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darkness was settling down upon the city, and

the street lamps‘wore lit; but rapidly along the

narrowlthoroughfare she wound her‘way, until

she came to a she above which hung three

gilt balls, the unfailing symbol?“ the money.
ender and most frequentl the usurer.

Wit a half-frightened ook amend her she
glided into the door, and was confronted by one
of the tribe of Israel leaning expectantly over
the counter. '

A smile of recognition crossed his face at
sight of the young girl, and he said in a manner
meant to be jocose:

“ Goot’ evenin', Mish Berkley! I ish glat to

8 m, .

“I have'come‘for more money, sir, and all I
posses in the world I now ofler you, so be gen-
erain your loan.” -

' s ke coldly, and inndedhim the guitar,
which took with sparkling eyes, yet said

u; I,

g I instrunient, my tear; vat you

mini
- ydollars." W'- -
“Fif l- Igive on ten toner."
“No, t cost, I , over a hundred, and I
must have more." ‘ _,  '
‘.‘ Itisn not vatit cast, my tear, but vat it viii

tiring.” ~
“ ive me forty then, Mr. Jacobs."

“ ive you twelve tollar.”

“Mg. Jacobs, money could. not buy this in-
strument from me, were it not that my father
and myself are—are—yes, starving," and the
words choked her.

“Dat ish pad, my tear; I ish sorry mit my
heart for you, but my monish ish sorry just
twelve tollar.”

“I ask not your sympath , nor am I a beg-
gar for your money, as I g?" you as security
what you well know is worth many times the
sum you offer; it was the gift of one I admire
and regard most highl ."

“I cannot pay you or t'e sentiment ant t’e
lfriendship, my tear; but I give you fifteen tol-
or.

With an impatient toes of her haughty head
she took up the guitar and turned away.

The Jew called out to her with a more gen-
erous offer, but unheedi-ng him, she left the
shop, muttering:

“it; is a long walk, and I do not feel very
strong as I have not eaten anything to—day,
but old Simona will certainly give me more."

At a rapid pace she Went along, and, appar-
entl y thoroughly acquainted with the city she
shortened the way by a cut through the ash—
ionable quarter. ‘

Suddenly she halted in front of a large and
imposing structure from which bright lights
shone in abundance, and through the open win-
dowsof which she beheld a number of forms
moving to and fro.

“There must bemen there who would help
me did they know my want; but then, even my
short life has shown me that they would ask a
price. No, no there must be men in the world
who are not all vile, and who have some heart.
Hal I will try it, ere 1 part with this treasure,”
and she passionately kissed the guitar.

Stepping quick] to the shadow of a~ tree

ow ng in front 0 the fashionable club-house,
or we it was‘othe youngugirl placed the rib-
bon attached the gui around her neck,
and after a moment spent in tuning the instru-
ment, ran her (in ere over the strings with a
skill that she she waszno ordinary per-
former. ., ‘ , _.

Atflrsthearilu the notes the young stitc-
crats the We feared they were to he
trea to ~{mfjdbcordant lay from a sweet

musician, mid  swel had alread

thuust his hand in h: ,  OR the diney
turber; but when.su _ y a' ,flne soprano
voice burst forth in  4 1 upon all in
the elegant rooms, ' ‘ ‘ toward the

windows to catch a glim so

stress, for one with such a voice must he ,

all felt.
But back in the shadow of the tree she stood,
her face unseen, while the  her guitar,
and the inlaying of i, like recious
stones, as they caug t timid-bee of - t from
‘biv‘ilmds‘ilw‘ the hard! k ' ‘ef
at 0 new. for the
and pain in brim-em gamedlo 
in some song of plaintive melody to relieve her
up emotionr but she sung with an
te thou, and voice was one that
would have ght an spoon (m an operatic
sta , and the “curled darling-of society," the

f nahle club habitat, clow- to the
w w, and listened in silence.

_At st the song and  who had
i. V “flaredshe would , no'shestill
has , and an inetrumen 

low gentlemen, that is worth as much as
loghomudlwmbeau collector
for the fair. songitrgss,” cried a young and
handsome aristocrat, and taking 01 hh hat he
threw into it atwenty-dollar bill, and
through the crowd quickly collected quite a
large sum, for all hoped to Induce the singer to
favor them with another song.
As the self-appointed collector step (1 out
upon the marble stairway of the c ub, the

‘ ing, while I,

 

on i in broke forth in song, and this

111135131133: lively French air, for she had
seen the collection being made for her, and felt
that she must singlgayl y.

As she began or second song a tall form
crossed the street and halted in the shadow of
a tree near by, just as the {can clubite ap-
proached the maiden, his ha hel forth with

'the liberal donation he had colic-ted.

And, as she sung, he gazed upon her and saw
that she was ver beautiful, and that her eyes
were sad and amy in spite of the lively
strain and words of her song. while her form
though poorl clad, was faultless and graceful
in every mo on. '

“A sweet bird for my gilded cage, and I
shall not allow so fair a eongstness o escape
me,” he muttered, his evil heart throbbing with
admiration at the beaut of the singer.

At length the song on ed, and stepping quick-
ly forward the young aristocrat sax :

“ Charmed with your voice, fair girl myself
and friends on t accept this ittle ofler—

lYg‘hted with your beauty and
the sweetness of your tones, will offer you a

home to dwell in, take you from thenstreets, I

and give you the devotion yon rve.

Shestartedhack like a frightened bird, for
what could his words mean but insult to her?

“ Sirl I am in dist and sung here to save
my father and myself rom starvation: but I
want, not your gold, stained as it is with in-
sud.

Her voice mug with anger and she turned to
go, when, maddened by her beaut . and flushed
with wine, he sprung forward an grasped her
hand while he cried eagerly:

“ No, no, you shall not cast me 011'. You are
poor, as your street~singin proves; I am rich,
and my sweet songstress s a l dwell in a cage
of gold if so she will. "

:‘gnhand ]me. sir!" I i H

ot unti on say may see you age 11.

“Never-—— Ila!”

She started back as the grasp upon her hand
was released, for a tall form, the same that had
before cressed the street, had sprung forward,
anda heavy blow, full in the face of the aris-
tocrat, had sent him sprawling upon the pave-
meut.

“Here, miss, take this, and with it goes no
insult,” said the stranger, and he forced into
the hand of the young girl a roll of bills, just as
her insulter arose to his feet, and a score of his
companions rushed out of the Club. having seen
who had happened, yet not understanding it.

With a c of, rage the young aristocrat, an
acknowledged athlete among his associates,
sprung upon his assailant, to again measure his
length upon the ground, while the st r
cried in ringing tones, seeing the hostile a ti-
tude of others toward him:

“Hold! I am not to be bullied, gentlemen.
That man grossly insulted a lady, and I n-
ished him for it, and I warn you back, for am
armed.”

This caused an instant halt among the hou-
tiles; but Carter Conrad the one whom he
twice umshed, had again risen to his feet, and
hissed orth:

“ You shall answer for this, sir.”

“Better not ask it of me' but iftyou wish it I
Will oblige you, and I can he foun at the Park
Hotel- my name is Lucien De- Leon, and I hail
from Texas.”

Hagaiseddthe baud  frog 1:13. head

, y,an turn as on too er pro-
% further to the young girl; but she had
g ' silently awe. , and was nowhere vial
and the Texan wal ed up the street with the
certain air of conscious power in one’s self, that
caused a number to re k amen the Club
members that Carter nrad, dea shot and
athlete that he would do well to let his
quarrel with Lucien Leon drop just where it

CHAPTER II.
A SURPRISE.

Seaman and pained at what she had unim
tintionally/done to cause a uarrel, Arts Pres-
ton,- actin from a sudden m also she could
not contra , turned and fled tom the scene,
where trouble was brewing, and never slack-
ened her ste until she sunk, anting and
frightened in be room where her ather sat, his
“952:?” bcgfllhaDdsha has h edl” in

my w t appen ‘ e
cried in alarm, sprin , gto his feet, and has
tin lighting Mace o tallow candle and then
turningtow” her. '

With an 'eflort she gained her self-control,
and said in a hoarse whisper:

“Papa, I left here determined to pawn my
guitar, and Went to Jacobs’s: but thou h be has
so many of our things he would on] 0 er me a
pittancc, and I left im to go to S mons’s, and
passing the Union Club, an im also I cannot
e lain salad upon nu- to sing adore the open

0W5. ,

“ Oh, Arts, in child, what have you done?”

“ Nothing thatI I am ashamed of, father,” she
answered, proudly.

‘éBgt once I belonged to that Club, child,
an —

a.

 

“I know it, air, but it was years ago before
on lost (your fortune, and I was a wee child
en, an none of your former aristocratic
friends know me; but I sung there before the
wisdom, and my voice raised for ‘me what ap-
peared to be a liberal donation, but he who
r‘ou hi; it cruelly1 insulted £0, and—" bond
‘ a-pocras am,a ,avaga
he shall answer for it, be he who he may!é
cried Berkley Preston, with savage earnest—
ness.

“ He has already been nished, sir.”

" And by whom?”  -

“A ntleman who stood in the street and
listen to my song, 'and whose striking face
and form attracted m attention. He crossed
the street, and when t 0 one who pr tended to
serve me insulted me, he struck him to the
ground."

“Indeed! Then he has my heartfelt thanks;
but, did on know him, Arts?"

"No, other, not then, but now I recall his
face, and did so as I fled from the spot, for, at
his act the members of the Club ran out to aid
their fallen companion.”

“I hope no harm befell our defender."

“I thinknot, sir. forI coked back and saw
that they did not attack him.”

“And you know him, you say!”

“I recall him from the pest, though I have
not seen him for five years. ’

“ And who is he, Artai” .

“Do you remember, father after our loss
of fortune, we went to dwell in a litt e cottage
on the river?”

“Can I ever forget it Arte? It was there
your mother died,” said the man, sadly.

“Yes, sir; and you remember one night a
stranger asked she ter from the storm, and that
I sung for him, playing an accompaniment upon
Black Tom’s ban If"

“ Yes, and be t was who was so struck with
your voice, though you were but thirteen then,
that he sent you the very guitar that you held
there.”

“Yes, father, and his name and mine are
upon it now, and he is the one who defended me
to-night.”

“Impossible, Artal That young gentleman
dwelt in Texas, he said.”

“Well sir, he is to night in Boston, and he
wore a road Mexican sombrero, and was
dressed as the Southern planters dress, and I
know that it was Lucien De Leon."

“I will 0 at once and seek him! No, no, I
cannot—I are not, for I am but a tramp in ap-

arance,” he added, bitterly, and then noticing

hat she clasped something tightly in her hand,
he continued:

“ What have you there Arts?”

She glanced at her hand, and her face flushed
crimson as her eyes fell upon the roll of bills
the Texan had forced into her sp, and the
very existence of which she had orgotten.

“Oh, father! he gave me these, and I had
to tten it."

rkley Preston seized the bills eagerl
ra idlyhise esran overthe flguregw

d, in a v0 ce that trembled:

“ Who gave you this money, Arte?”

“He di ; Lucien De Leon. Be thrust the

and
he

, 1‘25“ herturn tostart,now,andshemid,
Y: .
“‘Father,,youmustleekhim out and return

this money.

Berkley Mn to and fro a moment in
deeg‘thought, and said, slowly:

“ o, Iwfllnotseekhimoutm,but
at another waill. This mooeyhas saved
your life and mine, for, swig only sorrow and
starvation before us, I had termined to take
your life and mine, and thus end our misery.”

. “Oh father! would you do such aooward's
act!” e said, reproachfully.

“I had full. determined that we should D0
longer sugar t e pangs of hunger" but this roll
of dis gives me a new lease on life, for it will
carr us out to the home of one who must and
shal” give us a support, for, what I am he made
me.

“ You refer to your cousin, Ramsey Preston :"

“ es; he is One of the cattle kin of Ne-
braska and rolls in wealth, and to him we will

0, and this very ni ht we will start, for m-

ave nothing to up that will delay as,"
and Berkley Preston smiled bitterly as he

lanced around the pOVerty-stam room, and
t on into his face came flrm reso ve not to die
like a coward, but to live like a man.

——L—
CHAPTER III.
A STRANGE REQUEST_

A KAN sat reading in a comfortable room of
a Boston hotel, and, as he raised his face, it was
the same resolute om that had confronted Car»
ter (kmrad the night before,

Handsome as a painting, every feature being
Perfect. there was yet that in the bronzed face
to indicate a man of determined resolve and
utter fearlessness, while his superb form, with
its slender waist and broad shoulders, indicated
a strength and activity that was far above the
average.

As though liking his ease, he wore a dressing

 

 

 

gown, smokin cap, and slippers, and, as he After a moment‘s hesitation the young visitor mind, I will not threaten,” and the Texan set in
war
Neb

glanced over t e morning pers, pulled away
at a fragrant cigar, while small remnants
’)f a breakfast on an adjoinin table proved that
nis appetite was not satiated city life.

About the room were scattered articles of vari-
ous kinds, to prove his claim to being a plains-
man, for there were visible upon a chair a buck-
~kin, dyed quill and bead-embroidered, hunting-
~llirt, and fringed leggius, moccasins, and a
lyroad-brimmed, gold worked sombrero lay upon
a table, while 'in the corner stood a pair of
handsome cavalry boots, with spurs upon them,
that seemed exceedin y small and shapely to
fit the foot of a man 1: feet in hight.

A belt of gold-mounted revolvers and carved-
handled bowie-knife were on a lounge, across
which also lay a repeating rifle, and it was evi-
dent that all had seen service, as had also a
splendid Mexican saddle and hair bridle that
were visible in an open trunk.

A tap at the door caused the occupant to
turn to the rightabout and face the , with
the air of‘a man everonthealert receive a

toe, and then he said quietly:
‘ borne in!" ' V
Thedoor (flashed and a youth entered hes.-
tatingly, an gamed upon the inmate of the
room with a strange look.

A youth it was, and yet one of womanly
beauty for his dark-blue es seemed to fas-
cinate by their lance, an his lips were but
partially hidden 11 their beautiful outline by a
slight mustache. '

He was well dressed, wore a slouch hsfi
which he did not remove upon enterin , an
modestly stood near the door, while he in
a low tone:

“You are Mr. De Leon, I believe!”

“Yes, Lucien De Leon; can I serve {:11 in
any wa ?" and the Texan spoke in a ' dly
tone an arose.

“Yes, it istoask youto do me a great ser-
vice that I have come here.”

“ Well, I will do all that I can, for I keep my
purse-strings ready to pull on for any one in
real trouble. Been bucking the fig: and got
:cratched, I suppose?” said Lucien Leon, in
his free-and-eas y way.

But the words caused the youth to flush
crimson, and he said quick] :

“ You are mistaklen, sir, or Ibdo not come to
you for mone as am no gam er.

“ Ah' ear-«Q you were, as boys are not slow
nowadays in my country. It's a irl in the
case, a qgarrel then, or something 0 that kind,

rha s}
pe“ Yes, sir, it is a quarrel and there is a girl
in the case, was the frank reply.

" I might have knovvn it. A woman is gen-
urzilly at the bottom of all troubles: but speak
out, and if I can serve you I will my oung
‘l'ricnd though I do not know you; but t en, a
true lainsinan don‘t wait for introductions be-
fore e lends a hand to a pard in distress."

“I believe such to be your nature, sir, and
from what I heard of you, 1 came to see you to
ask the favor I intend to.

“Wh ,my boy,I don‘t know half a demon
Keep: nyourtown,sohow couldyouhave

ea of met”

“ You had two visitors this morning!”

“Ah, yes; do you know them?" asked the
Texan, quickly.

“ I do- one was Roscoe Hume, and the other
Benton yVail, and they are fast young aristo-
crats who are goin rapid! down-hill, and will
reach the bottom th the last dollar.”

“ You seem to judge them rightly. Now tell
me, do .you know why they came to see me?"

‘ I o: as the seconds of Carter Conrad,

whom y ou knocked down last night.”

“True, and I have not done with him yet,
for aman as base at heart as he is had better
fill a grave than occupy space on earth.”

There was that in the Texan’s eye which
shOWed he would have no more for Carter
Conrad, and the youth saw , and said
quickly:

” You accepted his challenge, then i”

u Yes; but young man, let me tell you that
you are devilish inquisitive in a matter that, as
yet, I cannot see concerns you, and, as Boston
is not Texas, where we act untrammeled in
such little affairs, I shall decline to say more,
until I know your right to question."

” h sir you need say no more than you
have. for I know that you and Carter Conrad
are to meet in a duel, and I feel that you will
kill him.”

“ I am not one to wast» powder, my b0Y-”

The youth looked pained, and dropped
head for an instant, and then said:

“ Are you aware that he is a dead shot?”

“ I have heard he 1'1us the bell at every shot,
pard; but target;shoot u and aiming at a hu-
man being who hold“: good on you are very
different, assure 0?, and if he is quicker than
i am on the shoot e s welcome to my scalp, as
others have been but didn’t get it.”

The youth seemed to feel that theman be-
fore him had too often faced death to fear to
meet it again, so said pleadmgly:

“But you will grant me the favor I came to
ask of out"

“If in my power, yes”

his

 

 

 Phaniemfiezévm _

said slowlg:
“ It is t at you will not fight this duel.”
“ By the Lone Star of Texas! but this is a re- I

quest I cannot grant, and in my country we i
would say you had the cheek of a Government |

mule to ask it." ;

“ I know I ask a eat deal, sir, but I beg of ‘
you not to carry th s aflair on.”

“Boy, the matter rests just here: a young l

rl, a street musician, halted before a club— i

ouse last ni ht, and, struck with the beauty I
of her voice, stopped to listen, and heard her ‘
insulted by this Carter Conrad, who had raised ?
some money for her. It’s in my nature to chip
in on the weak side and I introduced a Texas
fist to Mr. Conrad’s Boston face, and so he
challen me to run up into Canada and give
him sat faction, and as I came East for a good
time, I have promised to oblige him, and our
arrangements are all made.” i

“ And you intend to kill him?"

“ I do not intend that he shall kill me.”

"Oh, sir, do not fight this duel I beg, 1 im-
plore of on," and spri ng forward the youth
grasped he arm of the exan and looked im-
plor nfilay into his face.

“ W t is Conrad, to you, b0 pard?"

“ He is-everytliing,’ was t e impulsive an-
swer. :

“ That’s a good deal; but I cannot back down ‘
now so you must get him to crawtlsh."

“ He will not do it.” t

“ Then wh should I?" ’

“ Because ask you not to kill him.” .

“I am sorry, but I cannot oblige you," was i
the cold wily]. 

The yout esitated a moment and then see— :
ing that the Texan was decided, said softly: i

I told you that Carter was everything to 2
me, and I spoke the truth, for 1 am not what I i
seem; [am his wife!” 1

Lucien De Leon started, and looked down into ’
the beautiful lace. for with one hand the visitor ;
had removed a false mustache with the other ,
the slouch hat, and a wealth of golden curls fell ‘
upon the shoulders.

“Saints and sinners! but you are a woman
and a beautiful one too,” cried the Texan, in
amazement.

“ Yes, I sought this dis
not now, for I he
plans with his seconds.”

“ And you are his wife?”

“ Yes, air; but, do not betray the secret, for
the world does not know me as such, for he can-
not teli the secret for fear his father will disin-
herit him.”

“ The devil is worse than a Mexican Greaser
todeceive ou sol Better let me make you a
widow an then msrr you myself.”

“ No, no, for I love 1m."

“You do? Well, he don’t deserve it, and a
litti ? cold lead will improve his morals.”

" No, no, sir; I have trusted you, and on
know my secret, so re his life, for if he ies
it will kill me, as be all I have to love."

“‘And he is worse than nothing. Now don‘t
geta , for I intend to do as you ask and
are out of this affair, as you are too 1pretty
andsweet to die, and he‘s too wicked to ve.”

Her reply was to burst into to and for a
moment she sobbed convulsively wit joy: but,
after awhile she controlled herself and said:

“Oh, sir, you have saved his life and mine,
and from my inmost heart I thank you. You
will keep our word, will you not?"

“Yes; will write hima note saying that I f
cannot meet him and to-night Will start for %
Nebraska, where I am going to establish a cat- ;
tle ranch and-'-” I

“ To Ilebraska, and to establish a cattle-
ranch?" she said, falteringly. i

“ Yes, I got one of m cow-boys to go up and 
homestead me aranch here some time a and J
I am on my way there now, havin on y run
up this way to enjoy a little look at t e Eastern !
country; but, I’ll skip for Nebraska to—night.” 

“But Carter owns a cattle-ranch out there ~

i .

“Indeed! ThenI be it don’t join mine for i
that man and I coul never be Bards. ow ,
don’t ask me to give u ) the cattle usinem and 1
go back to Texas, for cannot.” ,

“0h, sir, I pray that you two may never ‘
meet.” .

“Amen, if so it pleases you. Now hide that
pretty mouth under that false mustache, and ,
those curls beneath your hat, and wish me God
speed, or I’ll have that fellow after me for run-
ning of! with his wife, and to please you, Will '
have to let him kill me.”

The woman took the hint, resumed her dis-
guise, and said:

“From my heart I thank you, and you will
never be forgotten by Pauline Enders.’

“ Enders! I thought you were Mrs. Conrad.” .

“Alas! I dare not claim my name.” '

“I for 0t, on account of your husband’s vil-
lainy. ood-by!” l

She took his hand in both her own, bent

uickl over and kissed it, and turning lided
rom t e room, while the Tenn mutte : ‘

" Poor girl, I pit her; but now to write this
noteto Conrad, an then, he forNebraskai But, i
if he crosses my path out there—well, never

 

ise so that I would
Carter make all his

 

l shelves of books

' was indolentl

’ way,” he muttered, and his words caused

3

ng up for his trip to theplainsof

CHAPTER lV.
run your RANCH.

To the northward a range of hills, andct
their base, winding along—its banks fringed
with cottonwoods and willows— a crystal
stream; to the southward an almost boundless
expanse of prairie, only here and there broken
with a clump of timber.

In the shelter of one of these timber islands
was a rude cabin, strongly built, facing the
south, and commanding a vast view of plain-
land, which were visible a large herd of
cattle feedin , while closer, in toward the
stream was a d of hardy prairie horses, the
mimtangs so highly prized by both rancheros
and Indians.

No other habitation was in sight. and here
dwelt but three bein .

It was a comforts home withal, consider-
ing that it was beyond the borders of civiliza-
tion, and that it was miles away to the nearest
ranch; and yet, with all its real home com-
forts, it was not noted asa hospitable roof as
the wandering hunter, the prowling red-skin
and the chance traveler had never found shel-
ter there.

One of the three dwellers in the stout cabin

, was a man of forty perhaps, with a dark,

bearded face, stern, yet by no means forbid—
ding, as a world of fascination dwelt in the

i lustrous dark eyes, and at timesa kindly look

swept over the features; but, generally, the
thou tsof the man seemed back in the past,
dwe ing upon some bygone memory of wron
or sorrow, and he held a restless look, as thong
he ever dreaded some evil.

He was dressed in a hunting suit of stout
yet rich material, boots, and a sombrero that
slouched down over his face, giving it a darker
look than otherwise it would have worn, and he
were with habitual caution a belt of arms.

Another dweller in that border ranch was a
woman—one whose appearance would indicate
that she was sadly out of place there, for her
form was ex uisitel 'gmccfnl and willowy,
and her face ut' ill in the cxtreme: but it
was a dark, imperious beauty that would awa
rather than win admiration. '

Perhaps she had seen thirty summers, and
yet she might be much youn er, and 1 here. was
that about her in its of or half-civilised,
half-Indian attire, t t would indicate her as
having been brought up among far different
scenes, and proven herself a queen among wo-
men.

The third denizen of this frontier domicii
was a half-breed, for in his veins was the blood
of the Comanche Indian as well as that of the
Mexican, and his form, clad in the fanciful
costume of the land beyond the Rio Grande,
was as sinewy as a panther’s, and his motions
as noiseless as a snake's, while his darkly
bronzed face and piercing eyes raved him to
possess a courage that was un aunted, and a

cart that was merciless toward a foe.

Within, the cabin contained three rooms, and
along“ he walls of each were ranged rifles and
plain , proving that the defenders could meet
well; an attack. d d! d

genfously ma e ea airs tables an. set-
tees, with well-dreued ins of bears, deers and
buflalo made the rooms comfortable. while
against the wall, a Spanish
tar, flute and china tableware were evi-
ences of real luxury.

When presented to the reader the Woman
reclining in a Mtxican ham-
mock, swung tween two trees in front of the
cabin, and in one hand she held a look, but was
not reading.

The tal heavily-bearded man was seated
near, plai ng a lariat of rawhide, and the half-
breed was makings saddle-girth out of horse-

hair.
Sudden the eagle eye of the half-breed be—
came fix upon a distant ob‘ , and observ-

ing his intent, gaze,’the Ame can, for such he
seemed, ask :

“What is it, Sancho!"

“ A homemau.”

“ Ah!" and the Anierican arose quickly, took
from a becket in the wall of the cabin a spy-
glass and leveled it u n the stranger.

“A white man—a one, and he comes this

a
wiman to rise from her indolent mature, and
88 I

“Can you see his face?”

“No, he looks downward, and it is hidden b
his sombrero; but he ‘is splendidly mounted:
well armed, as I can see, and this ranch is his
destination.”

“ He is alone. you say?”

“Yes, Alita.” ' _

“ Then we have nothing to fear,” and she
dro d hack in the hammock.

“ otif there cameascore at his back; but
his trail leads by this ranch, or—”

“Or what?” she asked, as he paused, while a
dark frown swept over his face.

“ 0r ends here I”

In the mean time the stranger was drawing

burni gase
, g‘itter that dwelt in the age of the

- waitedfora .
’ Booniteamrzflahd
/his own words:

14‘

pianos-mm?

 

 

nearer and nearer to tit:ml ranch, his horse em
on .3 9“ hp.)  m
is the herds th’nt were in his path. ,

After awhile he ascended the roll of the rai-
rie upon which stood the ranch, and wi his
head still bowed, as if to avoid recognition, rode
up to the cabin, and drew rein not ten
from the of three, who, with dark aces,
salt the noted tohave their house visited, re-

A h  b h ' dressed i the

man super p ysi e 11
Mexican costume, armed qtic, the teeth, and
mounted upon a splendid black stallion, be pre-
sfited a striking icture- but there was that in
h face which a tracted more attention and

ht a cry of horror from the three dwell-
ersa the lonely ranch, while from the lips of
thew ncamethewailingory:

“Holy irginl it is Bianca, and we are lost!"

In distinct tones, and from lips that wore a
devilish s nile, came the response:

“ Ay. traitors, I am Bianca, and I have trailed
you to your doom I”

CHAPTER V.
racnlo ran.

A swan, such as might follow a death-shot,
enmedafter the fateful words of the stranger
togethraanilens of the lone ranch on the
B wood.

The eyes of the American and thewoman
drooped before his , but in the
Mexican,
there was a look that few could fathom. _

And is that moment of silence, an observer,
had there been one to gase upon the scene.
would have been struck with one circumstance
-the startling resemblance between the stran-
ger and the ranchero.

The were alike in form and one was seem-
ingly he counte of the other in feature,
un ess there dw t a more kindly look in the
have of the ranchero.

That kindred blood flowed in their veins was
ceili‘tain, or nature had made two men strangely

a 0.

And yet, though the stranger was but one,

the othenthmhe haddaredtorideup to

their very door and threaten them, and they
' had not dared retaliate.

There was some flcant my in all
this, for the one cow the three; at least not
one of t c three had resented his bold words.

At length, he whom the woman had called
Bianca, broke the painful silence:

“ You thought not to see me more,” he said-—
“thatiathewilglglainsofNebraska, as aim is
herders. you wo not be found me. ut

u, Ramsey Preston, should have nown no

r, and felt that Bianca was not one to
leaveatrailofrevengeuntilthe endwas

reached.
“Well, hereIam, and theendof thetrail if

reached. and what now?” _
He faste his eyes upon the rancharo and

 

it was but a repetition of

:1 Yes, what Vi". r. '
“What shall ith,m’ was the low re-
‘ ,
The stra r turned toward the woman who
near, face pallid her eyes burning,

and her bosom heavi and asked:
.“Alita, what puni must follow this

t

Shed her eyes fearlsuly to his and an-
swers :

“You are the judge and executioner, Bianca;
do your worst.”

.‘,Ah, my Proud beam, I have never seen
that heart 0 our’s q ,but I think now it
will quiver wit anguish and dread,” he said, in
a of deepest menace.

shuddered,buthere esremaineddedant,
w Ramsey Preston earnestly:
h “ "isit upon me the punishmen and spare
er. ,

“Bah! To see you die alone would be but
half his] joy in revenge! No, no! The blow
must it upon both: death to you—a worse fate
to nor "

“ A worse fate?" and she looked her surprise.
“Whatcanbe worssthandeathr’

“ You shall see. Come Ramsey Preston, I
wouli see you alone, and in the very comfort-
able cabin which you have built for yourself in

this remote place. I
Be dismounted‘seemi ly with no dread of
evil to himself, a though e boldly threatened
them, and leaving his horse standing
unfastened walked toward the cabin. turning
highest unhesitati ly upon the p,
entyRamse restoxnaswhteasa ,
follow him, an the two were alone tog: r
the woman standing like a statue outs! , and
the Mexican still mechanically plaiting the

horsehair 
“Bit there, sir, ordered the stranger, when

the two w alone together.
Silently ranchero obeyed, sinking into a
beer-skin chair.

8 stand Then e si-
lence fell between the two, an it see ed to
Ramsey Preston, to judge from his s bring,

pallid face,that he had come theretofecea
doomhecould not av though hewes faced
and was within call.
the dread silence:
“ You have done well in the five yearsthat
have since last we met, y Preston!”
“ ow mean you?”
“ You have gained much in worldly wealth—
you are called a Nebraska cattleking’!”
“ I know what I am celled.”
you are inhos table—that no
gs on the outsi e of your door to
welcome 6 stranger, and none of your bro-
ther rancher-0s have ever entered your cabin.”
“ I cared only to live within myself.”

“ Men sa
latch-strin

“ Bah! fear rom t t desire, for you
carednottobe Men erebuytheir cat-
tle in Texas, and on feared the story might go
there that you lied hither. What do men

call {on here, Ramsey Preston!”

“ am known by my proper name. I have
met few of the-rancheros; I drove my herd
here, built in cabin, and here I have lived,
while Sancho m herdsman and dwalls in an-
other ranch on t e Birdwood, coming hither
when so he pleases.”
th”Ahi ylo: be??? flagged (lament; two herds

on you ve nq y e stranger.
“ Ya)? are rich in «mansion?

H e'. ‘

“ And must ve all u l”
The ranchergistartedfiiut made no

“ Must give all up, for you are to die,
repeated e stran r, and still the
mained silent. “ ve you no wish to live!”

“ I care not,” was the indiflerent reply.

“ You have no heir, I believe?”

“None, and gt there is one to whom I would
leave my weal .” ,

“ You mean that portion of it which I do not
claim.”

“ Hal you then intend to claim my riches!”
asked the ranchero, quickly.

“ Why notl”

“ I Yflight have expected it; but, as I have
ed

in,»

ranchero re-

wron you, I make no resistance, for I have
schoo m self to accept my fate without a
giah' but, ianu, as I haVe wronged you, so

I wrong another yet not in the mine way.”

“ And that other!”

“ Was my cousin, Berk Preston. who sacri-
ficed his fortune to save me and yet I brought
financial ruin §p0n him, and dragged him dawn
to beggary. ow I am rich again, and is
poor and one to whom I wrote in the East re—

him has just written me, for only yes-
Eerday ncho true the letter from the
Platte, that Berkley had started to, Nebraska
with his only child, a daufihter.”

“A daughter, say you asked the stranger,
quickly.

“Yes, and my informant says she is ver
beautiful. I know that she was so as a child:
and to her I wish to leave the Birdwood ranch
and herd.”

“Which is the most valuable—this one or
that one?” '

“This is, for the herd doubles the other in

numbers. .

“liobeit; it shallbe as ou desire: Berkley
Preston‘s daughter shall vs the Birdwood
ranch,” and a stran smile crossed the face of
the speaker. which Ramsey Preston did not see.

Again a silence fell between them, and then
it was broken by the stranger with'

Come. Balms Preston,come.ont andd
your grave, for wflhin the hour you die.” 3

CHAPTER 7!.
a norm or Inn. ‘

Warm the stranger spoke the fateful words.
without hesitation Ramse Preston arose and
followed him out of the ca 1:.

Already were the shadows of night fal
upon the prairie, and a doe r gloom seem
settling n n the hearts of e dwellers in the

lone ran .

“ Aiitu, on have a white horse that is said to
befieeter ban the wind, and obeys onl your
voice.” and the stranger turned toward t e wo-
man who leaned against one of the trees be-
tween which the hammock hung her eyes bent
u the ground, and her who attitude that
0 one who was oommuning with the past and
recklees of the future.

She started at his words and asked:

I “ How know you this Bianca?"

“As I know other things regarding you; I
, follow no blind trail. Alita. '

She shuddered, but making no reply be con-
‘ tinned:
I “ Where is your matchless horse?"

“ 0n the prairie."

“ Let Sancho bring him here.”

“ He will notobe Sancho.” l

“ Then 0 you f and fetch him.”

“You 0 not fear to trust me?” she asked,
sneeringly. "

el 

“Remember, Phantom runs like the very
wind."

“ I care not.”

“ He h untirin .”

“ It matters " ,

“ Once u n his back and nothing could ever
catch me.’

 

 

/

 

3 --
4—.

“ I will trust you; youdareaot me,”

he said, .

“Iwill not,“ least; Ishrink not from m
fate,” slipping into the cabin she soon re»
to with a small silver bugle, upon which;
she blew a new , , ringing notes.

A distant neigh from the gathering darkness
answeredthecall,and soonaftercame the fall
of hoofs,anduptothe cabin dashedasteedof
rare beauty, whose Ion gaunt body, slen-
der hmbs. slender, arcg neck, gave evi—
dence of wonderful speed, strength and endur-

ance.

Trotting n to the woman he laid his head
against her older, and she fondled him anec-
tionately. .

“Be isa splendid animahandl d that
heshallbearyou one. ' ,”. Mum
“enemas-em"... m...

a im a -
Egdher look, he turned £139 . dunks“:

“ Sancho, put these irons upon thh man.”

He drew from his mddle-pocket, for his noble
black still stood patiently where he had left
him a pair of handcuffs, and without a word

theMexicanobe edtheorder, BamaeyPreston
holding out his with a resignation that
was

“Nowl will.» lariat around him, and bind
“Was  obs meeting with
Y . no
0mm from the  - '
ta, whenIhave sent you (I mjeur-
ney, then shall Ramsey Preston dig his own
grave, boundhandandbofiimahew
we. .
Even the Mexican started at the horrible
words of Bianca, for sav e as was his mute,
the white man surpassed in diabolical cru-

elt .

ind, at the words, a groan broke from the
lips of Ramse Preston, while Alita cried:

“ Inhuman evil, visit upon me what fate you
wish buts 0 him.”

“As bo have sinned, so both shall suder,
and, fearful as the doom I intend for Ramsey
Preston, yours shall be even worse," and be
fixed his glittering eyes upon her with alook of
malicious triumph.

“ Man, fiend, or whatever you may be, I have-

submittedbeforeinsilenoe, orIfeltthatIde—
ed punishment at your handsgbut. new
trod ma; heel

shallturn. You are free, Sanchol Alita, fiee

maandwewmtryonrmightwiththis'

devil.”

InudrungthewurdsofBamseyPresMand
the woman seemed about toohey buttheMexi.
canremained calmandunmo andadeiiant
laughbroke from the lips ofBianea,whoan~
I  I

w : ,

“Youa'retoolatstotarnaphatmaRem—
seyPreston,and ncpowercanseveyou,how,
or this woman, from the fate I intend for

303--
‘ Boise that woman, Sancho!”

The Mexican sprung upon Alita, as a
upon its prev. and held her ilrmly in is iron
gri , while Bianca threw a lasso over the head
3f be white steed and quickly choked him

own.

Then u thehackof the no animal be
skillfully £33“ the woman" aided E the Mexi-
can, who served him or

it was hard to tell w a

fear .
- W'ithherheed nss .mthrneck. her-

, no resistance u
an, or, the fearful fatetha waste
digit-2:11]. It“ {immy' tb
, on an were courses that
broke from the ll of Ramsey Preston, as, with
staring eyes corpse-like face, he watched
the hellish proceedings; but unheeding his
words, Bianca worked on untii all was secure,
and then be permitted the steed to rise to his
feet. and then, with aloud cry, like the shrlskof
a madman. set him loose on the prairie,
Afnghtened neigh ashriek oftemr from
the now-conscious whman, a "Of WY
from Ramsey Preston, and '5‘“ need
bounded away like the very m “4 dimp-
peared like a fading phantom in the 8100!!! Of

night!
“Now it is vour Ramsey Preston.”
The voice the spe or was savage in its in-

tensit . manages hat-nod towaxid the victim
ho“ to 9 m n n n  0‘
s irit for the woman who had n so fonlly

t with.

