut for lunacy.
it bad?” ‘

” I do not know. We havemever been
near enough for her to give me her con-
fidence—perhaps I went over the line
when I dared to urge one who was a
comparative stranger to turn back, of-
fering, if there was need, to take her
place."

“ Bet you a dollar she didn’t think so.
But, don’t it strike you she 'may be on the
line I meant to follow? She’s not ex-
actly alone, is she? " '

“ No. She has a companion who seems
to know the way. Though I followed at
a distance, after being actually driven
back by her words, and imagined I had
done so carefully, he must have discov-
ered me, and acted accordingly. The
trail has vanished, and I am in doubt
which way to turn. Perhaps your way
will be as well as any.”

“ Companion, eh? A little, gnarled old
man. who looks like a walnut log with
a big knot on the end, and. stuck up on

Has she got

.tWO dead limbs? ”

Calvert smiled again,‘ this time at the
earnestness of his companion and. the

mental picture his words called up.

“ Something very like to that. ,He evi-
dently had no Toys for me.” I. should
hate to'meet him ‘alone, where all the
advantage‘flay. on his side". ’ ,

“ So you ought to if he drew-a head on

distance, or under, old Planthunter is

perfect'death. Didn’t give you any clear d

idea ofwhich way they were going? ” I

“. No. exceptthat the Journey, was long.

- “Maseru

to;

rhammervwas under-“his thumb. If this
you insl e of a thousand yarda- At that

 

“I believe you, my boy. It must be
so. The Planthunter has been gathering
something more than herbs. But, I do
not understand the woman.”

“ Coniound it, I don’t see how you came
to understand anything at all about it.
I just begin to see how strange it is.
What do you know about the man you
call Planthunter?"

“Keep your soul in patience; I’ll tell
you later on. Our friends, the big cats,
are beginning to be impatient, and it
may be as well to keep an eye on them.
I never did trust the breed.”

During the brief conversation the pan-
thers had been drawn up in a line at
some little distance, watching the two
after a fashion which seemed to bespeak
intelligence of no low grade.

Now, they acted as though uneasy at
the conference. They looked‘at the two
men; then back at a narrow opening
which led away among the rocks. Three
of them whined, while the fourth ad-
vanced a step Or two, eyeing the stranger
after an expectant fashion.

“Looks as though they wanted to say
something, and weren’t exactly sure
about the best way of doing it.
is it, old fellow? Play me fair, and I’m
your solid friend. Play me foul, and
you’ll find trouble in the family.”

Saul spoke carelessly, but Calvert de-
tected in the tones a something which
said the young fellow meant what he
said, and would not be trifled with. The
adventure began to look more than ever
serious. To this very moment he had
not been able to convince himself that
Sanders was altogether in ignorance in
re ard to the brutes and their owner.

ad he felt as uncertain at the first he
might have had more uncomfortable feel-
ings than the ones which began to press
upon him just now. He looked them over
closer.

“ They mean to be on their good be-
havior; but, all the same, they intend to
have what they want.
whatthaat may. be? ”

" I made a guess at that long ago; but
I wasn’t just sure. And if I had been I
would have thought twice before I went
their way.”

“ You mean—'3” .

“ That they want us to follow them.
See! That big one is saying it as plain
as day can be. Get over your prejudices
and they are just like overgrown dogs.
Fact is, I’d sooner meet them than wild
canines of the same weight. Shall we
follow?" ‘

“ Follow? ” echoed Calvert, hesita-ting-
1y, yet v more than half convinced.
‘1‘ “Shem do you huppose they would
ea . ” '

“ That's the rub. Itrmay be their owner

is in a tight place- and has sent-them
off for help, Then, again, it is just as

likely they will'take us into a trap of ‘

some kind. There's too blamed much in-
telligence in the big one’s eyes.
gunned to dismiss them with my, bless-
. 8", \\ j l
“ And I say, follow. There seems to
be too wonderful a chance in this 'to
slight it.f' - , , '
“Follow goes, it they show us a lead.
Here, you brass, strike ‘out! We are
with you till the dawm" . 
He snapped his fingers. and gave a
gesturethat told the annals tougo ahead.

At the same time his" slipped along ,

the stock of his. r until the
friendliness was all pretense. he was
re dy formthe time “ when the mask
0 : ' ’
The'pa'nthers saw, and
' reared

dot-stood, for they.

bled

What

 

Can’t you guess "

I’m half .'

  

 

 

      

  

 

Queen Edna, of the Panthers. I ' V  7 I 3

 

 

 

sport, and then, glancing over their
shoulders to make sure they were fol-
lowed, gamboled along the narrow way
which led between the rocks.

 

   
  

 

 
 

CHAPTER II.
A MAGICAL DISAPPEARANCE.

The four panthers strode on ahead,
with a low, lounging gait, never looking
to the right nor the left, and apparently
oblivious of the two who toiled on in
their rear.

As for the pair, a night and a day had
passed since they had turned away, as
they thought, from the edge of the
desert, and they looked much the worse
for wear.

Saul Sanders had lost his air of jaunty
self—assurance, while there was a half—

    
 
  
   
  
 
  
   
   
  
   
   
 
  
     
  

they had been walking automatons they
could not have plodded on in a more
mechanical way.

Yet, they did not have a conscious feel-

. ing of being tired. Although they had
eaten but sparingly from the haversack
at Calvert’s shoulder, neither was hun-
gry, and the one canteen was not near
exhausted, though they had been shar-
ing its contents between them on a jour-
ney which under ordinary circumstances
would have filled them with a burning
thirst, though with unlimited springs to
draw from.

At times they still talked, though it
was more and more seldom that one ad-
dressed the other. For half an hour
neither had spoken. Then, the voice of
Sanders arose above the low sound of
their feet crunching through the gravel.

“ More than you bargained for, pard,"
he murmured, in a strangely even tone.

“Don’t it strike you there’s some-
thing mighty queer about all this thing? "

_ “ Queer or not, I’m going to follow it
to the end. Go back if you want to give
it up; I’m, enlisted for the war."

“ That’s just it. I feel the same way
fiysflf. But, how did we come to en-

st . D)

Calvert stared straight ahead. The
question had no interest for him.

“ Supposing I drew a head on the high
mogul of our guides, and dropped her
cold, don't you think it would bring
[matters to a focus? I’m not exactly
scared, but I’d like to know what. this
is all about.”

“ We agreed to follow, did we not? ”

“Yes; but we didn’t say we wouldn't
stop." '

-“ Stop, then!"

“Confound it, I don't want to stop,
and that's what makes me warm. Are
we both fools? ”

Calvert had no answer ready. Indeed,
he Wanted none. The further he had
,gone the less he felt like stopping, and

.; though they had taken some 'hours of

'- rest the previous night, in a, natural
state he would‘have wondered why it

, was that he could drag one foot after

another. .

- ‘ Saul Sanders was affected in somewhat

1 : the same way, but he did not yield 30
» readily to the possession. ,
Like Calvert, he had no desire to halt

ntil he had come to the end of the
 our-hey, but curiosity was not altogeth-

; ere-dead within him, and had his com-

, mulch

teryhe might have speculateddmore deep.

y‘. concerning what he began to see, if

_ dietitirely realize, was a mystery. ‘

__ I.  interest he ‘had shown, however,

was but momentary. . ‘

'  ’tags'insas grinily and ‘silently as

  
   
    
   
   
  
  
  
   
    
   
   
   
  
  

 

 

  

  

  
 

dazed look on Tom Calvert’s face. If‘

been willing to discuss the mat--

,Soon ;he was pied-K

 

 

 I ,themha ‘ been a woman‘there,
“was: as” *' " “ ‘

convulsion of nature, yet almost fash-
ioned as if by the hand of man.

An arched recess, that, to unfettered
eyes, would have looked cool and invit-
ing, wooed them to rest; and, as it ap—
peared, with success.

Calvert staggered within its shadow
and threw himself down upon a sandy
floor, that made a couch fit for a king, to
his strained senses.

Saul followed more deliberately. He
was conscious their guides had vanished,
and he was not at all certain this was
not their den. The climax might be
near at hand.

He took a sitting posture, With his
back against the rock, and his gun‘rest-
ing across his knees. His face turned
to the opening, and he was ready to
shoot on sight.

Yet, for all of this precaution, he closed
his eyes, and before a moment had
seemed to pass he was asleep.

Tom Calvert was already snoring.

How long the latter slumbered he
could not have even guessed. He awoke
suddenly, and with all his senses about
him save his memory—if that could be
called a sense.

He looked around him, wondering
Where he was and how he had got there.

The last he remembered was standing
at the edge of the desert, talking with
an unknown young man, while four
panthers were cutting antics that were
somewhat strange. Where ‘Were they
now? Had he and his companion dared
to go to sleep with such dangerous guests
near? Undoubtedly, he had just awak-
ened; while propped against the wall,
his gun in his hand, was the stranger.

A slight rustle near caused him to turn
his head toward the opening into the
arch. Was it the light footfall of one
of the beasts of prey? His hand dropped
to his revolver instantly, and he was on
the alert.

At the same instant a flood of light
illuminated the recess, and he saw a fig-
ure moving toward him which was sure-
ly human.

It might have risen out of the ground,
so mysteriously did it appear, and his
fingers unloosened from the butt of his
pistol as he recognized a woman!

From her side a shapely arm rose,
until her forefinger pointed straight at
him, and without a word from either the
two looked at each other.

The woman was still young.

And beautiful! He had never imag-
ined anything half so bewildering as
that magnificent face which looked down
upon him with a royal air of command,
though the expression was not altogeth7
er unkindly. He scarce noted the cling-
ing garments of purest white, or the one
great diamond which blazed like a star
Just above the line where her midnight
hair, and low, broad, white brow met.
His eyes dropped under her magnetic
gaze, and he bowed low before her, with
hands clasped.

“ Come! ” she commanded, and, turn-
ing, floated away; as it seemed to him.

In front of her the solid rock appeared
to open, revealing a narrow, but bright-
ly lighted passage. Springing forward,
Tom Calvert followed the swift-moving
figure, never appearing to notice that the
rocks had come together again in his
rear, and before they closed the panther-s
dropped in behind mm. = V

Just at that moment Saul Sanders was

’ , rubbing his eyes, to dispel what seemed

to him a singular dream. 1,

TO' his mind, it, appeared, it certainly,

must have been a vision, since increases»
wasnow altogether dark; and how ecu] *

  
   
 

 

He spoke, and his voice had regained
its careless, confident tone.

“Say there, Calvert, where are you?
Something must have hit me a rap on
the head, for I have been seeing more
stars than you could shake a stick at.
Where the deuce are we, anyhow? ”

No answer came, and the youth rubbed
his face thoughtfully, trying to bring
back the particulars of what appeared
almost, if not altogether, like a fading
dream.

“If I wasn’t in a strange place, and
no other way to tell how I got here, I’d
swear there never was such a person as
Tom Calvert, and the four cats were a
picture on a circus bill that I saw tin the
years before I struck this beastly coun-
try. Maybe I’ve ben wandering in the
bad lands, and lost my head. Let's see
how this thing pans out.”

Muttering so to himself, Saul fumbled
in his pockets, and produced a box of
taper matches.

Carefully he ignited one of these, and
held it up, while he peered around.

There could be no dream about this.
He saw the same arched recess of which,
a few moments before, he ‘had aaglimpse:
but at the further end nothing but solid
rock met his view.

“When a man begins to see things
like that, it is pretty, sure his brain's
not in tip-top running order. The soon-
er I get out into the open and take my
bearings the better. Canteen don’t seem
to be empty, and there's still something
——hello! Where did the 'haversack come
from? Don’t seem to be exactly a dream,
after all.”

Sure enough; here was an article which
certainly was not his, yet it swung across
his shoulder as though it belonged there.
He stumbled out into the open air and
looked around him.

Behind him rose the huge pile of rocks.
a strange, inexplicable landmark. Every-
where else, as far as he could see, was
the level desert, shading away into
gloom, despite the star-hung heavens
above.

" There’s the guide stars to the left, N
pointing straight to the north star, and

here comes the night wind on the right.
up from the south. I have been tramp-
ing in a dream, but all the time as I
wanted to go. To-morrow I will keep
on. Nightfall will find me at the land

of the sunken canyon. The work has be--‘

gun fairly well. But the stranger I met
last night, an hour before sundown—he
puzzles me. Will we meet again?” *

 

CHAPTER III.
VISITORS IN THE VALLEY.

Two persons were camped in a dingle. -»
One of them was a wizen-faced, beat I

little man, or age so great that it be-

gan to be uncertain, though his little, ,
brown eyes gleamed brightly over [the ‘.

thick growth of hair which covered his
face. -

He was clad in a. spit of brown bunks
skin, well worn by long service, and in
the belt around his waist swung a knife
and revolver. A repeating rifle was: al‘

ways near his hand, if not actually in it, '
gave the impression of one ever‘

 

and he
on the alert fromrsome expected, but
hidden, danger.

His companionI was a girl-woman, 
perhaps nineteen. Her figure was not} -
too slight, though supple and swaying}

her face showed the bright hues of

health through the brown which sun and

Wind had given it. ,

Her‘cnst‘ume also wss'of Mckslcin, but
richly, beaded. and‘might museum
for ,an Indian queen: ’ Jule 

  

 

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\-L-;«’.—-fin~.\—ay:;;~.»+.a--~. u.“ 

    
      
      
          
      
      
     
       
       
       
       
         
       
       
     
        
     
      
       
           
    
   
     
   
   
   
     
   
    
     
      
     
     
   
      
  
    
 
   

    

4

Queen Edna, of the Panthers.

 

 

No Indian was she, however.

Her eyes were a soft brown, and her
hair, which fell over her shoulders in a
mass of soft, regular curls, was a chest-
nut-tinted bronze.

“ Stiddy, gal! Ett won’t do ter be too
brash. We’re a doin' well. Ett’s more
years ner you hev numbered sense 1 war
in these regions afore, an‘ I don’t know
Who’s kim sence. Ef thar‘s men hyer,
most like they ain’t ther kind you an’
me wants ter meet ’thout lookin’ over
ther ground aforehand.”

“But, why this delay? The whole
day I have spent here, while you have
hardly ventured a mile beyond this spot.
Yet We have seen no signs that any one
but ourselves has penetrated this wilder—
ness.”

“Speak fur yerself, gal. You hevn’t.
But my old eyes kin see writin’ your’n
ain't used ter. We spent a heap ov time
so fur, an’ made good progriss. I ain’t
throwin’ ett all away. Recommember
ett’s your safety I’m figgerin’ fur. Ef I
war by meself little I’d keer fur foe, er
stranger, I mout find in this kentry.”

" Yet, if we find any one, it is a chance
that it will be the one man I would most
yearn to see if I could have hopes that
he still lived.”

“ Don’t furgit thar are others. He
mout not kim alone. Trust Planthunter,
gal. Yer ther f’ust livin’ bein’ I’ve cot-
toned to en a long, long time, an’ I’ll
kerry yer through er turn toes up; but I
got ter take my time an’ way.”

“ And you are sure it is not all a fable
and a dream? That there is such a
place as the one I have described?”

“Sure and sart'in. These old eyes hev’
seen it, but it war many an‘ many a
year ago. In a day er two I kin show
ett to yer, most like. Ett’s a hugersome,
desarted ruin, set in a valley, an’ when
I war thar no foot ov man had trod ther
inside fur ez many years afore. Wish I
war sure ett war ther same way sence.
But, I’ve hed warnin’s an’ seed sights.
I told yer all about ’em at ther start, an‘
ett ain’t w’uth while ter go over ’em
ag’in. P’rhaps I’m wrong—mebbe no.
But ett won’t hurt ter be sure.”

“ For how long are we to
camped here? ”

“ Not fur ez long, mebbe, ez we’d o'rter.
Ther moon are growin’, an’ at yer thinks
yer hez ther stren’th we may go for’ards.
Thar’s a. hidin’ place ez I recollects, ez
we kin strike along a leetle afore morn-
in’, an’ thar we’ll lay low, onless ther
way looks cl’ar fur shore.”

“To-night, you say? Why not now?
'I am so tired of this waiting!”

She raised herself to her full height,
and stretched her arm-s above her head,
speaking to herself in a low tone:

“To think, after all this time of ‘si-
lence and doubt, this message should
come to me out of the sea: ‘A strange
adventure. A partner, and yet a
slave in a strange region once de-
scribed by a man who wandered, and
who called himself Planthunter. It may
mean death, or it may mean unbounded
wealth. There are others, more des-
perate than I, but she rules them. all save
their leader. What the end will be I
dare not say; but if it is life and wealth,
it is all for you, my child.’ So his letter
read, and, knowing that all this danger
was for me, what less could I do than
find him? He is bewitched, enchanted,
and I will come to break the charm.
What will be the cost?"

She was silent a moment as she
thought. The Question had its terrors.

remain

Then, she drew herself up once more:
“ What can come but victory and joy?
Speed hours; come moonlight; welcome

   

 

the unknown; let the gates of enchant—
ment open! Aria Earl walks to her
birthright! ”

With the flush of hope on her face, and

her eyes glittering in the light that
comes from the chance of realization, she
stepped firmly out, as though she was
going on her way at once.
_ But Planthunter was not looking at
her. He was gazing down to where the
walls of the glen seemed almost to come
together. There seemed something there
more interesting than the antics of a
moon-struck maiden.

“Quick, quick! ” he suddenly ex-.
claimed, in a low but shrill tone.

“Ett’s them four devils, ther witch-
es!” Ef they git eyes on ye ye'r lost.
Mebbe we kin throw ’em off ther trail,
even yit. This way!”

He caught the girl who had called
herself Arla Earl by. the hand, and
bounded away.

She had no idea of what caused the
sudden panic, but was ltoo wise to hesi-
tate. Indeed, such a contingency had
been provided for beforehand. When
they first rested at this spot, Planthunter
marked out the line to be followed if
retreat should be necessary. In a mo—
ment they were gliding along, well hid-
den from the entrance to the glen by
intervening rocks, and gradually rising
above the level of the little valley.

