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” Gain gangrene;—

THE KNIGHTS OF THE OVERLAND.

31 RON. WM. F. CODY (Bumuo mu),
AUTHOR or “DEATH TRAILER,” ETC.

CHAPTER I.
THE DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

WINTER in the mountains! stern, cruel, relentless winter with its icy
breath sweeping over hill and valley, and its snowy mantle spreading
over the wild and rugged landscape.

Up into the marvelously clear air a feathery column of smoke rose
above the rou h, yet comfortable cabin of some bold miner, who had
come to that ar-away scene to search for the golden ore, and toil for
the glittering dross that rules the world.

A small cabin Of two rooms, built of mu h logs, and sheltered by an
overhan ing spur of the mountain, and ha f-hidden within a clump of
pines, w ose stout trunks had withstood the storms of two-score years,
and whose needle-like foliage sighed softly in the summer breezes, or
moaned dismally in the winter blasts.

Within the lonely hut sat two persons before a huge fire of logs—the
one a man, the other a woman.

A man of superb physique, a dank-bearded face, handsome and reso-
lute, and black hair that fell upon his shoulders—a man to love, yet a
man to fear in anger.

He was dressed in top-boots dark gray pants, and a blue woolen shirt,
lwhifle around his waist was a helt containing two revolvers and a long

n1 e.

A woman, and yet almost a child, for she was scarce] over eighteen,
and notwithstandin her rude attire, strangely beauti 111 in face and
form—a face tO idohze, for in it dwelt _so much of womanly loveliness
and purity of soul.

She was dressed in a short woolen skirt, jacket of bee
and stout shims—the latter failing to hide the symmetry 0
feet.

The inner room of the cabin, as seen through the open door, was used
as a bedchamber. and held numerous pretensions to comfort for that
far frontier land, and the apartment in which the two persons sat,
dreamin axing mto the fire, was the sitting-room, kitchen and dining-
room com med.

Upon one sxde of the fireplace were cooking utensils, and upon the
other Side a table, with shelves above it containing dishes. These, with
three chairs, a large chest of stores. and a number of rifles istols and
knives, com leted the furnishing of the humble home, if except a
giliitizr, whic lay across the woman’s lap, its strings untouched and
s1 en .

Who were these two, whose every appearance indicated that they
belonged to the highest walks of life, living there in the Rocky Moun-
tains of Colorado?

Wasthe man a fugitive from justice, and had he been forced to fly
from civ111zation for crimes committed, and who had been followed by
the woman of hislove?

Was there ilt in their living there, far from the homes of their
childhood, or ad the curse of poverty driven the strong man to dig for
gold, and the true love of woman caused her to follow his fortimes, to
exile herself from the world to live with her heart’s idol?

Let the sequel answer these ueries, kind reader.

And as those two sat there 11 the firelight glow, the day wore on
apace, and as the velvety shadows of night crep over the hillside and
canyon, the pines sighed as though in deep sorrow, and the fleecy
feathers of the flying moon—clouds fell silently down, covering over the
ggshes and gulches in the hills, and shutting out the rugged slopes from
v ew.

material,
her little

Wearin up the steep hillside toiled a file of horsemen—their cloaks
drawn close around them, their forms bent to face the icy gale, and
their steeds climbing the mountains with no willing step, for their
iifistinct told them that there was little comfort in those black bills for

em.

The horsemen were five in number, and the one in the rear led :1 “:ed
bearing a side-saddle.

The man in advance seemed Of different metal from his followers—
one, who in civilized life, would have been called a gentleman. if dress
and ap .arance would make him such; his companions evidently were
rough rdermen. with long unkempt hair an! Nem'ri, rudely dressed,
and wearing blanket coats or cloaks.

 

Gold Bullet 

 

 

 

nth

All were well mounted, armed to the teeth,
and their very silence as they urged on their
horses, seemed to forebode eVll. . .

U the snow-covered path they climbed, until
sudilbnly the leader drew rein, and the others,
per f orcc of circumstances, followed his example.

Then, above the moaning of the pines, and the
Whistling of the winds, was heard a voice-in that
wild region.

It was a woman's voice, and raised in song——
a voice that would have thrilled the hearts of a
metropolitan audience, so clear, so surpassingly
swcct was it in every note. I

“ Hark 1”

The word broke stemly from the ll of the
leading horseman, and all halted w ile the
melody Was waited on the icy wind mlown the
snowcovcred hillside.

“ The bugles sung truce, when the night cloud had
lowered,
And tho sentinel stars set their watch in the sky;
And thousands had sunk on theground overpow-
(‘I‘(‘( -—-

The weary to sleep, and the wounded to die."

“Her voice! At last I am on the right trail!
Sing on, sweet Victorine, for if you 0 not with
me, that shall be your death-song. . vow it, be-
fore (iod I”

Tho words dropped in low, earnest tones from
the set lips of the man, and be bent his head low
and listened while mingling with the woman’s
voice, were heard the low notes of a ruitar.

A moment the horseman sat in Silence, and
then, with a muttered iniprecation and a shake
of his shouldeis, he urged his steed on once more.

A few more lengths, and the animal ave a
low ncigh of joy; the rude mountain cabin was
in full View before him.

And again the line of horsemen halted, while
the heavy door of the log hut swung open and
tho Illlll('l‘ stood on the threshold.

The dying rays of tho settin sun at that mo-
ment broke through the snow-c ouds and fell full
upJu his splendid form and lighted up his dark
face—a face the very icturo of. ruined nobility
—tlio face of a man who might have sinned, but
had ccrtainl suffered deeply, in the twenty-five
or six years oliad lived.

The wind came down, keen and raw from the
higlits above, whispering, sighing, sobbin and
moaning, yet it brought no shiver to his sta wart
frame, and his hair and heard tossed by the
breeze, he stepped without the doorway.

Instantly ho halted, his hands drop ing in-
stinctively upon the revolvers upon his ips, for
his quick cycs caught sight of the horsemen, now
halted within thirty aces of him.

“ tho comes? Friends or foes?”

His voice rung out in a way that proved him
willing to greet either friend or foe.

“ I am your foe, Harold Meredith.”

It was the leading horseman that spoke, and
at an order in a low tone flve rifles covered the
minor.

But his face never aled, his voice never
quivorod, as he said in ow, distinct tones:

“ Yes, Clarence Gilmore, we are foes to the
bitter end; but what do you wish here?”

"Your life, villain, and her whom you took
from me.” .

“ I f you get either, Clarence Gilmore, it will
not be a bloodless Victor , I warn you.”

“Oh, I know you wel , Harold Meredith; but
your threats avail on nothing, and in men
have you covered With their rifles, and wi shoot
you in your tracks if you move. Sup 039 we
come to terms, as I hold the trump card?”

“ What terms, Clarence Gilmore?”

“Your life it" you give up Victorine.”

"‘ I will ask her. Victorine!”

“ I am here, Harold.”

The woman glided from the cabin out into
the falling,' snow, and stood by the side of the
minor.

“ Victorine, yonder is Clarence Gilmore. He
has come to take my life, and you from my pro-
tection—will you go?”

“ Never 1”

The woman spoke in a tone that admitted of
no doubting the sincerity of her determination.

“You have heard the answer, Clarence Gil-
more; let it be war to the bitter end.”

“ Victorine, I demand that you forsake that
man and come with me. For two years I have
tracks] you, and now I will not give you up,”
said Clarence Gilmore, and the glitter in '3
eyes proved that he was in deadly earnest.

“ Before I Would go with on, Clarence Gil-
more. I will die by my own and—nay, I will
ask Harold Meredith to take my life.”

A wild look came into the eyes of the miner,
and his face turned to the hue of a corpse, as he
said. in his deep tones:

“ If I cannot protect you, Victorine, I will
drire my knife to your heart.”

The woman shuddered, and for an instant
seemed about to fall; but recovering herself,
she, mid, firmly:

“ so be it. Hamld: it were worse than a thou-
,an 1 deaths to go with him.”

“ Fire I” .

The word broke sava ‘Y fmm the 1' 0f
Clarence Gilmore, and our rifles flash out
name and echoed through F119 r001“ hills._Whi10
Harold M':rw.”l’- angered hack. hard Int. and

 

Victorine, with a wild shriek threw herself upon
his breast. ,

With revolver in hand Clarence Gilmore
dashed forward and drew rein within five paces
of where the miner s the warm blood drop-
ping from several woum s, upon the cold snow,
one arm around the form of Victorine, the
right hand holding his gleaming blade above
her bosom.

“ Back! If you come on, Clarence Gilmore, I
will drive this knife through her heart!” .

The horseman halted, his face pallid, and his
eyes lariiiilig, as he shouted:

“ ow Meredith, you dare not.”
it Try me In ~

Clarence Gilmore again urred forward upon
the two and the knife ascended, while the
eyes of Victorine gazed straight into those bend-
ing above, and in which dwelt the look of a
hunted ti'izer atry.

“Good God 1' give me!”

The words burst from between the set teeth
' nd the keen blade sunk deep into the bosom o
the woman, from whose white lips broke one
lon , piercing cry of anguish.

, en the two sunk down upon the white
couch of snow, the woman dying, the man sore—
ly wounded.

Like a mad creature Clarence Gilmore flung
himself from his steed and dropped down be-
side the woman, the miner una e to draw the
revolver upon which his hand rested. His last
strength had been given to the blow at the
woman’s heart. I

“ She is dead! God forever curse you, Harold
Meredith!

“ Ag, and yet shall I have my revenge! Here,
men, ring that lariat and string him up to
yonder tree.”

“ He is dying, pard.
gone now,” sun our of :he rude men.

“ Curse him! Were be dead, I would hang
him. Up with him, I s iy!”

The men no longer hesitated. Around the
neck the sli noose was placed; the hands were
bound, an the wounded man was dra god
from the snow-clad earth into mid-air, an the
ro made fast. ‘

rim and ghastly the form swayed toand fro
in the icy wind, and adown the mountain-side
came a wailing cry, such as a lost s irit might
utter when crOSsing the threshold 0 Perdition.

Guess as how he’s most

 

‘ {mnfellow-passenger from

 

“ You were attacked by Captain Satan, then?
asked Lem Flowers, eagerly.

“ Right, old boss, you is. He war a devil.
sartin. I tuk ssage in ther dumed ole box,
an’ I‘rid with Bpu‘i't Boyd, the driver—”

“ Where is Boyd i” asked Lem.

“ Deader then a chicken with its head cut off.

perm. He were made a pe r-box of, on bet,
ase he thought he c’u’d d through t eOver-
land Knights, as those devils call themselves;

but they fotched us up, fyou maggamhle on, an'
of I ’ve a durned cent le t they n’t know. t an‘
that-Ls two pilgrims in ther coach as were re

Dhring the ex anation of the oldhunter or '

trapper, for suc he was, Lem Flowers had not
noticed any one in the sta e; but now he opened
the door and beheld a sum man, fat and round-
faced, and as white as a ghost, seated 'upon the
bottom of the coach trembling violently and a
slender female form leaning back upon the rear
seat. r v .  .

“ I am sorry, sir, and mix, that you have been
robbed, as I hear from this gentleman ;-but alight
and come in to dinner.” I, ,5, :‘f ,

The little man, seeing thatgall dan was
over, obeyed with alacrity, and sprung the
stage, while Lem aided the lady passenger to
alight—a slender, graceful form, well dressed in
traveling costume, and a face, as seen through
the thin vail, strangely beautiful and yet
strangely sad—a face that caused every rangh
miner there to raise his hat liter at eight of
it, a courtes the maiden ( or she was under
twenty, andy even looked younger) acknowledg-
ed with a bow, and a sweet smile that lighted
up her pale face with sunshine.

“1 see your father has already gone  the
bar, miss; oanI send you a glass of Wine to
stead your nerves?” asked Lem.

“ at gentleman is not in father, sir—mere-
enver. Yes, I will

k on fora ass of wine, as I received a
severe ri ht, an feel the need of it.”

She spo e in the softest, sweetest voice, and
ushering her into the best room in his house, the
station-master hurried away to make his fair
guest a' whisky toddy, for Lem had allowed his

liteness to overshoot the mark when he asked
hgr to take a glam of wine, as whisky—and
drank straight, too—was the beverage of his

E establishment.

It came to the ears of those five men, and ‘

four of them bounded away, 8 rung upon their
tied horses, and rushed reck essly own the
stee athway, unheeding the cry of their
lea er £0 halt. .

Then again came the wailing or . It might
be the wind in the pines, it mi ht the shriek
of the panther; but Clarence
glance at the hanging form of Harold eredith,
another at the dead woman, and fled from the
scene his horse urged madl on in the gather-
ing gloom—fl in from that haunted spot
in the snow-c ad ills. '

 

CHAPTER II.
Tin: KNIGHTS OF THE OVERLAND.

Tan stage station of Golden City, en route'oe-
tween Denver and Central City, Colorado was
astir to greet the expected noonday mail and
express, and two-score miners in rude but pic-
turesque costume, were discussing sundr cock~
tails and punches at Lem Flowers’s popu ar bar,
while awaiting the latest topics of news for dis-
cussion. '

There was visible a certain excitement in the
crowd, and Lem Flowers, who kept the station,
certainly looked uneasy, as the hour of noon
arrived and the stage was not heard rumbling
through the valley.

“ I tell yer, lads, I’m afraid Dan Smith has
got inter trouble with Capt’in Satan, this trip,”
said an old miner, ste ping out of the door and
listening for the hope -for sound of wheels.

“'I guesses not, Luke Sanders, ’kase the stage
hain’t but half an hour late by my watch," said
the long-legged man from Vermont.

“ Your watch! oh, yes, you ought ter have
plenty 0’ watches, for we all has a watch on yer
when on is round heur, Hu Dave,” sneered
Luke anders and a rude laug greeted his re-
mark. while the man addressed, and who was
known as Hunky Dave, dropped his hand upon
his knife.

But the cry arose among the crowd that the

“age was coming, and the next moment the

coach and its six horses dashed in full sight, and
rolled u to the door, a stranger seated u n the
box hol ing the lines, instead of the wall- Own
driver, Dan Smith. .

Lem Flowers sprung forward and drag d
open the door, for it was evident that there ad
been trouble, as the driver was without doubt a
passenger who had volunteered to 1311118 the
coach into the station. '

“ Where is Dan Smith, the driver!” asked ‘

Lem Flowers. anxiously, of the man who
sprung from the stage box, and who was dressed
in buckskin and moccasins, while his dark
bearded face was shaded by a slouch hat.

“ I heard as how Dan Smith was ter drive ther
reg’lar stage, gardner, an’ be is comin’ on ahind
some miles—t at is. of ther whole capoodlum
ham’t wiped out as we was nigh bein’."

I
l

n entering the bar, and while concoctin

the dy he learned from the rapid clatter o
the fat 0 d man, that the sta driven b Burt
Central Cit to

d was an extra going
briii backaparty to Denver, and that t ey
had eft some time in advance of the regular

‘ coach, of which Dan Smith was driver.

ilmore rave one ,

Not very far from Golden City they had sud-

. den] been brou ht to a halt by a party of fifty

l
i

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i
i
i
i

 

‘livesonhll

mas ed men, w 0 killed. the drivsr, as he at
tempted to drive through them, and robbed thi
three passengers. ,

“Stranger, I pass on all lie-from this time
hence forever-more, amen! You is the dumed-
est liarI ever hear blow. -
yer the trut ,” and the old hunter, with a look
of contempt at his fat fellow-panenger, turned
to the crowd and continued: ,

“ He says ther were fifty gerloots. Thar wai
but five 0 them, an’ they was five more then 1
wants ter see ag’in. Yes, they wore masks, us

er calls ’em, an’ one of ’em was a boss, you bet,
be sung out like a soldier on perrade ter
throw up our han’s.

“ Mine went up, you bet, kase I only fights
when thar’s a chance 0’ victory; but that durn-
ed gerloot uat downvin ther coach an’ ell’d
bloody mur er, while the prutty leetle gs gist
said nothin’ an’ handed out her duckits w on
they was axed fur, ’lthout a word; but you jut
sh’u’d seen that rooster when Cap’n Satin, as

or calls him, took hhgold—dust-you bet, it wns
hire ullin’ his jaw nut-crackers every time.”
“ lP am ruined! I have not a dollar left,"

sued the man of flesh. -,
gr” Again on is a liar, knee yer tole the lcddy,
an’ I heardy yer, that you had leetle dust With
yer, but lenty in Denver" but pard how long
store I k gilt some grub, seal is allus hungry
an? this ’ere ittle skrinnnidge has gi’n me a ap-
petite as is onhe’lthy not to satisfy with wittles,
’9

bet! . .
yo“‘lDinner is ready now, sir, an’, if ou’re will-
ing tO‘drive the stagecn to Centre Cit ,we’ll
send down and poor Burt Boy ,’ sai‘d

Lem Flowers.

“I’ll roll that ole box right on into Central
01 , you bet, knee I mt ter hold ther ribbons
intther ole Verginn mountains twenty years
ago—I’m arter wit as now, but I suppose as
how that thar gerloot as lied so, is like a b’ar,

ownfat.” ‘ .

In half an hour more the sta e rolled away

from Golden City—Buckskin n, hunter and

fat passenger again risking the dengu-
“Lemma. h ed a dozen mou 

a cone disapgeI-f ii
men rode out of-tbe s tion-vard, volunteers to
go in search of Dan Simth and_the regular
stage, now an hour late, and which all were
confident had also been halted by the daring:
band, known as Knights of the Ovarland, and
who acknowledge for their chief a nu" “I me

. tra r holdin the ribbons, and the maiden
and:1 the, g

M, I have tolc‘

 

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amt! new"

 

 

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"5 "merful exploits, cruelty and daring escapes j

nan won for him the name of Captain Satan.

‘ “ Thar she comes now!”

A dozen voices gave the cry, and a loud yell
broke from the crowd as the re lar stage came
on at a swingin ce, Dan imith, the well-
known driver, ho ding the ribbons.

“ Who-ho! All out for grub at Golden City!” ,
shouted Dan as he drew up and threw the I
reins upon the backs of the smoking wheel- ;
horses. ' - 1

“Hurrah for Dan! Bo ,you came through '
all right, I’m glad to see, cried Lem Flowers,
again stepping forward. .

“ We come through, yas ole boss, but thar’s l
cold meat within the precincts 0’ this coach— ;
two stifl’s, and two wounded.”

The reply of the driver caused the crowd to !
gather around the coach, out of which there '
sprun a manof commanding presence—a man I
an inc over six feet, broad-shouldered, with a
glender waist, and remarkably small hands and
eet.

l‘ He was evidently under thirty, and his face 1
was bronzed and beardless. while every feature
was strongly marked with resolution and fear-
lessness, and in his large black eyes dwelt a
look as though they rested constantly upon
some scene of sorrow.

He was dressed in a jacket of the finest black
silk velvet, and white corduroy pants, stuck in
boots that were of the finest manufacture, and
the heels of which were omamented with hand-
some gold spurs.

A broad-brimmed white slouch hat sheltered
his head, and u ,n his shoulders fell waving
masses of soft wn hair while, contrary to
the custom in that wild region, he wore a white
shirt,the, bosom, collar and ends beautifully
embroidered. -

Around his waist was a belt of gold links 0011- ,
talning two revolvers and a knife, all gold—
mounted heavily, and in his hand he carried a
whip with the handle of the same precious
metal, in the end of which glittered a large
diamond.

When this exquisite horseman, without a
horse, sprung from the coach, many a miner

veagrunt of contem t at his a pearance,
gough he could but a mit him to a hand-
some man, with a form of splendid physical
develo ment.

Wit a bow to Lem Flowers, the stranger ,
turned and aided to alight a young girl closely
vailed, and then an elderly entleman, who
Kore a blood-stained handkerc ief around his

end. ‘
Then followed a rough-looking miner, also
wounded, and as they were ushered into the
station by Lem, Dan Smith drew from the ‘
coach two dead bodies—one an Irish miner,
well known in Central City, the other a Jew

peddler.

“ Here’s the stifle, panda, an’ ther ole man an’
ther gold-dig r you see enter the shunt is

wound . I tell you we had it whi c it

lasted ” said Dan, adjourning to the bar.

.“, Who is the old gent, Dan .7" asked a miner.

“ He are a rich feller from ther States as ,is
bou ht ther Grizzly mine, an’ ther is his
0‘ 5, who is goin’ with him ter live in Central

‘ Au’ther fancy gerloot Dan, who are he?”

“ He area man, tellers, from the ti ) 0’ his toe
to that to 0’ his head, you kin gam le on, an’
of any fe eras hears me talk gas for ter doubt
my word, whiy jist let him tackle that game-
eock an' he’l find it suddint death.”

“ 0 don’t look it, Dan: be are too fine.”
“Yas, fine feathers makes fine birds, an’ his
haiu’t ranged, tho’ he has jist laid six gerloots L

‘ d

with cries of surprise the crowd gathered

, and Dan, as is usual with those who have

im ', at news to communicate, very calmly

de yed its recital, while he quietly poured out

“five fin rs” of whisky straight into aglass,
and then ed it off with a smack of relish.

“ burned at I b’lieved half hour sin’, thet I’d
ever wrestle with an tanglefoot any more, an’
of it hadn’t been for t or game-cock in spurs I’m
durned ef I ever would.” .

“Tell us about it, Dan, and don’t keep us in

use,” said the bartender. .

‘ I guesses as how we was hel’ in. suspense for
some minutes, an’ it’s but fair you IS ter betoo,
and,” as how ouis in no danger of yer lives,
an’.we was; bu , fellers, ther was blazes ter pay
back in ther canyon, you may gamble on.

“Yersee thar was an extra sent on ahead
With Burt fioyd holding ther ribbons, an’ when
the Knights tackled him he was fool enough to
want ter run thro h, an’-they jist gi‘n him
lead ills, an’ 0’ thet isease he died, wliilc tln'r
Knig ts jiat bounced ther passenger: l’cr all
they was worth. .

‘. NOW the!“ mmp'ny pay me fer drivm’ ther
Jid'hearse, yonder, an’ notfer fl tin’; so when
I edmes u n ther Knights—an they’s ittin’
awful bad’Oo’ late—why, I Jist draws re u, an‘
walgvthe result 0’ ther funeral.

“ , we come to ther canyon, an’ mighty
u Idiot t or war three Knights rid inter ther 3
road in ‘tqnt o’us, an’ two ahind, an’ ther lead- l

l

t.- ed :
r"(?‘1%tr.o‘:l¢;lfida?ut :

Gold Bullet 8 port.

“ Now on ther box with me was that cold
mea yonder, Irish Mike, an’ be begun palaver-
in’ with:

“ ‘ How ther divil kin I throw up my han’s
gpfixhin I was afther ’atin’ pig’s fate fer brik-

u .

“ I tell yer, fellers, Captain Satan, jist took a

squint along his revolver an’ Irish Mike throwed

‘J
U

 

up ther sponge. fer his checks was called for I

mighty suduent, an" he tumbled over, a dead
Irish, you bet.
“ Waal. my hands was up, as high as I c'u’d

git out an’ lay flat down on ther ground.’

“ 1 pin ther text as ’twas preached ter me,
an’ durncd ef I didn’t hear one fcller inside
sayin’ as how he was goin’ ter fight it out, an‘ I
whispered back as how he’d better not; but
Lord ‘bless us, pards, ther hearse-door swtmg
o ii an’ out jumps ther game-cock as is now in
t er house, an’ be had his shootin’-irons in his

' claws, too.

“Waal, you should ’a’ heerd Captain Satan

- yell at him, an’ they rode for’ard, while ther

captain gi‘n a loud toot on a born he had slung
to llS neck.

“ Now I ’spected ter see the vouth in ther
velvit jacket took right in outer ther wet; but I
was mistook, you can gamble on, fer ef he didn’t
shove out those gold pistols 0' his, an’ thev begin
a awful tune fer the eddification o” ther Knights.
He shooted three times, an’ three Kni hts went
down, each one hit squar’ in ther fore end, as I

reach, an’ Captain Satan called out, angry like: j
’ “ ‘ Dan Smith, tell the men in that hearse to

seen plainly, an’ Captain Satan an’ his remain- ,
‘ his head, while his lips moved; but whether in

in” pard hunted cover durned quick.
“But, jist then, up come half-a-dozen more

Knights, as had heard ther horn toot, an’ ther ;

game-cock he yells ter me:
I f‘l‘lPrive on, an’ pertect yerself with ther dead
l‘lS .

“ But I didn’t conclude ter drive on, an‘ durn—
ed of Gold Spurs didn’t jump clean up alon -
side 0’ me, With one jum thet made me thin '
he’d b’long’d to a circuss in his time, an’ what I
then heer’d was music at ther moaner’s bench.
He said:

“ ‘Drive 011, or I‘ll kill verl’

“ Now his pistol was p’intin’ at my head, an‘
I drove on, you bet, while he jist tossed Irish
over me to pertect me, and standin’ up on ther
top 0’ ther hearse, he jist let fly three more
shot as ther Knights ran afore us ter head us
off, 11’ durned of every shot didn’t find whar
them Knights lived, fer they tumbled ofl’ tbar
horse’s, hit in ther forehead. as the’r pards had

“ Bull fer ther game-cock in velvet! But did
he get aptain Satan?” asked several voices.
‘ No,,he didn’t draw trigger on that gent;

ef he had, he’d made cold meat 0’ him; but in 1

spite o’ ther shootin’, ther gold- ur sport put
her through an’ he wasn’t teche , as ye see fer
yerselves, while Irish got three balls in him as
was ’tended fer me, an’ ther Jew was sent to
Jerusalem, an’ ther old gent, ther miner from
Central City was also hurt: but we drnv ri ht
on, assin’ poor Burt Boyd l'in’ dead on t er

side, an‘ them Knigh s di n’t foller us, you
bet; the ’d been sickened by ther l’un.

“ I tel yer. pards, thet game-cwk are chain-
ed lightnin’ let loose in a rumpus, an‘ when be
loaded his weepins arter leavin’ ther canyon,
why, he jist )ut gold bullets inter them!"

“ Gold bul ets? ’ cried a score of voices.

"It are true, rds: be loaded them weepins
with old bunch): an’ then he jist slid Irish in—
side, ase he was ridin’ uneasy on top the
hearse, seein’as how he c’u'dn’t hold on: an‘
when we was in no danger, he slides inside his-
self, an’ dresses ther wounds 0’ ther ilgrims as
was hit, jist like he was a quack- octor—but
heur be are now,” and Dan dropped his voice
{is the object of his conversation entered the
)ar. 0

“Come, driver. join me in a drink: and per-
haps your friends will take something, too,”
said the stranger, pleasantly and all present
ranged themselves alongside the bar.

“’Pards,” said Dan Smith, as they stood
with glasses in hand.

“ I don’t know the name ,

0’ this gent, this whole team an’ a boss ter let, ‘
any more than I does ther handles you all an— ?

swers to, but I’m
Ver by a name I thinks he deserves—paras, this

eur gent Who jist axed yer ter p’isen erselves
is my friend, Dead Shot, ther Go (1 Bulli
an’ yer gamble yer last cent he are a squar’
man, ever time.”

A yell roke from the crowd of miners, and
with a bow of thanks the stranger, just baptized
as Dead Shot, the Gold Bullet Sport, turned and
left the bar. and shortly after the stage rolled
away with him seated on the box by the side of
Dan Smith, and cheer after cheer followed the
departing stage, for the handsome and unknown
Brain had won the hearts of every one in Golden

l y.

 

CHAPTER III.
A STARTLING RECOGNITION.

Tin little mining town of Central City lay in
does (quiet under the afternoon sun, for the
go] -d ggers were hard at work in their
“ claims," and it was only at nightfall that the

t Sport,»

goin’ ter interdoose him ter ‘

place awakened from its sleep, for then ih:
order was reversed, and \\ hen darkness resteo
on the valle '. the laugh and song were heard.
and under t is sunlight all seemed in repose.

Upon a shelf of rock, far up the mountain
side, stood a man attired in miner’s dress—a
man whose pinched face denoted suffering, and
whose naturally strong, elegant frame was
bending in weakness.

Behind him a few paces was a hovel. rather
than a cabin, for it was rudely thrown together.
and the open door showed that its: only comfort
wasa huge fire- llacc, for it held as furniture
only a stool, a cd of tattered blankets and
bear-skins, and several cooking utensils.

In one corner was a rifle, and hanging across
the muzzle was a lzcli containing a revolver and
knife, while upon the ground lay a pick, shovel
and hatchet.

A moment the miner stood in silence gazing
down upon the distant to“ 11, through the prin-
cipal, and almost only, street of w hich was in—
distinct] * visible the stage coach rolling toward
the hotel.

“I will go and see if there is a reply to my
letter; if not, I fear I shall die of starvation. for
it has been two days since I tasted food, and a
Ion time since I have enjoyed a good meal.

“ ell, so be it, if I die here. was a fool to
attempt to live without one hope in life.

“Yes, I will die here in this wild land, and a
rude grave will be m ' tomb, while she will
revel in the wealth t at was mine, and be
ha )py with the love of another. Oh, God!”

e raised his hands and clasped tlnm above

prayer or im recation it were hard to tell.

Entering t e cabin, he took up his rifle, bclted
on his arms and locking the door after him,
slgwly v. ended his way down the mountain
SI 0.

The sun set long ere he reached the to“ n, and
he found that there was some unusual excite-
ment among the citizens as he entered the Cen-
tral City House, the princi :al hotel in the place.

“ What is it, partner!” he asked, of a miner
who stood near.

“The devil’s bin ter ay, boss an’ Capt’in
Satan is the king-pin.“ e jist sailed inter the
reg’lar coach an’ a extra hearse as come over
ther rode, an’ robbed ther passengers; but he was
brought up with a round turn by one cock 0’
ther prize-ring. as they call Dead Shot, who 'ist
made cold meat 0’ six 0' ther Knights 0’ t er
Overland, an’ waltzed ther stage right inter
town.”

“ Were there many passengers?”

“ The extra hearse had three, an’ ther driver,
Burt Boyd was kilt, an’ ther rcg’lar had six,
two of whom passed in thc’r checks. an’ two
more was wounded; but one of them as was
robbed is jist ther prettiest gal I eVer see. an’
hein’ as she’s a stage-actor, she‘s goin’ ter sing
fer us this nightof our Lord, Anny Dominecker,
right ’round in ther Langrish Theater; so jist
waltz right in an' h’arken unto her chin music,
an’ lay out yer ile fer her benefit, as ther fellers
is comin’ dowu eavy in dust, seein’ as how they
feels so for her.”

“ I wis I could help her, but I am starving
myself. and the miner turned sadly away.

“ Hullo, Lambert, I’ve wanted fer see yer ever
sin‘ I mined back. “'ish ter ay yer the eagle
yer loaned me when I left for enver.” ‘

Hugh Lambert turned quickly, and beheld a
young miner whom he had often seen before and
whom he had befriended some months before
u Kill his leaving town to collect some funds due
him in Denver. and who was the some young
man that had been a passenger in Dan Smith’s
stage that. afternoon, and, in the attack of the
Overland Knights, had received a slight wound
in the arm.

“ I am glad to  you, Morse, and the money

comes in well, thank you: but uhrn did you
arrive!"
, “ This afternoon, un’ ther was a lively circus
on ther way. you bet. kase we jist run infer
(,‘a )iillll Satan an‘ his hand o’ Knights. an’ cf it
ha n’t been fern you”: man as knows how to
handle hisself, we‘d jist been cold meat all of
us; but I’m goin‘ down to ther theater to hear a
gal sing: come ’long." '

“ Not now, Morse, for I must buy some pro-
visions bcforc the groceries closeu for the night;
but 1 will see you later,” and ugh Lambert,
clutching close the money he had received,
wended his way to the post—office and grocery
combined.

Yes, there was a letter for him, and be recog—
nized the writing of the friend to whom he had
written for a loan in his distress, and eagerly he
opened the envelope; but his face turned ashm’o
paler as he read the contents—regrets at ii inbilii y
to comply.

“ I fear I am doomed to die here. for. dig as I
may. no gold will turn up for my pick. Oh,
God! how different was it a few years ago! and
how diflerent the life she now leads!” '

For a r oment he stood in silence. and then,
with an effort recovering himself, made hispnr-

? chases of groceries and ammunition. throwing

the gold-piece u n the counter and walking
out with his bun ice.

A short walk brought him in front of Lau-
grish’s Theater, now lighted up, and before

4

“fi'ifiiil was a crowd of excited miners, calling
upon all to

" Enter this hour slab shanty 0’ a theater, an’
open yer ears ter heur 9. angel sin .”

Mechanically he entered, and as he did so the
curtain arose and a woman appeared upon the
stage.

It was the same fair passenger who had been
robbed by the Knights of the Overland—the same
sadly b’fllltlful face and graceful form, now
clad in snowV white.

“ Oh, God!”

: them ditties, or yer can call me a

The cry broke from the lips of Hugh Lam— I

hert, and he tottered back against the wall for
support, while his eyes stared wildly at the fair
face and form before him.

“ No, it cannot be!
semblance—she cannot be here,” he muttered,
and he trembled like a wind-shaken leaf as the
Words of song burst from the lips of the lovely
woman.

She had chosen well for that rough audience,
and in silvery notes arose and fell the words of
“ lIO'ne, Sweet Home.”

“ ller voice—her face—her form! can there
be two women in. the world so alike?

“ (.‘mi there be two such beautiful faces to
hide he il"‘s‘ so f lse?”

Again Hugh 1 Hubert listened, and song after
song came from the red lips, while adown the
rough, sunburnt cheeks of the audience many a.
tear would roll, and teeth cut deep into the
fledi to keep back the sobs that wou d well up
as remembrance carried them back to the days
of “ aiild lang syne.”

A rough, untutored audience that beautiful
wom'in sung to—men whose hands were red
with human blood, many of them, and whose
hearts were blackened with crime, yet even for
all that who had feeling, deep and terrible be-
neath the rude exterior, and who were but as
children under the spell of that wondrous voice
singing the melodies of their childhood.

At length the curtain went down—the lovely
songstress had done her duty, and yet not a
sound of applause came in response; only one
long-drawn sigh, a moan almost, that the end
had come and they would hear no more.

It is only a startling re- ‘,

Suddean one man arose in the crowd; it was ‘

Buckskin Ben, the hunter, who had brought the
extra stage on to Central City.

“ Pards, jist keep yer seats fer I’m selected as
ther rooster to navigate amid yer with a baskit,
fer yer gold-dust, bein’ as how you’ve g’in ther
ledly a benefit. I’in a-comin’, gerloots, so paSS
over yer chips,” and Buckskin Ben began to
push through the crowd a basket in hand the
enormous dimensions of which would ave
stampeded an eastern audience.

As for Hugh Lambert, he stood against the :
‘ her, and the voice that had never faltered in

back wall, cowering like one who thought he
h'id seen a ghost at midnight in a grave-yard;
he seemed powerless to move or speak, and his

arms hung nerveless at his sides, his bundles .

ha viug dropped upon the floor unnoticed.

Nearer and nearer drew Buckskin Ben, talk-
ing in hisqnaint way as he moved along, and
lon-lcr and louder resounded the musical clink
of the gold as it fell, in almost a continuous
stream, into the basket, for the miners of Cen-
tral City had gone whole-souled into the benefit
given the beautiful vocalist.

“ D )wn with yer dust, pard; the game’s
layed, the deal’s over, an ther gents is cashin’
n thar chips. Whar’s your chips, my scared-

lookin’ pilgrim?”

Hugh Lambert looked bewildered, and glanced
up in a strange sort of way, while his moving
lips uttered no word.

lint suddenly he thrust his hands into his
poc kcls, and drew them forth empty.

“ I remember; I did not wait for my change
at Conroy’s grocery. I have no money,” and
he spoke like one in a dream, while a glance at
the princely contribution—for the songstress
had touched the pockets as well as the hearts of
tho miners—shoch that his pittance would
have been but a small sum to add to the golden
don'ifion.

“Too thin, my pensive pilgrim; you should
ha' stayed outet’ yer had no dust. I’m waitin’,
pn rd, for yer chips.”

The. face of Hugh Lambert flushed crimson,
and then became deadly pale, and with a mut-
tered im recation, he thrust his hand into an in-
side poc wt of his Woolen shirt, and drew it
forth containing an oval piece of gold, glittering
with diamonds. .

With a groan, that burst through his set
teeth, he dashed the trinket into the basket, and
turning rapidly fled from the scene, out into the
darkness and storm, and running up ngamst a
man just entering the theater. .

“That man is mad or desperate: if “118 ware
a gambling-hell he were leaving I could under—
sttmd his wild manner,” and Dead Shot, the
Gold Bullet Sport, for by such name only was
be yet known in Central City, entered the then-
tcr.

“ J ist in time tor pay ther fiddler, ," an
Buckskin Ben thrust the contribution-basket
under the nose of the new-comer.

. “ Certainly and with pleasure, though I am than ev

sorry I missed the singing,” and Dead Shot
threw a handful of gold coins into the basket.
“ You air a trump keerd, pard, with yer dust

Gold Bullet Sport.

as yer shootin’-irons, an’ yer top ther pile, unless
this heur leads yerl but ther angil is goin’ ter
chin us another son when I gi’n 'her he dust
she tole me, an’ yer is in time to git er ears full
0’ dulcet bone or I‘m a liar. This leads er,
par ,” and as uckskin Ben spoke he be] up
{also trinket thrown in the basket by Hugh Lam-
” .

“ It are a pictur’, b ginger! Fold and dimints
round it—a pictur’ o’ het very eddy that singed
polecat.”

Dead Shot gave one glance at the gold-incased
diamond-studded miniature, and snatched it
almost rudely from Buckskin Ben, his face
white, and his hand trembling as he held it up
to his gaze.

“God above! who gave this miniature?”

The voice was deep and quivering, and the
hunter saw that the handsome stranger, so
nervy “ on the shoot,” was moved deeply by the
face before him.

“A pilgrim as had no money throwed it in
ther basket, an’ then levanted as tho’ ther devil
had sent for him.”

“Who was be?”

“Don’t know, pard; I’m a stranger in these
diggin’s.”

' I will give you thrice the value of that por-
trait for it.”

“C’u’dn’t do it pard, kase it was chipped in
fer ther leddy. Mayhap she might let it go at
that. She’s at ther Central City House, whar
you han up. "

Dead hot gave another lon look at the min-
iature, and then handed it re uctantly back to
Buckskin Ben, while his head dropped forWard,
and he stood like a statue, as though lost in the
deepest, most painful reverie.

In the meantime Buckskin Ben edged his way
back to the front seats of the theater, where,
accompanied by Judge Wolf, the proprietor of
the Central Cit House, and the entleman and
his daughter w 10 had come over 111 Dan k itli’s
coach, sat the beautiful vocalist, her face shed
with excitement, for never had she made web a
decided “ hit” as before the rude audience
whom she had just entranced by her superb
Singing.

“ Heur’s ther dust, leddiy an’ it‘s all yaller
metal, ’ceptin’ a leetle art ole as is worth more
than half in ther basket. Now ther ilgrims
w’u’d like yer ter tune up one more itty fer
them—somethin’ melancholy like, as will fetch
ther weeps, an’ then ledd , I’ll shoulder yer
dust down to Judge olf’s ay-out fer er.”

