.___.____....—-—-_—~.—_._._____.___..__.___._.

 
_ \ *

A I': 5il'ilﬂ"

 
I ' 1M I

1» m! .mu': m ||l ll ha. a (n.1, .ij':

g . ._. >
HEW!Ittaiiiuiiik‘ﬂm:itMn w  «"11minu:2m   .| -~ ~“"H*"“‘lliwx\‘li 'U" 1amgunmen

COPYRIGHTED IN 'uss‘i. EVA-éHEAD‘l—E_ m

  
J‘ K;

 
V01.  Published Every QBeadZ e g‘ ﬂd 779% 2)? m, Cam, Copy, N 0 46 1

Eslnnmfgjgx Posr Onxgn AT NEW ‘YORK. X. Y.. AT Szcoxn CLASS IAIL RATES.

 
WeanlW- 98 WILLIAM STREET, N. Y., August 2;. 1887. 55-00 8 Y6"-

 
_ _ , , ,, 7 Ht 7 . , 77‘7M—_.. a, ,_,.__v ..r.. __ 7*.“ .,v‘___'

 
 'l 
4., V- t ‘ I
4411"
\x‘

 
A Story of the Texan Frontier.

   
BY ALBERT \\'. AIKEN,

AUTHOR OF “ THE FRESH m: FRISCO." “ BRONZE
JACK." "CAPTAIN VOLCANO,” “THE
STRAXGER SPORT." “OVER-

LAND KIT," “TALBOT OF
"INNABAR,” ETC.

 
CHAPTER I. D
A FRONTIER ARGUMENT.
“ IWANT to go to El Paso.”
“ Why in blazes don’t you go then? Who in
thunder is a-hindering you?”
And then the two men looked at each other,
e) e to eye. for a moment.

"M; V “H,   I   _- ‘ ._*_. It is of the httle village of Las Cruces, situ-
l. \ \ wagjlll'   , r , , and In the southern part of New Mex1co, on
,7,  ‘ 1 ., r ” . /' .  '  1 the bank of the Rio Grande del None, that we
‘4 V  ¥ ~ 7 ‘ wriu-.
 7 ; , _ ’  r _ - 7 r  r. > Las Cruces, at the time we introduce it to the
‘ 7 ~ "   ~—- - 9’ 7- — ' reader‘s notice. was an insi iﬂcant town, on]
‘TAKE THAT WITH THE (.‘UMI’LIMENTS OF THE FRESH 0!“ FRISCO!“ noted fur being the spot w ere the Rio Gran e

 
'an

2 .

 
:stage line, running from Albuquerque to El

Paso, changed horses.

It was the last station on the line until El
iPaso was reached.

lVe write of a time—not far distant—when
the rear and scream of the Iron Horse did not
wake the echOes along the banks of the Rio
-Grande as at present.

The stage rant-h was on the outskirts of the
village. .

It was not an elaborate establishment, only
consisting of an old—fashioned house built of
’dobies, after the Mexican style, and a corral
where the horses were kept.

Two men represented the stage company:
Alexander Richardson 9. big, burlv, black-

fellow, who held the position of Express-
agont, the bass of the establishment, andashort,
thick-set, red-headed Irishman, Mike O’Dono
h the stockrnan.
comgany hardly needed an agent at such

i cant point as Las CruCcs, for the
to“ d not furnish business enough in a year
to pay the agent’s salary for a month, but
being the changing station, a boss was neces-
.s .

S"iiaylex Richardson was well—knowu along the
’line of the Rio Grande, and bore the reputation
of bein a tough customer, for he had on u 51y
disposit on, and his SiZo and weight made him a

— ,dan rous man to handle.

‘ T e a icnt sat in the main room of the ranch,
with his chair tiltnd back against tho wall, a
short Clay pipe in his mouth—the “ (ludcen ” of
the O’Donohue to be exact—and his legs on the

top of the small desk, which seemed tc dignity

‘ the apartment with the title of ofﬁce.

Richardson’s meditations had been disturbed
by the entrance of the man with whose speech
we begin our tale.

The new-comer was a stranger, a muscular,
well-built fellow, a little above the medium
size, with a frank, open face, lit- leis by a pair of
keen, gray—blue e es, and fring with yellow
hair, which curl in little 0. ispy ringlets close
at: his well-shaped head.

lie was dressed in a complete suit of buckskin
and wore a broad-brimmcd slouch hat, pulled
well down over his forehead.

His clothes were very much the worse for
rear, and Richardson immediately jumped to
the cgnclusion that he was a cowboy in ‘ hard
luck.

Two peculiarities about the man’s suit we ne-
glected to mention-his main garment was a
sort of a shooting-jacket with deep kets, in-
stead of a hunting-shirt, and in p ace of the
usual ﬂannel shirt, the universal garment on the
outskirts of civilization, he Spotted a “b’iled”
article, elaborately frilled and milled, although
it was now sadly soiled and in need of a laun-
dress’s care.

The stranger was a mild-siioken man, and he
appeared astonished at the xpress—agent’s rude

re 1 .

R Ibeg your pardon,” he said, politely, “ per-
hlapo I have mgd’? a mistake. I took this to be
t a sta e ranc . .

“ Rig t you are, young fellow, thar ain’t the
least doubt ’bout that; t is ar’ the stage ranch,
and I am the a nt, Alex Richardson.”

“ The coach or El Paso is due to-day?”

‘c  biat P, n '

‘ t t.

“ What isvthg 1:8. 1 with the walking?” de-
manded Richardson, in so offensive a manner

’ that, despite the evident desire of the other not

to have any trouble, there came a glint of ﬁre in
his clear, resolute eyes. -

But he was kee ing a wonde ful command
over himself, for e replied. wit extra polite-

noes:

“ I don’t generally walk when I have the
ﬂuent: in my ket to y for riding.”

“You won’ ride in t is hyer stage that comes
in for El Paso to-dayl” Richardson growled.

“ Wh not?”

“ All ull !”

An incredulous look appeared on the face of
the up licant, and he shook his head.

The lExpress-agent scowled, t00k the pipe out
of his mouth, removed his feet from the desk,
and allovmd his chair to resume its proper posi-

. :tion.

Then placing the pipe upon the (leak, he leaned
his arms upon it and glared at the stranger.-

“ Pilgrim, I ain’t a far-sighted man!” Rich-
ardson exclaimed, “but it seems to me as if you

,  « 'lonlnod kinder doubtful, jest as a you didn’t he-

 
\ litre I was givinﬁ it to you straig
9

t when I said
coach was fu and hadn’t no room for no—
bod else.”

. “ y friend. your grammar really sets my

teeth on edge,” the other protested, with a wry

ace.
“ I hate to have a man lie to me, even when he
uses the best of language but when he gives it

. to me in a we that wen (i make Lindley Mur-

ray turn m is grave, it aggravates the of-
fauna”

‘ TM t was a man of violent pas-
dOlll, had never been noted for restraining

them in any way, and on this occasion he was

: quick to show his anger.
“* What is that, you miserable hound?” he cried.
“Do you dare to tell me to my teeth that I lie?”

The Fresh on the Rio Grande.

 
“ You bet!” replied the stran er, instantly.
“ That is my say-so. It's an impos bility for you
to know whether the stage is full or not until
the vehicle makes its appearance, for you have
no means of knowing anything more about the
matter than anybody else, am one thing is cer-
tain. the travel Over the road has been light for
'the past two weeks for it has taken me just
about that time to come down the river flom
Albuquerque and not a coach have I struck yet
that was over half full.”

“ You’re a stranger and so are not posted, or
you would know better than to come foolin
around a man like myself!” Alexander Richar -
son exclaimed, angril .

“ I want you to understand that when I say
a coach is all it is full, though thar ain’t a
single asmnger in it, and you had better va-
mose t is ranch as soon as possible for nary
chance will you get to ride to El Paso in our
hearse to—day.”

" Nary vamoso!” cried the other. tersely.
“And I am going to El Paso‘if I have to ﬁght
every man on the line from the superintendent
down t ) the ho‘stlersl”

“ Inok-a-h yer, I’m good enough for you i” the
burly Ex ress-agent cried, enraged beyond en-
durance I) this bold deﬁance, and then he
sprung to is feet and jumped at the stranger.

It was his calculation to ear the stran _er to
the floor by his supm-ior weight, but in t iis ho
was woefully disappointed, for with the skill of
a man who was used to this sort of thing the
stranger rctrcnieal a. couple of stops and planted
a terriﬁc “ right-handcr ” plump between the
eyes of the Expressngcnt which sent him spin-
nin aga'mst the wall with a force which took
his month away for a moment.

Never in all the course of his rough Wild
West cxpcricncc had Alex Richardson received
sur-h a stroke.

It was a moment or two before the Express-
agent could recover himself, and then, with an
exclamation of rage, which sounded more like
the growl of an animal than aught else, be
rushed upon his opponent.

It was Richardson’s idea that the terrible
blow which he had received was only an acci-
dental stroke, but he was doomed to be uickly
undeceived, for although he was to erany
handy with his ﬁsts he was no match for his
antagonist.

His ﬁerce blows fell on the empty air; the
other parried the strokes in the most adroit man-
ner or else dodged them with the ease and grace
of a dancing-master.

And then the moment that Alex Richardson,
winded b his t exertions paused to take
breath, t e a 'e adversary “hammered” him
in a way he espised, ending the attack with an-
other terriﬁc right-hander which, catching the
Ex recs-a out on the jaw, ﬂoored him as if he
ha been 3 0t. .

it was fully ﬁve minutes before the Express-
agent recovered sufﬁciently to sit up, and the
moment he did so he reached for his revolver
which was by his side in a holster, belted to his
wa st.

The stranger was on the watch for hot such a
movement, and before Alexander 'chardson
could get his waa n out a silver-mounted seven-
shooter shone in t 9 hand of the rt.

JVhen Richardson came to he conclusion
that it was no use for him to attempt to punish
the impudent stranger with hisﬂsts and “ went ”
for his “ shooting iron,” it was with the idea that
his opponent was not armed, for no sign of a
weapon could be seen; but the speedy manner in
which he produced his “ gun ” from some secret
hidin -placo astonished him.

“ 0 slow, go slo'w!” the visitor continued.
“Don’t try to pull a n on me, or I will bore

on so qmck that you will think you are struck

y lightning!

“ his is a self-cooker, too, and awful light on
the tr ger, so don’t go to cutting up any ‘mon-
key sh es, or else I might plug you before I
knew it!”

Richardson was a whipped man and he had
sense enou h to see it.

“Well, cave,” he said, in a sulky sort of
way, “ but who in blazes are you, anyway?”

" M name is Jackson Blake. 1 am a sport
from ifornia, and out on the Paciﬁc Slope I
am sometimes called the Fresh of ’Frisco.”

“ Durnéd if the name don’t ﬁt ye!”

CHAPTER II.
an moms.

Tan Fresh laughed outright.

It was not the ﬁrst time that such a remark
had been made to him.

“ Yes, 1 behave I was born to wear such a
handle; anyway it has stuck to me closer than
a brother for the last ten years. ,

“ But touchin this stage business: as I re-
marked at the nian this interesting in.
terriew, I want to at: to Paco.”

“ Every place in a coach is taken.”

“ How do you knowi” demanded the sport.

Richardson hesitated for a moment and J ack-
son Blake immediately came to the conclusion
hhat he was ﬂying to think of some plausible

e

‘l‘ Well. since you are so anxious to know I’ll

 
tell you,” the Express-agent observed. " One of

z

,wunotu

 
our men was at. Fort Selden when the coach
came in thar this morning and he brought me
word that the hearse was full.” -

“He must have been well mounted to beat
the coach so easily.”

“Yes his beast was a good one, and than he
had half an hour’s start, as Fort Selden‘ is a
meal station.”

“Ah, yes, I see,” and the Fresh nodded as if V

he was perfectly satisﬁed.

“ I came from Fort Seldcn way myself this
morning,’and as there was a certain man whom
I wanted to see in Las Cruces I hoofed it down
so as to be able to get a talk with him and then
take the stage. I reckon, thou h, I must have
fallen asleep on the road, for will Swear that
no man passed me on the road, either on foot or
on the back of a nag.

“ You mUst have made a mistake—your man
must have had a balloon.” '

Richardson scowled at this pleasantry, but he
had been too well whipped to provoke another

uarrel.

“It don’t make any difference whether you
saw the man or not, ’ he rotor-ted, dog edl .
“He came through all the same. Mebﬁe lie
didn’t come by the direct road. Now I come to
think of it I believe he did say something about
leaving the road to get a crack at a Wolf he run
across, ’ the Express-agent added, his counten-
ance lighting up as he saw a way out of the dif-
ficult y.

“ Of course that explains the matter,” the
Fresh remarked, nodding his head as though he
believed the yarn.

“ And the man ain’t here now. I supp0se? He’s

one on to El Paso, of course, so you can’t pro-
( uce him as a witness?”

“Yes, he has gone to El Peso,” re lied the
other, rather sulkily, for he saw thatt 9 sport
did not believe his statement.

“I was reckoning that it was that way. I am
a regular Yankee at guessing. But, to come
back to our mutton. I wanta ticket to El Paso
and I will take my chances about getting a seat
when the stage comes in.”

Then the sport tossed a ten-dollar gold-piece
on the desk behind which the Express-agent

stood. .

By this time Richardson had come to the con—
clusion that it was uselem for him to contend
with the man, and so he handed over the ticket
and the change.

And just as he performed this action the coach
came up.

.The pair immediawa hastened to the open

air.
The stage came to a halt before the door, the
Irishman set about changing the horses, and at

the ﬁrst glance it was apparent that the vehicle v

was far from being full, as it (nly contained
three passengers, two young ladies and an old
gentleman.

“ Hello! your man wasn’t well posted when he
said the coach was so hill that there wasn’t any
room for any more passcngers,” the Fresh ob-
served, sarcasticaily.

“ I reckon he must have had a heap of henzino
on board, although he didn’t act as if he was
full, excepting that he told me not to book any

ssengers, for the stage couldn’t take them,”

ichardson exclaimed, seeming to be very much
astonished.

“Yes, I reckon he must have been loaded,”
the other remarked, apparently perfectly satis-
ﬁed with the explanation, although there was a
peculiar look in his eyes as he smiled at the Ex-
press-agent, which Richardson did not admire.

The agent advanced to the coach and opened
the door for the sport to enter, a piece of polite-
ness not common to such a man.

r e nodded to the passen rs, and said with a
lau h is though he cons dered the matter a
g o 'e:

“ I expected to see the coach crammed full of
folks, for one of our men was along this mom-
ing and said I mustn’t book any passengers,
an when this gentleman wanted to ride to El
Paso. I told him thar wasn’t [any room for him,
but I see thar’s lots.” '

“ Ohol” muttered the Fresh to himself, “ for
whom is this piece cf information intended?
Which one of three three does my bold Expres-
agent Wish to inform that he tried his best to
keep me from riding, and that I wouldn’t have

ti

“ One of the two girls? Not likely! The old
man, then? Ah, es: he‘s the party. But why,
in the name of al that is wonderful. does any
one want to kee me from gain in this hearse?
What is the litt e game anyway

“Oh, yes,” obserVed the male passen er, in
answer to the superintendent’s remark, “ en’s
plenty of room, and has been all the we down.”

y this time the horses were Chan , for the

0’ nohue was an expert at this sort of thins
and the driver’s call of “allaboardl’ﬂwu‘noo
the Fresh to take his place in the coach.

Theyoungladieo Iaton thebackseat, the old

ntlemanon the_front one, and Jackson Blake
30!: a place by his side.

The swing seat in the center of the vehicle
sad, so there was plenty of room.

Away went the coach, and the Fresh, after
his usual custom, fell to studying the fees of
his companions. ‘ .\

 
, I o.
- Indies! the

3

 
\ A I The Fresh on the Rio Grande.

As a general rule, on a trip of this kind in
pleasant weather, tne Fresh preferred a box
seat, and rarely rode insrde, but on the present
occasion the presence of the two ladies wasa
magnet which our hero could not well resist, for
young and beautiul girls are not common on
the line of the frontier.

And both of these girls were beauties, ﬁt to
shine in any society.

One was a brunette, the other a blonde.

Both tall and qucenly-looking, the brunette
particularly so.

She was evidently the older of the pair, too.
A tall, well-proportioned girl, with strongly—
marked features, piercing cycs, black as a 0:8,],
and hair of the same hue, which curled in little
ringlets and was cut short, boy fashion.

She was a decidedly masculine-looking girl,
quite a contrast to the blonde, who was full as
beautiful as her companion with her great blue
eyes, golden hair—so ion in its magniﬁcent
luxuriance that she coul easily sit upon it—
regurar features, clear red and white complex-
ion, and soft, womanly appearance.

The brunette was a girl who would be sure to
command admiration—the other to inspire love.

Both were dressed in becoming dark traveling
suits, and from their dress and general bearing
aclose observer would be certain to conclude
that they possessed the advantages which wealth
and education give.

The other passenger, the elderly man, was
plainly dressed, with a rather rugged look, and
appeared like a stockman, but after “ sizing him
up,” to use the Western lingo, our hero came to
the conclusion that he was playing a art—that
he was asport in disguise, for is ham 5 were too
white and Soft-looking for a man engaged in any
rou h, out-door occupation.

T 0 readers who have followed the fortunes of
Jacksnn Blake from the time that we ﬁrst intro-
duced him to the notice of the public in the tale
called “The Fresh of ’Frisco,” through his ad-
ventures as chronicled in “ Bronze Jack,” “ Cap-
tain Volcano, the Man with the Red Revolvers,”
“California John, the Paciﬁc ’I‘horoughbral,”
and the “Stranger Sharp," will be apt to re-
rnember that this dou hty sport was as curious
as a woman, and equa ly as unable to keep out
of mischief as the rcatest gossip that ever in-
fested a country vil tags

He was satisﬁed t i: there was something
wrong. The determined effort which had been
made to kee him from taking passage in the
stage, and t e suspicion which had come to him
that the elderly man was not what he seemed,
caused him to come to this belief, and with his
usual im tuosit be determined to take a hand
in the “ un,” if era was going to be any.

As the reader, who has perused the other
stories in which the Fresh of 'Frisco ﬁgured as
a. hero, will remember, it was this odd pro nsi-
ty to rush into scrapes-to bother himsel with
matters which did not concern him in the least--
that had afﬁxed to Jackson Blake the nickname
of “ the Fresh.”

And now, on this occasion, no sooner did he
suspect that some trickery was on foot than
he at once set out to probe the matter to the
bottom.

“Just enough of us to make a nice little party 2"
Jackson Blake exclaimed in his smoothest and
pleasantest way, beaming on his companions.

“And 'ust to think that if I had taken the
word of t at donkey of a station—agent, I should
have missed this picnic altogether!

“ He swore the coach was full—said word had
been sent to him to that eifcct. I knew the
fellow wasn’t telling the truth, for I walked
from Fort Selden, and not a soul passed me on
the road.

“ Now, the question before the meetin is,
why was this man so anxious to keep me rom
going in this coach? Is there some gum-game
afoot—and if so, what is it?”

Jackson Blake had uttered his suspicions
boldly, and while he spoke he kept a wary eye
upon the others, paying more attention to
the elderly man than to the two girls, for it
was against him that his suspicions were di-

He fancied that his blunt speaking might
throw the other otf his guard.

CHAPTER III.
THE STORY OF THE GANG.

Tan trick did not succeed, though, for noth-
ing but the surprise which would naturally be
excited by such an avowal was visible upon the
face of the man.

He appeared to think the matter over for
a few moments: then shook his head, and re-

 
marked:

“ It is a riddle, and I cos I will have to give
itu , for I dont see w at possible object he
con have had in wanting to keep you from
goin in the surge.”

“ either do , and that is what bothers me,”
the Fresh observed.

“But I say, stranger, it seems to me that I
have seen go somewhere before, and these two

can lad were with you, too, it I remem-
bﬂg rightly,” and the sport bowed politely to

r

“ n you are wrong—that is, about these
man hastened to exclairu. “ They

 
are strangers to me, and I never encountered
them until I entered the coach.

"Well, I declare, that is strange!” and the
Fresh assumed a puzzled air.

" I would have been willing to take my oath
that I have ‘rnet you three in company some-
where—Santa Fe was the place my mind was
running on.”

“I was never in Santa Fe in my life!” the
other re lied, promptly.

“ Andpneithcr one of us has ever visited that
city ” observed the brunette.

“ declare I don't know what to make of it
for I usually pride myself on my memory. I
felt sure I must have met you somewhere.
Have you any ob‘ection to oblige me with yOur
names? Mine is :rckson Blake, and originally
I am from the Paciﬁc Slope. ‘Frisco is my hail-
ing place, although I have been away from
there so long that I don’t know as l have any
right to bark back so far.”

The frank way in which the Fresh spoke
tended to make the question less awkward than
it otherwise would have been.

The brunette was the ﬁrst to reply.

“ I’m sure we haven‘t the least objection to
allow our names to be known, although as far
as I am concerned I do not remember to have
ever met you,” she said.

“ My name is Isabel EScobedo and I am from
Yslcta on_the Rio Grande. This lady is my
cousin, Miss Margaret Escobedo.”

“I reckon I must be mistaken," Jackson
Blake observed with a bow, “for I don’tne-
inemberto have ever heard your names be-
fore.”

“My name is Jackson—\Villiam Jackson,”
the elderly man remarked as he noticed the
{icon eyes of the Fresh turned inquirineg upon

rm.

“I have been running a stock ranch up in
New Mexico but got shut of the concern to come
down to try a new speculation in Texas: kinder
got the Texas fever, you know. Some men
from up my way came down to Texas and did
so well that it encouraged me to come."

“ I see, I see!” the Fresh exclaimed. “I
reckon you will do right well down here. I am
a little in the speculating game myself, and
from all I have heard I should judge that this
was a ﬁne country for an enterprisin man.
But I am not getting at the point whic I set
outtoreach, and that is what game did this
stage-agent have in his mind when he tried to
keep me from going in this coach.”

“ Oh, I guess it was a mistake,” Jackson ob-
served, carelessly.

“If I understand the matter correctly, the
agent was informed b some man who came
?lcliln,g in advance of t e stage that it was all
u .

“ Yes, that was the yarn he told,” the Fresh
replied.

‘ It seems to me then that the explanation is
simple Clluug‘h. Either the man was playing a
joke on him, or else the agent misunderstood
what he said.”

“ It is possible, but not very probable,” Jack-
son Blake observed.

“I didn‘t explain the thing but the agent
and I had quite a tussle before I convinced him
that I ought to have a ticket to ride in this trap,
and it seems to me that if he hadn’t some mighty
stron reason he wouldn’t have takensomuch
troub 8 about the mattcr.

“ I notice that the ladies wear nice jewelry,
and you look like a man who Would
apt to be pretty well-heeled with the solid
stuff; all you stockmen generally carry fat
pocketbOoks, and the idea came to me that if
there was a gang of road-agents operatin on
this line they couldn’t strike a softer snap than
to stop a coach with only one man besides the
driver to show ﬁght-and drivers rarely ﬁght
you know, particularly if the attack is well
planned.

‘f‘l'l‘lhcy argue that they are paid to drive, not
to g t.

“ Of course, if there is any such game as this
on foot and the agent was in league with the
game— here has been plenty of cases to my

nowledge where the thing worked that way——
then his attempt to prevent me from ing in
the coach could be accountcd for. A ealthy
young man about my size, who would be not to
show ﬁght and so make trouble in the family, is
not the kind of hairpin the road-agent fel ows
are anxious to run up against. -

“ They alwa prefer a nice, easy snap.

“A stage ii 9 this with’ only one man is the
sort of thing which suits them.’

The others listened with interest to the sport's
explanation, but from the expression u n the
face of the elderly man was plain hat he
did not think Blake had hit upon the truth.”

. “Of course in such a country as this there
isn’t any telling what may happen," he re-
marked, “but, as far as in knowledge
there has not been any troub a with road-agents
on this line—that is. not within the last three or
four months, for I have been in this section for
about that time, and I would surely have heard
about it.”

“ There isn‘t any band making things lively
around this section at the present time, then
the Fresh asked.

 
“ No, not to the north of El Paso; down along
the Rio Grande, on the Mexican—Texan line,
there is a party operating, I believe,” the other
re lied.

‘ Aha, a Mexican party?”

“ Yes, I believe so; I don’t know much about
them, for they have never come as far north as
El Paso, although they are said to cover a vast
extent of country—from where the Rio Cincbos -
runs into the Rio Grande to the Laguna de
Patos, working both sides of the river.”

“ Ah, yes, that is the old game,” th;~~ sport ob-
served. “ When the Texans get after them they
cross the Rio Grande to Mexrcan soil, and wth
the Greasers make the country too hot to hold
them, they dust back into Texas.”

“ That rs the way they work it, I believe, and
so they laugh at pursuit.

“ The party is one of the big that has ever
worked the river, as they term it down hyer. and
they say they have successfully fought both the
Mexican troogs‘ and the Texan Rangers, and
although the exican soldiers are nothing -to
boast of, it takes mighty good men to get away
with the Rangers.”

“Yes, so I have heard.” '

“ This gang is mighty well handled, I should
judge, from what I have heard," Mr. Jackson
continued.

“ They are always disguised, so that it is
utterly impossible for their victims to identify
them, and they have adopted a name and a dis—
guise apt to strike terror to the hearts of the
men whom they email.”

“You don’t say so! Now, 11 n my word this
is getting real interesting!” the esh exclaimed,
rubbing the palms of his hands briskly t ther.

“ Do you know, ever since I was a boy have
always taken the greatest interest in these out-
law 'arns.

“ And these fellows are going at it the right
way, too—they have got an awe—inspiring name,
and a disguise to make a man‘s blood run cold-
that is the way to do it. That is the way the
game was always worked in the books which I
used to read when I was a boy; but what do
they call themselves, and what sort of a rig do
they wear?”

“The band is known as the Red Riders of
Rayon, and they are said to have their head-
quarters in the nei hborhood of that place,
which is a small vi on the Mexican side
of the Rio Grande, the next town south of
Ysleta.”

“ \Vell, that is just an immense name!” Jack-
son Blake declared, evincing the most lively in-
terest in the recital. “ And from the fact that
they are called the Red Riders, I suppose they
wear red disguises."

“ Yes, they, wear red half-masks, and all the
lower part of their faces is concealed by huge
red beards.”

“Splendid! Beats anything of that kind that
I ever l. r 1rd of, you bet l” the Fresh cried.

"On their heads they wear long-haired red
wigs, and the upper rt of their bodies is
covered by rubber s, ' ted rod."

“Just a capital rig! I tel you, I would go a.
lone,r way to see that gang!”

The other shook his head at this enthusiastic
declaration. -

“Most men who have encounteer the Red
Riders of Rayon cursed the ill-luck which had
brou ht them in contact with the marauders,”
Mr. ackson replied.

“ Pretty tough customers, eh? ”

“ Yes, the o d inhabitants of this region say
they are the worst band that ever infested this .
Section of country, for they are remorselessly
cruel if they encounter any resistance. If their
victims submit they do not harm them; but if
they are unwise enough to show ﬁght, then the
Red Riders kill without mercy.”

A little scream esca from the lipsof the .
two young ladies at t is point; the had been
listening to the conversation with ful y as much
attention as the Fresh of ’Frisco displayed.

“ Oh. isn’t it dreadful!” the blonde beauty ex-
claimed. . ‘

“ Indeed, it fairly makes my blood run cold!”
cried the brunette.

“There isn’t the least bit of danger. ladies, I
assure you,” Mr. Jackson observed. “ The Red
Riders were never known to attack a coach on
this line.”

“And then if they did, this gentleman and
myself would give them a good ﬁght,” the Fresh
observed, in the most confi ent manner possible.

“ Oh, no!” cried Mr. Jackson at once. “it
would be worse than foolish to attempt to ﬁght,
and would only result in our being murdered in
cold blood 1”

“I am so frightened!” the brunette beauty
cried. “ Oh, sirs‘plaase change seats wrth me, '
she continued, dressing the stockman, “so
that each one of us will have a gentleman to
protect us” i
“ inly,” Mr. Jackson responded. - -

Hardly was the transfer made when the.
coach abruptly halted.

CHAPTER N.

run run mans.
Tn moment the stage halted Mia label
Eoeobodo immediately became a prey to the

 
most violent fear.

 
“Oh, heavens! the robbers are u n us!” she
shrieked, and as she uttered the exc mation the
girl threw her arms around the Fresh and held
on to him as if her life depended upon it.

The result of this movement was that it virtu-
ally made Jackson Blake a prisoner, for he was
unable to use his arms.

Suspecting that something was amiss when
the coach halted so abruptly the Fresh reached
for his wea us so as to be in readiness for a
ll ht, but t is unexpected movement of the girl

oncerted him.

“ For Heaven’s sake, miss. let go of me so I
Eat! have free use of my hands!" he expostu-

“ Oh, don’t draw your weapons or we will all
be murdered!” the girl cried, evidently in an
agony of terror.

“ If you will let go of me I willegive them a
ﬁght, anyhow," the Fresh exclaim .

“ Let me beg of you nbt to attempt any use-
lem resistance!” exclaimed the stockman, who
had cast a shy glance out of the window.

“ We are surrounded by the Red Riders and
it would be the hight of madness for us to at-
tempt to beat them off.”

Hardly had the words escaped his ligwhen
the marauders showed themselves at th of
the coach windows.

It was the Red Riders of Rayon beyond a
doubt, for the strangers were dressed exactly as
the stockman had described.

Long red hair, bushy red beards, red half-
masks, covering the upper part of their faces,
and red pouches concealingt eir persons so that
but little was visible above the tops of the big
boots which they wore.

There were two of the Red Riders at each
of the doors, one on horseback and one on foot.

The mounted men covered the passengers w ith
riﬂes and the footmen threatened them with
cocked reVOlvers. I

“ Give up our weapons and come out of that
coach!” criet tho horseman at the right-hand
door of the stage, evidently the leader of the
band.

“Submit quietly and no harm will come to
on but if an one is mad enough to show fight
is iJIOOd will be upon his own head 2"

“Oh, sir, have more upon us!” Isabel Esco-
bedo cried, still cli ng convulsiver to the
Fresh of ’Frisco, despite his efforts to free him-
self from her clutch.

Much as our hero would have enjoyed being
embraced by so pretty a girl on any ordinary
occasion, he would willingly have avoided it
now.

As our readers who know the Fresh of old
are aware, he was not the man to submit tame«

‘ ly to be robbed, although on the present occa-

sion he had little to lose, yet to such a man as
he was such a fact mattered not. He fought
as egsily for ten dollars as he would for a thou-
san .

Owing however to the wild terror of the
Mexican girl he was laced in such a position
that it was not possib e for him to make a strug-
gle, and so nothi was left for him to do but to
submit as gracefu y as possible.

Before he had a chance to speak though, the
stockman hastened to assure the road-agents
that the passenger had no thought of attempting
any resistance.

“ Glad to hear it,” res nded the outlaw chief
in his rough, evidently < isguised voice.

“ It wouldn’t do you any good and Would only
force us to be ugly. and we don’t want to have
any trouble if We can help it.

We are the kind of men though who are not
afraid to take the bull by the horns when it be-

 comes necessary.
' “Maybe you have heard of us if on are not

strangers in these parts, for the Riders of
Rayon are aretty well known all a! the line
of the Rio rande from the Rio Cone os to the
Pass of the North.

“We don't shed blood unless we are obliged
to, but when resistance is offered we are as
merciless as wolves when they close in on their

“ Oh, sto your blowing!” cried Jackson
Blake unab torestrain himself. “You area
healthy set of cut-throats, of course—big chiefs,
every mother's son of on when you have every-
thing your own way, at I reckon you can run

0 incl rabbits when you come across a gang

ho ave the nerve to stand up and give you a
good ﬁght!”

“ For mercy’s e do not exasperate these
outlaws or we wi all be murdered!” !he Mexi-
can rl whispered hurriedly in the ear of the

“ Do not mind this young man i” the old stock-
man exclaimed, also evidently much alarmed.

“ Youth will be rash, you know, and he evi-
dently is a stranger to your terrible band."

The dark eyes of the bandit chief sparkled
with rage as be upon the Fresh of Frisco.
It was evident at he had not been accustomed
to such bold 

“When the Rod R ders of Rayon turn their

:3; upon a toe it is because they are outnum-
ten to one!” the outlaw exclaimed,
ﬁercely

“mate oreven twoorthreetoonewe
fearneiﬁierthe exican soldiersnor the Texan

I

 
9. 'i

The Fresh on the Rio Grande.

Ran as has been amply proved by many a
bloogyrfight.

“You are a stranger evidently and are not
acquainted with the fearful reputation of our
band, or else you would never permit your
tongue to wag so freely, so we disdain to take
advantage of our power to punish you, but have
a care how you excite our an or further or we
may make you re nt your ho dness.”

“ Bra is a a dog, but hold-fast is a better!”
rotor the Fresh.

“ But drive on with your go—cart. You will
not make much out of me for 1 am about down
to bed-rock now.”

“ Come out of the coach and give up your
weapons and valuables as you alight!’ com-
manded the outlaw chief.

He was at the right-hand door of the stage, as
we have said, and as the Fresh of ’Frisco sat by
this door he was the ﬁrst to get out.

The Mexican girl, Isabel Escobedo, followed
him immediately, and on the ground clung tight-
ly; to him as though she fancied that by so doing
s e gained rotection. -

Jackson lake was decidedly annoyed by the
girl’s persistency in this matter , for he had made
up his mind that when he got to the ground and
came to surrendering his Weapons, he Would be-
st )w the contents of is revolvers upon the road-
agents instead of the weapons themselves.

Being self cookers there would not be any difﬁ-
culty in discharging them before the bandits
would have an idea of the game he was ing to
play, and such was the marvelous conﬁ ence of
the Fresh of ’Friscc that he hadn’t the least doubt
he could whip the road-agents single-handed,
although when he got a good look at the party,
after getting down from the stage, he saw there
were six of them.

The frightened irl clung to him in such a
manner, though, t at it was impossible for him
to put his plan in execution, and so he was
obliged to surrender his weapons, which he did
with the utmost reluctance, for they were as
gig? a pair of tools as ever a gunsmith han-

“ Say, pards, these revolvers of mine are old
friends, and I hate like thunder to rt with
them,” he remarked as he yielded t e seven-
shooters into the bands of the masked outlaw,
who was on foot.

“ I don’t suppose on care particularly about
keeping them, and i on haven’t any objections
I should like to be ab 9 to redeem them.” ,

“ Well, I guess that matter can be arranged,”
the outlaw chief re )lied.

“ I am not well- celcd now, and, of course, I
will be worse off when you get through with
me, but after getting into El Paso the chances
are big that I shall strike a lead, and so be able
to redeem my tools.

“If you can arrange it so that the weapons
can be sent to some party there, where, by pay-
in the cash, I can get them, I shall be much
Ob iged.”

“ Oh, I reckon we can fix the thing. How
much will you give for the tools?” asked the
road-agent leader, surveying the revolvers with
a critical eye.

“Suppose you put the price on them; make
the ﬁgure as low as you can, for you must take
into consideration the fact that after I get out
of our clutches I will be broke and compelled
to ke a fresh start.” ‘

{‘01}, your friends in El Paso will help you
a on .

“ riends!” cried Jackson Blake, “ why, I
don’t know a man in the town.”

“Some women then, maybe,” the outlaw chief
remarked, jeeriogly.

“ Neither man nor woman—not a soul do I
know man, woman, or child.”

“ ow do you pro to raise money,
then?” asked the maraudor, evidently not know-
ing exactl what to make of the Fresh.

‘ Well, play a tolerany good game of poker
and as a rule manage to at along pretty well.

“ Now if you are muc at ﬂipping the paste-
bcards, should be glad to ‘go’ you, to see
whether you take in wealth, or I 0 free.”

“ Oh, no ” the on w chief rep ied, immedi-
ately. “ We have a sure thing now, and we
don t (propose to take any chances, so hand over
your ucats.”

“Well, as it is your sayvso, I reckon I will
have to come up to the scratch, although it
comes like pulling teeth.”

Then the Fresh produced a buckskin bag
which he handed to the road-agent.

It contained st twenty-one dollars, as the
dismounted Rider announced, after count-
ing the money.

“ You ain't well-heeled, for a fact!” the out-
law chief declared, evidently disappointed at the
smallne- of the booty.

“ Are you sure that you haven’t at some
more wealth hidden away in your clot es some-
where?” ,

“ You can search me if you like.”

" We will do that presently. Tie his hands.”

The dismounted outlaw produced a lariat and,
despite Jackson Blake’s protest, bound his wrists
secure] together

y .
“ And in to the revolvers, I think ﬁfty

regard
del'larn will be about the ﬁgure. After you t
mElPuoandraisethemoney,callupon c

‘ .

 
.1 '5‘»

old Jew, Hadad Solomons, and tell him you will
give ﬁfty dollars for a pair of revolvers like
these—describe them, you know, and tell him
the Red Riders have them. He has his peddlers
out through the IOWer country between El Paso
and Chihuahua, and by means of one of them
can get word to us.”

“ All right, though you have put a terrible
steep price on the tools under the circum-
stances,” the Fresh remarked.

“ We must make hay while the sun shins, '
the other retorted.

“ You are a pretty smart fellow, I think, and
the chances are big that we will not be able to
get another whack at you.”

" You will not if I have anythingtosay about
the matter!” the Fresh remarked.

By this time the two road-ag nis, who had
been on the other side of tbe coac , came around
the vehicle and joined the group, all the passen-
gers having left the stage.

The two mounted outlaws—the men in the
road ahead, who had sudden] made their ap-

ance and with their leve ed riﬂes broug t
the stage to a halt—retained their tion.

“ Take this man ovvr to the bushes yonder and
search him,” commanded the outlaw chief, when
the other two of his gag joined the group.

The order was imm 'ately obeyed, but the
search was a fruitless one.

No money.belt or secret pocket rewarded the
search.

While this was going on, the stockman was
compelled to deliver his wealth, but when the
ladies drew forth their pocketbooks, the outlaw
chief, with a shake of his head remarked:

“ Oh, no, ladies. we shall not trouble you; the
Red Riders do not make war upon women.
You can retain both your money and your
trinkets, and are at liberty to resume your
places in the stage."

“Thank you, sir,” responded Isabel, and her
cousin rc-ecboed the s leech.

The two ladies and r. Jackson resumed their

ts.

“ Drive on!” commanded the outlaw chief.

The Red Riders in the trail withdrew to one
side, "nd on went the coach, much to the disgust
of our hero, the Fresh of ’Frisco, who did not at
all relish bein left behind.

" Hallo! ha 10! this isn’t exactly a square
deal 1” he cried.

“What is the matter with you?” one of the
marauders who had charge of the prisoner

Cried.

“ The walking is extra good between hyer and
El Paso!”

And then both of the men lau hed heartily, as
though they considered it a g joke.

CHAPTER V.
A PROPOSITION.

OUR. hero was not a man who was easily dis-
couraged, and the proSpect of walking to his
destination had no terrors for his soul.

“Oh, well, I’ll walk!” he exclaimed, and the
tone in which he spoke, just as though he had
free choice in the matter, caused his guards to
roar with laughter again.

“ Blamed if you ain’t an out-and-outer!” cried
one of the ruﬂlans.

“ Yes, a reg’lar plum bird on a lily root!” ex-
claimed the other.

“ I am the champion, and no mistake!” the
Fresh asserted, “ and you two galoots can thank
your luck stars that you got the chance to be,
mtroduc to such a man as I am."

“ Oh, yes, in course!” and then the brigands
laughed again.

“ Well, am I at liberty to depart now?”

“ I reckon not. The captain didn’t say as
how ou was to be let go, and, I ‘spose. we are
to ho d on to you until we hear from him.”

“ Yes, I reckon that is our leetle game,” ob- '

served the second marauder.

The Fresh and his guards had the ﬁeld to
themselves now, for as soon as the coach got in
moﬁidon, the horsemen all rode of! to the east-
wa .

“ I s’ we might as well sit down and make
ourselves comfortable,” the first ruﬁian ob-
served stretching himself, leisurely, upon the
ground.

“ Oh, yes, there isn’t anything like taking it
easy,” remarked the other, following the exam-
pie 0! the ﬁrst.

“ Well, I must say that you two are about as
sensible men as I have met in a d ‘s age,” the
Fresh remarked, also seating himsel .

“ Now, this is what I call real comfortable—a
regular picnic, and no mistake!

‘ Sa y, you gentle galoots, I have a deck of
cards in my pocket; supp0se you just looaen this
lashin around my wrists, so I can have the use
of my ds, and we will have a nice littlequiet
game of poker.”

“ Ho, ho, ho! if that ain’t an ldee!” cried the
ﬁrst ruﬁlan.

“ Mi hty sensible one,” observed the other
Redbl der, who happened to bean inveterate
gam er.

" But I say, pard, you are down to the bed-
rock, and thar ain’t any useof playing ﬁsher
without thar is some money up to the
game interestingi

“ Of course ere isn’t the least doubt about”

.311"; r .
31545“)? ‘ r"?

em

 R 0' ~. g'
. . *1",

" . .,.

a 5': L8-.. ..

wr'av—v W .W.~n ~u:,-a~w-. 3".~_

"- s...

WA».

on

 
\‘a

‘ NM., .9“,

nae-r. is’ 1.1:

ﬁrwwrﬂ 4. ‘ 1

.r' - w. ‘ sf”. . ~

9...

 
5‘; ,’ -a,

'3‘

. if
i

i

. s
i

"l

 
it!
' l.


u
_ n.

  
i

 
 N4...“ ‘5».‘4 .

 
or «9»-

m».-

 
xv»
_.,V ,. we? —


'~.-

 
,

  "the ' “R... Gland..- ‘

‘5

 
that; her without the solid stuﬂ wouldn’t be
in the east bit attractive.

“ But if I haven’t got money I have a buck-
skin suit here which I would be willing to stake
on the game.

“ It isn’t the best-looking rig along the Rio
Rio Grande, but it is like a singed cat, a deal
better than it appears. I tell you, pards, there
is a heap of service yet in this suit, and I reckon
any Jew in El Paso would be glad to give a
"saw-buck’ for it.”

“Well, I don’t know about that; them durned
old skinﬁints are never willing to give anywhere
near what a thing is worth,” the ﬁrst rutﬁan
observed. “ And ten dollars is a heap of money.”

“But I say, pard, much as I would like to
take a hack at you with the keerds, I wouldn’t
go for to take the responsibility of loosening
that ar" lariat. The captain isa terror, he is,
and mebbe, he wouldn’t like it.”

“ don’t see what particular objection there
can be,” the Fresh observed in his careless, jolly,
off—hand way, which was so apt to win conﬁ—
dence.

“ You have my weapons—or rather your cup
tain has, and there are two of you, fully armed,
so there isn‘t the least danger that I, a helpless
prisoner, Would be able to escape.

“ I’m just dying too to get a chance to skin
you galoots out of your eye~teeth at ker.”

This bold statement immediately excited the
second ruﬁian, who was such a slave to gambling
that he would rather play than eat.

“ Oh. you skin me! Oh, no, not much!” he
cried deﬁantly.

“Why, if you ’had a million dollars I’d beat
on out of it so quick that it would make your
and swim!”

“ Ah, now, you are only talking l” the Fresh

exclaimed.

“ You don’t dare to meet me in a ood. square
game of poker. By the holy smcﬁxe I would
clean on out in no time, and that is the kind of
man am!”

“I say, pard, whur’s the harm if we jes’
loosen that ar’ lnriut a leetle .3” the gambler
.usked, eager for the fray.”

“ Oh, no, it would be as much as our lives are
worth if the captain should hear of it,” re-
sponded the other.

“ Yes, but he isn’t likely to hear of it,” urged
the Fresh.

“ Of course, 1 sha’n’t give it away, and you
two aloots are not likely to do it.”

“ don’t see no harm inter the thing,” the
second ruﬁian remarked.

But the ﬁrst man was ﬁrm in his opposition,
3nd so the project wasgiven up, muc to the

isgust and disap intment of the Fresh.

As the reader as probably surmised, it was
not from any desire topass the time away, or to
enrich himself at the expense of the outlaws
that induced our hero to propose a little poker

ame.

His sole object was to get them to loosen the
lariat which boun'l his wrists so tightly to-
gether.

As long as that remained he was helpless, but
if he could only succeed in gettin the use of his
hands again he had not the least goubt he would
be able to get the best of the two rufﬁans who
guarded him.

He felt sure that the outlaw chief had not yet

,. got through with him for with his usual sharp.

ness of Vision, he had noticed a brief exchange
of words between the ca )tuin of the Red Riders
and the stockman, just fore Jackson entered
the stage, and 'from the peculiar way in which
the two men glanced in his direction he came to
"the conclusion that the conversation was in re-
,gard to himself. ‘

He felt perfectly sure that Jackson was a
fraud—that he was not a stockman at all, but
one of the Red Riders, who assumed to be a
stranger in order to carry out the outlaw’s

p1 us.

go be had made a strenuous eifort to et the
use of his hands, but the caution of t 0 ﬁrst
outlaw baﬂed him.

For about an hour the three remained quiet
in the shelter of the clump of bushes, the out.
flaws getting out their pipes and amusing them-
selves with a smoke, while the Fresh racked
his brain to devise some way of esca ing
from the snare into 'which he had 1' en.

But any attempt was hopeless as long as his
guards were Wide awake and on the alert as at
present.

Time passed slowly away, but the long wait
was atlast bro ht t3 an end by the appear-
ance of the Red ider , three in number mount-
ed and making directly for the clump of? bushes.

The outlaws rose to their feet, and the Fresh
followed their example.

“ Darned if I ain’t glad that captain’s come!"
observed the ﬁrst ruﬁlan, and the other nodded
assent

The horsemen came within about a hundred
yards of where the footmen stood, then two of
them halted, while the third, who was the out-
law chief, rode toward the group.

He'reined his   at their side and bade
the two guards jom their fellows on the plain as
he had something to say to the captive.

The pair obeyed Without a word, and when
they Were beyond earshot, the outlaw leader,

 
ﬁxing his piercing eyes upon Jackson Blake, re-
marked:

“ Young man,
place.”

“Tell me something that I don’t know,” re-
sponded the Fresh, with his usual coolness, im-
mediately.

“ You take the matter mighty easy.”

“Would it do me any good to take it any
other way?”

“ No, I don’t know as it would. You are sen-
sible as far as that goes,” the outlaw chief ob-
served, thoughtfully.

“ Who are you, anyway?”

“My name is Jackson Blake, I am a rt
from the Pacific 5101;}, and out there the ys
used to call me the resh of ’Frisco. as it was
their opinion that salt wouldn’t save me.”

“ I shouldn’t be snr rised if they were about
right,” responded the audit.

“ You seem to be a pretty good man; how
would you like to join my band?”

“ Well, I don’t know,” the Fresh replied, in a
reﬂective way. “ I have never done anything
in that line. I suppose you make a good thing
of it, but in the long run a bullet, or the hang—
man‘s rope is pretty sure to spoil the business.”

you are in a pretty tight

 
CHAPTER VI.
THE DIVISION.

FROM the angry ﬂash which came from the
eyes of the masked man it was plain that he did
not relish the candid speech of the sport.

“ Well, I reckon there is always big risks in a
big ggme.”

‘ on are about right there.”
«“ What do you think; will you join our
band?”

“ Well, I don’t know but what I will be will-
ing to risk it,” the sport replied. “ There isn’t
any other opening for me just at present, and,
suppose, there is big money in your scheme,
even if there is big risk.”

“ Oh, yes, we generally do pretty well. By
the way, are you a particular frien of the two
ladies in the coach?”

“ No, I can’t say that I am; I can hardly be
called an acquaintance, as I never met either
one of them until I entered the stage."

“ And the elderly man who looked like a stock-
man?”

“ He is a stranger to me also.”

“Did ou learn the name of the ladies?”

Quick v came the thought to the Fresh—was
it wise for him to admit that he the
knowled e? But then what harm could there
possibl in admitting it?

Besi es, if the stockman. Jackson, was in
league with the Red Riders, as our hero suspect-
ed, the fact that he was acquainted with the
names of the ladies was probably know to the
outlaw chief and by denyin the possession of
the knowledge he would at h mself in trouble.

These thoughts passed ike a ﬂash through the
mind of the sport, so that he onl seemed to hesi-
tate for a moment before reply ug, and this he
adroitly accounted for.

“ I was just trying to see if I could recall the
names,” he said. ‘ I am not a great band at
any foreign lingo, but I think I have got this
thing all right and strai ht. The tall one is
Isabel and the blonde one argaret and the rest
of their handle, Escobedo.”

As he spoke the Fresh was watching intent]
the eyes of the outlaw captain, shining throng
the holes of the mask, and he fancied that they
gleamed in anger as his words fell upon the ears
of the unknown.

“ Escobedo!” repeated the outlaw chief, slow-
ly; "Escobedol the name seems familiarto me,
as I (presume it is to you.”

“ b, no, I never heard it before.”

“ But as it is rather a hard name you will not
be like] to forget it?” the stranger asked, ques-
tioning y, and a 'u the angry gleam shone in
the outlaw’s dar eyes.

This speech caused the Fresh to come to the
conclusion that the Red Rider chief would be
glad it the names of the ladies should not lin-
ger in his memory, so, in a careless way,
made answer:

“ Well, the odds are big that if you should
tackle me in a week on the subject that I
wouldn’t be able to tell you what the name was.
I haven’t a very ood head for names, anyway.”

“Oh, you are oin yourself a great injustice
by that statement, am sure,” and the outlaw
leader spoke in such a peculiar fashion, that the
Fresh was immediately reminded of the paw of
an angry cat.

“ Aha, I have managed to put my foot i to
it in some way,” he murmured under his brea h.

But the Fresh, with that wonderful self—com-
mand over his features which he possessed in
such a great degree, did not allow his face to be-
tray the suspicion which was in his mind, but
answered in the most cheerful manner.

“ It is just as I tell you; I am death on faces,
but names don’t seem to stick much in my mm-

o I”

rxIt is a pit ,” the Red Rider chief remarked,
with a deci tinge 'of sarcasm in his tone.
“Pegl’iaps in time you will improve in this re-
spec .

“Yes, I hope so,” our hero ansWered, just as

i if he believed the speaker was in earnest, “ not
that it makes much difference though as far as I
I can see.”

“ Well, you are willing then to join our
E band?”

“Oh, yes, I will try it for a while, just for
i reens.” ’

“ Perhaps you think fyou can play some trick

on us,” the outlaw chie suggested.

“ A trick?”

“ Yes, you will join the Red Riders simﬁly to
‘ be able to betray them to the authorities upon
‘ the ﬁrst opportunity.”

1 “Oh, no. that wouldn’t be a safe game for

‘ me to play!” our hero protested. “ And then,
I reckon, you will not give me much chance to
play any roots upon you until you ﬁnd out
whether I can be trusted or not.”

“ You are quite right about that; and then too
the vengeance we execute upon traitors is some-
thing horrible—but you need not be alarmed,
for I feel sure there is not the slightest danger
that you will eVer attempt to betray the Red
Riders of Ra yon.”

“Oh, you can bet on that, I reckon!” the
Fresh cried, cheerfully, and yet his quick ears

, had detected that there was a double meaning

; to thes h—a hidden menace. ‘

l “ We 1, take care of yoursclf until [ see you

i again; my men will look after you.”

; And then, with a wave of his hand as a fare—

? well salute, the outlaw chief rode 06 and joined
his men upon the prairie.

The Fresh watched him with keen interest.

“ That fellow is a Mexican I should judge
gfrom his eyes, or else a half Mexican, for I
1 would be willing to take my oath that there is
1 some of the durned mongrel blood in him, and
;like all his race treachery comes natural to
1, him.

“ He is up to some gum-game now; I don’t

I i know what it is, of course, but I can feel it in

my bones that he doesn’t mean to play fair with

me.
“I must be on my guard, although the way

things are ﬁxed he has me foul and I can‘t do ‘

muc to help myself, but while there is life
there is hope! I have been in a good many
tight places in my time and lived to tell about
them, and there isn’t really any reason wh I
should not succeed in crawling out of t is
scrape. Any way, I will make a good try for
it, and mortal man can do no more.

The outlaw chief halted when he reached the
Red Riders and entered into conversation Wit-h
‘ them.

The sport, watching the party with all his
senses keenly on the alert, came to the conclu-
: sion that the conversation was in regard to him-
? self, for he noticed that the attention of the
group was directed to him every new and
th

not meet with the appro tion of e two men
who were on foot, for they appeared to be pro-
testing.

The Red Rider leader cut short the discus
sion thou h he shook his clinched ﬁst m the
faces of t 9 other with an emphatic'nod in the
. direction of the Fresh as he did so, and than,

 
i with the other horsemen, rode oﬂ, heading down, _ "

1 the river toward El Paso.

l The dismounted men came slowly toward the
sport, and his apprehension that something was
amiss increased as he saw the ﬁerce exmession

i in their e es.