“What was it? " whispered Aria, after
a little, when she saw her guide had
moderated his pace, and seemed to be
somewhat over his panic.

“ Don’t ask me, gal. Mebbe it war all
foolish on my part. But ett kim on me
ov a suddint, an’ I jest bruk away ter
be on ther safe side.”

“Are you sure, Planthunter, that you
did not for a little lose your wits? You
said something about four devils, and
some witches. What was it you meant,
if your words had any meaning at all? ”

“Don’t ax me, fur I can’t most likely
tell. I’ve heared ov ’em; an’ wunst I
seed ’em, but they warn’t on my trail.
Lucky fur me; but more pity fur 'ther
poor cuss they war after.”

“ Ah! What happened to him? ”

“ Death happened ter him. An’ be war
ez wideawake a redskin ez ever were
bear claws. I didn’t know what they
war after, er I’d a tried ter take a hand
in afore it war too late. Mebbe it ain't
me they’s lookin' fur ag’in. When we
gits up ’round yander bend we’ll look
down an’ see. Ett can’t do no 'hurt. An’
though I doubt ef it’ll do ary good, I
might try a shot on ’em, ef they looks
like closin’ in.”

Planthunter pointed forward and made
a gesture for silence. He had already
looked to the rear, and seen they were
not immediately followed. Aria caught
his hand again, and by his side pushed
for the spot.

Up there they were a hundred feet or
more above the level of the valley, and
gazing between two rocks had a fair
view of the place they had just left.

They had little baggage, and had left
none of it behind. Even if some prying
meddler had been there, it was little
trace of their presence that could be
found.

No one was there, and Aria could not
help but notice that Planthunter took
what must have been a long breath of
relief at the very instant that he turned
his gaze swiftly. to a further point.

There was some one else in the valley,
though it did not seem one whom they
should fear.

A young man came striding down the
very route by which they themselves had
come.

 

He moved with a steady, tireless gait,
and his rifle lay over his arm, the thumb
of the other hand resting upon the ham—
mer.

Careless though he seemed, he was
ready for a surprise, and Saul Sanders.
had the look of one who would give a.
good account of himself in whatever
affair he might be embroiled.

Suddenly, the hammer of his rifle went
back. It seemed to the two above they
could hear its angry click rising sharp
on the evening air.

Then, four crouchin'g figures stole for-
ward, and halted at his very feet, their
progress all the time watched by the
youth!

“Ah, you’re there again, are you?
This time you don’t get away from me
until I see what it means. Where’s my
chum? Not inside. Lou don’t look fat
enough for that. Lead me to him, and
if there‘s no harm done, I’ll call it square.
You hear me? ”

The four panthers waited and listened.
It seemed as though they understood
every word. When Saul was done speak-
ing they whined good naturedly, and
turned. They did not need to go through
the antics which they had performed at
that other meeting. Without hesitation
Saul Sanders followed.

The two watched the strange scene in
silence. A word while it was going on
might have turned sharp eyes, or sharp-
er ears, in their direction. It was only
when the four had passed entirely, from
view that Aria spoke.

“ In the name of heaven, what is the
meaning of this? Who was that young
man? Are those brutes his pets? or, if
not, to whom do they belong? Should
we have spoken to him? ”

“ Don’t ask too much, leetle gal. Yer
can’t prove none ov them by me. Ef
ther yarns ov them sed kin be trusted
ett’s a bad thing fur ther boy; but I
can’t make out ett war our place ter warn
him. Them an’ him hez met afore. Let’s
foller.”

Arla made no objection. She, too,
seemed to be under something of a spell.
The two retraced their steps, and to-
gether went down the valley.

 

CHAPTER IV.
FRIEND AND FOE.

Tom Calvert had been classed in his
time among the “ good-for-nothings,”
but it was by those who knew little of
the real Tom, and saw only what lay on
the surface.

As a rule, he did not wear his heart on
his sleeve, and he had no intention to
devote his life to something which he did
not care about.

Why should he, since he hadaa fortune
sufficient to provide for his wants dur-
ing life; and as he had never yet drawn
upon [the capital, it seemed likely he
would have a comfortable little plum to
leave behind him at his death.

His trip to these regions was original-
ly planned to serve certain purposes of
his own, and though he had extended it
a little, it was not for the sake of reck-
less adventure by. any means, though a
cooler, braver young man it would be
hard to find. ,

Unless the reader'has missed it very
widely in his guess, however, it was not
cool bravery at all which led him to ac-
cept the adventure offered him in the
crypt in the desert, though under almost
any circumstances he would hardly. have
refused to follow the guide who so
strangely appeared to beckon him on.

He did not hear the rocks come to-
gether again behind him. nor did he

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note that his late guides were now bring-
ing up the rear.

All he knew was that the white-robed
:figure was flitting down the corridor in
advance, and that he felt as though he
must follow, though never for a moment
understanding why.

Bewildered as he was, he hardly took

, any account of his surroundings, and did
V not note the gradual descent of the pass-
‘age in which he found himself.

There was sufficient light for him to
have noted that the way was apparently
cut out of the solid rock, and was illu—
minated in some concealed manner, which
would have suggested to him an electrlc
plant, ridiculous as the idea might have
seemed.

Yet, why should that have seemed
ridiculous? Why should anything ap-
pear so after the strangfi manner in which
this adventure had begun? The journey
down the passage was but a matter of a
few hundred feet—something stranger
yet was to follow.

The way ended abruptly in a little
quay, where the female halted and
clapped her hands. She stood on the
brink of an underground stream, which
flowed through an arched way, and at
her signal a boat shot up to the quay.
A torch burned in the bow, and the oars
were pulled by a brawny-shouldered man,
whose head was drooped downward, until
his face seemed almost to rest upon his
breast.

Lightly the woman stepped on board,
and pointed to a seat in the bow.

Without a word Calvert «took the place,
and the boat, shoved off into the centre
of the current, dropped swiftly down the
stream.

The light in the bow was so near to
Calvert that it rendered all things ahead
but vague and shadowy, even had he
cared to peer forward. He preferred to
look back at his guide, whose black eyes
reflected the torch light, and the cape
she had thrown around her shoulders
shone red as blood.

Away back he might have seen another
light. A second boat was just leaving
the landing place where he had em-
barked.

The current of this underground river
was sluggish, but the oarsman was
brawny, and swung to his work with a
skill and certainty which showed he was
no stranger to the place. In utter silence
he sent the boat along, evincing no cu-
riosity in regard to the freight, which it
seemed could hardly have been expected.

Transported after this fashion, know-
ing nothing of where he was going, and
caring less, Calvert felt, as though in a
dream, that the boat finally. drew up
alongside of another such a landing as
it had left, .and that the same being he
had followed so blindly was bidding him
leave it.

Without curiosity, without fear, he
followed, ascending just such another
passage as that by. which he had reached
the river.

Again a door flew open at the approach
of the woman who led, and now they
were in something which took on the
nature of a regular building, though the
passages were cold and cheerless.

At last the two entered a room half a
dozen yards square, and here every-thing
took on a different tone.

A cheerful, mellow light suffused the
apartment, which was furnished comfort-
ably, if not with actual elegance. In
one corner was an easy couch.

Calvert cast himself down, and his eyes
closed. Instantly he seemed to be in
deep sleep. -

The woman watched him with a
strange smile, and after a minute wait-

ing came and stood over him. A- few
mysterious passes she made, a lingering
look was given at his face; then she
turned and left the apartment.

Immediately afterward the sound of a
shooting bol-t told that he was prisoner
as well as guest.

Hours passed, and Calvert slumbered
on.

A casual observer could have noted that
this was not a hypnotic trance, but the
sleep of profound exhaustion.

Flnally, the clanging of a door aroused
him.

Whether it was day or night he could
not tell, but the room was as light as
though the sun, which was really shin—
ing outside on the world, had penetrated
to the place of his confinement.

He rose from his couch and looked
around him with a bewildered air.

The things which had puzzled Saul
Sanders back in the crypt were as noth-
ing to the astounding mystery which had
wrapped a veil around Tom Calvert.

He knew nothing of where he Was, or
how he had come there, and had not
even the remembrance of a supposed
dream to guide him.

It was not strange that his first thought
was that he had lost his senses, or that
his surroundings were unreal.

The journey through the desert and
the adventure of the subterranean stream
were alike unremembered. The last
thing he could call to mind was the dis—
covery at the edge of the desert of a
strange youth, around whom were
grouped four pan-thers. It must have
(been at that moment his hallucinations
began. They were phantasies, just as
this was one.

Was it, though?

He arose and looked about him more
closely.

Everything about him was new, and
ou-tre. Everything, that is, save a sub-
stantial meal which garnished the table
placed under an illuminated and illu-
minating globe, pendent from the high
ceiling.

The sight of that recalled him to him-
self more thoroughly than anything else
could have done.

At that moment he knew he was sane,
in his right mind, and very hungry, also.

As for doors and windows, there were
positively no signs of any, and when he
went to a spot where instinct seemed to
tell him there should be an opening, his
hands came against solid rock, well
though it had been concealed behind
curtains.

Hastily he made the circuit of the
room.

Everywhere the same result!-

He broke into a laugh.

“ Reminds me of one of those diminish—
ing cells they used for the accommoda—
tion of state prisoners, who found in the
end their walls were very pressing. Let
me take the measurement of the pen.
Perhaps there may be something of the
kind intended here.

Roughly he measured the length,
breadth, and height of the room. Then
he threw himself down on a seat at the
table. and fell to with a right good will,
his hunger rising as he attempted to
satisfy his appetite.‘

“Ah,” he said, at last, “ were my un-
known entertainer to appear, I think I
could meet him in a. fairly reasonable
frame of mind. He may take certain
precautions to avoid the loss of his sil-
ver, but he certainly knows how to set
a royal spread for a man who has just
discovered him-self- to be starving. Who
nan he be? It is about time he should
show himself.”

He drew back from the table leisurely,

 

 

and glanced around the room once more
with a satisfied look. He was young, and
having been well fed, was for the mo-
ment at peace with the world.

Last of all, it happened that his glance
rested upon the spot where he had first
essayed to find a door.

As he looked the curtains were torn
apart, were thrown violently back, and
on the threshold of the doorway which
showed aroundlhim appeared a terrible
figure.

A man it seemed to be, with shoulders
a yard across, and a fierce, ogreish—look-
ing head, set on a thick, squat body.
The lips of this intruder were parted in
a savage grin, which showed fang—like
teeth; the fingers which clutched the cur-
tains were long and curved like talons.

If Tom Calvert was surprised at this
apparition, the intruder seemed no less
80.
For a moment he glared, as he stood
there, as though uncertain whether to
believe the evidence of his senses.

Then,his hand darted to his girdle, and
a long blade flashed out.

“ Ah-ha! Treachery! ” he snarled; and
with a half-smothered growl flung him-
self at the young man!

 

CHAPTER V.
IN THE! HEART OF THE' MYSTERY.

The intruder was an ugly-looking cus-
tomer, but Tom Calvert, under ordinary
circumstances, was cool and brave, and
knew how to defend himself as well as
the best.

An unpleasant thought had struckkhim
at the very first, and he would not have
been surprised if a mild-mannered man
had appeared and told him heswas in a
lunatic asylum.

The suspicion came back to him now
with ten-fold power. In this roaring
fiend he fancied he recognized the king-
pin of their lunatics.

That did not make the situation any
the less serious. He was alone with a
madman, and the madman not only had
an ugly looking knife, but seemed de-
termined to use it. Fortunately for him
the light which illuminated the room
was even brighter than the day,'and his
Vision was as keen as that of a hawk.

He steadied himself, moving out a lit-
tle, even, so as -to be clear of the table,
and tried to fix the eye of the coming
madman.

He failed in that, but he was quick
enough of eye to see the stroke as it be-
gan to descend, and a swift side spring
saved him.

Without a word Calvert drew his
shoulder back, and then let go with a
swmg.

He had never known how hard he
could hit, but, as his life depended on it,
he struck as hard as’ he knew how; and
reached the spot for which he aimed.

The stunted giant went over backward
as if he had been shot, while the blade
dropped to the floor. Calvert’s first move-
ment was to pick up the knife.

Although it was a risky thing to do, he
congratulated himself that he had been
willing to trust to his muscle and nerve
rather than to his revolver; but he want-
ed no more of it. With only a glance at
the motionless mass of humanity, he
darted for the spot where, it seemed to
him, the curtains on the wall had but
barely ceased falling. Behind them he
expected to find the opening by which
his assailant had entered.

Disappointment.

Once more the wall was as smooth as
though no opening had ever existed
there. He. was locked in with a mad-
man; or, he had gone mad himself.

a
. .,.

 

    

6

Queen Edna, of the Panthers. ,

 
 

 

 

 

No use to look elsewhere. It was here
the hallucination appeared; if there was
no outlet there, then none existed.

He went straight back, and firmly felt
of his captive—for such he determined
to make him.

No imagination, this. Here were flesh,
blood, and bones. He placed his fingers
on a pulse which still beat, and marked
that this insensibility would not be apt
to last long. He tied the huge wrists
together, slipped a pillow from his
couch under the square, bristling head,
to make the man rest more easily, and
then seated himself in his chair, deter-
mined to wait for the revival he saw xvas
coming fast.

The man gave a groan, and as he did
so darkness pervaded the room, so thick
it seemed as though it might be felt.

Calvert’s wits were growing sharper
as he needed them. The meaning of the
disappearing light flashed across him.
The intention was to remove the body
without allowing him to see how it was
done, nor by whom. Here was his
chance.

Softly he sprang over the body, and
made his way toward the wall. When
he felt the curtains he raised them and
slipped under, standing close to the rocks
in which the opening was to be made.

It was not a mistaken guess.

Silently the hidden door swung open,
and he heard a faint rustle of garments
as some one slipped within the room. An
instant later and he had slipped out.

Still darkness; but he turned at once,
and with one elbow touching the wall
on the outer side, and his other hand
spread out before him, to fend him from
any obstacle- which might be encoun-

. tered, he ran lightly along a stone-floored
corridor.

Whither he was going,,what hope there
was of escape, he had not asked himself.

Perhaps he imagined dimly that if he
reached some other part of the building
he might find some one in authority, to
whom he might explain matters some-
what. Or it might be he hoped to make
his exit altogether, and discover from a
safe distance how it was he had come
there.

It was well for him he had kept one
hand ahead of him as a. guide.

It saved him from running violently
,against a stone wall when he came to a
turn in the passage. As it was, he was
, thrown back somewhat sharply, his left
~-:"elbow losing contact with the guiding

‘ wall, and became very near to falling. '
He attempted to X's-establish the touch,
Amt the more he edged to the left the
’ more confused did he grow, and the
4 more unsettled in his bearings. It
heemed to him the wall could be no long-
er there. He spun around and around,
dike an expiring teetotum, twisting him-
f :01! this way and that, and no well did
he feel; but suddenly, right in his face,
there came up a cold, damp current of
131‘, which made him feel sick with the
knowledge of barely escaped danger it
Vtrought him. , v
'He knew without seeing that a chasm
: was open at his feet, and a step forward
would have brought him into it.

't Then, he heard the swift“ patter of
slight-running footsteps, and the soft
I swish of feminine garments. As he lis-
ten dithat sound ceased, but almost im-
, ately there was a low clap of a pair
or hands‘, and the call of a soft voice:
 \-“Ahab!" [it said. “ This way, Ahab!
,Where are you? "
""‘Here.”
“What “happened? Is he safe? ”
“"A stroke of tightning. .The master
ohms floor as ,if dead,‘and never

 

   
 

  

  

 

 

moving. I dragged him out and closed
the door behind. It was lucky I stum-
bled over him where he lay. He will
live, though. He was reviving when I
left him. His hands were bound togeth—
er, and I left them so until I could ask
for orders. Besides, I did not care to be
the one to loosen them. He may do that
for himself, and I will live longer.”

“And the other. What of him?”

“I know nothing. It was dark, and
I neither saw nor heard'him.”

“I forgot. The light. Go and turn
it on. We must risk the chances. If he
finds the young man before I reach him
'he will kill him. Quick! I will attend
to the rest—unless you hear the bell."

The conversation was hasty, and
though it told Calvert something, it ex-
plained nothing. The one speaker was
a woman; Ahab was a servant. Who the
squat lunatic might be they had not
said, but they were evidently much in
awe of the mysterious “he.”

Meantime, he remained standing on
the brink of an open pit, which for the
moment he had almost forgotten. What
was he to do? i

The answer came unexpectedly. With-
out warning there was a sudden illu—
mination of the place, and he found he
was in a lqng hallway, while right at
his feet was a stairway, descenulng to
another similar corridor, which was also
lighted by what Calvert naturally under-
stood to be electricity.

He hesitated, it is true. Did the stair-
way lead toward the ground floor, or
deeper? It was a matter of some im-
portance if he desired to make his escape
from the building, .but the absence of all
windows gave him the idea that he might
already be underground, and he decided
not to attempt to go lower down until
he had explored a little further.

Nevertheless, he did lean over the open-
ing, and then it appeared to him he
heard voices in the distance, rising in a
confused murmur, as though there were
a number' of speakers.

“Guess the best place to make my ap-
pearance is not where the patients are
all at breakfast, if I want to receive re-
spectful attention. As well be caught
wandering around in the vestibules.
They might turn me out by mistake; and
if they didn’t, they would be willing to
listen to my opinion of the gentleman
who invaded my room.' I’ll keep on in
the way I am going—if I can find it."

The proviso was a good one, for, on
looking about him, he was utterly unable
to decide where might lie the cell from
which he had escaped. While he glanced
from one hand to the other, in deepen-
ing doubt, he received a surprise.

A female figure came into sight—and
halted almost at the moment.

He did not recognize the newcomer,
thdugh' he thought of the voice he had
heard in the darkness calling for Ahab.
What seemed strange was that the W0-
man acted as though she recognized him.
It would have appeared stranger yet if
he had been told that on this same face
he had stared not a dozen hours before,
and had been 'swift to do the bidding he
then received.

