Flve Cont- a Cow-v BRADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, Pubn-hed Every
No. 1061. ‘

‘ 32.50 8 Kath 92 WILLIAM STREET, wa You. Tue'd‘y-

f
g'fififi'ta: 22.-

43,151.4—

 

 
 

  

   
    
 
  

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

 

 

 

Silver Star,
THE BOY KNIGHT.

A PRAIRIE ROMANCE.
BY OLL COOMES,

 

nurses or “VAGABOND aos," “mumps ABE,"
“ sans-sums,“ “LASSO JACK,” ETC.
CHAPTER 1.

DOWN FROM THE CLOUDs.

A FULL moon shone through the blue depths of an
October night upon the great prairies—the dark
woods and winding rivers of the rent Far West.

A soft, balmy Wind drifted laZi y from the south,
laden With the rich, ripe fragrance of autumn.

The voices of the night were low and monotonous.
The White Earth river rolled along as if rendered
sluggish by the influence of surroundin nature.
‘or that weird, mysterious spirit of an In ian suin-

ier night seemed to have thrown its dream-like
a wee over the land.

ut, as the hours of night wore the slumbering
chess of the woods were sudden y awakened by
he sound of hoofed feet galloping down its dark-
med halls. It came from the direction of the
White Earth, and appeared to be moving south-
ward toward the great, boundless rairie.

Apair of deer on the e of t e plain, hearing
the sound, stopped in the r trail and pricked up
their ears in alarm, for clear and distinct sounded
the clatteri hoofs approaching along the path
they were fol owingi

A moment later t e animals sniffed the air with
quivering nostrils, and turni , tied away over the
plain into the purple haze of night.

Then forth from the dense shadows of the night—
along the deer trail—galloped a horseman.

Upon the margin of the lain he drew rein under
the mellow light of the ol moon.

The figure of the horseman was that of a man—
: youth in age but a man in hysical development,
and of experience in the sad c, with the revolver,
and upon the trail. From under the rim of his gray,
siouched hat a brown, beardless face looked out—-
marked with all the impetuosity of a ounfi and
daring spirit, and set with a pair of as bright, awk—
like eyes as ever shot their keen glances over the
plains of Dakota.

He was dressed in a finely-wrought suit of buck-
skin that fitted him neatly, disp ying his man!
figure to advantage. A rifle was slung at h 3
back, an upon either hip hung a silver-mounted
revolver. But the most conspicuous feature of all,
was the great silver star upon his breast—a star
that was as well known to every savage and prairie
freebooter in Dakota and the Black Hills as old
Uisa Major is known to the students of astronomy.

For the horseman was the noted Silver Star. the
Be Knight of the Prairies.

e was mounted upon a sin clean-lide gray
horse, whose long‘dslender nec , small head and
wide nostrils deno wonderful speed and endless
endurance. The .animal was caparisoned with a
light, stro saddle, and bridle to correspond. At
the pomme of the saddle hung a leather-covered
canteen and a rope larlat.

As he came to a halt upon the lain the oun
man dro therein u n his al’s nec , an
restin arm upou e oantle of his saddle, as-
sum an attitude of intense listen At the same
time his keen eyes searched the p ain before and
upon each dde of him, closely, carefully.

“ Surely I can't be mistaken as to the point ” he
mused; and then he took from his pocket a s p of
Engr, and read these words—written in a bold, rude

n :

“ Sum Sum—Paul Osman, the Outlaw, has
some deviltry afoot—the particulars I don’t know.
But if yozi are in the vicimty of the point where the
Big Deer Trail enters the I ’hite Earth woods, on
may learn the facts. Go if you can; that v 11
must be thwarted. THE HIDDEN Srv.”

\

When he had concluded this note, which he had
found inned to his blanket one morning upon
awakening from a sound slumber in the woods, he
glanced around him as if to take in his position, then
continued:

“ Well, this is the place; but the question is whether
I‘ve been duped or ed into a tra . I’ve heard of the
Hidden spy and the Mysterious p for some time,
but I always believed he was a my h- nor does this
note weaken my views of the case. l’m inclined to
think that the Mysterious Spy and the Demon of
Darkness of whic we hear so much, but never see,
v_ are creations of some dull, su rstitlous minds. At
'2 any rate, I shall consider the py a genuine fraud, if
this trip down here terminates in a water-haul.”

Thus for several minutes he mused to himself, and
finally, satisfied that he had come there upon a
‘vild-goose chase he took up the reins and spoke to
his horse. But to his surprise, the animal refused to
gpey. It shook its head, reared slightly and gave a
..,-,v, uneasy whinny not to be mistaken by his young

; - ster.

 “idea. .0;  was: the. 
5* a ‘s e , my orse an
that Osman, the Out w, and his gang

in answer to his questions, the horse shook
snorted repeatedly, and pawed the earth

in the name of conscience can all you
. mad: Inever saw on set

 
  

 

ver in his hand he leaned forward and searched the
rass before him. But he saw nothing, and quieting
is animal. he listened. Nothing, however, save the
beating of his own heart, seemed to disturb the
quietude of the night.

A moment or two passed when the horse again
became fretful and uneas . Then a shadow crossed
the youth’s vision, and lif ing his eyes to the object
that had come between him and the moon, a or of
horror burst from his lips, and he involuntaril ' rew
up on the reins until his horse was nearly t rown
upon its haunches.

fettgveen him and the moon hung—in mid-air—

w a .
Never in all his youn life had Silver Star known
fear. Never had he s runk from danger or duty,
however great, however arduous. He was not super-
stitious, as most bordermen are, but it must be con-
fessed that the youth now found himself confronted
by an object that, alto ether, was beyond his com-
pl‘ehension—that fill his breast with a strange,
mysterious feeling—a feeling of commingled awe
and fear. He fixed his e es u on the object and
held them there as if rivete' by a orrible faseination.
His horse, too, stood silent—trembling in every limb
With afi'right.

High above the horizon swun the at object.
In shape and size it resembled a rge aystack, top
downward. It was moving, and reeling ainst the
sk like a drunken thing, and appeared to adu-
al y settling toward the earth. Something ke a
great basket was sus ended from its base, and in
this basket the B0 ight could see the forms of
two men dinil out ned against the blue sky. And,
furthermore, 6 could hear the voices of these men
engaged in conversation—engaged in loud and em-
phatic tones, that, to all appearances, were those of
animosit and resentment.

Silver tar was somewhat relieved of his wonder-
ment when he heard the voices of these sky travel-
ers. He had never seen a balloon. but had often
heard of it, and no“ came to the rightful conclusion
that the object before him was a balloon settling to
earth. It relieved him of all fears and doubts, and
turning his horse, he rode back into the shadows
that lay alon the edge of the woods.

“ By the s ades of the temple,” the horseman
mused, “I wonder now, if there isn’t something in
the words of the hidden Spy? Can it be poss1ble
that Osman, the Outlaw, is in that balloon? or is he
lurking about the ‘ Deer Trail ’ to meet them balloon
fellows here, by appointment?”

The balloon was, by this time, about a hundred
yards above him. It seemed to have become almost
staiionary, and stood trembling and quiverin in the
air as if equal! balanced between the laws 0 gravi-
tatiOn and the uoyant effort of the inflated canvas
—unable to descend, unable to rise. Meanwhile,
Silver Star could still hear the aeronauts e aged in
high words that sounded more clearly to is ears
than if they had emanated from a lower int; still,he
was unable to make out anythin intellgble. How-
ever, as the balloon drifted slow y alo . the edge of
the woods above the tree-tops, he rode ost direct-
] under it, but carefully concealed in the shadows.

6 words of the aeronauts became somewhat
plaiuer, and he finally gathered enough to learn that

hey were disputing about throwing something over-
board to lighten their craft and prevent it from fall-
ing to the earth.

“ I don’t care a—. professor," he heard one of
them say; “ if this balloon is lightened of one thing,
it will be lightened of me, also. ’

“ Man,” replied he who was addressed as professor,
“don’t on know thatif we go down here we can
never 6 again?"

“I don’t care a spark of fire in purgatory!" was
the res onse; “ you’ve heard my decision.”

1 Toh! is the professor laughed a wild, sardonic
aug .

A conversation in a lower tone now followed, and
a few moments later Silver Star saw, to his surprise
and wonderya dark, elongated object lifted over the
basket of the balloon andeéowered by means of a
rope. When it had reach the ground, the rope
was droEped, notwithstanding the sharlp rotest of
one of t e amounts and thus relieve ope. portion
of its burden, the bal oon began slow to ascend.

Now again did the B0 Kn ght hear igh words be-
tween the aeronauts, w th not an infrequent use of
frightth oaths. But the balloon was soon rising so
rapidly Slat he could no longer distinguish t eir
words. e kept his eyes upon the air-ship, how-
ever and was startled to see the men moving quick-
1yi about in the basket, and makin motions with
t eir arms as if engaged in a ban -to-hand strug-
gle. This had lasted but a few moments when
to the horror of the lad, he saw one of the men lift
the other in his arms and hurl him out of the basket.
Down. down, with a wild, blood-curdling
trailing through the air, the doomed man sun , and
struck the earth with a dull, crushing thud.

“ Oh, my God!” burst from the lips of the boy, his
soul fairly sickening at the horrible sight and sound;
“ what awful mystery and murder are these?”

He glanced up as if to see what next was to follow,
but the balloon, now relieved of more of its burden,
soared into the blue depth? above and striking an
upper current of air, d ted rapidly away to the
northward. ' .

Without a moment’s hesitation Silver Star dis-
mounted, and, leavi his horse to follow. advanced
to where the ill-fa aeronaut lay. He found the
man—an entire stran er of about thirty years—l -
ma broken, blee ing lump. Life was
ex and the yo borderman was about to be-
gin an exami ation 0 his person for documentary
evidence of h 3 identity, and from whence he had
come when a low, stifled moan hard by arrested his
atten n. This reminded him of the that object

I 3:,‘5  is

     

.ln this wild, eathenish land.

 

that had been lowered from the balloon, and turn.
ing, he walked to where it had been let down. To
his surprise and astonishment, he found it to be a
human form wrap‘ped in a  blanket and strug-
gling to free itself min the 01 of the blanket, and
the rope that encircled the body. -
Without a moment’s hesitation Silver Star drew
his knife, and severing the rope, stripped the
blanket from the form and face of the unknown.
“Holy Jerusalem!" burst involuntarily from the
has lips, while his face and eyes lit up with a glow
of surprise and admiration. .
And no wonder, for before him, now occupying a,
sitting posture, was a girl scarcely past sixteen ‘
summers—a girl of wondrous beaut —a beaut ’
hightened by her wild surroundings, (i
mellow beams of the old white moon. '

CHAPTER II.
stn ————.

IT was a strange, touching scene—hard for the pen
to describe, for pencil to portray. The long, dark
line of forest—the great brown prairie—the astound-
ed young Kmifiht of the Plain—the beautiful, terri-
fled girl—the eless lump of humanity lyi near
—the motionless horse of the ran er——thet wav-
ing grass, and the whole flooded y the Pale light
of the moon struggling through the mist o autumn,
formed a combination of elements whose expressiot
and spirit could not be “mum: w we canvas 01
the painter.

_ For several moments not a soul stirred. The pals
lips of the maiden were arted, and her soulful eyes
11 ted to the handsome ace of Silver Star as thou 11
she would speak; but, like the youth himself, s s
seemed speechless, s llbound.

The spell was an denl broken by Prince, who
gave an uneasy snort, an struck the ground sharply
with his hoof.

Silver Star glanced quickly around him, and then
turning again to the maiden said:

“ I can’t actually believe my senses.”

The maiden glanced around her, as though his
voice came from some other direction; still she
spoke never a word.

“Are you actually human l—flesh and blood?" the
youth continued, advancing and la in’g his finger
upon her headas if to assure himse that she was a
material object and not a vision.

The touch of the boy’s finger seemed to break the
spell that bound her motionless and silent, and by
an effort she arose to her feet, though still gazing in
bewilderment about her.

In size she was a little below the medium, but os-
sessed a petite, well-rounded form, a sweet, 'r sh
face set in a wealth of olden hair, and large rown
eyes with long silken hes. She was dressed in
garments that were not of the border but of wealth
and civilization. The shawl about her shoulders.
the jewels upon her person, and the air of refine
ment upon her features told that she was a child of
wealth and society. ,

“ Where am I?’ were the first words she s ke,
after running her eyes over the boundless plafiiobe.
fore her. A

“ My dear you
lantly, “ you are n the southern extremity of D
ta Territory.”

the weir

ugln’sh‘!” she exclaimed, with “start; “this” ‘

not .

“ It is a fact, miss howsomever bitter it may be
to you. Pardon me, but may I ask where you live?”

“A thousand miles from here, I expect!’ she said,
half-choked with some terrible inward emotion.
j‘ But oh! this cannot be true! I am s dream-
ing: Tell me if this is not all a frightful dream?”

‘ I wish I could, miss, and tell you the truth; but
it’s all too real,” replied the boy.

“0h, merciful heavens!” she cried, wringing her
little hands in bitter an uis_h of heart: “ why did 1
ever live to see this? 0 , sirl how came I here?”

Silver Star was greatly astonished by these ques.
tions. He saw that the maiden had been the victim
of some foul and devihsh conspirac —that she had
been kidnapped and carried from er home, when
ever that might be. in the balloon, and that, too,
while under the influence of some drug.

“ All I know about you, miss, is that you were
lowered from a balloon a few minutes o--that the
balloon rose in the air and sailed away the north-
ward, leav you alone to the rotection of Heaven
_ at, rest sssu ‘
die before I see aniharm come to you. I’m Silver
Star, the Boy Knig t. I b‘long up to the fort, and
there I’ll take you. If I do sa it myself, Miss
Stranger, I’m young, but blest it can’t uare ac-
counts with any red—skin or prairie freeboo er that'll
dare to offer you harm by word or act. And I’m rough
too, as, a quartz-rock, but then you will excuse me,
know, for I haven’t had the society and school-pol-
ishing like I know you’ve had, miss. We fellows out
here arequ of tight and fun, but not much for nice
clothes and big words; but if there is anything I
like to see it's a fair fight and a pretty woman. I
know you‘ve not been treated right, MISS Stranger;
them men must 'a’ been awful demons to leave you,
a perfect iuigel1 alone on this prairie for the wolves
to eat you n .' .

“No doubtp that is what they (issued—intended,”
the 'rl responded, half-choked With her emotions.

“ ut their game’s failed them, thank Heaven!
Now may I ask you what our name is, miss? and
where on come from? an who them men are? and
what t ey are to on?" t

“My name is we—” she began,_but the rest of
the name was lost to the ears of' Silver Star in the
lou shrill whinny of his horse.

“ teat shades of the temple! what’s coming now,
Prince?" the lad exclaimed, and turning, he saw his
horse looking southward over the plain. Then the

 

lady," said the Boy Knight, Sal-

 
 

 

 

 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 

  
  
  
  
   
    
      
     
    
   
       
  

  
    
  

    

Silver Star. the Boy Knight.

g

 

.L

 

_ i . . ’
outh bent his head and listened, but could hear ‘ ging out for the fort. A thirty-mile walk is not ‘ A little further on a niche in the side of the clii!
lothing. He dropped himself to the earth, and g encouragin ; but by cuttin across by way of the arrested the youth’s attention and invited hinitoa
ssing his ear to the ground, again listened. In a ‘ Dead Fall can save five mi es, and b‘lieve I‘ll do it.

 

 

 

i
4

oment he started up, sayin :

“ Horsemen are coinin', 'ss Elwe. We must

ave here, for I know ’most the ’re Ingins or rob-

rs. I’ve been down here watc ' ' for some devil-
lry and I guess I’ve seen it.
in den Spy ’ are comin‘ true—but then that’s not
the thing to talk to you about.
ride horseback?”

“ Yes, sir,” the maiden replied, a faint smile play-
ing about her lips; “if there is any thing I excel in,
it is in riding; but, Silver Star—”

“ Well, then, you must mount my horse, and I‘ll
walk, for we must be movin from here."

" 0h, sir, I could not thin of taking your horse
from you," the girl re lied.

“ But you must thi of it; as for me, I could walk
a hundred miles to let any one like you ride."

“ You are gallant, I must confess; but—"

“ I will listen to nothing," the boy interrupted;
“ ou must ride my nag, and I‘ll walk. ’

6 called his horse u ), and assisted the maiden to

e animal‘s back. 0 took her seat in the saddle

an ease and grace which proved that she was
Dcuswined to i and gathering up the reins she an-
)ounced her re ass for departure.

Silver Star led the we toward the White Earth,
but before he had gone ar in that direction, str 6
tries were heard emanati from the depths of t 6
Woods, and were answe up and down the river.
Full well the you guide knew what the meant£
and without a wo he turned abrupfly to he h
and led the way eastward over the 'n. He wal ed
briskly, and had the maiden been ully aware of the
tea] da or that menaced them she would doubtless
have not ced the uneasiness of her rescuer. But, all
unconscious of the fact that hostile Indians and
white robbers infested the woods and prowled over
the prairies, she rode on, brooding over her sorrow
and wondering, until it seemed her very heart would
b lrst who her abductors were, why they had car-
ried or away from her home and friends, and
whether she would ever return to them or not. In
fact, her brain grew dizzy, and there were times
when she seemed floating along in a half-wakeful
slee ~half—conscious and half-dreaming. Often she
tried) to convince herself that she was dreaming, that
.she might wake to a pleasant realization; but the
" swish ” of her horse‘s feet, the moving form of the
gallant young knight the great a of prairie,
.and the moon in the blue depths of eaven—all con-
'vinced her of the painful rea ‘ty of her situation.

They had journeyed some three or four miles, and
the maiden had succeeded, to some extent, in re-
conciling herself to the situation, when suddenly her

uide dropped alongside her horse and looking up

nto her face said, With a troubled expression upon
his countenance:

“ Elwe, you will have to leave me and ride on
alone.”

“ Wh , Silver Star, I am content to follow you,"
she as d, innocent of the boy’s meaning; “ more-
over I would not know where to go.“

“ Ilut you must go Elwe—I insist upon it."

“ Why, Silver Starl” she asked.

“ We are bein’ ursued.”

“ Being pursu 1’" she exclaimed; “ by whom i"

“ Indians, or outlaws; or both, Elwe. Look back;
do you see that dark line and flashing weapons mov-
in onder?"

Eire glanced back and saw—not over a hundred
irods distant—a number of horsemen riding furious-
h toward them. She cauld hear the sound of their
horses’ feet, now that her attention had been called
to them, and see the flash and glimmer of their
wea ns and trappings in the moonlight. Still the
mai en scarcely realized the magnitude of her dan-
ger, and Sliver Star noticed the fact.

“Elwe,” he said rsistently, "you mustfly .' It
will be death to fall into them savagfs’ power. They
are hostile Sioux, no doubt, led y the renegade

chief, White Crane."

“ But, Silver Star, will they not kill you?" the girl '

inquired, with tremblin li s.
‘ Never mind me—I' e care of m If. Give
Prince the rein, Elwe, and let him go. assure you

he will carry you safely through to the fort. Do not 5
attempt to guilds him, for he knows the wa even I

better than 0. Now go, Elwe, and may eaven
protect youl Not a moment must be lost. ’
Scarcely conscious of what she was doing, Elwe

bid the boy farewell, gave her horse the rein and »

alloped swiftly away.
8 A wild, savage yell behind told that her flight
had been discovered, and then pursuit began in
earnest.

l
filver Star dropped himself in the grass, which
was nearly waist-deep, and upon hands and knees ‘

B an crawli cautiously but rapidly away to et

ou of the pa h of the savages. He felt satis ed .

that they had not seen him, and the only fears be

these were soon disposed of. for he had scarcely
gone a dozen rods ere the whole band of Indians and
robbers swept past him like the wind.

and as near as he could judge they were about fifty
in number.
When far past him the young guide rose to his
feet and, as a smile over his f he said:
“Go on, you yellin horde of p to an blisters!
I‘ll risk you overtakin’ Prince and we. Ahl who
knows but this is a part of the ht‘s programme
«of which " The Hidden Spy "’ spo e in his note?
Blast if I don‘t b‘lieve there a such a person as the
“Invisible Spyr “ and the Demon of Darkness! But
Wilshosthe but,bahlwhatsm1
'hous' Thebest formeistobopeg—

 

The words of ‘The ‘
Miss Elwe, can you i

‘- dense shadows
7 more through force of habit than fear of danger.

 

i at his hi .
‘ the chi

I’ve passed the fall more than once, andcan do it
ain if it is a little risky; so here goes.“

e turned north and struck out across the prairie.
To him every acre of prairie, every watercourse,
wood, trail, lull and chasm within miles of him was
perfectly familiar. Wherever he went there was
some known landmark to guide him, and so he was
no! com nailed to follow any beaten track or road.
Ho reac ed the woods and plunged into the deep,
here he observed more caution—

Pressing on he soon entered the broken, wooded

foot-hills where treacherous foot-falls, valle s rent ‘
with chasnis, and rugged, precipitous blu s beset .

his path. The timber iowever, was non so dense

and the moonlight struggling to earth, here and ‘
‘ there, greatly relieved the footsteps of the young

adventurer.
He had journeyed several miles when he found

western extremity of this blu

fort; but it would be attended with great and immi-
nent peril. Nothi daunted, however, Silver Star
pressed forward—ta 'ng the shortest and most dan-
gerous route. He kept close in against the face of
the bluff u on a ledge of rocks that wound around
the great c if like a spiral stairwa and soon the
greatest danger appeared. A (lee , lack chasm set

upon his left, while the blu rose higher and
higher overhaning the narrow way he was follow-
ing. llut Silver ‘tar knew his course and all its at-
tending dan ers. He had traveled it before, but
none save t e nimble-footed and the cool-headed
dare attempt the passage of a certain point on the
route known as the Dead Fall. It was a place where
the traveler had to turn a sharp corner of rocks—
where the footing was treacherous, and where many

a red-skin and hunter had been hurled into the fear- ‘

ful abyss below, a broken, bleeding, torn mass.
was this point the boy dreaded, for every step was
attended with dan A misstep or a loose pebble
might hurl him to is death. One thing was in his
favor. The moon shone full against the face of the
cliff and lighted his way. But for this he would
have had to pick his way step by step.

As be advanced, the boy foun that his path grew
narrower, and at times slanted off toward the preci-
pice on his left. Every step now had to be planted
with the greatest care until beyond the Dead Fall,
which was but a few rods awa , and the young man

had almost reached it when t e sound 0 voices fell .
upon his ears. ,
He used and listened, to be certain. He was ‘

not in staken. From beyond the Dead Fall came
the sound. Some one was comin toward him from
the other direction—from aroun the Dead Fall. It
was impossible for two persons to pass upon the

ledge, and if those coming should happen to be ene- ,

mics, death would be ineVitable.
The lad held his breath in suspense. He leaned

against the clifl, for he felt sick at heart. He fixed ‘

his eyes upon the an le that concealed the unknown

from his sight. A orm turned the Dead Fall and ‘

used before him. It was that of an Indian—an i
ndian chief—a tall, un ainly looking creature—hid- ‘
th feathers and war-paint. -

eous and grotesque
Silver Star recognized him as the notorious rene-
gade, Wade-in-the—Water, or White Crane.

The chief readily recognized the boy by the star '
g u n his breast.

It flashed before him like the eye
0 doom.

Each was thunderstruck by the presence of the
other.

They stood leaning slightly forward, lari into 
each ()lther’s eyes ii e tigers resting in eir cath-
stru e.

Co and damp came the air from the black depths

‘ below into their faces.

The cold sweat started in great drops upon the
face of the chief, and his nerves jerked and twitched
with emotion.

The star upon the breast of the boy flashed and
glimmered in the moonlight.

The very wall ainst which the
seemed to be swell ng outright as
over the dizzy hights.

Voices beyond the Dead Fall told that the chief
had friends soon to turn the corner in si ht.

Slowly the left hand of the boy sought the pistol

Nor was the movement unobserved by
whose lips moved and in a strange mys-
terious voice, purely English, articulate these

wo .

“Boy—Silver Star, retreat! 00, before they see
you, or it will be too late. I'll hold them beyond
the corner until you are out of sight.

The voice impressed the boy strangely.

stood pressed
to crowd them

He knew

. , it was that of a white man in disguise—a man who,
entertained were of being trampled to death. But ‘

to save himself was willing to permit the boy—the

% dreaded Silver Star—to escape, and that, too, when
i a great bounty was upon his young scalp!
upon .
the earth, he could see every man—red and white— ‘

Silver Star new there was no use arguin with
the chief: but accepting his proposition, an mak-
ing the same known by a nod of his head, he at once
began retreating backward, all the while keeping
his eyes upon the movements of the Indian for fear
of treachery. He soon from view of his

passed
38% around the winding ledge, and then he turn- :

upon the chief and continued on.
The hts of the fair Elwe came up in his mind, not-
withs ding his dangerous situation; and a
of bitter regret and disap intment smote his breas
when it occurred to him t at his retreat would delay
him almost a day in his journey in the fort, where
he hoped to again meet the maiden.

‘ solved to ress

I {legw‘irs' He 1w'dd h hl lid f
, yc ie soon asse im Wit on ,s' ing ootste
. his elbows almost brushing the boy's breast asgsé

gssing around ‘ out along the 1
could save miles of travel in his Journey to the i

‘ hills and v

, savage on the right making
them

Go. S‘death l" i

? ere he saw the bushes on the opposite side

daring adventure.
It was dee enough to conceal his person, and as

. the mooan t did not relieve it of its darkness on

account of the overhanging brow of the cliff, he re-
d] hhimself mtgdiaand run the risk d

‘scovery y t e passing 1' -' 'ins.

Removing the star upon his breast, the lad back-
ed himself into the niche, and in breathless suspense
awaited the coming and oing, of White Crane and his
not ong to wait, for the ungain-

ssed. He was immediately followed by a savage
in paint and feathers, and this one was followed by
another and still another, until a dozen or more had
passed without discovering the enemy pressed in
the niche of the wall so close that he seemed a part
0 it.

The lad remained perfectly quiet for fear all had

_ not gone by.

himself confronted by an almost perpendicular cliff, ,

orbluff, extending miles to the right and left. 3% 1
t 6

Five minutes passed, but as no more sev es ap-
peared to be coming, he leaned forward and ooked

ed e.
A cry esca Eis lips and he started back, clutch-
his revo ver, for another sava e was coming
along the led within five steps of iim! That the
warrior had overed his presence there was no
dfiglng for he sent forth a yell that started a hun-
d echoes leaping and rebounding through the

eys.
It was immediately answered by those that had
filmed by, and a few moments later the Boy
ight heard them comin back, and heard the
own his discovery to

This placed the daring boy in a perilous situation
from which there seemed no possible chance of
escape. It is true, the an les of the rocks on each

, side of him, protected hs bodyas long as he re-

mained wedged in there; but he could not entertain
an assurance of escape. ,

e chasm before him was over two hundred feet
deep, the rocks behind high and pro ectiiig; so there
was no mode of escape save by t e path that led
him there; so, drawing his revolver, he pre ared for
the worst. He had some advant e of 151th11 but
the enemy had the advan e o num ,rs. ore-

' over, Silver Star was under t e necessity of keeping

a watch u n the right and left, for fear the savages
mi ht un ertake to circumvent him by closing in on
hot sides at the same time.

With a revolver in iach band, he kept unceasing
watch. The minutes wore slowly and heavily away
into hours, but to the watcher‘s surprise the foe

i made not the slightest demonstration. The sav

remained rfectly quiet in hopes of deluding
boy' but ilver Star knew with whom he had to
deaf, and that the enemy was possessed of dogged
pat ence.

Slowly the moon ere t around the bluff and went
d0wn, leaving the lan in a purple loom, and ran-
dering the situation of the brave S lver Star more
precarious. But slowly the eventful night wore
away, and the light of a new day‘ burst over hill and
vaile . It gave a momentary re cf to the besieged

out ‘3 mind; yet it did not bring relief to his body.

unger and cramp from long confinement were
telli upon him.

St nothing had been heard or seen of the red-
s ' . Where were they?

To test the matter, the lad ut his hat upon the
muzzle of his revolver, and pus ed it slowly out pgt
the angle of his retreat. Scarce] was half of c
crown e ere a bullet tore t rough it, and the
crack of arifle woke the morning echoes. Silver
Star, equal to the emerggncy, uttered a groan of
distress, and the enemy, lievi he was killed, ut-
tered a wild, triumphant ell, an then the one on
the left—he who had the shot—glided forward
to secure the coveted  But as he appeared
around the corner, a istol ashed in , his very face,
and a bullet crashed hrough his brain. A low moan
escaped the doomed warrior’s lips; he clutched
nervousl at space, reeled and tottered, and then
sgnklbmac ’ward and disappeared over the edge of
t ec' .

This ave the red-skins to understand that their
young oe was wide awake, and ready f0 any emer-
genc . It dso gave them to and d that he
coul not be dislodged by force.

The morning sun rose above the hills and tree-
tops, and shot his cheerful rays into the narrow rc-
treat of the Boy Knight. Still it brought little re-
lief—little hope to his breast. VHow and when his
imprisonment would end, Goa only knew; but, ac-
customed to looku n the brl ht side of life, the

outh braced himse f, inhaled t e fresh air into his
u , and worked his limbs until partially relieved
of t eir cramp.

The mouth of the gaping chasm was not five feet
from where he stood. It was not overabundred
feet Wide, and the top of the opposite bluff 3131;
reached tea level with Silver Star‘s eyes. It was;
crowned with a dense grth of scrubby trees and
undergrowth, and while the ho was ponderi over
his situation, and wondering w at the next ro ble
movement of the enemy in ht be, it and only 00-
curred to him that it would a very matter
for a red-skin to come up on the opposite e of the
chasm and shoothimdown ache stood e . in
the niche. And the very thought seemed to have

, been born of intuition—forced upon him by that in-
; stinctive magnetism with which man and beast have

been endowed; for scarcely had it entered his 

ghasm part, aadasavage face appear in“ open-
{t was the face of tho meted. alum

 

  
  

    

4

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

Gram; and as he looked across the abyss into the
my face of the brave young scout, a smile of de-
moniac trium seemed to contort his face into that
of a gloating emon.

Silver Star stood in full view of the chief, whose
genome on the opposite side of the bluff he knew,

course mustbe nown to his braves on the ledge;
and yet the chief acted as though he was endeavor-
ing to keep himself concealed from the eyes of all
butthe boy. He probabl felt apangwof guilt in
takin% this advantage 0 a boy; but. this as it
may, ilver Star was tempted to try a shot upon the
renegade, and yet he did not. But a moment later
he saw the chi< f thrust his gun through a little open-
ing in the shrubbery and level it upon him. He saw
the e e of the man blazing) down the deadly barrel
like t e e e of doom and owing his head—with the
word “ E we ” upon his lips—the brave young knight
awaited his fate.

 

CHAPTER III.
our or our: nmora INTO aromas.

Tn rifle of the renegade chief rung forth, a groan
followed, and a limp and lifeless body went bounding
headlong into the awful depths of the Dead Falls.
But it Was not the body of Silver Star, the Boy
Knight. It was that of a savage—the one that had
stood so patiently at the riyit of the niche in which
the boy was concealed.

Silver Star stood unharmed, though he scarcely
knew what to think—whether the gures passin
around him were the figures of a wild dream, or .0
stern reality. He thought it impossible for White
Crane to have slain one of his own warriors purpose-
h; and et it seemed as utterly impossible for him
to have illed him by mistake. Surely he ~the boy——

not been mistaken in the rson he had seen
across the chasm? He was sa isfled it was White
Crane, but what uzzled him was the chief‘s action
in shooting one 0 his followers; and while rider-
the matter over, he was sudden! startle by an-
ot er rifle-report, and the death-ye] of another sav-

age.

Again-had the supposed renegade chief slain an-
other warrior, and again was the Boy Knight plun ed
into doubt and suspense that were painful. 16
could see nothing of the chief now, nor could he hear
an hing of his red enemies on the ledge to the left'
sti he was afraid to venture from his covert, am
while t ing to determine what course to pursue, he
was an denly surprised by seeing his unknown
friend emer e from the shrubbery on the opposite
side of the c asm in full view.

It was (he renegade chief, White Crane sure enough!

“Great horn—I mean waughl“ the c icf began, in
I quick, excited tone' “what in the fire and thun-
ier are you doing in that hole, Silver Star! Didn‘t I
five you a chance, last night, when I met you on the

to save your bacon? Oh, if I had a-holt of
you l'd jerk some of that adventuresorhe young
cussedness outen your systeml Why, I had to pin
two of my braves to skeer the rest away, and so,
you know what‘s ood for your hide, you want to be
a-climbin‘ cut of t ar likea sick b‘ar. In ten min-
utes more my braves ’ll be round here lookin' for the
feller that struck Billy Patterson. Now shin out
round the Dead Fall.”

“ White Crane,why have you befriended me, thus 7"
the boy ventured to demand, full of strange eager-

ness.
“ That’s none of gour business. in larkie, and now

good-b , for I’m 0 like agazelle,’ and the strange
glided into the bushes and was seen no more
Silver Star.

The boy had been deeply imbued with the honest
intention of the chief, notwithstand his mysteri-
ous motive' and so he ventured from s covert.

He found the Indians gone, and without a mo-
ment’a hesitation he moved along the ledge, around
the Dead Fall, and made his way from the cliff onto
broader and safer ground. He now breathed an air
of relief, and ained a moment for reflection. His

reve to Elwe and the mysterious White

He at once relieved himself of all fears con-

cerning the maiden, for he felt certain his noble
borne would 0811K her beyond danger; but the more
thought of t e chief, and his acts of mercyto

m, the greater became his heartfelt gratitude and
wonder—wonder that deepened into a profound

Pong, w a ghee now lay before the Boy Knight.
‘lhey were a'li e morgtvlvle i fgr ltie  suffering
thepangsof ungeran e -e cc 0 's ongan

l confinement on the led ; but, with that
unfaite courage and reso ute determination

. c racteris c of the boy. he pushed boldly for-
ward. He soon reached the White Earth, and turn-
hg westward followed alo that stream, looking
I.- a . He had fol owed this route but a
abort distance when he came upon the smoldering
embers of a camp-fire. He knew by the signs that
Lparty of Indians had been encamped there during
u the embers he t on some dry fuel,

.11 with‘hirfhat fanned the $10 into a blaze. This
this, he resolved to have some h set, and shoul-
his rifle he set of! in search game. He con-

te kill anything fit to eat, from a deertoa

and, luck we d have it, he had not gone far

a a fl deer came lancin down the woodland
“OW! within fifty paces of m. Accustomed to

at deer and antelope u n the run, the lad
Eh brought his 0 to h shoulder and fired.
decrllmsed

to a few rods and fell in a lit-

1 .
no“. 0:361:13!" exclaimed the lad, as the echoes re-
the rt of his rifle over and over and sent
. to re dingflthrough the floung day,
M's enough to rig down the gins from

‘}
"‘-,. r.

British America. But then I can‘t starve, report or
no report."

Reloading his rifle be advanced to secure a slice of
the deer. The animal was still stru ling in its
death-throes. It was a noble buck wi a coat as
sleek and glossy as silk and as the younfiknight
stood waiting for it to e, be was startled y sight
of the animal‘s hot blood spurting from two wounds
in its side. Two bullets had pierced the deer, and
Silver Star had fired but one of theml The other
one must have been fired simultaneous—both rifles
cracked as one. Who had fired that other shot?

As Silver S: ar asked himself the question he raised
his eyes and glanced quickly around him. A cry‘

burst from his lips.
Forth from the bushes near he saw a ainted sav-
age leap, and glide toward him with awn toma-

hawk.

icker than a flash of lightnin Silver Star whip-
pe outa revolver and fired. Tie savage stopped
suddenly, clutched at his face and attempted to ut-
ter a cry, but the blood that welled up in his throat
choked down all utterance save a ow, strangling
gasp, and reeling he fell dead. But, scarcely was
this victo won ere two more warriors came bound-
ing from t e woods with a frightful yell, and bore
down ugm the youn white. Never fiinching, the
boy deli rately raise his revolver and fired, bring-
ing down his Indian, and was about to repeat the act
upon the other, when he—the warrior—threw his
hatchet at the youth. Silver Star dod ed the fl infi
weapon, but in throwing up his ban to wardV o
danger, the tomahawk struck his revolver and
knocked it from his hand.

Still the savage came on, drawing his knife as be
advanced, and yelling like a demorl.

Silver Star, ever ready for any emergenc , stood
erect with one foot set forward, his fists c enched,
his teeth set and his e s blazing with a desperate
resolve. He had laid iis rifle down when he drew
his istol, and now he stood weaponless; still he
yiel ed not an inch.

The savage was a berculean fellow—strong enough
to crush the boy by main strength. The ferocity of
a demon was depicted upon his face. He felt confl-
dent of an easy victory for he saw that the lad was
without any means of defense whatever.

Silver Star, however, had resolved to sell his life
dearly, and, when the savage was within ten feet of
him, is sprung forward like a you tiger and threw
himself prostrate u on the earth. is head passed
between the legs 0 the warrior, but the feet of the
savage striking the shoulder of the boy he stumbled
and fell full length upon the ground.

Both, withlig tnin quickness endeavored to be
first 11 n his feet; ut the first down was the first
up, an before the red-skin was aware of the fact,
the hands of Silver Star were fastened upon his
scalp-lock, and he felt himself jerked backward with
dreadful violence across the body of the dying deer.
Silver Star fell at the same time, and t e ndian
feelin the moving body under him, supposed, in
his blind fury, that he had fallen u n the body of
the boy and raising his knife he rove the blade,
with all his stren th, into the animal‘s neck. He
attempted towitludraw the weapon, but as it had
been buried in the muscles and tendons it seemed
riveted there and refused to be withdrawn, and
before he could repeat his effort Silver Star was
upon foot and tugging desperately at his long scalp.
B a sudden movement the lad succeeded in 'erkiug

m beyond the reach of his knife, when e war-
rior was thrown upon his natural resources for
defense. Like a in serpent he whi pedhimself
about upon the e an fairly fro bed at the
mouth. His strength was prod lions, and by a
quick jerk he threw the Boy Knig t to his knees,
and reaching backward he seized he outh by the
collar and drew him up close a ainst a back. In
the iron gripe of the monster t e lad was as a mere
infan and e was oompletel at the villain’s mere .
Still t e oung knight hel on to his scalp~loc ,
and kept he great bullock-like head of the savage
dg'awn back so that he could not exerthisentire
s ren .

Int estruggle they had rolled over a rod from
the body of t e deer, but now the savage an
wrig ling and edgi back toward the deer. Si ver
Star ow his in en ion; it was to secure his knife
and end the struggle.

The young knig t felt that his life was in imminent

 or hte was powerless to do aught in the hands
e .

Inch y inch did the red-skin work his way toward
the deer, and at le h he came close enough to
touch the haft of his nife with his fingers. Another
hitch and he could  it.

Silver Star felt ' lood run cold. He nced
across the opening and within the shadows 0 a tree
he saw a strange, round, black object, resembling,
in some respects, the wi of a monster hat. The
sight of it sent a shiver t rough his frame, notwith~
standing his perilous situation. Before he had time
forasecond thought he felt the save ehitch for-
ward: he saw his fingers close upon t ehandle of
the knife.

At this very juncture a cloud of smoke burst from
the dark obflfict on the ed e of the opening, and the
dull, pistol- 0 report 0 a firearm broke the dead
silence of the moment. Silver Star felt a quiver run
throu h the frame of his fiant antagonist, he felt
his loosen upon his co er, and looki into his
paint face, he sawabullet-hole directly tween

is eyes—saw that he had been slain.

The next instant the Boy Knight stood, a free lad;

23¢ whfoulliad satire: thitl'thH: glancedbtowléardbjthtta
oeon'uast e,acoec
basemmpgearedpe. ‘ “"8

[ While 6 youth again found himself pondering
over another strange mystery, he was suddenly

 

‘ . a A ~'. “Cu”. ‘2'  ‘
.,  y-Qtfilfilryut; .  .

 

 

 

 

a
w

startled by sight of a wild, tragic coal. Juno
being enacted a few rods away.

CHAPTER IV.
“wm ours rims annex, TEEN cone 1- '0-
0’ was. '

Suva-a Srm's attention .had been attracted w
the sound of a human vorce, and 100 around.
he saw a white man, about ten rods away, n a posi-
tion of the most comical and ridiculous character;
and the words that he heard issuing from the man‘s.
lips filled him with no little wonder and curiosity.

The man was dressed from head to foot in the
garb of a frontiersman, and was standing facing,
and close up against a tree with his arms hugging
the trunk tightly. And what was more strange, the
arms of another man—evidently a savage—upon the
other side of the tree were lapped around the trunk,
and the fingers of the hand clutched tightly in the
unkempt locks of the hunter.

What it all meant, Silver Star could not under-
stand, and for a minute or more he stood gazing u
on the strange rformance. To his surprise, 
discovered that t e Indian was none other than his
friendly foe, White Crane, in whose hair the long
d Its of the hunter were booked.

_ he two foes had evidently approached each other
With the tree between them, and aware of each.
other’s presence on the o posite side, had endeavor-
ed to seize each other an thus became fastened in:
a deadly gn , and in this ludicrous manner they
were found the B0 Knight.

It appeared, that ne ther would relfn uish his hold'
throug fear that his antagonist woul gain an ad»
vantage over him; and yet they were in a position.
that would enable them to inflict little damage upon
each other.

Around and around the tree they circled, jerling‘,
and thumping each other‘s head ainst the tree un-
til their faces and foreheads were ruised and bleed-
ing. By_turns, they cursed each other‘s cowardice
and stupidity, and made the most horrible threats
the human mind could conceive.

Silver Star enjoyed the scene very much, yet in
some doubt as to what it really meant, he stood and
watched and listened.

“ Oh, you gol~infemalated red bastion " he heard
the white hunter exclaim, “I’ll hold you here till the
fires of the sulphur-pit g *8 out—I‘ll pound your old.
cocoa-nut she] ag‘ln‘ tlus tree till the milk in it’s all“
citilurned into bonnyclabber, confound your ever—o—
0 ’71

His words were here cut short by White Crane
givin his head a furious bump against the tree,

“ aughl” vociferated the red-skin. “ White
Crane much big chief—he hold pale-face dog here
till tree grows heap big and makes white dog’s arms

r 71

“Oh that’s your idea, is it, you mutton-head?
1’11 hold onto your hair till my whole carcass is,
stretched into arms. I’ll be found here a hundred,

ears from now if on last, you red bastion. 0h,

ackson, that fit at aterlool jist wait and l’ll soon-
kick this tree out from between us; I’m to be your
last sickness!"

In this manner they continued to pull, and haul,
and curse each other around and around the tree-
for some time. Neither seemed disposed to ield,
and Silver Star finally concluded that he wo d in—
terfere. He knew not whether the white man was.
a friend or not; but he naturall su posed he was a
friend. White Crane he knew efricnded him—
saved his life. and now if he could repay him he was-
gomg to do it, and advancing nearer to them be ex-
claimed: ~

“ Ho, here, menl what means all this?"

Had a bombshell exploded near, the two foes»
would not have started more violently. Each broke
his hold u n the other‘s hair and started back. 30“.
keepaigg e tree between them. Each glanced at.
the y Knigh then drew hisknife and stood ,
asif‘elfigecting enem to come around the tree
and h the conflict. ut neither stirred from his
tracks-seemed anxious to renew the battle.

“Men, wh this ht here in this manner?” Silver
Star asked, ooking in one to the other.

“Because the face do is afraid to come
’round the tree and fight like a rave man," answer-
ed White Crane.

“ The red-faced bastion‘s a liar “ roared the limiter.
an odd-loo ' old genius of t e enuine Y
type; “I wen around and aroun that tree
t ousand times, but the coward alert kept on
t‘other side like a squirrel. Them are the facts and

ers in the case, youngster; and I can whoop that
sp er-
boots an reee es he‘ll just sail around horel’

“The pale-face is a great coward!" hissed the
renegade, shaking his bony fist at his foe, though the
travail was still betWeen them. m MM

ere was something in the ta -s and
angular-featured White Crane thatnimplesscd Silver
Star rather favorably. There was a strange twinkle
in his gray eyes, and an odd, serlo-oomkzal ex-
pression hovering about the great wide mouth that
were indicative of some of the better traits and re-
deeming qualities of human nature. There was
nothing repulsive or sus icious-looking about the
white man; but, naturally en0u8h, "Vel‘ Star’s
symggthy was for the man who bud saved his life;
and lieving that now was the time to repay the
chief, he resolved to interfere.

“ St rs," he said, “let this conflict end here.
You are th white men—brothers. White
has saved my life, and it is but just that I should
repay him in like manner. White Crane, you in.
de . Iwiilseethat noharrnbefalls cu.“

‘ Thanks to thee, in little cove,“ said the chiet,
with a graceful wave 0 the hand, as if glad of ti.
lad’s assurance. Then craning his neck around the

ed, mfg-headed red nigger out 0"hia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

. _..__.—"2—

'wfi‘. .