“ I rec on they are bringing me my death-
warrant," the Fresh muttered to himself as tho-
ruﬂians approached. “ But, although I am a
pgsgner and not able to ﬁgiiiilfg: my :3 is 2
g . uare, open way yet
am goigg to allow myself to be slaughtered like
a blind puppy. '

s

\ hen the lion’s skin falls short, eke it out wlﬂt
the fox’s.’

scanty this riﬂie. and I’ll have to row in about
a dozen foxes’ skins to make up for it.”
When the

liar manner, just as if
)le communication to make
in how to go about it.‘

im in an extremely
the had a disa
an were unce

The Fresh, with his usual readiness, proceeded ,

to help them out of the difﬁculty.

“Say,itlooks to me as if you two galva ,

had something to say to me and didn’t ex~

claimed. ,
The bravoes looked at each other, evidently

compilater taken by surprise by this unexpected. '

speec -.
“ You needn’t worry your brains aboutﬂn .
matter, but rip it out anyway; I reckon I can.

stand it if you an, alt ough I guess you arenbt
bringing me good news.”

“ e , that’s a sure enough fact,” responded
the ﬁrst rufﬂan.

“And I’m darned sorry for it, too,”added " .

the other.
Tbetoneofvoice inwhich the twospobdo-

cidedly impressed the spo .. ’ -

ail-Ida looked from

 
en.
The chief seemed to sa somethin which did '

heard the old Frenchman say in the ' .
pla once when I took in the theater in St. Innis, ;-

“I reckon the lion‘s skin is pretty darned »
t

ruﬁians came within about ten 
ards of the sport, they halted and surveyed

actly know how to spit it out!” the sport exf- ‘

 
one to the other, 

 
w ....._......-..- .. .... . .s .ﬁ....-....__..-..._.._w.

' 6

The Fresh on

he R10 Grande. .  

 
“ I reckon you two have the job of wiping me
t.”

on

" You are right tharl” replied the ﬁrst ruf-
' ﬂan, “ and althou h I must say that it is a job
.' which goes awful y ag’in’ my grain, yet it must
' , be done.” '

‘ “The captain has changed his mind, then,”

A the Fresh remarked taking the news with a

coolness which won the admiration of the des-

' peradoes.
, “,ge just made me an offer to join your
5; ban ,and I had an idea that ever hin was

? level and the goose hung particular y hig .”

“ ’ ain’t that way, pard; the captain thinks
you are a dangerous man. You know too
- - much’bout us and our affairs, and we have
' got to wipe you out, or else, mebbe,’ you
would work it so that we would be wiped out.”

F _ “ We hate to do it, you know,” chimed in the
‘1 other desperado; “ but orders are orders, you
a see. We have got to carry out the captain’s
.j.‘ , commands, or else he would go for us.”

" “Certainly—of course—I understand that.
a, I am durned sorry that the riﬂie is working
i  this wa ;but, ‘what can’t be cured must be
3, , endur ,’” the sport remarked, not betraying
' " l the least fear.

vi  : “And I say, boys,” he added, “since the
V _ time has come for me to pass in my cheeks,
7"» ' there’s a little secret that I suppose I had better
"it conﬁde to you.”

with the glare of speculation in their eyes, came
nearer to the sport.

“Yes, a secret concernin the richest gold
 lead that was ever struck in ew Mexico—up in
, »_ the Zuni region. Sewed up in the lining of m
 ' ' coat is a paper which describes the spot, and if

 ' you will agree to send a fair share of the
money to my old father in the East, I will put
'I{_ you on the track.

I, -, “The directions are written so durned queer
.‘ that any one might read them, and not be
able to make out how to get at the mine, but I
_ y , -- . can explain the thing so you can go right
- ‘5' strai ht to the spot.

“ his here mine was what was bringin me
to El Paso. I ran across it with a coup e of
pards about a month ago, but the red-skins get
after us and we had to run for our lives.

“ Both of my pards were wiped out, I alone
escaped, and in little game was to get some
solid men in El use to go in with me, raise a
force big enough to ﬁght the red-skins and go for
the mine.”
. The Fresh seemed to speak with the accent of

truth itself and neither one of the desperadoes
had the least doubt in regard to the tale.

‘ The etc of the secret mine is one of the oldest
of the w' western romances and never fails to
ﬁnd plentg of believers.

A man apt to believe that which he wishes
“wield” rd ’1] (1 th ’ th h

epa,we o esquar ingwit
is: old dad if you will put us on the right
ck ” the ﬁrst ruﬂian remarked.

“ es, and you might as well let us make
some money out of the thing, seeing as how you
' v won‘t be able to get a whack at it yourse ,”

added the other.

 . . “Of course, that is my idea, and then, I want
 . “I: 8d mount?1 stagnd some shgw.” b

~ h we at esquare ting y him!”ex-
 the first ruﬁian.

“ You bet l” cried the second.

‘ “You can aﬂerd to be liberal for this mine is
rich enough to make the fortunes of a dozen
men!” the sport asserted.

“I tell you, pards, when you begin to rake
ﬁre gold out you will not have to take a back
~nat for any man west of he Mississippi! It is
the estkindofastri e!

 : , “Jul rip open the linin of my coat here in

 .- the left breast. If you eel, I guess you can

' make out the paper. although it isn’t large.”
,. The radians in their eagerness came close to
 the captive—no suspicions in their minds.

CHAPTER VII.
AN as'romsnnn PAIR.
' Tm:was the opportunity which the Fresh
and for which he had so carefully

 us of the Bed Riders were in their
‘ - bulb, for t ey hadn’t the least thought that the
1;». er meditated anything so desperate as an
attain t to escape from the fate to which he had
, ’ been dbomed, and they came up to him without
" I! ‘.- the least suspicion.

“ I’ll hold my hands up out of the way so you
 [will be able to get- at my coat ” the sport ob-
 * urved, elevating his bound wrists up over his

' as he spoke.

action was so natural that the suspicions
' d the captors was not aroused.
'- i ,The Fresh was in a peeition the h to deal a
, terrible blow, and he was quick to mprove the
advantage '
' . ,With all the strength of his powerful muscles
he dashed his clinched ﬁsts full in the face of the
. ht rado, felling him headlong to the
- pound, on with a dextrous trick he doubled
, » attic second ruﬂan, sending him howling to
 u . earth saying as he did so: " Take that with
‘ as compliments of the Fresh of ’Friscol” '
i_ mw'riﬂcstrainloosenedthelashingsaround

I

     
 “ A secret?” cried the ﬁrst ruﬂ‘ian, and both, r

I
‘ his wrists a little, so he was able to have, in a
slight (1 cc, the use of his hands, although the
lariat he d so well that he could not free himself
with all his desperate exertions.

His hands were so he could manage a pistol,
though, and quickly hW himself of one
from the belt of the ru an whom he had half-
stunned by the terrible blow in the face.

The revolver secured, the great difficulty was
to raise the hammer in his fettered condition;
but there’s an old adage which says, “fortune
favors the brave,” and in this case it certainly
seemed as if the saying was true, for the weapon
proved to be a double-acting one—a sclf-cocker.

The moment the Fresh made this discovery,
he felt the victory was won.

The ruﬂian, whom he had temporarily dis—
abled by a kick, reached for his weapon the mo-
ment he recovered sufficiently from the effects
of his injury to be able to do so, but by this
time the sport was ready for him, and as the
desperado drew his pistol, with a quick, snap-
shot the Fresh closed his mortal account.

Down went the man, all in a heap, and at the
same moment, the other dosperado, having come
to his senses, jumped to his feet, plucking forth
his remaining revolver as he did so.

But the Fresh was ready for him, and before
the man could take aim, the crack of the sport’s
pistol sounded on the air.

“fell had the Fresh been named the Califor-
nian Dead-Shot, for his second bullet was as
fatal as the ﬁrst, and the ruﬂian was hurried in—
to etiernity without a chance to speak a parting
wor .

The ﬁght was ended, and with his customary
luck, the sport proved the winner.

“ So far, so good l” he exclaimed; “these two
scoundrels have escaped the hangman’s rope,
but new I must hurry up and get clear of this
lariat, for the rest of the gang may make their
ap arance at any moment.”

t did not take our hero long to accomplish
this feat.

He plucked a bowie—knife from the belt of the
nearest rufﬂan, sat down, placed the handle be
tween his knees and by sawing the lariat against
the edge of the blade soon severed it.

“ Aha, this is something like!” he cried in tri-
umplh, as he rose to his feet, the lariat dropping
to t e ground.

“ Now, then, with the aid of the weapons of
these dead desperadoes, I fanc I will be able to
ﬁght all the Red Rider gang i they should hap-
pen to return.”

And acting on this idea, he proceeded to help
himself to the weapons of the dead men.

He took the belt from one of them and buckled
it around his waist, adjusting the holsters upon
it so as to accommodate all four of the revolvers
and also shoved the eight-inch bowie-knife
through the belt.

“ B the way, I need some cartrid es ” he ob-
serv , “and as these tools are all e t e same
caliber, one box will do for the whole caboodle.

“ And let me see, isn’t that old saying, ‘ to the
victor belongs the spoils ’ a pretty good one, and
doesn‘t it ﬁt in here

“ Ain‘t I justiﬁed in oing for these galoots,
and stripping them of t eir wealth, seeing that
they went for me to the queen’s taste?

“Well. I reckon that is both law and gospel,
and I am the man to put it through for all it is
worth.”

The dead (1
as well as the
0in had seVen dollars between them the rat
ru an an: silver dollars and the gambler four
“ two-bit ” pieces, but he got two boxes of cart-
rid es.

‘FOho! I sha’n’t be likely to break my back
carrying this amount of silver!” the Fresh ob.
served, considerably disappointment by the
smallness of the ﬁnd.

“ The galoots got a geod deal more coin than
this out of me,” he continued. “ So I must
reckon that the Red Riders of Ra on are still
in my debt, and I will be hung if I donjt
force them to a settlement before I leave this

re on.

EiAnd they have got the best of me too in
the Weapon swap, for I wouldn’t give my pair
of beautiful barkers for a dozen of these com-
mon-place tools!

“Beggars mustn’t be choosers though, and
I suppose I ought not to complain, particularly
when it is considered that if this Red Rider
chief had succeeded in his plan I would be in the
hapr hunting ounds by this time.

‘ owe the allow one for that and I will
not rest content until the account is squared,
either!” "

Thiswas no em ty boast, as the reader who
has followed the esh of ’Frisco through his
varied adventures, can easil understand.

After possessing himself 0 the spoils the sport
took a look at the faces of the dead men; just
out of pure curiosity for he had no idea that he
knew either of the two.

One was a. common, ordinary-l ‘oking fellow,
such as areto be seen by the score in all the
frontier towns; the second, by his dark face
and jet-black hair, betrayed his Mexican origin,
I but there wasn’t an thing upon the person of

radoes did not pan out though
resh had expected, for the ir

 
either to show who t ey were.
“Well, I must be getting out of this!” the

!l ’ x...  I- 
‘ Jr A,‘ ‘3‘!  H; ' \ , ﬂ. .

.Paso, was correct.

 
Fresh exclaimed, “ or else the Red Riders and I ' i?
maﬁy run afoul of each other!” ‘ l a

y this time the sun was beginni to get _ ,;,
low in the western skies, and as our are no- «
ticed this fact the thought came to him that the
coming on of the night would be a decided ad-
vantage, for darkness would shield him from the
outlaws.

He proceeded to the trail and headed down the
river toward El Paso.

The gloom thickened, but there was a new
moon, rising early, and the night was far from
being dark.

As nearly as the Fresh could calculate he was
twenty, or twenty-five miles, from his destina-
tion—considerable of a walk even for a man of
his ﬁne muscular powers, but he trudged man-
fully on, keeping his ears open for the ap-
proach of any horsemen, for he understood that ,
they were far more likely to prove enemies than ; ‘ '
friends. .!

Not a soul did he encounter though, but about ~
ten o‘clock he came to a solitar cabin through I
the chinks of which gleamed a light.

“Perhaps I can get accommodation here for
the night, and then 0 on fresh in the morning.
for although I am resh by name, I feel any-
thing but fresh just now.

Our hero judged that he had covered some
sixteen miles since starting on his tramp and so
could not be far from El Paso.

The cabin was the home of a half-breed sheep.
border, a rather dull fellow, but quite ready to
make the stranger comfortable for the night.

Upon inquiring, the Fresh found that he was
within six miles of El Paso.

The half-breed set out a frugal repast, to
which the traveler did full justice, and in the
course of the conversation during the meal, the
Fresh spoke in a guarded way of the marau(lers
who called themselves the Red Riders of Rayon.

But the half-breed had never heard of such a
band, so it was plain to our here that the stock-
man’s statement in regard to the Red Riders
conﬁning their raids to the country below El

r, (.‘v.

- 1A.: rash" \ .

 
nighy, then, had this swoop on the stage been
in e?

The stockman and himself alone had suffered,
and if Jackson was a confederate, as the Fresh
believed, the outlaws had been poorly paid to
their trouble. -

CHAPTER VIII.
rim DRIVER Is .uuzm).

OUR hero enjoyed a good night's rest, and
was up betiines in the morning. ‘ v
The sheep-herder shared his breakfast with P
the guest and then the Fresh set out. ' ,

He tried to pay the half-breed for his trouble, ~
but the man drew his ragged serape around him i é
with the air of an emperor and absolutely re.
fused to accept a penny, so, with a hearty
hand-shake, our hero went on his way.

He had little dread now of encountering the
outlaws, as he reasoned that they would not be .
apt to dare to venture so near to El Paso, par- «
ticularly after their attack on the stage on the i
preceding day. . 1

He went on for about an hour, and was be-
ginning to look ahead for some signs of the town,
when a stage-coach came in view.

It made its up arance around an abrupt bend
in the read, an the driver was within twenty
feet of the sport before he had any idea of the
Fresh‘s presence. ‘

It was the same coach and the same driver 3"
that the marauders had stopped. “

The surprise of the man was wonderful,

The Fresh had halted when the coach ap-
peared, standing stock-still in the road, and the
driver grew white in the face, pullin the horses
up so abruptly that they were fo back upon
their haunches.

A maneuver which caused the two passengers
—both men—who were in the coach to thrust
their heads out of the windows in great alarm.

Th", Fresh was amazed at the consternation so
plainly exhibited upon the face of the driver,
and for which he could not account.

“ Hallo, what’s the matter with you?” the
sport asked.

The sound of the voice seemed to recall the
driver to hiinself.

“ Curse me, if you ain‘t alive!" he cried in a.
tone of profound wonder.

“ Of course 1 am alive! Wh , man, what
cranky idea have you ot in your sad? Is it a
common thing for dea men to walk the trails ,
down in this section. particularly by daylight?”

“Well, no, I reckon it hin’t,” the driver re-
plied, by this time becoming himself again, but
surveying the sport with a puzzled glance.

“ And I say. what on earth put into your
head that I was dead?” the Fresh asked.

“ Well, I dunno: nothing as I knows on,” the
other replied, evidently confused by the ques-

 
tion.

“ Oh, yes, there was someth' . Why do you
try to creep out of it in that me way!” the
sport exclaimed.

“ I sup that on account of m bein car- ‘
nod i if by that party you thought t Won be
the end of me.” .

“ Yes, yes, I reckon so,” the John replied, evi- _
dently much confused by-something. g ._

 
< MrvyV-ﬂ.

v .4. ,r metal t .1

 
.   ﬁght of the town—~

 
.the
u

 
‘j I    on; the Rio Grande. V V 7

 
r v

“ But there’s many a slip between the cup and
the lip, and, as you can plainly see, I am worth
a dozen dead men 1”

" Well, it looks like it.”

“ The fellows did intend to kill me—the two
men on foot, you know?"

The driver nodded.

“But I knew a trick worth two of that, and
so I laid them out.”

“Oh, get out! you are only blowing now!”
the other exclai

“ It’s a fact, for sure!” the Fresh protested.
“Just look here—look at the weapons that I
took from them!” And as he spoke, the Fresh
raised the skirts of his coat and displayed the
four revolvers belted to his waist.

A blank look of dismay passed rapidly across
the race of the driver, which was succeeded by
a scowl, which, however, he banished as quick-
ly as possible.

Not quickly enough, though. to escape the
keen eyes of the Californian sport who was on
the watch for just such a thin .

“ Ahal it is as I thought!” ghe Fresh mutter-
ed to himself, “ this driver is in league with the
scoundrels. The Expressragent at Las Cruees is
a confederate, too.

“In the name of wonder how many pards
{rave these Red Riders got on this one stage

me

“ Well, I wouldn’t have believed it possible,”
the driver remarked, slowly after a pause, dur-
in which he had evidently been endeavoring to
co lect his thoughts.

" Oh it is a sure enough thing! I am used to
little troubles of this klnd,” the srort replied,
with the most careless air imaginab e.

“ I don’t know whether the authorities have
offered any reward for the killing off of these
marauders or not, but- if they have I think I am
just about the man to take the mone . If the
folks down here are ready to talk usiness, I
will take a contract to cean out the whole
gang!”

Again theye was a gleam of rage in the dull
eyes of the smgHIriver, although he did his
best to disguise his feelings, but the evidence of
wrath did not escape the keen eyes of the Fresh,
who was on the watch as earnestly as a cat
creeping on its prey.

“l reckon you would ﬁnd out that you had
bit‘oif more than you could chew!” the driver
re arked, endeavorin to conceal the anger,
which he evidently fe t, under the disguise of

sarcasm.

“ Oh, don’t on go any wealth on that, for I
have ot the iggest kind of a swallow; but, I
say, w t became of the two ladies who were
in the coach! Did they put up at any hotel in
E1 Peso?”

“ Darned if 1 know,” the other replied, with
an attempt to a pear indiﬂerent, althou h the
Fresh con that he was much troub ed by
the ugstion. in] h to k

‘ , you certa y oug t now some-
thin agout it i” the sport retorted.

“ idn’t on notice where they Went after
thely uit the stage—wasn’t there somebody
in l asotomeet them?"

“They didn’t go to El Paso, as you must
know, since you are so durned inquisitive,"
blurted out the driver, evidently bothered by
the rt’s importunities, and yet not exactly
know g how to get rid of them.

“ Oh, they didn t”

“ Not much i”

“ Where did they go!”

“None of your darned business!” replied the
driver in a rage.

' Asif by m c a revolver a peared in the
hand of the h, and almosthefore the echo
of the driver’s words died away on the air, he
found himself ‘f covered ” by the seven-shooter.

“ Kee a civil tongue in your head, or I’ll let
dayligh ri ht through you i” the Fresh cried, in
a tone whic plainly indicated he meant eve-y
word he said.

And the y manner in which the two pas-
sengers wit drew their heads from the coach
windows and plumped d0wn on all-fours in the
body of the vehicle, so as to be out of the way
of a stray bullet, was real] laughable.

The driver was in a “ ole,” to usethe com-
mon term.

He was armed, but under the circumstances
his whezrons were no more use to him than if
they been so many harmless sticks.

‘ Hold on—hold on: don’t you be sodurned
fresh!” remonstrated the threatened man.

“There it goes again—too fresh,” muttered
rt under his breath.

a name must ﬁt me well, since almost
every man-Jack 1 meet applies it to me without

' the least hesitation.

“I didn’t go for to r’ile er—‘tain’t any of
your business, anyway, an I don’t see why
you should trouble our head about the matter! ’

“Well, that is t kind of man I am. I am
as curious as a woman, and feel a great desire
to known what became of those two charming
girls, so just you spit out the information as
quickly as you can.”

“ I can't tell you much about them. Neither
one of them went into El Paso. The old buﬂer
alledout for me to pullu ,justaswegot
t half a mile

\~

 
from it, I reckon, and then, all three on ’em got I its patrons seemed to be English-speakingepzao-l;e

out. told me to drive on. for the
the rest of the way, and that is all I know
about it, for I ain’t seen hide nor ha’r of any
one of ‘em since.”

The Fresh felt sure that the man was trying
to deceive him with a falsehood, and, while he
was delivering the tale, was revolving in his
mind whether it would be better to tax him
with the lie on the instant, or to allow him to
think that his effort was successful.

Upon this latter course the sport decided.

He was satisfied now that the driver was a
confederate of the Red Riders, and the suspi-
cion came into his mind that the ladies had fal-
len into the power of the outlaws.

 
His presence in the coach revented the ma-
rauders from carrying off 0 girls, and that
was the reason why he was removed tea dis- ‘
tance and the vehicle sent on without him.

This accounted, too, for the strenuous effort .
which had been made to keep him from taking
passage in the stdge; the outlaws wanted no
witness to their crime.

Then, after they ot him out of the vehicle
they determined to ill him, so that he would
not make inquiries in regard to the ladies when
he got his freedom and arrived in El Paso.

It was evidently a deep-laid plot, and the Red
Riders had some important object in view, or
else they would never have taken so much
trouble about the matter.

He had with his usual luck, become mixed up
in a dark mystery, and since he had blindly
tumbled into the matter, as it were, be resolved
to see it through, and his game at resent, he
decided, was to affect to be satisﬁ with the
explanation of the stage-driver.

‘ Ah, yes, I see,” he said, with a satisﬁed nod
of the head; “that accounts for you not know- 1
ing about them. ,

“ Well, I am really sorry, for I took a fancy ,
to those two sweet creatures, and I was in hopes
I would be able to see them again.” ,

“ Why, you kin do that as easy as rolling off a
log!” the driver exclaimed, and the Fresh could
detect by the expression on his face that the fel-
low was chuckling in his sleeve over the idea
that he had succeeded in deceiving him with his
clumsily-concocted yarn.

“ Yes, sir-eel” the J ehu exclaimed, decidedly.
“ I reckon thar won’t be the least bit of difﬁcul-
ty ’bout getting in on that racket.

“ Two such good-looking heifers as them pieces
of'calico ain’ oing to hide themselves away in
no town like BE Pasol

“ Why, I would be willin to bet big money ‘
that you will strike them insi e of a day

“ And I say, turd, if I were you I would kee ,
a shet mouth 'bout them road fellows,” the fer-
low continued, warningly.

“They notiﬁed me that if I blabbed much
’bout them they would lay me out, and you kin
jest bet I ain’t a-takin any chances.”

“No more am I. ‘ ell, so long.” I

Our hero stepped to one side, and the coach i

went on its way. ‘ wi

An hour later Jackson Blake was in El Paso, 1
hot on the scent. '

CHAPTER IX.
IN EL raso
t EL Paso, on the Rio Grande, consists of two 5
owns. 5

El Paso del Norte, the old Mexican settlement ?
on the west bank of the river, and El Paco, the
American village, on the east bank. !

At the time of which we write the American ‘
settlement did not amount to much, but El Paso
del Norte was an important point, as it has been 
for many years.

A rich agricultural country is tributar to the ;
place, and then it is the head uarters or the :
stockmen of the neighborh being far the .
largest town in the province of Chihuahua ’
north of the capital, which is an ancient and
im rtant city.

pon making cautious in uiries in the Ameri—
can settlement, the Fresh iscovered that the
end of the s route was in the Mexicamtown;
that the coac had come in without passengers
on its down tri , the driver telling the same 1
story he had re ated to him in to the
three tting off just outside the town, but he
had a ded in addition, that their reasons for so
doin were they had met a team which hadcome
for t em from some point down the river.

“ The fellow forgot to put that in when he
told the yarn to me," mused the Fresh as he re-
ﬂected upon the matter. ' ‘

“ There’s an old adage that liars should have
good memories.”

Another important fact the rt discovered: ‘
the driver had not said a word in regard to the
stage being attacked by the Red Riders.

After proving this information our hero .
crossed the river to the Mexican town, and there ,
he too Pushed his inquiries, but learned nothing
beyonr what he had acquired in the American ,
settlement. \

There were quite a number of Americans j
domiciled in the old Mexican town and one of I
the saloons and restaurants, (min on the
m, displayed the nameof the Uni States

0 .

And when the Fresh saw that the majority of i

X

i 1‘ .1. . ' p x 24
4 " v'u-  as a. ' mm. .: t” t e': v-
;‘5‘ s ,2". .1.«"Y- ' .~ :ﬁ ‘3.

; almost any kind of game that he desired to pla 

‘ mid him much,” the kindly German observed

pomess
v chairs placed there for the aecommodationof

' foot in regard to the two girls.

1 can‘t find out something about the family. '

‘y,and

would walk , g2, he came to the conclusion it would

t place for him to select for a headquarters-
Entering the hotel the Fresh explained that he
was a stranger who had come to El Paso with
the idea of slpeculating a bit, and asked what
was the best t ey could do for him.

The host wasa burly, good—natured red~faced.
sandy-bearded, German-American, J’acob Ham-
merheimer by name, but as this was entirely too
much trouble to pronounce, he was seldom called
an hing but Big Jake.

he hotel was run after the usual fashion
common on the frontier.

The guests id so much for a room and got
their meals w ere they liked.

Our hero made his usual favorable impression
upon the landlord, and as he frankly said that
he didn’t have any more money than he knew
what to do with, the genial German let him
have a good room at an extremely reasonable _ 7
rate. 5

“ How’s business in El Paso?” the Fresh in-
quired after he had completed the bargain by
paying for his room a week in advance—the
common custom. *-

“ ’Tis quiet shust now; de only blaces dat do ’:
der bi monish make are der gambling houses.” . ’

1n l Paso all kind of gambling games were -“‘
conducted in the most open manner. 

The plaza was lined with saloons where the
seeker after a short ,road to fortune could ﬁnd. '

The Fresh had noted this fact, and ashe co (1
be a “ bird of prey ” himself when it was neces-
sary, he was not sorry to see that there were
plenty of chances for the exercise of his skill.

“ By the we do you know a Jew trader, 
named Hadad lemons?” he asked. ‘3‘}, .

“Yes, yes, I shust do; his blace is on der ﬁg
street below, running from der plaza.” f 

“What kind of a man is he?” , .31

“ A hard case, mine friend; be alive will skin » ‘5
you if he gets der chance.”  f

“ What does he deal in?”  +11”;

“ Everyt’ing—he has der peddlers out all j",-
through der south, und here in El Paso he does ' 
the most of der pawn-proking business.”

“Ah, yes, I see.”

“ Your eye you will keep peeled und you deal ,

with a shrewd wink.

The Fresh thanked the landlord for his can—
tion; and then sauntered to the outside 9f the
hotel where he took ion of one of the

the- ests.

After being seated, our hero fell tomudng

upon the situation. ; "
“This Jew is evidently the ‘fence’ through a ’

whose aid the Red Riders get rid of their plun-

der, and from that cirtéumstance I judge that /‘

the odds are big that t e marauders have

head uarters right in this very town. . ,. I .
“That is their ame, for in all ventures of

this desperate kin , it is the bold game that L

  
ns. . . -
“ When the authorities make a determined 1, “
effort to catch such a gangaas these Red Rides ‘ “
of Rayan, about the last ce the average police
captain would think of coking for them would
be in a town of this size, right under his
nose, and yet the old adage says, ‘ the - do
lurks always in the shadow of the church,’ and
there’s a deal of truth in the speech too I
think. ' ' .

“ I am on the right spot then for busineasand , r
if I keep my eyes open will undoubtedly getaa  g
the track before long. _ , ‘

“ I have an idea hat I will be able to mung.
nine the Red Rider captain if I chance to meet
him in his own proper person, alth all I
could see of his ace was the eyes, he tool:
particular care to disguise his voice.

“ It is evident tha there is some foul play on. .

, 'r
r 1,
. ,,

  
a;

“ The pretended stockman and warm .,
strangers to each other, for the statement was- .
distinctly made, and it is not Probable that the:
girls would allow a falseth to be uttered in'
regard to the matter in their presence without: .
contradicting it. "

“ How ridiculous then the statement that all. A
the passengers left the stage before reaching Eli .
Paso

" Oh, no, the girls are in the hands of the Red. ,.
Riders; there isn’t the least doubt in my mind ,1
about that. But what motive had the marand~
ers for so bold a deed, for the abduction of two '

oung ladies is something out of the common; ,
bedo is a Mexican name and I must see ifI W.

t'

“ The tall girl, Isabel, was a Mexican beyond I’-
a doubt, but the other, Margaret, looked mm‘. "
like an American, and Margaret rs notaMexican' g:
name, either.” . . ‘

At this point the sport’s meditations were dib‘
tnrbed by the a preach of a stranger, a. middle-
aged man, ratli’er under-sized, but extremely
stockin built, and evidently posaemed of one
common strength. ' '

He had a rough weatherobeaten face lit up by '
a pair of small, gray eyes of won sharp- ‘f‘

,.
ness.

\ His sand hair was thickly sprinkled  H;
{sing rather long, stuck out invall'»

3

x y .r .,- “ .v' n» - ...v-., u. ~.Nv~-~~w~.ﬁps~tvu
- .. . g ,

  
if it disdained to yield to the inﬂu-
ence of brus and comb. -
A scrubby beard covered the man’s chin
growing thin and wiry as though it lacked
,. nutrinient.
"3'- He was dressed in a complete suit of buckskin,
‘ decidedly the worse for wear, and the Fresh who
was a good judge of character. at once set him
down for an old mountain man “playing in
hard luck."
One particularly odd thingr about the man
the keen-eyed sport noticed at the first glance,
and that was, the newcomer Wore no weapons.
At the time of which we write, almost every-
body on the frontier went armed, and to see a
scout, or an old mountain man without his
, weapons boldly displayed, was an extremely
' .i’ '- rare sight.
The Weapon belt, Slippol'tili’: the holsters from
which the butt of tho revolvers protruded. and
with the keen-(ulgeii bowie shchd through it,
was as much a part of the “ outlit ” as the hunt-
in -shirt itself.
he stranger wore the belt all right, but the
holsters were empty and the buck-horn handle
of the bowie knife “ was conspicuous by its
absence." to use an iris-ii bull.
The new-comer took a look at the stport as if
he was going through the )rocess o “ sizing;
him up,” and then, with a n and a “ how-.l‘y,”
took a chair by his side.
“ Nico da , sir," observed the Fresh, with an
idea of cultivating the acquaintance of the odd-
. looking man.
4. ‘ . “ Stranger, it ar’ a nice day, but I don’t bank
on it for a cent!” tho other replied with a dole—
Iul shake of the head.

, “ Is that so?”

“ .True as preachin’! It was my horn you
heered a-biowin’ that time!”

“ \Vhat is the trouble!"

“ This is a lively town 3”

“ Yes, it certainly has that appearance."

This was true enough, for the plaza was full
of people, and all the shops—particularly the
. ,— ' mbling dens—seemed to be doing an excellent

directions,

   
ness.
- “ Stranger, this ar’ El Paso is the whited eel;
nlcher that I onc’t heered the Gospel sharp ta
about!” remarked the other in a very solemn

way.
V ‘ You don’t mean it?”

‘ I am givin it to you as square as a die!”
“ Then I in or that the town hasn’t treated
right?” .

“ ay have picked me, young pard, ’bout as
clean as though I was a chicken getting read
for to be roasted!” re lied the other with a me -
noboly shake of the iead.

‘ “ Well, that ain’t the square thing, is it?”
 ' “ Not much it ain’t!" :xclaimed the stranger,

dediy.
“This is the first time in years that I have
 down in this country, and the town has

ohm mightil . r
,  “ $31110 tend’erfoot, you know, but an old
‘ r, and ’bout as tough as they make ’em.
y a year have I roughed it up and down
western wilds.
6 9‘ Why, it wassolong ago when I came out
. that. the Rio Grande was nothing buta
hook then and it has growed up since into a
yer!”
5‘ Yes.
thetioal

“And to think that an old sodger like myself
: ghould come into El PaSo, ii: full’n a goat on
their dnrned Mexican whis y, and then 0 to
bankingagame and git cleaned out of a m
wealth, an my we‘ ns, and everything wort

ring—a rustler like myself, who has booted
it‘fmm the Mississi ml to the land of Sundown—
,” old Calif’orny 00!"

'05, I see,” responded Blake, sym-
y swallowing the yarn without a pro

 
CHAPTER X.
rail: sroar or nsconnno.

. Tum name of the stranger was perfectly fa-
«inilinr to the sport.
. _ , ' OldCalifornia Joe was one of the best known
 41am on the border. .
‘1 . .Al a scent and mountain-man he stood second
noneot the pioneers of the West with the pos-
exoeption of Kit Carson. The Fresh was
that the chance of fortune had brought him
contact with such a man.
 He was in need of just such a pard.
Fortune decidedly was standing his friend, for
.3 feet that the old mountain-man u
out by the El Paso sharpen would he
. m to make him willing to join company with
' T‘ ‘ _ man who had a scheme on hand which re-
m!!! the assistance of such a genius as him-

 
 I “California Joe, eh!” our hero remarked. tak-
"  ood look at his companion “ well, I have
'  heard of you and I am right glad to have
the roof making your acquaintance, par-
rly asI hail from the Paciﬁc Slope my-
,” and the sport extended his hand which was
I once warmly grasped by the other. .
 _ “ You don’t say so!” the old mountain-man

zzard if I ain’t
any as an ole

  
‘ Wm, nowidum my old
shit to meet a man from C

 
M

 
\

   
he-b’ar would be to run up ag’in’ a holler tree
chock-full of honey !"

And he shook the hand of the other with true
Western beartincss.

“ My name is Jackson Blake; I am something
of a sport, and being of a rather impulsive na-
ture bear the nickname of the Fresh of ’Frisco!”

“ You don't mean it!” cried the old tra per,
galziug with great interest in the face 0 the
ot ier.

“That’s my handle, and I judge from your
face that on have heard of me.”

" You 'iu bet yer bottom dollar I liev, al-
though I neverhappcned to run up ag’in’ you
More.

“ But a. lot of my pards knew ye, and one, and
all of ’cm, tillers said that fora fellow who got
his living by being a sporting sharp you was the
squarest white man that ever stepped foot on
this solid mirth!“

“I am glad to hear that my reputation is so
good.”

“And you are a sport from Sportville, hey?”
queried the old mountain—man in an eager way.

‘ So I have been told.” '

“ And you lciii hold yer own ag’in’any of these
Wolves who run a brace game and ring in a cold
deal whenever they git a chance?”

“ Well, I have always succeeded in doing so,
and, maybe, as a rule, I come out a leetle
ahead,” the sport replied, carelessly, as though
he did not consider it becoming to boast of his
abilities in this line.

“ Do on s‘pose you kin skin some of these
wolves t 1111: hev their dens hyei' in El Paso?”

“ I can’t really say about that, you know, un-
til I get a chance to see how big the wolves are.
If they are only common, ordinary cattle, I can
generally beat them at their own game, and I

on’t care how finely they work it. If it is an
upand-up wolf—a regular big chief—away up
a the top of the heap—I might not be able to do
the trick.

“ Oh, I reckon these are jest common sharps,
nlthou h they skinned me almost bar’ to the
bone,‘ )ut then, if I hadn’t h’i~ted ’bout ’nuff
benzine to ﬂoat a ship, I don’t think they could
have worked the game so slick.”

“They seem to have ot away with about
all you have,” remarked the Fresh, with a
glance at the empty belt of the scout.

“ I see that even your weapons are gone.”

“ Yes, like the biggest kind of a durned fool,
I went and blew them in arter my money give
out.

“ Pard, I was so crazy for gamblin that I
r‘ally believe I would have fired this 0 d buck-
skin suit of mine in it I had had any other rags
to put on.”

‘ Oh, I don’t doubt that they would have
taken it,” the Fresh remarked.

“ Such sharps as you evidently fell in with,
would take anything.”

“ Oh, no, you are wrong thar,” the other re-

lied. “ These fellows pretend to be terribly
ugh-toned, and artcr I blew in my money and
wanted to put up my watch and chain, and
some trinkets I had, they allowed that they
didn’t keep no pawnbroker’s she and told me
to go ’round the corner to old éblomons’s she-
bang.”

The Fresh pricked up his cars, metaphorically
speaking, at this.

“ Hm ad Solomons, the old Jew ?”

“ Yes, that is the identical cuss, and a tough
ole rooster he is‘ I know him of old: I knew
11pm, years ago when he usedto hold outin Santa

e

"‘ A hard case eh?"
“ You bet! 8 had todust out of Santa Fe
right lively—’tween two days, to use the old

sayiplg.”
‘ 9 got in trouble, then?"

“ Oh, a heap! He wasn’t as keerful ’bout
buying things as he might be.

He never troubled himself to ax any ques-
tions when nry galoots brought plunder into his
shebang; it was all the same to him whether it
was honestly their own or whether they stole it.

“Things got so bad at last that the citizens
couldn't stand it, and they jest got right up on
their ears, and were going to treat the old :Iew
to a dance u n nothiu’ with a rope ’round his
neck to keep im up but he got wind of the pic-
nic and vamossd t e ranch afore the citizens
got cod and ready.”

“ sugpose he is the same old Sixpence down
here in Pam?”

“ Oh, yes, he won’t ax any questions, and he
won’t ve nowhar near the value of the things,"
the 01 at replied.

“Why, to give you an idce—on my barkers,
a pair of Colt’s navy, as fine tools as a man ever
handled—cost me a ﬁfty spot six months ago in
Albuque ue--all the ole scoundrel would allow
was ten do lam, hnd it is going to cost me. ﬁfteen
if I redeem them within a month and an increase
of five dollars a month after that.”

“ Well, I call that pretty steep."

“ Yes, I reckon the old cuss must be pulling
in the money by the cart-load.”

“ I am sorry to bear that he is such a skinﬂint,
for I expect to have a little business with him
mza‘izu' t to k h m

on wan your eyes open or e w
skiayou cloar'to tligpbone.”

vi‘.

 
“ I’ll look out for him,” and at this pointit oo:
curred to the Fresh that hperhaps his companion
would be able to afford m the information of
which he was in search, and so he immediately
proceeded to question him.

“ By the way are you much acquainted with
the )eople in this nei hborhood?”

“ reckon I am. is used to be my old stamp-
ing ground. I lived down the river a piece {or
five years. I was with one of the biggest cattle-
raisers that there was in this part of the
country; mi hty wise man he was too—as ion
as I live I  iall never forget him. He’s den
and gone now; I didn’t know it, or you kin bet
your bottom dollar I wouldn’t have booked for
this town.

“ I was calculatinn' to git a job from him
ag'iu or else I wouldn t have come this way.

“ He wasn’t no common Mexican—no durned
Greaser, but a high-toned Spaniard—as ﬁne a
gen’lcinan as I ever met was that same Estevan
Esci )bch I”

It was hard work for the Fresh to refrain
from showing his surprise at the unexpected v [i .
utterance of the name. "

“ Dccidedly the blind oddcss, Dame Fortune, ‘
is standing my friend,” t e s rt mused to him-
self as the old plainsman a lowed his head to
sink upon his breast, the memories of the past l
coming back to him. ' -

“ Here is a man who can tell me all about
the Escobcdo family, haviu been an inmate of
the Escobedo household. ecidedly I am in
luck!”

“Yes, yes, he was a mighty ﬁne man, Senor
Estevan!" California Joe declared, rousing him-
self from his abstraction.

“ He was the cattle-king of the. Rio Grande,
and was reckoned to be one of the richest men
in the province of Chihuahua.

“ You have excited my interest, for there was
a couple of ladies in the stage, in which I came,
by the name of Escobedo.”

“ Oh, thar’s a hull raft of them—distant rela-
tions of the cattle-king, but he only had one

gal .
girl with dark hair and i
7, xi

“A tall beautiful
eyes, Isabel by name

“ Oh, no, that‘s the gal of another stock, third
or fourth cousins, or something of that 30115,”,
the other replied.

“Iknow the gal you speak of—she’s ot a
brother, Manuel, one of the wildest young ‘vils
in all Mexico.

“Both of them Were brought up by the old
cattle-king, and, I reckon, that at one time they
thought the old man would leave them some:
thing handsome when he kicked the bucket, but
they were disa pointed, so the folks told me,
’cos the old man eft all his property to his darth
in the East. ,

“ Thar’s a bit of a yarn ’bout Senor Estevan’s
wife and darter,” explained the old scout.

“ He married a Yankee gal that he met onc’t 3.5
when he was on an eastern trip, and after she V 

1

Wang} "‘ ' " ,v

 
got out b er, she was lonesome and homesick.

“ The on was a might quick-tempered cuss
and he didn’t like it. 8 e was a poor gal an
be thought she ought to be glad to have sich a ,
home as he gave her so they kinder uarreled, ,
and, at last, when the little gal who ad come ,1 '
of the marriage was about ﬁve years old,
the mother lit out for the old home With the
darter.

“ The Don was too mighty proud to try for to

t them back, but sent his wife word that when
8 9 had s‘arved long enuﬂ.’ to cure her of her
folly she could come back

“ But the gal was plucky, and she didn’t
starve. She stuck it out till the old man died
and all his folks were glad, for they reckoned ' -
they would come in for a slice of the big " .
property; but, at the last moment, the oldman . i, 9
ma e a will, leaving everythin to his darter, f,’ ” {A
and ﬁxed the thing all up wit the la era. so f I
that she won‘t have any trouble in gem the ‘h
men’i‘y.

“ he Don only died ’bout a month ago, so
when I struck the town 1 got the story right
fresh."

“ What is the daughter’s name?”

“ Margaret.” ,

“ Ohoi IVliy, that was the name of the other
girl in the coach, but there wasn't any mother .
with her.” .

And then the Fresh related to his companion
all that had occurred from the time he went into
the stage-ranch at Las Cruces to et a place in
the coach, until he arriwd at El use, not emltp
ting to detail his suspicions. :

‘ That gal was the old Don’s heir,” California
Joe declared. “ And you are right, by hockey!
Thar’s foul play afoot!”

     
CHAPTER XI.
ran PAWNBROKIR. , . .
Tm: Fresh was glad to have his and
conﬁrmed by so expert a judge as old
lainsman, and he resolved to speak plain!) to
im.

“As you see, I haw, just by accidglim
’

 
miXed u in this matter and beta I0
on kno£, have made up my’min! to Its the _- 
through. a ' ~ ‘

I

 
ﬂ.x .~'.

.., 1.“. a 5..., 

    
,'- Iamnotaswell

 .,.-,...w__._sag-t,~f , , w,
'4 a A ‘
‘ I , O i

‘tf ,5, ...'; .5".

The Fre

..v-,. la. A,-

l’ ". .' '3'”: .  '. ‘._ - l ‘V

sh on the Rio Grande. 9

 
“ I know that it ain't any of my funeral,
but I have resolved to have a ﬁnger in the

is.”

“ Right you air, and no mistake!” exclaimed
the old mountain-man, romptly.
Blake, if on kecr to veapard, lam y
to go in w th you."

“The very thing I would have asked!" replied
the Fresh.

“ Put it thar!” cried California Joe, extending
his borny-palmed hand.

The two exchanged a warm grip.

“ I’m yer pard until death do us two part, as
I heerd a Gospel sharp once say.

“I am just the chap who ought to hev a spoon
in this soup, for I ate the bread of the old Don
and took his money for many a day.

“ No man on top of this hyer sol-id footsteol
has a better right to stand up and fight for the
darter of Estevan Escobedo. ’

“ From the fax-t of this Isabel being with
the daughter, it would seem that they are on
friendly terms, and most certainly they appear-
ed to be."

“ I know that Isabel—she‘s a gal of ’bout
twenty-five now i"

“ Yes, about that age.”

“ She is a p’ison cat, unless she has changed
mightily,” California Joe observed.

“ I remember her well: both she and her
brother Manuel, who is five or six years older
than she, were on the old Don’s ranch.

“ She was jest as pleasant as ie to the cattle-
king. but when he wasn’t ’roun she used to let
her temper out.

“ We all reckoned that she was trying to
keep on the right side of the old Don, so as to
get some of his money when he passed in his
checks; the brother, too, was on his good
behavior when the old man was about, but
jest before I quit the ranch he got into n
stabbing-match up here in one of the El Paso
gambling-houses, and so had to make himself
skcerce.

“ The thing was so public that it couldn’t be
hushed up, and the old Don was as mad as hops,
’cos he had been completely hoodwinked, not
having any idee of what a wild devil the galoot
“'83.

“The two expected to be the cattle-king‘s
heirs?"

“The did, for sure!”

“ An when the old man willed everything to
his daughter they, of course, were terribly dis-
appointed.”

Oh, you bet they must have been, and from
what I know of that tiger-cat, I would be will-
ing to take my oath that she felt like puttingla
knife, into the lawyer sharp w’ot drawed t e
wil .
ou kndw anything about these outlaws
—-these Riders of Rayon?”

“Nary thing! Never heercd tell on the gang
until you spit it out. I reckon ﬂiey area new
band, for there wasn‘t any sich galoots in this
section when l usczi to travvl around hyer.”

“I begin to see the tail of a Very large rat l”
exclaimed the Fresh, as a new idea came into
his mind.

" As I told you, I suspected that this Jackson,
who said he was a stockman, was a confederate
of the Red Riders, but I did not suspect that the
girl was in league with them, but now 1 do, for
when the road-agents made their attack she
threw her arms around me pretending to be
dreadfulig‘fri htened, and chin",' to me in such
a way t couldn’t get at my weapons,
for I certame would have fought them, single-
handled!"

“In course!” exclaimed the old scout, “ that
was her little game to a dot. Oh, I tell you, she
is a ’isoned sarpint, and no mistake!”

“ ow, then, the motive is plain to me of the
abduction!” the Fresh declared.

“ This brother and sister concocted the plot,
and they have the Red Riders to carry
Margaret Esco 0 off.” . ‘

“I reckon you have got it down' as fine as
silk!” the old mountain-man declared. “ And
the odds are bi that this Manuel Escobedo is
one of the Redillider  He’s none too good
for it, I can tell you 1'

“Then, if they kill .the old Don's daughter,
all the property will to this precxous ir."

“ Oh, no, you're on thar! not by a ugful!”
California Joe declared.

“Th ain’t the next of kin; thar’s ’bout a
hu other! jest as near to the old Don.

“ Oh, no, I reckon that ain‘t their game, 'oos
:hseky'yvouldn’t make snuff by it to warrant the

"Whyonearththenhasthegirlbeencarried
off?” demanded the Fresh, pe lexed.

“ You sir too much for me,l?ohn,” responded
California Joe, shaking his head with the air of

a saga.
“ ell, it isn’t any ussof lating u the
mbgzc‘t: that will not “3., m3";

tn:
.“Wearepardaandinforthewart”
“Youhet!”the me. I
And min a Mung],
.“Tlnnrstthin inorderistoraissfunds,for
ledas'f ought to be toen-
lnastrnggleofthis kind.

“'Y,

.,

.r‘

n.
4,.

 if. p. m away doim to the bed-rock, com-

I v.

f‘: '3'}! a;  r. \ . I a
L‘u'. . .-.-' . v

1,». , «’1 w ‘ “V's ‘

a

"AndIsa ,i

 
pletely cleaned out. Nary two coins left for to
rub ’in' one another.”

“ t is a bad showing, for money is the
sinews of war and then you must have some
weapons, too, for this ain't the kind of country
for a man to travel around unarmed.”

"You kin bet high on it; and that reminds
me of the old joke, a man mought go ’round in
this hyer country for twenty years and not
a we‘pon, but when he does need one, he wants
it like biases !”

“ Here’s a pretty fair wea n- a self cooker, |
and not a bad tool,” and as e spoke the Fresh .
drew the revolver from its holster and gave it
to the scout who examined it with a critical

eye. i 
Then the sport passed over a box of car-
trid es. I
“ ow I have a pair of revolvers for the Jew
pawnbroker,” and he showed them to the other. i
“ I ought to get ten dollars on them and then
I have a diamond ring worth a hundred dollars
of any man’s mone , and on that I must have
twenty-ﬁve at the east. As a rule, if the man
who makes the loan is a geod jud Ican get
fifty, but I don’t antici temore t an twenty-
ilve from this party, ju ging from what I hear
about him.” , ,
“ He is a skin from Skinsville!" the old‘scout
observed seuieutiousiy. _

" But I say, how on airth did you man e to >
save yer sparkle-r from these hyer Red ider ’
galoors.”

The Fresh la bed. ,

“ Oh, I’m an o d sport, you know, and one of 
the cardinal rules for a man in my business is 1
always to have some little trinket of this kind
put away for a rainy day. What the French
call the dernier resource. Not to be used until ,
the last extremity.

“ A diamond, you see, takes up but little
room—great value in small space, and troney
can be quickly raised upon it.

“ As or the Red Riders—no such men as they ,
are—clumsy radians—are going to put salt on
the tail of a rare bird like myself. i

“ I have the ring snugly hidden away in a »
fold of my hunting-shirt, fastened in with '
needle and thread,” and then, thrusting his
 tight) his bosom, he soon brought the gem I

l .

“ hunder! it is a beauty 1" California Joe ex- ,
claimed as the sport ﬂashed the diamond before
his 0 es. g

“ cs, any first-class jeweler would charge at ‘
least a hundred and a quarter for the thing,
and, as I observed, it is dirt cheap at a hundred.
“ But come, let‘s be of! for the Jew’s and see
what the old heat will do for us.”

“ You're right thar l” California Joe observed,
following the Fresh’s example and rising from
his seat. “A bigger old beat don’t draw the
breath of life on this hyer Mexican soil.”

As the landlord had said, the abode of the
pawnbrokcr was just around the corncr.

It was a cenimon, private house, not a store,
and on the door was a small tin sign which d is-
played the magical three balls, and underneath
the emblem was the name—

HADAD SOLOMONS.

On the door was an old-fashioned brass
knocker, and the Fresh raised the echoes of the g
street With a con la of lusty raps.

“Hey, you be 'eve in sailing in, don’t you!"
e'aculated the old mountain-man, astonished at
t e manner of the other, so different from the
usual sneaky way in which most men approach
their “uncle” when in need of his services.

“ Oh, yes, why should a man be ashamed of a
little financial transaction of this kind?” .

“A merchant marches into a bank and bor- ‘
rows money upon his collaterals as bold as brass.
but he sneaks to the pawnbroker's as thoughhe
fancied he was doing something dishonest.

“ Why should there such a difference be ’tween
tweedlednm and tWeedledee?”

“ Sport, you are awa up at the tobof the

 
heap! exclaimed the 0d mountain—man, ad~
ming'gly. '
“ cs, I am so fresh that saltpeter will not

save me, let alone common, plebeian salt.”

At this point a small, secret panel, about six
inches square, in the upper t of the door
opened, and there appeared t features of the
withered, yellow-skinned Hebrew.

His little, dark eyes, deep-sunken in the head,
and shining like two jet-black beads—more like
an animal’s orbs than the eyes of a human—sur-
veyed the Fresh, who was close to the door,
With considerable curiosity.

“ Mine gootnem, mine frien’, you believe in .
making a noise!" exclaimed the old man, who 1
had one of the soft, wheedling voice peculiar to
some male's of his race.

“Wherefore have you the knocker on the
door, if not to knock, oh, son of Israel and child
of J udeai” ansvwred the m

“ Mine gootnesal" excl edtheold man, per- |
plexed by the theatrical address “ what man- .
her of man are you, mine fr’en’i’i l

‘ “How so, how set in onrself, mine
‘ A customer who knocks loudlv at your door fr‘sn’t U my word, thi you are too
that you may bid him enter in the name of the much wi your mouth talking,” the old mam
tribe f Abraham. sothat on may avastmm declared, inu'edulousl . i 4 
of shxels reap from his‘ t.” “ time! Seei‘y ‘ . 
“ Oho, you makssgame wit me, mine fr’en’i” And ,asifhy maid-Jemima” g j- 
l .- ' l ( e. . ’  x.- ,!-,'v-- .~ ! ‘ .   '1
r" '- »V"'“"" I ‘ ‘3”. ‘L "A"? r .‘.-"i,‘v:, . l V" ‘, ..\‘-"- l1 -. - a". ~'."d-‘:-’.

, man, but it is not so; I

exclaimed the pawnbroker, evidently a little
anno ed by the style of the speech.

“ o, sir; child of E ypt’s ancient land, I
wouldn‘t be 'lty of tag anything of the
kind for two llars and a half!

“ That is not the kind of man I am. I come
on business—in fact, I am old business from
BusineSsville.

“See, I have a sparkler here to sell you!"
and the Fresh ﬂashed the light of the diamond
in the eyes of the Jew.

“ There, game on that and weep! Never has
the world seen a finer jewel since the day when
Egypt’s star-e 'ed queen sailed down the stream
to meet the man, Antony, and by so doing
changed the fortunes of a world 1“

CHAPTER Xll.
THE SPORT AND THE JEW.
THE eyes of the old Jew blinked like the
orbs of an animal exposed suddtnly to the

li ht.

ﬁh’evcr in all his experience had he encountered
such a man as the one who now applied for ad-
mission.

“ Mine gootncss
right?” he inquired.
are talking about?”

“ Oh, you can bet the wealth of all your
tribe on that! (‘ome now, unhar your door and
get your ducats ready! I am going to give you
the best trade that you have struck since you
took up our ulnxie in El Paso.”

Just at this moment the old Jew happened to
catch sight of California Jr.e. I

” Ah, my goot fr’en’, California Joe, do you
come with this young mans?”

“ Yes, yes, he’s got some stuff for you; he
comes on my recommendation. I told him that
you would skin him as well as any man in the
town.“ .

“ Aha, mine fr’en’, you are fond of a joke. It
is goot. I joke mineself sometimes,” and the
ancient Hebrew displa ed his yellow, fang-like
teeth in a sort of a sa onic grin.

Then he unbarred his door and admitted the
VlsitOl'i'. ,r‘

The entrance led directly into the main room
of the house, which was an apartment about
ﬁfteen feet square.