She waved her arms—and" he could see
they were white and shapely. If her
gestures meant anything, it was that he
should fly—should hide.

Why? And where was he to go?

As if for answer an unseen door opened
in the wall almost at his hand, and
though uncertain he would accept the
place of refuge, he stepped within the
casing thus disclosed, and awaited re-
sults. ' - v . ,
, He was not a moment  soon.

..~.r.-'/ . »

     

, .

them out.

 

t '1, he suspectedg '

 

      
   
    
    
  
     
  
 

He heard a wild, savage cry, saw the
woman slip aside and out of sight, and
then, peering cautiously around the
blocks of stone which sheltered him, had
a glimpse of the sawed-off Hercules who
had invaded his former apartment.

He was rushing forward, a pistol in
his hand; while by his side ran another,
as repulsive looking and equally well
armed.

Calvert had seen enough. Just now,
discretion was the better part of valor.
He might be brave as the bravest, but
without more knowledge of where he
was he did not care to join issue with
the inmates of this strange prison.

He slipped within the room—which
was as well illuminated as the other
had been—and with his own hands
closed the heav door. There was the
snap of a bolt, and he realized that once
more he was closely confined, without
the least idea of howto make his exit.

 
   
     
       
   
 
   

 

     

CHAPTER VI.
THE CASTLE IN THE VALLEY.

When morning dawned on Saul San-
ders, after the disappearance of his late-
1y made friend, he spent some little time
in trying to find out in what way the
missing had been lost. If he could have
realized more thoroughly that such a.
person had really existed, the search
might have been more persistent.

The desert around him gave no cer-
tain trace and the tumbled mass of
rocks seemed to hide no secrets beyond
the recess in which Saul had passed the
night.

He knew well enough he had no time
to lose in lingering there, and puzzled
by a mystery which for the present he
saw no means of solving, he turned his Y
face southward, in the direction in which
lay the region he had styled the land of
the sunken canyon. ’ ’

On the way he had time to do a geod
deal of thinking, and the events of the
past few days began to shape themselves
more and more clearly as he reasoned

      
    
    
   
         
   
     
        
 
       
   
 
        
   
         
        
      
   
       
    

“ ’Pear to have been under some sort
of a spell,” he muttered. I

“ Those cats I thought I had dreamed
about were the sure-enough thing; but
why I didn’t drop a head on them when
they came in sight is more than I can
tell, unless there was some witchery
about them. And this Calvert? What
sort could he have been that we should
have tramped together all that way with- ,
out my remembering more about him; ‘-
or, that I should have taken up with a
man who would leave me at last in the
lurch like he did? Lucky riddance. The
search I am on wants no Sharer. If the
danger is mine, so willdahe profits be-r
if there are any.” ,

He was thinking some such thing as,‘
this as he came down into the little val~
ley through which he expected to reach
the land of the sunken canyon; and then, .
upon the scene came again ‘the four ,
panthers, with their brazen, wheedling,

     
   
   
      
     
     
   
     
     
       
          
 
       
         
      
    
      

ways. _,_

And he did not shoot. 

He had no fear of them; and there was,
a suspicion that they had more to'dowf
Calvert than he as yet understood. 

Again they invited him to follow; and
again he obeyed.

This time, however, he was, if possi-
ble, more on the alert than before; nor;
was it on account of the beasts 
selves. They had been fed since the teem.
aration; and until they hungered he 
no fear they would attack him; Its' f, 
the intelligence which directed them
md’intonded to

wlt’
\

        
      
     
   
   
    

  
      
   
       

  
 
    

 
  
  
 
    
   

    

Queen Edna, of the Panthers.

 

 

  

7

 

 

   
       
          
      
   
   
       
      
      
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
        
      
   
   
   
   
       
       
         
       
   
   
   
   
        
       
 
      
        
   
   
       
     
   
     

There was some one beyond him, and
his intrusion might, probably would, be
resisted with force and guile. Of what
sort would the fight be, and how would
it end?

“Strange,” he muttered to himself,
“ that I should have found those few
faint footsteps, which turned me aside.
They vanished a little further on, but
the direction remained. It led me right
here. If there is anything in the thing
I am on the right track, or I never will
be. Now, as long as my guides go on I
can follow. When they stop it will be
time for me to take to the brush. Ah!”

The panthers went on, but he saw
something which caused him to stop.
 The valley was coming to an end. At
2’," least, the walls, which had been shut-
" ting him in, began to widen apart, and

shade downward. It seemed he was about
to debouch upon a plain, and he wanted
to see What was ahead of him before
coming into sight. He stole to one side,
and was glad to see that his guides «went
straight forward, never seeming to notice
his deflection from their course.

A little later he gave a second and
more emphatic gesture of surprise.

He had gained a point where he could
obtain- a view such as he had not dreamed
of. Twilight was; not far off, yet there
was a plain view of what lay ahead of
him for miles, and in the distance he saw
something which at once riveted his at-
tention.

Lying low in the hollow of the great,
bowl-shaped plain was a huge, massive
building.

It was too far away to make out every
part with distinctness, yet, unless it was
a case of mirage, there was no doubt in
the mind of the young man as to what
it was. This was no fantastic grouping
of nature’s fashioning, but something
made by human hands.

“ There it is,” muttered Saul, holding
his tWo palms above his eyes, to obtain

a better view.

“ Not just where I can step into the
front door with the first stride; but lo-
cated so there’s no getting away. Wish
I was near enough to see if there‘s any
.signs of life about it; but all looks dead
'from here. It was a true yarn, as far
as this goes—if the rest pans out as
well! A cool—million I was going to
say, but what is that? Millions, many

, times over. The hidden treasure of the

' ages; and all mine.” .

There was exultation in his tone, and

a he spoke louder than he thought.
1’ “ Stiddy, lad!” '

At the sound of the voice a hand
dropped upon his shoulder.

‘ Ett’s me, old Planthunter. Hope
what words I sed wunst ain’t bin ther
meafiis by brungin"yer hyer.”

T e0 face of the young man flushed.
He had been surprised, for one thing;
and the surprise was an unwelcome one
for another.

He recognized the voice at once, and
had no need to turn slowly around to
know that it was really Planthunter who
spoke. He remembered now what' Cai-
vert had said, and ~wasnot surprised

' 'YWhen he saw the 01d maniwas not alone,
‘ Only a moment did he hesitate.

His hand came out with a frank 'gest-v
 are, while the lines 0f discontent left
'~ . his face as suddenly as they had come

‘ ' . He told nothing but the simple
Wth‘when he snake: , ,_

} F‘L'Old, man, I'm. glad to see you. I’m
as?! f i I heard of from' you, but what
 7d iconic not have put me on it.
end "‘ih‘theidesertedtcastle you told me
‘ ”  ‘ visited. I.thonght then

 

     
   

I

 

momma I'm here;

now. Before I go back I will know
something of other mysteries about it
which you never mentioned. If you and
your friend are here on the same errand,
there is no reason why we should not go
together. If you share the dangers there
is no man living with a better right to
share the reward, and I reckon you have
no patent on the whole preserves.”

“I dunno clear what yer talkin’ about.
Fur eh I kin say I’m not objectin’, but
I’m not ther boss 0v this outfit. Hyer’s
ther one ez kin say ef we pulls tergeth-
er, er you hev ter trudge ett alone. I’m
enlisted fur ther war, an’ am fightin’ fur
her side.”

The two young people had been eying
each other, and though the old man and
the young man joined palms in cordial
pressure, they both looked at Aria.

She held out her hand in turn to the
stranger.

“Any friend that you can vouch for,
Planthunter, is worth the having,»and
his mission, if he has one, cannot inter-
fere with mine. Who do you expect to
meet there? ”

She nodded toward the building in the
distance, and her hand dropped from Saul
Sanders’s grasp to her side.

“No one, I hope. And you?”

“My father, if he still lives. If dead,
perhaps some traces of his presence.”

“Your father!"

“Yes. It is too long a story to tell you
hereesome other time I will explain, if
you Care to hear. To-night, if we would
reach yonder fortress, we had better be
moving."

“ An’ I say, best to hunt a hole, an’
draw ett in arter us, tell we sees. Thar’s
s’uthin’ myter’us in ther air. Ther three
cats, boy»—whar did yer meet ’em afore?
Does yer know what they reely are? ”

“I scarcely can answer,” responded
Saul, a troubled look on his face. “ Un-
less it was all a dream, I must have seen
them; they even guided me here, strange
as it may seem.”

“ Beware ov ’em lad. They’s witches,
more ner human, let erlone brute. Avoid
’em, lad. They means harm, an’ they
allers kills.” ,

“Perhaps you are right. I am as
brave as the most, but I don’t know
that I care to tramp over their trail by
moonlight, if they have seemed most in-
fernal friendly. But, if they meant us
harm, you can’t throw them off the track.
I haven’t had the heart to draw a bead
on them when they seemed so trusting»—
more like human than beast. Perhaps
it would have been better to have dropped
them Where they played.”

“ Ef yer could, yonker; ef yer could.
I’m a thinkin’, though, ther leadain’t
run ter do rther work.” ‘

“All this means, you want to lose
time," interrupted Aria, impatiently.
“ So be it. Hide, if you think best. You
shall not say I drove you into danger
you did not care to risk.”

“ She’s a leetle onpatient, lad, but she’ll
do us right when morning comes. One
ov us kin scout down to’ards ther old
reoins tor-night, an’ mayhap bring good
news thet'll save hours ter-morrer.”

“ No! ” impatiently, and with a stamp
of the slender, moccasined foot.

“No one shall face the danger un-
shared by all. To camp! Let us return
to the spot whence we have just
come, and this young man shall be our
guest. Hereafter I see no reason why
our ways should not lie together until
the mystery of thisivalley is explored."

, Planthunter was not averse to follow-
ing the advice, and he looked around him.
I ,Thoughfit might notbe possible to de-
cety’e [animals so heat: of scent as the

J;‘

  

 

 1
i'.  _ -

four which had led the way down the-
valley, yet he made some effort, laying
a false track out beyond several con-
venient boulders, over which he climbed
on his way back, leaping from one to
another with an agility scarce to be ex-
pected from one of his years.

Then, the two others were swung up,
and they took a higher path for some
distance, from which they eventually
dropped to the trail they had used hr (
ore.

Thus they returned to the dingle, and
from there ascended to the point from
which Planthunter and the girl had
caught sight of Saul Sanders.

It was a backward move, with no foe
in sight, but it was done in the interests
of safety.

The hours went along without alarm;
and the valley seemed to be untenanted
by any save themselves. Aria .slept
soundly, and the boy and the man con-
versed in low whispers. Boy and man,
at least, ,when age was compared, though
Saul had many a time borne a man’s
part in closer corners even than this
seemed likely to be.

Planthunter continued to be uneasy.

From time to time he looked down the
trail which led to the open plain; and
finally would have crept away in that
direction.

“My mind misgives me, yonker,” he
murmured. “ Begins ter «look ez though
we‘s on ’chanted ground. Watch over
her an’ I’ll creep down ter what thC
rocks overlooks ther cas’sel. If I seen
speerits comin’ I wouldn’t be much sur-
prised.”

“ Not so, Planthunter. Your place is
with the woman you have promised to
protect. I will go. You can trust me;
and you have told me of the land till it
all seems plain. If anything happens,
think nothing of me. I am proof against
witches and goblins. I am more afraid
of finding flesh and blood, brought here
by the scent of treasure. Be watchful.”

He threw his rifle to its customary
place in the hollow of his arm, and glided 
away. a"

Night was around him, but above were ~ "
the stars. They broke into the gloom of
the canyon, though they shed no light
on the dark lurking places,_where the
rocks hung over, and the rays of the
moon, swinging low toward the west,
could not reach. ‘

Nevertheless, his way was easy, and
out on the plain all was silent. He lin-' .
gered there for some time, wondering to _
what end he had‘ come here, and finally
made his way back as cautiously as he
had come. 

Near to the camp be halted, wonder-n
ing if his ears had deceived him, or it
really he heard a sound. '

Silence followed for a second. Then;
as he raised his foot to go on, a rifle, 
cracked among the rocks above. " Help! ""
peeled out a voice. .  v v

There was a craunching and a worry-g
ing in the sounds that next he heard, and ‘
with a cry ‘of anger he dashed on and
upward. .

    
  
 
 
 
     
  
 
 
 
   

  

 

CHAPTER VII.
WHAT THE STREAM an). ; -
" It is witchcraft; it is enchanunemfi
So Saul exclaimed when, wearied and
wrought upon by a fruitless searchdfl ‘
gazed stupidly around him, half beHQ!§E-'z.
ing that once more he had been made the m
mock of phantoms. _ ~- 5 ‘_ w
' No sign was there of the tyre with
whom he had. been camping; hot anus
to show there had been such a. conflict}
uhehad imagined. _ ~ ,,_ ,_ .,

 
  
 
 
 
 

        
   
       
        
   
    

         

  
    

.'.‘

 
 

 

8

Queen Edna, of the

 

 

When he dashed up the aclivity he
could have sworn that at the least he
would find a bleeding corpse, and come
face to face with the uncanny trio he
began to think might be invested with
supernatural powers.

No corpse was there to be found, nor
any traces of blood.

Careless of the danger it might bring
to himself, he called aloud the name of
Planthunter; but there was no answer.
He ran along the path until he found
that it was tenantless, except by him-
self, and was but a back trail, which led
him toward the opening into the valley.
He returned to the spot where he had
left girl and guide, and renewed his
Search.

He knew the missing ones had not.

come down into the dingle at the point
where he stood when he heard the cry,
and was certain if they had followed the
path as he found it they would have
come into his view. There must be some
outlet which he had not yet found.

Leaning out betWeen the two rocks
already spoken of, he at last found what
promised a way of advance. A ledge be—
low. offered him a foothold, and without
waiting to make sure whither it led or
if it would be an easy matter to return,
he swung himself over, and, letting go
with his hands, dropped lightly to the
ledge.

Naturally, he balanced inward, intend-
ing to support himself against the rock;
but he had not taken into account what
he might find, or fail to find, below.

The wall was no longer there when he
reached the ledge, and pawing wildly at
the empty air, he toppled backward, and
went plunging downward, he knew not
where nor whither.

As he fell the four pan'thers, in sin-
gle file, tiptoed noiselessly forward, out
of the near-by shadows, and stared down
into the opening which had received him.

Then, they turned, and went stealt‘hlly
along a narrow, squarely cut path, which
ran southward toward the plain. It
seemed as though their mission was done.

As for the chasm which received Saul
Sanders, it was one of nature’s own mak-
ing, and therefore all the more singular
in its purposes.

In the brief time he knew he was
falling he had opportunity to think a
great deal, and to make up his mind he
was doomed. Nevertheless, he turned
himself as he fell, and went dOWn feet
foremost.

Almost immediately there was a
splash; and he found himself cleaving
through the waters of a dark and sing
gish stream.

A weaker-nerved person might have
fainted from the revulsion, for even in
that first moment he knew no bones
were broken and no great harm done.

' With the skill of a practiced diver, he

checked his descent under the water, and
came to the surface as light as a cork,
turning upon his back, so as to look up
toward the sky and the twinkling stars
he had left behind him.

No stars were there, and he felt him-
self surging along in a. darkness such as
he could not have known in the outer
world. Over him it flashed that he had
left that world behind him when he fell,
and that_these were the waters of the
Sunken Canyon—of the stream of which
he had heard, but had never fully be-
lieved in.

The opening through which he had
dropped was already far behind him; and
if he could return to it, he doubted if
it could do him any good. There was
nothing for him but to float on, and on,
until the end came. He was doomed.

Yet, with a. courage which was little

 

 

else than despair, he never lost his head.
He even closed his eyes, to shut out the
realizing sense of the darkness,' and
thrust one hand far forward, as rudder
and fender, while he swore to himself
that when he went down at the last it
would be after a hard fight for his life.

So the moments drifted; and he with
them. Luckily for him, he had dropped
clear of his .rifle, since instinct would
have held to it, and it would have
dragged him down. The revolver at his
waist was beginning to count as to
weight, and he thought of casting it over-
board.

More than once he thought of veering
to the right or left, and seeking the
shore, but as often preferred to remain
in the Centre current. Of what use to
waste strength and hours clambcring in
the darkness, where nature showed no
outlet?

Long though the time was that he
floated, it seemed much longer. Cramps
began to twinge his extremities, and a
cold chill swept over him. He opened his
eyes, and closed them again, for what
he half believed was the last time. He
hardly credited his senses when a glow
began to creep between his tightly shut
lids; yet—as he swept around a slight
bend the light grew brighter. Opening
his .eyes, he thought daylight had come
again.

Nevertheless, above him hung the
vaulted canyon wall, its rocky face glis-
tening in the light which streamed out
from an opening to the one side.

Gone were the cramps and the chill.
With a vigorous effort he whirled to the
side, and shot up to a stone-built wharf,
moored to which was an idly rocking
boat, at which he stared, more bewil-
dered than ever.

It told him he was not the only one
who traversed these waters; that cau—
tion might be as well, in the face of such
strange mysteries.

“ I have reached the castle, sure enough,
and swum the meat, but if the draw—
bridge happens to be up, and the warder
turns a deaf ear, it strikes me I’m in a
mighty bad fix. Let‘s see what’s the
chance for a storming party.”

In such a way ran his thoughts, but he
did not despair.

His spirits came back to him as he
dragged himself out of the stream, all
dripping, and he was glad he had not
thrown away his revolver. Despite its
ducking, it was in serviceable condition;
and he half suspected that before he got
through with this adventure he would
have use for it.

The time, indeed, seemed to be coming
all too soon, for he heard voices and
footsteps, which appeared to be approach-
ing by the passage, at the mouth of
which he was lingering. He turned, fol—
lowed a path which led along the stream,
and found a convenient niche, into which
he shrunk, though he peeped around the
rock to see what manner of people they
were from whom he had fled.

Two men were on the quay, holding
between them a burden of some kind.
What it was he could only guess, but it
was a bulky object, wrapped in cloths;
and with care and labor they took it
with them into the boat.