 

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

tree until he could see the white hunter, shook his
fist at him, and then turned and strode maJestically,
triumphantly away into the woods.

"‘ Great lord of Ballycornl" exclaimed the hunter,
as he saw the chief retreating. “ Boy, did you say
he act‘ly saved your life i“ . _

“ Yes, he did, ’ replied Silver Star, keepmghls eyes
upon the hunter through fear of treachery.

“Well, then, that saves him! If it \ver’n't for
that I‘d foller him and exterminate the red-white
bastion—I would, by the holy Moses. Boy, it seems
awful queer that I didn‘t knock that tree from
:ztwixi: us and abolish him, soul and b0dy. I see,
now, I‘m a fool for not doing it—I see it plain as this
rose on my face, and that’s plain enough since n‘s
three times its nateral longi and latrtood. Jrst look,

oungster, whar m proboscis war Jerked against
{hat tree b that in ernalated red bastion. Oh, that
a thought d do the work wouldn't I abolish him,
fhough?—wouldn"t T smash him all over Dakota like
a flirt? Oh, save me' I'm mad—mader‘n a bum—
blebee. But, what's the use frettin‘? Come to
think, I‘ll sw’er I believe that I‘ve_heard that cuss‘s
voice before—years ago. If he‘d Jrst shed his paint
and dirt, mebby I‘d know him."

“‘Ve likely," answered the boy; “ and it seems
to me t at l on ht to know you."

“ Well, you’ ought. that‘s a fact; but as my
features are somewhat out of gear, and puffed
up so like a blowing adder, I reckon my girl
wouldn‘t know me. But my name is Arkansaw Abe
-—Old Arkansaw, the Traveler and Scout; that‘s me,

)7

XOId Arkansawl" exclaimed the boy, in surprise
and delight; “ you don’t tell me! And yet, I might
have guessed as much.“

“Yes, sir ‘ee, hossfly; I‘m that very old pilgrim.
No great shakes for beauty, but noted for my sweet
disposition and charmin‘ ways.”

“You‘ve been ex ected at the fort some time,“
said the Boy Knigh .

“ Yes; 1 arriv‘ thar last night.“

“ Then you’ve been to the fort ?"

“Yes—oh, yes; and I hadn‘t been there but a few
hours when Iwas started in search of one of the
:scouts belongin‘ to the fort: and thestaron your
diaph tells me I’ve found him. You, boy,
are that fittle bloody Turk called Silver Star, ar‘n‘t
' on?"

y “I am Arkansaw; but, why were on sent in
search of me? Did Elwe get through of"

“Who‘s Elwet your boss? It come tlrough in

good time all ht side up."
“ Without a dert"
“ Without a rider."

Silver Star uttered a groan and fairly staggered
. under the terrible news.
' "Oh, my God!" he exclaimed; “then Ell-re is
lost!"

 

CHAPTER V.

.ARMNSAW AND THE BOY KNIGHT run: A mox-
NOISSANCE.

“ B01," replied Old Arkansaw “what do ou
'gilean’ by saying Elwe is lost? Who and wha is
we H

In as few words as pomible the Bongnight nar-
rated the adventure 0 the balloon, rescue of
Elwe and her flight upon his horse.

0k Arkansaw was astonished by the lad's story,
and when he had concluded his narration, the hun-

ter said:

“Then the poor on thing never ot thro h.
The hoss came all htniut no girl. I s ould th nk
if the red-skins got er, they‘d taken the boss too;
so it's my solemn opinion that she's been killed."

“ Oh, merciful heavens!“ cried the b0 , “I hope
such is not the case. I cannot bear to nk Elwe is
dead. She was the prettiest girl, Arkansaw, that you
ever laid your eyes on. And, then, she was as gentle
as an el' why, if it hadn’t been for them wicked
men ir‘rutfie ’loon, I’d ‘a’ believed she war sent from
heaven direct."

“Love! lovel" muttered the old borderman. ‘fI
never knowed a ho to rescue a gal from dan r in
my life but he fell u love with her, heels over cad.
And then the ’re alers angels—beauchlful, and all
this sort of hings, even if they're ug1_ as mud
fences. Like as not your Elwe d look e a bird
without plumage to me. You see, old eyes and

oung eyes don t see alike. I used to See an angel
n every al‘s face, but, how‘re you angels now?
After I go jilted fortyseven times, the female sex
became very lain—really human. But it‘s mighty
ueer ’bout t t balloon business—some myste .
N h didn't you fix your angel ‘bout it, Silver Star "

“ did ask her, and she had just begun telling me
when we discovered the Indians comi down upon
us. But, Arkansaw, I must know wha become of
that girl—I will never quit these woods until I know
whether she is dead or alive.‘

“Now, see here, boy; you we got a name all over
Dakota. and creation for bein one of the best, slick-
rst and most successful ran era,l and so don't, for
city sake. let this girl-hunt sp le 9. l.

' ‘ Do on advise me, Arkansaw, to let her go-to
mt loo after her? to leave her, if llvin' at the
were of bloodthirst savages?

“0 , no, Silver S ar; be a man—die for lovely
woman, if necessaryde on want to; but don't go
toohasty. Keep cool an calculate carefully and
then see how she'll flgger up. Now, Captain _ s
and nine of the soldiers are camped u here waiting
for me to return with some game for reakfast, and

*ifyou‘ll vlvlalt till I block out a chunk of that dead
door we‘ u to camp."

“ id yougoflrepat that deer. Arkansawl" the boy

questioned.

“I «111, for a fact.”

 

 

“And so did 1, though I did not hear your gun.
There are two bullet-holes in the animal‘s side. We
must have fired simultaneously.”

“ Yes, for I didn’t hear your gun till
rattle of! checks to them red-skins. eavens, how
you managed that battle, for a boy. You’re a good
one, I’ll vow. I’m awful glad to meet you, Silver
Star; here, give us a shake—like to forgot that; but
say, 'ist don’t say anything to the boys ’bout the
way got that White Crane fixed up to abolish him.
They might consider it a thunderated good joke on

 

l .1.

i

—on—well, the tree we war huggin’ u ) so skrimp- 1

shus. Jist kind 0’ leave it all to me; I' fix u this
battered mug o’ mine, to the boys, satisfacto 3'."

The scouts secured a portion of the deer, an the
weapons of the fallen red-skins and at once set out
for camp, where they soon arrived.

Silver Star was reCeived in cam with shouts of
éoy; but great was their surprise w en the men saw

he face of Old Arkansaw, bruised and bleeding;
and they at once plied him with questions regarding
his injuries.

This the old man had e ected, and as he promis-
ed Silver Star, he flxed t e matter 11 bya slight
exag eration of facts in a manner t at reflected
credi upon himself.

While the 01d frontiersman and one of the soldiers
were pre arin the venison for breakfast, Silver
Star told ‘apta n Barns of all that had transpired
since he left the fort. The captain was astounded
at the story of the balloon and the disappearance of
the maiden, and many and various were the con-
jectures concernin the aeronauts and their strange
conduct. With w at little that Silver Star had
gathered of their conversation, Captain Barns felt
satisfied that the girl, Elwe, was the victim of some
cons iracy, foul and malicious.

“ ut the maiden must be found, be she dead or
alive,“ the soldier said. “One of the Pickets said
your horse came in from the directiono Deep Ford;
and as this crossi is in the vicinity of the Indian
villalge, she might ave fallen into savage power."

“ so, then there may be some hope of finding
her," declared the young scout: “ but at any rate,
I‘m going to hunt for her, until I know her fate."

flf'i‘And you can count on my assistance," said the
o cer.

Breakfast being prepared and eaten, the arty
mounted their animals, and took their depagture
east, alo the river.

As they ad brought Silver Star’s horse alo with
them, the outh once more found himself at ome
in the die, and that, too, with his shield-star
blalflng brightly won his breast in the morning

e party rode on until noon when they halted
for dinner and to await the coming of night. They
were not far from the Indian village now, and what
was to be done must be done under cover of night.

With restless impatience Silver Star watched the
sun go down, and when the shadows of n ht ain
settled over all, the fys'outh, in company wit Ol Ar-
kansaw, mounted h horse and rode off u the river
to make a reconnoissanoe of the Indian ge. An
hour‘s ride brought them within sight of a hundred
twinkling lights on the o posite side of the river.

“ Grea Scotland!" exc aimed Silver Star, pointing
across toward the town' “I’d give my whole right
and title to all Dakota ifI could go through you hor-
net’s nest like a volley of grape-shot.“

“I wish so, too, boy, if wishin’ ’ll do an good,”
replied Old Arkansaw; “ but I'll bet the re bastions
have all got their optics skinned and their auracu-
lars open. I jlst want to meet that sweet~scented
White Crane again and if Idon‘t show him a thin
or two I’ll ve my head for a toad~stool. If I shoul
meet him night, I’d spatter his carcass all over
this territory, and redden the moonshine with his
blood. The coward] sneakin‘ ole bastionl Hivensl
how I should like clap them paws upon him

ainl” and the old scout brought his palms together
until they cracked like a pistol-shot.

“Sup we go over and stir that hornits‘ nest
upl any ow?" suggested the Boy Knight.

‘ Haw! hawl haw!“ laughed the scout, softly: “a
boy can’t pass a homits‘ nest without shying a stone
at it. But the I'm in fur anything that’s full of
fun_ and fire. e might go over and charge into
their village and—then charge out again before the
varmints sting, though it’ll be awful risky. J erusa-

lem crickets! won”! t raisea seethin‘ howl! Why,
nothln‘ll compare with it since the morni stars
unker

Elfillg‘ together. and the Romans charged on

“ Well, we‘ll have to go up the river to cross."

“ Can‘t we swim her beret—like Washington did
the raging Rubicon ‘3"

“ No; the banks are too steep," replied the youth,
leadin the way up the river.

In a ew minutes they came to what was known as
the Deep Ford; and entering the stream, they cross
ed to the other side. Just as they were emerging
from the water the keen eyes of the Boy Knight
caught sight of two canoes standing alongside of
eac otherin the shadows of the bank, a rod or so
below the crossing. There was an occupant in each
boat. Silver Star said nothing of his discovery until
some distance from the river, when he drew rein and
r nested his companion to do likewise. Then ne
tol Arkansaw of what he had seen, and dismount-
ing, he left his horse in the old scout‘s care, and
started back

the silence of a shadow, and at length came within
earshot of the two unknown persons. Listenin in-
tently he was surprised to hear some one, 
English, say:

“ One of the horses looked like that which crossed
here last night.“

To this a girlish voice replied:

to ascertain, if possible, who the two i
were in the canoes. He approached the river with ‘

himl‘hat was the dreaded young pale-face upon
m.‘1
“ Who?" exclaimed the man, apparently excited;

ou begun to 1 “Silver Star?"

“ Yes: did you not see the star upon his breast?"
the Indian maiden—for such the venturesome boy
discovered her to be—replied.

“ Had I known that, he would never have someo
ve,i1

“ Does Silent Heart fear him like my people?"
Ah! who is Silent Heart? thought the listener.

“ No; I do not fear him; but he is my enemy and

, your enemy, Nathelah."

 

 

“ Yes; and he is goin
plied the maiden “and
alarm the village. ’

“ Do not be m a hurry, Nathelah, your people are
not asleep. Silent Heart has much to say, for it will
be many moons before he sees his sweetheart again.
I am going away."

“ Going away? Is Silent Heart tired of Nathelah?
Does a fairer one sing words of love in hisearf" tho
girl asked.

" I will meet (you here again, Nathelah. Watdl
o the river, an when a broken oar floats by the
Village, meet me here. I will come."

“ And will you love Nathelah then as now?"

“Why should I not? Have I not pledged my low
to on? '

“They tell me the tongue of the pale-face lover
sometimes is crooked.”

“ Why should you doubt me, Nathelah?"

“ Did the river not give to you one fairer than Nae
thelah? Is she not in the Wigwam of the Silent
IHeart? and can her smiles and soft voice not win his

eart?"

“ Never, Nathelah, neverl”

This assurance seemed to quiet the jealous fears
of the Indian girl, and after a few minutes more of
stolen bliss, their interview ended. The maiden
headed her canoe down-stream, and the lover turned
his in the opposite direction. In a minute or two
both had disa peered.

Ever read grasp at straws, the Boy Knight be-
gan to a yze the conversation of the lovers. He
wondered who Nathelah could be jealous of—who
the fair one was that the river had given to Silent
Heart. Could it have been Elwe?

The boy started at the question, and with the
thought uppermost in his mind he returned to Old
Arkansaw and made known his discovery, but with-
out claimrng any material benefit of what he had
heard more than that the Indian rl would return
to the village and inform her frien that Silver-Star
was about and put them on their guard.

“ Then let us rack out like a small hurricane,"
said Old Arkansaw, “and git down there ahead of
thirtllrliiskyprat, and go through the town like jagged

1g n‘.‘

So sa ng, they galloped toward the Indian vi
Old Ar ansaw takin the lead. Silver Star did
exactly know what is old companion’s course of
action was; but he made up his mind to follow him
wherever he dared to go.

Straight on toward the Sioux town galloped the
reckless scouts, and the nearer they approached it
the faster they rode. Not a savage seemed to dis-
pute their way and without the least alarm '
Else? they suddenly dashed into the outskirts

e v 

And now arose a Pandemonium of noises on the
October night. Old Arkansaw uttered a yell of do-
flance and discharged his revolver at the nearest
sav e. Silver Star followed his example, and then,
gutting spur, they thundered away through the

ark part of the vi ‘ with the {(1211 ing of d
the shouts and cries 0 women and c ' n, and 6
{figs of the warriors trailing after them until night

ame hideous with the sounds. But as well might
they have pursued the wind, for, ere the were
aware of the fact, the raiders were in the w ut
of reach of all dan ers. .

But so successfu had been the ride of the fear-lea
scouts that Silver Star was not content to let wefl
enough alone, and be resolved to make anothervllash.
It is true, nothing had been accomplished by the
ch , aside from the wild excitement it .
but t was not what had taken the Boy i.
there. He was in search of Elwe; and no sooner d
he find himself in the woods with the savages all
drawn from the village in pursuit, than be resolved
to take advantage of the moment, and run another
and greater risk in Elwe‘s behalf.

Without sayi a word to Old Arkansaw, he turn-
ed abru tly to t e n ht and gallopeu away through
the. w 3 back to e river. Then, turning down
the stream, he again entered the Indian town on the
south side, at which point he knew the place was de-
sorted. the savages—men, women and children—ho
in at the other side of the village.

rth impunity the daring boy galloped down into
the very heart 0 the Indian town. He knew enough
of Indian habits and customs to know that the prison
lodge was located near the center of the village, and
always designated by some peculiar device. As be
advanced the young scout selected this lodge from
among the many, and rode straight toward t. In a
moment more he was at the door of the tent. No
one was there to dis ute his way, and leanin 101'"
ward in his stirrups e raised the flap-doors look-
ed in. But darkness filled the apartment-416 heard,
he saw not .

“Elwe? rlwe, are you here?" hecalled out. but
there was no response. Again he calledthe name of
Elge. A yell was the only answer. It was a savage
ye .

A number of squaws seeing him, gave the okra in
the most frightful, discordant screams that ever u-
sued from human lungs; and in another mo-
thatswarmof savages was rolling back no.“

toward our village," re-
athelah should hurry and

 

 

    

    

 

woods like an angry pack of wolves. Putting spur
the Boy Knight pushed on through the village west-
ward. Before him lay an 0 en level expanse of
meadow, flooded with the me! ow moonli ht.

The savages seeing the course he had ta en, began
to spiread out to the right to head him off; and the
eras of firearms now was added to the direful sound
Cleavage lungs. Lead whistlcd Over and around
the young horseman thick as hail. But he was not
destined to escape unpunished this time. A bullet
struck his ankle, inflicting a serious and painful
wound. The shock paralyzed his whole leg. and it
was only by a desperate effort that he succeeded in
keeping his seat in the saddle.

“ Oh, by heavens!” he exclaimed, as the pain shot
through his body, forcing a groan from his lips, “ I’ve

ot it at last, ard 0t it badly, too. I’d ought to

ave known bettert an to come back here into this
hornets’ nest. I believe my leg is shot 011’. On,
Prince, my good old horse; the red demons are
mountin’ and pursuiu‘ usl”

He was now on an open plain, but a belt of timber
by a. Short distance before him, and straight toward
the nearest point he held his way.

Almost on the ver margin of the woods the ani-
mal came to a SIM den sto , nearly pitching his
wounded rider forward over iis head.

“Another confounded blunder!” exclaimed the
boy, for before him ran a deep, awning rift that ho
had never thought of before. ye knew was there.

He glanced back—to the ri lit and left. Mounted
savages were coming rapid y across the opening.
He was in a dangerous redicamcnt. He could not
escape by swimming tie river, for the banks he
knew were hi h and precipitous. The rift was be
fore him, am the approaching savages now com-

eted the environing circle. Escape seemed im-

‘ble, and capture would be certain death.

Before him a tree had been felled so as to span the
channel. The top side of this log had been liewn
away to a flat surface over twelve inches in width.
This had been used by the Indians as a foot—log, and
the sight of it suggested a means of esca e to the
daring (youn knight. But he was woum ed, as he
believe , so t at he could not walk. The only way
he could effect his escape was by deserting his horse.
and dragging himself along upon his hands and
Knees the best he could. A moment‘s reflection,

owevcr, convinced him that he could never eludo
the savages by this means, and all hope liad faded

In his breast, when out of the darkness of the

Woods upon the opposite side of the chasm, a voice
tried on :

“Dismount, boy, and cross on thelog 2” It was the
voice of Old Arkansaw.

“I can’t, Arkansaw; one of my legs is shot off, I
” was the boy’s cool response.

“Oh, great Babylon l—boy, the ’!l abolish you!
gee! they’re comin’ a thousand mi lion strongl My

0d, Silver Star! what are you goin’ to do. boy?”

The lad had turned his horse’s head and was urg-
ng it toward the chasm.

I’m 0111’ to ride over on this log, Arkansaw, or
die in he attempt,” replied the boy; “ steady,
Prince. steady."

“ Farewell then, brave bo , farewell!” groaned
the old plainsman, as he saw be trained horse, obe-
dient to its master’s will, place its fore feet upon the

' narrow bridfig and then with a spring plant the
‘others close hind them. He saw the horse, with
neck extended and form uivering over the preci-
ace, take one step; but e saw no more, for be

ad his head to shut out the scene that followed.

CHAPTER VI.
AN mmumm rs CAMP.

0m Amuxsnv heard the sound of the horse’s
hoofs u n the log, and heard it snorting with af-
flight; e heard the voice of his young friend speak-
words of command and encouragement to his
rue—he heard the wild screams of he approach-
fig savages—all, seemingly, blended in one awful
rriblo sound that numbed his very senses, and
nsflxed him with fear and terror. His heart
named to rise in his throat, and a dreadful, choking
cation followed. The were the pan 8 and burn-
of the most painf suspense tha man could

or; and it seemed as if they would never end.
Everything was on a blinding whirl about the old

 

“Come. Arkansaw," suddenly exclaimed a voice.
and o horseman swept past him.

The: 11 was broken. It was the voice of Silver
“or—i; 8 Boy Knight was safe! He had safely rid-

den his horse over the chasm upon the footlog—pcr- '

formed a miracle!
The old hunter started up, gave utterance to a.
of jog}; and putting spur, dashed away after the

y.
Dumb with astonishment, the red-sinus used
the edge of the chasm. Then a cry of allied
unh bursts from their throats. A few dismountf
runni alfross upon the log, start in pursuit o

15.

Away through the forest sped the two scouts.
no ollowed the river a few miles, when they
hfiy rode into the stream and crossed to the op-
me shore. Contimiing on, the soon reached

when Silver Star was assiste from his horse
and would examined.

It was found that the ball had struck his ankle, in-

a very painful, but not dangerous wound.
w 10 foot and 1e had been comfiletely para-

by the shock; ut this grad y wore off,
the sense of more acute.
ms the wound as well as means

‘ command would it; and recommended a
application of cold water to allay the pain

var.
tho-oldicrshad takenthe mes-unim-

 nBa

 

 

Silver Star, t

 

18
cautions to uard against a surprise by the Indians.
Besides the our guards stationed at as many dif-
fcrcnt points, the location selected for a camp
possessedlgreat natural advantages as a defensive
position. t was guarded ugon one side by the river,
and then nearly surrounde by a horse-shoe shaped
bod of water upon the other sides, thus forming a
kim of a peninsula that could be reached only by
waly of a narrow neck of land.

he peninsula was about five acres in area—a low,
sandy tract of land covered with tall, dense timber,
and strewn with driftwood and debris, for the place
was subject to overflows during high water.

In the very center of this point had the soldiers
lighted a camp-fire; and after the return of Arkan-
saw and Silver Star and the wound of the latttr had
been dressed, and the story of their adventures nar-
rated, all seat-ed themselves around the tire and en-
gaged in a quiet conversation.

Thus an hour had assed, when suddenly a shrill,
strange voice piercet through the solemn stillness of
the place and started soldier and scout to his feet.

The tramp of feet and the cracking of dry brush
was heard, and ainoment later one of the guards
came into camp, escorting as queer-lOoking a crea-
ture as it had been their lot to look upon in many a
day; and what was most strange, the erson was a
comm—a. white woman, well on towar fifty years
of age.

She was dressed in a garb as odd and outlandish
as her gent-rill appearance. Her dress was made of
some heavy, coarse material of a. dirty brown color. It
was scant in breadth and in length, and just reached
to the tops of a pair of number-seven army shoes.
Over this dress she wore a pea-green jacket em-
broidered with red, and trimmed with rows of dif-
ferent-colored beads. Upon her head was a great,
flaring bonnet that rose and fell like clephants’ ears
with each nod and motion of the head. U on one
arm she carried a small beaded sachel w ich a -
peared to be well filled; and in her ri lit hand 5 ie
carried a great, heavy and clumsy-loo 'ng umbrella
that seemed to be the worse of long usage.

“ Well, by the Holy Jcrusalim l” exclaimed Old
Arkansaw, as his eyes fell upon the form of thefair
stranger; “what under the moon and shinin’ stars
have you found, Rathbone?”

“ A woman,” replied the half-mortified soldier.

“Yes, a woman 1" fair! shrieked the female, with
blazing eyes while she 8 00k her big umbrella over
Arkansaw’s end in a threatenin manner—3‘ a poor,
sad-hearted and lonely woman—t c wreck of former
beauty, the victim of man's imperfldy and incon-
stancy—the relic of as owdashus an old scoundrel as
led an innocent, confldin’ gal to the hyenial altar.
That’s who I am.” .

“ By the dancin’ dervishes l” res onded Arkansaw,
“it seems to me I’ve see’d you be ore, ole lady. Isn’t
your name Bandy-—Mrs.— ’

“Yes, 'es!” she screamed, her whole frame set
a-quiver, t seemed, by mention of the name Band ;
“ my name is Ellen Sabina Bandy—the wronged, e-
sarted and injured wife of that owdashus, ungrate-
ful vagabone, Christopher Columbus Bandy.”

“ That’s it edzactly; I see’d you years ago down in
Nubraska. Yeafientlemen and soldiers, this is the
relic of old Kit andy, of whom I war tellin’ you
yesterday.”

“ Yes, and please gracious, I’ll relic him when I git
hands on him again!” added the woman. “I’ll at
a stop to his rumagin’ around over this hemisfear like
a gay young courtier. I’ll pluck his eyes out like a
vulture-oh, you may laff and hit at a be! less wo-
man till your diaframs rips wide open, at when
you’ve suffered as I’ve suffered, you’ll know how to
sympathize with me. Not one mother’s brat of you’d
suffer half whatI have, and keep your youth and
beauty. Oh! but I’ll make that ole va. abone smart
like petpper when I meet him again! e promised,
at the enial altar, to love cherish and protect me
till dent did us art; and I’m detarinined to hold
him in the breac in’ with a square rein. He shall
never lavish his hypocritical smiles and gallantrics
on any other female that ever wore hair—no,
never! ’

“ P’r’aps, Mrs. Bandy,” suggested Old Arkansaw,
“if you’d smooth your feathers and curb ydur con-
versational powers when the o d man‘s about, he'd
remain with you. reckon as what you go for him
like gagged lightnin’.”

“ h gracious reachers! hav’n’t I melted myself
into all smiles an sweetnesses and lovelinesses all
for that ungrateful critter? And how, gentlemen,
did he reward me? Why, it was tryin’ to murder
me," and her voice fell to a whis r; “ es, tried to
murder me 1” she again broke to h, wit violent ges-
tures, “ by uttin’ a hurt under my horse’s tail one
day when started for a ride."

‘ I’ll bet. you got even with him,” said Arkansaw.

“ Please gracious I did, old covey! One day, when
he was takm’ his noon na on a blanket under a
tree on the banks of the uba, I brought the ed es
of the blanket together and sewed him up in it w th
8. big stone at his feet. Then I rolled the old cavalier
into the river—he! he! hel—and by means of a rope
attached to the blanket, I let him down. then hauled
him to surface, then ker—‘soused him under again;
and in this way I made him beg like a hungry
Italian. He promised to love me, to obey me.
to be m own slave, to die for me if necessary to—”

“ Did 6 keep.his promises?” interrupted the old

scout.

“No!” she shrieked' “notasingle, lone! one of
them, the false decept ve heathen! And i nearly
kills me when I think of my galhood days when that
owdacious critter come a-courtin’ of me so gay,

with his pockets full of sweetmeats, and his tongue

drip ' with nice poetry. Oh, what a fool I was!
Bu war young and handsome. the n hbors said,
and every teller in the country co my smiles.

Boy Knight.

- men. she’s a r

 

 

 

 

Foolish girl, I were; I sailed over a flower-bed and
lit in a mud-puddle when I took ole Kit Bandy for
better or worse.”

“What does our husband follow, Mrs. Bandy?”
asked Captain ms, with a suppressed smile.

“Everythi under the shinin’ sun, but mostl a.
nose bigger t an your fist. He’s beena reac er"
andawood-chopper, a doctor and a. hog- rover, a.
lawyer and a bullwhacker, a 'udge and a robber,
and now pretends, I understan , to be a scout and a.
detective. But a urty scout and detective he’d
make! If [detect im, I’ll bet he‘ll get a scoutin’ he!"
don‘t want. He’s been tryin’, for years, to toll me
off into the Ingin country thinkin’ I’d git skalped, or
a robber ’d steal me for his bride; but. please gra-
cious, I find the Ingins respect a white woman‘s
beauty and virtue, so that I’ve been an honored
guest wherever I went, whether ’mong Ingins or
robbers. I've been even offered a home amon the
red-skins. and but yesterday that noble chief, bite
Craiic, ofi'ered to make me a queenif I’d say the
word. But Iwould not perccpt of the honor till.
vengeance is mine own. Oh, that the blessed day
will soon come when I, Ellen Sabina Bandy, as,
queen of the great West, can look down wit im-
perial dignity upon ole Kit Columbus Band , grovo
elin’ in t e dust at them feet beggin’ to kiss t e hem..-
ofm royal robe!”

“ ou‘re too revengeful toward your husband,
Mrs. Bandy,” said one of the soldiers.

“Heaven forbid,” answered the woman, seating
herself u on a great, hollow log, and rocking l‘iersel .'
to and r0 as if to nurse her wrath and sorrows.
She remained silent for some time, then she took a».
small slip of paper from her sachel and reading it
over, crushed it in her hand with a spiteful hiss.
What she finally did with the paper no one knew,
but she dibslposed of it in a strange, sly manner.

“ Well, rs. Bandy,” said Captain Barns, “ it is but:
my duty as a soldier and a gentleman to offer on
the hospitalities of our camp. We will do the ,st
we can to make you comfortable.”

“Oh I thank you,” responded the woman, in at
lower one. “I can’t tarry. I heard you were down.
here, and so I come down to inquire if you had
seen any thing of my lost darlin’, Kit Columbus.
Bandy. I must return to-night to the Indian town;
I promised I would."

“Well, we have seen or heard nothing of your-

husband.”

“ Haven’t! Well, I’ll live on in hopes. My day’ll
come et.”

i‘fi'fl’len you come and go among the Indians at
w ‘

“Yes; I’ve a passport to and from the In in,
Eillage. It was given me by that noble chief, White

rane.

“Have you any idea that your old tulip, Kit-
Band , is in this country?” inquired Old Arkansaw.

“ es, I have a. purty strong idea that way; I see‘d
the track of a white man ’long the river t’other day
that looks adzactly like that old blister’s track.
Whenever on see a track that looks like the im rint‘
of an elep ant’s hoof, and follow it up, you’l find
old Kit Bandy at the end of the trail."

“Well, now look here, Mrs. Bandy," said Silver-
Star, rismg to his feet and hobbling over to where:
the old woman sat; ‘I’m scoutin’ around through
the countrya. deal of a sight and I might be of
fiomefervice to you upon condition you assist me a.

'tt e. ’ .

“ Well, I’ll do any thing in my wer for you, son,
if you’ll jist watch out for my 01 blister, and report.
when ou find him." -

“I’ do so; and now I want to ask ou one ques-
tion: is there ayoung girl in the In 'an viuageva.
ca tive?"

None to my knowin’s; and if there’d been an

I’d a-knowed it, rest assured. If there’s a gal I
like as not when you find her ou’ll find old Kit-
Bandy with her t ‘n’ to make er believe he’s a.
gay young son], an that he loves her unto death,
and that she on ht to reciprocate. But, lease-
gracious, them ug y old eyes and that big, a! gator-
mouth, and them jack-mule's ears, and them old
gutters on his face ’11 not let him deceive another
young, beautiful and innocent gal—no, never I” and,
she punctuated her remarks by driving the end of"
her umbrella into the sand at her feet.
. A moment‘s silence ensued, and as no one seemed
dis to ask Sabina any further questions, shes
too a clay pipe and some tobacco from her-
sachel. Filling he (pipe, she advanced to the fire»
and taking up a re -hot coal in her fingers laid it.
upon the pi and began ufflng vigorously, and
in akmomen her face was ost behind a cloud of
mo 6.

“Now, men and soldiers," she finally remarked '
“I‘m goin’ to de arture, and, please gracious,
hope you will not orgit a wronged and injured woa
man. If you can give me an information that’ll‘
lead to the recove of Kit andy you shall be.
liberally rewarded—if not on earth, n heaven. So
now, goodnight, folks." .

So saying, she turned and started happily awa ,
p at er pipe and balancing her big unibre
upon or hands with remarkable skill.

“I’ll be eternally blessed if that isn’t a kind 0‘
folks we don‘t often see ’round this kentry!” ex-
claimed Old Arkansaw.

The soldiers gave way to an outburst of laughter.

" She may, be an Indian spy, boys." sug estod.
Elke; Star, seriously. “I dont like the 100 of

er.’ '

“No danger 0’ that,” replied Arkansaw; “but
egularclipper; and meanas she makes~
old Kit Bandy out as a husban I. tell you he’s a.
glorious old hoes to stand in the races with whom

er’s around, and I’d like to bump ag’inst‘hinn
in one diggin’l. I met himsevenlyean ago down

“a

_. 0....» «w. ‘

' raisins-am;

    

 

AAnmw an. ‘

Iraqi v

 , . -‘ , w» ...

‘ Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

 

on the Bee- ublican' and I tell you we had a rol-
lockin’ go time. But, somehow ’r other, I beam
he’d been skinned alive by the Ingins and killed, and
so I never thought any more about him, than that a
brave ole soul had gone to rest—harkeel”

The shrill, piercing voice of Sabina came to the
ears of all; and listening to her words they found
she was giving the guard, 11 on the riverside, a
sound blessing for daring to c allenge her and re-
fusing to allow her to pass the lines. But their pas-
sage of words soon ended, and our friends at camp
were momentarily expecting the woman back to re-

rt the guard, when to their surprise the guard

imself appeared in rent excitement. '

“ Captain,” he exc aimed, “what for an infernal
old witch was that you allowed to leave camp?”

The soldiers roared with laughter. They saw their
comrade was pe lexed, embarrassed.

“ Why, Carlfor . she was an innocent woman "
explained the captain; “ an innocent, harmless old
woman.”

“Innocent woman! well, at any rate she’s got a.
tOngue equal to forked lightnin'; and what’s more,
boys, she s a witch." _

‘ Bah! that’s bosh, Carlford,” said the captain, re-
provingly. . ,

“ Bosh, or no bosh, captarn._ that woman. defying
my challenge and threats, deliberately walked down
to the water’s e( e, and walked out Upon. the stream f”

Algeneral lan ensued.

“ care not w at you say, that woman walked out
across the river upon the water! I saw her on the
open moonlit water. Her feet seemed surrounded
by a dark nimbus, and of this I am certain. The
current bore her down-stream several rods before
she disappeared in the shadows of the opposite shore.
I‘ll swear to it if it is my last words on earth!"

As Carlford was known to be a brave and truthful
soldier, his story, so firmly persisted in, created no
httle excitement among his friends. It was too late,
however, to make any further investigations of the
matter, and so quiet was once more restored in

camp.

About midnight the guards were changed, and
those off duty concluded to lay down and take a few
hours’ sleep and rest. Silver Star's wound had
ceased to pain him, and he soon fell asleep. Old
Arkansaw was the last. to lie down, and when he did,
all the rest were asleep. He was possessed of a
large blue blanket with the figure of a ferocious
tiger worked in the center in red, and an eagle with
outspread wings in each corner. La ing down upon
the dry sand, with his head in the ho low of his sad-
dle, he drew this highly-prized blanket over him and
went to sleep.

The fire burned down, and the low, damp air of
the peninsula became heav and chill. This made
the slaapers a little restless, ut none of them awoke.
Old fitansaw to and floundered around more
than his companions. Finally he awoke to find him-
self uncovered. He felt for his blanket, but he could
not find it. He rose to a sitting posture and found
it was gone—had been removed! He glanced around
him and to his aggrise and indignation saw his blue
blanket with its eagles and couchant tiger, rolled
and wrgpefggarefully around a form on the opposite

a .

side of
“ Well, I’ll be eternal] , everlastin’l abolished!
If that don’t beat all the fernalated c eek and im-
pudence that I ever dreampt of. 1 never 8’ sen a
soldier could be guilty of such meanness, solilo-
d the old he erman, his face wrought with the
lines of indignation; “a man, that ’u‘d steal the
only blanket oil! a sleepin' man. and then bold] lay
down by his side and roll himself in it, as that s
done, would cut a dead man’s throat to steal ogre
copper-s oi! his eyes. That dastardly trick is a dis-
to the uni orm of the narroweouled wreteh
t wears it, cussed if it ar‘n‘t.” .

“Ari-asaw, it is not a soldier,” said a vorce at the
old man‘s side—the voice of Silver Star—who
awakening from his slumber, had overheard the old

scout’s remarks. .
“AV. ‘tis on, Silver Star,” the borderman ex~
‘ a sudden start; “ but how do on
how’it s not a soldier? He‘s covered from h to

“ I can see he is not a soldier, as well as ou can
see that he is, for neither can see the man imself.
You know there are four men on guard, and seven
hereincam besides you and me. There lie seven
forms, and hat one in lyour blanket makes eight,
no on see he is not a so dier but a stra r, be he

or white. But who it can be the rd Only

99

ows
“B the New Jerusalem! I am goin' to know!"
exclaimed the old scout, white with rage; and draw-
inghis revolver, he advanced toward the form re-
so sweetly and quietly in his blanket.

“Be careful, Arkansaw,” cautioned the Boy
ht, “ there is no telling what the result may be

--w terrible tragedy is about to be enacted !’

CHAPTER VII.
gall)?“ h hcdthe

mumsrw pan ' ore ereac ms.
his form wrapped in his blanket to consider? the
words of caution “given by Silver Star. t dan-
could result mm the situation? Had the un-
gwn stolen into cam and taken his blanket to
vokea l? and f so, was the quarrel to be
dgnal or an attack upon the camp by conceal-

oil enemies? Had the uards been circumvented
and kflied‘ and the rest p ced at the mercy of the

2

uestions the old plainsman revolved
trough mind time and sin; then he turned
and awoke Ca tain Barns and is men. Aecustom-
'ed to such 3' ent wakeni , the soldiers made no

I,  nor demonstration, u , rising to their feet,

 

the seized their wea ns, tightened their belts and

loo ed carefully to t e priming of their fire-arms. ‘

When all were ready for the worst, Old Arkansaw
advanced to the side of the apparently sleeping
intruder, and taking hold of the ct ge of his blanket,
pulled it upward with all his qlilrickened strength.

he form was set rolling b t is movement, and
resulted in a man being tosse out upon the sand in
full view of all.

And a queer-looking specimen of humanity it was.
He was tall and an rular, with ill-proportioned
limbs and with a bullet ead set upon a long, scraw-

‘ ber of Indians fell.

1 them back into the woods.
‘ arr0ws and bullets into their ran ‘s.

came running into camp, pursued by a score and
more of savages.

“ Take aim! fire I” commanded Captain Barns.

The crash of muskets and revolvers tore through
the ni rht with a horrible din, and with it were min-
gled t e cries and groans of the red-skins. A num-
But others came from the dark.
ness to take their laces. Two—score strong now
pressed hard upon t e little band of soldiers. ferr-in -
They cured a \r-ilcj.‘ 1.
TV 0 rvldhié

Z and Kit Bandy fell.

by neck. Large ears, a prominent nose, a wide 1

month and small ray eyes were some of the natur-
al appendages of is features—all of which seemed

to have been placed upon the head and face of the .

Wrong man, and were several sizes too large for the i

face they ornamented. A serio-comical smile rest-
ed upon the man‘s countenance, and as he rose to
a sitting posture and gazed in feigned bewilderment
around him, he exclaimed, in an indignant tone:

"Dimnition! What in the name of the great Mo—
gul does this mean, anyway? Horn of old Joshua!
Can’t a man take a quiet rest? Goat a weary soul
lay down and sleep without bed-bugs or pirates rou-
tin’ him? Hav’n‘t you fellers got a smig in of man-
ners? Well, I‘ve a notion to get up ant maul the
stufl‘ln’ outen every mother‘s brat of you, confound
your or—”

“By the stars above us!" burst from the lips of
Old Arkansaw.

“ \Vcil now, what ails you, old reel-leggal per-
simmon knocker?" asked the intruder, turning upon
Arkansaw.

“It’s old Kit Bandy, as I’m alivin’ beauty!“ re-
sponded the scout.

“Oh, horn that tumbled old Jericho!” replied the
veritable Kit Bandy, for he the intruder proved to be,
as he s rung to his feet, and extended his horny
hand; ‘ if I hav'n’t met my pious old friend, Arkan~
saw Abe! Give us your paw, Arky, you old skinflint,
you! Dog my cats, if I knowed it war you when I
’pfro riated your blanket—not. a bit of it, Arky.
\ e , bless in old optics! You’re still aboard o’ the
great lifeboa , ar’n‘t ye? You‘re the same old Ar-
kansaw Traveler, ar‘n't ye? Ueg as you war the
day on war born, ar‘n’t ye? Older’n you war when I
see” ye last, ar’n‘t ye? Crows ’s been trackin‘

1 fice, and he fell.

yer face up, ar‘n‘t they? Well, well, Arky,” and the ‘

odd old genius again shook the scout‘s hand.

At this juncture Captain Barns saw thaticwould be
certain destruction to contend with such odds, and
at once sounded a retreat.

Silver Star rose to his feet and attempted to follow
them, but his wounded limb refused to obey its of-
The next instant the savages were
upon him; he was a helpless prisoner.

The victorious red-skins pursued Old Arkansaw
and the soldiers into the woods, but, favored by the
d arkness, the latter succeeded in reaching their
horses and escaping to the mainland.

One by one the red-skins returned to camp, feel.
ing satisfied with the capture of Silver Star. 0
them the Boy Knight was more than all the soldiers
would have been. To them he had been a source of
constant trouble. He had been a dreaded scourge-
watching and defeating all their well-laid plans.

And full well the young scout and spy knew his
danger. He felt that there was no hope for him,
wounded and hei less as he was. He yielded quiet-
] to his fate an inwardly mourned the death of
IE" Bandy. He turned his eyes upon the prosth
form of the old man. He saw the savages tear the
scalps from the heads of the fallen soldiers and
spurn their bodies with the fool. He ex item to
see Bandy served in a like brutal manner:
horror and surprise, he saw the supposed dead man
move—raise his head, glance around him. and then
rise to his feet. He made no attempt to escape, nor
did the red-skins offer him violence. On the con-
trary he was greeted with a yell of triumph which
told that he was a friend of the Indians—a traitor
to the whites! He was allowed the freedom of the
camp. He conversed in the Indian dialect with the
trinm hant warriors. He ordered them to bind the
Boy nighttoatree. They bound liim firmly ton
stunted pine. Then Bandy and some of the warriors
went awa —to search for the soldiers and Arkansav

“Yes, yes, I'll admit all this, Kitsie, and that I’m ‘ as Silver tar believed.

powerful glad to squeeze your phalan res and me-

tacarples a ‘in," replied Arkansaw; ‘ but I must

confess tha your youth and Adonis-like. beauty is
ittin’ some‘at marred by the wear and tear of
1me.”

“I know all that, Arky, and more too; but you
must remember that I’m a married man; and if
you know anything ’bout married life, you know a
man don‘t live like a little ambrosial god upon
nectar distilled from sweetest flowers by the hands
of wood—nymphs and fairies. Oh, reat horn of
Joshua, no! If Iwar to tell you a l the trials and
tribulations I’ve had since I hitched on with Ellen
Sabina Bandy for better or for worse—but always
for worse—your hair‘d stand out on end, and ou‘ll
want to shoot your own shadder. I don’t b’l eve a
devilisher old woman ever hopped on terry-firing},1 or
ever hatched up more blisterin misery for man an
that same identical Ellen Sabina Ban—”

The rest of the name was drowned in an outburst
of laughter from the lips of Old Arkansaw and the
soldiers.

The old intruder was now introduced by Arkan~
saw toCa tain Barns and his men, when a eneral
copiversat (:11 followed. At length 014 Ar ansaw
sai :

“ Kit, ole comrade, would you believe it if I War to
tell you that your wife, Sabina Bandy, has been in
our cam to-mght?”

“Grea holy horn!” exclaimed Bandy, with a
violent start, “you wouldn’t say so for a fact,
would ou,Arkyt You jist want to torture me a
leetle, on’t you? For the love of our constitushun,
stab me in the back—shoot me, burn me—torture
me an way than by such means. The very men-
tion 0 my wife’s name gives me the compound—
hydro hobia. Just think of that.”

“It s a fact, Mr. Bandy- a lady calling herself
Sabina Bandy—the wife 0 Kit Bandy—has been
here to-night,” said Captain Barns, in confirmation
of Arkansaw's story.

“Oh, Lord!” groaned the old man; “I thoughtl
smelt brimstone. Won’t that woman last forever?
Won’t old Time ever mow her down along with the
other pizen weeds and plants of humanit ? The
everlastin’ old blister she is! I‘ll swear, b’lieve
she‘s a born witch. Where‘d she go i”

“ A-huntin’ of you,” answered Arkansaw.

“ Blast her old eyes! Ar’n’t she a ripper though,
boys? Do you blame me much for c‘rttin’ loose
from sich an old bri and driftin’ out to sea alone?
Do you blame me, Ar .9”

“ Can‘t say that I do, Kit; but now I want to ask
you a question,” said Arkansaw.

“ Peg away, Arky.”

“ How came you here in camp!"

“ Them old stilts swung me down here. and as you
war all asleep, I didn’t think it necessarytowake
you to tell ye I’d arriv" bu:3 takin' your blanket,
or it was awftu chilly, I lai down to—"

The report of a rifle burst sudden] through the
night on ting short the old man’s WO .

“War! by be born of Joshua! To arms!” yelled
old Kit Bandy, at the top of his brazen lungs.

In a moment every man, with rifle and revolver in
hand, stood upon the defense, preering into the gloom
beyond the radius of ht. be 6118 of Indians
started the echoes of n ht, and t enext moment
the guard, who had'been on duty at the isthmus,

 

The savages left to guard the boy—a dozen strong
—inflicted many crue ties upon him; but the brave
lad bore them without a murmur.

The search for Old Arkansaw and the soldiers
went on. but without success. Those at camp, ior-
tured Silver Star until they became tired of their fu-
tile attempts to make him flinch. Yet the were
wild and noisy—they were intoxicated wit theirq
victory. The danced and sung around the fire,
wifh the sc ps of the soldiers flourished upon

es.

p0The minutes wore away into a couple of hours.
The oung prisoner was suffering more from his cut-
ting nds than his wound. But, suddenly, he felt
the bonds relax—felt some one behind the tree fln»
gerin them, for thfiys. assed around the trunk of
the glue as well as y. It flashed across his
min in an instant that some one was trying to re-
lease him; but who had dared venture there? Who
ever he was he was concealed in the shadow of the
tree; to be seen would be death.