Across one side of it was a small counter, and
in the rear wall a door which evidently led into
another apartment.

After the two were in the room the Jew care-
fully barred the door  I

"I 509. Hadad, my y, that you take pre-
cious gmzl care to have your house arranged so
that no one can get in unless you choose to let
them.” the Fresh remarked.

“ Oh, yeah, there are (plenty of bad mans
around," remarked the ol Jew, in his soft, in-
simlilating way, rubbing his hands gently to-
get er. '

“ Der people hafe an idea that I am a rich
am poor, very poor;
trade ish not gout; I loose me mooch nonish;
people will not believe me when I tell them dis,

mine fr’en’, is your head all
“ Do you know what you

though. Ah! wi‘en der “orld gets an idta into .

its head it is hard w¢rk tobeat it out some—
times mine fr’en’s.”

“hes. you are right thar!” California Joe
exclaimed.

“ Now, for myself, if any one had ax me how

‘ you were ﬁxed, I would have sworn that you

Were just rolling in moncy.”

“ That was my notion i" chimed in the Fresh.
“ If I were a cracksman, and on the housebreakv
ing lay. I don‘t know a crib in Mexico which I
would sooner try to crack than this ranch of
yours here.”

The old J ew's alarm was immediately excited

by this speech.
“ Mine gootncss, you Wnuld not make nothing
by such foolishness as that. /

“Besides, [am prepared for any bad mans
tshezt” may into my place come to rob me.
i

The pa! nbroker'waved l is hand, and a secret
pan- 1 in the back wall, about two feet square
opened sudden] , and in the entrance appeared
a chmh lad o eighteen or there ate, with.
revolver which he ﬂourished in th air in an

a extremely menacing way.

“I see! I see!” exclaimed the Fresh) “TU

isa leetle scheme which you have for the beneﬁt ' I

of any bold blade who cranes in here withthe
id a of cleaning out the ranch.”

“ Yeah, I must rotect minesslf, mine fr’en',”
chuckled the old ew, enjoying the surprise of
his visitors.

“ It’s a nice leetle scheme, but if you were
dealing with such a man as myself it wouldn‘t
work worth a cent,” the Fresh remarked, in the
most matter-of-fact and business-like wa .'

The wnbroker took the alarm immediamly.

“ y not, why not, mine fr'en‘i”

“Baan it wouldn’t,” repeated the Califor-

“MW
“ y.suchasharpasIamwouldgetthe
deadwood on you without any trouble.”

 
l
r-.
.l‘
"a
_’

   
' .J"‘ .4 - .1. «.0» .amu-

:'
.

._ .._.____..._ _._..,_.._ ..__ N.-. a-.. .—

 
V The Fresh on the Rio Grande.‘

 
in the Fresh’s hand, and in a twinkling he had
the Jewish youth covered.

“This is a self-cooker!” the sport explained.
“ One pull and oil' she oesl

“ Now, then, son of srael, where are you?

“ Before your gentle youth there can draw a
bead on me I could send a bullet crashing
through his brain, then another bullet settles
your hash—only two shots, mind you, and both
of you are done for, and in atown like this,
where revolver-shots are not uncommon, the
chances are about a hundred to one that no one
would take any notice of the ﬁring, and if they
did, the door here is stoutly barred—you’ve got
it arranged as if you expected to keep out an
army—and before the barrier could be forced,
we two could help ourselves to all your portable
Binnder, and be able to make our escape by the
_ ck way, while the front door was being beaten
in.

The terror of the Jew was extreme; never be-
fore in all his life of strange adventure had he
been can ht in such a trap, and as for the
youth wit the revolver, he trembled as though

6 had the ague.

Little fitth was he to contend with such a
darin rt as the Californian.

“ o, o, hol” roared California Joe, enjoy-
ing the joke hugely, “ it ’pears to me, Solomons,
as if you were in the worst kind of a ﬁx.

“ Say, hadn’t you better give us four or ﬁve
thousand dollars and call the thing squar’?”

“Oh, mine fr’e‘n’s, you are not in earnest-—
you do not mean to rob a poor man in this
we l” the Jew pleaded.

, he tra had been sprung upon him so unex-
pectedly t at he was not quite sure whether it
was a oke or if the pair were in earnest.

If t ey Were not in jest, then surelyhe was

' doomed to be plundered in a truly wholesale

manner.

“ 0h, mine fr’en’s, I will treat you well—J
always treat everybdgg well, is it not so, Cali-
fornia Joe?” he cri , appealing to the old
mountain-man.

. ' “Oh, yes, you skin ’em asclean as you kin—
thar ain t the least doubt about that.”

“ Young man, drop that shooting-iron !” cried
the s rt, abrgtly, to the Jewish lad, and the
yout com li with the command as quitﬂ
:8 though t e pistol had suddenly become <

0t.

“ Now make yourself scarce and shut that
slide, and ,remember, don’t tr an monkey busi-
ness behind it, for the bul et rom my pistol
would go through that thin board without the
least bit of difficulty, and lay you out before you
could say Jack Robinson!

“ Shut pan, now, I tell you!"

The boy was prompt to obey the injunction,
and when the room resumed its norms. a pear-
ance, the Fresh shoved his revolver bac into
its holster and laughed in the face of the aston-
ished Jew.

“ There, Father Abraham, that is the way to
do business! Stop your shivering, for you are
not in the least danger. I only wanted to give

on a taste of my quality and show you what
ind of a man I am.

“ We are on the square, California Joe and I,
and on are ust as safe with us as though you
had he who e Mexican army at your back to
protect on.”

“Yes , yesh, mine fr’en’, I was quite sure of
that all the time!” the wnbroker exclaimed,
forcing a smile, althoug it was as much as he
could doto kee his nerves uiet after the vio-
lent scare whic he had reoe ved.

“You ought to be much obliged to me. for
showing how easily some d fellow could get
awa with your wealth,” t sport observed.

‘,‘ course you know how many men there are
always floating around a town of this kind who
would have the sand to take a big risk for the
sake of etting a few ducats.

“ Cali ornia and I are pretty desperate It ]-
lows, and we are about down to the bed-rock,
still we would scorn to rails money in any such
w“; We are no Red Riders, you know.’

0
sharp

words were uttered carelessly, but the
had his keen eyes on the face of the old

‘7 Jew as he uttered the words.

~ Solomons was an old bird and not easily trap-
ped, but in spite of his self-control he could not
gevent his bead-like eyes from snapping a little
hen the name of the gang fell upon his ears.
“ The Red Riders, oh? and who are they?” be
asked in a very innocent way.
' “ Oh. come, to make out that you don‘t know

the men who add to your gains is a leetle too

thin!”

“‘80 help me Moses, I know them not!” the
Jew declared.
. “Well, that is mighty odd for they know
' n

u. '
r 1NA in the'shargyed Fresh detected the pecu-
liar 00k in the or of the Jew.

Evidently he was perplexed by the positive
statement. '

" Oh. well that may be,” he said with a shrug
of his sh ers.

“Of course, a man in my business is known
to a great many people whom he does not
know. '

“Well from the way these outlaws spoke I
had an idea that you d d business with them.”

      
v. , .. .IV
v’ .‘ 7", . :2 .17-

This speech caused ‘ the old Jew to manifest
genuine alarm.

“ Oh, mine gootness, mine frien’, you must not
believe everything that you hear!” he declared.
“ I tell you I know them not! I am an honest
man, so help me Moses! It is not my fault if
bad men say that I do business with them, but
I do not! It is a lie!”

“ “'ell, if you ain’t careful maybe these ras-
cals will get you into difficulties with their loose
talk.” the Fresh remarked.

“ That is as true as preaching!” California Joe
asserted. “ Why, I have known good men to
be hanged on account of just such loose talk, so
you had better mind your e e, I warn you, you
mow, as an old time frien , for on are a man
that I think a heap of, and it woul’d go ag’iu’ my
grain to see you up in the air a-dancing on noth-
ing‘ to the tune of the rogue‘s march.”

his was putting it a little too strong and the
a red Hebrew perceived that his visitors were
amusing themselves by playing upon his fears.

“ Oh, no,” he responded, shaking his head with
a conﬁdent air, “ there isn’t any danger of any
one harming me.

“ This is not an American mining-cam , but an
old Mexican city, with laws and p0 ice, and
Jud e Lynch has no court here.

" he authorities know me too—they know I
am an honest man, and it would require strong
proof to convince them that I have anything to
do with these outlaws—with these Red Riders
of whom you speak.”

“ Perhaps some of the men in authority have
a ﬁnger in the pie thcmselves,” suggested the
Fresh. “Such a thing as a captain of police
being in with an outlaw gang has been known.”

CHAPTER XIII.
A BUSINESS TRANSACTION.

THE unexpected shot struck home.

There was a look in the e es of the Jew which
showed that he winced at t e thrust.

Perfect as was the Control which the old man
had over his features at his eyes betra ed his
feeling once in the whi e to such a close 0 server
as the sport.

He recovered from the effect quickly though.
“ Mine fr’en’ let me caution you as a mans who
knows this town, to be careful how you talk
such things in public,” be remarked, in the kind-
est possiblo manner.

“ You might much trouble make for yourself.
The police of El Paso are a high—toned set of
gentlemcn~some of them are rash and impul-
sive too—the captain of police particularly so,
and if it should come to his ears that you had
hinted that any of the police force were in
league with a band of outlaws it would be sure
to cost you dear.”

“ Oh, well, I’m not afraid of your saying any-
thing about it. You wouldn’t go back on me, I
know!” the Fresh declared.

“ You see I have perfect faith in you, old
man; I know that you are one of the right sort
and wouldn‘t betray a rd.”

The Jew elevated his eyebrows as much as
to say that he didn’t quite like the familiar way
of the American.

“ I know that you are true blue to your cus-
tomers for if you wasn't the Red Riders would
never are to trust you.”

This announcement irritated the pawnbroker.

“Mine gootness mine fr’en’, I tell you again
I nothing know about the Red Riders!” he ex-
claimed, andgrily.

“ What id they say of me to make you be
lieve I know aught of them l”

The sport then ex lained the arrangement he
had made with the ed Riders in regard to re-
deeming his revolvers. '

The brow of the old Jew cleared as he listened
to the tale.

“Aha!” he cried, rubbing‘ his hands brislély
together, evidently feeling decidedly reliev ,
“ you see they do not claim to be customers of
mine. Is it not as I told you? Oho! 1 am an
honest bean! Ask anybody who knows me and
they w ltell you so. I buy and- I sell. Some
times I admit in the course of trade I bu goods
that are stolen, but how can I tell? do not
buy them knowingly.

“ If the man swears that the articles belong
to him, how is it possible for me to know that
the man lies?

“ You come my shop in to do business with
me now; you bafe something to pawn or to sell:
am I then to think on have stolen g

“ Oh, no, you 100 hke an honest man; I will
not our feelings hurt by such a suspicion. _

“ rue, I am sometimes deceived—where is
there a man in this world who is not?”

“ Very true! Your head is level there,” the
sport assented.

" And about your revolvers; did not the out-
laws say that through some of my peddlers in
the South they woul get the pistols to moi”

“ That was their say-so.”

“ I cannot answor for all of my paddles-s—
there are ten or ﬁfteen of them; it would be ask-
ing too much of me.

“ There may be a black sheep in the ﬂock—
some fellow who is in league with these Red
Riders, I know not. It is not possible for me
to know. '

“All I can say is that my men deal honestly

 
1,: .' _
xi . ,-, I
._‘,,_,S ‘.,.,_..

 
with me; if they did not, I would not trade
with them. .

“ I will bear your revolvers in mind. I will
speak to my men and I haven’t the least doubt
I can get them for you, although it is a very
large price that you have agreed to pay for
them.”

“Beg ars can’t be choosers, ou know. The
scamps ad me on the hip and was obliged to
knuckle,” the Fresh replied. Besides I Would
rather give fifty than lose the wea us, for they
are like old pards; l have carri them for a
long time, they never went back on me, and I
know they can be de ended upon.”

“ lt is out! I WI 1 take particular care to
speak to a 1 my peddlers about them,” the Jew
remarked with the air of a man who desired to
be Particularly agreeable.

‘ There isn’t any doubt on will be able to re-
cover the pistols for ﬁfty ollars is a goot price
for old revolvers; but did I not understand 'ou
to say you had a diamond on which you Wis ed
to raise money?”

“ \‘cs. here it is,” and the Fresh took of! the
ring and handed it to the Jew.

Old Solomons examined it in a critical man-
ner.
“ It is a fair stone and Were it not for the
ﬂaw would be worth some monish,” he re-
marked.

“ Why, you old sinner, where do you find a
ﬂaw in it’

“ Here in the side!” responded the pawn-
broker in the most positive way, holding up the
ring for the sport’s inspection.

“There’s no ﬂaw in that diamond. and you
know it, you old scamp!” "

“ Oh, mine gootness, mine fr’en’, you must not
think to deceive a goot judge like myself!” de-
clared the Jew.

“ Child of Moses! if there’s a ﬂaw in that
stone I will eat it—and between you and me
and the bedpost, I am not hankering after dia-
monds for dinner just now. A less costly re-
past will satisfy my appetite!”

“ Mebbe you are not of diamonds a udge.”

“ I am as good a judge as you are, adad, old
pard, and I reckon that is saying a nod deal.

“ 1 am a sport and when I am ﬂus my fancy
naturally runs to diamonds. I have owned a
good many sparklers in my time, and I flatter
myself I can tell agood stone when I see it as
well as any jeweler in the land.

“And now I will tell you what I Will do. ,Is
there any man in El Paso whom you consider to
be :1 00d judge of diamonds?”

“ gh. yes, Senor Jose Parral, captain of

lice."

“ He is a judge?”

“ No better in Mexico!” replied the Jew, de-
cidedly. “He was brought up in one of the
largest jewelry shops in the city of Mexico.”

“Good, I am willing to leave it to him. I

will put up the riiig against twenty-ﬁve dollars »

of your mono” there is a ﬂaw in the stone
you to take mono and ring, but if there isn’t I
to corral the sp01 . .

“ Ah, but this would be gambling!” the pawn-
broker ro . ” I am an honest busmess
man an I never-gamble.”

“ Particular] when you haven’t any chance
to win, eh? me, old man, you know ver
well that the stone is all right and easily Wort
a hundred and a quarter!” .

Finding that he was dealing with a man who
k w somethin about diamonds, the pawn-
br ker pretend to submit the diamond to an-
other careful inspection, and then, shaking his
head in a dubious way, remarked:

“I believe you are right—I think I was de-
ceived by a shadow. How much do you want
on this rin ?”

“ Well, ought to have ﬁfty dollars.”

“ Oh, mine gootness!” and the old Jew rew
up his hands in pretended horror; “ and ye call
yourself a judge of diamonds.”

“ So i am, and that is only about a third of
the retail value of the stone.”

“I could not do more than ten on it,” and the
awnbroker made a motion to hand the rin

ck; he had no idea of doing it, though, an
surrendered it quite unwillingly when the sport
took it from him. . ,

“ Oh, no, you want thewhele butt-end of the
bar in.” .

“ ine,fr’en’ I must live i" the Jew protested.

“ No particular need of that, as far as Ican
see,” the Fresh responded. “ I reckon the world
would get along just as well without you.

“Well what will you do on these revolvers?”
and the Fresh exhibited them.

“ Well, mine fr’en’, as it is you I will go you
ﬁve dollars.”

“I want ten!”

“ Oh, no, I could not et my monish out of
them if on did not take t m up.” ~

“ Go ’ onarwith you!” cried the Fresh in con-
tempt. “ hat is the use of trying to stuﬂ me
with any such yarn as that.

“ You know very well that you haven’t t a
revolver in your stock—no matter how ad or

r a weapon it is—that on would be Willing
sell for less than five do lars.”

“ 0h, mine gootness, pistols are a drug in the
market now.” 

“ Yes, when you want to buy them; they are

 
.. .,~...-q-......_— v-
. . n.

 
r J... w 

. mun.--“ ~w-, WWW“  ,

 
. ..  7.-..

. ,~;~\:<~ '11!» -—. warm. at" v
V .

 
rm F‘jv.‘ f'vw'~\ mvnwngxgwm.-w N‘. ‘

 
a“

 
-‘m .i, v. - «a

3.4....» _-.—n- v p»,- - rvr-N'F'e‘wp‘w'

,..__. mg . “we...” wnsAsu'ulebvcrﬁw.‘  ._ " "

.s,

i
r

i,
.1,

 
I ‘ ' a .. :
FEW—73W , . sum...-r-, :20"; 1 0,2. “W

.a
«amt?» . y . . _

‘ .«w-a-s—N

. a 3“];

 
. idﬁw-ﬂ; I, . _. q

, ” - The Fresh on the Rio Grande.

1.1

 
dear enough, though, at the selling time. I
want ten dollars for the revolvers and forty
dollars for the rirg.”

"Oh, mine gootuess—ﬁfty dollars!”

“ Yes, an even ﬁfty dollar note is what I am
hankering after.”

“ I cannot give it; it would be robbing mine-
self.”

“ All right—we can‘t trade,” and the Fresh
turned upon his heel.

“ Hold on—hold on, mine fr’en’; do not be in
so great a hurry!" the old Jew inquired. “ Will
not less than ﬁfty dollars do?"

“ N ar cent.”

" it must he ﬁfty?”

“ Fifty exactly: no more, no less.”

“ Mine goot fr’cn’, will you pardon the ques-
tion?” asked the Jew, in his most insinuating
manner. “ What for do you wish this mon-
ish?”

“ Oh, I haven’t the least obijoction to answer-
ing,” the sport replied, iin net lately.

‘ As a man of observation I have been struck
with the fact that there are more gambling-dens
in El Paso than I ever saw in a town of the same
size, and as a moral man, I have made up my
mind to go in and clean out about a dozen of the
biggest ones.”

“ ? ﬁfty dollars, cash capital?” asked the old
~Hebr w, with a sly chuckle.

“Yes, that is my game.”

“And you are. a sport, eh?" said the wn-
broker, in a tone which implied that he had con-
siderable doubt in regard to the fact.

“ Yes, Sir, a sport from Sportville.”

“Mine gootness! the he s will clean
so quickly that it will ma e your hea
How lon do you Want the money?”

“ Unti to-morrow only.

I L  l") '

“ And I’ll give you ﬁve dollars for the use of
t H

on out
swim.

“ You shall have it, my fr’en’!" cried the Jew,
abruptly, with a ﬂourish of his skinny hand in
the air.

“I like luck! You have more sand than any
man that as struck El Paso since the ﬂood, but
the boys will skin you all the same and you will
never see your r sparkler and your revolvers
again.”

“ Don’t you be too sure of that. I’m the big-
gest chief on the Rio Grande and my ‘ medicine ’
is mi hty powerful. -I always play to win.”

“I pe so, but you will not all the same.”

Then the Jew produced the ﬁfty-dollar note
and “ gathered in” the ring and the revolvers.

“ So—long, I will see you later!” the Fresh re—
marked

'“ It will be no use to come without the mon-
ishl” reh nded the Jew. .

“ Don’tlxyou worry about that! Wrap ’em up

in lavender !"

 
CHAPTER XIV.
numoun cu'r DIAMOND.

“ WA-AL, you are the fu’st man, I reckon, that
ever made that ole galoot of a Jew come to time!”
California Joe remarked.

"It all depends upon knowing how to handle
your man,” the Fresh replied.

“ He bit like a hungry ﬁsh when I offered the
bait of only wanting the money for a day.”

1‘ Oh, es, that was plain ernuﬂ'.”

“ Wel , now, a day is all I want, for I will
either make my stake before the winning breaks
or also go bu’sted.”

“ The old cuss was right about one thin
though,” California Joe remarked as they turns
from the side street into the plaza.

“ What was that?"

“Fifty dollars ain’t much money for a man to
have at his back when he gOes in to tackle a big

ame.”
g “Men have started in with less money and
broke big taro banks-the game was a square
one though, and all that the bank had in its
favor was the natural percentage.

“ I myself, in ’Frisco once, started in with ten
dollars and came out a winner, twenty thousand
to the good.

“ Thundcrationi” cried the old scout, aston-
ished at the magnitude of the sum, “ that was a
terrible big haul.

“ I should reckon that when a man corraled n.
sum like that, he would feel a good deal like salt-
' ing the bulk of it down for a rainy day.”

, ‘Old pard, if you lwil] only consider the creed
of the sport you will see that such a thing as
that is impossible to ninety-nine out of every
hundred.
” The true sharp rocks not of the future; in
9' his anticipations the sun always shines—the
thought that clouds and gloom are sure t0'come
never enters his mind, and if one, more thought-
'ful than his fellow does‘ ever think that in the
future he may need the wealth which he has won

so easil and is uandering so lavishl , be
general y contents h mself with on g, we , the
ve next big strike I make I put a good

of it away in some safe investment, but as
it ’said, mnety~nine out of a hundred never do

' . 13,010 mountain-men!” California J69 declared
quash. thought suddenly occurred to him.

e i
“ Durned if it ain’t ’bout the same way with

 
“ Thar ain’t more than one out of a hundred
of“ us that ever has sense mud 'to put by
anything when we air ﬂush, and arter a long
trip we allers strike civilization with big money,
you know.” -

“ Yes' the old ada e, ‘easy got, easy gone,’
is a mig ty true one,’a though it ought not to
apply to you mountain-men, for not only is your
work generally pretty hard but you risk your
blood and lives besides."

“ Yes, but we never take that into considera-
tion, you know; most generally it is kinder like
a picnic to us.” ‘

“ But now to business," the Fresh observed,
coming to a halt. -

“ Since we are going into battle, yve must ar—
range the plan of the campaign.

“ see that these gaming-places seem to be
all running and ‘doing a pretty good business,
too, considering that that sort of thing always
flourishes best by night.”

“ Yes, but ElPaso is on a reg’lar boom now,"
the old scout explained.

“ These stock-ranches on both sides of the
river-both on American and Mexican s’ile—
have been making big money for the last year
or so, and the result is that thar has been the
biggest kind of an emigration to this part of the
country, and every man who could raise a stake
has rushed to El Paso to slap it into cattle, for
this is the headquarters of the business.

“ I tell you, pard, the town is a young
metro lis now to what it was ﬁve or six years
ago. hese fellows are all pretty ﬂush of money,
and while th ey are loaﬁng ’round hyer waiting
for a chance to invest, it is the mest natura
thing in the world for them to try a ﬂier at
some one of the mes.”

“ Very’natnra. I have been there myself,"
the Fresh observed.

“ Is there any game in town that has the repu-
tation of bein perfectly square?”

“ Oh, yes; oc Moses’s."

“ A Jew, eh?"

“ Yes, I suppose so; but he is the most Chris-
tian Jew you ever saw—a great, tall fellow
with a long brown beard. Joe Moses is his full
name. He runs the biggest game in town, and
is as squar’ as a die, so they all allow. Don’t
play nothing but faro in his place, though,
while in the other ones you kin try a hack at
almost anything, from faro and monte to chuck-
a—luck.”

“ And where is the man who says that me
is getting scarce at the approach of civ11iza-
tioni” ‘

“ He never struck El Paso, for sure!”

“ And are all the rest of the fellows wolves
and sharks, with the exception of this - Doc
Moses?”

“ I reckon they air; they air working a new
thing which ketches the boys every time,” Cali-
fornia Joe explained.

“ I reckon I ought to know, seeing that it
gobbled up all my wealth. It is a sort of a
wheel with a marble: the wheel spins out
until ﬁnally the marble rests in one of the sort
of pockets that thar is in the durned thing.

“ You put your money in one of the pockets,
and if the marble stops thar, you wm—”

“And if it don’t, the bank gathers in the
ducats.” .

“ Correct, by,thunder!”

“That is an old game.”

“It ain’t been run long in this section. ’Bont
every shehang in town has got one, ’cept Doc
Moses, and the boys have won bucking up
ag’in’ them like fun! ’ .

“ And to the proﬁt of the bank, I so pose?”

“ Yes, it seems all fair and squar, but the
durned wheel 4 corral the wealth so that the boys
are kinder beginning to git the idee into their
noodles that t ar must be some gum—game ’bout
the business, somewhar.”

“I shouldn't be surprised, for I have heard
old gamblers say—men who ran the wheels
themselves and were posted—when there were
plenty of players more cheating could be done
with the wheels than at almost any other
game.”

“I reckon they have been trying something
of that kind on hyar,” California Joe remarked
in a tone of conviction.

“I am dead sure that the
cleaned me out.”

" I will try and get you your revenge, for that
is the very game 1 want to strike.”

“ Shol you don’t mean it!" cried the old moun-
tain-man amazed.

“ I do indeed; I am goin in to skin the
wolves, you know, and I rec on the wheel fel-l
lows are the big t wolves in the town."

“ Those are t e kind of fellows that I am
after; I am going to win ‘b trick and device,’
as the legal sharps say, an I should hate like
thunder to skin any square sporting man, who
is contentto live on the fair advantage
by the bank; but when it comes to wolves who
do their best to ﬂeece their customers, then if I
go for them in a way they will despise why it is .
only do cat dog.” ~

“Bar ‘in, you bet!” cried the old plainsman,

dumed wheels

What is sasg for the g
for the der!

 
emphatically.
' ought to be sass
“That is the way I ﬁgure it. ’

“ Now then, where is some minor strap, not
one of the big places, for me to tackle ﬁrst?"

“ Right across the street, Mexican Mike’s
Ranch, and they do say he is the meanest cuss
in the town for no stranger gets a square deal
thar, if a brace game can be worked.”

“ He’s the man for my money then!”

The two crossed the plaza and entered the
saloon indicated by Calfornia Joe.

It was a medium-sized place, bar-reom and
gambling saloon combined, and the principal

ame was the wheel one of which the old scout
ad spoken.

There was a group of lonngers in the room,
ﬁve or six'of whom were playing.

The Fresh surveyed the game for a few min-
utes, studying the thing just as if it was new to
him and he had never encountered it before.

Then he drew a bill from his pocket, crum . led
it up in a ball and placed it in one of the poo ‘ets
of the wheel.

The marble went on its course, fortune was
against the sport and he lost.

Picking up the bill be tossed it over to the
banker who smoothed it out, and placed it
upon his pile of ones, it being of that. denomi-
nation.

Then our hero appeared uzzled and did not
bet for ﬁve or six minutes uring which be ap-
peared to be studying the game with great at-
tention.

At last, nodding his head as if he had been
debating with himself, and had come to the con-
clusion that he saw just how the thing was won
he drew another bill from his pocket roll
it up into a ball, just like the ﬁrst one, and
placed it in one of the pockets.

Away went the marble again on its rounds and
this time the Fresh won.

“Aha, I knew I would strike it this time!” he
cried with all the enthusiasm of a . 11 young
man to whom gambling was a n0ve ty.

“ Better wait until you git through playing
before you crow,” suggested the man behind the
wheel, smiling in scorn at the greenness of the
tenderfoot.

But when he removed the bill rrOm the pocket
and smoothed it out, so as to pay over an equal
sum, although he had no suspicion but that it
was a dollar bill like the ﬁrst one that the bank
had captured, his surprise and dihgust can bet.
terbe imagined than described when he made
the discovery that it was a ﬁfty-dollar hill.

“ Blazes!” the man could not refrain from
growlin , old and experienced gambler that he
was, an then he glared suspiciously at the sup-

tenderfoot, and the Fresh played the part
of a verdant young man, overjoyed at his good
fortune to the life.

“ Wh in blazes didn’t you say it was a ﬁfty-
dollar bill when you put it up on the game?” the
fellow growled.

“ Why didn’t you ask me! How did I know 9”
responded the Fresh with an air of virtuous in-
dignation.

" You only bet a dollar the ﬁrst time!” I

“ Just to get the hang of the thing—I knew I
could skin you the second try and that isthe
reason I put 11 half-a-century.

“ But what 18 the matter with you? Didn’t I
win the money fairly enough?” demanded the
Sport. beginning to bluster.

“ Yes, yes, you did i" exclaimed three or four
of the llplayers, delighted at the “ strike.” ‘

“I n’t saying you didn’t.”
“Cash up then i” cried the Fresh, riskly.
“ And, if it is all the same to you, 've me

that hundred dollar bill there in place of two
ﬁfties.”

“All right, anythin to accommodate,” re—
spondhd the banker, sti 1 rather sulkv.

He handed Over the bill and the Fresh imme-
diately began rolling it up in a little ball.

CHAPTER XV.
smmse noun WOLVES.

Tm: banker watched the sharp engaged in
this operation for a moment and then called
out: ’

“ Hallo, I say, what are you about?”

“Why, I am rolling this shinplaster up into
a li le ball; don’t you see?”

“ , es. I see,” the other observed in an ex- ‘
tremely sulky way. “ I reckon .I ain’t lost the
use of my eyes yet, but that ain't the p’iut I’m

tting at. What are you going to do with that
ﬁll arter you git it ﬁxed?”

“ Plank it right down in your game, you bet
your life!” cried the Fresh.

“ Not much you don’t!” exclaimed the other.

“ You don’t take my hundred dollars outof
me if I know myself. Enough isas aaa
toast, and I reckon I’ve got all I want ofyou.
You can’t bet no hundred dollars in this ﬁne." v

“Aha! you crawﬁsh, do you! You vn‘t V
got the sand to stand the pull! Well, well, I am .
real] astonished. I thought you had more
back e. I wouldn’t have behaved you:
could be bluﬂ'ed so east] 3” ‘

“That ain‘t neither yer nor thar,” replied
the keeper of the gaming-saloon, angrily, “It

don’tmatterthewagof agoat‘s taiiwhetherl ','

ve an sandornot. Idon’tkeert’ohav'o ..
izuhh‘gtkmzafor anyhundreddollarsﬂndth’t _
aﬂthereismit!” ,_ , , 

-u.‘ ...

_ My»...

‘
"
‘ i
'
.

 
\

 
(3.; 1;. Taft-«v, ' ~ . v» — ‘-'-'.~'v;.— ‘ '.;:.. .1 4.. '7? v.54— A;$#AS~“‘JK?£‘.JTM.B.'LMIZIaa‘v—‘a-mhcwxz—l Axum sung - V. “WC—“'1' ~r~—~v~> ev-v-u— - . , I
, ' {I H ‘ ‘ JRkv‘ :1

12 The Fresh on the R10 Grande. A i

21‘

“How much will you stand? Will you go The bystanders were amazed, for this, in their The brow of the Mexican grew black with u '

ﬁftyl” opinion, was an astonishing run of luck. re. 0. . p 1,,
“No, I won’t, not from you—I don’t keer Again the Fresh refrained from betting for a gersonally he appeared to be a much bigler "
to have you play at my table any more, any- few moments, {let apparently studyin the game man than the Fresh, for, as the reader who as 3
' "a?!" doe ly, and t is proceeding conv need the folloWed the fortunes of Jackson Blake through 3
3 ', ‘ Do you mean to insinuate that there was 100 ers-on that he was playin according to a the tales of which he is the here will remember, i
i anything crooked about my playing?” the Fresh “ system” which he had stu ied out, and one the Fresh was an extremely deceptive man as g
j. demanded. and all set their brains to work to discover the far as looks went, and until he was stripped so ;
 “No, I don't go for to say that, for if I secret. . his true proportions 0011“ be Seen: appeared ‘0 .3
‘ thought thar was would hop in to make miiice- Again the Fresh ventured his stake, and again be a much smaller man than he really was. j ,
 meat out of you quicker’n a wink!” And the he won—another hundred dollars out of the “ Caramba. ! do you dare to taunt me to my x‘ 7,
 gambler glared ﬂercely' at the Californ'an as he bank. face i" the gambler cried. T '1
. s ke. . By this time the report that a stranger was “ Why not to your face as well as to the face .3 i
“ Sport, I am. always ready to meet any man making big winnings had circulated throughout of any other man in the town?” demanded the  3‘
who is hankerin for a fight more than half- the room, and the majority of the men within Fresh. presenting a bold front. '3 ;
way!” the Fresh eclurcd. “And if you really the apartment gathered near to the table u n “Who are you, anyway! Are you the boss 1 
want a little amusement in that line to keep your which spun the wheel, eager to witness the p ay of El Paso that you try to carry matters with so r ;
V . blood stirrin , all you have to do is to come and anxious to discover how the trick was high a hand!” g l
; ‘ entaide and will do my best to accommodate worked. 3 “ You Grin 0 dog I will mosh you to the earth g ‘
I; y0“-” “Mi hty big run' of luck, stranger,” observed beneath my set and trample the life out of 3.;
a" The bystanders WEI-telled the scene With inter- a rizz ed bearded cattleman at the Californian’s you!” shouted the thoroughly enraged Mexican, ‘ i
., est, for the gambler was known to be an ugly si e, who had been risking dollar bills for agood and he made a. leap forward with the intention ;
,2 customer and all expected he would accept the half-hour without being able to boast of havnng of bearing the daring stranger to the ground by ,4,

; ~- stranger’s challenge. won a stake. - Sheer force-  ’
.71. . But the “ banker ” was an old hand—a man of “ Yes, and it is about time it changed,” the The Fresh, warned by the glitter in the eye of '

‘  Judgment, and after carefully “ sizmg the Fresh re lied with an air of deep reflection, like the other that he meditated an attack, was pre— u

Z" stranger up," he came to the conclusion he a manw 0 had, and was, devoting deep thought pared for the onset.

" 'could not proﬁt by engaging in acontest with to the matter. He did not give an inch as the swarthy 
xv, him, so he got out of it as gracefully as pos- “Guess I will have to go a little slow now for Mexican rushed upon him, but collectin all his ‘13,
Slbk‘. a few hacks.” force, dealt him a mest terrific blow w ich re— l:

“ Oh, I ain’t a-going’round ickin fusses with
anybody!” he exclaimed. p g
‘ . “ M little game is to make mone , not to
 hel) Ill up graveyards,” continued tie sport,

wit 1 an endeavor to appear humorous.
‘ I “And I ain’t got any idea of giving offense
' when I say that I had rathera gent of your

size shouldn‘t play at my table.

“ You are running in big luck; I kin see that
l » with half an eye, and I would rather you would-
:‘5 I n’t play hyer. ,
' “ Go skin some other bank! there are plenty

‘l i’ , of sports in town who can far better afford to
1:3. I go broke than a man about my size, meaning no
 7 . offense to you on know.”

all right.” the Fresh replied,

‘33»? / “ Oh, that
t ' with a polite bow. “ I am not anxious to fling
my money on any table where the owner isn’t
just hungry for a chance to get at it.

" There are plenty of other shops in this town
of El Paso where the banker will be glad to see
the eplor of my ducats, so I will bid you good-

da .

The gambler forced a smile and nodded pleas-
antly as the Fresh and Old California Joe took
their departure, but in his heart be registered
an oath to “ get square” with the stranger sport
some day if he remained in the town. .

“ Now, then, having made the ripple success-
fully at this shebang, I must strike at bigger
game.

“ Red Sane-he’s place is a heap sight more
furst class than this galoot’s dive," the other rc-
marked.

‘1‘ We will go for Red Sancho then,” the sharp
exclaimed.

“ Thar it is,” and California Joe pointed to an
imposing—looking saloon a short distance up the

square.
‘ 1 “ That tiger has a fine den,” the Fresh re-
m'irked, in a critical way. , .
l “ You bet! that is the bang-up place of the
town, with the exception of Doc Moses’s.”

“ And do they run the wheel game in there i”

“ Oh, yes, just the same as in this place.”

“ That is what I am after.”

The two proceeded to the saloon.

It w much larger than the ﬁrst place they
visited, (1 far better patronized.

After entering California Joe pointed out the
proprietor tc his companion. '

Red Sancho wasa tall, well-built man, with a.
bushy red beard, and from his appearanCe no
one meetin him outside of his gaming-den
would have en apt to suspect the nature of his
business, for he looked more like a well-to-do
farmer than the keeper of a gambling-house.

Red Sancho wasnot presiding at any of the
tables, but sannteriug around, keeping a general
supervision over matters, and chatting with his
patrons.

The two new-comers made their way to the
table where the wheel of fortune was in motion,
and, after watching the I4pr ess of the e
for a few moments, the res drew a bill rom
his pocket-book, crumpled it into a ball, and
staked it upon the game.

Fortune favored our hero, and he won.

With his foreﬁnger he sent the paper hall roll-
ing toward the banker, and that Wort . upon
openin it, was considerably astonish to dis-
coVer at it was a hundred dollar note.

  cirfumstance also. made the. bystanders
' . - ' their eyes, foritwasnot often that a
or venturedmore thantsndollai‘s upon the
"'°“ii.§”‘°‘i“"“il“ "' "' in m.
'  i i, s-moneyiaway. . w.
’ and not at tor a few minutes. semi?"

t;
 he repeated 

occupied ‘in ca'culationa, than
 ,1 g.  -. an.
in. ..bll.:omtppiodinto. 
,  tie..whe’eiandzmi:tb¢»kt‘;::

ih .

‘i,"t, ‘ ,  rirw' I.
-   : semi-had whenho
 th note and 7:12:1th itmshun:
 dollarone. ;

 
...- _. ‘ t y ., v ;, My
4» l.‘ ,= ‘, . , v ‘ . v.

The majority of the bystanders understood
from this that the sport intended to give up
playing for awhile but after a few revolutions
of the wheel, the Fresh again deposited a bill,
crumpled into a ball, upon the wheel.

The bystanders were not amazed when the
stake was lost, for it would be an astonishing
thing for a {ran to win four times in successi-m.

“ lVell, that’s a hundred back any way,” the
hawker; remarked, as he proceeded to smooth out
t 0 hi] .

“ All you have to do, stranger, is to keep on
playing, and you will blow all your winnings
in

“ Oh, no, nary hundred. I know a trick
worth two of that,” the Fresh responded.

And there was a general " snicker” at this
moment for the bill which the Fresh had lost
was only a one.

A single dollar instead of a hundred.

“ Didn’t I tell you that I was going to go
slow for a. while?” the Californian exclaimed.

And then there was another laugh, for all of
the bystanders regarded the gamblers with little
f ever and they were glad to see a player get the
best of the sharps.

By this time the attention of the proprietor,
Rel Sancho was attracted and he approached
the table to see what was going on.

Again the Fresh inadoliis bet and, as before,
luck went against him; the bank won, but the
i'asbim'was not astonished this time when be ex-
amined the bill and found that it was a dollar
new only.

,. A third time the Fresh lost—a dollar again,
an i then with the remark that it was about
time that luck changed our hero bet again.

He seemed to speak with the lips of a prophet

for fortune favored him this time, and it was

with a deal of exultation that he picked up the
paper ball and tossed it over to the cashier. '

" There, didn’t I tell you that it was about
time for me to have some show for my money i”
the winner exclaimed, cxultingly.

“ I reckon you are making considerable“ fuss
’bout a dollar!" the cashier observed with a
sneer as he proceeded to unroll the bill.

“A dollar! What are you talking about?
That’ a hundred, and that is the kind of man I
am!

It was the truth, much to the disgust of the
gambler and the delight of the bystanders.

Red Sancho was completely puzzled and he
watched the money passed into the Fresh’s pos-
irsﬁssion with the air of a man dazed by a heavy

ow.

Then a sudden idea came to him and he ex-
claimed:

“Stranger, I reckon you are a sharper!”

CHAPTER XVI.
BEARDING TEE TIGER.

TEE attention of every man in the room was
attracted by the loud tone in which the proprie-
tor of the gambling saloon spoke; he was known
to be a desperate man when roused, and all who
were acquainted With the man’s di ition
guessed immediately that, angered by t e won-

erful success of the stranger, he intended to
pick a quarrel with him.

“ You reckon I am a. sharper, eh i" the Fresh
queried, smiling in the most good-natured way
possible. just as if be regarded 'the remark in
the li ht ‘9‘ a compliment. .

. “ as, that. is. what I said!” exclaimed Red
Sancholoudly, and in. an extremely offensive

wa  , . .
) ‘2' Well, Iivreokon thereiisa pair of us; you are
Sharp and. I. am sharper, ha, ha, ha!” and our
hero laughed outright. ‘ r a .
..‘,',.Ahaut four hu died-dollars worth sharper,
reckon. as near as can ﬁgure it." . ‘
~Th$nwo$a<i »fchuoklésfromth
men a of t e, bystanders, for therewae hardly.
a man in the room who did not enjoi y Iming‘the
MwmbMBed Sancho bearded in is den. ,

\iii

.s w = \s .
.t, .u' ' ‘. »..>‘,  y r c ' ,,
g "an: ’.- 4. .‘_V!“'.’ ’5; 19‘, ". 't‘t 1' 3; _ \ l 1 ‘_ . -). V g .f

 
sounded through the room With a sharp whip- ,' 5
like crack. ' ' 5 i

The )werful Mexican went over backward, 
his boa striking the floor with great violence,

and there he lay limp and still. ' ;
“ The man is dead i” cried one of the by— J
standers, horrified. i
“ Oh, no, nothing of the kind!” the Fresh ex- ; I
claimed. “  ,
“ He's worth a dozen dead men! He has only it
been knocked out in the first rcund. Richard 9

will he himself again in a minute two.”

The moment he disposed of l: s opponent the ,
Fresh clapped his hands upon his revolver and 1 ;
old California Joe followed his example. ‘

The same ‘idea had simultaneously occurred to
both of the men, and that was that some of the
Mexican’s gan might attempt to avenge their
leader‘s down all. .

Undoubtedly some such attempt would have
been made but for the! fact that all of Red
Sancho’s assistants were Mexicans, men who _P
were brave enou h in their way, but not such ,
desperadoes as to inclined to rush to certain 53'
death. ‘

Their first impulse, naturally, was to rush 3
upon the bold stranger and avenge the defeat of ,
their leader, but when they noticed that the
victor was armed and began to ﬁnger his wen-  .1

ons the moment after he had stretched Bed {1 s

ancho upon the floor, prudence whispered that '
the unknown might be equally as handy with 1‘
his pistol as with his fists, and it would notbe . -
wise for them to rush upon him. . —

They noted too the presence of the plainsman,
Old California Joe. saw that he was ready fora
skirmish, and understood that as he was in
company with the successful player he would
undoubtedly stand by him in the event of an at-
tack. I
Then, too, the majority of the men in the sa-
loon were Americans, and the would be likely
to take the part of their coun yman if a gal.
eral attack was made upon him. -

So, under the circumstances, the Mexicans
contented themselves with scowling in the fiercest

ible manner, but made no movement. , '

As the Fresh had stated, Red Sancho had sim— b
ply been “ knocked out,” and seen his senses rc— , ‘
turned to him.

He rose slowly to his feet, glaring upon the ‘
man, who had prostrated him so easily, with the i
look of a demon. ’

The blow of the American tad fallen right bc-
tween the eyes of the Mexican, and. as a result,
he now possessed. as ﬁne weir of black eyes as
mortal man ever display .

The Mexican was so enraged that be fairly;
trembled with ion, ct he. had sense enou
not to try anot er attac with his fists upon t e '
foe who had beaten him so easily.

Still he hungered for revenge.

He was an expert with all kinds of weapons,
and now that he took time to reﬂect upon the
matter he saw how rash be had teen in attempt-
in to meet the “ Gringo ” in a ﬂisticuff bout. 3

he Americans were all fist-ﬁghters it seemed l
to come natural to them. l at the Mexicans look- . g , .
ed with disdainu n such an accomplishment. ' 1

It was no won er then. in Red Sanclip’s o in~ .
ion, that the unknown had triumphed over im .
so easily; i

But t e. matter was not yet ended. - -~ . .

“ Are you a man—dare you come .out into. the
street and face me revolver in hand?” the .0!!!»
blercried: - , v i'.’~i

“ D0 Idol‘s!” the Fresh exclaimed. 1 “Well,-
now you can bet your bottom dollar I done. . [In
fact, I am old .Dare’h son, from Duwﬂlewand
when you talk six or seven-shooters: to! In you
areeatrhirif me right on III? has bolt. ~ i=;... 3

"Ana

“rm-rm. V. .‘v -c.,

- J'L‘

 
.(l < ' ‘
Jim“..- I

\, ,.

Mus»: we r - i.<-....;..,~.-

(",*X'ﬁvz*§g§‘w7ﬁ- -r ~‘ »
a .. .

   
“I’m th pistol prince am; the champioh-i .415
shot ofCalitorniayandrwith thoravolverltddu’t  , I ;
(ticksﬁ'paskiseat‘forianymith‘hvaidmofhsum , 2;

Own ~- \, - . v ‘: v:"'-*':I'»Ht:.v: v“

For a moment  Sancho looked puzzled, to} r '

. ’i
i. .-n»

. 4' a
' 5* «u .
‘- v -, .‘ 4 . - w .9 ..
», . - .. . - .  ' i 1 - 4 , , -
i ' ' :' a”. . c’i‘n “Wigs”  v ‘I .r.

 
A: r'as Iran-aw;- .«.<....« .,

Wiawewwwzm<wccwfl;’ N" 1' L s ‘

r.
, awe-1“:- r‘-.-.
\ .

.A}
3;

 
i for the b

 
 . .. .' ‘ J
4 ",l: ., .i'y. '

.x s.

’3 H
M9

  
i .

 
 v  the“ Rio arenas. :

  
13

 
the stranger rattled off the speech with the air
of a man who hadn’t an idea that he had been
challen to mortal combat.

But t on the Mexican had encountered some
of these “ crazy” Americans before for so the
yellow-skinned inhabitants of the land of Mexico
termed these strangers who acted in such an in-
comprehensible manner, and he remembered
that‘many of them were both free and loud of
s .
His adversary was only acting as many of his
countrymen were wont to act when the strong
drinks of the land of ﬂowers mounted to their
heads and obscured their reason.

But, as far as this stranger was concerned,
there wasn’t anything in his appearance to de-
note that be had been drinking.

Red Sancho’s blood was in a ﬂame though he
did all he could to control his temper, for he re-
alized that the. stranger was no common foe and
that he must exert all his powers to conquer
him.

“ I will soon give you a chance to show what
you can do With your weapon!” the Mexican
cried.

“ Follow me to the plaza where we can ﬁght
without danger of injuring any one but ourselves
and we will soon see what kind of a man you
are with the pistol.”

“ The best that ever struck this town, and
don‘t you forget it!” the Fresh declared in his
(-ouﬁdciit way.

“ Follow me and we will put your boast to the
test!” the Mexican cried.

“ I will take a position in the center of the
plaza, ﬁfty feet away}. you shall have time to get
read after you are out and then it is a duel to
the death.”

“ That suits me to a hair!” the other declared.
“ And if I don‘t put a brand on you that will

last till your dying day then my name is not a

J ackson Blake and folks lie when they call me
the Fresh of ’Frisco.” ' .
The odd appellation made the bystanders open

their eyes, and there were some few old pilgrims :

in the room who had heard the name before,

and althongh they had never met the bearer of 2

the title, yet they knew of him by reputation.
Soon the whisper went around that this stran-

ger, who had not hesitated to heard the tiger in
is den, was one of the greatest ﬁghting men

“that the Paciﬁc Slope over turned out.

Red Sancho marched forth into the street, the
witnesses to the affair followed, Old California
Jos and the Fresh of ‘Frisco bring‘nz up the rear.

The Mexican took a position in the middle of
the open space, about a hundred feet from his
saloon, and while he was doing this all the
spectators sought ood situations from which to
view the contest, ea in in view the fact that
in the usual street ﬁg t t e lockers-on are gener-
ally exposed to as much danger as contestants,
if they are not wise enough to get at a good dis-
tance from the ﬁghters.

Just as the Mexican got to his position and
turned around, revolvor in hand, the Fresh
made his appearance.

He too arched out into the center of the
street and t en halted.

The two men were about ﬁfty feet a rt.

The spectators looked on in almost reathless
eagerness.

“ Are on ready?” cried Red Sancho, eager

food of his foe.
“ You bet!” responded the Fresh, drawing his

6‘ gun.”
‘ Let her go, Ga her.”

And then he sta on a run toward his
antagonist. -

The Mexican was so startled by this unex-
pected maneuver that he became nervous, par-
ticularly as the Fresh ran in a zigzag way, ser-

ent~ i e.
p He had never encountered such a toe, and the
peculiar movement “ rattled ” him.

Almost before he knew what he was about he
dischar ed his Wagon.

The ot whistl harmlessly over the head of
the sport and then his revolver spoke.

Down went Red Sancho With a bullet through
the chest-not a mortal wound, but an extreme-
ly ugl y one.

The ﬁght was ended—the Fresh of ’Frisco's
ﬁgt contest in El Paso—and he had “laid out ”

man.

 
CHAPTER XVII.

,an ADVANCE or 000 means.

A LONG breath escaped from the lips of the
spectators and then the hum of conversation
rose on the air.

Each man was asking his neighbor if he ever
saw any “ sich circus ” settled so uichly.

The ﬁght was over almost be ore it began,
contrary to the expectation of every one, for
,one. and all expected along and bloody battle.

There wasa dead pause after the Mexican
fell, for none of the bystanders were ready to
belieVe that so do rate a man as Red Sancho
could be thus _
the desperadc, imtead of rising to re ew the
battle, remained upon the groan , and e pain
of his wound ca him to groanaloud, de-

V :22? his enorts to conceal his sufferings, all real-

that the ﬁght was over.

i whi

Y “knocked out,” but when ;

Three of the Mexican’s pards ran to his as-
sistance. '

“ How is it with you?” asked the ﬁrst who
reached his side. _

“ I am done for, I fear,” groaned the wounded
man. “ This cursed Gringo has slain me,” and
then the desperado fainted.

The three Mexicans looked fora moment at
the prostrate form of their leader, then they
glared at the American and began to ﬁnger
their Weapons.

The Fresh was within thirty feet of them and
could plainly distinguish, not only their move-
ment but the expressions upon their faces, so he
was quick to see that the ruﬁians had an idea
of attempting to revenge the death of their
leader.

The threatening movement of the Mexicans
was observed by the majority of the bystanders
too and nearly every one of the Americans at
once reached for his weapons, determined that
their countryman should iave a fair show.

But the reader who knows the Fresh of ’Frisco
of old will immediately comprehend that the
odds of three to one. had no terrors for him,
particularly when the foemen were Mexicans,
a race for whom he had little respect.

“Well, my bold Greasers, are you going to
take this thing up?” the Fresh exclaimed, in a
1 tone which did not betray that he had the slight-
est fear of such a contest.

“If so, you can hop in as soon as you like!

“One good solid American such as I am,
on ht to be a match for about a dozen of you
, ye ow-bellies!”

This was adding insult to injury, and with a
bowl of rage the Mexican desperadoes drew
their revolvers.

The Fresh had a decided advantage in having
his weapon already out, and he only waited un-
til his opponents got their pistols out of their
holsters fore he opened ﬁre upon them.

And the marvelous quickness of his move-
, ments surprised the spectators, although there
were some old frontiersmen in the group who

 
in their time.

But not a man of them all could say with
truth that he ever beheld a man “ handle ” him-
self better than did Jackson Blake on this oc-
casion.

He was so quick with his weapon that he ﬁred
three shots to one from his opponents.

But a single Mexican got a chance to dis-
charge his weapon, the other two being shot
down before they could get their pistols to the
level, and the third man was so “rattled” by
the discomﬁture of his companions that his aim
was disturbed, the bullet not coming within a
foot of the Fresh, and the ﬁrin of Jackson
Blake’s third shot was so near t is discharge
that it seemed like an echo to it.

Down went the Mexican With a scream of

in. .

This wonderful stranger was evidentlyadead-
shot, for be wasted no powder, dropping his
man every time.

Again had he proved the victor, and this time
not a soul was brave enough to advance to take
up the quarrel, althou b there were a number
0 Mexicans among t e bystanders who were
terribly enraged at the downfall of their country-

men.

“ Well, is the circus over?” the Fresh queried,
with an inquiring look around.

“ there any other galoots here anxious to
he and have some tun?”

bystanders looked at each and every
American who was in the neighborhood of a
Mexican. noddg to him as much as to sa' ,
“there’s a chan for you. go it!” but the dar -
skinned Dons, much asthey would have liked
to crush the stranger who had handled their
brethren so roughly, were not anxious to test
the ﬂowers of the ‘ Grin 0,” after the display

c they had witnes .

" No one cares to accept 'the invitation to the
picnic. then,” the Fresh observed, after a pause.

“ All right; I am a ble; I am not hanker-
ing after any troub e, a though always ready
to meet it when it comes.”

By this time the b standers had gathered in a
group on the battle- old.

“I reckon you have settled the hash 'of some
of these feliows, one gray-bearded old veteran
observed. ,

“ Oh, no, the are all right —every man-Jack
of them,” the resh replied immediately.

“ I did not ﬁre to kill. , onl wanted to la
them out as a warning that it isn’t always sa 9
to fool with a stranger until you t a chance to
be introduced to him, so as to able to ﬁnd
out what kind of a man he is, you know.

“If I had wanted to put these fellows in a
condition for planting, I would have plugged
them squarely between the eyes. When a man
once gets a leaden pill in that place he is never
of much good afterward. '

“‘ So-long, gentlemen, I will see you later,”
and then in company with California Joe, the
Fresh went up the plaza to where the lights of
12w Moees’s saloon shone brilliantly upon the
3 rest. ~

Quite a number of the citizens followed the

ir. for they had, got the notion into their

ends that when Such a man as the Fresh 0f

 
l
I

could boast of having seen some wonderful ﬁghts '

 
v
t

l

 
’Frisco was to the front there would be apt tobc
some fun.

