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JACKSON BLAKE’S FULL  ,1/1

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HAND AT HARDTACK. I 

BY ALBERT W. AIKEN,
;t'mon or “JOE PHENXX, nu: mum: SPY." .\
“ nu: BAT or THE BATTERY," “ ovnann .‘ ‘ -‘
1:11," “THE FRESH or ‘nusco," ETC.

 

r CHAPTER I.
ALONG THE ML‘SSELSHELL.

NORTHWARD, straight as tlw crow flies, goes ‘
the trail which leads from the little town of
Livingstone, on the upper Yellowsbmw Riwr, to
the golddlggings on the heml-wnturs 0‘ the
MllSselshell in Wild, romantic Montana.

The Hardtack (listrint was the name by which
the new diggings Were generally known, and
the legend went that the original discoverer-of
the gold fields purchased his knowlmlgu frnm a
starving Sioux Indian, whom he met, by the _. -M

’ exchange of a feyv gonads 9! pilot bread, “Do NOT FIRE, FRESH or ‘Fmsco,“ gm; EXPLAIMED. “IT IS I. THE Qmammal)
“hem”! know” m t e ‘5" “ “at “8 hardtflc‘k. PIGEUN—YUL‘R FRIEND!"

  

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‘ ing in the sunlight. about a hal

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#14.

The Fresh in Montana.

 

 

 

The brave was on a hunting excursion and had
been badly wounded by the accidental discharge
of his gun.

The miner, on a prospecting tour, with the’
usual assissant, a patient little hurro (Spanish-
American for donkey) found the brave, gave him
some hardtack, all he had to spare, to keep me
within his frame, while be hunted up the lndian’s

‘ companions.

In gratitude the red chief revealed to the
miner the secret of the rich deposits of gold in
the section now known as the Hardtack Diggings.

It was a very pretty story whether true or
false but the evidence seemed to show that it
was the truth.

The dig ings were rich, and the gold was so
deposited that a common miner with the rudest
of utensils could make geod wages ,without
having to work very hard,'therefore as soon as
the news spread abroad in regard to the new dis-
coveries there was the usual rush of discOntented
men to the section. .

There is a strange fascination to the average
miner in thexreports which come from new
strikes. '

If the gold seeker has not succeeded in strik-
ing it “ rich ” where he is, he is usually glad of
a chance to rush of? to some other point, alwa vs
being of the firm belief that he cannot fail to hit
upona bonanza in his new location, but after
he has been in the fresh field fora few weeks,
he is generally ready to go Off to another-l
quarter, even though he is doing Well, so tickle
is man.

The principal camp in the new gold-field was
known as Hardtack City—two-thirds of all the
little mining-camps are “ cities,” although they
may not be able to boast of over fifty or a hun-
dred inhabitants.

And now for our tale.

Along the narrow trail, so faint at times that
it via hardly discernible, rode a horseman.
mounted upon a great, gray mule, which was
carrying its rider with as easy a motion as
though the man sat in a rockingchair.

The rider was an old acquaintance to those
readers who have followed the fortunes of the

r, all and eccentric gentleman known as Jackson

Blake, the Fresh of ’Frisco.

It was indeed the renowned:  the invin-

; . cible gamester, the almost match ess expert with

all. kinds of weapons, the champion wrestler and
ho1er, who was good enough in this line to hold
his own with the best professionals who had ever
“ shied their castors” within the magic circle
of the pugilistic prize ring.

The sport was in fine feather, being attired in
a well~made suit of black corduroy, a stuff which
has the‘shiue of velvet, and yet is suitable to

, stand rough usage.

He wore coat and pantaloons only, no. vest, a
fawn-colored flannel shirt, with a rolling collar,"
in the bosom of which sparkled a solitaire dia-
mond pin, worth a couple of hundred dollars of
auv man s money; a pair of handsome high
riding-boots covered his legato above the knees'
—regular cowboy boots, the polished, dainty
attic as such as rejoice the cow-pnncher’s heart.