The next moment that mysterious chief, White
Crane, walked by the youth, casting a contemptuous
look down at him as he passed, and joined the war-
riors in their scalp-dance around the fire.

Silver Star felt certain that this mysterious chief
had a sin endeavored to befriend him, and had 1009-
ened is bonds. But, what would this avail the b0 7
He could scarcely walk nor could he esca y
crawling. Moreover, he are not movethroug fear
that his bonds that were still hanging in !position,
would fall to t e ground and betra hislibe .

“At last,” White Crane finally roke fort as if
unable to restrain himself longer, “has the oung
pale-faced dog fallen into our power. No 0 or
will he watch like a hawk the movements of e
Sioux. My heart thirsts for his blood! The stake
awaits his torture. Glory will it be to White Crane
to see the flames leaping high around him, fed by
the use out of his own carcass. Let my warriors
rejo ce! On with our scalp-dance! Hn-ya! ha-yai"
and the old renegade weut whirling away in a wild
dance chanting a demoniac Indian song. The war-
riors ollowed him and for several minutes they con-
tinued leaping an sin ng and yelling around the
fire, wild and crazy wrt the excitement worked up
in .their breasts and brains by the words of then"

chief.

Suddenly, however the renegade sto short,
and turning toward t e ine tree exclaighpefidd:

“ Fiends and furies! w ere is tile Boy Kni ht?“ '

Every eye was instantly turned toward t 9 tree.
They saw the bonds of the lad lying upon the earth,
but the boy himself was gone.

Instantly the alarm was sounded, and once more a
score of human bloodhounds went forth upon the
trail of the Boy Knight of the Prairie.

CHAPTER V111.
spa nao wnnwx.

Tim little peninsula resounded with the wild
of the baffled red-skir, as they glided hither
there in search of the youn scout.

His escape was shrouded n mystery to them: but- .
let us see how the be got awa —so suddenly, so sr~
lently; while White 0 an his warriors were so
intoxicated with triumph and lost in the wild treaty x
ofascnlp-dance,Sil'ver8tnr became conscious that
some one was again

 

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ells
yand

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utto hil ,.

hil  and!"

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Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

ho was aware of the fact, a huge hand reached
around the tree and seizin him by the collar, pull-
ed him around into the sha ows of the pine. At the
same instant a voice whispered in his ear:

“ w boy, Arkansawi" and then the lad
knew who had rescued him, and responded by press-
ing the old scout’s hand. “Git onto my back, boy,
and I‘ll trot you oil’ out of danger—come, now, hur-
ry!” the old man said, in a hurried whisper.

Silver Star could do nothing better than obey, and
the next moment he was being borne away through
ti”: darkness of the woods on the back of Old Arkan-
saw. The old scout glided and dodged here and
there as though the lat were a mere child. He soon
cane to the river’s edge, and wading into the water
deposited his burden in acanoc that stood concealed
anugég some overhanging willows.

“ alt there till I git my arms and baggage, lad,”
the scout said, and turning, he went ashore.

The yells of the savages came near in the woods.
Th - boy started with fear and anxiet '.

A moment later a footste J 801111ch close at hand;
th' :1 a form bounded into t 1e canoe, and takin r up
the paddle, drove the boat out into the river. Si vur
Star never dreamed but that the person was Old
Arinnsaw, but judge of his surprise and co terna-
tion upon discovering that a stranger occu the
boat with him. Nor did he appear to be mo. sur-
prised than did the stranger himself at the presence
of the Boy Knight. He ceased paddling and sat
Rik .‘ one transfixed, gazing in silent astonishment in-
to the other’s face.

Silver Star saw that the stranger was a young
man, not over three-and-twenty years of age. He
Was rather prepossessing in up arance, with dark
hair and eyes, witha heavy, blac mustache shading
an expressive moutl‘ Upon his head he wore a cap
made of the feathered skin of a s arrowhawk. The
head and bill of the bird answer for the peak, and
presented a rather novel appearance in the mellow

low of the moon. Around his shoulders was a

ad collar or cape, made of the quill-feathers of
eagles and other large birds, artistically arranged
II n buckskin.

his feathered stranger was the first to speak.

“ Sir youngster,” he said, in a low, deliberate tone,
“how come you here in my canoe?"

“ By mistake, I presume, if this is your boat," Sil-
ver Star resfi'smnded.

“Well it my boat, and I should be glad to know
zuhom I have for a companion—whether friend or

m I

“ I am Silver Star.”
Iz’ll'rhe Boy Knight?"
68.1.

j‘I am Sparrowhawk, the Outcast. We are ene-
lnres," and he drew his revolver.

“I am unarmed and wounded,” responded the
Boy Knight, fearlessly and unmoved.

‘ I am not a coward, Silver Star: Iwill take no
advantafi‘e of you. But my race are all my ene-
mies. ey have hunted me and mine for years—
soeki our lives. The hand of man, red-skin and
white, is raised against me. You have hunted me,
Silver Star, and—~”

“You are mistaken, Sparrowhawk; I have not
hunted you," the young scout rejoined.

“Yes, on have hunted me, though you may not
have known whom you were hunting at the time.
Now we have met, face to face. I have the advan-
tage—your life is in my hands. 1 am armed, but

on are not. Were you free, and were we to meet

u the 0 field, you would meet me as an enemy.
You won know me, for I wear no disguise. Here,
I give fyou one of my revolvers, and a chance for
your Ii 0.”

Silver Star mechanically took the wea n. The
click of Sparrowhawk‘s pistol started t a young
knight from his stupor.

By this time the canoe had drifted into the sha-
J0v.‘S of the southern shore of the river.

The yells of the savages upon the peninsula were
itill ringing down the n rht.

Never in all his life di Silver Star experience the
(cello that now took possession of him. He saw in
the WI , half-demoniacnfilare of S )arrowhawk's eyes
the expression of a m man. ever before had he
met this strange being. Was he mad? Why did he
imagine himself hunted by every one? As these
ailiestlons flashed through the boy’s brain, he saw

at he must act with dispatch.

“*Sparrowhawk," he said, “this is folly; we need
not be enemies."

“ Uh, sir, but we are enemies,“ he answered, in a
strange, determined tonc. “Defend yourself."

"ilhoot, then, for I will not," said Silver Star,
dropping his revolver in the boat, and folding his
Arms over his breast.

Slowly and deliberately tho madman raised his
:l‘\'OlVl.’r and pointed it at the breast of the boy.

CHAPTER IX.
mums or AN AVENGER.

“Symownawxl Sparrowhawk!" cried a voice,
on the young madman drew his pistol.

At sound of the voice the hand of the would-be
murderer dropgied at his side.

Then from 0 shadows of the shore glided a
canoe with two occupants. it ran alongside of that
of Silver Star and Sparrowhawk. It contained two
assailants—one a young Indian rl, and the other a
whle woman—the redoubtable ‘ len Sabina Bandy

It was the voice of the Indian girl that stayed the
hand of Sparrowhawk, and it seemed to act like
m n upori‘ the ears of the outcast. His whole face
an voice changed in an instant. He started as if
from a dream—a horrible nightmare.

“ Wh , Nathelah, is it you 2'" he exclaimed.

“And no too. please gracious," put in Sabina

 

 

.u’ I 3? get

 

gaudy, flourishing her big umbrella-inviting recog-
tion.

“What would the Sparrowhawk do?" asked the
Indian girl speaking good English. “Would he
slay a helpless outh? Is Sparrowhawk a coward ?“‘

‘ Oh, I‘m a 001, at times, fair Nathelah; 1am
crazy. Pardon me, Silver Star,“the outcast said,
apologetically, yet the Boy Knight detected a. tinge
0 sarcasm in his tone.

“ You‘d ort to be laid over my knee and spanked
furaciously," put in Mrs. Bandy' “this thing 0’
young folks a-quarrelin’ is humiliation. It‘s bad
enough for old folks to fuss and fight: and that
reminds me that if I get them aws on my husband,
old Kit Columbus Bandy, pease gracious I‘ll bea
salivatin‘ blister to him.“

“Mrs. Bandy," said Silver Star, “I left your hus-
band in the Indian camp on the peninsula.”

A wild, hysterical c burst from the old woman's
lips, and she was abou to respond, when Sparrow-
hawk exclaimed:

“ We must not tarry here: danger surrounds us."

“No, the red-men will find you," declared the,
maiden.

“ Where to go I scarcely know," said Silver Star;
“I am wounded and can only bobble along.”

“Silver Star is the enemy of my people," said
Nathelah “yet Iwould not harm an enemy. Let
the pale- ace boy take Nathelah’s canoe and go up
the river to his eo )lc.“

“ But what W) l athelah do?” asked the lad.

“I will go with the S )arrowbawk."

Without further WON s Nathelah and Silver Star
exchanged seats. As the latter sat down before Mrs.
Band , she said:

“ IV ell, now, Silver Star, if you have no objection,
I’ll go with you. Please gracious, I want to be on
the move."

The Bo Knight thought it strange that the old
woman id not return to the peninsula where he
had left the object of her search, the source of her
troubles.

When the occupants of the canoes were ready to
start, Sparrowhawk spoke:

“ Remember Silver Star, when we meet again we
meet as morta enemies."

Before Silver Star could reply he di ped his pad-
dle and sent his canoe rushing t ug the waters.

“Law-sakes! dear me, w at a crusty, crabbed
soul that Sparrowhawk is!" decided Mrs. Bandy-
“he‘s most awful queer, too. I can‘t understan
him an better'n I can a Babyllonian inscription.
Idon’t ‘lieve he’s the clear qui , atwixt you and
me, Silver Star. He'll shoot in the back, too, if he

its the chance, so on want to look out. You'd

en deader'n old oah if it hadn‘t been for that
sweet little duck of a Nathelah. You see, she‘s
Sparrowhawk's sweetheart—she told me so, the
sweet deary. Every few nights they meet up bout
Deep Ford and bill and coo like doveS' but f ever
they marry it'll be tight and uarrel ike wet hens.
Men are most awful deceitf critters, if old Kit
Columbus Bandy is a s imen of the average man.
But‘we'd better be pul 1’ out 0‘ here, son, or them
dasted red-skins may come chargin' down onto

ou. ‘

“ You have no fears of them, then i"

“No, on] I'd ruther not be catched with their
enemies. hey are naterally good to a female wo-
rrian, and treat me well. I come and go jist as I

ease 9!

p Silver Star took 11 the paddle and headed the
canoe up the river. a was skilled in the use of the
paddle and sent the craft gliding within the border
of shadows that hung along the right shore.

Suddenly, when he believed they were beyond all
immediate danger, the prow of the boat struck a
log in the water with such violence as to throw the
occu nts from their seats. Before Silver Star
coul recover himself, he was seized by violent
hands and a savage yell rung in quavering echoes
down the wood halls through which the White
Earth wound its way.

Sabina Bandy screamed hysterically; but Silver
Star believed her fears were assumed—that she, as
well as Kit Bandy. was a traitorto those she claimed
as friends; and that she had been instrumental in
his recapture.

A couple of savages climbed into the canoe, and
with thongs of buckskin bound the hands of the
Boy Knight; and by the time this was accomplished,
:he boat had drifted out into the open, moonlit wa-
er.

Silver Star was now .rmitted to rise toa sitting

store, and the first t ing he noticed was that Sa-
“"8, Bandy was gone. He glanced around him and
saw the woman standing erect and floating own
the river in something he could not make out' and
before he could ascertain, he was taken ashore;
and, notwithstanding his wounded ankle, he was
put upon the march and compelled to walk along

etween his captors.

Three of the savages took the youth in custod ,

v while the others embarked in the canoe down t e

river. The fomier had not one far when they
were overtaken b Mrs. Ban y, who, nearly ex-
hausted, exclaimer :

“Red-men, ou'd better be careful; the Silent
Avenger‘s in t e woods."

This information had its effect 11 n the Indians,
for they quickened their pace, fair y dragging their
wounded captive 9.10257.

They had journey but a short distance, when,
suddenly, there was a dull, pistol-like report of a
firearm, and a savage yell o agony. One of the
Boy Knight's captors had been slain! .

piercing scream from the lungs 01' Sabina Band
tore thr ugh the air like the scream of ahyena; an ,
wild wit 1 affright, she came bounding up from the
roar where she had been lagging.

v .  with. "  v

 

:===
“ Oh, Lord! oh gracious Peter-i" she exclaimed, h

gasps; “ did—di ou hear that? It‘s as I told -
that was the dul . choked report of that 8632‘
Avenger’s weepon I"

The savages were horror-stricken. The name of
the Silent Avenger was fra ht with terror to them,
for manya comrade had alien under his deadly

aim.

Leaving the body of their fallen comrade, the other
two savages hurried on toward the village with their
prisoner.

Sabina now took the lead, and with her umbrella
in a position for instant defense she soon left the
red-skins and prisoner behind. This was a relief to
the savages, for her tongue was never still.

The were nearing the edge of the o ening on the
western side of the village. when, sud enly, another
of those dull, whip-like reports stung through the
darkness, and another savage went down, shot
through the heart.

This left but one red~skin, and determined to sell
his life dearly—even at the cost of losi his captive
—and avenge the death of his friend, no drew his
tomahawk and bounded into the thicket Whence
the shot had come, and where he had seen the flash
of a gun.

Silver Star stood alone, but with his hands bound.
He had been startled by the tragedy enacted under
cover of the shadows around im, and stood, like
one transfixed, and listened. He heard the retreat~
ing footste sof the dread Silent Avenger, and the
pursuing ootfalls of the red-skin. He heard the
scream of Sabina Bandy directl before him, .and
then he heard the dull report of t e avenger's pistol
to his right. A moment‘s silence ensue , then fol-
lowed the sound of running feet upon the rustling
leaves, and Mrs. Bandy, pantin or breath, came
up to where Silver Star stood. er face was White
with fear, her frame shook with emotion, and her
voice trembled with affri ht.

“ Oh, Lordi—oh, Lo i" she exclaimed, “that
dreadful Silent Slayer‘s abroad! on Silver Start
what will we do? We'll be slain, slain, ,"and she
wrung her hands in des ir.

“ Untie me, Mrs. Ban ,“ the boy said, and as the
woman was e aged in reein the lad’s hands he
continued: “ ou had better cc to the village if‘tha
Indians are your friends, and stay'there. Iwill take
care of myself. I have no desire for your company
longer, for you lied on me when the savagesca
tured us to shield yourse . Besides, these w
are no ace for ahysterical old woman.“ ,

Old abina laughed softly, derisively; then, asshe
turned to depart, she said:

“Please gracious, I know my alt, young man, if
I am1 lakfemale woman. d1 knith w kt I m about, and

on” now, too, some ay, you eep your ,
ind then, With a iteful toss of the head, shew-
ed on her heel an vanished in the darkness.

“What am I to understand by that?" mused the
boy, as he turned and hobbled away throu h the
woods; “did I insult the old Xantip , and d she
mean that for a silent threat? or is t ere something
more about that woman than any one suspects?"

Thus musing the youth moved on a short dis-
tance, and sat own to rest his wounded limb. From
Sabina his thoughts went back into the East. They
brou ht up the sweet young face of t at child of
the c ouds, the fair Elwe.

“ Oh, where was Elwe?" his heart cried out. But
there was no solution to the question, and the more
he pondered Over it, the more vague and painful it
became.

One by one he finally took up fine other incidents
of the t two days and ni hts, and attem ted to
solve K: m ste conn with most 0 them.

The conduct of ite Crane was extreme] -
lar to him and what method there could in it,
was entirely be ond his comprehension. The treach-
cry of Old Kit andy was Ealpable enough: but the
vengeance of the Si ent S yer was all a mystery.
Who the Silent Slayer was no one knew; bu Silver
Star half suspected the S whawk.

Altogether, there was a combination of characters
and mysteries surroundin the events of the
few days, so greatly comp cated that the boy
gave up all hope of lving it, and rising to his foot.

8 limped away slow y toward the river.

 

CHAPTER X.
nrr sunv AT BAY.

Amn leaving Silver Star in the canoe, Old Arkan-
saw went back into the woods to secure his gun and
accouterments and when he returned, great was
his horror and surprise to find both boa and boy

one.
8 He listened and heard the dip of a paddle, and look~
ing through the foliage, he saw, on upon the o n,
moonlit river, a canoe with two occupants re. dly
drifting down the river. One of the occu he
knew was Silver Star. but the other he did not recog-
nize. He was about to call to his youn friend when
the sound of approaching feet warn him of the
dan r of such an act.

ading into the river, the old borderman concealed
himself under some overhanging willows. The In-
dians like hounds searching for the trail of a fox,
glided ast him, never dreaming that a foo was con-
cealed n the water within arm‘s reach.

Finally Old Arkansaw found himself alone there in
the silent depths of night. He knew that Ca )tain
Barns and his men had esca to the main He
had seen Kit Bandy fall at the beginni of the
tight, and still remained in ignorance of '3
matters had terminated with that eccentric old in
vidual, but behaved him dead.

When assured that the vicinitly was clear of danger,
Arkansaw went ashore and f0 owed alonlghthe river
until he had passed from the penins The.

  

 

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25

i0

11 it
ants
l to
.em.
ach-

cry.
that

test.

 

a..—

 

continuing on up the river toward the Indian village,
he finally espicd a canoe half-beached n the
shore; and launchin it, he resolved to or over to
the opposite shore. ‘te ping into the craft, he took
up the paddle and sent t to boat out into the river.
At this point the stream was about one hundred
ards wide and the. shore before him was a. low,
barren sandy beach that shone white under the me!-
low moonbeams. Beyond this ran the woods and
its dark shadows like the grim walls of a battlement.
Upon this the eyes of the plainsman were fixed as
he plied his paddle, and when about

that emerged from the shadows and approached the
river. It was plainly outlined against the white,
810 int: beach. It was neither a beast nor a human,
and yet it was possessed of life—it was .moving—
rolling across the sand~approaching the river.

The 1 addle became. motionless in Arkansaw‘s
hand. The cold sweat started from every pore in
his body. Like all men of his class he was supersti-
tions, and in the strange object there was something
unnatural. It was round—resembled a huge ball—
and coal-black; it was a mystery, true enough. It
came down to the water‘s edge and there paused.
Old Arkansaw kept his eyes fixed upon it, and sud-
denly he saw a little jet of flame spit from its cen-
ter, and heard the whiplike report of a gun come
over the water.

Then awild wail or agony burst from under the
forward end of the old man‘s canoe. Looking for-
ward he saw a. savage float out from under the prow
of the boat-his arms beating the waves in the 'o-
nies of death. He had undoubtedly beer cont-ea ed
there when the borderman entered the mat, and
was waitin an o )portuuity to dispatch the old scout,
and won] no oubt have succeeded but for the
provident shot of—whom?

Lifting his eyes from the dying warrior, and glanc-
ing toward the shore he saw the unknown object
floating back into the woods.

“ B the holy smoke of Jerusalem l" he exclaimed,
“tha war the Silent Slayer, shurer‘n tidy! But
what for a mask did it wear? It beats tile very Old
Harry. Well, b Judas! I‘ll not land there, as any-
?od 5 ‘aware o , so J‘Jl push on up—stream a leet e

ur er. -
r19 saying he dipped his paddle, turned half-around
and faced up-strcam; but he soon realized that he
was running a great risk, and so he crossed back to
the northern shore. Once more within the shadows,
he felt at ease and stopped to listen. He heard the
dip of a paddle, and a. moment later, a canoe with
two occupants up in sight. They would pass
hard by. As they came closer he saw hat one was
8 arrowhawk, and the other the In ian maiden,
athelah. They were conversing in quite an audible
tone. Arkansaw listened. Sparrowhawk was speak-

‘ Yes, Nathelah," he was saying “when Silver

(Sitar-3nd I meet. again, one or the other of us must

no.

“ Why does Sparrowka hate the Boy Knight?“
the scout heard the maiden demand.

“ Because he knows too much; he hates me.”

“Is that all, Sparrowhnwki"

" Yes' it is enough! Do {you think I would tell
Nathelah, my betrothed, a nachoodr'

“Have you not told me how beautiful the white
maiden is that you rescued from the river! Have

on not told me how she talks of the on Silver
tar? Do on not believe sheloves the goy hti"
“ What I di Nathelnht" the lever asked

“The heart 0 the e-face is false and tickle
sometimes," replied 6 girl, “ and Sparrowhnwk
may learn to love another.

“Oh my pretty darling,“ replied Sparrowhawk,
lifting her hand to his lips “ I see you are jealous of
the fair EIWe; but she nevertakc your lace in
my heart. I will send her away some d ; ut Sil<
ver Star shall never set e esupon her ." .

“ By the lords of Bally oolan!" exc med Arkan-
BW. u the lovers passed beyond hearing; “that
tells a tale. That young bastion has got Elwe in his
power; and by the t John ! I’d give my

ntcrpst in the moon if the B0 ' Knig t was here now.

WI“: :it a, beam of jo to his heart, though,

deal to im that Elwes alive? Judas! eve -
thi with him has been Elwe, Elwe, Elwe. 6%
but e's in love with her heels over head; an
now! must look him u ; then we‘ll spy the Sparrow-
Yiawk‘s most out. An that Nathelah: now, Arkan-
saw my old beauty, she‘s no more an lngin girl than
Sabina Bandy‘s an angel—not a. bit of it. By
nokey! I wonder if I’d slick up, and ut my best
hoof for'd, whether I couldn't cut that glpa hawk
out?" and the lmnsmnn laughed heartin at own
award concci .

Again finding himself alone in the n ht, the old
scout went ashore, pulled his canoe out o the water,
and began lookingI or a. place to pass the rest of the
eventful n ht 6 found agreat hollow hard
by, and wit out a moment‘s hesitation he down
upon his knees, and havi put his rifle E10 the l
crawled into the hollow, an stretching himself 03%
went to sleep.

When he awoke it was daylight, and without his
narrow chamber he heard the carol 01' birds and the
chatter of squirrels in the tree-tops; but, instch of
"he fresh morning air the pungent odor of smoke

etcd his olfactories.
grsBy Judas Iskariot!" he exclaimed to himself,
"thar‘sn fire nigh this log, and I‘ll bet some red-
lkln bastions has got a. cam about. It might be
whites, but how the deuce ’m to tell? 1 ve got to
back out of here, and them (lasted long lewgls ll let
'9!!! know I‘m coming long aforc I git out th my

0 listened and heard voices—voices of white men
'64an Among them he recognized the voice of

half-way over I
the stream he was startled by sight of a dark Obji-ct ‘

 

9

 

 

Old Kit Bandy; but he could scarce] believe the
evidences of his own senses, for he be 'eved Bandy
had been slain. While. thinking the matter Over, he
discovered that the log was a continuous hollow: he
could see out at the other end. This would enable
him to make. his exit forward. and at once he began
creeping slowly along toward the opposite end.
Win-n within a few feet of the exit. a small hole in
the side ofthc log enabled him to get asight ofthose
Outside. Kit Bandy was there in all his old-time
health and humor, and was being closely watched,
in the operation of roasting some savory venison
upon some hot coals, by two white men, both of
whom were entire strangers to Old Arkansaw.

One, of the strangers was rather an intelligent and
I)l't‘1)OHHt‘SSlng-100l;ll ' man, but there was that about
the drawn corners o the mouth and eyes, the cloud-

: (-d brow and nerVous, restless movement of the body
5 that, did not, at all, im press the man In the hollow

log very favorably. e was addressed by Kit and
the other man as “ Professor." The other stranger
Arkansaw put down, at first glance, as a deep-dyed
villain; ant , judging by the manner in which Old
Kit Bandy regarded him, it was also evident that he
—Kit~——had not a very good opinion of him.

The aroma of the broilin venison made Arkan—
saw‘s very mouth water, an sharpened his appetite
until silence almost ceased to be avirtue. He crawl-
ed on until his head was within a foot of the exit,
when he discovered half a down sticks thrust in the

 

 

ground near the log with a slice of steaming hot
venison cooling on the end of each.

Assured, by the run of conversation outside, that
the eyes of the, trio \\'( rc not that way, Old Arkan~
saw reached out and letuovcd the meat from the,
three nearest sticks and began eating it with a vora-
cious appetite.

Presently he heard Kit Bandy say:

“Now. gentlemen, jlst move yerselves up to the
lick-block and try in ' style of dishin’ up venison. I
nlcrs prided myscl on gittin' more concentrated
'lory intoa slice of broiled venison than— Great
10111 of Joshua! what in the stars ’6 become of that
venison? I left a slice on each of them sticks. and
as I‘m a born nigger, three of them are gone! Rock-
on a sncakin’ dog of some Ingin did slip up and gob-
ble ‘em up.“

“That‘s rather strange," said the man addressed
asprofessor; “a dog couldn’t have come here un
seen."

“ Strange, indeed," added the other man, Herman
Bransh.

“Not a bit of it by the roarin’ Hellispontl“ 2x-
claimed old Kit, as he saw a large, bony hand thrust
from the hollow log, and deliberately remove an-
other slice of venison from a stick; “that tells the
tale! Did you see that infernal tentacle of a human
Octophus snake in another piece of our breakfast?
That log, men, is infested.“

“ What accnrsed impudence i” said Professor Day-

mon.

“ Shoot the skulking hound l” vociferated Branch.

The professor drew his revolver, while old Kit,
bending over gazed into the log. The eyes of the
latter met t ose of Old Arkansaw, when aroarof
laughter burst from the 1i 5 of the scout.

“Great born that cored old Jericho!" ex-
claimed Kit; “it‘s that pizen old vagabone, Ar-
kansaw Abe! Come out of there, you dasted,
ornery old babboon, and let me maul the stufl‘ln’
out of you! Oh, but I’ll abolish you, my gay old
buttercup!”

Old Ar 11an crept from his covert, and bowl
to the astonished rio, said “Good-morning," an
then seating himself upon the log drew his hunting-
knife and be on picking his teeth in a manner that
equaled all t 0 cool impudence theth ever wit-
nessed. To add to the surprise of the trio, he turned
to Ben and said:

“Thu venison’s a. leetle stnngy—done most too
rare for me."

“ You blasted old rapscallion!” lied Kit,
“that’s all purty well done, but it’s only rrowed,
now mind. But look here, Arliisthis gentleman

t Mr. Herman

is Professor Daymon, and

Branch; and then this gentlemen, is Old Arkansaw
Abe, the nuisance of the White Earth, confound his
ornery picter!“

Arkansaw bowed politely to the two men' and
notwithstanding the language in which the intro-
duction was given Daymon and Braash both ad-
dressed the old plainsman with apparent surprise
and no little respect. After a few words the four
sat down to breakfast and when their meal had
been concluded, Brass and Daymon walked out
into the woods, promising to return in a few minutes.

As soon as they were out of sight, Old Arkansaw
turned to Bandy and said:

“Kitsie, my rosebud of beauty, and paragon of
loxglgness, do you kn0w who you‘re keepin‘ company
W) ‘ ‘3

“Why, yes; Herman Branch, civil engineer and
government surveyor and Professor DaymOn, scien-
tific man of the exp ition."

“ How do you know, Kit?"

“They sai so.”

:HVVould you b‘lieve I war an angel if 1 war to say

“ Not by a. thunderated sight, Ark ," replied
Bandy. ‘ They said their company h encam
up the river last night; and durin the night t ey
concluded to make a reconnaissance down toward
the Elfin town, and got lost. Meetin’ me, they con-
clud to stick by me till this mornin’.”

“Well, it may all be, Kitsie' but I'll sw‘ar the
goyvernment selected some migh dubious-lookin‘
men to make geograph for our sc col-children.“

“Yarns, the. ’3 what think; I didn't like the looks

of Branch from the rust—looks a mortal night like

 

Old Arkansaw Abe—only better lookin'. But I pro ,

miSed to go up to their camp to-day, and then I can
see whether t ey‘re surveyors or frauds."

“ I‘ll tell ye what I think Bandy: that is, you won't
see Surveyor Bransh and Skienflintic Daymon back
here a ‘in this (in '. I think you‘ve had the wool
yzuiket Over your 11]], lustrous orbs."

“ Well, what makes you think so?" asked Bandy.
beginning to betray some uneasiness.

“Gineral a lpenranccs, Kitsic. Surve 'or Bransh
has a down. urtivc look like a wolf: nut Skinflintic
Daymon has the quick, restless eyc of a guilty con-
science."

“ Complimentary to the countrv‘s servants " said
Band '; “ but for fear you we right, Arky, I‘ll keep
a loo '-out for them. They may he wanted afore
long. and—“

“ Yes, and please the gracious, you‘re wanted now,
Kit Bandy i" cried a sharp, shrill voice, and the
next moment Sabina. liandy came, bounding from
the woods and confronted her recrcant and ungrate-
ful husband.

Kit, with a look of utter hopelessness, stood at bay.

 

CHAPTER XI.
“FARE THEE WELL, AND m mama,” ETC.

“AGAIN, oh, you demon of an old rascal!" hissed
old Sabina, shaking her big umbrella in Kit's face.
and fairly dancing in her excitement. “ Again liliV'.)
I found you! again do I stand face to face with my
cruel husband."

“Yes, Lord, Lord!" sighed Kit withering like a
coward before the blazing eyes and uplifted weapon
of his enraged wife.

“ Please gracious." the old woman went on, pole
ing him umnercii‘ully in the ribs with her umbrella
this is the last time that you desart me alive; and
you may depend upon that I”

“We coil (1 live just as happily, Sabina, a thou-

' sand miles apart,” obst-iv d K1 .

“ You could, but I couldn't.
and freshness is gone, and—"

“And where in God’s name is mine? Hasn’t it
been deviled out of——“

“ Wait, will you?” interrupted Sabina, “please
gracious I have the floor. A man is so deceitful
that he can make a 'oung gal b’iicve he’s a 'ddy
boy, and who knows ut you‘re carryin’ on a. 
tion with some gal now!"

“I am not. 'Bina."

“ I wouldn‘t b‘lieve on as fur as I could throw a.
buffalo-bull by the ta' ,“ stormed the wife.

" Oh, Jerusalem!” exclaimed Old Arkansaw to
himself; “the ijee of Old Kit Bandy sparkin’ a girl!
I swan that’s good—dee-licious."

My youth and beauty

While the husband and wife were talking matters ’

over in a rather stormy way as we have seen, Ar-
kansaw took his rifle and wal ing down to the river
seated himself in the canoe he had left there the
night before with the intention of crossing to the
opposite shore as soon as he had an opportunity to
bid Kit good-by.

“ Kit, he finally said, “ when you've time between
breaths I’d like to speak a word to you—bid you
good-by and wish you years of conjugal ha pincss."

Kit gave a. sad, onging glance toward t e river,
and then, as a tho ht seemed to flash throu h his
mind, he turned su donly, and tearing himsel from
the embrace of his wife, darted away toward the
stream at the top of his Sabina after him.
Reachingthebeac the 01 man made a leap and
landed square] ' in 6 center of Arkansaw’s canoe,
and with such orce that the boat was driven half-
across the river with Tat velocity. Old Kit fell
sprawling in the boat, at to a pos
ture, he lanced back at the shore and saw his en-

9 standin at the water’s edge shakin her
umbrella in a one manner, and airly frot ing
with anger. With a wave of his hand, the old man
shouted back:

“ Fore thee well, Sabina, and if forever,
Still fonever, fare thee well.”

Sabina could make no reply. Her form shock
with the intensity of her emotions.

At this juncture the sharp blast of a horn came
legging from out the forest, starting all with sur-
n .

“ By the horn that fetched old Jericho i" exclaimdl
Kit ‘ that come from the direction in which Branch
an Daymon went. It means mischief, I'm afraid—
puli for the shore, Arky, pull lively!"

“ But your wife, man! would you leave her to—"‘

“Never mind the old catamount; she‘ll scratch
her way through. See that? Oh, horn of Joshuai
but she L9 an ingenious critter!"

Old Arkansnw looked back as ested, and tc
his wonder and surprise, saw that Se. in had raised
her big umbrella—a monstrous large affair—and, in-
verting‘it, had placed it upon the water, and had
m, d in “for across the river, paddling with her

a .

In other words, the little old woman had made a
canoe out of her large old umbrella, and, although
the current wufigradually bearingKljier down-stream,
was slowly cm ng in pursuit of t Bandy.

“I'll be everlastlngly confused Kit l" exclaimed
Arkansaw, “who ever heard 0‘ t to like aforei An
 for a canoe. Why, man, it‘ll sink and drown

er.

‘: The Lord‘s will be done, Arky."

‘ You old sinner, I’d art to shoot you— Oh!"

A bullet from the woods on the opposite shore cut
a lock of hair from the old plainxman's head, and
forced a groan from his li .

“Inflam; or surve ors!’ he ex
phed dbwit all hisstrcxtigth. A ew stroke!
ebro htthemto eshore,nnd,ln.nd‘
ood- from

, the ht 0 cover of the w
fiance tieflitchcd the opposite side.

.9

  

 

'30

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

CHAPTER XII.
A mun. FRIENDSHIP.

We left Silver Star alone in the night and the
‘orest pursuing his way toward the White Earth
river. Again had the youth been thrown upon his
own resources, though he was wounded and un-
a-cned. But he possessed a resolute spirit, and with
n  a thought of giving up he pressed boldly on.
R -:1chi the river he sat down at the water's edge
til bat ed his burning wound; and thcndipoing
a “he water in the hollow of his hand slaked‘ his
feverish thirst. This done he crept back into the
woods and raking a pile of dry leaves together bur-
rowed himself therein and Went to sleep.

When the boy awoke it was morning—broad day-
li :ht. The mellow-throated birds were warbling
their matin songs above him, while a hundred voices
of the young day made the cool, fresh air resonant
wi'h their Weird, droning music.

Rising from his couch, the Boy Knight shook the
leaves rom his body, and then going down to the
river dressed his wounded ankle and made a thor-
a igh ablution of his hands and face. He felt

"may refreshed b this exhilarating treatment;
git st ll be was wea and feverish. Could he have
szt down to ust such a meal as his appetite craved
he felt that ewould soon be his own self again.
But, food was denied him, and hungry and sore he
cxept back into the brush fringing the shore, and
Him against a log, ve way to reflections.
Again ite Crane, the ysterious Chief, the Silent
Slayer, the balloon, the fair Elwe, Old Arkansaw and
Kit Bandy passed in silent review before his mental
vision.

A slight noise in the bushes to his ri ht arrested
his attention. He listened and hear something
dragging itself throu h the shrubbery. Was it a
savage creeping upon im? The question gave him
great uneasiness. He rose to his feet and peering

hrough an opening in the bushes saw the cause of
the sound. t was an Indian crawling upon his
hands and knees—agoung warrior. He was cover-
ed with blood, an his sunken eyes and hollow
cheeks told that he was wounded nigh unto death.
At his back was a uiver filled with red and black-
feathered arrows. n his hand he carried an un-
Itnmg bow.

Somewhere Silver Star had seen this Indian, and it
was full 8. minute before he could recall the fact
that he was one of his captors of the previous night
-one of the three shot down by an unseen fee.

The boy felt no fear of the savage, for he saw that

was doing him harm.

The dian cre t down to the water’s edge, and

'ing down, dra as if he had been dying with
t irst. Stopping a moment for breath, he drank
again and t en again; and as he turned away, he
looked at the river as if with regret that he could
not drink it . Leav the water, he crept back
directly tow the white y, who now felt a sense
of fear 5 over him.

In a momen his eyes had met those of the wound-
ed warrior.

The latter started excitedly and laid his hand upon
his breast. Silver Star knew what this meant—-
friendship. Res n in a similar manner, the
youth at once a dress him in the Sioux dialect.

“ The Sioux brave is wounded like the Silver Star."

“The Weasel will die,"the Indian replied in his

e, which we translate.
y not, red-skin," encouraged the young

ni t.

“gYes,” persisted the Indian, “the blood of the
Weasel has reddened the ground where he fell by
the bullet of the terrible Silent Slayer.”

“We‘ve been unfortunate, red-skin. thou h I be-
lieve you‘ve got the worst of it. Last nig U was
your captive, and to-day I could make you mine.”

“ Here is m bow, and in my quiver is an arrow.

- own!
“ Mob

The Weasel 31 the praises of the Silver Star
in the happy hun grounds if he will end his
sery."

\“ No, no, red-skin, I can’t kill you now. If you
were not down and helpless, Id kill you quick
enough. But the Boy Kn ght is not a coward. He
will not strike an enemy when he is down by the
land of another. You n not fear me, red- in."

The In llan looked the gratitude he could not ex-
press in language, and cree ing closer to the young

right, smk down 11 n t e earth with sheer ex-
haustion. Presently, owever, he rallied, and risin
"o a sitting posture, himself forw an
leaned ag‘mnst the l at ver Star’s right.

And t ere side y side, those two wounded
enemies sat through all that long day, talkin in
{he kindliest manner and lamenting their condi ion
m mutual friendship.

Silver Star boun up the red-skin‘s wound from
which there had been a slow leaking away of his
. limblood, drop by drop. ever since he had been

wounded. This treatment seemed to give the
indian courage and his reviving hopes brought
trength; but it was some time be ore he had

trength enough to stand.

Hunger now began to tell upon the wounded
rout-ha, but there seemed no prospect of relief
'rom this trouble. Alread the shadow of night
were deepening in the force and stretching across
the river. Nocturnal voices n their melan-
choly song; ,the night-hawk's w ngs pounded the
pliant air overhead; velvctfooted animals crept
Softly through the woods; rabbits glided from their
airs and were playing in and out of the moo‘nl-iight
along the beach like weaver‘s shuttles—pa ng
ngmgnd then, within twenty feet of the wounded

s.
' “Weasel, let me hire-your how and arrow,“ said
Silver Star. as a abbft .cpned 1.. ’ront of him and
reared upon its hind met and gave utterance to a

 

 

queer noise that sounded like mockery to the ears
of our hero.

The Indian gave him the bow and arrow, and
stringing the how, he placed an arrow against the
string, and then awaited his chances for a shot. He
had not long to wait. A big-eyed rabbit came
bounding from the shadows and stood up before
him on the beach. The lad raised the ow and
drew the arrow to the head. There was a “ thrum,“
al cry, and the animal lay struggling upon the
S lore.

“Good shot,“ murmured the Indian.

Silver Star crept out and securing the animal,
returned to the Indian and asked him for his knife.
Cuttin the rabbit's throat, he passed it to the
Wease and said:

“ Drink the blood, red-skin; it will do you good."

The young warrior eagerly seized the animal, and
applying his lips to the wound, sucked the hot blood
from every vein in its body. This nourishment

ave him new life. It threw a new luster into
llS dark eyes, and infused new strength into
his body. It seemed as though he were startii
from a he] less dream, so reatly was he revive
by the rab its blood. He elt so stro that he
took his bow and shot another rabbit. he b100d
of this one Silver Star drank. A third rabbit was
killed and dressed and the meat devoured raw.

This unexpected delive from the pangs of hun-

er gave the youths new ope. They felt so at-
y invigorated that the flnall began to thi and
talk of departing. T ey st‘l maintained the ut-
most friendship, and seemed to take a mutual in-
terest in each other’s welfare. But the time for
parti finally came. Rising to their feet, they
walke down to the beach.

“ Good-by, Weasel," said Silver Star, “I hope you
may get home safe.‘

“ Foes can be much good friends, sometimes,“ was
the Indian‘s reply, given with a grateful look.

Thus they parte . Silver Star turned his back
upon the Indian and started down the river. He had
gone but a short distance when the murderous
“ whiz “ of an arrow crossed his ears. At the same
instant, almost, he saw the feathered Weapon
strike into the white sandy beach before him, the
shut" t leaning back toward him, telling from whence
t came.

It had been fired at him from behind. Of this
there was not a single doubt. Neither was there a
doubt in his mind that the Weasel had fired it—that
the redskin, obeying the instinct of his treacherous
nature, had attempted to murder him.

 

CHAPTEle
mun mo DEATH.

SILVER Sun turned guickly around, his very heart
rankling with re. e an indignation at the treachery
of him whose li e he had been instrumental in sav-
ing. He saw the Indian standing where he had left
him in the very act of firing another arrow; but,
seeing him turn, he lowered the weapon and began
gesticulating in a violent manner. He pointed
u the river as if trying to call the boy‘s attention

t t way.

Lookingl beyond the Indian Silver Star saw a
canoe wit two occupants com ng down the stream.
This told him that he had accused the red-skin
wron all —that the arrow had onl been fired to
call h s at Intion without giving an rm. Hasten’
ing back to the Indian the latter said, in a low, ex-
cited tone:

“ Blackfeet scouts! Sioux enemies! Blackfeet
bmcglngixiswan scout round Sioux village—killum
-—-s uml ‘

Bot Silver Star and the Sioux were surprised at
the presence of Blackfeet Indians there, such a. long
way from their own Ifigrounds. In fact, the boy
scout could hardly c it the fact of their be
Blackfeet; but he saw that all the savage nature 0
his com anion was aroused by the presence of these
ancient oes—that he seemed suddenly ssessed of
all the strength and combative s irit e ever had.
He drew Silver Star into the bus es and then with
fixed, glaring eyes, and his weak and almost blood-
less frame aquiver with emotion, he waited and
watched the motions of the two Blackfeet.

The latter crept along the shore in the moon ht,
their paddles creating no sound whatever. ey
were nearly opposite the Sioux and Silver Star,
when, to the surprise of the latter, the Weasel be

an utteri r a series of stran sounds that did not
all to reac the ears of the lackfeet.
hat did it mean? Was there treachery in this!
Silver Star had seen so much treache in the In-
dians that he could not full trust an 0 them. He
had only the Weasel‘s wo for the we Indians be-
ing Blackfeet. He could not, situated as he was, tell
them from any other Indians and he thou ht it
might be such a thing that the Weasel was calfing to
friends for assistance; and his suspicions became all
the stronger when he saw the boat turn and make
directly toward them.

“ Weasel," he asked, no lo er able to keep silent,
“how do you know them are lackfeet?"

Weasel made no reply, but, with a slight frown
bent forward, his eyes xed upon the canoe; he
silent and motionless as a statue with an arrow to
his bow and half drawn.

The Bo Knight would have repeated his uestion
had the dians not reached the shore and d
and had he not seen that they were Blackfeet, beyon
a sin 10 doubt.

An as to the Weasel‘s honor, the “ thrum " of a
bowstring and a. yell of agon bore am e evidence'
for the 8 out: sent an arrow eep into t 0 breast of
one of the Blackfoot braves; and before the other
could tell whence the missile came he, too, received
one of the barbed weapons in his throat.

 

—.

Neither. the warriors fell, but reelin upon tho

beach and 'teari mad] at the arrow-sh ts, uttered
the most horribe an agonizcd screams. Silver
Star shuddered.

“ Weasel," he said, “ you had better have let them
gone on; you‘ve only wounded them, and their cries
may bring others, if others are about."

“They die soon-red arrow poison—white arrow
not,” replied Weasel.

A ain the bo’ shuddered, and wondered at the
coo and awful b oodthirstiness of the wounded Wea-
sel, and the superhuman stren th with which the
spirit of Vengeance had endowe him.

The Blackfoot shot in the neck fell first. He ceased
his cries and frantic efforts to draw the arrow and
sunk down lifeless. The other, asif being consumed
by fire, plunged into the river and was seen no
more. .

With a glow of demoniac triumph upon his face
Weasel crept out of the thicket, scalped the Black-
foot, rifled him of trinkets and jewelry, and then
stepéiing into his fallen foes‘ canoe, said:

‘ ome, pale-face—go in Blackfoot boat—Weasel
go with you."

All distrust had now vanished, and stepping into
the canoe they pushed out from the shore and drift-
ed down the stream. In the boat were the lndians’
blankets, one of which Silver Star wrapped about
him to keep off the damp, chill air.

When out in the river under the moonlight the
Sioux began itemizin the booty he had secured in
his victo over the lackfeet. Silver Star watched
him hand e the bloody seal and some jewelry and
look them over with a child e curiosity.

A little cry of surprise suddenly burst from the
red-skin’s lips. He had found something that excit-
ed his curiosity. He looked it over and over and
then passed it to Silver Star. it was a gold locket.
The lad ressed the spring and it flew 0 en. There
was a cture inside. He held it up c oser to his
ey es. t was his turn now to be so rised. He
recognized the face therein. It was t e face of
Elwc, the heroine of the balloon. Of this there was
not a sin le doubt in his mind, but it was a serious
question ow it had come in the Blackfoot’s posses-
sxon, unless Elwe had fallen into his power.

The thought that such might be the case gave him
pain; but he no longer reflected upon it for a dark
object—a clump of drifting brush—suddenly parted
by the side of the canoe, and three Blackfoot Indians,
with yells that rung fearfully through the night, at-
tacked the canoe.

The Boy Knight dropped the locket in his sudden

fri ht.

fie Sioux warrior gave the war-cry of his tribe
and seizing the paddle at his feet swun it aloft and
brought it down upon the tufted he of a Black-
foot, stunning him and causing him to release his
hold upon the boat.