On the way the Fresh made known his plans
to his companion.

“ Ygou say that this Doc Moses runs a square
game

” That is the lay-out that the boyees give
him,” the old plainsman answered.

“ I don’t portend to know much "bout that a!"
sort of thing, although I have dro ped many a
dollar at a are table in my time, gut the 001:!
w’ot make a. living out of the pasteboar s—the
fellers w’ot hev their eye-teeth cut, you know—
waal, they sa that a man can’t strike no fairer

ame than oc Moses’s from sunrise to sun-
Own.

“ As I said, many a dollar hev I dropped on

the game, and yet I ain’t worth shuc s as a

‘ player; niebbc that is the reason why I allers

had sich bad luck, although I have heered some
sharps allow that the less a man knew about
fare, the better chance he stood to win a pile of
mone .”

“ Those sharps wasn’t so sharp as they thought
themselves, or they would never have talked in
that foolish wa ,” the Fresh remarked.

“The man w 0 is able to calculate the chances
and plays systematically, knowing all the points
of the game, has as much advantage over the
novice, who plays with blind recklessness, at
faro as at almost any other game.”

“ That’s the way it allers seemed to me. and I
never took no stock in any sich loose talk.”

“ In all games luck counts, of course. Men
may say that in the long run, luck runs even
with all men, but you can’tconvince any ancient
gambler that that is true, for they have seen too
many lucky men in their time to believe the
statement.

“Some men are lucky at cards and others al-
ways unlucky, but a good layer will more than
hold his own against a one, even if luck
favors the latter, for he knows how to «improve
the o portunities when they come to him and
the ot or doesn’t. -

“ Now, without boasting, I may say that I am

, not only a pretty skillful player at almostall the
3 games that are going, but I am also luck , to

say nothing of being up to all the tricks 0 the
trade. 80, if this faro game is a square one I
am not at all afraid of tackling it particularly
as I am now well-heeled, ﬁnancial y, thanks to
the little game I played to beat these wolves.

“ For our enterprise, we ought to have a.
couple of thousand dollars at our back, for the
more I think about the matter the greater be-
comes my conviction that we have tackled the
big est kind of a job."

“ bat’s so. I reckon thar ain‘t no mistake
’bout that," his com nion assented.

“But I say, par , I’m awful curious—how .
on airth did you manage to skin these sharps, -
’cos I reckon you played some gum-game onto , A

’em'”

“ Oh, yes, it was dog cat dog,”the Fresh re-
plied with a smile. . -

“ Those wheels are a skin-game, all th

the way these sharks run them, and so 1 co — ,’ "

.4

:nlr‘

 
ered it fair to play roots on them. I put down 

the big note every time. If I lost, when I picked
it up to toss it to the dealer I ‘ palmed ’ the

as a sleight-of~hand man would say, and subati»
tuted the one-dollar bill for it; but if I won, the

( galoot got the big note. ,
“ You see, I was playing on a dead-sure thy: _

every time. If I won, it wasﬂfty or a hand
to the good evory lick; if I lost, I was only a
. \ ~

dollar out.” , 

The old plainsman looked amazed.

“ Duru my old gimrd if that don’t beat all
the games I ever heerd on !" he declared.
it’s a dodge that mighty few men would be able
to work.” ,

“ Right you are! A man must be mighty
clever with his ﬁngers, or all the fat would be
in the ﬁre.”

By this time the two had arrived at‘Doc' 

Mosea’s saloon.

The “ game" was in full blast when they a" 

The Fresh watched the play for about twenty
minutes before he ventured any money, being
bent on satisfying his mind as to whether the
players were getting a “ uare d ” or not.

Satisﬁed at last that t

rt and
iscover .

e was an EX

layed on a system, as
the sports soon ‘

Luck favored him too, and inside of three
over ﬁfteen hundred of

hours he had captured
the “ bank's" cash.

“ Say, ust cash up these checks,” be said,
bland) .

I sho d hate like thunder to break the bapi
and spoil the fun.” L

depart

 
CHAPTER XVIII. _

- ran names or 11800317130.
AND now that we have related how the enter»
prising Fresh of ’Friseo prospered in his attempt
to raise money. 150 he would be able to our”

_ the marauding band known as the Red Ridm'
of Rayon in a proper manner, we will return by

   
is But‘

., .1,
 i

t 
1 - . . . .
“ It is about time for me to quit, for “

Glad enough were the fare sharp. to see  .

game was man 
the allure, our hero bought his chips and  ‘

fat .2

4 .

pa

\

‘v

"- 2-.2- - r’.‘">!“i:-“"I~‘.. - s-s, ‘ '
, - . .

-' the passengers in the coach, and relate what he-

? fell them after the stage was driven so uncere-

 ‘ moniously away from the spot where it had been

‘ halted b the outlaws.

' “ Wel , I must say this is a most remarkable

adventure!” Isabel Escobedo exclaimed, after

the coach was fairly in motion.
“ Yes, and it is fortunate that the road-agents

. . were disposed to be so easy with us,” Mr. Jack-

I , son remarked.

r ' “ They were quite gallant to allow you ladies
to go free. As a rule, these robbers spare neither
age nor sex.”

~ “ We were fortunate indeed, then; don’t on
think so, Margaret?” asked the vivacious _' -

be
. “Oh, yes, although we haven't much to lose,
for we do not carry much money, and our
jewelrv is not particularly valuable," Margaret
replied.
 "I'hat is true, but I am sure I should have
I" been frightened almost to death if the men had
insisted u n our getting out and giving up our
mone ant jewelr l” Isabel exclaimed.

“’ e may than our stars that we have got
off so easily,” Mr. Jackson remarked. ‘ I
didn’t care much, for I am an old traveler and I
make it a rule never to take any more valuables
' . with me on a  of this kind than I can keep
‘1. ~lr'- \ for there’s no tel ing when an event of this kind
7  ' ~ ml? happen.”

,3 -' or a few minutes the three conversed in this
, “ strain in regard to the affair, and then the con-
' -. . versation was interrupted by the abrupt halting

‘of the coach.
.. Again the Red Riders appeared at the doors.

; l Isabel gave a little scream, Margaret became
Sir \ ' deathly pale, while Jackson appeared decidedly
 ’ uneasy.

“I am sorry, ladies, to be obliged to disturb
you,” said one of the dis uised outlaws in a
rough, harsh voice, “but t e captain wants to
 - speak tc you on some important business and I
; .‘j'd- am obliged to ask you to get out of the stage.”
'9. ' This was not tho marauder who had done the

:1: talking on the revious occasion but a big
 ..,";«‘ brawny fellow, a. rger man in ever wa '.

'  “ Oh, dear, w t shall we do?’ exclaimed
Isabel, with an appealing look to the stock-

  
man.

“I would comply with the gentleman’s request,”
Mr. Jackson hastened to say. “I don’t think
there is the least danger of their attempting to
, ‘ , harm you.”

 ’_ ’ “Oh, no vou’ll be all right!” the ruﬂlan re-

marked.

“ The captain only wants to talk to you, and
you will he just as safe as though you were in
the middle of El Paso.”

"Well, sir I hope so, and I don’t see what
anybody’ifuid possibly gain by injuring us,”
Isabel o . rved, as she prepared to descend from
the stage.

 “Oh, you’re all ri ht! Don’t you worr l”

"f; exclaimed the mask rider, who, having is-
 ‘ mounted, stood at the coach door and assisted

'- "’ the ladiesto descend. .

, Another of the masked riders was near, on
horseback, and he held the reins of two steeds,
equi ped with the cumbersome Mexican side-
saddles.

l.

, The moment Isabel was on the ground and

 ‘ beheld the twc riderless horses she came to the
' conclusion that the steeds were intended for
the accommodation of herself and Margaret,
and she at once made known her surmise.

“Are we to ride these horses?” she ex-
, claimed.

_ , "Yes, the captain wants on to pay him a
" 7 , Visit at his ranch. It is on y a few miles off

'~ and you will be entertained like queens while
I x are there.‘

“ The captain was a great friend of your
r, the old cattle-king,” the man continued,
: ' g Margaret, "and he wants to have a

1 little talk with you in private in regard to your
father.”

; 7 “Quite an adventure!” Isabel continued,
,- gayly as Margaret looked at her with a r-
 face. ‘ We must go, of course, for ‘ve
no doubt these gentlemen wouldn't be willing to
j, take no for an answer.”
 ] ‘,‘ That is about the size of it, miss," the out-
, j’ ' law replied.

* e - “ Our orders arete bring you, and of course
we must obey orders.”

“Oh we will go willingly, will we not, Mar—
gret?” Isabel exclaimed. “ For I feel sure you
I will not harm us, and this gentleman can carry
' u ’ ,, _ word to the friends who are to come to El Paso
 , 7.: to meet us, that we will soon bo'there, and as we
 nearly meek gheiild of the time wlienhwe ex-

"".- pectedtoa ve, t 00 ances are grea t at we

 , . will be there ﬁrst.”

a “ Of course I will be glad to do anything to

’obli 9 you,” the stockman remarked.

-“ don’t want to hurr you, but the quicker

)we are off/the better,” 0 rved the marauder.

, v I “We are ready,” responded Isabel, who, heln

', . far more forward than her companion, too

 . « upon herself to do the talking.

 .The outlaw assisted the girls to mount the

horses, then ot upon his own steed, and the

‘v . party not out, eading to the southward.

_ , The coach went on its way to El Paso, and
, uwas noon out of sight.

 
The Fresh on the Rio -' Grands.

After the party started, the girls found that
they could converse free] to ether without dan-
ger of being overheard, or t e Red Rider, who
acted as guide, rode a dozen paces in advance,
while the other outlaw who was in the rear, was
about as far off.

Mar raret was full of a prehensions, which the
other id not share, for lpsabel declared she did
not believe there was the least cause to be
afraid.

“ But why should this outlaw leader wish to
see me?” Margaret asked.

“Oh, that is a riddle, of course which is be-
yond me,” Isabel replied. “But I feel certain
that no harm is intended: bold as these outlaws
are, they would never dare to injure us.”

“ I hope so-it seems so, and yet I fear,” Mar-
garet replied.

On they rode until the shades of night de-
scended upon the earth, and then at last they
entered into the courtyard of a lonely ranch, so
situated amid a scattered grove of timber as not
to be visible until one was right under the walls.

The ranch was built in the Mexican fashion,
with the courtyard in the center, and the en-
trance to it was guarded by heavy doors,“almost
strong enough to resist a cannon-ball.

Not a soul was visible and after the ladies
were within the courtyard the Red Rider, who
had brought u i the rear, carefully closed the
heavy doors an turned the ponderous key in
the massive lock.

The other outlaw dismounted from his steed
and assisted the ladies to alight.

The courtyard was illuminated b a large
lantern, hanging over what was evnlently the
main entrance to the house, so that the party
could see what they were about.

“Jest follow me,” said the Red Rider, after
the girls had alighted.

He conducted them through the portal into
the house. "

Taking a lighted candle, which was burning in
the room, the man led the way into another
apartment, which was nicely furnished accord-
ing’ to Mexican ideas.

lacing the light upon the table, he bade the
ladies make themselves comfortable, saying that
his chief Would soon pay them a visit and ex-
plain matters.

The fellow then departed, and the girls dis-
tinctly heard him turn the key in the lock after
he closed the door.

“Did you hear that, Isabel?” exclaimed
Mar aret.

“ ehas locked the door after him—we are
prisoners.”

“Of course, that was to be ex ted,” Isabel
remarked in the most matter-of- act tone.

“ After taking so much trouble to at us it
isn’t like] that they are going to a low two
such prec ous birds to slip through their fingers
—for want of a little precaution.”

“ But I cannot understand why these outlaws
should wish to make us prisoners,” Margaret re-
marked, sorely troubled by the position in which
she found herself. ‘

“ That is as great a mystery to me as it is to
you,” the other observed. " But 1 do not
w )rry about the matter, for I feel sure that the
outlaws cannot intend to do us any real harm.

“ Let us be patient, 'keep up our 5 irits and
give not way to anxiety until we now the
worst.”

“ I will try to follow your advice. but al this
is so new and strange to me,” Margare re-
marked.

“ You have been used all your life to this
wild, western land and I can see that such an
adventure as this does not produce the impres
sion upon you that it does on me, reared as I
have been in the quiet East.”

" That is natural of course,” the other as-
seated.

“ We western girls are more plucky, I sup-
pose, than you eastern bred maidens, for we see
more of life than if shut up in a quiet, humdrum
eastern village.”

The convarsntion was interrupted at this
point by the grating of the key in the lock.

“Some one is coming!” exclaimed Margaret.

“ Yes, and we will irobablg' be able to learn
why we have been rough here,” Isabel re-
marked. -

The door bpened and the Red Rider chief
made his appearance.

He bowed in the most polite and respectful
manner as he closed the door behind him.

“ I trust, ladies, you will excuse the want of
ceremony attending your advent here but, un-
der the circumstances it was unavoidahle.

“Have the kindness to be seated, please, so
we can converse at our ease.”

The ladies complied with the request.

“Pardon me if I also take a chair in your
presence,” the road-agent chief observed, with
another courtly bow.

“ Certainly, sir,” Isabel replied.

All being seated the outlaw chief hesitated
for a moment as if considering how to begin;
then at last he said:

“ I presume, ladies, you have been consider-
ablyypuzzled by this ove on my part?”

‘ es, sir, repli Isabel, while Margaret
simply nodded. ’

“A few Words will explain. From my spies

 
‘,1 ga“ V ‘ .» —,«r ,
n . 4; cu, ,f .1.

 
I learned the names of the e(passengers in the
coach which I had determin to stop. When
I found that. the heiress of Escabedo was on
board, I felt a natural curiosity to behold her.
The reality my imaginings and I be-
came your slave immediately. ’

CHAPTER XIX.
THE OUTLAW’S PROPOSAL.

THIS was a totally unexpected declaration,
and the irls stared in amazement.

The ild West has always been the land of
romance, and this was romantic in the ex-
treme.

“ It is one of the oddest things that ever hap-
pened to me,” the outlaw chief remarked, in a
reﬂective way.

“ I will not conceal from you, ladies, that
when I planned to attack the coach it was with
the purpose of possessing m self of your valua-
bles, for I argued that so ric an heiress as the
daughter of the old cattle-king would be apt to
have rich booty.

“ Indeed, sir, there you are wrong,” Margaret
hastened to observe. “ I have no valuables
worth speaking of, and if you had taken them
you would have been very poorly paid for your
trouble. ”

“I don’t understand how that can be,” ne-
Sponded the outlaw chief, in a pumled way.

“ You are the daughter of Estevan Escobedo,
and your father was re rted to be one of the
richest men along the Rio Grande.”

“ Very true, and I believe there isn’t an
doubt about it, but if you are acquainted with
my history, you must know that my mother
quarreled with my father, and Went to her for-
mer home in the East, taking me with her,
when I was only a child.”

“ Yes, I am acquainted with the circum-
stance,” the outlaw chief observed. '

“ From the time that my mother left my
father up to the time of his death, she steadfast—
ly refused to accept a single penny of his money,
but supported herself and me by her own exer-
tions.

“ She thought she had been cruel] treated by
the man who should have been all in all to her.
and nothing short of absolute starvation would
have rendered her willing to accept any assist-
ance whatever from him.’

“ I know some of the facts of the case, and I
must say I think your mother was harshly
treated, and exhibited a noble spirit,” the mask-
ed outlaw declared.

“ She believed she was acting rightly, and be-
ing a thoroughly conscientious woman, never
regretted the step she had been forced to take.

“ From the time she returned to the East up
to the day of my father’s death. she never re-
ceived the slightest aid from him, although
through his lawyers, it was indirectly tendered
a dozen times.

“I should have thought that for your sake she
might have accepted aid—not for herself, you
know, but for you,” the outlaw observed.

“ She did not need it. Being ﬁnely educated,
and a thorough business woman, she had no dif-
ﬁculty in obtaining a position in alarge estab-
lishment which (paid her a ﬁne salary, ample for
our support, an also to provide me with the
education which my mother deemed suitable.”

“ I see, I see,” and the masked man nodded his
head, as though he took the deepest interest in

 
the tale.

“ In all the years that 018 since my mother
quitted her husband’s roo , no word came di-
rectly from him until the brief note was receiv-
ed, penned by my father on his death-bed, in
which he ackn0wledged that he had not acted
rightly, and said that in requital he had made a
will leavmg all his property to the child whom
he had so neglected.

“ Accompanying this note was a letter from
my father’s lawyer stating that in half
after the writing of the note my‘Yather d Ed.

“' At last justice was done to the woman who
had borne her wrong so patiently for so many
years.

“ But it whs too late: my mother’s hours were
numbered when the news arrived, and within
three days she left this world of care.

“ I saw the cold (arth close over her loved
form, and then, in‘ obedience to the lawyer’s in-
junction, I started for the West.

“ A draft for one hundred dollars was sent to
defray my expenses after I informed the law er
of m mothers death. so you can easily on er-
stan , now that I am near my journey’s end
there isn’t a great deal left of the ori inal sum.”

” That is just like old Judge Bu ifantl” the
outlaw declared.

“He’s a mean old scamp. He ought to have
sent on a thousand while he was about it.

" at you can trust him for holding on tea
dollar as long as he can.” I

“ I do not know anything about him', of
co rse.” Margaret replied, simply.

5 Well, I do: he is an infernal old scoundrel,
a deuced sight worse in his wayOthan I am in
mine.

“ I am not so bad a fellow as I might be, for
Ehe force of circumstances has made me what

am.

“ I come of a good family, one whose members

can hold their heads as high as any chain Men 1,,

\ V ,

 
heur

 
A”:

 
i
l
l'»

 
axe... . ..,

 
"game-gm... mac-w...

 
Ni‘v“ m

-_

arm-ah-Mﬂ . - c ..

 
i
5“.
l
l i
r
.
v
r
!

3...~....w he as... . 7......

    
v  over.

     
7 ’     Freehlon the “Rio Grande.

‘15

 
ice, but being wild and reckless I fell into had
ﬁnally became mixed up with
Riders.

“ I don’t attempt to dis ise the fact that I
have rebelled against the w, and if the author-
ities got hold of me I would undoubtedly be
severely dealt with, but my sins come from the
wild heat of youth, while a man like this old
Judge Bullifant commits his crimes with his
eyes open, and he is a cunning old scoundrel,
too, for he is careful to keel; within the law.

“If I sto a stage and he d up the assengers,
all the wor d is ready to cry out in error, but
if a wily scoundrel of a lawyer, by trick and de-
vice, manages to swindle some unsuspecting
son], who trusts to his honesty, out of a good,
round sum of money, the law winks at the
transaction and the general opinion is that he is
an extremely smart man.”

“ I have heard Judge Bullifant abused,” Isabel
observed, “but although I have known him a
long time, I know nothing to his discredit, ex—
ce t that he is an extremely close man—some-
thin of a miser, in fact.”

“ es, when his own money is concerned!” the
outlaw exclaimed.

" He is liberal enough with other people’s
funds, though, as you will ﬁnd, miss, when you
come to pay his bill for taking care of your
father's estate.

“In fact, the, chances are great that When he
gets through with the matter, there will not
be much ()l the property left.

“ You are alone and friendless, the judge able
and unacrnpulous, and there isn’t the least doubt
he will rob you of every dollar he can get hold
of for that is t e kind of man he is.”

‘ You are Wl ng, sir, in regard to Miss Esco—
bedo being without friends!” exclaimed Isabel,
with reat dignit , “ for I am proud to say that
1 won (1 do an thing in the world for her, and I
have a noble rother. who, when he makes her
acquaintance and discovers what kind of a irl
she is, will be willing to lay down his life for er
sake.

“ Judge Bullifant will not have everything
his own way as soon as my dear brother dis-
covers that his cousin is being wronged.”

“ I have met yr 1' brother Manuel, and I
must admit that he is a. bold and daring fellow,
but he would have a hard task to contend with
such a man as Judge Bullifant.

“He is frank, open hearted and above-board
while the judge is a sly, cunning scoundrel, and
in a contest he wcgld not be at all scrupulous in
regard to the means he used, and so the chances
are rest that your brother would only lose his
life y attempting to interfere with the old law-
yer’s ame.”

“ y brother would not hesitate for a moment
in espousing the cause of a defenseless girl, no
matter how great the odds were against him!”
Isabel declared, proudly.

“ 0h, es, that is all very well,” the outlaw
observ . “ But what this lady Wants is a man
who can make a successful ﬁght against the ras-
cally old lawyer.

“ A man like myself, for instance, who can
oppose force with force, and cunning with cun-
nin .

“gl‘he judge is a man who would not. hesitate
for a moment to commit murder if he could
proﬁt by it.

“ Not that he would do the deed himself, for
he hasn’t courage enough for that, but in this
wild region it is the easiest thing in the world
to hire desperadoes, who, if on pay them
enou h, are always ready to sh blood.

“ ow, then. in a was of this kind, a mar. like
myself is just the one who is needed. I can give
the villainous old lawyer blow for blow, and I
am willing to rantee that my strokes will be
harder than 1118.

“I’ll save your property for you, and then
in some distant land where the Red‘Riders of
Rayon have never been heard of we can enjoy
the fruits of the victory.”

Margaret looked astounded at this strange
proposal, while Isabel burst into a loud laugh.

‘9 Upon my word, sir, you have the most novel
method of wooing that was ever heard of!" she
exclaimed.

“You have torn a leaf from the history of the
dark ages, for never in our time was such a
thin known!"

“ he French have a saying that it is the un-
expected that always happens," the road-agent
replied, coldly.

‘ I am aware, of course, that the mode of
courtship which I have adopted is not the usual
one, but, under the circumstances, it was the
only kind I could Use. It was this or nothing.

‘ There is something strange and romantic
about'this lady’s case, take it as you will, and
this little scheme of mine is not so much out of
the way.” '

“Well, I don‘t know about that,” Isabel re-
marked, doubtfully.

“ one thing You must giveome credit for, any-
way,” the outlaw observed, “and that is I am
31010118le "I earnest and mean business, every

me

“There isn’t any hurry, you know,” and the
Red Rider chief arose.

“You can have lenty of time to think the
I w keep close watch on Judge
I“ N

O

 
Bullifant, and if he makes any move whatever,
I shall know it. ‘ And do not be under any ap-
perehensions in regard to yourselves. You shall

treated with the highest possible res t, and
I have no doubt that in time you ' come to
the conclusion that I have made you a pretty
fair oil‘er.”

And then, with an extremely ceremonious bow,
the outlaw departed.

Again the girls heard the great key turn in the
rust lock.

“ here is but one hope for us!” Isabel ex-
claimed. “ Ridiculous as it seems, this fellow is
in earnest. He means he will carry out his
scheme if he can. We must get word to my
brother, Manuel, and he will move Heaven and
earth to save us!”

' I

CHAPTER XX.

woman’s wrr.

MARGARET shook her head, for the scheme
which the dashing Isabel proposed did .not seem
to be feasible to her.

“ Oh, but there isn’t any doubt he will be able
to rescue us if we can only manage to let him
know the circumstances of our case!” Isabel
exclaimed.

“ Yes, yes, if we can only get word to him,
but there is the difﬁculty.”

“ Not at all.” ,

“ How can it be done.” i

“ By bribing the person who is to wait on us.”

“But that may be impossible.” -

“ Very true, but I am assuming that it is pos-
sible!” the Mexican girl exclaimed in her impul-
sive way.

“ You see, Margaret, you do not know the
denizens of this region as well as I do, particu-
larly such men as would be apt to belong to an
outlaw band like these Red Riders.

“ Such fellows are always ready to betray
each other, and the meaner the cut—throat the
quicker he is to turn traitor.”

“Yes, I presume that is correct.”

“ Oh, there isn't, the least doubt about it!"
Isabel exclaimed in the most decided manner.

“ \Ve are securely conﬁned here—net the least
chance for us to esca e—sc these Red Riders
doubtless calculate, an it is not likely that they
will at a vcr watchful guard over us.

“ n all pro ability one of the meanest of the
band will be assigned to the duty, and if so, the
chances are great that we can succeed in brib-
iug him to convey intelligence of our present
plight to my brother who is at Ysleta.”

“ Yes, but to bribe the man we need money
and I have but little,” Margaret objected.

“ Well, as far as money goes I haven’t much
In self, but I have a valuable diamond ring,
w ich, when I trave I conceal in my in,
and that will be sure .to dazzle the eyes of any
ordinary man, and then we can promise him too
that when he carries the intelligence to my dear
Manuel he will richly reward the service.’

Margaret’s eyes began toglisten and a hopeful
look to appear on her face.

“It is possible that such a thing can be ar-
ran d and yet it does not seem very probable.”

“ idn’t the fellow say that it IS the unex—
pect/ed that aIWays happens i” demanded bel.

“ Yes, and I only hope that in our the
saying will come true. ’

Again the sting of the key in the lock came
to the ears 0 the girl.

Some one is coming, and if it is not. the Bed
Rider chief you can depend u n it that I will
try my arts upon him!” Isabe exclaimed in the
ear of her com anion.

It was not t e outlaw leader but the man
who had acted as guide and he was accompanied
Ry a swarthy, wrinkled old man dressed like a

exican, who bore a tray upon which a sub-
stantial supper smoked.

“The capt’n don’t intend to starve you, you
know,” the outlaw explained in what was in-
tended to be a jocese manner.

 
“This here galoot will attend to you, right up I

to the handle, won’t you J ose?”

The half-breed—half Mexican and half In-
dian—grinned in response.

“ He’s our cook and head bottle-washer and if
thar’s anything else you want besides what he
has brought you hyer, jest tell him and he will
get it for you, if he kin.

“ Of course. yep mustn’t go for to expect that
we run a ﬁrst class eating-saloon, for we don’t,
but an thing in season, such as you kin ﬁnd on
Elle 0,1; iuary ranch in this country, you kin

ave. ‘

And then lwith a clumsy bow the man de—
parted, taking particular care to lock the door
after he had got on the other side of it.

While the half-breed Was arranging the
viands on the table, Isabel seized upon the op-
pol'tltllnity to exchange a few words with Mar-
gare .

“ eaven’s only favoring us,” she said in a
rapid, cautious w i r.

“ These half-hr s are notoriously treacher-
ous and cunning. I know the race for I have
been used to them since I was a child. Their
greed, too. is great and there is a far better
chance that we will be able to bribe him than if
he wasa full-blooded Mexican, or in fact a man
of any other nation.”

 
“ Yes, so I have read,” Margaret remarked.
“Of course all I know about them is what I
have gathered from books.”

“ I have lived among them all my life and
know these half-breeds as well as it is possible
for any one. Oh, I don’t think there is any
doubt that we will be able to win this man to
our pu se.”

By this time the halfbreed had ﬁnished ar—
ranging the dishes, and with a grin upon his
ugly features, said:

“ All ready, senoras,” then hastened to place
chairs for their accommodation.

“ Keep up a stout heart and do not evince the
least feelin of uneasiness!” Isabel whispered,
rapidly, in t e ear of the other as they advanced
toward the table.

The ladies seated themselves, and then Isabel,
studying the countenance of the half-breed,
carefully asked:

“ Have I not seen you somewhere before?”

“ I think not; I do not remember to have met
the senora,” the man replied with a shake of
the head.

“ Your face is very familiar to me and I am
almost certain I have met you. You have been
in El Pasc of course?”

“ Oh. yes.”

“And at Ysleta?”

“ Yes, yes."

“ And is not your name, Jose?”

“It is.”

“ Ah, I felt sure I was not mistaken!” the
Mexican girl exclaimed, triumphantly.

She was guessing at the man’s name of
course, and it was not wonderful that the hit
upon his cognomen, considering that Jose is
such a common appellation among them that it
is calculated that fully one-half of the race
bear it. '

The man shook his head again and a perplexed
look appeared on his face.

“ It may be so but I do nct remember.”

“ My name is Isabel Escobedo.”

The man nodded.

“ Ah, yes, I know many of that name, Es-
cobedo,” he said.

“ a; brother, Manuel, perhaps,” Isabel ob-
serv , carelessly, and without in the least be-
traying how important to her was the question.

“ Ah, yes, yes, I know Manuel Escobedo; a
ﬁne dashing fellow,” and the half-breed grinned,
ncdding his head knowingly.

“ He is at Ysleta now."

“ Yes, I saw him there yesterday.”

Isabel could not refrain from ﬂashing .a tri-
umphant glance from her dark eyes at her com-
panion, but the stolid half~breed did not seem to
notice it.

“ I should like very much to send word to my
brother that we are here,” the Mexican girl
remarked in a reﬂective wa , castin a look
gmezpdundex her long, dark eye ashes at half-

r

He grinned, nodded cunningly and then laid .

his ﬁnger upon his lips.
“ Is there any do. r of any one overbearing
what we say?” Isabe asked, taking the alarm at

once. .
“Oh, no, the men are in another part  the

ranch."

“ Well, I am lad of that for I will'he able
to freely,” sabel remarked. .

“ presime on understand that wears really
prisoners here ’ , ’

“ 0h, yes—the door locked, no get out if you
tried,” and the half-breed chuckled as though he
thgught it was a good joke.
you are not one of the Red Riders?”

“hogs, no, no; Jose does not ﬁght. I am the

“ Yes, yes, I see. Well, now then, Jose, I do

on are not a member of this outlaw band-,-  ‘

 
«vii

 
not suppose these outlaws pay you very well!” . .

Isabel remarked with her most winning
anxious to gain the conﬁdence of the man. . ‘

“Ve poorly—not much money,” the other
replied in a discontented wa

If I could get any one  carry word to my .-

brother that we are here, and desire to he re-
leased, it would be much money in his
Isabel remarked, persuasively.

my

The're came a covetous look into the eyes (I f

the half-breed, but often thinking ovar the mat.
ter for a moment, he shook his head. ‘

“ I do not see how it can be done,” he said.
“ If I should carry word and the Red
should ﬁnd it out they would murder me.”

“ Yes, but you must arrange the. matter I) '
they will not

“ That will not be easy.” '

“ Oh, yes, it will; how on earth is the dis-
covery to be made if we hold our tongues and
you kee your own counsel.

“ My rother is to be trusted, too, if you make
him understand how important is the necessity
of keeping quiet.

“ See!” And the Mexican
mend ring from her bosom a
the eyes of the half-breed.

nd it out.” .’ g 

'rl drewthedia- ‘  ,
ﬁasheditbefore 

 
“Ah. it is ﬁne—what a sparkler!” he 9". 

claimed.

“‘1 will give you this ring if youwﬂlcaig 1'"

the memgetomy brother that wears here
wanthimtocome toonrassistamae,and unit
notbeanangedsothathemngetus'outof the

{a

   
W133 ’

..v~m".-cﬁ'm_~r

loi‘d;

 
ranch by some cunning trick without having to
resort to force?”

A cunning look appeared on the face of the
half- breed, and he nodded his head in a knowing
fashion.

“ Yes, yes, I think it can be arranged,” he
re lied.

‘ To—morrow all the band depart on an expe-
: _ dition, leaving one man to guard the ranch-—
‘ / one of the band and myself.
‘ “He is a hard drinker: all I will have to do is
to leave some liquor where he can find it—leave
a good supply and within an hour he will be so
overcome by it that he will not be able to know
what is going on around him.”

5. “An excellent pl-iu!” Isabel exclaimed, “ and
g; ‘ i then my brother dun come and take us away
,3... without any one being the wiser.”

'_ f '. “Yes, yes, no one will know!” and the wrin-

kledhaif—breed chuckled, gleefully.
“And you will carry the nieSSage and arrange

. , the liquor—you shall have the diamond ring

3"“! and ten silver ounces.”

' “ Yes, yes, I will do it, but be careful and do
not let any of the Red Riders suspect or we Will
be murdered.”

Then the girls turned their attention to the
supper, but they were two much excited to eat,
/and soon they bade the half-breed remove the

’ viands, then they prepared for rest, for on the
morrow they hoped to escape.

, CHAPTER XXI.
 , ' THE RESCUE.
NO one came near the apartment of the pris-
’ oners until about eight o’clock on the next morn-
ing then there was a knock at the door.
[he knocker evidently wished to be sure that

l

 
the girls had arisen.

They had been up since ﬁve, however for in
their state of nervous anxiety they foun it ini-
possible to sleep.

“ I It was the outlaw who had been delegated to _

act as their jailer.
 “.I hope on find yourself pretty well this
‘H, morning,” t e fellow said, with an attempt to
‘ " a r polite.
h, es, thank you, We are as well as can be
under the circumstances,” Isabel an-

red.
“ Your breakfast is ready whenever you want
 , it. I am going away to—day on a leetle expe‘
 ‘ ditidn, so you won’t see no more of me until to-
, morrovv, but, there’s another chap who will take
1 ‘7, my place, and if on want anything in particu—
.v'-  lar, outside of w at the old alt-breed brings
jgst you tell Jose and he will tell the other

e 0

“Thank you, we will remember."
- “Have yer grub now?”
, 1' “ As soon as you please.”
 r “ All right; I’ll send the old cuss in with
' it. Sglong! Take care of yourselves till I come

 then the man withdrew.
The hearts of the prisoners beat high with

 go You see!” Isabel exclaimed, “he confirms
 the‘old man’s story.
“4" ‘ ~ “There is to be an expedition, and all the
 .outlaws will leave the ranch, with the exception
,. . ' of the single man left to guard us.”
4 ' “Yes, yes, it surely looks as if Heaven was
f' avoring us.’
, “ When the half—breed comes, We will see
" whether he has succeeded in finding my brother
,, a .or not. \ '
“‘l ‘ , “ He is not the man I take him to be if he did
' not go through to Ysleta last night. Didn’t you
' notice the (:ove!.ous expression whioh appeared
_, onhis face when I ﬂashed the diamond before
 his eyes?”
3, ' “f Uh, yes, it was evident that he was strongly
tempted.
“And then the promise of the silver ounces,
. foo; depend upon it, Margaret, he will not rest
(satisﬁed until he has the treasure in his posses-

ion
» . “ Well I sincerely hope so.”
i‘ V = “0b, Ithink the chances are great that he
803M? my dear Manuel in Yeleta last night,
a , perhaps, by this time, all the particulars of
 the Scheme to rescue us are arranged.
v “ That would be delightful!” Margaut ex-

claimed.
" if,“ I am afraid of is that it is too good to be

. “ These halﬂbrceds are generally Si and cun-

ning; and such a man as this old me is un~

46/ - don tedly a sly rascal; if he Were not, he would

' not be here. and such a man as he would un-

doubtedly take advantage of the cover of the

- darkness to steal away from the ranch and seek
 ’Ysleta.”

' “On,' es, that is Very probable," Margaret

ark
'3 5 , “ During the night he could manage to leavo
fthe ,ranch, find our brothers and return with-
Zont the outlaws suspicions being aroused.”
i ,  At this point the conversation was interrupted
, thy the appearance of the half-breed, bearing the
breakfast of the prisoners.

. He grinning in the most friendly manner as
he arranged the breakfast on the table, and then
placed the chairs.

 The hearts of the prisoners fairly jumped for

a) L /

 
joy, for they argued from his looks that he was
the bearer of good news.

After the breakfast was arranged to the satisr
faction of the old man, and the girls were
seated at the table, the half-breed stole to the
door and listened cautiously for a few moments,
as if he was afraid that a watch had been set
upon him.

Then he returned to the table; the girls, anx—
iousl y watching him, were too excited to eat.

“ It is all right,” the half-breed said with a
chuckle.

“ You have seen my brother?" exclaimed Isa"
bel, seemingly almost unable to restrain her im—
patience.

“ I have—last night in’ Ysleta—it is only
a few miles away. I took one of the horses out
of the corral and rode there. None of the band
noticed my absence, and I was able, thanks to
the darkness, to go and come without any one
being the wiser.”

“How extremely fortunate!” Isabel exclaim—
ed. while Margaret nodded assout.

"' Yes, I saw your brother and told him how
you were Situated; then explained the scheme
)y which your release couli be secured Without
resorting to open force.”

“And can that plan be carried out?" Isabel
asked.

“ Oh, yes, beyond a doubt,” the half—breed re-
plied, in rfect conﬁdence.

“ All 0 the band are gone with the exception
of one man. and he is a slave to liquor whenever
he can get hold of it.

“ Your brother gave me money and I brought
two bottles of whisky back with me, which I have
placed where the guard will be sure to get hold
of them.

“Then, as soon as he becomes insensible, I
will let you out: our brother is to be concealed
in a grove near ere, with horses, ready to re
ceive you.”

“But will you not put yourself in peril by
aiding us to escape?” asked Margaret, surpris-
ing her companion by her forethought.

‘Oh, no, am not here; that is I am not su
posed to be here,” the half-breed ansWered, wi h
a prodigious grin.

M orders are—after our breakfast is end—
ed an I have removed t e things-Ate go to El
Paso for provisions.

“After the guard is dead drunk and -I have
let you out I shall go, and when your escape is
discovered the Red Rider will believe that the
guard unlocked the door in his drunkenness,
without knowing what he was doing, and you
took advantage of the opportunity to escape!”

“ Oh that will do splendidly!” Isabel ex-
claimed, “ but I believe I shall die with im-
patience before the time comes.”

“ N o, no; eat, you will need strength for
your journey!” , i

The counsel was good and the girls endeavored
to follow it.

Under the circumstances it was not an easy
task though to relish the food, and it was a
meager meal they took.

Then, When the had signiﬁed that they were
through, the half- reed removed the things.

He was obliged to hammer for quite a while
on the door before he could get the guard to
open it.

“ He has found the liquor and is already half-
drunk,” the half-breed whispered, to the girls,
as the guard without plunged at the key, hav-
ing considornb! - wri'iiciilty in turnin it. ‘

After the half-brocl crossed -.the t reshold the
door was closed and the key again turned, the
guard being as much troubled to lock the door
as he had been to unlock it, and he swore so
loud! at the obstinate lock, as he deemed it,
that is words came to the risoners, despite the
thickness of the obstacle w ich separated them
from the ruﬂian without.

Slowly passed the minutes away now to the
im tient, prisoners, pining for freedom.

agerly they listened, hoping each instant to
pair the gra ing of the old key in the rusty
oc .

It was fully an hour though before they were
gratiﬁed b hearing the Welcome sound.

At last t came, and the girls were all pre«
pared to depart when the half-breed made his

appearance.

“It is all right.” he said, “the man is so
sound in his drunken slumber that even the re-
Eprt of acannon in his car would not waken

m

“ If you are ready, we will go.”

“ Oh, we are reai y, and have been' for a long
time i” Isabel exclaimed.

“ You need not fear that we will keep you
waitiu .

“ Fo low me!” said the half-breed.

Gladly the girls left the place of their conﬁne-

ment.

The half-breed led the way through the ranch
into the open courtyard, and then through the
great doors to the o 11 country. .

And as soon as t 10 party were through the
portal, and the half-breed had swung the mas-
sive doors together again, a young and dashing-
looking Mexican, robbd in the pictur ue cos-

.‘tume common to the natives of the and of

Mexico, made his up rauce from a clump of
timber, a few hundre yards from the ranch.

 
He was on horseback and led two riderl'ess
steeds equip with side-saddles.
This was anuel Eseobedo, a handsome young
fellow about thirty years old, although his com-
lexion was swarthy, as became the child of a
nd where the sun’s rays are felt in their full
strength, but his features were regular, with
the same brilliant black eyes that Isabel possess-
ed

A close observer would have detected indica-
tions in the young man’s face that he had led a
pretty fast life, and Would have immediately
come to the conclunion he was a man who would
bear watching; but Margaret, of course was
not possessed of any such judgment, and her
ﬁrst impression of Manuel Escobedo, as he rode
forth from the grove in the guise of a guardian
angel, was that he was a perfect specimen of
manly beauty.

He dashed up to the ladies in gallant style,
reined in his horse sharply, leaped to the ground,
and catching his sister in his arms, kissed her
with the utmost tenderness.

“ Thank heaven I have come in time to save
you!” he cried.

“ This is our cousin Margaret.” Isabel said.

Gnllantly Manuel Escobedo doﬂ‘ed his som-
brero, and exclaimed:

“ Glad] do I welcome you to the land of your
birth, an though we have never met before, I
trust we will be warm friends in the future i"

To this, Margaret, blushing under the earnest
gaze of admiration that the young man bent up-
on her, made suitable reply.

“ But, come! we must be off, for this is no
place to waste our time!” Manuel Escobedo
cried.

“ Here, Jose, are your ounces, and see that
you keep a still ton us in your head for all our
sakes, for these Re Riders have long arms and
strike hard at their foes!”

The half—breed grinned, the young man assist-
ed the ladies to mount, then sprung into the
saddle hirnself and away they went.

CHAPTER XXII.
IBABEL’S ADVICE.

“WHERE will we go—to Ysleta?” asked Isa-
bel, after they were well away from the neigh-
borhood of the lonely ranch.

“No, to El Peso,” the young man replied.
“I was in the town yesterday and heard that
Judge Bullifant was expected there to—morrow,
coming on purpose to meet Miss Margaret.”

“Yes, the judge wrote me that he would
meet me in El Paso upon m’arrival ” the heir-
ess remarked, “and to wait a few ays in Al.
buquerque, dispatching a letter the moment I
arrived in the town, so as to 've time for him
to come to El Paso, for be ad so much busi-
ness, to which he must attend, taking him away
from home, that unless he was warned in -
vance of the time of my arrival he could not
besure of meeting me.”

“Yes, that is true, the judge is a very busy
man,” Manuel Escobedo observed. .

“Were you not thunderstruck, Manuel, when
the half-breed brought the news that we were
in the power of these terrible outlaws, the Red
Riders?” Isabel asked.

“Yes. I most certainly was, and at ﬁrst I
could hardly believe the news was true, but I
knew Jose of old. and thou h he is aboutas
big a scamp as any half-b in the land, yet
when it is for his interest to tell the truth be
can be relied u n.

“These Red iders were ﬂ ing at high game
though when they abdqu such a permnas
the heiress of Escobedo to hold for a ransom.”

“0h, bless you! that wasn’t their game!”
Isabel exclaimed.

“ No, what then 3’"

The Mexican girl explained at len h the
strange plan of the outlaw chief, and uel
Escobedo listened in utter amazement.

' “ Well, upon my word this passes all belief l”
he exclaimed.

“ Why, the fellow is even more audacious
than I believed him to be. It was a luck
chance that I was able to rescue you from sue
a trap."

“I hope, Manuel, that you will not bring
down the vengeance of the gang upon your
head b interfering in our beha i” Isabelre-
m rke , anxiously.

“Oh, I don’t oubt that they will be after

 
me fast enough, if they discover that I hada ..

hand in the matter,” the young man replied.

“ This outlaw gang is a terrible one, Cousin
Margaret,” he continued, turning to the heiress.
“It is one of the largest and most desperate
bands that has ever existed along the Rio
Grande, and from the fact of their alwa s wear-
ing a disguise no one has any know edge of

who the outlaws really are; the suspicion is that _ ,

many of them are men who

occup ood ‘
sitiens and would never be 81] I030? belch);

ing to any such gang, and t at fact renders
their pownr more terri le, for when a man con-
verses with another in regard to the band he
cannot be sure that he is not speaking with One
of the outlaws.”

“It is really dreadful,” Isabel observed, while
Margaret listened in wonder, for the account
seemed to her more like an ancient tale of the
past than a story of the present.

 
;%
It
..

T: Wow-~9¢M «c- .

any: a: a and.-.“ .

 
v  - ‘ ‘H
qxrpqa-  2 av:

.v:_- :2 any};

‘ «Z. .... A .

:1,W‘ arm :r We — 2w ; '...m.4.;~..s»..t-§3.';u,é 

s.

‘ 9..

. “My

‘  «av—saw... .

   
\

WW... Mums. w. mum... 5......“

  
a I
t

i‘

l

i

l

l

i

l

.f. min. V
145.;ij {l ’ ~

' w.)- , amﬁa-Mwﬁse' ‘ ~ ~"

..\ .n x- ... . .
i, gave j,» .~ 9

 
 reﬂectively.

'.V r 1'2.
, 

2

“Yes, like the most of men who are well-
a uainted with the power of these rate
333 Riders, 1 am not anxious to incur their dis-
leasure and have to kee a constant watch for
Fear they may strike a low at me; under the
circumstances, though, I had to interfere."

“Oh, I am so sorry that for If]? sake you
exposed yourself to this danger!” argaret ex-
claimed.

“ Gladly would I do it again under like
circumstances,” replied the young man, gal-
lant] .

“ have an idea!”exclaimed Isabel. ” Lis-
ten! No one but ourselves and the half-breed
knows that you had aught to do with the
matter.

“ Old Jose will be certain not to speak of it,
for to do so would only endanger his own life,
so if we keep the matter quiet, no one will ever
know that to you we owe our escape from the
power of the outlaws.

" There isn’t any need, you know, Margaret,
of your saying anything to Judge Bullifant
about the affair, as long as you arrive in El
Paso safe and sound.

-“There is no harm in concealing it, and
much mischief might come if the episode be-
comes public.”

Margaret Escobedo was the very soul of
honor, and above all things dctmted falsehood
or evasion. In the present case, she would have
preferred not to make a mystery out of the
matter; yet, under the circumstances, she (lid
not see how she could help keeping silent, and
so she remarked that she would not mention the
matter. ,

“ You will ﬁnd Judge Bullifant a rather odd
man,” Manuel Escobedo observed. “But the
judge’s heart is in the right lace, and after
you come to know him you wil appreciate his
worth.”

“ Humph! I doubt if the judge would speak
as favorably of you!” Isabel exclaimed.

“ The judge and I have never got along very
well together,” the young man explained, “ and
I know that he hasn‘t a particularly good opin-
ion of me; but that is no reason why I should
not do the judge full justice.

“ You see, Cousin Margaret, I have been
quite a wild fellow in my time. I don’t attempt
to excuse myself; oung men will be wild and
u to all sorts of oolish ranks. I have sober--

down now, but the judge doesn’t give me
credit for it.

“ He thinks I am still the wild, reckless fellow
as in the days of yore.”

“Some time he will learn that you have
sown all your wild oats, and then he may
be inclined to do you justice,” Isabel re-
marked. ~ ’

“Very true; and until that time comes, I
must ss my soul with patience.

“ here were you to go after reachin El
Pasoi" asked the young man, addressing ar-

garet.

“ To the Hotel Mexico,” she replied.

“ Ah, yes, I remember now; that is the Jaidge’s
headquarters when he is in El Paso,” anuel
obserVed. .

“ You will undoubtedly find all arrangements
made for you. But, let me see; your advent
into El Paso on ho‘back, when you are ex-

ted to arrive by the stage coach, will be sure
mive rise to talk, and so the secret of your
rescue may leak out,” the young Mexican added

“I have an idea,” exclaimed Isabel.
pose we go to the ﬁrst station on the stage—
route from El Peso, and take the stage which

there today? Then we will arrive by

he stage, just as we were ex , and no one

will be apt to suspect that we have not come all
the way by this particular coach.”

“An excellent idea indeed l” Manuel Escobedo
exclaimed. “And after you are safely domi-
ciled in El Paso at the Hotel Mexico I will call
upon you, lsabel can introduce me and no one
will have the least suspicion that we have ever
met before.”

Isabel laughed, merrily.

' “ Yes yes!” she exclaimed, “ it will be quite a
loke. That will be a little secret which we will
ave all to ourselves."

And so the plan was settled upon.

Margaret in her heart did not like the idea at
all,for she felt a repugnance to deception of
any kind, but, under the circumstances, she saw
no way t) avoid playing the part thus forced
upon her.

The party rode directlv to the stage station,
which was some ten mi es u the river above
El Paso, and as it was situa in a broken and
well-wooded country it was possible for the
party to approach uite near to the station
without danger of being observed by the people
in charge of it.

Manuel Escobedo knew about what time the
stage was due. and the arty made themselves
as comfortable as pea his in the neighbor-
hood until it was nearly time for the coach to

ii sup

arrive.

Then, bidding farewell to the young man, the
two young girls proceeded to the station.

There was no one there but a dull-headed
Mexican, and he sold the ladies tickets to El
Peso, without ever troubling himself with

I

 
speculation as to how they happened to be in the
ne hborhood.

the companions arrived in El Paso and
alighted from the coach at the Hotel Mexico
which was the end of the stage route just as h
been arran ed. The landlord was on the alert
to receive t em.

Mine host of the Hotel Mexico was not a
Mexican, as would be imagined, but a jolly fat
German, Fritz Hoffenstein by name.

He spoke pretty gr od English, having only a
slight accent, and greeted
they had been the dearest friends he had in the
world.

Being slightly acquainted with Isabel Esco-
bedo it was natural for the landlord to come to
the conclusion, when he saw her in company
with the other lady, that the stranger was the
heiress expected by the lawyer.

A room was all ready for Miss Margaret, but,
as the host explained, Judge Bullifant had not
expected Miss Isabel and so no prep :rations had
been made for her.

Not that it made any particular difference
the host added, for he had rooms enough an
could make the young lady comfortable, al—
though he was not prepared for her coming.

Judge Bizllif ant arrived that night and after
getting his supper sent Word that he would
be pleased to have an interview with his ward."

“I will retire,” said Isabel, who was with
Margaret when the message came, “ for when
it comes to business, you know, two is company
and a third is decidedly in the way.”

“ Oh, I don’t suppOse the judge has anything
in particular to say to me,” Margaret remark-

“Well, I would rather not be present when he
comes, for the judge is an odd sort of a man,
and he would not be apt to like it.”

Margaret offered no further objection, and the
Mexican girl do rted.

During this irief acquaintance the dashing]
Isabel had managed to make an extremely fa
vorable impression upon her Eastern cousin, and
Margaret had come to rely a great deal upon
her judgment.

The conﬂicting accounts which had come to
her ears regarding Judge Bullifant exc1ted her
curiosity, and she was anxious to see for herself
just what kind of a man the old lawyer was.

A few moments after Isabel’s departure there
was a knock at the door, and Margaret admit-
ted a entleman who announced that he was
Judge ullifant.

CHAPTER XXIII.
J UDGE BULLIFANT.

THE judge was an undersized, rather fat man,
with sharp features, and a short, bristly gray
board,

He had an extremely peculiar, abrupt way
with him.

The moment Margaret opened the door, be ex-

claimed:

“ Aha, this is Miss Margaret Escobedo, I sup-
ppsei I am your guardian, Judge Bullifant.

ow- do?” ’

An then he marched into the rocm and glar-
ed around him as though he expected to find
some one there.

Margaret did not know exactly what to make
of his strange way, but recovering as 3000 as
she could from the slight confusion into which
she had been thrown by his strangeness, hast-
ened to bring him a chair.

“Thank ye—thank ye!" cried the judge, ac-
cepting the chair, but still glancing around the
apartmentas if in search of some one.

Then, seemingly satisﬁed that there wasn’t
any one in the room but himself and his com-
panion, be lowered his tone to a mysterious
\vhis r, and said: .

" here is she?”

Margaret was so bothered by the unexpected

uestion, as Well as by the queer way in which
t e judge put it that she did not know what to

sa .

The old gentleman guessed at once from the
look of pa lexity upon her face that she did not
undleriftaii what he meant, and so proceeded to
exp a n: '

“ I refer to that extremely lively young lady
who is called Miss Isabel Escobedo,” e said.

“ She is in her apartment, sir.”

“ Ah! did not want to see me !” exclaimed the
lawyer, elevating his eyebrows in an extremely
peculiar way.

“ No, sir; she said you would probably have
business to talk over with me, and that she
would be in theway.” -

“ Aha! extremely thoughtful of her—ex-
tremclyl By the by”, how did it happen that you
came in company With Miss Isabel ,

“I met her accidentally in the hotel in‘ Al-
buqiier ue. In obedience to your instructions, I
halted t ere and wrote to you, and, being in the
parlor of the hotel, 1 inquired of a young lady
who was there, in regard to how the stages run
to El Paso, and while we were talking the dis-
covery came about that we were cousins.” .

‘Ah, yes, yes, I see," and the-contracted brow
of the old lawyer relaxed a little.-

“ The meetin was purel accidental than?"

“ Yes, sir. iss Esco 0 had been on a visit
to some friends at Tues, and was on her way

the two ladies as if ’

 
home. When she learned that I had to wait in
Albuquerque, she said she would wait, too, for
it would be so much more pleasant for us to
travel in company.”

“ Oh, yes, no doubt about that.

“ “’ell, what impression did Miss Isabel make
on you?"

“ Very good, indeed; we have become the best
of friends.”

“ Ah!” and the old lawyer drewadeep breath;
then he was silent for a moment, as if collecting
his thoughts.

Finally he said in a manner which he evi-
dently designed to be extremely friend] :

“ My dear Miss Margaret, 1 am t e oldest,
and, as be was wont to say, the best friend your
father had in the world.

“ Although we were in most respects as differ-
ent as two men could well be, yet we were chums
for years, and got on splendidly together. I was
not only his legal adviser but also his partner in
a number of enterprises, and, as far as I can» re—
member, during our friendship, which extended
over so many years, there was only one matter
upon which we differed radically, and that was
in re rard to your mother.