Around his waist was a belt of polished
leather, which upperted two holsters carrying a
pair of pickle-plated‘revolvers of the also known
as “ nav ,” no pop-guns, but eflective tools,
upon w h a man might safely trust his life.

A ten-inch bowie-knife kept the revolvers
company, and across his back was slung a Win-
chester rifle. ,

, He was riding in a Mexican saddle, attached
to the horn of which was a raw~hide lasso, so it
will be seen that the sport was well provided

us. ‘ ,

Albroad-brimm slouch~hat, the mail head;

ear of the wild West, crowned his curly yellow

s and, take him for all and all, he presented

as end a picture of graceful, thsical manhood

as 9 pencil of the artist and have drawn. .

he sun was beginning to sink behind the far

western hills, and a shade gathered upon the
rider’s face as he noticed it.

“It is not many hours to night a d darkness
now!” he exclaimed. “ And yet am not in
sight of the river.

‘ According to the instructions, when I reach
the Musselsheil I 1m to turn to the welt. than ten

" miles more briu 9 me to El irdiack City.”

The trail at t is point led up a little swell of
ground, and as the Kort came to the top his eyes
were gladdened by c sight of a stream, gleam-
f a mile awav.

“ Aha! there is the river at lastl” the Fresh

3 r exclaimed.

“Now then, King Solomon, stir your stumgs
lively, and we will make the camp before t e
shadu of night cover the earth.”

By this high-sounding,3
known, and upon bein t as addressed he prick-
ed up his ears and 10pm on at an increased pace,
justas though he understood his rider’s speech.

Soon the river was reached, and as the rider
turned the mule’s heed to the west, the beast

 

 stuck out his nose toward the water, indicating
’ _ as plainly as though he had

at the request into
words that he wanted a driulg. .
. “,All right, old boy, ’I will accommodate you!”

."'1§uoth the Fresh of ’Frisco, and he rode the mule
to I amt whelg
. ' that t / beast
.i ' ‘ ' v‘

the bank shelved in such a way.
ould get at the water.

 

I n l

I .

name the beast was ‘

 

 

As the animal quenched his thirst the gaze of
the sport chanced to wander to the west and he
discovered a horseman coming along the trail.

The man was only about a quarter of a mile
away when the sport saw him, having just em-
erged from a little belt of timber which had
masked his approach.

The man was riding a big “ American horse,”
as the beasts imported from the East are known
in some sections of the West to distinguish them
from the undersized native animals.

He was a tall, thin fellow, gaunt, without a
pound of fat upon him, and the skin seemed to
he so tightly strained over his bones that it was
a wonder they did not break through.

Muscular in build though was the stranger,
and in spite of his spareness of flesh it looked as
though he w a man of prodigious strength.

He had a ong, hatchet-like face, the most

prominent feature of which was his massiVe v

chin, and that gave lain evidence that the
stranger had great reso ution; the chin was cov-
ered bya scanty bristling beard, fiery red in
hue, as was also the few straggling locks of hair
which escaped from under the weather-beaten

. army but which the rider wore.

He was clad in a full suit of buckskin, very
much the worse for wear, and was as well-pro-
vided with weapons as the sport. ,

It did not take the Fresh long to conjecture
as to who and what the man was as soon as
the stranger came near enough for him to get a
good View. ,

Upon the side of the horse was the brand,
U. S., and this, and the military hat, gave the
Fresh a clew.

He was one of the scouts attached to some of
the frontiefiposts.

“ I might as well inquire if I am in the right
road,” Blake remarked, as the horseman drew
row.

“The direction was for me to turn to the
west, after reaching the river, butI have known
a man to say west when he meant east, and it
will not do any harm to question this scout, for
it is good, safe betting that he knows this coun-
tryi'like a book.” I

he mule finished drinking just as the horse-
the sport guided him back
conversewith the stran er.
“Am in

man came up, an
into the trail so as

“ How are you?" said the sport.
the right road for Hardtack Cityl"

The scout halted upon being accosted, nodded
in a grim sort of way in response to the sport’s
salutation and then replied:

‘ “ Yes, you :1" all right; you want to head due
west an’ keep to the riVer, which will fotch you
thar' the town is on the river, you know.”