At the same instant Silver Star received a blow on
the head from behind that felled him, half-stunned,
in the bottom of the boat. He was rendered help
less, motionless by the blow' and yet he had con-
sciousness enough left to realize, in a v e sort oi
way, the danger that menaced him and compan-
ion. He could hear the far-off sound of a struggle
going on around him, and he couldsee dim, shadowy
figures passing and whirling and bowing before him
ll ’e the figures in a panorama. The sounds he heard
finally changed into a deep, dull roar, like the fall of
distant water, and the figures before him disappear-
ed. He ex rienced a vague sense of his situation
and tried to shake off the terrible spell. But every
effort seemed to add new weight to the werful de-
mon that was crushin him to death. e seemed to
be smothering, and a lood mist gathering over his
eyes. The roar in his ears came as music, and his
soul‘ up to be drifting away into darkness.
At last 2 passed away into oblivion. He had be
come totally unconscious. ‘

Silently and prostrate he in in the boat until
finally he awoke as if from a ee . He arose to a
sitting posture and gazed in bew derment around
him—up at the s3 and down at the silent waters.
Everyt ing seem blended in one confused mass,
but gradually objects be an to unfold themselves to
the eye. One b one heiegan to recall the events
of the sat. T e moon, the stars, the rippling wa-
ters an the moaning forest all aided his clouded
Senses.

Then a. cry escapes his lips.

All at once the past comes. like a flash upon his
brain. He saw that he was still in the lackfoot
canoe. Before and around him was horrible evi‘
dence of the result of the conflict with the three redo
skins. Just in front of him, and with his body being.
ing halfout of the canoe, lay Weasel-dead. 9
fingers were clutched with the icy pe of death in
the hair of one of the Blackfeet, w one body was in
the water, and whose fingers of the right hand were
fastened upon the throat of the Sioux. In this way
the two bitter foes had died.

The shock was terrible to the already overtaxed
nerves of the Boy Knight, and it re uired his utmost
effort to overcome a feeling of to despondenc .
But determined not to give up he crept tothe bo F
of t e Sioux, and lifting it in isarms, consigned t
to a wate grave. This effort well-nigh overtaxed
his strengt and he was compelled to lie down again.

The canoe was lodged in some driftwood, and as
the lad had not the stren h to manage it, be con
cluded to remain there untl morning, whatever the
result ht be.

As he y there with the water rippli around
him and imparting a gentle, swaying mot on to the
boat, a feeling of drowsiness came upon him. He
tried hard to dis it, but the faggues of the goat
two da 3 and hts, and the ect of the low
receiv um the head, seemed to dull his senses,
and hang weights upon his eyelids; and despite

 

 

 

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

u

 

 

 

his efforts, he finally sunk into a profound and re-
tresiim siuIani‘.

How ong he slept he knew not, but when he
awoke, it was some ime before he could recall his
situation. But when he did. he became aware of
the startling fact that he was moving—that his boat
was gliding along through a. narrow black channel
amonfi rustling reeds and grass.

8pc bound by this discovery he lay perfectly guiet
—scarcely daring to move or breathe, throu . ear;
for in connection with the discovery that is boat
.mdlmoving, he could hear the steady dip, dip of a

e.

Adeep dense darkness overhung the face of all
.nature. he moon had gone down, and even the
stars were shut out behind the blue mist that ob-
scured the heavens. Not the sign of a tree-top was
visible over the sides of the canoe. which was en-
deuce enough tothe lad that he was not 11 n the
river. But, now and then _the edges of t e boat
raked under some overhanging reeds whose rough
blades dragged over the youth 8 face. This told him
that he was moving through a swam , and the dis-
covery sent a strange shudder throng his form. He
knew there was but one swamp in all the region
thereabouts, and that one was known as the Spirit
Swamp. It was a black, dismal place where it seem-
edimpomible for human hfe to exist—for human
feet to penetrate. Indian tradition habited the place
with the spirits of white hunters that dwelt within
the bodies of dragons and hideous, deadly serpents;
and the red-skins around and about the swamp
scarcely ever ventured Within gun-shot of item ‘11.

Silver Star believed that he was either dream ng,
or else ii? through the Spirit Swamp; an to
satisfy mse that he was not passing t rough a
state of transition, he rose to a s tting posture, de-
termined to meet the worst.

To his horror and surprise he found there was. no
one in the canoe with him, nor was any one visible
around him; yet his boat was moving— liding steadi-
Iyalong the narrow, watery path—w nding like a
aerpent among the rustling reeds of the Spirit

wamp.

 

CHAPTER XIV.
EELLICE. .

vam Sun was in a uandary. He asked him-
self those questions: “ t does this mean? from
whence does this boat receive its motive wer?
chIllmnablteh to arrive kat :11: _ lélée art 63:11:}:

on e 0 remain pe ec e ,
and ydiscoungerg that there was a boat ust
ahead of m, and that it had his canoe in tow. at,
who was the occu of that strange boat? This
was another ques on that itated his mind.

On with light and steady s rokes of the paddle the
boats glided through the rustling reeds.

A few minutes later they eme into 0 n water,
and then Silver Star was enabl to dist nguish the
outlines of the canoe before him, and those of the
person in it. It was a small figure.

A few rods further on the tow-boat came to a halt,
then the hinder craft was hauled u alongside the
other, when a cry of surprise burst rom the lips of
the unkn w

o 11.

“Why, sir, I thought you were dying. I am sur.
prised at seeing you sitti up.”

It was a soft, musical v0 as that addressed him—
the voice of a oung girl. Silver Star‘s heart gave a
great bound 0 joy.

“ My fair, strange friend, if I may call on such,”
the youth replied, “I arn surprised to d myself
here in an own region.”

“No doubt of it," was the answer; “but you are
In the heart of the Spirit Swamp.”

“I mistrusted as muc ” he answered endeavor-
mto calm his emotion; ‘but may I ask who has

ht me here?"

“igfriend to you whom I recognize as Silver Star,
the Bo Knight- I have seen you often though on
t not. To-night I found ou on the ver
ooveredhvtvith blllood and dying, as supposed, and so

on ere.‘
“I am”{vounded and suffering great pain, fair

swagger.
“ ou shall be cared for, Silver Star, upon one
congtionq’t

“ me . my 800d friend.”

“That Y9“ consent to remain concealed where I

place you.’

“Is ould boungratcful not to do so, butIam at
a loss to know why you exact this promise."

“ Because the master of my home—my brother—
“ your mortal enemy.”

" Indeed? I knew not that I had an enemy among
the ple of my own race.”
“ t ma , be; but Sparrowhawk, the recluse, is
your enemy. _

The Boy Knight was astounded by this informa-

n.
«Then sparrowhawk is your brother,” he said,

the htf . '
“‘51! tlhlile’i'i you know him ?”

«Yes; I met him just last night, and he would

hive slain me then but for another. But, why he is

acnmfi31 I’lmow not, unless he is, as I mistrusted
t_,

“’81:! Silver Star!" interrupted the girl, “Iknow
What you would say' but do not say it—do not think
t t my brother is— ut come; if you would accept

rumba, follow I23. f Brotfier 18 gene :lmay.

e arose ste rom er canoe, was
followed b the boy,pwho could scarcely walk. The
maiden let? him across a dry knoll densely covered
withtall willows. They soon came to the door of
5 10": Wide hut av rown with ivy and honey-
mcufi- Opening the cor, the girl conducted her
chest into the ham ggd gro ing aroundshe found

as

' a astoolandbsde

The next minute alight flooded the room.

For several moments the dazzling light blinded
the lad’s eyes, but when he became accustomed to
it surprise and wonder took possession of him. e
girl before him—his rescuer—could not have n
over seventeen years of age. She was tall and slen-
der, with a form of sylph-like grace and beauty, a
face of exceeding loveliness, and dark-blue eyes
radiant with heaven‘s own serenity.

The room, which was but a part of the cabin, was
furnished with an air of comfort and taste in r-
fect harmony with the fair mistress of that sec ud-
ed home. It is true, the furniture was cheap, but
neat and clean. The walls were hung with pictures,
and with wreaths made of wild grasses and vines.
Here was a shelf upon which sat a bouquet of fall
roses and other late flowers, that im a deli-
cious odor to the room; and there ung a corn-
uco )ia, made of ine cones and glittering quartz
him was overflowmg with its fullness of fruits and

owers.

“ Now, Silver Star,” said the maiden, “you must
make yourself as comfortable as possible. Situated
as we are, our home is not——”

“ Make no apologies to me, my fair friend ” in-
terru ted the lad. “I know what on woul sa ,
and am surprised, now, at the co orts and beau
of your home;" and in his heart he added: “the
an ehc loveliness of its mistress."

ter a few Words of conversation had passed be-
tween them, the maiden excused herself, and went
out into an adjoining room: and, a moment later,
Silver Star heard her in conversation with some
other person.

The youth listened intent] —not that he wished to
be inquisitive, but because 8 could not resist the
burning desire to know more of the home of the
strange Sparrowhawk, and ascertain if possible,
the cause of his great enmity toward m.

The maiden had been gone butafew minutes,
when she returned to the room, followed by another
young girl.

Silver Star’s back was to the door when they en-
tered, and he did not notice the second girl, only
With a passing glance, until his friend said:

“ Silver Star, his is my friend, Miss Bland.”

Silver Star rose and turned toward the girl—a
younfil maiden dressed in black, with a face white
as a hosts! and beautiful as an angel’s, with
dark, soulful eyes and a wealth of dark-brown hair.
At sight of her the youth started back; a light of
reco nition overspread his face, and his feelings
bi'ea ' g beyond restraint, he exclaim '

“ By gracious, it’s Elwei"

“ Yes, my brave you friend," replied the girl.

The be advanced, an taking the proflered hand,

ressedi warmly, wlilc his eyes looked down into
ers with a wild, burning joy. A moment of rap-
turous silence ensued.

“ And you escaped splely ?" he said, as if doubting
his senses. ‘

“Yes, sir,” replied Elwe, “ and I am rejoiced to
meet you and thank you for your noble kindness to
me the other night. I should never have fo 'ven
m self had any thing happened you that night. ’

‘ But your escape, Elwe, has been a matter of un-
certainty to me until this moment. My horse came
through to the post safely, but without a rider. We

posed you dead.”

that was an awful ride Silver Star!" the
maiden replied, clasping her hand as if with terror
at the thoughts of what she had one through; “I
stood it very well, and so did nce, but when I
came to the river my heart failed, my head w
dizzy at sight of the rushing waters, and I fell tom
the saddle. Then I knew no more until I found my-
self in this house. Fortunate , for me, Sparrow-
hawk was near, and seeing me all from my horse,
flescued me; and that accounts for my presence

ere.‘

“ Exactly, Elwe; and now I understand the mean-
ing of a conversation I overheard at Deep Ford a
few evenings ; but, I declare, you and I have
had some terri le adventures."

“And the Lord on] knows how soon we may
have others,” the mai en sighed.

“Oh. I never borrow trouble, Elwe. We should
always consider the worst over with, unless we are

Sitive that it is not. With you it may be different
t is true, forI know on have been the victim 0
some foul conspiracy. ’ . \

“Yes, Silver Star, I have,” she replied, her lips
tremblinaghand her eyes filling with tears; “ I did not
tell you the other 11 ht— did not tell you any-
thing, I beheve, for the ndians swept down upon us
ust as I was about to begin. But to-morrow, Silver

tar, I will tell you all I know about the balloon, and
my firesence here. I told Hellice all to-day.”

‘ ellice? who is Hellice?"

‘rl that brouggt you here."
“Oh, beg p on; I might ve guessed that

At this very juncture Hellice came in from the
adjoining room, and invited Silver Star out to sup-

per. '

Expressin his thankfulness to the beautiful girl
for her c911 nued kindness, he followed her out into
the room wherea table, with a rich re ast and a
bowl of steaming coffee was sp . e sat down
and ate with a keen relish of the well-cooked viands,
and when he had concluded his meal, felt that he
was himself again—that with the exception of his
wounded ankle, all his old-time vigor and spirit had
been revived. _

With his usual cheerfulness and happy, no h
s n'it, he conversed with his fair friends until -
t me. But when about to retire, he turned to Hellice
and asked:

“ Hellice, if your brother is my mortal enemy am

811
no

 

 

I not in danger here to-night?”

“ No, Silver Star; Sp‘arrowhawk will be absent;
but even if he, or any ot. er danger, should approac
there is an ever-watchful sentinel in the house 1113.
will give the alarm. I hope you will let no thought!
of danger disturb your rest, for again I assure you
brother will not be home for two or three days.”

With this assurance the lad retired, and enjoyed a
few hours’ sweet, refreshin slumber.

Early the next morning 0 was astir. He walkel
out into the yard to take a look at the surroundings
He found that the cabin stood upon a little knc-l
which rose out of the center of the swamp, sewn-I
feet above the water-line. The knoll was covered
with tall cottonwoods and willows in the tops of
which tame squirrels played and cluttered in glee.

Breakfast was finall announced by Bellies, w] o
seemed more lovely in or morning dress, and in the
light of day, than she had before.

After their meal had been dlstatched and the
table cleared away the maidens oined Silver Star
in his walks about the island, and did everything in
their power to make him happy. In fact, ere we.
a spirit of gentle rivalry manifested by these two
beautiful girls in their endeavors to make the youth
feel at ease and enjoy his sojourn upon the islapd.
To Silver Star the day was one of unallo edbhs.
Basking in the smiles of the two love gir he felt
that he was surrounded with all the irations o!
fai -land—transported to an enchanted ale. Itwaa
suc a day of pleasure and intoxicating fly that he
could scarce] have believed it realit , it not
been for the ull haze of autumn hangflig over then
and the eternal croak of frogs in t e swamp sur-
rounding them. ~

When night again closed in over the place, and the
Boy Knight found himself wandering alone under
the trees his thou hts ran constant] over the
pleasant happy we 5 of Hellice and E we—worda

hat had been spoken that da , and appealed to bk
heart. He tried to decide wit himsel which of tho
girls was the loveliest, and which he thou ht the most
of, but as he could not decide, he fin y dismissed
the matter with the conclusion that both were angeb
and that he loved both. ,

An hour or so after dark his ears were eted by
the sound of music coming from the cabin, “dug
ing in he found Hellice pla 'in upon a
Ellltfll' and singing some beau if airs he ha never

eard. Elwe sung with her, and the strains of music
that came from their lips, mingled with the haunt):
nious chords of the instrument, were the crown
joy of the b0 ’3 life. His senses swam in a sea 0
cos and b ' and he seemed carried away on
the d cet wings of melody into the realms of dream.-

land.

The soft tinkle of a silver'throated bell suspended
to a beam overhead suddenly 'put an end to the
music. Hellice sprung to her feet, dropped the
guitar, and with a white face ran to the door, anti
opening it, looked out into the night.

She heard some one coming up the knoll, whistling

soft] .

“It is brotherl—Sparrowhawki” she exclaim
turnin to Silver Star. “0h, Silver Star, on mu
fleellldlrother will kill you—he has declared he
wo H

:tfiwas a sudden change from dreamland to stern
re

ty.

The maidens’ faces wgaleand their] trem-
ulous with emotion. S ver tar rose to his eet un-
moved—betrayi no sign of fear.

“Follow me,” ellice commanded, and she led
the way into the kitchen, and then eluted him to
the head of a ladder leading intot ecellar. “60.
Silver Star," she continued: ‘it is your only chance

of esca .

“ H co,” the boy said, his magi-y spirit
as wlpnte'd courage, “ 1 am not at d to meet your

ro er.

“I know it, Silver Star; but he is impulsive—ho 5
quick and may shoot you before he takes a moment
to think; you must go, Silver Star—go for me—for
myhsake, I pray.” ’

6 young scout could not remain deaf tothb
agpeal, however much he felt humiliated at the
t ought of skulking in his enemy’s cellar' and so he '
descended the ladder into the darkness of the place.
Hellice returned to the front door Just asher brother
came “1.

“good-evening, girls," he said, domng his feath-
ere< cap.

“ y, brother," cried Hellice; “ we are surprised
to see you back tonight.”

“I know I am back soonc .an I intended, but I
became uneasy about my I as.”

“ You are ve good and kind Sparrowhawk,”
said the retty li tle Elwe, tefu .

“Than s for the com hment, we,” the young
recluse returned, his ban some eyes looking dovm
through the maiden’s transparent orbs into her
son .

“ Why were you uneasy, brother?" questioned
Hellice; “ are we in any more (1 er t usual!"

“Yes: there is a large band of lackfoot Indians
in the vicinity, and as they belong two hundred or
more miles from here, they ma not know an thing
of the old tradition connect with S irit vaam
and with nothing to fear in shape 0 spirits
dragons, conclude to search this swamp in which
case our home would be in danger. Knowing this, I
could not sta away. Moreover, I was un about
you, sister. was so afraid that on mlg ,t, have
met with danger in comin home tor accom y-
ing me to the river, I coul not rest; m
another thing that drove me home." ‘
H‘fii got home safely, and in good seasop,” and

e 08

S rowhawk bent his upon his sister's face
wit a , InhemgIEI-‘Vlee look. A great lump.
rose” “13 '- throat, for she had never seen 

. 1.

 

.ed somethin

    

’12'

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

brother look so before, and she believed he mistrust-
of the truth.

“Sister,” 0 finally said in a sterner tone than
that with. which he usually addressed her, “ how
came those strange canoes at our landing? and who
came in them 2"

“ Do you mistrust me, brother?“ the maiden ask-
ed, evasively. _

“That does not answer 'my question, Hellice,“ he

replied, with a faint smile playing over his stern
' features.

,“ I brought one canoe there," she said, “ and only
One. I found it upon the river soon after leaving
you last night."

“But who was in it, Hellice, tell me that?” the
brother rslsted most cruelly.

“Brot er," she said, her face flushed and her

es flashing, “I have no desire to tell you a false-

 After leavingl on last night I found that ca-

' volve
, _:Silver

I ferocity of a demon and the d

hoe on the river, an _it dying, as I supposed, was

a young b0 —-"
“Silver tar!" exclaimed the brother laying his
d upon his revolver. “ Was it Silver Star?"

“ It' was Silver Star," she, answered, fearless] .
, “ en, Hellice, his blood willbe upon your ead;
you ow, what I have told you—"
_ “Brother,” said Hellice, pleadingly, “ do you for-

-t

.gbffThat you love_Silver Star? no; but I have sworn

that—“

‘ His words were here cut short by the sound of

footsteps, and turni , he found himself face to face

with the object of anger, Silver Star, who had
appeared from the adjoining room.

,, ‘, S whawk," the young man exclaimed “if
.ou want the life your sister saved, take it. am
ere toanswer for self. I am not a coward."

‘.‘ Silver Star," re l ed the desperate Sparrowhawk,

.“ I told you but a ew nights 0 that when we met

it would be as enemies. am not a man that

A ain do I meet you unarmed; but I will

take no vantage of you. Here, take one of my
and to low me into the yard."

, tar took the weapon.

e lips of Hellioe and Elwe.
,\ 8 whawk turned to the door, but at the same
t there came a sharp, violent knock against it
caused the recluse to start back with terror.
KyGodl" he exclaimed, “they have found us!
“I. my sister, and my little friend, Elwe, we are
l!

A cry burst from

He heard the sound of voices without, and before
he could shoot the door-bolt, the door swung open
and a savage-o. Blackfoot warrior hideous in war-
paint—crossed the threshold.

Be and him, in the moo ht, Sparrowhawk
coul see other painted faces an plumed heads.

CHAPTER XV.
neurons or ransom

“ Uonl” was the ejaculation of the red-skin, as he
glided into the room and shot his black, snakish
eyes about, permitting them to rest upon the white,
terrified face of the fair Hellice.

“Red-skin!" exclaimed Sparrowhawk, “why do
you intrude hero in the Spirit Swamp?“

“Come git stps—purty straws—heap lubly,"
was the answer given in Englis , such as it was.

The eyes of Sparrowhawk fairly blazed. The
ration of a mad-

an became set upon his han me, manly face.

he very muscles of his face and neck seemed to
contract into hard knots, while his whole rson
seemed surrounded with a nimbus of super uman

ppwer.
“Red-skin, you and I are not enemies—we are

. Itrangers,“ he said, in measured accents; “ but come

anotherstep and on shall die."
The savage lal his hand upon his tomahawk and

cell secure in the resence of his frien , he
,Jtrai toned himself up his full hight and took a
tho step forward.

other Blackfoot could enter,

.,and the blows of

The next instant he fell dead—shot through the

yell but before an-
ilver Star sprung for-
ward and slammed the door shut and bolted it.

Again the am tore the hi ht with their yells,
mahawks fe thick and fast up-
on the door-- a frail barricade to long resist such an

Without rose a fierce, sav

. assault.

Sparrowhawk saw the door must soon leld. In
lent terror, and with a bumi hum ation he
inedto Silver Star. He glanc at the fearless
oung scout. thn at Hellice and Elwe. The light in
3 eye had changed. His spirit was unbending.

A silence had now seized u n the besie ed.

'l‘nick and rattling fell the lows upon t e door——

, ulows that seemed to awaken echoes in the cham-

. .021 can, I be of you to to

hers of Sparrtshawir's soul.

“Silver Star," the young recluse finally said, "if
ve me. I have wrong-
eduyou. Des h atom in in the face."

I hold no malice—mo ill-will toward you, Spar-

, rwwhawk,“ was, the truly noble rep

   

l .
i‘he two clasged hands and were filends.
A of Joy urst from the lips of the maidens.
“H lice, you and Elwe go into the k room—
.ride in the cellar,“ said Sparrowhawk; then turn-
lng to the {filing scouthcontinued: “Silver Star, do
you think ope l"

ere is any"l ,
“God onl knows; t we cannot die in a better

“use than n defending those innocent girls.”

“Never. Silver , nev— Ahl the door is yield-
! look out i"
whawk blew out the light as the door burst
in. Darkness filled the room and concealed the
ders; but they could see the shadowy forms of
. £uges against the moonlight outside.

revolver that Sparrowhawk would have raised

"' ‘ — I « _ '1 y .
 ., I ‘ ',I= hmgifiuwggi, .
, ,v. .. . ~ ~

1.;

 

against Silver Star now 0 ened its deadly fire upon

the vliing fiends. Side side the two, Sparrow-

haw and Silver Star, sto dealing death to the ad-

vancing fee. Over the Spirit Swamp, the first time,

Sfrhaps, since creation’s morn, rung the din of con-
ct.

But such an uneven contest was not to last long.
The revolvers of the defenders would soon be
empty.

Sparrowhawk finally seized his companion b the
arm and drawing him into the back room, c osed
and arred the partition door.

The savages, a dozen strong, poured into the front

room.

“While the are pounding away at this door, '
must t an escape," said Sparrowhawk; “con
Silver S ar, let us join the girls in the cellar.”

The two descended the ladder into the cellar,
where the girls stood trembli with terror.

“Now let us go outside an make a run for the
canoes."

They ascended the stepsto the outside entrance,
and stood in the shadow of the building.

The savages were now inside, yelling like fiends
and thundering about in the darkness in search 0
the whites.

For a moment our friends stood by the cabin, con-
versing in hurried whis era; but presently the
broke and ran toward t e landing, Sparrowhaw
{Skiing the lead and the young scout bringing up be-

11

A sav 0 left on firard at the landing gave the
alarm. parrowhaw shot him dead.

Those in the cabin heard the pistol-shot and at
once came pouring from the house and ye ling, to-
ward the landing. Hellice and Elwe sprung into the
first canoe they came to. S arrowhawk ave the
boat a shove, and sent it ghdin across e open
water into the reeds. Then he an Silver Star leaped
into another boat and pulled out rapidly after the
maidens, and in a moment the , too,were concealed
from view of the red-skins n that wilderness of

r s.

The crash of rifles and the rattle of bullets, like
hail among the reeds followed.

“Thank God, we have escaped with our lives, if
nothin else," said S rrowhawk, dropping his pad-
dle an inserting ca ridges into his revolver.

“ Yes, 8 arrowhawk but we are not out of danger
yet,“ rep ed the Boy Knight.

“No; and so let us hurry forward and overtake
the girls. We can then take them into our canoe
and endeavor to elude the savages before we leave
the swam “ said Sparrowhawk, taking up the pad-
dle and ving the canoe into the narrow passage
through the reeds.

They followed the path familiar to himself and his
sister, supposl the girls would follow that course
to the river. e moved ab as fast as two d-
dles would carry hem, and to t elr sur rise an re-
gret were not in sight or hearing of he maidens
when half the distance to the river was made.

“ It‘s si r we don’t overtake them," said Sil-
ver Star; ‘ we surely haven't passed them.“

“ No; Hellice would have kept this passage;
moreover they are in a light canoe and sister han-
dles a paddle with wonderful skill. We’ll be apt to
find them at the river."

With this assurance they glided along. They were
ne the river, and as the {girls were still not in
si ht, parrowhawk began to eel uneasy.

inally the lided out into the river. The moon-
li ht floode t e stream. Quickly the young men
E anoed up and down the limmering, placid waters;

ut nowhere could the gir be seen.

“ My God i" cried Sparrowhawk, “ we have missed
them, Silver Starl"

“ And I fear the worst for them."

With the stren th of a madman Sparrowhawk
dipped the pad e and sent the canoe leapi
through the water back into the reeds, then stoppgfi
and listened. But nothing on earth save the roar of
the risin wind rushing over the wilderness of reeds
could be card.

“Oh, heavensl this is too bad. My poor sister!
nliy poor little friend, Elwe i“ groaned the young re-
0 use.

“ We may find them yet, Sparrowhawk- let us
go back the way we came and search the side pas-

es."

We‘ll be sure to meet the accursed Blackfeet;
but then, why should I care? I am growing desper-
ate. This isworse than the torture-rack—deat is
preferable. ‘ ‘

“Don‘t give up, Sparrowhawk “ said Silver Star,
in tones of encouragement; “I've 5 face to
face with death every five hours in the last forty-
elght, and yet the hand of Providence has protected

—saved me.

“Well, I‘ll admit I am too despondent at times,"
said the young recluse; “ I will follow your sugges-
tion, my friend."

He d p his paddle, and again sent his canoe

liding a ong the passage they had come. It now

came necessary to use more precaution, for they
were liable to meet Blackfeet at any turn. Silver
Star, who sat in the front of the boat, ke t on the
alert for danger, and when about half we 1:, the
sound of vooes fell u n his ears. e gave the
alarm, and the canoe s opped. Both listened-both
heard the voices. The were Indian voices.

The youths turned heir boat aside, and pulled
into the tall reeds, where they were well concealed
from the main passage.

The dip of a paddle sounded near and a moment
later a canoe, with half-a-dozen kfeeI,

along, olngin the direction of the river. t was
imm ateg' followed by several 0th loa led with
Indians an lunder from the cabin. t seemed to

 

our friends t t all must have left the swamp. and

glances. They could not meek. The

 

as soon as the rear boat was out of hearing, the;
crept from their concealment, and moved on toward
the cabin.

When a few rods from the landing, Sparrowhawk
began searching the by-ways and passages that the
otter and. musk-rats had made through the reeds.
A broken stalk, or a ripple on the water, m' ht give
him a clew as to where the maidens turne out of
the main e. He felt satisfied they were some-
where in he swam . He would have shouted to
them, but was afrai of directing the savages, not
onl to them, but to the irls also, should they~the
gir hear and answer m. The on] safe course

was to search in silence; and still t seemed a
'10 lesstask.
elieving the savages had all left the vicinity of

the cabin, the youths did not observe the precaution
they would have otherwise done in their search.
The frogs had resumed their unearthly music all
over the swam , which was the strongest evidence
the had that e coast was clear.

T ey searched here and there for hours. Every
passage connecting with the main channel was
thorough] explored, from one end to the other, but
trill with t e same result. The girls could not be
oun .

At last the moon went down and put an end to the
scare .

The wind was still blovgieng from the south, and
reared among the dry r as though a stately

forest.

Running their canoe into a clump of willows, the
your‘ig men concluded to await the coming of da .

“ ell, my friend," said Sparrowhawk, as he (1
down the paddle, “this is a sad and terrible night

for me."

“ y parrowhawk, and for me, too," exclaimed
Silver tar.

“ But you have lost nothing, Silver Star, while I
have lost my home, my ling sister, and my little
friend, Elwe."

“ You know not, S whawk, what I have lost."

“Yes, I mistrust i , my friend' but of this I do not
want to talk. The thoughts of it almost made me a
demon—a m erer.“

“ We cannot afford to be enemies, Sparrowhawk;
we must find the girls, living or dead,” said Silver
Star evasiver.

“ (5f all the years I have resided here my friend,"
the recluse went on, “ Elwe was the to enter our
cabin, and her I ed here unconscious. You
were the next, but not the last. The savages cam
as you know, like the destroying hurricane. Hsgi
they not been Blackfeet, they would never have
come. The Blackfeet live ‘way north of here, and
know nothing of the superstitious fear with which
this swamp is regarded. No Sioux ever enters here.
This I know, an when I left the society of civiliza-
tion, and with my little sister, e an exile, I
selected this dismal place for my home. Here have
I lived, hunting and tra plug for a living and going
occasio totheposorsupliesandtobarter
my lts. ut I also went in so.” r

‘Fiam surprised, Sparrowhawk, to hear ou—a
mere boy like myself—talkin' of bein‘ an exile. It
must be you are such from choice—from your own
free will.’ .

“No, it is not- I am under a cloud Silver Star,"
he answered, a slight tremor shaking voice, “ and
you have caused me more fear and uneasiness than
all the red—skins.”

“You astonish me Sparrowhawk-you have said
this before; and yet am as innocent of any intend-
ed wro toward on, as a child unborn."

“ I be eve you, ver Star. I know you have been
In enemy, and yet you know it not."

‘ There is some mystery about ergosparrowhawk,
I see plain eno ’ remarked t e y Knight.

“Yes, I will mlt it, Silver Star: and yet I dare
not tell you what it is. Were it not for my poor, in-
nocent sister and—and. well, one other fact, would
not care a farthing. But t heavens! were Hellioe
go know all, it would her—kill her dead, Silver

tar!"

“ Sparrowhawki" suddenl exclaimed Silver Star,
“ it‘s growin' lighter; it can’ be comin’day, can it?’

“No, sure] not,“ replied S whawk, to
his feet, and ooking around ‘ “but my Godl the
cabin and the swam is onfirel Silver Star, wohave
got to work for our vesi"

Silver Star rose to his f and looked southward
over the swamp. The ca of the recluse,
enough was wrapt in a sheet of flame while along
the south side of the swamp the as tinder,
were on fire. And fanned by; strong south wind
the flames were rolling and Bing toward heaven
like fie demons possessed. lue, black smoke,
filled wit millions o ks, went boiling and burst-
ing upward into the lg sky.

t was an aw and the light faning
upon the faces of the two wretches, gave them the
pallor of death.

“Oh, my Lord! where are theyi—Heilice and
Elwef‘ burst from the Boy Kn ht‘s hps.

As if in answer to the ques ion a wild, terrified
scream came over the swamp, mingled with the roar
of the re seething billows of fire.

The two ver Star and Sparrowhawk, exchan

y .

card hi the nsumlngegr'ie.“
the h not more ave co

Sighting themse ves they took up their paddles
and began their flight.

CHAPTER XVI.
rm: suavm‘ om.

“Ya. Kitsi "said Old Arkansaw,as he and Kit
Bandy made first way back from the river into the
woods, “that wife 0' yourn is a treasure—a genius.
What woman ever born ‘d 'a' thought of makin' a

 

Silver Star, the boy Knight.

 

canoe of her ambrilla, and sailin‘ out across a roar-
fn' river?“
“Oh, yes: she‘s a jewel in your eye Arkansaw,
but if you‘d ‘a‘ had a red-hot skillet flapped over
your head or a tatermasher driven into your diov
gony as often as I have, you couldn‘t see anything
smart in the old cata uit that done the violence.
011, I honest! ' wish the ngins ‘d skulp her, dash her
old picters; ut instead 0' that she s act‘ly bein'
)ompered up and courted b that old rip of a White
rane. He‘s even promised er the position of queen
if she‘d give up the white people entirely. Lordy!
whata ueen she‘d make! Knock the socks offen
Queen ictory of France. She's a doctor, and that's
what makes the Ingins like her. She really does
know somethin' ‘bout pills and srch, and has brought
more‘n one buck In 'n out 0‘ the kinks—a-flyin.’ Oh!
she‘s a sort of a g dess, and a free character ‘mong
them, and 's hayd 'ns of friends. But she can’t
stand it always. ghe‘ll flap her heel ag‘in‘ the
bucket some of these dagfs, and then she‘ll call on
Peter at the gates 0' Pa .“

“ Ah! 'ou think she‘ll be an angel, do you?"

“ She‘l go throu h if she takes a notion in spite o‘
the doorkeeper‘s c ub. She‘s a will of her own, has
Sabina, and alers makes a we ; and I reckon she‘ll
ioller me upon earth and 911.3 _

“ If she follers you, KitSie, after you leave this
nemisfear she‘ll catch blue-blazes, now mind."

“She‘ll oller if she takes a notion, brimstone or
no brimstone; but mebby the devil and I both can
head her OK. But, lookey here, Arky, suppose you
and me visit that surveying party‘s amp and see
what they're doin‘. Somew ow ‘r other I can‘t recon-
cile myself to Surveyor Braash and Scientific Day-
mon. Thar‘s plenty of royal old cussedness era -
pin‘ out 0' their eyes‘ but, arter all, every y
ar‘n’t villains because t ey‘re not as handsome and
love! and sweet-spirited as you and me, Arky. Do
you now that?"

“That‘s so, Kitsie; but thar‘s Silver Star that we
must look arter, t00' and, also, that dasted .young
feller with the s arryhawk cap and feather Jacket.
He‘s gotlthat ga Elwe, ‘bout which Silver Star talked
so much; and. for some reason or other he‘s threa-
tened the life of the Boy Knight. I‘ve an idea sneak-
in‘ under my skulp, Kit, that that Sparryhawk s not
the clear uill.“

“D‘ye t ink so, Arkansawf Why? State yer rea-
son, will ye?“ ‘

“ On account 0‘ his m sterious comin’ and goin .
Now none 0‘ us knows a ted t 'bout where he
belongs; and I‘ve heard it loudly inted that he s
jtailgleadei- of abgalnlg o" robbers, and that his handle

sman the ut w. ‘

“ Great, born that pulled old J edcho! D‘ye think

' thar‘s a shadder of truth in it, Arky?

"Couldn't sWear that thar is, but my own suspi-
cion's what hinted it to me. A inule‘s heel‘s not
alwa 8 static when the niule s asleep, Kit
Ban y; so keept at in your ipe.

Thus conversing the two 0! bordermen pushed on
through the forest in the direction of the surveyors‘
camp, and in the course of a few hours they came in
sight of the fine. It was located in a natural de-
fensive sitllon, and commanded a view in all direc-
tions. t was situated upon a h hill or knoll
sloping off in all directions. The Sides of this knoll
were barren of vegetation, smooth and covered with
a sandy soil; but upon its crest grew it little clump
gs trilees and in among these the surveyors had pitch-

t eir cam . .

Without a‘hy hesitation Old Arkansaw and Kit
Bandy ascended the hill and entered the camp where
the were met by Survetyor Braash and his men.

a scouts took in t is camp at a glance. There
were about fifteen men of diflerent nationalities, and
some of forbidding looks in the party. were
finned to the teeth and looked as thoug they would
as soon tight as eat. A wagon of heavy mihtary
pattern, four draught mules and some twenty line

ooking saddle-horses and equipments comprised
their outfit. As evidence of their business, there
la at one side a surveyor's staff, a compass, a theo-
do to, a Gunter‘s chain and plus, a flag-pole and
0011?? things pertaining to a first-class out t of a sur-
ve ng part . .

XI am to meet on again, gentlemen," said
Herman raash, “and hepe you will accept of the
hospitality of our camp as long as you feel so dis-

“Thank you. strangers,“ replied Bandy; “we‘re

great guns for fun and 00d eatin‘. We may and
, we may not stay here aw lie with you—jist owin‘ to
the weather.“

“I desire. entlelpen." said Professor Daymon,
“to secure t e assrstance of one of you a few min-
utes in hel ing me make up the topography of this
country. Vlnchever is the best acquainted with
this viciuit will please ste into my tent.“

Kit Bant y me ioned to I rkansaw to go with him,
so the old scout followed him into the tent. The first
th the professor did was to take from an inno-
ceut- ooking camp-chest a bottle of ii uor and a
small goblet and hints Arkansaw to drin . The old
man touched the liquor lightly, and Daymon, after
drinki himself, took a sinal portable secretary
from $3 chest and openin it drew a well-executed
map of the White Earth ver country therefrom.

This be spread out before Arkansaw, and then said:

I presume you can read and write, can you, Ar.

“35", to say, rfesser, that I don‘t know ‘B‘
from {313 foot. geused to have a ban of the let»
ters. but as it alers seemed a waste of, e raw ma-
m to be thinkin‘ ‘em over. I let em slip and
filed up my n with some “ useful resents
for b curln ltries and sic .

‘Well, don‘t now as the want of a knowledge
or the alphabet will hinder you giving me just as

 

much information as though you had the learning
of Humboldt. This map, now, embraces this coun:
try so far as the geographical dimensions are con-
cerned; but many of the prominent features of the
region are not indicated by location, and as we
have to make a complete re )ort, even to minute
details, we must have the in ormation to make it
upon. To travel the country ever would require
much time and labor, and so we decided to call some
one already acquainted with the lay of the land, as
the saying goes.“

“ Yes, yes," said Arkansaw gazing upon the map:
“but what river‘s that, pe esser? he said, point-
ing to a red line running north and south across the

ma .

“I')l‘hat's not a river, but an isothermal line, Ar-
kansaw," explained the professor. smiling at the
old man‘s childlike ignorance; “ but now, let us com-
mence at the Sioux village and follow east down
the river: what are the general features of the
cougar)?” f I hand in

“ a pro essor, ’m not very y making
g‘ogra by, but then I’ll tackle it best I know how.
Arter eavin‘ the Si-ox v' e the country, for a
ways is level and lightly tim red, but after it its
into the vicinity of e Spirit Swamp it’s tumbed
:5) wuss than a trundle-bed, and kivered with stunt-

pines and grubs, till ye can't rest. Then comes
the Spirit Swamp——a nasty dismal hole' put her
down, perfesser. Thar’s more‘n live hun red acres
of it, and nothin‘ but reeds and willers, and frogs
grow and ripen there."

“ Is it accessible by foot or by canoe?“ asked the
professor.

“ They say it‘s navigate-able for canoes, tho‘
I can‘t say sure enough for g‘ograf . You see the
swamp bucks up against the north 8 do of the river;

ut it down perfesser; and a canoe could enter it

rem the White Earth. But as it’s said to be the
abode of spirits and goblins, put it down, rfesser,
that Old Arkansaw be, who’s not afea to face
death and distruction, could not be hired to enter it
in broad daylight.“

“Then you have never explored the swamp?"
asked Daymon.

“ Explored it? Heavens. I’d as soon think of ex-
plorin‘ purgato . Why rfesser, when I pass
along the river w ar the Sp rit buckles on to her, I
feel cold and chokish. It seems as thou h the wind
is always blowin‘ over the swamp and ch a roar as
them reeds make—why, I sw’ar t would make the
h‘ar raise on a dead nigger‘s head. Oh, a dasted
pad pill is the Spirit Swamp; put her down, per-

esser."

For fully an hour Arkansaw continued his descrip-
tion of the country, and when Daymon had obtained
all the information of this character desired he turn-
ed the conversation upon other topics. he wea-
ther, the huntin , the Indians—all were fully dis-
cussed; and flnafiy Da mon remarked, incidentally:

“ We were all won erfully worked up the other
night, when encamped south of here, by the apmr-
ance of adark spot against the clear sk . y
were the conjectures as to what it was ut none
was right, for it proved to be a balloon. It was g)-
ing north, and appeared to be settling toward t e
earth' but what became of it I know not.”

“ That was the night of the twenty-fust, wer‘n't
it!" asked Old Arkansaw.

“Let me see," said the professor, reflectively. “ I
believe it was—yes, it was the night of the twenty-
flrst: I remember now. Did you see it?“

“ No, but Silver Star, the Boy Knifiht of the Pera-
ro. did: and that‘s not all. The ba oon was nighly
down when he see‘d it, and he heard the ballooners
quarrelin‘ like man and wife ‘mong themselves ‘bout
somethin‘, and presently he saw a bundle let down
from the balloon with a rope. Then up went the air-
boat, and the tellers begun to quarrel ag‘in, and
presently the b0 ' saw somethin‘-well, it wasa man
—thrown out o the balloon and come screamin‘
down through the air and strikin‘ the ound, was
mashed into a lump of red liver. And t at bundle,
perfesser turned out to be the sweetest little gal—
so Silver Star said— 'ou ever see‘d.“

“ Good heavens! 0 you believe it, Arkansaw?"

“ Yes; Silver wouldn’t lie."

“ What became. of the girl?“

“ Well, Silver took charge of her— ut her on his
boss and started to the fort; but the ngins got af-
ter ‘em and he sent her on to the fort, and he dod -
ed off afoot. But alas! the boss come through
hunky, but thar was no gal on his back."

“ You don‘t tell!“ exclaimed the professor; “ then
Silver Star doesn‘t know anything about her?“

“No, I know he don‘t."

“ Do you have any idea where she is, Arkansaw?“

“ If you can find the den of one S hawk,
a young trapper or hunter or somethin‘, think
you‘llélnd the gal there. I heard him tell a person
so, an —"

At this juncture Arkansaw caught the eye. of Kit
Bandy who was standing near, and who gave the
scout a look that expressed more than words
could have done. However to get around anab-
rupt break in his honest revelation of facts, he went
r ht on.

‘But that Sparryhawk is a crazy loon that imag-
ines himself lord of creation and cock of the fodder-
w My ‘pinion is that the gal dumped out of the
balloon's deader‘n Hother Eve, perfesser.“
m‘LlVeé' likely," replied Daymon, making an entry

5 .

The tw'oy conversed a few minutes longer, then
rose and went out, when a general, running conver-
sation ensued. Presently Da men and Braash left
camp in op site directions, ut managed to et to-
gether on t e south side of the grove. But 0 these
movements Bandy and Arkansaw appeared to take

no notice.

 

 

 

'but that doesn‘t hinder ‘em from hein

13

Kit walked about camp examining, with a childish
curiosity, the surveying instruments and outfit; and
finally he strolled or! toward the north side of the
mom, and took a look at the country beyond. Over
among the wooded hills he saw a smo e  as
from a camp, and it tilled his mind with no ttle
wonder and curiosity.

While pondering the matter over he heard a
slight, fluttering sound at his right, and 100 '
around he discovered a red flag attached to a b
flap ing in the wind. And he had no sooner discov-
ered this than he saw a horseman emerge from the
woods in a line with the smoke over among the hill
and ride toward him. It did not uire a secon
glance to tell him that it was an Indian, and as he
came nearer, Kit saw, to his surprise, that it was a
Blackfoot chief.

“Wal, now, what‘s brou ht the Blackfeet away
down hereaways?“ the o d man mused. “ Horn
of Joshua! if the Si-oxes git wind of it, the ’ll
bounce ‘em like ducks would a June-bug. And
figger is comin‘ right smack up this way. Who

ows—"

The sound of footsteps cut short his soliloquy, and
turning he saw Professor Daymon approac .

“ Perfesser,” he said, pointing toward the Indian,
“ what does that mean? Can you exp i "

D“ By gracious! it‘s an Indian, isn't it?" exclaimed

a men.

D I Yes, a Blackfoot chief," responded Bandy, eying
aymon.

“Well, he mustn‘t enter our camp," said Day-
mon “and count our force, or he might give us
trou 1e. Iwill go out and meet him, and find out
what he‘s after.

Daymon advanced from the thicket and moved
down the knoll until he met the Indian. The latter
dismounted and the two held a long conversation,
keeping the horse between them and Kit.
the chief mounted and rode back toward the woods;
and as the rofemor approached Bandy, he said:

“I coax the vagrant and cutthroat to go back
for fear the boys would raise his hair."

“What‘s the Blackfeet doin‘ down be two or
three hundred miles out of their own latitu e?“

“ He sa 3 a few of them came down to hunt huf-
falo, but don‘t believe him. I think they‘re look-
ing hip Sioux scalps."

‘ either do I," responded Kit, in a tone that
caused the professor to look up as if in doubt as to
what he meant.

The two returned to camp, talking as they went.

Dinner was soon announced by a strapping big

cook.

n invitation, Kit and Arkansaw broke bread

wit the surveyors.

magi? geirm parity” overathe (illd scouts concluded
e e e ureanastewerenoturgod

to stay, they had no difficulty in ytting away.

When out in the woods, Old Ar ansaw asked:

“ Well, Kitsie, my posey, what do you think of the
surveyors?"