Buckskin Ben placed the heavy has et upon
the bench, and the woman arose and once more
faced the audience.

Twice she essayed to sing, and her emotions
choked her—the princely tribute had unnerved

public before trembled now as it rose in glorious

‘ melod —the words of that plaintive old ballad,

 

“ The on , long, weary da , ’floatin uiverin -
ly throng the silent hall. y gq g

The songstress had reached the second verse——
“ Alas! if land or sea had parted him from me—

Alas! if land or sea had )arted him from me—

1 would not these sad ears be wee ing;

But now he’s dead and gone—gone or away from

iiie- ’

Then a man in the furthest end of the hall
roused himself from his spellbound attitude,
and gazed upon the singer. One gllance, and a
shriek—a man’s shriek—rung out Wi d and thrill-
in% and a heavy fall was heard.

ead Shot, the Gold Bullet Sport, had fallen
11 the floor, the mo-

like a dead man prone 11
upon the face of the

ment his eyes had res
vocalist.

 

CHAPTER IV.

A THIRD SURPRISE.

IN a pleasant room of the Central City House
a woman paced the floor, her lon trail rustling
after her like the breakers upon t e beach.

U n the table, whereon stood the lamp, was
api e of gold, amounting to several thousand
dollars, and in her clenched hand she held the
miniature thrown into the basket by Hugh
Lambert.

The face was as strangely beautiful as it was
strangely sad, and the miniature was a perfect
likeness of the maiden, though taken perha
several years before, for it seemed a tri e
vounger, but there were the same red-gold hair
braided in heavy coils, the same black eyes with
their sweeping ashes, delicately penciled brows,
andiuby li , which with every word or smile
di layed t e pearliest teeth.

pon the. hotel books the maiden was regis-
tered as Miss Violet Markham, of New York
city, and she had told Judge Wolf that she had
been brought up for the stage, both as a voca-
list and actress, and had saved up a small sum

i with whichto prosecute a search for a person.
; said to be in the mines of Colorado, and who

. held a secret regarding her parentage which

l

d 1 she wished to know.

When robbed by Captain Satan, she had

been in dessfialr; but now she had more gold

er e had possessed before, owing to

the generosity of the miners, and she was free
to continue her search once more.

This was all that was known of the pretty

 

 m

singer, and no other questions were asked luv,
for her face seemed a arantee for her truvurwl-
ness; though ' when t became known that a
youn minerhad thrown into the basket as he
cont bution, a diamond-studded likeness of tin
maiden herself, and that Dead Shot—or “ Tarle-
ton,” as he was registered . at the Central City
House—had fainted away when he caught sight
of her face, there were some who believed that
she hada history that was in some way mir-
rored in her sad face.

Now, as she paced the room with gracent
swee , the brows were contracted in deep and
pain 111 thought, and the lips moved in low ut-
terance:

“ Strange—oh, so very strange! I cannot ac-
count for t, and this doubt as to who and what
they are nearly drives me mad. In some way
those two men must be connected with m‘t

pa t.

“Hugh Lambert they call him—a yourg
miner who works a claim in the mountains, b M
universal bad luck, andis as r as poveri v,
they say; yet he had this miniature of myse f,
set in gold and studded with diamonds worth Is
much as that ile of old yonder.

“ Where di he ge it? and who can he be?

“Hugh Lambert! I do not remember the
name.

“And the other—Dead Shot they call him'
the man who behaved so bravely, and beat 0
the Knights of the Overland 8m le-handed; a

., splendid-looking man, and a gamb er, they say,
t

ough no one seems to know ought regarding
him; he fainted dead away when he saw my
face. Who can he be! _

“Tarleton is the name on the register, but
that tells me nothin .

“ 1 must see theseiwo men, and know why it
is that my face moves them so. First, I will
go to the miner in the mountains, for he had
my picture. I can ride there on horseback, and
one of those good miners will guide me; I will

‘ go down at once and make arran ements for an

 

early start, for the storm is abou over.”

So saying, she left her room, locking thedooi'
after her, and descended to the hotel one?!
where Jud Wolf sat, conversing with a ta
man, well ressed and with heavy beard, near-
ly concealing his ace,

Both looked up as 'Tiolet Markham entered
the little room, and the .‘all man sgrung to his
feet, his face livid, while from his psbroke the

c : .
rx God in Heaven! from the very gravel”

Without another word the man fled from thr
hotelldas though from a weird being of another
wor .

“Miss Markham, your resence in our little
town seems to have moved) three men deepl , ’
said Jud Wolf, gazing upon the maiden w t]:
a look 0 su rise.

“Judge olf, who was that man?”

“His name is Colonel Darke at least he ii
known as such here. He owns the Deodman’s
Mine, a few miles from here, and must get a
good thinfiout of it, as he always has plenty of
money. 0 you know him?”

“ I do not remember ever to have seen 
before, and there certainly seems'a mystery in
the behavior of three men too-night at sight
of me—a mystery I am anxious to solv’e,
and I wish to ask you if I can _t a saddle-horse
and guide in the mornin , as desire to goto
the cabin of this Hugh mbert, who s_o ener-
ously contributed my own likeness as his cc to-
ni .M?”

g‘ You can have a horse, Mia Markham, and
a ide can be easily found for you.” o

‘ I thank you, Judge Wolf. Good-n1 ht, air
and please have me an early break] ,” and
Violet Markham swept from the room.

A moment after the man called Colonel Darke
entered—he had evidently been watching out-

side. ‘

“Wolf, who is that girl?” he asked, in his
doe tones.

lizawasaman whoseageit was hard totell
he might be thirty, and perhaps forty—five. He
was a fine-looking man, his cheeks, chin and
mouth hidden by a long black beard, and his
eyes deep-set, dark blue, and yet full of fire,
while they were ever restless, hardly resting an
instant on any face or object. .

His form denoted strength and activity, and
he wore a brown corduroy suit, and kc t his
coato en, as though to finickly get his gmds
upon e revolvers upon is hips, ‘

A black slouch hat shaded his forehead, and his
pants were stuck in caval ts.

“ That is the very question she asked 
{omdiéoelgnolfl said the judge with a smile, ile

8 a i .

“Did ou think her a ghost!”

“ She either a woman I once know well, or
her hoot!” r

“ ou believe in ghost. then colonel?”

“ 0! that girl is the one Ithink it is, in pro
{rid sona, though I would have worn on

he ble she was dead.”

“ Who did you think it Was, colonel?”

“ That is none of your business, sir; her pres
ence startled me because! believed hprin her

ve. What does she call hemlf bars f'

“ Violet Markham.”

“ Ah! What is shrinks; rm“

 

 

 

 

. .. Mame

' light that came from the hal

 

a

 

“That is her business, Colonel Darke,” quietly  “Vivian!”

answered the judge.
“ You refuse to tell, then!”
“ Oh no, I really do not know more about her

Gold “Bullet, Sport.

e name fell softl from the man’s li , but
it reached the ears 0 the maiden, who g anced
quickly up, beheld that trembling form, and

than she has herself told; she was robbed by that ! white, haggard face so near her; she attempted
overland curse, Captain Satan and his gang, 1 '

and the boys gave her a benefit, and a royal one

to-night, and never did I hear a better voice

than”she has, and I heard Jenny Lind, years
0

ag“.She was in one of the stages that arrived ‘

from Denver today, then i”

“ Yes; she came over in the extra, whose
driver was killed and passengers robbed, she
among the number.”

“ Strange, very strange- her face really
startled me, ’ said the colone , musingl y.

“And you are only the third man shehas
startled to-night.”

“ How mean you, Wolf? You know I just
came in from the Deadman’s Mine.” .

“Well, a youn miner in the mountains, evi-
dently one who as seen better do and is a
gentleman, threw into the contribu 'on buket
as his mite 9.
Markham herself, and then fled from the thea-
ter; then one of the guests Mr. Tarleton, and
whom the boys have called Dead Shot on ac
count of the way he laid out six of Captain
Satan’s band this morning, gave a loud cry and
fainted in the theater, when he caught .sight of
the young lady ' now ym run for your hfe when
you see er. ou know all I can tell you,
colonel, and doubtless mor too.”

“ Douhtlem Now, where is this young miner?”

“ He bolted for the mountains, the boys say.”

“ And this Dead Shot?”

“He soon recovered from his swoon and
came to his room and stayed awhile and just
before on came he went down to the X. 10. U.
8. gain lin saloon, for he asked me where he
could try his fortune with the cards”

“He is a gambler, then, judge?”

l “ Bopbtless, and asuccessful one, too, I should

t iin

“ I will try my luck against his. Will you go
down, judge?”

“Yes, I would like to see a game between
you; he has any quantity of nerve, though he
was t by. a woman s facsimand you are
known as the most successful nd with the
cards in Central City.”

Leaving the hotel under the colonel’s assist-
ant, .Slin Rum, a Heathen Chinee the two men
wended eir steps toward the X 10. U. 8.

‘gambling-hell.
CHAPTER V.
a inferences THEFT.
HABDLY had Judge Wolf and Colonel Darke
out of the hotel, when a man’s form was
seen in the doorway—a form trembling, and a
face white and he. gard.

Upon his hat shoulders were huge snow-
flakes, and yet, though he had endently long
been out in the storm, he did not tremble from
cold; some deeper cause aflected him. .

U n a chair near the open fire sat Sling Rum,
the Echinee, his head bent u n the table, and a
kitten playi with the en of his “pig-tail,"
that hung wi bin a few inches of the floor.

As the wind howled without, the nostrils of
Sling Rum pla ed an accompaniment within
doors ina deep that provei that the Ge-
lestial slept. and dreamt bright dreams under
the influence of his favorite drug—opium.

Noiselessl the man at the door entered the
room and g ided toward the desk on which lay
the register. .

His eyes glanced over the names, and he said,
half aloud: ‘

“ iss Violet Markham of New York—room
38—the same room I had the week I arrived.

With another lance at Slin Rum he passed
through the ofllgce out into the dimly-lighted
hall, and noiseless] ascended the stairs until he
reached the secon floor. ' I .

Here all was darkness, exce tin the faint
be owi; but :3
than h uainted with its surroun ings, e
glidegi fogging utllltll he came to a door at the

urthest en 0 t e passage. . .

Halting, he drew a long breath, and laid his
hand upon the door-knob. - . _

“ Fool, that I should tremble sol Whatisshe
to me now? Nothing! and yet I risk life to
come here and take from her that likeness
which I madl threw away.

“ButI will ve it, cost what it may. She
was pure when that was taken-pure as the
:now fallin upon the mountai and now—”

Nerving 'mselfto the work fore him, he

ilently turned the knob and gently opened the
door.

The lamp burned brightly on the table, and
beta it at Violet Markham, holding in her
ban the minliatgre. upon which she gazed
with as tran oo . .

Her weslt of olden hair hung loose about
her shoulders an?! adown her back, and she
worea robe dc hi:qu and white silk that
wasver becom er. -

The  3 into the room and closed
the deer softlv , (1 him, turning the key in
the loch.

‘ How strange!”

jewel-studded miniature of Miss i

 

to spring to her feet, endeavored to cry out, but
strength and utterance failed her, and she slip-
ped from the chair to the floor, wholly uncon-
scious yet still grasping the miniature with
deathlike tenacity.

Now he seemed no longer the half-starved
miner, for with giant stride he was 3 her side.

Dropping upon his knees he twin his arms
about er waist and drew her to his broad
breast an instant; then he seemed as though
about to dash her to the floor in passionate fury:
but, with strange inconsistency, checking his
mad intention, he covered her lips with kisses.

Then, with a bitter curse he threw her from
him, and sprin g to his feet began to pace the
floor with quic , angry strides, while his brow
became ominously dark and scrowling.

“ I am a fool; I forget she was false to me,”
and he gazed down upon the white face.

“ Yes, thou wert false as Lucifer, Vivian, and
I almost regret that I did not slay thee, and
spare him. Had I done so, all these wretched
years would not have been passed, for then I
would have taken my own wretched life. Ha,
ha! your white bosom is as still new as though
the spirit had deported, and I am tempted to—
no, my hand cannot strike you now, for the
bullet I aimed at him also found in youa target-
it lod in your fair neck, the papers said, and
left a ideous scar.”

He held the light so that its rays fell upon the
neck—smooth and unmarred.

“Good God! there is no scar! Her form, her
face: ay and her voice, and yet no scar where
my cruel bullet cut its way! his is strange!

“ But I must dream, for it can be none other.
The scar has healed over. Hal she mum, and

she sees me here her cries will alarm the
house. Here is what I seek,” and he tore from
the small hand the costly set miniature.

Quickly he s rung to his feet, thrust the like-
ness into his Eosom and stepped toward the

cor.

There be halted and dropped his hand upon
his knifeohilt, while he gritted forth:

“ She was false to me, and—no, no. no, I was
mad then, and I will not do it now. Let her
live, for living will be her punishment.”

Again he turned to the door, and the next mo-
ment glided out into the hallway, just as a wild
cry burst from the lips of the woman—a cry
such as Hugh Lambert had heard three years
before when he shot the one he loved best in the

world.
Paus' not Hugh Lambert fled down the steps
out into e keen wind and icy storm.

But here be halted not, continuing his onward
flight right out of Central City into the snow-
drifte that lay upon the mountain slo

The way to his lonely cabin in the ills was a
diflicult one by da ; but now, when the storm
howled through t e canyons, and the winds
rushed relentlessly down rom the lofty moun-
tains, driving the snow in savage sts before it,
one would deem it utterly imposs1ble for a man
tolgnd the road, or escape perishing in the
co .

But he struggled on with indomitable pluck,
and though c
his rapid ce: in fact it was his only hope now
to keep him from freezin to death.

On, on, on he stag up the mountain-side
the snow driving in 's face, and his heard an
hair frozen fringe; yet he faltered not, though
he failed to recognize any known landmark on
the we to his cabin; but then the snow would
hide traces familiar to him he thought, and
in fact he thought but little of his danger; his
brain was in a whirl, his heart aching at his
meeting with the woman again who, three years
before. had played him false.

Suddenly there was another sound than that
of the howling storm—a strange, dragging
sound, half a heavy tramp, half a roll; but on
Hugh Lambert pressed, unheeding, even if hear-
ing, the strange noise.

hen came a savage grow]; a roar, and, knife
in hand Hugh Lambert was strugan for life
in thehugehairyarmsofamonarc ofthe
mountain—en immense 

Home to the hilt went the en blade—once,
twice thrice .with lightning and giant thrusts,
and t on the ground seemed to open beneath the
feet of the strufigling man and beast, and down,
down, down is the two until Hugh Lambert
was lost in utter unconsciousness.

And the storm raged on for hours, the snow
falling in masses: then the moon shone out clear
and cold, lighting the dreary scene, but all trace
of the short, fierce struggle was obliterated, and
neither victor nor vanqui bed was visible.

 

CHAPTER VI.
rm: TERRIBLE swam
THE X. 10. U. 8. Saloon of Central City was
certainly an institution in its way. and a spirited
one to boot, for there was an ve her. be-
hind which stood Red Turner, who could send
the six bullets of his revolver into a given space.
as easily as he could throw the ingredients of a

illed to the very heart kept up.

5

cocktail into aglass; then the gambling tables
where every game of chance known in the
‘calendar of fickle fortune could be indulged in,
and over which the game of life and death was
almost nightly played, with death coming out
the winner over some misfortune.

The bar and the gambling saloon were all in one
lar hall, and nightly was the place crowded
wit those who loved liquor for the excitement
it would bring. and cards for the gold they
might win—or 1088.

he fr uenters of this saloon with the very
remarkab e cognomeii, were many of them
characters in their peculiar way—men who
gambled for love of gold, others from love of
ambling; men who drank deep from the love of
iquor, and others who were temperate from
various causes—the principal one of which was
that their tongues, untied by whisky, were wont
to divulge strange secrets that had best remained
hidden.

Others were there nightly, who squandered
away the bright dust they dug by day, while
many hoped to add to their laid up store a little
more to hasten on the day of their return to their
homes and their families.

,Many bold and honest miners were steady
workers, and visited the X. 10. U. 8. merely

our passer le temps, for the long evening."
ting heavily upon their hands, or rathei
mm s.

Then again there was a large class of desper-
ate adventurers upon whose heads, were the
truth known shout them, hung rewards for
crimes committed and who had saved their
lives by flight, and were cursing their souls by
adding deadlier deeds to the red list of the
past.

Such was the thering then the night upon
which Jud W0 f, the pro rietor of the Cen-
tral City ouse and Colone Darke, the owner
of Deadmsn’s Kine, entered the saloon.

Both men were well known to all present—
the 'udge, a quiet, inoffensive man, avoiding
trou 1e always, yet never shirking the alter-
native if it were forced u on him; a man who
kept a hotel, pure liquors in his bar, and
allow no disturbances upon the premises, yet
who was fond of a socia glass and a game of
cards, be the stakes what they might.

The colonel, a man known to no one in and
around Central City, that any one had found
out, who had owned the Deadman’s Mine about
two years having won it at a game of cards,
and staked his life against the “claim.”

It was said to be a pa ing “lead,” but had
received its name from t e fact that several
men who had owned it, had been found dead
there, aggistol-shot in their forehead to tell how
they di . .

But the colonel took a fancy to it a few days
after he arrived in Central City, oflered to Luv
it, and the proprietor refusing to sell, he offered
to gamble for its possession, a proposition the
Owner a California Spaniard, at once accepted.

Not avin the value of the mine in money,
Colonel Dar eput his life against the balance
and won the game “hen the Californian a-
once attacked him, riven to frenzy by the loss

promptly shot im through the heart, and had
since been in undisputh possession, though
there were those who were wont to so that
some day another body, killed by a pistolehot,
would be found in the claim; but those chances
Colonel Darke was willing to take.

Some said that he had been an cfllcer of the
army, who had committed a crime that sent him
to the frontier as a fugitive; but this was only
hearsay, and none really new anything about
him, other than that he was an elegant gentle-
man in manners, a successful gambler, fearless
and resolute, and alwa s “on the shoot,” if oc-
casion demanded, an Deadman’s Mine was
believed to be a splendid property, as the colo—
he] had gotten very rich in the two years he had
owned it.

When not at the Central City House, the col-
onel lived in a slab-shanty at the mine, and
dressed as a miner' in turn, be was consider-
able of a dand in his attire, wearing corduroy,
velvet or bros cloth, as the humor suited him.
Upon entering the saloon, the judge said,
quic ly:

“ Drink colonel?”

“Yes, thank you; brandy straight, Red.”

Red er, named on account of his fie -
red hair and face, and not his carmine dee
bowed pleasantly and placed the drinks upon
the bar.

“ Seen a man called Dead Shot to-ni'ght,

?

mean the gent who wiped out the Knights.”

As Red Turner spoke Tarlcton entered the
saloon and a proacth the bar, and though he
had changed is costume, a]! n he had seen him
at the hotel, on the arrival of the stage, at once
knew him.

He now were a suit of heavy blue material,
the sick-coat serving as an overcoat, and a
black felt hat with enormous brim, and a gold
cord encircling it.

 

His pants were stuck in the top of his stylish
boots, upon the of which were the gold
spurs, and, as if to protect him from the driving

of his valuable property, and the colonel at om e '

“ No, colonel; oh, there he comes now, if you

Mr-.- .. ....... .

m.,..«- as...

o...” -M..- .

s.«-.«...-.

...—.-_...——. _. -.~ a...

 

6

mow, a scarf of blue silk encircled his neck, the
ends han infiauntil y over his left shoulder.

Upon is nds were fine buckskin gauntlets,
which he drew off as he ap roached the bar, the
not displaying a splendid iamond upon the lit-
tle finger of his left hand, and he carried
the ridiugcwhip, with its gold, gem-studded
handle.

If he was armed he did not exhibit his weap-
ons but all felt he was not the man to come to
such a place without being well “ heeled.”

A murmur of admiration went round the
crowded room as he entered, and every 6 e was
turned upon him. and evei tongue wi ling to
admit that he was a super specimen of man-
hood.

llzid it not been known what he could do,
some reckless fellow resent would doubtless at
once have “bounce ” him on account of his

elegant appearance; but Dan Smith’s tongue ,

had been busy ever since the coach came in. and
the town was alive with the exploits of the
Gold Bullet Sport.

Raisingr his hat, he shook back the lon wav-
ing hair, the act displayiii his well anced
head, and causing,r him, wit his beardless face
to look almost boyish, though he was doubtless
thirty.

His eye falling upon Dan Smith, ashe glanced
over the room quietly, he motioned to him and
his companion, who was none other than Buck-
skin Ben, to approach.

“ Join me 111 a drink, gentlemen—ah! Jud
Wolf, will you and your friend also do me t e
honor?” and Dead Shot turned to the proprietor
of the Central City House.

“ With pleasure, sir; this is Colonel Darke,
Mr. Tarleton.”

he two men looked each other in the eyes,
and there was something in the glance of each
that caused these who saw it, to believe that
they had met before.

he colonel started, and his usually pale face
turned a shade paler, while a strange light
flashed in his eyes, and Tarleton smiled, yet
there was much in that smile.

“ I am glad to meet Colonel Darke. What
will you take, gentlemen?”

The drinks were placed before the five men,and
dashed off at a swallow, after which Colonel
Darke said, pleasantly:

“ Now, gentlemen, who are for a friendly

ame?”

“ Not me, you bet colonel, kase I knows yer
luck too well,” said Dan Smith.

“ And I will be excused tonight,” was the re-

ly of Judge lVolf, “ and my friend, Buckskin
gen here, was robbed to-day,’ he continued.

“ Yes, the soaked a leetle dust out o’ my ole
clothes, but allus has a savin’ bank in another
portion 0’ my armints; I hain’t broke, but I
guess as how won’t chi in this night 0’
our glord, Anny Dominec er, eighteen fifty-
nine. ,

“ Then it lies between Mr. Tarleton and my-
self,” smiled Colonel Darke.

“ I will play with you, sir. I came here to
while away an hour or two. There is a table,”
and Dead Shot led the way to a table which
had been purposely vacated by i s occupants,
who were most anxious to see a game between
the stranger and the colonel.

“What stakes shall we begin with?” asked
Colonel Darke.

“ I am wholly indifferent, sir; make them
what you please,” was the cool rejoinder.

This pleased the colonel immensely, and he
drew out his buckskin purse.

“Better make it int’restin’ fer ther boys,
colonel, as yer did two years ago, an’ lay ther
Deadman’s Mine 3 ’in’ so much. You as had it
two ear now an’ asn’t passed in yer checks,”
said an Smith.

iDead Shot looked up as though for explana-
t on.

“ Dan refers to my claim, sir, which I work in
the mountains. I won it from a Californian,
staking five thousand and my life against it.
The loser got mad at his loss and I was forced
to kill hin..”

This was said with- the utmost coolness but
the dark-blue eyes'of the colonel never left the
face of Dead Shot as he spoke.

But the face of Tarleton remained perfectly
emotionless, and he said, smilin ly:

“What do you consider the mine worth 1”

“It pays me a nod many thousand a year.”

“ Do you gamb e for sin. sir, or the pleasure
if the excitement, may ask?"

“ Wholl for pleasure, Mr. Tarleton.”

“Then will stake m life and ten thousand
against the mine. If I ose, on get my money
and you can take my life. ny 1 win, the mine
and your life belong to me.”

Every man in the saloon was on his feet in
an instant, excepting Dead Shot and Colonel
Darke: they kept their seats, and, after clear-
ing his throat, the colonel replied without a

tremor:

“ So be it, sir. What shall the game be?”

“ Three out of five win. f you consider
your mine worth more than ten thousand I will
stake more against it.”

“That sum is sufficient. Red Turner, give us
a new pack of cards here.”

The cards were brought, shamed, and the

 

1 hands dealt out; then a silence, such as broods

l

 

Gold Bullet Sport-

around a. tomb, fell upon all as the game be—
gan.

 

CHAPTER VII.
mxni) FOR LIFE.
WITH an evenness that created the very in-

j tensity of excitement in the lookers-on, the
games between Colonel Darke and Dead Shot

progressed, until four had been played, each

1 one won alternately by the players, and but the

deciding fifth 'et remaining.
Colonel Dar e’s face was now almost black
with passion, yet his nerves were steady and

, his voice calm, while Dead Shot was as cool as

 

though it were a mere e of amusement, and
his eyes, as he now an then glanced over the
excited men around the table, seemed no bright-
er than before. '

The hand of the fifth and last game was dealt
by Colonel Darke, who, ere he had raised his
cards from the table, said sternly:

_ “ A glass of brandy, Red; will you drink,

r

“ No, thank dyou, colonel,” was the calm re-
joinder of Dea Shot.

Red Turner brought a decanter of brandy
and a glass, and the colonel filled the tumbler
and dashed OR the fiery 1i uor; then he repeat-
ed the drink, and shoved t e bottle back to the
bartender, who, since the beginning of the
game had not been called on for his services up
to that time.

“Now, sir,” and Colonel Darke raised his
cards from the table and glanced over them,
Dead Shot having already done so with his
“hand,” and the quiet smile never left his face.

Colonel Darke ed and Dead Shot “trump-
ed,” and so it went on. The game was played
slowly the crowd holding their breath, until the
end. Then a yell broke from half a hundred
throats, as Tarleton said, calml’y:

“ I have won, Colonel Darke.

The colonel was on his feet in an instant his
hand under his coat, but the gold-mounted re-
volver of Dead Shot already looked him straight
in.the eyes, while the deep voice of the miner

ri .
“None of that sir! I won the game fair]
and the mine bole to me. Your life I Will
not now take, but t at I may know my own
roperty, if it should stra into other pastures,

Will mark you for life

The pistol flashed suddenly, not five feet from
the head of Colonel Drake, who staggered back
as he felt a stinging pain in his car while the
bullet went on and flattened itself against a
marble statue behind the bar.

“You are not hurt, sir; I merely bored a hole
through our left ear. I will take ossession of
my mine n the morning,” and Dead hot stepped
to the bar, and added:

“Gentlemen, join me in a drink, please!”

All present, with one exception, ranged them-
selves in front of the bar; that exception was
Colonel Darke, who, with a bitter curse upon
his life, had left the saloon.

“ tranger, or sent that bullet clean throu h
ther colouel’s eft year; I see ther hole mysel ,”
said Buckskin Ben admirin 1y.

“ Didn’t I say he c’u’d andle the shootin’-
irons? Yer bet 1 never wags a false lip. Thor’s
the bullit, Red, jist pa it over an’ let ther boys
have a squint at it' they’ll find it ther yaller
dust gou bet,” cried Dan Smith, feeling that
Dead hot was his godson, he having baptired

m.
The bullet was (1 around to the crowd,
flattened out the size of a fivedollar gold-piece,
and was pronounced pure gold.
“ Pard, how is it yer can waste ther metal
thaltdway?” asked another admirer, peering for-
wa. .

“ I never waste my bullets, my friend; I
always bit where I aim. Gentlemen in re-
gards,” and the drinks were dashed off w th s.

to, while Red Turner tacked the flattened
ullet up over the bar, with this startling au-
nouncement beneath, written in a very crooked
hand, for a shot that had gone so straightto
the mark.

“Ther gold bullit as boared ther left bearer o’
Kuruil Dark—shooted by Ded Shot ther Gold
Bullit S rt, in this hour serloon.”

After is “treat” the crowd e to see
Dead Shot leave the saloon; but on the contrary,
he walked over to a distant table and sat down
with Judge Wolf, who had taken a great fancy
to the strange man, and there they were seated
in conversation when the door opened and ad-
mitted four well-known characters in Central
 and men feared as much as they were dis-

Nominally they were miners, and they Dre-
tended to work a mine several miles from town;
but when they ever worked none Mom 88 they
were more frequentl seen looting the streets,
or ambling in the dons.

ey. were called the Au 1 ortctte, on ac-
count, it was supfied of t eir ing so Wholl
the opposite of w 1'. their name would delig-
nate, and poi-ha because they all hadefimd
voices and «minim sung exceedingly w to-

gether, the only recommendation Md-
Some said they were bro for cg were
allover six foot, powerfully t, and eovily

bearded, while they were “walking arsenals,”
in the way of berg armed. - r
If a row occu the angel Quartctte always
“chippaed in,” as they expressed it, and they
were ngerous and desperate men, as many I
poor wretch had reason to know. " "
Their names, individually, were Jack, King,
Queen and Ace—at least such they called them-
sclves. and which was the trump of the four,
none had been'able to decide, not even their
enemies. ,7
As they now entered the saloon, the crowd, as
though by common consent, gave them
and t e ran ed themselves before the bar, and
calling or d ks, each one in turn treated t e
rty all round, their favorite way of drin H-
ing, and each time they changed the liquor, dis-
posing of brandy, gin, whisky and rum. 
“Now, we’re ready for biz. Thor’s a cha
heur as kin lay keerds tip-top, we l’arn; tro.
’im out, R Head.” _'
This was addressed to Red Turner, and the
speaker was one who called himself Jack.
“ Thar’s a few chaps heur, pard, as canhandlo
ther pers—ter whom do yer refer?”
b AIS e spoke, Buckskin Ben stepped before the
u

“I, refers to any man as isn’t afeerd tor ut
hisdust up on a game 0’ keerds. Is on t or
galoot as has jist won ther Deadman’s inc?” I

“ No, I isn’t him; thar sits ther pil ' in over

thar an’ ef yer don’t want ter t c awed up
yer ad better not tackle him, he’s clear
grit clean through.” _
“He’s yer rd than?” and the four bullies
lanced over where Dead Shot sat, apparent-
y not noticing the new arrivals. ,v .
“ An man as is honest is my pard,” W!!!
Buckskin Ben’s uncompromising refioinder. _,
“ You is a stranger hour, I gum-est” 
“ Yes I jist comed up for a eetle tramp, beiu’
as pelts as been prime 0’ late an’ I had a leetle
metal ter spend for izen an’ sich like." ;
“Vth is yer b ,may I ax, in a friendly
wa ? ' 7,.

‘ My biz are not ter meddle with that which
don’t concern me. or dumed sha high,” was
the quick retort of uckskin Ben, on he droppeg'
his hand on his revolver, but the weapons of tip
other three of the Quartette aheody covered
him, while all four burst forth into a rude laugh:

“ Gentlemen, this is not a fair deal.” -'. 

The voice was calm, deep, and resolute, and.

all eyes turned to behold Dead Shot confron

the Angel Quartette, his gold-mounted . ‘
vers in each hand, and, in some mysterious way,
1seemingly aiming at the heads 0 the four bul-
ies. -

“ Yer has ther deadwood on us, pard. Let up

an‘ we’ll liquor up all round.”

It was the Ace who spoke, and as he knew hi;
danger, he to “cmwfish ” as well as was
in his power. ‘

“And I intend to hold it. No, I never drink
with a gang of cutthroats,” and Dead Shot
smiled as sweetly as though he had paid o. cook
plimeut. .r '

A uick tale hic look passed between
four‘inen,’and  one seemed to read whart
was in the others’ thoughts, for with one accord,"
the laid their istols upon the bar, and Ace
sai reproac 1y): . f

“ tranger, yer as insulted us, but seein’ so
how we is four an’ you is one, we won’t chi 1i;
ag’in’ yer with our irons, kase it wouldn be
ther squar’ thin .” ’

“ You lie! on all turned against that man.
and I stepped forward to see fair play. You
came here to cause a row. and if there is trouble
it shall be With me; if you wish to avoid it, there
is the door. " :-

This stand of Dead Shot was a new feature
and the crowd Iauickly moved out of run 
both rties, l excepting Judge W0 and
Buc in Ben—they e t their stand near
Tarletoin, :3: 03h dodged behind '9
conveii en , an on : -,’

“Ef yer needs me, Dead Shot, I’m on hand,

ou bet; but Pse paid ter drive stagciou’ not tar
hght, unless thar’s good cause; ’sidel. hadn’t bih
weaned yet. an’ my my are awful ’tionlor
with her b0 .” ‘

But while espoke Don had a revolver in each
hand, and he was ready for work, if his “ god-l
son ” got into trouble. ‘-

“ Pard, I guesses as how I’m ’bleegle‘d urges?
but this are my ,” said Buc n ,
quietly to Deed Shot, while Judge Wolf re-

mark :

“ I think this matter better be dropped where

it is. Turner, set up drinks.”

“We’ll drink wi h yer, an’ we’ll shoot with
er, jedge; but fust let us clip this game-cook’s
eathers. He tole us an’ comp’ny tor leave this

hour layout—am I right, stranger!” and Ace

turned to Dead Shot, whose cool rejoinder
struck home.
“ You are, and if you do not leave I shall put
you out.” ,
How it all occurred none knew: bu ll 0‘ Ofio
accord, the four bullies sprung upon Shot;
two shots were heard: two has falls follow

 

and then a mass of strugflinf “ma-nit! ‘ “I
went rapidly toward the car A giant clog:
a crash of boards, and two men were hurled

of the saloon; then one man again

 

 

Gold- B_ullet Sport. '7

 

 

the bar—that one was the Gold Bullet Sport—
calm, his face slightly flushed and his hand as
firm as a rock, as he took up the brandy decan-
ter and poured out a generous drink.

“ Tarleton, by G—! I never saw such an ex-
hibition of strengt ,” cried Judge Wolf, arous-

ed out of his quiet manner by his enthusiastic 5
‘ ungainly man, who, to keep warm, wore several J

admiration. ,
“ He ha’ made a duett o’ ther quartette—sar-
tin ” said Dan Smith, bending over the two

bullies, who were Ace and Jack. _ ,
“An’ has them atween the eyes,” rephed an- ;
, held it earthward and he spoke in a quick, jerky ‘

other, while a burly fellow cried out:_

“Pards, I has strucka lead an’ this are my
clearin’, kase I knows whar ther gold is, an’ am
goin’ ter lay doctor an’ extract these beur
bullets, or ’m not a entleman.” _

A general laugh f0 lowed the remark of the
miner, who, a moment after, arose with the
tw0 old bullets in his hand, while he shouted:

“My treat, nabobs! Step 11 au’ gi’n yer
stomicks a surprise. Stranger, in yer shadder
ef yer is goin’ ter sling them bullets round, yer ‘
bet. We ll be dentists tergether- you plug, an’ 5
I’ll draw. Red, a bottle 0’ wine fer ther Sport.”

Shot bowed his thanks, and refusing the
wine took a. drink of brandy and movedtop
ward the door, accompanied by Judge qu, g
Buckskin Ben and Dan Smith, while a veice :
called out: ,

“ Keep yer eye on him, , kase the King 1
and Queen hain’t dead yit, an’ they ain’t no
slouch on ther shoot.”

The words were, ted with a loud cheer by
the crowd, who tumbled the bodies of the bullies
unceremoniously-into the street.

As Dead Shot and hisparty passed on through
the snow, on the way to t 0 hotel, two men
came from the shadow of a building near the
saloon, and raisinglthe dead bodies of the Ace
and Jack, bore t em away in the darkness.
Those two men were the King and Queen, and
already had the sworn a terrible oath of ven-
geance againstt e Gold Bullet Sport.

CHAPTER VIII.

Vionirl Magnum RUNS INTO ran LION’s DEN.

Wrra the early mornin Violet Markham arose
and quickly robed herse f in warm clothing for
her intended trip to the mountain cabin of
Hu Lambert '

‘ hen she recovered consciousness, and gave
the loud shriek which caused the miner to fly,
she had found the miniature gone and her
thought was that it had been stolen by the one

 

 

[whose mieXpected presence in her room had so I

startled her. I ' l
Believing her door locked, and suddenly dis- :
covering a white, haggard face and- trembli I
form near her, her usually strong nerves !
failed her, and she indul ed in a woman’s pre- '
ro tive in danger—that , had fainted away.
at the visitor to her room had robbed her I
of the miniature she was certain; but why had ‘
he not taken‘ the gold, for it lay before him
upon the table?

This she could not understand, and she turned 1
it over and over again in her mind, as she '
aced her room in nervous excitement, for the
owling of the storm without, and the loud ‘
snori of Sling Rum within, prevented her cry

from a racting any notice.

At length she locked her door, and lea '
her lamp burning, threw herself upon her be _
to rest and, to her surprise, soon dropped off '
into a deep sleep.

When she awoke the sun was shinin in at
her windows, and the storm had clea away,
leaving the whole t0wn, valley and mountains,
under a snowy mantle.

“ This storm is the breaking up of the winter,
and the spring will soon come. It cannot be ‘
very dan rous to go into the mountains with a ‘
good i 9; it is' on y a few miles to his cabin,
and must learn where he got that picture.
Hu h Lambert, a poverty-stricken miner, they
cal him, and yet, he had a trinket worth a
small fortune; but the miniature is gone, and—
ahl I wonder if he took it from me?

“Well, I must solve the myster , and then I 1
can search for him whom I came ere to find.”

Thus musin while she dressed. liolet Mark-
ham led herse deeper than ever into the mys-
tery hanging over her; but at last she descend- 1
ed to the breakfast—11mm and was pleasantly .

rested by Judge \Volf, who, no matter how 
gate the hours e kept, was always an early
riser;

“ You are determined to make the trip, then,
Miss Markham?”

“Yes, sir. Is my horse ready, and did you 
get me a good guide!” .

“Both await your pleasure, miss: but you '
had better wait a week or two, then the snow
will be gone, and our hard weather will be 1
over. This last snow—storm was a sur rise to 1
us, for we flattered ourselves that Spring had
come.” l

-“I cannot wait, sir; I have other duties to
occu y me in this art of the country; but; will

Oil-Kindly take c rge of my sachel of gold?

t is in my room.”

“Certainly, Miss Markham, and while you
eat your breakfast I will have my cook ut you
upa substantial lunch, to Whif‘h I wil add a
fink of brandy. for you may need it in the

l

 

mountains.
guide comes well recommended to me.

A quarter of an hour after Violet Markham
was mounted upon a fine sorrel mare, and that
she was a splendid equestrienne was evident at
a lance.

fore her, also well mounted, was a tall, thin,

pans of pants and as many woolen shirts, which

I
Your horse is a good one, ,and your ‘

gave him the appearance of a stuffed skele- L

ton.

His face none could diagnose, as he always 1

manner, as though words in his mouth had a

bad taste and he wished to spit them out.
Violet Markham was not leased with her
'de, for she heard a remark made to Judge
01f, as she stood within the doorway.

“ But, suppose we find ther bod ——an’ in ther
blindin’ snow he set outin, it’s ikely we will
—who’s to hold her when she faints, jedge?
I never was much shakes with weemen, no—
how.”

“ Well, you will do your best for her, Slim
Ike, won’t you?” .

“Yas, jed e, yer kin deepend on me as on a
mule’s hind eg; but it’s more’n likely in fetch
back ,two corpses, kase this hain’t no baby’s

' ust then Violet came out of the door, and

e Wolf hastened to say:

his is your guide, Miss Markham; his name
lim Ike.” v

“ At er sarvice, miss, but I was a—sayin’ fer
ther jogge er was a bloody idyit ter go inter
ther mount ins this day; but if yer says so, I’m
yer rdner fer ther trip.”