“ es so I understood. I see I had the direc-
tions aliright, but I thought it would not do any
harm to inquire, so as to be sure I was in the
right road.” ,

‘ Not a mite—not a mite!” the other declared,
impressively. ,

‘ Did you ever consider, stranger, w’ot a heap
o’ trouble that would be saved in this world if
the folks ginerally would live right up to Davy
Crockett’s motto, ’ Be sure you ar’ right, an’

' then go ahead?" ” i

The Fresh immediately perceived that the
man was an odd character, and as he liked to
talk to a genius of this stamp, be resolved to
draw him out.

“ Yes, I think you are right about that,” he
replied. "There cannot be any question about
the matter. \

“But the great trouble with most of the
people in the world is that fizzy are entirely too
previous," the Fresh continu . ,

“ You have hit it plum’ center. by gum l” the
odd old fellow declared, with a deal of em-

ph is. .

rYes, entirely too previous-too much in the
habit of lag off at half-cock, so to speak.”

“Righ ag’in, by hcokeyl” ‘

I “ And the worst of the matter is that when a
man makes a mistake of that kind it does not
seem t6 teach him wisdom, for ina very little
whig’he goes and makes the same blunders
a“ . , . . . .

“Stranger, you are chock-full of wisdom l”

the aunt follow declared.
, " have lived in this hyer breathin’ world a
heap of year-3” he continued. “But I dOn’t
reckon that I ever met a man who could or
the thing out any better than you hev jest one,
by gum!”

“ Well, I don’t set up to be either a sage or a
philoso her, but I calculate to use my eyes and
ears as go along,” Blake remarked. '

“Au’you hev done it, too by hockey! Tar~
nation salvation! I would. be willing to beta
hull -hati‘ul of rocks on it! I reckon, thou h,

on ain’t the kind 0’ man w’ot ginerally troub es
iis noddle ’hout ary philosophy,” the scout ‘ob-
served, looking over the sport with a critical
eye as he spoke.

“If I don’t make ary mistake, you are a
card sharp.” '

“ Oh, yes, that is my business.”

 

I CHAPTER II.

‘. RAWLISNAK! sun-n.
' Tn old scout shook his head in a melancholy
 of way for a moment, and than he said:

I .Y __. y

 

 

  

       
 

“ \Val, I ’spicioned from the stale you was got
up that you Were one on the reed, an’ yetI
must say, that though on hev got a good many
of the ear-marks, yet t ar are some things ’bout
you that I never see’d on no sharp afore.”

“ Is that so?” Blake rejoined, not at all die-
turbed by the criticism or the other.

“Yes, that is ther Gospel truth!" the odd in-
dividual declared.

“ You ar’ all rigged out in store-clothes,
though you don’t sport a b’iled shirt as the most
of ’em do, an’ you hev a better set of we’pons
than the sports ginerrally carry, but thar is a
look inter yer face w’ot I never saw on the fore-
front of any shark, wolf or vulture afore.

“You don’t mind‘ my speakin’ right out in '
meetiu’, do ye?” the other queried, “’cos that’s ~23,
natur’. you see; I am an awful plain-spoken
cha i.” ,1 1

“Oh, that is all right,” Blake replied, care- 5,.
lessly. “ I have been too long in the business to , =3 
be thin—skinned. A man who follows cards for
a living must not be sensitive to remarks, or
else he will be apt to have a great many bad
quarters of hours.”

“ Yes, I reckon so.”

“ But in regard to being a shark, or a wolf, or
a vulture, although I know that all three are
the totems of the trile to which I belong, yet I
am not willing to acknowledge that any one of
the names can with justice be applied to me.”

“ Going tot: and argufy yourself out ofit,
eh i” the old fel ow remarked with an approving ,;- ,,

, .