“Drop down the stream a. hundred
yards before you cast it off!" said a
voice which caused Saul to start, for the
tones were soft and liquid, as though
from the lips of a woman.

The answer came from the boat:

“Have no fear, madam. The work
shall be well done. No curious eyes shall
see. Come with us if you doubt.”

There was a hasty exclamation of im-
patience, and the boat pushed off. Saul

0

Panthers

 

 

 

drew back, for the bow was turned
toward him, and he feared he might be
seen.

He could hear a grating at the row-
locks, and the lazy drop of oars. The
boat slid down the stream, and came
into sight. He crouched lower, though
his eyes never turned from the sight.
Fully a hundred yards from the starting
point the oars Were shipped. In the
shadows the men looked like ghosts as
they raised their burden between them.

Once, twice, they swung it, backward
and forward, and at 'the third motion
let go, casting it out into the water,
which received it with a sullen Splash.
It sunk almost at oncc, but as it went
down Saul thought he heard a groan.

 

CHAPTER VIII.
SAUL SANDERS MAKES A FRIEND.

What was the meaning of the scene?
Who was the victim? Why was it dis-
posed of in this terrible, hidden way?

Sanders asked himself the questions
even while shrinking farther back, des-
pite the curiosity which consumed him.

He thought once of opening fire with
his revolver, but he knew not whether
it was a case in which he should inter—
fere. As to what his own fate would be
if discovered, and he failed to guard his
life with his hands, he had not a doubt.

Not a word was spoken by the men in
the boat. They leaned forward to watch
the disappearing burden, and then thrust
their oars into the water and pulled
back. They did not care to linger over
the spot; and the unseen watcher was
not loth to have them go. Under the
impetus of their strong strokes the little
vessel shot swiftly back, and Saul heard
their steps once more on the stairs. They
went back again as they came, and for
the present he was alone in the canyon.
Below him flowed the stream of the hid-
den river, with the mystery it was ex-
pected to conceal.

He stole out from the niche, gave a
glance up at the quay, and then his gaze
rested on the black water.

“ They may be watching it, they may
not; if there’s a human in that dump
there is no time to wait and see. It is
almost too late already. Here goes.”

It was half a dozen feet down to the
face of the water, and a dive would make
a sound that would carry far in the
silence of that buried stream. He slipped
noiselessly down the face of the rock,
against which he finally thrust his feet
and gave himself a shove which sent him
far out into the current. ,

He believed he had marked well the
spot where the buwen had sunk, and
toward it he swum with long, steady
strokes. At the right moment he turned
his head downward, cast 11p his fckt, and
went under the surface like a loon.

Saul knew that he must depend upon
his sense of touch alone, and that it must
be chance or fate which would give him
success in his efforts.

It was because he thought one or the
other would be with him that he was
willing to try. He cared far too much
for his own life to risk it hopelessly. In
fact, he had never realized how dear it
was to him until he thought the matter
solemnly over while floating down the
sunken river.

Now, when there were strange noises
in his ears, and his lungs seemed about
to close, and be doubted if he could reach
the top of the water alive, he trusted to
fate, and dove still farther, sweeping the
smooth bottom with clutching fingers—-
which at last closed on something he
knew at once was the object of his
search.

    

 

'-' r I "2-. r-‘L':’~‘.4.‘1‘l~.:.'ty‘t‘§‘: u’s

 

_“

l

. an effort for his restoration the moment

 

Queen Edna, of the Panthers.

1 i

, ,__. .. . .._..I-_M.)—.=n-_  ..,

9

 

 

He sought to raise,it, but it held to
the bottom like an anchor, and held him
with it.

The seconds were fleeting rapidly. He
had not many of them to spare. If he
loosened his hold now he doubted if ever
he could refix it.

And even in that first touch he had
learned there was a human body en-
closed in the coarse sacking.

“It must be weighted at the one end,
he thought, and managed to draw his
knife with his left hand. There was risk
of harming the victim if he still lived—
or, if she—It was as likely this was the
body of Arla Earl as that it was of any
other.

He drew the keen blade along the rude
material, placed the knife between his
teeth, and obtained a firm hold on what
he knew was a shock of human hair.

After that, he only knew he was fight-
ing his way upward until he came out at
the surface, half senseless, but still hold-
ing on to his prize like grim death.

The bank, where he had left, was per-
pendicular, and the crown far beyond h1s
reach. To go back to the wharf would
be both dangerous and difficult. Now
that he had made his capture Saul hard-
ly knew what to do with it. Sooner or
later he might be forced to let it go, and
look after his owu safety.

For the present, however, he was will—
ing to take some chances, though he
knew how severely his strength had al-
ready been tried. He swung in to the
shore, and suffered himself to drift slow-
ly along, feeling his way as he went.

Now and then his feet struck bottom
in the shallows, and once he stopped to
rest a moment while he examined his
charge.

“It’s a man, sure enough,” he mut-
tered; “ and if I had half a show I’d bring
him through. If I’m not way off he’s
not dead yet. Blame pity that light don’t
reach here as well as it might.”

By this time he was in a dim twilight,
which prevented his recognizing more
than an outline, and he could distin-
guish nothing of the features of his bur-
den. He began to think it time for a_
desperate effort to make his way out of
the water; and feeling carefully upward
believed he had found the spot where it
could be done.
~ The struggle which followed was the
one of his life. Twice he slipped back;
as often returned to the charge. It would
have been nothing to reach the level
above if he had been unin-cumbered; but
he never once thought of deserting his
charge after finding it was a human be-
ing.

At last, exhausted with his efforts, but
successful, he stumbled up on the ledge,
and dropped his burden.

For a moment he rested.

If life had depended on it he could not
have done otherwise. His hands were
numb, his whole frame shook and ShlV-
ered. As for the man he had brought
out, he had but faint hopes that his life
could be preserved.

Nevertheless, he settled down to make

he felt equal to the task.

In his hip pocket he fortunately car-
ried a medicine he saved for emergen-
cies, and it served him in good stead
now.

He needed it badly enough for him-
self, and sampled it lightly. More of it
he used on his jetsam. .

He chafed the cold wrists; he pressed
on the broad chest; he started respira~
tion by a regular motion of the arms,
which yielded to his efforts. He tried
everything he could think of—and he
won. much to his own surprise.

 

“Confound it, what am I to do with
him?" asked Saul, puzzled at the prob—
lem next to solve.

“ He ought to be wrapped up in blank-
ets for the next twenty-four hours, with
considerable careful nursing. He’ll die
if I keep him here; and if I tote him back
to where he came from they’ll be apt to
kill him again—and me along with him.
All the same, I don’t want to be with
him here in the dark, when he gets
right hold of his strength. He might
strangle me by mistake. There’s the mus-
cle of a Hercules in those arms of his. I’ll
do the best I can, and if I die trying it
won’t be my fault.”

Thus making up his mind he caught
up the body which was quivering with
life as it returned. and staggered off
toward the light which soon began to
glow in the distance.

Few of his weight could have carried
the burden as well. Perhaps the exercise
and the anxiety were what he needed, to
divert his mind somewhat from his own
late affairs. He came once more to the
landing place, and looked first at the
boat, and then at the passage down
which had come the men with the bur-
den.

The boat offered him no escape, but
only a refuge. The passage was as likely
to be the gateway to death. He was
tempted to drop his burden for a mo-
ment, and explore. At the siight mo-
tion he made the burden in his arms
came more into life.

“Keep on!” the stranger urged, in a
husky whisper.’ “Stay with me a. little
longer and I swear you will come to no
t‘ifiurt. Face to face they dare not harm

e.”

Whisper though it was there was such
life in the tone Saul was startled.

He was eager to find a resting place
for the man he had so lately considered
drowned, and dropped him easily to the
ground.

“Into what devil’s nest have I fallen?
Who are you? What is the meaning of
all this? ”

“Waste no time in questions now.
Complete your work and you will not be
unrewarded. Fail me and I cannot
answer for your life. Without me one
who has opened the mystery of the Hid—
den River will fare badly. Escape will
be impossible, and discovery. will mean
death.”

“ It strikes me, considering the plight
I just brought you out of, I may as well
rely on myself. They don’t seem to cot-
ton to you here."

“Face to face they dare not move a
finger. It was treachery, black and vile.
Give me an hour to become myself again
and I’d laugh at them all. I know them
now.”

“More than I do. What sort of a gang
are they, anyhow? ”

“ Ask me no questions. Enough that I
rule them. Make up your mind quick,
or it may be I will not need you.”

“And then? ”

“ It will be so much worse for you.”

There was too much of threat in the
words of the stranger to be altogether
pleasing to the youth. His hand went
back toward his revolver.

“My friend, I am not 'sure I have done
a wise thing. You threaten early in the
game. Go slow or I may take the notion
to send you back where I found you. I’ll
swear it won’t be half the trouble it
was to get you out.”

“No, no! You mistake. I will never
forget. But without me you are lost, and
I am not fit to defend you now. Help
me, and I will show the way. Ah, I will
teach them a lesson! Traitressl Such re-
venge!"

 

He saw by the light in Saul eye that
the lad had decided to aid him, and at
that moment began to think of other
things which were beyond Sanders’s com-
prehension, and of which, for the pres-
ent, he thought it best to take no notice.

“Come, then. Point out the way and
I will lead you in it. But, beware of
treachery. Try it and you die.”

So speaking, Saul assisted the other to
rise.

 

CHAPTER IX.

A WOMAN’S WILL.

Tom Calvert looked around him when
the door bolted, and his laugh was a.
trifle bitter.

“ Can’t say I see much profit in the ex-
change. In fact, it’s the other way. My
friends must have ordered all the extra
frills for my especial benefit, but this
is just an ordinary, everyday. sort of ac-
commodation. Wonder what the chance
is to get out. No better than in the other
room, I’ll swear.”

He told the truth, every time.

As he gazed around, nothing but bare
stone walls confronted him, and had it
not been for the light which shone here
as brilliantly as elsewhere he would have
been in a dungeon of the darkest and
most cheerless kind.

Fortunate for him was it that he had
not been interrupted until he had fin-
ished his one meal of the day—no one
came to offer him another. ‘

He did not believe he would be alto-
gether overlooked or forgotten, but as
the hours wore on it began to look some-
thing like it.

“The woman saw where I went,” was
his mental solace; “ and she seems to be
one in authority, if she don’t boss the
whole concern. She will be looking me
up—unless that howling maniac should
prove too much for her. In that case,
who knows what may happen? Thomas,
I am afraid you have sent your pitcher
to the well once too often. The outlook-
or, the want of it—is awfully depress-
ing.”

So he reasoned to himself, though, as
hope grew less bright, his thoughts took
on a more gloomy tinge. He went ’round
and ’round 'the room in search of some
device by which he might communicate
with some one; but found none. He re-
membered that in a lunatic asylum it
might be supposed there was no need for
such things.

Wearied out with waiting he at last
threw him-self down upon me hard floor
and closed his eyes. He swore to him-
self he would not lose courage whatever
might happen; and he kept his word.
Eventually he fell asleep.

He awoke with the knowledge there
was some one in the room.

Looking up he saw a female figure,
and started to his feet. Before him was
the same woman who had motioned him
to enter here.

He looked more closely, and saw what
he was not so certain of before, though
he had more than half believed it. She
was young and beautiful.

“Pardon me,” she said, in a voice
which was low and liquid.

“ Perhaps I would not have dared leave
another man in such plight, but I was
sure, if I had not mistaken, it would not
harm you. The danger is now past, con-
cerning which I would rather hear no
questions. I come to talk of other mat-
ters. How is it that you are here? ”

“If you don’t know, I’ll never tell,”
was the blunt answer.

“ And you have no idea? "

“An idea—but if my other suspicions
are correct I think it would be best to

 

 
 

Queen Edna, of the Panthers.

 

10

 

 

keep it to myself. It might interfere
with my going away again, which I as-
sure you is the first thing I desire to
have on the programme.”

“Be not afraid to speak. Tell me,
what is the last thing you remember
previous to waking up under this roof? ”

Calvert stammered, and flushed.

It seemed to him there must be a
hiatus which it would be policy not to
mention. The last thing he remembered
as a remembrance was the strange meet-
ing with Saul Sanders, and the four
beasts which were guarding him. After
that, there must be a lengthy blank, in
which he had got back to a land where
«they had madhouses, and other evidences
of civilization.

“ You are afraid to speak for fear the
truth may seem ridiculous. Hesitate no
longer. Or, perhaps, I can put your
lthoughts into words.”

“If you can I’ll be worse mixed than
i ever.”

. “ No, since I will explain. At the edge
of the desert you met my messengers.”

“ Yours? ”

“ Yes, mine. They spoke to you with-
out words, and they led you on until you
were in safety over the most dangerous
part of the road. Had you turned aside
you might have wandered into regions
where hope never can come.”

“I cannot say that I altogether un-
derstand. It may be as you say; but why
should you have taken the pains? I was
doing very well as it was.”

“ Scarcely so well as you thought. You
had made up your mind to the journey,
but knew little of the dangers in the
way. Without me all your bright anti-
cipations would have been vain. Only
through me could you attain the object
of your search.”

“ And you were willing to aid me!
Why? ”

He looked curiously at the woman, and
it seemed to him he could detect a. flush
on her face, a trifle of confusion in her
manner.

Perhaps she did not understand his ob-
jects as well as she thought. He suf-
fered his gaze to rest on her face and
contemplate it in silence. There are
times when it is not hard to read the
Sphinx—and this was one of them. He
almost blushed himself.

“Because I needed aid myself; and be-
cause in you I recognized a kindred
Spirit.”

“But what could you know of me?
-Up to this moment, so far as I can tell,
.we never met. We are utter strangers.”

“Not so much so as you may think,
and the surest proof is that you are
here.”

“And where in the name of Heaven
is ‘here’? I am tired of all this mys-
tery and delusion. If I am confined in
a. lunatic asylum, say so. If you are doc—
tor or patient tell me so, and which. If
you are as good as you are beautiful
you will befog me no longer.”

“You may not know it, but once,
months ago, I saw you. After that, with
this in my’posseSSion you could never
 far away.” -

From her breast she drew out a hand-
kerchief which he recognized as possi-
bly one of his own, long lost.

" Through that, when I remembered you
again at the time I seemed to have need,
I was able to draw you, to follow you
step "by. step. What ostensible motive
you might have, or what companions, I
knew not, but of yourself I kept close
track, and sent out the only messengers
I had to lead you hither. If I had to use
gentle force forgive me. Hereafter you
lhall move only at your own free will.”

Calvert listened through this remarka-

 

ble explanation with a gradually deepen—
ing sense of awe. He did not yet know
where he was, but the method of his ar-
rival was even more important. No de-
lusion this. since it fitted in too well with
his own story. And if it was the truth,
he knew he was as absolutely within the
power of this woman as though he was
a simple mass of potter’s clay which she
was moulding.

Beautiful she was, strong, masterful—
but in that moment he feared her as he
had feared nothing in all his life. True,
she had promised him the freedom of
his will; but he shrewdly suspected that
would be only while his will ran along
in the same line as her own. Yet, he
showed none of this in his face, as, in
a low voice he asked:

“Where am I now?”

“Where you have sought to be—in
the ruined remnant of prehistoric civili-
zation. In the castle of the unknown.
In the house of the dead, which stands
over the hidden river of the sunken
canyon.”

“ In the house of the dead? Then these
figures I have seen are but wraiths? You
yourself are but a beautiful phantom?
Forgive me if I am broken by the reve-

lation. I stand, it seems as man never
stood before, in the presence of the
spirits.”

He hardly knew whether the awe that
he put in his tones was real or but a bit

of acting.
“No, no! I am a living thing, as
much so as yourself, though I have

powers that sometimes even to me seem
more than human. In the outside world
you have seen something of the force I
wield; you shall see more of it here. Yeu
have come seeking a treasure—you shall
find it, and more. Together we will make
these vaults render up the wealth which
has been buried for ages, and which as
yet we have barely tapped. If it be our
choice, here we can found a kingdom.
Everything is within our grasp, yours
and mine.”

She spoke with the enthusiasm of a
prophetess, and her dark eyes glowed
like living fire. The young man felt
them taking possession of his soul. He
gasped out:

“But we are not here alone—you and
I. There are others. I have seen them.
It was but a chance that I was not
slain.”

“Have no fears. No such danger shall
come to you again. There was but one
here who I failed to control, and he—is
gone. T e rest are my slaves. They
shall be yours. I lacked only one I
could trust—and you are now here.”

“Gone? Where.”

He asked himself the question with a
chill, though he did not speak it aloud.
Something of his thoughts the singular
woman appeared to read.

She waved her hand between them.

“ Forget all that. There is such chance
for you as man never had. Wealth with-
out end, a kingdom for the founding of
it. A refuge the world can never reach,
and subjects man cannot conquer. Are
you with me?”

She held out her hand toward him, and
he knew it was his for the grasping, but

'he folded his arms, with a. stern resolve

to retain his will, and answered:

“There is blood on it. I dare not take
it until I know more.”

“ You shall know more. You shall
know all. By means of my powers I
learned of this place, and came hither.
I found it occupied as a refuge by men
who knew not its secret. To use them,
and to secure my own safety, I had to
rtell them something of the truth, and
share with them a tithe of the treasure.

 

“Even that was not lost. Much of it
has been spent in refit-ting this retreat—
the rest is still in the treasury. Only
one of them could hold out against my
power, and he was the brute who had
ruled before my coming. For a time we
divided the sovereignty, but there came
a. moment when it was his life or mine—
and with mine would have gone yours.
I fought for us both—and won. Blame
me if you dare.” ,

She mastered him after all. As her
hot glance darted into his eyes he gave
up the contest, and enclosed her hand
within his own. i

“As you will. I am but clay in your
hands, mould me as you wish.”

“Spoken well. Never shall you regret.
I cannot explain more to-night, for the
others must be prepared for the new or-
der; and that will only take a little time.
Let me lead you back to the quarters
you first occupied. To-morrow you shall
know all the hidden secrets of the place.”