“ do say so; I wishto go to the cabin of‘a
miner known as Hugh Lambert; do you know
the place?”

“ As well as I does benzine, miss. I are ready.”
And the two rode away upon their perilous
Journe .

Jug
is S

y
“igudge, where is that lady going, may I I

k

Judge Wolf turned and beheld Dead Shot by
his sidHalm, fresh-looking,- and dressed as he
had been upon his arrival at Central Cit —vel-
vet 'acket, white corduroy pants, an light
slouc hat.

“ She has undertaken a foolhardy ride to the
mountains, to find the youn miner who threw
her miniature into the has et at the concert
last night, and a costlyething it was, the h the
poor fellow is said to starving that be it.”

“ I remember it was spoken of last night.
She is a plucky woman to venture out after such
a storm. Her name is Violet Markham, I see
by the books?”

“Yes, as such she is registered. Have you
breakfasted?”

“ Noget; I will go in now, and after break-
fast I h to get a good horse for a ride—I
would rather bu than hire.”

“There is a sp endid animal in my stable for
sale—left by a miner who has gone to Denver:
but he is ’wa up in rice.”

“I’ll take im if e is what you represent.
Please have him ready for me after breakfast,”
and Dead Shot glanced down the street after
Violet Markham and her guide, and a look of
the deepest sadness came into his splendid e 'es
—a look called there by memories of a. bitter y-

one.
8 In the meantime Violet and Slim Ike rode as
rapidly on as the deep snow would admit, and
leaving the town, pressed forward across ravine
and lonely gulch to the spur of the foothills, and
then upward under the shadow of the gloomy

1 pines, the guide’s eye constantly bent down, as

though expecting to come upon a little mound
of snow hea up over a dead body.

Snow-d 5 there, snow—drifts here, snow-
drifts everywhere—covering huge bowlders,
chocking up the mouths of abandoned “ shafts,”
and lying-in great, cold, white waves alon the
level reaches; still no sign of where Hugh m-
bert had been overcome b the fierce storm

; and sunk down to die, wit the snow for his

shroud.

" Thar, miss, ef yer’ll raise yer .head so as to
fix yer eyes on thet p’int up yendcr, yer will
see whar the cabin are—back in ther pines,”
and Sim Ike pointed with his finger to a lofty
,spur of the mountain, yet never raised his own
eyes from the snow-covered ground.

“ It are a good location ter view ther kentry,
ma’m, but a darned lonely place ter hang out
in; but then, he went thar to git a firm founda-
tion. Eve claim he tackled in ther valley
having fotc ed him nary red, up thar he said
he’d give his luck a bottom to back its everlast-
in’ cussedness ’in’.”

“Away up there? I see it, yet there is no
smoke coming u from above the ines. There
is a column of lue vapor; and t ere another,
and another, to mark the cabin of some miner,
yet it seems deserted. Perhaps he perished in
the storm.”

“0h, he may be thar, an’ he may not—no
tellin’, ma’m—he’s a queer one; but we’ll push
ahead ef ye say so. kase we’ll freeze inter mar-
ble statues ef we stan’ heur convarsin’.”

“I am”r'ady, guide; I will go to the cabin,
an .
“ It are as you say, ma‘m; you is ther cap-

 

' ed

t’in,” and he led on, without expressing the
thought in his mind, that the one they sought
was then lying somewhere beneath one of the
huge snowdrifts, to be found only when the
springs suns melted the icy fields upon the
mountains.

In arduous climbing another hour passed
away, and then Central City lay far below
them, and the humble cabin of the miner was
only a few paces distant.

Slim Ike sprung from his tired steed and
knocked at the door; but no response came,
and with a vigorous kick he dashed it in. The
cabin was deserted!

In an instant Violet Markham was within the
rude shanty, and a look of . surprise rested upon
her face, as she asked:

“ And this was his home?”

“It war, ma’m, true as Scripter; it ain’t no
palalcée, now, is it?”

it o 37

The word came crisp from her lips, as if she
disliked to break her train of thought, painful
tho h it might be. '

“ is is a checrless place for one to live who
had that miniature—a cheerlcss, desolate place,
indeed ” and she glanced pityingly at the tat-
tered blankets, the meager furniture, if such it
could be called. and at the drifts of snow driven
in through the cracks in walls and roof.

Upon the hearth burned a few coals still
lowin , yet they gave out no warmth; but
lim I e quickly had a blazing fire, while the

woman stood in silence watc ling him, and
seemingly unconscious of the cold.

“ W ere is he!” she suddenly asked, as if just
realizing that the one of whom she came in
search was not there.

“Gone up ther flume.”

“What?

“ He’s passed in his cheeks ma’m.”

“ I do not understand, gui e.”

“ I eases as how he’s not heur.”

“T at I can see; but where is he?”

“”He’s levanted, or caved—defunct, or play-

This was so much Greek to Violet Markham,
and she again asked:

“ Do you think he is dead?”

“ Now yer’ve struck ther bull’s-eye, ma’am;
he’s dead; of he hain’t, then he’s tougher then a
grizzly.”

“ I sincerely hope not; but it certainly seems
as though the poor man must have perished, if
he attempted to come home in the storm last
night ” said the woman, sadly.

‘Waal, he did undertook it, kase I see’d him
set out up ther valley myse’f, an’ be was makin’
tracks lively, yer kin bet.”

“ Poor fe low—from my heart I pity him, and
would to God I could have seen him; but what
is to be done now?"

“Surround a drop 0’ pizen, an’ fill yer bread-
baskit with some 0’ ther wittles ycr fetched
from ther jedge’s—that’s my strong l:old,nia’am,
an’ then we’ll take ther back trail fer ther

cit .’

131,1 spite of her disappointment Violet Mark-
ham followed the advice of Slim Ike, and ate a
good luncheon, after which she signified her
willin ess to return; but as she did so, a tall
form arkened the narrow doorway and a man
with masked face, and revolver in hand, stood
before her.

At a glance she recognized the leader of the
Knights of the Overland, who had attacked the
stage the day before.

dIhwas Captain Satan himself, that confrontr
9 er.

 

CHAPTER IX.
A DASTARD’S ACT.

WHEN the form of Captain Satan appeared,
like an apparition in the door of the ca Lin, Vio-
let Markham startcd back with a cry of surprise
and alarm commingled, and a foreboding of
coming evil swept over her.

But Slim Ike was at once on the alert, and
awakened from his calm manncr by the sight
of the intruder. threw his revolver quickly icr-
ward, this time looking squarely in the face of
Captain Satan, as he cried:

‘ Yer’ve treed ihcr wrong ’coon, pardner, an’
I guesses yer had better lcvant, kase I holds
ther drop on yer, an’ I‘m on ihcr shoot all ther

me.

Captain Satan never moved in. his tracks, or
touched his revolver; buta quiet, mocking laugh
broke from his lips, and the glitter of his eyes
could be seen through the almond-shaped holes
in his red mask.

He was a tall man of fine physique, and was
dressed in black pants, stuck in high-to boots, a
red shirt of thic material and a som n'ero. en-
circled by a red cord, while from his shoulders,
but the flaps thrown back, as though to ive his
arms full play, was a heavy cloak, su as is
worn by cavalry officers.

Around his waist was a bolt, containing seve—
ral revolvers, and upon his hands were gauntlet
gloves, while beneath his mask hung a long, -

londe beard, and his hair, the same hue, was
cut short.

What the face was, beneath that impenetra-
ble red mask none could tell.

The mocking laugh of the Knight of the

 

 

 

Overland, who, for more than a year had made
himself the terror of the road, infuriated Slim
Ike, and he yelled out:

“ Yer lafl.’ at me, yer durned red-faced devil,
do yer? I esses as how I’ll turn ther lat! ter
wee . Ta e that !”

T e pistol exploded, but ere it did so, a second
before, there came a re rt from the corner of
the cabin, and Slim e fell like a log in his
tracks, his bullet going above the head of Ca -
tain Satan, who never moved or flinched, whi e
Violet Markham gave a cry of horror as
Elbe form of her guide lay motionless be ore

er.

“This is a lonely place for a fair lady,” and
Captain Satan bowed politely to Violet.

“ I prefer its loneliness, sir, to your ill-omened
mmp‘any,” was the quick retort.

“ e cannot have all we wish in this world,
dear lady.”

“Stand aside, sir, and let me pass.”

“ And whither would you go?’

“ Back to the town. I came here for an ob ect
which I failed to accomE-lish. Had I known t at
you dared to Venture t '3 near to Central City
I should have come better rotected.”

“I dare do anythtiélf, an no force with you
could have preven my getting on into my
power. When I made you pay trl ute yester-
day on the highway, I knew not who you were;
now that I know you, I intend to hold you pris-
oner, unless you willingly go with one who has
the right to protect you. ’

“ In Heaven’s name, who are you?”

“Men call me Captain Satan, of the Knights
of the Overland.”

“ True, and from all accounts you deserve your
name; but who are you, I again ask, that lays
claim to me as my protector?”

“ One who loves you—one who has loved you

hum your girlhood, and who has lon mourned
you dead—swim, believing you dea without
one hope in life, went from bad to worse until
he won the name of Road Agent. Now, do you
know me?”
“ No, nor do I wish to. Stand aside and allow
me to .”
“It is a dangerous road, and you can never
reach the town without a guide.’

“ I can follow our trail made in coming here.
Oh! why did you have that poor fellow shot
down i” and Violet gazed sadly upon the motion-
less form of Slim I e.

“ He covered in heart with his revolver, and
my men never low harm to befall me; but
this is idle talk. What was Hu h Lambert to
you that you came here to seek ’

“That was what I desired to learn. In this
land, where every man wears a false appella-
tion, one cannot tell by a name who a person is.
Witness yourself for instance.”

“True, and I may say you, as Violet Mark-
ham are not what on seem.” ‘

“ do not unders nd.”

“ No you will not understand; but again
would ask, what is Dead Shot, the Gold Bullet
Span-he registers as Tarleton at the hotel—
w t is he to you?”

“ I never saw him to m knowledge.”

“ Yet he fainted at sig t of you, at the con-
cert last night, I am told.”

“ So I was informed. His may be, and doubt-
less is, one of those cases of fictitious names; did
I see him, or know his real name, I would know
him, perha .

“ Again, one Colonel Darke the owner of the
Deadman’s Mine, and an adventurer, fled at
sight of you last night, I heard; fled as though
you were a ghost. What is he to you i”

“ I know not. I saw him but an instant, and
failed to recall in him any one I had ever before
met.

“And what I am to you, you profem not to
know?”

“ Remove your mask if you are not ashamed
of your face, and I wiil at once tell you.”

‘ I am half-tom ted to do so.” V

“ Be fully temp The red mask is doubt-
lea the reflection of your red heart,” fearlessly
said the woman.

“ You read well—it is; but now I will not
oblige you, for my own brave knights never
know mess I lam—they never saw m face un-
disguised, and they have seen me p y half a
dosen rts successfully; but, will on with
me w 'neg when I swear to you t at am the
only living being who has the right to beyour
protector?

‘ I”will not! Stand aside, I again command

on. ,
y “ No, you must go as my prisoner, if you will
not meow me willin l .”

Violet k m sta k, and thrust her
hand into the bosom of her riding- habit. It was
withdrawn, grasping a small revolver.

“ Ha! ha! that is good acting,” laughed Cap-

tain Satan. .

“ You will find it deadly reality if you advance
1: me,” flrmly said the woman.

“ Girl, you are a precious little fool. See
there!”

He pointed to the form of Slim Ike.

“ I see— on are guilty of his murder.”

“ So be t. I wil be guilty through the same
means, of yours, for you are covered by half a

dam weapons, this instant, and in protecting

l

their chief my knights know not a woman from
, a man.

“Coward! afraid of a woman 1” and Violet
spoke with the very intensity of scorn.

“I am afraid of ancything or anybody that
endangers my life. ome, give me that play-
thing, and go with me willingly, otherwise
you will have to do so, for I shall use force, and
riding along unbound, on will find far more
pleasant than being he] in the arms of one of
myrkni hts.”

iole Markham saw that she was wholly ill
the power of the man before her, and she de-
termined to yield with good grace, and trust to
future developments to escape from her present
predicament. in Q” h

“ 3 our tention regardin me s e
asked calmly. g

“ That we will discuss at leisure, when you
are an inmate of my mountain palace. Come,
give me that wea n. ”

“I will 0 wi h you, if you will not use
force; but shall not relinquish this pistol; it
mayhfrove to be in only friend.”

‘ ayhap it wil . A good revolver, a quick
e e an steady hand, are a man’s best friends in
t is world, and might ruve a woman’s too.
You arewise in your ecision; permit me to
ail‘iNyou to your saddle.”

ithout a word Violet submitted and leav-
ing the cabin, was at once placed inher saddle,
her horse beilfi held by a man, also in red mask,
as were the h f-dooen other men standing near
the cabin.

“Come, men,” and mounting a lar

y horse, held for him by one of h

aptain Satan placed himself by the side of
Violet Markham, and started off, at as rapid a
pace as was possible, on account of the snow,

urther into the recesses of the mountains, his
half-score of followers brin g u the rear,
after they had robbed Slim 6 0 all that he
had valuable about him, which was precious
little indeed.

Hardly had the Knights of the Overland been
gone ten minutes when Slim Ike suddenly sat
up, without any premonito sym tom that he
was not dead as all had be ieve him, for the
blood trickled from a wound in the back of his
head and stained the dirt floor of the cabin.

“ l, guesses as how I hain’t so dead as I look-
ed, owin’ ter ther hardness o’ my calabash,
which jist turned ther ball lip under ther skulp;
but I thought it were more healthy ter lay
’fossum, or ther mout hev bin a corpse perv ded

er a funeral, an’ this child mout hev needed
mournin’ fer by hisrelations.

“ An’ thet are Captain Satan, an’ he are ac-
fiinw with the putty gal as I guided heur ter
t ' durned sheban l

“ Waal, of she
fools with her, or kin call me an Injun.
thought at one time ther curt’in had riz an’ ther
circus had begun, when she draw’d thet weepin.
Luck for her she didn’t use it, kase them devils
w’u’ ha’ shooted her, sartin.

“Now, what’s ter be did? I are afoot—no
bensine, an’ it are a lon way ter town; but it
are far more comfortab e then bein’ dead; yer
maycgamble on thet fact, Slim Ike.

‘ aptain Satan’s got ther , an’ he’s ther
man ter hold her: but then, she sa a1, an’ ther
fellers in Central hain’t goin’ ter et him hev
her without tryin’ fer ter get her back ag’in—
but, who in thunder’s this an’ I no shootin’—
irons? Guesses I’ll play ead ag’in. It are
more healthy to play dead, than ter be dear .”

So sayin , Slim Ike tumbled over again ugon
the ground, lying so as to show the woun in
his head to any one entering the cabin.

A step was heard without; a form darkened
the doorway, and Dead-Shot, the Gold Bullet

S rt entered the cab arevolver cocked in
.33]. hand. “" ' ’

iron-

on’t show her claws ef he

 

CHAPTER X.
as moves raox rm: saliva. ’

Tin: gentleman and young lady who had
come over from Denver in Dan Smith’s stage
and who had witnessed the lendid darin 0
Dead Shot were Major Lo Melton an his
do, hter orence.

T 0 major was a Texan, and had been sta-
tioned for several years upon the north- western
frontier, where, being a widower, his daughter
had lived with him, after graduating at a
fashionable board -school in Chicago, and her
beauty of face and em had won the hearts of
all the officers on dut on the border.

Inheritinhfiasn ttle sum in cash from an
old aunt, or elton had res ed his com-
mission and vested in mini nterests, until
he at is h purchased the G y Mine, some
little ce from Central Cit , and thither
he wended his way, determin to make his
home near his new uisition, at least until be
dug enongll‘l gold out o it to enable him to go
East and vs in luxury, or travel in .Europe,
where he could marry his daughter of! to some
foreign nobleman—none of the weaknesses of the
ma or, this latter desire. '

orence Melton, When presented to the read-
er, was a haughty beauty of nineteen—s thor-

 

ough brunette, and one who was not easily
[frightened by the wild scenes of the frontier,
for from her girlhood. excepting the five years

 Bullet Sport.  »

band.

 

_ ...._._.—~——____.-

she had been East at boarding-school, she 

mingled in border life.

She was as lovely in character as she was in
face, yet about her was a certain reserve that
keg; men from becoming too intimate with her.

hen arrivin at Central City, and 1

how Violet Mar ham had been robbed, she

with her father taken a eat interest in the
lonely girl, and, the maJor’s wound being a
mere gash in the scalp, they had accompanied
her to the theater, glad the the honest mines-s
were going to give her a volunteer benefltfin
her misfortune. . 55..

Thou h neither father nor daughter could un-
derstan the stran e effect Violet 8 presence had
had upon Hugh mbert and Tarleton they
felt that she was truthnt in sayin that she did
not know the two men, and in ’ng the mat-
ter over to ether that night, major and
Florence de rmined to offer the lonely girl a
home with them, as long as she would 'remain
in Central Cit , for it was the determination of
the owner of t e valuable Grizzly Mine to set 8
home in town and go to housekeeping.

Upon descending to a very late breakfast the
following morning, the two were eat] str-
firised to learn that a third man, Co onel fialhe,

ad been trangely moved upon catching t
of Violet Markham, and tha she had gone 08
on horseback with only a uide, to flu H 
Lambert, and learn from him the secret of .

sion of the diamond-gemmed ' tumof

erself. Had they known of the m ight vi,“-
tor to the maiden s room, and the thth of that
same valuable likenem, they would have been
still more astonished but it will be remembered
that the strange girl kept to herself this circuit!-
8 anoe. ~ :7
From Judge Wolf the majgr, and Florence
also, heard of the remarks le game at the

10. U. 8. saloon between Dead Shot
Colonel Darke, and the part the Gold B
Spgt played in the affair with the Angel 0119'-
tet '

 

“I. tell dyou, major,” said the judge—as file.

officer an his dau hter sat waitin for
breakfast, which in Sling, the inese
of the hotel, was preparin -—“ I tell yo 0",
I never saw such a remar able man nudist r.
Tarleton, whom Dan Smith has appropriately
named Dead Shot. -'
.“ With an eye of fire, he yet has the sad, soft
glance of a woman, and his manners are net-as
elegant as can be. Even in the deadli dan-
ger he is as cool as ice, and smiles as sweetly as
a ho looking at his sweetheart. . 

“ on should have seen him last night
dressed elegantly, and as handsome as a pit:th
and et ppmg the Ace and Jack of
A e Quartet e with two of his gold bul ,
an hurlin the Kin and Queen clean throu
the door 0 the X. 1 . U. 8. without so much r
ruffllng his shirt. .

“And he staked his life you say, Judge Wolf
against this Deadman’s Mine?”

“Yes, major, and won; but he did not kill
the colonel, and I do not think would have
marked him, if Dark/e, in rage at his defeat, had
not attempted to draw on him; then he bored
a hole in his left ear and told the colonel that he
wished to mark him so that he’d know him as
his roperty wherever he met him.” .1

“ ere must be some secret enmity between
the two men, which was not on the surface.”

“So I thou ht, major, the moment the two
met' but they th ke t quiet if there was.”

“I am sorry that t e man who behaved I.
gallantlyI esterday, turns out to be only a has
room flg er and ambler.”

It was Florence elton that spoke, and then
was a vein of contempt in her tone.

“You mistake, Miss Melton; he is not such
as you call him. He beheld four bullies, the
most desperate devils in the City, draw on one
man, Buckskin Ben and he step forward
and demanded fair lay, and this rought the
trouble on his shoul ers.” v '

“ And his staking his life on a me of cards?!

“Ah! that he gambles I do no deny. and for
stakes I confess I never saw .mbled for be
fore, I must admit; but then, we Helm
know, all of us frontiersmen will gin .
even your father doubtless fingers t e ‘ paperi
at times, I guess.” .

“ I canno deny it, jud e. What may ap
as a crime in the States, 3 here only a pas e,-

ou know. Florence, you are severe on Mr.

Tarleton, whom I certame think we owe much

to and a more elegant gentleman, though 

w at of a fin dress, I never met. By tlb
e

wa udge (1 ve any ex lanation of his

faigtileg at infill: of iss Markhgm?” 
Florence elton leant forward as if

to hear the rep]

“ None, sir" tgat is, he merely said she is the
ima of one he knew to be dead, and whom he
lov dearly. and the shock overcame him.” "‘

“ Where is he, now?” asked Florence, with
indiflerent manner. 1.:

“Hebou htaiine horse, I had on my
for sale, an rode away down the valley. 1
$30 ,he has gone to claim the Deadman

ne.

“ Alone!” and the manner of Florence Melton
was not so indifl‘erent 
“ Oh, yes; he does not know what itietefeaa

t

 

1.
l
i
I

 

v—ai ,

 

and if Culmiol Darke is wise he will yield it visitor down as no enemy, at once arosetoasit-

without trouble, for Dead Shot is no man to
stand trifling' but, major, I have found you a
home that I t ink will suit you. It is the best
owner of the Grizzl Mine.

0 better for that.”

“ Will the owner sell, or rent?”

“Either; and it can be boug’h: at a bargain,
as the present owner lives in
hasastore. It is the fat old man who came
over in the extra. yesterday, and is sick this
morning from the ht he received. His busi-
ness here was to sell t is place.” |

“I willseehim and strike a bargain for the
place, for I desire my daughter to have a quiet '
and eaaant home while we live here, and I .
tha you for your kindness; but I am real]
troubled at what you tell me about this foolis

girl. I would have gone and looked the young
{nine’r up for her. I hope no harm will befall
er.

“I hope not, indeed, sir, for her sadly beauti- ‘
full face has uite Won my henrt. ut - you
wished a horse rlde out to your mine—will
you fig, as you intended, or wait a day or two
for t snow to get away?”

“I will wait, I think, before goin to the
mine,us my head feels a little sore rom my
wound; but I will, after awhile, get you to go
with me to look at this house you speak of, forI
wish to get settled as soon as possible. Ah,
judge, you have a good cook; that steak is done .
to a turn, and the omelet is perfect, while I get ’
the pure aroma of Java from the spout of that
coffee-p0 ,” and the major, who was an e icure,
smiled with hun anticipation as the hinese
waiter placed the reakfast upon the table, say—
ingoom lacentl :

‘Muc ee g ee eat for Mclican man."

“Y these Heathen Chinee, as we call them, !
are coo and they make good servants as ;
well. That fe low Swing Soup; my cook, Gin ‘
Sling: and my office-man Sling Rum, will all
live on what would not kee a white child alive.
Ihave adosen Celestials a t the hotel and
theiare no trouble to me whatever; but what
in t e name of all the saints is thht row i”

As Judge Wolf spoke he ran hastily to the 3
window and gazed out into the street, and al-
most anoath came to his 11 as he saw the
cause of the cries that had at his atten—
tion

“ What is it, judge?” asked Major Melton, who
had followed him, and saw a somewhat noisy
crowd con ted outside.

“ What it? Why, simply that the dead are
alive!" ‘

“ I do not understand."

“ Do you see those four laige men, all dressed
dikadgpoking alike, and e center of the
crow

“ Yes I see them distinctly; they are four re-
markab y evil-looking men, who seem to allow
their beard and hair to grow to hide the faces
of'cutthroats,” said Major Melton, quietly.

“You halathitnthem: those four men are the
A

“ Nonsense! you told me that Tarleton killed
two of them.” .

“ And so he did, or 1 thou ht so, for the bul-
lets hit them square in the orehead, and Were
cut out by a miner present with his bowie-
knife.” ,

“Then how could they be alive!”

,“ That is the nation. I saw two of them
kill and now t four stand there, apparently
enjo good health. This is marvelous.” ]

'“ tisindeed. The wounds were not fatal; 3
the bullets ran round the skull.” i

.“80 it would seem; but see, the crowd are as 3
much to see thbm as! am, and they 3
stint! ‘ ntly enjoying the greater no- ‘
musty they ve won.”

“ And here comes Mr. Tarletonl”

"It was Florence that spoke, and the eyes of
the three fell upon the Gold Bullet Sport.

He was mounted upon his new rchsse. a
uperb blood ba ‘horse, handsome y saddled
t“ and he rode with the graceand con- ,
fldence of a splemlid horseman. .

That he law the Angel was evident: ‘
but Ms face never changed a muscle, while he .
smiled and raised his broad-brimmed hat as he

ht fight of the judge and his guests at the

W.
The next instant he dismounted within five
I oftheAngelWandawwmt led
horse away.

 

CHAPTER XI. -'
1 sun It: In LUCK.

Tnoo‘on Dead Shot had so suddenly become
famous in Central City, there were some r-
ain-who had not seen him,and oneof t ese;

was Slim Ike. .
Hence he did not know the Gold Bullet Sport, ,
first: he entered the cabin 01.1.13 1.135.”, ‘
gold-mounted revolver in his
WHall-there has been foul play here, u I a.
' for this isthemanlsawrideaway (mm
with her. I fearhe isdead,” and Tar-

lotonbant over the form.
slim lbw g word-.2, and stung Shel

‘ ’tain’t ther fault 0’
place in town, by far, and was built by the first i loots.”

It is, however, 1
{get out of the edge 0 the town, yet is perhaps ;

?

nver, where he i

ting osture.
“ on is correct, rd; I ain’t dead, tho’
apt’i-n Satan an’ his ger-

“ Captain Satan! has he been here then?”

“He hev—I kin mble on it.”

“And the lady you guided hither from the
hotel l” quickly asked Dead Shot.

“1 ham‘t good at conundrums, pard; I don’t
know whar she be at this present minit.”

“She is then with Captain Satan, for I can
believe notbin else.”

“ She are. e came in heur on us; an’ one 0’
his dumed gang gist pulled on me from yonder
corner— er see t er hole thar. Well, I tumbled,
an’ that laid, list’nin’ to a leetle intelli ent
discourse atween Satin an’ ther angil, an’ t en
he tole her she had ter go with him, an' she
guessed as how she‘d better, seein’ as how she
c’u’dn’t do uothin’ else; then ther bloody var-
mints jist robbed me o my possessions, a plug
0’ terbaccy, with several chaws bit off, a flask o’
beuzine, thet will izen ther feller as drinks it, a
million in gold ust, an’ my weepins, not ter
speak 0’ my animile I rid heur.”

Dead Shot listened attentively to what Slim
Ike had said, and then, by a few questions,
learned all that had occurred.

“ Now, my friend, I take you to be an honest
fellow, and a good scout, as you look like a
hunter.” ,
be“,That are my biz, pard; but who mout you

,.

“ My name is Tarleton, and I came to Central
City to attend to some little matters I have on
hand.”

“ Oho! you is ther Dead Shot, or I are a liar.”

“That Is what you call me here. Now, as
you know me, per aps you may be willing to
serve me?”

“I’ll do it. I like yer looks, pard—a leetle
too fine feathers, it maybe, but yer ’re lightniu’
on ther shoot, I lam.”

That was without a doubta compliment of the
highest order from Slim Ike.

“ I heard the judge at the hotel say you could
be depended on, and I intend to try you.
will pay you double what you can make at
hunting each month, and engage you from to-
day; but mind you, no one must know that. you
are serving me.”

{L1, ’understan’, pard. ° Perceed with yer sweet
ta .

“ I wish you to take the trail of Captain
Satan—”

“ Whewi”

“ What is it?" -

“kl Smell a mice; you is arter him like hot

“I wish to rescue the lady fromhis wer
and if you aid me, as I believe you w , I will
make you a rich man.”
listéiiltxel‘ meat every time, pard. Now I are

“Strike the trail of Captain Satan—in this
snow you can easily follow him—and find out
where he takes the lady; then come to the Cen-
tral City House and let me know.”

“ I’ll do it, pard; but I hain’t got no wee ins,
as them durned Knights jist stripped me o’ t ose
precious tools.”

“ I will divide with on, and— Hark l"

A heavy tramp in t 1e crisp snow was heard,
and the next instanta horseman rode up to the
cabin.

“It are one 0’ ther Km’ hts, tho’ he hain’t
his mask on now,” whispere Slim Ike, ea rly.

In an instant Dead Shot sprung forwar and
called out in ringing tones:

“Halt! or you are a dead man!”

The horseman was well mounted and at once
turned to fly, but there rung out a sharp re-
port, and he tumbled heavil from the saddle,
while, with wonderful spee ,Tarleton ran for-
ward and seized his horse ere he could get away.

“ Now on are mounted and armed, my
friend, an as turn about is fair pla , you can
search this gentleman’s kets,” and d Shot
turned the man over w th his foot.

He was a villainous-looking fellow, dark.
browed, heavily-bearded, andwell-dressed,while
he carried three revolvers and :5. Ion knife.

“ Pard, yer is suddint death with t or shootin’-
irons, you bet, an’ I’m obleeged tor yer fer er
fin’rous present. I’ll 'ist s’arch him as ’tentive-

as a on does t or Scriptur’s. See heur,
t are is red- mask, an’ hour are his old dust,

:, an’ it ain’t no shakes nuther. Jeehosep at Kin !

efheur ain’t m leetle ba 0’ duckits h to
from me!” and 3Slim Ike cgntinued his agarch

' until he drew forth a pack of cards.

“Jerusha Jane! hour are ther devil’s Bible,

an’ it looks as tho’ he’d been a ve ’tentive
reader 0’ it. Now, pard. what shell do with
ther stiff?”

“Throw it yonder over the preci ice. Now,
my man, you are well mounted and armed, so

t of! on the trail as soon as possible, You win
53a me, as I told you, at Judge Wolf’s,” and
Dead Shot went behind a huge snow-covered
bowlder. where he bud left his own steed,
mounted, and rode back In the direction of Con-
tral City, while Slim Ike, deli hted at the lucky
turn.in his affairs, threw h mself across the

9.919-333?“ Spoil»,

 

9

horse of the dead Knight, and struck oif on the
trail of Captain Satan, which was plainly
marked through the deep snow.

As rapidly as possible Dead Shot retraced his
trail to town, and, on the way, stopped at the
Deadman’s Mine, the entrance to which was in
a clump of pines on the side of a steep hill.

A rather comfortable and substantial log-
cabin stood near the mine, with a shelter in the
rear that served as a stable.

The approach 10 both the mine and the cabin
was across an open s )ace, and it would seem
that the bad name orne by the place, had
caused its last owner to almost fortify himself
there—at least so it looked to Dead Shot as he
sat on his horse gazing around him.

From the chimney of the cabin a column of
blue smoke curled upward, and Dead Shot rode
forward to see if the colonel was at home.

“Hold on, parin Ther colonel’s away from
hum, an’ I’ve orders not ter let strangers crowd
ther mourners in his absence,” and a man, in
miner’s costume, appeared in the doorway of .
the cabin, holding a rifle in his hand.

But, like a flash, Tarleton covered him with
his revolver ere he could make a motion to raise
his rifle.

“ Dro that rifle, sir!” ‘

“Par , er is too many fer me; I throws up
my hand,’ said the man. with the philosophical
resignation of the Western borderman when
lfie sees that his adversary has the.“drop” on

im.

“ I mean on no harm., I came to see Colonel
Darke,” an still covering the man, Dead Shot
rode up to the cabin door.

“He are not at hum, strange , an’ I guesses”
he’ll weep when he comes back and I tells him
how he missed seein’ of yer.”

“ When did he leave here 24”

“ He hain’t bin heur sin’ yis‘day af ’noon.”

“ Very well; when he comes tell him that
Dead Shot gave him a call, and that I will come
i]; 12hr? days to take possession of Deadman’s

e.

“ Yar has bought it, then, has yer, stranger?"

“No, I won it,” and without another word
Tarleton rode away; but a glance in the open
door of the cabin showed him that Colonel Darke
had exceedingly comfortable quarters, for that
wild country. .

Half an hour later Dead Shot rode up to the
Central Cit House, and apparent] unnoticing
the Angel

uartette, entered the otel, where
he was met by Judge Wolf, who asked, excitedly:

“ Did you see them i”

"' Who, judge?”

“The Ange Quartette.”

it Oh, es.”

“You did not kill them, then, as was be—
lievedi”

“Only two of them, judge.”

“ None of them—the bullets glanced, only
stunning them.”

Dead Shot smiled, and said leasantlv:

“ They will doubtless be at t e X. 10.U. 8. Sa-
loon to—night.”

“ Of course, and I am confident they are dog-
ging your steps.” - '

“ So be it: they shall have all the sport they
wish.” I shall have to favor the King and Queen
next;

“ You will not go there to-night, Tarleton?”

“Certainl , Judge Wolf. I never shun any
man; but I ve news for you—Miss Markham
has been captured by Captain Satan.”

" In God’s name, no!”

“ Yes,” and Tarleton told of his discovery at
the cabin, and added:

“ ltis my determination to run this game to
cover, and I wish you would have the hunter,
Buckskin Ben, looked up, and send him to my
room; also. judge, I would like two good men
in town, whom you can wholly de nd on for
any service—can ou find me such ’

‘lVithout trou le. Dick of Denver, who is
a dashing young fellow, brave as a lion, and
Tennessee Pete, his partner are just the men
you wish for dangerous wor , and it will be no
child’s play to get the girl from the hands of
Captain Satan. It seems to me you had better
raise a company. of men and attack the
Knights."

“ No, I can do more with a few good men
than a hundred bad ones. Now I will get some
dinner, for my ride has made me hun . I
suppose you will go with me to the X.10.€:§. to-
ni t!”

‘ Oh, yes, if you will go.”

“I must; I would not disappoint the Angels
on any account,” and with one of his peculiar, .
smiles, Dead Shot entered the dining-room.
where Swing Soup rushed forward to wait upon
11in), for he. had not- forgotten a certain golden-
souvenir of the morning, when he attended th
Gold Bullet Sport. __ __ '

CHAPTER XII.
DEAD snor’s auras.

Amn a hearty meal, cooked in Gin Sling’s
best style, and serVed by Swing Soup with a
broad grin, Dead Shot went to his room, and
unlocking his trunk be an to look over his arms
--a ro‘peatmg rifle, gol ~mounted, halt a dozen
splen id' revolvers, a long, narrow-bladed Mex'b

 
   

gamma..- 0. -.,._. . -..._..,...-.. .W‘

 w

«he—VT—rvssflu ‘V .

-Ww~

 

_1..0 V

 

" Gold Bullet Sport.

 

 

can knife, and a bowie. He also had four small
Derringer pistols which he always carried in his
pockets, convenient to his grasp in an instant.

All of his arms were of the very best manu-
facture, heavily gold—mounted, and the bullets
were of solid gold; he evidentl did not intend
throwing shots away, and anything or anybody
worth shooting, was fully prized by him as of
the value of one of his premous bullets.

In a short while his armory was in perfect
order, and then he began slowly to pace the
floor, his eyes filled with an intense loo of sad-
ness and his lips firmly compressed.

“ Vell, this is the beginning of the end, and I
have commenced well; so may I continue!

“ But, great God! how her face startled me,
coming back as it did from the dead! No, no:
it is on a wonderful resemblance—it is not, it
cannot she!

“ Yet, be she whom she may, I will not leave
her in his wer, and I must begin work at once.

“ I won( er if he is deceived by the likeness as
well as myself?

“ It may be it must be—but who is she if not
-—oh. God! I dare not speak the name.

“The Indian can tell me more; he will know
if it is she. Come in!”

The door slowly opened, and Dead Shot stood

ready to meet friend or foe, his revolver in ;

hand; but he replaced the weapon in his belt as
Buckskin Ben entered.

“Come in, my friend, and be seated, for I
wish a little talk with you.”

“ I’m at yer sarvice, Dead Shot. Ther 'ud e
told me yer was wishin’ ter see me,” and he -
skin Ben threw himself into a chair.

“ Yes, and I will tell you what I wish. I
came here to settle an old score, and ex ted
but one person to aid me; but I find I w' have
more enemies than I thou ht, and I need a few
secret friends upon whom can rely, and I have
taken a fancy to ou.”

.“ It are mooti , pard; you can gamble on me.
Yer hel )ed me out a muss last night when I
knows ’(l be’n wiped clean out; but I’d died
cl’ar grit, tho’. But, yer was lettin’ lowe yer
ton rue tackle.”

“gYes, I was about to ask you, if
ness here would prevent your joining hands
with met”

“ Dead Shot, I hain’t got no biz hour. I looks
arter pelts when I is in my own kentxX' but I
jist struck a lead—tumbled inter a go] —bucket
in ther mountains, one day, when I war huntin’
b’ar, an’ I jist run’d up eur ter hev a leetle
sport all to myself. Chip in, pard, fer I is with
yer, skulp an’ toe-nail.”

“Captain Satan has a band of some score or
more men.”

“ Yer wiped out seveereal of them, yer did.”

“Yes, but he has fully'a score left, and their
retreat is in the neighborhood of Guy’s moun-
tain, or Devil’s Gate, and they are doubtless
well repared to protect themselves.”

“ '1 my is fools if they isn’t.”

“ Well, it is to this retreat that he has taken
the lady, Miss Markham.”

“ Do yer say, pard, has he got the pretty gall
Do yer mean it?‘

“He has. She foolishly went to a miner’s
cabin in the mountains, and with only one
guide, and Captain Satan captured her there,
wounding her companion; but he is now on
the trail of the Knights and I expect him back
soon with information; then we can act.”

“ I’m with yer; but we’ll not tackle them
alone?”

“No; Judge Wolf is to send me two more
men, and these, with ourselves, Slim Ike, and
one whom I expect to arrive to-day, will make
six of its—enough for the work.”

“ You lead, Dead Shot, an’ I hain’t skeered.”

“Thank you! Come in l” and Dead Shot

again stood on the defensive; it was evident.

that he knew his life was in constant danger.

The door swung open, and in stepped two men
—-men in the true sense of the word, as far as
their fine physique, bold and resolute faces were
concerned.

'l‘hcy u ere in the regular miner’s costume, red
woolen shirt, top boots, rough pants, slouch
hat, and belt of arms; and though reckless-look-
ing, yet their faces were not evil.

ehiml them came Judge Wolf, who said,
pleasantly:

“ Tarleton, here are the gentlemen I ke of.
This is Tennessee Pete, who on remem r last
night extracted our gold bu lets from the heads
of the Ace and ack. He says they went clean
through to the back of the skull.”

“ I knew that, 'udge. I am glad tomeet you
my friend,” and end Shot grasped the hand oi
Tennessee Pete

“And this is Dick of Denver, Tarleton; a] “

oung man on can de mi on eve time, as
{fun can alsoyupon Peterfghough he wrfil drink a
little too much sometimes.”

Dick of Denver also grasped the hand of
Dead Shot—a tall, handsome young miner, who
looked as though he enjoyed every moment of

hie.

"Now, jedge er needn’t gi’n me away. I
does like p’izen, ’m free ter sw’ar, an’ 1 pours it
down qu1te peert sometimes; but I hain’t bin
r’ally drunk sin’ 1

left Tennessee. nigh on tor

our busi- I

nine years ago, now. There I was l’arnt a les-
son I 11 never forgit.”

“ As how, Pete? ’ asked the judge, with a smile.