Bauer-shetookhalfadosen towardhis
victim, there cames series of w d shau the
clatter of hoofs, whining of arrow. throng the
air, and a score or more of mounted WW“
dashed down upon the ranch. ~

“Outhim loose, Sancho! He shall all“ {0"
my life!” elled Bianca, as he wheded and
poured sho after shot {rem his

Egalithe advaucnx  while
u" d! mad 0 

cab , and was followed b Bianca. Md his
noble black, just as the checkeduaieir

charge under the murderous fire of the despe- I

rate devil that had confronted them.

nther'

‘ “Wu..._p~.
_ u w

.4».

.........~.... W A
a.

\ her for shelter.

CHAPTER VII.
L081.

“Oafatherl musttheaamsfate-eatusbere!
that threatened us in civilisation?” .

“It seems so,m child; wouldto Heaven I .
had died ere brought this sorrow u
you,” and kley Preston bent his bee in
deepest defection, for to him there seemed not ;
one h in life. j

Wi the money received b Arta, the night §
of her adventure in front 0 the aristocratic ‘
Club in , they had come to the Far West .
on emigrants tickets, and Berkle Preston bad '
writtenhls niativo Ramse , sent iton by '
pony express, that he and h child were coming 
to seek his aid, and a home with him.

Arriving at Leavenworth theby had been com- ‘;
felled to sacrifice Arta’s h y-prized guitar {

or more means, for they ed horses, saddles
and bridlea, and procuring them, with blan-
kets, and such other things as were necessary ‘
for their tri , they had jomed several emigrant
families gong to Denver, intending to‘ eave
them when they arrived in the vicinity of the i
Platte, and thus find their way on to Preston’s
ranch, which they knew to be somewhere in the ‘
vicinit of Platte City, a hamlet just then
spgu g into existence.

ere were several others who took advan-

tage of the emigrant train going west to oin it
for company and protection, and one these T
was a young man of striking appearance, but ‘
who a face that was reckless in the
examine, and strongly marked with dissipation
an e .

He had a companion with him, a s wiry,
dark-faced, strangely handsome man, w 0 was
dressed like a border dandy, am! seemed even
asneatasthmbhehadjustrigged himselfup
for a masque e.

Both were splendid] mounted and armed
thoroughly, and certainly were pomemed of
courage and prairie skill as guides; but from
the first Arta took an aversion to both of them,
though why she could not tell, as they were
evzr‘mgst kind to bet. their at

t progressed on wa w ward
Arta ftmegd tha the youngfinan first described,
and who gave his nameas ert Math-9y, a Col-
oradian, a line education, sung well
pla ed t e guitar with a master hand, an
-cou d be a most agreeable companion at times,
while his compan on Tiny Tim, the Mustanger,
as he was called, seldom spoke, and seemed ever
 over his own troubles, whatever they

fter selling her Own itar, and for a

sum, Arta had urc a cheap. inferior in-
strument to wh e away the evenings in camp
with, and the first day out it got broken, but
was most skillfully mended by Mart Mahrey,
whose performance upon the instrument was
the first step toward wfiemoving the dislike she
had formed for the d but handsome young
plainsman. -

A good rider Arta needed no instructions in
horsemanship, but he ta ht her how to shoot
both pistol and rifle, an to throw a lariat,
:llliich bold aacomptighments she letlrgzid r3;

y, a y wl a natural a e
.mmfi’m "

It was Re habit of Mr. Preston to take a long
gallop with‘Arta each morning over the prairie,
and when thus alone they would talk over the

st, and plot for the future, for they did not
doubt but that they would receive a warm wel-
come from Ramse Preston. ,

In these rides t y seldom lost sight of the
train on the march, for they were not skilled
yet in finding their way upon the prairies; but
one no they rode further than was their

train nowhere in sight.

oaddtotheirdiscomfortatthisdisooverya
storm was sweeping rapid] up from the west-
ward,andtheyrode ra ytoa pieeeof tim-

But when the storm broke at is it con.
tinued with tfltlmfor hours, and this? :3" com-
ed to re in their place 16% for
hair stubborn little in would “no
the of the tem , and when at last it sub-
sidedn wasf inga theprairie. .
Comp e y bewild , not knowi which
was north or south, or in which d on the
train is , they were forced to camp in the tim-
ber ’01' night, and tedioust indeed dragged i
the long hours away, little sleep coming to .
either father or daughter.
With glimmer of dawn they arose and i
started on their search for the train; but it was :
a blind Web. for they knew not which way
to 301 3nd ‘11 d5! 10!! wandered hopelessly
Skill“, 0m” M Ins recroasing their own i
tra .
Wearied almost to death, In , for they
had had nothing to eat Arta at gth gays
a!“ this chapter,

 

ex on to the words I

, an which brought forth her Iathar’s delpond-

entre l .
llTlfeycertainlye will look for us, father-'9,“
alters .
“ eywiunothowwhentobohand
coul notnnd if theydid.”
“Yss,.‘lart§abrey canfollowstrailiikean

n
i killed by Indians, and

v- I '  

Indianvtheysay,“ howill notlst usdlshme,

“Iwoaldalmost rather seeyen perishwith
mehere, thanhaveyouoweyouriifeto
that man,” mid her father, with mdden se-
ven .

” why, father, what has he done to so arouse
your dislike?" asked the maiden, in 

“Nothing, and yet everything; he won
your love, my child."

“ Father!” and the eyes flashed as she turned
them upon her parent.

“ I have seen it all along, Arta, the weeks we
basic Been upon the march; he loves you desper-
ate v.

“Is that my loving him, father?”

“ No, but on must confess that you are deep-
ly interes in him.”

“ Yes, he interests me, and I {it him for I
feel that he is worth a better ii 0 t an the one
he leads: but I fear im; 1 do not love him, fa-
ther, and would be glad at heart had I never
met him, for ever in his presence a presenti-
ment of evil rises before me.”

“I am glad to hear on say so, Arta; now
what of this Tiny Tim. t e Mustanger?”

"I know not what to think of him; he seldom

in to me, or, in fact, to an one excepting
ert Mabrey, and somehow cannot believe
that he is the friend he profemes to be.”

“ To Mabrey 7"

“Yes, sir.”

“So I think for at times I have seen him look
at Mabre with an expression that was almost
fiendish: ut come, it s almost sunset, and we
mustseek a camp in yonder timber, and then
see what the morrow will bring for us. Hal
ther: is some one moving in the timber you-

r.

Both drew rein uiekly, and after gazing an
instant attentively? Arta sa d:

“Iseenobumanbeln§onlyah andhe
is saddled and bridled. es, and it is art Ma—
brey’s splendid bay:3 and, father, that is the
same piece of tim r where we stayed last
night, and the plainsman has trailed us there.
Come, for we are saved. ”

In spite of his dislike for Mert Mabrey this
was glad news for Berkley Preston, and the fa-
ther and daughter their tired mustan
forward at a gallop, and soon drew rein in t
timber while a broke from the lips of each
at what they begin

And no wonder, for the splendid bay of
Mabrey was lariated to a stake driven deep into
the ground at the head of a newrmade grave,
and no human form was there to greet them!

 

CHAPTER VIII. .
rm: irrsrsiuovs KAZEPPA.

“ Gaus- God! what can this mean?”

The or broke from the lips of Berkley Pres-
ton, at sight of the grave before him and the
horse, whose presence there seemed to indicate
who is beneath the mound at his feet.

"F or, it must be Mort Mabrey that lies
there i” cried Arta.

“It can be no other, for here is his horse,
and— Look here!”

He sprunitf'orward as he spoke, for an object

had'caught e e;
It was a ghasti object, too, for one hand sev-
ered from s y buried beneath was

out Of the fresh earth, blood—stained -
stained, yet the little finger was visible a
red spot that d not come from the life veins.
“ It is Mabrey, for that is his ruby ring ” de-
clared Mr. Preston, gently taking up the hand
and holding it, as though not knowing what to
do. ,
Eggs me the rin , fzgdherfl H u m
e Preston n we y daugh-
ter,tore§dinhersace thgsecret he had half
° but, though le and sad, it showed

nosignthatshewas down the
graveof onewhohad becometheidfiher

“Father,Mr.Mabreyhas several times beg-
gedmetoacce tthatring,orat laastwear ,
andlflrml ;hutnowlwillaceeptit,

until I ii one who can claim it as a right.
Who could have killed him!”

“That is hard to as . Strange that Tiny
Tim' not here! Ah: I vp it!”

‘l‘lfiiell, sir?” asked Arta, as Mr. Preston
pa .

“Mat-re has doubtless been following our
trail with Tim to look us up, and has been

' his pard has buried
him.”

Arta shook her head. .

“ This is not then your' idea, m Child!”

“ No. father, for would not iny Tim have
taken his ring and his horise?”

“ True: who then can have done this deed?”

“ Mr. Mabrey had many enemies on the bor-
der, I have heard.”

“ We". one of them has killed him and buried
him here, and for fear of being found out has
left his horse; but see here, Arta!”

Mr. Preston pomted as he spoke to a track in
the fresh earth. ,

“Ah! there is but one foot, not a woman's,
could make that track, father. ’

“ Yes, Tiny Tim’s.”

 

mean
“Iknownot:hntlwilitake been»,
andmaylnphemayleadus tothe

“Godgrmtitfior ifhedomnot weanlost,"
added Arta, fervently. .

Mr. Prestetn then wenttothesideofthamble
hay andanexclamationof de tin-oh from
his lips, for a buckskin haverm of food hing
toth? fiddle.

u c y communicating the joyful news to
Arta she spmng from her saddle, and the father
and daughter made a hearty meal, which tly
revived their spigits, f3:- tfhe  at is:
were grea an we ar epr'rving'
them ofall eartandh .

P
{Ar-om, tlhe wotllv they ell-“g
rta s orse, or was w h f out.
and transferred it to the hack of m,
the s lendid steed of Mort Mabrey.

“ ow give him the rein and we will gwhere
he leads,’ ordered Berkley Preston, as mind
his daughter to the saddle, and mounting his own
horse and leading the other mustang they set
off, Red Ranger taking: straight course to the
nortilz-west, as though a had an objective point
in v w.

Eardlyhad they riddena milewhsn Ranger
shied to one side, from an object that lay lmlf-
hidden in the ion prairie gram.

' nting, . Preston took itup, and with

alookofintigssflflseheldit u to theview
ofArta, whi he ed: p
“ Do you know this?”

O" Yea, father: it is the bsadwork knapmck
“i “"2? “1.2.2.”..‘1 “th‘htf‘ikw'” it

‘ es, un ' e
for see, the straps are b ’
it conmim."

The contents soon were rev
fancy blue woolen shirts a new suit of
never yet worn, and which emisfitadof a ir of
gra corduroy pants and black velvet sag-coat
—a it of arms, seemingly new—some ammuni-
tion—a ' of cavalry l
enough or a woman—a black slouch hat with
broad brim, and some other little articles, with
a locket containing two ictures.

Oneofthesewasaminaturelikene-oflert
Mabrey, evidently taken years before, and ere
his face had become stamped with traees of evil
deedsdone; theother wastbepictmda
young and beautiful girl that seemed to Arta,
asshegasedupon it, tobemostfamiiiar to her
in every feature; but where she had seen the
original she could not recall.

‘ Arta!”

Themaidenstarted at the sudden adds-ease!
her father,for his mannerindicatedthathehad
made some discovery, or had arrived at some
important decision. '

‘ Well, father?"

“ You have fretted frequently at not being a
man on this trip, and complained that your
skirtshave heenawo to you. Hereisasuit,
boots and all, that w' just fit you, and to-
night when we camp, I suggest that you meta—
mo one yourself into a man.”

“ b, father 1”

“ I am in earnest, my child.”

“ But what will they say in the train?"

“I am no man hatidohow
that this Wm 'mustothehain,
tioaof Kear-

but, on the contrary, in the
nay or Fort McPherson, and no one will know
us there, and it will be better for you to appear
as m sea than asmy daughter."

“, am willing to be governed by with";
but,l d3, you not think we will see train

n ,
“No; it will cmtinueon up the ..
3|”th direct-3n of m‘,“‘.; ldrihs
latte, than“ our wa Ramsey
Preston’s ranch, for thisborss wilIfindaa‘tle—
gente‘and, as to theftrain, we have nothing
ere regret losing, orour war are
with us,” and Mr. Preston smiled 

“ Butthese are not my clothes!"

“If Tiny Tim is not content toaeoeptpayfor
them, weoanbrlng him to terms, fm- them
Ithink itover, the more I believehim to he in
some 33 connected with Manny’s death.”

“ I do as you wish, father. ~

“ Then we will cam for the night in 10-30?
timber, where we ' find water, and you 83
metamorphose yourself into a outh. It! “I.
and with a light h Berkley was
into his saddle and ey node on once more.

Reaching the timber, while herfather watered
the honest”? the littgonream. and 1mm
on to upon 10% m -
formed  from abtelan git:e intoah'a'ina;
someyou o a paren 100"“ n Ind,
her an: coiled .15 unfit] under her hat, looked,
Indeed' the ho to the ‘ e.

After ano r meal from the bevel-sack of

lfahrey, the were making preparations
(:1. at?“ rest, or the sun had already set.

. Iwillseswhat 

a t was coming on, when the were
h b ther $3.3? Wild in bird:
orse, s approae

followed. ‘ p

 

 

  
  

‘ wild neigh of fright the white steed wheeled

, by her father.

fins thesav

‘ the rein and drew his revolvers.

‘laidher hand upon
vol-eds

the

in pursuit.

' Preston felt that

\ .
v e

.. a

 

butt of oas‘ofshsre-

she store, for she had heckled around
her-lender waist the belt of arms she had found,
in Tiny Tim’s knapsack.

- Thus they waitsd~tha maiden in her mascu-
line attire, even to Tiny Tim’s cavalry boots,
which iltted her well, making a pretty picture ,
as-shastood in fearless attitude, ready to greet :
either friend or fee.

A moment more and a horse dashed into
w, and what they saw drove every particle
blood from the face of both father and ,5

' , not sixty paces away, halted, and with 
head 13ng e es staring flanks heaving,
and wit a startl snort issu ng from his nos-
trils, stood a steed that was snowy white.
4 And he was not riderless; get better had it ‘3
beenwereitso, for uponhis ack, stra pod at ,
full length, was a human form, and. e lon
traili hair falling almost to the groun #
showz that it was indeed a woman, thus f
bound, Mar pa-like, to the tier animal. i

In horror t e father and dang ter gazed upon
the sickening sight, and then Arts cried:

" Come, father! there is work for us there.”

She started forward as she spoke, but with a

. Hr. Piston flier hb‘ ride, and Arts 1
l
I
l
i

and bounded away, while from the lips of the
one upon his back broke a shriek of anguish, so
full of terror and misery, that Arta covered
bureau with her hands to shut out the cry].

Bu knowing that the Woman at ved,
Arts n was not one to think 0 self were
sensor for the unfortunate possible, and «lags
to her father to follow, she ran toward
Ranger.

kly the two horses were saddled, and ;
gaging into the Mexican saddle of Mert‘
hay, Arta bounded away, closely followed I

 

Awa over the prairie they sped, lighted by
g moan, and, like the very wind Red
23“ went onin rsuit of the spec. tor-like

in his lead a rapidly dro the mus-
tang ridden by  Preston far he ind.

Deadly he called to his daughter to draw
rob, and in vain did she strive to obs , for the
thoroughly excited Red Ranger held 1; e bit in ,'
his tee , and no power of her handlcould check

his speed.
Mung this, Mr. Preston reeled, and almost I
fell from s die, as he felt that his daughter
t be lost to him forever.
t a sharp yelp aroused him, and looking
backward, from whence ( ame'the sound, he be- ,
holds score of dark objects coming rapidly on I

“no glance, and the moonlight revealed that 1

they were large game Wolves, and Berkley 1

end must soon come, for '

they were hot upon his trail and gaining ra- -

pidly u n him, while another glance ahead

showed 'm that Red Ranger was slowly over-
hauling the Mazeppa.

“Great God! must I be drang down and
torn tod‘eath, and my poor chi be left alone
in the world?" he groaned, in agony of spirit,
and: Va“? “5’ “3323‘
o-very s o t no 9 e or e
IluW terrified and steaming mustang.

_ CHAPTER IX.
race 10 run mun.
' Wm- Berkley Preston realised that a short f
while more must end his agony, he almost lost ,
consciousness; but, rail i111? he determined to I
fight to the last for f’e, for he was well
armed, and he had heard that a bold man could ;

k at be. the largest pack'of wolves. ‘
6% theuyhe' had also heard that when made i

 

had with hanger they knew no fear, and this I

seemed to be the case with those now hotly ,

upon his trail. for they came on un- ;

, gainin steadily, and with an occafi

sioea elp as o joyat soon breaking their fast. 1

‘Nmrerand nearer they drew, until the man ,
could shad the agony of suspense no longer,

, ‘ and determined to draw rein and end the misery
ndnred

he s .

_ Hard then he drew upon the bit, but the mus-
ts , at the fate awaiting him, could
not choc ed in his mad speed. Preston knew ‘
than, that-it must be a running fight; so let go ;

Turning in his saddle to fire, for the patter of ‘

' the hmtes’ feet could now be heard, he saw ‘

with surprise that the pack were swerving to .
the right, and no longer following directly be-
liihd his mustang!

What could it meant Had they notbeen in ‘
pundit of him, after all!

Anxiously and hopefull 'he watched, and ;
saw them still pressin sw ftly on, their heads
stretched forward, an noses near the ground,
like hounds when on a scent.

‘The mustang. himself, the seemed not to see
or care for, and still rush ng on. they soon

wed Mm. som thirty feet to the right.

Raising his revolver he fired into the pack.

A sharp yelp of agony followed; then a
udder: halt, and the pack turned upon their
wounded homrade and tore him to pieces, for ;
the smell of blood had maddened them. ,

Boeing his mistake, Berkley Praeton urged his

n,<.,_.u._ ‘

* tarried, and then circled around

‘ was as steadily gaining u

"Adanger

(an-hung farther away hour'thqn,‘ yet-Mill
hold on his former course, for far ahead
over moonlit prairie, was yet'lndistinctly
vhiblethewhitesteed of thenanppamldthe
dark form of Red Ranger pursuing. .

An instant only the pack of saVfie wolves

th sharp
yelps, and once more bounded forward as he-
lies} on some trail they had been steadily fol.
0 ng.

Away they swept over the rairie and,
as their course was the one 6 followed,
tlierkley Preston urged his mustang on after

em

And thus the chase went on, the tired mus-
tang still steadily dropping behind while Arta
n the aseppa.

Realizing this and hav nlg decided upon her
course, the maiden untied t e lasso at the horn
of the saddle, and which Mort Mabrey had
taught her to threw with considerable skill,
determined to throw it over the head of the fly-
ing white steed. ‘

he knew that though she was pewerless to
check the onward flight of Red Ran er herself
by sheer strength, that, at the thro ng of the
lariat the well-trained animal would come to a
sudden halt, and, if she failed to lasso the white
steed, she could, spring to the ground and thus
hold her own horse until her father came up.

As Ranger drew near enough the maiden
took firm hold of the lariat, arranged the slip-
noose, and whirlin it arOund her head to st
the proper momen m, castit with all the ' l
and strength she could master.

But the white animal, glancing backward as
he ran, saw the whirling rope, and sheered sud-

, denly to the right, the movement bringing an-

other cry of anguish from the bound form on
his back, and the coil fell to the ground, while
Red Ranger braced himself, and came to a
sudden halt that threw the maiden from her

e.
But, li htin on her feet, she uickl d
the rein,gand ghecked her horseqjust {83:38:28
about to bound away in ursuit once more.
Almost exhausted wi exertion and excite
ment Arta unwillingly gave Up the chase of
the mysterious Maneppa; so she drove the
lariat firm into the ground with the barrel of
her revolver, and thus having secured Red
Ranger, turned to gaze after the white hor. e
that was still gmrsuin his courss as before,
23;! at a speed but rat or increased than she;

Then she looked backward, andfar on beheld
her father coming slowly on.

And, as she looked, her eyes fell upon a dark
mass moving over the short grass of the prairie
and coming directly toward er.

What could it be!

A second glance, and a chill crept over her
heart, for she knew they were wolves, and that
she would be at their mercy, were she not able
to mount Red Ranger once more and fly.

But the horse had discovered his danger too,
and was tugging violently to free himself from
the lariat, yet was held fast b the stake which
Arta had driven deeply an firmly into the
ground.

Running to his side she in vain endeavored to
mount, for he lunged too [violently ; could
she gain the sadd e her knife would sever the
lariat and the s of the horse soon would
hear her out of anger. . ,

Afraid to approach him in his frightened and
vicious mood, she turned to confront the fear-
ful danger that menaced her, and saw the dark
objects coming on with whine and yelp as the
trail grew warmer.

But one look told her that she was at their
mercy for what could she do with that fierce

ck oi brutesl Even did she kill one or more,

be others would spring upon her she only knew
too well. I

Tottering with weakness at the fearful death
she confronted, she seemed to be losing con-
sciousness from fri ht and horror, when the
rapid clatter of bee aroused her, and turning,
the beheld the Mane steed almost upon her.

He was upon the ack trail and, as he dashed
by, there came in piteous, plaintive tones, the
cr :

‘Save mel oh, save me!”

Arts was speechless, for what could she do!
as fearful scede to await her, too,
and she gave herself up for lost, as the ravenous
pack of wolves were now almost upon her.

But, away over the prairie hounded the white
steed, going to the westward, for he turned

. obliquely ofl', when within a lasm‘s length of

Arm, while right toward her, seemingly, came
the savage brutes.

Nearer and nearer, and then. just as all hope
was gone, and when her limbs, unable to up-
hold her weight, allowed her to sink upon the

I prairie. the wolves swerved to the left, and

passed her like the wind, seemingly unconscious
of her presence!

What did it—what could it mean!

That Red Ran rwas also surprised she could
see, for he like a statue, and, with an
eflort, she arose and approached him.

ietly he stood gazin alternatel at her,
am then at the wolves, al thewhile gambling
violently.

’- wildly, and then, just as

 

 

But, suddenly, he slatted. and bounded to the.
end of his lariat in the o posits direction,'and
with horror,Arta saw at the an a pack
were coming back, and again shega herself
up for lost. ' ‘

Nearer and nearer the came,uowyelping
ey reached the . it
where the white steed had swerved from i-
course, they also went to the right oblique and
followed on his trail!

“Great God! they are on the trail of the Ma-
seppal They did not see me even for, like
bloodhounds, they follow only the trail their
scent started them upon.

“Father in heaven I thank Thee that I am
safe, but it. Thy mercy spare onder r vic-
tim ” cried the maiden, ferventfy, and e
wit staring eyes after the white and
the pack on his trail, until the coming of her
father broke her paini‘ul reverie,mid,wholly
unnerved, she threw herself into his arms as
Easyrung to hersidewithacryof joyat er

e y. ,

 

\
CHAPTER X.
TRAILING A MYSTERY.

A m was walking leisurely along the street.-
of Leavenworth, apparently willing to be amus»
ed by anything that might turn up of internist.
when be halted to gaze into a shop window
where various articles of merchandise were dis-
phéyed to tern t the eye of the passer-b .

uddenly h eyes fell upon an obfect that
caused him to start, and immediately he entered
the shop, and was promptly waited upon by the
obsequious proprietor o t. e establishment. .

“ I would like to see that tar (3513le In
your window,”he said. quiet y.

“ Ah yes; a fine instrument, sir, and just.
such a one as I thought would catch the eye of
a gallant troubadour,”aud the shopman handed
over the instrument, which the stranger regard-
ed closely as he thought: _

“It is t e same, for here are the initials 1n-
laid in pearl. May I ask where you got this 111-
strument, sir?” he demanded. ' ' ,

“ Oh yes; I bought it of a young girl, and 8
very retty one, too.”

“ 0 you know her name?” ,

“ I think her father called her Arts.”

“ Ah! when was this?” .

:Iéhweek orfiuéore Iago}? to with f

e was s ent y r part an H-
strument that she musmve prised,” suggested
the stranger: -

“ She was poor, sir and her father and he!”
self stopped here on their way to a relative’s m
Nebraska, I believa.

“They had not enough mone to bu horses

. 3’ y
to continue on their journey with a. 15mm 301“?
west, and I gave her a hundred an fifty do '
32s for this guitar, for I knew it would sell for
re.

“ And your price for it now is——" .

“Say wo hundred, sir, for I took a risk in
buying it.” '

“ Certainly! Here is your money. Now box
the iitrznitrumeut securely and keep it until I send

or .’

The shopmsn counted the money, handed
over his card and asked:

“Your name. please i”

“Lucien De Leon. You say the lady and be?
fathfir left with a westbound train a week
a . ,

ERYes, sir such they remarked was their in-
tention, and I have, not seen them since. The
maiden was a fine perfomwr on the guitar.
and hen t from me a cheap instrument to

w h her.” ‘

" ask you. Good-da , sir,” and Lucien
De Leon lei the sho , an wended his nay to
the encampment of t e trains going west.

“When does the first train pull out west-
ward ?" he asked a teamster.

“ ln ’bout two weeks.”

“ Nothing sooner!”

“Nary, ard; you will hev ter wait; b “his
hain't no s ow place to wait in, I‘m thin ’3’

“It is  slow for me so I shallnot wait."
and turmu on his heel the song man.
briskly bac to his hotel and, went to his room.

Then his stylish suit of white (sardine?Ii Mid
blue velvet jacket was quickly changed for
buckshin leggings and hunting-shirt, and two
hours before sunset Lucien De Leon. mounted
on a large cla -bsnk, with Silver mane and
tail, and arm to the teeth, set out alone an
the trail to the west.

At dark he encamped for the night in the

shelter of some cottonwoods that fringed the.

banks of a mall Stream; but With rhe break of
day he was again in the saddle, and his splendid
horse, Flash, was throwing the miles behind
him with the long, swingng pace he untiringly

kefit  _
a g three miles to the tra ln's one, he came
in sight of an encampment one evening, some
two weeks after leaving Leavenworth, which
he knew must be the one he sought.
Considerable surprise was manifested by all
at seeing a single horseman and a stranger,
ride into camp, or it was a dangerous country
fort:I one to travel amlfdne through. . h
nheedin the cage estnrned u im
he asked thez train boss: y pan D

 

 

 

I Era, Tiny Tim.

‘ l and Flash, alarmed, as though he had

.' :‘y
\
.

 

, .__.._._ ... m..-..._.~~ . ._ "aw-nu.—

 

 

',‘Isth'greapersonwith you by'the  of

“Them was, sir,but I am sorryto saythat
twbothdhe and hi: daughter got lost from the train
0 ays ago.
r‘; Got lost?” asked Lucien De Leon, in sur—
se.
p “Yes, sir; they rode oi! together, and not
coming in at night, two of our party started in
search of them, and they, too, have not been
seen since.”
“Thisis very strange: I have not seen any
signs of Indians as I came along.”
“Nor did we, or of the road- nts either,
and some think that Preston and is dau hter

headed for the Platte, hoping to find it wi at
a guide.” ,
‘D d they their eflects with them!”

“They had litt e to carry, other than a car-
pet of clothing, a box of provisions and an
old lair .”

“ he were the tw,o that went in search of
them i”

“A young plainsman, Mart Mabrey and his
I guess Mabrey and m were

th gone on Preston’s pretty girl, and I don’t
wonder at it, because she was a beauty, and we
all loved her so much that we camped one
Whole day to hunt for ’em. You know. them.
then sir!"

“toafiand‘shall see u I cannot find them. I
am obliged to on for your information."

“ But you w cam with us all ni ht, pardi”

“No, thank you; t ough I will geg some pro-
visions from you, and thank you to tell me ex—
actly the spot where the Prestons left you, and
the direction they took."

The provisions were generously supplied, and
having obtained all the information he could
glean, Lucien De Leon started back on the
trail, and shortly after midnight halted at, the
encampment where Berkley Preston and Arta
had left the train.

Here he went into camp for the balance of the
night, and at sunrise continued on his way on
the course which it was said the father and
dau hter had taken.

en night drew near he came in sight of a
piece of timber which he cautioqu approach-
ed, for he well knew the dangerous country he
was in and expected at any me to run u n
a of Indians or a party of road-agents t at
infested the trails.

But, seeing nothing suspicious, he rode into
the timber and suddenly drew rein. for beforc

him a few steps was a pile of brush and logs, I

which he saw covered a newvmade grave.

“ Can that be her grave, I wonder!” he cried.
quick] , and throwin himself from the saddle
he ha ily approach it.

“It has not been made forty-eight hours, and
here are comparatively fresh tracks about it;
ha! this is the track of a woman.”

Quickly he threw aside the brush OR the
grave, the logs followed. and with his knife he
made a shovel of bark and began to throw
out the soft earth until the ghastly hand was
revealed.

“This is a man’s hand, thank God! but the
graveislarge enough to contain two bodies,”
and thus saying he again went to work, and just
as the twilight shadows deepened, reached the
dead form.

“No, there is but one body here, and it is a
man. Now to refill the grave.”

Again he set to work, and aided by the rising
moon. soon had the grave as it was before he
had disturbed it and walked toward his horse,
that had strayed 03 a short distance.

"Well, Flash, old fellow we will camp here
lac-night,” he said, in a kindly tone and his
hand was on the girth-strap to unloosen it,
Elfin: bisquin earoaught the sound of a hoof-

limo?» he to the :ilzhadgjw of 3
e am 0 been, ' horse m an
therepawaited. m8 ’

Nearer and nearer sounded the hoof-strokes,
and then came in sight a snow-white steed.

Nearer and nearer, holdi his way at a l-
lop through the timber, an at a course t t
must bring him within a few feet of when Lu-
cien De Leon stood.

“ He is riderleas. and my lamo shall soon tell
me if he is of any use,” muttered the horseman,
as he leaped lightly into his saddle and quickly
seized his lariat and made it ready for throw-

in .

giearer and nearer drew the white horse until,
with a. loud, ringing neigh, he halted full in the
moonlight.

“ Good God i”

The exclhmation broke from the lips of Lu-
cien Do at what he beheld, for upon the
back of the white steed was strapped a human
form.

At the sound of his voice the white horsn l

wheeled and bounded away like an arrow from
the bow, while back to the ears of the horseman
came the cry:

“ Save me! for the love of God!”

The arm that held the lariat fell to his side,
seen an
object not of the earth, shrunk back into the
humus with a terrified snort.

4 But instantly the man recovered himself, the

 

lasso w n the horn ,the m were
driven Flangu‘afiewgnks, and await! 8p . the
9 we,

splendid ola bank in, pursuit of
whilefrom esotlipsof anienDe [eon came
the words: '

.“ That was a woman'svoice, and I will save
her! ,Come, Flash, you must now prove my
boast, that no horse can lead you."

CHAPTER XI
ran OVERLAND REST.

was a mere hamlet, with half a hundr d houses,
and the resort of many of the wildest spirits of
the border.

With an army post near by, and bein on the
direct trails leadin north-westwardto ramie
and the Black Hil south-westward along the
South Platte to Denver, due west to Cheyenne
and Utah, and besides the center of a great cat-
tle country, yearly developing, it was a place
of considerable importance in spite of its ex-
ceedingly meager population.

Of course the irrepressible border saloon and
gambling-hell were features of the place, and
these were the centers of attraction to the ma-
jority of the community, and the load-stone
that drew all visitors, whether they wore the
uniform of the arm , the buckskin of the scout
and trapper, the unting-shirt of the miner
seeking gold, or were teamsters, bullwhackers,
herders or wealthy speculators or cattle-men.

Among the noted characters of the border
hamlet at that time was Dave Perry, a man
whose slender form concealed the stre h of a
giant, the courage of a lion, and the cart of
one of nature’s noblemen.

He had “hung out his shingle,” so to k,
in the frontier villa , as the keeper 0 the
Overland Rest, and t at he was master in his
own house, he quickly proved to those who at
tempted to lay too high a hand with him. and
it was not ong before even the most reckless
s irits cared not to anger him, for a blow from
gave Perry sent the man it hit to earth. 'and if
compelled touse a pistol he never failed in a
shot, and was master of the knife in a close en-
counter.

Of course he had not escaped unharmed in
the numerous aifrays forced u on him, for he
had been severely wounded sit a score of
times; but then wounds did not seem to hurt
Dave much while a funeral had invariath fol—
l0wed for the man who left his mark upon him.

Possessing such qualities, which Were rare
virtues upon the border, and added to them a
ready heart to helg a friend, a generous nature
that ept his ban in his pocket to aid one in
distress, he soon won the admiration of the
I townspeople, and his Overland Rest became the
popular resort of the place, and no stranger
entered the village without going to visit him.

And it is to the Overland Rest that I would
have my reader accompany me, one pleasant
evening, some days after Berkley Preston and
his dau hter left the Denver bound train for a
gallop t at {got them lost upon thz‘prairie.

The Over and Rest was one of e most pro-
tentious buildings in mm, and was built of
logs that had been hauled many along mile
over the plains, and roofed over with canvas.

It was some forty feet in length, twenty-five
in breadth. At the rear end was a bar, behind
which stood several pi ' e dispensers of
ii ors, ready to serve the rsty with n,
w isky and brand ;but those' who had sampled
the three liquors, ad usuallgadecided that t e3
all arms out of the same rrel, and were la-
beled differently from courtesy. -

In front of the bar after leaving space for a
line of drinkers two deep, were tables, at which
were groups of men playing dominoes, throw-
ing‘dice, or indulgiizgain oker or eucher, with
more or less heavy Ires on all antes.

And a run docking set most 0 the half-
hundred men n the room were, for there could
be seen the bullwlsackerythe cowboy“, border
ruiilan and despera o-in-gener‘al, with a sprink
ling of scouts, trappers, shopkeepers of' the
town, soldiers, and ranche . ' ,

With two orthree exceptions all were -
bling, and without ex tion all were drin i, ,
if I except alone Dave erry, who sat at a tab e
apart. smoking a cigar, and idly watching,
though of course with interest, the money flow-
in into his coffers. ,

fie was somewhat flashily dressed 'wore a
heavy watch-chain and diamonds, and beneath
his sark‘coat, though not visible, those who
knew him were aware of the fact that he wore
a revolver on each hip for use, if need be.

A man with a resolute face, eagle eye, and a
kindlly smile, he was just the one to avoid in a
dead fracas, to seek for a friend, or ask a fa~
! vor 0 , and his quiet demeanor held in check the

most heisterous patrons of his saloon.

Present] into the room came two persons.

and they esitated at the doorway; but Dave
’ Perry, seeing that they were strangers, beck-
. oned to them to come to his table.
; One advanced with a hold, easy step, while
i the other came forward in an embarrassed and
hesitating manner, and drew his slouch hat fur-
ther down over hiss . ,

“ Be seated. ggn . omen _ What will you
drink!” accosted ave, politriy. .

 

 

I
AT the time of which—I write North Platte

 

.' ,ggy owed nomad thé'eldarwl

“Thank'ydu‘ :iie'ither of us drink, hnt’we
came here In ,e hope of an, a ranchero
1who 9lives somewhere in this _ y, I be-

eve.

" If he’s within a hundred miles I know lain
What’s his name, pardi” ,

“ sey Preston.”-

U  I”

“ You know him I see by our manner,” said
the stranger, hastiI , while liyis compan gave
vent to a sli ht exc mation of surprise.

“Yes, an he‘s a strange one, too, pard.”

“How mean you, sir!” -

“ Well, he’s had a ranch to the northward of
the Platte {or cars, and et he’s never allowed

ood at his car, and has lived like
a hermit. ” k

“ Indeedi This is very strange, for, as I knew
him in the past, his was,a most social nature,”
said the stranger.

“ Then he has Chang
for one night i asked for shelter. bein upon
the Birdwood hunting, and he retu it; but
he’s now changed his tactics again, pard, f r
two days ago hecanie into Platte, was as so' I
as a homeless dog, spent his money free, invited
me out to see him, and hired a number of cow-
boys to go dovm into Texas and drive‘up cattle
for him, and he’ll soon be the boss ranchero in
this cormtry, I‘m thinking.” ‘

The two strangers had listened m’ost’atten- '

tively to the description of,Remsey  n
from the 11 or. Dave Perry, and the younger
asked eager : .

“ Is he in town, now!" '
“No, he‘s gone back upon his ranch,”a’nd
then, as if for the first time noticing  ax~
treme youth and refined appearance ' the
you‘have come to a wild oeun.

speaker he continued: '
“ Litt e pard, ,_
‘m thinking you’d better have

to live and.
gyed at hoine.”