Though his soul was in arms against it
he bowed his head in acquiesence, the
door opened before them, and she led
the way through the empty corridor.

“ Perhaps I may be able to show you
our kingdom later on. If not, good
night.”

And thus, with a wave of the hand,
she left him, to his confused thoughts.

 

CHAPTER X.
THE STORY OF A KING.

Saul Sanders knew well enough that
he had stumbled across a mystery and
a crime.

He had little time to think the mat-
ter over, but it had come to him like a
revelation that the underground stream
had taken him to the building he had
seen at sunset; and that the place had
unexpected inhabitants, who might not
receive him after a friendly fashion.

He was wise enough to see that the
man he had rescued was at present on
the losing side in some internal dissen-
sion, and would have liked to know
something more about what had been
done before going further.

At the same time, almost any guide
was better than none at all, and he felt
that, for the present at least, he could
hold his own with all in sight. He kept his
eyes open for treachery—for he did not
altogether trust this dripping Hercules—«
and intended to worm out of him what
information he could at the earliest
practicable woment. .

Until that time, perhaps it was best
not to think at all in regard to what he
had found. He devoted himself to his
patient; and without meeting a soul, the
two crept slowly through the passages
until they reached a spot where the man
seemed to believe himself to be safe. He
threw himself down upon a couch. and
left Saul to look around in amazement
at the room and its furnishing.

After a time, however, the strength of
the late moribund appeared to return,
and he gazed sharply at the youth.

“ How did you get here, young man? ”
was his question. “If you had been
brought in by Edna you would hardly
have come to my rescue.”

“ Rest easy on that, old man. No-
body brought me. I just dropped in. I
found the valleyl by chance, saw a castle
in the distance, and would have come
down in the morning, to explore around
a little; but you can bet high on it that
if I had had the say-so, I wouldn’t have
come in exactly this way.”

“ Dropped in, eh? You must mean
something by that."

“ I mean just what I say, (or I never

     
 

 

 

  
 

. .4 1.9.? a.

 

 

Queen Edna, of the Panthers.

11

 

 

would have taken the jump into the
sunken canyon of my own free will. One
minute I was nosing around in the star-
light; the next I was drifting down the
stream that flows below. I had just
crawled out when your friends brought
you along in a sack, and dumped you
in, regardless. I’m one of those unlucky
:wretches that always must take up for
the under dog in a fight, and so I took
up for you. Now. I’d like to know where
I am, and what’s going on here."

“Sounds like the truth,” said the man,
rubbing his beard thoughtfully. “Yet,
'how did you come to find this valley at
all? What brought you here?”

“What brings most men to such hid—
den spots in the desert? An idle tale,
perhaps. Some cheap jest, told around a
campfire. For every such retreat there
is a story of rich placers or a hidden
treasure. I am no different from the
res-t. I searched, and I found.”

The \truth seemed to Saul to fit the
case best. No other reason came to his
mind, and he was not afraid to tell it.
He began to think this adventure was a
larger one than he could handle by him-
self, and it might be well to try and
make terms with the man he had saved.

“You.found too much,” said the man,
gloomily.

“ We are first on the spot, and hold
all we found.”

“Strikes me that your pards are not
exactly the right stripe to tie to. Hadn’t
you better draw a moist pen slick through
and start fresh? Come! I have done
you a good turn; do me one. I am not
the only person who has heard of this
spot. It will not be long before you have
your hands full.”

“What good turn I can do you I will.
Swear to stand by me and I will make
you one of the sharers in this kingdom.”

" Much in it? ” '

“ Millions. More than any one sus—
pects, perhaps, save yourself—and one
other. It is all ours, and we'll have it
if we have to fight for it.”

He shut his teeth hard, and shook his
fist savagely. Saul thought of Plant—
hunter and his young charge, and won-
dered if they had fallen into these hands.
He had entirely forgotten them until a
moment ago. It was hardly safe to al-
lude to them, yet he could not help wish-
ing to find out if his strange companion
knew anything of their disappearance.
He doubted it; and if not he might make
terms for the two, and perhaps be giving
him a valuable hint.

At the same time, he knew how un-
certain was the hope, and he hesitated:

“ I don’t mind taking shares in a stock
company for developing an Aztec ruin,
and keeping out intruders, so far as thin-
ing law and the rule to treasure trove
will allow. I am as warm after wealth
as the next man. But, up to the present
time I have lived an honest life, and
never run foul of the law. I intend to
keep on in the same lines. How does
that platform suit your royal highness? ”

“ It is all right for those who care to
live on it, but it will never bring a man
a million. Yet. I like you, boy, and 1’11
give you one more chance. Swear that
when the time comes you cannot fight
for me and us you will not be against
us, and that whatever you may learn
rwhile here as my friend and guest will
remain an’ untold secret. Do this, and
for a time, at least, I can trust you, and
when you go away it will not be empty
handed. If we meet the suCCess I dream
of, you shall have a share such as you
could never have obtained had you been
free to work here alone. And, by the

May—are you alone? Tell the truth. It
shall Pe___all “the better for you.

IfI

 

find you have been deceiving me, all
promises made are off, and I will forget
you saved my life.”

One of the talonlike fingers thrust the
threat at Saul.

The question and the threat, however,
found him prepared.

“That’s for you to make out. I told
no one of my plans. I started alone. I
entered this valley alone. I arrived here
alone. Outside of yourself, there is no
one knows in all this wide world that I
am in or under this castle of the ages.

“ That is enough—if you are telling the
truth, as I believe you are.”

“Don’t be too‘ sure of that. On the
way I touched more than one whose feet
were turned in the same direction. Per-
haps you know something of them? ”

“When you reached this were they be-
fore or behind you?”

The cold way in which the question
was asked convinced Sanders his state-
ment was not a surprise, and that some-
thing was to be learned from this man,
who was now almost himself again.

“If I know anything about it they
were all before me.”

“Who were they, and what did you
know about their objects? ”

“ I cant’ tell you as much as they might
if they were willing to talk. First, there
was a young man I met beyond, on the
edge of the desert. Never saw him be-
fore, but we sort of cottoned to each
other, and tramped along together till
the next night. We laid down to rest,
and when I woke up he was gone. That
was the last of him.”

“Ah, the man who could find his way
here ought to be able to see a trail, even
in the desert, and you do not seem like
one who would accept such a disappear-
ance without trying to account for it.”

“ If eyesight goes for anything, he
slipped away through the solid rock.
The way I felt, I half believed the whole
thing, man and all, was a dream, and I
let it go at that. Out on the sand a fel—
low sees queer things at times, and
knows enough to smile and pass on.”

“True. And the others?”

" A man and a girl. They were camped
at the head of the valley. The man had
visited this country years ago, and was
guiding the other, who was, I take it,
seeking something besides treasure. They
disappeared just as mysteriously as my
other friend had done. It was while I
was looking for them that I tumbled into
the river through an opening in the
rocks. The men can take care of them-
selves. That’s what they are men for.
But if you have harmed the girl—you
and I will fight.”

The threat was coolly made, without
any overbearing insolence, and did not
seem to anger the listener. He answered
slowly:

“I know nothing of the girl, but there
is one who does, and before the night is
over I will have the truth from her lips.
Stop! I have seen one of them. I un-
derstand now. Edna brought him here
herself. The traitoress! I might have
known.”

“Who is Edna, if it is a fair ques-
tion? ”

“It is a long story, boy, and one I
would not care to tell if I did not trust
you. To shorten it up it would sound
something like this:

“ I and a dozen or more men found our
way into this region. There were a hun-
dred mounted men in blue after us, prom-
ising ropes or bullets, as we might chose,
but we preferred starvation and thirst,
so we pushed ahead, and dropped them
in the desert. Perhaps they never went
back. We have made no search, and their
bones never were found by us.”

 

“Perhaps they are saying the same
thing of you.”

“All the better. It was a year ago.
We found what we had not dreamed of,
and though it was a dangerous road we
had to take to reach it, we saw how it.
could be used as a fortress and a hiding
place. When we had gone from one end
to the other, as we imagined, we thought
of it as nothing else. Then, Edna came
.up, out of the ground at our feet.”

“And who is she?”

“A witch. A woman with strange
powers. She, and a man who seemed
as much her slave as her servant, stalked
boldly in among us.

“ With them came the panthers,marve1-
ously trained. Before long she told us
strange things, and in the end had the
men who had been mine almost as much
her slaves as the one she had brought.
with her. All but me. She could not.
bend or break my will, with all her
magic, and so we went along side by
side. At her bidding they worked as
men never worked—and found gold that.
seemed countless, though she held it as
a drop in the bucket to the treasures she
would unearth. She it was who sent
them back more than once by a way she
found for such supplies as we needed;
she unearthed the wonderful secrets, one
by one; she harnessed the stream in the
hidden canyon, and turned it into light;
she promised even greater things. All
the time I doubted her, and though we
worked together We were on guard. To-
night her chance came for a stroke, and
she made it. It will be my turn next.”

Saul looked at the speaker. If he had
not just saved his life probably he would
have seemed still more repulsive; as it
was the self-declared outlaw looked for-
bidding enough. Yet, this confidence
fascinated him. He was yearning to take
part in the adventure. It was the most
wonderful thing he had ever heard or
imagined, and whatever this man had
been, he appeared to be on the right side
now. One thing more he had to say:

“ Old man, I’m with you, if that is all
straight goods; but I want to say a word
for the girl I spoke of and her guide.
They did not come on a. treasure hunt,
but she seeks her father, who, she be-
lieves, is here. It’s ten to one she has
fallen into this Edna’s hands, and my
first move would be to get her out of
them. She mustn’t come to any harm.”

“ Take the earth, youngster—if you
can get it. That’s always been my plan.
I’ll give you all I dare; and for the rest—
we’ll see. I must leave you here for a
time, until I can see how the land lays.
You will be safe enough, and might have
worse quarters. Rest yourself until I re-
turn.”

All his strength Seemed tohave come
back to him, and he was little the worse
after his marvellous escape from death.

Once having made up his mind, he did
not hesitate on his going, and Saul found
himself alone.

He did not altogether fancy the posi-
tion of affairs, but there was a master-
ful way about his host which he did not
think it well to resist. He might have
felt dryer, and warmer, and less hungry;
but this was so much better than drifting
down the sunken river that he tried to
be cheerful; and did not succeed badly.

By and by he heard, rather than saw,
the door open. As instantly he slipped
behind the curtains which hung on the
sides of the room, and congratulated him-
self for his prudence when he heard a.
voice that he guessed rightly belonged
to the mysterious woman he had heard
called Edna.

It was simply a good-night she was
saying, to some one she ushered into the

 

 
   

12

Queen Edna, of the Panthers.

 

 

room. He peeped cautiously out from
his hiding place, and to his surprise rec-
ognized Torn Calvert!

 

CHAPTER XI.
AHAB EARL.

“Great Scott, old man!
get here?”

With this exclamation Saul Sanders
strode out from behind the curtain and
advanced toward his whilom friend.

The surprise was as great on the other
side, and the two stared at each other,
though Calvert recovered himself first.

“Ask me something easy. All I know
is that I arrived. But I’ll swear I
would just as soon I was somewhere
else. This is too near the infernal re-
gions to suit me.”

“ Haven’t seen anything of Planthunt-
er and the young lady since you left
without saying good-by?”

“ Not a thing. I hope to heavens this
is not the spot they are aiming at.”

“ It is just that same; and if I can guess
at anything of the facts in the case, I
should say the lady at the door knows
something about her."

“ I hope not. What do you know about
them; and how do you come to be .here?
Quick! Tell me all about it.”

Saul did not hesitate, but gave a swift
outline of his adventures since striking
the valley, dowu to the rescue of the
man in the sack. Even though Calvert
might have gone over soul and body to
the mysterious Edna, he could not see
any reason for keeping back what had
happened.

When he had briefly sketched it all
he stood back, to note how Calvert
took it.

“It looks as though you had the best
chance to get what you came for,” was
Tom’s glooomy answer. -

“I swear, I forgot to ask the queen
of these infernal regions whether she
knew anything about a brace of wander-
ers whose faces were set this way. Per-
haps it was just as well. There is a
revolution going on in this kingdom,
and the less attention is called to any
one the better. My own head hardly
rests too -well on my Shoulders, though
I’d back my chances against yours. Be-
fore this thing is done with, the chances
are both of us will go up the flume.”

“That comes from being on both sides
of the question at issue. My man is
not a very good one to look at, but I
should say he was powerful as a fighter,
and built to stay.”

“I know. I have seen him. He in-
truded here, and.I had the pleasure of
knocking him endways. When he gets
the chance, he will repay the blow of
the fist with a stroke of the steel. I
might, perhaps, plead your cause with
the woman you call Edna if—”

“ If it was not that the moment she
gets on to the interest you have been
taking in a certain Arla Earl you’ll have
to be looking out for your own neck.
Whichever side comes on top, it is going
to be bad for one of us; and most likely
both. The only thing I see is to join
forces and make a. fight against every-
thing in the ring.”

“ No use to think of escape.”

“ Not a bit. I don’t budge until I get
my hands into the treasure somewhere
near to the elbows. It’s as much mine
as any one’s.”

“ And I don’t go until I find Arla, or
know she is beyond help.”

“All the same, it looks like murder
to strike in against the man I saved, and
that is what they ought to call it.”

“ And it is the same way about the
Queen of the Sunken Canyon.”

How did you

'to be

 

“Right you are, though from what I
have picked up, they both deserve all
they will get.”

“Hist! Some one comes.”

They heard the shooting of the bolt
preparatory to the opening of the door,
and without hesitation both disappeared
behind the curtains.

It might be the king, or it might be
the queen, who was approaching. Which-
ever it was, there was one prisoner too
many in the room. Peeping cautiously
out at the man who advanced into the
room, they saw he bore a tray, and Cal-
vert concluded Edna had not forgotten
his fast of the day.

He slipped out and stood between the
man and the door. -

“You are Ahab,” he said, as the indi-
vidual turned and gazed into his face.

The man nodded acquiescence.

“ Ahab—who" You have another name.
I am curious to know more of those who
befriend me.”

“Ahab Earl.”

“ Father to Arla Earl.
guessed it.”

The name appeared to have a magical
effect. The eyes of the listener bright-
ened; he made a step forward.

“ Yes. My daughter. What know you
of her? Did she send you? Tell me of
her! Oh, I have dreamed of this! How
did you know me? Where is she? Can
it be that she has heard? ”

With tongue loosened by those few
words, his questions rolled out one after
the other, never a wait for an answer as
he reached out and clasped the hand of
the young man.

“Yes, she has heard.
her, but I know of her. A friend saw her
not long since. The letter you dropped
into the canyon, enclosed in a bottle,
drifted out into the gulf, and was picked
up by one who never opened it, but sent
it, encloscd in another envelope, ad-
dressed as yours was.”

“And you—you were the man who
found the floating bottle? ”

“I was. I followed up the letter, cu-
rious to learn its meaning. It must have
contained some injunction to secrecy, for
I heard nothing of its real contents till
long after. I only knew the young lady
started on some dangerous quest, under
the guidance of a man she sought out,
and that she refused to take a warning
which I tried, in all good faith, to give
her. How I came here myself I hardly
know; but I believe that she is also
within these walls, a prisoner to the
woman who governs here. If so, you
must help her, and be sure that if my
chance comes to aid her I will not be
backward.”

“Here? Surely, not here? She would
never have been so mad! A fate worse
than death! Ah, coming!” ,

The intelligence died from his face
with a suddenness that was startling.
and he turned away as though he had
heard nothing. Before Calvert could re—
cover from his surprise, the visitor had
glided from the room, and the door had
closed behind him.

"‘ Saul, did you ever hear anything
stranger? ”

As he spoke, Calvert turned toward the
curtain behind which he believed his
friend was concealed.

There was no answer. In fact, he was
alone n the room! While he conversed
with Ahab, Sanders had taken the op-
portunity of the open door, and had
quietly disappeared.

What was the meaning of it? Was he
entirely. deserted? Calvert
shrugged his shoulders at the thought,
and seated himself at the meal that was
before him. He was ravenously hungry.

Heavens! I

I do not know

 

“ King or Queen? ” he muttered to
himself a little later, as he heard once
more the shock of the hidden bolt, as it
was forced back from its tSOCth.

He cocked his revolver, laid it on the
_table beside his plate, and went on eat-
ing.

 

' CHAPTER XII.
IN THE LAIR OF THE TIGERS.

It was a sudden instinct which caused
Saul Sanders to slip away.

He was every whit as hungry as Cal-
vert, and was also interest-ed in the con-
versation with Ahab; but when he saw
a chance to pass the portal beyond which
it was not safe to go, yet behind which
danger was likely to find him, he did
not hesitate.

As yet he knew nothing about the in-
terior of this venerable building, save
what he had seen on the way from
the canyon below to this spot. He
wished he had asked some questions
when he had the opportunity. Not hav-
in,]gf done so, he had to explore for him-
se .

He went noiselessly along the hall, fol—
lowing the same course as that lately
taken by Calvert. Before going far he
looked back over his shoulder, and saw
Ahab making his exit.

At that he looked around for a ‘hid-
ing place; but could see none. Either
he must fight it out, or must run for it;
and he chose the latter course.

In a moment he had turned the angle,
and was peeping back at Ahab from
around the corner.

Ahab saw nothing of this, and moved
blindly toward the spot. Further flight
was necessary; and seeing the stairway
down which Calvert came so near to tum-
bling, he dodged down that, his hand on
his revolver.

He did not go far, and when Ahab
passed on he stole back and followsd him
on tiptoe. It was a wonderful risk; but
it was a time when such a one should
be taken. It probably meant life or death
to know—or not to know—what was go—
ing on.

There was little of elegance about this
stone monument of the past.