“Waal, yer see, 'edge, I are a married man,
an’ I had a pard as us’d ter browse with, an’
we’d sometimes tackle too much tanglefoot, an’
then thar was blazes ter gay in ther bosom 0’
our fam’lies.

“ One night, now nine years ago this comin’
Fourth 0’ July, Buck Townsend an’ myself ras-
tled with corn-juice until it got us upside down,
an’ at night we started fer home; but durned ef
we knowed which house was which when we got
thar, an’ argi fyin’ ther matter didn’t do no good-

'so I jist called out ter ther shemale o’ ther she,
bang ter come down an’ pick her husban’ out,
bein’ as we didn’t know, an’ jedged ther ole
lady w’u‘d. .

“ An’ we warn’t mistook, kase she comed
down, along in comp’n with a broom-han’le, of
which she had broke t er sweepin' part off, an’
in less time than a creditor kin present a bill, I
foun’ out ¥st who lived-at thet lay-out an’ so

; did Buck ownsend, too, kase he got I-Iail Col-
3 umby played on his head, seein’ as how ’twas
: ther liourth 0’ July, an’ be struck fer hum,
3 while ther ole lady struck fer me, an’ hit dead
center ever time. '

“ Waal, was h’isted up-sta’rs with thet
‘ broomstick, an’ I jist tell yer it war int’restin’

while it lasted, kase the old woman’s mad war

up, an’ she jist let out steam on me until I

p nyed I war dead.

“Then she ’lowed she’d fetch me ’round, an’
went down-sta’is an’ I heerd her 0 out inter
ther back- ard, an’ I knowed her 11 thar; she
war gettin peach-switches, an’ thar was 3. 00d

wth 0’ them; seein’ as how we had no ids.
ow I gist levanted out 0’ th'et house kinder
suddint- 'ke, an’ I hain’t bin back sin’, tho’ I hev
wrote ther ole woman an’ sent her lots 0’ old-
dust ter keep her in good-humor; fearin’ as ow
she mout wisit these heur diggin’s; but I hain’t
. bin dead drunk sin’ thet nigh t, gents, an’ every
F Fourth 0’ July, when I goes ter sleep, I dreams
a o’ ther time when ther ole woman showed me
i which war which. Yas, pard. I do love ben-
zine, but I don’t 't drunk.”

Laughing at mneseee’s story, Judge Wolf
left the room, and in a few words Dead Shot
made known his intentions—to nscue Violet
Markham from the wer of Cafitgin Satan and
§ alsoto ca ture or '11 the ent band of the
‘I Kni hts o the Overland.

;, “ ou know,” he continued, “that there isa
‘ large reward for the head of Captain Satan,
l dead or alive, and a fair sum for each one of his
‘ band, and this mone falls to on five, for that
, will be the number have wi h me, not count-
: ing myself, and I have reason to know that the

Chief of the Road-agents has a 18.13; booty

secreted at his retreat, which will go to

you.
i P ‘t‘ When will yer set in, boss?” asked Tennessee

e e.
l “ That will depend on circumstances. I
I wish you to keep your eye upon my movements
2 withoutappearmg to do so, and I will give you

notice when to be ready, and you must have

horses and your weapons on hand for instant
use. To-nig t I go to the X. 10. U. 8. Saloon,
andI wish you all to be there— Whatisit,

Sling Rum?

l The Chinese addressed, at that moment put
his head in at the door.

“ Melic’an Injun man wantee see Gold Bullet

“ Good! It is the one I expected. Show him
‘ up, Sling Rum, and bring liquors for these gen-
‘ tlemen.’
| “ Me doee so all samee," and the Celestial dis-
a peered, and soon returned, bearing a waiter
o leases and several bottles.
hindhim came an Indian, whose appear-
ance and costume proclaimed him to be 8. hey

 

enne chief. .
, With a glad t of Welcome he seized the
l {maid of Dead ot, while he said, in fair Eng-
18 e

4 “’;Red Snake much glad see chief soon bime-

‘ “ And I am glad to see the Red Snake; he is
welcome. Gentlemen, this is the Cheyenne
I chief, Red Snake—a true man and one who
lovels. this, friends as he hates his foes. I owe him
in l e.
xRed. Snake love chief. Red Snake dead
many times if not for chief. He much brave
; le—face—killcvery time-
; un you bet, much hunky.”
, The Indian ipoke with a dignity that im-
I pressed his hem-em with the truth of what he
said and Buckskin Ben remarked:
‘ . You be a ood red, I’ll BW’N“ butI don’t
l n’rally tum e tor ver breed. 'I-Iowsomever,
: eur’s m, claw, an’ I’ll stay by yer eve time,”
I and heo ered his hand, which the C eyenne

U‘
‘4

g gran .with a smile and a grunt.
; “ t yer flipper ther, Injun! I’m glad ter
' make er acquaintance,” and Tennessee Pete

3 forward, as did also Dick of Denver,

who, throwin of! the frontier dialect and slang,
as he did at t men said:

“ The friend of

I he white, red or black.”

Red Snake good In: '

 

r. Tarleton is my friend, he

The door was now cautiously (fiened, and it
peered the serious visage of Shm e.
’ “Well, what news?’ and Dead Shot stepped
toward him.
But Slim Ike was the quintessence of caution,
and lancing around him, said:
:: éhall’I spit it out before these heur gerlootsl”

“ An’ ther Injun?”

“ Is my friend; he is Red Snake, a Cheyenne
chief. ”

“ Good! Injun shake l” and Slim Ike held
forth his hand, which the Cheyenne took, secm~
ingl§ pleased at the attention shown him.

‘ ow let me surround a leetle ’izen, for I’m
freezed clean through,” and Slim ke red out
a glass full of whisky and dashed it o .

‘ Now, capt’in, I went on ther trail ontil ]
comed ter whar it branched of! inter a done
dif’rent ways, an’ bein’ onl myself I didn’t ink
but one—one as showed w ar two bosses led

ne along an’ one ther gal’s hose. This led her

uy Mount’in in the direction 0’ Devil’s Gah,
an’ thet is all I diskivered, an’ 1 comed back in
let yer know.”

“ You did right. Now, my friends, be] your-
selves to liquor, and to-mght be at Red urner’s
saloon,” said Dead Shot, and a moment after he
was left alone with the Cheyenne chief.

CHAPTER XIII.
an!) SNAKE GETS INTO TROUBLE.

IT was verging on toward midnight when
Dead Shot entered the X. 10. U. 8. Saloon, ac-
companied by Judge Wolf and Major Melton.

The saloon was crowded beyond precedent, for
it was well known that the Angel Quartette
were to be there, and that they “ meant shoot”
with the Gold Bullet Sport, and all in Central
City were anxious to see what would be the ter-
mination of the aflair, for, that Dead Shot
would remain away none believed. '

As though ex ' g the Gold Bullet Sport,
Red Turner be reserved a table, which he at
once motioned the judge and his friends to take,
and it was so situated against the wall that it
fronted the crowd, and could notbe easily flank-

ed.

Amid a silence, which fell 11 the hitherto
noisy crowd, Dead Shot and his walked
over and took seats, and brandy was called fpr
anldesromptly served by Red Turner, who whis-
pe cautiously, as he set it on the table:

“Be on yer ard, Sport, kase ther’ is bound
ter be a. b’ilin’ eur tar-night.”

Dead Shot smiled pleasantly, and glanced
round the room, his eyes falling upon S 1m Ike.
Dick of Denver, Buckskin , and Tennessee
scattered here and there; but Red Snake, the
Che enne, was not resent.

“ wish Dan Smith was on hand to-night:
but this is his night in Denver; he is every
inch a man in an aflray,” said Judge W011.
quietly. ‘

“ I would like him here, judge, yet I do not
expect much trouble,” returned Dead Shot.

‘1 see that two of that villainous-looking
Quartette have their foreheads patched up with
court-plaster ” remarked Major Melton glanc-
ing across 1; room to where the “Angels”
sa at a table, drinking heavily and playing

is. .

At this moment the door swung open and in
stalked the Cheyenne, in all the dignity of his

r .
aggiilking up to the bar he called for whisk ,
which Red urner laced before him, and e
ured out a drink ar enough, for a small
amily, and swallowed t without an eflort.

“ Good fire-water, Injun; bed fire-water
make bad Injun. T 9 more bimeby sometime,

ou bet,” and instead of do ing, as all be-
ieved he would, Red‘Snake ooked around the
room for a seat, and discovering a vacant chair
at the table where eat the. Angel Quartette,
coolly, walked over and took it. .

“ but does yer want heur, red?” yelled the
King of the Quartctte. in a voice that at ‘once
silenced the hum of ctinversition. 

“Me good In un—p a po er, seven-u ,eve
time, you bet—Ema hun ' boy,” was t 0 only:
rep] and a burst of laughter followed. 2

‘Well, carry me hum ter die ef' this don’t
beat all! Injun, does yer wish to jine this bear
leetle game, or will or (play me single-handed,
kase I m yer honey ’an the King turned upon
the chief with a look that meant mischief, u all

could see.
“ Me y aElle-face every time—here dust,”
and Sn 0 placed a bag of gold upon the
table, which caused the eyes of the “ Angels ” to
glitter avaricnously.
“ 1'31: yer pardner; what shall. it be, red
in
“ White men know—Injun I: much dust.” -
“You hev, that’s a fact; bu I’ll rake it all in
in the shake o’ a leetle lamb’s tail. Bear’s ther
keerds.” :
“ No; white man cards cheat—Injun good 11;.
Ann, no cheat cards—play Injun car ” and Red
cake produced a pack, from some receptacle
in his apparel, that seemedlgmddealthem
or wear.  :
“Yerisal n’redmfyer my: I chest; but
1’)! not git myah with yer. Them head: hurt

 

 

 

‘

 

 

wuifiiéilayin’ with. tho’, so less have a new ‘

The Cheyen'ne nodded assent, and Red Turner
brought fresh cards which were at once skill-
full shuffled and dealt by the Indian, whose
skil with the “ asteboards " surprised all who
witnessed it, w ile it brought forth the remark ,
from the Queen of the Angel Quartette that he’d I
“ be durned ef that Injun wasn’t a painted pale- I
face an’ a gambler at that.” l

The stakes were named and the game began, ‘
and ended in Red Snake’s winnin the money; ‘
but before he could rake in his gol , it was seized j
by the King, who shouted out:

“ Hold him, fellers, kase he cheated me, an’ i
[’ll knife him.” =

The Red Snake was a powerful man, but he 1
was taken at a disadvantage, for his arms were
seized upon either side by two of the Quartette, ;
while a third held him around the waist. I

“ Hold him, boys, an’ I’ll jist skulp him, or
I’m a liar,” and the King started forward, knife
in hand.

“ Hold there !”

ery man in the room started at the sound
of t ringing voice, that thrilled through them
like a trumpet blowing the char .

“ Look out all,kase ther band’s Eggun ter play,” 
yelled Red Turner, and he stood ready to duck ;
down behind his bar which was iron-plated in- 3
side, as he had known what to expect, as a man i
who dealt out “ p’izen, benzine an’ sich ” in that 1
wild land. ‘ , y

At the cry, the crowd divided right and left, ‘
leaving a lane open between where the Quar-
tette stood—three of them still holding Red ‘
Snake. and the fourth revolver in ban —and
Dead Shot.

The King now faced the Gold Bullet S rt,
his revolver thrust forward and a wicked g eam .'
in his eyes, for he felt that he had the drop on 3
his enemy now, for Dead Shot’s left hand rested ‘r
on his hip, and his right hung limp at his side, 1
and apparently weaponlees.

All saw the apparent advantage of the King,
and trembled for Dead Shot, for the despera o 
was known to be a dangerous hand with the re- 3
volver and as quick as a flash.

“ I guesses as how this are my time, stra r,
ter pervide ther corpse for ther funeral. er
chipped in too soon, an’ afore yer was ready—I ‘

holih the d on yer,” said the bully.

The Gold ullet Sport smiled serenely, and ‘
said calmlyw . ‘
“I ‘chi in’because I would not see you
[rob and that red-skin who beat you at?

cards. If you hold the drop on me why don’t :
you shoot?”

‘ “I’m a—goin’ ter. Say yer ‘Now I lay me ‘
dov‘vn tersleep,’kase or is fer be made cold ‘
meat of mighty sud nt.”

Had the King talked less and acted more, it ‘
would perha have been the better for him,
for, quicker t an a flashbf lightning, the ri t ,
arm of Dead Shot jerked backward and or- ;
ward, and it was then seen that the hand had ‘
not been weailponless, for there was a whiz in the
air and a t ud just as the revolver of the
“Angel” flashed.

For a second none knew what had hapgened,
and then the saw that the Gold Bullet port,
with one in ht bound, had cleared the e
between him an his foes, and held a revo ver
in each hand at the head of the Jack and Ace, 1
While Red Snake did the same service for the
Queen and upon his back on the floor, stone
dead, lay the King the gold-hilted bowie of '
Dead Shot buried in his heart. The Gold Bullet
Sport had hurled his knife as unerrlngly as he
sent his bullets!

When the crowd saw how matters stood—that
a shot had been fired. a knife had been thrown,
and' that the King of the A l Quartette was
dead, and the other three in urance vile, they
brohe‘ forth in a yell of admiration that e
the es on the bar ring agdin, while a voice
was card crying: .

“'You hev ’em now whar they hve, Sport;
shoot ’em, lynch ’em!” ’

vBut Dead Shot did not see fit to follow this
advise, and simply said to the discomflted “ Au-

“No get out of this, and take that carrion
with y to feed to the crows.” . 0

He stood back as he spoke, yet still covering
the three men, and Red Snake followed his ‘ex-

. ample, while, seeing that the crowd were

against them, the remaining Angels raised their
dead comrade from the floor— ick of Denver
s ing deard and drawin the knife from
his in, and handing it Tarleton—and
were leaving the saloon, when the Queen, shak-
hig his fist back at his enemy, shouted:

“ We’ll drive teryer funeral yit, my fine bird
--I’ll gamble on it.

“ Done! come back and stake the money with
Red Turner, here-” and Dead Shot walked to

the bar'his in hand while the Queen fe-
burnedfaud is comrades halted with the dead
bod at the door.

' “ ll wager one thousand dollars that I kill
u within the month—athe one who Winsto get
e money from Red Turner,” said Dead Shot, ‘

ealml .
"'me shoots over my pire, peed.”
“Five hundred, then ’

‘ k

j' marked as it was by evil

 991d 311119135109“;

“ It are a bar ain! Heur, Red Turner, is my
dust, an’ I’ll cal on yer afore long for ther
stakes, an‘ gi’n yer an invitation ter this ent’s
funeral. Gents, er is all invited ” an the
bull smiled grim y, and bowed to the crowd.

“ ’ll be at ther funeral, pard, an’ I guesses
as how you’ll ride in ther hearse,” said Tennessee

Pete.
The mone was laced in the hands of Red
Turner, an the ‘ Angel trio” departed, Dead

Shot soon after followu‘ig, accompanied by Ms-
jor Melton, and Judge olf.

As they parted at the bar of the hotel, over a
friendly ‘ night-cap,” the Gold Bullet Sport
said feelingly:

“ I30 not consider me cruel and hardened, Ma-
jor Melton, and you, Judge Wolf; but I have a
score to settle with certain men that their lives
alone can pay. Good-night!” and Dead Shot
ascended to his room, leaving the judge and the
major more than ever impressed in favor of the
gemarkable man they had known so short 8.

mm.

 

CHAPTER XIV.
CALAMITY KATE.

INa cabin on the outskirts of Central City,
and standing of! by itself, at the mouth of a
rocky ch sat a woman, the night of the
gush o the king of the Angels at the x 10. U.

oon.

'She was dressed in a blue wo'olen skirt, red
woolen jacket, and wore around her waist a
leather belt, in which was stuck a revolver and

e

The face of the woman was a strange one.
Once it had been handsome, and even at forty-
five it was not uncomely—dark, reckless and
ssions.

Her eyes were large lue, except in angler,
and then they became utenser black- her 'ps
sensual, and the teeth perfect while her form
was supple, graceful, and had once been ele-

nt. ‘

'Braids of sunburnt halr once golden, en-
circled her head and in the East she would have
been mistaken for a Gipsly, but in Central City
she was taken for just w at she was-a woman
who had seen better days, and had drifted to the
mines with her husband, or lover.

A ear before, she had appeared in Central

y
. Cit with a man, who like herself, wasa wreck,
w

an hom she called her husband; but be, when
drinking. denied the soft impeachment; at the
same time hinting that she was the legal pro-
perty of another man.

That he did not care for her was evident; that
she idolized him was also evident, and when one
day he was shot, in a bar-room broil, and his
body carried home to her she had taken the law
into her own hands and killed the slayer of the
one she so dear] loved.

For a week a ter the funeral the woman was
not seen in Central City, and some miners, he-
lieving the “ claim” deserted by her went to
working it, but they saw their mistake, when,
with revolver in hand, she appeared upon the
scene looking like the ghost of her former self,
and chased the two 03 of her possessions.

While they 19. in bed nursing a wounded leg
and arm they ad time to meditate upon the
danger of “bouncing” a woman’s claim.

From that day the woman, whom the miners
had christened Calamity Kate, worked in her
mine, getting a small sum out of it daily, and
her little treasure she boarded careftu up for
some purpose known only to herself.

As she sat that night in her rude cabin, her
thoughts seemed none of the pleasantest. if one
might judge from the low a oi‘ds that fell from
her lips, w ile her brow was dark and scowling.

“ ! fool that I am, fool that I was! and this
life must go on yet longer, ere I can return and
see those whom my heart goes out to in all its
yearnin !

“He 5 dead, perhaps; but they will not die
until I see them again; and oh! What joy will
it be to see them, even though I dare not tell
them who I am. -

“Oh, God! how Iuhave suffered in all these
years gone by—suil'ered, and yet live—suflered
and et am not mad.

V ell am I called Calamit Kate! but oh,
h0w different this from the 01 en time; yet he
was a fool to marr me, when I told him I did
not love him; but should not blame him, for
be trusted me because he loved me, and [was
false to him.

“ And this is myvplunishmentl Oh, how terri-
ble it has been! en he lived, even though he
had ceased to love me, I could bear it; but now,
it is fer than I can bear.

“ metimes I feel as though I could not wait
to dig enough gold out of the stingy earth but
will take it at the muzzle of m revolver irom
those that have it—and why no 2

“Am 1 not already a murderer? What other
crime need I fear to commit?

“ But, I would kill again if it would but t
me gold to go from here and see— Hark! es,
it is a . Who comes?”

“ It is I, Kate: open the door,” said a voice
without.

The woman arose and drew back the bolt, and
a man with a cloak around him entered; it was
Colonel Darke.

 

1 1 ‘
“Well, Kate, I have again appointed a meet
ing at our cabin; I will pay you well for it.”

‘ Go d is what I want, Colonel Darke,” said
the woman, shortly.

“You see I do not care to be seen talking to
the Angels in town and I told them to meet
me here to—night. I suppose you can give us
the use of your cabin for a half hour or so?”
anldi Darke placed in her hand a few pieces of
go .

“ Yes, I will go down to the groccrv for some
stores, and then stop in to see Miner “'ctinore’s
wife, who is sick. I will return by twelve ;"
and putting on a man’s slouch hat and drawing
a blanket around her shoulders, she left the
cabin, the colonel, in the meantime, pacing the
floor in deep thought.

“ That woman could aid me greatly did I dare
trust her. I will talk with her some time and
see what dependence I can place in her. Now I
wonder what those devils accomplished to-night
—-ha! there they come, now!”

Four distinct taps came upon the door and
Colonel Darke opened it, and started back with
an oath, as three men entered, bearing the form
of a fourth in their arms.

“ Curses! who have on there?”

“ It are the King, colonel, an’ no joking,” an-
swered the man known as the Queen.

“ Is he dead?”

“ He hain’t dancin’ happy, you kin bet. He
war too much fer us, boss.”

“ The Dead Shot?”

“ Thet are the feller I refer to—he are chain-
1i htnin’ on ther rampage, an’ yer never knows
w r be is goin’ to strike.”

“ Cowards! to let one man get the best of
you!” sneered Colonel Darke. .

‘,‘ v k a-heur, colonel, he got away with you,
an —

“ I was one and you were four; but I expect I
will have to kill him yet.”

“ It mout be, or have him call for your checks,-
colonel, an’ ef he does, I guesses as how you’ll ‘
cash in.”

f‘ Silencel Two last night and one to-iiight—
this is bad, very bad; but you must be the Quar-
tette again tomorrow.”

“It. are more healthy when \that chap are
loose in a pasture; does yer want us to tackle
him ag’ini

“ Not immediately, for—”

“ I can’t wait, colonel, kase I have a leetle bet
0’ five hundred with him I’ll get him yet whar
he lives; but I’m not so howliu’ happy over ther
gamble as yer might think.”

“Win your money and I’ll give you a thou-
sand. He left word at the mine today that he
would take possession in three days; before that
time he must be dead—do you understand?”

“ Yas, colonel; but ef I lose ther bet ?”

“Then the devil will get his own,” rudely said
Colonel Darke. and though the Queen’s eyes
flashed, he made no reply.

“ W'hen shall we tackle him ag‘in, colonel?”
asked the Queen, after a moment’s silence.

“ When you please—try him on the street
next time if you wish- if on are afraid to face
him shoot him in the c .”

“ ed Lynch mout investigate—”

“No ger; hang about the streets tomor-
row, and in some way kill him—how, I do not
care, so that you do it. I tell you he is our most
dangerous foe, and I have work on hand I do
not wish him to meddle with. Now I am off for
Golden City, and when 1 return I expect you to
give me a good report. A thousand to the man
who kills him!”

So sayin Colonel Darke motioned to the
“An ls”t at the conference was at an end
and t ey took up the form of their comrade and
left the cabin, be following a moment after, and
mounting his horse that was in waiting, dashed
rapidly away in the darkness.

_As he disappeared, and the Angels were lost
Sight of in the gorge, a form crept from beneath
the cabin, bed open the door and entered; it
was Calamity Kate. .

“A pretty game to get rid of a brave man,
my ga colonel; but one in which Calamit
Kate s_all hold a full hand—I have sinned
eggggh in the past, now let me begin to do some
8 - . .

 

CHAPTER XV.

'r rA-t RIhUhEJDdgAiglf h d k

Imprope Wic ueo a .en'
of, as being a pleasant home for Major Igloton,
more than met that gentleman’s hopes, and a
purchase was at once made, the owner being
most anxious to get back again safe in Dcnver,
which place be mentally swore he would never
more leave.

Eager to be at once settled, the major and
Florence had been busy all day purchasing fur-
niture, and had just returned to the hoto] to sup-
per, when u dashfli the stage from Denver
with Dan Smith upon the box.

"lWhat news, Dan?” asked Judge Wolf anxi-
ous v.
“Passed over yesterday and back tar-day,

V ’ithout seein’ a single Knight: but ihar’s some

pilgrims inside. jedge, fer yer hash-house.”

The jugfieopened the stage door and out step-
ped seve . rsons, one of whom in appearance
was panic arly striking-«:1 5:71, well-formed

.W; v“, 

fl _ V W A . W V _ ._.__,_.,.., .— V cm— -——v— ~vxw» ?'—*'.'\

 

 

 

,1?

man, dressed in the hight of fashion, and with
blonde mustache, long. curling olden hair, and

blue eyes full of expression; a andsome man,
and yet one in whose face there was a. look not
sincere.

Bowing politely to Judge lVolf, he said, in a
voice strangely soft:

“ You can give me pleasant quarters, I hope,
sir, for the time I remain with you?”

“ Certainly, sir; whom do I address?”

“ My name is Ken r'on, sir—Carl Kenyon; I
am owner of the Grizz ' Mine.”

“ Ah! I know you by name, Mr. Kenyon,
but newer had the pleasure of meeting you be-
fore. Major Melton, who purchased from you,
and his daughter are now guests in the house?”

“ It is to see Major Melton that I have come.
Now’I will go to my room, please,” and the
stranger followed Sling Rum to the chamber
assigned to him.

Ashe ascended the stairs he met Dead Shot
coming down, and the two slightly bowed, hesi-
tated, and passed on, the stranger flushing
slightly. the Gold Bullet Sport having an un-
fathomable look come into his fine eyes.

Goincr straight up to the register Dead Shot
glance at the new arrivals, and then turned
away, seemingly puzzled.

“A note for on, Mr. Tarleton.
have read it, I K
said the gudgc.

Dead hot took the note and glanced at the
address:

“To Mn. TARLETON—OR
“Dead Shot, the Gold Bullet Sport.”
“ Central City House.”

It was in a feminine hand and well wrftten—
the writing of a person of education.

Opening the envelope Dead Shot read without
a ghange of expression:

‘ in:

When you
ave something to show you,”

“ You have dangerous enemies in Colonel Darke
and the four men known as the Anvel Quartettc—
they plotted to take your life, last night at my cabin,
By shooting you down on the street.

“ Beware of them, for you are too brave a man to
be shot down like a dog.

“ You are a. stranger to me, and et I would serve
you—fbut do not betray me, or my ife would be the

orfeit. “ CALAMITY Kara.”

Dead Shot read the note twice over, and then
tore it into little pieces.

“ Judge, who is Calamity Kate?” he asked.

“ A poor woman whom I deeply pity—one who
has seen better days, and who came to the city
with a worthless vagabond, who boasted that he
had won her from her husband; there is some
mystery as well as sorr0w in her life. Why do
you ask?”

“ I may tell you some time; now, what was it
you wished to show me?”

Without a word Judge Wolf led the way to
the window and pointed out into the street.

. There before the door, stood four men—the

Angel, Quartette.

“ Those fellows never say die, do they?”

“ Next time I shall have to kill them all and
then bury them,” and with a light laugh Dead
Shot passed out into the street. His was a na-
ture to meet any threatened danger at once, and

. have it over With.

As he left the hotel the stranger, Carl Ken-
on came down to the office and asked to see
for M lton

" He is in his room, sir; the heathen will show
you up. He knows of your arrival," said the
jud e; and a moment after Carl Ken on stood
in t 6 presence of Major Melton and is beauti-
ful dau hter. '
‘ “ Ma or Melton, I believe?” and Carl Kenyon
advanced to meet the ex-ofllcer'.

“ Yes, sir; I was told Mr. Kenyon desired to
m me. 7’

“ My name is Kenyon, sir.” _

“ Ahala relative of the gentleman of whom I

urchased the mine? Be Seated, sir. My daugh-
er, Mr. Kenyon.”

The gentleman bowed politely, gave Florence
a glance of unfeigned admiration, and a light
but leasant conversation followed, when, the
mai en excusing herself left the room, for she
saw that the visitor evidently desired to see her
father upon business.

“Major Melton, pardon a seemin rudeness,
air but your daughter is very, very autiful,’
an Mr. Kenyon spoke with an earnestness that
proved that he meant what he said.

“ She is the joy of my life, sir, and asgood as
she is toautifui; ut are ou the brother of Mr.
Carl Kenyon, of whom purchased the Grizzly
Mine?” .

“ I am Carl Kenyon himself, sir I”

“Impossible!” and the major was intensely
surprised. -

“ It is true, sir, my name is Carl Ken n, and
I came hither from San Francisco, as 'leamed
that you had made a supposed purchased of my

roperty, known as the Grizzly Mine.”

“ A an osed gurchnse? I must confess, sir,
I am whol y una lc to understand you. I paid
fifty thousand dollars cash for that mine. and
hold the deeds of transfer from Carl Kenyon as
jor Melton, it pains me deep y, sir, to tell
you that you have been grossly decoived—the
ma: who sold you that mine had no right to do
n- 1 .

H

the lfig‘itimafo Owner,” said the ma{or, warmly.
a

 

4 Goldeullet Sport.

 

“You astound me! Certainly there must be
some mistake about it?”

' “ None, whatever, sir, I am sor to sa . I
bought the Grizzl Mine a year an a hal ago,
for ten thousan cash, for it was in ill-favor
then; but I put dgood miners there who struck
lucky leads, an it has paid handsomely, under
the management of Carleton Keene, my super-
intendent, whom I placed there.

“Finding that t is agent, Carleton Keene.
was cheating me, I discharged him several
months a o, and the mine has since run itself,
under a
sur rise and anger when I was told tha Major
Me ton, an ex-army other, had purchased the
property for a large sum from one pretending
to be myself.”

“ Great God! if what you tell me is true, I am
utterly ruined—utterly wrecked financially.
paid out fifty thousand cash, and since coming

ere have purchased a house and furnished it;
this has swamped me, excepting a few hundred
dollars; but I expected dai y receipts from the
mine and made no revisions for a rainy day.

“Now you come mm and coolly inform me
that the )urchase of the mine was a gus trans~
action. t is a sad realit to me, sir.”

“ I know it, Major Me ton, and I deeply feel
for you sir,” said Carl Kenyon, feelingly.

“And where is this Carleton Keene, who as-
sumed your name?”

“He is dead, sir: he killed himself in San
1li'rlain’cisco, a short while since, in a gambling

e . .

“But of course I can recover my money,”
and the major was very pale, though calm.

“Unfortunatel no—he lost every dollar at
the gambling-tab e. It was this that caused him
to take his own life.” ~

“ I am ruined—my every ho
poor, poor daughter,” groan
man.

“ Ma 'or Melton, from my heartIfeel for you,
air, an —pardon me for the suggestion—if it is
as bad as you say, I can certainly keep you
from want, for the mine needs a manager, and
though the salary is not large, it at least will
prevgnt starvation. Pardon me if I wound

you.

“On the con , Mr. Kenyon I thank you
for your kindness; ut, let me collect my ideas,
sir, when did this man die?”

‘ Some three weeks since. He lived a few
hours fitter shooting himself, and confessed all
to me.

“ Yes, he came to the fort where I was visit-
in a brother officer, and offered the mine for
an e, and the representations he made were so
fair that I wrote to Judge Wolf, the proprietor
of this hotel, and whose name was given me as
a responsible party, and was told by him in a
letter that the mine was owned b Carl Ken on,
who had urchased it, a year an a. half be ore,
and that t was payin largely.

“I instantly close. the bargain, and came
down here soon after. Now on tell me the
man was not Cari Kenyon, nt 8. Carleton
Keene.”

“True, air; allow me to summon Judge Wolf
—he San tell you something of the man, I sup-

se

Five minutes after the proprietor of the Con-
trol Cit House entered the room.

“ Ju go, I am sorr to trouble on; but, did
yolu {mow Carleton eene?” ask the major,
ca m y.

“ guite well, sir; he was often at my house.”
“ escribe him, please.”

“ A man of thirty-five, with dark face, no
beard and brown hair—about five feet ten inch-
es, I should say, and with pleasant manners. ”

“The ver man! What position did he hold
in the Grizz y Mine?”

“ That of manager, I had heard, for the own-
or, Mr. Kenyon.”

“ One more question—when did he leave Cen-
tral City?”

“ Some three months since, sir; and on busi-
ness East, I believe he told me.”

‘Eld‘ha‘it Wild“ 6'”d d gated, d M j
u go o w . an e an a or

Melton buried his face in hands, while he

said bitterly: .

“ How terribly I have been deceived; I am a
ruined man.”

“ Not so bad as that, I ho , major; but, 031‘]-
ton Keene had eve fac ity to deceive Y0“-
He had, as manager, he plans of the mines, and
different claims attached to it, and its whole his-
tory, and as he bought it for me he of course
knew far more about it than I did, for I have
never seen it, or been in Central City before tO'
day; but, ma or, there are minor: here who
know me, ha g worked for me in California,
yea-1'3 a8'0. and t ey can identif me, or you can
write to rties of responsibili y in San Fran-
cisco. an ask—”

“My dear sir, you mistake me: I am not the
man to doubt one who comes and makes a plain
statement to me. This man represented himself
as Carl Kenyon, the owner of be mine, and the
judge bears testimony with you that he was
only the mana r. I have been deceived, sir
(Iiefrauded, an mined; but I will hear it u but

can.

“ You are bran. air, and you have my sym-

is gone—my
the unhappy

s miner; but you can ima 'ne m '

 

 

pathy. I will visit the mine, see what it is
worth, and its possibilities, and then make you
an offer as manager, and none néed know for
the resent that on are not the owner.”

“ on are mos enerous, sir.”

“No, only ust; or the present do not 3m}
to your daug ter upon the matter. - tor-
noon, Major Melton,” and Carl Kenyon left the
unhappy man alone with his thoughts. v»

CHAPTER XVI. ‘
A RUNNING FIGHT. '. .

WHEN Dead Shot went out into the street,
be fully expected an attack upon him from the
Angel Quartette; but undauntodly he passed
right by them, his eyes falling searchineg upon
each of the four faces, and yet they made no
motion to draw their weapons. Perhaps the
sig ht of Buckskin Ben, Dan Smith and Bed
Snake standin near added to their wholesome
fear of the Go (1 Bullet Sport, prevented their
indulging their desire for a street fight. :,

Seeing that they did not then mean mischief._
Dead Shot again repassed where they stood, en-
tered the hotel, and soon after came out "d
mounted his horse, which a servant b t
round for him. '

“ When will you return Tarleton?” . '

“ Can’t tell exactly, 'udge; good-afternoon,”
and Dead Shot cantere down the street plea-
santly smokin a cigar, and lookin as though
he hag no drea of any danger near im. '

As 8 rode away from the hotel, a fair face
at the window was watching him; it was that
of Florence Melton.

What was her motive she could not tell, but
there suddenly came over her a dedre to take a
short gallop u n horseback. It was a pleasant
afternoon, a 'ttle muddy with the melting
snow but no longer very cold, and she summon-
ed the chambermaid, ordered a horse, and at-
tired in a most becomin habit, was soon lifted
to the saddle by the l to Jud e Wolf.

“Don’t venture on of town, is Moitonflhe
said as a warning . if

“Not far, jud e; only to have a look at the
town from the ills,” and the maiden dllbed
away, taking the direction in which Dead Shot
had gone fifteen minutes before.

.“ e certainly cannot ct me of following
him: yet I am doing so, I b ush to confess, even
to m self, for, in spite of his red record, that
man olds a strange fascinationjor me.”

Coming to two roads, leadingmno down he
valley, the other toward the mountains, Fla-
once was at a loss which to take' but after-l
moment’s hesitation, she rode off toward the
hills, and soon disappeared in the pines that
covered the slopes, and frin the canyons. ‘

Hardly had her form been lost sight of in the

 

timber, when four horsemen dashed ra idly A

alon the road, halted an instant at the orb,
and hen continued on after the maiden. .

When Dead Shot left the hotel he rode rap-
idly along until he drew rein at the cabin .o
the Deadman’s Mine. ..

“ Has Colonel Darke returned yet?” he liked
of the same man he had before seen there.

“He hain’t; guesses as how he’s in in’ 10"
until his year gits healed, aeein’ u w yer
bored it for year-rin . Ther boys tell no I3
seen ther borin’ the yer shoots old bullet:l
strangr,” and the man looked affmiflnfily ‘
Dead h t. 

0
“Yes: tell the colonel I wishto at W
of this mine—that I won it filing, and I "W
not stand trifling. You doubtless know ‘7
he is, so ve him my mean a?” ’
“ I wil when I sees him anger. ’Pfll‘l 1791'
age It’.(l”like ter hev some o’y those gold bullitl Y”
s 00
“I will leavo one for the colonel that he may
not doubt my havin been here. I see hi! P30“
ture yonder,” and end Shot pointed throulh

the Open door, to where hung], above the chim-i

neY‘PiOCG a la of of Colonel Duke,
and which had $.23? few days before in
Central City, and was framed with II thin ch“
cle of of heatenflgold from his mine. 2,1
_ As quick as a. ah the Gold Bullet Sport railed
his revolver and fired, and tho costlyr ball in-
bedded itself in the stout log behind t e chili
having through the very center of ‘
head of he likeneu. ‘ H
“ Holy Snakes! Par-d, thet lays over anythi
I ever see. Come ag’in ter-morrer an’ see In. ‘
likes ter hev yer ’round.” '-
With a li ht laugh. Dead Shot shoved another
load into )1 revolver and g away. 
At the cross-roads a form was

rently awaitigg him, and as he would have [one

onb 1 tohimtohalt. '-
De’ih got did no, at the

lfigkingu'eature before h It wu Calami Y
to. ‘ . '
“ Pard.” she began h “liming thedia-

lect of the mines—‘zpu'd,
way, an’ I see’d a. younmdyfrom ther hotel do
the some. Yer know: u tar Whether she
"08 after yerse’f; but she tuk that road t9,»
ther mount’ins, an’ an war alone, on short] '
arter- ther Angel W tailored on her; trail
-oronyours. I are Calamity Kate,an now
yer knows all I kin toll yer.

“How long
Shot, quickly.

a. yer ride this.

mmmrokodnead'

 

.3

 -1.
I!“

 

5"

:0

G

 

3 .. __ a- “ma...— _- A- ...___V____-,A

“'l'her gal ha’f a hour ago, ther Angils ’bout
aa’f as long.” .

“I thank on. I Will see you again,” and the
spurs sunk dyeep into the blooded bay, causin
him to snort with pain and terror as e boun -
ed awa like the wind.

Into he shadow of the pines rushed thesteed
and up the steep slope, unmindful of the bad
road, until he came to where the way led around
arag etl spur. Here Dead Shot suddenly he-
held tie An el Quartette before him—three of
them ranged across his path, standing behind
their horses, their revolvers leveled over their

idly on up the road

 

of Florence Melton, and she was in the saddle!

‘ country a'favoauremoved our of its greatest

md wi h a revolver in each hand, Dead Shot '

l
l
Drop ing his reins upon the neck of his horse, 3
I

went straight at the barrier, firing as he rode, ‘
and was met by answering shots from the three 3

n 8.

BER down went the center steed and the rider
l Jllowed in a second; then another horseman
lell, and Dead Shot swe t on, his own steed ‘
bleeding from two woun in the necki‘though
plight till)“, and the brave man himse thrice ‘

Brit h ‘seemed not to feel his own in uries, and "
urged horse on with tremendous nude in
suit, and a yell of jo broke from his lips as

0 saw that he was rapi y gaining.

A few‘moments more and the Angel felt that
me must relinquish his prise to save himself, or ‘
mm and fight for her. I

But a glance over his shoulder had shown him 3
that his three comrades had failed to check the I
unward rush of the Gold Bullet Sport, and that
two of them had fallen, and he knew the_uner-
rin aim of the man who pursued him too well
to gelieve that they yet lived.

Hence he determined to let the maiden go—to

t ransom from her father was all that they I

captured her for—and to look out for him~ ‘

self. .
But he decided a trifle too late. for, as he

spurred on ahead of the horse ridden by Flor-

ence there came a sharp report and his own

s into the air swa ed badly, stum-
bled £131 heavily, hurling rider far over
his h . '

But the man, active as a panther, caught on ;
his hands and feet, and was u in an instant, l
confronting his enemy, his revo vets thrust for-
ward, and rattling oi! lively and dangerous ,
music as Dead Shot came on.

“ Now for them stakes, pard!” he yelled, with
desperation, when b ht to bay.