I have no hbme.8ir ".was the sad   -»

the elder stran r quickly rem : .

“ My son an myself hsVe come est to live
sir, Ihavingbeen unfortunate in the Eastth
I am now Seeking Ramsey Preston, as he ’an
old friend of mine.” '

“ I hope he’ll ive you a good welcome. Did
you come in wit a train?” .

“‘No, we left the train on the Republican,
bound‘to Denver, while we headed north for
this lace.” '

f‘ ell, an of the b0 s will guide you to the .
Birdwood w en you will; to go; won't drink,
you say?” " _

“ No, thank you 3” ' '

“ A good plan if on only stick to it.”

“What is thet 6 sex, Dave, thet he won't
licker up?” asked a hu e, heavily-bearded fe -
low, approaching, and coking the yo er 0
the tw0 strangers in the face with that nhis
eye that meant mischief.

“He says hewill not drink, Grinly Gabe,”
replied Dave Perry, uie‘tlrv. ‘

‘Won’t drink, eh. aal, I jist guess so,
when 1 says treat, an’ I says so now, or I has
jist won a clean half thousand an’ kin afford ter

spread benzinc all round. Come, res, it’s my
call, an’ I axes yer one an’ all topdernomiuate
yer p’imn." ' '

An almost, general risi was the result of
this invitation, and ‘u G y Gabe cast
eyet over the hesitating few, the z -- arme,
ratherto avoid trouble with the - -.~ 

 
  

from fear; for he was known as 'a
character, always on the alert to some
cause of quarre , and like an enraged byena
Wyeiiammdid' u: if d  ‘
‘ rten rs, set er ,a ‘
pay. so gi’nme therughange e mar?! any,”
e threw a twenty-dollar
bar, upon whichglasses and V ttleswere My
set for the invitedguests. . . ,
“ Dave Perry“ my invitashun incl dedwyou
and yer-friends, and the bully to aid.

“53ml” 0 ' Gabebut ’ ' I
our?“ .
never drlnkyin husine‘ss h l’ ' you “9'
“Biases: he durnedl ou’ll drink now,
with”: ‘” “3%” ’3"; '

, o no suc ; an o
arelno fi'iend of mine, (irrinvln‘r y Gabe,”mu'caup’th:
coo rep y. ‘

' The desperadoknew Dave P w and he I
cared not to anger him, so was will? let his
wt

not drinking pas. but not so a, two
s,wohadrisen,asifto methan-
loon, ut had been prevented byihe crow

around them. , » ,

“ Waal, Dave, or know yer own business best,
an’ ef it’s er ru e, I’ll not 9! er her. break it;
but them we tenderfeet runs fine me, or I’ll
know why,” ahd the desperado ed his burn-
ing e upon the strangers, and saw'that he
Tmimined u n l: 20w. m, ,

“ omnnneermsonnor

h y drink,” replied the slag-1y swan-
ger, calm ’ ‘

ly.
“Cmterdrinki Whattherdevil Ioare

I. '

“on?

' him, sir, you and your son,“

ed most unaccountshly, -

old piece upou’the .

wh er erw‘gstorornot-I s’ and
flggéfizggu'yefledthew wt; - .
wi

'I

.r‘

  ' ‘ a

0“

 

\ . .

4.5.2;-

sf’l r.

a .m a "w 5”“

“air-“i”;  -
,. . .

a

£3, 3 ’

 

new amnion-W

\

whispered an outer, standing near; and with

a look at his son now as e as death, the

stran was about to obey, hen Dave Perry,

havin hand the soldier‘s remark, said:

‘ “No, or if

othercah ofnquarrel. for the Grizzly’s full of
t to- .

“I will be governed by you. sir.” replied the
stranger seemingly impressed with the reso-
lute and ,kindly face of the saloon-keeper.

“ Did etheur me! What does you an‘ that
‘galslo'o n" boy 0’ yours drinki’

(xrlzzl .

“ Idecline to drink with you, sir, and so does
my son,” was the firm reply of the stranger.

‘ Yer does. ehi Then crams ther Iicker
down 561' throats durned ef I doesn't,” shouted
Grizzly Gabe, an seizing a bottle he sprung
tow rd the strangers. with every intent in his
1 to do as he threatened.

;‘ HoldBn, ngsly me” k l b

t was ave erry spo e, am , e ateliped

in front of the strangers, and confronts the

desperado.

‘ Dave, I doesn‘t want no trouble with you.
an' I forgives you fer not tacklin’ benzine, fer yer
knows er own biz best; but these gents hes got
ter 3'“ ler licker at my call.”

“I day not if they do not wish to.”

I “Yes interferes, does yer!”

“I do, for they are strangers in my saloon,

ixai therefore claim my protection,” was the

rm reply.

_ ,“They will hev tel: git more pertectio for I
heswit’h me hear overadosen pardsaswlll foller
my lead, as you knows, Dave Perry," was the
savage threat, and as the desperado cast his
gas over the crowd’. a number of forms be an

new toward him, while others at once ell
back 11%: either side, two ,or three making
0y to , ve Perry as ifto sup rt him.
,7  left Grizzly Gabe stan ing at the bar,
with a dozen as hard-looking characters as him-
Itu “fitting him, for he was their acknowl-
edged or in all acts of deviltém. and Dave
Perry, the two stran ers, the c
spoken of and sever cowboys fact?
while ibe majority in the room h
this ves along the walls to see the re-
su t

“ Dave, yer see I Ins yer ” he the bully.

“1 see no such thi .orl yGabe: Iwant
no quarrel with yet? at you shall not come
into my place and orce m friends to drink
with against their will.’ said Dave, firmly
ye y.

“ seeks no quarrel with you nuther. Dave;
but I axed them gents ter drink, an’ they re-
fuses, and I intends ter fill their hides full 0’
benzine.” *

"’1’ warn you not to make the attempt, Gris-

“What will er do about it, Dave!” was the
ineerinfil nest on.

“I w qklll «m, so help me God l”

Those who ew Dave Perry knew that he
would keep his word, and all drew a long
breath to see what the result would be. while a
few of the more timid nearer the door hastily
sli d out of what they soon expected would

me worse than Dante’s Inferno. .

Although Dave Perry, a much smaller man
than the bully, stood calm and smiling, his
hands ha 5: seemineg listlesst by his side,

or before
the

, ' all knew t at he was a li lltning drawer of a re-

volveran a dead shot, w ile he feared nothing,
the e ew he would become a ta t for
the of Grizzly Gahe’s friends did kill

The two strangers stcod, side by side, one
with bowed head and trpmmg harm, the otlfiar
pallidasacorpse ye c an apparen
earless, his great dread seeming‘to be for hill

other backers of Dave Perrystood with

their hands already u n their was as. and

Were cool firm, wh the d o and his

s seem to feel that they he the winning

(1, thougghthe had forgotten that several

barkeepers them mig t join in the fracas

with , , erable detriment to them.
/ Whic way the men ranged alon
would side was hard to tell. for

the walls
hose who

. gnhieght Wish to aid Dave Perry were covered by

\

/ the ’youth. who clung convulsiver to
» ,t ersarm. .

0. who so long had held full sway on
the border, while others. if it came to a light,
only wished to get out and save their own pre-

ous line.
Thus the tableau lasted for an instant. all

” gee restingeupon the tall form and evil face of
a

rinly G to see whether he would attempt
to ca out his reckless threat and force liquor
downnthe throats of the two “gauge”,

And, just as the desperado moved for some
1111 into the saloon stalked a tall form and

straight up to the bar called for a
drink, seeming! unmindful of the terrible
scene he had br en in upon. i

‘jPard, yer hes chi ped in here whar an’

:35: year is not wanted, so jist stan’ aside while
8.

The speaker was Grizzly Gabe. and as the
mom“ turned the light fell full 11 n his
face, a startled cry broke from the hip-tot

“-

h «was...

 m: .r - them; ;

you do he will at once pick an- l

yelled the ;

 

on addreu met” demanded the‘ stran-
eep. earnest ton a.
I d, an’ as er d ’t seem ter understan’
chin music I’ll j t h’i yer one side.”
As Grizz y Gabe spoke he laid his huge [hand
, heavily u n the shoulder of the stranger; but
1 ere his lpe closed he received a stunning blow
r in the ace, and was suddenly seized in an iron
i grips and hurle to the floor with a. force that

is


. made the building tremble and the glasses on l

: the bar to ring as merrily as bells.

And then ere any one present could compre-
hend the sltuation, the stranger s rung upon
l the body of the prostrate desperar o, with one

foot upon his breast the other on his head, and 1 hi

‘ his leveled revolvers seemed to cover the heart

. of each one of the desperate band that had ral-

‘l lied to the support of the now discomfited Griz-
zly Gabe. ~

l

 

CHAPTER XII.
A N'EW SETTLER.

“ PABDS, your chlef is down, and it would be
no more than a healthy proceeding on your
part to levant.”

The speaker was the new-co er, who so rudely
had turned the tables upon rizzly Gabe the
desperado, and who still coolly maintained his
position upon the body and head of that worthy,
while he kept his revolvers leveled at the back-
ers of the ully in a manner that held them

sowed.

“ Who ther devil are yer, that holds such a
flush band heuri” asked one of the band.

“ A new. settler—one of the unsalted genera-
tion. if so you will. and I advise you to get out
of this,” was the cool reply.

“Ami our pard, Grizzly thar, whom you is
standin’ on i” '

“Can 0 too.” and the stranger sprung back-
ward an allowed the bully to rise.

As he staggered to his feet his face was black
with sion, and his eyes glittered with hate;
but era was something in the look of his vico
tor that curbed an outburst of rage. and he sul-
lenl y turned toward the door, his backers slowly
following, for a lance was sumcient to show
them that with the fall of their leader, the whole
room was against them.

But, they were men who bided their time,
and the remark of Grizzly Gabe as he turned at
the door but expressed the feelings of all:

“ Pard stran er, yer holds trumps in this
leetle game. an I dasn’t play ag’in’ycr; but I

eases we’ll meet ag’in afore long,-an' maybe

’ll hold a winnin’ keerd.”

“ For fear I may not know you when we meet
I’ll put my mark on on,” was the retort of the
stranger, and asq ck as the lightnin ’s flash
his hand was thrust forward, a flash an report
came together and Grizzly Gabe was seen to
throw his hand up to his head, while one of his
comrades quickly shut the door.

“ 01h, sir. you have killed him,” cried the

out .

“ N 0, only cllpged one of his lar e ear " was
the assuring an calm reply, a turn ng to
Dave Perry, he continued:

“You must pardon me for chip ing in and
taking the figh oi! your hands; but ovarheard
from without what was going on, and thought
I could save trouble.”

“ Well, you did, gard, so put it there, and

take Dave Perry’s t anks, and his word for it
thatlyou’ve got the ironest rip and lightningest
ban I ever saw,”andthe eepar of the Over-
land Rest grasped the hand of the stranger,
who said pleasantly:
“My hand is nota feather-wel ht, I admit;
but come. tus have longsiéayed drink.
Come, en amen, all are nclu , but I fares
no one drink,” and the light merry laugh of
the new-comer‘was contagious. for many oined
in at the expense of Grizzly Gabe, and e bar
was at once confronted by nearly two score of
thirfiy souls.

“ eur’s Grizzly's gold twenty, Dave; will
you give it to him, fer nobody got ther drinks
on his treat,” said one of the bartenders, hand-
ingthe gold over the bar. .

Let me see it,” and the stranger took it,
threw it quick] into the air, and when it was
coming down ust in front of a lamp, drew his
revolver and fired. '

There was a twang as the leaden bullet struck
the gold, and walking to the other end of the
room, amid the braves of all, the stranger plcked
untille money and threw it upon the her, saying

we :
q “Ngw ve it to the Grizzly and tell him I
have mar ed it, too.”

There was a round hole in one edge of it,
where the bullet had struck, and the piece was
passed around for inspection, while Dave Perry
remarked:

“ You lay over the doc pard, on the shoot;
but what may a friend cal you i”

“ Lucien De Leon is my name, and I have
come here to settle.” _

“ Going to turn ranchero, scout, or sell liquor,

pardi”

he? am a raglchero fromth'gexas, and have a
r already ere. or on we an my

lay-out is on the Dismal.” y up'
‘I have heard of you, for your cowboys

passed through here two weeks ago.

 

—» ~>-~-—r~' “w...— -__—.—.__.__.«.___....__M--__ ,_.-. a.

,

/
~ ,

.._, _ ..-

 

, not alre

l
l
s
i
I
1
l
l
l

 

“ Pard, you are welcome. and I’ve a spare

room fogwin the. Overland Beat, it you are
y located.”

“No, and I’ll accept your offer; my kind re-
gards. gentlemen."

As Lucien De Leon spoke he raised the glass
to his lips. and all dashed off their liquor With
a relish and a welcome to the new ranchero.

“NOW. Mr. Perry, I am anxious to find some
trace of two persons who left a train bound to
Denver, some days since. when it was on the
Republican. and were an posed to have come ill
this direction.” and Lumen De Leon sat down
to Dive Perry’s table and spoke in a low tone to

m.
“Who were they .7”

“ MMgentleman and his daughter, and, wholly
unu* to the prairie, l have dreaded evil to
them.”

“There’s a gent and his son here, and they
rave just come 1n; the are the ones that were
innocently the canse o the row tonight.”

“And where are they 5”

“They left just as you asked all hands to
drink.”

“Ah yes, I noticed the boy: a handsome
out’h he was, too, and he seemed timid—

“'What is it, pardi"

“Nothing; only a thou ht gassed throu h
my mind,” and it was evidgnt at Lucien 5e
Loon did not care to ve ex ression to the and
den thogght that ha flash upon him, for he
continu :

“Do you know where the father and his son
are stopping?” /

“No, but I guess over at the Platte House;
but come take a drink with me, and we’ll go
over and look ’em up. for I’ve got an idea that
the are the ones you want. ”

“dint they wore a gentleman and his daugh-
ter 7, _

“ Well; I think that boy is a girl."

H  ll

“True, for he was too pretty for a be . and
looked as if he had never seen a crowd ore.
What the devil’s up now I”

This last remark was caused by a loud com-
motion outside the door, and the next moment
in dashed a crowd of excited men. and in their
midst were two prisoners they were dragglng
a ng. v

One glance at the risoners. and both Lucien
De Leon and Dave erry saw that they were
the father and son of whom they had just been
speaking.

CHAPTER XIII.
ACCUSED AND ACCUSER.

WHEN Lucien De Leon and Dave Perry saw
who it was that the mob dragged in as rison-
ore. they stopped quickly forward, and 9 lat-
ter, arglng the rune-hero to keep quiet, asked
qule v:

“Well, pards, what have you there?”

‘r‘ét brace o’ horse-thieves and murderers,
pa . we has fetched before you. bein’ ther jus-
tice, ter gi’n ther word to string ’em up,”an-
swered a man who had an arm on the should .-r
of each prisoner.

Dave Perry glanced into the face of the
youth and saw that it was white and quivering,
and he was the more convinced that his conjec-
ture was lifht, and said quietly:

“Well, ‘ they are what you say. Boa Fan-
shaw, their necks will have to m, but they
don’t look like what you accuse them of be
and the shall have a fair rial.”

“T looks haia’t ther thing. pard: I has
seenah snain aGOspil shirt,a woman dab
in a ve vit gown, an’ ther pard ther by yer
side, who is smilin’ as sweet as bee-honey out o’
a hive. proved hisself, when be tackled Grizzly
awhile ago. hell-tens lit 0’ ther paras-er; so
looks is m ghty deceit ul,” and Gospel Luke. an
itinerant preacher miner, teamster mustangor
and jack-of—alifcalllngs at large, when he was
sober, and dewl in general when he was drunk,
stepped forward in the characterof prosecuting

attorney. ~

“We l. Gospel Luke, I’ll take their faces for
their lnnocence, until the are. V90 filmy:
of what are they accused? and vs P ,as
thejustioe of the village. took his mt his
table and motioned to Ben Fanstlaw, the con-
stable. to place the prisoners before him. for in
those days no pogtponfimen“ 0‘ trials were in

order.

' The father, 10 and ((03 perfectly calm, and
the son, trem ling an whitefaoed. took the
seats assigned them, and the crowd pressed
closely around, Lucien De Leon leanin against
the side of thecabln, near Dave Perry, is arms
folded upon his broad breast. and his eyes coolly
surveyinithe faces in his front.

H w at are they accused !” repeated Dave
Perry. ra plug on the table with a whisky bot-
tle to mfg? the court to order.

“ Mu erlng. robbing. and horse-stealing.”
said Ben Fanshaw, the constable, in a loud
velce.

“And who is their accuser!" ‘

There was a momentary silence. and then a
stir in the back or the crowd, and Griulv
Gabe, :lth a scarred, swollen face, stepped

orwar .

i

\

an... as.

~

 

 

._...,. ._»«z .- ..

The" lri’lhsintoin Mazeppa.

 

 

“You are back again, are you, Gabe i”quietly
said Dave Perry.

“I are; is thar a law ’in’ it?”

“ No; you are free, w ite and twenty-one,
and I guess can go where you please; are you
the accuser of these two prisoners?”

(s I are?"

“ Did you ever see them before you met them
here to-night?”

“ Is yer tryin’ me or ther tenderfeeti”

“ Answer my question.”

“ Waal, I never did."

“ Of what do you accuse them i”

“ They sloped from a train bound ter Denver,
by the way 0’ ther Republican, kilt a young
feller, robbed him, an’ stole his horse an come
on heur.”

“It is an infamous lie,” cried the elder of the
two risoners, unable to control himself.

“ er’ll eat them words, pard, an’ they won’t
agree with yer digestion,” savafiel said Grizzly
Gabe, while Dave Perry remar 1n the same
quiet way: '

“ Where is your proof of this, Gabe?”

“ '.[1:Ihey’v isn’t with ther train, is theyi”

(f 0.

“ They is hour, hain’t they 3”

it Yes. 7’ , \

“ Thar’s a ve in ther cottonwood timber
whar Buffalo ill stood of! old Tall Bull and his
warriors for two days.”

“ There are many graves there, Grizzly Gabe
for Buffalo Bill killed half a score there, an
man ,a poor emigrant lies in those cotton-
woogs.

“But this are a fresh grave, Dave.”

“Not as fresh as you are at times, Gabe.”

“ Waal, I won’t 3 oil, Dave Perry.”

“Not after the sa ting you t to-night.”

A eneral lau h followed t is center—shot of
the ustice an made Grizzly Gabe scowl
fiercely and remark:

“ Durned ef I hain’t been tried instead 0’ ther
prisoners. ”

“ That are so,” said 'several of his satellites in
chorus, while Dave continued:

‘,‘ Well, who is in that fresh grave in the cot-
tonwoods, Gabe?”

“ Ther young feller as they kilt.”

“ What other proof have you against them?”

“They has his horse and ring.’ .

“ Ah! now who put you up to making this
accusation a inst two men you have never seen
before to-nig t?” . _

“ Thet are not (your business, Justice.” . _

“ You will fin that it is, for I shall dismiss
the case unless I have roof against them.”

The desperado look ill at ease, and glanced
somewhat anxiously over the crowd, but re-
mained ‘silent, and Dave Perry was about to
end the farcical trial when there was a stir in
the rear of the room, and aslender form sud-
denl confronted the judge and the prisoners.

“ "nu Tim I”

The name broke from the lips of father and
son involuntarily; but unheedmg the recogni-
tlonI Tin Tim said boldly:

“ e the acctuation of murder and rob-
Mr§qm these prisoners.”

H Ya."

“You' are a here, I believe?” and
Dave Perry scanned the handsome, dark, yet
sinister face of the man, and then glanced at his
slender, graceful form. .

“ To you I am a stranger, but this man knows
me ” and he turned to Grizzly Gabe.

‘ You are not to be congratulated upon your
acquaintance, young man; but your name,
please?”

2:311? Tim” dodging d bcrd

on are un er a or name,
are airinell, air where do on live?”

“ the as to the imouri,” was the
cool re 1 .

“ No, {calthy for you east of the Kimouri, I
see.

“That is none of your aflair, I am here to
char e those two prisoners, Berkle Preston
and is son, with having deserted e Denver
bound train, inveigled m friend and rairie

Mert Mabrey, to fo low the than
fit him, robblilng l’nm, andmtsking his
one an co ' on ere. . .

“This is a bolif charge, Mr. Tiny Tun”

“It is a true one, as I can prove, was the
bold reply. I h r,

‘ What rco ve on . ,

“I left gas train it): search of th_em,tl‘§11°d
them to the cottonwood timber, which anzl
Gabe spoke of, and found there the new- 0
grave of my pard.

"Then I followed the trail on here, and at
the Platte Houseto- t I found Mort Mabrey’s
horse, saddle and , and, unseen by these

risoners, I saw them, and that ho

is finger a ring he took from my
and on his back are _clothes he s from me,
while in his pocket 18 a locket with Hart’s pic-
ture and,his Wife’s.

“ If on doubt me, you’ll find my dead pard’s
horse the stable, and that on the boy’s

hasgotMabre ’snameon mama.
discover the ice at on him.”

This accusation, and apparent proof, seemed
to astound even Dave Perry, as the manner

 

and words ‘of Tiny Tim carried truth with them
all thought.

As to the prisoners, they gazed at each other
in dumb surprise, and neither could utter a
word, so great was their amazement, at the
coil of circumstantial evidence infolding them
in its network.

With alook on his face that no one present
could fathom, Tiny Tim stood in silence, seem-
ineg triuméihinglm havin brought the sla ers
of his frien , as e charg , to the end of t eir
rope, for it was evident that the crowd were
convinced of the guilt of the prisoners and to
be so convinced meant instant and terrible pun-
ishment in that wild community.

As for Dave Perry, he knew that he would be

werless to stem the current setting against

im, and yet the very appearance of the ris
oners stamped the accusatio as false, an be
was convinced that one w ot a boy but a

gir .

Yet the accuser, Tiny Tim, showed no sign of
having discovered the secret, and made the
charge against the youth, as though he had no
doubt regarding the sex of the accused.

“ Let me see that ring you wear ” said Dave
Perry, quietly addressinglthe yout .

Turning to his father e received a nod to
obey, an the ring was handed to the justice.

In it he saw the name of Mabrey, and a trou-
bled look crossed his face, while he beckoned to
Lucien De Leon to approach.

In an indolent way the young ranchero did
as nested, and leaned over the table.

“ T e name is in the ring, as this little devil
said,” whispered Dave.

“ Well i”

“That seems to clinch the matter of their
guilt.”

H We“ 9”

“ They don’t look like it.”

(i o.

“ You,think, with me, that one is a woman?”
H

“ It won’t do to ban a woman.”

“ You think they WI 1 hang them i”

“Sure.”

:: We ,must prevent’it.”

u was» M

“I say no, for this town is hell broke loose
when it gets to goi , and that little fellow and
Grizzl will carry t e deck.” ,

“ e must not allow it," was the firm re-
sponse of Lucien De .

“ There will be lots of human target-shooting
done; but we ma compromise by saying that
she is a girl, and at them hang t’other one.”

“No, that won’t do.”

“ We can’t make a fight of it, for though the
constable would back me, and rhaps a ew
other friends, it would do no , where all be-
lieve them guilt  but I’ll save the gir ” ‘

“I’ll save bot . ’ ’

“ Don’t be foolish, pard, for you are too fine a
fellow to under in a row.”

. “ I’ll no go under; harkl what are they say-

’1’
mThere was no use to as: the question, for the
low murmur in the room now broke out into
cries of denunciation, and a score of voices

ted:

“ Hang ’eml”

And w.th this cry, Grissly Gabe, now feeling
that he had stout backers, moved forward, but
was confronted by Ben Fanshaw, the constable,
who said, quietly;

“ gold on, Ga , ther court hasn’t been heerd

“ What hev ther court for say, now that they
is found guilty?” was the sullen reply.

“Yes, ther court’s duties are over, and now
is my time ter pre their souls for glory; re-
mnt, ye sinful mm, travelin’ thro this

d 0 sin, for ther time 0’ thy death is at ”
cried Goslifil8 Luke, in his stentorian tones, and
he forced way to the side of the prisoners,
and a general movement was made toward them,
while Griszl Gabe laid his hand upon the shoul-
der of the e dest.

‘° Hold on, men this case is not decided yet.”

All started at the clear, ringinfievoice, and all
eyes were turned upon Lucien Leon, as he
suddenly placed himself before the prisoners
and hurled Grizzl Gabe, Goa Luke, an
several others asi e as though ey were chil-

 

CHAPTER XIV.

rm: RANCKERO AT BAY.

As the crowd fell back before the force of the
ranchero’s iron arm, Tin Tim suddenly felt
himself drawn forward w th a motion that was
irresisle and glancing up at the face bending
over him. ram is lips brokeacry, seemingly
of pain and terror combined.

It was the face of Lucien De Leon that looked
down upon his own pallid countenance, and it
was evrdent that he had seen that handsome
face, and tall, sine form before.

U n each shoul er of Tiny Tim rested a

of Lucien De Leon, seemingly lightlg,
yet with a gripe that caused him to wince, wh e
the ranchero said, calmly:

“Little pard, you have made an accusation

 

here that will hang these two prisoners, as you
know, and I beg you .to take a good look mto
their faces and say if you are not mistaken in
the parties.” -

In breathless silence all awaited and watched,
for the act of the ranchero had amazed the
crowd beyond expression, and checked their ad-
vance toward the risoners, while even Grizzly
Gabe and Gospel uke stoo. sullen and silent,
not caring to face Lucien De Leon s' le-handed.

“ I am no.1 mistaken,” said Tiny Tim; but his
voice had lost its bond ring, and his dark-blue
eyes never met the gaze of the ranchero.

“As I know the parties to whom you refer,
I say that you are, altho h I admit there is a
startling resemblance; loo again, sir, and look
carefully.”

There seemed to be a menace in the tone and
look, which the one to whom the words were
addressed appeared to understand better than
any one else, for he turned ver e, his lips
quivered, and the emotions he fe t e was deter-
mined to hide from all yet it did not esca
the quick eyes of Dave Terry and the two pris~

oners. r

“ Ef he is sartin the prisoners is ther tender-
feet be are lookin’ fer, what’s ther use 0’ starln’
at them .4” put in Grizzly Gabe.

. “ I addressed this person, not you, sir, and I
warn you I will stand no interference in my ef-
fort to save these prisoners from suffer
through a case of mistaken identity, and the
right-minded here will sustain me in it,” said
Lucien De Leon, in his deep, stern tones, and a
number of voices cried out:

“ You are ri ht, pard.”

“Now, sir, ook these two prisoners in the
face,” and the ranchero again fixed his pigcgfi
(eyes upon Tiny Tim, who said, in a supp

D8: ‘

“ I see them.”

“ Your ring, please,” and the ranchero held
forth his hand, and unhesitatingly the youth
placed the ring in it. /

 Is this the ring, sir, that your pard wore?”

“ It looks like it, but I maybe mistaken,” was
the sullen reply.

“Ah! now seeif these risoners may not be
other than you supposed em.”

Tiny Tim hesitated, seemed nervous, and in
vain tried to escape the fascination of the gaze of
the ranchero; but after a while he shrugged his
shoulders, as though having made up his mind
to his course, and said with an air of assumed
indifference:
tmigNow (Iilook at them, I btelievle I am mis-

en, an regret my error; utt e arev
like the ones I behaved them. y cry

“ Good-night, gentlemen.”

Without a word more he turned away and a
strange smile crossed the face of the ranchero,
while Dave Perry said in a loud tone:

“Gents, there is no charge now against you
and you are free, and the court’s adjourned. ’

A shout answered his words, for already had
the fickle crowd undergone a revolution of feel-
ing, and many pressed forward to con tulate
the two, who had so narrowly esca a sum-
mer execution.

“ ‘ me, you with me and we’ll have a bite
of supper,” an Dave Perry turned to the two
prisoners, and then asked, as he looked around:

“ Where’s that boss ranchero ’1”

“ He followed the little dandy feller out, and
ther Grizle follened him,” said a cowbo . '

“Then t are will be music— Ha! they“
at it,” and Dave Perry bounded toward the
door as several istol-shots were heard without,
mingling with 8 outs and curses.

As Dave Perry had anticigted, Grizzly Gabe
had been at the bottom of e trouble, though
he wasnotaparticimintheaflra .

Seeing Lucien De come out o the Over-
land Bom and follow Tiny Tim up the street, he
saidfitfi) several. of his comrfades: ts h

thar an pard mine wan a un-
dred o’ m circulatin’ tin, he kin hev it by
makin’ cold meat 0’ thet gent,” and he motioned
toward the ranchero, who had just then over-'
taken Tin Tim, and instantly one of the most
evil of lot of cut-throats determined to
win the money, and boldly started after
Lucien De Leon, at the same time calling on
several of the gang:

“Come and see the slaughter well did."

In the mean time the ranchero had overtaken
Tiny  who wheeled about as. he mm0 “P

sai :

“ Well, wh have on dogged my dept?”

“Not that find p easure in our-company, I
assure you, but to warn you if him be-
fall Berkley Preston and—and—”

“Why do you hesitate! You mean and his
da liter?” sneered  Tim.

“ es, if harm be Berkley Prestonuad
his daughter you shall rue it, and, knowing me,
you are aware that my threats are not idle.”

“Oh! I am aware of thath have “a
handsome Lucien, my man of t e m “a
new. 3:,” .

“Ishall; Mchydoyounot ask mewhst I
am doing here?” ‘

“ I do not care.”

“And are you not glad that your old foe.
Merton Mabrey is dead?” sneered Tiny Tim.

\

 f / -

“I do not believe he is dead.”

“ You heard what I said?”

“Yes "and without another word Lucien De
Leon w eeled on his heel to return to the Over-
land Rest.

And that act saved his life, for Devil Dan, the
volunteer assassin of Grizzly Gabe’s band, had
the dro on him, and was about to pull trigger.

But t e sudden motion caused him to start

[and lose his aim, and though the bullet sped

close to the head of Lucien De Leon it was a
clear miss, and it was Devil Dan’s last shot, for
he fell dead in his tracks ere he could fire again,
and the young ranchero turned to face the
other two of the band, who were running to the
aid of their comrade, or to win the hundred
dollars, it is not known which.

Firing as they came on, it seemed as if the
ranchero must fall; but he was no man to re-
main idle in danger, and throwing forward his
revolver it cracked twice again, and down went
the two desperadoes, just as Dave Perry and
several others reached the scene.

" He is a murderer, for he killed those men in
cold blood.”

The speaker was Tiny Tim, and he pointed at
the rancnero, upon whom a dozen men rushed
to seize him.

 

CHAPTER XV.
THE TEXAS COWBOYS.

“ BACK!"

The one word ringing threateningly from the
lips of Lucien De Leon checked the rush toward
him, f. r his hands were thrust forward and
each held a. revolver, while the three prostrate

. forms on the ground, showed that his skill as a

marksman was most deadly.

Still a score of weapons covered his heart,
and had he fired, as many bullets would have
riddled his body.

The moon shone in an unclouded sky, and the
picture .was a thrilling one, there in the street,
with the one man holding at bay 9. number, and
Tiny Tim, with folded arms and sinister face,
standing near, gazing upon the ranchero with a
look of triumph.

“ ‘Vho killed these men?” asked Dave Perry,
approaching, and followed by the constable, Ben
Iianshaw.

" I did,” was the cool reply of the ranchero.

“He are spoutin’ truth, pard Dave; he made
stiffs o’ my poor friends thar, who wouldn‘t
harm a coyote: jist shot ’cm down same as
of they was wolves au’ all for nothin’,” whined
Grizzly Gabe.

“You lie; that fellow,” motionin with the
toe of his cavalry boot to the body of evil Dan,
yet not moving his revolvers that covered the
crowd; “that fellow fired on me and I turned
and killed him; those other two rushed to his
aid, and an undertaker draws the prizes,” was
the calm reply.

“ Who says these men were murdered then?”

“ I do," and Tiny Tim stepped forward.

“You are liable to mistakes, young man,” re-
marked Dave.

“ If I made one mistake, it is no reason I
should make another: this man followed me for
some purpose, overtook me, and was intending
totake my life, when that brave man and his
friends came to my rescue, and were shot down
1) this ranchero,” was the unblushing reply of

'I ETim.

“ f he did that he must hang, jedge,” cried 8
mice in the crowd.

“Yas, we must string him up, fer We can’t
gow no lawlessness in Platte, ’ said Grizzly

'abe.

“Murderin’ must be put down in this quiet
community,” remarked another.

“ I agree with you, men, that lawlessness must
boput down, and this gentleman shall have a
fair and square trial, and if guilty will have to
sufler,” said Dave Perry, in a firm voice.

“Trial be durned; thar is ther stiffs, thar is
ther barrels 0’ his revolver empty, this young
feller says he did ther killin’ ther witnesses is
hour, the case has gone a ’in’ im, here are ther
lariat fer a rope, an’ you or telegraph pole will
do for a gallus, seein’ as trees hain’t growed in
this kentry ” and Grizzly Gabe’s speech seemed
to meet with almost universal approval, for
the crowd wished to witness a tragedy. .,

" Constable Fanshaw, take charge of the pris-
oner and ut him in jail,” said Dave Perry, who
consider this the best means to protect the
ranchero, as he saw that most of the crowd
were followers of Grizzly Gabe, who was deter-
mined to hang the daring man whom they were
afraid to meet in open fight. '

Ben Fanshaw immediately attempted to of"?

orders; but the crowd hastily forw

and with only Dave Perry on. the ranchero to
aid him, it lookedas if the jail would never be
reached with the prisoner.

“Men. do you go against me!” cried Dave, his
manner calm, but eyes flashing, and the lion in
hisnature getting roused.

“ We does for a fact, Dave; you may be
jedge, but you hain’t ustice, an’ we knows of
the feller git: inter jail thar‘ll be no trial.”
cried Grizzly Gabe, now confident of his power
to carry a winning hand.

Dave Perry glanced calmly over the crowd,

 

.   r" 5 .
> The Phantom \Mazeppa:

and saw that he had nearly thirty desperate
men to deal with. .

That the ranchero would render a good ac-
count of some of them, he knew, and also that
he and the constable could drop a few he was
confident, yet that the end would soon come,
and against him, he was well aware.

But he was no man to shrink from duty, and
confident that the ranchero had killed Devil
Dan and the others in self-defense, he would
not permit him to be dragged by a boy to cruel
death, be the consequences what they might,
and he determined toso make known and let the
climax come.

“Pards, you know me, and I tell you that
this prisoner is in my hands, and I tell vou to
stand aside and let me pass to jail with im,”
and for the first time Dave Perry drew his re-
volvers, and that one act proved he meant busi-
ness, and Ben Fanshaw, a lind follower of duty,
stepped to the other side of the ranchero, his
wea ions ready for use.

“. ary, Dave, for we says no; we likes you,
and don’t mean you no harm, but thet game-
cock hev crowod his last crow.”

“My friend, 1 thank you, and beg that, as
this matter must. be settled, you will stand aside
and let me meet these gentlemen,” and the
ranchero addressed Dave Perry, while he
stepped quickly to one side, as if to at once
bring on the fl ht.

“ No, pard, ave Perry has given you his
protection, and this gang of coyotes have ot
to fight if they-want you,” was the bold rep y.

That they intended to fight was evident, for
both Tiny Tim and Grizzly Gabe were urging
them on, and that a moment more would have
brought on a deadly fracas was certain; but
just then, around the corner of a row of cattle
sheds dashed a dozen horsemen, and quickly
drew rein at si rht of the scene before them.

At a glance lucien De Leon seemed to recog-
nize them, for he shouted, in trumpet tones:

“ Hol Texans to the rescue!”

A cheer answered, and a voice cried:

“It is the voice of Iron Arm, the Ranchero.
Forward, Texans!”

A plunge of the mustangs forward, a halt,
and a line of horsemen were drawn. up behind
the ranchero and his two supporters, while a
dozen revolvers were drawn for use.

“ Well, our captain, are you in trouble‘:” asked
a pleasant. but resolute voice.

“ Alittlemisunderstanding, Fielding: I killed
a trio of coyotes that bit at me. and the pack
wish to Worry me, and your arrival is most op-
portune,” was the cool reply of the ranchero.

“ We heard from a cowboy that a man an-
swering your description came into the Platte
this evening, and we left the herd on the prairie

and came to welcome you: but, shall we ride v

these coyotes down, for we can do its”

“ No, Fielding, for I wish no trouble that can
be avoided; but, come up to the Overland Rest
the saloon of my gallant friend here, and we’ll
moisten our throats; but mind you, boys, no
disturbance,” and, as indifferently as though
the savage crowd, a moment before so confident
in their power, did not confront him, Lucien De
Leon ste forward.