“ our father was in the wrong in that mat-
ter, and I never hesitated to tell him so, but he
was obstinate, and, for once, refused to be guid—
ed by my advice; but when he felt that death
was nigh, he admitted his error, and was anx-
ious to do all in his power to atone for his harsh-
ness.

“ I make this explanation so you will under-
stand that though I am a new acquaintance yet
I am an old friend.”

“ 0h, sir, I feel so thankful to you—I am so
grateful to any one who was a friend of my
mother!” Margaret exclaimed, with clas i
bands, while the big tears welled up into or
beautiful eyes.

“M dear Margaret-Afor I will dro the for-
mal iss, and speak to you just as reel and
frankly as though you were my own did —you
occup a ve peculiar position, and I want you
to un erstan all about it, so you will know how
to conduct yoursolf.”

“ I shall be very glrd, indeed, to learn all that
I ought to know.’ .

“In the first place, then, you are the heirem
of one of the richest estates in this part of the
country.

“ In fact, to get at it in round ﬁgures, you are
worth about a million of dollars.”

An exclamation of amazement came from the
lips of the girl at this announcement. , v

“ I knew that my father was countcdto be
rich, but I hadn’t any idea he was worth any
such sum as that.”

“ It is the truth; I attended to all his business
matters—everything was ﬁxed up in good shag:
when he died—and know just about what

\ was worth. , -
“ Now, to explain what I meant when I said ~

you occupied a peculiar positaon.

“ Your father comes of an old 8 nish-Mexi-

can family with branches all t rough both" “

Mexico and Texas, and I supposed had about as
many relatives as any man along the Rio
Grande.

“ None of them could claim near kinsbi
though, and when your father died, leaving this
princer estate, each and every one of these dis- .
tant re a
clusion that be or she—as the case might he—
would come in for a share of the wealth.

“The fact that your mother and yourself.
were in the East led the most of the relatives to ,-

the belief that you were both dead.

“Their disap intment when it was found
that you werea ive and had inherited all the
estate can readily be imaaged.”

“Yes, it must have n a great blow to
them.”

“ Undoubtedly, and some of the, es, I
know, had high hopes, this Miss Isabe , for one.

She was quite a favorite with your father, have: 

ing been brought up on his ranch—both she and,

her brother—and, undoubtedly, theyexpected 

be remembered in his will.

“ I will qualify that statement though,” the ‘3‘

old lawyer remarked after a pause.

“ I don’t really think the young man, Medal,“ 
thought there was much chance for him, for be \

had managed to

t into some ugly scrapes, and
as he knew the 0

know he won] be im out in the cold.

“Didn’t Isabel ever mention to you that a 

good many people were disappointed because
the property was left to you?”

“ Oh. yea but she-gave no liint that she was"  )

among the number.”

“I suppose the young lady hasn‘t a1? good ,,
care- ’ ‘

opinion of me!” the ol lawyer remar

tires immediately jumped to the cou—  

 
A

cattle-king was aw re of bid a?
conduct, he, (probably, had sense 9 ough to 

 
lesst but with his shrewd eyes ﬁxed intently " 

upon he girl’s face. just as if he had a so

that "Earet might not feel inclined to y

anv conﬁ ence reposed in her. 4'
But the girl answered withdut hesitation.

“on, no, she did not speak as if she did not 
like you. All she said was that she thought you  ',

judged her brother too harshly—that you had a
rejudioe against him on account of some youth.
In] errors he had committed.” » - '.

“Well, that was certainly drawing it  

      
cm.'V..

 
J, ,..NSI’.:.‘L*..:'.:.‘.:: ' . ..:I..'n.4‘-i - .1.
. . . 4 ‘.

(18'

y , ’
1-.

.l'
H
r

 
sung-pnxx: . -m' a“ 4a.: 

. a; , “wail-w '- I, -= ‘..
   \. 7

“The Fresh on the Rio Grands. ', i 7  ” 

 
enou h,” the judge remarked with a dry
chuc le.

“ I will confess to you, Margaret, that I never
liked that girl; to my thinking she was deep as
the ocean bznd as sly as the imps below are sup—

to

“Oh, I think on wrong her, sir!” Mar aret
exclaimed, deci edly shocked by the abrup an-
nouncement.

“ Well, maybe I do,” the old law er replied.
“ I will admit that I am not as goo< a 'udge of
women as I might be. I am an old bac elor, an
only child, never had any sisters, and so never
had a chance to get intimately acquainted with
man of the fair sex.”

“ ot the idea ears a 0 that Isabel was
both 3 y and deep, a though will ive the girl
credit or saying that she always haved her-
self when I was around.

“ I admit, you see, that my suspicion is mere
surmise' nothing in the world for me to go
upon. One point in the girl’s favor is that s e
is de'votedly attached to her brother, and at one
time he was about as wild a young fellow as
could be scared up anywhere along the Rio
Grande.”

“ But he has altered now, has he not?” Mar-
garet inquired, her good nature rompting her
to speak a favorable word for t 6 young man
who had made more of an impression upon her,
than she would have been willing to admit.

“ So Isabcl declares,” she continued, perceiv-
ing that the judge hesitated.

‘ She says that though he was quite wild at
one time he had reformed now.”

“ Aha, she has been singing his praises, has
she?” exclaimed the lawyer. “She will be try-
ing to make a match between you one of these
days, maybe,” and the judge chuckled.

“ Oh, no!” exclaimed the girl, blushing at the
idea.

“ well, now, 1 will tell you the honest truth
Margaret when I heard that you and Isabel had
come to El Paso together my suspicions were at
once excited.

“ I thought she had made your acquaintance
on the road on ur ose to cntrap you in some
way, for I wil a mit I had a terrible bad
opimon of her.”

“ I really think, sir, that you wrong her, for

, she seems to be a sweet, affectionate girl.”

“ Well, I am lad my surmise is not correct.
Even to a ened old wretch of a lawyer,
such as I am, it is always pleasant to discover
that some of our fellow-beings are better than
they were thought to be. .

“ Where is Isabel oing, by the way?”

“ To a ranch whic her brother now occupies
on the river a few miles below my father’s
place.”

“Oh, yes, now I think of it, I remember to

A‘ have heard that Manuel had a ranch there and

was doing well.
“ Well, as Isabel has made so good an impres-

._ sion upon you, ask her to pay you a visit and

do until she is tired, you know. I am quite

wi ing.”
“ thank air, it is the very favor I

yu

, , o
1 would have asked l” Margaret exclaimed.

“We’ll get awayrto-morrow,” the judge re-
marked, rising. " on can tender the invitav
tion to Isabel ascomin from me. I will see

5 '_ 53m in the morning; g -night,” and the judge

 n the entry he remarked to himself.
f,‘ I can watch this tiger-cat better at the ranch
than glsewhere and, perhaps, can detect her
game.

 
CHAPTER XXIV.

BLAKE 0N ran TRAIL.
’ Arms. breakfast on the ensuing day the judge

I with the two Iyoung ladies de ted for the
. Escobedo Bane

down the Rio made.
And now having seen our heroine on her wax

1- to her own home we will return to our hero
 whom welhave nggllected too long.

The Fresh of ’ 'sco, and his companion. Old
fornia Joe, were up betimes in the morning,
notwithstanding the ate hour at which they

av ,halhgone to bed after their battle with the

7 9 apart: of the town.

 . Jackson Blake's ﬁrst move after he and his
 a , compan‘i‘on had artaken of a hearty breakfast,
* . was to

it t e bulk of the wealth which he

’ had acqu red so easily with one of the bankers

 
 . some Red

 , of the town, then the pair called upon the old
‘ 3 Jew

awnbroker and astonished hat worthy
y r eeming the valuables imon which the loan

Bad been effected.

 w The Jew was amazed.

ou must have been doing
ider roa vagent business last night,
mine fr’en’!” he exclaimed.
“ 0h, only went for some of your sharks
and ti here and showed them a trick or two
that t ey didn’t understand,” the Fresh replied.
“You bet high on that!” California Joe ex-
~ claimed. And if ire didn’t make some of the
wolves of this town feel sick last night you kin
inka head for a football!”
A s denﬂight ﬂashed upon the Jew’s mind.
"‘01), mine gootneml" he cried, “ was it you,

“ Mine g‘ootncss!

 in tears, who (got away with Mexican Mike last
' night, then lai

Red Sancho out as ﬂat as a pan-

" V.

      
, \nl“

cake, and wound up by skinning Doc Moses’s
little faro ame?”

“Well, guess we were there or thereabouts,
the Fresh replied.”

“ You old fraud of a Jew, you kin jest bet yer
boots we were thar’ !” Californa Joe exclaimed.

“ You did the skinning last night, pard,” he
continued turnin to the Fresh,[‘ so to kinder
make an even thing of it, I will do the blowing

to-daly.”

“ hat is all right; I am not much of a man
to toot my own horn, so you can do the blowing
and welcome.

“ Now, aged son of Israel, touching these re-
volvers of mine—” he continued.

“ The are here! mine ootness! how lucky
it was! ’ the old Jew exc aimed, rubbing his
hands and grinning until his mouth extended
almost from ear to ear.

“ Oho! they are here then 3” the Fresh cried.

“ Yesh, ycsh, and I am glad you are going to
get them back for they are a beautiful set of
barkers! Oh, they are re lar bulldogs.”

“ You are ri ht about t at. Let me see, ﬁfty
was the ante, think?" .

“ Yesh, ﬁfty, unless, mine fr’en’, you think you
ought to pay me somethin for my trouble,” re-
marked the old Jew in a w eedling way.

The Fresh burst into a loud laugh and old
California Joe fairly haw-hawed mule fashion.

“ Well, upon my word if this isn’t the richest
joke of the season i” Jackson Blake declared.

“ Wa—al now, a man would be safe in betting
the soles right oﬁ’en his butes on that!” old Cali-
fomia Joe declared.

" You act as agent for a gang of outlaws, col-
lect fifty dollars for a air of revolvers, stolen
property, and then cool y suggest that the vic-
tim might give you something for your trouble:
just as if you wasn’t going to collar about
twenty-ﬁve dollars out of this ﬁfty, anyhow!”

“ Twenty-five!” exclaimed the old plainsman.
“ Diirn my ole gizzard! if the Red Riders git
mor’n ten dollars outeu the ﬁfty the will be a
gunned sight more .lucky than I rec on they’ll

e!

“ Oh, mine gootness!” cried the Jew pawn-
broker with u lifted hands, “ wh , mine fr’en’s,
you must thin I am a re lar ro ber!”

“ A robber!” the Fres cried, “well, all I
have to say is that if on can’t give any road-
agent in the country pomts then you are not the
man I take you to be!”

“He kin skin a cat and git more hide often
her than any other galoot from here to no-
whar!” the mountain man declared.

In order to put a stop tothe string of “ compli—
ments ” the pawnbroker made haste to produce
the revolvers.

Tue e es of the Fresh of ’Frisco sparkled as
they be eld the Weapons which had served him
so well in many a deadly ﬁght.

“ Aha! it does in heart ood to behold those
jolly boys again !” B ake exc imed.

“ Many a gay old skirmish have I been into
with these beauties and they never went back on
the man that owned them, no time!”

“ Oh, yeah. they are beauti ul tools!” the old
Jew exclaimed.

“ So help me Moses !
pair!”

“ And you got them so quickly too; the Red
Riders must be right in t is neigborhood, eh,
Hadad, old man i”

The Jew winced as the words reached his ears,
the Fresh of ’Frisco looking him straight in the
eyes.

Despite his wonderful powers of self-control he
was so disturbed by the suggestion that he could
not help betraying it.

“Mine gootness! I knew nothing about it!”
he protested.

‘ But you got the revolvers all the same
thou h!” exclaimed the Fresh.

“ h he gits thar, every time, and don’t you
forgit in" cried old California Joe.

‘ One of m peddlers my tear," said the Jew,
rubbing his nds soft y together, and smiling
blandly in the faces of his Visitors.

“ Ah, yes, I see,” and the Fresh lea ing his
hands upon the counter, behind which 3 the
Jew, laughed in the merriest kind of a way in
the face of the other, “one of your peddlers
brou ht them in.”

" esh, yesh.”

2: So of course you don’t know anything about
it?

“ No, no, my tear.”

“ All you know about the matter is to deliver
the pistols and take the ﬁfty dollars.”

“ esh, yesh.”

“ Where can I ﬁnd this peddler— hat’s his
name i” asked the Fresh, abruptly, to the decided
consternation of the old man.

“ Eh, w’at is dot?” cried the Jew. “breaking
the English” dreadfully in his excitement.

“ You just tell me is name and I will hunt
him up in the town, and then when I find him,
he wil have to s it out all he knows of the Red
Riders or I will
of moccasins!”

The old Jew listened in terriﬁed amazement
and then up went his hands in horror. ‘

Before he could speak thoughold California
Joe exclaimed:

I never saw a ﬁner

n his hide to make me a pair

.q

 “2"7 v. , I

 
up! That is the pro r kind of say-so. 0h.
thar’ll be the b' gest ind of a fandango when
you ’li ht onto t e critter! ,

“ Ta k 'bout yer bull-ﬁghts. wah!”

“Mine tness! mine fr’en’. you must not
think of doing such a thing. The peddler is an

honest man-—-’

“Of course! Who said he wasn’t? And, be-
ing an honest man when I tell him I am on the
trail of the Red Riders he will tell me all he
knows about them."

“ And if he don’t, you’ll make him chew scan !”
California Joe observed in the gravest possible
way.

“Oh, Moses! w’at ish dot?” cried the pawn-
broker.

“ You just tell me who he is and if he is in El
Paso on can bet all the ducats you’ve got in the
wor] that I will get the truth out of him!” the
Fresh of ’Frisco observed in the most conﬁdent

we .

'llhe words suggested a means of escape to old
Solomons, and ea erly be seized u i, n it.

“ Ah, ye h, but e is not in El aso now!” he
exclaimed.

“ He went away last night. He merely came
to town to leave the revolvers and then went
right away.”

“ W'here to?”

“To Chihuahua,” responded the J ew. without
the least hesitation.

“ When is he to come after the money?”

“ In a week he said he would be back.”

“Well, I’ll be on hand; but I don’t suppose
you know the exact day '9”

“ Oh, no,” responded the pawnbroker, shrug-
ring his shoulders. “ lt may be eight or ten
(ays. He is a bird of passage; no one knows
when he comes and goes.’

“ \Vhat’s his handle?”

“Abraham Krone,” answered the Jew, with-
out a moment’s hesitation.

“ Hadad, you old sinner, you are lying, and
you know you are!” the Fres declared for his
suspicions were at once excited by the glib man-
ner in which the other rattled 011' the name.

“That is the name he calls himself when he
does business with me. He may have a dozen
for all Iknow,” replied Solomons, affecting to
misunderstand the other‘s meaning.

“Ma be I will run across him one of these
days. reckon though, I will ﬁnd him much
nearer El Paso than Chihuahua.”

“ Maybe—maybe—who can tell. The prophet
says that all men are liars,” the Jew replied,
with the utmost co sure.

“I reckon he must ev been hevin’ a deal with

some of the pawnbrokers when he spit that out,” A

exclaimed the old mountain-man.

“ I am lad you put me on the trail, in gen-
tle Jew!” he Fresh observed. “ For now have
a clew that the Red Riders are near at hand, I
will try my luck and see if I can’t get on their
track right here in El Pass.”

“Ah, mine fr’en’, if ‘you try to meddle with
the Red Riders, you w i be apt to suffer,” the
old Jew remarked, with a warning shake of the

head.
“ es, either they or I will suffer before the
picnic is endpd I on.”

“If you will take m .dvice, you will not
bother your head with t em, in fr en’.”

“ Oh, but I will; they have inned me out of
some ducats, and 1 am going in to get s uare.”

“Yes, you bet yer butes, and that’s t e kind
of hi ht owls we are!” California Joe declared.

“ ey wouldn’t have had such an easy deal
when they stopped the stage if it hadn’t been for
a Mexican girl, who sat by my side, and threw
her arms around me so that I couldn’t draw in
weapons 'ust as the gang appeared,” the Free
remarke . .

“Ah, she was terribly frightened no doubt
poor girl,” the old Jew observed with a shake of
the head.

“ I can understand it; her heart was up in her
mouth.”

“ Oh, yes, she was a dear little an 1 With
arms of steel, and she hampered me so couldn’t
draw my wea ons, but I understood her game;
I’m nobody’s ool.

“ She was in league with the road-agents—one
of the Red Rider gang.”

“ Mine gootness!” cried the Jew, surprised by
the unexpected accusation, “dot lady to one of
aghast families belongs, Senora Isabel Esco-

0!

V

CHAPTER XXV.
A BOLD PROPOSAL.

" Ono!” cried the Fresh, in trium h, when be
perceived that the old Jew, with al his crafti-
ness, had fallen into the trap he had so cun-
ningly laid for him, “ you now the party,
then?” _

“ Oh, yesh, there is no better family than the
Escobedos along the Rio Grande, and the idea
dot a lady like Miss Isabel should be in lea ue
with a gan of road-agents is ridiculous!” e
old Jew dec ared.

“ You think it is, eh?” asked the Fresh, with ,

a quizzical look.

“ My dear mans, I know it is. I tell you vat
“That is the kindof talk that warms me right it is, my goot fr’en’, if you go to make such fool- ‘

O

 
, .
”' ‘ "A 1L1»...

 
I -»m1¢dg~ - ~rr _,.~ an

‘ "n w,_H-.
,5“ ..

pug.me w..- m. aw ‘ ‘ < '

 
. 3.041.». .

 
~. Red Rider

 
The Fresh " on the Rio Grande.

1'9

 
ish talk as dot, you must not walk near the luna-
tic asylum to, or else the keepers will have you
inside before you know what is der matter.”

“ You mean that for kind of a joke, eh?” the
Fresh remarked, in an innocent way. ,

“ He’s mean enufl‘ for anything!” California
Joe seized upon this opportunity for declaring.

“ And, Il say, do you know the other young
lady who was in the coach, Miss Margaret
Escobedo?” Blake asked.

“ I do not, she must be a stranger.”

“ And you don’t believe my yarn that when
the Red Riders attacked the coach this Miss
Isabel Escobedo ﬂung her arms around me in
such a wa that I was not able to get out my
weapons, or, you see, lladad, my jewel, I am
one of the reckless kind of fellows who object to
being walked ovor, and most certainly I Would
have given the Red Riders a light if I had had
the host of a chance for my white alley?’

“ gh ycsh, the ladyin her fright at the attack,
might have clung to you so that you could not
use your weapons, but that she did it on pur-
pose—mine gootness, mine f r’en’, dot is de. biggest
joke of dcr season!” and the old man burst into
a ﬁt of laughter, but his merrimcnt was so
forced and unnatural that it would not have de-
ceived even less experienced men than the two
adventurers.

"Oh, let up on that, Hadad, old man, that is
the worst attempt at a laugh I have run across
since I struck the Rio Grande!” Blake ex-
claimed.

The J ew’s laugh vanished.

“ Aha, I see, you do not the joke like?” he re-
marked.

“ No, not such a weak one as that,” the Fresh
retoa'tcd.

“ Well, you may talk as you lease; I know
it wasn’t by any accident that t 0 girl grabbed
me and held on for dear life, although I yelled
to her to let go, so I could give the Red Riders a
taste of my quality.”

The Jew shook his head incredulously.

“ I suppose you think I am crazy for sure,
when I tell you that there was some gum game

oing on in connection with the stage the Red
Riders attacked, and that the stage agent at
Las Cruccs did his bes’: to keep me from taking
the coach and I had to whip the man out of his
boots before I could get him to sell me a
ticket.”

The pawnbroker surveyed the adventurer in
amazement, and upon his face was a look which
seemed to say:

“ What manner of man is this who seems not
to know the meaning of the word, fear?”

“ I felt sure there was some deviltry afoot
when he wasn’t willing I should in the stage;
so I just made up my mind that would ride in
the hearse for spite, and I whaled the agent
until he was glad to cry quits; and now that I
am kinder gittin on the track of the thing, I’m
beginning to thin there was a plot all along
the line.

“ I reckon the driver of the coach was in
it, too, from the way in which he reined up
when the Red Riders came down upon the
stage.” _

A decidedly uneasy ex resswn an on
the face of the old Jew, w 'ch he endeavored to
cover with a laugh.

“ n my word, mine fr’en', you make me
smile gothe pawnbroker declared.

“ You are the most suspicious mans as never
was! /

I “ If you keep on, you will be suspecting next
that ever body you meet in El Paso 15 mixed up
with der iders.”

But though the Jew forced a in as he
concluded his remarks, it did not hide the un—
easiness which had evidently taken possession

of him. '

- “ Well, I reckon that the headquarters of the
Red Riders is ri ht here in El Paso," the Fresh
replied in a con dent way, which caused the old
man to stare.

" In fact, I think if I chose to stretch my
arm out, I could put my hand on the shouI’ler
of one of the. gang now.”

And as he spoke, Jackson Blake extended his
hand toward the phwnbroker, who shrunk back
in evident alarm.

“Now, don’t joke in dot way. mine goot fr’cn’;
I don’t like it! I can no fun mineself see in such
foolishness!” he. expostulated.

“Oh, I’m not fooling; I mean every word I
say.” Blake replied.

" You ma not be an actual member of the
and, but you are a confederate
and that is 'just about as bad. You would
do anything you could to help them, and you
know it.

“ You are the ‘ fence ’-—the man who gets
rid of the stolen propert --and I’ve no doubt
you make a mighty 3 thing of it. That

3 how you happened to get hold of my re-
volvers.’ ,

“ So help me, Moses, it is not so!” the old Jew
declared, energetically.

“ I am but 1: e agent—the agent of the ped-
dler_and With whom he deals I know not. It
is none of my business; uestions I do not ask.
1 CW 3 fair per cent. or mine trouble, that

“L”

. And now, having led the Jew 01! a little, the

 
Fresh sprung the trap which he had been setting
for him.

“ Say, how does it happen that you know
about this Isabel Escobedo bein in the coach
which was stopped by the Red Rl ers?”

The Jew was dazed for a moment; the unex-
pected attack confused him.

“ Why mine gootness, does not everybody
know? id she not come to El Paso by the
coach i" he stammered, in great confusion.

“ Not by a jugfull” the Fresh declared, em-
phatically.

“Neither one of the two girls came by the
coach, for both of them got out of the stage a
little while before it got to El Paso. Anywa ,
that is what the driver says, and I reckon in
this case he knows what he is talking about,
although he isn’t a man who wouldn’t he if he
could make anything by it.

“ But one thing is certain, neither of the girls
is in El Paso, as far as anybody knows, and for
Miss Margaret all preparations have been made
at the Hotel Mexico, and if she was in the town
she would surely go there according to the ar-
rangements made by old Judge Bullifant.”

Again the Jew stared as the name came to his
ears.

“ Upon mine word, mine frien’, you seem to
be well-posted,” the Hebrew remarked.

.“ Oh, yes, I have been hustling around pretty
lilvely since I struck El Paso,” the Fresh re-
p icd.

“ When you come to get Well- acquainted with
a gentleman about my size you will ﬁnd that
there is a good deal of git up and git thar in
yours truly.”

“ But, mine frien’. why bother you your head
about this matter which cannot concern you in
the least i" the old Jew asked in his coaxing,
wheedling way.

 
; from Sportvxlle, and I’ve got more san

“Because I can’t help it—-that is my disposi- ‘

tion, you know. I’ve got to interfere in every
scrape that is going on around me. It don t
matter a bit whether it concerns me or not. I’m
too fresh, you know; that is where my name
comes from.

“ New, in this affair I think I have got hold of
the tail of a good-sized rat and I am going to do
my level best to smoke the animal out of his
hole!

“ The girl, Margaret Escobedo is one of the
biggest heiresscs along the Rio Grande, I am
told-l”

“ Yesh, yesh. she is.”

“ And these Red Riders are up to some devil-
try in regard to her, but I am going to have a
ﬁnger in the pie!

“ I’m going to ﬁnd out where that girl has
gone, for the driver told the truth about her not
coming to El Paso in the stage. One other as-
senger was in the e—a fellow who sail he
was a. stockmau and c imed the name of Jack-
son, which by the way is my cognomen.”

“ Ah, 'esh, ,I remember i” cried the Jew, a
s ile lig ting up his countenance, as a bright
1 ea came to him.

“ I met this Mister Jackson; it was dot mans
who told me about der people in der coach.”

“ Oh, yes, of course you met him!” exclaimed
the Fresh in an extremely sarcastic way. ‘

“ My dear mans, I did!” rsisted the Jew.
“ I would not lie to you for t 0 world!”

“ Of course, I’m not doubting your word in
the least. 110 came straight to you the moment
he sfmck the town.”

TheIJew was astounded.

“ Mme gootnessl Why do you think like dot?”

“ Because he was a confederate of the
Riders and he came to you to report, for I reek-
on that through you the wit-es are pulled.”

The under jaw of the Jew dropped, and for a
moment he knew not what to say, but, at last,
recOVering himself with a mighty eﬁ’ort, he
grinned a ghastly smile and said:

“ Aha, mine fr’en’. you are der greatest oker
dot never was! 1 am an'honest man and I now.
not what you means.”

“Well, I have entered for this ﬁght and you
can bet your life that I am going to be in at the
death, so just tell your Red Rider pards that if
they don’t wipe me out I will be mighty certain
to come that ame on them.”

“ Ah, yesh, at I cannot tell der mans dot I do
not know.”

“ Oh, you’ll ﬁnd a. way, I reckon," was the
Fresh’s careless res use.

“ But now to busmess; you want fifty on these
tools.”

"Dot was der price, I believe.”

— “ I‘ll tell you what I’ll do: I’ll put a hundred
up instead of fifty, and we’ll thro v dice to see
who takes the pile-the revolvers and the money
both.”

“ 0h, mine fr’en’, dot would be gambling, and
I never gambles. 1 am an honest manl’ the

wnhroker replied. v

“I’ll put 11 two hundred ducats against the
revolvers; wi I that he a temptation?

The eyes of the Jew glistened—the tern tion
was strong, but' he resmted manfully an k
his head.

-“ No, no, I do not want to win our men ,
mine fr’en’. Pa over der ﬁfty do are and ta e
your revolvers.

“ Oh, come brace up and have some style
about you i” the Fresh exclaimed.

,  ,. ,.' .l
., ,,., p
,v \.., l 1, x I

~ :4 i of Mr» w‘w -  -

 
“ If you have sand enough to chip into this
game, you might make enough to buy a small
a

rm.

“Come! I’ll tell you what I‘ll do. I’ll give
you the ﬁrst chuck of the dice,” and from '
pocket the adventurer produced a small leather
dice-box and three ivory cubes.

“ We’ll settle the thing on a single cast, the
highest to win.

“ You can have ﬁrst throw, as I said, and if
you are not satisﬁed with what you throw, you
need not go on, or you can go on and throw un-
til you are satisﬁed, and then I’ll en age to beat
it; but, of course, it must be one t can be
beaten. I can’t let you throw until you make
three sixes, you know, for then I wouldn‘t have
any show at all.”

“ Wa-al. darn my ole gizzard if I ever
heered sich a fool offer as that in all my born
days!” California Joe exclaimed, unable to re-
strain his amazement and keep silent.

“Why, see hyer, pard, you don’t stand no
show at all! You're jest giving this old fraud a.
chance to skin ye from the word go!”

“ Oh, give the old man a chance!” the Fresh
re lied.

he temptation was too strong for the Jew to
resist; apparently all the chances were in his
faVor, and he really gloated over the oppor-
tunity to win the stranger’s cash.

“ I will go you i” he cried. “ I am an honest
man and never gambles, and, maybe, if I win
your money you will see the error of your ways
and gamble no more.”

“ Oh, yes, that is just the kind of man I am—

in a horn!
“ No, sir-ee, hess ﬁy, bumble-bee! I’m a s ort
in

my craw than any June-bug you ever ran

‘ across. ’

“ Here are the little jokers!” and the Fresh
passed the dice and box over to the Jew, who '
examined them carefully.

“ Now go ahead and let us see what you can
do for your country 1“

CHAPTER XXVI.
SQUEEZING THE JEW.

THERE’S an old saying that a man ma resist
temptation for thirty years and then fa] a vic-
tim.

It was so in this case.

The old Jew had spoken the truth when he
said that he never gambled.

In all his life he had never risked a cent upon
the uncertain chances of fate as illustrated b
the painted pasteboards, the ivory cubes wii
the black spots, or any other of the ingenious

ﬁvices invented by man for the urpose of ac-
q iring money Without having t e trouble of
workin for it.

him.
There was about the man that personal

But t e Fresh had such a persuasive way with

 
mﬁﬂ‘ '
netism which some highly-favored souls poses ~

in such a great degree. ,

Some of the bunko men—the fellows whm
manage to lead real] eminent men into their
games—claim that i they were not possessed
of this attraction they would never beahle to
succeed in the wonderful way that they do
sometimes. .

Be that as it may, the Californian had suc—

ceeded in persuading the old pawnbroker to do"? .

something which he had never done before in his "

life.
With the natural suspicion of his race the old

man had narrowly examined the dice andthe ’

dice-box.

He was not going to have any tricks pla - : ‘

upon him.
As far as
an hing wrong about either article. ‘i
he Jew being 11 to tricks of all kinds, had“

he could see however there won’t G

V

heard of 1‘ loaded’ dice, that is, ivory cubes I

plugged and ﬁlled with led in such a way that
no matter how they were thrown, or who that
them. a certain number always came.

But these dice seemed to be all right; besides, -

as he had ﬁrst throw, if there was an
wrou about the dice it could not 0 rateaga
him or he need not go on with t
was not satisﬁed with his throw.

affair it he. 1  '

Old Solomons put the dice into the box and ,-

rattled them ga 1y.

“ So help me ifoaesl” he exclaimed “ I never "a

then ht that anybody would ever get me to do; "'

anvt ing of this kind!” _

“ A man never knows what is going to hapy
pen in this world,” the Fresh replied, “ and now '
we have got you started, you will be oing over

and clearing out Doc Moses's faro ban the ﬂat 

thipgttyou know.

y, sup to make the matter moraine

teresting tha we put up a hundred dollars a a; ‘_

side more.
“ Are you game for it?”

x.

 
‘r-srm

 
'»
n .

But the Jew was not game enough temp]; ;

any such proposal and said so in the ﬁrms;
manner. i

“ What you need is more sand!” theadven- 

hirer declared. \ i' f

“ Not a whole sand-bankkﬁlgut
two dumpgd into you to or

y

onlya ton 
Wm;

 
q..~- m-«v , ,
, ‘ (V r, ,. vvx,‘ a, g i”

 ’3‘ x. it: Y ",3!

x

. 2"‘7'nott

 "  TheeFi‘esh on the  as." «  4‘  ‘ ,   I

 
“ Oh, no, I have all the backbone that is goot
for me, mine fr‘en’i” the old man replied.

And then he made his throw with a trembling
hand for he was all excitement. .

Out rolled the ivory cubes, two sixes and a

ve.
A shout of amazement came from California

oe.

“ Seventeen, by gosh!” he cried.

“ Wa-al, darn me fur a lo rsided mule, if that
ain’t the best threw, for tie fu’st time, that I
have seen for a year!”

-The Jew gave a chuckle of delight.

The gambler’s mania had seized upon him.

“ Aha, mine goot fr’en’ what do you tho’t of
dot? How high was it, eh?”

The Fresh of ’Frisco surveyed the dice in
quite a sober way.

“ Seventeen,” he remarked: “ well, I must
rise to‘ remark that you are in luck. You
might throw ﬁfty times and never strike so big
a count as that on tho first lick.

“ Why, say, do you know what the odds are
against my beating a throw like that in a single
trial?” ,

“ Oh, no, mine fr’en’, I am not a gambler—I
have not made a study of such a thing, but I
know the odds must be large against it.”

. “About a million to one " Blake observed,
with the air of man who had just completed
a heavy calcula ion in his mind.

i “A milli 11 one!” almost howled old Cali-
fornia Joe: “ why, pard, you Wouldn’t be out of
the way if you said ten million to one.

“ I‘m jest old death on figurin’ and kin rattle
off a lcetle sum like that in my head in no
tune!”

“ I’ve got to throw eighteen—three sixes-to
beat you and a man might chuck dice for a
week an n ver strike three sixes.

, “ I’ve chucked the bones fur a hull year many
a time and never fetched era!” the old plains-
nian declared.

“Yes, sir—cc, you kin bet all your wealth
onto that!”

And now a sudden fear came into the Jew‘s
mind that the sport might not want togo on
with the game, as the odds seemed so reat

gainst hint, and as we have said the gum ling

ever had seized u n the old Jew and he
hungered to despoil t e stranger.

“ Maybe you will not want to play, mine

, ' goot fr en’, now that I have done so well,” he

sug ested.

. , aybe I had better send out for a ten or
twoof sand to dump into you to stiffen your
backbone.” ,

‘ And the ,aged Hebrew grinned in a fiendish
n , wa in the face of the other.

' aha! that is betterish goot! I
“ I will go you, mine i’r’cn’! I will go you two
_ hundred dollars more, for when I skin a man 1
I “ like to take of! der hide close to der bones.
: “ I will go you two hundred dollars more!
Come now. mine fr’en’!”
And the old Jew, producin a canvas bag
from a secure hiding-place in his breast counte
1, out the gold ieces—twenty dollar ones—and
; 1 them up n a heap on the counter, arrang-
.‘ ‘ g them with dextrous ﬁngers as as to dazzle
'7" the eyes of the sport

r g. ‘ As we have said, the pawnbroker had a ter-

,' i ’ rlble attack of the gambling fever, and was
' velar much afraid the American would endeaVor
'r to sek out of the ame now that the chances
,1? seemedto be so muc against him.
“ You are a skin from Skinnersville and no
’mhtakei” the Fresh declared.
“You want to go for me, so I will not have
mag enough left to get out of the town.”
 ’“ , do not worry about that. I will lend
“ on enough to carry you as far as the next
 wn “(you should be as badly off as all dot!”
,« the old ew declared, in an extremely patroniz-

.ing wayi
‘ We . I’m 1igoingto Egon, just for greens!”
.’ Then the ash bail out his mone , and
to cover the gold put up y the

v .. ew.

2”- '. ' ‘ Seeing that the odds are so big against me,
. ononght to 've me two or three tries,” he
bigch as e picked up the dice and the dice-

- - “0h, mine gootness, no!” cried the old Jew.
“ You made the terms yourself, and you must
to back out of them now.”

“ 1 right, I suppose I will have to stick,

C than.” Blake remarked, rattling the dice in the
'« who: in a lively way.

i “ “ Yeah, yesh, you must stick,” and old Solo.
mans rubbed his hands gleefully together.

" ‘f Come, mine fr’en’, come; hurry up! I am in
-,a hurry to collar der hoodle.”

' ‘3 Here she goes then,” and with the ease of
the ex rienced player, the Fresh of )Frisco
rolled 3e dice along the counter.
 ,“Three sixes!” fairly howled old California

:Jooasthe dice came to a bait, and the spots

showed.
-  The Jew stared open-mouthed, hardly able
_. [to believe his eyes.
 “Aha, the boodle is 'mine, and I will do the
. collaringi” the Fresh cried in triumph.
“ But will give you a chance for our white

dby. I’ll! give you six throws, and ’1] bet you

 
.‘ You wanted to bet a hundred dollars more,
d‘

 
two to one in hundreds that you can’t show
up three sixes.”

And with the words the Fresh gathered up the
dice and put them into the box.

But the spell was broken, the fever was over,
and not anything could possibly tempt the Jew
to risk his money a ain.

“ No, no, mine fr en’, I have had enough. It
serves me rirrht. I was the biggest kind of a
ﬂat to think 1I could beat a sport like you at.
your own game,” old Solomons remarked, iii
mournful tones.

“ You will not have another try, then f”

“ No, no; once caught, twice shy!” replied the
other. .

CHAPTER XXVII.
BLAKE’S PLAN.

THE Fresh laughed good-naturedly as he gath~
cred up the spoils.

“Oh, well, just as you like, of course. I never
tempt a man to play if I see that he don’t care
to go into the game.

“ Only I didn’t know but what you might
want your revenge, you know, an I didn‘t
want to give Iyou a chance to go around town
and say that wasn’t willing to do the square
thin by you after winning your cash.”

“ ha, mine fr’en’, I have made a big jackass
of myself, I know, but I shall not be a bigger
one, and go der town about and tell anybody
dot I was fool enough to think I could beat a
sport at his own game.

“ I was crazy, mine fr’en’, dot was the matter
with me.

“ Oh, Moses! the idea dot a man like mineself
stood any chance with a sport who was smart
enough to beat Mexican Mike and Red Sancho
right in their own places, to say nothing of
cleanin out a man li e Doc Moses.”

“ Wel , you were undertaking a pretty big
contract,” the Fresh observed, in a reflective
sort of way, “ and a man like you ought not to
have been taken into camp, but then it is one of
the strange facts of this ife that shrewd men
like yourself do make the biggest kind of blun-

ders sometimes.

“ But I will tell on what I’ll do, Hadad, seek
ing that you have . n left so badly; I will give
you a piece of advice, which will worth all
you have lost, maybe, if you have sense enough
to follow it.” ‘

“ Oh, I am der kind of mans who always takes
good advice!” the Jew protested.

“ Well, then, 'ust you close your connection
with these Red iders as soon as you can, and
you will stand some chance to escape the earth-

uake.”

“ The earthquake, mine fr’cn’f”

“ Yes; when I get on their track and strike
them, it will be equal to an earthquake, and
when that time comes, on had better look out
and stand from underi you don’t want to get
smashed.”

J A peculiar look appeared on the face of the
ow.

“ Well, well, mine fr’en’, I will remember
what you say, and I will try to take care of
minesc f; but let me give you a word of ad-
vice.”

“ Fire awa i" ,

“ Ma be w am you go to fight the Red Riders
you wi not find the job as easy as skinning the
gamblers.”

‘.‘ Oh I’ve bu’sted a dozen such gangs in my
time,” he Fresh replied in the most careless
mini?” 11 h 'f 1 k h to

‘ is 9 one g i you on now ow
go about  y

And then our hero happened to remember
that California Joe’s revolvers were in the Jew’s
possession. .

These be redeemed, much to the delight of the
old pluinsman, who was glad to get his tools
back; then the two do 'ted, greatly to the re-
lief of the old pawn roker, for it Was many a
long ear since anybody had succeeded in get-
ting t e better of him in so complete a manner.

‘ That man is a devil!” the Jew muttered, as
the door c108ed upon his visitors. '

“ One thing is sure, though. If he stays in El
Paso he has not many days to live!”

Once the pair were outside the old Jew’s dom-
icile. the two indulged in a hearty la¥h.

“ VVa-al, now. durn my loan sides rom bye:-
to nowhar, if you didn’t come that riflle as s ick
as a whistle. If I hadn’t see’d it through}
wouldn’t have believed it could have n
( one.

“ Why, the old man groaned when you raked
in the yaller boys like as if they had been so
many pounds of his flesh!”

“ Yes. the old shark was nice! caught; bled,
too pretty freely, but if he ha n’t thought he
gad a, sure thing, he would not have taken the

nit.

“ I reckon that got! laid somb kind of a tra
for him,” the old alifornian observed, shrew -
1i. “ And that thou h he seemed to have every-
t ing cut and dried or him to win, yet, truly,
he didn’t stand a ghost of a show. ”

“You are ri ht from beginning to end,” the
Fresh admi , frankly. ‘

“ Now I don’t set myself up to be a model man
—-not even a model sport,” he Continued. “ Yet
when I am among square men I play a square

 
game, and no one has ever dared to say a word
to the contrag.

“ When I f 1 among thieves, though, I think
I am justiﬁed in being as big a wolf as the best
in the gang.

“ That is my code of morals in a nutshell.”

“ Was], i ain’t a gospel sharp, so I don’t know
as I am able to give a right smart opinion on
the subject,” California Joe observed with an
air of deep reﬂection. “ Yet it seems to me
that you ar’ ’bout as near right as you kin be,
considering the country you ar’ a-travelin’ in
and the kind of men you meet.”

“ it is my platform, right or wrong, on which
I stand, and when I saw my beautiful tools in
the hands of this old wretch and remembered
how the had been stolen from me, the idea of
paying fty dollars for them roused my bile
and I went in to skin the Jew by appealing to
his avarice.

“ I offered him what seemed a sure thing,
and in his greed he plunged into the snare.”

“ But how did you work the trick? The thin
 to me to be as- squar’ and fair as con]

(P.

“ Well, I suppose I am one of the most expert
jugglch that 8105138 in the count outside of
the professional stage, and even t ere I never
saw but one or two that could beat me in
‘ palming.’

“ I have three sets of dice, all apparently
alike, and unless a man was posted about cer-
tain secret marks upon them, I would defy the
sharpest eyes to tell one from the other.

“ no set is ‘square,’ good honest dice: that
is for examination, either before or after the
trick is played if there are any doubts about
the fairness of t e ame.

“ The second set is loaded and will throw any—
thing but three sixes one of the dice being ﬁxed
so that by no possibility will the six spot come

up.
“ The third set will throw three sixes every
time and nothing else.” I
“ I see, I sec!” and the old plainsman chuck-
led in t glee, “ and you caught the old man
{iy j’uggling the dice as easy as rolling of! a
0 1

“ Bight you are!”

“ But I say, pard—’scuse me for criticising yer
game —but wasn’t you rather giving yourself
away when you to] the old Jew how you were
going for the Red Riders?”

“ Oh, no, that is a part of my plan,” the
Fresh replied. ‘

“ Let me explain.

“ I have made up my mind to go for this out-
law gang in a we they will despise, but right
in the beginning am confronted with the prob-
lem, how am I to get at the scamps—where will
I find them, although I feel pretty certain that
some of the gang are right here in El Paso?”

“ I tell you that it is the hardest kind of a
riddle!” the old scout observed with a wise
shake of the head, after thinking the matter
over for a moment.

“ Yes and now my game is to make the gang
reveal themselves to me. .

“I have boasted to the old Jew how I am

oing to hunt the ang down-let him see that
{have a suspicion n regard to their plans. He‘
will report my conversation, of course; the
leaders of the ang will take the alarm. Nat-
orally), they wi be apt to say, ‘ Here, this man
may ecome dangerous, and the quicker we get
him out of the way the better” ”

“ That’s so! as sure as ye‘r’ born 1" California
Joe exclaimed.

“Then some of the gang will be deputedto
put me where I can’t do any harm.

“ Now then, from this time out, if any stran-
ger picks a quarrel with me without reason for
so domg, you know, I can safely set him down.
for bein one of the Red Riders, or elseatool
em loy by the outlaws.” \

‘ Oh, it will be mighty apt to be one of their
men, for they won’t be apt to go outside the
band for a hand when such work is to be done.”

“ That is my calculation, and now, from this
time forth, we must keep our eyes open for these
fellows will 'ump on us without warning.”

“ Say! I on’t want on to think I am show-
ing the white featherw en I remark that I think
We two hev taken a mighty big contract on hand
in attem ting to ﬁght this hyer powerful ga .”

“ Yes, lbut it isn’t my game for us two tad?“

“ Nary time; vaidence is always on the side
of the heaviest artillery, and other things being
even ten men will usually whip five.

.“ I propose to raise a gan too, and that is the
reason why I went in to ma 'e so big a stake last
ni lit.

{2‘ Money, as I told you, is the sinews of war.
I went in for a big pile so as to be able to pay
some good men good prices to enlist under our
banner. ' v

“ I reckon you can scare six good men up
here in El Paso, Americans, whom you know
can be do nded upon?” ’

“You t I can!" the old scout cried, em-
i‘hatically. “Hevin been hanging round hyer
so 1 I kin put my ands on the very men.

“ Fe lows who are clean grit al the way
through, men you kin tie to, every time!”

 
A‘_  . . -

a "

 
:i
I?
i

at: next»- ). :x-w

 
.7

pm,

 
’1.

'  _ i..‘.."‘u"’l' in "s" i" .w‘ i
‘ v l’ u i s a >

. 7 “The

,\
“iv

,‘ " 515:9! “v. . 
‘ I. w .“ I“

Fresh on the Rio Grande.‘

  
21'

 
- .0 I.__.______._______._._.—.~

 
_.—_.. - mum—X _- . .

“ That’s the kind I want; for this ﬁght will be
a t to be a bloody one in the beginning,” the

iresh observed.

“We will have to give the Red Riders a good
sound beating before the will understand that
they have ot hold of a ifferent kind of a gang
from the exican Greasers whom they usually
get away with so easily.”

“I kin put in hands on six good men afore
night!” the old ainsmau cried.

“ Six men who wouldn’t be afraid to face any
kind of odds if they were ut to the rack.”

“ That is the kind of fel OMB for our money. I
will pay a good price too, three dollars a day
and found.”

“ That‘s fair; they won’t grumble at that.”

By this time the tWO had reached the hotel,
and they halted in front of it.

“ My room is No. 10,” said the Fresh. “ The
ﬁrst room at the head of the stairs on the second
story. Let them come right up to me, and ar-
range it so as not to send more than one man up
at a tirpe, and let them be about half an hour
a

t.
pEwan right.” '

“ Take only men ou know that you are sure
can be trusted l ’e mustn’t have any drunk-
ards or babblers in the party.”

“ Oh, no, you bet!”

“And while you are hunting up the men I
will go and look for a little house for head-
quarters, but in an hour I will be here ready to
ins t the recruits.”

l ith this the two parted.

. CHAPTER XXVIII.
rm: rmsr ancaurr.

Tun Fresh already had his eyes on a lace
which he thought would answer for a ead-
quarters for his army.

Next door to the hotel was a vacant shanty
which an enterprising genius had built for a
ciglar store, but the culation did not y and
it ad ﬁnally fallen into the hands of tllae hotel
landlord.

It was too small for an ordina y business house
and so had remained without a tenant.

There was only one small show-window, which
at present was protected by a stout shutter, for
in a town fr uented b so rough a clues as that
which now “ avored” ‘lPaso with their pres-
ence, the sight of an empty show-window was
altogethertoo great a temptation for the wild
adventurers to resist, and it was the most natural
thing in the world for them to pull out their
“ shootin irons” and ﬁll the window- lass full
of holes, Just as the idle boys alwa s elight in
breaking the windows of unoccupi houses.

After getting his eyes upon the house the Fresh
had taken pains to survey “,the vantage of the
ground.”

There was a door in. the rear, which was
masked by the hotel woodshed, and on the other
side of this shanty was an alley which led to the
hotel corral, so it was possible to gain admission
to the house liy the rear door without being ex-

sea to much observation.

Althou h the shanty was a small one, as we
have sai , it was amply large enough to give

rood accommodations to the six men whom the

resh was going to engage toaid him in ﬁghting
his battles. °

After satisfying himself by a careful inspec-
tion that the shanty would answer, our hero
opened as otiations with the landlord, stating
that he he met with some old pards iind they
thought they could reduce their expenses by
hiring the shanty and boarding themselves.

The landlord “ reckoned” the idea was a good
one, and as he was anxious to get the place off
his hands a bargain was soon struck.

There was a small stove in the house, an old
table, and half a dozen boxes, so there was am-
ple furniture for adventurers who were used to
roughing it.

After completing the transaction and receiv-
ing the key, the Fresh went up to his room to be
in readiness to reccive his expected visitors.

Blake had not revealed to the landlord how
many pards he expected to '0m With him in oc-
cupying the shanty, for be new that suspicion
would at once be excited; for even in a frontier
t0wn like El Paso it isn’t common for eight,
well-armed, desperate men to bunk together.~

Owin to the way in which the shanty was
situa though, it would be an easy matter for
the occupants of it to either enter orleave, with-
out being likely tn attract attention.

, Cithens and strangers were lounging about
the hotel and seeing up and down the alle ,
which led to the hotel corral. on the other si e
of the shanty constantly and the reaches of the
adventurers in the neighboth would not be
likely to attract attention.

Before mug to his room Blake strolled t9 the
corner an chatted for a while with the man in
, his object being to ascertain if there was
a, stock 0f horses on hand and how the
p 09 ran, for, With the wisdom of a man who
was used to such on as this, he knew

'8 “ my ” would have to be well-mounted
in 0 er to'hunt down a marauding hand like

a, Riders of Ra on,
 & neeemary information,
a g l

E

[invent momandas he Md ‘1‘" at,

   
 l i .1 ‘r. g  .. > .r i" 1 1.3V?
~ ,, _:i', . A war   4:1. ,

the saloon he noticed three men lounging in the
apartment who every now and then glanced at
the clock in an expectant way.

“Some of my recruits I reckon,” the Fresh
observed to himself, and he improved the op-
portunity to take a good look at the men, for of
course they had no suspicion that their business
at the hotel was suspected.

“Three likely-looking fellows,” was Jackson
Blake's comment.

“ I reckon they will ﬁll the bill!”

Prompt to the minute there came a knock at
the door, and then one of the men whom the
Fresh had noticed below, entered.

He was a young fellow, about the medium
hight and neat] dressed, althou h his clothes
showed signs 0 hard wear, and mm his gen-
eral appearance the Fresh decided that he was a
“ rt,” “playing in hard luck.”

‘ Room number ten?” said the new-comer, in-
quiringly.

“ Yes, you are in the right place; help your-
self to a chair.”

The visitor sat down; then he took a 00d
look at Jackson Blake and a smile appea on
his face.

“ I was in Doc Moses’s last when you skinned

he hank,” he explained.

“ Yes, I managed to worry the tiger a little.”

“ lVell, I wasn’t so lucky, the tiger worried
me,” the other remarked, with a shrug of the
shoulders.

“ You can’t keno every time, you know,” the
Fresh remarked in a consolin way.

“ Oh, I know that, but the euce of itis that I
can’t keno at all since I came down into this in-
fernal country.

“You see heard there was a boom here at
El Paso and thought there would be a good
chance for a young man like myself to come in,
and w u with the country, so I gathered all
the s ekels could raise and emigrated.”

“ What is your business?”

“Gambler,” answered the other in the most
matwr—of-fact tones. “ I used to clerk, but 1
was not able to stand the conﬁnement and so I
got to be a sport.

“ You know how it is yourself, I reckon, for
after that little game of yours last night, it
would not be of any use for a man like me to try
to tell you an thing.”

“ I believe have been there several times, if
not more.

“This climate don’t agree with your pocket-
book?” the Figsh added.

“ No. sir! on can bet high on that! I lost
my last dollar last night, and yet I came to El
Paso prett well heeled too, but I am clean
down to t e bed-rock now, for I have put up
everythin I could raise a dollar on with the ex-
ce tion 0 my guns, and I reckon one of them
WI 1 have to go to-day, unless I strike some-
thing, and I hate to do it too, for a man ought
to be well heeled in theweapou line in a country
like this, for there’s no telling when he may need

lem. ’

“ Yes and when he does need them, he needs
them mighty bad,” Blake observed.

“ You bet! The fact is I’ve been so close
pushed that I haven’t had any breakfast this
morning, but it don't worry me much, for I was
so discouraged that I got on a little tear last
night, and as I am not used to that sort of thing,
I eel so upset that I don’t believe I could eat a
morsel anyway.” ,

“ A_litt e of the, hair of the dog that bit on is
sometimes good for a man’s stomach,” the resh

suggested.

“ h, yes,  know that, and‘ I have had a
couple of drinks this morning; but a man can
always strike a drink, you know, even if he
can’t get anything to eat.”

“ Oh, yes; how may I call your name?”

“Dave Ringwood.

“ I suppose California Joe explained matters
to ou?’ . .

_‘ Yes, in a measure. He said you wanted to
pick up some men for a certain enterprise,
and were Willing to pay a fair price for good
men.

“ Did he say anything in regard to the nature
of the enterprise?”

“No, excepting that a man mi ht be called
upon to do a little ﬁghting, an that white-
livered galoots With no sand in their craws
would not answer,” a

“ That is the truth. The men who go in with
me take their lives in their hands.”

“Well as far as that ees, I reckon that
about all men who try to allow a V rtinglife
down in this, country, go it at thasgogai e
yo man remarked.

“ at is all right; I don’t mind it a bit; I am
read to go in. '

“ am not at all afraid of d ing with my
boots on; but there’s one thing Iwmild like to
know, if you don’t mind explaining.” -

“'Go ahead! I reckon I can satisfy your
curiosity.” . ,.

“How a at the law. Do you calculate to
buck up against it? If you do, I reckon you
Will have to excuse me, for that is something I
have never done.

“I am ﬂat broke now, as I told you, anda
good many men in my line of business would,
under the circumstances, censider themselves

L .1

     
1A.. . 5...

justiﬁed in trying to hold up some fellow, and
go through him for his wealth.”

“ That is true enough.”

“I will admit the idea came to me, and I
wrestled with it some time, but I couldn‘t go

 3..

two-ﬂ

“Oh, I understand. A man must draw the
line somewhere.

“ Exactly!” cried the young sport. eagerly,
“ and I draw it at the road~agent business

“I admit that when it comes to cards I will
skin a man out of his eye-teeth, if he is able to
stand the pressure, but to take to the highway
with my gun is too much.

“Trauquilize your soul, my friend: my little
game is to be worked inside the law, not out-
side of it. In fact, we are going in to enforce
the law, for the object of my expedition ism "‘ 
destroy a band of marauders who call them- .
selves the Red Riders of Rayon.”