It was the Queen of t e Quartette of Angels, ,
and it seemed as if luck wason his side, to win

the money in the hands of Red Turner, for, a ~

welldimed shot brought the blood-bay down
on his knees, and another tumbled him over,
dead

But Dead Shot seemed ggpared for just such
a contretem s. and aligh upon his feet, his
revolver fias ing as he touched the ground, and
with fatal effect, for the Queen lea into the
air and fell dead, shot through the eartl

But the victor had no time to rejoice over the
anguished, for there came the rapid clatter of
hoo s. and around the bend of the road rushed a .
horseman, digging his knife down into the back 3
of his straining steed to urge him on at greater :

It was the last of the Quartette, flying for his 1
\ife, for behind him were heard the hoof-beats ‘

ursuin horsemen.

. Kt the @t of Dead Shot in his path, the man
sttem ted turn up the steep slope; but he was
too the (trick eye of the Sport had already

lanced along is revolver, and the Angel tum-

“ from his , which was caught by Tarle-
ton, just as five horsemen rode up and drew
rein ‘

 

The were the friends and allies of Dead
Shot' and Snake was in advance.

‘- wan, I’ll declar’-—-ther whole Quartette
w clean out! Glee-oh—rious! what a funeral
we 1 hevl” and Buckskin Ben sprung to the side
of Dead Shot, who was uietl reloading his ro-
volver, while into the date the little party
, rode Florence, her hair hanging down upon the
hack of her horse, her face pale, but her eyes
lashing fire.

 

CHAPTER XVII.
ran nan was.

“ Ma. Tanu'rox, I congratulate you,” and
Dick of Denver advanced toward Dead Shot, his
hand extended, but before the latter could reply
Florence Melton sprung to the ground, and, er
long habit trailing in the snow and slush, walked
a ht up to him.

“ . Tarleton,” and her voice trembled “once
again I owe ’yourny heartfelt gratitude. Before,
you saved my father and myself from robbery.
perhaps from worse, and now you have served
me in a way that no words of mine can ever re—

yyoufor. .I was foolish teridesofarfrom
as town and thus endanger our-life.”

DeadShot’afaoefiushed tl ,ssbesawthat
she thought 0 more than her

n' ofservieet'eyeu,

s: es!

The fourth was riding ra j ly remarked theS rt.
leading a horse by the rid e. It was the steed :
1 from what have you not saved me?” cried Flor-

 

 99101 Bulletspert;

Miss Melton, and in serving on I have done the

curses.

“ Whisky and turnips! Pards, seeheur!” cried
Slim Ike, who was attentively investigating the
wardrobe of the dead Queen, and as'he spoke he
held to view a red mask.

“ Two false face—more bimeby, every time,”
said the Cheyenne, and he found another red
mask upon the second An I.

“ That means that the belonged to Captain
Satan’s band,” said Pick cnver.

“It does; you will find the same red masks
upon the other two lying down the road,” calm-
“ Oh Heaven, thank thee! Mr. Tarleton,
ence Melton, the color again forsaking her face
and leaving her deadly pale.

“ But you are wounded! how thoughtless not
to have asked you before,” and her eyes turned
earnestly upon him.

“Only three scratches, Miss Melton. If you
will ride on with Dick of Denver, the Cheyenne
will soon dress them for me, and we will over-
take you ere goo get to town ”

As Dead hot 5 ke he lifted the maiden ,

 

‘ lightly into her sad le,‘ and Dick of Denver plac- l

inghhimself by her side, the two rode away to- i
get er.

Throwing 01 his coat, DeadShot showed three l
slight wounds, two through the fleshy part of
the left arm, and the other a contusion, made by a
a well-aimed bullet striking an object just over I
his heart. 2

Removing this object, Buckskin Ben’s quick ‘
eyes saw that it was a gold miniature, set with i
diamonds, and that the bullet was imbedded in
the old, and that the face was that of Violet
Mar ham .'

Here was more mystery, but the hunter said
not a word, but aided the skillful Cheyenne in
flir‘elfsin the wounds which Dead Shot made

t 0 .

“ Boss, back yander I see’d two stiffs an’ one
hoss, an’ heur is ther same; w’u’d yer tell me
how man 0’ them gold bullets yer slung round
loose at t er whole tea- rty?” asked Tennessee
Pete, who had been hi investigating the
wounds of the Angels and t eir stee .

“ I fired six shots only,” calmly replied Tarle-
ton, with a smile.

“ Thet’s my calkilation; six shots an’ six

lumps 0’ game. Thet are prime, boss; yer never
wastes yer istol rovender. Guesses as how
I’ll extract t r bu ets.”

“Then come on all of you, and bring the
bodies of the Angels. As you pass the hotel I
will join you for I wish to tell you what to do
with them. New Buckskin, if you will kindly
transfer m saddle and bridle from my dead
ha there, the steed of the Queen I will be
ob ' ed,” and in five minutes more Dead Shot
rode on after Dick of Denver and Florence Mel-
ton, passing the scene of his first conflict, with a
mere glance at those‘who lay dead upon the

roadside.

At the forks of the road, he came 11 with
Dick of Denver and Florence. They ha halted
to speak to Calamity Kate, and the maiden was
saying, earnestly:

‘ I owe, in a great measure, my rescue to you,

I am told for you sent Mr. Tarleten on after

me as well as his friends. Do come to see me,

and let my father thank you. To—morrow we

will be in our own house—yonder ” and Florence

inted with her whip to the place her father
ad urchased.

“ have done enough evil in the world to
now atone for it by a li tle good My conscience
thanks me more than your wordscan; but I will
come and see you, for a talk with one as pure and
beautiful as you are will do me a world of
good,” and Calamity kate turned shortly on her

eel and walked away toward her cabin, a bun-
dred paces distant, just as Dead Shot rode up
and ined them.

“ ’ll ride on ahead now, ca tain,” said Dick ‘
of Denver, and leaving Dead at as the escort
of Florence, the young and handsome miner ‘
glloped I‘ffldl on, just as twilight crept over

e valley, eavhig the hilltops yet bathed in a
flood of sunlight. .

For a moment neither Tarleten nor Florence
spoke a word, and then the maiden said:

“Mr. Tarleten do you know that you lead a
very'reckless and dangerous life?”

“Fate has forced it u n me. Thereis no

Melton,” was the

evading one’s destiny,
calm reply.

“ Fate has certainly been most cruel to you.”

“ ar more than you can ever know, Miss
Mel n; I have beenpursed by .Fate. ”

The man spoke with so much bitterness, and
his tones wereso deep and strange, that Florence
started; but, after a moment she added:

“ Do not think me idly curious, but does the
wild life on lead here serve to drown bitter
memories ’ ‘

“Miss Melton, the bitter memories of my past
can nevenbe banished—the are before me by
day and by nggit; but in e life I lead Iain
perform a m duty: I am fulfilling a vow
madeto myself, and if my handle with

 

deadl intent aohutm fellowcinen itk be~
eauee‘havefonndthemznoreu'ueltdmethan

_ 1.?

 

the red savage of the wilderne, or the wild
beast of the prairie and mountain—it is because
I have a wrong to wipe out—a wron such as few
men have sufi‘ered and lived—that lead the life
I do; but see, I fear that dashing Dick of Denver
has made knewn what has occurred, for the
pie seem turning out en masse to receiva us.
am sorry for your sake. Next time do not be
so reckless as to venture out alone.”

“ I will obey on. I shall never for 've my-
self for the trou le I have causal you; ut, Mr.
Tarleton, let us be friends. We move to-mor-
row, and I wish you to come and see us, fCl'
papa will gladly Welcome you."

“ I will come, if you wish it,” and the two
drew rein before the hotel, where a wild shout
of joy was raised, as Florence sprung into the
arms of her father.

“ Oh, my daughter, how could you?”

“ Don’t scold, papa; I know it was imprudent,
and l have had a lesson; I will not be rash an.”
more; but there is Mr. Tarleton, sir.”

“Tarleton, when on know what it is toh
wrapped up in one eing, and see that one res-
cuer from deadliest peril, you will know how to
feel toward one who serves her, as I do toward

on. I cannot sa more now,” and Ma or Mel-
n’s voice tremb as be grasped the and 0“ .
Dead Shot.

“Permit me to offer Miss Melton my warmest
congratulations,” said the soft voice of Car‘
Kenyon, and yet Florence shuddered as sh:
tOok the rofl'ered hand.

“ Mr. ai'leton, Mr. Ken 'on desires to be prt
senth to you,” said Judge olf.

Dead Shot merely bowed at the introduction,
failing to see the halt-extended hand of Car“
Ken on, who said pleasantl :

“ am glad to know Mr. Tarleton. His won
derful exploits are gaining him a great name
throughout the country.” .

Dead Shot again merely bowed and assed on
to his mom: it was evident that he di not like
Garl.Kenyon, or that he had some cause for
wishing to avoid him. So thought the keen
sighted Judge Wolf, and also Florence Melton.
both of whom saw the angry flush upon the fad
of the man who had been treated so cavalierlj
by the Gold Bullet Sport.

In half an hour Dead Shot came down to the
ofllce of the hotel, dressed elegantly in a suit 01‘
gray cloth, but, as upon all occasions, wear-in ‘

is pants in his boot-tops, and going as thong?
1)]:de for the saddle, with spurs and riding
w

“ ud e, have the he 5 come in et with tb
bodieso the An ls?” e asked, in 'iferently.

“Not yet, Tar eton.”

“ Then I shall have time to get some supper
Would you and the major like to o with no u
the 10.  8. to get my money rom Red Tur
ner

“Yes, we both spoke of it, and so did Mr
Kenyon. By the way, Tarleton, have you any
thin against that man ?”

“ r. Kenyon and myself have met before.
One of these days I will refresh his memory a:
to when and where,” was the quiet reply, as
Dead Shot passed into the upper room.

Half an hour after, accompanied by the 'udge
while Carl Kenyon went with Ma'or elton
Dead Shot set out for the X. 10. . 8. Selooiv
whither his allies, with the dead “Angels,” al
ready had preceded them.

Upon entering, the crowd arose as by common
consent, and ave. three cheers { or the Gold Bul
at Sport, w o, in res use, made one of the

ortest and best speec es on record; he said:

“Gentlemen, ste us and take a drink l”

Then, turning to e Turner, he continued:

“Mr. Turner, the money I have won in my
bet wrth the Queen of the departed An el mar
tette, I leave, with in own stake, in tie lands
of yourself, Judge Vi 011', and Major Melton, tn
go as a fund to aid destitute and deservint.
miners in Central City; and the rew ards' offered
for these four men, as members of the band of
Captfln Satan, known as the Knights of tho
Overland, I commission on three gentlemen to
draw, in my name, and evote to the sen e ur

e, for many a poor miner has been rob by
ose cruel renegades of the mountains.”

“ Permit me, as a stranger to your town, but

one who is inte in its mines, to donate a
thousand dollars to the same fund,” and Carl
Kenyon placed that sum upon the bar, while a
cheer from the crowd also greeted him as well
as Dead Shot, for all were surprised by his
great generosa'y.
But ud‘ge olf noticed a strange look upon
the face 0 the Sport, gdearl Ken on also ob-
served it, and hit his lip VlClODSly, t e latter act
not escaping the keen-eyed udge.

“ Hol on, pardsl” and ennessee Pete Dick
of Denver, and the Red Snake, whose absence
Tarleton had already observed, as he glanced
searchingly over the room, sta red into the
door, bearing upon their shou ers heavy ob-
jects, which all knew at once to be dead bodies
and bodies. too, just exhumed from the
male, for they were coated with freshly dug
ear

De. their hastl bard besid the
EgaliggAngels,’gl‘ennemeey Pensshakinge the

mud and dirt from Hm, cried, and :
“Iaeheur, pardsl we'vehhaia M

...‘

.mgr —-1A.. -.l—....-.... Ts-‘v—Vv-g "h ‘

_ 3.»-

" - “1-9:!- *:

 

, in the confusion Dead Shot,

 .. ..

14 "

0

Gold Bulleispoii: 

 

 

tour, an’ turned inter a committee 0‘ three ter
be body-watchers, an’ thar is ther result.

“ Seein’ as how we c’u’dn’t flnd bullit marks
on them four gerloots, nor knife-thrus’ nuther,
we jist put this intelligent In'un on ther scent,
nn’ thar is our diskivery. tells yer, gents.
that Injun are some—he are a whole team an’
a boss ter let, an’ a Whopper-jawed bull-dog un-
der the waggin, you bet, fer he run them dead
Angils ter ground in half a’ hour, an’ we dug
’om up for the eddiiication 0’ these assembled
gents. I tell yer, pil 'ms, I hev kep’ up adevil
u’ a tliinkin’ iver sm’ see them roosters go un-
«lei', aii’ then see ’em peradin’ ther streets ther
next d3 as big as life.

“Sez ter myself, sez I, thar’s some under-
handed wcrk heur, an’ I went ter work ter see
what I could diskiver.

“ I don’t say much, gents, but ‘lets corn-ceal-
ment, like er wurrum in ther bud, feed on my
dam-aged cheek,’—an’ I has considerable—an’
thar’s ther result—seven Angils alias like astwo
iods 0’ red pepper, ’speciall in the’r black
, carts, kase them three has t er red masks in
thc’rdz’ockits as well as t’others. Hurray for
ther ld Bullit Sport!”

The cheer was again and a in re ated, and

ajor elton and

the judge slipped out, and returned to the
hotel.

Carl Kenyon remained at the X. 10. U. 8. Sa-
loon, and when last seen 6ny Tarleion was in
close conversation with R Snake, the Chey-
enne.

CHAPTER XVIII.
A NEW ARRIVAL.

SEVERAL days passed away quietl at Central
(.‘it , that is, quietly for that time 0 adventure,
in Dead Shot, who appeared but little in pub-
lic, had become the general theme of conversa~
lion at all the saloons and hotels, and his popu-
l irity increased with his notoriety.

For some reasons best known to himself, he
iad not taken forcible possession of the Dead-
,nan’s Mine. Perha it was because the colonel
had not yet returne , being detained in Denver
'm business—so he wrote to Judge Wolf; but
aach day the Sport paid a visit to the mine, and
each night passed a short while in the X. 10. U.
S Saloon where he was always (greeted with
phasure by its frequenters.

The Central City House, in the meantime, had
lost two of its guests—Major Melton and his
daughter, who had removed to their lately-pur-
chased home; but it still retained Carl Kenyon,
who seemed in no hurry to depart, though his
business in town none, excepting the major, was
ill. usinted with.

he fourth day after the killing of the Quar.
tatte, several important affairs a 'tated the lit-
tle mining town. First, the Gol Bullet S rt
had disappeared mysteriously the night he ore,
and there were some who whispered their opin-
ions that he had been foully dealt with, by
wine secret member of the Knights’ band, while
others thought he was of! on some mission of
which they would doubtless soon learn, and this
idea gained ground, as it was observed that
Dick of Denver and his pard, the Cheyenne
FhieiSlim Ike and Buckskin Ben could not be
can

A second piece of news was that Dan Smith’s

coach had been again attacked and robbed—this

time on its way to Denver, and at the Devil’s
Gate; but the worst of it was that the express-
agent, Mert Denison, had been on the sta , an
was relieved of some fifty thousand in go d, an
his life besides. Central City was therefore on
the qui viva for the return of Dan Smith, to
learn the exact truth of the unfortunate affair,
and there was talk of mustering the Vigilantes,
5‘2 11:?“ the roads of Captain Satan and his

n ts.

The third event of importance was the return
of Dan Smith, who drew rein before the Central

, City House, and saluted Judge Wolf, as though

he had not passed through a desperate diven-
ture on his outward boun tri

“Is it true, Dan?” yelled a ( ozen voices.

“Is what true, gents? If it’s whether I want

for ter treat me, I answer yes," was the provok-

re ly.
‘A ut Mert Denison’s havin passed in his
cheeks, an’ ther gold beSides,” ed one of the

crowd. .

“Yer may gamble on it. Judge, thar is one
pilgrim fer yer hash-factory—a youth 0’ tender
years. ashas not his nuss With him,” and as
Jud 0 Wolf ushered the passenger into the ho
tel, an gave the horses in care of the atten-
dants, and continued:

“ Yas, Capt’in Satan an’ his Knights chipm
in at Devil’s Gate, an’ it was no use—Mert
ter let 0 his hold on life, an’ then they got ther
gold. e fou’t well for it, tho’, boys. an’ died
with his boots on, as game as a rooster with
gai‘ts. ’

“ Waal, they throwed me in a leetle good ad-
vice, which I tuk with a thank ye, an’ passed
on; but ther best 0’ it all war ther ole gent as
oomed down with ther extra, ther (la Dead
Shot war with me, an’ who sold his to

ther in r.” ,
“Oh%l but he were skeered out 0’ his
m an’ he wore he’d nevu- leavo Deliver

 

ag’in. It war a lucky thin fer him he sent his
dustnon by letter, or they’ ’a’ had it all, durn
em

“ Did yer see ’em on ther back track!”

“Naryl We b’iled right through. Now. I is
dry, for I’ve had nothin sin’ leavm’ Lem Flow-
ers’s at Golden City, kase ther young feller as
corned over inside don’t carry his p’izeii, an’
luks as tho’ it hadn’t been long sin’ his mammy
let up on ther bottle with him—he is so tender-
lookin’.”

The object of Dan Smith’s last remarks had
gone into the hotel. and been shown to his room,
whither Sling Rum had carried a. large trunk,
seemingly well-filled. ?

He was apparentl not more than eighteen,
though he looked o der on account of a slight
mustache he wore.

His face was as handsome as a woman’s, and ,
thou h bronzed b the sun, bore a striking re-
semb me to Vio et Markham—so much so, in
fact, that Judge Wolf mentally awore that it
was her brother, and a twin at that.

He was well—dressed,p‘oesessed of slender form,
under the average hig t of men, and his hair
curled in short rin lets over his head.

He was certain y a: remarkably handsome
youth; but, in spite of his womanl face, there
were fearlessness and resolution in it beyond his

ears. ;

y In a. bold, round hand upon the hotel register ‘

l; hlad signed his name as “V. La Coste, New ,
or . ’

Having refreshed himself by a visit to his
room, the youth descended to the office and
called Judge Wolf aside.

“ I have come to your town, sir. upon an im-
portant dut , and perhaps you can aid me,” he ‘
said, in a. p easant way that at once won the
jud e in his favor. ;

“ ii any way I can serve you, my young i
friend, command me.”

“I thank you, sir. I have been, for a year 1
in search of a person whom I have at last tracked ‘
to Central City; his name is Hugh Lambert.”

Perhaps Judge Wolf started, for the youth
quickly said:

“ Do not tell me that harm has befallen him?”

“What is he to you, allow me to first ask—
that is, is he a near rehtive?”

“ He is as dear to me as a brother would be,
I have sought him for so long, and much

nds upon my finding him; but your manner
eads me to dread evil,” and the youth spoke
earnest] , while his face was very le.

“ I wi 1 tell you all I know about im, and that
is about as much as any one here knows. He
came here about a year a o, from some other
mining district, and he has en exceeding] un-
fortunate ever since his arrival, until the ys
say helvas neaily starving:

“ Igoor Hugh 1’ came in the lips of the

out . -
y “About a week ago he came into town and
attended a concert, given by the boys as a bene-
fit to a young lady who'had arrived here, and
had been robbed on the way by the Knights of
the Ovariand, and who, permit me to say Mr.
La Costa, was the very image of yourself.’

“ 0f inel” '

“Yes, were she your twin sister, the likeness
could not be greater,” and the judge looked
searchineg at the youth. .

“ Strange, for I have neither sister or brother,”
said La Coste, 

The judge look disappointed, and the youth
said:

“ But you were speaking of Mr. Lambert.”

“ Yes; it seems he attended this concert, and
when the basket was passed round for the dust
for the young lady, he seemed strangely bewil-
dered, and, having no mone , threw in a gold
miniature, studded wi h iamonds—a most
costly affair, by the way and it proved to be a
perfect likeness of the lady to whom he gavoit.”

“ What! a likeness of the one who was robbed
and looks like me?” asked the youth, in great
surprise.

“ Yes, Mr. La Coste, and then he rushed from
the theater, and since then he has not been
seen.” 0

“ Great Heaven! I cannot understand all this
that on tell me. Where is the lad now?”

“ 9 went in search of Hugh bert the
following morning and was captured by Captain
Satan. Since then she has not been heard rom,
and she is believed to be at the retreat of the
Knights in Guy’s Mountain, and held for ransom.
Our citizens have been waitin to receive word
from her—as the Knights afiow that—before
takipfilstcps for her rescue.”

“ this is most marvelous, sir; but what
was her name?” ,

“Markham—Miss Violet Markham, and she
registered from New York.”

“ Strange, Very strange; and Mr. Inmbert
has not been since seen?”

“ No, not since he Went away that night.” -

“ What motive bad she, this woman, in follow-

 

ing him; do you know i” I ,
‘To discoVer, I believe how he email! P0." '
session of her miniature.”
“‘Arl’ld no one knows whither Lambert hasI
e c
mltisfesrcdnir—nn , I am almost certain :
of it—tliat he has pol-it‘d.”

 

 

“ God in heaven! do not say that, sir—pen
ishedl How could he perish’i’ and the youth
was as white as a corpse.

“ It was the night of the fearful snow—storm,
and upon leaving the theater he started at once
for his cabin, miles away, by the road, in the
mountains.”

“ No, no, no, he must yet live—he cannot
have died,” and an expression of intense sufler-
ing passed over the youth’s face.

‘ he chances are terribly against him, lam
sorry to say, Mr. Coste; it was a. fearful
storm; he was not too thickly clad. His cabin
was found empty by the guide Who conducted
Miss Markham to the spot, and—”

“ 0 on, sir.”

“ terribly fear that he is dead.”

Th1?l youth was silent a moment; then he asked,
qu c z
“ Where is that guide, sir?”

“ He left town last night; I do not know how
long he will be away.”

I “ Well, I must find some one who knows the
cabin—in fact, I must find Hugh Lambert. -

dead these warm days are meltin the snows
and his body will be discovered; ‘ not dead,
why, I shall find him, for I will give five thou-
sand dollars to the one who brings me informa-
tion of him, dead or alive.”

Judge Wolf looked with surprise at the youth
before him. What urgent motive could he have
in finding the lost youn miner?

“ Did you hear my c er, sir?”

“ Yes, and it is most generous; I will to—night
visit the different saloons and let the boys know,

§ and one way or another, that is, good or be

you will soon get news of your friend.”

“ In _the meantime can you tell me of a reliar
ble guide with whom to make the search my-
self?’

“ I will look up some one for you by night,
sir. _Three men, any one of whom would a
host in himself, left sat night fora trip of a few
days, and one of them, by the way, is the uide
who led Miss Markham to the cab'n of Lam it.
Ah! there goes a person who knew Lambert,
and w can give you as much information as
any one whom to get for a guide. In fire of
the strange costume, it. is a woman, . La
Coste; her name is Calamity Kate; shall -I send
after her?”

“ No: I will myself follow and overtake her,”
and.the1&outh left the hotel in pursuit of Ca-
lamity te, who, with a Lundle of groceries in
her arms, was walking briskly along in the di-
rection of her isolated cabin.

That night the new arrival at the Central
City House, his generous offer, and the object
of his coming to town, were the topic of conver-
sation in all the saloons, and many a miner de-

termined to drop his pick upon the following

day, and endeavor to earn the five thousand
finding Hugh Lambert, dead or alive. .

 

CHAPTER XIX. .
CARL KENYON omns A confrnoiusl.

mecn Manon sat in the pleasant little
sitting-room of her new home, which had al-
ready assumed an air of comfort, for it was the
finest house in town, and the former owner had
made some pretensions to “ style,” in the. build-
ings and in beautifying thetwoacres of grounds

that comprised the place. _

A fine view of the town and Valle , With the
mountains in the distance, was vmb e from the
piazza, and Florence with her riding-horse, gm.
tar, household duties, Kaintings and embroidegy
not to talk of a good brary, felt that she co d

make herself comfortable and contented, for]

the time her father expected to be a resident of
Central City.

Suddenly a step was heard on the piam, and
the maiden glanced up gmckly from her book,
while a look of disappomtment cre t over
face as she beheld one Whom she di not
like, in the place of one whom she had hoped t

was.
It was Carl Kenyon who had come Wt 91...
sant s‘pring mornin to the cottage and hr 1..

ther eing absent the town, renco was
forced to receive the visitor.
She smted h quietly, asked him into tbs

sitting-room, an for the hour that p'sfi‘flo 9“
the entrance of the major, entertained hlm ‘3
best she could, at his request Singing for him'
and she pomssed an exquisite voice, Showmg
him her aintings and sketch and she v ‘3 “0
mean a ist b In? means, while the comers“
tion drifted rom general topics, upon music,
.11, mveh and other themes that $0 *0 “lake
up society talk, until the maiden was surprised
at the knowledge shown by her vidtori “d
found him a most a reeable companion . e i
sgll tlfitre was a lac of sincerity aha!“i him, “he
i oug .

As for Carl Ken on he was ptfectly charmed
with the beautiqu l, and made up W m
that he would win or her a wife.

When Major Melton returned and '8‘" m“
items of news, gleaned at the Mick-w“. Dead

: Sh t - carried
0 was still absent, Dan Smith had I d

over another box d wh' h it wall .
33mg? into wooing]. ’o: a}: “03:33
or and that the outh, IAC ! - ‘
been sun’an the avian! h 1‘"

“whip 10!.

 

...._.n._~

 

...._.n._k.

file cabin of Calamity Kate, who was also miss-
hg—Florence arose and left the room, and the
ma or and his visitor were alone.

‘ Well, major, I have thoroughly looked over
the mine, and its possibilities are far beyond
what I believed. It is-easily worth twenty
thousand a year for a number of years; do you
not think so?”

“I do, Mr. Kenyon. I looked thoroughly
into the matter, and it is a valuable propert at
far more than the sum I paid for it. our
friend Keene certainly defrauded me out of a
ver handsome fortune. Why, in five years, I
coud become a millionaire with the Grizzly
Mine,” declared the major, 

“ True, air, and no one more t n myself can

tthe most unlucky termination to your-
W I have not spoken of the matter, and hope
you have not,” said Carl Kenyon, kindly.

“ No, sir I have not—not even to my daugh-
ter r child.”

‘2 floor Melton, to run that mine pro rly it
should ave a manager of ability, an such I
believe you to berths position is-opento you,
sir i

“ I am more than thankful, sir, and stern ne~
cessity compels me to accept your nerous of-
fer—can I ask what would be the ary?”

“ Twelve hundred a year and five per cent. of
the rofits, to you, sir.

“ his is onerous indeed, Mr. Kenyon, and
I know not how to thank on.”

“Major Melton” and arl Ken on seemed
embarrassed: “ ajor Melton, it a matter
upon which I should perha not speak, know-
ing on as I have so she a while; but as it
doc I affects my ha piness I must do so. Q

9 w ouarepgedged,asreardsyour
daughter’shsnd, or who her her a ections are
otherwise e I cannot of course know,
nor do I wis to appear to offer to purchase
either her favor or yours; but, from my
first meetin with her, I have been deeply in-
terested in her, until now I feel that she is
dearer to me than all else in the world.

.“I am a stranger to you, sir but I am well-
bdrn, have received a college education, and the
Gril Mine is not one tenth of my possessions-
but, sir, if I may be so bold as to offer myself
as y ur daughter’s suitor, We can easily com-

rom this matter. I Will turn the deeds over
you, and you shall be in full control, the
owner of the mine. Have I oflended you, Ma-
jor Melton?”
Major Melton was completely taken aback,
and, t may be said, pleasantly so. for from the
v .v depth! 0f despair he was raised to the sev-
en h heaven of delight.

He had liked Carl Kenyon from the first;
that he had been reared a gentleman was evi-
dent, and that he was very rich he had also
reason to believe.

He was handsome, elegant, wealthy played
asurpassingl game of ca an would
linger over is wine at table as ong as any
good company remained—all good traits in the
mllitar eyes of the major.. . .

Yes, e would give up his idea of_ marrying
Florence to a prince duke or count, as the case
might be, and let this fine fellow With the plea-
sant-sounding name have her, and together the
three would make the tour of old England and
Euro .

Florence was not enfiged, and what could
there be pleasanter t n this arrangement,
thou ht the major. .

“ , Ken on,” the major began, slowly,
“.how can a ather b3 etc when an honor-
able man asks for his daughter’s ‘

. “Itissudden,siraud esmeb surprise,
as it doubtless will Florencs- but I m 1 consider
your request in a favorable light myself, and so
lace the matter before in daughter that I
{hick will gain her consent; or the rest it de-
upon you. Dine with us at threeand you

"shall havs your answer.”

'Id‘hge eyes oftglsrl Kenyon gleamed strangely,
n arose o saying:

‘ “I thank you,8n’iajor, and I will be .on hand
at three sha Remember, if Miss Melton w.
ce ts my 0 er, I settle upon you the Grizzly
Mrne and, ten thousand in cash upon your

wg'm most generous, sir, for, exoeptin
this house and a few hundred dollars in bank,
am no./ nniless—no, I have a. claim south of
here, bu it is absolutely worthless, I may say,
as it ya me a mere pi ."

“ many 0 are worthlea, where we
expect ortunes from them. Is any one work-

vour claim?”

‘ Yes, an old man former] a sergeant under
me—e, reliable old fellow, w a barely gets his
bread out the claim.”

Carl Kenyon said no more, and took his de-

ure, while Florence entered the room as he
paced t th to.

“ .335 digs little cottage is none of the
largest. and, the doors 0 I have heard
all—Mr. Kenyon does no
'miriommmwuw pale and there was a

e m was v
tremor inmmdgpmhuyhidu accent

ofscornh
.; .hgis fin f wricthndsome,

ortorequest

 

Geld Belle? Spart-

15

 

 

“Oh, yes, pa, he is all that; but what do
you know of im?”

“Well, as to that, but little, Florence; yet
here, you know, every man’s face is his recom-
mendation, and—”

“,And you wish me to accept him, pa f"

“Well, yes Florence, I really do. on are
not engaged?

H NO 7’

“ NJ in love?”

“Who should I love pa?” and the e as
dr00ped and face flushed; ut the major set t at
down to maidenly modesty in being questioned
upon love matters.

“ True, who should you? Then you will marry
Kenyan i”

“ ere is a reason whv I should, papa, and I
insist upon knowing it. I heard sometalk about
your getting twelve hundred a year and five
per cent. of profits, as manager, when I believed

ou the owner of the mine, and then of your
becoming pro rietor in toto of the Grizzly
Mine, if Carl enyon could become master of
my heart and hand; what does it all mean,
papa dear?”

‘In lain words, Florence, I have been de-
fraudedp-itricked by the man to whom I paid
my money for the Grizzly. He was the dis-
charged manager—a Carleton Keene, who pla -
ed Carl Kenyon, and he had not a dollar in t e
mine. ’ .

“ Too bad, papa, for you are forty years of
age now.”

” Thirty-nine and seven months, Florence; I
married your mother before I was twenty-one
you know,” corrected the major, who really did
not look his age, and was handsome enough to
betaken for the husband, or brother, of Florence
rather than her father.

“ Well, sir, you are old enou hto live on what
you have made, and not to ve to work for
others at your time of life.” ‘

“ Gospel truth, Florry and if you marry
Kenyon all will go well: he has been most n-
erous, offered me the management at a air
salagy, and—”

“ ut could you not catch the man who de-
frauded you?”

“ Yes, dig up his bod. . He lost all his money
at the gaming-table an then killed himself.”

“A just vet terrible retribution; and if I
marr Car Kenyon, you get the Grizzly Mine?”

“ es, as sole proprietor, and you t ten
thousand dollars cash in pin-money; t e as
soon as we get matters to panning out we 1 in
the mines, we will all go to Europe. Who
knows but that I ma catch a princess, or a
countess there?” and t is idea flashed through
the major’s mind like an inspiration.

“ Father,” and Florence s ke in earnest
tones, while her voice trembl , and eyes filled

with tears, “ Father, to save you, toadd to your.

happiness—for of late I have seen that some ter-

rib e trouble has weighe‘difiou down—I offer my-

self for the sacrifice; I marry Carl Ken on,

sun-y! tinge he may desire after one month rom
ay.

“God bless you, Florence! If ou loved an-
other I would not ask it, or if Car Kenyon was
other than he is; but I believe he will make you
a loving and devoted husband. My little Florry,
you have taken the iron out of my soul. ”

Three hours after Carl Kenyon learned that
Fate had so decreed that Florence Melton was
to become his wife: but—

“There’s many a slip
‘Twixt the cup an the lip."

 

CHAPTER XX.
s'rmxme rr aicu.

READER, have you forgotten unfortunate
Hu h Lambert?

I :Jpe not, for it is of that young miner that
I we d ak in this chapter.

U n t at night of storm when he had fled
hal starved, from Central City, and half-crazed
at the memories of the past, brought u "13 the
si ht of Violet Markham, he had wan e out
of his path homew and it was well for him
that he laud done so or at his cabin was no
food, an only dreary desolation awaited him.

Reckless of life, he had met the huge grizzly
bear in the mountains, and with a des ration
born of the recklessness of d had ought a
brave fight, until wounded, b ceding, and as he
ldiad believed, dying, the two fell together into a

eep pit.

It was a sink-hole, almost a natural well in
the rocks, and across its mouth had grown 1i ht
vines, now filled in with  snow unti it
asked like a firm foundation, in the blinding

rm. - '

The bear went first, and Hugh Lambert, cling-
ing to his hairy _
adown the forty feet which they fell.

Whatlifethebear had in him was knocked
out b the shock as he struck the rocks, and his
huge wellhroke the fall of the miner, yet
he was unconscious when he struck the bottom.

How long he lay there Hugh Lambert never
knew; but at last he returned to oonscimisuess,
mkthe palndulum of hfe came swinging slowly

Isa - -
Atfirst his mind was bewildered; but sitar
awhile his thoughts returned clearly; he was in

hide. was dragged with him ~

 

total darkness; above him howled the storm a: no
moaned the pines; around him were rocl ‘3
walls, and beneath him the body of the be:- r
stone dead and now cold.

He was also frozen, and attempted to dry I»
the blanket, that still hung to his shoulde: a
closer about him; but it was frozen stifl.

“ Great God, where am I? Have I found a
tomb in which to die?” he murmured, and for n
time gave himself up to despair.

But then, the desire of life came strongly hat I:
to him; he felt that he was not dangerousl \'
wounded, and that no bones were broken.

The cold had stopped the bleeding, made by tt r
claws of the bear, in arms, breast and head, ar i
hope came to him.

hen he remem tered that he had some match 6
in a tin box in his pocket, and these were at om \
br'if‘llllght mtttggeqmsiagi. .

ey igni , an leaves, twigs na , som e
good-sized branches of trees were in the wSelLlil t
pit in which he found himself.

Quickly he had a cheerful fire burnin , an I
crouched close to it to get warm, while his c otht t
and blanket rapidly dried, and a steam are 0
from the hairy monster near him.

He saw that he was in a sink-hole some ten
feet square, and with smooth walls of rock run
ning u as faras he could see: how dee it was
he co (1 not conjecture; but, just a ve his
head was a cavern-like 0 'ng some three feet
in diameter. Where it ed to he had no means
of knowing.

With returning bodily comfort, he became
hungry once mom, and in the twinkling of an
eye set to work to st food. .

Skillfull , with is keen knife, he began to
skin the er, and in an hour’s time had the
splendid hairy robe hanging before the fire, while
he toasted huge slices of the juicy meat upon a

sharpened stick.
Observing that he had not a ve largle quan-
ow ong he
he cooked a

tity of wood, and not kn0wing
would have to remain imprisoned,
lei-gs quantity of food, and then, throwin him-
80 upon the bear-skin, and folding his b et
around him, he sunk to slee . ‘
When he awoke a dim lig t came down from
above into his prison, for such it was, and he was
stifl and sore, and weak from loss of blood, fox
the heat had caused his wounds to reopen.
I Quickly be dressed them as best he could, ate
some snow, drifted down in one corner, to quencl
thirst, and then took what food hecraved, after
which he set to work to see if it was possible f0"
 to extricate himself from his perilous 

tion.

Rekindling the fire, be dragged himself up, by
standing upon his main support, old grimly, to
the cavern-like entrance, and observed a glimmei
of light within.

Entering, he crept upon hands and knees fol
some thirty feet, and came out into a canyon n
gorge; but there he was compelled to sto , 0'\
thg precipitous sides were be end his reach), an i
the rocks were smooth and iptgery.

A waterfall rushed threu h e gorge, fallin?
from the rocks above, and ere and there was
heaped up}; uantity of brush that would serv:
as fuel. y he would not freeze or starve to
long as his wood and bear-meat lasted.

But was he to remain there to diet Could hi
not plan some means of escape? If not, he sure
ly must die. ,

Suddenly he started, gazed an instant, and
then falling upon his knees, grabbed up a double
handful of earth from the stream. ,

One glance at it, and a shriek so long, soloud.
broke from his lips, that one hearin wouli:
have believed it the cry of a wild in

‘80“ -
mi‘ ($11119! gold! precious, shining gold! beauti-
go i

“ Oh, how I love gold! See, I have handful:
of it! No I have hatfuls of it! See, I fill my
hat, and here lie thousands and thousands of
dollars more. "

Eager] he grabbed up the frozen dirt, tear-
ing his ger-nails to the quick, and staining
tie precious yellow metal with his blood.

But little he cared, for he had the “gold fer
ver”—the “ ellow fever,” and had any one
come there en and found him, he would have
sprung like a tiger upon him to tend out his life,
for when just seized with the gold fever, "raving
found a rich claim, a man gees mad—as surely
mad as was ever a crazed bein in a med-house.

For along time did Hugh bert struggli-
and tear up the earth, heavy with gold.an(?
then, wholly exhausted, and his wounds rec 1;.
ing with his wild exertions, he fell over i
swoon.

When he again become conscious it was night.
and hezveagt. sniffing-gs and igill‘li; butane.
great ' y e mans to to some of
the dryest brush, and soon had a good fire, in
the light of which the geld refitcted mellow

“YB.

But his yellow fever had subsided,and he was
now calm, and able to think of hisgood fortune,
and alsp to remember his bad, for he was im-
prisoned in the midst of wealth; perhaps he
might die there, in that lden retreat, and the
stony walls would only url back in his teeth
his cries for hel , and forever surround his
boxes as a rocky lab.

I

 

 

 

Gold Bullet Sport.

 

I r-‘r—‘m F

“l h: v: but one course to pursue, and that is
to gain strength here, and then make a desper-
ate effort to escape; moreover, I must do the
amount of work re uired to make this claim my
own, in case I shou (1 get out of this dungeon of
despair,” he said to himself, and he bathed and
redressed his wounds, collected enough brush to
keep up a constant fire, and crawling back to
the pit into which he had fallen, he cut off a
sufficient quantity of juicy meat to last him for
several days; then he again sought sleep, and
awoke refreshed, after a long and unbroken
slumber.

As s'rength returned to him, he went to work
with his knife, and dug deep into the earth,
turning u the rich gold with every stroke of the
blade, an occasionally finding a "pocket," in
each one of which was a small fortune.