Sullen y they had stood, cursing this inter-
ruption, yet not daring to meet that little band
of iorsenien, although they outnumbered them,
and cowed by the bearin of the ranchero, they
gave him room to , ave Perry and Ben

anshaw closelv f0 lowing him. and behind
them rode the Texans, Grizzly Gabe and his
followers slowly falling to either side, but mut-
tering dire threats of revenge for the death of
their comrades.

CHAPTER XVI.
TINY riu’s PLOT.

As Grizzly Gabe and his followers fell back
before the Texans, who followed their leader to
the Overland Rest, Tiny Tim motioned to the
huge desperado that he wished to speak to him.

“ Saunter up ther street, pards, an’ keep in
hearin’ o’ my call, fer there may be music afore
mornin’, yet, an’ take ther poor lads hour to
ther shanty an’ fix ’em for plantin’, as they
hain’t no use on ’arth, now,” and Grizzly Gabe
motioned toward the three dead bodies, which
some of the crowd at once took up and carried
awa .

” ow, leetle bit 0’ pard, what’s in yer brain-
box this time?” and the desperado folIOWed
Tin Tim and laid his hand on his shoulder.

“ ou are a man to do a bold job, if there is
monev in it, and not too much risk,” boldly said
Tiny Tim.

“ J ist give me a trial, leetle pard.”

“What was your trouble With that man and
his son to-night?”

“ Wouldn’t licker u when I axed ’em to.”

“Well, on nearly ost our life in the effort
to make t em demo, and thought when I met
you at the door and got you to go back and
make the char 9 of robbery and murder against
them, it woul give you revenge.”

“ Guess yer wanted a leetle might o’ revenge

erself.”

“ Yes, I did.” I

“ ltndidn’t work worth a cent, did it, leetle

H Nfo.”

 

 

“You had ter crawfish when ther ranchero
tackled yer.” ' .

“ I had my reasons for changing my mind.”

“ Yer knows this heur rancherol” /

6 6 Yes. 7’

“ Who are he?”

“ A Texan, who is known on the Rio Grande
as Iron Arm, the Ranchero.”

“ He hev got a Gospil name, I’ll sw’ar.”

“ You ought to know.”

“ I does know; well, ou hates him ”

“ As Satan does he y water,” fiercely an—
swered the young man.

“ ()ut yer out with yer gal, maybe, in spite 0"
yer likely looks.”

“My cause for hating him is none of your
affair; but I do hate him with all my heart.”

“ You looks like a ood hater.”

“I am. and when set myself on the trail of
revenge I follow it to the end,” said the young
man with the same savage manner in which he
had before spoken.

“ And yer is on the revenge trail now, leetle-
pard?”

it Yes.”

“ You looks quite young ter be runnin’ round
this country killin’ folks.’

“ My age has nothing to do with you, any
more than my motives; I offer to hire you for
some dirty work, and I wish to know if you
will do it?” ,

“ You has ther wealth ter pay!”

“Yes.”

“ You’d make such a putty angel I’ve got
half a mind ter kill yer an take yer tin.”

“ T ' it,” and the muzzle of a revolver was:
presse against the heart of the desperado with
a quickness he had not believed possible, and he
sun out:

“ was jokin’, leetle pard: my hokey, but yer
must hev been teached ter draw a we’pin in
ther same school thet durned ranchero l’arm'.
‘ 7’

“ He taught me; now no more joking with me,
but say if you will do the work.”

“Yes, of you has ther metal.”

“How mUch do you wantt”

“ What’s tor he did?”

.‘i liirst, I wish you to get possession of the
gir .

“The 1: what gal?”

“ Ali! had forgotten; you will not betray
me if I tell you a secret?"

" No, we is pards.”

“ “'ell, that youngster you thought was a
boy is a girl.”

“ Ther Holy Rockies!”

“ It is true, and they, her father and herself.
are gomgr to a relative’s who lives on the Bird-
wood I believe." '

“ Yzas; what’s his name?”

“Ramsey Preston.”

“ I knows him by sight: he’s got a ranch ther,
an’ is ther cattle -king 0’ these rte; but he
won’t welcome no one thar, thong they do say
he hev changed of late.”

“ Well, they are going there to live, and you
must in some way et possession of the girl and
let me know, for I intend to live here.”

“ Got any biz, leetle pard?”

“Gambling.”

“ Thet are enough of yer ’tends ter it well,
an’ yer looks like a sharper with keerds.”

“I play to win; new you know one .thing I
wish you to do, and if you get the 523:: ’your
power I will ay you five hundred .

“ How do know that?”

“Here are a hundred dollarras a bonus,”and
he placed a roll of bills in the hand of the des-
perado.

“ That are squar’, leetle pard; but does yer
want me ter fetch her ter you hour?"

“ N o: is there not some secret place where you
can take her?”

“ Thar are a island on the South Platte whar
I has a hidin’-place.”

_“ Take her there then, and let me know; but
mind you. do not harm her in any way.”

“ I won’t; is thet all er wants done?”

“N o,  wish Iron rm, the Ranchero, also
made nsoner.”

“I’ a heap ruther kill him, for he hain’t no
cheerful bein’ ter handle.”

“ Can you not capture him in some way with
the aid of your comrades? I am in no hurr .”
i ; l,’ll consider; but what dees yer pay fer t er
30 i .

“One thousand dollars.”

“How does I know?”

“ Here are two hundred on account,” and the
bills were placed in the greedy hand of Grizzly
Gabe who said. withtentligsiasm:

“ on is a per 80 o mine lee pard;
doesn’t yer want iiuthiug else did fér digkits.”

“ If I do I Will know where to find you; .1 “In
at the Platte House, so come there when you
need me—' Great God! what is that?”

130th Grizzly Gabe and Tiny Tim turned
quickly. for up the street came a snow-white
horse at full speed, and neighing wildly, while
upon his back was strapped a dark object that
was shrieking one moment as if in anguish, and
the next bursting into demoniaoal laughter.

Past them, like the ve wind, the white
steed and his st ri er, brin the keep-
ersof late hours to the doors, and 518 Sleepers.

 

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. mew-4w ‘* "’
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\

The Phantom Mazeppa.

11 

 

to the windowsvin dire alarm, to catch only a
glimpse of what seemed to be a phantom ‘horse
and maniac rider flying through the town, and
sending a thrill of horror through the hearts of
all beholders.

“ It are a spook critter an’ ther devil are ther
rider,” stuttered Grizzly Gabe, and be bounded
away in sheer fright, leaving Tiny Tim 1e
and trembling, for he had seen that whic he
believed also to be not of the earth, but from
the spirit-land. .

CHAPTER XVII.
IN THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTIN'ES.

A SHORT while previous to the phantom-like
steed and its bound rider, flying through the
moonlit streets of North Platte, a horseman
was riding leisurely along in the direction of
the village.

He was mounted on a superb animal, with
jet-black, glossy hide, armed with a belt of
weapons, and a rifle slung at his back, and was
attired in full Mexican costume.

When within a few miles of the village of
North Platte he halted ,at a stream to allow his
horse to drin , and dismounted himself to slake
his thirst at the cool spri .
down between two high sand- 1113.

Having par-taken of a refreshing draught he
was about to mount, when suddenly around the
hillside swept a white horse.

“Great God! it is the horse bearing Alita,”
he cried, excitedly, at the'same time throwing
himself into his saddle, and seemingly about to
fly as though from some hideous phantom.

But with a wild neigh the white horse, which
was coming directly toward him, suddenly
swerved from his course and darted away to-
ward the Platte river, which was visible some
miles ahead windin through the level prairie,
and looking like a s1 ver serpent in the moon-

ht.

And, as the horse on, there suddenly
broke on the air a wild rst of laughter, that
caused the horseman to place his hands over his
ears to shut out the hideous sound.

“God in heaven! she still livesl"he groaned,
rather than said, and for some moments he
stood in silence, watching the flying steed.

At last the white object disappeared in the
sand-hills, and the horseman rode slowly on in
the direction of North Platte, muttering ear-

tl :

“IIeaven grant that I see her no more; but
she has taken the trail I follow.”

But with the dies pearance of the specter-
like steed and rider, e seemed to gain courage
and urged his horse into a gallop, and held
steadil on his course, until t e waters of the
North latte were not far away.

Then suddenly, up out of the long smirie
gass that grew along the banks of a cuigh,

unded the white steed with its strange ri er,
and quickly the horseman drew rein, while
once more on the night air burst that wild,
maniacal laughter.

“God in heaven! I cannot stand this! better

that she die at once,” he cried, and he swung
his rifle around read for use.
— In the mean time be white steed had halted
immediately on the trail in his front, and not
seventy yards awa , and like a marble statue
stood regarding h m, while the bound rider
upon his back lay silent and motionless.

Raising his rifle, and with a nervous, trem-
bling manner, he glanced his eye along the
barrel, and brought the sight to hear u n the
bound form upon the white steed’s bac , while
his own horse stood as quiet as though carved
out of stone.

Twice he touched the trigger, but his aim did
not suit him, and he refralned from pulling,
and n took aim.

At , confident that he held his nerves un-
der control, he gave the fatal touch, the rifle
flash and the ullet sped onward.

But he white steed stood as motionless as
marble, and from the bound rider’s li broke
again the wild laughter, this time i: mock-

e .

rfie was about to turn and fly, wholly un-
nerved, for he was not a man to uni. his wk
when with a loud neigh, the white steed
bounded away and once more disade in
thedistance.

Thel hts of North Platte were now visible
inthe co, and following the trail to the
river he crossed to the other side, and rode up
to the doorof the Overland Rest, just as the
Old crowd that had seen the Specter Mazep-

returned to the saloon for a drink to calm

91119“ and to talk over the strange cir-
cumstance.

A8 he hith his home to a post, and entered
the saloon, a man stood ing him, and
slowly followed as if seemingly recognizing in
him a familiar face and fonn.

Walking the length of the moon he ap.
proached the table where Dave Pmy 3“, con.
versing with the person whom the me.- has
already doubtless recognised as Borne Pres-
ton, and the eyes of the latter and the ger

met. , .
“What! is this not my cousin, Ramsey pres-

ton?” and Berkley Preston sprung to his feet.

I “Yes, I am Ramsey Preston, and you are

/

water that ran ;

 

Berkley; I recognize you now, and warmly
welcome you; Perry, how are you? I see that

ou already know my cousin,” and Ramsey
Preston spoke in a free and easy way that
seemed natural to him.

“ Yes, we have not known each other long,

rd, but we’ve been quite intimate in that time

may say; here, Blue, do you want us to catch
fire? Bring us a bottle,” and Dave Perry
called to one of his bar~tenders, who promptly
obeyed.

But as he placed the bottle and glasses upon
the table, a tall form suddenly glided forward,
a hand of iron fell upon the shoulder of Ramsey
, Preston, a revolver muzzle was pressed against
1 his temple, and a stern voice said quickly:

‘ “Bianca, the Hyena of the Chaparrals, you

are my prisoner.” _

4 Ramsey Preston did not move, nor did his

', face change color; but seeing that it was Iron
Arm, the Ranchero, who had thus addressed
him, Dave Perry called out:

1’ “Hold on, pard, for you’re off the trail this
time, as this gent is a Nebraska cattleman.”

“ Yes, and my cousin, sir, Mr. Ramsey Pres-
ton,” said Berkley Preston.

Lucien De Leon simpl moved around in
i front of the man he stil covered with his re-
; volver and azed earnestly into his face, while
? he sai slow y:

“I don’t often make mistakes, gentlemen,
l and among ten thousand I would denounce this
1 man as the Hyena of the Chaparrals, the worst
1 scour e that exas has ever known.”
. “ y name, sir, is Ramsey Preston, and the
‘r last five years of my life have been passed near
this town, as there are many to rove: but I
pardon your error, as when in exas years
ago, I was often mistaken for that monster,
Bianca.

“ May I not ask your name, and that you join
us in a drink?”

Ramsey Preston had spoken with perfect
coolness, and with no show of annoyance or
anger in tone or manner and a puzzled look
crossed the face of Lucien e Leon: but he was
not the man to wrong one and not make ample
amends for it, and he said, in his frank way:

“From my heart I beg you to pardon me,
Mr. Preston; but, excepting that you wear a
beard, which Bianca did not, you are the
image of that devil, and I’ll wager that any
one of my Texas cowboys, who have lgust gone
back to my herd on the prairie, wi mistake
you for him.

“ It being my mistake, we’ll wash it out with
a bottle of wine at my expense.”

The wine was brought, and the partv of four
laughed merrily over the mistake made by the
ranchero, and then discussed the one theme that
seemed to be upon every tongue—the Phantom
Mazeppa.

But thou h the reader will remember that
Lucien De u had once met the white steed
and bound rider on the open prairie, and 'ven
chase, he made no remarks t ereon, and m-
sey Preston also remained silent upon the sub-
mso there were none present to solve the

p myste .

It bexirnlg now cater midnight, Dave Perry sug-

that it was bedtime, and invited Ramsey

" ston to remain with him, as he had a cabin
next door with half a dossn rooma in it, and his
cousin was already his guest.

Ramsey Preston accepted the invitation, his
horse was sent to the stable, and promising to
see them in the morning Lucien De Leon took
his departure, for he had already secured a room
at the hotel.

“I’d better go over with you, pard, for you
are too fine a fellow to be shot in the back, and
I am confident that Grizzly Gabe and his gang
mean you harm,” said Dave Perry.

“ No, I shun no man, and if they catch me off
guard they are welcome; good-night,” and the
youn ranchero boldly walked out into the
moon ight, and wended his way to the Platte
House.

The clerk in attendance was asleep in a chair,
and knowing where his room was, Lucien De
Leon took u a few matches and went there
along the dar corridor. -

Opening the door he stepped within, and was
about to ight a match, when a severe blow fell
upon his head, and clutching at his pistols he
sunk insensible upon the floor.

“Now, pards, I guesses thet blow tuk ther
iron out 0’ his arm, and we’ll jist carry him ter
safer art as soon as we hev tied him with this
heur riat.

“Be quick, fer thet dose we give thet office
boss hain’t goin’ ter make him sleep till kingdom
coring.”

e

 

ker was Grizzly Gabe, and aided by
Goalie] uke and two others of his band, be
(1010 13’ bound the unconscious ranchero, and
bore him away in their arms.

Truly had Iron Arm fallen into the hands of
his foes.

 

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE PLEDGE.

WHATEVER excitement there mi ht have been
under the shadow of night in Nort Platte, the
place certainly looked dull enough when the

 

 

morning sun arose, for the saloons were closed,
the she doors not yet opened, and onl an 0c-
casiona human being visible in the deserted
streets.

But hard] had the sun risen above the hori-
son, when t 9 door of the commodious cabin of
Dave Pe , and which adjoined his saloon,
opened, an four persons came out.

These four the reader has met before, for
they were the two Prestons, Arts in her disguise
of a youth, and Dave Perry himself.

Their horses were soon brought from the
stable, Arta mountingI Red Ranger the steed
that had belonged to ert Mabrey, her father
riding the mustang he had brought from Leaven-
worth and Ramsey Preston ri ing his black.

“ I’ll tell the ranchero that you thought it
best tostart at once for the ranch on account
of getting your daughter out of this di ise
zli)n we may ride out to see you some day, said

ave.

“ All right, Perry, you will be ever welcome;
good-b .” and Ramsey Preston rode away, fol-
lowed y his cousin and Arts.

For some time the conversed only on or-
dinary topics, -and a ter crossing the Platte,
branched away up the north fork to avoid a
large herd of cattle that was slowly moving
along, driven by a score of herders.

“That is the herd of that Texan, De Leon,
that l have heard was on the way, for see the
cattle look gaunt and fa ged from their long
drive,” remarked Ramsey ston.

“ He has a ranch near here I believe,” said _
Arta, whwe face was yet pale from the effects
of the scenes she had passed through.

- “ Yes, a ranchero pard he sent on ahead has
homesteaded for him on the Dismal river, some'
sixty or seventy miles north, and about thirt
from where I ave my main ranch, so we wi 1
be neighbors, if, from all you tell me about him, .
his hot head does not get him into trouble.”

“ He is not hot-headed, but as cool a man in
danger as I ever saw; his coolness certainly
saved father’s life and mine last night,” replied‘
Arta, with some warmth. \

“ And doubtless made him a hero in the eyes
of my sweet cousin, although she never saw him '
before last night, ” said Ramsey Preston.

“ You are mistaken, cousin Ramsey; I have.
met Mr. De Leon before.”

A dark flash swept over the face of Ramsey
Preston at her words; but he said lightly:
to“ Indeed! I deemed him a perfect stranger

you.

“ In one sense of the word he is, Ramsey,”
put in Berkley, “ but, as Arts says, we have
met him before, and received kindnesses at his
hands.” ‘

“You rise me.”

“ The trut is. after all my misfortune—”

“Which my extravagances and speculations \
bromght upon you, Ber .” v

“ e w lnot k of that, cousin, for that
is in the past, an you have the satisfaction of
knowin now that your hospitality alone kee
my chi d and myself from starving, for o i
we were so very poor; but to continue my story
of where we saw this Texas ranchero before.

“It was when I moved into a little 00
house, after the death of my wife, that a stran-
ger skipped one night and asked for shelter,
which cheerfully granted. .

“ That night he heard Arta sing, although she
was a mere 'rl, and asked if he mightsend a
souvenir of is short visit. ”

"' Ah!” said Ramsey Preston, with something
of a sneer in his tone. *

“ The souvenir he sent, true to romise, and
was a guitar of rare workmanshi) and great
value, and made toorder, for he h Arta’s and
his own initials inlaid in the wood.” -

“Hewasmostgenerous.” \

“ He was indeed, cousin Ramsey,” answered
Arta, not noticing the sarcasm in her cousin’s
voice, as she su no reason for it.

“ Well, what t en?" he asked.

“ Why Arta prised that guitar above every-
thing, and when year by year misfortune and
poverty dogged my footste , and we came at

eat to the verge of starva on, it was the only
article of value that remained to us.”

A $3,911 did indeed prize the gift of a stranger,
“ He seemed not a stranger to me, cousin Ram-
se .

xNo doubt; but where is this valuable sou-
venir now?” ‘

“ Ah! I had to rtwith it: when hours went
by and neither fa her nor myself had had any-
t mg to eat, I took it out to wn i but, seized
with a sudden impulse to ma an e ort to save.
it, in paging the club the rich .members of
which were my father's ends in hls prosperity,
but knew him not in his poverty, I stood in the
shadow of a '. ree and sung several ballads, and
a liberal subs ription was raised for me, for I
saw many bank'bills thrown into the hat.

“But, alas! the one who brought me the
generous donation basely insulted me, and ‘for
it was knocked down by a gentleman who had
been standing near by 111 the street, listening to '

my singing- ,

‘ In he confusmn that followed he thrust a
roll of bills into my hand, and, confused and
frightened, I ran OH, and reached home, not

* «r' .

  

I

_ u,“ .firrrv.-. .c, "I:

 

' wish to repay the do

I. position,

" “ham 

i»  I

 

owing I had the money until father discov-
ered it.’

‘.‘ Why, this was most romantic; and you
saved your priceless guitar?”

“Then I did, cousin Ramsey, for the money
Was two hundred dollars, which was sufficient
to bring us to Leavenworth; but there I had to
sell my treasure to st horses with to continue
on our Journey to t is place.”

, “Au who was this young man, Arts?” asked
Ramsey Preston, quietly.

“The same who ave me the guitar, for I
recognized him, as e stood under the bright
light shining from the club windows.”

“ The one who learned to love you when you
were hardly in your teens?”

“I did not say that, cousin Ramsey; he
seemed devoted to music, sung well himself,
and as father would take no pay from him for
the three days he sto ped with us, he seemed to

fit in some way.”

“Three days! why, he tarried long.”

“The two days after his arrival it stormed
tactfully, and the third was Sunday, and father
beggfd im to remain.”

‘ idn’t require much begging, I guess, sweet
cousin.”

“No, he seemed willing to remain.”

“Strange you did not make yourself known
to him when he came to your defense in front
of the club.”

Arta’s face flushed, but she made no reply,
and her father said:

“ Well, it does seem strange how that young
man has crossed our paths.

“Who he is, other than that his name is
Lucien De Leon, and that he seems a gentle-
man, while undoubtedly he is a man of in-

domitable nervo and courage, I know not; but

certainly he may ever count on me as hls
friend.”

, Again a dark flush crossed the face of Ram-
se ton, but he said pleasantly:

‘Well, cousin mine, you shall not lose your
priceless guitar, for I will send to Leavenworth
and buy it back for you.”

“ Thank ou, oh thank you i” and the maiden’s
eyes flash with delight.

“Now let us talk business, for I am now in a
Berk to return our kindnesses of
years ago by giving you at east a house to live
in.

“ I felt'thztetyou would not turn us away.”

“No, ind , and I will let you have the
Birdwood ranch; it is located delightfull ,
some fifteen miles from where I live, can he
made most comfortable, and the herd on it
numbers half a thousand.”

“ evu,dmy cousin, you overwhelm me
with ti e to you; but I can never repay
you,’ said Berkley Preston fervontly.

“ All I request is, that when I ask you, Berk
and you, Arta to pay me for the Birdwood
ranch and herd, you will do so.

“ Will on pledge ourselves to do this?” and
Ramseyl n laug edlightly.

“ W ingly, cousin,” answered Berk Preston.

“And on, Artal”

“I w' pledge myself with my father, cousin,
if I gave ahclzlnmkin it.” 4 h rt is
* no , as nomore,an to rope y
yours; grit we will go by my ranc to-night,
and I can rig you out in some feminine garb,
Arta, left by my poor Mexican bride,” and a
look of deep sadness crossed the face of the

cattle king. ‘

“You married in Mexico, then, Ramsey?”
asked Mr. Preston, with interest.

“Yes; but we will not s k of poor Alita,
who left me one day and I ve never seen her
since; but her clothing, Arta, you shall fall
heir to, as she was about your size.

“ Come, we follow this trail that leads away
from the river " and Ramsey Preston spurred
on ahead; but there was a look in his face that
was stern and gloomy as though called there
by the remembrance o the bride he had lost.

CHAPTER XIX.
a DOUBLE ursrsnv.

Wm he deemed it time for the Texas ran-
chsro to be up, Dave Perry went up to the
Platte House to see him, and u n inquiry
was informed by the clerk that be ad not seen
Mr. De Leon that mornin .

Going up to his room, ave received no an-
swer to his knock, and pushed the door open, to
suddenly become convinced that something was
wron .

The8 cause of this conclusion was at first dis-
covering that the bed had not been slept in, and
then seeing upon the bare floor—for carpets
maluxury not used in North Platte hotels
in those days—a pool of blood, with evidence of
general disorder in the room, for a chair was
overturned, and the candlestick lay near the
window.

Hastin returning to the oflice he made known
his discove , and there learned that the night-
clerk had n found stu idly drunk in the
morning as had also the 0st or who slept at
the sta is, but it was supposed that they had
been drinking heavily.

Seeking out these worthies, Dave, after a

t efl'ort aroused them, and at once decided
t they had been drugged, and to bear out

 

 

this theory, they both told the same story, that
a stranger, they thought a cowboy, had given
them a drink from his flask.

To the clerk he had said that he wanted a
room for the night and was assigned one, and
that was all he could tell about mm, while the
stableman had said a stranger had come and
asked to have his horse put up, and had been so
friendly as to offer him a drink.

But the stranger had not occupied the room
assi ed him, and his horse was one from the
stab e, and the animal left there y Lucien De
Leon was also missing.

“Pards, there has been foul play here, and
I’m going to make it hot for the one that has

otten away with that Texan,” said Dave

erry, firmly, after he had made these discov-
eries, and going to the jail he told Ben Fan-
shaw, who was keeper as well as constable, to
look 11 Grizzly Gabe and send him to the Over-
land st.

“ Has yer lost anybody, brother Dave i”
asked Gospel Luke, who was passing the jail as
Dave turned away.

“ Yes, and if I didn’t think you were such a
darned rascal, Luke, I’d let you into a little
game at which you would make something.”

“Brother Perry, ’tis ever ther innocent that
gets slandered, and I has my share; but at
heart I is as gentle as the sucking dove,” and
Goals-[ad Luke rolled his eyes piously heaven-
w

“You are a gentle liar, Luke: but if you
want your hitters for the rest of th week,
just cross the Platte and overtake those Texans
driving their herd to the Dismal river, and ask
half a dozen of them to come back here.”

“Don’t do it, Dave, for they is like a all-de-
vourin lion let loose; I wants my hitters, for a
leetle or the stomach’s sake is good, an’ ac-
cordin’ter Scriptur’, but I don’t want them wild
mustangers in this aceful village.”

“Very well, I wi 1 send some one else.”

“Nary, for he would get the hitters, an’ I
stan’s in need of ’em: I go, brother Perry, ter

do thy biddin’, for yonder is my thic steed
lariated on the r,” and pal Luke
pointed to a rawboned mustang that ooked as

evil as did his master.

Upon returning to the Overland Best Dave
found there a visitor awaitin him.

It was Tiny Tim, looking resh and smiling,
and dressed in his usual dandylike manner.

“Mr. Perry, I’ve called on you, sir, to ask
you to aid me in a little matter,” he said, plea-

sandy.

“ ell, sir, what can I do for you?” and Dave
fixed his sharp eyes upon the handsome face of
the oung man. -

“ on are aware, from what occurred last
night, that I was coming west with my pard,
Mert Mabrey by name, and that he mysteri-
ousl left camp and was killed?”

“ es, and you falsel accused two innocent
persons of his murder ” luntly said Dave.

“True but acknow edged in mistake; now
sir, I will give one thousand do rs if you will
solve a mystery for me.”

“ You are flush for a youngsteé.”

“I am able to pay what 0 er, and I will

ive one thousand dollars to be bro ht face to
ace with a man the image of my pard,
Mert Mabre .”

“Does sue a man exist?”

gainers does, or—”

. h do on use, d?”

“ Or t is his ghpoZt.” pm.

“You believs in hosts, then?”

“It is not my na ure, or was not before last
night; but then this Phantom Maleppa want
flying thro h town, and it so impressed me
that, to sh e oi! the feeling I mounted my
horse and took the trail of the weird stood and
seemingly spectral or mad rider.”

d “iYou were plucky, for none other cared to
o t.

“I did it to quiet the supernatural awe that
was getting the mastery of me.”

“Well?”

“ It is not well.”

“You saw the Phantom Maseppa, then?”

“I saw it ahead of me, and rode rapidly in
pursuit, but tho h my horse has few uals the
white steed wen away from me as ough I
was standing still.” .

“ This is remarkable; but what has this to do
with your friend, who lies buried in the cotton-
woodsl” .

“ It has this to do with it—there are a paw of
ghosts abroad on the prairie.”

9

“The devil Eon sayl don t say that, ard, or
I’ll emigrate ast, for I like more so id com-
panions than ghosts.”

“ You need not joke.”

“I’m as solemn as a.toper before his morn-
ing nip: but what is this second phantom like!”

‘ M friend who lies in the cottonwoods,” and
Tin im spoke ina low whisper.

“ 0 you mean it?” asked Dave Perry, im-
pressed with the words and manner of the
young man. -

“ I do; he came toward me at a slow pace
and believing him merely some prairieman
only placed myself on guard against a sudden
attac ; but as he drew nearer I noticed that
there was something familiar in the form and

 

dress of the horseman, and as the moonlight
shone full upon him to my horror I recognized
in dead pard.” .

‘Well, what then?"

“ I drew rein. called him b name and then,
as he came directly tower me, coking me
squarely in the face with his large eyes, it was
more than I could stand, and I gave a yell that
sent, my horse flying from him over the prai-
rie.

“ Did he pursue!”

H No H

“He did not stop?"

“ No, but continued directly on in the trail of
the Mad Mawppa.”

“This was indeed strange; what kind of a
horse was he on?"

“ Snow white.”

“How near were you to him?”

“Two lengths.”

“ He made no motion?”

“Yes, he raised his hand and inted across
the prairie, and I took the hint and left.”
“And it is this man you wish to meet

“Yes, to satisf m self if he be a real
or the ghost of art abrey.

“ Find such a persona e for me anywhere
around the Platte and ’11 pay one thousand
dollars to the one who finds him.”

“ I’ll describe him to the boys, and if there is
a person answering his description within a
week’s ride of here the reward will fetch him,
if the boys have to kill him to get him here. ”

“ Write a description of our dead friend, or
the ’one you saw on homegsck, and give it to

ain i”
ins

“A description of one is a ac-simile of the
other,” and Tiny Tim nick wrote the de-
wiirzltion asked for by ave erry, and than
as, e : .

“ Is there any way you can solve this Phan~
tom Maseppa mystery l”

“None; the voice is that of a woman, and I
know no horse in these parts that has the speed
of the one that went flying through the town
last night.”

“And last night was the first time it ap-
peared here?”

“Yes, to m knowledge; but I have heard
several of the ye have seen the Maseppa be—
fore on the praine. ”

“Well, it is stran e."

“ So strange that ’11 give a thousand dollars
to the man who solves the m stery for me; but
now tell me, did you know at the Texas ran-
chero, the one theyJull Iron Arm is missms
this morning?” and ave Perry looked uarely

into the face of Tiny Tim, and the of ‘

surprise proved that he had not heard the
news.

“No; no foul la I ho "he said, uietly.

“I fear so; cgmey, let E’see what the noise
outside means.”

Rising they went to the door, and just then
Grizzly Gabe and several of his comrades rode
up, and their faces were haggard and horses
hard ridden.

“Pand Perry, we wants a trio 0’ bensine all
round, fer we started on a run for bufllers,
shortly afore da , and we seen a ghost.”

“ A ghost, G zzly Gabe?”

“ Yas, Dave, a factotem ghost; it were that
same as run through ther town last night.”

“The Phantom Maseppa.”

“That are ther flyin honey, an’ we needs
‘benzine tor collect our narves, fer the is
cursedly shattered,” and Grizzl Gabe an his
comrades passed on into the verland Best,
while Tiny Tim do for his hotel, leaving
Dave Perry consi erably im remed thh the
weird stories he had heard of e an natural,
and a solution of which was beyond ' ken.

 

CHAPTER XX.
cnassn BY a PHANTOM.

Locum DI: Laos was not the man to suc-
cumb to an ordinary blow; but the one he had
receiVed, upon enterin his room, as I0
wholly unex ted an delivered with such
right good mu b Grizzl Ga andwith the
heavy barrel of is revo ver, t it stunned
theranchero, and cut a sh in his WP from
which the blood flowed ffiely.

Wholly unconscious at first, he VII 3 help-
less victim in the hands of his captors, and was
securely bound and carried to the stable, where
he was tied upon his own horse, the drugged
hostler offering n0 9PP°5it‘°n: ,

Placing two of his companions on either side
of the prisoner’s horse, undone behind, while
he rode in front. so as to wholly conceal him
from any curious eves. Grizzly Gabe led the
way out of the town, and headed across the
prairie toward the South Platte.

Secretly the leader of a band of road-agents
who, under the cover of disguises, were won
to pounce down upon unprotected wagon-
trains and small settlements, while the were

horse and cattle thieves, in general, rizsly
Gabe knew eve rt of the country thor—
oughly between t e Lands of Dakota and

the Arkansas river, and had established three
rendezvous, or strongholds for retreat in case
of danger or discovery, and as supplies for his
stolen stock and plan .

\

 

s,
.33

 

' r -
'~ if.“

i  v e ‘Phtom' Mazes.“

 

 

One of these was upon the Loup Fork, an-
other Rock creek, a branch flowin into the Re-
ublican and the third upon an sland in the
nth P atte, and not very many miles from
North Platte.

It was'to this latter place that he intended to
take Iron Arm, under the guard of several of
his band who constan remained there, until
he ot his reward from iny Tim. _ .

ling assured that no one had seen his kid-
napping of the ranchero, and congratulatin
himself upon the balance of the reward whic
he would soon finger, Grizzly Gabe rode along
in a leasing frame of mind, carefully plotting
how e was to capture Arta Preston and win
his other hundreds, while his comrades jog ed
along on their mustangs, all seemingly sat‘ ed
that the dangerous man in their midst was
wholly in their wer, for he seemed to be still
unconscious, an was securely bound, hand and
foot to his horse.

“ Rocks 0’ Gibralty! look thar, ards!”

The cry broke from One of the nd, and all
came to a halt and azed behind them, seem—
ingly expecting to hold a band of Indians
rushing upon them: for the one who had given
vent to the exclamation, was gazing back the
wa they had come. .

‘ Holy smoke! it ar’ thet cussed white horse
an’ ther howlin’ Maneppy, or I are in a wilder-
ness 0’ liars,” cried Grizzly Gabe, who had been
consider-ab] shaken up when the Phantom Ma-
oppa had had through the town.

‘ It are ccmin’ for us, (1,” said one.

" It are, an’ what’s tor did?” cried another.

" 1’11 3 cold lead an’ hot powder," suggested
Grinsly beg unslinging his rifle.

“ Don‘t do t, cap’n, don’t do it, or ther ghost
will scoo us in; let’s sling a leetle prayer music
at hi ” mpremivel ' one. '

“I sling hocfs will; I doesn’t hke ther
titter'. come!” and Grizzly Gabe set of! on a
run, and his comrades started to follow him.

But here trouble came for them, as Flash re-
fused to run apparently not liking his master
bound upon his back.

In vain Grinly Gabe cursed,.p:lled, and
coaxed; leh was obstinate, and Phantom

waseomin rapidl‘cn.

“ e ther bru , he s ell carry a dead
lead," yelled Griuly Gabe, and drawing a re-
volver he leveled it at the body of Iron Arm

d

an fired. .

At the shot Flash reared wildl ,tore himself
loose from the man that was he ding him and
fiurried away across the prairie at a speed the
robber band wished their mustan con d equal,
for they were now the hly a armed at the
near approach of the to Phantom. which
held steadily on in pursuit of them while they,
with spurs, and curses, their horses
to th utmost

In the mean time Flash sped across the rai—
rle like the wind; but, after running a mi e or
more. suddenly slacktned his speed and came to
a dead halt. .

Then the firm on his back moved writhed a
few moments, and than dre pad to the ground,
while the deeptones of Inc an De Leon said:

“ Well, that acsursed lariat was bound so
fightlfearedlcould never itofl; butlam
free once more, and I owe t to the Phantom

Ila-emu-

“ And I know who were my captors, too.

“ Well, Gri-Jy Gabe, you gave me a good
hlow, and your shot was meant to kill, but my
skull is tee thick to break easily and this gold
Tens sin I wear glanced the bullet; but I owe

on a return, and will pay it some day, and with

interest.
an” t“ “mam” “‘3' l“°‘%“"i‘1€3§ “i
tofthe ppa,an tey no a
is river. eifier.

“ Well I will now head for m ranch, and as
soon as I feel in self again, I pay another
visit to North Pla
“ Come, Flash we must overtake the herd,
and it’s a good fu-pahead.”

Ben g, IronArm ng into his saddle,
and, a a swinging fl, the noble horse
started ever the e, bearingJ to the right
seastcmakea de circuitof evillage,a
reach the of the North Fork.

Ashe. edmtlhelil'iigerhesawahorse-
man sl wl approtc 8 -

Be :as rynouuted on a white horse, and as he
drew near, even I ran Arm started, for the man
when heeaw pa- by him with a strange stare,
was one whan he believed dead.

“ Heaven! that was Merton Mabre , or—
7'“ vhf!” muttered, and he drew re n and
looked had. but the horseman rode on as be-
fore ‘ no look behind him, and as bolt
upright in a saddle as though he was frosen.

For a memest Iron Arm hesitated, seemin 1y
not know“. what to do, and then he caref y
looked at his arms, which Grins] y Gabe had not
deprived him of, as though Intending to return
in pursuit of the horseman, whose presence so
strangely moved him.

A“. he then retraoed his way, and,
can!" so a t, muttered:

“ I must be mistaken. and I care not for trou-
ble, now, so will solve the matter another

 'm “a. a. grave in the sottoawoods.

 

 

and n will an in. story of who lies buried

m“ »

"Cone, Hedi, we’ll seek the nearest timber
and camp by day and travel by night,” and
Iron Arm headed southward to take the trail
leading are. the South Platte.

CHAPTER XXI.
PURSUING A SPECTER.

AFTER her severe exercise and the exciting
adventures of the past few days, Arta Preston
was not as bright as she wished to be, and con-
sec}uentlv her cousin Ramsey rode slowly, and
ha ted often during the long day’s ride to his
ranch.

With these halts it was sunset, and the party
had some miles et to go.

But Ramsey reston rendered himself most
agreeable; talked of the great profits in cattle-
raising in Nebraska to Mr. Preston, and told of
his travels and adventures to Arta, and made
the miles seem shorter by his brilliant conver-
sational powers and wit, while, as the moon
rose above the horizon he broke forth in song
and surprised the maiden with the richness and

thos of his voice, until a certain dislike for

or cousin, which had been creeping over her
vanished entirely, and she felt that she had
wronged him in the belief that she first held of
him.