“ Not quite as much as you do, for I didn‘t tell 'em
everythin I knowed and guess at what I didn’t
know, as heard you doin‘. Oh, by the time ou‘ve
served a term or two of married life you be a
leetle more keerful how you shoot 01! that lip of

yourn’.”
m“ nétt'mli think they‘redsurve eis, Kidt! Haven‘t

e o e r compass, an an -
an! Eind words and good treatment, anm
hum hf say, Kitsie?"

“ es, and didn‘t Judas have a kiss for our Savior
when he betrayed Him? humph? sa , Arkansaw?"

“ Oh. well, er goin' to uotin' pter and usin'
of metafysics, ar‘n’t thar, ka-risto her. M book~
l‘arnin‘s not very plentiful, and so ye wan to run
with me, you‘ve got to talk solid sense ' ht at me.
But I can fetch one, Kitsie, that can hol you level
on the talk till the cows come home—that can read
and talk on any subject from matromony to a
Bab’lonian inscription. ’

“ Your confidant, Professor Daymon, eh!"

“ N 0, that old honey-mug of yourn, Sabina

Band ."

“ h, Arkansaw! you’re a fiend—you delight in
torturin‘ me—you're second cousin to old Satan.”

“ Thanks for the rose-tinted complishment, Kitslc;
but all jokin‘ aside, I struck a lead in Skinflintdc
Daymon‘s tent by stretchin’ the blanket a leetle and
bein‘ communicative." ,

n

“Indeed?
“ Yes, sir- he took out a ma of these diggin‘s and
axedmeiflcouldread. ltodhimno,butl meant

that I couldn’t read Hottentot and then he showed
me the ma . The first thin t ’rested my ‘tenti'on
wasa red ne runnin‘ nort and south acres the
map, and I axed, innercently, what river it war, and
says he, smilin’: ‘ It‘s not a river, but an‘ icy! uh
line,” or some sich a name. But ht that, Band ,
is whar the little eddycation, that had mauled mi)
me at the Brimstone Holler school-house, come into
gin . Bight along that red line it said: ‘ track of (In
a oon. “

“ Horn of Joshua”

“Yes, sir; that‘s what she said, Bandy, and it‘s
my solemn opinion that Skinflintic Daymon‘s the
man that run that balloon that Silver Sta—Sgt the
gal out of. He talked about the balloon the
all see’d her over ‘em: but somehow ’r other
couldn‘t sw or all he said after he lied ’bout that
{Jceyzhfrgnule line. Now how's that, Adonh of

u 1,

“ al, that’s been my 0 inion, all along of them.

They may be governmen surveyors, and all that,

Government has lots of slch servantg" said Kit.
" Wal. I mean to look around that lackfoot camp,
and k p an eye 0 " declared Arkansaw. 
“Scandthemo Arkansanor-Ithlnkm ;

9

 

 
   

14

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

 

 

 

doogins or fun atwixt this and to-
har‘s a nigger in the wood-pile,
DOmewhere. ’ ’

“ The fust I do ‘ll be to reconnoiter that Blackfoot
camp when night comes, and see what relation it
nears to the surveyers’ camp; and if thar isn‘t some
skulps to be h’isted. And it might be sich a thing
that Silver Star‘s in their clutches.“

“ Well, while you‘re doin‘ the Blackhoof camp, I'll
funZup and interview the Si-ox hornit-nest.“

“ Hate to lose your com ‘ny, Ka-ristofer.“

“I‘ll meet, you round t ese diggin‘s in a day or
two—mebby sooner. You may expect me down on
you at any moment.“

The two old bordermen parted, Bandy going west,

andArkansaw, b a circuitous route, going in the
direction of the B ckfoot camp. The latter did not
hurry, for it was some time until night, and darkness
was necessary for a successful rr'connoissance.

When night at le h came. he pushed forward
and soon came in sig t of the camp. A dim camp-
flremarked its location, and with the stealth of a
shadow he crept toward it until he had gained a
point where he could command a good view of the
place. He counted not less than thirt Blackfoot
warriors and two white men. One of t e latter he
would have sworn was Professor Da mou, of the
corps of surveyors, although he mig t have been
mistaken.

He saw that the Indians were making prepara-
tions for breaking camp, and that the white men
were directing their movements and assisting in
packi up. The savages were all painted and

mm for the war-path and when they at length

k their (10 rture, Old Arkansaw could not -
mp: what po tthey were aiming for. To satisfy

elf, however, he resolved to follow them, and
by the time the last savage was out of camp, he was
gepon their trail—following within hearing distance

For some time they journeyed on through the
woods, but finally reached the shores of the White
Earth river, where a halt was made. A wide, sandy
beach se arated the river from woods, and this en.
abled Ar nsaw to see all their movements. He
was surprised to see a number of canoes, lar e and
small lying upon the beach, and he was sti more
8 when he saw the savages launch the boats
an embark therein.

“Whar can the demons be goin?" he asked him-

self.

Across the river lay the Spirit Swam , and as if in
answer to his question, the convoy o savages
died over the stream and disappeared in t e k
labyrinth of the black, dismal swamp.

‘ The bl bastions!" exclaimed the old scout
to himself “ ey’re goin' to explore that swamp.
Thar’s deviltry on foot, or else they're doin' it in the
interest of so once and g‘oirraphy. By the eye of
Jupiter! I wonder, if in v a” hat Skinflintic Day-
mon the lay of the Ian and in describin‘ Spirit
Swamp, I have made an infernalated assack of my-
self as Old Kit intimated? Great Gos en! I'll swan
ifIhadacanoe I’d foller ’em, if 1 got completely
abolished afore I at out o‘ thar.“

Thus musigg, t e borderman kept his watch by
the shore—w t for the red-skins to return. Two
hours or more passed, when suddenly the re-
port of firearms, in ngled with savage yells, came
rolling over the swamp.

“ My ood Lord of Israel!" said the scout, “the
demons ave found the retreat of some one—are
murderin' and skalpin’ innercent people, and I old
blockhead and 1 am to blame for it i I
thought I was so smart llin’ all I knowed and hin-
tin’ at what I didn‘t know! Great Judea! just listen!
It’s a regular battle."

For some time the sound of conflict rung over the
water, then all became silent. But Arkansaw still
kept his watch by the river, and presently saw a
canoe glide out of the swamp into the stream. It con-
tained two occupants, whom the old scout reco riz-
ed as Sparrowhawk and Silver Star, the Boy K ht.
He was about to call to them. when, to his surprise
he saw a dark, round object emergle from the Woods,
and fuse just within the moo t.

“ y t‘s that infernal

Judas!" he exclaimed, “ t
Silent Slayer, and I‘d ve all my right and title in
the sul hur regions if could git one squint behind
the crinter‘s black shield. I‘ll be switched if it isn‘t
eer.
an be concluded his remarks, he turned his e es
toward the swamp, just in time to see Silver tar
and Sparrowhawk glide back into the wilderness of

deeds.

“ I reckin,” he thought, “ them oung cockalorems
have made up or they wouldn‘t prancin‘ 'round
in their ndola so gay; and I‘ll bet a coon-skin that

w wk lives in that swam ,and that he‘s
been Blackfooted out. But whar‘s t gal I heard
him tellin‘ Nathelah about? Ah! that Nathelah!
"ll bet she‘s a fraud—taken Sparrybird in hand-
somely.”

Another hour went by, and the next thing that at-
tracted the old borderer‘s eye was a beam of ii ht
that shot suddenly into the sky from near the cen r
of the swamp, w ile almost at the same instanta
dozen otherred lights flashed up along the south

aide.
Full well he knew what it meant—the savages had

fired the swaglp.
He watch the ht. It grew brighter and
hter. Higher and igher the flames rose. Dee
an dense the smoke rolled~ upward, with fork
wages of fire bursting out o- it.
“ h, salvation! somebody's goin‘ to be eternally
roasted!"

Arkansaw; “and nobody’s to

ed
blame but me—ah! there, by the wives of Solomon!"
This exclamation was caused by sight of a number
at canoes that came gliding from the swampinto the

 

.—

 

river. In the foremost one he saw two women, evi-
dently captives. Of this there could be no doubt,
for the light of the burning swamp lit up the surface
of the W ite Earth with the glare of the noonday
sun, revealing the very features of the savages in
the boats.

The redvskins paddled across the river, and landed
a few rods above where Arkansaw stood. Here they
held a short consultation, when about half of them,
with the two captives, re—cmbarked in the canoes,
and turnin down the river paddled out of sight. As
they passe( before him, Arkansaw saw that the cap-
tives were young girls, and he felt certain that one
of them was Elwe, of whom SiIVer Star had told him.

The savages that landed took their way back to-
ward their cam in the woods, and Arkansaw again
found himself a one, waitin and watching for the
BOfiIKnight and his com an on.

e the b this time, ad spread down toward the
river, and un its red beams across the water
against the blac wall of the forest trees. It shone
fulllltupon the old man‘s face with a white, garrish'

“Great Gehoviahz“ he finally exclaimed; “I do
wonder if Silver Star and Sparryhawk ‘ll git roasted
in that lake of fire? Mighty Moses! that is a grand,
awful and—"

He felt something touch his belt, and lookin
around, he saw a great bony hand lift his knife an

revolver from his belt from behind. A or burst
from his lips, and turning quickl he found self
face to face with the Sioux chie , hite Crane.

Silent as a shadow had the renegade approached
and taken the weapons from Ar ansaw s girdle,
while he stood awe-stricken by the fiery spectacle
before him. But the instant their eyes met, the old
scout's flst was aimed, with lightning quicknem, at
the face of the chief; but the latter was on his guard,
and warding the blow, he clenched with his white

0e. «
And together the two man went down in a hand-to-
hand stru gle—locked in each other’s embrace like
madden tigers.

 

CHAPTER XVII.
A u'rru: usrrr on was sum.

Guano in each other's dead! embrace. Old
Arkansaw and the renegade chie , White ne,
rolled from the shadows of the woods onto the
beach that was now lit up with the glow of the burn-
ing swam . No tree was between them this time.
It was a air, open—field fight with no weapon save
those that Nature had given them.

No blows were struck for they were hugged u
so close that it was im ssible to strike, even h
their arms not been ocked about each other‘s
forms. First the were in one s t, then another-—
now up and 1 en down, w rlln and s using
around in ra id evolutions, their eet kic ng up
clouds of san and d2“... They fonght in compara-
tive silence, for each seemed afrai the other had
friends near. Nothing save their heavy breathin
and an onal groan as they fell could be hea .
They seemed so nearly matched in strength that for
several minutes it would have been impossible to
have told who would be the victor. It was evident,
the way they fought, that endurance was to settle
the conflict. Both men were wiry and supple for
men of their age and ungainly roportions.

For fully two or three minu es the stru 1e con-
tinued, but finally, Arkansaw succeeded 11 break-
ing the In ’5 locked arms, and in seizin him by
the throat. This closed the red-skin’s reathing
a paratus in a twinkle and by a sudden movement
t e scout gained a tion astride of his foe‘s body,
and set about chok ng him to death in a systemat c

wa .

“y'Nu-iif! ’nu-iff!" came whistling from the In-
dian’s lungs in a startling manner.

Arkansaw loosened up on his throttle and allowed
him to get his breath.

“’Nougih old ejiot, ‘noug ," ain blurted the
chief, an in a tone that start] Arkansaw, who
exclaimed:

“Good Lord! did I hear a ht?“

“Yes I‘ll cave, Arkyl, was t e Indian‘s reply.

“Kit and . by the ol juggernaut!“ and the old
zeioutd lea from the [hostrate body of his old

on .

“Yes Arkansaw, I am Old Kit Bandy," said the
chief, ite Crane, rising to his feet and shaking
the dirt from his body, and feeling of his throat' as
if to assure himself it was all there.

“Well, what in the tarnation do you mean by
pitchin‘ into main that way, Bandy! Are you

crazg?” _

“ o. I wanted your aim! , you white vagabone.
I didn’t recognize 1you at fus - and, Lord-eel I shud-
der whenl think ow nigh i come to killin’ you,
Arkansaw.“

“ Yes, now you did, didn't {ed ye sweet old honey- ‘

mu ? Another minute and ‘a’ had the stuffln'
cho ed out of e. I reckon you see now you‘re no
match for 0 d Arkansaw, don‘t you? You’re a
handsomer man, I’ll admit, but you can’t hold wind
enough to tussle with me, can you ?"

“ pshaw Arkyl I war jist playin’ with on as
a cat Plays with a mouse, am I‘m awful glad found
out 1 war you, or your scalp ‘d ‘a‘ ornamented the
led e of the lngin gal that sings in my heart, and
tha ‘s to make glad my soul and cook my corn-dod-
gers. Great hom—-I mean wau hl—I‘m the at
war-chief of the Si-ox nation. an I can handy eep
my hands of! our floss hair, Arky. Oh, I feel
devilish, bloodt irsty—l eel like a hurricane with
nothin‘ to tear up root an branch. Waugh !"

“You look somethin' ke a sick ecat, Kitsie
dancin’ ‘lon a martin. But. what h me is to fln
that you, 0 Kit Commons Bandy, are that mfer-

 

 

na.l, ugly chief, White Crane. That, I say, is what's
killin’ me now."

“ It’s a fact, Arkansaw, nigh as I come bein‘ your
last attack of cholera morbus.“

“ But how is it you’re playin’ red-skin and white—~
friend and foe, to whites and Ingins alike? Why,
Kit you‘re two—facedcr than the very old devil h 5:
sel ! Do you know this won‘t win r“

“ It has won, Arkansaw, and if you‘ll jist keep that
clap-trap in our head still, it‘ll win a ‘in; and
some day I‘ll at on into a leetle secret o my own
that‘ll start the air on your bald Mlle in a holy.
second. Now, Kit Bandy’s not sleepin‘ round like'
some folks I know: and if that blamed wife 0‘ mim-
slwuld find out that White Crane’s her own husband,
she'd go thro h me sizzin’ hot, don‘t ecee? No.
Arkansaw Ab am, you jist keep a s ii'f upper 11‘
’bout this, and if ever occasion should re uire that
scal you before some of m braves. nand bear
it he Gotamozin when the Ypaniards broiled him
for breakfast one mornin‘. ou‘ll git your reward,
if you do, in the great Hereafter, and that'll be
somethin‘ in your favor. Why, I've been a kind of a
onehoss war-chief these two years, and I‘ll tell you
how I come to be one, and what I’ve done, some of
these days, if I don‘t scalp ye before then. I’ve
given you this light on the subject so‘s you needn‘t
make a. fool of yourself hereafter. You see a little
paint, a feather or two. and a change of my duds in
side out, alo with a blanket, makes a different
lookin’ bird on en Ka-ristofer Ka-lumbus Bandy."

“Witches and warlocks, es! it makes you the
ugliest, omeryest, punhn‘ -lookin' old curmudgeon
that war ever germitted to dis e the human
family. If you’ let your wife ow that White-
Crane is her husband she’d lay herself out and die
without a groan. Good heavens, Kit! go war-h yer
face, and fix up your clothes and take them feathers
out of , yer hair, or I‘ll be cussed if I don‘t bounce ye

ain.

Mgl‘aking the old scout‘s advice Kit went down to the
river, washed the paint off s hands and face,
combed his hair out with his fingers and charged his.
clothing inside out. When he had thus made his
toilet he looked like another bein when he went
back to where Arkansaw awaited h .

Gathering up their side-arms and rifles, the two
compared notes since arting, and, aerr- 11 short
consultation, concluded follow the Blackfeet who
had fire down the river with the girl ca ntives.
Both t and Arkansaw felt positive as to vv 0 the

rls were in the power of the Blackfeet, and as the

d not been one over half an hour they had high,
hogs of over g them soon.

e pursuers moved along briskly and silently for
men as loquacious as they1 were, and, contrary to
their most no hope, t ey came in sight of a
canoe sooner t an they had any reason to expect.

“That's the rear ard," said Old Kit, “and the
other ‘us are not fur cad."

“Not fur,” replied Arkansaw: “but when we
overtake them there’ll be so many of then. we cant
manage them, I’m afeard."

“ e can wait and watch our chances, Ark ."

They moved on and finally mme in sight 0 all the
canoes. They were strung along a rod or more-
apart, and in the second one from the lead were the
captive rls bowed down with grief and sorrow.

As Ar ansaw had (Predicted, they had overtaken
the enemy and foun themselves at a loss to know
how to act.

The river was not over seventy yards wide and as
the canoes were in the middle of it the Blackfeet
were within easy pistoloshot: but should they fire
upon the savages and even kill three or four, it
would ut the survivors on their and inall
probabr 'ty cut of! all chances o rescuing the
maidens.

“Horn of Joshua!" exclaimed Old Kit “ if ou‘ll.
fetch ‘em Over here two at a time, Arky, I’ sali-
vate the hull b‘ilin’ in a twinkle."

“ Yes, Kitsie, you are a re r sallyvator, you are,
for a fact; but suppose— ullo!"

Something fell in the water near the hindmost.
canoe with a loud splash, causing the Indians, as
well as our friends, to start. A saw the waves
circling out from where the object fell, and while all
eyes were watching these, one of the sav es utter-
ed agroan and began flounderin aboutt e canoe
in terrible distress. The great excitement pre-
vailed among the sav es and the canoes be an to
“bunch” up around t t with the wound war—
rior, when a perfect shower of rocks began to rain
upon and around the red-skins.

“ By the born that knocked old Jericho !" ex-
claimed Kit, “ do you see that, Ark ? Thar‘s some-
body on t'other side of the river mbardin‘ them
near canoes with stones. Hear ’em rattle and
thump ag‘in‘ the canoes! Jewhiz! ain‘t there a
lively scratchin’ among the red rovers of Satan?
That‘s f‘un, Arky' the red devil-catchers don't know
which side them dornicks are flung from. Who do
you suppose ‘s doin' that?"

“Friends, of course," averred old Arkansaw',
“but what do you say, ole beauty, let‘s open our
battery on ’em, too. I believe we can run 'em
aground, or make ’em surrender. I can shy a stone,
Bandy, as true as any boy that ever punched a glass
outen a meetin"-house winder."

“ All right Ark ; we can have some fun if nothing
more," replied gem , and gaping about the two
gathered up some me and an “ shelling " the
ex sed canoes with no lttle ect.

his was a new mode of warfare to the red-skins
and for awhile they seemed perfectly bewildered
and panic-stricken- They knew not from which
shore the missiles came, but rallying, afteramo
ment’s thought, they opened a random fire on both

shores.
Every warrior in the rear canoe was killed or

 

 

 

placed hare-dumbat by the silent assailants, while
several in the other canoes had received severe and
painful wounds.

Once the red-skins made an attempt to land upon
the north shore, but a shower of stones drove them
back, and feeling sure that they had discovered the
side from which the den er came, headed for the
south shore. Now was t and Arkansaw‘s turn,
and the way they rained stones upon the advancmg
Blackfeet was equal to a masked battery and the
warriors were forced back into the middle of the
stream in confusion. . '

Up to this time the canoe With the captives had
been held off to one side out of danger, and as it had
not been attacked. the Indians conceived the idea of
using it as a defense, and placed It, With the wounded
warriors, in the center of the little fleet.  this

laced the. maidens in as much danger as their cap-

ors, the assault ceased and the boats pulled out rap-
idly down the stream. But Kit and Arkansaw fol-
lowed.

“Gol blast them!“ exclaimed Arkansaw, punch-
ing Kit in the ribs, “ didn‘t we give them oss, Kit-
sic? Splendid shots—splendid fun! I coul hve on

‘V

“ Yes, but they‘ve got the wind on us now, by run-
nin‘ them als in among 'em. But. 1101'" Of J08hua!
wouldn’t give my interest on the _moon to know
who them fellers are over on t’other sxde‘g"

“ I can tell you one thing: they re enemies to them
Blackfeet," answered Arkansaw; “but look thar,
see that-blessed if them izen tarantulas ar’n‘t
goin' to halt on that islan and wait for reinforce-
m .77

31%;, confound ‘em; now that‘ll be against us;
but then we can hang round here jist as long as
they can stay over thar. Them gals we want, and
them gals we’ll have, or die (leader ’an old Noah."

“ Second the motion,“ added Arkansaw.

The island u in wine! the Blackfeet took shelter
from their un 'nown enemy was covered with drift-
wood and a sparse growth of tall willows, affording
a very good tem orary shelter. The river was also
wider at this pomt, and all in all, the savages were
well protected—particularly from a repetition of the
assault with stones.

All at once quiet reigned on the island, save now
and then a groan from the lips of one of the wound-
ed warriors.

Kit and Arkansaw sat Idown and poked their fun
at each other quan'eled a little in their way, and
upon the who 6 expressed their mutual regret in the
sudden ending of what promised to be aliver ad-
venture. \

An hour had passed in this manner. The moon
was sinking low in the west. Shadows Were deep-
ening in the woods and steahng along the shore.
The crock of a bull-fro r and the chirrup of a cricket
were the only sounds t t now disturbed the night.
But suddenly, a sha scream pierced the air. It
was a woman‘s voice?)

The old bordermon started to their feet. Their
hearts lz-apod into their throats. They listened, and
to their ears came that same shrill, sharp voice that
seemed to sa :

“ A-loc-oka I a-lee—okajl"

Looking u the river above the island, Kit and Old
Arkansaw ‘ ‘ overed that which startled them.
Upon the water, standing erect, her feet sumunded
by a dark nimbus, was a woman floating at the will
a the current, down toward the island.
cried Kit, laying his hand on
“ ’tis she, Arkansaw. Sabina

h

CHAPTER XVIII.
“ And it‘s over the river and over the sea."

Humor and Elwe, after leaving their male
friends, were so excited as to become to be.
mldered in the Spirit Swam ' and in this re-
dicament had they wander-es nto the power 0 the
ve ones they were endcavoring to elude. It was
the r scream hat rung over the swamp at the time
Sparrowhawk and silver sun- discovered the swamp
on fire. It was at this moment that they were capo
tured by the Blackfeet and hurried from the burning
swag?) to the river, and thence down that stream to
the and whither they had been followed by the si-
lent footsteps of anxious friends,

and Borrowtul indeed, were the iris. Elwc
had never seen an Indian before, and he sight of
the-in filled her poor heart with fear. Helhcere-
mauled 8M1, 8116!“ and sorrowful in her wondrous
beauty. Not onl did she mourn her own fate, but
that of her brot er and, too her tho ms dwelt,
much upon that gallant. nobIe youth, ilver Star
with a stran e unrest in her oung heart,
they escap ? Accepting the right side of the
question, she convmced herself they had; and then
acrom her mental vision, blottinfilout all hope, would
swoe) those awful flames of e burning swamp,
rxcitl ' her imagination until she could almost hear
the su enng cries of her brother and Silver Star
00 i from out the fire.

'flifindians were twelve in number, though one of
them had been killed b their unknown assailants,
and over half of the ot ers wounded—one or two
dangerously. 0f the latter, one was suffer-in un-
told agonies from a broken head. Every breat he
draw was marked b a roan. and the administra-
tions of his friends to give relief.

Bel inthe Sioux country the Blackfeet acted
“$02015 or on the defensive. They were not strong
Ono hto attempt any demonstrations of revenge,
DOW tthey were aware of enemies being upon
their trail, however great was their desire to avenge
the death of their comrade. Amongutlheir number
was a white man who appeared, at es, to direct
the movements of the party through a young chief

“ Horn of Joshua!"
his friend’s arm;
Bandy!"

'with sav
ll

 

10

 

 

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

whom he called Bounding Elk, and who 8 oke Eng-
lish tolerably well. The face of the w ite man,
Hellice saw, was covered with amask of false whis-
kers. He also wore, as a mask to his person no
doubt a 10 blue military overcoat and a slouched
hat. his vo ce was entirely strange to her, but to
Elwe it was vaguely familiar. It was like a voice
one bears in a dream. Somewhere the little lady
had heard the voice, but she could not recall the
place nor the rson.

Having lan ed and sought the shelter of the island,
a rude tent was hastily constructed for the captives
out of sticks and blankets; and anxious to be out of
sight of their hateful captors it was a great relief
to the rls when the thin walls of the lodge shut
them rom view.

The captives, locked in each other‘s arms, now
gave way to tears. In silence they wept and sobbed
until that resignment of heart came which can only
be reached through the flow of scalding tears.

“ It seems as though I were born for sorrow and
suffering, Elwe,“ Hellice finally said, as she dried
her tears and endeavored to calm her emotions.

“Oh, my poor, dear friend," replied Elwe, with a
tremulous, broken voice, “ one so young and full of
promise and love should not suffer so. I know you

have not sinned, Hellice; you are too pure, too no-
ble, to sin. Neither has our noble brother."

“If all thought so, lwe, brother and I would
never have been hiding away in the lonelisolitude
of the Spirit Swamp,” responded Heliice. er voice
growing stronger; ‘ and yet, I would not have you
understand this to be an admission of wrong—of
guilt. That which sent us fugitives here never trou-
bled me, for I felt certain time would change all:
but it is that which has come to my ears since that
troubles me, Elwe."

“Oh, m poor friend I do Wish I could comfort
you!" rep ieJ Elwe; “ I thought you were so happy
ill our Secluded home."

‘ All is not gold that glitters, Elwe. Often I have
gone dressed in male attire, vnth brother, who was
also m disguise as my father, to the diffeth trad-
ing-posts around for supplies and while there have
I heard the name of Osman, the Outlaw and Robber,
spoken b eve body with apparent fear and re-
ven eful- tr .”

“ hen you are afraid of that bad, Wicked man,
Hellicei" asked Elwe. _

“ No, I am not so afraid of him as I am troubled
of other things—suspicions that a chain of circum-
stances has given rise to in my mind. But I cannot
tell ou now, Elwe—perhaps never—what they are.
I wi say this much, however: they are connected
with the very same facts that have made Sparrow-
hawk the avowed enemy of Silver Star. My suspi-
cions may be all wrong; in fact, I pray Heaven they
are, and that all may proven out clear, even
though brother be dead ”

At this instant the sound of voices outside ar-
rested the girls’ attention. They listened in breath-
lessly silence. They heard the disguised white man

an ing:

l)‘IIt will be death, Bounding Elk, to attem t to
leave here without reinforcements. The frienL s of
the ’rls are after us. It is not Sioux, for Sioux
wo d not have attacked us with stones.’

“ Yes, Sk Traveler, )ur enemies are on the
watch,’ rep ed Bounding Elk; “ we must send run-
ner back to Blackfoot camp for other warriors to
come drive pale-faces away."

“That’s easier said than done," replied the white
man, “for we’re cooped up here now with nothing
to eat; and if the Sioux should get after us we’d lose
our seal 8."

“Sky raveler is wise,“ res nded the Indian;
“ when the moon 0 down—dar ess comes—mebby
runner it own t en and ofor friends."

“Tha ‘s wha I’ve been thinkin of doing, Bound-
ing Elk. The moon 'll soon go own, then one of
us must get ashore some way or other. But our
lynx-eyed enemies are shrewd. They will watch our
movements close.”

“Waughl” suddenly exclaimed the chief, for at
this juncture a sudden commotion among the red-
skins arrested their attention, and hurrying to the
upper side of the island they soon disc0vered the
cause. .

Standing erect upon the water and floating down
toward the island at the will of the current they
sawa white woman. Her feet were con in
some dark ob ect—not a canoe, nor in anything the
astonished re -skins could make out.

"Ah!" exclaimed Sky Traveler, as she drifted
nearer, “I recognize that creature. She‘sacrazy
white woman—a wild roving thing with a shattered
mind. She‘ll land here, perha s, and if she does,
ma be we can use h ‘r to advangge."

unding Elk turned to his warriors and inter-
preted the white man‘s words, at the same time
giv orders not to harm the woman whose mind
the rest Spirit had clouded.

The woman continued down toward the island and
finall reached the upper side. With the agility of a
cat e bounded ashore from her queer-looking
boat, then turning, pulled the craft from the water
3y means of an upright post planted in the center.

0 the astonishment of he gaping crowd, they saw
that the boat was nothing ut an umbrella which
the woman closed with a snap and then turninng
the crowd gathered arounl er gazing upon or
e curiosity, exclaimed:

Well, reckon aswhat ou’ll all know me the
next time on see me, won’ you?

“It es me I know you now," said Sky Trav-

eler.

“Well, it don‘t make a whit‘s bit of difference
whether you know me or not " the woman re lied
ind nan ly' “my name is Ellen Sabina Ban y. I
am he lawfully wedded consort of old Kit Columbus

 

 

Bandy who deserted my bed and board through
pure, undeflled cussedness; but, please gracious,
noble red-men, the day‘li soon dawn that will witness
my revenge—sweet, g orious revenge."

‘Mrs. Band '," said the disEnsed Sky Traveler
“ I am astonis ed to hear that 't Bandy‘s a married
man.“

“ Yes, these twenty years, the old Bedouin; but,
please gracious, he‘s not had much rest since he left
me “it out provocation."

“Is he in the vicinity now, Mrs. Bandy?"

“ I don‘t know; I met him t‘other mornin up the
river, but before I could git him haltered t e owda'
cious old scamp ilumped and runJike a urk. But,

.lease -ious, e’ll never come that on me again.
‘ve a little shootin‘-iron here that’ll fetch him in
from taw if he ever attempts sich a game again,"
and she thrust her hand in her bosom and displayed
the butt of a pistol.

The Indians were wonderfully leased with this
odd 5 .cimen of female humani , and believin ,
with that sacr edness with which t e Indian reg s
such persons, that she was crazy, she was allowed
the perfect freedom of the camp and island.

A groan from the lips of the suffering Indian sud-
denly arrested the ol woman‘s attention, and prick-
ing 11 her ears, she exclaimed:

‘ Wallets that a roanin‘?"

“A wounded In ian," said the white man.

“ Good I" exclaimed Sabina, “ for here goes. I’m
a doctor as well as a wronged and injured wife. I
practice a little as I go along to pay expenses," and
swinging her dripping umbrella to her shoulder she
strode away across the island to where the wounded
Indian lay writhing in his agony.

“ Well, where are you ailing, red-skin?” she in-
quired, bendin over the warrior.

“ He s got a roken head,“ explained S Travel
er; “ and I don‘t think thar‘s any hope for ' , Mrs.

Band . ‘

“ “)ell if he‘s got to die," she said, “die it is; but
I'll 've him an easy send-off. I allers like to see one
shu 6 off this mortal kile gracefully. Nothin‘s so
becomin' to a man as to die gracefull ."

The woman took from her sache a small vial of
white wder and emptied some of the contents into
a sma blue glass tumbler. This she diluted with
water from the river, and then ured the whole
down the redskin's throat. This one she sprinkled
some of the powder on the wound.

“There now,” she remarked, with an air of one
who had done a gracious deed, “ you’ll feel easier,
I reckon: you‘ll not be bellerin‘ much more to-m'ght,
if ye ever open your chops ag‘in this side of the day
of udgment."

“ hope you haven't killed him, old woman," said
the white man; for almost instantly the arms of the
suffering warrior dropped limp at his side, and he
went off into a uiet, peaceful slumber.

“ Kill him?" outed the doctress; “I don‘t kill,

lease gracious; 1 euro! But oh, how I would like
a) dope old Kit Bandy till he’d sleep and dream
like a lotus-eater where golden gardens glowl If
thar’s any others that would like treatment let him
sa so.”

e Blackfeet were astonished by the e
influence the woman had exerted over the wou ed
warrior, and another Indian who had received a
severe cut from a stone, advanced and asked the old
woman to administer to his injuries, which she did;
and in a few minutes the Indian, under the influence
of the opiate, was entirely out of his misery. Thh
second successful treatment five Sabina a very
exalted place in the minds of e Indians, notwith
standing the sneers and contempt with which the
white man regarded her and her performances.

Catching sight of the captain‘s tent, the old doc-
tress, with her womanly curiosit , advanced, and in
attempting to draw aside the b ankct that covered
it, tore the whole top of! the structure, letting the
moonlight in upon the girls, who, with white sad
faces, glanced up at the old woman with a little cry
of surprise.

“ Great constellations!" exclaimed Sabina, pla
her arms akimbo, and s ' first upon the 1'gir
and then at the Indians, “if ere isn’t a pair 0 m
ain‘glells may I never set eyes on old Kit Colum

- pa

 

3'
Sky Traveler, as the Indians, for some reason or
other had named the white man laughed sarcasticsl
ly at the surprise expressed by he woman.

“ And I see the ’re ca tives—been weepin’,” con.
tinued Sabina. “ h red-skins! shame on you! The
wrath of an angry God ill be visited upon you! Oh,

'rls, you pretty little arlings! who are you, any-

ow? and where did you come from? Dearymei
poor thin ‘ hear them sob! Don‘t weep darlings,
for Aunt ina‘ll comfort you, and pray or you. I
know these men won‘t hurt angels such as on; but
then“—and she gave herself a jerk, and ashed a
fierce look around her—“men are mean cruel,
heartless critters. I was young and beaut once
like you, gals—folks said I was the belle of Black
berry Ridge, but the deceit of man robbed me of my
charms and made me a poor, lone, desarted Old wo-
man: but, please the gracious Mawster, a day of
recko is comin‘ !"

The ol woman sat down and conversed freely
with the girls for several minutes, though 8k)
Traveler took a position where he could hear every
word. In fact, the villain did not feel easélwith her
about, but then, being dependent upon 6 Black-
feet, he dare not insist u 11 her removal thro
fear of in their leasure. However, 0
woman said no to w ch the renegade could
take the least exce tion, notwithstanding her words
gave the gmfhops and comfort.

A. noise outside finally drew the woman
away from tflgflrls and going to where the Indians
were, she to them overhauling a lot of plundu'

 

 

 

'16

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

 

taken from the cabin of Sparrowhawk. Among the
things that excited most curiosity was a Spanish

itar. The red-skins handled it as if it had men a

ubble. They put out their fingers slowly and can-
tions] and touched it—starting back with a smile,
iialfh ear and half fascination, at the sound it gave

ort .

Sabina watched them for some time, amused at
their childish curiosity; but finally she advanced,
and lag the instrument from their hands, ex-
claimed:

“Wisdom of Solomon! you don’t know what that
critter’s made for, I see. Please gracious, I can make
her sing a perfect streak.”

Tip ing her bonnet back, and rolling her eyes up
in a t oughtful manner as if to recall something fa-
miliar, she ran her fingers over the strings, produc-
ing a combination of sounds sweet and harmonious.
The Indians started back, then advanced only to re-
coil again with a strange commingling of fear and
fascination.

“Ahl” sneered the dis 'sed white man, “I see
you are a musician, Mrs. Sabina.”

“Yes, sir, I used to be a splendid musikan, and I
could sing like a lark, and dance like a fairy. Many's
the time old Kit Columbus Bandy’s sot and talked
"bout my fl ers flashin’ “long the strings like ri -
ples of suns inc, and my voice sound 11‘ like tie
sweet breathin’s of a Moorish maid, and my figure
floatin’ like adove‘s on the waves of the music as
I whirled and circled in the tangled mazes of an Old
Virginny reel. Oh, that day is ast now; but it's a
fact, there wasn’ta girl in all t e Yuba valley that
could hold a candle to me dancin‘ ‘ Jlm-alon ~Josie ’
and in cuttin' 9. ‘Pi eon-wing.‘ But that ispoiler
of maiden innocent, 't C. Bandy, come along and
spoilt it all; but please gracious, my friends, 1—"

Here the old woman struck the strings to give ex-

ression to the violence of her feelings, and before
he discord had died awa her fingers began running
Over the strings, and to t e su rise of the renegade,
calling forth sounds of wild, s range melody. The
maidens, as well as their captors, were surmed by
it. Never in all their lives it seemed, the
heard such enchanting music. Perhaps it was al
the more wonderful for being in such a str e con-
trast with their desolate surroundings. Sky ravel-
er was compelled to unbend in his arrogance to the
old woman, and advancing, he listened to the music
as though its notes brought up some happ re-
collections of the East. The red-skins, too, get ered
around the music 11 and listened as though trans-
ported by the rapturous sound. The very air seem-
ed rifo with enchantment and it was several minutes
before any one stirred. ’When the old woman saw
that the spell was wearing off—that her auditors
were stirring—she lent the music of her voice in an
acoom ment with the tar, and again riveted
the at ntlon of her an once. The music was a
wild, weird refrain, and as its last sa soft note died
away, and the savages, in silent won er, lifted their
eyes, a change seemed to come over them-a dark
mist seemed to obscure their vision and blend light
and shadows in one general darkness.

The moon had sunk behind the horizon, and the
haze of autumn made the starlight dim.
wsgy Traveler cast a glance around him and then

“Now red-skins, is the time to act. It‘ll not be
long until daylight. I believe I will go myself to the
Blackfoot camlph"

He took his e and walked down to the water's
edge. The chief went went with him. The water
gave forth a dim, phosphorescent low. Sky Tra-
veler searched for a canoe, but fai ed to find one.
They had all been tied up to the willows upon land-
iIgug. The renegade and chief made the circuit of the

ad, but found not a 19 boat. Every one of
them had been mysterio y and silently spirited

away.
An oath burst from the ii of the white man.
a mad bull he went eras back to the center
the island. He tore aside the p of the ens’
wand stepped inside. It was empty. He sound-

alarm.
A yell of dismay burst from the lips of the war-

riors.

Foaming with e, Sky Traveler went charging
across the island w th drawn pistol.

“Where is that accursed woman? I will murder
the ti Shcisthecauseofalll"

But was not there, but from far down the
river came a voice in plaintive tones the

“ It‘s Over the river and over the sea,
And it‘s over the water to Kit-si-ce."
CHAPTER III.
wanna) m.

Fuck the shore Kit Bandy and 01d Arkansaw

watchmms until gwbmm ed the island and
among s .

“ ow, Arkie," laid Kit, slapsing

thoshoulder “ifthem Ingins ont seal that we-

insideo halfan hour, we can board atisland.

Arkie she’ll create a diversion among the

s that'll ist set ’01:) crazy, if she‘s at her-

finnd she slots The way the water runs I be-

wecan wade to the island,and if so,we can
make it like a fiirt."

" Val, the old woman's havin’ a reception now
or. "If, Judgl‘n' by the racks and I‘m ready for
awning don camwhat it so thar‘s fun and
M in a."

his friend upon

their weapons and ammunition

, than descended the bank and
water. The moon had just gone

mwild «daddimusic mgr-emanating
m from o island. nos 0
I. rod-shins. this was the moment, and

 

the two scouts entered the water and pressed to-
ward the island. To their surprise they found the
water shallower than they had ho ed to find it; and I
side by side they finally reached t e island. l

“ Now, Arkie, you hold ourself here as a reserve
force, and I‘ll advance an feel the enemy‘s strength
and open the battle " whis ered Bandy, to whom
Arkansaw replied with a nut ’e of the elbow.

Upon his hands and knees t e old scout crept care-
full toward the center of the island. The strains
of bina’s music drowned all sounds he created,
and so he soon found himself within twenty feet of
the red-skins, who were grouped around the musi-
cian. Spying out the captives tent, as he suamsed,
he made is way to the rear of it, lifted the anket
and put his head inside.

The maidens were so enra tured by the resence
and accomplishments of 01 Sabina that t ey, too,
were total] unconscious of the presence of any one
till a han touched HelliCe‘s arm. She started as
thou h it had been the touch of a serpent and ut- <
tere a little cry that would have been heard by the 1
Indians but for the noise outside. }

A voice in a whisper at once uieted her fears.

“Silence, gals," it said, “ ’m a friend—come ‘

nick—be quiet as shadders—foller me-I’m Kit ‘

am y."

A uiver ran through the captives” flames, and
swal owing back the lump in their throats, they rose
to their feet. Withoutaword orasingle doubt in her
mind, Hellice laced her little hand in the extended
paw of the 0d man, and permitted herSelf to be
drawn from the lodge, grasping Elwe’s hand as she ‘
passed out.

Together the three cre t down to the water’s
ed e and with no little noise, for the girls were ter-
riby excited. The found Arkansaw in waiting,
and at once roceei ed to embark for safer uarters.

The red-skms’ canoes in at their right, am placing
the iris in one of them, it step ed in also, expect-
ing rkansaw to follow. But ins end, the borderman
pushed their boat,out into the stream, remaining
upon the island. As there was no time for Kit to in-
quire into his movements, the old man took up the
paddle and sent the long canoe gliding down the
stream.

Meanwhile Old Arkansaw was busy. He cut the
painters of three canoes and sent them adrift, and
ioarded the fourth one and attempted to follow
Bandy and the girls.

Every vestige of light had now disap red, and
Arkansaw could scarcel see the forwar end of his
canoe; but, confident o overtaking Kit, he pulled
rapidly along the south shore for several minutes;
but, to his surprise, failed to come up with his
friends. To his ear and wonder, however, he sud-
denly became aware that a canoe was following him.
He could hear the dip of a die and the swash of
the water around the glid ng craft and it now be-
cameaquestion whether it was Kit and the girls
whom he had got in ahead of, or whether it was In-
dians following him. He dare not run the risk of a
challenge under the circumstances, and so hugging
the shore closely he continued on down the river.

Finally he ran 1 close ainst the bank, and sto
ping, threw himself gm rate on his back in t e
canoe. The dip of t t following paddle sounded
near, and a canoe came creeping alongside of his so
close that the sides rubbed together. At the same
moment 01d Arkansaw felt the fin of an ex-
tended hand come in contact with h face, and his
mouth being open he seized a finger of the in-
quisitive him an closed his vise—like jaws upon it.

A cry escaped the unknown lips, and a voice yelled
out in sudden :

“ Shoot, Silver Star! the devil’s got m hand in—"

“Hold up, Silver Starl—it’s me—Ol Arkansaw
Abe,” said the old borderman,l1sing to a sitting
posture.

“A it isl”exclaimed the familiar voice of the

Boy ht' “that was Sparrowhawk's hand you
ware t pal-d "3"°"”m k posed it th

0 w ' ’s‘ war e
tentac e of a y the. love of Moses boys

I’m lad to meet you; but wharthe deucetyou n2“

“ 0 were] in one of those canoes you sent
adrift from the d, waiting our chance to bounce
the Indians," re lied Silver Star; “ we swam there
from the north 3 ore, and were never so mad in
our lives as when you sent us adrift. I fairly gnaw-
ed the boat; but believing dyou were there to rescue
the rls we k3» quiet an followed you; but I see
you vc not eLgir "

“ NO' Old Kit olumbus Bandy took ‘em and lent
out with 'cm like oiled htnin’. I thought I‘d over-
take ’em, but haven't or some reason or other.
Theéimust 'a’ landed back 11 the stream."

“ t Bandy i” exclaimed ilver Star; “ has that
man those girls in his power?"

“ Yes' and a royal good—"

“ He is an infernal old traitor, Arkansawl he is in
league with the Sioux Indians 1" Silver Starinterrup-

ted.

“ Wal, he is a queer old c er, Silver, but I guess
he‘s all right; we ll risk it an ow.”

“ You will find he is not w on too late, Arkansaw:
I would rather see those girls in the power of the
Blackfeet than of Kit Bandy, for then there would
be some hope for them."

“If what my friend here tells me is true, Arkan-
saw, and I do not doubt his word, Bandy is an in-
famous old scoundrel, deep-dyed and two-faced,”

added 8 rrowhawk with a calm deliberate tone,
that tol the depth of his f .
“W true or not Kit‘s t em ange and the

fast thing forus to do is to unt 'em up. I really
glad to meet you, boys, for I war afeard you’d got
cooked in the swamp to-night. Let's git onto tcrra
firmy and t our bearin’s. How's your wounded
shin. Silver turf"

 

T23

“ It is not well, though I am using it just the same.”

The three went ashore, and after a few moments‘
deliberation, set off in search of Kit Bandy and the
maidens.

Meanwhile, Old Kit and his fair companions were
some distance from there and the river. Fearing
discovery, the old man landed as soon ashe was fair-
ly out of gunshot of the island, though it was the
very worst thing he could have done, for the canoe
being found by the Indians, put the red-skins upon
their trail. ,

“ Now, little ’uns." the old man said as he pulled
the canoe ashore, “ we'll all ho out and make fur
tall timber on the double- uie ’. Old Arkansaw‘s
ioniewhars about, but I'm a card we’vegot lost from

in."

He assisted the girls to land, and then, placing one
upon each side of him, and drawing an arm of each
in his, he set offinto the woods at a brisk walk. Not
a word was spoken for fully an hour, and Men then
the silence would not have been broken had it not
been for the labored breathing of the maidens.

“ Horn of Joshual“ exclaimed Kit, all of asudden,
“I expect I am husselin’ you little critters ‘long too
fast ar‘n‘t I?"

“I am getting so tired!" replied Elwe, in a short
breath.

“ We have traveled very fast," said Hellice, pant’

in .