Having, done the “reasonable amount of
work” on his claim, he set about plotting some
means of escape.

A thorou h investigation proved to l;im that
he could neither scale the walls of the pit or lhe
canyon—the former was over forty feet deep,
and the sides as smooth as glass, and the latter
was a mere gor e between high walls, over
seven feet in hight, and impossible to scale;
while be little brook tumbled into the upper
end of the gulch over a shelf far above human
reach, and found exit by another fall, which he
dare not a proach near enou h to look over; but
the roar o the Water prove that it was a long
way to where the rushing stream struck the
rocks below.

Upon one side of the gorge, nearly fifty feet
from where he stood, was a clump of small,
stunted pines, one of them leaning a yard and a
half over the chasm.

“There is my only chance. If I can gain
that clump of timber, I can easily reach the
top,” he muttered, and at once set to work with
energy to make the means with which to reach
the stunted ines.

Cuttmgh blanket into strin , be tied the
ends together, and then fasten, to it a stone
which he felt he could throw over the leaning

pine.

Effort after effort he made without success,
and at last sat down exhausted, as night-sha-
dows threw his retreat in gloom.

But with the morning he was again at work,
to in the end meet with success; the stone went
over the‘pine and its wei ht drew the line after
it until he held both ends it his hands.

Then he again set to work and cut the bear-
skin into long strips, which he braided securely
together, until he ad a rope that would hold
up thrice its weight. But the night came on

'n, and he awaited for daylight to come, and
fastening his bear-skin rope to his blanket string
be dragged it over the pine.

Now he was all excitement, for would the
pine hold him up, or would it yield under his
weight and come tumbling down upon .his

..

B .. degrees he tested it, and a shout of joy
bro 0 fmhis lips as he swung from the ground
and began to climb handover-hand up the

r0 I . t

Er ten feet he went on rapidly, and then his
stren h gave out; he was weaker than he had
thong t, and he could not place one hand above
another.

A moment he clung with the energy of de-
spair, and then the hands could clasp no longer,
and with a frenzied shriek at his accnrsed luck

I he fell back upon the gold-dotted

How long he lay there he knew not: but when
at last his eyes painfully opened, he started
with a c of joy. A form was swm be-
tween e h and sky, and, hand-under-han de-
scending the rope.

With eager eyes he watched the descent, and
then h’alf arose as the form touched the ground,
while from his lips broke the fervent cry:

“ God bless you, Calamity Kate !”

 

CHAPTER XXI.
AN AWFUL noon.

Ir was after sunset ere Carl Ken on took his
d are from the home of Major elton, and
then he walked ra idly back to the hotel and
ordered a horse and led, as he wished to ride out
to the Griuly Mine to see the minor in charge,
who it was said was quite ill.

At a rapid gallop he passed out of town, and
in half an hour drew rein in the wild-looking
canyon in which the mine was situated.

A few rude huts were visible upon the slopes

- of the hill and near the entrance to the mine

and at one of them Carl Kenyon halted an
called out in a loud tone:

“30'! within there!”

“ Give us yer handle, pan], for these are tick-
lish times,” said a voice within.

“ It is I, Fr’isco Frank.”

“ y, ca t’in; glad ’tis yerself " and the door
(ripened an a man appeared, W cm the moon-

 to be in mhwig’s dress, and a person
y unp g appearance.

“ Fr’isco Frank, I wish you to go with me to
the Secret Cave, and I me wish to command
your services in a way the will lpay on well,”
said Carl Kenyon, quiet] , and o d stnounted
and hitched his horse to t 0 corner of the cabin.

\

\

l
o

 

“ All serene cap’n; I’m or honey. Shell we
light out now ” answered e man.

is Yes- 1)

The minor turned and locked his door, and
the two set off together up the canyon, disap-
pearing in the shadows of the overhanging
rocks and pines.

A walk of ten minutes brought them to a nar-
row and wild orge, and clambering) up the
rugged side of he rock they came where
there was a small fissure, into which Fr’isco
Frank thrust his hand and drew out two lon

les, nailed a foot apart with small pieces 0

rd; in fact it was nothing more than a foot-
bridge, for it was placed across the gglch, from
the spot where they stood to a shelf yond.

Over this frail support the two men passed,
and entering a split in the rock came upon the
entnnce to a small cave.

“ Go in and bring him out, Frank; I hateto
enter the loathsome place,” said Carl Kenyon,
and, as his companion entered the cavern, he
stood gain around him upon the hill-tops
still covere with snow. the dark valleys, and
the wild scene nearer by, all lighted up by a
moon almost at its full.

Presently the clinking of chains was heard,
and out from the darkness into the light came
Fr’isco Frank, followed slowly and painfully by
a man heavily ironed upon hands and feet.

The moon shone brightl into the face of the
prisoner, for such he evi ently was, displaying
a look of intense suffering resting there: he was
well dressed, a man of thirty-five perha , with
brown hair, dark complexxon, and a ard of
some days’ growth covering cheeks, chin and

upper lip.

You can await me yonder, Frank,” said
Carl Kenyon, and the miner walked away,
while the prisoner sunk down 11 n the rocks as
though too weak to stand, or use weighed
down by the irons upon him.

“ We 1 sir, I have come to offer you terms.
If you accept them, well and good; if not, why
your life will be of precious little value to you. ’

The voice and manner of Carl Kenyon were
stern and cold as he s kc; his tones hadlost
the softness that seeme habitual to him.

“You have no ri ht, sir, to dictate terms to
me. Our compacto crime was long since at an
end, and he whom we both sinned against is in
his ve; what have you against me now?”

“ will tell you; you excepting yielding to
my bribe to injure another—”

‘Stern want made me do that, as you know,
and in sackcloth and ashes I have repented it.’

“ Silence! I say that after I threatened you
with exposure, and forced you tofiy West, lyou
came here and managed to live an honest ife,
while I have gone from bad to worse, until I am
now—never mind, I am all that is bad, and I
hate you for it.

“ You came here and dug a fair sum out of
yonder mine down the valley, and then sold it
for as much more cash, with which sum ou in-
tended to return to our old home an enjoy
your wealth- but Car eton Keene—”

“ I have rapped that name; call me by in
right one. You know I on] assumed a fict -
tious name to keep you from nding me when I
came West; but alas! evil q)th that on are
you found me after all my precau on, and
when I believed myself free of your hated presl
enoe, I find myself in our power. ”

"True, and are like y to remain there, unless
you accede to my terms.

“ No, I shall call on by your alias for your
own name I bear a presen ,” sneered’ the man
known to the reader as Carl Kenyon.

“ In Heaven’s name what do you mean?”

the prisoner.

“I will tell on Carleton Keene: when you
sold the Grim v lldine to Major Melton, you
should have at once gone East; but no, you
needs must run down somewhere to look up an-
other claim, and what you there d' vc
caused you to again fall into my power.’

2:  mt.“ 

m tt aspun ourmove—
ments,  be tracked you {0 p0ouryold claim,
and saw you when on went rom there find
ing it worthless to t 0 claim of Major Melton.”

‘ Grea l"

“ You may well be rised, for I know all—
know that you found 01 t Caleb dying
with fever; that he told you he had lately struc

it rich—had found a new lead in the major’s
mine that promised to pan out a million or
more—in fact, there was no end to the yellow
metal to be found there and he made you swear,
to a dying man, to make all this known to Ma-
lor Melton; had my  had the grit. he would
ave let the ser at 9, killed (you and bounc-
ed the mine b If; but he idnlt have the
‘ sand,’ I am glad to say, but came and told me.
and thus it was that on found yourself on
on the way to see t e major, and make 0“'11
to him the joyous news.

“ Then a glorious idea struck me. I knew?“
were known in your own mine here. as onl it!
manager, pretending to have purchased l for
another party, but that you sold it to M810?
Melton in your own name, as of course You had
a right to do, but as the  WWW
had never been seen in Con City, t 03'7"“

I my brain to personate him—”

 

I - m
“ Oh, you incarnate devil!”
“Thank you; yes, I came into Central City
and registered as Carl Kenyon, as soon as Inhao
on in my fiwer, and I visited Ma or Me ton
ld him t t to manager, Carlo Keene,
was dishonest, an that I had discharged him.
but, knowi all about the Grizzly Mine, ha'dn
the papers his possession, with ma an
drawi he had rsonated me Carl enyon,
and sol the value. le property, thus defrauding
Emmthe major, out of his fifty thousand dol
rs.

The prisoner was dumb with astonishment,
merely raising his manacled hands and shaking
them at the man before him.

“Well, this green-horn of an ex-major bit at
my bait, nay swallowed it whole, and the resu‘!
is have possession of the Grizzly Mine now, an i
the major was to have been my manager, he ll
we not come to a compromise, which was to gii o
hnn the mine for his beautiful dau hter an.
other stroke of policy on my M as will cl
course, inherit the very rich claim which id! r-
Eeant Caleb was working ’for her father; :11 a

ave I not played my cards well, and held a f ll‘
hand every time?”

“ You are Satan himself, in the disguise r‘
man.” '

“Again thank you; now, listen, for I wisl. t.
have gm know how I trumped your ace; at
Go rl envon I sent to Denver b the Expres‘
Agent, and drew out of the be e one hundi ed
thousand ou had deposited there, of com se
sending a! n vouchers and stators;—
was not that splend d?” '

“And I am a beggar,” groaned the unhap] y

man.

“You are indeed; your whole trip West, in
the mines, thrown awe . A great pity; but yor
have a chance to get a that mono back, and
more too, besides saving our life, you box.
the wisdom to take my a vice.”

:: gel] me what you Tush.” .

im to give me the rs van ct
by the yiyng se at, with til:thde an
to where to di or the gold, and all particular!
told Iyou b C eb.”

“ f 1 re use?” '

“ I will have Fr’isco Frank starve on to death .
You know him, and that while wor ing for you
he was my spy ,' he will do as I say."

“If I accept our terms?” . v

“Then you s all have back your one hundm'~
thousand, and a fifth as much more, and go fn l-
at once.” ' ‘

“ I will not trust you.” ' ‘
m“¥ou will have to, if you wish to save yov 11

9.

“And you swear to let me go free, and gi‘ v
the vpers to Major Melton?”

“ es, when his dau hter is my wife.”

“ What a terrible rage for her, poor girl!”

“It will be a worse one for you if you do not
do as I wish,” threatened “no man known '5
Carl Kenyon.

"When shall I have m mono , and go my

“ This night. I have go d ch s already mall:
out for the amount for you on New York; b a!
you must swear to at once leave the min! I
and” never, by word, act, or writing to bctr r
me.

“I will swear' I left the papers with In»
Flowers, at Golden City station. I feared it
bring them with me, as attack was dreaded ‘71.
Ca Satan ”

:5 givmean harder for them.”

0 ve em to you n the presenfn
tiou of this card, and your tellillglhim what y'vu
wish.” find the prisoner handed the Act 0“
DinmondS. adding: “Lem Flowers has the Au.
of Hearts of the some pack, so as to comp-'1 l

“ Is this true, Carleton Keene!”

“Yell, up011 my honor.”

“Very well, I will five the major the card a
go after the papers, lling him that a minty,
whomlwokareof whcndg ,told me am
Sergeant Caleb had given h c 41.3,:
etc., and asked him toseok Major elton a'u
make known the good news; but I will a u.
make the fair Florence m wife.

“ Now, Carl Ken on. and the man spout-
with the utmost vin ctiveness in his tone. . ,W
arcafool, for I never would allow you to 3,.
free and betray me. .

“You know too much of my gt, would I
wish togo East tospond my ric es. No, no
0.128900%“; a? dig; ylgnt mt tafken your an
m i an 0 nkin n,
earth. Fr’isco gunk!” mu  n

“A My, bow” Md the burly minor N1

“Tm this man back into the cave Md iron
him theretodie. Do not brin him any more
food, and’ncver come here to cave until I

tell Koo.
“ ll_right, mp'n.” ‘
“Doyou mean this great crimcr’asked the
unha y man. ,
1:1 0. as you shall know."
Then may God’s everlasting curse be 11ng
{£111 wherever you are—by day’, by night—a all
es, and in you very ve.
.mm "at? "°'” ‘23.. a...
man, an one u w is
fell seemed to shrink sway filth a shudder; but

ofthe.

Amwwma.”_fl . ._.

rm-....-...__'_._..-_...--a.. A- . . _..

 

31—_.___._,,

the next moment, with a m ' laugh, he
turned awa , as Fr’isco Frank bore t e prisoner

back into cavern, too heavily ironed, and
too weak in confinement in that loathe-n
hole, to any resistance. '

Ten minutes after, Carl Kenyon, as he isto be
still kuo to the reader, mounted his horse
and gall‘zged back to Central City, leaving
Fr’isco Frank in his cabin, counting over his
gold~the blood-money just earned.

—————

! CHAPTER XXII.
a WOMAN’S HATE.

Want Violmzkham found herself in the
Bower of Gang n tan and his Knights of the
verland, e felt fully the unfortunate situ-
ation in, which she was placed.
harm she did not so much dread though
from w t was said of Captain Satan, she fear-
ed him, and she knew that it would takes large
sum in gold to ransom her, and tho h she had
eonsiderahle in the hands of Judge olf, die yet
had other uses for that; still, her freedom and
mfeti were worth far more than her money,
and s e determined to make a liberal ofler for
her liberty as soon as her captors cameto a halt.
After a rapid ride of several miles, Cagrtgin
latan ve an order to his men, and they p-
ped 0 one b one, in directions obliqueto that
which he stil pursued, and in a short while
Violet kham was alone with her captor;
but thou she several times essayed conversa-
tion, he remained silent, and she was forced to
cease her erfforts to discover his motives in cap-
turing h . _

After a‘ ride of several hours, In which the
horses had been urged on as fast as the snow
would admit, Captain Satan led the way into a
i re that ran back into the rugged slopes
of uy’s ountain.

Up this canyon, which gradually narrowed to
a mere passageway between loft walls of rocks,
and was a constant ascent as t ey
they continued for a con 1e of miles,
through a lit in the rec the chief of the
Road Knig ts turned off ahruptly to the left,
and the tired steeds were then forced to clamber
up the steep and rough side of the mountain,
until the came to a scene of the wildest gran-
deur. bowlders of rocks were thrown to-
gether as ough by the throes of a volcano, and
were piled one on the other to immense hights,
until hey formed a natural castle of rocks, with
hundreds of cavern-chambers, passages, door-
wa and windows.

rom this natural castle, rugged yet wonder-
ful, a sand view could be obtained of the hills
and y ys for miles around, and of the snow-
covered mountains, from whose foot-hills curled
up columns of blue smoke, marking the humble
cabins of the miners.

Into an arch in the rocks, Ca Satan led
the way, and though it darken as he went on,
he rode without hesitation, still leading Violet’s
horse by the bridle~rein, as he had ever since he
so from

parated men.

A few minutes’ ride in the darkness, and light
appeared again, and Violet fotmd herself in a
lar and vaulted chamber, used as a stable b
ihefiulghte, for fully two score of fine s s
were there, and one man, evidently acting as

guard.

“ Look after these horses, Miguel, and saddle
my sorrel fw” said Ca tain Satan, shortly
to the dark- Spanish (Fallfomian who acted

II: then lifted Violet from her saddle, and led
her from the large rocky chamber, into a pas-
mgewa , and up rude steps, to a plateau above,
epon w h opened several caverns.

Here they were met b a. young girl—at a
smote;er of o ” Ties, and lawn

is a a com '
not as dark as a regggn’s. p

,She wasdremed in a costume which many a
wealthy city belle would have gone wild over,
lohavebeenable to wear it to a masquerade
ball—a skirt of red cloth, worked in colored
silk, and f to her knees—leggings of the

wheu;

ailing
finest buckskin, and kid boots, instead of moc- .

1'.“ covering feet that were very small and

An {mbroidered buckskin jacket titted her
[01:21de around her waist was a leath-
or t, a and small dirk-knife,
while necklaces 0 var and gold beads, of pure

as a one r
metal and pea, ircled be neck

_ andhaudsofgoldherbaraarms,aboveandbez

low the elbows.
knor d tum l-ddoednftothgg
ii an a n o
engr’mounted Enid. “ml :2), y 6‘
er face was beau intelligen and
her form faultless. Al she wast’a re
finals-looking creature to be found there in
W

retreat.

Asshecame forward toward Captain Satan
and his captive, her eyes fell upon the latter,
and therecame into them an angry light; but,

this, thechiefsaid: I
-“0l.2ldulan‘h,goandordertwoguards stationed
{muffins m I d'iwmn lam." m

ve a r,an a your
torhusiaeumyllsmeetoaoeawayfioheehssa
esveseldays, pahepsleegc.

and yet with '

 

“ Say to them that their lives shall be the for-

feit if she escapes.”

“ And what will my punishment. be?” i

The girl spoke in perfect English, and With a
sweet smile, while her voice Was rich and soft.

“ The same fate. Now see to it,” was the al-
most savage retort.

The Indian maiden turned quickly awa , but
Violet Markham saw that her bronze face ushed
a deep red, and then turned of a yish hue;
but without another Word she walked off to obey
the commands of the chief.

“. Here is your home, until you and I come to
a fair understanding. It rests with you to say
whether you will remain here until your death,”
and Captain Satan turned to Violet and spoke in
a constrained voice.

“ You have but to name the price of my ran-
som and if within my power it shall be paid.”

“ mi Woman, no gold on earth could
get you from 111 power; no, my revenge I love
too well; but I Wish you to sign certain documents
that I will have drawn up, and which will clear
me in the eyes of the world, when I return to
my old home in the East.”

“You are mistaken, sir, if you deem me able
to serve you.”

“ No, I know you. One with a face as beau-
tiful as yours is onl met once in a lifetime.
ane I loved you mafiy, and I would have mar—
ried you; but you gave up In love to become
the wife of a felon and now hate you. -

“That he is dead 1 know—and I believed you

in your gravo, until I saw you last night at .

Lan ish’s Theater.”

“ on are certainly mad. Upon my honor as .

a woman, I never saw you before.”

“ Ha! ha! ha! Oh, I orget that lam disguised
—n'ow look at me and tremble.”

The man removed his disguise of false hair and
berd, and along with it thered mask, and Violet
Markham gaze straight into the face thus ex-
posed; but she was certainly a superb actress, if

she ever saw the man before, for neither by look .

nor act did she display the slightest recognition
of her captor. I

“ You are now, as before, only Captain Satan,
the robber chief, to me.”

“ Woman, on lie in your false throat.”

“ Coward!’ and the voice rung as Violet Mark-
ham ronounced the word.

“ old! Now I shall know, for here comes the
girl. Lalulah!” '

“Chief.”

“Lead this woman yonder to the cavern, and
see if there is upon her bosom above the heart,
a wound, as though made with a kmfe.”

“ Yes, chief,” and the Indian 'rl led Violet
Markham into a cave near by an opening upon
the rocky shelf or plateau.

“ There is no wound of any kind, chief,” she
said, quietly, as the two returned together.

“ Can I be mistaken? No it were im
sible; there is some trick in this which I
yet fathom.

“Lalulah if that woman esca s from here
remember that I shall cut our eart out girl,
and throw it tothe wolves!’ and Captain Satan
resumed his disguise and mask and left the
plateau.

A moment after his departure Lalulah—the
Maybird—turned to Violet and asked:
h.“ Indy, who are you, and what are you to

Lm

“ My name is Violet Markham; I am an
actress, and came to Central City to look up
one who fled West to escape punishment for a
crime he committed and whom I desire to find,
to learn from him of my parentage, for he alone

can tell me.
“I was robbed esterda by the Knights of
the Overland, and e kind- earted miners gave

me a benefit—one of them giving a diamond-
studded icture of myself, and in searching for
him y at his cabin, Captain Satan made
me prisoner and brought me here. Now on
know all that I can to you, and in your nd-
ness of heart I know you will aid me to esca
—no, no, I would not have you do that, for I
heard his threats against you.”

“ But he said you had met before—for God’s
sake tell me if he spoke the truth 7”

“ No, I never saw him before, and his stran
words are a mystery to me; from what he sai ,

to be the one he an me to be, there should
beaecarupon my in; you saw that there
was none.’

“'l‘rue'he must be mistaken. I believe you, ‘ tinned
l

lady an —I hate him now.”
dram “  a.
0 1'08" e uesti
soon as she asked it; but Iailulal‘il snaggra
quickly, and with deep feeling

“ He was everything to me. . He came among I

my people and won my love, and though he
was of t e le-face race I left them to go with
him, for I l ked not the red braves of our tribe.

“ My mother was an_Indian, the dau hter of
the great Cheyenne chief Red Snake; ut my
father was a white man, a hunter, and he was
married to m motherby the rites of our people
and lived wit our tribe until his death, a ew
years ago, and it wasthrough his teac

became superior to the daughters of the vee
around me; it was through my loveof my fe-
ther that I learned. to love the pale-faces more

Gold Bullet Spoil»: 

1.7

than ,my mother’s people, and left them for that

“Poor child, and he is unworthy of you,”
said Violet, with sympathy.

“ He has deceived me; he has never loved me;
I was but his toy; and, oh! he is so evil, for he
wars against his own race. He is a renegade;
but his wicked life I could forgive, for I oved
him, had he not told me of late that he hated
me. So be it, for I hate him now, and he shall
know Lalulah can hate. He shall not find his
fair’ risoner here when he returns; and worse,
I ' 1 lead the soldiers of his race upon his re~
treat, for m grandfather, the Red Snake, has
only spared im for myasake.

“In a day or two, dy, we will leave this

lace, and seek a secure hiding-place I know of
m the mountains, until we can reach the
miners’ camps.” .

“God bless you, my sweet girl! Aid me to
fly from here, and ever after you shall be as my
sister.”

“ I am glad, for I have no one in the world to
love me, exce t the Red Snake, and I do not
wish to go bac to my people. I am not a red-
skin at heart. Now come into the cave, warm
yourself by the fire and get some rest, for we
will have hard work before us to arrange our
plans,” and Lalulah led the way into one of the
caverns, which Violet was surprised to find a
grist comfortable retreat for a robber strong-

0 .
CHAPTER XXIII.
CATCHING A ran’ran.

I'r seemed a strange circums cc to many of
i the citizens of Central City, tha after the vs
1 recnt bold robberies b Captain Satan and his
. men, Dan Smith sho (1 let it be known that l e
i was again to carry over to Denver a large
: quanti y of gold expressed to that town.

E And as the stage and its six flne horses disa
peered from the town, with only two insi e
l passengers, both miners, many conjectured
, that Dan would be ordered to “throw up his
, hands ” before he got through Devil’s Gate.

1 But that “prince of the reins” cracked his
! keen whip over his leaders, and rattled along
y at a merry pace, a strange twinkle in his bright
_ eyes.

i Prognostications do not always turn out as
I prognosticators desire; but in this case the
i growlers of Central City were correct for at
= the foot of Guy’s Hill, as the stage rolled slowl

? along, there suddenly came the stern and s
ling order:

“ Throw up your hands!”

Dan Smith quickly brought his horses to a
halt, and up went his hands, as they had on a
number of occasions before, while he cried out,
impatiently:

‘ Durn yer all, Knights, this are gittin’ mer-
notenous.

1 Out from the woodside, where they were hid-

, den in the underbrush, came five men—all wear-

 ing red masks, and they were dismounted,

, thou h Dan well knew that their horses were

not distant.

Two of the five went to the beads of the
horses, and the other three approached the
stage, one, who appeared to be the leader, going
upon the right, the other two upon the left.

“ Who have on got as passengers, and what
bootfi' ’ asked 1 e leader, in a stern tone.

“ f er is curious, jist lcok an’ see, durn yer;
yer isn t any Sunday schule teacher ter ax me
catechiz,” said Dan, ruflly.

“Look here, Dan mith, you are gettingtoo
free-spoken of late; you’ll get a bullet through
your brain if you do not keep a more civil
tongue in your mouth,” angrily said the Knight.

Dan made 1:0 :1 ply, an t e robber opened
the stage-door upon one side. as his companions
did the other, and never did men meet with
greater surprise.

Suddenly, and as if by ma 'c, the stage seemed
full of men, for out of each oor sprung several
forms, and in five seconds the robber leader was
, a prisoner and his four men were lying dtld in
I the read, while Dan Smith yelled li e an Indian
' in his delight. .

, A moment after u dashed the two miners
who had left Central ity as inside passengers
to Denver, and they were sading several horses.

“ Guesses as how yer’ve cotched _a Tartar this
clip, boss,” and Dan shook his whip in the face
of the leader of the Knights, and then he con-

 

 

“Ah, Dead Shot, my festive friend. 'cu isa
: screamer!” and he turned and wrungt e hand
. of Tarleton, who, with his allies, bad so suddenly
i turned the tables on the robbers.
' “ Now, men, drag those bodies into the bushes
here, and we will see how much this gentleman
values his life,” and Dead Shot, with his hand
in n the arm of his prisoner, led the way into
th): ine thicket that bordered the road.

“ good-by, paxds; l’m dumb until 1 gets back.
Luck to yer, all round. I’m blest ef I don’t jine
ther church, I are so he py. Git, horses!" and
awe rolled the coach, an Smith still laughing
lou y at the way in which the Knights had
“ ca ht a Tartar.”

.. m: "s? mm; W “22‘ ems:
2 1'. q ruler
h- it- “It.

 

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-letrayiug your comrades?

.18

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He was a man of slender form, though ath—
ietic, and about forty-five years of age, with
iron- yhair and mustache; his face was intel-
ligen , stern, not ill-looking and his eyes black
and very piercing. That he was no ordinary
man was evident and his dress was better than
that of his dead companions, who had been
thrown upon the ground before him.

“Well Sir Knight of the Road, I have sworn
"o hunt own your band, and we have begun
vell,” said Dead Shot, sternly.

“ I am not he whom you call Captain Satan,"

:zirl the Knigh , quietly.

“I know that, very well .u are the lieuten-
mt of Captain Satan. The men call you Iron
ieart, but your ieal name is Carter Gray.”

The man stari ed, and his face became very
,iale; but he mad 3 no reply, and Dead Shot con-
tinned:

“Three years ago you killed a man in Rich-
mond, Virginia, and you fled here to escape the
gallows, for it was a cold—blooded murder.
'l‘hcre is a large reward offered for your appre—
hension. Do you wish me to give you up, ar—
ier Gray?"

“Am I a fool?”

“ Oh, no, I cannot accuse you of being a fool,
tut I can of being a merciless wretch—one
whose cruelties as a Knight of the Overland
have gained for him the name of the Man with
the Iron he .”

“ How know you this, may I ask?"

“ From what I personal] found out. Do on
remember a man of your d known as all-
"ornia Kit?”

“ Yes; he was with us six months, and then
m teriously d' ppeared; we believed him
ti ed, or captur ,’ answered the Knight known
‘8 Iron Heart.

“ California Kit and myself are one and the
same.”

“ And in the name of the devil, who are you?”

“ Upon the books of the Central Cit House I
am registered as Mr. Tarleton, but I ave been
lsatelyt' "christened Dead Shot, the Gold Bullet

PO - I

“ Curses! You are that man, are you?”

it I am. )7 I

“ You are certainly a devil with revolver and
knife, from all I have heard. When withus
you seemed a mere cipher in the band.”

“ I was playin a art then; I am in earnest
now. Do you va uel fe, Carter Gray?”

“ Wh ask me?"

“ We 1, do you value it Epough to save it by

 

“ I love my life more than I do theirs; they
are nothing to me except as a means of protec-
ti0n " said the road-agent. 

“ Well said. Now, how many men are at
present in the band of Knights?”

“ A week or so ago there were twenty-seven ,
all told, at the retreat, and six on special 1
duty.” i

“Four of those on special duty were known 3
as the Angel Quartettef

“Yes, and all are now singin hymns with
the devil’s choir," recklessly said ron Heart.

“With three more from the band who joined 4
them to fill up the vacancies made by deathl” ‘
calmly suggested Dead Shot. l

“ You ought to know; you called for their '
rhecks.” l

“Making seven gone,” continued Dead Shot, ;
without noticing the remark of the Knight, while i
Buckskin Ben and the others, oxce ting Red
Snake, seemed greatly sage-liked atal they were ‘
learning about the Gold let Sport. ,

“ These seven, with one killed at the miner’s ‘
cabin in the mountains, six in the attack on Dan
Smith's stave some days ago, and four to-day,
reduce the (band from thirty-three to fifteen; ‘
two of these fifteen are now on special duty;
Captain Satan is absent somewhere on the road,
in you are a prisoner in our hands; this re- ~
iuces the number to eleven men now at the
Castle of Rocks. Is my arithmetic correct, Iron
Heart?’ -

“ Perfectly: you are splendid at figures."

“ Now, these eleven are at the Castle of Rocks
And I depend upon youto help uscapture them,’
and Dead Shot looked the man straight in the
face.

“ How can I?”

“I Will tell you: as an ofll fer you will be
obeyed. Go to the retreat and order eight of
those men to come with you, upon some exr-use
or other, and lead them into ambush: if they
surrender, well an i ood; they shall be taken to
Central City for tr 1; and if they refuse, we
will shoot them down without mercy.”

“ And I?” ‘

“ Will be spared—for you must then go on :
with us to the retreat, and let u: surprise the
three men that remain there.”

" Qnd In life will be spared?”d i t

" as. a ter you avea re 9. ans our
u.ml'ederatesin crime.” ppm g y .

“‘ Then I will be set free and the citizens will ‘
string me up.”

“ Nani pledge you my word you shall be pro- 5

- uni refuse to betrav the Knights!” 4
“ Then I shall send ahuilet th

i

where you stand, or take you back to Virginia
[or trial—as you prefer.”

a..- f-‘ ,....,..._..._... _ .,. .__.... .. . “a

L remponded Iron

‘ diaprfifvea grunt oi assen .

. you can divide your booty, and to-moxrow we ,

, Satan had here with him, and who is the grand-
' daughter of the Red Snake, aided her to escape.

' the caves. Dead Shot called to the Red Snake

and Violet Markham in the Castle of Rocks.

Gold .Bul}¢t§199¥19:

“ The Knights must go by the board. I am
not anxious to be shot or hung,” and Iron Heart
laughed recklessly.

“Well, you .know my terms. Lead on! but
mind you, Carter Gray, if you attempt any
trickery, I swear 1you shall be hunted down, and
when taken, I wi i turn you over to this Chey-
enne chief to torture you to death as best suits
his ileasure.” .

T man shuddcred. He knew well what I
cruelties Indian nature could devise, and he i
said:

“I shall not fail you; for some time I have
thought the Knights had about gotten to the 3
end of their r032, and was thinking of emigrat-
ing to new fiel .”

‘Lead on; we await you,” was Dead Shot’s i
stern response, and mounting their horses the I
party set out leaving the (lead Knights conceal-
ed in the bus es.

At length Dead Shot baltrd; they were with- i
in half a mile of the (.‘astle of ks, and in a l

i

gorge, than which a better place for an ambush
cou d not be found.

“ I have warned on, Carter Gray; now gol” )

The lieutenant o the Knights at once set off I
on his mission to betray his confederates, and ‘
Dead Shot placed his seven men—for the two i
miners from Central City, and whom Dick of
Denver had selected as good men and true,
were with them.

A half-hour they waited, and then down the
hillside was seen a file of hOrsemen approach-
in , Iron Heart, with a view to self-protection,
ri( ing considerably in advance.

Slowly they came on, nine in number, the
narrow pathway causing them to ride in single

file.

Presently they entered the gulch, where the
man—hunters lay in ambush, and loud, clear and
stem rung the cry:

“ Throw up your hands all of you i”

The Knights drew rein, some seized their re-
volvers, and others turned. as if about to fi ,
while Iron Heart and several more obeyed t e
stern command:

“ Hold! or you are dead men!”

The three horsemen in the rear of the line
heeded not the threatening order, and the next
instant they fell dead from their mddles, just as
the attem ted to dash away.

T is dea y assault taught the othersalesson,
and up went their hands, and five minutes after
Dead Shot had his prisoners secure] bound.

“Now, Iron Heart, you havo anot or duty to
perform; lead on to the retreat.”

The road-agent lieutenant immediate) obey-
ed, and arriving at the Castle of Rec , and
anxious to gain avor with his stern captor, he
walked up to the robber guard and deliberately
shot him down, for from his officer he expected
no danger.

The next instant Dead Shot and his comrades
dashed into the rocky stron hold, and the secret
retreat of the Knights of t e Overland was in
the hands of the Gold Bullet Sport, who at once
made his way to the cavern plateau, as the shelf
of rock was called, upon which fronted the
caves where Captain Satan had his quarters and
léeptuhis booty, and where the beautiful Lalulah

we .

The boot , in vast uantit and of great
value was t ere, but no%erson y, arded it!

“ Where is the Indian gir , Lalulah, and
where the lad captive of your chief?” asked
Dead Shot of on Heart, whom he had kept
with him.

“ The Indian aided the captive to escape,’for
they left two nights ago—how, no one knows,
for they did not Ease the guard,” indifferentiy

eart. '

Turning to the Red Snake, Dead Shot said a
few words in the Cheyenne tongue, and the In-

t
w, boys, we will spend the night here. and

will return to Central Cit ,” said Dead Shot.
“ An’ ther purty leddy ’ asked Slim Ike.
“Is safe, for the lndian girl, whom Captain

Boys, you will find plunder enough here to re-
ay you, and, as far as we are concerned, it has
lean a bloodless victory.

“ Mr. Gray, you must submit to being bound,
but I promise you my {iratectionfi’ and the Gold
Bullet Sport turned 0 Heart, who yielded
with a bad grace.

Telling Buckskin Ben to look after the prison-
ers, and Dick of Denver to drag the booty from

and-the two walked away together—the would
have been better pleased to have found h

 

CHAPTER XXIV.
CALAMITY KATE on mm mm.

FEARING in make himself con icnous by ad-
dressing Calamity Kate in the lie thorough'
on

fare. the youth. La Caste, fol owed slowly
after her, until she reached her own iso ted
cabin near the forks of the road.

Kate entered her humble abode and the mo-
ment after heard a knock, and behold the youth
as she opened thadoor. .

“Mygoodwoman, I havoeomotoukyouto

 

serve me, and
pay on liber
wm ng vowe.

“Come in, sir. The air is still chilly as it
comes from the mountains. Now, sir, there is
precious little service I can render any one; but
what I 'can do I'will do willingly.” ‘

“Thank you,” and as Kate’s eyes were bent
searchineg upon him, and there was an ex-
pressidn in her face which i a could not under-
stand, the youth went on to say:

“ I came to your town to find a miner whose
name is Hu Inmhert; and Judge Wolf, at
the hotel, te is me ill-tidings of him—that is,
that he started for his mountain cabin in the
storm, some nights ago, and has not since been
seen: but I was directed to you as one who
could perhaps give me information re arding
him, and I have offered five thousand do lars to
find his whereabouts.”

Calamity Kate started; then her e es again
wandered searchineg over every {estate of
the outh’s face. ~ -

“ oung man,” she said, slowly, dropping pn-

‘

on may be assured that I will
y,” and La Coste, in his soft,

consciously into the dialect of the mines, it -

are a large sum ter put up fer a man an’ when
ther stakes run high as thet, a teller is ter
b’lieve thet Hugh Lambert is wanted somewhar
for reasons thet will git his neck infer a ' sling.

Now, ther young miner war a good friend ter'

me when I war sick arter ther death 0’ my—m
—hus-—arter ther death 0’ my man, an’ or
:fibarkin’ up ther wrong tree ef yer thin I is

er
ther ust yer name. ” 0 ,

“You mistake me, mygood woman; I mean
Hugh Lambert no harm, ut on the contra
desiretoserve him. I am the best friend he

has in the world and for one year I have sought '
him, until I tracked him here, to find that he a.
Tell me that you can find

believed to be dead
him i” and La Costa ke beseechingly.

“ I’ll tell yer what ’11 do."

“Well?”

“ We will start at once on'his trail: he may
be dead and he may not; if dead, we will find
his body, for the snow is nzeltin fast,” and
Calamity Kate left OR the dialect s e at times
affected, and always when talking to th
miners. ‘

“Are you strong enough to stand a rough
tram i” she continued.

u es,
fate.”

“Then we’ll 0 at once. It is some hours
before dark. ust you return to the hotel?”

“ No; they expect me back, but, never mind.”

Kate made no reply, but at once set to work ’

preparing for the expedition.
 e quickly put into a stout bag what yo-
vismns they would need, and two flasks of
liquorhafter which she rolled up four blankets
in an indie-rubber cloth, and secured matches
and ammunition about her person.

Then she looked to her revolvers and handed
one to La Coste, at the same time saying:

as will sell ’im out, ef it’s for twice

I can stand anythingto learn his

“ You had better draw on these rough clothes '

over yours, for on will need them.”

The youth si entl obeyed, and then Kate
took from over the c imney-board a repeatirg-
rifle and a hatchet and expressed her readiness
todepart. - ' .

Dividing the traps between them, they took
up their loads and (ft the cabin. .

“ Now here ” and Kate halted at'a spot where
the roads again divided, about a mile from her
cabin; “here you see is where Hugh Lambert
lost himself. Iwas out just after the storm,
the mornin following, and I saw tracks in the
snow, but t ey were alt-filled up. And this is
the road, brarchin off here, that leads to

En h’s cabin, but t is drift you see sort 5:: it'

foo ed the poor fellow, in the blinding etc: In,
and he went right by and in this path, for the
snow, was unbroken when I came here, as I told
VOU.

' “Hetook this road then, as you say: it oer-l

tainly seems reasonable," La Coste assented.
“It could to no other way, for snow always
deceives one as to locality, and, from all ac-

counts, he was in no mood to closely watch his‘

{am Now let us strike round into the menu--

ains b thispath.” _
Slow y the two continued their way. Calamity
Kate, with great skill, watching every object

‘ that would he likely to turn the wanderer in the

storm from his at

The snow he settled a great deal, was melt?

ing fast, and there had been rsons alon since
the storm: but Kate took inltlie situatiog as it
was on that terrible night.

Presently she again halted and looked closer
about her. . -

"See here, sir: this Spot does not look unlike
the road back yonder, where he was to turn oi!
for the mountains, and here is where he struck
up the slope. Yes, here are old tracks. made
before the snow ceased falling. and nearly oblit-
erated.” '

“You are right; they lead straight up the
mountain.”

“ Yes. just as the road back yonder runs. He
mechanicady turned of! hero, and by force of
hazi‘ilt’lrept up-hill, as he would do if in the right
" ' ‘ .

“'i'hen you think he has perished!" "

.  he i “hwy I.  ..

 

 

 a. - .__._...,_.y ...  .

ext}; > I..

The question was almost in a whisfier.

“ The chances area hundred to one t at he has.”

“ But he may have reached some cabin?” and
the outh’s face was very pale.

“ o; I will not deceive you; there is no cabin
within two miles of this s t, and the further he
went up the mountain t c more he left h0p_e
behind. He was the only one living on this
slepe of the mountain above the valley. I say,
sir, poor Hugh Lambert!” and Calamity Kate
spoke with considerable feeling. . _

The youth made no reply, but set his hps
firm] , and then, after a few moments’ silence,
asked:

“ And from here?”