“Do you see that glimmering light, Arter—
there, just above the prairie horizon, like a
rising star?” asked Ramse Preston, suddenly
breaking of! in a song, an ointing far ahead
as they went over a roll in t e prairie.

Arta’s quick eye caught sight of the distant
light and saying so, her cousin went on:

“Well, that is my home; the spot where I
have dwelt the past few years, contented if not
lfiappy, my only intimate companion Sancho, a

cum.

“After Alita’s mysterious disa pearance I
became, as it were a hermit, dwe ling wholly
apart from the wor d, and scouts, trap is and
travelers who came this way gave me t 9 name
of bein an inhospitable old brute.

“At ast I learned from a friend in New
York, to whom I wrote, to look up your fa-
ther and yourself, that on had started West
to come to my home, an instantly I became a
changed man, for I cast ofl sorrow, let the past
bury its dead, and will be more than ha py in

our sweet lpresence and the friendship 0? our
ather, for intend to be most neighbor] .

“I hope you will, cousin Ramsey, or you
may expect father and in self to surprise you
man a morning at brea ast.”

“ 0 so, Arta, and you will find a warm wel-
come and a good breakfast, for Sancho is a fine
cook— God in heaven! see there!”

All drew rein at the startled exclamation,
and behold, right in their trail, as though he
had suddenly risen out of the ground, a snow-
white steed.

And upon his back the moonlig‘llilt plainly
showed, was a rider, strapped at l ength,
and the clothing, and Ian hair trailing in the
prairie gra, revealed t e fact that it was a
w9P'lral'ln. Ph t Maze pa,” wh' red Be k

e an cm is r -
ley Preston. p pe '
“ If it be the devil himself it shall no longer
3:111:13 mhyhpath,” gried {Ramtsfiy Prestonf and
spurs n e flanks 0 his
homage bounded toward. ~

“0h, cousin Ramsey! what would you do!"
called out Arta, in alarm.

“Ramse , come back, for the love of God!”
cried Berk ey Preston.

But the man was set in his sudden determina-
tion, and rode directly for the white steed,
which, with head erect, stood not sixty yards
away.

But suddenly there came a wild, ringing
neigh, and it was followed by a burst of mock-
ing, demoniacal laughter, and wheeling to the
rightabout the white animal went away like
the wind.

“Curse you, you shall not seen , for I will
follow you to the confines of he 1,” shrieked
Ramse Preston, and he tore the flanks of his
splend d steed to urge him on in the chase_ .

And maddened { the pain, frightened at
the wild manner of is master, that ever be-
fore had treated him with such gentleness, the
noble horse bounded forward at his utmost
weed, and seemed to fly over the prairie.

“Curse you, beast, you are c ing, and
zgnder horse, phantom, devil, or w tever it

, is going like a bird,” shouted Ramsey Pres-
ton, and drawing his knife he drove the point
sharply into the flesh of the animal to urge him
on

But, strive as he might, the white steed in
advance was the superior in speed, and slowly
drew away from his pursuer.

Maddened at sight of this, Ramsey Preston
threw his rifle forward and fired.

But still the spectral-looking steed flew 01!.

Drawing his revolvers, shot after shot was
sent after the flying animal, and back in re-

use came a wild neigh and mocking laughter.

“ Great God! it is her voice; but. no, she can-
not be alive; no, no, no, she is dead and yonder
bound form is her irit.”

The man, as this thought came over him,

 

 

reeled in the saddle, his head grew dizzy, his
strength forsook him, and he fell in a heap upon
the prairie, while his faithful horse forgiving
his cruelty turned and stood by his side, while
he neighed loudly to attract he attention of
Mr. Preston and Arts, who had lost sight of
pursuer and pursued. ’

But hearing the call of the horse they changed
their course and came to the spot in idlly.

“What! can he be dead?” cried . reston,
in alarm, sprin 'ng from his horse and kneeling
by the side of h cousin.

“ I heard flrin and he must be wounded;
yes, he lives, and will bear him, to the ranch
as rapidly as possible, while you, Arte, ride on
and have all in readiness for our coming.”

Away darted the maiden over the prairie,
heading directly for the now plainly visible
light in the ranch and raising his cousin’s limp
form to the back of his own horse, Berkley
Preston mounted and slowly followed.

Hearing the rapid hoofatrokes, the watchful
Sancho came out ready to greet friend or foe,
and was somewhat startled at sight of a strange
youth, for, in her disguise, he suspected not t a
sex of the visitor.

“ Is this Sancho?” asked Arta.

“That is my name, senor.”

“ Well, your master has fallen from his horse
and my father is coming on with him.”

I‘ gen mean Senor Ramsey Preston!”

t es.)

“ I heard firing and saw pistol flashes out on
the rairie; was the senor s 0t!”

“ know not; he was riding with us and we
were coming here when we saw a white horse,
and on its back—’

“Holy Mother reserve me; I saw the same
twice. senor, and it is a fearful sight; did my
master see and hear it?”

“ Yes, and went in pursuit, and we found him
lying unconscious upon the prairie, so prepare
for his arrival, please.”

“I will, senor; only that ghostly horse and
rider are fearful to look upon; oh, seflcr, there
is trouble coming for the sailor and Sancho,”
and the Mexican entered the cabin and soon
had lights ready, and the cot bed prepared for
his master’s reception. "

A moment after Berkley Preston rode u ,
and Arts gave a sigh of relief to see her
was mounted upon his own horse.

“That accursed horse fell with me, and I was
stunned by the f ,” he said, hoarsely, ashamed
of his weakness.

“It was for following the trail of the dead,
senor; no mortal must Sursue a spirit,” whis-
pered Sancho, iflcan y.

“Shut 11me prepare beds for my friends
here,” was e angry retort of Ramse Preston,
and the look on his face and tone 0 hisvoioe
caused that feeling of dislike to once more well
up against him in the heart of Arta n,
and she watched him closely as she told the
sto of the adventure of her father and herself
with the Phantom Mass and how the wolves
had been then hangin e bloodhounds on the
trail of the white .

CHAPTER XXII.
GRIZZLY can: on 'rnn man.

Wnnn Grizzly Gabe returned to North
Platte, and reported to Tiny Tim his successful
capture of Lucien De Leon, the Iron Arm, and
thenthef ‘ htthathadcaused him to flyand
leave the ba
gentleman was in no pleasant mood, and
marked: .

“ There are certain things to be done that are
necessary to my safety and happiness in life,
and to accomle those ends I am willing to
pay well, and selected you as the tool to do
my bidding.”

‘ Oh I works like a buusaw when I’m
with gold-dust.”

“So I believe, and you did Well, and most
skillfully Iron Arm; but you acted
like a cowardly schoolboy to run from a spec.
trill-looking horse on the prairie.”

“ Leetle
the t’other way, I’d be ther erloot ter
him- but he kept ccmin’
chil rcn an’ we levanted.

“I tried ter carry ther Iron Arm’s horse
along, but ’twa’n’t no use; he balked. an’ all
purgatory couldn’t move him our wa .”

“ Y"hy didn’t you kill the horse take the-
man ‘

“Thar wa’n’t no time for swappin’ Sack-
knives, leetle pard Tim, so I jist put a bullet in
the man.”

_“thtl you killed Iron Arm!" and Tiny
Tim sprung to his feet, his face flushing and
palin b turns.

 

re-

go artcr
ght for us innocent

of that horse had been goin’ ‘

I

ets what Idld,pard; he bed a blow on ,

ther he’d as kept him as quiet as a poodle in a
lady’s lap, an’ seein’as we c’p’dn’t take him, I
jist sent a thirty-two caliber into his life-works,
an’ away went the horse at full s .”

“You are sure you killed him.’

“Now, leetle pard. s’pose I were toputoneo’
these bullets  your body, don’t ou think
your chances wu d .be darned smal ter keep
yer toes from turnin’ u l” and Grinsly Gabe
showed the sine of bullet is revolver carried.

“ Well, here is a hundred dollars for you, and

‘0’ »-.>...

horse and his rider, that young '

r,< .. .-.-._z. ‘

-—., .W"<

a..-
i.

W<VW1 “,- ,v

s so“

Anne ..M

‘aflwh.-- ,,

‘v

.9,

_. m. as... m»...- wm -. ‘
v
n

’ growled Grizzly Gabe.

I"  fMazeppa‘.

 

if you bring proof that Iron Arm is dead, I will

y you the amount I promised; but I would

ve referred to had him alive in my power.

“ ow about the other work on hand.”

“ The honey ’1?”

“Yes, capturing the girl.”

“I are goin’ ter do it. ’

“ She has left the Platte.”

“N01”

“Yes, she went with her fatherand cousin,
earl this morning.”

H d!” V

“Why do you say so?”

“ She has gone to the Birdwood?”

H Yes' )9

“ I has quarters in the hills on the Loup Fork,
and I can get her as slick us flyin’a kite. ’

“ See that cu do; but do not harm her.”

“ I is a ten erfoot among the gals, pard.”

“ And when you have her in your power
send me word and I will come.”

“ I’ll do it; now I’ll strike out ter hunt ther
Iron Arm’s body, fer I are sartin be are cold
meat.”

“ And more, I have another thousand dollars
for you if you can bring me, dead or alive, a
man answering this description," and Tiny Tim
handed the desperado a slip of paper.

“ That are Writin’, hain’t it?” and Grizzly
Gabe looked curiously at it.

it Yes- )7

“ It hain’t fine writin'.”

“Indeed! I am said to write avery fine hand.”

“ ’Tain’t fine ’nuff fer me ter peruse.”

“Ah, I see; you don’t bother yourself with
reading?”

“ No, it don’t do a man no good ter read, fer
books is full 0’ lies an’ sich, an’ I does like ter
keep moral; guess yer’d better recite thet writin’
fer me.”

Tiny Tim did as requested, and Grizzly Gabe
remarked:

“ Waal, I are on ther way ter make a fortin,
an’ you is my banker, leetle pard.

“ are of! at once an’ when I sets out on biz,
I are all thar,” and half an hour after the des—

do and two boon pards rode out of town on
he trail of blood-money

But ere they had rid en far they beheld Gos-
51 Luke coming, and with him were the mus-

n ersfrom Texas.

“ doesn’t like thet congregation, Hank, an’ I
wishes we c’u’d sarcumvent ’em; but we can’t,”

“What are Parson Luke doin’ with ’em?”
asked Hank.

“ Lordy knows, fer thet are a slip’ry preacher
0’ Gospil, I sw’ar.” '

“Burned of I ever knows whether be are
pra in’ preachin’, cussin’, orl in’,” ut in Bed-
rocg Mose, the second wor by in th Grizzly

Gabe. .

“ He do sling Gospil some, Bedrock, an’ he are
some on ther sw’ar, an’ not ’way back down
ther lane when lyin’ are ther game; but we’ll
draw him away from them Texans, an’ find out
why be are keepin’ sich com ’ny.”

In the meantime Gospel uke and the Tex-
ans, some fifteen 11 number, for whom Dave
Perry had sent him, had drawn pretty near, and
it was evident that they intended to have a
word with Grizzly Gabe and his comrades, for
they suddenly drew rein, and their leader,

k Fielding, a young and dashing fellow,
t:

ou .
“ Halt, pards, and give us the news.”'
‘g’i‘har are no news,” sulkily returned Grizzly

“ Therein you lie for I learn from this elo-
quent divine, Gospel Luke, that we are wanted
to take the trail of our ca tain Iron Arm, the
Ranchero, who got lost las night,” and Frank
Fielding fixed his piercing gray eyes upon the
desperado. who answered:

‘ That are truth, pard, thet festive gent o’ the
iron gri hain’t wisible this momin’, an’ me an’
my was 'ist goin’ ter see of we c’u’d find
hair or hide 0’  ’

“ How are you interested in Iron Arm i” asked
Fielding, sharply.

“To ther tune 0’ one thousan' dollars.”

“ Indeed! who peas you this?”

“ A pard 0’ Iron rip, an’ we is seein‘ of we

 

can’t ’ai'n ther dust.”
“If you find the captain I will pay you as ‘
much more,” was the frank reply.
“ Waal, you is squar’, clean through, an’ we’ll
stru gle fer thet dust."
“ 11’ I’ll accompany thee, pard, for you will I
need consolation an’ comfort, and Gospel Luke I
d himself alongside.
“ ou’ll do nothin 0’ ther kind, Gospel Luke,
for we wants workers not pra ers; good-by, ;’
(1 Texas, an’ of we find Iron rip, we’ll look i
you up,” and Grizzl Gabe rode on with his ‘
comrades, while the exans went rapidly on to- ‘
ward the town, Goa 1
them, as he did not li e the look on the despe-
rado‘s face, when he turned his e '98 upon him,
and felt that he was regarded wit suspicion by
those who had been his companions in,dev11try.

CHAPTER XXIII.
.rzm MEETING IN ran corroswoons.
Ir was late in the afternoon, when Lucien De
Leon, now known as Iron Arm, the Ranchero,

 

I

rode into the shadow of the “timber island,”
where so many wild scenes had been enacted in
the past and that hid the grave at which Arta
Preston had found the horse of Mert Mabrey.

Finding a secluded nook, Lucien concealed
his horse there, giving him a drink from a crys-
tal spring, and the length of the larint to feed
by, and, after bathing and bandaging the wound
on his head, walked slowly in the direction of
the grave, which the reader will remember he
had before visited, when on the search for Berk-
le Preston and his daughter.

e approached the spot cautiously, for he was

a thorouthirairieman, and knew that he was

liable to n in the timber either red or white
oes.

But seeing the way clear, after a close recon-
noissance, he boldly stepped out of the brush-
wood and stalked toward the grave.

It remained as he had left it, excepting there
were evidences that coyotes and wolves had
been striving to tear the body from its earthly
resting-place but had been foiled by the logs
and brush piled upon it.

Wishing to lose no time, and apparently with
a certain object in view, he set to work at once,
casting aside the logs and brush, and then hunt—
ing around for the crude piece of wood he had
used as a shovel on his other visit, he began to
throw out the earth.

Thus engaged, he failed to notice that he was
not alone, and that the timber concealed other
human being than himself.

That other was a man of herculean form,
wore a long beard, and his shaggy hair hung
upon his shoulders.

He was dressed in buckskin, carried a long,
old-fashioned Kentucky rifle, a revolver and
knife, and looked pale and haggard.

He had risen up from the ground where he
had been 1 ing, as if aroused by the work of
Lucien De on, and twice he raised his rifle
as though to fire, but each time shook his head
and lowered it.

Then, leanin it against a tree he began to
move as noise essly as a panther could have
done, toward the one who was slowly digging
his way down into the grave.

Nearer and nearer he crept, until when within
twent feet of De Leon he saw him unfasten his
belt 0 arms and cast them aside, as though they
retarded his work.

Instantly, with a stran e learn in his face,
the stranger unfastened t e uckle of his belt,
and cast the time-worn revolver and bone—
handled, long-bladed knife u on the ground.

A moment more, and wit the bound of a
tiger, he was u n the Iron Arm, and at once a
fierce stru gle gan.

Though aken by surprise, Iron Arm was not
unnerved, and grasped his foe quickly for the
death-struggle, and seemed to show no fear of
the result in his face, although his assailant was
almost a iant in size being fully six feet five
inches tal , and most heav' y formed.

It was evident, when the stranger’s first gri
upon Iron Arm a threat was torn off, and e
felt the clutch of steel with which the ranchero ‘
grasped him, that he was surprised, for he had
never before met hi equal in strength, and had
expected to easily make the young man a pris-
oner.

But, strive as he might, gripe with a force
that seemed to crush the bones, and use all his
power, the assailant found that he‘ had for once
met his master, for Iron Arm slowly, but surely

roved his right to the name he had won, and
is supernatural strength soon held his enemy
at his mercy.

“I could kill you, but I spare our life,” he
said, as he stepped back, after hurl g his assail-
ant to the ground.

“I know not whether to thank you or not,”
was the stern reply.

“ You value life then little?”

“I value it not at all.”

“Who and what are you t” asked Iron Arm,
struck with the strange manner of the man.

“Do not ask me, for to tell you what 1 am
would but tear open a wound of the past, and
bring surging up sorrows that have fallen heavy
upon me. _

“Then I will not ask you; but why did you
attempt my life?”

” I was mad, Ibelieve, for I intended .to tor-
ture you: twice I raised my rifle to kill you,
but spared you, and conscious in my strength,
I determined to take you alive and torture you
to death.”

In spite of himself Iron Arm shuddered, for
he seemed to feel that the man before him was

i mad.

Then he said: . ,

“ I thank you for not killing me.”

“You need not thank me, for my heart was
murderous; but what power you have to handle

Luke remaining with l me as you id.’

Iron Arm smiled 'end asked:

“ Why did you seek my life; I never wronged
you.

“You never wronged me, and yet you are
defiling the grave o m boy, my noble dead
son,” said the man, ster y.

“ Your son I”

:: Ay, I speak the truth." I

Do you know who lies here?”

 

“Yes.”

“What namebearyoul" .

“ The same as he did who lies there,” was the
impressive response.

“And that is—”

" Mabrey.”

“Hal and was Mert Mabrey your son i?”
asked Iron Arm, with intense sur rise.

“ Merton Mabrey was in son.’

A silence of a moment fe between them, and
then Iron Arm said calmly:

“ I believo you when you say he was your
son, for even now I can see the resemblance;
but I do not believe that Merton Mabrey lies in
this rave.”

“ 00d God thank you for those words; prove
them, and I will worship you, boy,” and the old
man ras d Iron Arm y each shoulder and
star in is face with a look that was pleading,
hoping and dreading commingled.

 

/

 

CHAPTER XXIV.
WHAT THE GRAVE anvnaum.

WAITING until the man who called himself
Mabrey, grew calm, Iron Arm said;

“ You sought to kill me because I was deliling
this grave; what did you think was my pur—

so

P0

“ To rob my boy. ”

“You are mistaken.” _

“ W'hat then I” .

“I have been told that Merton Mabrey was
buried here, and I came to see.”

“ You knew him than?”

H Yes. 1,

“ And he was your friend?”

“Years ago he was. ”

“And you still loved him i”

(C No.”

“ No; then why came you here?”

“ I hated him.

“ You hated my noble boy?”

U Yes.”

“That could not be.”

“ It could be; if he lies there I forgive him
the ast; if be yet lives I hate him.”

“ *hy do you hate my boy?”

“ He wronged me bitterly in the past.”

“ No, no, he would not wrong you.”

“ I say yes, old man.”

“There must be some mistake.”

“ There is none.”

,“ Then hating him, why did you come here to
his rave?” .

“ 0 see if Merton Mabrey was buried here.”

“I tell on he is.”

“ How now you that?”

x I laced him in that grave.”

“ Yes, I, his father.”

“ Then there can be no mistake!”

“ No, alas! there is no mistake.” Was the sad

response.

‘ May I ask how he died?”

“Yes,” was the reply, and the old man said
no more, and Iron Arm continued:

“ He was killed, doubtless l”

H Yes."
“ Indians?”
(I O 7)

“Some enemy?”
N No. 7’

“Who then?”

“One who had hunted the
find him; one who had prayed
for gears, killed him.”

“ ome one he had wronged!”

H No."

“ Who then?"

“ Some one who had wronged him.”

“Old man you s k in riddles; tell me who
was the foe that kil ed Merton Mabrey?”

“ I say he was no fee, but one who loved him
one who had wronged him in the past, and
who had long sought him to beg him to forgive
and for et.”

“ Am who was that one?"

“ It was one who held him in his arms when
he was a Wee baby, who took care of him in his
early whood, was proud of him as he grew to
manh , and, oh God! has now laid him in his
grave. .

“ Ay. young man, I, Merton Main-911’s father.
took the life of my m boll" , 98, 8,103
{rim ’dowu on the spot “3 10h he now

ies.’

With a groan of anguish the old man
sunk down upon the 81‘0"!“1, seemingly over-
come by  feeling 'Whlle IIOIl Arm stobd
gazing in horror upon 1m-

Then, from some sudden impulse he
forward and began once more to throw the
earth out of the grave. .

Soon the hand, from which the ruby ring had
been taken was revealed, and then came the
ongoine of tiielforni.

izing i , ucien De Leon dra
its clayey bed, and then, as the 8
revealed, shouted in ringing tones:

“ See! old man, this is not Merton Mabrey!
not your son I”

A.wild shriek of joy, and the old man sprung
to his feet and then fell insensible into the open
grave.

rairiss over to
crosshis path

it out of
n face was

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The Phantom ‘Mazeppa. ‘ i ’

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CHAPTER XXV.

AN INHOSPITABLE RECEPTION.

ALTHOUGH Grizzly Gabe and his two pards

0t off soot-free from the Texans, where they
find expected trouble, from being recognized as
in the crowd the night before that was antago-
nistic to Iron Arm they did not feel wholly at
ease, and it was decided that they would, for
the present, give up the search for Flash, car-
rying bound to his back the body of his dead
master, and endeavor to kidnap Arta from the
ranch of HarVey Preston, where they believed
she had gone to live.

“’Sides, ards, ahorse loose on ther rarer
are as like y ter be in oneOert as anot er, an’
we ma run across ther b y bein’ toted round,
an’ per aps we mout strike ther t’other chap as
that leetle devil wants dead or alive,” remarked
Grizzly Gabe, as he headed for the crossing of
the North Platte, with a view to make for, the
Preston ranch or its vicinity.

“What a leetle devil t et teller be, Gabe;

seems ter me thar aall-flred quantit o evil in
his hide, fer one so young and so smal ,”remark-
0d Hank.
“ bar are indeed, pards: but as he hes got
ther rocks, be are a prime feller ter do inner-
cent leetle jobs fer, and I intends ter freeze ter
him ” put in Bedrock Mose.

“ e looks as thou h he could ’rastle a keerd
to the ueen’s taste,’ suggested Grizzly.

“ 80 e do, an’ somebody as picks him up fer
a tenderfoot will find he hev got horns.”

“You is right, Mose,” remarked Hank and
thus discussing the merits and demerits of Tiny
Tim the party rode on their way until noon,
when they camped for awhile to rest.

Before them, stretched out on the prairie,
the saw the tired and gaunt Texas herd, with
stil enough cowboys remaining in charge of
them to protect them from cattle-thieves.

“ Thar w’u’d be a fine haul fer us, ’pards, ef it
wasn’t for them wild mustangers, remarked
Grizzly Gabe, wistfully e ing the cattle.

“Yes Gabe an’ when he getstother ranch
on ther bisma , which. this exas ranchero hev
homesteaded, we’ll hev a sample 0’ them hides.”

“ Yas ef them Texas tellers goes back home;
of they locates heur, Hank, our biz are goin’ ter
git dull ” dolefully replied Bedrock Mose.

“Let s sidle round ther herd, ards, fer of we
keeps close comp’ny we mout e mistook fer
cattle-thieves, an’ them mustangers hes a way,
I’ve heerd tell, of shootin’ a teller fust an’ then
tr in’ ter find out what he hev did ter 't shoot-
e , and I doesn’t want no sich inquest eld over
111 loved form.”

This Opinion of Grizzly Gabe seemed to meet
with approbation, and bearing to the right, the
party went up through a canyon between a
range of high sand-hills, and were glad that
they were no longer under the espionage of the
mustangers, who watched them closely until
the were out of sight.

iding until late at night, they went into a
dry camp, and at dawn mounted and continued
their way once more, soon after coming in sight
of the Preston ranch. -

“Thet darned teller do take comfort to his-
se’f, of he do be inther pararer,”remarked Griz—
zl Gabe, as he observed the comfortable cabins
w ich com rised the Preston ranch.

" He do ndeed; but, Gabe, what’s ter he did
now?” asked Mose.

“ Waal, we’ll ride 11}: to ther ranch ter ask ef
ther Iron Arm are t ar, an’ say we has been
sent by Dave Perry ter look fer him, an’ this
will ive us a look at ther place an’ ther sur-
roundin’s, an’ how many thar are ter tackle, of
it comes ter a muss.”

“ Yer’ll not take ther gal tor-day?”

“Oh, no, I isn’t no durned fool ef I does look
it; we does our dark deeds at night; yer see, we
is not got ter be suspected in this biz, but ther
Injuns hes.”

“ Thar hain’t no prowlin’red-skins this side 0’
ther Bad Lands, or ther Big Cheyenne, as
would dare do it, on account 0’ ther sogers,”
said Hank.

“ Wu], sogers knows In one is Injuns, an’ of
thar is deviltr done they . s it on ’em, an’ ef
we looks like njuns, talks I: e Injuns, an’ acts
like Injuns, why we_ is Injuns, an’ ther sogers
will go up to ther Sioux Villages an’ mine p"-
tickler fits.” .

“That are so Gabe, but whar is we ter git
ther Injun fixings!”

“ t ther lay-out on ther Loup, an’ then come
b80k: but, now look pious, fer I see a teller look-
in’ at us as of he didn’t think we was mis-
siouaries."

The “ teller” referred to by Grizz] Gabe was
Sancho the Medan, and he was one at the
ranch, for after an early breakfast Ramsey
Preston had ridden over to the Birdwood wit
his cousins, to install them in their new home.

“Well, sefiors, what is it?” asked Sancho, as
the trio rode up to the ranch door.

“A cup of water first, and then we’d
like ter know of er hev seen ther Texan they
calls Iron Arm, t e_ Rauchero?” answared Griz-
zly Gabe, in his politest way, which, at the best,
was bad enou h. .

"There is Ibo pump and a cup: hel {our-

only

» selves, sailors; as to the one you speak 0 ,

 

last night heard of him, and have not seen
him.”

“He are lost; gone astray, an’ Dave Perry,
the howlin’ justice 0’ Platte, sent us ter see ef
We c’u’d find him.”

“ He is not here.”

“ Is not this ther ranch 0’ Mr. Preston, for I
knows his’n lies in this locality?”

“ It is.”

“ Are he at home?”

‘6 N i,

“ Away from home l”
(( es. ?

“ He Were in Platte yesterday.”

it Yes. 7,

“ I’ve got some hoofs I’d like ter sell him."

“He does not wish to buy.”

“These are prime critters.”

“ He does not wish them.”

“ They is Texas cattle.”

N No.)

“ Ef I c’u’d see him maybe, he—”

“I say no, senor.”

“ Waal, you ought ter know, fer yer looks
like a knowiu’ cuss; but all ther same I w’u’d
like ter see ther boss. ”

“He is at the Birdwood ranch.”

“ Thankee fer nothin’; good-day,” and Griz-
zly Gabe rode away, followed by his ards, and
al of them were profuse in their oat 5 against
Sancho.

“ To ther Birdwood we go, pards, an’ dumed
ef I don’t believe we kin do a stroke 0’ biz thar,”
and having suddenly formed some plan in his
mind, Gabe led the way toward the Birdwood,
for he knew Well where was the other ranch of
Ramsey Preston.

CHAPTER XXVI.
GRIZZLY GABE carcass A TARTAR.

“BEDROCK Moss, does yer think er kin
smooth ther devil out o’ yer face sufilc1ent ter
play honest?” and Grizz y Gabe halted, when
withina mile of Birdwood ranch, and turned
to Mose, who replied:

“ I kin try, Gabe.”

“Waal, you is not known ter ther gan in
ther ranch as hevin’ been in my comp’ny ast
night, an’ I wishes yer ter go up thar an’ say

er is a scout, carr ing dispatches from Fort

ndall ter Fort Me erson an’ hes got chased
of! yer way by Injuns an’ is lost.”
“ Waal!” ’

“ Now heur is a dozen diif’rent trails, an’ on
jist ax ranchero Preston ter come hear an set
yer on ther right one, an’ Hank must be heur ter
cover him.”

“ Waal?”

“ He hev got plenty 0’ money I know, an’ we
kin make him pan out rich, or make wolf-meat
out of him.”

“ “'aal, Gabe?”

“ I will sneak u to ther ranch an’ do a Ieetle
biz, fer I’ll git t er gal, an’ knock her daddy
over with a bullit.”

“ That are prime: but do I look like a healthy
scout, Gabe? said Bedrock Mose, with rueful
countenance.

“I‘Vaal ou isn’t han’some, like Buffalo Bill
at Fort cPherson be, an’ a gazelle are more
gracefuller than you be Mose; but yer’ll do for
a scout, seein’ as yer s a most noble liar, so
spruce up, an’ go 'long, an’ you, Hank, jist
stan’nheur an’ get ther drop on ther cattle
man. .

There was little more talk, for the villains
understood each other thoroughly, and while
Hank Lazarus took up his itlon in the timber
fringing the Birdwood, Be rock Mose went on
his way to the ranch, and Grizzly Gabe dogged
his ste to seek a chance to act his art.

Bold y riding up to the cabin, which was pic-
turesque] situated upon the pretty Birdwood,
Bedrock oee saw three rsons seated in front
of the door, one of whom e recognized as Ram—
sey Preston, the Ranchero, for he had seen him
in North Platte on several occasions.

Saluting politely, and uickl , for he saw
that the ranchero drop his nd upon his
revolver, he said:

“Prairie pard, I am of! ther trail, havin’
been chased by Injuns, an’ want to find Fort
McPherson, for I carries dispatches from Fort
Randall.”

“ B going up the river a mile you can strike
the (1 root trail,” said Ramsey Preston.

“I was 11 thar, an’ seems as ef thar were a
trail leadin everywhar; wish yer’d obleege me,
pard, by settin’ me right.”

It was a request that Ramsey Preston could
not refuse, and rising, be we] ed toward his
gorse, that was lariated near, the saddle upon

in. '

“ I will kee on to my ranch, Berkley, but
Will ride over morrow, ’ he called out.

“ Stay and take supper with us,” asked Arta,
with forced pOliteness.

” No, I wish to get home by dark, for I have
no desire to see the Phantom Mazep again, I
frankly confess,” and so saying he hrew him-
self into the saddle, and followed by the pre-
tended scout rode up the river.

“ Arts, when I Went after my runaway horse
I saw some antelopes, so I’ll take my rifle and
try and bring one in for supper,” said Berkley
Preston, as soon as his cousin had gone.

 

“Don’t be long away, father,” said Arta,
and entering the cabin she hurried herself
about setting her new home to rights: but
while she wor eddiligently her thoughts seemed
far away.

“ that! back so soon, father?” she suddenly
cried as a form darkened the doorwa .

“ as, I are heur, leetle 'rl, an you is a
putty one, too ” and Grizzly be ste pod into
the cabin, an gazed with insolent a miration
upon the beautiful girl, for she was now no
longer in male attire, but dressed in a most be-
coming Mexican suit, which Ramsey Preston
had told her was one of his lost Alita’s dresses.

At sight of the cruel-faced intruder Arta
turned deadly pale, yet did not lose her pre—
sence of mind, though she recognized the man
whom she had last seen in the saloon of the
Overland Rest. '

“ I’Vell, sir, what want you here?” she asked,
with all the coolness she could command.

“I wants you, leetle gal, fer yer is worth
su’thin’ ter me, yer is.”

“ Leave this cabin, or I will call for aid.”

“ Yer kin ca‘ll, leetle gal, but it won’t fetch,
fer yer coz, ther ranchero, hev gone up ther
river, an’ by this time are the prisoner o’ my
pards, an’ yer daddy hev gone down-stream
arter game fer su per, I guesses.”

"Then I shall ave to protect myself from
you, as I would from a wild beast,” was the
fearless reply.

“ Lordy, leetle gal, yer hes pluck, but it hain’t
goin’ ter do war no good.- ” ,

Arta ma 9 no reply, but her eyes flashed
and then suddenly she glanced to one side of
the despeme out of the open door, and cried
fervent y:

“Father! thank God you have come l’”

Grizzly Gabe turned quickly, his hand upon
his pistol butt, and that instant, with a bound
Arta was by his side, the weapon was knoc
to the floor, and her own revolver, which she
had in her sash, was leveled at the face of the
desperado, while she said sternly:

‘ Now, sir, the tables are turned, and you
are my risoner.

Grizz ' Gabe turned pallid, for he saw that
in the time of the maiden that told him she
would kill him, and the revolver she held was
no toy weapon, but cocked and ready for use,
and he dared not move, for her hand was as
firm as a rock.

“ Leetle gal,” he said, in a whining way, and
with a sick y smile, “ I were jokin’.” ,

“ I am not.”

“ I comed heur ter do yer a favor.”

“If you do hot do as I direct I will do the
country a favor by killing you.” .

“ Lordy! don’t be so keerless with thet w
pin; it mout go off.”

“ What if it does? it will only kill a brute.”

“Holy Rockies, yer is a tough one; let’s see
ef we can’t compromise.” - ~

“ No com romise: I mean businem.”

“Yer 100 it,” and Grizzly Gabe was watch-
ing for some chance to catch her off her ard;
but she seemed to understand this, an said,
sternly:

“Hold up your hands, sir!"

3"], hes ther roometiz, an’ I can’t do it, leetle

“Rumittis, more likely,” and Arta was as:
tonished at her own courage in making a pun at
such a time.

h “(Pp with your hands, sir, high share your
ea . ‘

“ Doctors says ’tain’t healthy.”

“The doctors will say you died of a bullet-
wound if you do not obey.”

“Rocky- hany Mountains, gal, but you is
wuss nor a exas steer.”

“Did you hear me?"

“Yas; my hands is up.”

She stepped back a pace or two and took
from where it hung on the wall, a iariat, and
still covering the villain with one hand, she
arranged the noose with the other.

“ Lordyl she are goin' for hang me.”

As Grizzly Gabe spoke the lariat was skill-
fully thrown, the noose settlin down around
his waist, and being at once drawn taut by
Arta, who ordered:

“ Lower one hand, sir!”

With a muttered oath the despeme obeyed,
and the rope was then thrown around the neck,
brought down around one arm, pinioning it to-
the waist, and still kept taut. .

“ Now the other hand, sir!”

“ Leetle gal, let up on a teller," whined Grin-
zlyGabe.

“ Obey,” was the stern response, and the
second arm was pinioned in the same way.

“ Now lie down upon ,your face, 811'.”

“ I’m durned at I do!

“ Then I shall shoot you as I would a wolf."

“ Yer hasn’t ther sand.”

Her answer we; to touch the trigger and the
bullet scraped his scalp: but the pistol still
covered him, and her cool tones showed she was
in earnest.

“Next time, I’ll send the bullet through your
brain; yonseeIam med to firearms.”

“Durned of yer hain’t; yer tells me ter lie
down?” and it was evident that Grinly'G-abo
was badly frightened.

‘1‘ Yes.”

“ Down I goes,” and down the fellow went, at
the same time making an effort to get his hand
on his revolvers. v
f llitut the lariat heldfhis arhnsgagt, ggdtas he

e s ringin nimbly orwar , r a u ever
and diharmef him.

“Now, I guess you’ll keep until pa a comes
home "and seizing another lariat, s 1e bound
the Villain as securely as though he had been in
iron fetters.

But hardly had she completed her task, when
a voice was heard outside.

It was Bedrock Mose, and he said:

“We has did our work prime, pard Gabe;
how is yours been did?”

CHAPTER XXV II.
A COWARD’S CRI ME.

AT the strange voice outside the cabin Arta
started, and at once wheeled on the defensive.

But in an instant her presence of mind came
back to her and springing to the window she
glanced uickly out, while she made a hurried

esture t at Grizzly Gabe well understood meant
or him death if he re lied.

What she saw outsi e did not fill her with de-
light, for upon his own horse sat her cousin,
Ramsey Preston, his feet bound to the stirrups,
and his hands securely fastened to the horn of
the saddle, while upon either side of him was a

ca tor.

fn s ite of the odds against her, Arta decided
upon id action and springing back to the side
0 herdirisoner she whispered sternly:

“ C lone by name and tell him youare ty‘ing
me, and bid him ride up the river in searc o
m father; the other, tell to come in here and
m ou. ’

T e muzzle of the revolver was pressed hard
against the temple of the desperado as she spoke,
her finger was upon the trigger and the weapon
was cocked.

“If you hesitate you die,” she said, hoarsely.

Now Grizzly Gabe was a man who in misery
loved company, and having been himself cap-
tured so cieverliy by a young girl, he was but
too anxxous to raw his companions into the
trap and he sun out lustily:

‘ (5h! my wor hes been done prime too, fer I
has ther gal hour; but you, Bedrock, ride up
ther river arter ther old man, fer he’s gone thet
way afoot, an’ you, Hank, jist hitch ther horses
an’ come in heur, fer this leetle gal hev got
claws, an’ I needs yer.”

Breathlessl Artaawaited and her heart ave
a t boun of joy when she heard one o the
v lains dash away, and knew that the other
was tying the horses to a t near by.