It was built after the simplest order
of architecture, so far as arrangement
was concerned. Plain hallways ran
through the centre of it, and the rooms
were on either side. To be sure, the
m-asonwork was all marvelously well
done, and so pointed off that, though
doubtless joints were systematically,
broken, yet everywhere his eyes seemed
to meet solid walls. He doubted if he
couLd go back and find the opening by,
which he had left the room where the
dwarf Hercules had placed him.

“ Nice place to nose around without
some sort of a. guide,” he thought to
himself.

“Don’t seem to be any way to get out
to the open, and no telling when a door
will swing, and some one pop out on
you. What I would like to know is
whether this is the garret, basement, or
somewhere betwixt and between. If the
lights went out on a fellow, and he was
in a hurry to get out, it would be a.
mighty bad show.”

01 course, he was careful not to get
too near his involuntary guide, and all
the time was watching him carefully.

He was confident of being able to find
his way back to the underground river;
and had decided that in case of discovery
and pursuit he would retreat in that di-
rection. If hard pressed, he would take
to the boat, and trust himself for a time

to the uncertain current of the stream. ,

 ,‘   g; _,  .__V.; ” 1;; l..:._ .. I  .  ,r 1; ‘1', 7  . '-
.. “w; lit....ltmm,,_é¢hfi.x.  . .    . ., .

   

 

  

E;

  

Queen Edna, of the Panthers.

13

 

 

He was not at all anxious for such an
adventure, however, and when he saw
his unconscious guide halt, he paused
himself.

Ahab knocked thrice upon the centre
of a stone on the wall, and after waiting
a moment knocked twice more, striking
with the bait of a knife he drew from
his belt.

Would he go in, or would he first look
around? If he did the latter he was
almost certain to see Saul, and it was
only the far-away appearance of the man
that induced Sanders to run the risk.

The door opened, and without a par-
ticle of hesitation Earl went in.

“ Neck or nothing,” thought Saul; and
silently, but with swift steps, glided to
the spot where the man had disappeared.

He had been almost certain the door
did not close again; and found he had
not been mistaken.

The opening was but partially closed.
He heard voices within.

“ You have stayed long; why? ”

“Pardon, madame. He spoke to me
and I could but answer.”

“He said? ”

“ He asked after a man and woman
who came hither, and who, he thinks,
are prisoners.”

“ He did? ”

The exclamation was one of angry sur-
prise.

“ Good heavens! can this girl be any-
thing to him? I thought they were but
a. pair of meddling fools, and hesitated
what to do with them. Better to have
left them to the tender mercies of the
‘brutes. And you? What answer did
you make him?”

“I said I had not seen them. Then,
you called me, and I came away.”

It'was the truth he spoke, as far as it
went, but he might ave told much more.
Perhaps it was some thought in her own
mind which controlled his speech. Cer—
tainly, if she had pressed him he would
have given word for word precisely what
Tom Calvert really did say. It may be
it was the will of Saul Sanders, who was
listening with interest, and who under-
stood only too well the strange powers
of the remarkable woman.

He waited eagerly, for what was to
come next.

“It is not too late to rid ourselves of
them; and out of sight they will be out
of mind. You, Ahab, waking or dream-
ing, here or elsewhere, will forget you
have ever seen or heard of them. Re-
member. Follow me. I may have need
of your knife.”

She was going to leave the room, and
Saul looked around him in some dismay.

If they came out of that door nothing
could save him from being seen, and
while he did not doubt his being able to
hold his own. armed as he was with a
revolver, there was no telling what rein—
forcements the sounds of a struggle
might bring to the scene. .

With his hand on the handle of his
pistol, he awaited the discovery.

It turned out that it was not now to
coffinoment later he heard her voice, but
it was further off, and less distinct. She
was leaving the room by some other

We. .

slim sighed with satisfaction.

“ All right, my lady. Im in the ring
to find out all I can discover, and there s
not a better spot to learn wisdom than
right here. 11 you will be kind enough
to leave that back door open also, I ll be
pleased to give you the benefit of my
company for the ensuing interview.
Steady, now. Here goes."

_  With cautious .hand he pushed the door
. still further open, and entered the room.

‘ 1

-~= v‘\‘_ ’.. A ~.. 1'
an} .23.}, ,i"'_,’.v»‘ .r  s.
~...'i  »,. r v

. .

 

The apartment, in size and furnish-
ing, resembled much the one in which
he had left Calvert. There were a few
feminine nick—nacks, showing this was
the abiding place of a woman, but the
occupant seemed to run to the practical
rather than the luxurious.

He advanced still further, looking this
way and that in search of the route to
what he knew lay beyond, but the sight
which met his eyes-was one on which
he had not counted.

From separate corners of the room
stepped certain friends he had almost
forgotten, and whom he had no desire to
see again. '

The panthers rose up, yawnedd and
moved toward him with a silence that
was fascinating.

A few steps they moved, and then
crouched together, as if for a simulta-
neous spring.

 

CHAPTER XIII.
WITHOUT MERCY.

With her rear guarded by four such
allies, Edna had little fear of what she
left behind her, and would not have re—
turned to remedy the mistake had she
been aware the door had been left open.

She was most thoroughly the master
of the secrets of this building, and she
and Ahab alone knew the hidden ,way
by which she made her exit from the
room. It was in utter darkness now, as
she stepped lightly down the stone
stairway; but there was no hesitation in
her movements.

A score of steps she counted, and then,
knowing she was once more on the level,
turned to the right, and sought the wall
for guidance.

Ahab had followed the same way more
than once, but had he been an utter
stranger to it little difference would that
have made. He moved through no voli-
tion of his own. When Edna halted he
came to a stop, but it is doubtful if he
understood why. Never was possession
more complete.

A door opened to her touch, and the
two passed into a huge, arched chamber,
dimly lighted by the rays of a single
lantern.

In one corner were two figures, which
moved slightly as she approached. Plant-
hunter and Arla Earl were there.

Planthunter attempted to spring to his
feet; but there was the rattle of a chain,
and he sat down again with more vigor
than grace.

Arla never moved a particle.

Queen Edna caught up the lantern,
and held it so the light would fail full
on the face of the young girl, slowly
reading every line of those features,
whiCh she could not help but see were
beautiul.

For a little she stood thus, her eyes
glittering with hate, the fingers of her
free hand working involuntarily, as
though they clutched a dagger.

Standing behind her, Ahab allowed his
eyes to rove over the prisoners without
showing a spark of more than the idlest
curiosity. To all intents and purposes
he was a thing of springs and hinges,
moved solely by a master hand. He even
paid no attention to the words Queen
Edna was speaking. «

“ Girl, I ask you for the last time, why
have you come here? ”

“And I answer, because my feet wan-
dered in this direction. If you asked it
over a thousand times, I would say
nothing else.”

“Because that much the worst fool
would know. There was a mystery be-
hind that answer, as I knew from the
first, and it was only when I had half

; ' .;.- .5,» '. F v‘ I ,
" 5 , ’é'ra‘ M ‘ 'V‘VJ »' s ".

 

1.”,  ".. y.“ L ‘  it“!

solved it that it became dangerous. Tell
the whole truth, if you hope to live.”

Arla folded her arms, and closed her
lips tightly. If looks could speak, they
said, “I accept the danger; do your
worst.”

“You h-.ve found your way here, and
if I turned you loose, no promise you
made would keep you from seeking the
spot again. Only, the next time you
might bring a larger force with you. I
dare not keep you here—if it was only
for your own sake. The interests at
stake are too great to hesitate. You—
must go away.”

She hesitated, and though she tried to
soften her concluding words, they fell
from her lips as a threat. With one hand
outstretched, and pointing at the prison-
er, she waited, as if to learn their effect.

They fell idly. Here was another sub-
ject who was proof against her marvel-
ous powers.

“ You do not answer. So much the
worse for you. Take charge of her,
Ahab! ”

Her servant, her tool, and her slave
stepped forward.

“Take charge of her, and do as I or-
der. We will give the fool one chance.
After that, she and fate for it. As for
this poor fool here, there is little danger
in him, but we may have to dispose of
him later on. Leave him where he is.”

“ Fool yerself, ye old witch fiend. Ef
yer knows what’s good fur ye, don’t try
none ov er black art on me. An’ ef
yer hurt a hair on that leetle one’s head
thar’ll be a reckon’ fur ett sich ez you
won’t like ter meet.”

“That is right. Snarl if you please;
you are fixed so you cannot bite. Ahab,
away with her.”

Ahab and Arla looked at each other,
the man moving still closer, and reach-
ing out his hand. There was a look of
unconcern about his face. She might
have been a block of wood, so far as his
feelings were concerned.

Not so with Arla. As the name of the
man fell on her ears, she bent forward,
her hands clasped, peering up into the
stern, but otherwise emotionless, face
above her, her own growing whiter and
whiter.

He put out his arms and clasped her
around the waist, with agrip from
which she did not shrink.

Then, her splendid nerves gave way,
and, throwing up her arms, she gave a.
great cry and fainted.

Queen Edna looked at the two suspi-
ciously, but there was no sign in the face
of the man that he was moved. At that
moment she forgot that he saw only
with the eyes which she gave him. She
led the way, the lantern in her hand,
while Ahab Earl followed, the body of
the girl flung over his shoulder.

Planthunter, chained to the rock, was
too wise to waste his breath in useless
threats, or fruitless struggles, but he
closed his teeth hard, as light, and slave,
and captive, and queen vanished, and
he was left alone in the darkness.

“Fainted, hev yer, girl? Ef that
wretch are ter w’uk her wicked will, bet-
ter fur you of yer never opens them eyes
ag’in. Ter think ov ett. Better be old
Planthunter, settin’ hyer in the black
night, awaitin’ starvashun an’ death,
than ter git ag’in face ter face with ther
awful truth. Wonder ef that devil
couldn’t 'a’ knowed. P’rhaps I made a
mistake in not a. shoutin’ ett out. Ef'
I did, Lord furgive me. I kept silent fur
ther best.”

While he thought thus, he bowed his
face to his knees and continued to stare
as it seemed to him at the vanishing:

light. and the net-vela- victim borne
, \

 

 

“

Queen Edna, of the Panthers.

 

 

away to the slaughter upon her father’s
shoulder.

“After the day’s toil they sleep well;
and it is well that it is so. My slaves
are well in hand, and yet I cannot al-
ways be sure. This is one of those things
to which I want no witnesses. Ahab I
can trust, but with some of the rest I
am never altogether sure. They have
been seeing with their own eyes, rather
than mine, and their memories are not
altogether in my keeping.”

In this fashion the woman muttered
to herself as she went on, leading the
way through an arched hallway, which
seemed to be cut out of the solid rock
rather than built by mason’s art.

Not a soul met them; and after a time
they came out into the white light that
flooded a broader passageway, and shone
out upon the river.

She saw no traces of the dripping gar—
ments which had trailed across the quay
since she had been there, and the boat
rocked lazily at the end of its chain.

“ Ahab! ”

“Here, mistress.”

“What is it you are going to do? ”

“As you say. I have no other will.”

“The fool is dangerous to both you
and me, yet I give her a chance for life.
Would you have it so? ” .

“ As it pleases you."

“ You are going to tie her hands and
feet yet more securely."

“ It is done."

“ Draw up the boat and place her in.”

Without a word in response Ahab
gravely drew up the boat, giving the
chain a closer hitch, to hold. it to the
wharf.

Arla gasped, and moved slightly, but
he never seemed to notice it, as he
placed her softly in the vessel, and wait-
ed for the next order.

“ Cut loose and let it go.”

The chain was unhitc‘hed, and the boat
drifted slowly down with the current.
Arla’s head arose weakly from the bench
on which it was resting, and then
dropped down again. Perhaps the mo-
tion whirled away her senses, for once
more she was motionless.

“ You came a day or so too late," said
Edna, folding her arms, and watching
the craft float away toward the gloom be-
low. _

“I might have made terms with you
before I had seen him. Now, there can
be no terms. If fate saves you, I die.
One or the other of us—which will it
be?”

A mocking laugh closed the question,
and the boat, feeling more and more the
current, glided into the deeper shadows.

“ Too late—or else too soon. A day or
two later, when the last blast has been
fired, and I know the best, or the worst,
I might not care to take such chances.
The chances of the darkness, the water-
fall, the sunken channel, with its jagged
rocks; and she bound hand and foot!

. What chances are there? It is certain as

fate. She goes to her death! ”
She said the words firmly, as though

. caring nothing for the man who crouched

12".“

   
 

before her, watching the craft with eyes
as eager as her own; but at the mo-
ment there came something she did care
for, and she turned, with a face which
had suddenly become whiter, while her
hand went to her bosom. ..

Up in the hallway, somewhere, she
heard a hoarse roar which she recog-
nized, and the noise of running foot-
steps. .

As she stared up the manage she saw
rushing toward her a young man, whom
she recognized just in time.

It was Tom Calvert. In his wake fol-
lowed the one man in all the earth she

 

least thought to see, since to that mo-
ment she had believed he slept eternally
under the waters of the canyon.

How bad he escaped? How had he
come upon her guest? She shifted her
aim from the young man to him, and as
her finger lingered on the trigger of the
pistol she had drawn, Calvert rushed
past her and flung himself into the water,
turning his face down stream, and swim—
ming with strong, sturdy strokes.

She called to stay, that he was safe,
and as she called she shot.

As if an answering echo, there came
a. roar, a shaking, and—darkness. She
fell forward on her face, and even as sue
fell she felt the. fingers of her foe at her
throat.

 

CHAPTER XIV.

CYCLONE SAUL TAKES THE TRAIL.
Saul Sanders was as cool a warrior as
could be found, and did not force the
fighting when he saw the unsuspected
enemy about him.

Planthunter had explained something
about these brutes, while he knew con-
siderable in regard to them from per-
sonal experience.

To be sure, up to this time they had
always sought him, and there was no
telling how they would take a reversal
of the tactics. Had four men been mov-
ing upon him, he would no doubt have
shot without hesitation. Instead, now,
he threw himself upon the couch, which
was convenient, and glanced carelessly
at his confronters.

“ Oh, come, now!” he chaffed, in a
laughing tone; “where is the madam?
She and I are friends, don’t you know,
and I just dropped in by special invita-
tion. Best go slow till you hear what
she has to say about it.”

He waved his hand gently as he spoke,
and his voice seemed to hold them at bay.
They looked at him doubtfully, but he
felt sure the'immediate danger was over.
Perhaps, even, they might by and by
allow him to retire in good order—which
he did not intend to be slow about doing
when the chance came.

“Going to take good advice, are you?
That’s right. Let me know when she
comes. I’m not sure but what I’ll take a
doze while I’m waiting.”

He lounged back more easily still. If
these things were pets, as well as serv-
ants, they might be willing to allow the
very liberties he should not think of
taking.

So he reasoned; nor. was he mistaken.
They crouched around him for a time,
as though he was not forgotten, and
presently he was more at his ease than
they seemed to be. They arose, looked
at the open door, and then at him. In
their own silent way they were again
asking him to follow.

“Quite a genteel hint that they want
to turn me out. Blessed if I don’t think
I had better take it. All right, my,
friends. I’ll go if you are willing.”

He arose from his lounging position,
yet had not altogether understood their
purpose. They led the way through the
open door, but did not intend to stop
there. They went on, from time to time
looking back over their shoulders, to see
if he followed.

He shrugged his shoulders at the invi-
tation, .which he did not think it expe-
dient to refuse, and they went on down
the stairway on which Saul had taken
refuge when watching Ahab.

From their actions, he began to think
they were hunting for their mistress, for
they sniffed here, and there, as if in
search of a trail, but all the time trotted
along with some definite point in view.

 

The stairway led to what seemed to be
the lowermost part of the castle—to the
cellar, in fact.

The workmanship was more careless
than above, and there was evidence that
modIernkhands had been at work here.

“ oo ing for the trea ur "
thought Saul. S y’ I reekon'

“Mighty good thing I didn’t have to
take the contract all by my lonesome self.
Looks as though a dozen had been at
work; and blamed hard work, too.
Couldn’t have moved all that rock in
five years. Wonder if they know what
they are going for? Perhaps my friends
here won’t object if I view the prospect
0 er. What’s that wire for? Ah. Reck-
on it’s a blast, all ready to be put off
the first thing in the morning. Wouldn’t
be half bad to set it off now, and blow
the whole thing to never-come-back.”

His guess was a shrewd one, though he
had no real idea of firing the little mine
which he imagined lay there.

He would have been puzzled to know
how to go about it. Though he under-
stood the building was lighted by elec-
tric1ty, obtained by utilizing the current
of the hidden river, he knew little of
the principles behind it, and cared less.

Yet, it would have been easy to have
made a connection through the wire he
had discovered, and he was wise when
he carefully withdrew from what he
could not help but suspect was a dam
gerous neighborhood. ‘

The panthers stopped at a door, and
looked nervously around: then they seat-
ed themselves. There was something be-
yond which they wished to see, and Saul,
though a little uncertain under what
control they might be, was willing they
should be gratified. He stepped care-
lessly between them,-and undid the
fastenings.

The opened door revealed darkness be-
yond, and he hesitated to go further,
until he saw a lighted lantern sitting
just within the doorway.

He caught it up and followed his
guides, impelled the more strongly by
catching what he thought was the sound
of a low moan.

Following in the direction whence the
sound came, he found Planthunter, who
looked up, and, recognizing Saul, uttered
a snarl.

“ Ah, you war ther traitor, war ye?
Mout a guessed ye war in league with
ther she demon when I seed ther witches
a. gamblin’ along ez yer come down ther
valley. Yer got ’em with yer yit. Hey
yer kim ter slay? Better do ett while
yer hev ther chance. Planthunter are a
man ov peace; but of he gits loose of this
thar’ll be a war sich ez er reads about.
Rocks can’t hide yer, ner distance save
yer. I'll hev yer life, an’ that ov ther
black angel yer trains onder.”

The old man was pretty near to being
insane, and Saul listened with a great
pity, knowing it would not be safe to
go nearer until he had undeceived him.

“ Planthunter, old man, you are away,
off. I dropped into this infernal den
while looking for you and Miss Earl. I
come now to help you both, and I’ll do
it, too. The cats are mighty uncertain
friends, and I am almost afraid to do any-
thing while they are looking on. A fight
would bring help to their side of the
house. Just take it easy a few mo-
ments. Perhaps they will go further."