" IVc will follow this faint track in the snow,
and it will tell us the story."

“ Whether dead or alive?”

“ Whether dead or alive!”

“ I am ready.”

Again the two went on, this time toiling hard
up the steep hill. and through the heavy, drifts.

At length darkness came on, and t ey were
forced to halt for the night; but they found
a comparatively comfortable spot under the
shelter of a bowlder, and a fire was soon send-
ing its rudd glare out into the darkness, while
the two are sat before it in silence.

Soon Calamity Kate rolled herself in her
blankets and went to sleep, or pretended to do
so, for from the shadow she gazed long and
earnestly into the face of the youth, who said
it was uzeless foaliiim to seek rest, and kept his
seat bef re the .

. But at last tired nature exerted its ri ht, and
the youth’s head bent over on the arm t t rest-
ed upon fie rock, and he slept sound] .

Cauti ly Calamity Kate arose an wrade
his blanke which she had furnished him w th,
around his arm and threw more wood upon
the fire; then s e a in crept back to the
warmth of her humb e bed, and slumber also
came to her.

The sun was gildingl the tree-tops when they
awoke, and the fire ad burned out, except a
few coals; but more wood was thrown on, and
the two ate their breakfast of bacon, crackers
and coflee, in silence. ~

“I dropped off to sleep last night, I was so
tired; it was so kind of you to cover me up,”
said the youth.

“ I feared you would take cold. Now let us
move on.” -

Again they followed the trace in the snow and
after a while Calamity Kate halted suddenly.

“There has been a desperate st le here—

sce, the ground is stained with blood, but whose?”

A moment she watched the traces on the
swam where the snow was trampled down,
ind then been partially covered over, yet
not sufilcient to hide the stains when the surface
was brushed off.

“ Whose?" Calamity Kate again ted, and
the s rung forward to the track t t met the
one {hey were trailing, and a cry broke from

her ll .

“ I hat is it i” the youth.

“It was a 'ufimr, and a large one,
from his trac —hal here is a sink-hole, and
gether they fell into it.” _

Both now stood looking down into the pit, the
mouth of which was some five feet in diameter,
and widened as it went down; but all was dark
below a few feet from the top

“I will cut up my blanket,
go down, for it is t are."

“ W ti”

“ The body of Hugh Lambert.”

The youth turned his face quickly away, and
then a c broke from his lips:

“ See, ere is a smoke!”

Both ran toward the spot, some sixty feet
away, and came to the brink of a deep chasm in
the rocks, through which they could see that a

. mountain-stream poured its flood ' but that some
one was down there they knew by the tell-tale
smoke.

“ Hold this end of my blanket, and I will creep

- down to yonder clum of and look over,

too,
to-

make a rope, and

said Calamit Kate or e shelving walls of
the chasm rzvented, their seeing down into the
bottom of he can

on.
Selling the blanket by one end, while the youth
let it lengthen gradual] , the fearless woman

crept down'to the pines, which she reached just
as a wild shriek came up from the bottom of the
can on.

“ e is below, and safe.”

The words were almost shrieked from the lips
of Calamity Kate, and she felt the blanket
loosen, and saw the youth fall backward. She
(lid not hesitate now, but seixlnfithe bear-skin
rope, swung herself over the brin of the preci-
m, and descended, hand under hand, to the

- of the can on.

A little wate); in the face, a brisk rubbing of
the head and hands. and the 0 es of Hug: Lam-
bert nedte behold Calam ty Kate nding
over

CHAPTERTHEXPYh
A WHY 0’ .

“Gm, b1 Calami Kate," had been
mama‘th wanna? Hugh 121m when he be-
» or.

«Izg‘ung: “an”; M th'tu

 

u Gold Bullet Sport.

boss o’nthis b’ilin’; I is only second fiddler in ther

dance.
“ You are the first one to reach me, Kate and
1 had not

I believe I would have died here, for
strength to climb out.” _ ,

“It mout be, but yer has held on ter hfe like a
cat, fer yer has bed a severe rastle w1th a_ gnzzl y
an’ yer hevn’t bed a palice ter live m,” and
Calamity Kate lanced around her.

“ It is better t all the tomb, Kate, and it was
a lucky tumble here for me. and shall bea lucky
find for you. Kate, look yonder at the gold.”

“Great God! you have struck it rich, Hugh
Lambert; but stay here, for I have a friend to
bring to see you,” and in her earnestness she
dro d her s ang way of speaking.

“ 0, Kate; I will share with you, but with
none other. Thil is our secret.”

“Very well, and I thank you; but I’ll soon
come down again,” and Kate went up the rope
with astonishing dexterity.

As she had feared, she found that the youth
had fainted; but he quickly revived when she
forced some li uor into his mouth.

“ He is save , you say?” he asked eagerly.

“ Yes, and almost as good as before. Can you
climb down a rope?”

(A Yes.” '

“ Then come; let us first lower the traps, for
we will have to stay several days in the canyon,
until Lambert is strong enough to get out with
our assistance, for he is weak.”

“ I will run back to town, and—”

“ No you won’t! He don’t want a gang after
him, for he has found a gold-mine.”

“ A gold-mine?”

“ Yes, rich and rare. Down goes our lug-
gage!” and Kate lowered the tra sand rifle.

‘ All right, Kate] Now come own yourself,”
cried the rich voice of Hugh- Lambert from
below, and the youth’s face paled and flushed by
turns, while he trembled violently.

“ I fear you cannot go down,” said Kate,
kindlv.

“ Yes, I can! It is only a momentary weak-
ness. I expected to find him dead, you know,”
and LaCoste gained control over his weakness
and swung over on the rope, for Kate told him
to 0 first.

e watched him as he went down: saw him
turn and face the miner, and then heard the cry:

“ Thank God, Hugh, I have found you!”

She saw the miner start back, stagger, and
then came in thrilling tones:

“Vim'anl Vivian! my wife! you here I”

Then Calamity Kate turned away from the
chasm, and for an hour she paced to and fro in
the timber; but at length she ap roached the
canyon again, cautious] slid own to the
growth of pines, and wen down the bear-sldn

rope. I

As her feet touched the ground Hugh Lam-
bert‘s rung toward her:

11“!” to, you have brought me my wife—my
l e

“I knew from the first she was a woman.
That little false mustache and the man’s attire
did not deceive me. I am (glad, madam, that
you have found your husban .”

There was a calm dignity about the woman,
in spite of her wild looks and half-masculine
costume, that impressed the miner and his new-
found wife strangely, and he said calmly:

“ Kate, to you. I again say, I owe my ife and
my restoration to my wife, and it is but due
that I make known the 'nful circumstances
that drove me a in 'tive this far land.”

“ Mr. Lambert, do not seek our confidence.
I have but done my du , an thank God I
was able to be of service 011.”

“Still, Kate, I would rat or make known to
you something of my past, for Vivian and my-
self have talked it over, and she agrees with me,
that to you I can make a clean breast Of‘lt.

“ I came here to the mines, as I thought, a
murderer, for I raised my hand against the life
of one whom' I believed had won from me my
Wig: 10m 1] d l t against I

‘ wasa a po ' me, amnow
told—a woman’s epel’ot for revenge, because Ire-
fused to make her my wife, as all her friends
and mine wished; but I did not love her and
followed where my heart led—married Vivian
here and Isabel Vascar otted revenge.

“It is all clear now, or Vivian has told me
how she cast suspicion upon my wife in many
ways, and made me the instrument of her re-
venge, and also avenged herself upon me at the
same time.

“ She had a lovely cousin visiting her, and in
size, color of hair and form, she was not unlike
myowife, and being engged to a oung man
w had slighted Isabel ascar for Jivian, that
arch-fiend p otted to make me do a deadl deed.

“Her cousin was poor, and Isabel h her a
costume made to wear to a ball, the very coun-
terpart of one which my wife was to wear, and
she the lovers into an arbor in the grounds,
soug t me, and led me to witness a scene that
from my very blood It was, as I believed, my
wife, receiving the caresses of a man who had
once beef her lover, and whom both she and
myself tly admired; in fact he was my
mile“ filfia with jealous, pad 'I

‘ was on: saw but
the form. hair and era, and that,an

 

a9

 

Herndon bent over her in a tender manner, his
arm around her waist.

“I dra god from my

istel an filed quickly at im. Both fell, and

 Vascar hurried me away, and I fled for
m l e.

X Two days after I saw a paper with a most
garbled account of the affair, and the names so
mixed as to be almost unrecognizable; but it
told me that Lawton Herndon was dead; that
the bullet had, after mortally wounding him.
entered my wife’s neck and made a hideous
wound, though not a dangerous one.

“ From that day to this I have never read a
piper, and believed myself the mulderer of

wton Herndon; but, retribution came upon
Isabel Vascar. She was thrown mm her car—
riage, and, when dying, sent for m wife and
confessed her crime, and then this rave little
woman set out in search of me, and after a long
year of tracking has found me—found me to
tell me that it was Vivian Lammond that was
with Iewton Herndon, the similarity of the
two names causing the mistake in the pa ‘cr.
and joy unutterable, that my lullet did not
kill Inwton Herndon; it wounded him scvelely,
and ’twas feared he would die, but he lecover—
ed, and is now the husband of Vivian Lam-
mond, who was also wounded, yet sli htly, by
the bullet burying1 itself in her neck; ut they
lay the crime at t e door of Isabel Vascar, and
not upon me.

“ And Kate, our good friend, my sweet wife
tells me that in my absence my business was
wrecked, that my fortune was svu t away:
but, what care I now? I have lprince y wealth
to offer her, and you are ha fowner in this
claim, for if I found the mine you found me.
Now Kate, on know all that I can tell you.”

Calamity te had listened most attentively
to the strange story of Hugh Lambert, and then
said inher quiet way:

“I offer you both my warmest congratulate
tions, and box: for 'our fleet happiness in
the futu"e. for t is go d, I will take ust as
much of it as will buy me a certain joy have
longed for these many years. Then lt was not
your wife to when you gave the miniature the
other night?”

“No, and there comes in the mystery. She
was the perfect inla e of Vivian—her foxm,
face voice and all, an sung as does my wife:
but I have a confession to make. I VlSlted the
rooms of that woman in the hotel, and the faint-
ed at sight of me, and I brought away the mini-
ature which I had, under a sudden hr ulse,
thro into the basket. Nay, more; was
d 11 not beholdingliupcn her neck the seal
that I elieved my bu et had left upon my
wife. Who that woman, or girl, can be, I can-
not imagine, and Vivian says she camein search
of me to my cabin, and was captured by Cap- -
tain Satan.

“Yes; but she will be rescued, for there is
one upon her trail who seems invincible and
will brlng her back, if man can do it. Your
Wife’s name is Vivian, I believe, and the one
who so resembles her bears the name of Violet
Markham!”

U Yes‘"

“Who was your wife before you married

her?”

“Vivian IA Costs.”

:Sflgmfige—very si‘rarge,”%1111d (i’alamity Katc
sa en y musmg or a w ' e at resent] '
roused herself and said: ’ p 3

“ You must gain strength now,.rapidly, (Ti 1
will go to your cabin after pick and shove], al Ii
we will work this rich strike, until you are able
to tent of here; then we will return 10 Cu -
t City and make known your good fortune. -
I have seen strange thin :2 happen in these gold-
mmes,” and Calamit ate again became lest
in_deepest reverie, w ile Hugh Lambert and hit
Wife sat together in happy conversation, and at
their feet v. (re piles of precious yellow gold—a
small fortune in a single heap.

CHAPTER XXVI.
CENTRAL crrY Is AlAZID.

IT was hard work for Dan Smith to “hold
in”—not his horses, but himself—and not tell
how the Knights of the Overland, in a little

lot arran by Dead Shot, had “caught a

artar’“ but he kept his romise, and tIOllgll
he had thrown out sundry, ints, had not in to
many words told of u but had happened.

Of course he made known that 9 had brought
over a large quantity of “dutt,” and that he
had not lost it, though the Knights had ordered
him to “ stand and deliver”: but t] esecret of his
escape. he said, was not then to be made known.

In Denver. throufh the medium of Dan
Smith, the Gold Billet Spelt had bcc(me as '
well known by name as he was in person in
Central City—in fact, his farre had floated
down to Pike’s Peak and up to Cheyenne. and
gainin addition w1th distance. it was reported
afar gem Central City that Dead Shot had.
sin le—handed, defeated Captain ,Satan and hi;
on hand of Knights; but there were many
who had met the Knights of the Overland, and

ket a Derringer

been robbed by them, who took this story with

a considerable grain of allowance.
AI Dan dashed along, on his return to Central
City, with several ‘ pilgrims ” We. as he

 

. .,...- .— ..

. Y 5.... .

 

 

 

:30

called them, his eyes bri htened as be came to
the scene of the trouble t e day before.

Suddenly he drew rein as if by instinct, ex-
pecting the old cry of “ Throw up your hands!”

But the forms whom he had, at first glance,
taken for Knights, were seen at a second 00k to
wear tticoats.

“ oses in ther bulrushes! I’m teetotally
durned glad ter ..'ee yer—I is, by Jingo!” and
Dan threw himself from his box and grabbed
the hand of Violet Markham! ‘

“ And I to see you, Mr. Smith, for we have
been dodging in the mountains for several days.
i esca d from the Knights of the Overland b
the aid6 of this Indian
‘0 Central City, when will pay you.”

“Pa f Git in, you an’ yer pard, who are as
putty er a red as you is for a pale-face. Git in,
an’ ef I don’t astonish ther jedge then call me a
liar. Oh, Lordyl but it does my liver good ter
lee er! But, whar is ther Sport?”

“ do not understand ” said Violet.

“ Why, ther Gold Bullet Sport an’ his pards ,

went arter yer yesterday, an’ jist at this hour
spot ther was— But I fergits that I darsn’t
tell. Git in, white leddy, an’ red. an’ I’ll roll
yer inter Central in no time. Pilgrims, 'ist

uar’ yerse’fs inside thar a few, fer these ed— I

dies are friends 0’ mine. This are m sister an’
that are m coz so jist make yerse’ 3 small an’
El’n room, ’ and the “ ilgrims ” in the coach

avi made room, Violet and Lalulah were
hand in. Dan sprung ain to his box, crack-
ed his whip, and awa r0 ed the coach.

At a speed which t e citizens of Central City
had never seen equaled, the Denver coach dash-

ed up to the hotel, and with a whoop, that I

caused all to believe him drunk, Dan Smith
drew rein before the door.

“Jed Wolf, hop lively for Queen Victorer
ar’a ins de ilgrim. Hop up, jump up,tumbleup,
an’ scramb e up to h’ist her onter ther groun‘l

“'1 has other pilgrims fer yer hash-factor ,
but ther queen are ther trump-keerd, so bust e
her out just !”

With surprise and wondering what great fem-
)nine dlgnitar had honored the town and got- I
ten Dan dru
hand swung o n the stage-door.

u  mp)

"Yes, my dear ud , and most deli hted to
get back to your ' d protection: an I have

ir], and we wisha ri e :

 

_(_3':old B_ullet Sport. ‘

“ Fair devils! They is Knights 0’ ther Over-
andnan’ was tuk as sich. Le’s hang them up,
8.
“ You did not take them,” was the quick re-
. tort of Tarleton.
I “ Say, my honey, ef yer has too much lip we’ll
string yer up with ther Knights,” yelled a loud

voice on the outskirts of the crowd, and as Dead 

Shot made no repfiv, another called out:
I “ Git ready, par 5; We’ll string up ther Knights
‘ an’ derwide ther plunder.”
“ Close in around these men. Ike, ) o 1 111111 the
Cheyenne move on to the jail with the plun-
eI. ,

The order was calmly given, and quietly
r obeyed, Dead Shot and five of his followers
quick] ranging themselves around the risen-
ers, w ile Slim Ike and Red Snake mov on.

“ Pards, they is goin’ for perteck ’em, or I is
a liar. Le’s snatch ’em,” cried a voice, and he
laid his hand on the bridle rein of the steed rid-
den by Dick of Denver.

“Do not fire any of _ ou, unless compelled to.
Move on!” and Dead hotur ihis horse for-
ward, and the others followed 's,example; but
the hanging fit was now at fever heat with the

I crowd, and some one—who none knew—fired a I

shot, and a Knight of the Overland was hard
I hit; it was the Iron Heart, Carter Gray.

But he kept his seat, and Dead Shot thrust in-
to his hand a revolver.
l “ Defend yourselves as best you can—fire J”

i

‘ them, a scare of ands upon their bridle-reins,
I and one of his own men, one of the two miners

horse.
For half a minute there was a rattling

 

i tramping of horses, and then Dead Shot and his
3 little rty dashed throu h the crowd and rode
a Bid; to the jail; but ennessee Pete lay dead
I be 'n , along with one of the Knights, and the
‘ other miner who had joined them fell from his

rest of the party had received slight wounds. -

co to their aid, and behind

' his posse mmg
l them the law-abiding citizens had turned out en

masse to punish those who had wantonly at-
tacked them. In fact, Central City was in earn-

brought a friend with me—one to whom I owe I est, and the rioters were forced to levant as

m escape from the Knights of the Overland.”
’ith a lad smile, and words of welcome,
fudge Wol aided Violet and Lalulah to ali ht,
and Dan Smith ushered them into the lie],
while the udge looked after his other ests.
Five utes afterward a crowd as-
.embled in front of the hotel, for the news of I
Violet’s return had spread like wildfire, and the
.niners were anxious to welcome her back.

As the stood there a cavalcade was sudden- I
(y dcscri coming into town, a crowd at its
heels, and shout after shout was heard as the
horseman in advance was recognized.

It was the Gold Bullet Sport—calm to indif-
Iarence, and riding with the ease of a superb
horseman. I
' Behind him came Buckskin Bon, and ridin
oy his side was Carter Gray, or Iron Heart.
then followed the other prisoners sewn in num-
ber, and horses laden with the dead bodies of
the remainder of the band.

Behind these were anumber of steeds, heavi]
frech with the lunder found in the Cast a
of ks, and Slim e and Red Snake brought
up the rear, for the remainder of Dead Shot’s I
a lies were guarding the captive King of the I
Overland. l

“ Great God! they have captured the whole ;
and of Captain Satan!” 

It was Carl Kenyon, or the one bearing his i
mine who Epoke.

“ Y’es, an b the Lord Harry the Gold Bul-
let Sport has one it,” cried Judge Wolf, and
he rushed out to meet Dead Shot, who at that 3
moment glanced up at the window of the hotel I
and turned deadly le; but he called back to'lI
Red Snake in the eyenne ton e, and the In- 1
dian also looked up a
no si 11 of having seen anything su

“'lgarleton, by Jove! I am glad
you back! I

“Yes, judge, took the whole stronghold 1

 

 

risin .

And you were successful?”

soon have him too. I see that—that—Miss
Markham is back?”

“ Yes, arrived half an hour ago—Dan picked
themu my: his return trip. for she bringsa
pretty In n girl with her, who aided her to
escape from the Knights. I see you have not
lost a man?”

“Not one; a perfect victory. Now I will
take the prisoners on to the jail and then re-
turn. To-morrow we will try them.”

“And han them: but come back soon, for I
wish to drin a hallelujah over you.”

the win ows, but made  But what a startling resemblance!
' what can she be? Ha!"
we come i

n' 3 ham.
but Captain Satan is yet at large, but I will I

quickly as they could.

“ I am mortally wounded, sir; but on did all
in yoilirIpower to protect me; do not et me die
in ai .

t was Carter Gray that spoke, and Dead Shot
saw that he was indeed dangerous] wounded.

“You shall be taken to the hote and have
every care. Here, boys, get a litter, and bring
this man with me,” and arleton turned to his
little band, who were now at leisure, having
given over to the jailer their prisoners, and
stored their plunder in safet .

The litter was soon brou t and the wounded
man borne to the Central ity House.

At that moment Violet Markham passed, and
a voice called her name: '

“ Violet l Violet!”

The maiden paused, turned quickly, and with
a bound was by the side of the dyin man.

“ Carter Gray! Thank God, I have ound you.”

She bent over the wounded Knight just as
Judge Wolf came forward to order him taken
to his room.

The order of the'Gold bullet Sport was not a v
-I moment too soonifor a surging crowd was around .

who had joined him, had fallen dead from his I

of re- I
volvers, shouts, shrieks of agony, snorting and I

 

 

I My wife, Judge Wolf, whom you knew as Mr.
‘ La Costa ”

“I’m blessed if I’m 'drunk, and—but thing
are slightly mixed. Mr. Lambert, I am glad
I see you ahve, sir, and also to meet your wife;
but if her twin sister is not in this home under
the name of Violet Markham, you can kick me
and I won’t resent it.”

.“I never had a sister, judge; I am an only
child; but the likeness between Miss Markham
and myself must be strange indeed,” said Vivian.

“ It is miraculous; but, Inuibert, *ou shall
have a pleasant room- at once, and if seem be.
I wildered you must excuse me. for things are
mixed in this town just now. For instance, my
young guest, La Coste, left the hotel several
days ago, and comes back Mrs. Lambert, along
with yourself, who certainly if not dead, deserve
to be for going out in that storm to your cabin,
when yrou knew my house was alwa 8 open to
you. hen Dead Shot captured the nights of
the Overland and their stronghold, and a party
of idle devils attempt to hang his prisoners and
raise a row in the street, in which, thank
Heaven they were sadly worsted; then up
drives Dan Smith with Violet Markham and an
Indian girl just escaped from Captain Satan’s
band! I tell you, Lambert, thmgare to -hea
in Central Cit , and I’d like to ow
I pan out next?’ _

“ I have struck luck at last, judge—got a claim
worth a million. and Calamity Kate is my pard.
By the way, she came to your hotel t y, and

ot some things out of the ti unk of your guest,

 

watw

longer as a young gentleman.” _ .
“ I wondered where she got her feminine tog—
‘ gery from, and I’m blest, madam, if I know
whether you are more beautiful as a woman
than handsome as a man; but, Hugh, you look
a seed‘ , and {gain at you a room once.’t j d
‘amaie yonmypins e,u '
but I’ll soon come round. all righi” repligeod‘
Hugh Lambert, pleasantly.
In half an hour more the news of Ru h Inm-

1 horse as they rode along, while nearly all the I bert’s safe return was known, and that '3 wife

! was with him, and, added to the other surprises

 

l

on the way, Judge Wolf, hat in | _At the jail they were met by the sheriff and | that had just occurred, Central City was cer-

tainly amazed beyond precedent.

 

CHAPTER XXVII.
CARTER onsv’s conrnssxox.
THAT Iron Heart, the lieutenant of the

? Knights of the Overland was certain]

y dyin
there could be no doubt, for there was a bulleg
in his side, and internal hemorrhage was slowly
taking the life of the strong man.

He had been taken to a lar e and leasant
room in the hotel, and thither iolet arkham
had followed him, and the physician, called in
by Dead Shot had told him there was no hope
whatever, and then had one 03 to attend to
some other unfortunate w o needed hisservi
for the Gold Bullet uS‘port and his allies had let
a red record beh' them, in their
through the mob that had attempted to check
their regress.

In t e room with the dying man were Violet
Markham and Tarleton—the latter having been
sent for by Carter Gra .

He had bowed to .iolet ufion enterin , and
yet there seemed a pained loo upon his and-
some face whenever he gazed at her. re
were also two others in the room—Lalulah and
the Red Snake—the latter seeming quite con-

“ Oh, Judge Wolf, he is the man whom I ! tented at havin at lastggtten hisgrand-daugh-
tan. '

sought—and he is wounded,” she cried, with ! ter‘away from

commingled joy and regret.

Yes. he was in the trouble outside a few me- i this]
I won

ments ago. Come to his room if
him, Miss Markham.”

Violet stepped back. her eyes still upon the
wounded man, as the bearers ' and bore

you would see

upon her, face to face. .
He was deadly (pale, but she showed no sign
of iecognition, an, followed the wounded man.
“ I am mis
beshe—she who as been years in her grave?

Who and

I _Dead Shot started back suddenly for before
him glided the wry counterpart of Violet Mark-

“Great Godland whoare f”

‘I Tarleton turned almost ercely upon her,
I while the woman slirimk from him, and a deep
I vaice said:

I “That ladyis my wife, sir; IamHugh LII-111‘ i “I:

I bert. at our serVice.
2 Dead ot glanced from the woman to the
man, and then said, absently:

a tain

Mr. Tarleton, have a confession to maketo

(young girl, and I would be glad if you
hear what I have to say,” and Carter

Gray spoke with the utmmt calmness. He

I knew that he was to die, and was no man tocry
'I out a slut his fate.

i him away, and at that moment Dead Shot came 4
I responded Dead

“I you desire it, air, and this lady has no ob-
jection, I certainlg am willing to obli you,”
hot, and he glan toward

I Violet, who bowed her consent, and Iron Heart

taken as I behaved. How could it i

went on:

i “For your benefit I will say, Mr. Tarleton,

that I am an actor. I come of a good family in
Virginia, but ran off and went on the stage he.
commg infatuated with an actress,.whom laf~

terward married. .
“ We had no children, and ten years a o
ado ted alittle girl that was playing chfldigh
with her supposed mother, who was taken

l ligand died in New Orleans, when our company

I told us that the little

orm that cit .

y wife nursed Maud arkham—such was
woman’s name—and before her death she
girl, Violet, was not her

of a rich banker in Bos-

W“

daughter, but the chi]

5 “Pardon me, sir; she came upon me unspecc I ton—that the mother of the child had deserted

ter from the rave. I have just seen one her
vegyimage; am bewildered. ’ I
. _ith a bow, and another 813009 at 5

. Vman Lambert, Dead Shot on. 1113‘ “3

1 her husband, runnin of! with another man
: whom she loved, for

e had married the banker
for his money.

“ Shortly after her flight from her home she

As the cavalcade moved on, it became evident Judge Wolf came forward, and with almoot i had given birth to triplets—three little girls;

that there was trouble brewing, for a number of
idle men, and dangerous spirits, had gathered
around and meant no good to the prisoners, for
loud threats were heard from even-gone

“ Back. men! I have charge of t
and I will see that thev are rotected and get a
no em,” said new Shot. Kmiy

aide.
prisoners I

3 equal surprise started back.
i “ Sainted Methusalah! am I awake?"

4 but the man for whom she had forsaken her
1 husband swore she should get rid of the chi]-

j “I hope so, Jud 9 Wolf, for I would like a ‘: dren, and she had hired a nurse to carry them

room for myself an wife.”

“ Hugh Lumber-ta by the Helios!”
' “ Yesdudge, an
thanks my wife hero Calamity K.

I to their father, in Boston.
“ But the nurse cared not to be bothered with

not dead as was believed, : so many children, and ave one to Maud Mark-
and wlhamwadoptandm oroushooarriedtoa

Coste, for my wife did not wish to be known '

3

M. 7....._..._ -.-~_._.I _. a

P

 

‘t

 

 

Aeametothisve

 Bullet Sport.

0
{vi .

 

 

Bay who advertised for a baby girl, to take the
place of one she had ust lost.

“ Maud Markham ed, and we took the little
child, Violet there, and raised her as our own,

‘ until my wife took 111, and was shortly after

laid int e grave. That was three years ago,
when Violet was nearly eighteen.

“All that was bad in my nature at once
broke out when my wife was no longer with
me, to hold me in check, and I became dissi-
pated, gambled, and one night, as ou know,
shot a man over a game of cards, in chmond,

Vi ia.

‘rfinwas deliberate murder—the man won the

me fairly, and I killed him, and fled for my
E? . You know the result. I am now dyin
an outcast a fugitive from justice, and an o -
cer of the Knights of me Overland.

“ At the time of my flight, my daughter as I
called Violet, was givm cones and I was
actingas mans er; but left her in the lurch,
and carried wit me her  ' I saw
by the e. rs that she continued her concerts,
and bo d y stated in a pubhc card that I was
not her f ither.

“ I also saw that she went u n the sta and
became an actress of consi erable cele rity.
Now I find her here in Colorado, and her admis<
sicns to the proprietor of this hotel told me
that she was in seach of me.”

“ I came here to find you, Carter Gray. You
know that, though I loved your wife, I never
cared for you, and often wished to leave you;
but I was a mere girl, and could not, for I knew
not how. I

“ Why I sought you here I Will tell ngen: the

apers often 3 k of me as Violet rkham,

ghter of arter Gray, who it will be re-

membered, committed a most diabolical mur-
der in Richmond, V' nia, some ears sincc.

“ This species of vertising am tired of,
and knowin that you knew who my parents
were, I song t on out to get from you the
truth. Alas! I nd the first truth a great grief;
m poor mother was untrue to my father—a
f wife! But go on; tell me all I would
know,” and the maiden spoke with great bitter-
less.

“There is little more to tell, Violet, except
the nan,i,e of your father; it was Walter Wood-

“ Walter Woodbn'dge! MyGod! can this be?”

The eyes of Carter Gra and Violet at once
(i'irned with surprise 0n t e speaker—the Gold
Budet Sport.

“ Yes, such was his name—Walter Wood-
bridge a banker of Boston.”

Dea Shot essa ed tospeak, but no word came

from his ii an he turned his face to the win-
dow his ole form trembling with some deep
emotion.

“ Do {an know my father, sir?” and Violet
hidlheird,’ nd softly upon the arm of Tarleton.

t , i -

“ Did! He is not living then?”

“ No, he died four years ago,” and an ex-

Bression of intense pain passed over the face of
ead Shot.

“ Was my sister with him? Mr. Gray says
the nurse sent one of my sisters to my father.”

" Yes, she was with him when he died. ”

“You know her thenl” and a glad light came
into Violet’s eyes.

his,” $2117" Wife PM the

ven t yiug man act wringing
from himagroanof n asDeadShotmade
known what the sister been to him.

“Was?” and Violet’s voice trembled, her lip

vered, and her eyes were full of tears.

“ Yes, she is, alas, dead! Now on know why
I was so affected at seei you the theater
the other ni ht. You are e imaggplf my
lost wife. t first I hoped. and most ‘eved
that she had, in some miraculous way, risen
from her grave, for I knew not that she had a
sister; she never knew it herself, nor did Walter
Woodbridge know that he had but the one
child."

Violet drooped her head in her hands and her
form shook With emotion, and Dead Shot stool
near, cold, white and stem, while upon his face
rested a lock of inexpressible an
window, silent as statues, stood t e Red Snake

nd Lalr-lah and Carter Gray lay with closed
eyes breath ng heavily, yet uttering no groan

of n.
mength Violet raised her eyes, and asked in

‘a broken voice:

“ And my other sister Mr. Grayl”

“ Her name was Vivian. The lady who
ride ted her was wealthy, and her name was La
Dos Leroy La Costa was her husband, and
they lived in New Orleans.”

‘ Do you know whether she is living or not?”

“ She was, six years a At the request of
my wife, kfiowling the  of our sisifilrs
and curse , wrote regard
them.y Since then I know nothin about them.5

“ Do on know aught of my l" and the
voice f tered.
“ She is )1 -—nay, stralge as it may seem

the man for w om she deserted her husband
town, some time ago. 1 new
whohswaaa 'was 11 Beaten at the timeof
our mother‘s flight, and numbered, when
Maud larkham told me who was your father,

'sh. At the .

 

the excitement the elopement caused there, for
the man was well known in the City as were

your arents.” _
“ is name?” almost fiercely asked Violet. ,
“ Was Otis bert—a bler of fine appear-

ance, and remar ble luc ; but  fortune must
have dogged his steps after his flight with our
mother, for he was working a small claim .ere
when I saw him a year ago, and was killed in a
fight at some saloon. Here he waskuown, on
account of the strength he possessed in his hand,
as Steel-Gri Otis.”

“He was ' ed, you say?”

it Yes. 7)

“Thank God for that! and my mother—my
poor poor mother?”

“Is somewhere about the mines now; she is
knoum as Calamity Kate.”

A 'n Dead Shot started, and Violet turned
quic y toward him:

“ You know her?”

“ Yes, I have met her. If she has sinned i
know that she has bitterly repented of her sin.
She is not of the evil, and her heart is in the

right place.”
‘God bless on for those words! You will
take me to see er soon?”
6‘ Yes. ,3

Again a deep silence fell upon all, unbroken
save by the heavy breathing of the dying man.

.At last he tried to speak once more, turned
his e es imploringly upon Violet, ped for
breat —once, twice, an the wicked ife of Car-
ter Gray, he whose cruelties had won for him
the name of the Iron Heart, was at an end.

“He is dead,” said Violet, in a whisper, as
thou h awed by the presence of death.

“ es, he is dead; but you are not alone, for I
am your brother now."

The maiden looked into the true, sad eyes of
the man before her, and said, softly:

“Yes, you are my brother now. ’

CHAPTER XXV III.
VIGILANTE JUSTICE.

THERE were certainly a number of persons in
Central City who felt quite sore over the death
of Iron Heart by bullet; they thought that the

istol had “cheated the gallows” of ne whose
ife had been such as to well deserve ging.

But, there were the other Knights upon whom
to wreak vengeance for the many murders and
robberies committed upon the mountain high-
ways during the past few years, and those
“gentlemen of the road” were at once brought
to trial. -

As on former occasions, when the Vigilante
trials were held in Central City, Judge Wolf
was appointed judge, by acclamation, and all
necessary witnesses were at once summoned and
the prisoners brought before their accusers—
Langrish’s Theater being temporarily trans-
formed into a court of ustice.

Of course one and a of the Knights eaded
“ not guilty,” but then there were Dead 0t am
half a dozen witnesses to swear that they had
taken them with arms in their hands, red masks
on their faces, and knew them to be road—agents
belonging to the band of Captain Satan.

In his quiet way Dead Shot told that he had a
grievance to wipe out against Captain Satan and
some of his men, and had sworn to hunt the
whole hand down to their death.

To do this he had thoroughly disguised himself
as a miner, and, under the name of California
Kit, had joined the Knights, professing to be a
fu 'tive from justice.

tending to be a half-witted fellow he had
escaped going with them on their raids, and had
been given duties to rform about the Castle of
Rocks, and during stay there, had learned
the history of the principal members of the band,
am laid his plans for capturing or destroying
them. ‘

Having perfected his arrangements he left the
band, and soon after came to Central City

How hehad succeeded theeonrt were to judge;
but he could swear rsonally against every
prisoner then before t em as being a Knight.

The statement of Dead Shot created the great-
est excitement and the prisoners scowled at him

 

.savagely, but he seemed wholly indifferent to

the admiration of the crowd or the hatred of
the Knights, and having given his testimony
quietl stepped aside.

Wit such testimony as was given by the Gold
Bullet S rt, and corroborated by Buckskin
Ben Die of Denver, and the other captors of
the Knights, there was little use of wasting time,

The court made an effort to induce the prison-
ers to confess regarde their chief. but they
either could not, or woul not, even when oflered
their lives to betray him.

Then the Knights were condemned, in an im-
pressive manner By Judge Wolf to be immedi.
ately led forth toexecution—to he hung upon a
large tree growmg upon the banks of Clear
creek, just outside of the town,

At once the court adjourned to the place of ex-
ecution, and Slim Ike and Buckskin Ben were
up nted executioners and went to work with
a will, while the crowci stood in silent expecta-
tion and the doomed Knights indogged despair.

“ our testimony was overwhe mi , Mr.
'Ihrleton - but do you think you Will ever catch
Captain Satan!"

 

It was Carl Kenyon who spoke, and he ad-
dressed Dead Shot, as the two stood together.
near Judge Wolf and the jury.

“ I am confident I will, sir, for he has not left
the country.”

“ He is a most remarkable man, Mr. Tarletnn
-—given to a number of ' ' ear, and
ma be at this moment in the crowd calmly
loo ' on at the hanging of his men.”

The speaker was Major Melton who, at that
moment, joined them, and heard the question of
Carl Kenyon and the reply of Dead & hot.

“ True, Major Melton; but I shall make a
strong effort to find him. There, the word is

ivcn!’

As the Gold Bullet Sport ke the wagon
was driven ahead upon which e oomed men
were standing, their necks encircled by the
ropes, and they at once swung from life into
death, while a great shout went up from the
rou h crowd.

ith pale face Dead Shot turned away, walk-
ed back to the hotel, mounted his horse and rode
out of town.

Five minutes after, the Red Snake, also mount-
ed followed him.

Near the cabin of Calamity Kate the Indian
overtook the Gold Bullet Sport and the two rode
on ether, until they came to the cabin of Col.
onel arke, in front of which was the sameman
that Tarleton had before seen.

“ The colonel has not yet returned, I suppose l”

“ N0, buss. Got a letter from him yesterday
by Dan Smith. He are still in Denver, an’ he. s
got a touch 0’ fever—guesses yer gold pill didn’t

0 him no benefit; but they is raisin’ things in
Central, I l’arns—is they?”

“ Yes, they are making it interesting for all

” You and your master had better look
on .

“ I don’t savey, boss.”

Dead Shot made no reply, but rode on, leav-
itzg hC1<Iilllonel Darke’s man-of-all-work gazing af-

r .
A short gallop and the two horsemen drew
 befgre the cabin of the boss-miner of “ The
“ Hello pards, white an’ red, how kin I sarve
yer?” an Fr’isco Frank came forth, his eyes
eenly searching the faces of his unexpected
visitors, both of whom he knew by sight, as he
had been in the X. 10. U. 8. Saloon the night of
Red Snake’s game of cards with the Angel
Quartette.

“ Move a muscle, Fr’isco Frank, and you are
a dead man.”

There was no mistaking the tone—there was
no mistaking the act! Dead Shot covered the
miner’s heart with his old-mounted revolver,
and Fr’lsco I'h'ank was ' ely to find gold where
be least desired it.

“I say1 pard, what are I done ter you, thel
yer chip in thusl‘yi” whined the miner.

Dead Shot spo e to Red Snake in Cheyenne;
the Indian sprung from his horse and withs
lariat had the miner securely bound in a twink'

ng.

“ Now I will answer you; which do you love
best your life or master?”

“I don’t rastle with yer idee,” sullenly re-
plied the man.

Dead Shot took out his watch and looked atit.

“ You have just one minute to answer my
question.”

There was no trifling with the man before
him and Fr’isco Frank knew it.

“I loves my me best; but I hain’t no master
—this are a free kentry.”

“ Any villain you serve for gold is our mas-
ter; but we will not argue that int, or I have
more im rtant questions to as you. Answer
them an I will we you your life and let you
go, so that you cave this country at once: re-
fuse, and I will send one of my gold bullets
through your brain.”

“ I’m answerin’ questions every time, pard,”
was the (Luick re ly.

Eeedad S at set own in front of the miner and
as :

“ What did your master do with a horseman
he captured on the mountains, some days ago?”

“ \\ ho, pard?” asked Fr’isco Fm as though
to see how much his questioner knew.

“ The former mans er of the Grizzly Mine-—
Ca rletcn Kee he ca led .”

“ Guesses as ow ou knows it all. He are
bag over onder in thrr canyon.”

“ on can and me there, I suppose?”

“ I dunno as I kin.”