“Ah, yes. I have heard of the fellows!” ex.
claimed Ringwood. “They have been whoop-
ing things up pretty lively all along the lower
Rio Grande. ’

“Yes, and I propose to go in with a choice
party'pf picked men, and make things lively for
t em.

“I have been quite a sportsman in my time.
outside of such games as aro. lpoker, keno
the like,” the young man remar ed, reﬁectively,
“ but I never hunted humans; it seems tome,
though, that a man-hunt would be the biggest
kind of sport.

“To a man like myself the spice of danger
would render it doubly interesting.”

Ringwood spoke in a cool, deliberate way, and
the Fresh, who was watching him closely, saw
that he had got hold of a man who, for all his,
quiet ways, was as brave as a lion, and as game
as a bull-dog.

“How are you on the ﬁght?” the Fresh in—

uired, in a business-like way.

“ Well, I don't know; a man shouldn’t praise
his own skill, but I can say that I am a pretty
good shot with both riﬂe and revolVer, can han—
dle a knife tolerany well, too; but more than
all, I am lucky.” I, 

“ Lucky!” _ _’

“Yes; I can’t say that I am at cards, but
every ﬁght I have got into I have managed to ‘
come out the top dog. " ,

“ Can you ride?"

“ Yes, I’ a good horseman.” ‘

“ Three d llars a day and found suit you?”

“ To a dot! I’m your man !”

CHAPTER XXIX.
SIX GOOD MEN. ,

THE Fresh extended his hand, the other shook “ ',
it heartily, and the compact was made. .

“ I have engaged the shanty next door for a
head uarters,” Blake explained.

“ e little store?” ‘ ‘ V

“ Yes; you get in by the back door, and you ’ 
can get at the door either by ssing through ‘
the saloon down-stairs, and gomg out the side _ ,
door, as though you were going to the corral, o ,v , ‘
you can come through the alley on the other  w
of the shant{y.

“ Be care ul when you enter to avoid being.
seen, so that comment may not be exrited.” ,

“ Of course.” a

“ And now, 'ust wander argundktown and see
what you can oin t ewayo pic in u a 1
horse; there are some good beastsgithem '
corral, but there may be better elsewhere; and
you want a repeating-Grille, too.” . .-

“ I think know where th can be obtained '
at a reasonable price.”  ‘

“ At two o’clock I shall expect to see you  ,
the shanty. It is open now, though, and you; 1"
can go in at any time after you get
with your search. ’ ‘

“ All right,” and Ringwood rose to depart.

“By the wry, be as silent as the gravere—
garding the object of our expedition.” . ‘

u Certainly} 7'!»

“ And kee on the alert for anything you may “
hear regarding these Red Riders. I have a cul- . ,
picion t t there are parties right in this town »
ofElPaso whoareinle ewiththese manned»;
ders; in fact, some of the and themselves my
be in the town."

“ I should not be surprised. The devil lurks
alwa in the shadow of the‘church, they say,
and it is very probable that these outlaws-u ~“
here in El Paso, cheek by jowl with the meawho 4,  .-
are id to hunt them down.” '

“ eee Mexicans have mighty queer
sometimes,” Blake suggested. 

“So I should jud from what I havensn V
sincelhavebeeain eMexican land.” W “‘

, .' re u .
.;&m¢'.~.- M. n...§.$"§.....:p

'~o
..\

satisﬁed that a large number of them have itch“,
ing ms, and they are none too 00d to wink,
at outrages of these mars ers, provided “' _-
theyarewell dforsodoing.” iv.
aggtua‘ (kiou of it. and ,1, I,
e your e ears and: ,,

you may be is to pic up sane infommr
“There is one man in El‘Paso who I feel
certain is a confederate of the outla
and "tistheoldJewpawnbmker,Hadddﬁob-

moan.
Bingwood made a grimaca

 
' 5 at,” the old trapper remarked with a grin.
,  wouldn’t take no prize for his beauty at no cattle-
f ,_ show, but, like a singed cat he’s a darned sight
" better than he looks.’

‘I‘ ' v remarked.

‘  but he’s all woo and a ard wide.

V the kind of men I

'22

 
“Oho! I fancy you know the man?" the
Fresh exclaimed.

“Yes, I do, to my sorrow. He’s the fellow
that corraled all my valuables, and the old
scoundrel wouldn’t give me more than a tenth
part of their value.”

" That is the way to et rich, you know, but
if, as I. suspect, the old ew is in with the Red
Riders, I may be able to get him on the hip in a
way that will make him squeal and, rhaps,
force him to disgorge some of his i.-gotten
gains.”

“ I sincerely hope so,” and with this remark
Ringwmxl withdrew.

Five minutes after there was a knock at the
door and in answer to the "come in” of the
Fresh, 9. tall, muscular, raw-boned, middle-aged
man made his appearance.

He was clad in a complete suit of buckskin,
very much the worse fir Wear, and the moment
the Fresh set eyes upon him he came to the con-
clusion that he was an old mountain-man, for he
looked it to the life.

“ Room number ten—the cap’n who is lookin’
arter men ?” the stranger questioned.

“Yes, take a chair and make yourself com-
fortable.” ‘

The mountaineer surveyed the Fresh for a
moment and burstlinto a loud guifaw.

“Durn me, if you ain’t the very sport w’ot
laid Red Sancho out last night!” he cried, and
then be extended his brawn y land.

“ Put it thar, paid, I owe you one for laying
out that miserable cuss! He done clear me
out of every ounce of dust I had ’bout me an
hour before.”

The Fresh shook hands heartily with the
other.

“I tell yer! it did my old heart good tosee
you lay that yalier nigger out: and now I come
0 think of it, old Californy was along with
you, too, but when he tackled me ’bout a job to—

1 day I never suspicioned that you was the

an.
“Californy and l are old pards, you know,”

‘ the s )eakcr continued.

“ e have done a heap of mountain work to-
gether in our time.

“ Californy is a good man—never had a better
pard since I was hatched.”

“ Oh, yes, Joe is the kind of man to tie to.”

“\Va-al, stranger, you will find me white,
too, all the way throu h, and no mistake!

“ y name is John arker—Big John Barker
is the handle that my pards gincrally stick onto
me, and I reckon it ﬁts pretty well, too, seeng
as how I am a sizable kind of feller.”

“ I am a trapper and an old mountain-man
from ’wayback, and if you think I‘ll suit I’m
readv to join our train."

“ h, yes, reckon you will answer,” the

And then he put about the same uestions
to the applicant as he had directe to the
sport.

The old plainsman was no gambler, neither
was he in hard luck.

119 had just come in fromatrappin trip to

g be

yr the northern Mexican wilderness and t on

not done as well as he had expected, yet he
gas tolerablyf‘well-ﬂxed," to use his expres-
on

He was an expert with all kinds of Weapons,
could ride like a Comanche brave, and as a

,, . master of prairie and mountain‘knowledge could
v ., hold his own with the best of the men who made
, a living in the Wild western wilderness.

. He was well-armed and owned a horse.
“Not the handsomest beast you ever looked
60 

“He’ll do, I reckon.”
And then the Fresh explained the object of his

 ex ition.

John listened attentively and after the

’ Cali ornian ﬁnished declared that he would be

glad to take a band in such a picnic.
“If thar’s anything I hate in the world it is
these darned cxican yallcr-bellies who go

, ’in fgd skinning good peaceable men!” he re-

r .
“I have had considerable trouble with the
Growers in my time and I shall not be sorry to

" .A git a chance to git square with some of the
' cusses.”

The Fresh explained about the shanty next

I ’ door and the trapper said he would be on hand
about noon.

Then be commenced to back toward the door,

' but: used with his hand on the latch.

“ r’s a pard of mine coming to see you,” he

outside now; he’s an Irishman
You kin risk
know him from clear

“He’s waitin

mm on my say-sol

through I”
“ lright; tell him tocome in, for that is just

wan t.”

The old trapper retreated and soon the Irish-

5": man made his appearance.

He was a youngish-looking man rather under-

. '(Ilned, with a round, bulletolike head, covered
- ith avshade of bright, red hair.

'» But although his face betrayed his nationality

 
The. Fresh on the Rio“

beyond a doubt, yet there wasn’t anything dull
or stupid about the man; on the contrary he
looked to be rather above the average in smart-
ness.

He too was a Scout and trapper, although of
far less experience than Big John Barker as he
admitted.

Still, as he said, he thought he could manage
to look out for himself in a skirmish.

He was a fair shot and an extra good rider
having been attached to a racing stable in Ireland
in his youth.

The Fresh engaged him and the Irishman de-
parted, highly delighted.

“ Three good men ” Blake observed as the
door closed after the Irishman.

“If I can succeed in picking up three more
as good I should not be afraid of facing a small
regiment of these Mexicans.

“ But unless these fellows who call themselves
the Red Riders of Rayon are made of different
stuff from what the ordinary Mexican outlaw is
composed of, they will not be hungry for war
when they ﬁnd they are confronted by men who
know how to fight, and have sand enough to
back to their game. --

“ Decidedly it was a lucky thing that I ran
across old California Joe, for without his aid I
I should not have been likely to have got together
so cod 8. force.”

knock at the door interrupted the Fresh’s
meditations. '

And then in obedience to the adventurers
command there entered a tall, raw-boned young
man, who was tanned almost as dark as an In-
dian.

He wore the frontier suit of buckskin, it was
very much the worse for wear; and from the
fashion of the garb, and the big broad-brimmcd
felt hat pulled down over his forehead, a judge
in such matters Would have picked him out
for a “ cow-puncher ” as far as he could see
him.

The young fellow came right to business.

He was a cowboy out of a job, could ride any-
thing from a bucking broncho to a wild steer,
didn t take a back seat with his “ guns” for any
man on the “ range,” had been ‘ illled full of
lead A” two or three times but stood up to the
rack and took his fodder like a man without a
squeal.

These were strong recommendations and Taos
Tom, as he called himself was engaged.

He hadn’t a horse or a riﬂe and was notiﬁed
to look out for both.

Then the youn fellow put in a good word for
an old “ side-par ” of his, as he said, and forth-
with proceeded to introduce him.

Tom Smith the other was called, but, as he
explained, he had run across so many Toms and
Smiths in the Course of his travels that he was
seldom called by his right name, as it bred con-
fusion, and usually went b the appellation of
the Bucking Angel, or Buc An 91 for short.

He had won the name by his skill in subduing
“ bucking ” horses.

A bargain was immediately struck with Buck
and then the cowboy pards departed in great
glee to hunt up riﬂes and horses.

“Five good men as I ever ran across!” the
Fresh exclaimed, highly delighted with his re-
cruits.

“ Now if the sixth man turns out to be as
good as the rest, I wouldn’t be afraid to take a
contract to run this town of El Paso for a night
or so, and clear out all the Mexican police or
soldiers that could be scared up.

It was about twenty minutes before there
came another knock at the door. and this time
old California J03 accompanied the applicant,
who was a slender, Igentlemanly-looking fellow,
with a pleasant, rat er Sober face lit up by a
pair of the most innocent blue eyes that were
ever seen in a man’s head.

But in spite of the man’s really ministerial
look there was a certain something about him
that induced the Fresh to set him down at once
for a sport.

“ This hyer is an old acquaintance of mine,"
California Joe remarked as he introduced the
stranger. " He used to hang out ’bout ten
years a in San Antone—Pistol Pete l”

The resh shook hands with the mild—looking
gentleman who bore so strange a name.

“ He got that handle ’cos he was so quick on
the draw,” California Joe explained.

“ San Antone was a pretty rou h place in
those days, and if a sucker got 5 ort of his
money thar was allers plenty to egg him on to
seal the sharp who took him into camp.

“ he suckers were mostly bullwhackers and
such like ugly cusses when they got a leetle
benzine into ’em, but I reckon none of ’em ever
got the drop onto Pete hyer." '

The sport smiled in a way that was “ child-
like and bland,” and remarked, in his quiet

wa :

“yWell I was always brought up to take care
of myself, but I must admit that these El P
wolves have been a llttle too much for me, and
am regularly cleaned out just now.”

It was the truth, mOst decidedly, for the sharp
possessed no article of value besides the clothesihe
wore. ‘

Jewelry, weapons, all were one, for Pistol
Pete was a gambler of the old ype, who never

 
quitted a game while he had a cent left to
stake -

It did not take long for the Fresh to strike a
bar ain with the sport, and so he became the
sixt recruit.

“ Six good men, and you km bet yer boots on
it!” old California Joe declared.

The Fresh assented, and then Joe and Pistol
Pete departed to hunt up weapons and a

CHAPTER XXX.
BAFFLED.

AND now that his ﬁghting-men were engaged,
the Fresh proceeded to look for a horse and a
riﬂe for his own use.

As he was ﬂush with money, and not particu-
lar in regard to the price, as long as he got a
good article. he had no difﬁculty in obtainin an
excellent riﬂe, and a horse ﬁt to trust wit a
man’s life, bein a thoroughbred Kentucky
animal, a descem ant of one of the cat four-
milers, who not only posses ed speed, ut bottom
also.

. It was just two o’clock when the Fresh, after
making arrangements for the keeping of his
horse at the hotel corral, entered the shant .

He found his force all assembled, an old
California Joe, with the readiness of an old cam-
paigner, having laid in a stock of provisions,
had built a fire in the stove, cooked dinner. and
the adventurers were enjoying a feast when the
Fresh made his appearance.

A place had been reserved for him at the end
of the counter which mrved' for a table.

The Fresh had a good appetite, and did full
justice to the viands.

After the meal was over he called for a report
in regard to the arms and horses.

All those who were without weapons and
steeds had succeeded in ﬁnding good bar-

(HHS.
g Then to each man Jackson Blake counted out
the sum needed for the purchase.

“ Now we must have the same discipline,
boys, as though we were in an enemy’s country,
acting a ainst a hostile force,” Jackson Blake
remarked.

“ In my absence California Joe will command,
and in case neither Joe or myself are here, one
of us will desngnate a captain to serve.

There are six of you, and each man will Serve
a four hours’ watch, for the shany must not be
left alone, as our riﬂes and ammunition will be
stored here. .

"When a man is not on watch, he is at liberty
to go where he likes, inside the town, but he
must report for dut every three hours.

“ It would be we] if every man should keep
as near to the plaza as possible, so as to be on
hand in case of tro ble.

“ I have caused report to be circulated that
it is my intention to hunt down and destroy
these Red Riders of Rayon.

“My idea in giving the scheme away was to
goad the outlaws into attacking me here in the
town, so as to give me a chance to see who they
are.” I .

All the adventurers nodded, for ,in their opin-
ion this was aa extremely shrewd dod e.

“ So, if you‘see that there is any lsposition
on the 'part of any two or three men to pick a
quarrel with me—7for it isn‘t likely, after the
taste of m ualitv that the citizens of El Paso
got when I (laid Red Sancho out. that any one
man will care to 212' it on—y‘ou want to gather
around and be re y for a s irmish.”

“ Wouldn’t it be a good idea to arrange a
signal, so we could determine when the time
was ripe for an interference—that is, I mean, a
signal to come from you, and which would only
be understood by us?” suggested Ringwood.

“Yes,” responded the Fresh. ” The idea is
a good one, and will prevent any mistake from
beinavmade.

“ hen I say, ‘ I don’t want to have any difﬁ-
culty,’ take that as the signal.

“ he moment you hear the word diﬁiculty,
out with your guns and do your level best. Of
course, ﬁre over the heads of our men, unless
it is absolutely necessary to p u them; ener-
ally, though, 1n such a case, is e ulh g of
the guns and the discharge, even t ough the
bullets don’t do any damage, will stampede the
crowd. '

“ I have made arran ements to have the horses
stabled at this end of t ie corral.

“I told the boss hostler a ghost sto about
going into the horse business, and sai I had
taken a few on trial; so when you go there with
your animals, ask for me. and say ym! have

rought the horse on trial."

Again the adventurers nodded as token that
the comprehended.

V‘ith men of acuteness, as all these recruits
were, lengthy explanations were not needed.

One by one the adventurers sauntered out-
the ones who were obli to procure arms and
horses—but in a short time all were back again,
carrying their riﬂes with them and stating that
the horses were safe in the corral.

Then old California Joe examined the wea-
pons, in order to see what cartridges were re-
quired. '

As it happened, two sizes of cartridges did for
the eight riﬂes, and the plainsman starbd outta

I

 
A}?

 
-.....
"W
to, .m¢~.‘i‘w “'3‘

 
Tho mosh on'iho‘ Rio Grando.‘ ,

23

 
procure a supply, all of them being well pro-
vided with revolver cartridges.

It was late in the afternoon before the ar-
rangements were made, for blankets also had to
be provided, so the “ soldiers” could arrange
comfortable bunks for the night.

Then the time passed uickly away until sup-
per was prepared, and a ter this meal was dis-
patched, the adventurers smoked and told stories
of wild hap enings, until the shadows of the
night coverei the town.

One man was then left on watch—it was Dave
Ringwood-aiid the rest sallied forth.

Being earl there was not much going on;
the ai'my‘ha separated upon leaving the head-
quarters, goiwr oil’ in pairs.

Jackson Blake and old California Joe strolled
into the Hotel Mexico and great was their
amazement when the heard the loan ers there
discussing the arriva of the two beautiful Esco—
bcdo girls.

Thinking that there might be Some mistake
the Fre~h took the pains to carefully inquire
into the matter, and soon satisﬁed himself that
the ladies of whom the hotel loungers spoke were
no others than the two who had been his com-
panions in the st e. ‘

The Fresh was othered, with all his shrewd-
ness by this unexpectd discovery. '

“ Where the deuce have they been?” he re—
marked, to old California Joe.

“ What is the little game, anyhow?

“Here they are, safe and sound, and I have
been raising an army to rescue them from the
hands of these Red Riders, for I hadn’t any
doubt that they had been captured by the out-
laws.”

The old plainsman shook his head.

“You are too much for me, cap’n, I give it
up!" he exclaimed.

“ Hang me if I don‘t get an interview with
them in the morning and ask the question.”

“ Mebbe they'll hint that it ain’t no business
of yourn,” the old mountain-man remarked,
with a grin,

“ Maybe they will; that blackeyed one would
be quite capable of doing such a thing, but I
would get better treatment from the other,” the
Fresh rejoined.

“ Yes, I reckon you would; she’s a reg’lar-
built lady, she is!”

The evening passed away without anything
worthy of notice occurrin , although the Frosh
uni his “army ” visited al the principal resorts
of the town.

In the morning, Blake waited until about
nine o’clock, so as to make his call upon the
ladies at a seasonable hour, and then proceeded
to the Hotel Mexico.

His disappointment was great when he learn-
ed that the ir, in company with Judge Bulli-
fant, had 9 rted for the Escobedo Ranch,
down the Rio Grande, near Ysleta, early that
morning. 3 _

“ Waal, the me is hindered blocked, ain’t it?”
suggested Cali ornia Joe when the pair got into
the street again. .

“ Yes, and I reckon we’ll have to shake El
Peso, too for if theheiress has gone to her ranch,
there will not be anything for us to do here. _

“ The Red Riders are after the girl, she is
worth two or three million, they say, and they
would like to get hold of some of it.

“ I feel sure there is a plot, you know, but it
is such a mighty deep one that I can’t get on to
it at all, as the detectchs say.

“ But we will go down the Rio Grande ton.
We‘ll split our party up in sections and for the
time being we will be speculation hunters, crazy
to make a pile in cattle or land.

But the Fresh was destined to tarry some
time yet in El Paso’s time, as the reader will
see anon.

CHAPTER XXXI.
a SURPRISE.

ALTHOUGH both Jackson Blake and Califor-
nia Joe were men who always kept their e es
“wide open,” and were quick _to see allt t;
passed around them—a habit which came from
the life of adventure which both of them led—

yet on the resent occasion neither one was
sharp euoug to detect that they were being
watched.

True. the watcher was only a bare-footed
n—one of the tame Indians, socommon in
exico. _ _

He was slouching along in his rags BmOkmg a.
cigarette after the usual fashion of the dwellers
in the land, and watched the pair from the time
they came out of the hotel, through which they
passed in order to mask their leavmg the
shanty. until they came to the Hotel Mexico.

Th‘m» When he saw them in the hotel saloon,
bu in conversation with the lawyers, he hur-
ri down theplaza and disap , red in one of
the small streets leading from t is square-

But b the time that the two got through
with the r conversation and came to the street,
the n was on the watch again. ,

hen the pards started to retrieve their
steps going toward the other hotel, the peon
sauntered on about fifty feet ahead of them, but
the fellow performed his task so well that
neithe of the two suspected that he had been .
dogg g their footsteps.

 
At the first street the peou left the plaza,
casting a careless lance over his shoulder, so as
to be sure that t e two Americans were close
behind him, then he went down the street.

The rds had noticed the man, of course, but
tame ndians, in rags, pufﬁng away leisurely at
ci arettes, are altogether too common in all

exican towns to excite any articular atten
tion, so the peon’s presence or iii; disappearance
did not excite any apprehension in the minds of
the adventurers.

They strolled along, busy in conversation, un-
til they came to the corner of the street down
which the Indian had gone, and then they were
suddenly surprised by the rush of a dozen men
who had been waiting in ambush just around
the corner.

The men were the police of the town, headed
by the chief in person, Jose Pari‘nl.

The attack was so entirely unexpected that
the punk were taken unawares, but, in spite of
this fact, they struck out like regular bruisers,
there not being time for them to draw a weapon
before the foe was upon them.

Both Blake and old California Joe were handy
men with their lists, and four men Went down
before their slcdge-hammer-like blows in a twink-
liu r, but there were too many of the Mexicans,
and the surprise was too complete to allow the
pards to successfully withstand their foes.

The police closed in upon the Americans, and
the peon, with‘ true savage cunning, dodged be-
hind the pards and tripped them up.

Although the Fresh and California Joe were
prostrate upon the earth, with the Mexicans on
top of them, yet they made a tremendous resist-
ance.

The police ﬁnally got lariats around their
bodies, and the contest came to an end.

Although the struggle only took a few mo—
ments, yet quite a crowd had collected by the
time it ended, and, as ill-luck would have it, not
a single one of the army was in the thron .

The captured men were helped to their feet
by the lice and conducted without loss of
time to t e‘alcalde’s court.

The alcalde, a tall, raw-bone Mexican, with a
forbidding expression, was in his chair, all ready
for business, and when the Americans were hur-
ried before him, did not seem to be in the least
sur rised.

en it flashed into the minds of the prisoners

that this attack had been carefully planned
beforehand, and that they had little mercy to
e t from the judge.

he alcalde was called Miguel Perral and was
a brother of the captain of police.

Rumor did not give either of them the best of
characters, and more than one ugly tale, regard-
ing the willingness of either one of the ofﬁcials
to make money by secret and underhand means,
were current.

The crowd followed the prisoner into the
court-room, and at the tail end of the throng
came Dave Ringwmod, who had chanced to
come into the plaza just in time to see the crbwd
entering the so-called temple of justice; and
ciiriosit led him to see what was the matter
not having the slightest suspicion, though, that
any of his friends or acquaintances were con»
cerned in the trouble.

The moment that he mana ed to get inside
the courtroom, so as to be ab to see what was
going on. the truth ﬂashed u u hi .

The attack which the Freshohadglxpected had
been made, although the trick was worked in a
manner totally unexpected.

_ After making the discovery, Ringwood was
in it? great a hurry to get out as he had been to
go ii.

Both the Fresh and . old California Joe had
their eyes on the crowd as it surged into the
apartment. '

They hoped to catch sight of one of the adven-
turcrs.

Ringwood’s presence did not escape their keen
e es, and when they saw him force his way out
t rough the crowd they understood he had gone
to warn the “ army.”

But as both of them had perfect command
over their features they were careful not to be-
tray that they had caught sight of a friend in
the crowd.

There were twenty-ﬁve or thirty people con-
gregated in the not particularly spacious apart-
ment, and there were only three or four Amer-
icuns present, the rest being citizens of the town,
and the greater part of them men of the lowest
class, hangers-on to the various Mexican gam-
bling houses, fellows who have a deadly hatred
to the "North Americans,” as they indiscrim-
inately termed all foreigners.

So, as the prisoners looked u n the gathering
theyywere greeted with hosti e lances, almost
every .Mexwan in the room scowlIng at the pris-
oners in an extremely ugly way.

During the bustle which occurred after the

ll‘.WeN placed in the risoner’s box. while the
exiean police with t lr drawn pistols were
forcing hack the crowd who manifested an idea
of takin possemion of ev foot of standing
room in t e apartment, the resh and Califor-
nia Joe had an opportunity to exchange a ‘few

worcvl‘srvlvlitgout (1%!) at! of bein ioélvlfrheard.
‘ e as w a 0 on f
Fresh asiod.’ y’ 0 this?” «the

 
“ Pard, they hev played it on us in a way I
despise!" the old mountain man answered.

“ You see, I was right in my surmise that by
lettin it become known I was going for the
Red éiders, I would bring an attack upon me.”

“You bet !”

“ But the outlaws are more crafty fellows
than I thought, for I never even su -ted the
would robe the police of the town an the alcal 9
into the business.”

“ Oh, they are p’isoned snakes, and you kin
bet high on it!”

“ You noticed Ringwoodf” ’

“ You bet!”

“ He’s gone for assistance, and though these
fellows undoubtedly think they have got us foul
we may be able to show them a trick which will
make them open their eyes before we get through
with them."

“ Yes, I reckon that when our boyees git a
good ready on and go for there Greasers, they
will be apt to scatter them a leetle.”

“ Do you notice that aboutall the men in the
room are fellows who hang out ’round these low
Mexican dens?”

“ That‘s so; the worst bummers in the town i”

“ Their presence here may be just accidental.
of course, but I don’t think it is. I reckon this
thing was all cut and dried beforehand. ‘

“ This thing was carefully planned and these
fellows were instructed to be on hand, so as to
crowd the court-room and keep decent men

out.

“They calculated that if eight or ten
Americans happened to get in here they
wouldbe apt to raise a row if they saw we
wasn’t getting justice, and they ﬁxed it so as to
pack the court-room with this rabble so as to

eep decent citizens out.”

“ I reckon you have got the thing down ’bout
asﬁne as it can be worked, but, I say, what
charge do you think they are going to bring
ag’in’ us?”

“ I guess it will be for an assault on that Red
Sancho.”

“Show! you don’t s’pose the galoots will
for to attempt to kick up a row ’bout at 1'
ﬁght like that ar’ skirmish was!" California
Joe exclaimed, indign tly.

“ I’ve seen a heap o ﬁghts in my time and I
never see’d a fairer one 'than that one was,
never!”

“ Their little game is to give a dog a bad name
and then hang 'in.

“ They think they have us foul,” the Fresh
continued.

“Iwill admit that I didn’t anticipate this
move, but now that it is made they have
shown their hand, and I am sureIcan guess
tlfieir game as well as though I had the planning
0 it. -
“ The will charge us with having attempted
to mu or Red Sancho—” -

“ Why, the galoot was as eager for the fuss

.4“ "m" ’ “M ‘ m“ ' 1......"xwa. _, .. .-.. ‘ -

n.....

m M“*’“ .

Na;

1. w.

 
as you was—it was the squarest kind of a skir-. , '

mish 1” California Joe interrupted. - -

“That doesn’t matter,” the Fresh replied.

“They will be able to get plenty of witnesses -'

among this low rabble who will swear that I,
assaulted
tion being given by him.”

“The alcalde will not listen tnmy defense,
but will promptly ﬁnd us guilty. I for com—
mitting the assault, and you for be anac-

the scoundrel without any provocar .

 
complice; then he will sentenco us to a long '

term in jail.

“ That will give them an excuse toremove ‘

our weapons; we will be locked up in a miser~
able cell and some night a party of fellows"
will go for us, and the next morning the new;
will be. made
suicide.”

“ The darned scoundrelsl” cried the old  ‘
t, thanks to our ‘ army’ we’ll beat their-Y

r.
pe‘t Bu
me.’

“ Order in the courtl” roared the, alcalde at
this moment, and the conversation ended.

 
CHAPTER XXXII.

BY this time the

police had succeeded in get:
ting the crowd bac

court—room immediately became quiet.

ran TRIAL. ' I ' “

public that we have committed, i"
from the end of the room  "

where the alcalde‘s desk was placed and when. 7.
the Mexican ofﬁcial roared out for 

The alcalde ﬁxed his stern eyes upon 

Americans, and when he saw that neither onedf' 5
them seemed to be in the least affected by, their. ‘

position he scowled in a malignant way.

“ Well, what have you to say for yourselves!" '

he exclaimed, harshly.
The Fresh

looked at California Joe, and the

old ginntairigm‘an looked at thiaead . d do the
“ s on o a an V
has: ’ wisps...“

“I reckon your tongue is a heap more limbs!“
than mine.” . ~
“Alli right, just as you say,” replied the:

his attention to the W5 ,-
ite bow: S 

And then, turni
ofﬁcial, he said, wi a
“Excuseme, whatddyousa

f’ I ,
ThefrownonthebrowoftheaTcaldedeepenay 5‘s '

 
I"

I _ ' {

24

The Fresh on the Rio Grande.

 
and the tutors looked at each other in won-
der as i not knowing how toaccount for the
coolness of the prisoners.

“ I asked you what you had to say for your-
selves!” the alcalde exclaimed in an angry tone.

“Well, we are pretty well, thank ye. and I
hope you are the same!” responded the Fresh
with his blandcst smile. a

Again the listeners stared at each other,
while the face of the ofﬁcial became dark with

are.
ma Have'a cue—have a care how you attem t
to jest with mci” he cried, his voice fair y
hoarse with passion.

"I am the Alcaldo of Cl Pasp and we ha v0
dungeons and chains here for prisoners who try
to deride the dignity of this court."

It was now the Fresh‘s turn to assume an air

‘3, , of intense astonishment.
3.‘ “ Upon my word, alcalde, I don’t know what
' on earth you are talking about i” he retorted.
“ I am not trying to deride the dignity of
our court. You asked me what I had to say
¥or myself, and I, supggsing that, with the
o

'1. natural politeness of the xican race, you were
',,‘ inquiring after my health, replied in the same

spirit.
‘_ - ' “There isn’t any jesting about the matter as
far as I can see.”

“ Young man, don‘t you know that you are
brought before me accu of a very serious
_ charge?” the Mexican ofﬁcial demanded in his
25‘ ' aternest manner.

4”- - “ I should like to know how I can be aware of

1. " i when no one has said a word about the mats
 r?” the Fresh reylicd.

. “ “Toll, on know it now!” _

if  “ch, know that you say so, but I haven’t

the least idea in regard to the nature of the

V ' c g .

“ Bosh! this retended ignorance will not
help you any. on know very well what crime
on have committed since coming to El Pasn."

“ “full, I have managed to rake a few dollars
out of some of your sharps hero, but I didn‘t
know that gambling,r was considered a particu-
larly serious crime in El Paso.”

“ How about your attempt to assasﬂnate Red
Sancho?” cried the alcalde, with uplifted ﬁnger,

 
, 1:1?  shakingait warnineg at the prisoner.
" ’ The r sh laughed right in the face of the
“'3' ‘ stern ofi‘n a1, and this levity called forth a re-

. “' , proving growl from the police and the majority
, of the spectators.

" “Say, judge, I reckon you didn’t witness that

t I littklsqpicnic, cial you?" the American queried.
 “ o, I did not!”

. Q , “ For if on did, you would never get off any

' . ‘ fool talk a ut assassination. It was the squar-
est kind of a ﬁght.

“ The man had every chance in the world;

_. why, I reckon there must be a half-a-dozen in

v the room now who saw the skirmish and they

Will testify it was a fair light from beginning to

.. end.
' “If I hadn’t plugged him he would have
pl 0 ed me. and that is all there is to it.”
“ cur Honor, I vo three witnesses here
. who will testify that ed Sancho was shot by
'th' man without being allowed any chance to
. do end himself!” cried the captain of police,
Jose Parral, the alcaldc’s brother, who was a
* , medium-sized, thick-set man. with even an
vi ‘ uglier face than his relative possessed.
“ 1- ' “,That isalie from beginuin to end!" old
' California Joe exclaimed, at this point, unable
to restrain his indignation.
“Be silent!” commanded the alcalde, in his
harshest tones. , '
, .“ Your evidence will not be received, for you
: are accused of aiding this manto commit the
-, ‘crime‘ﬂ
“ You ain’t a—going to give us no show for our
T money, nohow, ar’ ye!” growled the old' plains-
 man. » '
 ‘ 3 “Erin forward your witness, captain,” said
7" the ales] 0.
Then J 060 Parral beckoned to a fellow in the
crowd a man with a regular hang-dog look.
, _ The Mexican came forward, and took a posi-
 tion b the alcalde’s desk, bowing lowly to the
' 'ofll as he did‘ so. A
X “ Pedro Ramos, I know you to be an honest
,'man,” observed the alcalde, “and Ithcrefore
:depend uqoogdyou to give me a true account of
_' ' how this b y-minded American assaulted the
' Worthy citizen, Red Sancho.”
_ "Yes. yes, senor, you shall have the truth!”
 “‘ the man protested, and then he proceeded to tell
i - , Chis tale which from the ready way in which he
' told it, evidently been careful y studied be-

‘ . forehand.

_ Accordin to his account the two Americans
had come nto Red Sancho’s saloon, won his
, money by some cunning “Gringo” trick, and
i when heprotested against it, theyhad drawn
their Weapons, Sancho ﬂed to the street, they
‘ ‘ ;- pursued and the younger of the prisoners had
shot him in the most bloodthirsty way without

 giv him any chance for his life.
“ on see your guilt is proved beyond the

 
‘\

shadow of a doubt!” the alcalde exclaimed,
; nornly, to the adventurer.
" “ Bow proved! by the evidence of this unmiti-
. gated liar?” exclaimed the Fresh. “ Wh ,1“!
I, gatoryilfalse from beginningto end, wi the
. _ ,

 
exception of the statement that I won money
in Red Sancho’s saloon i”

“There are two other witnesses who will
swear that he attacked Red Sancho without
givin him any chance for his lifel” the captain
of po 'ce exclaimed at this point.

“Two more liars to support the ﬁrst!” the
Fresh retorted.

“ See here, alcalde, if you intend to give me
any show in this matter, let me send for wit-
nesses who saw the affair.

prejudiced men who saw the ﬁght and will
testif that it was a fair contest, as I have
state .”

“ These witnesses of whom you speak are prob-
ably Americans,” said the alcalde, with a
snccr.

“ Yes, I reckon the most of them are.”

“ Men who will be apt to BWear to anything,
Sfﬁouf'w,’to get you, a countryman, out of this

i :u ty.‘

“ No, they will tell you the truth, and that is
what you will not get from witnesses like this
filmy,” and with utter contempt expressed both
in voice and face, the adventurer pointed to the
Mexican who glared at him in an ion rage.

At this point a Mexican, who was a little
better dressed, and appeared decidedly more
respectable than the man who had testiﬁed,
pushed his way through the crowd.

“I am the doctor!’ he announced, “and I
have 'ust come from Red Sancho's bedside!”

“ a!” cried the alcalde, and he ﬁxed his
black, glittering, bead-like eyes upon the new-
comer, " and how is your patient, doctor?”

“ Vex?y low; I do not think the man has two
hours 0 life lcftl”

This intell'gence created a decided sensation in
the court-mom, and all craned their necks to
get a look at the man, who was a stranger.

“ Nonsense!” exclaimed the From, in the most
confident way, “the fellow is Worth a dozen
dead men.

“I know as a rule, where I put my bullets
and when I layed Rcd Sancho in the dust,I
didn’t fire to kill. If I had, he would never
have known what hurt him after my bullet
struck him.”

“Your patient is 'near death’s door, then?”
the Mexican ofﬁcial asked, paying no attention
'to the speech of the American.

“ Yes, senor.”

“Aim. 1 think you are in a bad place, my
man,” the alcalde observed to the Fresh.

“ If the man dies, it doesn't matter whether
you killed him in a fair tight or secretly assas-
sinated him; you will have to answer for his
death all the same. v

“ You will ﬁnd that on Mexican soil you can-
not Kill a man and not be punished for the
crime.”

“Oh, that is all hosh!” the Fresh retorted.
“ You know well enouu'h that there has been a
dozen men killed in El I’aso in street ﬂ hts dur-
ing the last six months, and no man as ever
been convicted of murder yet! Anyhow, I
reckon you can’t decide the case until the man
dies, and then I’ll have a regular trial.”

“ f course; we are not murderers;
be sure, to receive justice, and until tha
will commit on to prison."

“ Yés,I t ought that would be your little
game,” the Fresh observed.

“ I think I know just how you are working
this scheme.

“I am getting a little hot on the trail, eh?
And when the bloodhound comes dangerously
near, the best way to throw him off the scent is
to kill him.”

Despite their strong powers of self-control, the
brothers—the alcalde and chief of police—could
not help exchanging glances, for they were pro-
foundly asmnished b the speech.

“ You have 0 n the ame well, and taken
the ﬁrst trick, t ere isn’t t e least doubt about
that, and I am willing to acknowledge bein
taken b surprise, but now I am on my uar .
I know ow you are going to play, and if don’t
beat you at your own game, it will be because
the men who compose the outlaw band known
as the Red Riders of Rayon are smarter than I
think they are.” .

The crowd was astonished at the speech, and
ghgdalcalde and captain of police visibly trou-

ou will
time I

 
CHAPTER XXXIII.

A BOLD DASH.

THERE was an awkward pause for a few mo-
ments. and then the alcalde exclaimed:

“ By our speech, I should judge that you
were cit er drunk or mad!

“ These outlaws of whom you speak have
nothing to do with the action of this court.”

“ Oh, haven’t they 1” the Fresh questioned, in
a tone which betrayed great doubt.

“ You are not trying, then, to aid them by
locking me u 1” l

“ Most decidedly not; the idea is absurd! I
am the Alcalde of El Paso, and if I could get n1
hands upon any, member of this outlaw band,
would lock them up as quickly as I lock up a
dongxgjus man like yourself. ”

“ , I am glad to hear it, for when I sue-

 
i

“There must be at least a half a dozen un- ‘

 
ceed in capturing any of the Red Riders I will
know where to bring them.”

“You had better wait until on t out of
jail yourself,” the captain of po 'ce 0 rved in
a sneenng way.

“ Oh, I will not stay long in jail,” the Fresh
replied in his airy, conﬁdent way.

‘As soon as my friends learn that I am
in trouble, they will rally ’round and hail me
out ‘

“ Your friends!” exclaimed the alcalde, in
surprise.

“ Why, I did not know 'that you had any
friends in El Paso. I thought you were a stran-
ger here.” i

“That is true enou h,” the adventurer an-
swered; “ but a man 1i 0 myself, a bird of pal-
sage has friends everywhere.

‘i tell you what it is, alcalde, I am like a cat:
I drop on my feet every time!

“ Just as soon as my friends learn that I am
in difficulty, the way they will come forward
will be astonishing.

“Just send a message to that worthy Jew

wnbroker, Hadad So omons, that I am in a

ole, and see how the old man will run, ﬁt to
break his neck, to be! me out.”

Again a perplexed ook appeared on the faces
of the Mexican brothers, for the conﬁdent tone
of the other amazed them.

" Put my bail at any reasonable ﬁgure, and
you can bet all ou’re worth that he will raise
the money,” the esh continued.

“A man who is likely to be tried for murder
cannot be admitted to bail,” the alcalde re-
mark .

“ es, but until the man is dead, you cannot
try me for muider, and 1 tell you the man isn’t
at all likely to die.”

The Fresh was merely talking now for the
pur of gaining time.

He knew that Ringwood u n discovering
that his pards were in the ban 3 of the Mexi—
cans had hurried away for the purpose of get-
ting the adventurers together, and although
since the sport had disappeared in the doorway
he had not seen anything] of him, yet he had
conﬁdence that he and is companions were
somewhere in the neighborhood, for time enou h
now had elapsed to enable him to warn t 0
others and ct back to the alcalde's ofﬁce but
tbg Fresh elayed the proceeings as much as
possible, so as to be sure his men would be in
readiness in the street when his captors should
attempt to convey him from the alcalde’s omce
to the 'ail.

Our ero bad faith that Ringwood would plan
the rescue all right.

Nothing could he done though while the ex-
amination was going on in the alcalde‘s «mm,
for the crowd was so great that it Would be im-
possible for the rescuing party to get anywhere
near the. prisoners.

“Whether Red Sancho will live or die is a
question which the future alone can decide,” the
alcalde observed, “but until the matter is set‘
tled we will keep both you and your companion
safely locked in jail, and your fate may be a
warnin to the rest of your coun on to be
careful ow they use their weapons while they
are in El Paso.

“ Captain, take the prisoners to the jail !”

With the word the police closed around the
two Americans.

As both were tightly bound with stout lariats
the Mexicans did not take the trouble to search
the prisoners and remove their weapons, a fact

which tly plea the rds. for in the
event 0 a rescue the would able to help the
attacking party the moment their bonds were
removed.

“ Give way there and allow us to panel” cried
the captain of police.

The crowd fell back and hurried into the
street.

The police followed the throng. Jose Parral at
their head, and the prisoners in the center.

All ﬁled out into the street with the exception
of the alcalde and a few of his cronies who
stopped to talk with him about the “vile
Grmgoa"

The moment that the pards crossed the three- K

hold of the otilce they saw that their companions
were on hand.

There was a crewd of forty or ﬁfty people in
the street and the six adventurers were scat-
tered among the crowd.

After having the building the chief of police
marched his force into the middle of the treat,
and the adventurers were quick to c aster
around.

There were ten or ﬁfteen Americans in the
thron besides the members of the Fresh's band,
and tge .
two of their countrymean the custody of th

lice. '
p0The captain of police noted the angry faces,
but as he had a dozen men, with drawn revol-
vers, guarding the prisoners he had little fears
of a rescue. ‘
~ till he thought it wise to let the “Gringoo”
i the crowd know that he was prepared for
war.

“ If any man comes near the prisoners Ihoot
him on the spot!" he exclaimed, brandishing his
cocked revolver to give emphasis to the words.

Aliza

y scowled in an ugly way when they saw

 
“kw-u...“ ,
J:

 
“ Oh, that’s all right!” the Fresh cried, having
come to the conclusion that the present op r-
tunity for a rescue was as good as would be lke-
ly to occur, and so was prompt to avail himself
of the chance. “ There will not be any trouble;
We do not want to have any difﬁculty! ’

Hardly had the words escaped from the lips of
Jackson Blake, when simultaneously, the adven-
tureres made a rush or the police force, yelling
i at the top of their lungs and discharging their
weapons. _

The attack was so sudden, and so entirely un-
expected, that both police and bystanders \Vt'l'O
panic-stricken. _ . _

The people scampered in all directions as fast
as they could run.

In order to avoid the yelling and, apparently,
infuriated men in their rear, the fellows who
were in the immediate vicinity of the risoners
rushed madly in among the police and estroyed
their formation, and so eat was the tumult;
and so bewildered were t 10 Mexican guards by
the strange affair that they did not attempt to
prevent their lines from being broken.

The adventurers, pressing to one common
point from all sides, had the prisoners surround—
ed and snatched out of the power of the Mexi-
cans before the latter were conscious of what
they were about.

Then, a couple of slashes of a keen-ed bowie»
knife, and the Fresh of ’Frisco and OIL Califor
nia Joe were free men.

The severed lariats dropped to the ground,
and, in a twinkling, the revolvers of the pair
were in their hands.

The police, carried away b the headlong rush
of the panic-stricken bystant ers, and not averse
to goin either, for they Were demorahned by
the and an attack, were fully ﬁfty feet away be-
fore they recovered from the alarm suﬁlcrently
to understand what had happened.

Then the captain of lice, who had been fully
,, as startled as any of ’3 men, realized that the
 risoners had been rescued, and he called upon

is men to rally.

“ The prisoners have escaped!” he cried, “ and
we must recapture them!

“ On to the attack!” he commanded, brand-
ishin his revolver.

“I ive it to them, boys, since they will have
it!” exclaimed Jackson Blake to his men, when
he saw that a conﬂict could not be avoided.

The Americans were slowly retreating down
the street toward their headquarters, for it was
not the game of the Fresh to have a street 6 ht
with the Mexican police if it could be avoide .

Still he cOuld not afford to allow himself tobe
recaptured, if he had to slay cyery man in the

opposing force. _ .
he mericans opened ﬁre Just as the pohce
began to discharge their weapons, but the
clumsy Mexicans were no match for their foes,
all picked men, who knew what they Were
about and were as cool and calculating as
though they were in the target ﬁeld.
The Mexicans were nervous and confused,
their ﬁre was irregular and their aim bad, the
' bullets whistling high over the heads of their
antagonists, while the adventurers, by their
a leader's order, ﬁred low. _ . .
~ “ Disable, boys, and don’t kill if possxble!” the
* Fresh commanded. _

The result of the single volley—the Americans
ﬁring as steadily as soldiers on parade—was that
ﬁve of the Mexicans went down before it, and
one of the ﬁve was the captain of police, Jose

 
Parral. .

The rest broke and ﬂed like a ﬂock of fright-
ened sheep.
, They had all the ﬁght they craved for the
present.

“I reckon we will have to mount our steeds
and dust, boys ” the Fresh remarked, as he saw
that the contest was ended.

“ This ni ht’s work Will make El Paso too hot
to hold us, or thou h we can stand 03 ﬁfty to
a hundred of these exicans yet we can‘t hope
to ﬂ ht the whole town.

“go to the Corral, boys, and mount as fast
as poshble! California and Barker, bring the
riﬂes and supplies out of the house, Taos and
Buck bringu the horses, while the rest Will
sta with me ‘) check pursuittjy

gut the panicrstricken Mexicans had no idea
of attempting to attack the desperate “ Gringos ”
at present, so the adventurers wereable to get
-- . their horses, removed all their supplies and am-

“ , ' mnnition from the headqugglters, storm gem
" 3,’ aw in the capacious sa e-bags, an en,
- ’ = taklgg advantage of the back streets, tint;I paﬁity

e o

 
rode down to the river and c
I rande. ~
“, “ Now that we are on American soil I defy all
1 -‘ the power of Mexico!" the Frtsh cried.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
ran rnlsn PLANS. '

Now that the Americans were across the Rio
' Grande and on their own soil, they knew there
' ‘ I, was little danger that the Mexicans would at—
" ' tempt to pursue them, not that fellows of the
stri of the alcalde and chief of police would
hes tats for a moment about crossing the stream
and ing their prey on American soil. but
the c s were against their bemg able to
“before. largeenoughta hope torecapture

7 ' ,ﬁ, I


the fugitives, besides there was the diﬁlculty in
getting upon the right track if the Americans
chose to retreat rather than ﬁght.

After crossing the river the part avoided
the American settlement, and push on down
the river until they found shelter in a timber

t.

Then the Fresh drew rein and commanded a
halt.

Realizing that there was dan er. though, that
pursuit might be given, the a venturer posted
a couple of pickets so as to guard the approach
to the grove. ‘

All had dismounted and began with true
f r! mticr care to make themselves as comfortable
as )ossiblc.

he Fresh anl old California Joe withdrew to
one side, for the purpose of holding a consulta-
tion.

“ “'ell, we are through with El Paso for the
present, as far as the Red Riders are concerned,”
our hero remarked.

“ I had an idea that my dodge would make
the outlaws show their hand, but I had no sus-
picion that I was ﬂying at so high game as the
captain of police and alcalde.”

‘Wa-al, pard, them Parrals hev never been
counted on as amounting to much; ’most every-
body,allers allowed they were a pair of bad
eggs. ’

“There’s no doubt about that. They are in
with the outlaws, and no mistake!

“Now, then, let us look ahead a hit. As 1
said, we are through with El Paso, for after
this skirmish to-day we would have the whole
town after us if we dared to show our faces in
the streets.

“ Therefore the scene of action changes to the
neighborhood of the Escobedo Ranch. If the
outlaws’ ame is to make money out of the
youn heiress, and I believe it is, they will be
foun in the Vicinity of her home.”

“Sure as ye’r’ born! You kin bet high on
that!” California Joe exclaimed.

“ We must ﬁnd a bunking- lace somewhere in
the neighborhood of the ranc .

“One big advanta e we possess is, that though

on and I are, proba 1E, well—known tothe band,
it )3 pretty certain t at our men are not, so a
couple of our fellows can either get employment
at the ranch itself, or in the immediate neigh-
borhood, so as to be able to post us in regard to
all that goes on.”

“ Oh, yes, thar will not be any difﬁculty in ur-
ran 'ug that ar’, I should think.”

“ hat is our game; to remain in concealment
near the Escobedo Ranch, and, when the Red
Riders make a move, strike them.”

“ Yes, come a leetle surprise-party onto ’em.”

“ I said we had got through with El Paso for
the present, but I was wrong about that, for
there’s alittle bit of business n the town that
we must attend to before we quit this neighbor-
hood.”

California J 06 reﬂected for a moment, and
thcn the idea came to him:

“You are squinting at the money ihat on
left in the hands of that ar’ German banker? ’

“ That is it; when I made the deposit I had no
idea that I was going to be run out of the town
in this unceremonious way, for if I had the
slightest sus icion that such a thing would oc-
cur, I wonl have held on to the cash.”

“ I s‘pose it is all ri ht and safe," the plains-
man remarked, rc ectively, with a rather
doubtful glance at the Fresh.

“ Well, my opinion is that it would be a deuccd
sight safer i I ad it in my own possession,” the
ot er rejoined. ‘

“I hev allers heered the galoot spoken of as
bein a good, squar’ man.

“ es, but good, aﬂuare men slip up when
there’s a chance to go his a few thousand dol-
lars without any risk, and some of these Ger-
mans are might tricky.”

“ That’s so, hat's so,” California Joe re-
marked.

” Now look at the case as it stands: su pose
this banker should make the discovery the the
man who deposited the money with him was the
same A loan who was run out of the town
after a ﬁg t With the police?

“ We had to hurt some of those Mexicans, you
know, and the fe110w understands that 1 would
not dare to come in my own proper person and
claim my money.”

“ Right you ar’!”

“ Under the circumstances, then, if he is at all
inclined to be a rascal, he Will say to himself:
‘ Why cannot I hold on to this money since the
p‘gn’er will never dare to come openly and claim'

“You might sign yer claim over to some othe;
feller, though, and have him collect it,” the ol
scout suggested.

“ Yes, ut the money would not be forthcom-
ing, all the same, for in that case the banker
would undoubtedly give information to the al-
calde, and the money would be seized b him
through some law process, then he and the uk-
er would whack up together." .

“ Durn me it on ain’t right!” Celifornia Joe
exclaimed. “ nd it kinder looks as if the dust

was one u the unlem la some
kind gt a $182k, bod game"." m p y
“ That exactly what I calculate to do. I

    
do not intend to let any grass grow under my
feet, for I am going to strike the banker for my ,1
money this very night.”  i

“ It ain’t hardly possible that the alcalde kin
gitlahead of you,” the other remarked, reﬂect-
ive y.

“Oh, no; he will have his hands full to-day
with planning to get at me, for it will take him
some time to find out where we have gone. Our 
dodge of gain to the southwest, as though we ;,-.,‘
intended to ad refuge in the Lagoon Santa ‘
Maria country, then circling around to cross
the Rio Grande, will be sure to throw him of!
the track at ﬁrst.”

“ Yes, yes, it was a cute dodge.”

“ Then, too, the chances are big that no one in
the town knows I have made a deposit with the
German. !

“ It was early in the day when I called upon
him. no one was there, and it is not likely that
my business was suspected, if any one saw me ,
enter.

“ Most assuredly, too, the banker is not the
kind of man to say anything about it, for I can
tell from his looks that he is one of the close-
mouthed style.

“ l accounted for the possession of the money,
too. bv saying in a careless way, that I had come
to El Paso, understanding there was a boom in _
the cattle business, and thought there was a _
chance for a man with a little ca ital to make a
pile, and as I was tired of store- 'eeping I felt
like a little speculating.”

“Yes, yes I see.”

“ Now if the banker doesn’t know that I am
the man who got into trouble, he will  the
money over without question, for I sha 0 er to

y him for his trouble.

“ If he has discovered that I am the fellow
about whom all the rumpus was kicked up to-
day, the chances are big he will come to the
conclusion that I will never be able to come '-
back after the money, and so he will be so much
in pocket, and most surely be is going to keep, v
the matter quiet, for he will not be willing to1 ' , _
share the plunder with anybody.” ‘ ’” ‘

” Thar’s good sound sense in what you say, " 3
and thar’s no two ways ’bout it,” California Joe‘
observed, with an approvin nod.

“ Now then, I must strike im to-ni ht—stn'ko
him before he has time to plan how e will dc-
fend the money in case I come after it in a le-
cret way.” ~-

“ You bet! Allers strike when the iron ishot!” , 

“The banker lives right in the rear of his '1 
shop, which is on the plaza, you know.

“ Hehas a handsome place, with a large gar-
den running back to an alley in the rear. v ’

“ The garden is surrounded with a ’doby wall”
and in the rear is a gate, opening into the alley.

“In the garden is a big English bull-dog
which is always on the watch, y and night.’
I noticed the brute when I was tran ' my .,
businem with the banker, and he said he had no
fear of thieves breaking in his place as long a!
the dog was there. \

“ Just by accident too, I learned a few things
about the banker’s habits in the course of II
conversation with him. -

“ In the evening he oes to the Hotel Mexico
and has a quiet me 0 cards with a few chums. ,
getting back to is own quarters about eleven.