50h, dear! I‘m ashamed of myself, gals,“ said
Kit, in a tone of contrition' “ I never once thou ht
but what you could o as ast as me. You see, ’m
not up to weemen-fo ks like some fellers are. I‘ve
See'd a. deal of life—rough-and-tumble life—but I
never had any ‘sperieuce with angels sich as you.
Here, now, let‘s set down and take a good rest.’

They sat down upon a fallen leg, when old Kit
opened u n the girls with avolley of questions.
Tie maii ens were amused at the old man‘s odd
wa's, whimsical expressions and the tenderness
wit which he inquired after their comfort. He as-
sured them that they need have no fears—that he
would die for them, if need be—that the highest
honor ever conferred u on him was the privilege of
fighting for woman‘s li e and honor.

The distant howl of a wolf suddenly broke the

uiet of their repose, and sent a shudder through
t e forms of the girls.

“ Don‘t let that skeer ye, gals,” said Kit; “thar‘s
not wolves enough to eat you this side of the Rockies,
as lo as my head’s hot. If you are to be eat by a
wolf, ’d like to be the wolf; but, by the horn of
Joshual I wish daly‘light ’d huriyhug."

“Yes,” said He 'ce, “and wi t e darkness, pere
hiipls, would go some of the terror that is born of
n t.’

E And others would come, little woman; daylight
’ll reveal to you the fact that I’m a terror—as ugly
an old sinner as you ever sot eyes onto. And it’s a
fact , I used to be m ”

“Yes, your wife was on the island to-night. At
least she called herself Sabina Bandy. It was she
who bewitched, with guitar and voice the Indians,"
said Hellice.

" Yes, gals, that was her—Ellen Sabina Bandy, one
of the most relentless old souls that ever dashed a
skillet into one‘s ditfio‘py, or raked bowler from
taw. he’s a perfect ky Mountain screamer, and
all Satan’s host can’t he‘d her off. She routed me
years 0 boss and foot, and I‘ll be blest if she
ar’n‘t to keep up the pursuit like the ghost of
a d creditor. Oh, she‘s pizenl she's a terror by
the clock, even if she did Ion galsagood turn Ly
holdin’ the Indians while rkansaw and me lifted
you out of danger; but if she‘d ’a’ known that she
war goin‘ to lace you 'uns in m company she’d ‘a’
seen you fryin' afore she‘d ’a' ne what she did.
Horn of Joshual if she knowed I war settin‘ here
with a party gal on each side of me, I'll bet she’d
bu’st every l“packer-string ’bout her garments, for
it‘d be just 6 her.”

“ She seems to have some accomplishments, " said
Elwe- “ she is a splendid musician. '

“Oh yes, and she’s a ’complished dictionary of
red-hot words, too. on, sichntonguel Why, she‘s
act'ly put two hundred words to the minute at me,

hissin‘ hot. I‘ve see‘d her tongue smoke with
friction it run so fast."
“I am afraid cu do your wife injustice, Mr.

Banii‘y " said He cs.

“ ehby I do, little one, but int wait till you meet
her when shes in a weavin way, and hear her
buckle ht down to work and if on don't give up
she’s a c per-on-the-Wa 1‘ vote myself a
fraud and a failure. She’s the jealousest critter
that war ever born, and if you'd see me in the day-
light you’d lair yourselfs into fits to think that any
one'd be jealous of as ugly an old stick as I be.
Why Iamtallasabean—poleand asssick
elk I‘ve t amouth like a tunnel and cars like a
jack-rabb t, and m face’s all tracked over with
crows‘ feet. That‘s ow I look, and I’m not afeard
of either of ou als fallin' in love with me.“

Thus 01 Ki ’s to e ran on incessantly. It
helped the maidens fcrget their danger, and
more than once were they forced to laugh outri ht
at his odd ches But, this was just what 9
old man wan . He knew nothing would beso con-
ducive to confidence and good cheer as a revival of
their drooplnfi‘espirits; and as they resumed theii
igurney, he w them into conversation. and or!

ey were aware of the fact they were miles from
“fine-£11.: 1.2%“. final] a: red

ay wn, y 0

bars of light quivering athwart e eas sky

burst into flame. Morning, with the fresh ripe
frfirance of the woods, was upon them.

t concealed the girh in a thicket where the

warm sun could bathe their white. fair faces and

delicate forms, and went in search of some game

 

5., .1...—

k.
‘.

 

 

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7"” “‘1‘ "w V —- - u:

REG

(£7.0-

 

; L

in- brukfast. He was gene over three hours, but
when he returned he brought venison enough,
d broiled. to last them a week. _

" y, Kit!“ exclaimed Hellice, “we were afraid
you were in trouble, on were gone so long.“

“1 war afraid you d be uneasy, little ‘uns; but I
shot adeer down the country, androasted a good
share of it by a desarted camp-fire, and it took me
some time to do it. And I‘m sorry to tell you, little
’uns, but I‘m awfully afraid thar‘s Ingins ‘bout
here, I am, by the horn of Joshuai" ‘

“ Oh, dear! will we never get out of danger?“ cried

we.

“Ln course we will—you‘re out of it now; but the
enlydiflikilt is to kcc out. But, I’ll look well to
you gals. I d jist as lie lay this old bod down right

ere fightin’ for you gals as any thing e so on earth.

It'd do my soul good todic for a pair of pet angels
jist like you ‘uus. Bless my stars! I‘m not hand-
some, I‘ll admit, but blamed if I can’t fl lit like. a
wild-cat. But here now, gals, take a ho d of this
meat and eat like a pair 0 hungry cub bears—it’ll
do you good. I’m awful glad I struck that Ingin
camp-fire, for we won't have to make a fire to attract
attention."

The three ate their breakfast with a keen relish,
and after the meal was concluded, Kit said:

“ Now, little ‘uns, I‘m goin' to run out and make a
keerful rcconnoihsance of the situation, and see that
thar‘s no sign of red—skins about before we venture
out! If tharisn’t we‘ll shape our course tom the
nearest tradin‘-post."

He went away having first moved the girls to a
concealment under a ledge of high rocks with an
open valley before them. He had been gone but a.
few minutes when a huge ray wolf came trotting
across the valley, and stri ’lllg their trail, stoppe
and sniffed the air, then gave utterance to a low,
whining wail that graduallv changed into a sharp,
gibberinpi cry that grated harshly u n the ears of
the tilllh iris. And it was imme< iately answered
by a neigh )or wolf from up the valley, and present-
ly he, too, came trottinfi down, and joined his com-
panion; and then to ct er the two set up a discord<
ant yelping and how 'ng that seemed to come from
a hundred different throats.

‘Oh dear!" exclaimed Elwe, with a shudder “ I
wish Kit would hurry back. I am afraid those or-
rld beasts will attack us, Hellice!"

“Be of ood cheer, sweet sister,“said the noble
Hellice, “ od will watch over us in the future as in
the t. He has been exceedingly kind to us."

“ know it, Hellice,” replied we; “but when I
think of my situation now and of but a week ago—-
think of how my friends—hundreds of miles from
here—are mournin my absence, and perhaps my

ideath I cannot fee otherwise than sad.‘

“ I do not doubt you, Elwe; but just as soon as we
are out of our present dangers, I will tell Kit Bandy

all about our mysterious abduction, and I know he
Will see t you are taken safely back to your
friends. Or if brother Pan—I mean Sparrowhawk,

escaped with life we will see that you are
taken home."

A smile of joy lit up the fair face of Elwe at the
m€3llti°n 0‘ SDEYPOWhaWk‘s name. Hellice did not
fail to notice it, despite her own embarrassment
caused by her almost speaking the name of her bro-
ther—a name at which she shuddered.

A dozen 'wolves skirmishing around them, with
others coming. b an to im ress both the girls with
a strong sense of ear, and y the time Kit had re-
:ir'iiiggi a score of the shaggy, snarling beasts were

The old man frightened them off, but they
soon returned reinforced, and the stronger they
became the closer they advanced, and the bolder

flog ew.
" net and wither the riotin’ varmints,” old Kit
finally exclaimed, “they act as though determined
to have some angel meat for dinner; but they‘ll
have to chaw some tou rh sinner afore they 't at
the relishes, now mind. on‘t you be skeered, 'ttle
uni the ’re cowardly critters, even if they do re
180$". 50 front and hun ry maw. If I only (Bare
8h00l; a few of them the ot crs ‘d go away; but I’m
raid to fire m gun fer fear its report ’11 bri a
pack of Ingins own upon us. Thar's a pack ofnfiie
meggdagoutt, and I wish (tic lory 1tlhat these
' un em u an e awt eir ends
of! close to their tarsal heels." h
It was apparent to the more observant Hellice
‘ _ Kit Bandy felt more uneasiness than he was
wii mg to manifest. In truth the old man did every-
thing Within his power to conceal the real danger
that menaced them. for there was not onlv danger
in the resence of the. howling k befdre them
butaf t eir frightful din attracting Indians to the
5 ct to ascertain the cause. Already he recognized
a fact that it would be suicide to attempt to leave
their retreat, for the wolves would at once close in
Wthem. As it was, the rock protected them
0 side; and int knew that a wolf was slow to
am a rsou from before. Like a coward, they
usually ‘ked in the rear.
flow after hour wore away without any material
go in the situation though, to Kit. it was obvi-
growing worse all the time. Noon came and
90-38 , and as the sun declined westward, the old
Man began to manifest some outward uneasiness.
knew that, with the coming of night. the WOIVBS
would increase in number, and attack them. To
get away with the maidens was next thing to im-
ble. for here and there 11 n the surrounding
and ledges, lynx-eyed W0 V88 183' Rat‘ng 8-
00336 watch upon the valley. ‘
Gall." the old man finally remarked. “1 V6 0t
‘95“ out of thb or the Ingins and wolves toget er
“’1 Bobbin ml up. I‘ve got an idea in m ' head that
Ithink in work like a charm—in fact, think it is

 

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

our only salvation. I‘m gyin' to pen you women up
here, and then run for elp, or draw the wolves
awa ' or do somethin’ to save you."

“ , dear! is it possible that we are in such a da-
perate situation as that, Kit?" cried Elwe.

“ Now, don't go to takin‘ on, Elwe; for the love of
Moses keep cool and brave. I can’t stand it to
see tears—they melt me right down. But I’ll make
you safe, rest assured, and now I'll show you how

‘11 do it.”

He laid aside his rifle and went to work. Before
them the valley lay strewn with broken rocks from
the size of a man's head to blocks as large as Kit
could lift. The lar est of these the old man ath-

ered u and began uildin a barricade in fron and
aroun the maidens, the edge servin as the rear
wall. Stone after stone he carried an layed up in

regular layers, the to layer breaking joints with
the lower. He selecte the smoothest and uarest
stones, so that when his work was comple there
was not a hole large enough for one of the girls to
put her hand out. The structure was almost as
solid as rock could make it. The top of the wall
came square up against the shelvi ledge, and
“:13 so firm that a hundred wolves co (1 not move a
5 one.

The old man was highly pleased with his work
and notwithstanding he had to uit his labors seve
times to fight the wolves, he fe t that the girls were
safe for the time being;

“What do you thin ’ of that for an angel-cage,
gals?” he asked, when done.

“The wolves cannot reach us here, I feel certain,"
said Hellice. “ Oh, Kit! you are very good and kind
to us.“

“I‘m glad to know you feel safe; and, now, I‘m

oin’ to make a break and git out of this. ‘ I ma '
c one all ni ht—mebby ouger, no tellin‘. If
can tflnd frien s enui'f to git you through to the
fort ora post I'll go clear to t e fort for soldiers.
Now {Sn must be brave, gals, and keep up cour-
age. 'hen you feel like cryin‘ sing; when you
feel like screamin’, pra . God
will not turn a deaf ear the rayers of a pair of
angels I know for He‘s often card and granted
even Old Kit handy’s pra ers. The wolves ’ll be
aptto come up to the w l and tear and cavort
around like a pack of hornets locked out of their
nest; but let ’em cavort. Laugh at ’em, whistle at
’cm, but don’t git skeered. You have venison
enough to last you two or three days, and here is
one of my hunting-knives to slice it with. You
can ’muse yourselves if on want to, ticklin’ the
noses of the wolves With t e knife when they come
up sniflin’ round the cracks. Now, it’ll soon be
dark and gloomy here, and the music you’ll hear
won‘t be as sweet as that dispensed by Sabina on
the island last night' but, just assure yourselves
you’re right, and laugh and sing and ray for all
that‘s on . I’m om’ to try and scale t cliff, for
I know the wo ves can‘t foller me, on] by goin‘
around a long way; so good—b , girls, an may God
kee and rotect your sweet ttle souls.”

“ ood- y, Kit; Heaven speed you!" came from
within the stony barricade.

The next moment the mmble-footed old man was
scramblin up the steep acclivitfi, and the girls real-
ized that t ey were alone With t e wolves.

The beasts set up a frightful noise when they saw
a part of their quarry climbing the rock, and sig‘hged
forward like a wave, as if to follow him; but, f ' ‘ng
in this, they turned and attacked the maidens' de-
fense with the fury of demons possessed.

“staid thus night ell upon the valley and over the

ll hear you. He

 

CHAPTER H.
A man DISAPPOINTXENT.

IN the shadows of night alone there were a thou-
sand horrors to the frail, timid girls penned up by
the stone wall there in the deep sohtude of the for-
est: but the great mass of wolves now htmg and
snarling around them fllled their young carts with
new-born terrors. They could see, throu h the
cracks in the wall, the eyes of the beasts oati
about like beads of fire in the darkness; they coul
hear their teeth grinding and grating upon the rocks
as the ' endeavored to gnaw their way through the
wall; ie could feel the hot breath of the beasts
upon the rvery faces breathed through the openings
in the wall; and when the moon came up they
could see the lpack of shaggy forms crowdin and
leaping and fig ting aroun em like the blue sedi-
ments of a beili caldron.

Trembling an frightened the girls still shrunk
from the terrible sights and sounds. They could not
converse for the neise itde them was so loud that
they could not make each other heard, and locked in
eac 1 other‘s embrace, they shrunk cowering against
the ledge, watching with wildl -starin eyes befon
them. They remembered Old 't’s inJunctions and
tried to sing, but this seemed mocke They ray-
edllotng and fervently, and in this a one was here
rc ie .

A peculiar, scratching and snarling sound sudden-
ly caught Hellice's ear and castin her eyes down-
ward s e uttered a wild scream. nder the bottom
of the wall—just within their retreat—she saw a pair
of blazing orbs. She knew what they were. e
eyes of a wolf. The beast had made a hole almost
tligl‘ge gfiough to admit its body, by digging in under

e w

“ Oh, my God, Elwe!" she screamed in Elwe‘s ear,
“Thtelmilves are undermining the wall! One is al-
mos "

Elwe could only reply in sobs that seemed to issue
from her very heart.

Hellice happened to think of the knife Kit had

'ven them, and taking this she advanced. half-bend-
ng, toward the wolf, that was slowly twisting and

 

17

.working its way into their retreat. She mind the
knife but her heart failed her, and she staggered
back half-fainting. Still the hungrybeastscratched
and growled and writhed in its desperation. Ind!
by inch it was working its way in.

Hellice rallied her courage. She saw at once that
for this beast to enter would be to admit others.
and summoning all her courage and strength into
one desperate effort, she again advanced, and this
time drove the knife into the beasts shaggy neck.

A frightful and half-human crv of ny burst
from the animal‘s throat; but. He 'ce h now over
come her timidity and fear, and a desperate resolve
took possemion of her—fired her ve soul and gave
the strength of a giant to her body. ain and 
she plunged the knife into th animal s neck an m
a moment more it was dead. the body blocking tl’i
hole it had made.

Hellice now felt that she was, indeed, a heroine.
Her act of daring inspired her with hope, and she
endeavored by brave words, to infuse some of her
own new-born spirit into the breast of her little com-
paiiion.

Thus the hours were on. The girls mially discov-
ered that the ravenous beasts outside‘were devouro
ing the body of their mate wed under the well.
They could smell the hot, sickis odor of blood and
hear them reading the quxvering flesh. Presently the
head was drawn outward and the hole was again
open. But it remained so only for a moment for
another wolf thrust its nose under the wall an
tem ted to enter. But Hellice dealt it a blow with
the 'nife that caused it to retreat with a cry of pain.
One after another of the determined brutes attempt-
ed to enter. but all romptly received the same ter-
rible rece tion at t e hand of the brave Hellice the
moment t e green, glazing eyes appeared within.

On the whole. the situation was it devel-
oping into a kind of a fascinating horror to t e maid-
ens. They had begun to feel more self-confidence—
experience a sense of relief in the midst of
when sudden] the clash of firearms, the wild outs
of men and t e screams of wounded wolves made
the night hideous. Then the lure of burning torches
lit up the valle , and like frig tened sheep the wolves
went scam g away across the little plateau into
the woods yond.

“ Oh, Elwe." shouted Hellice, clap ing her hands
with gay; “ friends have come! frien s have come!"

“ dear! Good old Kit has brought them I" ex-
claimed Elwe, her netty, childish face aglow with
tremulous 'oy. “ ust see the wolves scamperi
away, He eel and hear the men shootin them
See! the have torches! Oh, I do wonda‘
rowhaw and brave Silver Star is with them?"

“No doubt of it, sweet sister, and if so, won‘t this
be a joyous meeting? Look! the light is co '
nearer—its rays are streaming into our prison—
can see your face, Elwe. Oh, what horrors there
are in darkness; but we’ll soon be safe and free, dear

friend.”

“Our rayers have been heard, Hellice, as Kb
told ust e would be. I shall never forget to pray
for the ol scout. What a brave, odd stormy old
fellow he is—ah, listen! they’re —they‘ve
come up—what strange voices Hellice l”

Hellice advanced and peered out through a. crack
in the wall.

She staggered back and almost fell under the shock
she received.

“Oh my God, my God, Elwe!" burst from her lips.

“What, Hellice—what is it, sister?“ cried Elwe.

“Oh, in poor little friend!" Hellice replied, in a
half-smot cred cry, “they are not friends—theyare
Inng We are lost! lost! God have mercyupon
us 1

 

CHAPTER XXI.
name or was TRAIL.

Tm: ring of horses' hoofs broke clear upon “is
morning air, as through the valley of the White
Earth four men rode at a wild breakneck 8

Upon the breast of one 0 them burn asflver
star—upon the face of each burned a light of wild
anxiety, as he urged his foaming beast forward with
a cruel impatience.

He who rode in advance was none other Inn
Silver Star, the Boy Kni ht and those who followed
him were Sparrowhaw , id Arkansaw and
Bandy. All were headed for the valley wherein
Bandy had left Hellice and Elwe imprisoned from
the ravenous wolves.

After Old Arkansaw had fallen in with Sparrow-
hawk and Silver Star, the three in ho of finding
Bandy and the girls continued on own the river
until they were met y a comgnny of soldiers under
Ca in Bland. The latter id not know whether
Ar 'ansaw and the Boy Knight had esca or not,
the night of the attack 11 n the pe' nsula, but
determined to know it, if t ey were alive they had
set out in search of them. And durin the search
they came suddenly upon a party of ve mounteo
savages, the leader of whom, a young chief, seemed
to have assumed the mantle of the supposed dead
Silver Star, for he was not only moun ed u on the
Boy Knight's white horse, but wore .his elmet
carried 3 fine repeating breech-loadni rifle, and
sported the youth's spy- lass—all of whi had been
ca tured on the penin
vegl savage was killed, and the property of the
Boy ight recovered, which proved a fortunate
event, for the next night they met the youth, Bandy
Arkansaw and Sparrowhawk, and were enabled

to {ovide each with a horse from the captured
on .

As soon as they were mounted, the four m
out up the valley to the relief of the maiden the
soldiers returnirg to the fort Kit having min-ea the
cargtain that the four would be a sufficient tone to

g the girls in with safety.

b

 

    

O

 

A feeling of wild joytook possession of our gallant
young here when he was once more permitted to
mount his favorite horse and go plunging away over
hill and valley—and that, too, to the rescue of the
fair Hellice and Elwe. Nor was Sparrowhawk any
less exuberant in spirit. lie, too, sat his horse wit 1
the air of a wild and dashing young cavalier going
to do battle for his lady love.

Kit Bandy assured the young men that tho girls
would be found safe, though surrounded by dangeis;
and it was with the greatest anxiety and burning
in aticnce that they galloped forward.

u down steep declivities, over rough, rocky valley
and deep ravines—through the mazes of tangled
wild-woml—on with a never-ceadng gait they
plunged headlong at the risk of their lives.

The spirited horse of Silver Star being )osscssml of
far greater 5 eed titan the Indian ponies )estrotle by
his friends, t 10 lad took the lead, old Kit guiding him
11 n his course by a wave of the hand.

he sun was nearly an hour high when old Kit
suddenly called out:

“ Bear t0 the right, Silver Star, and draw up when

on rczILlcli the little valley with a ledge of rocks on

e rig t. ’

Silver Star wheeled around to the right and a few
rods further on drew rein under the shadows of an
almost pe endicular cliff.

fit and t 6 others came up and drew rein by his
81 6.

One glance around him, and at. the base, of the
rock, and a groan escaped the old man’s lips. It
told a fearful tale.

“Oh, great horn of Joshua!” he exclaimed, in a
spirit of agony; “ we‘re too late, boys! the girls are

one! There—right whar you see that tutnblcd-
sown mass of rock is where I left them. Oh, Lol‘dl
oh Lord!"
arrowhawk rew white and fairly reeled in his
saddle while Si Ver Star, throwing himself to the
ground, wept with bitter and heartfelt disappoint-
:1:

out.

A (lee hush fell upon the valley, that was only
broken y the painting of the hard-ridden horses.

Kit dismounted and examined the place where he
had left the girls. He felt satisfied the wall had been
pulled down by human hands, and was about to
speak to his companion on the subject when Arkan-
law asked:

“ What means these bones, Kit? They're not hu-
man. are they?”

“No, tlvy’re the bones of a wolf that'have been
stripped by the teeth of others. But who killed it I
g: unable to say. There is not a doubt in my mind,

ever, but that the Ingins have been here——
that they slew the wolf and took the iris.

“ Ah’s met I fear not, Kit, look iere,” said Ar-
knnlaw, and he picked up a strip of cloth which

whawk at once recognized as a piece of his
ter‘s dress.

“ Oh, merciful Heaven!" the young recluse ex-
claimed, bitterly, sorrowfully; “that tells the whole
horrible story: my poor sister has been devoured by
the wolves 1"

Silver Star subdued his outburst of ief and be-
gan searching the round for further ev dence of the
maidens’ death. ut several steps from the rock he
found a little blue kid boot—one he had seen upon
Ilwe‘s foot. It was torn and bloody. Imrther on
he found a piece of a shell-comb ant a pearl button
and finally a tangled, disordered ringlet. of hair,
which Sparrowhawk decided had come from his
“star’s head. It, too, was dabbled with blood, and
dispelled the last hope from the brother‘s heart. He
at down and gave way to the bitterest emotions,
while Silver Star walked off to one side where he
00* brood over his grief alone.

and Arkansaw continued to search the ground
(or further evidence, although there was not much
doubt in the mind of either but that the torn shoe,
the ri let, and the other articles of dress
loun settled t e uestion of the 'rls’ terrible fate.

“I ft them rig t thar," said 't, indicating the

lace, “ and I buil up a firm wall around them that
seem impossible for wolves or bears to have
moved. You can see the size of the stone I used. I
was just as honest in the belief that they were safe,
a I ever was in anythin in all m tumultuous life.
I done the best I coul . We co (1 never have ot
away alive that I knew; but I wish now that 'd
stayed an died with them: or, if it ’d been me in-
Road of them it ’d been better. I’m old and almost
in’ my last trump, while they were youn and
of life, and had somethin’ to live for. A , mei
moi

I don't doubt Kit.” said 8 arrowhawk, seeinr
how badly the 01 man felt, “ at you did the bes
you could, and that is better than any of the rest of
us could have done; but, oh, heavens! it is a sad and
Ocrlhle blow."

“ AL. what‘s this?“ suddenly called out Silver Star,
whom stolen back to the ledge, and whose keen
oya—through a mist of tears—had discovered some
marks on the smooth face of the overhangin rock.

Arkansaw, taming and steeping slightly, g anced
at the marks indicated, with brows contracted.

“It‘s some kind 0‘ .readin',” he said, “jist like‘s
mthe rocks in New Mcxlco—lnskriptlons that no-
bodfi can read.”

“ 0, it’s notl no, it‘s not!” shouted Old Kit.
“Bays, b the holy horn of Joshua, here is light—

tout asubject! Glory to King David] Sound

lad hosannahs; the gals are not dead 1"

A breathless silence fell upon the little y.

'l'ho words of the old man were too good to be eve—
sounded like hollow mockery—sacrilegious.
every eye turned toward him, and saw him

, with his long bon tin or toward the

womb thadbeen scratch wit the point of a
million the smooth surface of the rock. Bis

Silver Star, the B

lips opened, and as his finger traced each word, he
read aloud:

“Indians tearing down wall. Follow" trail.

HELLICE."

There was no longer any doubt in the breasts of
the little party, and a shout, wild and prolonged,
rung through the woods.

Old Kit tossed his cap in the air and in mud dc-
light fired his revolver at it. He hugged Old Ar-
kansaw and shook hands with the bovs. while tears
of pure joy ran down his brown, wrin led face.

S )arrowhawk and Silver Star, too, evinced their
fee ings in demonstrations and in antics quite as
childish as Old liit's. Finally, Silver Star vaulted
into his saddle and shouted:

“Mount, boys, and let's follow the red thieves to
the end of the earth 1“

“Hold on thar, youngster,”cried old Kit, in an
expostulating wav; “you don‘t want to git frantic
and bu‘st yer b iler. Git intirely over yer excite-
ment afore you start out, for we're now goin‘ on a
tri ) that'll requi'c the greatest silence and know-
letge and ever 'thing else. Iknow 'ou‘re hard to
beat for a boy, ut then you go off ha -cocked once
in a while, I see. If you'd send as much of married
life as me you’d be calm, sober and sedate as the
Sphinx. l reckon’ 'ou’re not in love with both of
’em gals be you? Icavens, boy, if 'e are, ye must
be equal to old Solomon, who (llVl( ed his love up
’tnonr seven hundred wivcs. Heavens! he harlnt
nary .‘abina ’mong the gang, or else he‘d ‘a‘ thought
one was too many. Oh, I do wish the Ingins would
steal that old woman oil; but then the Ingins are no
fools if—if—"

“ You have been,” Arkansaw added.

“ Well, boys, facts are facts, and it‘s no use tryin’
to fool with the argumentative end of a mule; so we
might as Well be upon the move. The fast thing
wanted is the trail, and then if we don‘t double on
’cm it will be funny.”

Old Arkansaw left his pony in the care of Silver
Star and struck out in search of the trail, going in a
circuit around the little valley. He had not been
out more than ten minutes when a sharp whistle
announced the discovery of the trail, and going to
where he was, the four at once took their departure.

The steps led north. and all but Silver Star, whose
ankle would not permit of fast walking, took their
turn in walkin and following the trace. They trav-
eled on until t e river was reached, when the trail
ended; but satisfied that the Indians were Blackfeet
headinrfor their own counti away to the north-
ward,t e pursuers. crossed t to river and took up
the trail on the opposite shore,

Continuin north, the steps passed from the val-
ley of the bite Earth, beyond its wooded bluffs
and out into the almost interminable expanse of
prairie stretching toward the Big Cheyenne river.

The plain was a succession of short, wave—like
ridges and narrow valleys, without a shrub or spear
of grass upon it. Just the ni'ht before a fire had
swept over it, leaving it aback, trackless waste,
without an 0b,]ect to break its dreary monotony to
be seen upon it.

The trail of the savages was plain enough in the
black ashes, and there was no need of a man walk-
ing to follow it. On the contrary It was so lain
that they could follow it at a brisk allop, and ( id so
lwit}; Silver Star, upon his trained llorse, taking the
es. .

The enemy or most of them, were afoot, though
the tracks of horses could be seen now and then in
the yielding soil. As to the number of the red-
skins, there was no way of determining, inasmuch
as they traveled Indian file—stepping in each
other’s tracks.

The October day was warm, dry and windy. The
blue haze of Indian summer thickened by the flying
black ashes of the burnt plain, rendered the heavens
dark and sullen. Now and then great clouds of ashes
came swee ing over the waste before the wind,
twisting ant writhing, rising and falling, like shape-
less demons, and almost bhnding the pursuers, and
rendering it difficult to breathe.

Still they pressed on. Silver Star now kept his
glass to his eyes most of the time, for it was difficult
to see far with the naked eye; besides, there was no
telling what moment they would come uphpn the
Indians among the short, choppy waves of t at tur-
bulent ocean of prairie.

The little cavalcade presented a stran e a pear-
ance as it swept on over the plain. The lac dust
settling upon the men‘s faces rendered them dark
and grim. Silver Star, still in advance, leaned slight-
ly forward in his stirru s with his keen e es fixed
it on the trail. In one and he held the rem, in the
0 her his 3 yglass. At his back was slun the trusty
breech-10m er with which he had won ame as an
unerring shot.

Kit and Arkansaw presented a ludicrous appear-
ance, as, mounted u n thelow, short Indian nies,
their long legs dang ing almost to the groun , they
gallo ed along.

0] Kit would have his fun and crack his Jokes de-
spite the solemnity of the occasion and the feelings
0 his friends. No one could grow and and melan-
choly in his company, even had it been their desire

to do so.
Thus the. moved.
Ever an anon Silve: Star started up and swept

the plain before him with his glass.

Those following had nothing to do but urge their
ponies on after the noble gray and his oung master.

The sun shining red through the ark mist, had
crossed the meri inn, and Silver Star was riding a
few rods in advance. when all of a sudden both
horse and rider sunk to earth as if stricken down by
an invisible hand.

“Great horn of Joshua! what does that mean?"

 

Olgliight:

|

, exclaimed Old Kit, and he was about to put

. knees, motioned to

, to where he stood.

 

 

 

 

"1

ur

and hurry forward when Silver Star, rising to
his companion to step.

In the valley before him, not over a quarter of a
mile away, he had discovered the Indians!

CHAPTER XXII.
THE Sprnrr on THE wnxamen.

Foa fully ten minutes Silver Star and his horse lay
prone upon the earth; but when the Indians had
passed irom view behind a ridge, he rose to his feet
and spoke to his trained animal, and the next in
stunt it was up also. Then his companions rode up i.

“ Have you curekaed them, Silver?” asked Kit.

“ I have seen the Indians, if that's what you
mean," re )lied Silver Star?"

“Good! bravo!” exclaimed Sparrowhawk; “have
they got the girls, Silver Star?’

"I couldn‘t tell whether they had or not, Sparrow-
hawk: there were about that persons all told.
Four of them were mounted an every one of them
wrapped up in blankets from head to foot.”

“ All, dod-drottheluck,” growled old Kit; “but
the chances are that the gals are bundled up on the
bosses: but how are we to git ’cml’”

“ Charge upon them,” su gested Arkansaw.

“ That would be sheer oily and sure death," re-
plied Silver Star; “ thirty of them and four of us are
tOogreat a odds. We have got to try and circum-
vent them.”

“ That's it, by the horn of Jeshual The fast
thing to be did is to find out whether the gals are
with them. and the only wa that can be done is to.
go right in among them. ‘11 do the goin‘, too—
make them believe I come into their midst apur—
pose—that I never mistrustcd them of wrong in the
world. Mebby by doin’ the thing 11 brown, I can
blufl’ them into believin‘ me a frien , if there's no
one there that knows me. If they conclude to take
me off my boss and peel my pate, why, you can jist
bet the " l have haydocgins of fun atore they it
throng . If they let me go, well and good, am if
they conclude to waltz me home with them—well,

I'll have to do the best I can, that‘s all. But I'm

willin‘ to die for them gals, I don‘t keer how it 5

comes. You see I can cackle the Blackfoot tongue

like sixty, and that‘ll help me out. I'll git away

‘round ahead of them, an then turn tail and come i

gashin‘ down‘from the north like an innocent snow-
ate.“

“ That‘ll be a dangerous ex riment, Kitsie,” said
Old Arkansaw, “and it‘s oniy‘er nateral beauty
that'll save vr-ur life. You 100 ’ke the god of bat»
ties on that lioss."

"Thanks, Arky for the com lishment; and i
should I never get back understan that I give and
bequ'ath all my right, title and interest in my wife
Sabina. to mv beloved friend Arkansaw Abe, to be
his‘n till death does them art.” .

The boys enjoyed a. laug at Arkansaw’s expense, : t
then, after a few words more, Kit mounted his pony
and set off upon his dan erousgourney. He took a
circuitous route to the le t in or er to come in ahead

of the red-skins; while Silver Star and the othcts .
followed along upon the trail. _ ‘
It was about two hours before the again come in

sight of the red-skins and when he did, ioundl
tilt in stopped upon a hillside gather around Kit. ‘
Bandy. who sat u on his horse swinging his arms.
and gt‘r‘llClllallIlg u an excited manner. Now and
then a yell sounded across the plain and for several:
minutes it was a question of doubt whether the-
fearless old man had been accepted as a friend or,

foe. .

Even Kit himself was in doubt whether he wast,
going to lose his scalp, or be ermitted to depart in‘
Jeace. Some of the Black eet seemed favorably
(is osed toward him, but the majority were fierce;
an vindictive. 3
Kit noticed that there was one white man among
them, though he was to dis ised, and spcke so km;
to the savages, that he co (1 see nothing familia
about him.

The discussion as to the disposition of the whit
man—old Kit—was finally settled b two savagt
1assing a rope around his legs an t ing it utdt-
the animal‘s belly. He was to be ta'en ulon ,
prisoner, and u hen the part rerumed its marc l,
red-skin led his pony, and wo other: with lance
walked close behind.

Upon entering the band Kit met with a b’tter di
appointment, for he found that Hellice and El“

were not there; and now as he rode along, a captiv 5
he had ample time to reflect Over his own ~iedit . l10
ment and t te probable fate of the iris. e “'(‘l'

dered if the latter could have fallen nto the hunt. “ll
of Sioux instead of Blackfeet—if not whether the! P0
had been killed, and those words written upon t} 0

rock by some one else. He looked at every girth-3.; But
but saw no scalps. ‘

 
  
    
 
  

And they moved on—the savages silent, Ki 
thoughtful. More than an hour had ssed. '1'! c
wind was still blowing, and a thousan little with! 3“

winds—marked by columns of black dustfwei
twisting upward into the sky in every direction (I
they moved ra idly across the plain; and W at.
then all would issolve into a strong wind and roll
perfect billow of ashes down before it as blinding
the dread simoom of Sahara desert.

The sav s were in a little valley when one .
these terri le gusts came sweepgig down the lat
rolling a boiiin , seething cloud are it; and n t
very midst of t is cloud a snow-white horse ap
ed—gallopin with the wind.

A cry burs from eve savage’s lips, and, as e. ‘
eye became fixed upon t phantom horse that w
apparently, floating upon the breath of the storm
8 range fear took possession of each breast.

 

 

'OWQCPi-li nfifi\vv~\:' . ,

7»

 

 

 

tho
h

harmhim

. remember on rovo e the white horse
you till the? in?
V

E
h

- I Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

“ Oh, horn of Joshua!” exclaimed Old Kit, “ that's

a 8 int of the whirlwind—the boss of old J upiter!"
he savages made no reply, for they did not un-
derstand a word he said.

All eyes remained fixed upon the horse movin
31013; With the cloud; but, sudden] r, it disappear ,
as by magic. The cloud move on, leaving the
bare ridge before them plainly outlined against
the sullen-browed north.

The savages exchanged glances. Superstition was
written upon every face, and even while they stood
discussng the subject in excited tones—the horse
again appeared—rose up out or" the crest of the hill
betore them, and turning its head, looked down up-
on them. A moment later a little cloud of smoke
burst from under the animal’s neck; and while the
clear startling report of a rifle came ringing down
the plain like the voice of doom, a savage uttered a
CW 015 agony and reeling in his saddle dropped his
Seed upon his breast and fell dead at the feet of his

on .

“_A thunderbolt of the avenging spirit of the
whirlwind i" cried Old Kit, with uplifted hands, while
he threw all the terror into his looks that human
emotion could express. He spoke the Blackfoot
tongue, and his words and looks did not fail to have
their desired effect. The disguised white man
growled a fearful oath in his beard.

For a moment the savages stood spellbound,

roused them. A footman leaped into the vacant
saddle of his fallen friend, and then, with a veil, the
four charged up the hill whence the death—blow had
come. But when they gained the crest of the. ridge
the spot where the white horse had appeared—it
was not to be seen. The galloped up and down the
ridge, but nowhere coud they see it. Meanwhile,

OS. on foot moved on and joined the horsemen
0n the hill. A short halt was again made and the
white horse discussed.

01d Kit sat a silent listener to the theories ad-
;g-cnéled regarding it, a broad, grim smile upon his

Finally the savages moved on. They had ust
reached the next valley when, lo! before them,jout
of the crest of the hills, rose that some white horse.
A cry of exmtement burst from the lips of the red-
skins, and then a dozen rifles were raised and fired
at the phantom horse. But the animal never moved,
for it was fully three hundred yards away, and the
“IE? bullets fell short of the mark.

11
hill, but, fore they had gone a dozen rods, the
foremost one fell from its horse dead, and the pony
dashed away over the plain in affright.

In a black whirlwind swee ing over from the west
the white horse disapp .

The remaining mounted savages scoured the lain
for a mile or more around, and returned wit the
angiet old storyh-Ylvanlilshedl

u , even w e t ey were tellin their story 11
$35 the terrible white horse out o the hill to theipr

The savages shrink back with a c of alarm raise
{heir guns and fire, dead ainst 1316 wind, at the

orsehbnthas the report of heir rifles is swept back
over t on ends, a puff of smoke is seen under the
white horse a neck, and another mounted savage
tumbles from his ny, mortally wounded.
The empty sad e is soon filled, and for the third
time pursuit is given to the white horse: but even
before they return—while they are searching iii one
direction—the dread slayer appears from the louds
of nines in another direction, and repeats his eadly
wor .

“Oh, horn of Joshua!” exclaimed Old Kit in th
Blackfoot mfiue; “I tell you, red-skins, we’ll all b:
murdered! at is the spirit of the whirlwind I
tell ye, and I expect he’s got his back u ’
’bout your kee in’ me haltered up here.
to? let me o, expect."

‘ We w deceive the ave

rodskins' and then
air

is mad
ou’dbet-

er," said the leader of
. t was taken from his
3110 and tri ed out in the suit of one of the dead
w ors, wrapped in a blanket, then placed upon a
different pony. All the rest of the savages dis-
mounted, caving Kit alone upon horseback—a con-
spi‘c§:i: xgjafi or thfi e e oslghe avenger.
_ see er is of the
Spirit," said the chief, as the pgrt moved on. Great
Old Kit really felt uneasy, for, ressed as he was

he know it would be no easy matter to dist ‘
him from a savage. an distance. So it was with
great anxiety and uneas ens that both he and the
.vageg watched for the ap ance of the white
hone again; and when it dam-om in view on the
right it was not discovered un a. bullet had pierced
the brain of the savage walking just in front of Kit’s

pon .
Tia: filled the hearts of the savages with disma
and turning to the prisoner one of them said: '
“’I'hqpaltlb-fflce is an evd spin't; bulletswiii not

“Well, I‘ve no fault to find with the bulle .
Skins, but I have with your treatment; and“?! ’3?“
Ilon‘t let me lgo every mother's brat of you’llY be

leader than 0 e Tamanund in less than two hours.
'llInt avenger is my guardian angel. His boss is
m“ as the wind, and his rifle—well, it wfllspeak

“Then let the scalp of the pale-face atone the
(bath of our braves that his friend has slain.”

All right, red-skins go in on your muscle‘ but
follow
, of you are dead. ere's no

’bout this; but if you‘ll free me, the white

not slay another of your braves. I have

 

ii

:Let the pale-face rove his words, and go free.”

‘.

ain the mounted savages charged upon the ’

n 110'. rod that sounds delicious,“

l
l,
l
l

: or ive me

19-

 

Eeplied Kit, keeping a sharp look-out for the white
ome.

It was not more than ten minutes before the ani-
mal appeared on the hill about three hundred yards
to the east of the arty.

“Hold, Silver tar, hold! Peace, boy, peace!”
shouted the old man at the top of his iron lun r,
and the wind bore his words to the ears of t e
avenger. .-

Then. for the first time. the form of a rider ap-
peared u n the back of the white horse.

An exc amation burst from the lips of the savage.

“There, now, on see, don’t you, red-skins?"
asked Kit, laying it ofl" with hands; “ you see don‘t
you, what’s been doin‘ the devilment with your
ducks? Do you see that rider on that horse? Do
you see that star on his breast? Gods of Olympus,
Ingins! that’s Silver Star—a jeWel, plucked from the
constellation of Jupiter, and he can deal out thun-
derbolts and chained-lightnin’ to you fellei‘s till the
cows come home. That hoss he rides is winged
Pegasus, and when he nins he jist makes things
smoke. Oh it‘s awful, red—skins; so give me liberty
eath—liberty, if ye please.”

‘ The hands of the Blackfeet are not lifted
against the pale-face,“ said the chief in a concilia-
tory tone."

“That’s it—I kiiowed all along vou were just try-

. j in‘ to bother me—just like a jolly Blackfoot. I’ll bet
terror-stricken; but a word from the renegade ‘

you fellers are the stuff for brooches. Never stole a
girl in your lives, nor pared a human head. I can
see the light shinin‘ through your e tes that shows a
Christian soul. Peace on earth an gOOd will to all
men is written on the tablets of your great, bouiicin’
bi;r hearts. Purgatory isn’t near full of sich brave
warriOis as you be, by a long shot. So now, Ingin,
let us part good friends. lovers—sweethearts. Give
my love to your family and folks: tell them I’d like
to see them iii—ahem I”

With all this flattery and sarcasm, the meaning

: and intent, of which the red-skins accepted in good

faith, Old Kit turned his pony’s head and rode away,

I though he never felt such fear in all his life of being
, shot in the back. He dare not look back for fear

‘ such an act would betray a mistrust and provoke a

shot. He rode slowly on, biting his ii

and fairly
“scringin ;" but, finally, he passed

Ayoud the

. range of t e enemy‘s guns, then he put spur and

 

 

allo ed on up to Silver Star. his face contorted and
iis w ole frame fairly shaking,r with laughter.

“By the horn of Joshua!” he exclaimed, “that
war a leetle the best performance I ever seen, Silver
Star since ole Sabina undertook to whoo her own
shadow, thinkin’ it war another woman foo in’ ’round
me.”

“ I put in some good shots, considering the wind,
didn’t I Kit Y” demanded the young Knight of the
Prairie.

“Plumb-center knocked a red-skin Jordanward
every time; and (logged if I didn‘t begin to feel on-
easy ’bout my own carcass when they trigged me
out a la Blackfoot, and left me alone on a boss.”

“Bah, Kit! I could tell them long legs of yours
far as I could see you; them legs are what saved
you. But the girls are not there, are they?"

“ No, and the Lord only knows where they are,

b0 '3?

‘yThey must be dead, Kit," with a tone of bitter
disa ointment.

“ al, I can’t tell ye whether they are or not. It’s
the queerest case I ever come across in my life; but
we’re not goin’ to give it up yit‘—not if the court
knows herself. Them Ingins we follered right from
the lace where I left the gals, and it’s my solemn
op' on they let the iris out of their retreat, bethe
dead or alive. But, et’s git around to the boys;
see them peekin‘ up over the hill yander as if e r
to have a fin r in the pie. Ahl see them no lo
Loes marchin away northward! I’ll swear I never
saw one white boss and a chunk of a boy knock the
satanic tigerosity outen thirt Indians as slick as
you did outen them fellers. t if the ’d all been
mounted ou’d not had it so easy. h, it was a

lorious ctory, s iendid sight. I in'oyed it. Why,

y, you could pic oi! eve one of t e critters afore
they et near across the p n.”

“I now it; but I don’t want to, Kit; I have no de-
sire to shed human blood unnecessarily. What I de—
sire most, now, is to know where them girls are."

They rode on and soon joined Ar 'ansaw and
Sparrowhawk. The latter was bowed down with
grief and disappointment when he learned that the
maidens were not with the Indians.

Without delay the party rode back to the river and
there went into camp; but early the next morning
they were on the move up the stream.

As they rode away through the early dawn, Arkan-
saw said:

. I'Now, boys, where will we strike next?”

‘ Straight for the camp of those Government Sur-
veyors," Old Kit answered with decision.

“ Do you really think it‘ll pay us, Kitsie ?”

Shouldn’t wonder a bit' I don’t believe them
boys are the clear quill—in fact, I almost know it;
so do you. They are all nicely trig out for sur-
veyin , but, by the horn of Joshua! can’t melt into
the confidence of that pair, Herman Brush and

  m. I

_ cm on’ u, .
Rudy’s?! trusttlwm,doyo Mr

“ I don’t, eh? Mebbe you know more ‘bout it than
1 d0. Arky," replied Ki ; “now you know—or ought
to—that this country’s been infested with a gang of
outlaws under Paul Osman, don‘t you?”