Dehd Shot quietly put the muzzle of his iatol
against the man’s ear and he added, qui- y:

“ 1 meat be ed.” ._

“ So I think. Is Carleton Keene alive!”

“ Life’s too onsart’in, pard, fer me ter venture
a remark. I guesses he mout be, though.”

“Get up, and show me the way.”

The man silently obeyed and at last the two
reached the secret cave, the Indian remaining
witTlligzhe horses :lrthe (Enlyon.

man was we— e, haggard emaciated
“figmeth the pantogs of stary'atlilgn’.
on ve come save me said, eager-
ly, to Dead Shot. .
' I have,” and he unlocked the irons from the

fellow
“ New, Fi ’isco Frank, you shall take thiszeu-

 

‘ .

 

 

 

 

r.
.-..2i p - Gold Bullet Sport.
tleman's place until I need you, and he shall be All saw the Gold Bullet Sport start, and his “Hands off, sir! You are covered by one
your guard—come.” face pale; but he said, very pleasantly: who Will kill on if u draw a weapon."
The miner attempted to roast, but with an efc. “Indeed! Mr. Kenyon is to be warmly con- The Gold et port spoke calm] , yet his

fort of his giant strength the Gold Bullet Sport
hurled him to the ground, and in an instant he
was ironed, hands and feet.

“Here, sir, take a swallow of this ” and Dead
Shot handed a flask to Carleton keene who
seemed greatly strengthened by the draught.

“Now, Mr. Keene, I will leave you here to
watch this man, and my Indian friend will
bring you provisions and arms. I ma need you
both to—night. Are you able to stan guard?”

“ Oh, yes; I feel like another man; but, who
are you, for there is something strangely fa—
miliar in your face .I”

“ Men call me Dead Shot the Gold Bullet
B rt. Be careful not to leave this cave,” and
fileton walked away, and mounting his horse
soon returned to the cabin, where he procured
some food, blankets, and the wea us of Fr’isco
Frank, and gave them to the R. Snake.

“ Take them to the cave and give them to the
one that was a )risoner; then come to Ma'or
Melton’s, where will be,” he said, and (putting
apurs to his horse he dashed away, an again

rew rein at the cabin of Colonel Darke.

“ er, yer is social,” said the man in
charge of the cabin.

" es, and I intend to be more so. What is
your name—that is what name are you now
dodging the law an or?”

“ name are U. B. Damn.”

“ ell Mr. U. B. Damn, you are likely to be
done with as your name suggests. I have the
drop on oul’

“0h, rdg! How hes I run ag’in’ er,
pardner!” an U. B. Damn became very pa e.

“That you shall soon know. At present I
must place on where you can be found when
wanted. old out your hands, sir!”

It was useless to resist, and with a muttered
oath the man obeyed and Dead Shot slipped a
pair of handcuffs upon his wrists.

Then he led him into the cabin, and with a
horse-hair lariat, found there, bound his feet,
and with the end of a blanket gag ed him.

“Now you can rest easy unti I send for
you,” and closing and locking the door upon the

man with the profane a pellation the Gold Bul-
let S rt again moun is steed and rode rap-
idly k to town, a strange expression resting

upon his handsome, sad face.

CHAPTER XXIX.
TREBLY UNMASKED.
MAJOR Memos, his daughter and Carl Ken-
n sat in the pleasant sittinfid'oom of the Melton
ome, the two gentlemen nvingfii‘etumed to-
gether from the execution of the ights.
The subject of discussion was an interesting

 

' one, for upon the morrow Major Melton was to
take full control of the Grizzly Mine, and Carl -

Ken on was urging that, as important business
mat rs would call him iway from Central City
for an indefinite period, that Florence should at
once become his wife.

The more that the maiden saw of her lover
the more she regretted her act in promising to
marry him; but, then, she loved her father, and
for his sake was willing to sacrifice herself.
Now, havin decided, she was perfectly Willing
to become rs. Kenyon without l0 or delay,
and had given an indifferent consent that ef-
fect when astep was heard upon the piazza, and
the maid-of-all-work "at the cottage came in to
no. that a gentleman wished to see the master.

ing to the door Major Melton beheld Dead

Sho le, stern and uiet.
“ y, my dear arleton, come in! I am
glad to see you.”

" No, major, not until I have had a word
with you. Have you seen enough of me to have
indent confidence in me?”

There was somet in Dead Shot’s manner
that impremed Major elton and he replied at
a e

m.

“ Indeed I have—the utmost.”

. “Thank on. Now you return to your guest,
and in a ort while I will call again; then,
whatever I say, suggest or do, I wish you to up-
hold me in. t is a strange r uest, sir, but I
am acting whollitfor your , and that of
3 our daiéghter. I g9 wrong I am personally

mpomi eto ou,sir
‘ Tarleton,

is some strange reason for
this requesthbut I will do as you wish, for I
know enoug of on to feel that you are not a
man to act for c act.”

“I will return within ten minutes, for I do
not wish it to seem as though I had s ken to
you,” and Dead Shot turned away, w ile the
major re entored the sitting-room.

After a turn around the garden for a quarter
If an hour, there came another knock at the
door. and the servant ushered in Mr. Tarleton.

A flush came upon the face of Florence, but
she greeted him warmly, while Carl Kenyon
snow ed, and the ma r was most gracious.

Fm fag! momsnththe $nvgmgtionttw?tgn

. cs.an ema r, eeing a e
3‘13: of Dead Shot had something to do with
Florence and Carl Kenyon. said quievtlgl:

“ As a friend of ours, Tarleton, I inform

on of a secret: my chin bier is to become Mrs.

on tomorrow availing.”

 

gratulated. By the way, Mr. Ken on, your
good fortune is such that I would Ii 6 to stake
my life against the lady’s hand, and settle it
With a game of cards.”

Florence flushed with indignation,and glanced
toward her father, as though to resent the insult;
but the look she saw on his face caused her to
feel that Dead Shot was playing a part, for
some reason, and her desire to escape t e hated
alliance with Carl Ken 'on was such that she
was most willing to be aided.

“ Sir, do I understand that I am to offer my
afiancée’s hand against that of a sport, a gam—
bler, and one whose hands are d ed red with
human blood?” savagely said Carl enyon.

De id Shot was now all smiles, and re lied:

“Yes, that is just what you did un erstand
me tosay: I will stake my life, in a me of
cards. a inst Iyour right to claim the nd of
Miss Me ton. f I lose, why, ou have my life
whenever you choose to ta 0 it; if you lose,
then I claim Miss Melton,” and Dead Shot
glanced around as though he had made a most

elightful proposition, while Carl Kenyon
seemed dum with amazement. .

“ That is fair, Kenyon, and Tarleton certain-
ly oflers his life against Florence’s hand; what
say you, in daughter?”

‘ say, ather, as reposterous as the whole
afl'air seems, I am in rested enough to wish to
see the game played, and I will accept the alter-
native, as far as I am concerned.”

Florence Melton was now very pale: she felt
confident that her suspicions regarding the con-
duct of Dead Shot were correct; and come what
might, she would be in no worse position than
she then was, while she would take good care,
if in her power that Carl Kenyon should not
injure the Gold Sullet Sport.

‘This is shameful, and I confess my intense
surprise Major Melton that this man is not at
once kicked out of the cor.”

Tarleton smiled, and the major replied:

“On the contrary, Kenyon, I am anxious to
see this game played to the end. Come, the
majorit are sinst ou.”

“ An if 1 re use, ajor Melton i”

“Then, Mr. Kenyon, you and I will playa
game of a different kind the minute you leave

he shelter of this roof.”

The Gold Bullet Sport spoke calmly, but Carl
Kenyon felt that he was in deadly earnest, and
with alight laugh, which he was far from feel-
ing, he replied:

‘So be it, if the majorit is against me.
When shall we pla , Mr. Tar eton?”

“Ngw; the ma or doubtless has a pack of

“ I have a pack myself, and—”

“ I refer to use those the major will furnish,”
and ead Shot took a flesh pack handed him
by his host. .

“Best three in five, or one ametodecide—
whichever you please, sir,” Dead Shot.

Carl Kenyon wanted the a n over with—
he dreaded lest the Gold B et port was en-
tangling him in toils from which it would be I.
har matter to esca , and he said shortly:

“One game let it 1”

Dead Shot bowed, sat down at the table and
Carl Ken on took his seat opposite, while Flor-
ence and or father stood, one u 1) either side.

The two men cut for deal and ad Shot won
and carefully and slowly shuffled the cards, and
dealt out the hands; then each took uplhis hand.

Dead Shot, though pale, wore t at quiet,
mysterious smile habitual to him when deeply
moved; but he showed no tremor of a nerve,
tho h his life was at stake, and he knew, if he
lost hat the man before him would not hesitate
to claim his winnings.

Carl Kenyon was whito. and there was just
the slightest nervousness in his manner—
brought on by ignorance of what all this meant.

Slowly the game progressed, and—Dead Shot
won

“ Curses on my ill fortune! but, gambler, you
are a fool if you think I shall relinquish my
claim upon the hand of Florence Melton because
you have been more lucky in a game of cards,”

ily said Carl Ken on. '

‘ Pardon-me, Mr. euyon, but as an interest-
edparty, Ibefto say that my hand has been

won by Mr. areton fair] and our on 0-
met ends, sir,” Flormoye’ turned natty
toward her lover.

“ or Melton, I appeal to you, sir—thisis
the ve nonsense.”

" Mr. Tarleton, sir, must be the dge II he
played the glue in good faith, ng his life
against the ad of in daighter; had be lost. it
would have been a matter for him,” “1d “10

major.

“ Do you think I should have claimodhis life?”

“ Yes, Carl Kenyon, you would have claimed
it with a joy it were hard to conceal. Hold on,
sir! Now that you are no long? engaged to
Miss Melton—now that she is w lly free from
mu, I here declare you to be, not Carl Kenyon,

t Colonel Darla, from whom I won the Dead-
"thrift bricked h i d

a e s temamsavagey,

ping his hand upon his revolver. "p-

. .A......... .._......«_.........._...__J._.. . .. .- A. ._ I. ..

 

own hands held no revolver, and he three

glanced around the room to see from whence.

came the danger threatened

There, in the window behind the denounced
man, stood the Red Snake, his rifle to his shoul-
der, his finger on the tr'ggerl

A bitter curse esca the shut teeth of Carl
Ken on, and then he roke out with:

“ jor Melton, will you allow this insult in
your own house?”

“ If Mr. Tarleton cannot prove his words, sir

he is personal] responsible to me. If he don
prove the t en shall hold you sibi
or the in t to my daughter and myse f.”

,. “Major Melton, I can prove what I say; at!
more—this man is none other than Ca fair: 8)
tan, Chief (g the Knights of the On nd.”

As Dead hot spoke he sprimg forward am
seized both hands of the man in a grasp of km
and there was heard the click, click‘ of mets’,
as handcuffs were clas ed upon his wrists
while Florence staggered ck and fell, almo'al
fainting. into a chair.

As for Major Melton, he stood like one in
sleep; and the voice of Dead Shot again speak
ing was a relief.

“ Ma’or Melton, if you will make yourself re-
sponsib for this prisoner, and permit me in
ask to your house certain persons, I will prov‘I
all that I sa re arding this man.’

“Certain y, arleton; do as you please in
this matter. I have perfect confidence in on.
Oh, God! from wha have you not sav he
and in child 1” and the major led Florence
from t 0 room.

A moment after he returned, and found that
Dead Shot had also ironed the prisoner’s ankles,
and that Red Snake had entered the room.

Turning to the Indian, the Gold Bullet S rt
handed him a key and said a few words to 'm
in the Cheyenne tongue, and Red Snake quick-
ly left the house.

“Now, major I am goin to leave this gentle-
man in your charge, whi e 1 go after several
persons whom I to have present. I will
return within half an hour,” and leaving the
house Dead Shot mounted his horse and rods
rapidly into town.

CHAPTER XXX. .
m conn nan sroar’s REVELATION.
IN an hour’s time after the denouncement o!
the man who called himself Carl Kenyon i

 

number of persons were gathered in the mom:

of the Melton cot .

.In one corner of t e room, with the Indian bi
his side as aguard, sat the prisoner, his face livid
his teeth set, and near bl; were Dick of Denver
Bucksin Ben andSlim e, and between them,
also risoners, were the men known as Fr’ism
Fran , U. B. Damn and Carleton Keene.
as: ‘dfitfifiifi ‘3 “am mp... ”°“

e , e am
with a. livid light burning in his eyes. ’

Within the room, and seemingly an audiencu.
were Major Melton and Florence, Calamity
Katcand Judge Wolf Hugh Lambert and his
wife and Violet Mar am and Lalulali.

All eyes were turned upon Dead Shot, as, ii
his deep tones, he said: i

“ With the permission of Major Melton i
asked on all here that the prisoner yondei
mightt known in Illiiisii true characters and all
presen , exce ting Finrds, are torestmi
personally in {he revels on I have to make.

“ For wo years I have been performing a
solemn duty, and that is trailing that man it
hisdoom byda and byni t. e

“In the pe ormance 0 that duty I ban
worn as mnwyndisguises as he has, and day by
day had ent ed around him a coil of proof N
to is villainy that is irresistible.

“ I now accuse that man of having im v
sonatod Carl Kenyon and the one who rights;
bears that name sits there—having .known
in this communi as Carleton Keene, the man-
ager of the G y Mine. I accuse that manoi
being the person known as Colonel Burke and
herearehisdisg'uisesas such, and 21pm: eat
is my mark, now covered over wi flesh-col-
ored mtg-plaster,” and Dead Shot held up to
view a false beard and wig, and etc pin along-
sidethe erraisedalockofgairfiangin
over the eft ear, and revealed a round wound
th‘erf, the slatshofi a hulls:f hem

‘ accuse a man Captain Se
thechief of the Knights of tbge Overland
 bundle are the disguises he

uman monster and his red mask, that
concealed even his ' face.

“ I accuse that man of being my worst foe—"

“In the devil’s name, who are you?” yelled
glliie prisoner, his eyes glaring, his form tres-

n .

“Mean mehers Tarleton and Dead Shot
the Gold Bullets :my real name is Harold

Tarlctmi Herod ,” was the use.
“It is a lie—he is dead—I saw him ” crieu
the risoner. "

“ ou mistake' he is not dead, as you shall
hung—as all shall know who lager  
' en rs ago a ooun
ton to 35°: situation by «fin Jim in the up

 

 

 

'—&

 

 

 

 

" tion as clerk in the

 

 

rt of m rents, who lived u n a small
arm in theyfieannebec valley of Mellie.

“ Fortune favored me. for the day of my ar-
rival in town I saved the lives of a gentleman
and his‘daughter whose horses had run away
with‘ them and dashed on of a pier, in their
“than...” t1’t‘iiwii'i‘tlr" ' l, d th h i th

‘ e l e an en er a er;
the result of which wasgtlhat I obtained a situa-
-house of the gentle-
man whose life I had saved—am I telling the
truth Carl Kenyon?” and Dead Shot turned to
the man heretofore known as Carleton Keene.‘

“ You are,”'was the reply, in a trembling
voice.

“ Also emgloggnd in the banking-house were a
nephew of t e ker, and a distant relative—
there sits the nephew, in the prisoner, and this
person is the distant relative, and Dead Shot
referred to Carleton Keene. .

“As I devoted myself wholly to business I
was rapidly promoted, and soon became assis-
tant cashier, and then commenced their hatred
toward me, and it was further increased b my
learmng to love the daughter of my kind ne-
factor, hough she was t on a mere child.

“ To hasten with my revelation, one ni ht the
banking-house was mysteriousl rob , and
that man, the prisoner, reported ving seen me
come out of the door about midni ht, and Carl
Kenyon said that I had hinted to im to join me
in a big speculation, and of course it brought
suspicion on me; my room was searched, and

the mono , excepting a thousand dollars, was '

found hi den there!

“ I was tried, and the proof against me being
conclusive, I was sent to the State’s prison for
ten years: but wholly innocent, I plotted to
make my escape, that I might prove before the
world that I was the victim of a conspiracy.

“I was the more urged to this as the banker‘s
daughter did'not believe me guilty, and begged
me to prove my innocence, and through her aid
I made my escape.

“ 1 came out of Prison to find my old parents
dead—they died 0 a broken heart at the sup-
posedcrime of theirson; my benefactor, who had

oved me as a son,-was ill and not expected to
live, and my treachery to him weighed heavily
upon him.
- “ At‘length he died, and then came the crush—
ingl stroke; his nephew and kinsman were com-
ed to fly, for it was found that the bank had
n systematically robbed for some time.

“I was in close concealment, but had no one
topush‘ in; claims, and no money, so I deter-
mined to rst seek a fortune in the gold-mines,
or, failing in that, to find my two enemies, for
to the go d-mines it was said they had gone.

“ But I did not go alone. The daughter of my
benefactor had re used the love of her cousin to
whose guardianship her dying father had left
her, for he knew notghis nephew’s character, and
she became my wife. .

“We sought a home not very many miles
from here, and I was fortunate in finding a good
claim, and building me a cabin I went to work.

“Once it was my fortune to befie ld_ an In-
dial chief—he sists there -and he, knowmg my
name came to me with a story'he had over-
hear : two men were talking together. and it
was a lot toseek me out, for it was known that
I was 11 Colorado and killing me, one _of them
was to take my Wife by force to hve With him.

“One of those men Carl Kenyon, refused to
enter into the diabolical plot, and the other,
holdliifilsonie secret power over .him, drove him
from company, while he, With the gold he
had dug from his claim, lzed a band of
four men besides himself, an began the search
for me. -

“One day, just before nightfall, he came to
my cabin, accompanied by his four cut hroats,
and who were none pther than those known as
the Angel Quartette in Central City—the origi-

Queen, Ace, Jack and King, as they were
known, illndbwliom l111105: of you present know to
have fal on m an . -

“ Comin ti my, cabin with the ayowed inten-
tion of tak my life, and dragging my Wife
downte shame, was it a wonder that I would
ratherseeher die than fall into the power of
that maul . -

“I was taken unawares, and, feelm that I
was todie, for I was sorely wounded, drove
my knifeinto the heart of my beautiful wife,
ratherthan see hervfall into the hands of her
wicked coufll, and with her consent.”

A murmur of horror here went round the
room; but Dead Shot went on:

“She died in my arms, and, sorely wounded
as I waa'that man, Clarence Gilmore, and his
manhungmoinmld todie,my eyes upon
the form of'my dead Victorlne.

“ But one person came suddenly u the
scene, and unable to cope single-ban ed with
the five men, he gave several weird ones, which
drove the murderer in aflrl ht from the spot,
leaving me hanging, and, as e31 believed, dead.

“ My reserver was the In an there, Red
Snake, t e Cheyenne chief, whO. cutting me
down, when life was almost extinct, devoted
himself to my recovery, and with wonderful
skill saved me from death.

“M murdered wife—and Clarence Gilmore
there fiber murderer, and not myself—the noble

 

Gold Bullet Sport.

Indian buried near 51231 cabin, and then, for1

four long months nur me by. night and day l
until I arose from my bed a well man.

“Then my heart was filled with revenge
most bitter against Clarence Gilmore, and I set
to work to enable me to c with him.

“ All day long I school in self tebear hard;
ship, trained my muscles unt- they became like
iron, and racticed with rifle, revolver and
knife until Iknew not what it was to make a
poor shot, or to miss a target in knife-throwing,
and the Cheyenne trained himself With me,
whenever he could leave his ple.

“Then I set out in searc of Clarence Gil-
more, and discovered that he had leagued him-
self with the road-agents. and become their
chief, organizing a band known as the Knights
of the Overland.

“In the disguise of a miner, and known as
California Kit, I spent months in the band, and
possessed myself with the recent history of its
members as well as I could.

“ I also found out that Carl Kenyon had been
compelled to act as he did toward me by the ,
power held over him by Clarence Gilmore, and, l
to hide from his old companion in guilt, he had 1
assumed the name of Car to Keene. ‘

“ How I have revenged myself upon the men
who accompanied Clarence Gilmore to my 
cabin and forced me to slag my poor wife and ,
how I have run down the nig ts of the cr-
land, you all know, as you now do that I hold "
in in power the arch-fiend of all—the man who
sits t ere. l

“ Now, Carl Kenyon, I ask on whether I
was ‘guilty of robbing my noble nefactor?”

“ on were not! Clarence Gilmore robbed
the bank and forced me to place the money in

our room, and we divided the thousand dol-
ars between us,” was the quick and firm reply
of Carl Kenyon.

“ Then you will sign this paper to that effect,
addressed to the Judge of the Court that tried
me, and the present Governor of Massachu-
setts,” and Dead Shot placed before him u n
the table, a written document which Carl en-
yon at once si lied.

“Now, Mr. 'enyon, I want you to tell those
present how Clarence Gilmore made you a pris-
oner, and, as uming your name, attempted to
defraud Major Melton out of his purchase of the
Grizzly Mine, and drew your one hundred thou- ‘
sand dollars out of the bank in Denver.”

In a few words Carl Kenyon told all.

“ Now make known how he endeavored to

 

‘ Melton,

 

t possession of Ma'or Melton’s hereto-
ggre considered wo by “nib. Mel-
ton his wife.”

Carl Kenyuon obe ed, the hormstrichm au-
ditors bneat as w th amasement, flMajor
Melton and Flames as white as the

000i!

country, and never ' cross in;
then Dead Shot turn to Fr’isco k:

“ Now, sir who is that man?”

“It are dapt’in Satan, Colonel Darke, Carl ‘
Ken on, an’ yer has another name yer gi’n him.”

“ d who are you, sir?"

“M name are Frisco Frank—I are a mem-
ber o ther Knights 0’ ther Overland; but I has
bin on secret sarvice fer ther capt’in.”

“ Well, Fr’isco Frank, I spare you on account
of your testimony against our master. When
this trial is over you had tter emigrate. and
if I meet lyou again, I give you fair warning-—
I shall ki you. ’

“ ’Nough said, pard; yer isn’t goin’ ter see me
ag’in soon.”

“ Now, U. B. Damn, who is that man?”

“ Thet are Capt’in Satan—knowed as Colonel
Darke, an’ I are one 0’ his gang 0’ Kni hts what
has been hvin’ in ther cabin near ther adman’s
Mine,,an’ I uesses as how I’d like fer become a
levantin’ tixgrim alo with Fr’isco Frank,
heuri” rep i the gent eman with the profane

;” and

“Ith 0 air ourmorle‘isinthecabin.
by“? 9y 3

 

apps lation with alacrity.
‘ You can go with Fr iscoFrank when I have

ing I did m, and h
gett

pard, said Fr’isco Frank; but Dead Sho
ed to Lalulah, the Indian girl:
“ Will the May Bird tell me if she knows this

known in many 0 her c
him now as deeply as I once loved him,” was ‘
the nick and earnest reply. _

“ ow, Clarence Gilmore, I will a in tell van
that in name ls Ha. Tarlettm eredithjnd
my wi e was thnmw Woodbrid e.”

‘Victorine Woodbrid 1 Oh, !
my heart has told in
my children.”

t was Calamity Kate that spoke, and she .
turned with longing eyes toward Kate Mark- ,
ham and Vivian mbert.

“Yes, my Wife Victorine, and these two 111- ,
dies are your c lldren—the three born at a
birth, and their father was Walter Woodbridge,

It’is as

a banker of Boston ” said Harold Meredith, in
in: do? tones, which now trembled visibly. .
Kin reader, pen of mine is inadequate to,

e, and these two are I

A 23

1 . '

‘ ._._....77 _ _

portray the scene that followed—the ilty
mother brought face to face with her chi dreli.
both of whom forgave her in their loving
hearts to ortray how quickly Fr’isco Frank
and  B. n “levanted ” when given per-
mission, and how Buckskin Ben and Slim Ike

chattered like ies over the happy denoue
meat, and Dick 0 nver offered his co atu‘
lations to all, while the Indian chief like

astatue, a smile upon his bronze face and a
glad light in his dark eyes, and Carl Keny0n,
with downcast eyes, sat as tl 02gb in deep
shame at the part he had played, and Clarence
Gllmore, his ace black with passion, his eyes
sunken and glaring, his teeth ritting savagely,
scowled upon all present, and especially upox1
the man who had tracked him to doom.

No, my pen cannot write of that scene more

 

CONCLUSION.

Three scenes, and my story is ended.

Across a grave in a quiet valley stand two
men, both armed—their pistols almost touch-
ing each other’s heart—their eyes looking into
each other’s face.

A few 8 distant is a small mug—Major
udge Wolf, Hugh Inmbert uckskin

Ben, Dick of Denver, Slim Ike, Dan smith and
Red Snake—all gazing at the two men in silence.

One of those two is s aking—it is he who has
won the name of the ld Bullet S :

“ Clarence Gilmore, so certain ave I been
that Fate decreed me to punish you that I 
ed my life in a game of cards a 'nst the Dead-
man’s Mine. and won ; a ain risked my life
against your claim to the and of Miss Melton,
and man.

“ Now, across the grave of m murdered
wife, I again risk my life, for I mig t hang you
to the very tree where on had me hung, and
without danger to myse : but, no; I a ' l
Fate. One of these istols is loaded With a old
bullet, the other wit lpowder only. Whic is
the fatal weapon neit er of us know, and our
chances are equal.

“ If I fall you are free togowhere you lease.
for these gentlemen have pledged me to (ill you
no harm.

“ If you fall my revenge is complete.

“ Major Melton, 1 am read .”

“ And I," said Clarence Gi ore, as pallid a:
a corpse.

In ringing tones Major Melton called out:

“ One! two! three! Fire!” -~

With the last wo d both pistols flashed—and
Clarence Gilmore fell dead.

 

Two persons stood on the pism of the Melton
cottage, a month after the death of Clarenca
Gilmore; they were Harold Meredith and Flor-
ence Melton.

“ Florence. you know me as I am—you know

y Gilmore, under his name 3 how red mly hands are dyed with human blood
of lonel Dar-ks. When you getit, lave this I —and et

comete you to ask if you will be
my wi e?”

“Yes, and in my love you shall forget the
imbittered past.”

“God bless ou, Florence! When will yor
become my wi e?”

“ In one month Violet is to be made my sweel
step-mother, Harold, and it shall be a doublr
wedding, if you say so. ”

 

.Kind reader, it was a triple wedding, for the
night that made Violet Markham Mm. Major
Melton, and Florence Melton Mrs. Haion 'l‘.
Meredith Lalulah, the May Bird, became Mrs.
Dick of Denver: that festive young sport, that
strange compound of much that was good, and,
all that was reckless, had won the heart of the
bronze beautiy of the Che ennes.

From that ay Central ity became of more im-
portance, for much money was laid out by Bar-
old Meredith, Major Melton and flu h Lamlert
in- working their rich mines, and hree hand
some residences were built in the suburbs of the
town, and Mrs. Woodbridge, no longer known
as Calamity Kate, passed her days in calm con-

_ , tentment in visiting from one to the other. for
done with ou, and I ve you the same warn- ;‘
. an hour for you both to 1
out of Central City and immediate Vicinity.” ,

I guesses as how we kin do it in less time, ' Lamhert mines, Buckskin'Bcn. Dick of

at all she was heartily welcome. the dark page
in her life having been for iven, if not 101‘ otte

As mane ers of the alien. Mercifiti aé“
Denver,

t turn- l and Slim Ike excel, and Red Snake, the Chey-
| enne, passes days in hunti
; tains and supplying the tab
man?” , .

“Yes, he is Ca tain Satan. H. h“ beeni
and I hate?

game in the moun-
of his friends, for
he is the best s ortsman in Colorado.

As for Red urner he found himself Ti(b, as
increase of patronage poured into the X. 10. I7
8._Saloon. and givmg up dispensin “Lcnzme'
and “ pizen,” rented he Langrlsh eater an:
engaged the famous John Dillon as comedian
making - thereby a good thug for both Dillon
and Turner.

Dan Smith the “ Princ of the Ribbons,”(on-
tinned to rattle over the Denver road for cars.
bringing “ pilgrims ” to the Central City cure.
and its worthy proprietor, Judge Wolf, v ho.
every Sunday, goes to dinner with one or ithe
other of his friends: but nevor does the germ ous
Dan lpass the rune of his adventure with the
Knig ts of the Overland, that he does not “ go
slow ” and tell the story of how Captain Satan
was hunted‘down by Dead Shot, the Gold Bullet
Sport.

m up.

 

 

 

 

 

BEADLE’S

DIME

lBRARY.

 

 

 

 

32 Large Three-Column Pageu.

1. A Hard Crowd ; OR. GENTLEHAN
M’s SIsTEn. By Philip S. Warne.

2. The Dare-Devil; OR, THE WINGED
WITCH or THE SEA. By COL Prentiss Ingrahnm.

8. Kit Carson. Jr., THE CRACK SHOT or
(HE WI‘BT. By Buckskin Sam.

4. The Kidnapper; OR, THE GREAT
SHANGHAI or THE NORTHWERT. By Philip S. Wame.

5. The Pire-Piends: OR, HERCULES, THE
BUNCHDACE. By A. P. Morris

6. Wildcat Bob, THE Boss BRUIRER ;
on. THE BORDER BLOODHOUNDs. By Edward L. Whee-
ler, author of “ Deadwood Dick,“ “ Double Daggers."

7. Death-Notch, THE DESTROYER; OR,
THE SPIRIT LAKE AVENGEBS. By 011 Coomes.

8. The Headless Horseman. A strange
story of Texas. By Capt. Mayne Reid.

9. Handy Andy. By Samuel Lover.

10. Vidoc , THE FRENCH POLICE SPY.
Written by himse .

1 1. Midshipman Easy.
ryat.

12. The Death-Shot; OR TRACEED To
DEA rH. By Capt. Mayne Reid.

18. Pathawag; OR. NICE WHIrrmcs, THE
OLD TRAPPED. or THE ORTHWEsT. By Dr. J. H. Rot»
inson.

14. Thag‘endanegea, THE SCOURGE ;
on, THE WAR- OLE or THE MOHAwnL By Ned Bunt-
ine, author of “ The White Wizard."

15. The Tiger-Slayer: OR, EAGLE-
HEAD TO THE RISCUI. By Gustave Aimard.

1 8. The White Wisard; OR, THE GREAT

PROPHET or THE SEHINOLEs. By Ned Buntline.

l7. Nightshade. THE RODDER PRINCE
or HOUNsLow HEATH. By Dr. J. H. Robinson

18. The Sea Bandit; OR. THE QUEEN
at THE ISLE. By Ned Buntline.

19. Red Cedar, THE PRAIRIE OUTLAW.
By Gustave Aimard.

20. The Bandit at Bay; OR, THE PI-
RATES or THE PRAIRIEs. By Gustave Aimard.

21. The Trapper’s Da hter: OR,
THE OUTLAw‘s FATE. By Gustave A mard.

22. Whitelaw: OR, NA'ITIE or THE LAKE
SHORE. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.

83. The Red Warrior: OR, STELLA
DELom’s COHANCHE LOVER. By Ned Buntline.

84. Prairie Flower. By Gustave Ai-
mrd. author of “ Tiger-Slayer.“ etc.

85. The Gold-Guide; 0R. STEEL ARE,

THE REGULATOR. By Francis Johnson. .

86. The Death-Track: 0 THE OUT-
LAwe or THE MOUNTAIN. By Francis ohnson.

87. The S‘potter-Detective: OR, THE
Gm or N" on. By Albert W. Aiken.

88. Three-fingered Jack. THE ROAD-
OENT or THE ROCKIES; on, THE BOTMINEE or HARD
0!. By Joseph E. Badger. Jr.

89. Tiger Dick. THE FARO KING; or,
THE CAsHIsn‘s CHINE. By Philip s. Warne.

80. Gospel Geor : or. FIERY FRED,
In: OUTLAW. By Joeep E. Badger. Jr.

81. The New York ‘8 3' OR, THE
run or Momma. By Albert W. iken.

88. B’hoys of Yale: OR, THE 801nm
erA HARD 81.1 or COLLEGIANA. By John D. Vase.

88. Overland Kit. By Albert W.
Aiken.

84. Rocky Mountain Rob. BY Ai-
bert W. Aiken.

85. Kentuch. the Sport. By Albert
W. Aiken.

so. Injun Dick. By Albert w. Aiken.

87. Hit-l. the HunchbaOhg. on, THE
SwonDnAnnormSANT-E. ByDr. J. Robinson.

By Capt. Mar-

 

 

 

 

 

88. Velvet Hand: on, THE IRON GRIP 0F
INJUN DICE. By Albert W. Aiken.

I

i

39. The Russian Spy: OR. THE BROTH- 

HRH OF THE STARRY (moss. By Frederick Whittaker.

40. The Long Haired ‘ Pards;’ OR,
THE TARTARs or THE PLAINS. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.

Each Number Complete. Price 10 etc.

2. Loyal Heart; or. THE TRAmns or
ARKANSAS.  Gustave Almond.

63. "he Winged Vv'hale.
W. Aiken.

64. Double-Sght. the Death Shot.
T.

By Albert

‘ By Joseph E. Badger,

41. Gold Dan; on, THE WHITE SAVAGE ‘
or THE GREAT SALT LAEE. By Albert W. Aiken. .

48. The California Detective : OR,
THE WIT‘CHES or NEW YORK. By Albert W. Aiken.

43. Dakota Dan. THE RECKLESS RANGER;
or. THE BEEHUNTERH’ EHDURHION. By 011 Coomes.

44. Old Dan Rackbach, THE GREAT
EHTARHINATOR; or, THE TRIANGLE‘s LAST TRAIL.
By 011 Coomes.

45. Old Bull’s Eye, THE LIGHTNING
SHOT or THE PLAINS. By Joseph E. Badger, JR.

48. Bowie-Knife Ben, THE LITTLE

HUNTER or THE NOE-WEST. By 011 Coomw.

47. Pacific Pete, THE PRINCE or THE
REVOLVER. By Joe. E. Badger. Jr.

48. Idaho Tom, THE 'YOUNG OUTLAW
or SILVERLAND. By Oil Coomes.

49. The Wolf Demon; or, THE QUEEN OE
THE KANAWHA. By Albert W. Aiken.

m OAROON. JR—No. a.

50. Jack Rabbit, THE PRAIRIE SrORT;
or, THE CHILDREN or THE LLANO EsTAOADo. By J 08.
E. Badger. Jr.

51. Red Rob, THE BOY ROAD-AGENT.
By 011 Coomee.

58. Death Trailer, THE CHIEE or
Scours' or Life and Love in a Frontier Fort. By
Hon. Wm. '1". Cody. (Buflnlo Bill.)

58. Silver Sam; or, THE MTsTERY or
Deedwoon CITY. By 001. Delle Sara.

54. Always on Band; or, THE SPOan
Bron or THE M HILLs. By Philip 8. Warm.
author of “A Haul Crowd,“ “ Patent Leather Joe.’

55. The Scalp Hunters. A ROIIANOE or
THE PLAINE. By Capt. Mayne Reid.

58. The Indian Maxefiga‘ or THE
MAD MAN or THE Puma. By rt, W. ’Aiken.

57. The Silent Hunter; or, THE SCOWL
HALL Mrs-TERI. By Percy B. St. John.

58. Silver Knife: or. WchLIrrE. THE
Boon MOUNTAnc RANGER. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.

59. The Man From Texas: or, THE
OUTLAW or AW By Albert W. Aiken.

60. Wide Awake: 01'. THE IDIOT 0’
m BLAOH HILLs. By Frank Dumont.

81. Cafilntaéin Seawall: THE PRIVATEEIL
By Ned Bus

65. The Red Rajah; or, THE SCOUHGE
01" THE anIEs. By Captain Frederick Whittaker.

66. The Specter Barque. A TAU:
or THE PACIFIC. By Captain Mayne Reid.

67. The Boy Jockey; or, HONEsT)

‘ vxnsrs CROOHEDNEss. By Joseph  Badger. Jr.

 

i
i
i
i
i
I
l
i
1

l
l

!

' HHEPER’E DAUGHTER. By

68. The Pigh Trapper; or, K11
CARsON To THE RESCUE. y Capt. J. F. C. Adams.

89. The Irish Captain: A TALE or
FONTENOY. By Contain Frederick Whittaker.

70. Hydrabad. THE STRANGLEH; or,
ALETHE. THE CHILD or THE CORD. By Dr. J.H.
Robinson.

71. Captain Cool-Blade. or, THE HAN
SHARK or THE Mississirrx. By Joe. E. Badger. Jr.

72. The Phantom Band. A STORY or

NEW YORK HEARTHe AND Hons. By Albert W.
Aiken.

78. The Knight oftho Red Cross:
or, THE MAOICIAN or GRANADA. A Tale of theAl-

hambra. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.

74. Captain of the Rifles. A ROHAHCI
or THE MExICAN VALLEY. By Captain Mayne Reid

75. Gentleman George. or. PARLOR,
PRISON, STAGE AND STREET. By Albert W. Aiken.

78. The Queen’s Musketeer. or,
THIsnE, THE PRINcms PALIIIsT. By George Albany.

77. The Fresh of Frisco. cr, TnE
HEIREse or BUENAVENTUHA. By Albert W. Aiken

78. The Mysterious Spy; or, GOLDEN
FEATHER, THE BUCCANEER'S DAUGHTIB. By A. M.
Grainger.

79. Joe Phenix, THE POLICE Srr. By
Albert W. Aiken. ,

80. A Man of Nerve: or, CALIDAN,
THE DWARF. By Philip 8. Warno.

81. The Human Tiger: or, A film
or FIRE. By Albert W. Aiken. 'i

88. Iron Wrist. the Swordmaster.
By Col. Thomas H. Monetary. i a

88. Gold Bullet Sport; or, THE KNIG
or THE OvEnLAND. By Buffalo BiiLl

84. Hunted Down: or, THE WHITE
WITCH. ByAlbertW. Aiken.

85. The Cretan Rover: or, ZULEIIAH.
THE BEAUTIrUI. By 001. Prentice Ingrshun.

86. The Big Hunter: or. THE QUEEN
or run WOODs. By the author or “ Silent Hunter.“

87. The Scarlet Captain: or, THE
PRIsONER or THE Town. By Col. Della Sun.

88. Bayonne, THE GIANT or Tm.
Gown; or. m OUTLA' Bnorrnns; By Joseph
E. Badger. Jr. 1

89. The Pirate Prince or, Pun-n
NELLY, THE QUEEN or TH'E isLE.‘ By CoL’PrentiNI
Ingrahnm - ‘ ~’

90. Wild Will. THE MAD Bmot
or, THE TEREIDLE TEXAN. By Buckskin 
91. The Winnin Oar; or, THE INN
lbert W. Aiken.
Ready April 71):.
98. Bufialo Bmlel: Bocxsm Rum;
saleamdgm are 3’ 3‘3" We”
98!; CaptaiTI'II Igich Talbot. m or
t or! ' '
mnwmen. MM?! “Dar-"n. 8’

Amhmem‘ytwwqh.

Nngdlg’s t[gluneuldhrery is £2.10: all
ew on re. oen percepy or on
read of twelve centsesch. BRAD“ OAKS.
magi... 98 wmiamSthYoIt. .1

 

 

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