“ You don’t mean ett, boy! Yer tryin'
ter fool old Planthunter, an’ him a eat-
in’ his heart out hyer, alone in ther dark.
on, jist set me loose, so I kin even up
with that woman ez runs this camp. 811'
1’11 be yer slave tell death." .

His tone was pleading, and as though

 

 

 

  

 

.w-..‘ u... ._._.

.An~.. fl“... “4.4-... -w.» s

 

 

Queen Edna, of the Panthers. . 15

 

 

he hoped against hope, rather than be-
lieved. -

“ I mean it, right enough, so get that
blood out of your eye. The kittens are
going, after all.”

Evidently the panthers had not found
the object of their search, and wanted to
go further. They looked at Saul inquir-
ingly.

He nodded back to them.

“All right. I’m with you—as far as
the workshop. I must get something to
take off these chains; and to make things
safe, I guess I’d better shuuthe door be-
tween us. You are too sweet for any—
thing; but I’ll swear I don’t trust you.”

Pianthunter called to him, but he paid
no attention. If the old man did not be-
lieve in the hint he had given, so much
the worse.

After a little he came hurrying back;
the panthers were no longer with him.
The old guide gave a cry of joy as Saul
attacked the chains. A few minutes
later and the prisoner stood free.

“Quick! We must foller her!" he ex-
claimed, excitedly.

“ She hez kerried Arly away ter death.
Ef you’d .on’y a come sooner! Most like
ett’s too late fur arything but vengeance."

He would have rushed away, but Saul
restrained him.

“ Easy, old man. We have to look a
little out for ourselves. When I shut the
door on the cats they seemed to think
I had played it very low down on them.
Perhaps they have gone on about other
business, but my own idea is they are
waiting just outside, ready to tell us
what they think.”

“ Kill them! Kill them!
witches, not fit to live.”

“That’s all very true, but what will
they be doing? I suppose I may be able
for them in a fight, if I can have the ad-
vantages my way; but just now they
all seem to have them their way. Just
pray they get into some little trouble on
their own account. They were dancing
around like young bulls in 8. china shop
when I left—and it’s not exactly the
safest place to dance, with dynamite, and
electric wires, and Satan knows what,
lying around loose. You hear them
snarl? It’s an elegant place for them to
make trouble, and I wouldn’t wonder if
they were to do it.”

It seemed as though his words were
prophetic, for almost as he spoke they
heard from the other side of the door a
hideous roar, the rock quaked under their
feet, and they fell prone on the floor.

They are

 

CHAPTER XV.
THE LAST BLAST.

“The blast!" said Saul, crawling up
uninjured. but a good deal shaken.

“Those infernal imps have fired it off.
We will. be lucky if we’re not shut up
here for good. It sounded as though the
whole shop was coming down.”

Pianthunter was up again, too. He
knew nothing of the blast, but would
linger there no longer. He himself tried
the door, and found it opened readily.

Fortunately, the lantern was not ex-
tinguished, and cautiously they made
their way back through the corridors,
which were curtained with a darkness
blacker than night. Somewhere the
wires had been broken—never to be
joined again.

Chance led them along into the passage
which went to the water’s edge, and
beyond, in the blackness, they heard a
cry, and the sounds of a struggle.

“ Ett's Arly! “They’re killin’ her! Git
a move on! ”

Pianthunter caught his young friend
by the arm, and they ran on down the

 

passage, holding the lantern before them.
touniake sure they stumbled into no pit-
a s.

The lamp shot a cylinder of light before
them, and in that way they saw, upon
the edge of the wharf, two forms, locked
in a life and death conflict!

While they looked the forms disap—
peared, and there was a. splash in the
water, not loud enough for them to hear.

When they came up to the spot where
the struggling figures had been, they
found a broad stain of fresh blood. Had
they looked closer they might have seen,
in the water behind them, a few bub—
bles of air. Of the two there was no
other trace.

As they looked around them, and at
each other, they heard a halloo come
over the water, and Saul recognized it
as the voice of Tom Calvert, who, in
turn, believing he recognized the figures
by the light of the lantern, but was not
sure.

“ Hillo yourself! ” shouted back Sanders.

“ We’re right side up, but it’s been
touch and go. Where are you? ”

“Who is with you? "

“Planthunter. There seems to have
been a racket here of some kind, but
there’s no one else in sight. Come in! ”

“I’m coming, and bringing Aria. Earl
with me.”

At that moment the two heard a groan,
and a man staggered forward out of the
gloom at their side.

“Arla Earl! Who speaks that name?
Where am I? Who are you? ”

It was Ahab—Ahab, from whom the
mental fetters were dropping away, and
who knew nothing now of all that had
passed since he hurriedaway from Cal-
vert, in answer to the call of his queen.

Saul’s revolver was ready for him, but
Pianthunter threw it up.

“Stiddy, boy!” he warned. in a low
tone. “ Ett’s ther gal’s father.”

Meantime Calvert was pulling steadily
against the stream, and the boat, in
which, fortunately, the oars had been left
when turned adrift, grated against the
pier.

Arla had recovered her senses, and
sprang out, swift and strong.

“I know, dear, better than you; have
no regrets. I have found you."

So she said, as she threw herself into
the arms of her father; and there was a
low murmur of voices, as, forgetful of the
others, they spoke of those things near-
est their hearts.

Meantime, Calvert explained the situa-
tion as he understood it.

“When you left me to myself, I made
the best of a bargain, and finished the
meal myself that I thought would have
to do for two. After a weary wait, I
heard some one coming, and was wiser
than I had been. I hid behind the cur-
tains. When the door opened, and some
one called, ‘Saul, Saul!’ I did not an-
swer. It was your friend, the king.

“ ‘ Come out, Saul!’ he went on. ‘ The
witch is in the saddle, and is going to
throw the girl into the river. The men
are all herded above, except Ahab, and
the kittens are shut in her own sanctu-
ary, Now is the time to decide where
this kingdom is going to stand. If you
are with me, come on.’

“ He turned away in haste, leaving the
open door, and did not heed my coming
steps until I had shot past him. Then
he did give a roar, as he recognized me,
but I did not wait. The lady of the pan-
thers saw me, too, and it was an even
thing she did not take a pot-shot, and
bring me down, but she recognized me
in time, and turned her pistol from me
to him, while I was willing to pass for a

 

coward to reach the water. I dodged by,
jumped into the stream, overtook the
boat, and here we are. What next? ”

“Gather what plunder we can, and get
out. The king is dead. the queen is
dead, the kittens are dead; if we wait
here another twenty-four hours, we’ll be
dead, too. When Ahab gets over his
ecstasy we’ll trust to him to show us
any of the secrets of the place it will be
safe to view, and then he may guide us
out, if he can. I’ll swear I have a little
honest prejudice in favor of sunlight
once in a while; and that is something
which never comes here.”

“But, in the upper stories—there must
be a way out.”

“ There are no upper stories. That is,
the infernal place is built so that those
below will never know there is anything
above; and those above will never find
the regions below.”

“ But, there must be a way from one
to the other.”

“Oh, yes. And it's a heap good way.
Supposing you find it. We might dig
and blast for a hundred years. Ahab
may know the way, but I doubt it. The
knowledge was what gave Madame Edna
her strength.”

 

Saul Sanders had hit the history of the
place fairly well. Had he reached the
ruin from above, he would have found
no way to the true mystery of the build-
ing, though he might have stumbled upon
a gang of haggard, desperate men, who
rested there from their labors, and guard-
ed what they believed to be their share
of the treasures already found.

Ahab himself did not know the secret
of the hidden stairway which led upward.
but he did lead them out from the chan-
nel of the hidden river.

Before going they explored well all the
building that was open to them—and
took away with them some wealth.

Yet, if Edna had prevailed, there
would have been black disappointment
for her.

The blast, fired by accident, laid bare
the vault which no doubt she was striv-
ing to reach, and, so far as treasure was
concerned, it was empty.

It was no great disappointment to
them. Ahab was only too glad to escape
with life and daughter, even though he
had no remembrance of the terrible
scenes when Aria came so near to death,
and of which he was never reminded.
Saul carried away, perhaps, as much as
he had really expected to realize. Tom ‘
Clayton had wealth of his own, and be-
sides that—had he not saved Arla at the

last? .
Verily, he was not to be without his
reward.
THE END.

 

 

Beadle’s Half-Dime library?-

BY CAPTAIN IAYNE REIDJ]
I 18 Blue Meki'or, The Yellow Chlch Von secs.
8? The bid Irtm or, The In". of vil’s III... 1
18'! The lie lees [in 3 or, Backwoods Retribution. -‘
.89 The Gol «coke? Glide! or. The Loot Mun-b.

BY HAROLD PAYNE.

848 "In, the River Sport; or. Failing the Frisco M \,
89! flowery Bel In Chin-town. i
911 I over! Bob the Em-elde Detective,

95: ' ‘he 0 mu 'neueuve.

984 I caler 8-1.. Detective, offluk nil Ladle! I.

1028 The Young Skipper'e lion-nun.

BY DAN DUNNING.

746 If“ Jack the Secret Service s .

rat a... "a Jn’ck, the invimmmfiino mum-i has;
875 etectlve Dave’s Ole-e Call. »-—
884 am] Fox Ind Ills Girl Ferret.

898 Farrel .I'ox’e Sweep-Stakes. ,

A New lune Every Tuelduy.
The Half-Dino m it for sole ey allowed-hive
enhpereony,ormtiyllfl amdptel‘llmm.
BEADLE AND ADAMS. Pmblllheth
92 William Street. New reth‘

 

 

 

BEADLE’SarHALF-DIMEarLIBRARY.

Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Fire Cents: by all Neu‘sdealersu

 

 

 

5

BY EDWARD L. \VIIEELER.
Deadwood Dick Novels.
1 Deadwood Dick, the Prrnce oi the Road.
'20 [Deadwood Dick’n Deilance; or, Double Daren.
3g IID’eudlwoot‘lI  IIn “algal-ml or, Bull-i. tit-n
ear woo c ' n a ‘unt e.

42 Deadwood Dick‘n Bonanza; or, The Phantom Miner.

49 [Deadwood Dick in Danger: or,()rnnhu()ll.

57 Deadwood Dick‘s Hauler-t or,Tho Paul. at Flood Bar.
L73 Deadwood Dick on Deck: «r. t‘nlnrnity J tne,i.bc iiorolne
If"; Bead‘woo:  1.11:“. ihiit‘ or. Corduroy Charlie.

eat woo c I: ear \' c.
 Reagwoog {nor- Dle’vlce: |or, The Double Crou Sign.

ea woo c all etect ve. .
199 Deadwood Dick's Doublex or.’l‘hp Gnrgon’nGnlch Ghost.
18% Deadwood Dick’s Home Ila-e; or, Blond! Bill.
149 Deadwood Dick'n Biz Strike or, A Game ofGnld.
159 Deadwood Dick or Deadwoo r or The Picked Party.
19» Deadwood Dick‘n Dream: or The hivnls oithe Rand.

Deadwood Dick’a “'ard: or.’lhe and. nrn'umber.

09.1:eagwoog  I'D’oolan thonfninmitanno’l Adventuro.

r on woo c n .

Deadwood Dick’s Dizth-lslllmt.
989 Gold-Duet Dick. A Romance 0! Rough: and Tongba.
 :=::3W:og  Blvl‘de or,"l'he Spirit of Swamp Lake.
w o c n on n ‘ra l.
509 Deadwood Ichk’n Deal; or,The Gold Brick oi Oregon.
Deadwood Dick’s Dozen: or, The Fnkir ofPhnntom Flat.
:47 Deadwood Dick’s Dncato: or, Day. in the Di ‘zinzn.
8:; lligagxggd‘ Bi'ell‘vsiulte‘nccdt or, The Terrible ondotte.
a ‘ c a a m.

405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City.
‘10 Deadwood Dick'a Diamonds.
4.91 Deadwood Dick In New York: or. A "Cute Can."
480 Deadwood Dick’l Dunn or. The Chained Hand.
 Bengtvom‘iI   vrig‘h‘; Crirnnon Ore-cent Sin.

ea woo c r. I e an .
453 Deadwood Dic ' Jrnn' Full "(ll-nd.
459 Deadwood Dic Jr.'n. Biz Round-Up.
465 Deadwood Dick Jr.’l Racket at Claim 10.
Deadwood Dick, Jr.’- (‘orralt or, Bowman Bill.
476 Deadwood Jr.’II, Dog Detective.
Deadwood Jr., In Deadwood.
Deadwood Jr.'-, Compact.
:cnalwoo‘t‘l grin. ll'l;h?Il'ltflllce.
ca woo r. n n n.
Deadwood Dick, .Dr.’n. De ver‘ancc.
Deadwood Dick .1 r.'l l'rotegee.
Deadwood Dick. Jr.’n. rec.
Deadwood Dick. Jr.'a. Danger Ducks.
:errgwoog  grin; D'leath llunt.

ea woo c' r n xan.

Deadwood 1ch : Jr: the wild wmvrdoq

:eatla‘oo’fi luck, gr" rnéIIaIMettle.

out o c ' r. n 0 am.

561 Deadwood ch '. Jr", In Bolton.
567 chatlwggg  in, :n rmladelphla.

eat c ' r. n ‘ c o.
Deadwood Dick: Jr", Afloat. “
Deadwood Dick. an. in Denver.

590 Deadwood Dick. Jr.‘-, Decree.

Dick,

4

F

595 Dcndwood Dick Jr. In Beell bub’ B
600 Deadwood Dick. Jr.: at Cone elllahd.‘.m

Deadwood Dick, Jr.'II. Leadvl le Lay

6 9 Deadwood Dick, Jr.. in Detroit.

616 Deadwood Dick. Jr. In Cincinnati.

Deadwood Dick. Jr., III Nevada.

660 Deadwood Dick. Jr., In No Man’l Land.

3 Deadwood Dick. Jr.. Ai‘ter the Queer.
Deadwood Dick .Dr.. In Iinll’alo.
:eagwoog  JJr-Jmk‘hane Aarogn the Continent
1' ' '

r5341 33er Dilek: 5:33. $235.35. 612"“

Deadwood Dick, .Dr.. llack In the Mines.

Dead wood Dick. Jr., In Durango: or. “ Gathered in."

:ead'wogg Islet, in:- I'D’l-colverytorJTonnanortue.
ea wo c . r. n. all e.

Deadwood Dick, Jr.'a. Dollars.

Deadwood Dick. Jr.. at Danger Divide.

700 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’n, Drop.

[Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot.

Deadwood Dick Jr. In San lt‘ranciloo.

Deadwood Dick. Jr}: Ftlll Ilunt.

Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a Dominoel.

Deadwood Dick. Jr.’- Din-lulu.

Deadwood Dick. Jr.'-, Double Deal.

Deadwood Dick JI'.’I. Deathwatch.

Deadwood Dick Jr.’r-. Douhlet.

Deadwood Dick. Jr.’n, Deathblow.

:eugwoog  grin I1Dcnpelliutedstrait.
ca woo e ', r. I .one an .

Dead wood Dick, Jr.’n’ Dei‘cat.

Deadwood Dick. Jr.’n, lie-urrcctlon.

Deadwood Dick. Jr.'n Dark Days.

Deadwood Dick Jr., Dolled.

Deadwood Dick. Jr.’o. Double Device.

797 Deadwood Dick, Jr’.n. 'Denperate Ventnrfil

809 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’u, Diamond Dice.

807 Deadwood Dick Jr.’tl, Royal Flash.

819 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’a Ilead-ol.

816 Deadwood Dlek. Jr.’n. lRlvaI.

899 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’-, .loom.

Deadwood chk. Jr.'-. Scoop.

884 Deadwood Dick, .lr.’n. l’rox .

840 Deadwood Dick. Jr.'-, Clutc .

S45 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’n, "I b "one.

859 Deadwood Dick Jr., at I evll’n Gulch.

853 :Dcagwoog I‘D’Iicll? JJI'."I' Benign-Dill}? llultlo.
eawoo c, r.n om-e.

870 Deadwood Dick, Jr.. In Mexico.

876 Deadwood Dick. Jr’n Decoy Duck.

899 Reagwoog Dick. jlr.‘ Iri’flllj’esr Forget.
ea woo . r.I ca - nrc ante.

89a a...de Dick, 1.1.: Double Drive.

904 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'o. Trade-Mark.

910 Deadwood Dick, Jr” at Tl -Top.

916 Deadwood Dick. Jr): IDouhle-Decker.‘

998 Deadwood Dick. Jr. at Dollarvllle.

984 Dcadwoo Dick, Jr.. at Flth Flatn.

940 Deadwoo Dick. Jr.’n. lihake-u .

946 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’n, Double i ran.

95l Deadwood Dick. Jr.'l. Right Bower.

957 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a. Ten-fltrike.

965 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’n, Gold-Duet.

971 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’l. (Dath.

977 Deadwood Dick. Jr.'l, Death-Doom.

986 Deadwood Dick. Jr.'l, Bent Card.

999 Deadwood Dick, Jr.: at Gold Dust.

998 Deadwood Dick. Jr. I. Big Pia .

1005 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Brande

1011 lDudwood D'ck, Jr.‘a. Dutch Pard.

1018 Deadwood Dion, Jr.’-. Big Four.

BY T. J. FLANAGAN.

909 Mid-hlpman Dar-c. the Pirate Catcher.
995 The You. Cowboy Captain.
988 The Two ldlhlp-ent or, The Corsair-Gina": 11rd

Crnlu.
949 The Three Lieutenant-
959 The Mascot Middy : or. The
966 Flnhtinl Jack Bhnbrick.
97. Fighting Jack‘s Middle: 3 or, Dandy Dld'u Dad.
99. Jack hang, the Privateer Rover.
1010 INC] Ned, th Runaway.