At mention of the name of this robber-chieftain,
Sparrowhawk started and fixed a quick. strange
look upon Silver Star who rode at his side. But, m-
m“? recovering himself, he glanced “ahead, spoke
ttg his pony and began humming a low, plaintive air

 

But the keen eye of the Boy Knight did not fail to
catch the look of his companion, and the strange
expression that Overspread his handsome face.
There was a meaning in it, deep and mysterious.
He saw that the name of the outlaw afieeted him
visibly, and as he rode along, he pondered the mat-
ter over in his mind. it had been strengthened by

st experience with the strange recluse of Spirit
wamp. Could such a thing be possible, the young
knight dared to think, that he—Sparrowhawk—was
Osman, the Outlaw himself? God forbid!

“Yes,” said Old Arkansaw, in reply to Bandy
“Ive heard of this man, Osman, the Outlaw, am?

‘

I‘ve thought it thunderin’ queer that you inen can‘t”h

find his den."

“Well, yes, it seems so; but, hasn't Silver Sta!
and others been huntin’ and watchiii’ for him this
year and more?" questioned Bandy; and aim Spar.
rowhawk turned and gave Silver Star a ook that
continued to weave that web of mystery around the
young man's life.

“ And what goods it done?” asked Arkansaw‘.’
“why don’t the military come out and rummage
the country and find the freebooter, and hang him
and be done with it?“

“I think. Arkansaw, we’ll have the honor of break-
in’ that outiaw’s nest up. I think if we had fun yis'
terday, on the prairie, we’ll have liaydoogins of it ii)
a day or two. In fact. when we reach that sur-
veyers’ camp, if we don’t stiru a hornets’ nest, I’ve-
not see’d one stirred since Cld abina Bandy locked
me up in the bedroom and poured a swarm of bee!
down the stovepifi: hole upon me. ”

An outburst of lighter followed.

The party rode on and finally came in sight of the
little grove on the hill wherein the surveyors were-
encamped. Not a sign of life was visible about it;
but, not sure that it was deserted, Kit halted the
party in the timber at the foot of the hill, and rode

orward alone to make a reconnoissance. He soon.
reached the little grove crowning the hill, and disap
peared in it: but a moment later he came out again,
and waving his cap in the air motioned the others to--
advance.

The three rode it the hill and entered the motte,
wherein the foun Kit Band and his wife Sabina
suited side y side upon a f en log, engaged in a.
low conversation.

But, the surve ors were gone, and again the hopes
of Silver Star an Sparrowhawk sunk in their breasts.

 

I CHAPTER XXIII.
xrr nuns TEE COMPASS.
Ora friends took dinner in the rave, then mount-
ing they set off upon the trail of t e surveying party.
Old 't having the advantage of a horse, ,felt re-
joiced at eavin his wife behind; but, hardly had he
spoken his moc farewell ere Sabina led a sorrow-

looking old mule from a thicket hard by, and mount- .

i it came on and joined the party, a smile of
triumph beaming upon her face.

“Please gracious, Kit Columbus Bandy, you’ve
dodged me for the last time,” the old woman ex--
claimed poundin her mule with her umbrella.

“Oh. orn of oshual” groaned Kit, looking the:
sadness he could not express.

A compromise was efiected between the husband-
and wife, for the time being, and all rode along har-
moniously.

The trail of the surveyors was plain, the wheels of
their wagon makifia (186%. impression in the soil.
They forded the hite rth and passing from.
among the wooded hills and bluffs entered the open-

rairie. Here the trail was more difficult to follow.

he autumnal fires had not visited this part of the
cohpintry, and a coat of thick dry grass covered the--

p n.

The keen eye of Silver Star, accustomed to the
trail, was called into lay, and so the party moved.
on, and about the mi die of the afternoon the sur-
ve ors were discovered, heading northward, about a.
in e awasv.

Silver tar and Old Kit deployed themselves to this
right to observe the movements of the party. The
rode around—keepin in the low grounds—uh
they had gained a pomt where they could command\
a fair view of the whole corps of surveyors. The wa--
gen was being drawn by four good mules, and fol-
owed by an escort of some ten mounted men. In.
advance was a man carrying along pole with a red
fl , and several shorter ones with white flags. Far--
be ind were two men, and between these and the-
wagon were two more—all mounted but the last

two.

“Oh-ho!" exclaimed Kit, after he had taken a
look at the party through Silver Star’s glass. “do

on see the m0vements, my boy? Do you see
{Incle Sam’s devoted servants?”

“Yes. I can seethem with the naked eye; but,
they are surveyors Kit. We are on the wrong trail.”

“ Well what makes you think so, Silver Star?"

“ t‘s easy enough determined. That man in
front is the flag-man; those two behind the w n.

are the chain-bearers—gjgu can see them at wor — ,

and those two awayaple d are the engineer or sun-

veyor and his amis

his compass and stat easy enough
'5

and pinto

fool

worth a cent

     
  
   
 
   
  

   
  
 
 

are no surve ors country or else they‘d
carted b . Old and me
them to rs’ p a t t’other day, and we
all wasn’t t snrveyin‘ busine-

t No,tha
allablindandl’llbettonto o
inthatwagon.” r .

t. With the glass you can 

nethettbogahm:

  
    
  
   
   
     
  
     
      
    
  
   
  
     
       
   
     
    
    
 
    
   
    
    
    
   
    
  
  
  
    
   
    
    
  
     
  
   
     
 
      
 
   
   
   

 
   

   
 

 
   

20

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

“Then on musthhave positive proof of the fact,"

the cg Kn .
have ilver; the girls are in that wagon I"
“Then, y ions, ”
"saw, hol on, Silver Star—set down and keep
on’t let a brace of pretty als make a plum
fool of you. I don‘t blame you or lovin' them, for

if I could shake Sabina and smooth out these !

wrinkles and crew‘s-tracks on my ole face, I‘d try
to cut you out, boy."

“Well. if they have the girls then they are bad
men, and I‘ve a notion to begin wingin’ them asI
did the Indians yesterday. What do you say?“

“No no, boy; you can’t ever come that game 1

with tiem freebooters for that‘s what the are.
You can see the are all well mounted, and t e In-
ins weren’t. esides robbers always have fast
rses, and there may e some in that gang that
would discount your gray. And there magi be
marksmen there, too, with long-ranged ri es hen
again 'ou haven‘t got black whirlwinds to ride in—
no ri es scarcely, to dodge behind. No, it will
never 0, 0y; we ve 0t to circumvent them dogs

some way or other he ore they cross the Cheyenne ‘

and it into the hills.”

“ hey’re just about goin‘ to strike the Buffalo
Pass crossin ,” said Silver Star; “we might get in
.ahead of them and ambush them.”

“ We must keep them out of the Buffalo Pass, boy
—to the ri ht, and that‘ll ive usabetter chance.
0h, horn ofnyoshual if I b about fifty of my braves
here now I‘d rake them ole outlaws from taw.“

“ Your braves? what do you mean b that, Kit?"

“Haw! haw! haw!“ laughed Kit;
am White Crane the m stemms cilia/7”

“ You‘re a—‘o 'in’ it!” exclaimed the 

“I am, am ? Didn’t I save your bacon t 0 night
I met you at the Dead Fall? Didn’t I shoot two of
21:5 braves next mornin' to git you out of your deefl-

t ?77

“ reat miracles! alight bursts upon my mind. I
see through that myste . h , man, how dare
, ou serve two masters You re a puzzle, Kit.

ou're a cheat—a fraud l"

“ Well, I’ll tell 'ou all about it some do. . It tickled
Arkansaw almos to death when I told 11 m; but the
tust to he did is to rescue them gals. Now, I
an st t at we creep down to the train and ca ture

me or and his man, and then you an me
run the he awhile—long enough to git them out
of range of the Buffalo Pass.”

"Goodz Kit! good, White Crane! anything to be
at work! ’

The two descended the bluff they were on and rode
back to their friends; and then they all galloped
around almost to the head of the train, all the
while“ keeping in the low valleys.

Lesvi their horses and friends concealed be-
hind a . Kit and Silver Star crept along through
the tall grass of a long narrow slough until they
come to where the w on had crossed. Knowing
that the surveyor and h men had not crossed, they
concealed themselves in the grass to await their ap-
proach.

In afew minutes Herman Braash and a servant
.a peered over the hill and rode down toward them.
1% carried a com and field-glass and staff.
As ey descended t e hill tl’ilely slacked their ani-
mals' to a slow walk. ey were talking, all
unconscious of the eyes that were upon them—the
tears that heard Brassh say:

“ If we get to the river without molestation, we’ll
be all safe enough. Those horsemen we seen may
be pursuers; but I hardly think they are Bandy
and his tribe, for they, of course, will ollow the In-
dian and not find out their mistake till we get into
the h 11s, and then—”

“Oh! but you’re not there!” exclaimed a voice,
and Kit Bandy and Silver Star sprung out of the

, seized their horses and held a cocked revolver
at sch breast; “ ’3 death, men, to move!"

Herman Braash was thunderstruck, and his face
grew white as a sheet. But he soon recovered his
presence of mind, and with a forced laug , sai : .

“Why, Bandy, my old friend, who does this

?

“Busineml” replied Bandy, “ and you can‘t bluff
me a bit with laughin‘, Herman. I‘m ole pizen, and
that boy‘s still wuss. All we want is for you to dis-
mount and give up.“

Braaoh’s com anion was a Mexican half-breed
with the look 0 a desperado. His horse had been
seized by Silver Star, who boy that he was, looked
soinsignlficant to the n standing as he was
in the grass, that, as soon as t 6 order to dismount
was given, he—the robber—made a grab for his re-
volver and succeeded in drawing it, but before he
could fire, Silver Star sent a ullet throu h his
brain. Not a groan even escaped his li s, an as he
tumbled a life ess heap to the earth, raash grew

and the glare of a demon shot from his eyes;
ut he dismounted and gave himself up, saying:

“ Bandy, what does this murderous assault mean?
You‘ll have to answer to the United States govern-
m t for this.”

‘I know it," re lied Kit, taking a pair of hand-
cuffs from his poc ets, “ and I’ve been wantin’ the
chance these two years. These wristlets, Herman,
I’ve carried for you till they act’l wore a hole in
my pocket; so now take them on e a little man—
.‘nere, snap, she goes!"

Completely vanquished, Braash made no resist-
-a and the manacles were placed upon his wrists.

“ ow, sir,” remarked Kit, “ ou‘ve some gals in
your wagon that we want next. ‘

“Indeed!” sneered the villain; “then get them.
Woylay‘the wagon, won‘t you, you accursed old

, '

baboon
.“‘Can‘t you give me a written order for them?“
When I do you’ll know it. You have taken the

; alarm

ood ,

. That ii

‘ why, boy, I

. and libera ed the needle.

 

 

advantage of me once, but you cannot do it
a] H

n.
Alarmed b the pistol-shot—the wind being to-
ward them—

had cre )t to the top of the hill to see if the shot had
the outlaws; but as the wind was unfavor-
able, it appeared the sound did not reach them.

Kit was not long in preparing for the next move.
He had Silver Star don the Mexican‘s coat and hat,
while be effected a change of suits with the sur-
veyor.

ing tools, rode boldly forward upon the trail of the
wagon, leaving Braash in charge of Old Arkansaw

‘ and Sparrowhawk.

When Kit and his companion reached the top of
the hill, the wagon ant escort were half a mile
ahead, as were the chain-bearers also: while, be-
yond all, the flaiman was standing with his pole
sot. About two undred yards in advance of our
friends stood a short ole, to which was attached a
red strip of cloth. Si ver Star was the first to dis-
cover it, and at once inquired what it meant.

“I see on know nothin‘ much ’bout surveyin’,
boy," rep ied Kit; “I used to do a little of it--was
axman for a party once, and know all ’bout it.
yonder is a ‘markeri‘as I call them. It
markst espot Where the flagman‘s pole last sot,
when the surveyor sighted his line through. He
marked the spot with that flag, and went on, 90’s to
be at the next point by the time we reached here.
Now, I‘ll set there and make another sight througgi,
then move on. Oh, you'll learn, boy; but ar’n‘t t e
warmints takin’ a sight of gains though, to make
folks believe they’re ange You see, anythin
bearin’ a government stamp has a free pass throng
this country— articular] across Indian reserva~

I tions, and tha ‘3 one t ng that these scoundrels
' have come this surveyin‘ dodge on us for.

But, how
do I look Silverz With this rig on? cavalierishly?
superbum ustlc?‘

Oh, you look skrimtuous—like General Custer."

“ You, boy, with that coat and hat—both too bi ——
look like the omeryest greaser that ever stab a
man in the back; but here we are.“

Reaching the “marker,” Kit dismounted, placed
the staff b the flag and then adjusted the compass
The flagman was in plain
view, though near] a mile away.

Kit took the fie d-glass and scanned the whole
party before him carefully. The lass brought them
so close that he almost shudder . He could see the
very eyes of the flagman, a villainous—looking fellow,
apparently looking right into his own face.

‘ I tell you, boy. they‘re armed like pirates and all
good men—0n good horses; but, that makes no dif-

ereiice. We must put them 011' the Buflalo Pass
route, and throw them cast. I see Herman, the bug-
ger, war onl runnin‘ on about one or two degrees

earin', but ’11 p0 her around to about ten degrees
this time, and a lttle more next, and ihat‘ll about
take us to the Open Wood Ford Dast the needle, it
dips and bobs round too much to suit me—too much
attractions. It reminds me of old Sabina when
thar‘s other ladies around me; but thar, that’s good
enough."
The needle havin settled, Old Kit glanced through
the si hts, then too off his hat in his right hand and
held t out from him. The flsgman understood the
signal, and at once removed his pole several rods to
the right, and was kept moving until Kit was afraid
to go further for fear too much of a deviation at
one time might arouse suspicion. It is true, the sun
could not be seen, and so no one could tell, exactly,
the points of the compass exce t those with the
compass; still Kit was afraid t e outlaws might
know the country better than he did.

When the flagman was ‘ven the signal to “ stick ”
—by the surveyor raisin 0th hands and then drop-
ping them—he marked t 6 spot with a little gag and
went on; while Kit, mount iig his horse, e on,
laug‘hing till his sides ached.

“ esterday was your day, Silver Star," he said
“ and to-day s mine.
am a civil engineer. Hol ho! ho—orn of Joshua!
won’t there be a b’ilin‘ at camp when them fools
ahead find out that we‘re running this helm-business?
Zoundsl if the ‘d a glass they might see that your
clothes hang oosish on you, and that my legs are
goked throu h this coat furder than Herman‘s were.

h, but this s a scientific party—ha! ha! ha! But I
wonder whar Professor Daymon is with his maps
and lofty intellect?"

The two rode on until they came to the next
“marker " when Kit again set the compass and
sighted through. As before, be
few degrees east bearing; and in his way the
on for some ten miles without detection. T 8 last
“ set “ made by the flagman bron ht him to the edge
of the timber bordering the Big eyenne river.

It was now almost dark, and as old Kit knew the

my would encainp at the river when they found
hey were out of their course, the old man was at a

loss as to what he should do. The dare not on,
of course, and the absence of erman an the
Mexican m ht soon reveal the state of affairs. But

after all, be ad accomplished all he aimed at—had
thrown the outlaws more than five miles out of their
course.

“Well, Silver," the old man said “we mightas
well ride back and meet the rest 0 the folks and
hold a council of war—the war itself, if Sabina‘s
there yit. All the skulldugge part is through
with now, and next comes t e anger rt "

They turned about and rode back along the trail,
and bad one but a short distance when they dis-
covered Ofd Arkansaw and Sparrowhawk riding to-
ward them at the top of their animals‘ speed.

“ What in the furies are up now ?" exclaimed Kit.

ld Arkansaw and his friends hasten- f
ed to the scene of action. Meanwhile, Silver Star 1

I
l
l
; ‘ p,Arky.'"

This done, the two mounted the outlaws’ 1
; horses, and, taking the compass and other survey- ’

You were a wind-spirit, and I 1

ave their course a , hi
went ‘

i

“ They surely haven’t left that outlaw with that
wife of yours,‘ remarked ilver Star.

In a moment the riders rew up before them.

“Good God, Bandy!" exclaimed Arkansaw, "thd
man Braash got away from us!”

“ Horn of Joshua! how come that? Were you

0; that infernalated old woman of yourn did it
! throu h confounded spite. You see, we mounted
l the prisoner on Silver Star‘s horse, and then hitched
the horse to Subina‘s mule, and when our backs
were turned, she cut the hitch-rein, and before
we could say Jack Robinson, the rascal put them

! big spurs into Prince‘s side and shot away like an

arrow.”

“ Well, great Jehoviah! that‘ll spile all our ’range—
merits, sure. Why didn‘t you strangle that woman?
Where is she?”

“ Last we seed of her she was follerin’ Herman
Braasli."

“Well, let ‘r rip; we’ll go through that robber
cauin afore morniii‘ ust the same or my name’s not
Ka- stopher Ka—lum us Bandiy.“

“Second the motion,” adde Old Arkansaw, eager
for the fray.

 

CHAPTER XXIV.
pins THOMAS, nmc'rrvs.

ALL unconscious of what was going on behind
them, the outlaws moved on until the river was
reached. Herman Braash, the captain of the band,
and his servant Lavejoe, had remained behind as a
rear-guard under the shallow pretense of conducting
the. survey. It is true they were moving across the
open prairie, and the compass enabled them to keep
adirect course, so that it was useful as well as a.
disguise. The flagman was the real scout and guide
of the party, though he yielded to the directions of
the man at the helm for the reason that he had
never attempted to cross the o n prairie to the
Buffalo Pass. And thus doub e guarded, they
moved rapid] forward, but to their surprise came
out at Open and Crossing.

When the river was reached all hands went to
work preparing for the night, and while thus engaged,
the man on guard announced the approac of a
horseman from the east.

“Well,” one of the party exclaimed, who can it
be? and why in the nation don‘t the captain and
Lavejoe come in ?”

No one answered for no one knew; but a mo-
ment later the man on the white horse dashed into
camp, and the question was answered. Captain
Braash had arrived.

A c of astonishment burst from every lip while
one f htful oath after another issued from the
captain‘s lips as his horse kept plunging about.

Catch t is horse, idiotsl' he finally screamed.

A' man caught the frightened, panti animal.

“Captain, what does this mean?" as ed the man.

‘- It means that we are a set of stu id asses! Kit
Bandy and that young hell-hound, S ver Star way~
laid me and Lavnjoe, and after killing Lave. creed
me to surrender. I was then handcuffed by that
infernal Bandy and placed on that horse; but,
thanks to the jealousy of old Bandy‘s wife who
came 11 with Arkansaw and another chap whom I
reco ed as Paul 051mm,] managed to escape.
She cut the hitch rein when the others‘ faces were
turned and told me togo, and I went. You fools
have been guided here by old Kit Bandy and that
be ', who took our coats, hats and instruments and
f0 owed in our places. I should think you could
have seen on were not goin to the Bilfalo Pass."

“ By the inoculate! who' ’a’ dreamed of sich
an infernal trick!" exclaimed the fin an' “every-
thin went alon asusual—I detect nothln’.”

“ h! then ellows are cunning devils. All our
attempts to throw them off the track of the girls
have been mere boy’s lay. We’ll have to fl ht our
way through now, an we’ll do thunderin’ we if we
get the train through at all. But they'll never

hem girls alive, now mind! Here, some of you el-
, lows get these handcuffs off my wrist. Curse that
Ban y! This tells me that he’s a sneakin‘ old Gov-
ernment hireling."

After the irons were removed from the captain‘s
wrists, he personally superintended the arrango~
ment of the camp: and while thus en aged the ap-
proach of another horseman through c gathering
twili lit was announced.

A w minutes later, Sabina Bandy came "peg
gl'fll‘i " into camp upon her old mule.

e outlaws jeered and booted as fine came up
but the ca tain quicklyEut an end to this b inform-
ing them t at she was t e woman who had iberated

in.

"Why have you come here, Mrs. Bandy?“ the out
law asked, advancing to where she had drawn rein
and dismounted.

“Because I wanted to tell you that old Kit Bandy
my lawfully-wedded husband, is in love with one 0
them gals in your wagon. That‘s exactly why I
come.”

“How do you know there’s girls in that wagon?”

“Why, I heard ole Kit say so; and as he‘s got hi1
ole big nose into every thing, I reckoned he knowul;
and as I was sayin‘, he‘s in love with one of then
girls and will raise the old fury till he to her mm

's clutches; but lease gracious I, is broken-
hearted wife, have etarmined he’ll never take an-
other woman to share his bed and board as long as
my head's cold, and my to e can wag. I follered

 

you a-pu to tell you to on your and or he'll
go throu your camp this blessed ght. Double
and thrlb your guards round them gals. He beat

me once; now I‘m goin’ to spend the rest of ‘ my lifo
: tryin' to beat him. ‘

“ I am under great and lasting obligations to you,
, Mrs. Bandy," said the ouilaw captain, “for giving

 

 

 

 

A.-.~__.—.'—_. ._._._. .. “g

. .1...

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

21

 

3r

.0 this timer warning. I fully sym athize with
you in our worse than widowhood, an will endeav-
or to Jve you a decree of divorce the first op r-
tunity by putting a bullet through that old Ban y‘s
brain. 0w, Mrs. Bandy, I extend to you the hospi-
mlity of our camp, such as it is, for the night. It is

ng to rain, I fear, and will be a bad, dismal nkht

r a woman to be out.“

“ I’m a poor, lone woman and have ot awful rude
and sunburst riding around after 0 (1 Kit Bandy;
but the man that does question my ood name is a
dead man, so I reckon I don‘t care i I do stop with
you as long as thar‘s other weemin-folks in your
mgany. " '

“ ou may share the wagon with our lady friends
if yfudwish.’1’( was the generouglfreebootcr‘s toffer. ls
‘ out now as oung, 'ppety- pe y gir
care ’bout ‘sociatin’ with an old woman,%ut I‘m as

as they dare be, Mr. Brassher, and if they

on't like me t can git out with their 'ristocratic

manners and pri e. If ou tellers ‘ll jist look after
Jausalem, my mule, I' be obleeged to you."

Considering what she had done for him, and her
warning as to Band '3 designs, the outlaw captain
could not find it in {is heart to mistrust the crazy
old woman of an designs upon his confidence; and
so he conducted er to the wagon and raising the
cover ha ng over the forward end, he said:

“Girls, f you wish a few minutes’ exercise, you
have the rivilege of getting out and walking around.

Mrs. Ban y here will keep you com y."
" Yes,  coins, hog out and take a little rom-
enade with oid Aunt s. ina Bandy,” added t old

woman.

“ Oh, Mrs. Bandy l” exclaimed the captive maide
starti up as if with joy at the sound of the ol
woman s voice.

“Ah! Isee ou recognize Mrs. Bandy—have met
before.” said t e outlaw chief, in an rise.

” Oh yes,” said Sabina, “ I‘ve see‘d em both afore;
ad or n‘t they pretty darlin ., Mr. Brack? No won-
der Old Kit Bandy‘s ni hly istracted ‘bout them."

The faces of the mai ens wore a look of hopeless
dafondency. _ Their eyes were red with weeping,
an their bodies weak and sore with long confine-
ment. G’ladly thefy accepted the invitation to a walk,

d getting out o the w on, each accepted an arm

Mrs. Bandy and mov slowly away toward the
aver, an armed guard keeping a strict watch upon

em.

In the course of an hour the three were taken back
to the wagon and laced therein. Mrs. Bandy’s
tongue ran incessant y, Old Kit being the chief ob-
ject of discussion.

As the robber chief had redictcd, the deep-blue

of Indian summer t ickened .mtc lowering
clouds, and about dark a slow, drizzlrng rain set in.
This made the outlaws all the more uneasy, for it
would be an advantage to Old Kit Bandy’s opera-
tions, while it would be a disadvan .to them. To
thwart Klt‘s lans, however, shoul an attempt to
release the gir be made, the outlaw chief conceived
an idea which he at once proceeded to carry into ex-
ecut on.

The stream before them was about six rods wide,
three feet deep, and rather swift; and into the very
center of this the wagon, with the women, was
drawu, to be left for the night.

When old Sabina saw what was intended, she
thrust her head out under the canvas cover and
shouted:

“That’s it, Mr. Brasket' I’ll bet my Jerusalem
mule Old Kit ’1] not find us ere this nlgnt."

The water came within two or three ches of the
wagon-box, and rushed and roared under and around
B, and through the spokes of the wheels, with a
noise that made Hellice and Elwe dizzy.

“ Oh, dear!” cried the prett Hellice, “ what if the
rain should raise the river a flood the wagon?"

“ Then we’d be drowned-out of our roubles,
Bellies." was little Elwe‘s conso ljeDlY-

“ We mustn‘t talk about mg anuy more,
m'h 01‘ You know Aunt Sabina to us 8 ver Star
and hawk are alive and near us."

“HOMO ousl" exclaimed the old woman,
‘there is a ttle heart in love."

3811100 bl ed crimson—corroboration strong!

“ Men are deceitful critters,” Sabina went on.
"I‘ve had eno h of them, children, in a matrimo-
dal w . Man s love is all moonshine.“

“Pern ps all men are not like your husband, Mrs.

“P gracio I should he no ."
“80.00! dbmm%ermag Brsasph rode over to tthe
'1 0°89 Ves'su ronalarge D
pan and some coffee in a stone 11.2.9310 spoke a few

raids and then returned to the shore.

The women ate, with a keen relish, the dry biscuit,
venison and fish and drank some of the
mamas. The food gave them strength, both in body

Sabina narrated the adventures of Silver
m Bandy on the burnt prairie the day before,
ad also their adventures of that day, concluding
with her own part in the play in liberating Herman

“O a t did uliberatehim"
H binnyiwhy yo i asked

“ Why children,” she said, is her arms about
their licks and dra them c oser to her, “ I done
it just because I wan to rescue you—‘shl now,
don't scream nor git the (1 ts."

“Oh, you are so kind, rs. Bandy! You were

tel in rescuing us the other night," replied

ins. whisper
afraid that thatwhite

Ya, and I was .awfully
alledSky Traveler b the Indians,me be
t our thin: but. please

man.
hfélugeh  'thhwsgonout

esmmmpaumnmu

 

brave we‘ll get out of this. I had aplan fordry 

land 11 red out' but now I‘ve c ed it into a
water-p and i know it will work; ut it‘ll take
stro nerves, silent tongues and steady hands.“

“ O , Mrs Band 1 I am afraid there is no possible ,
chance for us. hree weak, nervous women could ,
do little against this current—surrounded by vigi- :
lant outlaws."

“Ah, me!" said the old woman, in a tone that
startled the girls, “ I see your woman’s instinct has .
failed to penetrate my disguise. You think me what
I appear to be—a weak-minded, old, rattle-brained
woman; but, such is not the case. Now don’t ‘
scream, nor flyto pieces, girls, for I’m goinfimtg
tell ou someth ng; am no more a woman
all? it Bandy is; Iamaman-I am Pike Thomas,
t _H

“The detective?" exclaimed Hellice.

“ The detective," said the eccentric genius.

CHAPTER XXV.
'rns nn'rnt‘mvs’s run.

Ir was several minutes before the girls could be-
come reconciled to the fact that Sabina Bandy was,
in realit , a man; and it required every efl'ort of the
little ol detective to keep them from expressing
their surprise in excited tones. He would not have
told them who he was had it not been to inspire con-
fldence in the dangerous plan he was about to sug-
gest for their release.

To Hellice the name of Pike Thomas was not un-
known. By reputation she knew him well, and his
presence there under the circumstances gave her re— ’
newed fears instead of hope and confidence.

 

 

Not a moment was to be lost, and the detective
enforced this upon the maidens’ minds.

The darkness in the wagon and out was intense.
The patter of the raindrops upon the wagon-cover
and the wash and surge of the water under an ‘
around their prison were the on] sounds that dis- .
turbed the night. It was a dism , gloomy one.

Pike Thomas listened intently upon all sides to as-
certain whether or not there was any one about the
wagon besides those inside; and when assured there i
was not, he turned to the girls and said: 

“ Now, iris, listerr' there is a lot of lariats and i
ropes in t 1e rear end of this wagon, as you doubt-
less noticed, and they’re what 8 gestedaway of
escape for us. You‘ll admit, now, t at if we had a
canoe, it would be an easy matter to sail out of here,
wouldn't you?”

El“ Yes, certainly; but we have no canoe," replied
we.

“ But, my dear girls, we have a canoe I"

“ You are jesting, aunt—I mean Mr. Thomas.”

“ I’m not; this umbrella of mine is one of the cu-
test contrivances you ever saw, and is a combined
tent umbrella and canoe. It will keep your feet
and ead both dry. It‘s made of rubber and covered l
with cloth on the outside. Clear round the edge is a
thin rubber sack, which can be. inflated with air by .
blowing in it, and is then a perfect life-preserver.
One rson of less than one hundred and fifty

un weight could not sink it, and so there‘ll be no

nger in one of us going at a time. It‘s made
strorg‘,3 ls, Iassure you—with ribs of whalebone
and e and was made in New York a purpose for l
me. Now in thismust we esca .”

“ It will be dangerous Iam afraid," said Elwe, 1
“even though it‘s possible. I‘m so afraid I hav‘n‘t ;
the cour e." ’

“We on want to live a life wusser’n death, A

on th hese outlaws. The ‘re murderin’, thievo r

‘ outlaws-fugitives from jus ice—the followers of

Paul Osman. offer you a chance of escape, girls;
will you accept it?"
“ e will—we will do the best we can. We have

OD’II‘K the once to die, anyhow,“ Elwe decided.
e little old detective at once went to work with
the ropes and lariats. He had to work in the dark
but he seemed possessed of the eyes of a cat, for all
went along harmoniously. He tied all the ro to-
gether he could find, and then measured th com-
ined woman-fashion—from the tip of the
nose to the end of the outstretched hand making a.
1y'ar-d. The length proved to be a little less than two
undred yards—not as long as desired, but as much
as could be managed easily and quietly. '

The next thing to be done was to open the canoe,
inflate the life-preserver and then launch the craft. ,
All this occupied but a short time, Thomas having I
cut the wagon-cover in two and turned it back to l
give him room to operate. l

The ' rain sifted down into the hot, flushed
faces of the maidens, cooling their brows.

Thomas attached one end of the rope to the han- I
die of the umbrella or now more grotfierly, the mast l
of the boat, and then placed it e water. The 1
gtoher end of the rope was made fast to a wagon- ‘

w. .
“ Now we're ready.“ he said, “ and I‘ll go first so I
asto be at the end of the rope to assistyou when
you come. Of course we‘ll all land on the same 1
spot, and this tin ’11 do for a paddle to swing .
ashore with after t ro isall spun out. I‘ll sen ’
it back in the boat. on I land, it will be on the
north shore: now minQor we might t se ted.
Don't show a whisper. and wor as em lit-
tle hands and hearts never worked before. Don’t
take time to et scared: just think that to fail will
be death, or w t is a thousand times worse. Now ,
mind, my little ladies; pray silently for God‘s hel ,
and I know He hearyou. The sullen roar of
drizs rain will be in our favor. Got sent the rain. .
Put a lanket around you, children‘1 before you ‘

 

st for we ma havealong, wet nig tof it. An
art, between yyourselves who follows next. New.
53-85?» and may God speed you.” i
The old detective stewed from the I
he his canoe. and the next moment was

fly (10:11)“ the fiesta at the will of pits); mcumun‘:
care y-co ropepa ou ra
the hands of the maidens ted the strength and.
swiftness of the current.

Ere the latter were aware of the fact, the 
was all out and drawn taut. The strain n
wagon-bow was at, and for a moment t e girls

Ere "
l were afraid it would yield under the weight tugging

at it.

“It must be caused by the current beating n&
the canoe," said Hellice, “ or else the old man is pul *
llfilg toward the shore, making an extra strain upon
t e rope."

Whatever it was, however, pulling at the rope, *
suddenl let go, and the rope hung free and l
The dens now began drawing it in hand over hang
It was fully five minutes before the end of the wet,
slitnpdiery rope was reached, but it came up with the.

moo in tow.

“Now, Elwe,” said Hellice, “ you go next and l .

will follow."

Elwe drew a hea blanket hood-like over head.
and shoulders, k Hellice and then stepped out.
into the canoe, and droppinan her knees, chad};
ed the post in the cen r th trembling han
Then Hellice permitted the rope to slack, and the
tiny barque glided away upon the bosom :l' the
raindimpled river through an Egyptian glomu.

Left alone, Hellice fr it that every minute n; r .n.
hour. The current of the river seemed to grow
more sluggish and the rope to pay out more slowéy.
Her excrted fanc co used up strange soun 3.
She could hear t e r0 here on the shore .
ribald acreage and laughing“ Their voices sound '
demoniac . She drew a b ket over her head to
shut out the sounds and kee the rain 01!.

A rifle-shot on the south 8 ore suddenl rung out,
sending a chill to the maiden‘s heart. en silence»
followed.

In her fear and silent horror, Hellice suddenly
discmered that the ro was all out, and the wagon-
bow creaking under t e strain 11 on it. She knew
by1 this that Elwe was at her ourney’s end, and
w en the strain upon the rope slackened, she again

i commenced drawmg it in.

While thus engaged, she felt something 
against the upper side of the wagon, wit ch
force as to almost upset it, and at the same instant
a stream of light shot across the river and the
sound of horses plunging into the water follow

Looking toward the south shore Heilice saw er-
man Braash mounted u 11 Silver S tar‘s white horse.
carrying a lantern and ollowed by fl other mount-
ed men, spurri direct] toward tiéagon.

With a cry of error e maiden o the rope,
and sunk back cowerin with terror 8 next mo.
ment the light of the out aw’s lantern dashed into tho
wagon, revealing to his startled gaze the form of but,
one captive; but bending his e es slightly they fell up-
on the round, cylindrical tu of a revolver thrust.

through a slit in the op to side of the cover, and
just back of the d y wea n he caught 810-
greenish glow of a pair 0 burnBiog eyes!

CHAPTER XXVI.
arr-rise ms “scrawny.”

Hmsx Banal! and his followers felt keenly the
loss of their Mexican friend, and the trick perpetrao
ted upon them by their enemies. But it served to-
redouble their vigilance and the idea of leaving
the wagon in the center of the stream seemed a cap-
ital one to all—that it insured the captives against.
release by Bandy and his followers.

A strong guardwas posted on each side of the
river. Shelters of blankets were constructed.
What w was Is in the y was brought out.
and those 0 duty proceed to prepare themselveo
for the worst.

They drank, sung and danced; they told ribald

tsand cursed the authors of their ills. Sabina
dy received the praise of some, and the vile,
anathemas of others. To allude to her mule or
her big umbrella was to provoke an outburst of

laughter.
And thus the hours went by until the sharp
shrill voice of a was heard challenging.

somebody. In a moment every man was upon

his feet; but a few seconds later, he whom we haw

known as Professor Daymon came march

camp at the head of about twenty-five Blackfoot In:
ns.

60

E

Why, professor, I"ll swear I’m surprised to see
you here! ’ exclaimed Herman Braash.
“ No doubt of it, captain, but we were afraid
md not get through with your force and so we
ed and came up here to meet you. ’We did not
expect to find you here, for it was m
ing that you were to cross at Buflalo ass."
‘ Well, it was our intention to cross there," said
“but the fact of it is, Kit Bandy
ghat infernal Boy Knight are the cause of our being.

ere.

“Judas Iscarioti and so are they the cause of our
being here also," cried Daymon, and he went on and i
narrated their adventure on the prairie with Kit and. i
Silver Star.

Then Braash recounted his adventures.

“ Well. did I ever!" was Daymon‘s only

“ Oh, it beats anything I ever heard of,

Itisthee rienceof andthecnn-
0 youth ccmhixgeed and if my” a chow
' or I'll

Satanhlmselff

time. Ifthoygotthdreyesonthem

 

  

 

 

v

 

  

* anifiherrai downu nthebosomof
 ndespogéiefraflgtonmhulgedm

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

 

 

 

tern be extraordina
he wagon out in t e middle of
guards opposite, on each shore."

“That s a s lendid idea, captain. Likeaballoon
h the air, wa r leaves no trail. Heavens! how I
did wish for a balloon or wings yesterday! That’s
gs way to travel if you don't want Silver Star and

t Bandy to follow ou."

“Well, now, pro essor,” remarked Braash, fa-
‘cetiously, “it seems to me Silver Star did strike the
trail of your balloon the night you dropped the girl

. and dumped Akron."
i “ Just so, Cap; .but didn't ou say you were taken
prisoner today?" demands Daymon, evasivelfv.

" I did—yes, and was released by Bandy’s wi e."

“ What? by that old vagabond of a woman ?"

“ Could not find it in mfy heart, Daymon, to speak
so ver disrespectful]y 0 an old woman—especially
lone w 0 has befriended me."

“ Oh, yiou generous, gallant soul; do you know
why she berated you? have you any idea?"

“Jealousy, I think; she’s ot it into her head
“that Kit’s in love with one of t e girls. But, by the
we. , professor, Sabina’s a Ellest in our camp to-

‘ Indeed?" exclaiimd Memor Daymon, gazing

sharp, for the 're anchored
he river with

Igli‘im mm b permissi to sh th
es, we V6 01’ on are 0 W on
tith the lr and—" as

“You id?” exclaimed Daymon, springin to his
feet as if he had suddenly become aware o sitting
ion a hornet’s nest.

“ Why, yes; what of it, professor?"

“You are an ass—a fool captain! I’ll bet there
"is not a girl in that wagon.’

“ Bah, maul how could they get away guarded by
we. strong current and six men 2"

“Didn’t I tell you, captain, that I blamed that
very old, meddlesome woman of liberatinig the iris
the night we were on the island? And d dn’t tell
you about her old umbrella canoe?”

“Yes, and b gracious she’s ot that umbrella
with her now!‘ exclaim Braas .

“Then I see through the whole thin , captain;

e liberated (you as a part of their p ans. She
> new she coul win your ood graces—knew you
werea lady‘s man by the ink of your hair; and
_now I’ll bet you the price of fifty bottles of old
Bu ndy that there’s not a woman in that w on.”

“ ’11 take the bet," said Herman, springing his
feet and ordering a lantern lighted and half a dozen
horses brought up.

While these arrangements to settle the bet were

'bei made, the report of a rifle rung out through
‘the rkness. Then a man came running up an-
,.nouncing:

“ Ca , I believe there's something wrong over
"bout t e wagon."

With an oath the captain vaulted upon the back
~of Silver Star’s horse, to which he had become reat-
ly attached, and, accom anied by five others, p ung-
ed into the river and r e over to the wagon.

Raising the light above his head, its beams re-
vealed one side of the w on-cover stripped from the
bows. He looked into t e box. He d won the
Burgundy, but that was all, for only one of the wo-
.men was there. His eyes caught sight of the rope
.hangki over the side of the w on-box, and then
-.they fe 1 upon that pair of green urning eyes and
lleveled revolver upon the opposite side.

An oath burst from his li , but it was immediate-
«ly followed by a n. T e revolver cracked, and
Ice in his die, the outlaw fell from the ani-
mal’s k into the river.

Then a wild yell rose from around the wa on and
was immediately followed by the “ping! p i" of
.-revolvers, the ans of robbers and he plung ng of

horses in the ver.

“ Hurraw, boysl" shouted a voice which might
«have been recognized as Old Kit Bandy’s; “pep r
gto them! give them ss and glo l hurrah or
‘ Co-lumby! Yoop yoopl avaun i you purga-
toriansl"

“ Hellice? Elwe?" called an excited voice amid
the din of conflict; “are you here. girls? It is me,
.8i17er Star—come quick! fl 1" v

“ Oh, Silver Star ‘ cried ellice, starting up at the
sound of that voice which had echoed so often

through the chambers of her young heart within the
past two days; “ I am alone—Elwe is one!"

Silver Star had ca ht his horse as t e outlaw fell
from the saddle, and ii an instant was upon its back.

As Hellice advanced toward him, he reached for-
ward, and throwing his arm about her waist, lifted

her from the wagon to a seat before him on the
horse. Then he turned the animal down-stream,
and riding a short distance in that direction, finally

’turned, and olng ashore,-escaped into the woods on
the north si ‘e of the river.

Meanwhile, Old Kit, Arkansaw and Sparrowhawk
had routed the robbers and were masters of the sit-

‘ nation for the time being; but the Indians and out-
laws were now swarnéigf to the scene of conflict,
shouting and yelling flrin their guns until it
seemed all the legions of rdi ion had been turned
loose. Our three friends new it was useless to con-
tend with this infuriated host, and supposing Silver
Starhad escaped with both the ls, they eft the
raft upon which they had reach the wagon from

ve. and escaped ashore.

The outlaws and savages reached the wagon and
'.'found it deserted. The voice of their leader was si-
.§nt in the struggle, and in this they realized a terri-
»; e defeat. Herman Braash had been slain!

CHAPTER XXVII.

~ m waste or six.
' firms darkness surrounded Elwe as the egg;
and

   
     

'2 . ,';,_:‘ l

 

out with the pressure of the water, and at times
threatened to collapse; but upon bended knee,
with her eyes closed and her lips movmg in prayer,
the young girl remained until she finally discovered
that she was no longer m0ving—that she had reach-
ed the end of the rope.

A voice, at this juncture, startled her. It was
that of Pike Thomas, detective. He stood in water
to his armpits. Elwe recognized him.

“I’ll push you ashore, little one," he said; “I
found the water quite shallow, and to make assur-
ance doubly sure, I concluded to wade out here and
help you.”

“ Oh, you are so very kind, Mr. Thomas."

“ Thanks, Elwe, thanks."

He pushed the canoe ashore and assisted the
maiden to land, and then, was about to let go of the
boat when the report of a rifle came from u the
river. He listened intently. A light piere, the
gloom near the ford. He saw it moving out toward
the wagon.

A moment later there was a pistol-shot and a

groan. It was followed by the sounds of a desperate
struggle.
“ y Judas!" exclaimed the detective, “ Kit and

the boys have ot around and into a rub with the
robber. Poor ittle Hellieel I’m afraid she’ll not
fare as well as you. Elwe."

Elwe sobbed with fear and ef as the terrible
sounds of battle rung through t e dismal night.

The detective took his boat from the water and
conducted the girl back in the woods, converted his
canoe into an umbrella and placed it over his fair
charge to keep off the drizzling rain.

The sounds of the conflict soon died out, and all
became quiet‘ and now ever the spirits of the two
came the terrible doubt and anxiety as to the result
of the struggle.

The little old detective paced to and fro before the
maiden, ever and anon stopping to listen. But all
was uiet.

“I on’t think the ’11 attempt much to-night, even
if they were victo ous,” remarked Thomas; “but,
for fear of danger, we must be moving out of this
vicinity—ah! listen 1 'sh l"

The sound of something cregping from the river
gargiégh tlhe shrubberfiydwas pl ulty llieardl.l Ilt sound-

ea ugese n rag ngis engt aongup-
on the earth. Ame chillsfigegan to roll down the
detective’s back he drew his revolver.

Suddenly the noise ceased, but was followed by a
feeble groan and heavy breathing with a rattling in
the throat.

“B Judas! it’s somebody, and he‘s hurt, who-
ever e is," whispered Thomas to Elwe; “do on
hear him breathing and rattlin in the throat? e‘s
bleeding at the lungs. Ah! riminyl I wonder if
it’s friend or foe ?"

Elwe made no reply, but clung trembling at
Thomas’s side.

Finally the detective uttered a lowiwhistle, but
there was no response.

It was so itchy dark he could not see his hand be-
fore him. e breathin continued, with now and
then a groan that had n it the unmistable evi-
dence of genuine pain.

“ Who be you ?—man or red-skin?” asked Thomas,
in a low tone.

A groan arattling cough and expectoration fol-

lowed. Then a voice answered:
“Who’s there? I am dying—I am Herman
Braash."

“ " Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord,’ ” whispered
Thomas to Elwe; then he advanced and bent over
the form of the prostrate man. It was Herman
Braash, wounded and dying.

The outlaw captain. after falling into the river,
had presence of mind to keep‘ himself from drown-
ing, and turning upon his bac had a110wed the cur-
rent to carry h in down the river, when he ilnall
gag: his way to shore and crawled into the wood:

e. ,

“Captain, you got it at last, did you?” asked

Thomas

“ Who are you?" asked the outlaw.

“ Pike Thomas, detective, alias Sabina Bandy."

The outlaw e no surprise, but replied:

“ You deceiv me.”

“ The life of a detective is one of decep on,
Braash; so is that of a robber. I am sorry the .you
are wounded, Braash. You are wanted, but then—"

“I must soon answer at the bar of God,“ inter-
rupted the outlaw. ,

Yes, fies; that is, all very true. Perhaps you’d
like to un urden your soul, Braash, of some of your
crimes before you die.”