“ He’s an old bachelor, and keeps house with
the assistance of two servants, who are also
German, like himself. ,

“ Now we must leave the horses on the out:
skirts of the town in some convenient clump of
timber: then, through the back streets, We can,
in the darkness, get to the alley without (km
of being discovered by any one who will be am.
to recognize us. . '

“ The bulldog must be got out of thew:
then the two servants secured, and when ,
banker comes home he will ﬁnd me in medias.
to do business with him.

“ He may pay over the money without try
to make any trouble about it, you know,
my idea is to so ﬁx things that e will have

y the cash whether he likes it or not.” ,

“Sart’in! that‘s the klgame; allersgo in for.
sure thing, when you n.” 3 9,,

" Well, when I spring this trap on my 
the German banker. I rather think he will 00”“
to the conclusion that I have got a putty 
thing Of It.” A -' _ 1.
“Emlyn the swo fell to discussi' n tag ‘21:“ 

pot, an arranging a ' 
that that there would not beany hitch lath“
actual workings of the scheme. ﬂ

The party remained in the grove 
shades of mght descended thick and heavyover ’
the earth, then they mounted their made
up the stream, and again crossed the Grand.
to the Mexican shore. V

They pursued the same tactics which that;

   
i

   
so successfully employed on their mtrsa as»,
cling around the town and approaching it , '
the southwest. "
Just on the outskirts of the town the can!
upon a deserted. tumbledown much, and ixrﬁq
corral of this ranch the horseswere put, sleuth.“
riges, shad Big J cahn Raﬁegkw guard 13%.
w an party as an e 1' move
town, which was not antil about tenfold: . 
pairs, were in 

  
soon the adventurers, in
streets of El Paco.

     
We :.. ,, ._ i ‘ . J, . . U .  
_ . , ) ' 1- s”. g.‘ TA . ~ 9*. '3: i. v 
‘;  .wts, x .ff‘rx  .
.

‘ force me to be extreme y ugirvég’s’ he warned.

‘the speaker, an from him their eyes wandered

’ need not have the slightest fear that we mean to

E I - done you.”
Pistol Pete assigned to

i a “ n ght-cap,” before going to bed.
7' A knob on the well, like the ha,ndle of a bell-

? wire with some
" is pulled an alarm will be given sufficient to

. knife severed the wire connected with the knob.
I not look as if it
Hardl

‘ banker was coming.

.Jr. Mt. .. _. _. .ﬁ - .5.‘ .,, .. V, _:,,,   t

I The Fresh on the ‘ Rio

.4. '

. .y  > .w i l
> .vqa "an... ‘wﬁva-Ms .— 7...— ......~-

Grands. r”

 
CHAPTER XXXV.
A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION.

sz'rOL Purl, being": quiet, sly fellow, and
one not likely to at t attention, was dis-
patched to the Hotel Mexico to see if the banker

was busy at cards with his cronies.
In fifteen minutes he was back with the intel-
ligence that the German was thus pleasantly

engaged.

hen the party stole noiselessly into the ex-
tremely dark alley which ran at t 6 back of the
banker’s arden.

The ‘do y wall was about seven feet high, but
by the aid of Buck Angel’s hard back, Taos Tom
mounted to the top with the spryness of a. cat.

The noise made by the cowboy attracted the
attention of the bull-dog, who was at the other
end of the garden, stretched out by the house.

With low, savage growls the beast came bound-
in down to the wall.

aos Tom imitated the wail of a cat, and the

bull-dog attracted to the spot by the sound,

crouched as though he thought he could by leap-
in get hold of the intruder.

culations had been made upon the dog act-

ing in this fashion, and as the beast, with up-

 
lifted head, gave utterance to his savage growls,
Taos Tom deftly lassoed him, the noose passin'ir
around the dog 5 neck, and before the astonished i
brute knew what to make of this strange attack

he was dra god ofl’ his feet and suspended against i
the wall, a out as helpless for mischief as a dog |
could well be. |

Be commenced to yelp, but the tightenin of
the cord soon put a stop to this, an Taos om 
hauled him up so he could get a look at him, and i
when he saw the dog ha been choked into in—
sensibility, he swung him over to the other side I
of the wall and lowered him into the alley. ;

There, old California Joe was ready with a
blanket and a cord, and, loosenin the lariat 1
around the brute’s neck so he won] not choke
to death, he wrapped him in the blanket, tying
the rope around the beast in such a manner that
the dog would be perfectly helpless when he re-
covered his senses.

Meanwhile Taos Tom had dropped from the
Wall into the garden, and opened the gate—
which was fastened by two large Bolts—leading
into the alley.

The adventurers bearing the captive brute
with them, entered the garden, then carefully
closed and fastened the gate after them, so they
could not be surprised in the rear.

The do was deposited in a summer-house, and
the intrugers advanced, cautiously, to the man-
sion. ‘

In a room on the ground floor sat the man and
woman—husband and wife—who attended to the
banker’s domestic affairs.

The window curtain was up, and, as the night
was warm, the door stood open.

The man was smoking, the woman sewing,
and their consternation can be more easil im-

' than described, when the Fresh ma 6 his
appearance, without the slightest warning, and
leveled a revolver at them.

“ Do not attempt to ve an outcry or you will

The servants in help astonishment at

totlie well-armed men grouped just inside the

rway.
“We do not intend to harm you in the least if
you will bequiet and do as we say,” the Fresh
eonti ued.

n

“ We have a little business to transact with
your master, and there are certain reasons which
make us call upon him in this fashion, but you

do an harm.
“ hat is that room there?” and the Fresh
pointed to a door in the leftrhand well.
“Our bedroom,” re lied the woman, who was
icker to recover 0 use of her tongue than

man.
“ I shall have to trouble you to o in there for
a while, but do not be afraid; no arm shall be

The two were placed in the bedroom and

guard them.

“ Then our hero proceeded to the banker’s

gal-twat which was directly back of his place
business.

Upon the table burned a lamp, and beside it
was a bottle of wine, a glass, and a plate of
crackers, evidence that the banker usually
indul ed 11 the drink which is popularly termed

The Fresh carefully examined the apartment.

attracted his attention.
“ ullo, hallo, what is this?” he murmured.
“Just as likely; as not this handle connects by
ig bell somewhere, and when it

arouse half town. I must interfere with
this little arrangement.
A few minutes’ careful work with his bowie

and then with a piece of a match he managed
tO‘stick the knob a ainst the wall so that it did
been tampered with.

y had this job been done when there
came the sound of a key in the front door—the

 
The Fresh dodged into a convenient closet
and a few moments after, the middl
German banker, known far and wide as Jacob
Weinholdt, entered the room.

He took ofi.’ and hung up his hat, crossed to
the table and sat down; then, just as he reached
for the bottle of wine, the Fresh made his ap-

rance.

“ Good-evening, Mr. Weinholdt,” our hero re-
marked, just as if it was the commonest thing
in the world for a man to enter the private
apartment of another at such an untime y hour
unannounced.

The banker stood as though his visitor had
been a spirit from the other world.

“My gOOdness!” cried Weinholdt, who spoke
English about as well as thou h be was “native
and to the manor born. “ at are you doing
here and how did you get in?”

“ Oh, that is not material as long as I am in,”
the Fresh replied, seating himself with perfect
coolness.

“ I am aware that this is not exactly the time
for a business call, but, under the circumstances,
ibcould not be helped, so I hope you will excuse

me.

" I have come about that money I deposited
with you. I am obliged to uit El Paso rather
unexpectedly and I would 11 e the cash, if you
please.”

“ My goodness, man, don’t you know that it is
as much as your life is worth to come here?”
the banker exclaimed.

“ The citizens are so excited over that fight
this afternoon, that they would string you up to
the first tree without mercy if they could get
their hands upon you.”

And as he s ke the banker in an extremely
careless way tilted back his chair against the
wall so as to bring his hand within easy reach
of the bell-knob.

“ Yes, I presume so, but I don’t intend to let
any of your citizens get their hands upon me,
and that is the reason why I have come at this
rather unscasonable hour to get my money from

on. I want the cash so I can get away, you
now.”

“ But I can’t give it to you?”

“ Why not?”

“Because my money is all locked up in the
safe. ”

“ Unlock it.”

“ I cannot until eight o’clock in the morning.
The safe is fastened with a time-lock and it can-
not be Opened by any one—not even myself until
the hour for which the combination is set.”

This was a check for which our hero was un-
provided, and he felt sure too the banker was
speaking the truth.

These time—locks, then just being introduced
were the greatest protection against robber
that could be well devised for such a wi d

region.
‘That is awkward.”

“Give me your address and I will send the
money to you,” said the banker in his sweetest
w

ay.

“ Oh, no, that W1“ not do; you might send a
detachment of police with the cash.”

“ You wrong me; I never would betray a
customer. I could easdy give you into the hands
of your enemies now if chose. ”

‘ Oh, no you couldn’t!” \

“But I could!” the banker persisted, and he
laid his hand on the knob.

“This knob here, on which I have my hand,
connects with a large bell: one pull and the clang
of the bell will wa e the town, and if you do
not depart I shall be obliged to give the alarm,
although I should hate to do it.”

“ Yes it would be rough on you, for there
wfould he a dead banker here the moment
a ter.

“ But you will not ring any bell for I have cut
the wire and the thin will not work.”

The banker gave a u and out came the knob.
He grew ashy ale, for e realized that he was
in t 0 power 0 a desperate man.

“ You see, my dear Mr. Weinholdt, when I
start in to play a game of this kind I enerally
calculate to commence with all the a vantages
on my side,” the Fresh remarked with icy polite—
ness.

“I am not alone either in this little picnic.
game in, boys,” he added, raising his voice a

6.

Four of the adventurers ﬁled into the room,
the fifth, the Irishman, O’Hare, remained to
watch the servants.

Again the face of the banker whitened for he
comprehended that he was helpless in the power
of desperate men.

“ Now then, don't make any mistake!” the
Fresh remarked. “ We are not robbers, and do
not wish to touch a single pcnny’s worth of your
valuables but you have here a good sum of
mone belonging to me and I want it.”

“ omc to-mormw and I will gladly pay it.”

“ You know that I can’t come tomorrow.”

“ Tomorrow night then and I will keep the
money out of the safe.”

“Oh, no, by to-morrow night I must. be far
away from here; besides, my faith in human
nature is not reat enough to enable me to be-
lieve on will eep secret.

“ 0 use of pr about the thing," the

 
Fresh remarked, rceivin that the banker was
about to speak. “ I mus have my money to-
night!”

‘ I would give it to you in a moment if I
could i”

“ We must ﬁnd some way to arran e the mat-
ter. a”By the by, does Doc Moses nk with

on.

“ Oh, yes, Doc is one of in best customers.”

“ We can ﬁx it then. rite out a note for
the full amount of my account and sign it, make
it ayable to bearer. Dave and Pete!”

be two sharps ste ped forward.

“ These two gent emen will 0 with you to
Doc Moses. You will take the oc to one side
and explain that you owe this money, but can’t
get at it on account of the time-lock on your
safe, and ask him to oblige you by cashing the
note.

“ Taos and Buck, you two will go along in the
rear of this party, gerepared to help your pards
out if there shou d any row.

“Weinholdt, I don’t want to be gh With
you, but you must undemtand riglifgt the be—
ginning that these gentlemen are lightning on
the ‘draw.’ Each man has agun handy, and
at the first sign of treachery on your part, they
will plug you for keeps!”

The lips of the banker trembled, but at last he
managed to stammer:

“Upon my word of honor, gentlemen, I will
deal squarer with you, so don’t be too uick.”

“ Draw out the note—make it ten do lars less
than the amount really due, and you can have
that for your trouble.

“ Now don’t be at all worried,” the Fresh add-
ed, perceiving that the banker could not refrain
from trembling.

“ There is not the least danger of your being
hurt in any way, and no one will know anything
about this little affair, if you don’t give it away
yourself.”

“ Oh, my goodness, I am not such a fool l” the
banker declared.

“ The alcalde Would be sure to swear that I
had something to do with you, and he is a dan-
gerous man to have for an enemPy.”

i‘ I reckon if I stay round El use long I shall
have to lay that alcalde out before I get through
this district,” the Fresh observed, in a tone
which betrayed a perfect conviction that he
could rform the task without much trouble.

The nker got out his writing materials and
proceeded to draw the note.

h The Fresh watched him with the eyes of a
awk.

He was debating whether the man could be
trusted or not.

There was no doubt in his mind that the bank-
er would have held on to his cash, if he could
possibly have done so, and now the question
was, had be sufficient pluck to attempt to tr
any “ m-game ” during his visit to Doc Mosss s
saloon

The Fresh of ’Frisco ﬂattered himself that he
was a good jud of human nature, and the re-
sult 0 his stu of the banker’s face was the
conviction that einholdt was too thoroughly
frightened to attempt any underhand work.

“ Mone is sweet to the man, but life is sweet-
er still,” e muttered to himself. “ He realises
that he is in a‘ tight lace, and he is not going to
run ”any risk of en angering his precious per-

son.

The note being written the banker signed his
name to it with aflouris , for by this time he
had in a great measure recovered from his

fri ht.

‘gNow, then, I am all ready,” the banker an-
nounced. “and, for heaven’s sake, gentlemen,
don't be hasty with your wea us.

“ I assure you that I will as as a
die in this matter, and you will not have cause
to pull our guns on me.”

‘ We 1, 1 Sincerely hope not,” the Fresh ob—
served. “ I have managed to run into a heap of
trouble since coming to El Paso, and I am not
anxious for any more.”

“I certainly will not do an thing to get you
into any scrape,” the banker eclared.

Then, with his body—guard, he departed.

“The only danger now to be feared is that
some of the boys may be recognized as having
had a hand in the ﬁght this afternoon," the
Fresh remarked, as he and California Joe saun-
tered to the front door—which they held slight-
ly ajar so as to be able to see out into the
street.

“ Oh, I reckon thar isn’t much danger of that,”
the old plainsman replied.

“The thing was all so mixed u , everybody
was running up and down like a eve of wild
bosses, and the Mexican police were whipped
so quickly, that 1 don’t reckon any one of em
got a good glance at the men who did the
shooting.

“ If it was you and me now we would be sure
to be spotted. ’ i.

“ Oh, yes, no doubt of that.” ‘»

It was only a few steps from the banker’s
since to the saloon of Dec Moses, and the pair

idn’t have lon to wait.
Within twen minutes all of the party were
back again, the ker being new in far better

irits, while each of the sports a well—
led canvas-bag under his outer garment;

 
— ﬁr R

 
‘ V! I’M .
d733,». ow..—

 
, band who c

 
Q  _ The Fresh on the Rio Grande.‘

 
Weinholdt exclaimed, as he followed the Fresh
to the inner room.

“ I rather think Doc mistreated something out
of the common was up, but he’s too much of a
business man to interfere in matters which do
not concern him,” he continued.

“ Now just give me a receipt for this cash and
that winds up the transaction."

Our hero complied with the request. then the
banker, who felt jolly now that the peril was
all over, insisted that all of the party must take
a dam of wine with him.

his ceremony over the adventurers departed.

The banker, who was mystiﬁed by the ease
with which they had gained entrance to the
premises which he imaginedto be so well guard-
ed, accompanied them to the back gate.

“ What on earth has become of the dog?” he
inquired, as he looked around in search of the
animal. “ I hope, gentlemen that you hav‘u’t in-
jured him, for I assure you I value the brute
very highly.”

“ Oh, no, we had to capture him and take
measures to keep him quiet, for a dog isn’t like
a human; you can’t frighten a beast into si-
lence; a dog will yelp if he dies for it,” the Fresh
remarked.

“ You will ﬁnd him in the summer-house!”
and then the intruders departed, leaving the
banker to go the assistance of the dog.

Caiitiously the invaders stole through the
streets.

Fortune favored them; they succeeded in
reaching the old corral without meeting any
one who recognized them.

A few minutes more and they were in the
saddle, and an hour later their steeds trod on
the American side of the Rio Grande.

The expedition had been a most decided suc-
cess.

 
CHAPTER XXXVI.
rm: PLOTTERS.

AND now Old Father Time speeds on in his

ﬂi ht, and three months go rapidly by.

nring that period nothing of particular im-
portance occurred, concerning any of the char-
acters rominent in our tale.

The esh found a ranch for sale on the Rio
Grande, only three miles below the Escobedo
estate, and struck a bargain for it, settling down
into a cattle-raiser.

All the time, though, while apparently at-
tending strictly to his own business, he kept up
a quiet thou h industrious search for the outlaw
led themselves the Red Riders of
Raven.

His investigations convinced him that the
Red Riders, as a band, did not amount to
much.

As far as he could discover, they had not
operated to any great extent in the country
around El Paso, and at last the Fresh came
to the opinion that the band consisted of a few
reckless El Paso men, who, when they got short
of cash made a raid every now and then.

He discovered some things during his investi-

ation which made him think that his neighbor,
Elanuel Eseohedo, who lived just above the
estate owned by the young; heiress, might be a
member of the outlaw ban . _

The stage-agent at Las Cruces, who had tried
sohard to keephim from going in the stage,
was a relative by marriage of nuel, so
also was the driver who ‘ tooled " the stage
when it had been stoppeth the outlaws. and
both of them at one time been great friends
of Manuel.

Now if young Escobedo had any designs umn
the heiress, who more likel to aid him t n
these old-time friends and re atives’l
At resent, the young) man was paying the
most perate siege to t 6 girl, a fact known to
all in the neighborhood: but as to whether Mar-

t looked with a favorable eye or not upon
is suit, no one seemed to know.

One thing was certain—he had a strong
advocate in the person of his sister, who lost no
opportunity to plead her brother’s cause.

dd 0 Bullifant was “ on the fence."

In act, he did not exactly know what to
make of the youn man. _ .

He had hereto ore had a pretty poor opinion
of him; but Manuel now seem have sown
all his wild oats and settled down tea steady
rancher, and the old lawyer began to think that
after all there might be a good deal of worth in
the young man. _ .

The Fresh really took more interest in the
heiress of Escobedo than he would have cared
to acknowledge, for he was a man who prided
himself upon his indifference to the charms of
womankind; but there was a fascination about
this fresh, young, innocent girl which attracted
him, and he found excuse quite often to Visit
the Escobedo Ranch, but he was never warmly
welcomed by any one there, and he could plain—
ly see that here was some powerful inﬂuence
working against him. _

“I suppose they have heard a highly-Sde
account of how I skinned the gambling-dens in
El Pabo. and afterward cleaned out the police,”
he muttered my t30 him”

if.
- _ “ No doubt the beautiful Margaret looks u'pon

“ It is all right—not the least bit of trouble!” '

 
me use gambler and desperado of the ﬁrst
water. .

“Perhaps one of the‘e da she may have
cause to thank the luck whic sent me to the
banks of the Rio Grande, for when the hour of
peril comes—as I feel in my bones it will
come to her some da —tbe desperado will be
'ust the man who wil ﬁght to the death for

er sake.”

And thus affairs went on for another month,
the Fresh perceiving that he was less and less
welcome at the Escobedo Ranch.

Then Judge Bullifant was called away by busi-
ness to Valverde.

He was to return in a week, but on the very
day that he was expected at the ranch news
came that he had been suddenly taken ill and
died two hours afterward.

Then came a swarm of lawyers to the Esco—
bedo Ranch to settle up the judge’s affairs.

He had died a very wealthy man, and every
guy of his fortune 9 left to Margaret Esco-

. o.

The Fresh groaned when he heard the news.

“.The more money she has, the further of!
from me it puts her!” he exclaimed.

“Never mind; with all her money she may
need a friend one of these days, for the greater
her wealth the greater will be the temptation
for some scoundrel to make her a prize!”

Six more months went by, winter had come
and gone, and the spring grass was beginningto
change the color of the vast plains where roam—
ed the ranchers' cattle.

After the death of the old lawyer, Manuel
Escobedo, in deference to the grief which the
heiress felt for the old gentleman, refrained
from pushing his suit so ardently, but now that
time had lessened the feeling, he began his atten-
tions again.

Margaret was in a quandary, for she did not
know her own feelings.

She liked the young man well enough asa
friend, but she was afraid she did not love him
well enough to trust all her future happiness
into his keeping, and when Isabel ressed her
brother’s cause with all a sister’s ar or, Marga-
ret frankly confessed her doubts.

Isabel laughed at the idea.

“ Why, that is the way that all girls feel, of
course, before marriage!” she declared.

“ After you are married, it will be all right.”

But Margaret could not bring herself to con-

sent; there was some secret monitor within

which warned her not to wed with the oung
man, notwithstanding the devotion which he
professz'd. But as she could not give any rea-
son for this feelin , she refrained from reveal-
ing, even to Isabe , the true state of her mind,
but that young lady was far too shrewd not to
guess pretty c osely at the truth.

Manuel, on the contrary, was as blind in such
matters as men generally are.

Although he was not able to boast that his
suit was progressing, yet he believed it was due
to the maiden modesty of the heiress, and fan-
cied that some day she would suddenly wake to
the truth that she loved him.

At last though, he began to row impatient,
and sought a consultation with his sister upon
the subject.

“ Isabel, how much lon er do you suppose it
will be before this my uty makes u her
mind to accept me for a lord and master the

)0}??? man asked.

n my word Manuel. I think the nearest
date can set is the next day after never,” the
girl re lied.

The rows of the young man knitted, and his
face rew dark.

“ 0 , come, now. it is not a subject to jest
upon—it is altogether too important!”

“ I assure you that I haven’t the least idea of
jesting,”‘Isabel answered.

“ I am only giving you my honest opinion in
as plain words as ble.”

“ You do not think then that the girl will ever-

make up her mind to accept me for a husband?”

“ No, I do not.”

The face of the young man grew darker, and
an n ly light shone in his eyes.

“ don’t like being played with in this way!”
he exclaimed, angril .

“ What does the girl take me for?”

“ I can tell you what she does not intend to
take you for, and that is a husband,” Isabel
said plainly.

“ by doesn’t she say no right out then?”

“Well, she has as good as answered in the
negative, hasn’t she?"

“ Yes, I presume she has, but her answer was
made in such a manner that it seemed as if she
didn’t know her own mind, and that if i waited,
with time and persuasion, she might be induced
to consent.”

“ Margaret is playing fast and loose with her-
self.” Isabel exclaimed, im tiently.

“ I can understand e v how she feels about
the matter, although it is the one subject that
she does not like to talk about.

“ With everything else she i ready enough to
give her opinion. but when I bring up the sub-
ject of your passionate devotion, a look of pain
hppears on her face, and she changes the conver-
sation as soon as possible.” a

“ It is strange, upon my word,” Manuel ob-

 
served, in a thoughtful manner. “ And after 1
we planned the scheme so carefully, too. .Of
course she looks upon me in the light of a. pre-
server, for did I not rescue her from the hands
of the outlaws?”

“ That is the point exactly i” Isabel cried.
“ That is the only hold on have on her. I don’t
suppose your vanity wi be ﬂattered if I speak
the truth, but it must be spoken, all the same.

“ The feeling that there is for you in the heart
of Marglaret Escobedo is gratitude, not love, al.
though can see that she is puzzled to distinguish
between the two.

"She has a feeling of liking for you, and when
you are present, doing your best to be agreeable
to her, she honestly tries to persuade herSelf that
she loves you, but the moment you go away and
she sto trying to think she is in love with
you, in ifference succeeds.”

“ Yes, but if I press my suit warmly, is there
not a chance that in one of these moments you
speak of, she may be induced to consent to be-
come my wife, and once she pledges herself to
the union—after her word is given she will not
be apt to break it?” Manuel asked.

“ In my judgment such a thing would bring
her to understand really how she does feel to-
ward you more quickly than in any other way,”
Isabel replied, With a disapproving shake of the 3.
head ‘

U- .a. .-.... ......-...

f.;’a.--~b«-un‘ M’ .- a-v.’ {‘12.

. '“u‘cmax.

“ You must not judge her as you would-an
ordinary girl! She has all her mother’s flrm
seif-will—stubbornness it might be more proper- 4
1y called. .

“ Did not her mother forsake a wealthy home, A
where she had everything she craved, to go of ' 
to earn her own living, rather than submit to ‘
her husband’s whims?”

“ True, veig' true.”

“ And the aughter is like the mother. If you
should succeed, in an unguarded moment, in
getting her to consent to leconie your wife, the
moment she was alone and came to think calm-
ly and soberl over the matter, the revulsion
would come; 3 e would wake to the truth that
she did not love you at all—that the likin she
felt for you was gratitude, not love, an the
moment that discovery was made, no power on  .
this earth could force her to the altar to giVe ‘ 
herself to you, no matterif she had given her  g

6.

Wm

 
word a thousand times.
“She is one of the sensible kind of girls,”
Isabel continued, a sneer upon her beautiful
lips. “ The girls who consider that it is far bet-
ter toka a foolishly 'ven promise thantc i 
swear to a lie before the a tar.” ',
A gloomy look appeared on thefaceof the , 1:,

youngwman. 7,

“ I ,lieverou are right,” he said. ‘ I;

“ I know am right 1” she replied. “ I have V 1
studied this girl as I neVer studied anybody ,1
else in my life, and I am sure that I thoroughly '
understand her.

“ If the affair could be so arranged that the
wedding could take place immediate] after the
promise was given, so that she won not have
any time to reﬂect upon the matter, then there
might be some chance for you, but othwwise
there isn’t the least bit. ,‘

“ Then, too, do on know, I don‘t like the.  
premnce of this rec ess American, this Jack- ‘
son Blake, the Fresh of ’Frisco, as he is termed, . 
in the neighborhood?” . .| g

“ Neither do I, for the fellow is dangerous.” , 

“ Yes, dan cross in mere ways than one. 'I' " ,
can see that 6 has a high admiration for Mar- , p , ,1
ﬁrst, although he is careful not to allow it to ’ ’

o .nly seen.” ~- 5 

“ h, yes, I haven’t any doubt about it, but, ‘
thanks to the tales which we have taken care to
repeat to her in regard to him, she understands f
just what kind of a man he is, a gambling des— .,
perado, who, in a civilized community, would >
not be permitted to pollute the atmosphere with
his vile presence.” ‘

“ Very true. we have done our best to dispar-
age the man, but I sometimes think we went a
little too far in the matter,” the girl remarked,
thou htfully.

“ e overdid the thing, and our stories of hit ‘2,
wild, desperate and lawless deeds have had;
tendency to make Margaret interested in 

“ I can see that she begins to doubt the truth a
of the stories as he has lived in the 35h”-
hood for nearly a year now, and has acted
himself in a perfectly proper way.” ' p ‘

“ Yes, but the fellow is alwa on the ‘
like a hawk,” Manuel remark , a dark look
his handsome face. t, we

“ Very true, and a nice squad of ﬁghting men  § ‘

 
he has with him, too,” observed Isabe I 
“ All selected men, evidently, and it was by ‘
their aid that he managed to esca so easily
from the hands of the police in El aso. when
we  to lay him bythe heels tenmonths
ago. 
“I warned you against thatplan, if youre- I
member.” the girl remarked. ~
“ I told you at the time that the man- was far .
moredangerousthanyoudeemnd him,amithat‘ a;
it would not be wise to give him any chance fir. :
his life. x, 7
“Such menasheare likesna nnlu on

\= 'i

trample them into insensibility, t at ytu  ’
, thein besure turnandbita: .
youeven thong woundedtothedeath.”

 
“4.3-.-- :

..;..., use .“  -... -.-s'¢

.,-s


A“.  up” 1...... .. ..'.....; . ,,,

28

“ Yes, you were nearer right about the mat-
'ter than the rest of us,” Manuel admitted, “ but
if you remember, it was the alcalde’s plan, and
as we had to do nd u n him and his brother,
Jose, the chie of dp0 ice, to carry it out, we
were obliged to yiel to his ideas in the matter.”

“ Oh, yes, I remember all about it, and I am
only sorry that the alcalde himself didn’t get
damaged in the ﬁght, for it would have been a
lesson to him.”

“ He needs one badly enOu h; but Jose Parral
has cause to curse the day w en he encountered
this devil of an American; he got a bullet in the
leg ,which will lame him for the rest of his
life.

“How comes it that the Parrals have never
tried to attack this Jackson Blake here, and re-
venge themselves upon him?” Isabel demanded,
nbru )tly.

“ b, they were hot after it at the beginning,
but when they sent their spies. and the discovery
was made that the American had a regular
army at his back, they came to the conclusion
that discretion was the better part of valor.”

“ They were afraid that if they came for wool
they might return shorn, eh?” Isabel exclaimed,
a smile of contempt curling her red lips.

“ That is about the idea.

“ But now, Isabel, we must try and settle this
matter, for things cannot go on as they are much
lon er.

“ y creditors are getting impatient, particu-
larly that miserable old Jew scoundrel, Iiadad
Solomons.

“ He threatens to have recourse to the law if
I do not let him havea good round sum of money

   
‘ 800D.

“ The miserable old wretchl” cried the girl,
angrily. “ Think of the vast amount of money
that he has made out of you, and through you,
duriu the past ten years.”

“ at. is very true, but the old fellow has
done better by mo than he would with most
men, and you cannot blame him for wanting a
settlement, you know.

“I have put him off all this time because he
thought I would secure the heiress, but he is be-
ginning to come to the conclusion that I do not
stand much chance to win the prize.”

“ He is quite right—you do not, by fair
means," observed Isabel, a dark look upon her
face, which strangely distorted her handsome
features.

“ You would ur e foul then?” Manuel remark-
ed, returning the ook. -

“ I wouldl You have gone so far in the mat-
ter now that it is not possible for you to retreat.
You must go on—the girl and her estate must
be yours!”

“ But how can it be worked i”

I 5 “ Let the Red Riders appear again and ca

ture both of us” have the chief announce that e
has determined to marry Margaret, so as to se-
cureher estate; let him tell her that there is a
priest ready to perform the ceremony, and then,

I atthe critical moment, you will appear, in the

 
1. 7 '. e heiress was

Vllabel deftly turn
1 trother, and gently chided Margaret for in-
‘ spitting her poor Manuel with such aterrible

absenoeof the outlaw, of course.

I “ You announce that you are risking your
life to save her, but as it is impossible for you to
help us to escape, themin way to bathe the out-

flawl will be to (get the priest to marry you to
‘her; that will efeat the scheme of the outlaw
'to t . assion of the Escobedo estate, and,
finding imself bafﬂed, he will be glad to accept

. ,a ransom and release us.”

“Good! The scheme will work, and we will

 
I 5 not lose any time in putting it into execution,”
" 

Manuel declared.

’ CHAPTER XXXVII.
canarmo our run rLo'r.
 As the neighborhood of the Escobedo Ranch
' 1m perfecth «inlet and peaceable, the two rls
were in the a it of takin aride two ort ree
times a Week, unattend , as there was no

 
 danger to be apprehended.

4.
l.
:1.
a:

“ And as the afternoon of the day following

‘ theone on which the conversation between the

brother and sister took place, as recorded in

our last chapter, was as iinea one as could be

Mildred, Isabel suggested to Margaret that a

would be enjoyable.

leased with the idea and the

lies-sawere orde .

.i After they ‘had egotten wall on their way,
the convermtion to her

on.
Margaret blushed slightly, but not with the
I hit of a girl whose heart was touched, and she
tended to believe that Isabel was jeeting.

:; T‘ Iu'ﬁOh, but I am not jestiug,”.the other de-

“I  in sober earnest if ever a woman

was!
“ I tell on that my poor Manuel is just dying
_ for you, ﬁnd you are awful cruel to keep him in

' ‘ Oh,Ido not think I really know my own

.' feelingth thematterl” Margaret exclaimed.

nk a great deal of your brother and

 Iwouldgladly make you my sister in realit ,

it seems to me that I do not 0

someway ‘h in
e a

, as a rl should like a man to whom
 the pplness of her whole life."

I
A

  a. is... .n

,

  
-.--~._',.

“ Oh, I feel sure grim would after you were
once married to h , you know,” Isabel de-
clared in her most persuasive way.

Mar aret shook her head.

“I t ink that a girl ought to be sure of her
own mind before she takes such an important
step as thatl” she declared.

“Think how terrible it would be for her if
she should make a mistake about the matter,
for after the marriage once takes place there is
no retreating."

“Yes, that is very true; I sup on are
wise to be so careful about the matter, ‘ Isabel
observed with a smile, yet in her heart she was
terribly enraged at the otlier’s obstinacy.

Just at this point they came in View of the
ranch of Jackson Blake, some distance away,
but still plainly visible.

After coming in sight of the ranch Isabel stole
a look at the face of her companion and noticed
that there was a strange cx iression on her
face, as she gazed in the direction of the
ranch.

A sudden fear shot through the heart of the
Scheming Mexican beauty.

\Vas it possible that the heiress of Escobcdo
took more than an interest in this American
des rado?

S 0 determined to satisfy herself on this
point.

“ I see on are noticing the ranch of this Mr.
Jackson lake,” she observed.

“Ithink it is a very stran e fact that the
inhabitants of this section shou d permit such a
fellow to take up his abode here, the miserable
scoundrel! He should be driven awayﬂ!”

A slight tinge of color appeared on argaret’s
face, and a peculiar light shone in her large
eyes.

“ Are ou not speaking rather harshly,
Isabel?” s e asked.

“ No, I think not—not any more harshly than

the subject deserves.”

“But since the gentleman has liVed here I am
not aware that he has niisconducted himself in
anv wa .”

This defense of the man whom she hated so
bitterly, angered the Mexican beauty, but she
had self-control enough not to allow her com-
panion to perceive it.

“ Oh, I suppose since he has lived here he has
been on his good behavior' probably afraid
that he will not be allow to remain if he
does not behave himself, but that he has been
a most miserable scoundrel there is not the least
doubt.”

Isabel spoke hotly, despite her desire not to
show she hated the man.

“ Yes, if one could believe all the stories that
one told of him he must be a pretty bad man,”
Margvaret replied.

“ hen he first came here I remember Jud e
Bullifant was much afraid he would ma e
trouble, particularly when it was discovered
that he was accompanied by seven men, all re—
puted to be deﬁerate characters, but, as time
passed on, and r. Blake attended strictl to his
own business, the judge finally came to t e con-
clusion he was not so black as he had been
paillllted, and I certainly think the judge was
rig t.

“ I sappose he has led a fast life in his time,
gainbl and fought, as about all the men
around here seem to do, but now he doesn’t ap-
pear to be any the worse for it.”

Isabel took Margaret's remark in regard to
the habits of the men on the frontier to bea
slight dig at her brother, Manuel, and she. was
quick to resent it.

“ i suppose you are hintin at the stories cir-
culated about Manuel,” 5 9 observed, “ and
though I am willing to admit that he was alittle
wild, at he never was the brawling desperado
that t is Fresh of ‘Frisco has been.”

“ Good gracious, Isabel l” Mar aret exclaimed,
good-naturally, “how on eart do you know
anythin about the man?"

“ We] of course, I know nothin beyond
that I have heard,” the other was 0 liged to
a mit.

“ You cannot always believe all you hear. you
know, and as far as t is gentleman is concerned
I feel satisﬁed that he has been shamefully he-

lied.”
Margarct ke with some little heat, and
Isabel judg that it would be wise to change

the subject.

She had satisﬁed herself.

Margaret was taking a great interest in the
dashing American; the very stories told of his
wild exploits had pirﬁied her curiosity, leading
her to look upon im as being somewhat
su rior to the common herd.

‘She is interested enough in him to defend
his character when it is assailed,” ' Isabel
thou ht.

“ rom interest to love is but a step which she
may take at any time, almost without knowing

it.

“ It iswell that we have decided tosecure her,
and that right speedin i”

Isabel announced that she was in the
funiorhfor a long ride, and Margaret was noth-
n at .

the crafty Mexican beauty acting the

guide, took an extremely rou bout way,

the ‘1 Rio Grande. r  'i

 
then she pretended that she did not know ex-
actly where she was, and much time was con~
sumed in endeavoring to at on the rig)? trail,
and when the dusky sh esof night gun to
gather on the earth the pair wereagood dis-
tance from the Escobedo Ranch.

Margaret began to be alarmed.

“ Are you sure that you are in the right path
now?” she asked.

“ Oh, yes, no doubt about it,” the other an-
swered, conﬁdently.

“ But seel there is a ranch ahead and we can
in uire there.”

ai'garet regarded this asagood idea and
said as much.

When the pair approached the ranch there
was something about the place which seemed
familiar to the heiress of Escobedo.

“ It appears to me as if I had visited this
place before,” she said.

The girls had halted their horses at the gate,
and sat motionless, surveying their surround-
ings in the gathering gloom.

“Yes, it certainly seems to me as if I had
been here before, and yet the place looks strange
to me too.”

“It looks as if it was deserted.”

“ So it does!”

Then a wild look of fright came. over Isabel‘s
face and she grasped her companion by the

rm.

“ Oh, Heaven!” she cried in a hoarse whisper,
“it is that lonely ranch to which we Were taken
by the Red Riders, and from which Manuel, my
brother, saved us.”

“It is, it is!” responded Margaret, her face
growing pale.

“ Let us turn and ride for our lives!”

“ It is too late!” cried Isabel, despairingly.

The cry was forced from her lips by the gate
opening suddenly showingtfour of the disguised
outlaws the terrible Red . iders of Rayon who
rushed forward with drawn revolvers an sur-
rounded the helpless girls.

“ Good enough i” cried the outlaw chief, who
led the advance, “ you have come just in time,
for 1 was going after you to-morrow, or the
next day as I have got tired of waiting. We
ought to have been married ten months ago, but
it is better late than never!”

Margaret’s heart sunk, for this time there did
not seem to be any chance that she would suc-
ceed in escaping from the trap into which she
had fallen.

“ You succeeded in slipping through my ﬁn-
gers the last time on account of one of my men
gettin drunk and makin a fool of himself but
you Will not have any suc luck this heat, I, can
tell you.”

The captives were conducted to the self-same
apartment where they had been conﬁned on the
previous occasion.

And after they were safely in the room the
outlaw chief made known his plans.

“ A oung slip of a girl like you has no busi-
ness With so much money, and you need a bus-
band to take care of it for you ” he announced.

“ Now, I am just the man for you, and you
can bet your life I am a prett good-looking
fellow when I get this disguise o l

“ Everything is all arranged for the care-
mon ,” he continued. ,

“ t is goin to be a regular legal marriage
you know an no mistake, for, otherwise, I w 1
not have any claims to your estate.

“I have a priest all ready—he is rather ad-
dicted to liquor and has been “ silenced,” and
forced to leave Mexico, but he is a priest all the
same and a marriage performed by him will be
just as legal in the eyes of the law as though we
were married by the archbishop himself in the
cathedral in the City of Mexico.

“ Now, in order to set your mind at rest about
the man, I will send him in so he can prove to
you that he is what he re resents himself to be,
and after you are satisﬂ —I’ll give an hour to
get ready—I will return and we will bemade
man and wife.”

Then the outlaw departed, leaving poor Mar-
garet almost speechlesa with terror.

" Rouse yourself, Margaret i” cried Isabel,
“ and let us see if we cannot escape from this
terrible trap.”

There was a grated window in the room, and
Isabel hurried to it.

The bars were old and rusty, and after seve‘re
exertion the girl succeeded in removing two of
them, and then the face of Manuel appeared in
the opening. -

The girls gave a jo ous exclamation.

“ Do not raise an a arm, and I may be able to
save you!” the young man said, as he clamhered
through the window.

 
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
a suarmsn.

BRIEFLY to her brother label explained the
situation. I

“I hardly know what to do,” Manuel said.
“ I grew alarmed when you did not return and
went out to seek on. I found your trailand
followed it here: t on remembering what had
happened in this ranc before, I gassed that

on bad a in fallen into the power of the Red

 
ers, an it was ‘at the risk of my life that I, 

 
am

The Fresh on the Rio Grande:

29

 
evaded the outlawshwho are on the watch, and i
i

gained this window.

“Can we not escape through it?” his sister i

asked. I

“ Impmsihle, the guards without would surely
detect us.”

“ What is to be done?" cried Margaret, wring-
ing her hands in a ony.

“ I hm e it!” exc aimed Isabel, “a trick to de-
feat the plans of this outlaw! All he wants to
marry you for is to get a claim on your estate.
If you were already married, he could not suc-
ceed in his scheme, and would be glad to release
you on condition of your paying a good ran- 3
som.
“ Let Manuel conceal himself, and then, when .
the priest enters, force him by threats to per-
form the marriage ceremony between you, Mar- ?
garet and Manuel.

" I will be a witness and, of course it will be .
as binding in the eyes of the law as t ough per-
formed in the presence of all the world. Then
Mtnuel can escape through the window, and
w en the outlaw Comes to seek his bride he will i
be woeful] disappointed!” i

“ The so eme is an excellent one and will sure- i‘
ly succeed !” Manuel declared. f

“ I have loved you long, Margaret, and have
earnestly tried to win you, and believe me,
though a wedding such as this I never even
dreamed of, yet still to me it will be as sacred as
the most elaborate ceremony.”

“ Oh, heavens, what shall I do?” exclaimed
the heiress of Escobedo. almost distracted.

“ Oh, Manuel, I do not feel that I love you as
a wife should love her husband, and such a mar-
riage as this is only a mockery.”

“ It is but to save you from this villainous
outlaw,” Isabel whispered in her ear. “ It will
be but an empty ceremony, for Manuel will be
too proud to claim you, if you do not desire him
gar a, husband after you are released from this

en.

“ Oh, is there no other way to escape?”

“ Alas, I fear not, and 1 am risking my life
by striving to save you by this trick,” the young
man exclaimed, earnestly.

“ Be it so, I will trust to your honor to treat
me justly in the future,” Margaret replied, pale
as death.

“ You make me blessed beyond expression!”

The key grated in the lock.

“ Aha! there is the priest!” Manuel exclaimed,
his face bright with triumph.

“ By standing in this corner he will not per-
ceive me until he is fairly in the room, and the
dom‘ locked behind him.

“Then, by the aid of my revolver, I will force
him to do my bidding !”

Manuel hun'ied into the corner.

The door opened and into the room came four
men instead of one, and the leader of the party
Was Jackson Blake, the Fresh of ’Frisco!

The brother and sister stared as if the intrud-
ers had been white-sheeted specters from the
tomb; but Margaret, with a scream of joy,
rushed to the Fresh.

“ Oh, heavens! I am saved 1” she cried, and
but for his supporting arm, she would have
fallen, weak with jo .

“Yes, I am just in time to interfere in this
little ic-nic,” the Fresh observed.

“ I ve got you n here our hair is short,
voung man this time!" he eclared, addressing

anuel, who was ﬁngering his revolver as
thou h be meditated a struggle, but as the in-
vad party had their wea us out, ready cock-
ed for action, he restrain the impulse.

“ We have your three Red Riders all right and

on are nabbed too, the boss of the gang!” the
resh announced.

Margaret could hardly believe she heard
aright.

‘ What do on mean! Has my cousin, Man-
uel, aught to o with these outlaws?” she cried.

“ Why, he is the chief of the band!” the Fresh
answered. “ I have had my eyes on him for ten
months, and my men have watched him by day
and night. I knew he was up tosome game and
I made up my mind to spoil it.”

“ Oh heavens, I understand the plot now!”
the gir exclaimed. '“ It is true—you two whom
I would have done almost anything for—have
cons ired to wreck all my life.”

“ on are an intruder who has taken the
money which rightly belongs to us and ory;ht to
be crushed like a venomous snake !” cried sabe ,
ﬁercely.

“ Let them go! I make no charges against
them,” Margaret cried.

“ Let them seek re ntance afar.”

“You can dust! said the Fresh. teraely.
“ But take my adwce and don’t sta in this sec-
tion of country, for I am not as , if this
lady is-vamose!”

The brother and sister d , and, with
their compani hastened to seek refuge on the
Mexican side of Rio Grande.

The Red Riders of Rayon were dispersed.

Our tale is told.

Jackson Blake, still lingers b the banks of
the “ Brave River of the No ,” and rumor
says that soon Margaret, the heiress of Esco-
~bedo, will become the wife of the Fresh of ’Frisco.

THE IND.

 
Beadie’s Halt-Dime library.

BY MAJOR E. L. ST. VBAIN.
292 Sancho Pedro, the Boy Bundli-
301 Len‘VilIe Nick, the Boy Sport.
812 Redtop Rube. the Vigilante Prince.

 
. 883 Brimstone Bob, and His Lightning Horse Quarutle.
‘ 85. Tomb-tone TOI. the Arisonn Boy of “ Sand.”

352 Din-mun. Dun», in. i” “no '31.... n \\ hauler.

‘ m Kingbolt can“ it. Young Hard-Shell news...

880 Avalanche Alf, the Foothills Guido.
390 Jlgunr Joe, of the Mount in Mail-Line.

BY FRAN K DUHON T.

120 The Branded Hnnd: or, The Man of Mystery.
12? Wild-Fire. the Boss of the Road.
I40 Blue Blues; or, The Break 0’ Day Boys olRorhy Bu

i I'll Ebony Dnn; or, The Rival Leagues.

185 Evil Eye; or, The Vultures of the Rio G'ando.

BY CAPTAIN HAYNE REID.
78 Blue Dick; or, The Yellow Chief's Vengeanro.
87 The Land Pirnhen; or, The League of Devil’s island.
181' The Helpless Hand: or, Backwoudl Retribution.
289 The Gold-aoeher Guide; or, The Lost Mountain.

BY JACK FARRAGL'T.
Blli Ned. the (‘nhin lloy.
820 The Sea Sorceress; or. The Boy Slipper.

BY JO PIERCE.
Bil? Bob 0’ the ngery 5 or, The Prince of Mulberry Street.
415 The Vagabond Detective; or, Bowery Bob's Boom.
452 Ilotnpur Bob. the Street-Boy Detective.
M0 The Lawyer’s Shadow; or, Luke’s Legacy.

1 472 Jnnnty Joe, the Young Horse-King.

494 Curly Bins, the Young Ferryman Detective.

BY GEORGE WALDO BROWNE.

lilo Dandy Rock, the Man from Texas.

90 The Dread Rider; or, The Tenn Duelist.

99 The Tiger omer or. Dandy Rock's Aan
II5 The Mid Miner: or, Dandy Rock’s Doom.
181 The Golden Hnnd: or. Dnndy Rock to the Rescue.
164 Dandy Rock’s Pledge: or, Hunted to Death.
178 Dandy Rock’s Rival; or, The l'luntod Maid of Taco.

BY J. C. (‘OWDRICIL
360 Silver-Mask. the Man 0! Mystery.
869 Shana, the Gold King: or, For Seven Years Dead.
420 Ehe Dctective‘s Apprentice; or, A Buy- Without
IIHO.

424 Clbuta John; or, Red-Hot T.me| at Auto Bar.
489 Sandy Sam, the Street. Scout.

46? Disco Dan. the Daisy Dude.

490 Broadway Billy. the Bootblsck Bravo.

BY CHARLES E. LASALLE.
50 Kurt Bunker, the Trapper.
62 The “'hitc Buffalo. A Tale of the Northwest.

BY JOHN J. MARSHALL.

40 Roving Ben. A Story ofn Young American.
in The Outlaw Brothers; or, The Captive of the Herpes.

BY CAPT. BARK WILTON.
256 Young Kcntuckt or, The Red Laue.
270 Bllzngrd Ben; or, The Riot at Keno Camp.
286 Josh. the Boy Tenderfoot.

BY MAJOR LEW'IS W. CARSON.

278 The Three Trappers; or, The Mount in Monster.
288 Indinn Joe: or, The White Spirit of the H lls.

BY W. J. HAMILTON.
68 The Red Brotherhood ; or, The Twelve Avengers.
60 Single Hand; or. A Life for a Life.
79 Mad Tom Western, the Tenn Macr-
28? Ben Bird. the Cm King; or. 313 Pet-'- Scoop.

BY WILLIAM R. EYSTER.

190 Dundy Burke; or, The Tigers of High Pine.
'10 FIN Frank 3 or, Dandy Duke's Go-Down Pards.

BY ROGER STARBUCK.

25 The Boy Captains or. The l‘lrsta's Daughter.
lid The Black Schooner: or. Jib Junk. the Old Tar.
.59 The Golden Harpoon; or, Lon Among the lion.
248 Fire-Heels; or, Old Sklniilnt, the Death-Shadow.
254 Big Horn Ike. the Hill Trn-p; or, The Odd Pnrds.
861 The Phantom Light-house.
870 Breaker Ben. the Roof-Runner.

BY CAPTAIN FRED. WHITTAKEB.

15 The Sen-Cat; or, The Witch of Dorian.
29 The Dumb Pager or, The Dogs’l Dnnghiov.
4. Dick Ilnrling. the Pony Express Rider.
150 Lance and Lasso; or, The Children of the Chaeo.
I“ The Sword Hunters. or, The Land of the Iii-pliant Rider;

150 The [not Captain; or, Shippor anol Colln's Cruise to the
Open Polar Sea.

.00 The Boy Bodonina: or. The Brot‘ on of tin Pinned knee.

’1‘ Wow-n3, tho Robber of the Rhino.

MO Milo Honor, the Animal King; or, The Round the World
In .

denr

I“ The Tiger Toner; or, The bogus of the Jungle.
“I Black Kick. the Demon Rider.

805 California Joe’s War Troll.

BY BRACEBRIDGI HEHYNC.

89 Illlnd Jl-g or, The Pol. of the Family.
.1 The Captain of the Club; or. The Rival Athletes.
101 Jack Hark-way in New York.

BY COLONEL BELLE SARA.

108 The Lion ofthe Sea; or, The Vallod My.
180 Cool Dos-0nd. or. The Gambler's Big Gm

 
BY LIEU-T. H. D. PERRY, U. H. N.
1‘“; The Boy Runaway; or, The Bucranaor of the Bay.
180 The Son Trailer; or, A Vow Well Kept.
I” Cﬂihi- Kit; or, The Myster, of Mont-uh Point.

BY HARRY HAZARD.
.28 Arltnnanw Jack: or, The Scourge of the Mines.
829 Red-Skin Toln; or, The Demon‘s Trail.
on The Mountain Devil; or, Yellow Jack, the Outlaw.

BY COL. A. F. HOLT.
890 Black Bnoknklnt or, The Masked Men of Death Canyon-
419 Kenneth, in. Knife-King.
“5 Little Lightfoot, the Pilot of the “'ocds.

BY CAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR. U. S. A.

I91 Bnl'nlo Billy. the Boy Bullwhachr; or, The Doomed
Thirteen.

124 Bnlnlo Bill’s Bet; or. The Gambler Guido.

BY J. W. OSBON.

489 The Rival Giants ofNowhar'.
428 (‘nctna Burr, the Man from Hard Luck.

BY FREDERICK DE‘Y EY.

81. Ci-nrron Jack, the King-Pin of mile-Shots.
478 Tango-and, the Do an Detective.

BY EDB'ARD WILLETT.

IO? AM Scott, the Steamboat Boy.

19’ Featherweight, the Boy Champion of the Mmkingmn.
228 Olnrk Alf; or, Featherweight Among the Outlaws.
282 The Typo Detective; t-v. “'mwi. the Buy Tramp.
295 Fenrlou l'hll; hr. The k.uu .
81] The Roving Sport 1 «r. 'l‘hv i‘r ~- oi Chm-kaiurk Camp-
822 Reno, the Detective; or, Kit K-myon‘s Vendetta.
840 Clip, the Contortionlatl 01'. The Muutunl vigilant“.

i‘i-mr ziille.

BY BUCKSle SAM (Major Son. 8. Hall.)

284 21d Rocky’s “ Boyeesg" or, Benita, the Young Horse-
rtﬂ CY.

246 Giant George; or, The Ang'l of the Range.
2715 Arizona Jack 3 or, Giant. George‘s rod.
29? The Tarantula of Tami; or. Giant George's Revenge.
80'? The Strange PIN]; or, Little Ben's Delih Hunt.
BIS Ker-whoop. Ker-Whoo; or, The Tarantula of Tues.
82? Creeping Cut, the Cnddo; or. The Rod and White Fords.
882 Frlo Fred 3 or, The Tonkau-ay's Trust.
844 The Fighting Trio; or. Rattlesnake, tho Tonkswsy.
349 “'ild “'olf; or, Bigfoot Wallace to the Fr--nt.
8:»? The Ranch Raiders: or, The. Siege of Fort Purgatory.
804 Snap-Shot, the Boy Ranger.
375 Chiotn. the Creel; l or, The Three Thunderbolts.
881 Handel-a Bill; or Frio Frank to the Front.
892 Romeo and the Reds; or. The Belesguend Ranch.
404 Little Luriut: or, l‘rcan Pete’s Big Rampage.
414 The Daily from Denver.
427 The Three Trailer-a: or, Old Bothy on the Runpngo.
442 Blair Bill: or, The Lynx oi the Leona.
455 Little Lone Star; or, The Belle of the Clbolo.

HISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS.
4 The “'ild-Horoe Hunters. By Capt Mayne Reid and
Frederick Whittaker.

9 Adventure- of Baron Munchnuoon.

12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Swift.
]4 Alnddin; or, The Wonderful Lamp.

18 Robinson Crusoe. (91 lllullraiions.)

18 Sindbnd the Sailor. His Seven Voyages.
22 {the Son Serpent: or. The Boy Robinson Crusoe. By Joan

Wll.