A moment more and ank Lazarus stepped
unhesitatingly into the cabin, and, with al the
stren she could muster, Arte. brought the
barre of her pistol down upon his head. and,
not knowing from whence came the blow, or
who dealt it, he sunk in a hes on the floor.
Then to secure a rope and ind him was the
' work of an instant, while Grizzly Gabe owled:

“ Zeal, ef yer hain’t ther boss gal 11 ohaw
co 0 .

nheeding his remark Arta glanced out of
the door and seein that Bedrock Mose was
out of eight, she glided up to the horse upon
which Ramse Preston sat in no enviable humor.

“ Artal w at means this?” he asked, with
surprise, for be deemed her a prisoner.

‘.‘ It means that the Grizzly got his claws cut
caught a Tartar, cousin Ramsey, for I captured
him, and just now knocked his comrade down
as he entered the cabin, but I ho I have not
killed him for I want no life. owever vile,
u my hands,” said the spirited girl, hur-

ly, while she was deftly releasing him of
his bonds. .

“ What! have you done this?"

‘I Yes. ,1

“ And your father?”

“ Wen down the river just after you left.”

129%: you saw"

es.

“ Then that fellow will—”

“Not meet him for I forced the Grizzly to
send his brother villain up the river. ”

"You are a marvelous girl, and—”

“ And you are free; now come into the cabin
and we will on are the other one, for there
seem to be but t ”

“ There are but three and one, you say, is the

man known as Grinly Gabe 1”

es.
“ eis the worst desperado on the border I
have heard.”
“ He is as gentle as a dove now.”
“ Dead?” ' '

“ Oh, no; did you not hear him call out to his

ions?”

U aid.”

“ Well, I forced him to do so; come in now.”

Ramsey Preston shook himself, as thou h to
feel that ewes himself once more, and fo owed
Arta into the cabin.

“ Please see if he is dead, cousin Preston, for
I struck him pretty hard,” she said, anxiously.

The ranchero bent over the prostrate form
and said slowly:

“No, he was merely stunned, for he is con-
scious now; you did not kill him, but I will.”

..  . N xi,  -. ._3-.~:.‘Ir: ' .

 

W.-.
. ..- , .. - ,.-+ ..

i

 Phantom vigazeppfii’

um~h ._N

 

He placed a pistol over the heart of Hank as

he 5 he and pulled the trigger.

ere was a suppressed groan for mercy, a
smothered report, a yell from Grizzly Gabe‘ and
a fierce cry from Arta Preston, while she sprung
in front of her cousin, her form drawn to its
full hight, her face white, and eyes flashing,
and said:

“ How dare you do such a cowardly deed as
that, Ramsey Preston, murderer, assassin, that
you are.”

“ Arta, hold! and—”

“Not one word, coward; you are not worthy
the name of man.”

“Girl, beware, I will not brook such words
from you,” he said, savagely.

“ I defy you, sir, and cry shame, everlasting
shame upon such an act as the one you are
guilty of.”

“Arta, are you mad? Hear me! That man
entrapped me, threw a lasso around my neck
and jerked me of! my horse, and with his com-
rade, threw himself upon me and bound me like
a slave.

“Yonder wretch meant you some fearful
wrong, and such monsters are to be dealt with,
not as human beings but as mad wolves, and
remembering their deeds, and what we would
have suifere but for your bravery, I lost self-
control and killed the wretch.”

He spoke earnestly, entreatingly, and met the
burning eyes of t e shocked and indignant
maiden without flinching;

She remained silent, ut Grizzly Gabe, who
had been horrified b the act of the ranchero,
seeing that he won d not be murdered, if his
beautiful captor could prevent, said aloud:

“ Thet are as howlin' a lie as ever jaw wag-
ged; he kilt poor pard Hank because he loved
the smell 0’ blood and—”

Grizzly suddenly cut his sentence 03, as the
ranchero turned upon him, but was checked by
Arts who said:

“150 not add another crime to the other,
cousin Ramsey, by killing a bound man, and, as
for your last act, all I can say is the remem-
brance of it will be your punishment.”

“You forgive me, then?” he asked, in his
earnest way.

“It is not for me to forgive and I can never
for et it; but we will not speak of it more,” she
col 1 replied, and then said, quickly:

H ark!”

The sound of hoof-strokes were distinctly
gourd outside, and Arts glanced from the win-

ow.

“It is their comrade; stand there, cousin
Ramse , and cover him with your pistol, but
remem r, do not fire unless he resists, and

on, sir, call to him to come in, for your prisoner
is in here.”

With the pistol-muzzle again against his
heart, Grizzly Gabe cheerfully obged, and, as
Bedrock Mose halted outside, call out:

“ Is thet you, Mose?”

“ It are.”

“ Got the old man?”

(I N '1?

“Come in, for thar is a circus in heur, an’
yer isn’t char ed nuthin’ ter see ther show.”

“I are wit yer,” answered Bedrock Mose,
and he sprung to the ground and entered the
cabin.

“Move, and you die!”

There was no mistaking the words and Mose
saw that his former risoner now held the drop
on him, while Grizz y Gabe was lying on the
floor bound hand and foot.

“I am a lamb fezguietude, pard ” he an-
swered, with the stoi indifference o the real
borderman.

“ Hands up i”

“ Jist see me h’lst ’em " and u the “went.

“Now, Arts, we will tie th s vil sin,” said
Ramse Preston, and the risoner was uickly
and sk llfully secured, jus as Berkley reston
entered an antelope on his shoulders, and
started back in surprise at what he saw.

In a word Arts. told all, and Grizzly Gabe

put in: .
“ Thet leetle gal are ther boss, pard, an’ we is
tuk in han’some; mout I inquire what is tor be
did With us?”
“ I will start for Platte to-n ht and take you
there to put in jail and if e justice don’t
g’ang you the Regulators will,” said Ramsey

reston.

“Bedrock, thet are darned bad for us.” said
Grizzly Gabe, dolefully' but he did not feel
hopeless, for he knew t t if not lynched at
once the jail would not hold him over night,
and Bedrock Mose had the same Opinion.

Half an hour after Ramsey Preston started
on his way to North Platte, intending to stag
for the night at his own ranch, and he carri
with him the two. prisoners, eecurel bound
upon their horses, and father and a hter
were alone in their new prairie home, whi , in
spite of its loneliness, was a haVen of
tiger all the dangers and vicissitudes they had

own.

CHAPTER mm.

m cm w’s min.
I WILL now return to Lucien Deleon, like
ranchero, after his two startling discoveries.

 

that the ve in the cottonwoods held not the
body of erton Mabrey, and that the man by
his side confessed to having killed that person-
aglg, who was his own sen.

eelin that the old man was demented, and
pitiing im deeply, Iron Arm, without another
00 a the decomposing corpse he had taken
from the grave, hastily raised the insensible
form in his arms and bore him to the spring not
far away.

There, after dashing water in his face, he
soon brought him back to consciousness.

For a moment the old man did not seem to re-
call the circumstances that had passed; but
after rubbing his hand several times across his
brow he asked earnestly:

“ Was that the body of my son?”

“ You mean Merton Mabrey i”

H Yes.”

“ It was not.”

“Who is it?”

” The face is wholly unknown to me.”

“You say you know my son?”

“ Well.”

“There can be no mistake?"

” N one. ”

“ You are sure i”
fiYou can look at the corpse and satisfy your-
se .

“That would do no good.”

“ You would then recognize it if it was your

77
soal‘fo.” -

“ Why not?”

“11113239 not seen him since he grew up to
man ."

.ilwmwt h h h parted ’

‘ meani' ewaseig teenw enwo .’

“He must be fully twenty-eight now.” '

“ That is just his age.”

“ And ten ears ago you parted with him?”

“Yes; I tell you why?” '

“ If you wish to; ut not if it will cause you
pain ” answered Iron Arm feelingly.

“ imid you that I had killed, as I believed
my boy, and through you I found out thatI
had not, and I will tell you why my son and I
parted ten long ears ago.

“ I was a no man then, and am now, yet
what care I for riches?

“I was a fool than an old fool, for I fell in
love with a young and beautiful girl.

“I believed that she loved in son, Merton,
and that he loved her; but I 100 ed upon their
affection as childish, and fascinated with the
girl, for she was but sixteen, I begged her to
marry me; nay, I almost forced her to do so
for I was her guardian and controlled her small
fortune left her by her parents.

“Some months after our marriage I was

envery1,an epysic so. was
talired 'll dth h'ianidI

son .
po“It was arare and deadly {alien that had
been put into a glass of wine I taken before
retiring, and Merton brought me that wine, and
in his rivate desk was found some of the same
kind 0 poison used to end my life, and some
had been taken out of the paper.

“ l at once had an interview with Merton ac-
cused him of attempting to kill me that he
might inherit my fortune and marry my widow.

‘ He was furious, as I believed then he
feigned it, and told me that he hated the wo-
man instead of loving her.

“ But I would listen to nothing, called him an
amassiu, and drove him from my house, and to
this day I have not seen him.

“ Poor boy, I learned he was going down hill
to the devil, that he wronged a young 1 who
trusted in his love and finding it out, s e com-
mitted suicide, and many other things I heard
against my r eon.

At last my young wife dishonored my name
and fled from my home with another, and I
went abroad a heart-broken man.

“ Returning to my deserted home I arrived
just in time to see my housekeeper e.

“ She was a woman I had always trusted,
and imagine in horror when she confound to
me that she h aided my wife to ruininy eon.
thathaflter my death, my widow might enjoy
in no es.

x My wife’s reason was that Merton 
scorned her love and she hated him for it as bit-
terl as it was her nature to hate.

“ es, young man, from that (1 ng woman’s
lips I found out how innocent my y had been
how I had . how criminal had
been my wife and her confederate in guilt.

“ From that do. I mshtto find my boy; but
he had been . wanderer, and [could not t

tidings of his whereabouts. though I did - ,

cover that he had been deeply wmn m on.
of the charges made against him, or he had
boon secretly married tothe maiden hewassaid
to have basely deceived.” '

“ What! do you mean this?" asked Iron Arm,
witli s‘udgeu and intense interest.

it o.

“ What was the name of the maiden?” he
quickly asked.

“ Glance Cordova.”

“ Ahl”

With this single exclamation Lucien De Leon
sprun to his feet and rapidly paced to and fro,
until t e old man asked him:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ‘ fix;
. .

r

a. «rd-“A‘Am .9.“ a. u...

   ,1  

til—noth in...“ . :mm...m.a.m.- nu. mum—4‘ d“ . " . . ' r

 

' “ Did you know her?”
it Yes.

“ And’you believed her wronged by my seer?”
“Yes.

“ She was not.”

“How know on this?”

“From one w 0 gave into my hands her di-

when one w
to her and told, er that he had deceived her‘,
for he was already married, and showed to her

“Y- J finger.”
" Poor girl she loved the boy to idolatr , and i “Had he other jewel ?”
o rofessed to know him wel went 

a certificate of marriage, with her name and i

that of Merton Mabrey, she cared not to live,
and without one word of reproach took her oWn
life.’

“Old man thank ycu for those words, for .

you have said that Merton Mabrey did not de-
ceive Clarice Cordova. ”

“ No, for the woman who told this lie to his
youn bride was in dishonored wife and the
certi cate was one o my marriage to er.”

A strange look flashed over the face of Lucien
De Leon, and for some time he remained in
deep thought, his brow clouded, his lips sternly
set, and it was evident that the o d man’s story
recalled from the bygone some scene in his own
life of deepest interest.

 

CHAPTER XXIX.
A strimmL's mm. TO FOLLOW.

Armn some seconds of this seemingly painful
meditation, Lucien De Leon came to a bait and
said. abruptly:

“ Go on with your story old man."

“ You are interested in it?"

“ Deeply. ’

“ Ahnme, it has been one of deepest interest

to me.

“ Well, I at last found that my son had ac
to the rliries, after his wife’s death, and t ere
I sou t himv ’

“ I card of him here and there in Texas as a

wild dissipated, reckless oung devil, et never
could I '

find him, and at they to

was dead.

“Sick of civilization, caring little for life I
roamed the rairies with my horse and ride,
and expeo to die there, until one day I met
a oung man in a border town whose face seem-
ec’strangely familiar to me.

“Hearing my name he told me that my son
was not dead,. but had gone to the northern
plains. and that he was going to follow him
there soon, as they were boon companions.

“ This gave me renewed hope, and I jomed a
band of cattle men oing north, intondingato
meet mlyeinformer an my son at a given p ce
on the pnblican.

“ The Earty I was with crossed the river at
Beaver rec , but I left them there and came
on alone up the stream to Rock Creek, my place
of rendezvous with my young friend.

“ There I camped a one for some two weeks,
and one day up rode my young friend and he
was alone. ,

“ And a sad story he told me too, for he said
m son had been recently killed, shot down in

bloodb oneof thememhersof thetr
but if I w ed toavenge his death, he woul
lead me to where I could meet the ease-in.

“Young man, lyou can imagine that, in my
frame of mind, lon ed to meet the one who
had killed son, an I went with the one I be-
lieved to flhe friend of my boy, and it was
this lace he brought me. . ~

“ End onder, in that thicket I crouched,
awaiting e coming of the a~sassin, while my
son’s pretended friend described the-man and
his horse tome so that I would not fail to know
him, and said he would go back to the train and

mehe

finuim, under some excuse, to piece of
m .
“Iintendedtogivethemauachancefcr his

life; but when I saw him coming across the
rairie, and remembered the story told me, of
how cowardly he hadaseaminated my poor boy,

I held no my my ride covered his beer as
he came owly into the timber, and I toucthed
the trig er.

“ He gall dead from his horse, and I intende
to leave him to the coyotes for food: but my
heart revolted at this, and I ave him decent
burial, tied his horse to a sta e at his rave
and mounting my own mustang left the hated

‘9?“ . .
‘The next day I struck the trail of a train,

and lOIning it, to my surprise and horror found 3:

that it wu tho one to which my son and his
false friendhad belonged, and that Merton had
119'? been killed as reported, but neither he, nor
hi! trim" had been seen for two days.

“ And more, it was then that I discovered ,
that the man on the blood-bay, and dressed as I 3

described, was not the murderer of my boy, but
my son himself.

‘In bitter anguish I haunted this place be-
lieving I mournedb Merton’s grave, “d Lop.
ing against hope t at the nun who M me to
commit murder would come this way and
the angels in heaVen could not save from

my ‘ust vengeance.”
‘ has the one who professed to be your son’s
hiendasmallmarnw the . strongly—

marked face?” asked Iron Arm.

 

“He was, and dreareddike a city dandy; do

you know him!”

“I have met him,” was the evasive reply.
“ After you killed this man, whom you believed
to be your son’s murderer, did you notice if he
wore any jewelry?”
“ Yes, a handsome ruby ring was on his little

“ I did not notice, for cared only for his life

to satiate my reven e.”

"I notice , I thin , that he wore a watch; I i

will bring it here,” and walkin over to where
the corpse lay Iron Arm took ruin it a watch
and chain, and then, after regardin the face
and form attentively, returned to t e father,
who had closely watched his movements.

“ This is our son’s watch sir, for I remem-
ber it; but t e dead man, I’ll take oath, is not
Merton Mabre .”

“Thank G for that.“

“So say I, sir.”

“ But where is m son?"

“ That were he to toll.”

“ He must be dead.”

“ Why do you think so?"

“This man that I shot had- on him his ring
and watch.”

U me. 7,

“ Then my son is dead.”

“No, for am confident now that I saw him
two nights ago.”

“ Saw m son?”

“ Yes, r. Mabrey, and I will find him for
you and solve this strange mystery."

" 0d bless you for those words, on man.”

“ And more. I will find his false rien ; where
is your horse?”

‘ In the old stockade fort in the other end of
the timber.”

“ Get him while I rebury that body, and then
go with me,” said Iron Arm, quietly.

CHAPTER XXX.
'rnr: DANDY sron’r.

TB: presence of Tiny Tim in North Platte
seemed to create considerable interest, as he
was a different-looking persons from those
who went to make u the popu ation of that,
at the time of which write, crude frontier set-
tlement.

Tiny Tim, as far as the tiny was concerned,
seemed to suit the young man for a prefix to
his cognomen, and t e mass of Plattites did not
care whether his name was Tim or Jim.

Butto cometothat place and not be reba
tired was something that was not to be thong t
of, and a score of new names were bestowed
upon the youn man, one of which seemed to
suit him better han all else.

t name was the D dy Sport. It was
iven him by a six-foot vi lain who had seen
im “ sling pasteboard ” as he expressed it, and

which, being inter reted, means play-cards,
and had lost throu the skill of the young gen.
fled?“ l f d V edi tt
teracou e o ays pass n ge ing ac-
quainted with) the citizens and the place, and
somewhat anxious] glancing out over the
rairie toward the dI'stant rivers, the North and
nth Platte that run on either side of the
town, Tin Tim, or otherwise the Dandy Sport,
wentto e Overland Rest as soon as the sha-
dows of night he n to fall, as he had done on
therrevious eve ng.
ere had congregated all the grandees, card-
players,bs§outs, cowboysl and loiafers'in genera;
or m n ,gossip an guzzlng more an
the sandy Kort secured a table for hilmseli and
soon heard t e news that was flying about from
to e to tongue.
list he learned that the mustangers, enraged
at the mysterious and sup death of their
leader, Iron Arm, had div ded into qnnartottee,
and gone on a thorough search for h , or for
those who had dealt foully with him. ’

Next he learned that a party of young bloods
from the East had arrived in town that day,
intending to go on a hunt on the plains and

that they were to look in on the ver-
land seemed to tify him exceedingly.
Hardly had he Dandy S rt turned these

morsels of information ever n his mind, when
the door opened and in sprung a pallid citizen,
with three words breaking from his lips:

“ The Phantom Mazeppa.” _

Instantly the room was a scene of dire con-
fusion.

Some men sprung for the door others uttered
curses, and still more kept theii' seats, yet all
seemed im ressed.

Among hose who started f the door was
Dave Perry and the Dandy Spo , and they ar-
rived in time to see a snow object by like
the wind, and to hear the wild, moc 118 15,“ 11'
tcr that broke from the li of the mad ri er,
that keen eyes saw Was still bound full length
upon the back of the flying animal.

Awostruck and wonderin the Dandy 8 t
looked at Dave Perr , and ave looked at ;
but this mutual 100 ng gave them no solution
to the weird m sterfi, had they returned in-
doors and, to sale disa ble thoughts,
Tiny Tim proposed a drink 1 round at his ex-
pense, and there was not a sin is refusal.

Enlivened by the ardent sp ,the spectral

spiritgradnallyfaded from the mindsofDave’s
guests, and clouds of tobacco smoke rose indo-
ently above groups of card-plazas, who in the
exciting games of chance had orgotten almost
the existence of the Phantom Mazeppa.

But again came an interruptiOn, though not
of a we d nature, for in stalked Ramsey Pres-

bound securely.

One glance was sufficient to recognize Wally.
Gabe and his pard, Bedrock Mose.

At once a hum of excitement went round, and
Gospel Luke, who was sipping free hitters at
Dave Pe ’s expenSe, sung out:

“ Alas! nothers in iniquity, I urged you not
to go the thorny path, but to remain with me.”

‘ You is a durned yelpin’ liar, Gospel Lake,
fer yer begged ter go with us, an’ I wishes yer
hed done so, an’ were whar poor Hank Lazarus
; are now,” cried Grizzly Gabe, angrily as his

cagtor' forced his wa through the crowd to the
ta le where Dave erry sat, and which was
next to the Dandy Sport.

“ Been hunting, Mr. Preston i” asked Dave, as
the cattle approached.

“ Yes, and ed some game, as you see,
Pe ,” answered msey Preston.

“ en throat-cutting, or cattle-stealing, Griz-
zly ?" asked Dave, in a nonchalant manner.

’ ton, and upon either side of him was a prisoner,

this are a ut—up racket on us, ter pay back r
t’other ni t, for we is as innercent alambe,”
ansWered Grizzly Gabe, in a hurt tone.

“Yes, on lock it; do you make a charge
against t em, Mr. Preston ’

“Yes; they came to the ranch on the Bird-
wood, where my cousin has made his he and
endeavored to take my life and that of rk-
l: Pgeston, and also to kidnap his daughter.

t8.

“ Indeed?” and Dave’s scowl meant

“ It is true, Pe ; but they were thwarted
by the urn and 1pinch of in fair cousin, and
lost one of their number, and ese two worthies
I have bro t to you.”

“ I guess t eir trial won’t take long,” signifi-
cantly said Dave Perry.

"Strin ’em up!” cried a voice, and it was
evident t t the crowd seemed to think this the
best decision to come to; but Dave Pe
{InonedrdBen F‘anshaw,tt1he constableioanmgm

im 0 on to Fnard e risoners
hold them eat y. p

The constable quickly organized a posseto aid

332:“? 'Rmi. “new “shaman”?-
w o o o
Griaz y be, who whispered:

“ Yer must save us. Leetle Tiny, pr I’ll tell on

ye? dur'i‘ned at I gim’t.” ‘ bu “i
in im turn very pa e, t d, calmly:

“ Vgould on turn traitor?”

“ My nec are worth suthin‘ ter me boy, an’
I’llnsqueal ther whole racket ef yer don‘t save

“ How can I?”

“Yer hes gold?”

H  ”

“ J ail-keepers bed pockets, hain’t they I”

‘6 Yes.”

“Then work yer dust, an’ don’t yer lose no
time fer this are a onhealth y kentry fer snddint

eat 3.

“ I understand you, and my money shall flow
freely to sive you.”

“ er save yerse’f,
quarrel an that, so as away.

“ Heur are the jail, an’ it hain’t a palace, so I
don’t hear ter sta lon .”

“If money w' not buy your liberty?”

“Then git my gang an’ tip this hour durued
shanty .over, an’ me an’ my pard won‘t tarry
ter see it sot u end ag‘in.”

“ All right; will save you,” and the Dandy
Sport returned to the Overland Rest, whee he
found some strangers had arrived during his
absence.

er mean; but we won't

the Overland Best
ugh were the young huntersotfrom thedlilast.
ere was a party 0 six them dressed
in hunt costume, and look lik’e men who
Region of sport, and willing take risks to
n
Open-handed drooping their Eastern aflecta~
tions of apneech and manner while West, and
willi to ke things as they found them be-
yond t e limits of civilization, ever ready to set

up the drink la a game of 8 son
or oininaric {theyatonce a:
in orth Platte. and the Dandy Spo onnd

them bail fellows well met with the boy. upon
his return. ‘
Their leader, and the one who had tteu up
the hunting party, was a young man w o owned
a cattle ranch and considerable herd near
Kearney, and had twice been on the pm In.

fore.
With Buffalo Bill as his ide and prairie tn-
tor he had learned wisdofiimd co

 

entl
had avoided the misfortune of havimegmseg
made a target of by some hot-headed rs-

‘ . ,, . y.
. \ " ‘x
1‘;
l e

“We hain’t been doin’ nothin‘, pard Pei-1?; ‘
e

CHAPTER XXII.
mnannrsroarnnsam.l
Tn strangers whom Dandy S as all
seemed to unite in calling Tiny T end at'

upon his return from the e

. ‘ “.mlédnghhscalp to decorate‘auIndian

'Californian of ’49-that is, returned that far

~..

. ‘4 

Mrwr. 41913 ; .v.
.i“‘ »'- '-

“as”
.e S...
' “,3

'1‘”.

 4,,
“gym .s

he could do'so,” returned the Bostonian.

‘ thing supernatural and not of thimrth.”

W, ’ ' \‘ v   ~' ' '
 ‘ * semi

 

 

led pole. _ t . .
e he hadle one lesson. and profited by

it, for experience was his teacher on that occa-
si 11. .

‘It was n his first visit, and he had been
asked to a drink by some new-found

friends, all rough Lord ermsn. ,

The “ bar ” was a shanty, sheltering a plank
on tWO barrels, and behind these were the bar-
tender and demijohns.

The former was an old settler, a returned ’

eastward—and he was a walking arsenal.
“ What’li you hevLSllckyl’ he asked the
g Eastemer. ,
All had said “ whisky straight,” knowing
that tmuestion as to their likes was merely a
m, that there was but one liquor to be

, “.A little pale sherry,” was the innocent reply

ofthe oung man.
“P e thunder and ii thing! you’ll take
it out o' thet tin

whisky strai ht, and drin
$.13 0'1,- thar be weepin‘ in Babylon fer a lost

Such was the reply of the bartender. and as
he accompanied his remarks by pnsenting a re-
volver, the Easterner took his whisky straight, 1
and, out of lithicup. tooi. hi a“ ri

g y isex renceupon s tt
to the'plains, the othirs of the hunting part?
took things as they found them, and were voted
by the natives “darned good gerioots fer ten-
derfeet.” -

,And this young leader of the hunters the
reader has met before, for it was none other
than Carter Conrad, the 'oung aristocrat from
Boston, who had 'insul Arte Preston when
she sung before the club windows, and who had
challenged Lucien De Leon for punishing the
men t.

And t was upon Carter Conrad that the eyes
of the andy Sport fell, when he reéntered the
Overland Best, and crossing to where he sat he
listened to the conversation of the party, and
overheard the remark of the Bostonian:

“No horse can overtake the Phantom Ma-

, you say I”
fleagene has yet been able to do 50, though I
have heard that a number have given chase,"
responded Dave Perry.

“ . ess it is because the rider was not anx-
ious , and there was a slight sneer in the tone
of darter Conrad.

“Some brave men have met the Phantom
Mazeppa, giVen it chase, and yet it has ran
away from them,” remarked a young officer
from Fort McPherson.

“If a brave man, well mounted, Wished to
run this pretended Specter of the Plains down,

/

Instantly Ramsey Preston, the ranchero,
crossed over to the table, and said in his calm
way:

“Pardon me, air, for addressin a stranger,
but I overheard your remarks, and I beg to say
that no man on these prairies owns a faster
horse than I do, that i have yet discovered. and
l defy any one to call me other than a brave
man.

There was something in the face and bearin
0f the ranchero that commanded respect, and
Carter Conrad answered politely:

” And have yen met the, Phantom, sir?”

“I have, and onthree occasions,” was the
calm reply.

“Three timesl” and a

price rated upon every
n e. 7!

general look] of sur-
face. '1

“Will you kindly sa how near you were to
the weird steedi"asked ’oscoe Howe, oneof the

hunters. ,
' “On one occasicn within of? es.”
“And you saw the steed an deri”

“ Distinctly. ”
" Describe please,” said Carter Conrad.
“A large, long- led white horse, with long

flowing mane and tail; a. person, seemingly,
from appearan’ce and voice, a woman, hound

upognhis bac
“ daedi she speaks then!"
“Yes; she has been heard to cry for help,
and more often laughs mockin l .”
“ Amid you chase this wh te steed!”
“'1' did, and on two occasions I tired
it an ['1 er m r e an i
ran both horse d 'd 'th both id d

p stol.”
“ ith what result?” ,
" None that I could discover. ”
“ When did you last see them?”

, horse l”

 

“ Tonight, on_m way to the town with two
prisoners; he circ ed round us several times,
and than disa ed, coming in this direction." f

“ And may ask what is your thee , sir, re-

ing this strange steed and rideri’ persisted (
‘arter Conrad.
'“ Having urged my horse, that never needs 1
the spur, on in pursuit, with both rowels and l
knife, and been dro ped steadily behind and 3
fired upon the ales and rider repeated! ', I i
have but one theory, for I am a dead sh at
Inn and short range.”
‘ ell, sir, your theory is—”
'“To avoid he Phantom Mare

88 some-

Rameeyl’mtonsaid this iua‘ In inrpres-
sive tone, a wheeling suddenly his heel
walked awe '

But, undaghted'by all he had heard, Carter

Conrad said: .

" ['11 w r high that I can run down the
Phantom azeppa, mounted on my not which
I brought out here with me.”

“ I‘ll take the bet, sir.”

The speaker was the Dandy Sport, and all
eyes were turned upon him.

“That I do not run the Maeeppa to earth
withsifn th’e week!” asked the Bostonian.

H es

“ Name the sum "

“What you please,”was Dandy Sport's in-V

diflerent reply.

“ Call it, an , two thousand dollark.”

“I am wil g; here, Mr. Perry, I place my
stake in 'our hand.”

“ And do the same, sir,” and Carter Conrad
also handed over his mone to Dave Perry.

“Now, gentlemen, you ave heard the bet;
come boys, it is late, so let us go to the hotel,”
and Carter Conrad and his friends took their
departure for the night. .

CHAPTER XXXII.
nuns sroar's smrnar.
WHEN Dandy Sport bet with Carter Conrad

 

l
‘ that he could not run the Phantom Maseppa to

earth, he had a motive in Putting the stakes in
the hands of Dave Perry, orhe wished tocurry
favor with him for a point in view.

After the departure of the hunters for their
hotel, the young sport crossed over and sat
down by the proprietor of Overland Rest and
said in a casual manner:

“Guess I‘ll win my bet.”

“ Think so myself, pard.”

“By the way, do you know I think those
gisoners whom Ranchero Preston brought in

night, can tell us more about the Mazeppa
than any one elsei”

“ Wh do you think so?” asked Dave.

“ We , I've watched that fellow closely, and
he seems to be the only one not surprised at the
appearance ofrthe white horse and rider.”

You think he has something to do with it,

and thatit is a trick to serve some purpose of ,

his own?” .

“ Yes, Mr. Perry, that is just what I think,

and I am willing to buy the secret from him.”
e“ How do on mean?”

“Send for im to come to your private room,
and I’ll offer him bids fer the secret until his cu-
pidit is satisfied.” ,

“ at do you gain b this?”

“I‘ll know what I am tting on, and, if safe,
I’ll take odds and make a large sum of money.”

“ Pard, you may be right, and you may be
wrong; but if I knew I’ make thousands by
it, I’d not take a prisoner out of jail, when he 8
been intrusted to my keeping.”

“ There, is no danger in it.’

“There is, for if the crowd see him, they are !

justk full enough of liquor to have a hanging
rac et. . -
“But the won’tsee him,” persisted the sport.

“ Well, h 3 ga might and he’d be rescued,

sure;l no, I don tl gto ,tgklenclfisnkoes with othfir
p or property, t oug mine to t e
st dollar.’

Seeing that the honest justice was not to be
influenced, Dandy Sport made another strate-

c move.

Leaving the saloon, after beckoning to several
of Grizzly Gabe’s companions to follow him. he
waited behind a lumber pile.
“Eerie three men soon joined him, and he said,

not :
i  Pads, you are the Grizzly's friends, I take

‘0

“ Tooth and toe-nail, pard,” answered one.

9‘ He‘s in a scrape.”

“ Looks that way.”

“ I wish you to aid me in etting him out.”

“ Say the word, pard, an
it’s ter chaw glass. ’

“ Do you know where three fast horses can be
procured to-uight i” ,

“ Fer duckits I kin git anything, day or night."
“ Well here is money and I wish you to buy
two good animals, and have them saddled and
hridled, and ready in the lane back of the jail.”

“ I’ll do it,” sai
man.

“ Now, where can you buy a snow-white

at one I could horror, for I
ut he wouldn‘t sell."

him out on the
n you there, and

knows the ropes,
“Well, get him and bring
airie yonder, and I will 10

{twill tell you what to do.”
The men promised obedience, and after a few

more instructions they departed on their er-

I rands, while Dandy Sport went to his rooms in

the hotel. I

But he did not remain long, for he returned
with a bundle under his arm, and walked qui-
etly out upon the prairie, where he was soon
after joined by a man leading, a white horse.

over whose was thrown a dark blanket to
hide his color.
Opening his bundle, Dand Sport set to work

and soon rigged a kind 0 harness upon the

l

we is with yer, ef ‘

the man who acted as spokes ;

horse, and a cord bridle that could notbp seen.
Then, throwing over his clothes a, white sheet.
he s rung u n the horse. and, lyingdown upon
his ck, he (I himself securely on by the bar-
ness he had skillfully made.

“ Now for the jail,” he said and at a word of
comhniiand the white animal bounded over the
pra e.. .

Guiding him toward the main street he headed
him directly for the jail, while he broke forth
in peals of mocking la
to freeze the blood with error.

“ The Phantom Maseppal” arose the cry upon
all sides, and men fled from the path of the
weird horse and rider.

ror the keeper, whom Fanshaw had left
there on duty, fled from the spot, leaving the
prison-pen unguarded.

Then, down from the back of his horse rung
Dand Sport, the iron bar was unfasteng, and
he (- ed, quickly:

” Come quick, Grizzly, and make for the prai-
rie; there are horses in the lane at the back of
the ail.”

” urn yer. ef yer didn‘t sheer me out o' my
net ral growth, fer I tuk yer fer ther Phantom
Mazip, an’-”

“1 you stop to talk you’ll be taken! Go!"

“My chin music hev closedz‘you is a boss,
leetle one, an’ we’ll meet ag’in; good-by, an’ ex-
cusehaste, fer I hes ter hasten; Come, edrock."

“Awayi away! or all will be lost that has
been ga ned,” impatiently said the Dandy
Sport, at the same time again springing upon
the white horse and placing himself in a recum»
bent position.

“I is oil', pard,” and, followed b Bedrock
Mose, Grizzly Gabe rushed tow the lane
where the horses awaited him, while the Dandy
Sport darted away like an arrow from a bow.

As he sped away he saw two horsemen dash
out of the lane and a third ride across their

ath.
p “Haiti or I will kill oul” he heard in the
stentorian tones of Ben anshaw, the jailer.

But the two fugitives did not halt; then fol-
lowed a pistol shot, and then others, and one
man and one horse went down.

The man was Bedrock Mose, shot through the
1 heart, and the horse was the one the constable

and disappeared from sight, while the andy
Sport dropped from the white horse into the
long rairie grass, and said, savagely: -

“(fires that man! why did that bullet not
kill him, I wonder, for he can make me trouble.”

Makinga wide circuit, Dandy Sport gained
the town, and among the crowd of excited citi~
, zens that were inquiring what had really hap—
' pened, he looked the most innocent.
l Suddenly Ben Fanshaw advanced through
i the throng, and with him was Ramsey Preston,
the ranchero, and Dave Pe .

“Pards,” said the constab e, in a loud tone.
1 addressing the throng in general; “ rds, thur
l hes been 0 late some some strange t ings hap-
E penin’ in these heur parts. an’ thtr strangest o’
1 all are ther sarxumstance o’ ther Phantom Ma-

zeppa.

“ But though thet are a phantom fer a. fact,
‘ ther one who played her tor-night didn’t do it
. slick enou an’ know it were a dodge ter git
, ther cum‘ rizzly Gabe an’ Bedrock Mose out o’
L jail, an’ it were did, though I tuk ther latter on.
ther wing, an’ be has one to:- climb them golden
stairs we reads o’in  ptur’, lesstWays them
read s10! who reads Scriptur’, for I im’t pious
b ru e.
, y“ Now I oflers heur, out, o’ my own dust, one.
lhundred dollars ter know ther gerloot who
,‘ layed Phantom Manep tor-night, an’ the.- cat-
1 le king heur, 'Mr. Preston, says he will give
1 live hundred more fer ther same howled ."
, “And I put six hundred on that,” b e in
! Dave Perry. ' .
I “Waal, ther is twelve hundred dollars fer
1 ther man as tells who were ther teller as played
0 flat an’ freed ther Grizzly, far I let

e‘s spirit out o’ jail myself, but “C it in
ther course 0’ my boundea duty.

, “Now, I know whose were ther bone. but
‘ who wants ter make twelVe bandied an' ten
, ther host?” '
“ ay the money and I will tell.” '
It was the Dandy Sport who spoke, and a
1 murmur of su ‘ rim around the crowd and
? all e es were fastened u 1: him.
1 u oes you know. leet 0 card i” asked the con—
l stab!

9.
“ I do.”
.. AP’ yuan pony up ther knowledge for ther
tt "vvi‘l.” ‘
“ Right now i”
“ Yes, right out.”

“ Here are my one hundred.”
“And my five.”

 

 

 

a.

“ And my six hundred.”
The constable handed the‘money to Tiny Tim.

who said, quietly, as he rolled the bills up and t

v pocketed them. ,
“Grizzly Gabe may be one of the ‘worst men
inyour town, but! am not one to see a than
who has served me go under if I can help is,

/

hter that were enough ‘

Up to the gate of the all he ran, and in ter- I

I e.
But with a rude laugh Gfizzly Gabe he on. '

 

 

1 a
‘31.“, f.‘ .
c o .

1 a
‘31.“, h .
r u .

 

N

 

an”
.-(<>,‘

T

dud fliersfore I played the Innsppa and freed
him from ' ii." , '

Ends mhshenfalleafntothecmwd it
can] not hmereatsd a tea-momentary ex-
cite cut, and it was very yident that the ma-
jority sy mpathined with the man who had done
so much and played his part‘ so well to serve a
triend in trouble.