“ Where is Sparrowhawk?" asked the outlaw.

“I can't tell you—'”

“I am here!” exclaimed a voice, and Sparrow-
hawk, Kit Bandy and Old Arkansaw stepped from a
thicket and stood by the side of the dying robber.

“Please acious l" exclaimed Thomas.

“ Horn 0 Joshua! it's Sabina! Oh—“

“The cat’s out, Kit,” interrupted the detective'
“I had to tell the girls that I was not a woman, but
Pike Thomas."

“ Fiends and furies, Kit!" exclaimed Arkansaw,
“ have on been actin’ the ’tarnal fool ’bout that we
man a this time? If you have say your prayers,
man and be nick."

“ fiid I un erstandedyou to say Sabina Bandy is
Pike Thomas?” queri S whawk.

“Yes, sir, at your as e," responded the detec-

tlve.
Had it been da light it would have been seen that
Sparrowhawk’s ace turned deadly white.

“You are wanted, Sparrowhawk, by this-
rna " continued the etoctive; “time's ous,
you and Arky can settle hereafte

   

    

 

3‘11 Y; r.
Sparrowhawk advanced and inquired of Brae-h

     

     

what he desired to say. It was plain from his tone
that he was reatl agitated.

“ You are aul man, ain’ on?" med Braash.

“ Who’s Paul Osman?” cri the detective; “ by
the eye of Jupiter, I’ve a pair of handcuffs for him.

“ I am Paul Osman," responded Sparrowhaw
with a strange, deep voice; ‘ and the gyves are no
made for my arms while I am living!’

“Great horn of Joshua!" exclaimed Kit, while a
little cry burst from Elwe’s lips.

“ 0h, salvation!" cried Old Arkansaw, “is it pos-
sible boy, that you are that terrible robber, Osman,
the Outlaw?" _

“He is Paul Osman," spoke up the dying robber-
chief, “but I am the Outlaw l” ‘

“ Ah! how’s that?" demanded Thomas, somewhat
su rised.

“ aul Osman," replied Braash, “lived once in

Texan. There he was known as the Boy Sheriff, or,

Deputy Osman, for he held the appointment of
deputy-sheriff of 0-— county. He soon became a
terror to the outlaws and robbers, of whose band I
wasamember. To get rid of our foe we went to
work and implicated the Boy Sheriff with us—

roved that he‘ while pretending to be an officer oi
fustice, was in eague with the robbers. By hart
swearing we got him convicted and he was sentenced
to death. By this change he e known as Os
man, the Outlaw instead of the Boy Sheriff. H:
was placed in jail to await the day of execution
but, before that day came he, with the help
friends, escaped from prison one night and with
his sister fled the country. The name of Osman, thi
Outlaw, became known from the provinces to
Mexico. Everybody knew he had escaped, and
eve detective west of the Mississippi was lookia
for im. But, cunning fellow that e was, he h
hid himself away in the S irit Swam ."

Here the outlaw stoppe< to clear his throat of the
accumulations of blood from his lungs. Surprise
was written upon the faces of his and tors, bu not
one moved or spoke through fear of missing a word.
Presently Braash continued:

“ It became too hot for me in Texas, and so I
moved my uarters to the hills of western Dakota.
Here have been the leader of a band of des erate
men. Soon after coming here we discover that
Paul Osman, the Outlaw and fugitive, was hiding
away here somewheres. The idea struck us as favor-
able, and we started the news that the Boy She
had turned us in Dakota at the head of a band of
robbers. I di it to shield myself, for I, myself, was
the leader of the outlaws. Paul Osman isasinnocent
of wron here and in Texas as any livin man. The
Texas a air was a conspiracy against h m to get rid
of him; for he was a terror to our profession.’

“Bless God! glory to the horn of Joshua!“ etc
claimed Old Kit. “ I knew there was a cloud hang-
ing over your life boy: and yet I alers knew you
were a brave, noble soul. Gracious! I heartily con-
gratulate you, boy."

“And here, too, Sparryhawk,” added Old Arkan-

sas.

A sly little figure crept throu h the dark and,
placing her little hand in S arrow awk‘s said :'

“ Heaven be thanked, parrowhawk. Oh, that
Hellice were here to hear this—to know that you are

not guilty l”
Sparrowhawk d the maiden's hand and lift-
ing it to his lips im ted a silent kiss upon it.

" I knew the tru h would come some da , Elwe,"
he said. “I can now‘ 0 fortha man an fear no
one. But for my sister would never have hid away
in adismal swamp as if I were uilty.”

“Why did you invade and estroy the home of
Sparrowhawk Braash, if he was innocent of doing
yogbeinjury?” betective Thomas asked of the dying
ro r.

“Iwas not to blame for that,” Braash replied:
“ that was the work of Professor Daymon and the
Blackfeet.”

,“ That just reminds me; who is Do. men?"

“ He is a noted gambler and blac e ,” confessed
Braash, a little bitterly; “ I would not here had I
not been serving him He lives in St. Louis, and
was formerly one of my Texas band. He conceived
the idea of making a fortune by usurping the rights
of another, and since he has n f to me in one
matter, and I am to die I shall make a clean breast
of all. Two years ago e and a man named Akron
had found out that one Emma Clark—an orphan
girl—who was born in Tennessee was heir to con-
siderable roperty in that State—”

“ By Ju ” exclaimed the detective, rubbing his
hands in glee, “ that is the very case that Band and
I have been working up for over two ears. ght
begins to dawn. Go on, Herman—pa on my intero
ruption.”

‘ The heir could not be found. She had been
knocked around from place to place after her
mother’s death until all traces of her bad disappear-
ed. But it appears that Daymon had known the
history of the whole case—that he had waited and
watched its develo ment, and when the heiress w“
wanted he resolv to furnish her in the person of
his own daughter. But, he had first to fit rid of the
rightful heiress. He did not want to 11 her, but

ut her far out of the reach of detectives, to be held
case she was needed. To me Daymon agreed to
deliver the girl for safe—keeping), such as might be
expected in a robbers' den. 11 the night of the
twentieth of October he and Akron left St. Louis in
a balloon with Emma Clark, alias Elwe Bland—"

“ Holy horn of Joshua!" cried Kit Bandy, and for i

a moment the greatest surprise and excitement pin
veiled. Elwe burst into tears as she stood lbtenina

to the story of her strange abduction.
“ They kept the girl under the influence of chloro.
form d the whole long 10 thro It fit.
was a servant in he 01%” e

   

heavens.

 

           
     

      

 

Silver Star, the Boy Knight.

23

 

 

Imma‘s foster-father, Henry Bland, and was madly I

love with her; but, she havin rejected his love, i
l e grew revengei'ul and form a conspiracy with
i a men to kidnap er. Of course, Daymon prom-

e Akron that the girl should be his, and at the
same time had agreed to deliver her to me. Akron
is the one that chloroformed her and carried her to
the balloon which was filled with gas in the rear of
some tall buildings in St. Louis. Daymon had made
many balloon ascensions; he was well-versed in the
laws of the up‘per—air currents, and so he had no
difficulty in ma ing his arrangements. The night of
the twentieth the air-current was favorable, and
he g tap a gas main in the city he inflated his I
balloon, and left there, unknown to a sin 1e soul in
the city. But now began his troubles. e air-cur-
rent was not very strong and they moved slowly.
All night and the next day they floated slowly in this
direction. Early on the night of the twenty-first it
became apparent that the gas was fast esca ing and
'the balloon settling to earth more than a undred
miles from his destination. And then came the

Icowardly act on Daymoh's part. He pro to
Akron to throw the girl overboard to lighten the bal-
‘oon. But to this Akron would not hear. They quan
Bled, and Akron threatened to ‘ blow‘ on Daymon.
they were now over the timber of the White Earth
fiver, not far from the Sioux village. Finally they
ttled the matter, Da on agreeing to lower

mma and Akron from t e balloon by means of a

rope, as the balloon was almost down to the earth.
The quarreled as to who should be let down first-
but a mon had his way, and the girl was lowe

first. lieved of this much of its burden the bal-
loon began to ascend very rapidly. Akron wanted
Daymon to open the valve and keep the balloon
down until he was out. Again they quarreled, as
the balloon continued to ascend and finally came to
blows. Do. on was much the largest man, and
, ettin the tter of his companion threw him from

9 ba icon—murdered him 3‘

“ Oh, horn of Joshua!” aned Old Kit.

“Daymon sailed away, ’ continued Braash, s. and
the next dayvput in an appearance at m ranch, hav-

ing landed thin twenty miles of it. hen he told
me what he had done I was angry, for he had acted
oowardl . in leaving the girl as he did. Moreover,
I ave im assurance that, instead of the girl
he ni devoured by wolves, as he believed she would
he, s e had been rescued by no other one than Sil-
ver St' ll‘, the Boy Kn ht: and I was right. The
way I knew the Boy ight was in the vicinity
of the Big Deer Trail that night was this: we knew
there was a mysterious person e wanderi about
through the country known as t a Hidden py and
Mysterious Spy, that was keeping a watch upon me
and my band an the Indians. Now, in order
to get rid of our worst enemy, Silver Star, I wrote
.a note and s ned it Hidden Spy, nesting him to
be on the loo -out in the vicinit of ig Deer Trail
or where it enters the White th woods, as Paul
Oman, the Outlaw, would be there up to some mis-
chid. The note was giv the b0 ,and not sus-
pecting anything, he went own to he place desig-
nated. I was late in getting there with my Indians
and men' but in time to give chase to the Boy
Kn ht. But uglm that w ite horse of his he
-el us. We ew he had the girl, and from that
time on began searchi for her. The Blackfeet are
friends, and came 0113 to aid us. In the camp
' the Sioux we had a say—a da hter of one of our
band. Her name is Na elah, an she is the wife of
one of the—"

“ Great God i" cried Sparrowhawk, as his thoughts
reverted to his stolen intervie his love affairs and
talk with this fair, treacherous rl-woman.

"me the lips of Sparrow wk,” Brush went
’On, “ whom Nathelah had woven a spell around we
learned that Elwe Bland, or Emma Clark rather,
was in his hidden home. From Old Arkansaw, the
day he visited our camp with Kit Band , we learned
«enough to lead us to the cabin of Paul man, where
not on was Emma found but another fair and
lovng3 , the sister of the Boy Sheriff. “

“ ' infernalated old bastion that I war! in -
.nanfly exclaimed Old Arkansaw; “ any y
wants to he can shoot mel"

“I told you that you’d ou ht to ’a' had a section
of your ole ton us out off. S flintic Do. on had
muddled your rain with liquor and ed you up
lines till you didn t

with has me. arid“ ittzmermal h f u he
know curse . ’03". o ours’
on the desert air."8 p y y

“Oh, that thar was a real Sabina, Kit, to handle
you!" sighed Arkansaw.

“ Never mind sparring now, boys," said Thomas;
“let Captain Braash finish his story. Go on, cap-
taini"

Hannah made no eigiply. »
‘8‘ How are you f . captain?" repeated the de-
reached

sen there was no no . Thomas
down and took the man’ssms: in his and felt his

' 31inc- all, boys." he said; “Herman Braash is

to the character of the man, this announce-
ment like a shock 11 n the ears of the bystand-
en. Elwe crept closer the side of Sparrowimwk1

a dance sealed the lips of the others. an fer;
the awesome spirit of the presence of Death.

 

GHAPTERXIVDI.
nna'rn ran AVINGII.

y'   found Kit Bandy Arkansnw, Spa-row-
M'nomuandmwe Blandmilesfromthesoeno

3 make a

The air was cold and damp, and the night's exposure
and the gangs of him er forced the little party to
alt for brea ast. They were now in the
vicinity of the Buflalo Pass crossing of the Big Chey-
enne river, where the broken hills and dense wood-
ed valleys afforded 00d hiding—places and selecting
one in a narrow de le under some shelving rocks.
Thomas, the detective, proceeded to strike a fire.

Kit and Arkansaw shouldered their rifles and went
off up the valley in search of game, while Sparrow-
hawk went down in the direction of the river, leav-
in Thomas to take care of Elwe.

e detective and maiden. drawing their seat up
close to the cheery flre, engaged in a conversation.

“This camping around and dod in
will soon be over with, E1we,“sai
who had. during the night, changed his female gar-
ment into that of his own sex.

“I hope so Mr. Thomas,” Elwe replied.

“The L0 does favor one sometimes. Now we
have been hunting for you for over two years,
and had ot trace of some one supposed to be you
who had en taken into Dakota; and so here Kit
and I came, and, in disguise as Indians and old wo-
men, have we been searching among all the tribes
and hunters, and settlements: and now, at the
eleventh hour, along comes a balloon and iBlumpe
you ht into our hands. Oh, but you w be a
grand , eiress Miss Emma Clark. for that is your
name. Now, f Silver Star and Hellice can on y be
found, then we'll be all hap y.”

“ Oh, I ray poor Hellice s safe 1” said Elwe.

“ She’s n good company if she‘s with that Silver
Star. I tell Iyou what that boy’s a host in himself.
And then m ere’s Old Kit Bandy. Why, he‘s the
best detective that ever caught a road-agent or a
robber. The government just keeps him on the
plains all the time. And then there’s Old Arkansaw
Abe the scout; he’s another good one, and—”

“ h, Mr. Thomas!” suddenly cried Elwe, “there
comes that terrible man 1"

Looking down the deflle Thomas saw, to his fear
and sur rise, the villain, Professor Daymon, coming
toward hem. He was alone but Thomas knew not
how many Blackfeet were 0 ose behind, and an ex-
clamation of fear esca his 

The villain had not scover our friends yet for
gmyes were bent upon the ground as if following a

Detective Thomas took up his big umbrella and
opened it. Then he mmoved the ferule or thimble
from the end of the handle and turned the umbrella
so that it screened him and Elwe from the outlaw’s

v ew.

About this time Daymon looked up. He saw the
round, black object under the l e, and a shudder
ran thrmyzh his frame. He h seen that black
shield be ore and heard of it often. It was the
shield of the Silent Slayer. He turned to flee but
from the center of the shield—from the handle of
the umbrella—there was a flash and a report, and
Professor Daymon fell.

Elwe uttered a little cry of fear and terror.

“There, the 'ig‘s up with that sleuth-hound,”
coolly remarke the detective, inserting another
cartridlgfle into his ingenious rifle, the handle of his
umbre -canoe.

A Slew minutes later, Sparrowhawk, hearing the
repo Ithe gun, came hurryi backu theravine,
and was startled at si ht of t e (1 body lyi
in the ravine. But a ew words explained all, an
the mystery of the Silent Slayer was a mystery nfi

r

lo .

Wile Thomas was explaining the workings of his
combined umbrella, canoe and rifle, who should
come riding down the valley but Hellice Osman upon
Silver Star s white horse. She was followed b Old
Kit, Arkansaw and Silver Star, the first carryi‘hg a
quarter of a deer slain by the Boy Kni ht.

In a moment Hellice and Elwe were n each other’s
arms, lau hing and weeping for o .

h Spiarrovdv wk advanced and Silver Star’s
an :

“Silver Star, you have proven ourself a brave
and noble 'bo ; and et the time as been when I
would gladly ave en your life. 'It was because

constant on the hunt for the hiding-place of Paul
Osman, t e Outlaw; and I am Paul Osman, but 1—“
Kit told me all, Sparrowhawk; but can you

blame me, innocent as you are?"

35:11?“ is“ has

‘ ma e us 6 better friends for havin
been enemies by mistake to each other." g
buggies, life-long friends." And the two shook

Breakfast was soon over wit and then the little
party took their de rture for t 6 fort. They knew
not what moment
be upon them. But thanks to an ove
dence, they were al permitted to reach the fort in
safety after three days and nights of toil and vigi-
lance—after months and ears of heart-b
and fear amid the wilds of t 6 Great W .

 

CHAPTER XHX.
mm mm.

We will not attempt to follow the fortunes of our
characters after leaving the fort and seeking their
tive horn s far and near, for there was little

the ha ned t at would interest the reader.

We mass over a period of five years and take
the reader into the beautiful valley of the Niobrara
river. About a hundred from the Missouri a
number of farms and cattle ranches broke the

monotony ,of the valley, and in

     

 

I,  night‘s adventures. It was still raining

among the green cottonwoods were the pleasant,

and hiding ,
t e detective, '

you were a mortal terror to me. I knew you were 1

e Blackfeet and outlaws wotilrid :

i happy homes of the pioneer families. There was a
lavish display of wealth and refinement about a
little snow-white cottage that stood near the dim
road along which stran ers seldom pasSed. Honey-
suckle and wild—cucumfiers vines were trained over
the doors and windows in magnificent wreath:
The door was approached through a long arbor
cypress and morning- lories; and flowers of eve
kind and hue lent the perfume to the beauties
that little paradise.

Two weary-looking horsemen traveling westward
called at this cottage. and hitching their horsesat
the gate advanced to the door and asked for a on
of water. They were both rather old men, trave -
worn and dusty.

A pretty little woman with a baby in her arms,
and a smile upon her bright, happy faee, brougll‘.
them some water in a polished tin cup, and as she
handed it to one of them, she looked him straight in
the eyes and uttered a scream.

“Good Lord!” exclaimed the other man, “Kit,
you’ve skeered her to death.“

“ Holy horn of Joshua!" exclaimed the astonished
old traveler, “ Arkie, that's one of the girls.“

Dropping her bah , the woman, with tears of joy
h her e es, rushed orward and throwing her arms
about t e neck of one, then the other of the dusty.
worn travelers, kissed each with joy, while her face
glowed with a radiant love.

“Arkiel” cried Kit Bandy, lancing from the
cradle to the glowing face of t e beautiful young
mother, “don t you know her? Look, co e.
don’t you know her?”

Arkansaw rubbed his eyes and looked at the
woman then at Kit and exclaimed:

“It is Hellice—Hellice Osman. Bless God! give
me just another shake of your hand child."

And the two old men stood over the little woman
and the baby and talked like children with their
332:] full of moisture and their hearts throbbing
w .

“ y, we never dreamed of meetin' you, He!-
lice," said Arkansaw; “we s’posed we‘d never see
{Ion again after you left the fort that time. Oh,

osesi it don't seem possible i"

“ Is that your baby, Hellice?" asked Old Kit.

“Yes, sir." replied Hellice, a light of joy beam-
ing in her eyes.

‘Well, well, such is life. Arkie, it seems as
though the glories of this world has been denied
us," sighed cl Kit.

‘The Lord’s will be done, Kit," replied Arkan-

saw. ‘

“Kit,” said Hellice, “you and Arkansaw look
tired. You must stop w th us—you shall go no
further this day. I know Frank Will be rejoiced to
see on. He speaks of you every da of his life."

“ 0’s Frank, Hellice?” asked ld Kit, seating
himself and removing his cap.

“Frank Clayton—my husband."
miIgit and Arkansaw both shook their heads and

“Don’t know him." ‘

“Why, yes, you do," laughed Hellice; "he is sn-
ver Star!’

“ Ah! we might ‘a’ known that much, Arkio. You
know I told you five years o—well, it don’t make
any diflerence, after all. ome here you little
Silver Star, till I eat you up for your father's sake "
and Kit took the baby up as ifi had been a bubble
liable to vanish in an instant.

“ And Sparrowhawk." continued Hellice, “ and
Elwe are married, and living just down the road

awn s."
“ leased news!" shouted Kit. “ Why, Arkansaw,
—to meet these young folks.

this is a taste of glo
And Elwe married parrowhawk? Well, well, 31%:
u

 

’a’ swore once that she and SilverStar 'd .
laws! you can’t tell an 'ng 'bout love. t dips
around like the needle 0 the com before it set-
tles. But where is Silver Star, He 0e?”

“ Back in the field. I will call him."

She took a tin horn from a shelf, and go rig to the

i
I door blew two or three sharp blasts upon it.

A few minutes later a man with a long beard, and
atall manl figure came galloping up to the door
upon a wh te horse.

“ Ah, blessed if there ain‘t that same white horse,
old Prince: but the one on it’s not the boy we
knew," said Kit, as he saw the man p .

Silver Star came in. He knew e old men at
sight, and then and there occurred a joyful meetin .

‘I am rejoiced to meet yo my dear, beloved o d
friends," said Silver Star; “ I ve heard of on but
, once in t years, and came to the cone] on that
I Willi had disappeared from the scene of action.
? f 1ere have you been, and where are you bound
.  7! ~

“ We‘ve been down in Texas and Kansas straight-
ening out some kinks; and now we are on our way
to the 11 per Missouri to work up another case not
unlike t at of Elwe's."

“Why, m friends, you are getting too old to
such lps,” Silver Star declared.

“Noh we ove it; and we expect to die in the

cause.
“ Well, at any rate, you must stay a week with us
—-a month—a year, for that matter "

 

‘éWe’ngay awhiiile witlii 33301:, Silver Star, to great
an rec u our paradise " said .
“ Oh, if I coulfhaveysuch a home and all its

ures, seems to me I'd be content to settle
But, wh murmur? I have chosen my lot, and al-
tho h tis wild and adventurescme, I love it. It
aifo me leasure to make others happy. lot
the future. me exclaim withthe poet:
“‘Ah,rnoi forusailsomelweetho Ii.
Deeply buried human eyes. 'Q‘e ,

 

m END.

own.'

   

 
 

   
 

' 971 Della Wu

7 ,wfwaa~ér¢y11=hm.no~..o~2'. » ~ .

BEADLE’SarHALF-DIMErLIBRARY.

Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents, by all Newsdealer8..

 
 
 
  

 

BY EDWARD 1.. WHEELER.
Deadwood Dick Novels.

1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince oi the Road.

'0 Deadwood Dick In Deliance; or, Double Dane".

9!! Deadwood Dick in Dieguloe; or, Buil'ai: Ben.

85 Deadwood Dick in Ilia Caatle.

49 lDeadwood Dick‘s Bonanza; or, The Phantom Miner.

49 Deadwood Dick in Dangcrx or, Omaha Oil.

57 Deadwood Dick'o Eaglea; or, The Ford. oi Flood Bar.

78 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or. Calamity J me,thc liorolne

77 Deadwood IDick’e Laat Actx or. Corduroy Charlie.
100 Deadwood Dick in Leadtllle.
104 Deadwood Dick‘n Device; or,'l'he Double Crou Sl‘n.
109 Deadwood Dick an Detective.
199 Deadwood Dick'a Double: or. The Borzon’l Gulch Ghou.
188 Deadwood IDiek’n ilome Bane; or. Blondr Bill.

149 Deadwood Dick’e Big Strike or. A Game ofGold.
156 Deadwood Dick oi Dcadwoo i or The Picked Part .
195 Deadwood Dick’n Dream; or The itivnll ofthe 
801 Deadwood Dick’a lNard; or, in. Black Hill’aJoaebel.
905 Deadwood Diek’l Doom: or. Calamity Jane'l Adventure.
917 Deadwood Dick’o Dead Deal.
991 Deadwood Dick’o .Ieath-Plant.
989 Gold-Duet Dick. A Romance 0! Rough and Toughe.
968 Deadwood Dlek’o Divide or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake.
968 Deadwood Dick’o Deatn ‘rail.
809 Deadwood Dick'e Deal: or. The Gold Brick olOreton.
821 Deadwood ichk’e Dozen: or, The Fnklr nil’hantom Flute
847 Deadwood Dick’o uDucatI: or. para in the D! are.
851 Deadwood Dick Sentenced; or, The Terrible ondetta.

aim.
405 Deadwood Dick in Dead i‘liy.
alllu‘fldlok C c
w 'or t or, A " nte are.”
‘50 Deadwood Dick'e Dult: or, The Chained Hand.
 32:23:: no il'i.',"i?.'l‘i.‘i.”.'2‘°“ Sr-
9 o -
458 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’n Full'lland.
459 Deadwood Dic . Jr.’a, Big Bound-Up.

465 Dcadwood Dick Jr.’e Racket at Claim 10.
 Beal‘ilwool‘iI Duck, gr): IC'or-rslllz or, Boaeman Bill.
ea woo c r. a o etcctive.

4:91 Deadwood n ck; Jr., in Dgada ood.
491 Deadwood D ck, Jr.’n. Compact.
496 Deadwood Dick Jr.’II. Inheritance.
500 Deadwood Dick, .lr.’e Di inga.
508 Deadwood D ck, Jr.’a. Dcli‘verance.
5 Deadwood ID ck Jr.‘a l‘rotegee.
599 Deadwood 1D ck. Jr.’o. Three.
529 Deadwood D ck, Jr.’n. Danger Ducke.
584 Deadwood D ck. Jr.'-, Death llunt.
589 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In Texan.
544 Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild West Vidooe
549 [Deadwood Dick, Jr., on Ilia Mettle.
554 [Deadwood Dick, Jr., In Gotham.
56l Deadwood  ck, Jr., in Bot-to

l

D

 

 

§
:
o
9
a
1
o
3
-
3
o
If
..
a
1
6

n
:1

II-
567 Deadwood c Jr. in Philach bin.
579 Deadwood D ck: Jr... in Chicago},
578 Deadwood k. Jr.. Aiioat.
584 Deadwood Dick. or» in Denver.
590 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’o, Decr e.
 I’Dca‘lliwoo‘lli IDill-fix gr. in gee ncgnb'n Baein‘}
ea woo c r., at one Aland. /
606 Deadwood Dick, Jr)!» Leadville Lay. ’
612 Deadwood Dick, Jr.. in Detroit.
618 Deadwood Dick. Jr. in Cincinnati.
694 Deadwood Dick. «In, in Nevada.
680 Deadwood Dick. Jr., in No Man’e Land.
686 Deadwood Dick. Jr., Alter the Queer.
649 Deadwood Dick Jr.. in Balalo.
 rgzltl‘lwoog Bic}? J'r.’a,lshale Qfirogethe Continent
a woo c r., mon e mu ere.
660 [Deadwood Dick: Jr.’e lunar-gonna Can?
666 Deadwood Dick, Jr., ack in the Mines.

079 Deadwood‘lchk, Jr., In Durnngo: or,“Gatherod In.”
 {3:3333: {no}? gaze “ingzrery; or, Foundarortnm.
c , r. r. n c.

690 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a. Dollars.
695 Deadwood Dick Jr.. at Danger Divided
700 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’r, Drop.

04 Deadwood ck, r., at Jack-Pot.

10 Deadwood Dick Jr. in San Francisco.)

In Deadwood Dick, Jr}. slut Hunt.

799 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’e llDomlnoce.
798 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’u lDlnguile.
784 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’n, lDouble Deal.

740 Deadwood Dick Jr.’a. Deathwatch.
47 Deadwood Dick Jr.’e, Doublet.
59 Deadwood Dick Jr.’-. lDeathblow.
58 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a Desperate Strait.)
(713 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’n, .one "and.
89 ]

 

Jr.’e lDei‘eat.

Deadwood Dick. Jr.'n. ieaurrection.
Deadwood Dick. Jr.’o Dark Days.
Deadwood Dick Jr» Defled.

99 Deadwool Dick, Jr.’a, Double Device.

7 Deadwool Dick, Jr’.e. Deeperate Ventnro. '
809 Deadwool- Dick, Jr.’o, Diamon lee.

 Deal wool Dick Jr.’n Royal Fla-h.

816 l

 

 

e- m... Dick, Jr.'-’tl..d-oa'.
cad wool! Dick. Jr.'o, Rival.
Dick, Jr.’r, Boom.

 

 

8 g '3- "WI
89 Deal wool Dick, Jr.’e, Scoop.

884 Deal wood Dick, r.’-, Prox .

840 Deal wool Dick. Jr.’o, Clutc .

Deal woo chk, Jr.’o, lllfh "out.

858 Deal wool Dick Jr., at l evll’a G lot.
858 Deal wool Dick, Jr.’-, Death-Bole Ila-tie.
868 Don. woo Dick, Jr.’e Bombehell.
870 D wool Dick, Jr.. in Mexico.
876 Deal wool Dick. Jr'a Decoy Duck.
889 v

891

89a

 

Deal wool Dick, Jr. in fill or Pocket.
Dead wool Dick. Jr-‘o, Dead-Sure Game.
V Deal wool Dick, Jr.’e, Double Drive.
904 Denllwooll Dick, Jr.’e. Trade-. ar .
910 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Ti -Top.
916 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’a lDoulile-Deckero‘.
99S lDea. woo Dick, Jr. at Dollarville.
984 lea wo Dick, Jr.. at Fluoh Plate.
940 Deal wool Dick. Jr.’o. Fluke-up.
946 Deal wool Dick. Jr.’o, Double Drop.
951 Deal wool Dick. Jr.’e. Bight Bowenl.
957 Deal wool Dick, Jr.’o. Ten-Strike.
965 V Den wm luig‘k,JJr;’o,06;r:d-Daet.

c r. a, a .
977 [Deal wol‘n Dick, Jr.'o, Death-Doom.
986 Dead wool Dick, Jr.’e, Beat Card.
999 Deadwood Dick. Jr.: at Gold Duet.
998 Deadwood Dick. Jr. It. Big Play.
1005 Deadwood Dick, r., Branded.
1011 Dead-to -d D‘ek. JE’I. Dutch Pard-
1018 Deadwood Die 1., J r.’o, Big Four.

BY RDBEBT R. INMAN
1086 V‘andy Dick’n Double.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* 1094 Dandy Dick, Detective.

BY MARCUS 11. WARING.

6 The Three llppotterI.
 The Rt ct potterl’ Weird Bent.
; The reo Spottcre’ Dead Myetory.

 

 

Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler.

80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight.
84 Roaebud- llob on "and; or, Idyl, the Glrl Miner.
88 Rosebud Rob‘n iieaflvcarance; or, Photo mph Phil.
191 Ranch 1 Rob’s (Tina tn e: or, Cinnamon l‘hi ,
277 Denver Doll. the Detective ueen; or, The Yankce‘a surround
981 Denver Doll's \ lctory; or. Skull nnd Crossbones.
985 Denver Doll‘a Decoy ; or. Little Bill’e Bonanza.
896 Denver Doll’e Drii‘t; or. The Road Queen.
868 D reka Jim. the Gold-Gatherer; or, Tilr Liio Lottery.
879 Yreka Jim’a Prize; or, The Wolvcu ot “'rklm-Up.
885 Yrcka Jim’n Joker; or The Rivall of Red None.
894 Yreka Jim of Yuba 1 am.
909 Fritl, the Bound-Boy Detective: or. Dot Leetle Game.
918 Fritz to the Front: or, The Ventriloquiat Hunter.
944 S-erra Sam, the Frontier Ferret: or, A Sister’s Devotion.
848 S-‘erra 81"le Secret; or The Bloody Footprints.
958 flv-erra Sam’s Pard; or, The Angel 0! Bi Vista.
958 crr- Saln’e Seven ’1 or, The Stolen Bri e.
834 K.n;.ro. Kit; or. T o Mylterioua Miner.
.59 .laan aroo Kit’o Ilacket' or, The Pride of Played-Out.
89 Heat .Face, Detective; or, l.ii'e in New York.
96 Watch-Eye the Detective; or, Arab: and Angela.
11: Gilt-Edged Dick, m. s n Detective
145 Captain Ferret. the ew York Detective.
161 New York Nell, the Boy—Girl Detective.
986 The Arab Detective: ur, Snooser, the Boy Sharp.
991 Turk the Boy Ferret.
895 Kelley, lilckev lit Co.. the Detective. or Philadelphia.
548 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Detective.
400 Wrinklea, the Night-Watch Detective.
416 lli‘ll llat Harry. the Blue Ball Detective.
496 Sam Slab-idol. the l Ir-Hny Detective.
484 Jim Beak and Pal. rivate Detectives.
.6 Clovcn Hoof, the Bufl'nln Demon: or, The Border Vulturea.
82 Bob Wooli't or, The Girl Dead-Shot.
45 Did Avalanche: or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand.
58 Jim Bluliaoe, Jr., the Boy Phenlx.
6] l‘ugkhorn Bl“; or. Tile Red Rifle Team.
99 Canada Chet t or, Olll Anaconda in Sitting Bull’l Camp. l
118 Jack lloyle the Young Simulator.
I95 Bollanna Bill. Miller; or, Madam Mvatery, the Forger.
138 “on Bob the King of Bllotlllaclla.
141 Solid 8am, the Bov Road-Agent; or, The Brrmded Brown.
177 Nobb Nick oi'Nevada: or, The Sierrne Scampe.
181 Wild rank the Buckskin Brnvo: or. Lady Lily's Love.
286 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado: or. Rowdy Kat».
940 Cyclone Kit. the Young Gladiator; or, The Lockwl Valley.
878 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol: or. The Rival ileira.
880 Little ulck-flhot; or, The Dead Face of Daggenvllle.
858 Flrnt-C an Fred. lhe Gent iroln Gopher.
878 Nabob Ned; or. The Secret ot’Slnh City.
889 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’a Vengeance. '
‘88 Santa Fe Sal, the Sluher; or, A Son’s Vengeance.
“6 Reallkin Sam. the Sparkler'. or The Tribunal of Ton.‘
918 Kit Kclth. t e Revenue Spotter.
929 Sol flnarpc. the New York Night-Hawk.
948 Did liaynceli Among Bunco Men.
1001 Banty, the Denver Bootblack.

BY J. C. COVVDRICK.

690 Broadway Billy. the Bootbiack Bravo.
514 Broadway Blily’n Boodle; or, Clearing aStrango Can.
586 Broadway Billy’a ‘lDiilikllty.”
557 Broadway Bill ’a Death Racket.
579 Broadway Bil y’a Surprlae Party.
605 Broadway Bilin or,’l‘he Boy Detective’aBiz lnninr.
698 Broadway Billy’a Dead Act: 1".le Let W ofSevon.
669 Broadway Billy Abroad: onThe Bootblnc in Fri-co.
675 Broadway Bllly’o Beat; or,Beatln|z San Franciaco’eii‘inoat.
687 Broadway Billy lu Clover. .
696 Broadway Billy in Texan; or, The River Ruetiere.
708 Broadway Billy’s Brnnd.
711 Broadway Billy at Santa Fe; or, The Clever Deal.
790 Broadway Bllly’a D'uil "and: or, The Gamln Detective.
785 Broadway Bllly’n Bunineae.
768 Broadway Billy’a Curiouo Care.
758 Broadway Billy in Denver.
769 Broadway Billy’s Bar ain; or, The Three Detective.
769 Broadway Billy, the Ret ever Detective.
775 Broadway Billy a Shadow Chaoe.
788 Broadway Billy’s lieaglee; or The Trio'l Que-t-
736 Broadway Bllly‘a 'l‘eamz or, Tile Combine'n m, Pull.
II90 Broadway Blily’a Brigade; or. The DeedAlivo.
796 Broadway Dilly’a Queer Bequeet.

0 B ll Billy Baled.
805 Broadway Billy’e 8| nal Scoop.
810 Broadway Billy’s W pe Out.
815 Broadway Billy’a Bank Racket.
891 Broadway Billy’a Blair.
Billy Anton! Jersey Thngl.
888 Broadway Billy’u Bai .
889 Broadway Billy's Big Boom.
844 Broadway Billy’s Blfi’Bul e.
849 Broadway llilly'a 81 0 0 0 Snap.
856 Broadway Billy’a Blin : or, The Bootblack Stowaway.
illly in London.
Billy Shadowo London Sin-e.
874 Broadway Billy’a French Game.
880 Broadway Billy and the Bomb-Throwero.

860 Silver-Muir, the Men oi Myltery; or, The Golden Rep.
869 Shall-a, the Gold King: or, For Seven Year- Deed.

490 The Detective’o Ainprentiee; or,A BoyWithontaNano.
m CIb.t- Jon-r or, d-Hoi Tim“ It All. 36'.

689 Sandy Earn. the Street Scout.

467 Blue Dan. the Daley Dude.

506 lledil llt Ralph the Prince of the Road.

594 The ngineer Detective: or.Rodlisht Relph’l Reeolvo
548 Mart, the Night Ix reel Detective.

511 Air-Lilo Luke t e Young Engineer; or The Double Cue
599 The Boy Pinkerton; or, Running the hunk Out.

615 Fighting llarr the Chief of Chained Cyclone.

640 Bareback Bet , the Centaur o! the Circle.

647 'l' pewriter Tilly the Menhent’o Ward.

659 _ oonlight Morgan the " Pimeet "Man oi’Ante Bar
887 Battery Bob. the Dock Detective.

894 Arizona Dick’s WI e-0nt.

900 Jumping Jack’o ubllee.

906 Safety Ham, the Cycle Sport.

919 Train Boy Trint’o Bot Ila-tie,

9191 The Trump Dock-Boil.

994 Big Boots Bob, the ire-Laddie.

980 linetlenltaiph. the Boy spotter.

985 he Ex- ewaboy Detective’a Chum.

941 The Bowling Green Dctectlve’a Drop.

944 Cowboy Charlie’n Double.

947 The Bowery “' retailer; or. The Butcher-Boy’s Backer.
958 Paddv’n Tramp Card; or, Silver Sallie, the Girl Sport.
960 The Broadway flport: or, Fiver Fu-d’e Clear Care.
967 91000 Reward: or. The Rival Reporten’ Sleek Scoop.
978 Bantam Billy the Corker-Ferret.

978 Pluckv Pat. thi| Street-Boy Detective.

 

 

 

 

 

989 Bicycle Bob’n ot Scorch.

997 Scorcbcr Sana. e Detective on Wheele.
1004 Searcher llaln’o flweey-fltakea.
1009 Tu: Girl Cy eiin’a Vi inning "and.

BY ARIZONA CY.

1048 Von Bct Bob from Croe- Crick.
1088 You Bet Bob’s Circus.

.

 

BUFFALO BILL NOVELS.

BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAK.

1059 Buii'alo Bill in Disguine.

1046 Gold l’lumc, the Boy lian.lit,-. or, Buifelo Bill,the Pony
Express Rider.

1042 Little Grit, the Pony Expren Rider.

1040 Iii-i!an iiill’e Pony Patrol.

1018 Builalo Bill" Texan Team.

1007 Bnii'alo Bill‘s flure-flhote.

I000 Bud'qu lilll’a Decoy Boya.

995 Buffalo Bill’n Drop: or. Dead-Shot Ned , the Roman Rm.
988 Bulfan liill’n Lam-o Throwera.

981 Buil'alo Blll‘n Fl htin Five.

975 Bulalo Bill‘n l iiieh' out.

968 Buii'alo Bill‘a Itth Ride: or, Sure-Shot. the High-Fly”.
964 Buifalo Bill‘a Decoy ; or, The Ariaona Crack Shot. '
958 Buffalo Bill's Mazep a-Chaoc. .
948 [{uflglo IMH‘I Snap-figuo', : or. “'illl Kid’l Texan Tally
942 Buffalo Bill’s Tou h Tut-ole.

986 Bnii'alo Bill’s Boy aacot° or, Joe Jarvia' Hold-up.
929 Bull'an mun. Crack-allot l’ard.

650 Bulalo liill’a Boy Pard: 0r. Butterfly “mi-

916 Binon Bill. the Prince 0! the Helm.

999 Bison Bill’r Cluet or. Grit, the Bravo Sport.

BY BUFFALO BILL.

55 Deadly-Eye. the Unknown Scout, or, The Banded Brotherhoolg

.8 Border Robin lioodi or, The Prairie Rover. '
158 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper'l Tract.
1029 The Phantom Spy. ’
1088 Kansas King; or, The Red Right linnd.

 

BY CAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR, 11. S. A.

191 11118an Billy. the Boy Bullwhacker.
194 Bulalo Bill I Bet: or. The Gambler Guide.

BY COL. PREN'I‘IsS IXGRAHAM.‘

1087 The Ariint Dctcctivc.

1084 The Gold Witch‘w B‘hadowcr.

1081 The Texan Ila-tiers in ( uba.

1097 The Cowboy Raider: in Cuba

109:; The Flying 1 ankee or, The Ocean Cutout.
1028 The Cowboy Clan in Cuta-

1016 The Bo ' Bugler in Cuba. .,
989 New Yor ' Nat’a Dro t or, Ex-Ferret Sykes' Bold Gena
926 New York Nat and l- e ’l'raitor Ferret.
920 New York Nut ’l‘rappl-d.

914 New York Nai‘n Three of a Kind.

908 New York Nai‘n Doublc.

909 New York Nul’u in Colorado. 1
896 New York Nat in Gold Nuggct Camp.
889 New York Nat’r Dcndly Deal.

8 8 New York Nnt’n Crook-Chane.

8 7 New York Nat’n Trump Card.

871 New York Nut and the Grave Ghouls.
865 New York Nat’fl Marked Mamet.

859 New York Nat. tho (.‘mnin Detective.

1958 Dick Doom’u Kidnap er Knock-Out.
847 Dick Doom’a Ten Fir ke.

849 Dick Doom’n Flth "and.

779 Dick Doom’a Death-Grip; or, The thective by Deoiinfl?

777 Dick Doom’a Dcltinyi or, The River Blecklog’e Terror. 1
784 Dick ‘Doom: or. 'l he Sharp: and Shark. oi New York.
788 Dick Doom in Bolton; or, A Man oi Many links.
798 Dick Doom in i'hica'f. '

798 Dick Doom in the “i d B eat. '

808 Dick Doom’e (.‘lean Sweep: or, Five Linh m a Clue.
808 Dick Doom’a Dcath Clue.

818 Dick Doom’e Diamond Deal.

1519 Dick lDoom'o Girl Naeco .

889 Dick Dooln’a Shadow llant.

885 Die] Doom’o Big llaul.

 

 

 

749 ‘ _ '(Vharlie: or The Kentucky Tenderiooi’e Pint Trail.
756 ‘ ,_ (‘hariic’o Der-tiny: or, The Renende’a Captive.
760 (‘harlic’r Pawnee l’ar .

 

 

766 Dan I ag Charlie, the Reecuer.
497 Huck aylor, King oi the Cowboy;
731 lllt‘k Taylor, the (‘omanche'a Castive. ‘
748 luck Taylor'a Bo a; m.’l‘he Re Ridereoithe Rio Greedy
And l‘ifly Othere. ‘

BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS.

589 Tom-Cat and Ford; «r.1'he Dead Set at Silver City.
699 Torn-Cat’- Triad; or. The Adair at Tomb-tone.
681 Torn Cat’n Terrible Tank: or ’lhe Cowboy Detective
688 Tom-Cat’e Triuln h or. Black an'eGreet , omnine.
546 Captain Cactu- t e haparral Cock; or. Joeh I Ten Strike,
568 The Dandy of Dodge; or. Rootlinx ioryMilliona.
576 The Silver Sport: or, Joel: Peppermint-Jubilee.
588 Salron Sol, tho- Man With a Mm
601 Ila p “ana, the Dutch VilIocq; or,BotTlment Round-U
611 Bil ad Barnacle, the Detective Herculee. .4
646 Cowbo Cid the Cattle-Renae Detective.
657 Warbling William thelonnteln Mountebuk.
665 lolly Jeremiah the Plains Detective.
676 ll Inn] Sam the out Scout.

illly the ypo Spy: ory'Ihe Myst! at Two Line.)
699 dimple film, the roncho Btu-tor: or. or i. sigh...
719 The Men—erI-t ! rtt or. The Myauded Detective.
788 'i‘oltec Tom, the ad Pm tor.
745 Kanlao Jim the Crone-Cu Deiectlve.
761 Marmaduke, the Mutual”! Detective.
778 The Bil-ti r of Rolling Stone.
785 Lone "and Joe the Committee oi One.
801 Kent Kirby the Huh-Kicker from Killhuek. ‘
868 The Doctor etc etive in Tune.

 

 

 

T 3h wmen Dcicciivea in Colorado.
 Tisha}... Fir cbrandt or. Bruce Blily’a Snep.8het.“
961 The 'l‘rantp‘o Trump-Trick.

NEW ISSUES.
1061 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. By Oil Coomee
1069 The Left-“and Athlete. By Bmob'idlfl H'mynl'
1068 Wild Bill’n \Veird Foe. By Wm. G Patten.
1064 Dandy Dick Dccoyed. By Robert R. Inn-n.
1065 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Riflemen. By Oil Coomca.
1066 (‘0' boy Chi-in, the Den rt Contour. 8y W. W. Wilder.)
1067 You Bct Bob’l Jangle. By Min CY-

JUST ISSUED.

05" ' n dnkin Rat-e. Byljoi diagram...
1056, lifigrfilfi. il- Clnnabar. By “m. )‘l. \‘i llder. 1
1057 Gold Iiifle, line Sharpshootri'. B lid. 1.. Vi Dealer,

1058 Roderick, the Rover. Byfl'. Fianngnn

1059 Ned “'yllle the Bov Scout. By Tex‘na Jack.

1060 Mario, the lienegade— By Col. 1mm.- Inn-hon.
A New lune Every Tuesday.

The Ball-Dime Library in for aelo hy all mucous,”
.abpereepyureentbymeiienreeeiptoioixeeateooeh. ,

BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publiahera,

 

92 William Street, New Yon-lo] '