88 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, The Red Piratos of the
Carribren By S. W. Piano.

80 This; Boy Clown; or, The Queen of the Arena. By Frank
a. nn.

.8 Ned “'yldo. the Boy Scout. By Texas chh.
51 Tchle Boy Bile-3 or, The Underground Camp. By Archie.
. runs.

as The Rival Rovers; or, 11.. Freebooters oftho nwy.,é:

By Lieut.~Coi. Hauiline.

as Robin Hood. the owan and; «.11.. Merry Boa .r on..." ""

33‘ Prof. Glider-leave.

Wood.

105 old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain. ' |

Hamilton Holmes.
“2 The lad Hunter; or, TheCave ofDesLh. By Bum-8m.
I“ army. the Tex-u: or, The Young Champion. By Georg.
essnn.

128 The Young Privateer; or, The Pirate's Stronghold- Dy
Harry Cavendish. \

148 Sh." Snug or, The Adventures ofa Frisndiaas Boy. By J. 1

Alexander Patton.

22'! Dnok Darrel 'l' . or, The 0 Re If Y —
lowstohe. By unharm“. M up, 0 h. d
2.1  Fonrnnnght, the New York Boy. By MI...
I CB.
200 Rillh‘ar. the Guide; onbuy Crochott's Crooked Trail.
By Ensign C. D. Warren.
on Red Clnw the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The “aid ol the CHI.
By Captain h.
.1? Pewk Pete, the Lively Led from Ludvillo. By Dione
tenant Alirod Thoma.
228 The Sky Defective; or, A Boy’s Fight for Life and Honor.
By Hsio- Mickey Free.
use Rod Ralph. the River Rover; or, The Brother's Ro-
venge. By Nod Buntlina.
.05 Baltimore Ben. the Boolblaclr Detective. By A. P. Harris.
I“ gold-Dust Tau; or, Ben's Double Hatch. By George H.
moo.

3?. California Joe’s l'irot Troll. By Colonel noun.
Hoyrr Monday.

‘12 Billy Bo-hlhell. tho Clil‘ Climber. By I. l. Winthrop.
“0 Little Foxhot. the Gold Bowie Kid. By Arthur C. Crisco...
‘7. The Black Ship. By Juill 8. Winner.

"84 Co—nnehe Dick and His Three Invineihkn. I!
Honrv J.’l"homas.

m  or, The Double Face ofﬂod loci.

A New Inna Every Tnoodny.
The Half-Dine Library is for uni. by an ﬂowed-ah...“
“is nor copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six unto ouch.
smut [inn mans. Pnblhhuo.
as wan... Shoot. sow x-a.‘

L469

,\\". ‘.
m..- a.

r;
“i.

     
‘i fit; 

 
i
i


5.
E
t;
i

r

 
i
s

 
';

. .. L”... .... .WD..-.... ......._,.7 - .4... . .-..._.- - .. .. .

BEADLE’SaeHALF-DIMErLIBRARY.

Published Every Tuesday. Each Ism Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers.

 
DY EDWARD L. WHEELER.

Deadwood Dick Novela.
l Deadwood Dirk, the Prince of the Road.
'0 Don hie Dagger- or, Deadwood Dick’e Dedanea
88 Buifnio Hen; or, )eadwood Dirk in Diegnlee.
‘5 “'lld lVIllIe the Boy Clrtude lluvnl.
Phantom Miner; or, Deadwm-d Dirk’l Bonanaa.
49 omﬂilﬂ out or Deadwood Dir-k in Danger.
5i Deadwood )iclt'e Engine: or, The l'anla of Flood Ber.
73 Deadwood Dick on Duck: or. Calamity Jane, the Heroine.
T7 Corduroy ('huriic; or. ilerulwoud Dick'e Laat Act.
[00 Deadwood Dirk in Lead ville.
‘04 Dead wood lilok‘a lien lee: or, The Double Crone Sign.
[09 Deudn‘ood Dirk aa Detective.
139 Deadwood Dlek‘a Double: or, The Ghoet oi Gorgon'e

Gulch.
[.58 lilande "ill; on Deadwood Dick‘a Home Bane.
I49 A Game of Gold; or. lira-lwwd Dick'a Big Strike.
158 Deadwood Dink oi' Deadwood or, The Picked Part .
I95 Deadwood Dick'a Dream; or, he Rinia ol' the .
901 The Him-k iillle Jeeehei; or, Deadwood Dick’e Ward.
’05 Deadwood Diek'e Doom; or. Calamity Jane’e hat Ad-
venture.
.17 Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Bri and.
.21 SI! ar-Coated Sam; or, The Blue Gown.
.3. Go d—Duat Die-k. A Rnnmme of Rough- and Tonghe.
308 Deadwood Die " Divide or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake.
.08 Deadwood Dick a Death rail.
.09 Deadwood Diek’e Big Deal: or, The Gold Brick oi

Oregon.
821 Deadwood Dlek'e Dozen; or, The Faklr ofPhaniom Flea.
.47 Deadwood Diek'e Dueata; or, ltalny Daye in the Dig-

mun.
C51 Deadwood Diek Sonteneed; or The Terrible Vendetta.
CC. lFlleadweod Dick’e Claim; or, The Fairy Face oi Faro

ete.
405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City.
410 Deadwood Dick’e Diamonde; or, The Myetery of Jean

orter.

4.1 Deadwood Dick in New York; or, A “ Cute Case."
“0 Deadde Dirk’e Duet; or, The Chained llnnd.

448 Deadwood Dick, Jr.

MB Nickel-Plate Ned; or. Deadwood Dick Jr'l Deﬂanee.
458 SunﬂoWer Sara, 0! Shaun; or, Deadwood Drek Jr’a l'nll

  
“and.
“9 Float Fan, the Ferret; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’a Big Ronnd-
’-
405 Bhiiomriy. oi Phenlx; ov, Deadwood Dick Jr’e Racket ai
m

eri Bole-Ian mu; or. Deadwood out Jr. Corral.

470 Humboldt Harry, the Hurricane; or. Deadwood Diek .ir'e
Dog Detective.

431 gall Hyetery; or, Deadwood Dick Jr. in Deadwood.

491 J rings. I’i‘etol, the King of the Want; or, Deadwood Dink
r’a Inpac .

 
‘9. lo. g. or no, ’1!“ or. Deadwood Dick .lr'e inheritance.
500 ‘ Diek’e Digﬁinga ; or, Dr. Death-Grip’a Sweep.
503 Don vv Dick'e De verauee.

515 h: w Dick'n Protegee.

58! Dee vv Diek’e Three.

 
other Novela by E. L Wheeler.

86 Cievea Hoof, the Bnﬂnlo Demon.
82 Bob \melf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot
liieatlt-Faue. Detective; or. Life in New York.
Old Avalanche or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigaad.
J D. Hind-0e, r., the Boy Phenix.
kiuohhora Bill! or. The Red Rifle Team.
eld little the h shooter; or. The 110 new",
ltud ileh Mot, ngget Ned. the Ru ht.
84 ldyl, the Girl . iner; or, Roeebud Rob on Hand.
88 Pitchfra‘: l’illl or, Kubnd Roi-‘e Roan “ma,
93 Gala at 1‘ (I or. Id Anaconda in Sitting Jitll’a Camp.
Watch-E e; or, Arahe nlld Angela oia Greet City.
Ill Jaeh Hey e the Young Sveculator.
111 Gilt-Edged ltiek, the Sp-rt Detective.
1'1 Diana-non Chlr the Girl Sport.
[.5 Berra-1a iiill. . iner.
I lion itoh the King of 800 lacka
I la". “III the Boy Road-A nt.
1“ Captain orret, the New York Detective; or, Iona Bob’-

0 .
IO; Now York Neil the Boy-Girl Detective.
17 Nohlt Niok of Nevada; or. The Sierra Scamp.
131 Wild Frank, the Buck-kin Bravo.
3 9 rita, the Bound-Bo Detective.
rita to the Front ; or, The Ventril
aoeaer the by Sharp; or, The Arab
Apollo Hill, the Trail Tornado.
’4. 0 elone Kit, the Young Gladiator.
S m am, the Frontier Ferret.
Sierra Sauna secret; or The Bloody Foot rinta.
Slam Sal-’0 Paul; or, li‘he Angel 0| m: in.
.58 Sierra ﬂam’a Seven; or The Stolen Brl .

'a-he Jo the Bo Pietro ; or The Rival Heire.
a i reever will. the timed" out...
3 I

 
niet Hnniu.
teetlwe.

beaver Doil‘e Victory.
Delverhlioll‘i‘a irooy Lon Little lili'a Bonann.
"at .t e oy ‘erre
llenver Doll a Dr"! M. The Road Queen.

it No. 1, the Dnehinu oil-Taker.
'EAIIa Jane, the 'iirl Miner; or. the iron-Nerved Sr“.

elley Illeke dc Conn nu . the Sleethe oiP lladelphia.
.itue halek- at or,’ in ad rm oi .m.
Kangaroo Kit; or. he Myeteriou Miner.
.iaa aroo Kit’e Racket.

all ttaa Mike, the Bowery Blood.
trot-Clan- Fred, the Gent irorn Gopher.
C Ezeka din. the Gold-Gatherer; er. he Wy ei
Yeah Jin’e Prise.
In Name: Nod; or, The Secret of Slab City.
. ool Kl the King of Kl or, A Villain'e Vengeanee.
reha J rn’l Joker; or. he Rivele of Red No...
89 Bicycle lien; or. The Lion of Lightning lode.
Yreh Jill of Yuha Dan.
Wrintlea, the N ight-Waich Detective.
10 igh Ilat Harry. the Bun Ball Detective.
an aheidea. the Booger-Bo Detective.
4 I- Beah and Pal. Perate Dene

It. Fe Bel, the Slaeher.
Iaalakil
i:

 
3'23

§

I... the Sparkter.

DY ALBERT w. AIKEN.

Th0 Two Detective" or, The Fortune eia Bowery Girl.
A“ Celt. the Crow-Killer.
er, the Giant Tra .

19 SP"

eel; e eff-gale ilieBeyPard.

ow goth “Ak‘l‘agogrigeaad’giar'h Get...
at 11:. thorium... "'m "m"

rad tk rm emanated“.
0eth iew Yerh.

BY COLONEL PRENTISB INGRAHAH.

1 The Fl ing Yankee; Or, The Ocean Outcnlt.
17 Ralph (0%, the ltoy Buccan‘er; or The Fugitive Yacht.
24 Diamond lrk Lor, The Myatr-ry o! the Yellouetong.
0% The Shadow H In; or. The Rival Lieutennnta.

75 The Roy Dnelint; or. The Crniea of the Sea-Wolf.
109 Dick Dead-E 'e, the Boy Smuzgirr.
1| I Tl“: Sen-Dev l; or, The .‘lldallhvlillill'l Lug-try.
116 The llnnaar Ca rtnln; nr, 1 he llmmit oi llell Cute.
19? Little Grit; or. role, llie Siock-Teml. r‘l Daughter.
204 Gold I’lllllei or. The Kiri-(ilmrs SlurrL
2‘6 Iii-on Bill the Prince oi the liri ll.
22” Grit. the llruvo ﬁport; or, The Woman Trailer.
229 Crimean Kute or, The (‘owhoy’e 'l'rlulnp
337 Lone Mar. tho- Lowlioy Cn ilain.
245 .‘lt‘t'lt‘ lili.‘ Mldlly ‘ ur,‘ lie Freelnnv‘i- llr-lr.
250 The ﬁlidnllipman . iutlueur; or. Brandt, the Bucunnn
864 The Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte‘e Treaeure

ialnnd.
269 The Gold Shin; or, Merle, the Condemned.
376 Elderly, Monto- Cruieo; or, The Chute of “The Gold
. p.

2R0 Merle Monto‘e Fate; or. Purl, the i’lrnw'e Bride.

4 The Sea Marauder; or, Merle Mnnie'a Pledge.
2"? lillly lilIIu-I‘Iyea, the Boy Run-r n-l' llln lilo Granule.
804 The Dead Hltot Dandy; or, lirnitu. the Buy Bugler.
80"! Keno kit; or, lieml shut lhrnvly‘s Dunhle.
814 Thel Myatorioue Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler'a Long

Yul . .

87? i onodel. the Boy Rove-r; or, The Fluglese Sclloonar.
858 The Indium Pilot; ur. The Search for Pirate inland.
as? “'nrpntii “’Ill, the lioy l’hnntoui.
898 Senwuii‘, the liny Lieummm.
402 landor. the Young (Virrnapirator; or The Fatal League.
40'? The iim' Inn-urgent; nr. l‘he Cuhan Vendetta.
4|? ’l‘he \\ ild Yacht-mun ; ur. The War-Ciaae’e Crulee.
429 Duncan Dare, the Dov lluiiluer.
488 A Cabin Do 'a Luck; or. The Cerealr.
43!? The lira Ha tier.
44] The (it-cull Fireﬂy; or, A Middy'a Ve. germ“,
446 Hrtphnzurd Harry; or, The Srupo row of the sea.
450 “ Izard “'III or, he Iin Ferre.o New York.
451 “'lzurd \t'ill :- Street couta.
462 The Horn Guide; or. The Snilur Boy Wanderer.
468 Neptune Ned, the It» Coneter.
474 Flora; or, Wizard Wl 'e Vu nhond Pnrd.
4H3 Ferret: Aﬂoat nr Wllard 'lll’e Laat Cane.
4“? Nevada Ned. t e ilevolver Ranger.
495 Arizona Joe the Boy Pnrd of'l‘exne Jack.
49? Hack Taylor llan oi th-l Cowhoya.
mm The Royal than,” or. The sum and the Sea ca.
50? The Hunted Mitilhl'llﬂl.
511 The (intlawod Mlddy.
520 lint-kakin Hill, the (‘onnenche Shadow.
5135 Brethere iu Baekahia.

BY CHARLES MORRIO.

118 WI“ Semen, the Boy Detective.

1" I’lll llﬂl’dy. the HUII lluy.

120 l’it-ayune '0“; or, Nicodemue, the Dog Detective.

180 Detective Dick; or, The Hero in Rep.

143 Hand-tome Ilarry, tho Bo-thlru'k Detective.

147 “'1” W I ﬁre the Thoroughbred.

15’ Black lit-III. will Wildﬁre} Rater.

15? Mike- Me-rry, the ilnrhnr l‘niive Boy.

16% “'ill “'ildllre in the “'oode.

165 Dilly Hag age, the Railroad lir‘uy.

170 \ 'l‘rura ard; or, Will Wild re Wine and been.

17-1 Hob lloo ett; or, Mytteriu of New York.

1?” Hub Roe-lieu. the Bank Runner.

138 The Hidden Hand tor, Will Wildﬂre’e Revenge.

18‘! Fred Hulyard. the lie Boat lien; or. The Smoggiere.

1N0 Hob Hoe-ken; or. Driven in the Wall.

196 shadowed or, Bob RMltet‘t'I Fight for Life.

906 Dark I’au the Tiger King.

2|!) Daahlug Dave, the Dandy Detective.

“it Tom 'l‘anaor or The it nck Sheep oi the Flock.

89") Ham Chan-on the Prenrinm Darky.

285 shadow Dam, the Memnger lioy.

Ill! The ‘wo “ lilooda ”; or. Shenandoah Bill and ﬁle Gang.

259 Dink )naimwuy; or, A lhdumr liuy In Chicago.

git” The Young ﬂleatila; or, liollicking Mlke’a Hot Trail.
74 Jolly Jim; the Detective An rentice.

289 Jolly Jim in Job; or, The oun Detective.

29H Th1- Wnter-Hound; or.The uung Theron hhred.

805 Daehaway, of Dakota; or, A Weetern in the Quaker

( ii '.
88-1 lta’lph Heady, the Hotel lioy Detective.
341 Tony Thorne. the Vagabond Detective.
B58 The Reporter-Detective; or, Fred Flyer'e Bil-nerd.
861 W ide-A wake Joe; or, A linyui‘ihe Tim-e.
879 Larr- . the Leveier; or. The lil-vmia oi the Bonievud.
408 Fire y Jack, the RiverRut lleirr'tiVe.
498 The Loot Fin or; or, The Entrapped Caahier.
 Fred Flyer ii” lit-porirr Doim‘liva.
4B! luvinnib e an. the Pinkerton Ferret.
456 Hill ‘ "rick. tn! Jolly Vagabond.
466 “'h |‘-.'\“'I|k(5 Jerry, lh‘u-Mlve; or, Entombed Alive.
4?" Del votin- Dod e ; or, The lilyetery of Frank ilaerty.
4N“ “'ild Dink Hm- t-t. \
501 lloota. the Boy Fireman ; or, Too Sharp for the Sharper_

BY JOSEPH E. BADGER. JR.

3 Yellow“ Jack; or, The Tra .
43 Dim-k Join thr RIwLAgent; or. m Outiaw’a Retreat
65 Hurricane Dill; or. Multang Srnn and Hie Paul.

119 Muetan Hunter. The King of the Plain.

136 V1 ht-lfawlt 'lt; or, The Daugllier of the Ranch.
144 Do aty 1. ace the Boy Sport.

15l l’anﬂler a I: or, Dainty lance to the Rome.

160 The Black lantyo‘z Daintv Lance in Jeopardy.

It"! Deadl Duh or, lg ting Fire with Fire.

184 The oy ’l‘ra ion; or. Dainty Lance on the War-Path.
808 The Ho l’arda; or. Dainty Lance Urnmuke.

.11 Crook Cale, the Caliban oICeleetIaI City.

I 0 Th “errant-a Wolf; or. The Benetlinl Deeoy.

Th illaek Hider; or The llom-Thievee’ begin.
ash Itid Del-hie rm or, in. am... one. .

King oi" tin- nod-u or ll'tlllﬂl Boou'l Laet Tllil.
“9 Kit Fox. the Border Boy Detective.

 
BY EDWARD S. ELLIS.

0 Bill Ridden, Tran».

8 Seth aaee; er e Clptivee ofihe Frontier.

0 Nat odd or, The Fate 0! the Sioux Captive.

1 The Front er Angel.

e Bey liner-r or, The Enchanted inland.

‘ I. The llaated Hunter; or, The Siva Kareem-I.

 
The Half-Bleed; or, The Panther the Plain.
.71 The Huge Heater; or. The Steam In.

DY BUFFALC BILL (Hon. Wu. F. Cody).

5 Kanaaa King; or, The Red Right Hand.
19 The Phantom 8 y: or, The Hint of the Prairie.
55 Deadly-Eye. the nknown Scout.
Gill Border Robin Hood; or The Prairie Rover.
158 Farley Frank of Colorado; or, The Trepper’a Treat.

BY OLL COOMES.

5 Vagabond Joe. the Young Wandering Jaw.

18 The Durnb Spy.

2? Antelo e Abe, the Boy Guide.

8| Kt-en- nli’o, the l’rilwe oi the l’ralriea.

4| Lunao Jack, the Young )Irremngrr.

59 The Horde-r Kin‘g; or. The net-rut Foe.

7| Ill-lawn“: Die-k. l a Young R-u.er Spy.

74 Hawk-en- Harry, ilir Young Trapper Roger.

88 Rollo, the Her I on or.
184 Euro Nilot lie-t , th— -_\~ Rlﬂelnan.
148 Soar-ane haul, the Silent Hunter.
146 h‘ilver Star, the lioy Knight.
158 Eagle Hit. the Boy Demon.
168 Little Texan, the Young Mnetanger.
l7! Did Eolltltry. the Hermit Tra uper.
182 Little Hurricane, tlw iio nptein.

N l’roe out i’eie; or, The 'unnrz Outlaw Huntere.

(N The oy Hort-ulnar 07.1119. Prairie Tramp.
218 Tiger Tom. the Tune Tetrun
22 i Dru-hi "Ink; or. 'I rum-er Tom’a Cnatla.
‘22" LittleI 'ildilre, the Young Prairie Nomad.
23K The l'aruuat Detective; or, The Little Ranger.
248 The Diagnlned Guide; or, Wild anen, the Ranger.
260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger.
2?” )lllthliiill Mike, the lioy Shnrpnhoolal'.
290 Little Foxiire, the Boy Spy,
800 'l in- Fiﬁ, Demon ; or. Ruinbnlt, the Ranger.
8N4 “'Mu-kiug Joe, the liov Ranchero.
409 err-ulce- nr, hit-ll, the Boy Ranger.
4| 7 'olri‘oot one. the ’i‘nunp Detective.
4!! Hub Sam, the "my Giant oi the Yellowatoae.
444 Litt e Huck-kin. tile YonnL’ i’rnirie Centaur.
45? \\ ingrdi'oot Fred; or. (lid i'olnr Saul.
463 'I'nmaruo 'l'oln. the lilg Trn nper lioy.

78 Did ’I‘orn Hattie:- the Red lver Epidemle.
482 Stonewall Hob, the Boy Trojan.

BY '1‘. C. HAHBAUGH.
28 Nick 0’ the Night; or. The Boy Spy oi '16.
87 The Hidden Lodge; or The Little Honk.
4? Nightingale Nut; 01, Tne Foreat Captain.
64 Dandy Jack; or, The Ontiawe oi the Oregon Trdle
88 Hit Ilnrei’oot the Wood-Hawk.
94 Midnight Jack ; or, The Boy Trapper.
106 Old Froaty, the Guide; or, The White Qua.
188 Kiowa Charley the White Mneianger.
18’ Judge Ly nob, Jr.t 0?. Th0 Boy Vlailenia.
155 Gold Trigger, the Sport; or, The Girl Avenger.
169 Tornado Ton; of, lnjnn Jack From Red Core.
1’18 Ned Temple, the Border Boy.
198 Arkanaow; or, The Qu-wn oi Fate’- Revenge.
201' Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter.
815 Captain Bullet; or. Little Topknot’e Creaede.
281 Plueky Phil; or. Roan, the Rel Janehel.
341 Bill Bravo; or, The Renghe oi the Rankine.
255 Captain Apoilu, the King-Pin «Bowie.
.6? The Hack-kin Detective.
‘79 "Id Winch; or, The Buck-kin Deeper“...
994 Dynamite Dan; or. The Bowie Blade of Cocheiooa.
803 The Mountain Deteetive; or, TheTrlgger her Daily.
'16 Did Erllpae, Trump Card of Ariaona.
826 The Tea l’arda; or. The Terror of Take-Notiee.
886 Big Deli-on; or, The Queen oi the law.
845 Pitileal Matt; 0', Red Thunderbolt’e Secret.
856 Cmril-aru nnd Peril; or The TerrihleSlx.
866 Velvet Feet, the lndlan Detective.
88¢ Captain Cutlaea; or, 'I he Bweaneer'e Girl Fee.
89‘ Rough Rob; or. The l'wln Champion: oi Blue Bland.
411 The Silken Laue; or, The Bone oi Ranch Rohia.
413 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter.
485 Texna Trump. the Border Rattler.
486 Phil Flat-h, the New York Fox.
445 The City Sleutha; or, Red Rolfe’i Pigeon.
461 one Again-t Fifty; or, The heat Man of Keno In.
470 The Boy Shadow; or. Felix Fox‘l Hunt.
4?? The Excel-hr Sport; or, The Wuhlngton better.
499 Single Right, the One-Eyed Sport.
503 Branded Den, the Night Ferret.
513 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective.
5.1 Dodger Diek’e Beet Dodge.

LATEST AND NEW ISSUES.

527 The Jolly Parde to the Beer-e. By r. S. Wane.
EB F loo the B0 Shadow B T. .
8 miner”: "v ~ ’ 0 "ma-

5” Deadwood Dick'l Danger Dacha. By I. 1.. Wheeler.
Reedy Seme it
580 Th 8 hell Bowen. Gal. r. in
ex, on”: .o. " wh-
581 Daley Dare, the Sport from Denver. By Willia- 0. Paula.
Ready September 9".
580 The Cowboy Dako- Dy Edwin hreoke Fallen.
Ready October 4.
Wraaﬂiagnox thePrid eitheSiath Wall.
5“ Plane. Reedy Octo’her 11. . h h
A New Ieeae Every Taeeday.
The Dav-Dine Library ie ior tale by all Ml”
mupereepynreenthy mall on reeeipteidxeeateeaeh.
nmu AND “All. Pam

 
“WEE-Min!“

 
raw
.7

 
., .v

 
x . «i\.’9.h -

 
BEADLE’S*DI'ME*EBRARY.

Published Every Wednesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Ten Cents. No Double Numbers.

1

 
BY WILLIAM R. EYSTEB.
145 Pistol Pards; or, The Silent Sport from Cinnabar.
160 Soft Hand, Sharp; or, The Man with the Sand.
182 Hands Up; or, The Knights of the Canyon.
192 The Lightning Sport.
214 The Two Cool Sports; or, Gertie of the Gulch.
229 Captain Cutsleeve; or, The Little Sport.
268 Magic Mike, the Man of Frills.
300 A sport in Spectacles; or, The Bad Time at
Bunco.
833 Derringer Dick, the Man with the Drop.
844 Double Shot Dave of the Left Hand.

856 Tim e Handsome Sports; or, The Double Com-
bination.

875 Royal George, the Three in One.

896 The Piper Detective.

402 Snapshot Sam; or. The Angels' Flat Racket.
429 Hair Trigger Tom of Red Bend.

BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID.
8 The Headless Horseman; A Strange Story of
Texas.
12 The DeathoShot; or, Tracked to Death.
55 The Scalp Hunters. A Romance of the Plains.
66 The Specter Barque. A Tale of the Paciﬁc.
74 The Captain of the Rifles; or, The Queen of the
Lakes
:00 The Riﬂe Rangers; or, Adventures in Mexico.
218 The White Chief. A Romance of Northern Mex-
co.
213 The War Trail; or, The Hunt of the Wild Horse.

213 The Wild Huntress; or, The Squatter‘s Ven.
geance. '

228 The Maroon. A Tale of Voodoo and Obeah.
234 The Hunter‘s Feast.
267 The White Squaw.

BY CAPT. FRED. WHITTAKER.

89 The Russian Spy; or, The Starry Cross Brothers.
65 The Red Rajah; or, The Scourge of the Indies.
69 The Irish Captain. A Tale of Fontenoy.

96 Double Death; or, The Spy of Wyoming.

98 The Rock Rider; or, The Spirit of the Sierra.
108 The Duke of Diamonds.

115 The Severed Head; or, The Secret of Castle
Coucy.

132 Nemo, King of the Tramps.
159 Red Rudiger, the Archer.
174 The Phantom Knights.
187 The Death’s Head Cuirassiers.
193 The Man in Red.
206 One Eye, the Cannoneer.
211 Colonel Plunger; or, The Unknown Sport.
21% Person Jim, King of the Cowboys.
226 The Mad Husssrs; or, The 0‘s and the Mac’s.
230 The Flying Dutchman of 1880.
242 The Fog Devil; or, The Skipper of the Flash.
247 Alligator Ike; or, The Secret of the Everglade.
253 A Yankee Cossack; or.The Queen of the Nihilists.
Old DoubleoSword; or, Pilots and Pirates.
.. Seth Slocum, Railroad Surveyor.
277 The Saucy Jane, Privateer.
264 The Three Frigates; or, Old Ironsides‘ Revenge.
290 The Lost Corvette; or, Blakeley‘s Last Cruise.
\295 Old Cross-Eye, the Maverick-Hunter.
308 Top-Notch Tom, the Cowboy Outlaw.
810 The Marshal of Satanstown; or, The 03mg.
Li rs’ League.
826 The Whitest Man in the Mines.
878 John Armstrong, Mechanic.
406 Old Pop Hicks. Showman.
412 Larry Locke, the Man of Iron.
445 Journeyman John. the Champion.

BY NEWTON M. CURTISS.
190 The Texan Spy; or, The Prairie Guide.
264 Giant Jake, the Patrol of the Mountain.
BY JACKSON KNOX—“ Old m‘k.”

886 Hawk Heron. the Falcon Detective.

424 Hawk Heron‘s Deputy.

444 The Magic Detective; or, The Hidden Hand.
451 Griplock, the Rocket ivetective.

BY PERCY 1!. ST. JOHN.

57 The Silent Hunter.
a The Big Hunter; or. The Queen of the Woods.

 
BY CAPTAIN MARK WILTON.

76 Lady Jaguar. the Robber Queen.
194 Don Sombrero. the California Road Gent.
202 Cactus Jack. the Giant Guide.
219 The Scorpion Brothers; or, Mad Tom’s Mission.
223 Canyon Dave, the Man of the Mountain.
227 Buckshot Ben, the Man-Hunter of Idaho.
237 Long‘Haire‘l Max; or, The Black League.
245 llarranca Bill, the Revolver Champion.
258 Bullet Head, the Colorale Bravo.
268 Iron-Armed Abe, the Hunchback Destroyer.
266 Leopard Luke the King of Horse-Thieves.
271 Sionefist, of Big Nugget Bend.
276 Texa ; Chick. the Southwest Detective.
285 Lightning Bolt, the Canyon Terror.
291 Horseshoe Hank, the Man of Big Luck.
305 Silver-Plated Sol, the Montana Rover.
311 Heavy Hand: or, The Marked Men.
823 Hotspur Hugh; or, The Banded Brothers.

BY SIM S. HALL—“ Buckskin Sam.”

8 Kit Carson, Jr., the Crack Shot.
90 Wild Will, the Mad Ranchero.
178 Dark Dashwood, the Desperate.
186 The Black Bravo; or, The Tonkaway‘s Triumph.

191 The Terrible Tonkaway; or, Old Rocky and his
Yards.

195 The Lone Star Gambler;
Maid.

199 Diamond Dick, the Dandy from Denver.

204 Big Foot Wallace, the King of the Lariat.

212 The Brazos Tigers; or. The Minute Men.

217 The Serpent of El Paso; or. Frontier Frank.
221 Desperate Duke, the Guadeloupe “ Galoot.‘

226 Rocky Mountain Al; or, The Wait of the Range.
239 The Terrible Trio; or, The Angel of the Army.
244 Merciless Mart. the Man Tiger of Missouri.

250 The Rough Riders: or. Sharp Eye the Scoprge.
256 Double Dan the Dastard; or, The Pirates.

264 The Crooked Three.

see The Bayou Bravo; or, The Terrible Trail.

278 Mountain Mose. the Gorge Outlaw.

282 The Merciless Marauders; or, Carl's Revenge.
287 Dandy Dave and his Horse, White Stocking.

298 Stla'mpede Steve; or. The Doom of the Double
ace.

301 Bowlder Bill; or, The Man from Taos.

809 Raybold, the Battling Ranger.

822 The Crimson Coyotes; or Nita the/Nemesis.
328 King Kent; or. The Bandits of the Bason.
842 Blanco Bill. the Mustang Monarch.

858 The Prince of Pan Out.

371 Gold Buttons; or, The Up Range Paras.

or, The Magnolias

BY DR. J. H. ROBINSON.
13 Pathaway; or, Nick Whifﬂes. the old Nor'west
Trapper.
17 Nightshade; or. The Robber Prince.
8 Whitelaw; or, Nattie of the Lake Shore.

37 Hirl, the Hunchback; or, The Santee Sword-
maker.

58 Silver Knife: or. The Rocky Mountain Ranger.
70 Hydrabad. the Strangler.

73 The Kni hts of the Red Cross; or, The Granada
Magic an.

163 Ben Brion; or, Redpath, the Avenger.

BY FRANCIS JOHNSON.
26 The Gold Guide; or. Steel Arm, Regulator.
26 The Death Track; or. The Mountain Outlaws.
123 Alapaha the Squaw; or. The Border Renegades.

124 Assowaum the Avenger; or, The Doom of the
Destroyer.

135 The Bush Ranger: or. The Half-Breed Rajah.
136 The Outlaw lighter; or, The Bush Ranger.
we The Border Bandit; or, The Home Thief‘s Trail.

BY GEORGE ST. GEORGE.
296 Duncan, the Sea Diver.
417 Tucson Tom; or, The Fire Trailers.

BY C. DUNNING CLARK.
164 The King‘s Fool.
183 Gilbert the Guide.

 
BY COL. THOMAS II. MONSTEBY.

& Iron Wrist. the Swordmaster.

126 The Demon Duelist; or, The League of Steel.
143 The Czar‘s Spy; or, The Nihilist League.

150 El Rubio Bravo. King of the Swordsmen.

157 Mourad, the Mameluke; or, The Three Swal-
masters.

169 Corporal Cannon. the Man of Forty Duels.

236 Champion Sam; or, The Monarchs of the Show.
262 Fighting Tom. the Terror of the Toughs.

832 Spring-Heel Jack; or, The Masked Mystery.

BY ISAAC HAWKS, Ex-Detertivo.

232 Orson On; or, The River Mystery.
240 A Cool Head; or, Orson Oxx in Peril.

BY PROF. J. H. INGRAIIAM.

118 The Sea Slipper; or, The Freebooters.

118 The Burglar Captain; or. The Fallen Star.
814 Laﬁtte; or. The Pirate of the Gulf.

316 Laﬂtte's Lieutenant; or, Child of the Sea.

BY GUSTAVE AIMABD.

15 The Tiger Slayer; or. Eagle Heart to theBescna

19 Red Cedar. the Prairie Outlaw.

so The Bandit at Bay; or, The Prairie Pirates.

21 The Trapper‘e Daughter; or, The Outlaw’s Fate.

24 Prairie Flower.

62 Loyal Heart: or. The Trappers of Arkansas.
149 The Border Riﬂes. A Tale of the Texan War.
151 The Freebooters. A Story of the Texan War. .
153 The White Scalper. "‘ :1;

MISCELLANEOUS.

6 Wildcat Bob, the Boss Bruiser. By Edme
Wheeler.

9 Handy Andy. By Samuel Lover. »  
10 Vidocq, the French Police Spy. Written by .,15'
himself. ‘

11 Midshipman Easy. By Captain Maryatt. .31..
32 B‘hoys of Yale; or, The Scrapes of Collegian . 
60 Wide Awake, the Robber King. By Frank Du- "‘

mont. ‘ , .

68The htin Tra r. B Ca J.F. .
Aug: 8 PW y pmin 0

76 The Queen’s Musketeers. By George Albany.
78 The Mysterious Spy. By Arthur M. Grainger.
102 The Masked Band- or, The Man without a Name.

 
By George L. Aiken. 
110 The Silent Riﬂeman. By H. W. Herbert. .. "5,.
125 The Blacksmith Outlaw; or, Merrie England, ’_ -. 
By Harrison Ainsworth. : e
133 Body the Rover. By William Carleton. ~ 

no The Three Spaniards. ByGeo. Walker. 
144 The Hunchback of Notre Dame. By Victor  '

Hugo.
146 The Doctor Detective. By George Lemuel. - r
152 Captain lronnerve, the Connteri'eiter Chief.
158 The Doomed Dozen. By Dr. Frank Powell.

166 Owlet, the Robber Prince. By Septimus L
Urban.

179 Conrad, the Convict. By Prof. Glidersleeve.
190 The Three Guardsmen. By Alexander Dumas.

an Black Sam, the Prairie Thunderbolt. ‘
Jo Yards. By ca. '

275 The Smurgler Cutter; or, The Cavern in 
Cliﬂ. By J. D. Conroy. '

312 Kinkfoot Karl, the Mountain Scourge. nylons _ ‘
ris Redwing.

330 Col? Colt, the Quaker City Detective. By can.
01118.
350 Flash Falcon, the Society Detective. By Weldon
J. Cobb.

853 Bart Brennan; or. The King of Straight Flush.‘
By John Cuthbert.

866 The Telegraph Detective. By George Hair.
Morse.

410 Sarah Brown, Detective. By K. F. Hill.
428 The Fl g Glim' or, The Island Lure. B Lap.
 , y

A new issue every Wednesday.

Me’s Dino Library is for sale by all
Newsdealers, ten cents per-copy. or sent by male-
neoeipt of twelve cents each. BEADLE & AD
Publishers. 8 mm New York. '

 
“.‘ﬁ-QV» - ..M w ..


I 1,
s
.5.
5,. i,

.‘x
i
9,.
y ‘.

   
‘ . 41: Captain Coldgri

' 7‘. ., $0 The Masked M tery; or. The

7.31:: MarkMaglc.

"~ ' ' ' " "" ' ‘5". f‘f':;.~;:lr.‘.‘é:ti 

a .. ,A- . <
I.-".

i

I BEADLE’SrDIMErﬂBRARY.

Published Every Wednesday. ' Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Ten Cents. No Double Numbers.

 
BY COL. PBEN'I‘ISS INGRAIIAM.

S The Dare Devil; or, The Winged Sna Witch.
85 The Cretan Rover; or. Zulelkah the Beautiful.
89 The Pirate Prince; or. The Queen of the Isle.
94 Freelance. the Buccaneer.
108 Merle, the Mntinecr; or. The Red Anchor Brand.
104 Montezmna. the Merciless.
109 Cap‘ain Kyd. tue King of the Black Flag.
116 Black Plume; or The Sorceress of Hell Gate.
1 The Sea. Cadet; or, The Rover of the Rigoletts.
The Chevalier Corsair; or The Heritage.
181 Buckskin Sam. the Texas Trailer.

 
184 Dar . Dan. the Colored Detective.
139 Fire --; or. The Bride of a Buccaneer.
147 Gold pur. the Gentleman from Texas.

155 The Comair Queen: Or. The Gypsies of the Sea.
16% The Mad Mariner; 0r. Di honored and Disowned
168 Wild Bill, the Pistol ~ Shot.

172 Black Pirate; or. The Golden Fetters Mystery.
177 Don Diablo. the Planter-Corsair.

181 The Scarlet Schooner; or. The Sea Nemesis.

184 The Ocean Vam ire; or. The Castle Heiress.
189 \ild Bill‘s Gold rail; or. The Des crate Dozen.
196 The Skeleton Schooner; or, The Sk mmer.

£15 The'Gambl ‘1' Pirate; or. Lady of the Lagoon.
210 Buccaneer Bess the Lioness of the Sea.

216 The Corsair Planter; or. Driven to D mm.

2!) The Specter Yacht; or, A Brother's Clam-y.

224 Black Beard. the Humane r.

$1 The Kid Glove Miner; or. The M 1-'l(.' Doctor.

23') Red L htning,r the Man of Ch unat-

246 user: eleu, the Amazon of rho Overland.

255 c Pirate Priest; or, Thu Gambler‘s Daughter.
959 Cutlass and Cross' or. the Ghouls of the Sea.
231 TheSea Owl; or. The Lad On this or the Gulf.
W The Phantom Pirate; or. T he ater Wolves.

318 The 1ndi 1.11 nuccaneer; or. lhc Red Rovers.

85 The Gentlwm lll Pirate; or. The Casco H--rmits.
an The League at Three: or. Buif'tlo Bill‘s Pledge.
836 The Magic Ship; or, Sandy Hook Fneeb )otcrs.
341 The S -a Desperado.

346 Ocean Guerrillas; or. Phantom Midshigman.
862 Buﬂalo Bill’s Grip; or Oath Bound to nster.
864 The Sea Fugitive; or, Th.- Quecn of the Coast.
869 The Coast Corsair; or, The Siren oi' the Sea.
’37?! Sailor of Fortune; or, The B true at Buccaneer.

388 The Giant Buccaneer; or, The Wrecker V itch.

898 The Convict Captian; or, The Battles of the
~ Buccaneers.

899 The New Monte Cristo.

418 The Sea Siren: or, The Fugitive Privateer.

425 The Sea Sword; or. The Ocean Rivals.

H . 4K) The Fatal Frigate- or. Rivals in Love and War.

433 The One-Armed uccaneer.

 440 Ocean Ogre, the Outcast Corsair.

BY OLL GOODIES.

7 Death Notch. the Destroyer.

48 Dikota Dan. the Reckless Ranger.

44 Old Dan Rackback the Great Extarminator.
46 B mic-Knife Ben t e Nor‘wat Hunter.

48 ldaho Tom the Young Outlaw of Silverland.
51 Red Bob. the Boy RoadvA cut.

99 The Giant Riﬂeman; or. ild Camp Lite. ‘
187 Long Beard. the Giant Spy.
148 One-Armed Alt. the Giant Hunter.

‘ BY CAPTAIN HOWARD HOLMES.

973 Hercules Goldspur the Man of the Velvet Hand.
M Broadcloth Burt. the Dcnver Dandy.
881 alifornia Claude, the Lone Bandit.

.'  in Flash Dan. the Nabob; or. Blades of Bowie Bar.

840 Cool Conrad. the Dakota Detective.
847 Denver Duke. the Man With " Sand.”
852 The rate Dolen.

,  366 Keen Kennard, the Shasta Shadow.

874 Major Blister, the Sport of Two Cities.

as: The Bananm Band; or Dread Don of Cool Clan.
' 392 The Lost Bonanza; or. The Boot of Silent Hound.
400 mptaln Coldgrip; or. The New York Spotter.
40? Captain Coldgrip’s None or. Injun Nick.
in New ork.

4!! Fa her Ferret, t e Frisco Shadow.

434 Lucifer Lynx. the Wonder Detective.

441 The California Sleuth.
'44? Volcano. the Frisco Sp

. Y-
 ‘s; Captain Coldgrlp’s Long Trail.
. 1,’ . BY ANTHONY p. MORRIS.

5 The Fire Fiends; or. Hercules. Hunchback.
- 96 Ash?, the Axman; or, The Palace Secrets.
100 The rench Spy; or. The Bride of Paris.
, 187 The Man of Steel. Tale of Love and Terror.
’ 15 Ma ider; or The Beautiful 8 hinx.

' k ound the Crescent Cit tective.
lack Crescent.
'ﬂllectro Bate. t e Man of File.

Iii The Roughs of Richmond.
Detective.
834 Thqg‘ﬁi‘pber Detective; or, Mark Magic's New

'1 , .843 The Head Hunter; or. Mark Magic in the Mine.

Si! Jack Simona. Detective.

 . g Sliver Sun. the Detective.

« Colonel Double-Edge, the Cattle Baron's Pard.
411 The White k; or, Old Hark’e Fortress.

an The Old Ever port; or. A Man of Honor.

as Salamander Sam.

, 404 The Night Raider.

377 Aﬂoat and Ashore: or, The Coma r Cons )irator. ‘

I
BY BUFFALO BILL (Hon. W. 1". Cody).

59 Death-Trailer. the Chief of Scouts.

83 Gold Bullet Sport; or, Knights of the Overland.
; 243 line Pilgrim Shag); or. The Soldier 5 Sweetheart.
' 304 Texas Jack. the ralrie Rattler.

319 Wild Bill. the Whirlwind of the West.

Bill White Beaver. the Exile of the Platte.

897 The Wizard Brothers; or, White B aver s Trail.
401 On. ~Ai'.ned Pard; or. Borderland Retribution.
414 Red Renard, the Indian Dctecdvu.

BY MAJOR DANGERFIELD BURR.

92 Buﬂalo Bill, the Buckskin King.
117 Dashing Dandy; or, The- Hotspur of the Hills.
142 Cu tain Crimson, the Man of the iron Face.
156 Va vet Face, the Border Bravo.

175 Wild Bill‘s ’i‘rump Card; or. The Indian Heiress.
188 The Phantom Maze pa; or, The Hyena.
448 Hark Kenton. the raitor.

BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR.

29 Three-Fingercd Jack, the Road-Agent.
30 Gospel George; or. Fier Fred. the Outlaw.
40 Lon ~Hairrd Pal ds; or, he Tarters of the Plains.
45 Old ull’s-Eye, the Lightning Shot.
47 Paciﬁc Pete, the Prince of the Revolver.
50 Jack Rabbit, the Prairie S m.
64 Doubt-«Sight. the Death S not.
67 The Boy Jockev: or, Honest y vs Crookedness.
71 (‘aptnin Cool Blade; or, Mississlp )1 Man Shark.
88 Big George; or. The Five Outlaw rothers.
105 Dan Brown of Denn-r; or. Thn- Detective.
119 Alabama Joe; or. The Ynzoo Man-Hunters.
127 Sol Scott, the Masked Miner.
111 Equinox Tom, the liul'y of Red Rock.
154 Joaquin, the Saddle King.
165 Joaquin. the Terrible.
170 Surat William, the [rapper Detective.
180 Old ‘49; or. The Amazon of Arizona.
197 Revolver ROb' or, The Belle of Nugget Cam .
291 Pll‘dlt‘ of the Pincers: or. J oaquin‘s Death unt.
2‘13 The Old lioy of Tombstone.
241 S itfire Saul, Kin of the Rustlers.
2l9 E cphant Tom. 0 Dumngo.
257 Death Trap Diggings; or, A Hard Man from
, ‘Way Back.
283 Slvck Sam, the Devil of the. Mines. .
289 Pistol Johnny; or, O~e Man in a Thousand.
29: Moke Homer. the Boss Roustabout.
892 Faro Saul, the Handsome Hercules.
817 Frank Lizhti’oot, the Miner Detective.
3‘24 Olll Forked Lightuin -. the Soiltarv.
331 Chispa Charlc . the Goll Nugget Sport.
339 S rcad Eagle in. the Hcrcules Hide Hunter.
845 ll asked Mark, the Mounted Detective.
351 Nor‘ West Nick, the Border Detective.
355 Stormy Steve. the Mad Athlete.
360 Jumpin Jerry, the Gamecock from Sundown.
867 A Roya Flush; or, Dan Brown‘s Big Game.
872 Captain Crisp. the Man with a Record.
879 Howling Jonat "n, the Terror from Headwaters.
387 D .rk Durg. the Ishmael of the Hills.
895 Deadly Aim. the Duke of Derringer-s.
40:5 The N 'uneless Sport.
409 Rob Ro Ranch- or, The Imps of Pan Handle.
416 Monte im the Black Sheeg oi' Bismarck.
426 The Ghost Detective; or. T e Spy oi' the Secret
Service.
433 Laughing Leo; or, Sam‘s Dandy Pard.
4 i8 Oklahoma Nick.
44:1 A Cool Hand; or. Pistol Johnny‘s Picnic.
450 The host] -r Detective.

BY EDWARD WILLE'I‘T.

129 Mississippi Mose; or. a Strong Man’s Sacriﬁce.
909 Book Farley, the Bonanza Prince.

22) Bill the Blizzard; or. Red Jack‘s Crime.

948 Montana Nat. the Lion of Last Chance Camp.
974 Flush Fred the Mississippi Sport.

289 Flush Fred a Full Hand.

29S L gger Lem; or, Life in the Pine Woods.

we Hemlock Hank. Tough and True.

815 Flush Fred’s Double' or, The Squatters‘ League.
827 Terrapin Dick. the Wild wood Detective.

837 Old Gabe, the Mountain Tramp.

848 Dan Dillon. King of Crosscut.

968 The Canyon King; or, a Price on his Head.

BY NED BUNTLINE.

14 Thayendan . the Scourge' or,The War-Eagle.
16 The White izard; or. The Seminole Prophet.
18 The Sea Bandit; or, The Queen of the Isle.
as The Red Warrior; or. The Comanche Lover.
61 Captain Seawaif. the Privateer.
111 The Smuggler Ca tain' or. The Skipper‘s Crime.
122 Saul Sabberday. t e Idiot 83?.
970 Andros the Rover: or. The rate‘s Daughter.
861 Tombstone Dick, the Train Pilot.

BY WILLIAM B. MANNING.

979 The Guild Dragoon, or. The California Blood-
ioun .

9177 Colorado Rube. the Strong Arm of Hotspur.

885 Wil l Dick Turpin the Leadvllle Lion.

405 Old Baldy, the Brl adier 01‘ Buck Basin.

415 Hot Heart, the De active 8 y.

497 The Rivals of Montana Mil

487 Dee Duk- the Silent Sleuth.

442 Wil West alt. the Mountain Veteran.

449 Bluﬂ Burke. Ki 0! the Rockies.

455 Yank Yellowb the Tall Hustler of the Hills.

 
BY COLONEL BELLE SARA.
58 Silver Sam; or, The Mystery of De dwood City.
87 The Scarlet Captain; or. Prisoner of the Tower.
106 Shamus O‘Brien, the Bouid Boy of Glingal.

BY PHILIP S. WARNE.

1 A Hard Crowd; or. Gentleman Sam‘s Sister.

4 The Kidnap .r; or The Northwest Shanghai.
29 Tiger Dick. aro King; or The Cashier’s Crime.
54 Always on Hand; or. e oot-Hi.ls Sport.

S) A Man of Nerve; or, Caliban the Dwarf.

114 The Gentleman from Pike.

171 Tiger Dick. the Man of the Iron Heart.

207 01 Hard Head: or Whirlwind and his Mare. 4

251 Tiger Dick vs. iron .

2&1 Tiger Dick's Lone Han .

299 Three of a Kind; or, Tiger Dick. Iron Despard
and the SportiVe Sport.

338 Jack Sands. the Boss of the Town.

359 Yellow Jack. the Mestizo. '

380 Tiger Dick‘s Pledge; or. The Golden Serpent.

404 Silver Sid; or. A “ Daisy " Bluff.

431 California Kit. the Always on Hand.

BY J. C. COWDBICK.

390 The Giant Cupid: or Cibuta John’s Jubilee.
422 Blue Grass Burt. the. Gold Star Detective.
436 Kentucky Jean. the S rt frum Yellow Pi e.
452 Rainbow Rob, the p from Texas.

by GEORGE c. JENKS.

898 Sleepless E e, the Paciﬁc Detective.
432 The Giant orseman.

BY ALBERT \V. AIKEN.

S? The Spotter Detective; or. Girls of New York.
31 The New York Shag); or, The Flash t' Lightning“,
33 Ove‘rland Kit; or, he ldyl of Whi 9 Pine
34 Rocky Mountain Rob. the i ‘alifornia Outlaw.
35 Kentuck the Sport: or. Dick Talbot of the Mines.
36 Injun Dick; or. The Death Shot of bhasta.
38 Vclvct Hand; or, in an Dick’s Iron Grip.
41 Gold Dan; or. The hite Savage of Salt Lake.
42 The California Detective; or, The “‘1' ches of N.Y.
49 Th - Wolf Demon; or. The Kanawha Queen.
56 The Indian Mazeppa; or. Madman of the Plains.
59 The Man from l‘exas; or The Arkansas Outlaw.
63 The Winged Whale; or, he Red Rupcrt of Golf.
72 The Phantom Hand: or The 5th Avenue Heil ess.
75 Gentleman Geor e; or. Parlor. Prison and Street.
77 The Fresh of F sco; or. The Heiress.
79 Joe Phenix, the Police Spy.
81 The Human Tiger; or. A Heart of Fire.
81 Hunted Down: or, The League of Three.
91 The Winnin Oar; or. The Innkeeper’s Daughter.
93 Captain Dic Talbot. King of the Road.
97 Bronze Jack. the California Thoroughbred.
101 The Man from New York.
107 Richard Talbot. of Cinnabar.
112 Joe Phc ix. Private Detective.
130 Captain olcano: or. The Man ofRed Revolver.
161 The Wolves of New York' or, Joe Phenix's Hunt.
173 California John. the Paciﬁc Thoroughbred. ’
196 La Marmoset, the De tective Queen.
$3 The Double Detective; or.The icinight M ‘ste .
252 The Wall Street Blood; or e Telt ray Girl.
320 The Genteel s tter- or. n... N. Y. N ght Hawk.
849 iron-Hearted it k. the Gentleman Road-Agent.
851 Red Richard: on The Crimson Cross Brand.
363 Crownin held. the Sleuth; or. Pitiless as Death.
870 The Dus y Detective; or. Pursued to the End.
8.70 Black Beards; or. The Rio Grand» High Horse.
881 The vas Gentleman: or Nick Fox, elective.
884 Injun Dic . Detective; or. ked to New York.
891 Kate Scott. the Decoy Deteclive.
408 Doc Grip. the Vendetta of Death.
419 The Bat of the Battery - or. Joe Phenix, Detective.
425 The Lone Hand; or, e Red River Recreantl.
440 The High Her e of the Paciﬁc.

LATEST AND NEW ISSUES.

456 The Demon Steer. Bv Leon Lewis.

457 The Sea Insurgent. By Col. P. lngraham.

458 Dutch Dan. the Pilgrim trcm Sp lzenberg. By
Joe. E. Badger, Jr.

459 Ma or Sunsh he. the Man of Three Lives. By

m. . Ef'ster.
‘60 Ca lain Co dgrip. the City Sleuth. By Captain
oward Holmes.
461 The Fresh on the Rio Grande. By A. W. Aiken.
462 The Circus Detective. By Jackson Knox.

Ready August 81.
Gladiator. By Wm. H.
r

463 Gold Gauntlet. the Gui
Manning. Sep embe 7.
464 Sandycraw. the an of Grit.  Daniel
Ready Se tern r1 .

Boon - mont.

466 T 0 Actor Detective. By A rt W. Aiken.

ady September 21. '

466 old Rough and Ready, the Sage of Sundown.
B‘y Joe. E. Pad r. Jr. Read Septemberﬂ.

at: Ma curing. the lunander. Jackson Knox.
Ready October 5.

A mw tame every Wédimday.

Beadle’e Dinne- lernry is for sale by hi
Newsdealers, ten cents per copy, or sent by mail on
receipt of twelve cents each. ,

BEADLE AND ADAMS. human.
as William Street, New York.