As for Dave Perry, he laughed lightly and
Ben Fanshaw looked dumfounded; but m-
sey Preston said, sternlz):

“You shall answer me for this, sir, boy
though  be, and I’ll make you play ghost in
eValli-r911: B“ I be ' I

‘ . tanca— pard mean
Ramsey Preston," was the regort. on,
. But it caused the ranchero to look'like a man
suddenly struck a More blow, and in a dazed
sort of way he turned to go and, with a light
lau h. the Dandy Sport sai :

“ You,l,d you see me now, Mr. Preston!”

It es. I

“Lead, and I follow,” and agaid the Dandy
Sport laughed as he followed the cattle king
toward his hotel.

CHAPTER xxxm.
mm WNRAD 01" run TRAIL.

Tam: to his determination to win his bet, and
torun the Phantom Maaeppa to earth, Carter
Conrad, the afternoon following his wager,
mounted his splendid rawhorse, and well

armed and nipped for a week’s trip set out
from North latte in search of the ghostly
steed and mad rider.

Learning from those who professed to best
know the nocturnal habits of the Phantom Ma-
seppa, where he would be most likely to find
her, he headed across the north. branch of the
Platte rivor and- bore away toward ‘the Loup.

Justatdurk he came upon a small clump of
cottonwoods, and here halted for a rest for his
horse and  -

Fromthispacehe could getawidesweepof
the prairie for miles around, and, as soon as the
moon rcse, he hoped tocatch a glimpse of the
weird steed and rider. .

Whatever the faults of Carter Conrad, as a
fast man about town, and persistently hiding
his secret marriage from the World, and bring-
ing sorrow upon his beautiful wife, Pauline,
who, the reader will remember. prevented his
duel with iron Arm. he certainly could be
called a brave man, and, scuuting the idea of
the supernatural, was determined for his own
satisfaction to solve the mystery attending this
nocturnal and ghostly prowler of the prairies.

After watering his horse and staking him out
to feed, Carter Conrad partook of his own sup-

.per, which was tar more luxurious than what a

regular lainsman would have enjoyed.

Then, ighting a cigar, he leaned back against
a tree and began to muse aloud, for he knew no
one was within ear-shot:

“ it will be a feather in my up to run down
this pretended phantom that is erasing the su-
perstitious.

“But what can it be,and howstrange it is
that onl at night it is seen. V ‘

“ Welz ‘I care not, for I shall go for he, she or
it wherever I find he, she orit, and if I go un-
der 1 have but taken my chances.

“ Ah me! this quiet prairie scene, with dark-
ness settling over the prairie, no sound being
heard save the chirping crickets and that in-
ternal] dismal how from some wolf, sets me
to utilizing and I don’t like to think, for then,
asthe poet. has it:

“ ' The vision of all my past life
Is an awful thing to face,
Alone with my conscience sitting,
'- la thls'solemniy silent place.
For I think of my former actions,
. , theJudament Dayto be;
But sitting done with my conscience
Seems out enough for me.‘ "

For a moment he was silent, and then he
musedegafn: ' '

“ i wonder what has become of poor Pauline?

“ She was a true and noble lith woman, and
it was cruel of me to use her as I did.

“But then I lavad her'when I asked her to be
my wife, and thought one dayto acknowledge
her as such before the world. '

“But then the old man has his heart set on
my marrying his millionsire chum’s da hter,
and did he know i had recently marri Pau-
line he Would cut me of! with a six .nce, for l
lme the governor intimate] , havrng had ex-
Perlellm With his freaks, an be is as firm as
the  :k of A es, to which irls are always
clmzlp in thec esp chromos lzhave seen.

f‘Bi in Tel! is an awful sweet girl. and I
think loves me, and her father is worth a clean
two millions. has the gout, and is liable to die
at anytime, and she is an only child.

“ This, wrth w at the governor settles on me.
and leaves me when he ‘climbs the golden
stairs,’ and ‘puts on the golden slippers,’ to
‘walk ti e golden streets,’ will give me an in-
congle that will support a yacht and a racing
sta e.

“ But there looms up Pauline: I cannot marry

to wi h a Wife living, as the law stops in
unpleasantly to prevent.

 

 

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3,1"..‘V   0

,yr

 

'.' rinse balm ms, antigens, I am

ere. . ~ .
“She never divulged the seeret'of our mar-
riage, and no one, knows ;t, and in the letter

not betray me. ,

“But should ‘I marz'eagain, I know her i
Mexican blood would
would be the deuce to pay.

" If Birdie Tea knew of my little short-
comings she would set me adrift, and her pious 5
old father would go 03 with the shock, while ;
the governor won (1 give me a row up Salt ‘

she left when she departed she said she would l

ver.

“ They knew I am a little wild: sow my wild "
oats, and spend considerable money; but the
notice my editor friend on the Herald cs me
every now and then of sendih a handsome
sum to convert the heathen in A rice, helps me
out with old Tad and his daughter and ac-
counts to the governor for a deal if
money I could not otherwise explain the going

of.

“ Curse the heathen!

“ No no, I forget; bless the hsathen, for they
are a b easing to me.

“.But I would like to know where Pauline is,
for I cannot hold on much longer.

“ I h she has not gone to the had.

“ She ad no friend n this count to go ti
and only a brother, I believe, in exico, an
she had not heard from him for a long time.

"Ah me, I must not think of her, for I St
fine, and one of my nature should not get e

nee.

“Ahl there comes the moon, and I’ll saddle
Md  on on my search for the Phantom

pa.

Hegrose quicklyl collectedlhis tra , saddled
his horse, and rode away across a prairie,
now allighted by the rising moon. '

H ' i had be ridden a league, when his horse
gave a oud snort, and turning half round he
started suddenly. for there. not a hundred yards
aw came the Phantom Mazeppa.

heeling quickly be unsluug his rifle, and
brought it round ready for use.

But.’when the butt pressed his shoulder, he
did not fire, and, from some impulse he could
not account for, be lowered the weapon.

Then, like one gone dazed, he sat and saw the
white steed fly by with a speed that was mar-
velous, heard the wild neighing of the animal.
the maniacal laughter of the rider, and beheld
the form bound to the back of the horse.

Away Went thewhite steed, and Carter Con-
firm had not made an effort to get a nearer view ‘
or to check its flight.

Suddenly, as the wild beast disappeared over
a roll of the prairie, he came to himself, and
with nor to his horse dashed off in pursuit.

“ I wi run alongside and see what that
strange being is, for my noble horse will each
overtake them.

“ What a fool I was not to shoot the horse;
but I could not have fired then had my life de-
pended upon it. .

, “Come, sir, come!”

But though the Kentucky racer went over the
prairie at a co that won d have won a plause
at the nglis Derby; the phantom steeg stead—
ily gain on him a d in a very short time the
surpfi'ised Carter bani-ad drew rein with the re-
mar :

“ Well, that passes belief, and almost r-
suades me to believe that animal is fromfie
spirit-land. ‘

“Now, which way? '

“ Go where you p ease, old fellow, and if the
phadngom again crosses our path i’ll try cold
ea

And Fate led the racer by a trail that lied a
strange ending.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
run LAST or A nacl. ,

Sumac, the Mexican, sat alone in the Pres-
ton ranch, for his master had. gone to the
Platte with the prisoners, taken by the courage
of Arts, his cousin. '

As one studied the face of Sancho, it would
improve in character and looks, for there was
that in it which gave the idea of strength reso-
lution, and at not devoid of art, though it was
stam d w th recklessness, dissipation, and a
certs sadness, as though the thoughts were
wont to go back to un leasant scenes in the
past, rather than todwel in the present or hope

or the future. -

Some months before Sancho had reached the
ranch. as chief cowbo of a herd driven u
from Texas for Mr. Pyreston and had offers
his services as herdsman, and was accepted as
suc .

He was found steady, industrious, uiet, and
was liked by his employer, although here was
something about him Ramsey Preston could not
understand.

 

up, and then there ,

 

He had represented himself as a half breed,
his mother having been an Indian, and his father
a Mexican, and more regarding his antecedents
he had nothing to say

but Mr. Preston soon 5

of a lariat,w' he madewithdsftilngers,
while his eyes a  over the magnify
cent ewes-p of prarri' e in his

Su y his eagle eyes fell open some new
ing 0 jects far away. and he said si‘ ply:

‘ Buflalo, or more cattle, for this country is
settling u fast; yes, it is a herd of cattle, and
they are ollowing the trail for the Dismal”.

Indifferently he watched the herd, a couple
of hundred in number, with a dour-n drivers,
the cracking of whose whips distinctly reached
his ears, an saw that they branched oi! to the
left, when arriving within a league of the ranch.

But soon he observed that one of the drivers
had separated himself from the others and was
comin on alone to the ranch.

“ W 0 can he be?” »

Not being able to answer his own question-
Sancho arose and entered the cabin, and re—
turned with a spy-glass.

Adjusting the focus he leveled itat the horse-
man, and looked long and intently.

“It is not the ranchero; no, nor do I know
who it is. ,

“Ah! it is note man, but a woman.”

He lowered the glass and paced to and fro for
an instant. and then agam took an observation
of the stranger. .

“ No, it is not the Seiiorita Preston; than who
can it be? .

"Herface I cannot see.but her foe-In looks
youthful and she sits on a horse like a daughter
of In; dear sunny Mexico. ,

“ es, she is vailed, and— Madre do Dias!
should it be— No, no, no, there is no such joy
for me; no Alcolo can ever again know joy, for
diagonor is (ii -nhthednain.e).;fl m b .

epesse ls an m yacross s row,
and again paced to and fro, so.deeply lost in
reverie as, to have wholly forgotten thesirapger
coming tode the ranch. . *

But the hoof-fall on the prairie catching his
quick ear, ever on the alert for danger, he
started, cast from him the mantle of bygone
memories that had enveloped him and turned
his gaze upon the horsevvoman, w was now
within twenty paces of him. ,

She was dressed in a. Mexican riding-habit,
and wore a hroad-brimmed sombrero. alf en-
circled by a black ostrich gluon», while her face
was securely hidden by a panish vail.

Riding directly up to Sancho she looked him
in the face, as she drc w rein, and asked in a low
tone, in purest Spanish: '

“is this the ranch of Don Preston, an Ameri-
cano. and rancherol” '

“ It is, sefiorita,” and Sancho touched his
sombrero and in vain endeavored to pierce the
val] and see the face beneath.

‘9 Dwells there with Don Preston 9. Mexicano,
known as Sancho?"

“ I am Sancho, senor-its,” was the low reply.

“ if I mistake not, here you are Sancho the
Half- breed i”

“ Yes. sefiorita.”

“There was a time when, as Gila Alcole, you
had ride—V

“ 1 who are you that mentions that name.
seiiorital” he asked, quickly.

"' One' who comes here as a friend of her
whom you cast off; the friend of your sister.”

“ For the Blessed Virgin’s sake, tell me of
gonnfor it has been long since I have heard of

er. , r p

“ Do you loveber still!" '

“ Ay do 1: what else have I to live for, for
am i not the last of my race!” he said. bitterly.

“ The last of
for well i know, Sancho the Half-breed, that
thou art descended from the Aztec! on thy
mother‘s side, and in thy father‘s veins Bowed
are set Spanish blood.

“ u yes, thou m a half-breed Gila movie,“

but thy ancestorsonce dwelt in the Palace of
Anacoiumelhndofthelfontemmas,and
we're lords in those days.

“ But thou, Sancho the Half-breed, art indeed
fallen low when thou dost hide thy name and
art content to fellow in the trail of cattle.” -

“Nombre dc Dies] who are you that thus

to me?" and the Mcxican’s face grew
black with rage. . - -

“ gush-tor: oh, Gila! do you not know thy
sister ulina'l” . »

She than;3 herself fire-mi her horse as hfile
spoke,an' caugt ier nhisarmsyw e,
teari aside her veil, he beheld herwondrousiy
beauti ul face, the eyes brimful of tears.

For some moments neither a . and lien,
seatin herb
cabin cor, t e man said: ‘

“ Paulina, twelve years a cruel fate
drove us, the last of can race, m'the Axnaco
Palace, the homeof our ancestors for twenty
generations. *

.“ l was one of the conspirators. as they called
us who ho to free our land from a tyrant,
and I was condemned to die. -

“ Bat an Americaho. a Texan, who was fight:
,ing on the oflier side,th one time saved from
; death, and he set me free. and l esca across

the Rio Grande, and. destitute, frien less, reck-

found that he passes ed a the education, and ' less, I joined a band of outlaws under the chief

had evidently been born to a different life.
Now, as be occupied his usual seat outside the
cabin door, he was engaged in the manufacture

Bianca.
"And, Pauline, he the Americana who had
done me this favor, did more, for, a soldier of

a

Q 19

your race; a great, a noble race,’

his side on the low bench at the

“1 w. -
Flt. » 3 

.i‘ >1

.. L.

. .....~,~._

‘
a

r
.1
I
t
\
w..—

  :7L ‘
_ __ v u . L . , _ '
‘ a~ .

~ 1“,” a. gem.

   ', g, -  r ,

, as?me

..

 

 

f6 and a man of mea ‘ he so ht out
my“ thenalittle lgl-lg’rlfiodlgie and
adopted you as her own child until I

his sister
.could claim you.

“But hte evilly d my way Paulina
and I could not shake the coil of n aroun
me, and you still remained with those kind
friend until at lasta letter told me that you
had ll from the boardin -school where t ey

had placed you. and had
some ignoble man.

“ Next, Paulina, I learned of the death of my
American friend, that his ood sister had Igone
to Europe, and that you he last gem o the
Alcolo, ad soiled the bright fplumage of your
honor and no down into the epths of infamy,
dragged thither by him whom you had loved,
honored and trusted.

“ Paulina, I had sinned, driven to des ration
'by my misery and losses; but when t is news
came to'me that thou, my bri ht star-gem of
It, had fallen, it was to ms t e Iltzai'l' that

«comes to our race to warn us of death.

“ And then Paulina I swore to go to the far
Northern land and seek out him who had done
you this wrong and put in knife in his heart.”

The man spoke savage y, and for the first
time, while he had been speaking, Paulina Al-
colo raised her eyes to his.

Then she said slowly:

“ Brother, those of our name have hot blood
in ourVeins, and when 1 met one whom I loved,
I left all to go with him. I

“ I believed he made me his wife although he
would not acknowledge me as such before the
wor .

When at last I found, through one of his in-
timate triends, that he had wronged me oh!
most cruelly wronged me, by a false marriage,
hiring a tool for the' ceremony as evil as he was,
then left him and I came to seek you, my bro-
ther, for, by a strange circumstance I found

throng one of Carter Conrad’s friends

t had met on in Texas, and whom you had
nursed throu a long illness—”

“ Ba! Roscoe Hume?”

H Yes. 7’

“A noble man, indeed; yes, he was with a
hunting in Texas, and, wounded by an
Indian y g weeks in a hacienda, and I
cared for him, and learned to love him as a bro-
ther: but how knew he, Paulina, that you Were
my sister?”

‘ He did not know it; but I heard him, in his
visits to Carter Conrad, tell of you, and of your
real name, and I he t in my heart your as-
sumed title of Sanc o, the Half-breed, and
where was the hacienda where on lived.

" And there I went, to fin that you had
come here, and with an arm train coming to
Fort McPherson I came all t e way from your
old home on the Red river, and there some cat-
tle-men said they wonld show me the ranch of

n, the ranchero, and here I am, bro-
ther Gila, to part with you no more— Holy
Mother! look there!”

And just then, around the corner of the cabin,
havmg approached across the prairie, hidden
from view by the ranch buildings, rode a horse-
man, u n whom Paulina gazed with blazing
eyes w ile she cried, in a trembl.ng voice:

“Brother that man is Carter Conrad, who
brought dishonor upon me.”

CHAPTER XXIV.
an rum to m “sous.

Anna his unsuccessful chase of the Phantom
 Carter Conrad had roamed alon at
the w of his horse. until damawn, and
“POI! banks of the

Assured that he would nht see the Phantom
We" night, he settled himself for a
da ’s ; but in the afternoon he awoke, and
bcihgillateass saddled his horse and started
once more on his wan , still leaving it to
thewilloftheanlmalwhic we to .

Aterarideof anhouroreo, be eldinthe
distance buildings that he knew belonged to the
rancth of some cattle man, and thither his horse
wen .

As he approached from the rear he saw no
one insight, but chicken thatroamed near by,
and other evidences were visible to show that
the ranch was not des rted.

” I can learn here, if there is any one at
home, if the Phantom Maseppa is ever seen in
this locality at n ht,” he muttered, as he rode
straight for the :- cabin, unconscious that
there was a  and rider coming close u n
his trail, for he instinct of a thorough p us.
man causes him to . an occasional e e be-
hind him,as well asln t, andCarter (£nrad
had neglected this precaution.

When he turned the corner of the cabin and
beheld two persons ng to their feet. and in
one of them saw the utiful woman whom he
had called his wife he was dumb with amass-
ment, a d sat on his horse like a sta while
Paulina made the fearful charge against to
her brother.

And, at herwords, Gila Alcolo, as I will now
call him, yew livid with rage, the veins on his

' A messenger of death believed in by Mexicans.
-’I‘ns Au'rnoa.

me the wife of

 

 

swelled like whipcords his lips were
and his slowg, even teeth glbtmsd he-
“Leila, them, while I eyes seemed to fairly

e.

With a great effort be suppressed the emo-
tion-that walled up into heart and brain, al-
most overpowerilxag him, and gassd u 11 Carter
Conrad, who h drawn rein ud enly, and
then, as his eyes fell upon the woman to whom
he had cruelly refused his name, had cried:

“ Paulina! you here?”

"Yes, and my brother, Gila Alcolo, is now
my protector ” she answered, proudly.

‘ our brother?” V

“Yes, I am Gila Alcolo, the Mexican con-
:pirator that was: nowI am known as Sancho

e Half

“You are Carter Conrad, an Americano, I
believe.”

Words could not express the tone of sarcasm
in which the Mexican spoke. and the Ameri-
can’s face flushed and then paled; but he an-
swered quietly: “

“ Yes, I am Carter Conrad, and I am an
American.”

“And a villain.”

H sir!”

“I repeat it, you are Carter Conrad, an
American, and a v n and a coward,” and
the Mexican fairly hissed the words.

As I have before said, Carter Conrad, what-
ever his faults might be, was no coward, and
at the insult of the Mexican, he threw himself
from his horse and advanced upon him with
drawn knife, at the same time saying coolly:

“Senor Mexican, for those words hurled in
my teeth I will hava our acoursed life.”

‘ Senor, taking a ll e is a game that two can
play at, if one is not an assassin.

“ Come on, and I will meet you as you please,
and wipe out the stain that you brought ufin
the name of Alcolo, when you deceived t t
poor girl.”

The Mexican had drawn his knife as he
spoke, and advanced toward the American,
who was pre to meet him, while Paulina,
with a frig tened cry, sunk down upon her
knees, and then dropped down in a heap,
wholly unconscious, just as the two blades

Both men were fine specimens of athletic
manhood, and thou h the American was the
larger of the two, t e Mexican was the most
wiry; but in the faces of both seemed a deter-
mination to kill the other.

With the first clash of the knives Carter Con-
rad felt that he had made a mistake in draw
a blade, and wished that he had used a revo -
ver, for the Metican seemed a master at an en—
counter of the kind, and his movements were
as quick as lightnin .

Step by step be orced the American back,
for Carter-Conrad could do no more than parry
his thrusts and act wholly in self-defense, and
seeming to warm with his work, he, by a mar-
velously nick and skillful movement, struck
the knife rom the hand of his an onist.

Instantly Carter Conrad stood l e a statue,
and said calmly -

“ I am at your mercy: do not kill me.”

He could havs drawn a revolver from his
belt, but havin been disarmed in fair combat,
he scorned to 0 so.

“ And I intend to drive my knife to our
heart and avenge my sister’s honor,” hi the
Mexican, ends ring forward he raised the
fatal knife, at he sam time clutching Carter
Conrad by the throat with a trip. he could not
shake off.

Another instant 'and the days of Carter Con-
rad would bavs been ended there and then: but
there measmre , aou andthe
knifefel from t e a of the M can,and
his arm fell to his side helpless.

Like a wounded tiger he turned upon the one
who had fired the shot, and beheld Arte Preston
seated in her saddle, and with her smoking re-
volver still covering him.

——

CHAPTER XXXVI.
in run TOILS. '

“ Satomu! sefiorita, have you done me this
wrong?”

It was the Mexican that spoke, and he turned
his large e es with sad reproach upon the
maiden, wh s his sister, recovering conscious-
ness half arose and upon the scene.

“I am sorry, Sane 0, very sorry, but I heard
that gentleman sa he was at your mercy, and
beg you not to 11 him and like a tiger you
s rung upon him, and I to save his life,”

rta answered, calmly, though she was very

le.
p8“ Yes, you fired upOn me and have shattered
my arm: sefioritagrfou are the friend of this
man, and not my end,” said the Mexican, in
the same reproachful tunes.

“I meant not to killmjou, Sancho; but when
I called to on, you b ed me not, and I fired
toknock t e knife from year hand' come, let
me dress the wound for you,” and e sli
to the and going u to himlai er
“s‘il‘sswsti' "as. m...

u e w an sa , :
“Senorita, you have injured me, and saved

 

the life of one who'drsgged 2:: sides, that poor
1 crouch there in grief awn to "
girArta starth and glanced at It.aad

who had stood in silence. gasing upon the two:
and her face flushed as she said, in eold,dis-
tinct tones:

“Mr. Conrad, when I rode up here I recog-
nized you,. and yet, though some months ago
you rudel offered me insult in front of your
club one u ght I so ht to save on; but now
when I hear what th man says, regret that I
saved your life.”

“ Hal now I recall {gar face, for I wondered
where I had met you fore, and most humbly
I beg pardon for the past and erave your
mercy, ady,” he said, in a low, earnest tone,
advancing a step nearer to her.

“I can forgive you the insult, for having
saved your life is my revenge; but, oh, sir!
what atonement can you diet that poor girl,
whom you have wronged so cruelly!" answered
Arta, with deep feeling. _

“Wronged, es I admit it, for though I
married her, I eld our union a secret from the
world.”

“Married me Carter Conrad; ay, but your
vows were as false as the ceremony that united
us, and the heart of the tool whom you hired to
do our bidding,” and springing to her feet
Pau na confronted the young man with indig-
pation in every feature of her pallid, beautiful
ace.

“New, Paulina, you wrong me, for, wicked

though I am, denying you my rightful name, I

amnot soevil,so f se to myssf as towrong

on as you say, and I here swear that. before
an man, you are my wedded wife.”

There was no mistaki the truth of what
Carter Cenrad said, for words and looks
testified to it, and with a cry of joy Paulina

toward him, while Gila Alcolo stepping
forward extended his left hand and said, cam-

] :

“ySefior, appearances were you, and
I was hasty; act like a man 0 honor toward
this i and we are friends."

.“ e word, Paulina; who told you that I
had falsely married you i” and there was a dan-
gerousdlight flashing up in the eyes of Carter

‘onra .

“ Your intimate friend Benton Vail. "

“ Benton Vail! Ah, indeed! now I under-
stand man little things I did not before, and
remember hat he was always most attentive to

on; but by Heaven, he shall eat that lie, for
Emcee Bums, as you know, Paulina, was the
witness to our secret wedding, and he engaged
the minister that married us.

“ Ah, my old friend, Senor Hume? Then
no longer can i doubt.”

“Pardon me, but we owe it to the Seller
Sancho to attend to his wound, for he is suffer-
ing,” and Arts ap reached the while
Carter Conrad sai , quickly:

” As this wound was given to save my life,
what, permit me to become your physician, as
medicine was the profession I was intended to
follow, and I am a graduate.”

Gila Alcolo made no resistance, the sleeves
were cut from the arm, and the wound was ex-
amined with the eye of one who understood
what he was about.

Going to his saddle Carter Conrad took from
the saddle-peck a small case of sur ical instru-
ments, and hing the wound, w the Mexi-
can never 'nched, he said: '

“Theball struck the bone, butdid nothreak
it, though the shock was a severe cue; here is
the bullet can ht in the fleshnear the elbow; I
can at once s it out, but am sorry I have
not to give you to kill pain.”

“I 0 not care for it; I have often been
wounded before; cut away, senor,” was the
stoical re ly.

Instant y the incision was made, the Mexican
not givi a quiver, the hall was extracted. and
the won carefully and skillftu dremed, and
Caޤr Conrad {amarkeldz

“ owyouw getaong all ' h WIam
vergorry you received the wouhid.”t’

“ tter so senor, than that I should 133"
taken your life believing yougllty of a wrong
you were not guilty of, was frank ly.

Carter Conrad made no reply. but 30
Am. said:

“ Miss Preston, what can I do to vs how
fully I a preciate I owe to you 3 I 03”

Arts g need at Paulina and ed:

“ Do you love our wife. fir?"

“ I do, and f it now more than ever.”

“ 'I'ben give her the open love and name you
havehitherto withheld from her.”

H Wfllingl : I will write the governor—I
mean my ether, upon my return to Nonh
Platte, and tell him am married to as sweet is
little woman as walks the een eart .

“ If he cuts me of! without a dollar. my
ranbh and cattle here, Paulina will s Kort us;
will you forget the past, Paulina, addJ 've for
the future?”

With a lad cry she sprung to his arms, “Id
unwilling be an observer of a scene so sacred,
Arte turned to Gila Alcolo and said:

“Senor, I rode hither in search of my fa-
ther, who left home early for a short hunt, and
did not return as he , and I thought

 

 

 

 

 

he must have ridden over here to see cousin
Ramsey.”

" No, senorita, he has not been here, and the
Don is still absent, having no to Platte with
the prisoners you so brave y ca tured; I con-
; ratulate you upon your wonde ul nerve, seno-
rita.” '

Arte blushed at the compliment, but her
anxiety regarding her father caused her to de-
cide ufim at once returning to her ranch, and
she sa : ,

“ If he is not there, then I shall leave a note
on the door for him, and return here."
“Permit me to go in your stead,” asked Car-

ter Conrad. .

“ Oh no I will enjoy the allo : I will be
back by dark if father is no at ome " and
with awave of her hand in farewell, she darted
away, over the prairie.

At a rapid allo she held
until she 1' ed t e Birdw , and then turned
down the stream toward her home.

But hardly had she ridden a score _of lengths
when from the cottonwoods and Willows sud-
denly sprung half a doaen forms, a lasso settled
over the head of Red Ranger, securing him
iirml sndwith horror Arte Preston into
the -painted faces of her re -skin cap-
to“.

r way for miles,

CHAPTER XXXVII.
“rr‘s an ILL wmn mar snows uoeonv
Goon.”

Two men lay at ease upon the sloping bank
of the Birdwood, just where a shady glen broke
oi! at the river.

The slopin hillsides were dotted with flow-
ers, the bi s an merrily in the trees, the
banks, covered wit ferns, formed a sort rest-
ing-place, and the river before them glided on
With low murmuring, and far down in its clear
depths were seen fishes sporting without fear of
the angler’s hook.

Back in the ravine, or glen, were two horses,
lariated to stakes, and enjoying to their
stomach‘s content the luscious grass, and occa—
sionally taki a sip of the cool waters of a
spring that bu bled up out of the green hill-
side.

“Your Texans should now be here, Mr. De
Laon,” said the elder of the two men and in
whom the reader will recognise Merton lilabrey,
senior; but upon whose face rested a more
cheerful look than when, several da s before
he was in the cottonwood grove, by e side of
what he deemed his son‘s grave.

“ Yes, for Star must eve found Fielding
and the party he said were searching‘for me.
and I hope that they will not 10 de y, for I
am anxious to return to North tte, and do
not care to go unless I have backers, as I intend
to carry out certain reforms,” lied Iron
Arm, the Ranchero, who was the o r one of
Lise two men resting n the Birdwood’s banks.

The two, after lea g the cottonwood grove,
lznd e to the ranch of Lucien De Leon. on
the ismal, and had been told b Star, one of
the borders. that Fielding  turned back
mm the drove to go in search of him.

Wisitsi: flot- tha present not toArclear the
ter 0 ' rance,Iron. mdispa
Stabi- ai‘ter Fmfielding, with Orders for them
to meet him on the Birdwood, and hither he
and Mr. Mabrey had gone to await the coming
of the Texans. _ '

And while they sat there, both Impatient at
the delay of the mustangers, they were startled
hivlloud shouts coming from the trail over the
h 1

Instant Iron Arm sprung to his feet, and,
(""125 to ions to saddle their homes,
dash up the hi side and dkappeared.

He was gone but a short time, and returning,
said quic y: _

“ There is deviltry goin on over on the trail
down the Birdwood, or if a down Indians
have captured a lady.”

“ A lady, De Leonl”

“ Yes, she was on horseback and is now their
prisoner; they have headed up the trail, but we
can cross here and head them of! at the crossing
ten miles above.”

“But what lady can be here?‘

“Thereis but one that I can think of, and
thstis MissPreston, who came west with the
train your son-"

“ Ah! I remember your speaking of her.
Then come, let us to her rescue,” and the tw)
men quickly mounted, urged their horses into
the “mm, Ind crossing to the other side head-
ed u the river, has lag behind the sand-hills as
muc as was I
A rapid so op, and they reached a trail that
held fro-h Wk! upon it, and here they drew
re n.

“Seven hone! 118" gone along here within
the last few hours. and they must be the same
party I saw. so here we wil await their return.”

Concealin their horses and themselves in a
ravine her ered with a small. thicket, they
waited for some time. and the Indians not ap-

erin in sight, Iron Arm ascended a and-
hill an laured cautiously over the prairie.

The“ ance showed him the party he looked
10:} I descending, he said:

Mr. Mahrey, they are coming, and there are

l

H... H“... .9...— .... --

' ', ' 

 

an... ..

i a,

-m.»mm. I ~ - 1 ‘ ‘ ' L ‘L
. - ,. , v .

 ~ ‘W V ‘w

21.

 

seven of them; but, if I mistake not, they are
simgtyI playing Indian.”

“ ying Indian, De Leon!” 3

“ Yes; the have the look, to my eye of
white men ‘ as In ' :hu in their
midst they have the prisoner, and I shall attack
them.” ,

“ Seven to two.” ' _

“I have taken greater odds, and my plan is
for ou to remain here with my re ting rifle
wh' e I charge them from the endo thisravme.

“ Your fire and my charge will throw them
into disorder, and, if I mistake not, we will gain
the day.”

“ You take great chances. " .

“The prize is worth it, for the lady 18 Arts
Preston, ’ was the calm rejoinder. '

“I am at your service in- the matter, De
Leon so command me.”

“ Very well; you can see me when I ride out
of the ravine, so then open upon the devils, and
make every shot tell; but do not kill the large
man on the iron-gray, for I have anidea I know
him,"

Re saying, Iron Arm handed his repeating
rifle to his companion, and, mounting Flash,
rode down the ravine.

He had scarcely reached his $11an of conceal-
ment when the enemy arriVed ht.

First came a large man, d as a chief,
and mounted upon an iron-gray her and by
his side rode the f ir prisoner, her is bound
with a lariat, an her head bent as thoughin
utter de'ection.

Behin these, two-and-tw rode six other
horsemen, all in war-paint an feathers.

Iron Arm took a. revolver in each hand, set-
tled himself well in his saddle, and waited until
therestof the partyhadpassed the mouth of
the ravine.

And then, with a dumg war-cry that struck
awe to the party of ki ppers, he dashed out
upon them.

And, as he left his covert, a shot was heard,

andone of the horses went down.
Taken wholly by 3 rise, and attacked from
two quarters, whi e t ey were in the pass be-
tween the sand-hills, and could only fly up the
stee ascent on either side, the horsemen hud-
dle together for defense.

But right upon them rode Iron Arm, his re-
volvers rattling merrily and his bullets drop-
ping here a mustang, there a rider, while his
repeating rifle, in the hands of Mr. Mabrey,
was pouring in a hot fire that utterly demoral-
ised the survivors and up the steep ascent to
the right darted the three remaining horsemen.

A few bounds on] had the lar iron- y
taken, with his ri or leading t e captive s
horse, when Iron Arm dashed alongside, es-
caping the fire turned upon him, and, leveling
apistol at his head, said sternly:

:iflw rein,ior 00:13?!” h , 1

raw re n erence r palin it
checks an time, ,” was the characteristm
remark o the supposed chief, and Iron Arm, as
the threle horses came to a halt, said, sternl :
“his, thought, you are that devil, G y

“And you isther teller I thought was dead
meat: but yer isn’t, I sees.”

“No, nor will I die until I see you banged
and this last act of yours has run your head
into the noose. Come, Kr. Hebrey and we
will tie this painted renegade,” called out Iron
Arm, as his companion appmched. having
fired at the three escaping fugitives as long as
they Were in sight. ,

‘ Save troub e to tie the rope around his
neck ” said the old man, bluntly.

“ e, but the boys would not forgive me if
[deprived them of the apart of angiug him;-
there, now, Mr. Grisst she, I t ink you will

shenanpps , .

‘dressed asabo ,andlhadal

 

 

' 1

 

i
l

i
I
l
i
I

r
l

v._-. ____V..-..._..-._ ...~.__ ..._.

“You know her,then!”saidArta,also sur—

prised.

“ Y I met her once.” ~

“ do you know her husband!” and Arta.
fixed her eyes full upon his face.

“Yes, we met once, also, not under
pleasant circumstances, I emu-e on.”

“Will you tell me of your mee ' f" and her
gase seemed to fascinate him.

“Oh, es; it was some months ago, when I
wasin n,Ihearda oung girl singingin
front of a fashionable clu house.

“ Struck by the ex uisite beauty of hervoiee
I usedtohsten, an was witness to aninm -
o cred her by Carter Conrad, who had raised a
considerable sum, I believe, to ve to her.

“In my usual 1m ulsive sty e I recanted the
insult, and the resul was a challenge from Con-
rad, which I accepted.”

“ A challenge, and a duel followed .3" she
asked, quickly.

“No, for I had a visitor who proved to be
none other than Conrad’s wife, and she begged
me not to meet her hmband, and I did not, and
at once left the city.”

“ lb. De Icon, you are a, noble man.”

“ Thank you.

“ May I ask," continued Arts, blush at her
own llngulsiveness, “if you knew the f”

“I di not, though her voice had a most fa-
miliar ri ,and,Imaysay,mm Preston,was
stran 1y ike the tones of your voice, as it was
when heard you sin years ago, for our meets
ing at Dave Perry’s t e other night, when you
were, disguised as a boy, was not our first meet-

mg.

“ Did you think I had forgotten on, for a
moment to think so!” she asked, in a w tone.

“ I hoped not, though I feared so; {sour fa
told Perry that you were his da r, though
y discovered
the secret, for recognised you from the door,
and that is why I entered and acted as I did.”

“And from what did you not save my father
and myself 1

“But I will not speak of that, now, but tell
you a secret.”

“ I am all attention, Miss Preston.”

“ When on visited our humble home for a
few days, wasin my fourteenth year, you may

5' -”

“Indeed! where was it, may leak!” and he
00kg?l  an

“ en somemon since,infrontofa
club-house inthoston.”

“ By Heaven! thenmyeardid not deceiveme;
it was your Voice!” he said, hastily. .

“Yes, and I will tell you whyl was there.
and how the beautifulgiftyou seatmelong
agu,hel myfatherandmyselfinourpov-‘
erty an distrem, it near]
heerttOpartwithit,”andArta
ofhermfieflngaandthesellin ofbes' .

“Miss .Isaw that ggitari
worth, r land it, heard from
shopman hadbought it,and I purchased“: from

on.
“It wastoseeyou that [Elliowdyourtrain
and came on alone to North Platte, instead of

Joining my Texas cemradesand the herd on the

Arkansas river, as I Gigi-all in to do.”
Arte tried to speak, but hgww not
find utterance, and the tears came in at beau-
tiful eyes. and as they were some distance in
front of Mr. hiabrey and his prisoner, Lucien
De Leon continued, in his low, earnest tones:
“Miss Preston, circumstances of an unpleas-
ant nature made me a Texas pleinsman. and\
once. following the bent of my reckk - humor,
I rode on horseback thro is many of theStates.’

do,” and haviu bound the desperado firmly ‘ “It was then that I me you.and. irl th

Iron Arm turn to the now happy Arts, and, you were. yourima e went with me geek m

raisin his hat, said. litely: ! mountains and ries of Texas; I saw your
“ e meet again, is Preston.” face in the coals of my lonely cam fire I heard
“Yes, sir, and under circumstances where, 1 your voice in the sweet sing ngof hirds.and

as usual, I am under obligations for services l as my heart losing the love of a half-sister I had

rendered: oh, sir, how can I thank you?” and
Arta’s magnificent eyes filled with tears.