 

 

our Commanders

 

Other Novels by G. 1.. \Vln-clcr.

so lion-bud Rob; or, Nugget Nt'tl, thr- Knight.
#4 Rot-chad Roll on "and: ur, id; i, th. t.‘r1\iirr.~r.
ti!" Ron-bud Ilob‘: llca pcuruncc: nr, i'lrtriUL’nll'il Phil.
121 Rout-bud Iiub‘n Challenge; nr, ('rrvnnnnm t‘lrip.
277 Dcrn er Doll. ilrc [Drier ll\ D‘ an-yn; Mr. '1 luv i'mt‘m-r‘s Surround
881 Denver Doll'n \ Ictory: or. Mn] and "rt-wit tn...
9N5 Denver Doll‘n Dccoy: nr. l.irti.- iiili‘n iivna'rtn.
996 Denver Doii‘n Drill: ~-r. The Rand (lurch.
86‘ Yrckn .llnr. ilu- Unlri-Gulhcrcrt ur,'l‘hv' Life Lntten.
379 Yrcka Jim'u Prime: m, 'lhv \i'nl\r‘~ mi \\'nlr»-l'p. '
8H5 Y rcka Jim‘n Joker: or. The ltimls oi Red Nuke.
894 Yreka .Ilm ot' Yuba Dam.
209 Fritz, the Bound-lit») IteteCtive. or. lint lm-ilu (lama.
913 Frllz lo the Front: or, The antriluquiat Hunter.
2-“ Hicrra Hum, tin anri--r Fen-'1, Mr. A Siatnr‘. Devotion.
24K Hlt-rrn Ram"- flccret: or. The liimttlv Footprints.
958 chrra Ram‘s l’ard: or. The Angel :4 Biz Vista.
25! Sierra Sam‘u ficvcnf or. The Stolen Bride.
381 Kangaroo Kit; or. 'i‘ re Mysterious Miner.
.89 Kangaroo Kit‘n Racket; v-r. Tim i'ritiu ni'l’inyed-OuL
39 chnth-lfitcc, llciet'iivr; or, Lil}: in New York.
96 \Yntch-l‘lyc thv lletm'ttve: or. Arabs and Angels.
17 Gilt-Edged fin-1.. m. Spwrt Dcterthe
45 Captain Ferret. thv New York Detective.
6! New York Nell, the Buy-Girl Detective.
26 The Arab Dctccthc; or, Snouzrr, the Buy Sharp.
991 Turk the Boy Ferret.
325 Kelley, Illckcv .k (‘0.. thv thw‘tiw-n of Philadelphia.
848 Manhattan Mlkc, thr- Bowery lh'irtihe.
400 “'rinklcn. the Night Watmh Detective.
416 High Ilat Harry. the Brllt' llnli Detective.
426 Sam filabnldcn. the Beggar»!er Detective.
484 Jim Beak and Pa]. Private lh-tertivel.
26 ('lo\en "001', the initial” chinnn. Mr, Tile nurrh-r Vultures.
82 Bob Wonll’: t‘l’,Ti|cGiri [hurl-Slut
45 (Did Avalanche: or. Wilri Edna, the Girl ilrlgnnd.
53 Jim Bind-0e. Jr.. the ltny Pin-nix.
6| “uckhorn In“; or. The Red liiiie Team
92 (‘anada (‘Irctz or, (Ii-l Anaconda in Sitting Bull's Camp.
113 Jack Hoyle the Ynnng Snrrulntur.
195 Bonanza Dill. “lner: hr, \imiam Mnfluv, the Forger.
133 lion-I Hob thc King of iiuotirlat'kn. '
141 Solid Ham, lite itm ltnmlrr'tgcnt: t r. The ilrnrnlwi llrown.
177 Nobb ' Nick 01' Nevada: or. The Sir-run Smrrrps.
191 “'Ild ‘rank the Bliv'kshin Bravo; ur. Lml) Lily's Love.
286 Apollo Dill, tlm 1 mil 'i‘urrrmiu: tr, {nu-ly Rm...
240 (‘yolone K", the Your”: Himiint-tr. Mr. Tim lmt'hwl Valley.
278 .Iulnbo Joe, the Buy l’ntrni: or. The Rival Helrn.
880 Little nick-Shot; or, The lit-ml Fur-e til Daggenvillo.
858 FIrnt-(Y an Fred. rhe Gent iruln Gopher.
87H Kabob Ned: vrr. Thc SH rrt oi Slat: (‘lttu
8’1. 0le Klt, the King ti Kid-I; or, A \ illain' angn-nuco.
488 Santa Fe Hal, the Sluher; or. A Sun'a Ycilkc‘im‘v.
“a Scab-kin Burn. the Sparkier: or The Tribunal of Ten.
913 Kit Kl'ltll. i e lie-re: ue Spotter.
922 [Sol Sharpe. the New York Night-Hawk.
948 (Did llayuccd Among Bunco Men.
1001 Banty, the Denver Bootblack.

BY J. C. COYVDlllCK.

490 Broadway Billy. the Boothiack Bravo.
514 Broadway Billy‘rl Boodle; nr, Clearing nStrnn‘o Can,
586 Broadway Billy'~ ‘IDItlikIlty.”
5 7 iroadway Hilly‘n Death Racket.
Dilly'n Hurprinc I'nrty.
Billy; or, The Boy thertive’n Biz lnnlnz.
iroadway lillly‘a Dcad Act: “nTht‘ lml urulgeven,
lroadway Dilly Abroad: “7.”? “WWW. in Frisco.
lroadway Billy'n llcat; unit-Ming San Francisco} Fine-t.
667 Broadway Billy III (‘Iovcr.
696 Broadway 1y In Texan; onThe Riwr Rustler].
708 Broadway Billy": Ilrand.
711 Broadway Dilly at Santa Fe: or.The Clever Deal.
720 Broadway Billy‘u D‘nll "and: or, The Gamin Detective.
lroadwuy llllly‘u lint-Inc“.
{roadway Billy‘- (‘urionn Cale.
{roadway Illlly In Denver.
lroadway llilly'u Bargain: or, TheI Three Detective.
{roadway Billy, the Rr-trirvt-r Detective.
lroadwnv Billy‘s lihadow t‘hune.
788 Broadway Billy'n Benzch (Ir/The Trio'n anlt.
7S6 {roadway Blily’n Team: or, The Conririne'n iilg Pnil.
lroadway “Illy’a Brigade: or. Tire Dead Alive.
{roadway llllly‘n Queer liequelt.
{roadway Billy llnll'lcd.
lrondway “llly’a Hi nai Scoop.
810 Broadway Illlly‘u “' pe 0m.
2415 Broadway Billy’— Ilunk Racket.
Broadway Billy’- Blnil'.
826 Broadway Itlily Anion! Jerncy Thugl.
Broadway gilly’u llai .
869 Broadway Illy'n Big Boom.
844 Broadway Billy":- Bla Bnl e.
849 Broadway Illily'n ilmr 0 o Snap.
Iiroud way Billy‘n Bllu : or, Tire liootblack Stow-way.
Broadway Billy in London.
Broadway Dilly flhadown London Slums.
8 Broadway llllly‘n Frcnc Game. ‘
880 Broadway Billy and the Bomb-anowern.
.60 Silver-Maul“ the Man oi hiyltery: or. The Golden Keyn.
869 Rina-ta, the Gold King: or, For Seven Your: Dead,
490 The Detective?» A£prentlcet or, A Boy Without a Name.
494 (‘Ibuta John; or, «dAHot Timon nt Ant. Bar.
489 dandy Sam. the Street Scout.
467 IDI-Ico Dan. the Daily Dude.
506 lied" ht Ralph the Prinrr of the Road.
The Ignglneer Detective: or, Rodiight Rnlph’l Rmin

HHH

N

iroad way
Broadway

an
In
..

 

rib

548 Mart, the Night Ex mu Detective.

571 Air-Line Luke t e Young Engineer; or, Thu Druhl. Cu.

592 The Boy Pinkerton: or, Running the Rascals Out.

615 Fightlnr llnrr thv Chiv'i oi‘ Chained Cvclone.

640 Bareback llct , thr- (‘vntnur of the Circle.
pewritcr 'l‘llly, thr- Merchant’u Vt'nrd.

059 oonlllht Morgan the " Pinnelt " Man 0! Ant. Bel.

8'47 Battery Bob. inc Dock Detective.

894 Arizona lDIck'a “I c-Dut.

900 Jumping Jnck'n uhllee.

906 flai'ely Ham, the (‘yrie Sport.

912 Train Boy TrI-t‘n llot lluntlc,

918 The Trump Dock-"0*.

924 Big Boot- Bob, the ire-Laddie.

930 Ilultler Ralph. the Boy spotter.

98.”) The Hx-Ncwnbo)’ Detcctive‘u (‘hnnh

941 The Bowling (.i rccn Dctcctlve’n Drop.

944 Cowboy" (‘harlle’r- Double.

947 The Bowery “' reader; or. The Butcher-1103'- Barker.

958 Paddy‘s Trump (‘ardz or, Silver Sallie, the Girl Sport.

960 The Broadway Sport: ur, Fiver Fred's Clear Cut.

967 .1000 Reward; Or. The Rival Reporten’ Sleek Scoop.

978 Bantam Billy. the Corker-Ferret.

976 l’luckv Put. the Street-Boy Detective.

999 Bicycle But": “at Scorch.

997 scorch-r finm, tlrr- Deter-tire on “'heeln.

1004 Hcorchcr llarn‘n Sweep-Stake I.

1009 Tue Girl C) clln’u “'innlng "and.

"Y WILLIAM PERRY BROWNE.
956 Brooklyn "013‘: Bulaet or, Dodger Dot‘n Diamond Snap.
968 The Rant-Ride Hpottcrt nr,Tuming Down the Biz'l'lwoo
974 Old Sant’rt Dark Deal: or, “her hint’a iron Grip.
1015 The Beporter-Deteoilve’.» Dig l’ull. >"

 

Bl’lt‘FllilD 1111.1. NOVELS.

 

BY (‘01.. l’lii-INTISS INGRAHAM.

1018 BuiTaio lilll'- T~-.\'au Team-

1007 llnli'ulo Iilll‘u Hare ihotn.

1000 linifnio "ill‘n Dro ‘ "0,1.

005 Iluifuio liill'n Drop. Hr. l’t'ilti-Slittt Ned . the Kmmns Kid.
9*! linfl’aio Iiili'n Ira-no 'l'hro“ crn.

9"1 IiniTalo Ilill‘: l'lxhtln l“l\c.

97.3 linii'nlu Iilll'n Illiichlntl.

96“ Iiuifalo Bill“: ltunh Illdct hr. 5llr9-Sh0tJh9 "hill-Fly?"-
961 liuil'alo Illll'n IDcco_\ : Mr. Tim Ariluua Crnt'it Shot.
95‘ “nifan Iiill‘n .11 chpa-(‘hnmu

94" linilalo lllll'n h‘l p-Shoi i M. Wild Kid" Texan Tiny
912 Bull'an Bill‘s Ton h Tut-mic.

99.6 Bnifalo liill‘u Boy . uncut: 0I'. Joe Jurril’ “Old-UP-
929 Buifnlo Bill’n (‘rack-nhot l’nrd.

650 llllfinlo lilll’n Bo) Paul: '1’. liuttt-rtly Bull'-

216 liluon lilll. the l'i‘iirt‘r oi the items.

222 Bit-on Dlll’r- (Inc; Mr. Grit, the Bravo Sport.

    

 

   

BY BI’FFAID BILL.
155 Deadly-Eye. the ['nknown Scout. ur, The Banded Brotherth
6" Border Robin flood; or, The Prairie Rover.
158 It‘aney Frank of l'olorado: or. The Trapper'l Trnnt.
1029 The Phantom Spy.

BY CAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR, u. 8. A.

191 Bull'an “1113'. the, Boy Builwhacker.
194 Bufl'ulo “ill 9 Butt HP. The Glmbl" Guide-

 

BY (‘01.. PBENTISS lNG-RAHAM.

1031 The Texan Din-tier: In ('nba.

1027 The (‘owboy liaiden In Cuba

1025 The Flying Y ankce or. The “Penn Outta-Ii.

1028 The (‘un boy (‘Ian In (‘nhm

1016 The "0v Buglcr in Cuba.

9152 New Yorl. Nat‘n Dro : or, Ex-Ferret Syken’llold Gan.

926 Nt‘n' York Nut and t e 'lraltor l‘erret.

920 New York Nat ’I'rappcd. v

914 New York Nat'n 'I hrec of a kind.

90" Ncw York Nat‘n Double.

902 New York Nat'n In Colorado.

MN; New York Nat in (.‘old Nugget Camp.

8N9 New York Nnt'n Deadly Deal.

NR8 Ncw York Nnt'n (rook-Chane.

877 New York Nut‘n ’l‘rnnrp (‘nrd.

New York Nut and the Grove Ghouls.

365 New York Nat'n .“ankcd Mat-cot.

859 New York Nat. tho Gnrrrin Detective.

D353 Dick Doom’n Kldnnp er Knock-out.

N47 Dick Doom'n Ten litr ke.

642 Dick Doom'n Flu-h "and.

772 Dick Doom'n Death-Grip: or. The Detective by Destiny.

777 Dick Doom‘a lDentlny; or, 1hr Rher Blacklez’n Terror.

7N4 Dick Doom: <-r.1l.« Sharpe and Sharks oi New York.

7"" Dick Doom In Bot-ton: UT, A Man oi Many Maakl.

798 Dick Doom in t‘hlc go.

798 Dick Doom In the «'Ild “'elli.

Dick Doom‘n ( lean Sweep; ur, Five Links in I Clue.

K08 Dick Doom’n Dcnth ('lnc.

Dick Doom’n Diamond Deal.

N19 Dick Doom'n Girl aacot.

1-529 Dick Doom'n Shadow Hunt.

835 Dick Doom‘a Dig llnul.

749 Dar-hing i‘harlicz or The KentuckyTrnderioot’lFintTrnll.

756 Daahin‘z ('hnrlic’n Del-tiny: or, The Reneznda’l Captive.

760 Dav-hing (‘harilc'l l'nancc l’ard.

766 Dupth ('hurflc, the Rescuer.

497 Duck T‘aylor, King at the Cowl)pr

737 "Wk Taylor. the t'nrrmmim‘. ('r. at...

743 Buck Taylor. “oi-n; cr,Thcl’.e Ririenottho Rio Granda
And ‘Ifly Dthcra.

BY 1.11“.I"I‘. A. K. SIMS.

599 Tom-(‘at and Paul: ov.The Dud Set at Silver City.
692 Tom-('nt’l 'I‘rlad: hr. The Adair at Tomb-tone.

681 Tom (‘at'n Terrihlc Tat-kt or The Cowbo' Detective
03" Tom-(‘at’a Trlunlphé or, Blnrk [Sun'- Grent ombino.
546 Captain Cat-tun, the haplrrni Cock; or, .lmh'l Ten Strike.
568 The Dandy of Dodge; or, Rurtiing ior Million.

“76 The Silver Sport: or. .lolll Pepponrrint’l Jubilee.
5881flaflro- Sol, the .\Inn With a Shadow

601 Ila py Ilann. '.h. Dutch Vidocq: or,HotTimeut Round-Up
611 Bilgad Barnacle, the Detective Hercules.

646 Cowbo Grid, the rattle-Range Detective.

657 Warblrng Y1 llllam the Mountain Monutebaok.

665 Jolly Jeremiah, the Pininn Detective.

“73 SI lull flan], the Lookout Scout:

689 B lly the Gypo pr: or,’lhc .‘lTIIPh‘Oi Two Liven.
699 Simple Him, the roncho flu-tn: nr.l"or lg Stun.

71? The Manner-lat Fportt or, The Myltiflod Detective.
788 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector.

745 KBIIIBI Jim the (‘mu—Cut Dctertlve.

761 Marmaduke, the Mustang" Detertive.

778 The Rustler of Rolling Stone.

7935 Lone "and Joe the Committee niOna.

801 Kent Kirby. the High-Kicker irom Kiiibnck.

388 The Doctor Dcte etive in Texan.

879 Two Rhowmea Detective: in Colorado.

987 The Texan Firehrnndt or. lirazoi Biiiy’u Snap.8hot.
961 The Tra-p‘n Trump-Trick.

NEW ISSUES.
1044 The New York Sharp. By Ben D. iinllidny.
1045 Manta-g Merle‘n Mine. By )inj. Sam. 3. Scott,

1046 Gold I’lnrnc, the “my Bandit; or, Buffalo Blli,tho Pony
Exprcu Rider. lly (‘t-l, l‘rrirtiu lngrairam.

1047 P‘lyer Fred. the (‘ycllnt Ferret. By Roy Rorlrwood.
1048 The Street Spottcn’YVelrd “out. By Waring,
1049 Queen Edna of the Panthers. By Wm- 3- Eylhr.
1050 The One-Armed liport. By T.C. Hnrimrgh.

1051 The Boy Herculean. By Oil Coomen.’

JUST ISSUED.

108 You B t "ob'l Circuit. Br Ariznmr Cy.

108: The 051d Witch‘n Fhadower. By Col.P. ingmhm
1085 Antelope Abe. the Bow Guide. B ' Oll Coomel.
1056 Dand Dick‘s Double. Hy lithe?! . lnnan.

1087 The rtllt Detective. B\ (.01. P. lugrlhnm .
1086 Kan-an ['3‘; or, The Red Right Hand. By Buffalo Bu],
1089 Muggal Merle, the Boy Rancher. ByMnJ S S. Scott.
1040 liufl’alofilill’n Pol l'atrol. By 0.0!. P. in barn.
1041 Cowboy (‘hri- 101 e l'ore . ii)- “m. W. rider.
I042 little Grit. the Pony Exnrou Rider. BK Col. lop-ham.
1048 You Iict Dob from Crone Crick. y Ari-on- Cy.

A New lune Every Tue-day.
The llalfJDi-e Library in for uni. by all MID
unhporooyy,oruntby main Mohandas-h.
'BEADLE AND ADAMS, PablilheII. V
92 William Street, New York.