“ By not referring to any service that it has
been my pleasure to do you: there, now you
are free from the bonds these devils placed upon
you; but may I ask why it was that you were
alone upon t e prairie, or I saw your capture!”

and Iron Arm told of.their being in the Bird- ‘

wood when Grizzly

iniher in a few words who he was.

rte warmly greeted the old man, and told
her two rescuers about the absenceof her fa-
ther from home and of her having ridden over
to the ranch of Ramsey Preston in search of

m.
And also, as she rode ahead with Iron Arm
on their way back down the Birdwood. for they

Gabe and his followers set j‘
upon her, and he introduced Mr. Mabrey, tell- .

1

 

i

started as soon as the dead ren des had been
hastily buried in the ravine. e told of the
scene at the n ranch, and of her particl- ‘
pation in it.

The young man seemed surprised at what he
heard. and remarked:
“ Well. I am glad that Carter Conrad has at -

tiful wife."

I

made‘my idol from boyhood, treasured you in
her’ lace, and as I was coming to Nebraska,
y on an important duty, and to settle-here
as a ranchero, ldetermlned to let my herd come
on under Frank Fielding, my partner, while I
ran East by rail to see if the rl had grown to
womanhood all that I believ . she Would.

“ Alas! I found others in the old house where
I had passed three happy days, and was told
that you and your father had gone, no one knew
w ere.

‘_‘Unsble to find you, on my way west. the ‘
guitar in the shop window at Leavenworth gave
me your trail, and thank God I arrived in time
to be of service to the one iuol of my heart, for,
Arts, you are to me all that I say you are. and
have been ever since you were a little girl.

“ Arte, ve you ever thought of me!"

He turned the full fascination of his gaze
upon her, and holding out her hand, she said
softl‘ :

“ Even as the man loved the little irl. she
loved ban. and each year has but add to her
love for him. until now he is in her eyes all that
man can be in the eyes of the woman who loves

last had the manllness to acknowledge his beau- him and never has, never can love another.”

“ Arte, God bless you.”

  

,1 #4., 

._.-;-. ,. .

 

 

 

 

It wasall hesaid, and they rodoonia silence
together, until the quick eye of Iron Arm de-
tected some moving forms in the nwOods
and willows that fringed the banks of a Bird-

wood. ‘

Instantly he drew rain; but a moment after
moved on once more, saying pleasantly:

“ Gomeon, Mr. Ma.er , for they aremy Tex-
ans,” and he added in a w tone:

“ Now the doom:of Grizzly Gabe is sealed.”

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

, our 0! run QUICKSAND.
aneeder will remember that after the es-
cape of G‘le and Bedrock Mose from
thozuiail, that y Tim, the Band Sport, had
c y a handsome sum 0 money by
telling who had impersonated the Phantom lila-
“PP” “d ‘l‘ihg‘i t ‘h‘°‘tl’°"éh‘l:5“l°’ ‘3“‘
had, as y mis 8, im a
me that had caused him to start sudden y,
and then seek an interview with the young

With a sinister smile Tiny Tim faced the
two, when they were alone in the hotel to-
gether, and asked: 7

“ How liked you the lapsus liviqu I made!”

“ You called me by the name of one who is a
- terror in Texas.”

“ esLand youwere that terror until Texas

at too ot for you and you came here, Bianca,
t Hyena of the Chaparrals,” was the bold re~

Sm.
“And in Satan’s name who are you?" asked

 

 

\' the ranchero, in fierce toms, while his face had

turned to the hue of a corpse.
“ i am ‘01)?! wig;t s:arte(;l out with nsplendid
respects nl e, oun my possib ties or
gvil-doing greater than for good, and I went to
the bad, and ,I keep it up from sheer deviltry of
nature, a love of men and an intense desire
for the excitement wn ch wickedness and dan-
ger bring.” ' ‘

“ Your face is strangely familiar to me, but
your words do not tell’me who you are.”

“ Well, perhaps before We part company you
will know; invite m; to your ranch with you,
Bianca.”

“ Curse youl don’t call me by that name.”

" Very well, Ranchcro Preston, I have a de-
sire to become your guest for a few days.”

“ Return with me then to the ranch for a run
after elk.”

“ I will gowith pleasure; when do you start?"

' “Within the hour. ”

“ I will be ready, Bian—ahl I forgot—I mean
Ranchero Preston,” and with a light laugh the
Dandy Sport left the room. 1 '

But an hour after he was seated on hit home
in froutoftheOverland Best, and being joined
b the cattle-king the tiniest oflfor' the ranch
0 Ramsey Preston. _ ,

Hardly ad they crossed the Platte and borne
away to the north, when a party of horsemen
werevisiulzle'in thenearly 031mm gwnghe
river;’ one pa v on saw so ,-w i e
the  bind a
who were when:-

in rent of the Over-

lan Best, when one of their number dismount-
ed, and gain to the Wrroom of Dave

Iswasopened’ . 'bytheproprletoroftheOver-
land, w with his usual caution, covered the
vidtor his revolver. '

“kill, an], and I have come for you to

“00:3,”? 7 .

“ shanghai!!!“ De Don, it is ycs:i
itzliiebz’dal" feared you were dead; como'in, _

"No, thank you, for I have not time; my
Texans are wai yonder, and we have a
chasegnhnudmnd wish you to be in at the
death.

Impressed by the manner of Iron Arm, Dave
Perry called to his Chinese servant to get his
horse, and hastily drefsing, was soon at the
head of the Texans, and learning from De Leon
the cause of this strange move.

“ You see‘Davathe-re have been strange things

ingonup nthe vicinit of the Birdwood," said

ron Arm, “ for Carter onrad, who went hunt-
ing for the Phantom Maneppa, found a wife on
his trail, and has duos then made some interest—
ing discoveries, thron the aid of Don Gila Al-
colO. a Mexican, who as been a kind of seer
to Ramsey Preston, but who in reality is an ex-
iled conspirator of good family.

“Then, that accursed Grizzly Gabe ran off

'with Miss Arta Preston, but I rescued her and
captured him, and my b0 3 have ned
hanging him on the princip e of the more the
merrier, and they 9 to ct more.

“It is to Gr’zzly abe Ia so owe my disap-
pearance.- and in m wander'iaigs I made im-
portant discoveries that you i find dmlop
with interest all round.”

“ And where is Gabe i”

“Some of my boys have him in our camp
nearAfiei'kgpy Preston’s ranch."

u as [man '

“Is with her father at their ranch, and, by
the way, the old gentleman got lost while hunt‘
ing, but was found by my mustangers."

-' ‘And Ramsey Preston and that queer little

y port little dreamed '
u , . .
Cronin theriverghgen thetowninthe'

Satan, Dandy rt, or Tiny Tim have one to-
night the ogglgr’s ranch,”  Dave.g

‘ Yes, we saw them cross the river but they
were not as quick-eyed as they might be, and
failed to see us; I recognized them with my
glassin e moonlifihtl at, harkl is notthata
cry from he river

All drew rein and listened, and distinctly
came the cry, as from the shallow waters of the
North Platte:

“Help! Help!”

“There has some one tten caught in the
Quicksand " cried Dave erry, and, like one
man. the f-ecore of horsemen bounded for—
ward, and were soon crossing the river toward
the other shore.

About one-third across, and some little dis-
t ince below the regular crossing, was visible a
dark object in the moonlight.

“ It is a horse and rider :nguick, and we may
save him, for he saw "us as called for help,’
cried Dave Perry.

On the Texans wen but warned by Dave
Perry, who knew well he treacherous nature
of the sands, they halted in the regular cmssin ,
lariats were tied ether, and one of the her -
ers slipped from his and rode totherescue.

To save the man was comparatively an ass
task, forhe wasonlyinthequicksan uptoh
knees, and was soon drawn out' but the task of
saving the horse was a difficult one, though at
last aocom ished, and steed and rider were
soon land ‘ upon the shore from which they
had stcted. ‘ ‘

There they halted, and the rescued man said,
in suppressed tones:

“Lucien De Leon, to you, and your friends,
I owe my life.”

“Yes Merton Mabrey ” was the quiet reply,
though Iron Arm s deeply moved.

“ I have known that of late years you have
sou$t in life, De Leon,” said Merton Mabrey.

" es, have longed to meet you.”

“ And is it war between us now?”

“ No, for I find! have wron youhgfabre ."

“Thank God you at last .w t trut ,"
was the earnest ejaculation, and the two men
grasped hands, and, as they rode on together,
Merton Mabrey heard that mm the lips of his
old fee that brought joy to his heart. ‘

CHAPTER XXXIX.
umvrnsn GUESTS.

Wrru the exception of seeing the Phantom
Mazeppa dash by them in the moonlight, with
the same wild neighi of her horse,-and her
mocking laughter, and log in unwise Anxious
to me her, Ramsey Preston, the Ranchero,
Tiuy'l‘im the Dandy Sport, arrived at the
ranch o the mast without adventure.

Sancho, his hand in a sling, and his face
pale. welcomed them,‘and then set abOut pre-
parin supper, as well as he could with his
wouu ed arm, and which wound be accounted

 

“You certainly have shown t skill in
dressing it by yourself, "_ the rancher-o,
with icion. ‘

“The norita Preston rode over this after
noon. and kindly dressed it for me.”

“Ah’l'that accounts for it; how is my sweet
0 .

“Quite well, senor" she said she and her fa-

ther would Maps rise over to-night, or in the

marl)?“  th th ones, Dand
; are e

Sport, 0%: In stock for.{he ‘ rsons who 
believe was his

killed our ' Mabre
Bl ' hammywellxégancho mqu about rehdyf’

“ Yes so or,” ‘ the two sat down to their
meal, which was certainly a most ternpting one
iota prairie repeat.

After supper Preston smoked his
pipe in front of the cabin and chatted with

iny Tim while Sancho busied himself with the
household duties, but uite often went to the
rear of the cabin and g need out over the prai-

118.

At last he seemed to disc0ver what he was
looking for, as he returned to the cabin mutter
ing:

“They are coming; now for the curtain to
rise upon a tragedy. ‘ ‘

A few moments after Ramse Preston and
the Dandy Sport sprung sudden y to their feet,
both with their hands upon their weapons, for
around the corner of the cabin rode two persons.

“Ah! it is you cousin, and you, too, Arta;
I am both honored and deli hted by your com-
ing " said the ranchero, and e aroseto aid Arts
to ismount, when, from around the other end
of the cabin darted anumber of forms, and in an
instant the ranchero and the Dandy Sport found
themselves in clutches they could not shake oil.

“ What! villains who are on! Cousin Berk-
ley, do you stand there and ook calmly on this
outra i" cried Ramsey Preston, savagely.

“T t entlcman, sir, will explain whether
it is an on in to place you in bonds,” re lied
Berkley? n, sternly, and he pointed to -on
Arm, who ate forward from the group of
Texans who ad, with him, bound both the
ranchero and Tiny Tim. '

 

“And who'are you, sir, that commits this
on huge?” demanded the ram-hero.

{Sr by saying a pistol had gone oil.’ and shot,
m , .

 

“ Men call me Iron Arm, the Banchero, sir, but
my name is Lucien De Leon. I am a Texas cattle
man, and I have been on your trail ever since

igh years ago you pillaged my father’s home,

and made my half—sister and'myself fatherless;

do on know me now?"

“ o, for you are mistaken in the man. . I am
Ramsey Preston, the cousin of that entlemag,
who know»; me wall,” and he poin to ‘
ley Preston, who ansWered:

“ Yes, you are my cousin, I shame to say it,
but on are not Ramsey Preston, but his twin-
brot er. Bianca, who went to the bad when a
boy and whom I believed dead long ago,” said
Berkley Preston.

“It is alie; I am Ramsey Preston," shouted
the man, in a fury.

“ Then wl 0 am I, Bianca?”

A man came forward and conme the
ranchero; a man startlin ly like the prisoner,
only that his face was wh to and haggard.

‘ Good God! does the grave give up its dead!"
groaned the bound man.

“No, for yonder grave on the pmirle never
held my body Bianca, a when you shot me
down in cold blood, the bu let glanced on a rib
and did not kill me, while, thanksto this kin'l
Mexican, the grave was filled in, and I was bid
den away in yonder outhouse, and nursed back
to life, that now I might confront you,“ said
Ramsey Preston, as he is now known to be,
speaking in a low, and tone. ‘ '

“’1 say you lie: lam Ramsey, you are Bian-

“ Ah, brother, it is useless for you to say this,
for you remember long ago, when boys, to
know usapart, our dead mother put our names
on our arms in India ink;.here is the name of
Ramsey on my arm," and the speaker raised
his sleeve, and the name was easily read in the
moonlight, while the risoncr groaned aloud, us
his brother continu :

“You, Bianca, wronged me in childhood.
and, possessing an ev.l heart, became worse as
you grew in years, until you fled from home a
murderer.

“ Returning, in my absence, you married the
ver maiden to whom I was engaged, for, as I
had. been away for a year, you deceived her
into the belief that you were me; finding out
her fatal error she clung to vou, ho ing to re
deem you from your evil life; bu you sunk
lower and lower, and at last I sought to find

her.

“Atnrst she would not listen to my entree.-
ties to leave you; but at last yielding we fled
from you and came hither, and that you should
not find us ever, we inhospitany turned from
our door all who earns.

“At last, through this man, Don Gila Alcolo,
whom you know as o,‘ and sent on our
"in studs... "

' e we V wronged on, notwith-
standing your wrougs to us, and'ywewero'con-
gentile accept the penalty: hutch, what apsnal-

y ’7
“To defend your ranch from a prowling
band of India - you shot me down, and be»
lieved me dead; t before that you tied on the
back or her own horse the noble woman whom
on bad so deceived, who rightly should have
:Iflmyudfaandsentherofltodieonthe
pra e. , '
“And, with herhorse chased ’ ' d
frightened by the way'his misb’tresswflgd
mu Who would have taken her-to her: death

“great God! then she is not ‘yet dead!"

ned Bianca. '

“No, Blanca, the Hyena of. the Chapel-relax.
the man whose name is a terror in Texas as an
outlaw, and who came here to hide himself
under the name of his brother I am not dead,”
and there suddenly swept be ore the vision of
the frightened man the slander, graceful form
of Alita, his former wife. ‘

“ Alive! alive!" he almost shouted.

“Yes, thanks to this gentleman, whose home
was the only match that Phantom ever met.
and who ran me dew and saved me from
death.

“Then, to punish you, I man do With his
aid, a harness to support me rec upon my
horse, and, able to rise at will, Phantom was no
longer afraid of me, and ,I guided him at will.
an have I not made th craven heart tremble
with an rstitiog fear, iancai

“An in ma ng you fear, I have felt cxr
quisite jo , as l sped OVGI‘ the prairies, and
now I embers to see en .die, for yonder men
are Texans, and they now no mercy, for they
came here to NebraSka to hunt you down; dis-
guised as cowboys, for they drove their on
tain’s herd here you did not recognise t 9
Rangers who had 80 Often hunted you on the
prairie, among the'mountains and in the chap-
arrals; but they Will be in at your death, Bian-
ca the Hyena. ’

‘ be women seemed to triumph in the hate
she felt, and the revenge that would be (ratified,
and the man groaned itifully:

“,Among you all t ere is not one to pity

me.

“It is said, Bianca, that misery loves com-
ny, and you shall have it, for a man here, no

ess the vi] ain, but less the polished devil you'

C ml

I

 

 

 

 

 

 

.--——— -

. n'rs say I is ter give in my chi , an' as they
holds a full han’ an’ trumps ter 1:, what are
ther use 0’ kickln'f”

Tasman Mamm-

 

are, dies with you," said Iron Arm, stepping
forward.
“ Who is he?” 0 rly asked the doomed man.
“ Grizzly Gabe s the name he has hidden his
baptismal ap llation under." ‘
“ Yas, parr ; I undertoo; thar a pair 0’
us in ther same 1;, an’ I does wish as how
that was only one; but these heur Lone Star-

The philanthropy of Grizzly Gabe could not
but win the admiration of his foes, and a mur-
mur of approbation went round the crowd; but
checking it, Iron Arm said:

“Bianca, I dislike to launch a man into eter-
nity with the sins you have on our soul. but
you deserve death in its worst cm, and yet,
as out of your vileness some good has come, I
will be merciful."

“Some good, what i” eagerly asked
Bianca, while Grizzly Ga said:

“ Pard, ef yer kin git any 00d out 0’ me, yer
is welcome to it fer a keepsa e.”

“The that comes out of your wicked-
ness is, rst, that I, believin in the dishonor
of a half-sister, Clarice Cor ova, deeply loved
1) me, found that she was the wedded wife of I
Min-ton Mabre here and through following
your trail nort to Nebraska this good tidings
came to my ears, while it also brought about
this happy reunion of father and son, who had
long been separated from each other.

“ Second, it brought her Don Gila Alcolo
and his lovely sister. an that sister and her
husband, all of whom, though condemning you
to death for your crimes, bless you as the means
that united them.

“Third, your cousin, Berkley Preston, and
his daughter, suflering through poverty, are
now Iiplaced beyond want.

“ or these blessings we are willin to say
that you shall not die like a dog. wit a rope
around his neck, but be shot, asthough you were
worth of that fate. and for his courage in the
face 0 death, Grizzly Gabeahall die in the same
manner."

“ I thanks yer fer thet, pard for I never were
partial ter tight cravats, coolly remarked the
desperado.

“ And I thank you for that mercy, though I
mirse you bitterly for the fate you have brought
upon me,” firmly responded Bianca.

“ And now,” said Iron Arm, unheeding the
remark of the doomed man, “there is one here
from whose face I wish to tear the mask.

h “Fielding, bring forward the prisoner you
ave.

Frank Fielding quietly led Tiny Tim, the
gland Sport, forward, and Iron Arm con-

mu :

“ This person is known as Tiny Tim, and for
years the identity has been concealed evenme
Merton Mabrey here. '

“ Under the apmrel of a man the form of a
woman is concea .”

A murmur of intense surprise went round
from every lip, while the accused drooped her
head and trembled violently. '

Continuing in his distinct, even tones, Iron
Arm said:

“ Mr. Mabre , this woman is the one who
wrecked your ife and caused you to drive your
son from Myour home as your intended murderer.

“Mr. abrey, junior, this is the woman who
poison°d the mind. and broke the heart of your
wife, my half-sister, Clarice Cordova, and caused
her to take her own life; and more, this woman
plotted to have your father kill you. and be-

loved she had succeeded; but when you were
dragged from your horse by the lane of a road-
ageat, and, as he believed killed, he mounted
your steed, and died in your stead and thus the

lot of this woman was thwarted by an acci-

ent, while you, half-delirious from the blows
given you, unarmed and unthinking, roamed
the prairies on a horse you found, and were
brought back‘to yourself only by the danger of
dying in a qmcksand.

“ Lovin you, and hating you bemuse ou
loved not er in return, this woman soughz to
do you all the harm in her power, and turning
her venom upon Miss Preston, because of your
friendship for her, she sought to have her and
her father die at the hands of a mob to gratify
her revenge.

“This woman and myself have met below.
and I know her as she does me, and I say she is
worse than the snake in the grass and more (1811- ’
gerous.”

“I are a angil alongside 0' her,” broke in
Grizzly Gabe, end it brou ht a laugh from the
light-hearted, reckless ens Bangers, while
Iron Armcontinued: I

“ Now, upon this woman I ask the justice here, :
Dave Perry. ‘0' PW tion for her
crimes.” , I

Dave Perry stem 3t being called n to I

as; judgment upon a woman, for never fore I
had he had such a duty to perform; but he said ;
in his off-hand Way 1 . , i

“ I’ll sentence her to gluon for life, and send
her there under Ben anshaw, for she is too i
dun rous to go at large-

“ f that don’t satisfy her. I,“ Bet the Vigi-
lantes to try her."

 

 

 

23

 

glance first fell upon Merton Mabrey, senior, I
and she smiled bitterly; then she turned her ‘
eyes to his son, and said in a distinct voi e:

“ I loved you, Merton Mabrey, and that love
you scorned and it was my ruin, for it made me
the revengeful devil I am.

“ And you, Lucien De Leon, have brought me
to judgment, and I will. you my curse for so
doing.

“Justice Perry, you have
tion upon me l.ving, but dead
jurisdiction.”

As the last word left her lips her right hand .
went quickly upward; a red h momentarily j
poled the bright moonlight, and the woman ‘

ssed condemna-
am beyond your

who had soplayed the part of a fiend fell dead 1
in her tracks.

A silence fell upon all, while Iron Arm knelt I
over the prostrate form.

Risingkslowhv he said sternl :

“She dea ; Fielding, lea those two men to .
execution.”

“I needs no leadin‘, part]; I hes played my
last keerd an’ther game are yourn," calm! y said I
Grizzly Gabe, and placing himself by the side I
of Bianca, the two walked 11me a few feet dis- I
tent, and turning, faced the half-score Texan ‘
Rangers who had ranged themselves in a double I
line, rifles in hand. I

“ Have you aught to say are I give the word ‘
to fire?" asked Iron Arm. I

Blanca, the Hyena, remained in stolid si- I
leave, but Grizzly Gabe said, in his characteris- 
tic way: r I

“I hes but two words ter say, an' them is. 1
good-night, pards ."’ I

ti  I"

The word rung from the lips of Iron Am, the
ten rifles flashed, and Bianca, the Hyena, and :
Grizzly Gabe, the Platte desperado, fell dead in I
their tracks. 1

An hour more, and upon the open prairie, I
with no tree near to mark the spot, the 4
moon shone brightly down upon three graves, I
and three wicked hearts were forever at rest.

CONCLUSION. !

A woan of the living characters of this story, i
and my romance has ended, kind reader.

True to his reformation, Carter Conrad wrote
to his father of his marri e, and his intention I
to work for a support for imself and his wife. I

But the letter weIs never seen by the eyes for I
which it was intended,-as Mr. Conrad 'ed of I
heart-disease ere it reached him, and conse- 1
quently his son fell heir to his vast wealth, and 
yet dwells on his prairie ranch, preferring it to I
the wild life of the city.

And Birdie Tail, the one who forgetting his i
faults and his follies and loved him so well, '
mourned his desertion of her bitterly for one
year and then—married cos Hume.

Gila Alcolo, once known as Sancho, the
Half-breed, taking advantage of another revo-
lution, returned to his native land, and is now
a general of Lanceros in the army, with a pros-
pect of being emperor or president in that tu-
multuous, ever tickle land of Mexico. .

After the death of Bianca, the HyenAa-ii a
month or more Ramsey Preston and ta
rode into North Platte and were secretly mar-
ried by Justice Dave Perry, wlo, I may here
say, is still a resident .of that. at resent, very
flourishing town on the U. P. rafiroad, where
yuears ago he so justly exercised his judicial

actions.

Benton Vail, learning that it was the inten-
tion of Carter Conrad to hold him responsible
for the false  he had told Pauline about him,
levanted Eastward, and, dismissed from his
club, is now j ng down-hill a bar-room
loafer. with his mm a pan r’s rave.

Berkley Preston, one ime he millionaire
and_thcn the bankrupt through the nobleness oi
his nature, dwellsalone on the Birdwood Ranch.

ven him by his cousin Ramos , for his beau-

iful dau hter Arta is now rs. Lucien De

4

Leon, an a handsomer con is no one would
care to see than Iron Arm, t e Ranchero, and
his wife.

The Mabreys, father and son, returned to
Texas with Lieutenant Frank Fielding and his
Rangers, and are, I believe, in business together
in some city on the Gulf. .

Ben Fanshaw, the constable, was killed doing
his duty, and it so impressed Gospel Luke that
he repented of his manifold sins. rejoined the
church, bought a hand-organ and uniform, and
with one arm buttoned under his ocat, plays
” old soldier" from town .to towr.

Exeunt amnes.

 

hi; Fireside Library.—

_.

 

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-_._.__..._.

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1. A Hard Crowd. By P. S. Warne.
‘2. The Dare-Devil. By Co]. Ingraham.
3. Kit Carson, Jr. By Buckskin Sam.
4. The Kidna per. By P. S. Warne.
5. The Fire-P ends. By A. P. Morris.
6. Wildcat Bob. By E. L. Wheeler.
7. Death-Notch, THE DESTROYER; on,
THE SPIRIT LAKE AVENoims. By 011 Coomes.
8. The Headless Horseman. A strange
story of Texas. By Capt. Mayne Reid.
9. Handy An”. By Samuel Lover.
10. Vidoc , THE FRENCH POLICE SPY.
Written fiihhmse. f. E C M
1 dlhl'finan . apt. arrynt.
. The Ugath-Shzy By Mayne Reid.
18. Pathaway. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.
.14. Thayendane ea. ByNed Buutlme.
15. The Tiger-S yer. By G. Aimard.
18. The White Wizard. Ned Buntiine.
17. Nightshade. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.
18. The Sea Bandit. By Ned Buntiine.
19. Red Cedar. ByGuflhve Aimard.
20. The Bandit at Mu By Aimard.
21. The Trapper’g Da hter; on,
THE OUTLAw‘s FATI. W “stave A mard.
22. “ith. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.
23. The “Warrior. By Ned Buntline
24. Prairie Flower. By G. Aimard.
85.  Gold-Guide. By F. Johnson.
8,6» The Death-Track. By F. Johnson.
’27. The Spotter-Detective. By Aiken.
28. Three- red Jack, THE ROAD-
ACENT or THE ROCKIES. B Joseph E. Badger, J r.
29. Tiger Dick, HE FARO KING; or,
'i'nE CAsmEE’s CRIME. By Philip S. Wnrne.
30. Gospel Geor o. By J. E. Badger.
31. The New Yor Sharp. By Aiken.
32. B’hoys of Yale. By J. D. Vose.
.33. Overland Kit. By A. W. Aiken.
34. Rocky Mountain Rob. By Aiken.
35. Kentuek. the Sport. By Aiken.
36. Injun Dick. By Albert W. Aiken.
37. Hirl, the Hunchback: OR, THE
Swonmrmn or TEE SANTEE. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.
38. Velvet Hand. By A. W. Aiken.
39. The Russian Spy. By Whittaker.
40. The Long Haired ‘Pardsz' on,
Tim TAMAns or THE E. B Jos. E. Badger. Jr.
41. Gold Dan. By Al rt W. Aiken.
42. California Detective. By Aiken.
43.DakotaDan. By on Coome<.
44. Old Dan Rackback. Oll Coomes.
45. Old Bull's Eye. J08. E. Badger. Jr.
46. Bowie-m Ben. By Oil Coomes.
47. Pacific Pete. By Joe. E. Badger, Jr.
‘ ‘8. daho Tom. By 011 Coomes.
49. eWolf Demon. By A. W. Aiken.
B 5J0. gaekm Rgbbit, THE PEAIEIE Sronr;
' os. er 1',
’51. Red Ito . THE BOY minimum.
By 011 Goomes.
62. Death Trailer. By Buffalo Bill.
53. alver Sam. By Col. Dene Burn.
54. Always onHand. By P. S. Warns.
55. The Scalp Hunters. Mayne Rail.
58. The Indian a. By Aiken.
57. The Silent Hunter. P. B. St. John.
58. Silver Knife. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.
59. The Man Prom Texas. By Aiken.
80. Wide Awake. By Frank Dumont.
81. Captain Seawaif. By Ned Buntiine

82. Heart. By Gustave Aimard.
63. The w ed Whale. By Aiken.
84. Double- ht. the Death Shot.

135' Joseph E. Badger. r.
65. The Red Rajah. By F. Whittaker.
88. The Specter Barque. Mayne Reid.
67. The Boy Jockey. By J. E. Badger.
(1.2.3.... Exhanfiiflififfi £215.11:
89. The Irish Captain. By Whittaker.

70. Hydrabad, THE STEANGLEE; or,
Auras, THE Can or TEE Conn. By Robinson.

‘71. Captain Cool-Blade. J. E. Badger.
'72. The Phantom Hand. By Aiken.
’73. The Kn ht of the Red Cross:

Jr. THEMMHCIAN or EANADA. Dr. J. H. Robinson.
174. Captain oftho Rifles. Mayne Reid.
75._ Gentleman George. By Aiken.
'78. The Queen’s Musketeer: or,

’Tmsnn, THE Famous PALIIs-r. By George Albony.
'77. The Fresh of Frisco. By Aiken.

 

78. The Mysterious Spy. By Grain r
79. Joe Phenix, POLICE SPY. By Alkgfl.
80. A Man of Nerve. By P. S. Warns.
81. The Human Tiger. By Aiken.
82. Iron Wrist, the Swordmaster.
By Col. Thomas H. Monstery.
88. Gold Bullet Sport. By Buifalo Bill.
84. Hunted Down. By A. W. Aiken.
85. The Cretan Rover. By Ingraham.
86. The Big Hunter; or, THE QUEEN
or Tm: Woons. By the author of “ Silent Hunter.“
87. The Scarlet Captain. Dene Sara.
88. Bi? Georgie, THE GIANT OE TEE
Gown; or, HE FIVE OCTLAw BEOTEEEE. By Badger.
89. The Pirate Prince. By Ingraham.
__90o Wild Will. By Buckskin Sam.
91. The Winning Oar. By Aiken.
92. Buhlo Bill. By Dangerfield Burr.
93. Captain Dick Talbot. By Aiken.
94. Freelance. TnE BUCCANEEE; or, The
WAnr or TEE WAVE. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.
95. Asher-t, TEE AXMAN. By A. P. Morris.
98. Double-Death. By F. Whittaker.
97. Bronse Jack. y A. W. Aiken.
98. The Rock Rider. By Whittaker.
99. The Giant Rifleman. Oll Coomes
l 00. The French Spy. By A. P. Morris.
101. The Man from New York: or,
TEE ROEANCE or A RICH YOUNG WOMAN. By Aiken.
102. The Masked Band. Goe. L. Aiken
103. Merle, the Mutineer. Ingraham.
104. Montezuma, the Merciless: or,
THE EAGLE AND THE SERPENT. By Col. P. Ingraham.
105. Dan Brown of Denver, 'l‘nE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN DETECTIVE. By Joe. E. Badger, Jr.
108. Shamus O’Brien. CO]. Delle Sara.
107. Richard Talbot of Cinnabar;
or. THE Bnormms or TEE RED HAND. By AW. Aikmi.
108. The Duke of Diamonds: or. Tun:
FLOWER OE CAIEI‘TTA. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker.
109. Captain K (1. By Col. Ingraham.
1 10. The Silent ifleman. By Herbert.
1 1 1. The Smufigler Captain; or, THE
Swan‘s CRIME. By edBuntline.
112. Joe Phenix, PRIVATE DETECTIVE;
or, THE LEAGUE or TEE SKELETON Kins. By Aiken.
113. The Sea Slip er; or, TEE AMA-
Tm FREEBOOTERS. By Pro . J. H. lngrahnm.
1 14. The Gentleman fi‘om Pike: or,
TEE (mom or TEE CANTON. B Philip S. War-no.
115. The Severed H’ead. Whittaker.
1 18. Black Plume. By Col. Ingraham.
1 1 7. Dashing Dandy. By Major Burr.
118. The Burglar Captain; or, THE
FALLEN STAR. By . J. H. lngrsham.
119. Alabama Joe. By J. E. Badger.
120. The Texan y. By N. M. Curtis.
121. The Sea C et. By lngrahnm.
122. Saul Sabberday,Tmt IDIOT SPY;
or, LrLIoNA, m BEEINOLE. B ' Ned Buntline.
123. Alapaha, the Briluaw; «r. THE
RENEGADEB OE TEE BORDER. By rancis Johnson.
124. Assowaum. the Ave er; or,
TIIE D00)! or TEE DEsTnovEns. By Franc a Johnson.
125. The Blacksmith Outlaw; or,-
MEEEY ENGLAND. By Harrison Ainsworth.
128. The Demon Duelist. By Monster-y.
127. Sol'Scott. THE MAsm MINER; or,
DAN BROWN'S Donna. B Jose 11 E. Badger.
128. The Cheva er orsair; or, TEE
HERITAGE or HATEED. B the author of “ Merle."
129. Mississipg ose. By Ed.Willett.
‘ 130. Captain olcano. By Aiken.
131. Buckskin Sam. By Col. Ingraham.
132. Nemo, King of the Tramps; or,
TEE RouANr Gum's VENGEANCE. By Whittaker.
133. Body. the Rover; or. THE Rm-
BONEAN or InELANn. By William Carleton.
134. Darkie Dan. By Col. Ingraham.
135. The Bush Banger. By Johnson.
138. The Outlaw-Hunter. J obnson.

137. Long Beard, TEE GIANT SPY. By
011 Coomes.

138. The Border Bandits. Johnson.

139. Fire-Eye. TH! SEA HYENA; or,
TEE BRIDE or A BvocANEEs. By COL P. Ingraham.

140. The Three Spaniards. By
George Walker.

141. Equinox Tom. By J. E. Badger.

142. Ca tain Crimion, THE MAN or'm
loos FAOI. y Major Dangerfield Burr.

143. The Csar's Spy. By Monstery.

144. The Hunchback ofNotre-Dame.
By Victor Hugo.

145. Pistol Pards. By W. R. Eyster.

 

148. The Doctor Detective; 0', TH]:
Mrs-mar or THE GOLDEN COHIN. By Geo. Lemuel.

147. Gold S ur. THE GENTLEEAN FROM
TEXAs. By Colonel ntiss

148. One-Armed Alf. By 011 Coomcs.

149. The Herder Rifles. By Aimard.

150. E1 Rubin Bravo. KING on THE
Swoansxzax. By Col. Thomas Hoyer Monstery.

151. The Preebooters. By Aimard.

152. Captain Ironnerve, TEE COIN-
TEarEmm Cain. By Marmaduke Dey. .

153. The White Scalper. By Aimard.

154. Joaquin, THE SADDLE KING. By
Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

155. The Corsair Queen.
Prentiss Ingraham. '

158. Velvet Pace. By Major Burr.

157. Mourad. THE MAMELUKE. By
Col. Thomas Hoyer Monster-y.

158. The Doomed Dozen: or, L0-
LonEs, THE DANITE‘s DAUGHTER. By Dr. F. Powell.

159. Red Rudiger. TEE ARCHER. By
Captain Frederick Whittaker.

180. Soft Hand. Sharp. By Eystcr.

181. The Wolves of New York: or,
Join PaENIx‘s GREAT MAN HUNT. By A. W. Aiken.

182. The Mad Mariner: or, DISHON—
omen AND DisowNEn. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

183. Ben Brion, THE TRAPPER CAP-
TAIN. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.

184. The King’s Pool. By C. D. Clark.

185. Joaquin. the Terrible. By JON.
E. Badger, Jr.

168. Owlet, the Robber Prince: 0*,
THE UNKNOWN HIGI-IWAYEAN. By Septimus RUrbnn.

187. The Man of Steel. A. P. Morris.

188. Wild Bill, TEE PISTOL DEAD Snow.
By Colonel Prentiss Ingrshsm.

189. Corggral Cannon. THE MAN 0E
FOETT DUELB. Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monster-y

170. Sweet William, THE TRAPPIR
DETECTIVE. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

171. T r Dick, THE MAN or THE.
IRON HEART. y Philip 8. Wsrne.

172. The Black Pirate. By Ingrahnm.

173. California John. By AW. Aiken.

174. The Phantom ts. A Tale
0! Chivslry. By (‘sptsin Frederick Whittaker.

175. Wild Bill's Trump Card.
Major Dangerfield Burr.

176. Lady Jaguar, TEE ROBBER anrz;
By Captain Mark Wilton.

177. Don Diablo. TnE PLANTEn-Con--
sAIn. By Col. Prentiss lngrsham.

178. B ark Dashwood. TEE DBSPERATE..
or, To: CHILD or ran Bun. 'By Major 8.8. Hall.

179. Conrad, the Convict; ova-W: a
El Gum-n? By Prof. Stewart Gildcnlem, LLD.

180. Old '49. By Joe. E. Badger. Jr.

181. The Scarlet Schooner; or. Two
NW1! or TEE SEA. By Col. Prentiss mgr..th

182. Hands Up! By Wm. R Eystcr.

183. Gilbert. the Guide. C. D. Clark.

184. The Ocean Vampire: or. THR‘
mem or CAsTLE CnnsE. By Col. P. Ingraham.

185. Man Spider. By A. P. Morris.

188. The Black Bravo : or, "Inn:
TONuWAr‘s anxrn. By Buckskin Sam.

187. The Death's Head Cuirass‘ers :
or, BRAVE or ALL BEAVEE. By Capt. Fredwmttaker.

188. The Phantom Maxeppa. BY
Major Dangerfield Burr.

189. Wild Bill’s Gold Trail: or, Tim
DISPERADO DozEN. By Col. Prentiss lngrsham.

190. The Three Guard-men- By
Alexandre Dumas.

191. The Terrible Tonknwa ; or,

o WxAxn His PAnns. By Buckski m.
“9 Resdytlune zlst.

V‘.v
J) v
o

C'.i~

By

192. This m8. '1th BS 3 or, THE
M N or LAUGETIE AR. 111. R. E tor.
B“ I . y Reedy Jug: m.

A new tame every week.

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