'A k,’ f. A . . ‘
' {3:531 3 i}  5 " Wz . ~‘
) K." A~( ,

more?!" ' ' :

nod. .
“ Yes. I am not willing to be lumped in with
the rest,” the sport declared.
“ The shark, wolf and vulture are noted for
being both savage and remorseless, the one in
the water, the second on the land, and the third
in the air, are ever on the watch for prey, and
woe betide the unfortunate creature who falls in
their way.”
“That is sol” the other declared, wagging his
head in a solemn way. . ,
“ Thar is no mistaking, Mister Man, that you
are laying the thing down as straight as a
string l”
“ I always try to measure out even-handed
justice, no matter whether I have an interest in
the case or not!” the Fresh declared.
“That is the proper lay-out. an' the man w’ot
runsa game 0’ tbs k , will be sart’in to win
in the long run.” , ' -
“ Yes, that is my idea. Now, then, I am a
sport, a. card-sharp—ln fact, I am neVer back- ,
ward in coming forward, no matter what the
game is; but I am not a shark, a wolf, or a vul-
ture. I do not rob men of their money—that is,
I mean square fellows who are playing an hon- '_
est game. If I run up against a skin concern, I ,
am willing to admit that I do all in my power to l
bu’st it, and I don’t mind confessing that I am :
not particular in regard to the means I employ, .\ <
either.
“'All roads lead to Rome!’ and I take any s
road which Will et me there.” . - ~ I
“You’re right you kin bet yer boots on it!” ' c
the old scout exclaimed. l t
“ But when I get the best of a man, I am

apything but merciless to him,” the Fresh ds- 0
c a . . .’
“ I will admit that many a time I have taken i y
a man’s last dollar, but that was torwind the ' g
game, and when we quit thetable Imus a ways '
careful to re him a stake big enough for him CI
to go ahea on.” r m
“ That was proper, an’ showa that yer heart is 0‘
in ther right place.” .‘ . 8|
“ I have always made it a rule neVer to banter W
a man into a game, unless he was some fellow so ‘11
welloiixed that he had more money than be 8‘
knew what to do with, and it was really a char- Be
ity to relieve him from the care of so much aur-
plus wealth.”
“That 18 the right idee, b gum!” « th.
“And, now, after this little ex auction, I rel
trust you will perceive that though am a sport I r
it is not altogether right to class me with the ‘ Cir
common run of sharps.’ ' . 8m
" I reckcn'yim hev got it ’bout right, an’ that ‘
is the reason that I kin see p’ints in yer face that ‘ 00!
I never see’d in the face of no man in your line 1 / W11
ai' ore.” ‘ ', 119‘
“ Maybe it‘is.” ' - 0'"
“ W ’ot’s yer handle?” , ate:
“ Jackson Blake.” . ‘ “
The old scout meditated for a moment and , dry
then shook his head. . I of t
“ I reckon I never beercd on on afore.” if t]
“ Sometimes I am called the rash of ’Frisco.” . “
Again the mountain-man shook his head. :arg
“ Nevqlr neared of any man with that handle ratt
either, reckon you must he astrangerin these f‘
parts.” . stiti
“ Yes I am; this is my first visit to this 3' 0
region. r 9 al el
‘I reckon you will do pooty well,” the other all I
observed in a reflective way. “ It ’pears to me hev
that you are ’ixmt the kid of man w’ot ought to am (
git along.” , = steel
“ Ifthe reports which I have heard are true “1
concerning the richness of this new ngd-tield Vain:
there certainly ought to be a ChaDCe for a man . “1
like myself to make a good strike.” , . Vetei
“ Hardtack City is booming right along, an? ‘ ’ ‘ “E
‘ ,, lame

no mistake; I reckon thar is plenty ofroomthar-

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for a man like yourself, if you kin succeed in git-
tiug thar all right.”

A look of surprise appeared on the face of the
8 ort.

p“ \Vell. it SGHIIH to me that the reought not to
be any difficulty about my getting to the town,”
Blake remarked.

“That is so, yet I reckon thar maybe a
heap,” the old scout responded in a solemn way.

“ Suppose you explain.”

:: Eran are a stranger in these parts you said?”

am.”

“ And I reckon that you don‘t know me from
a side of sole-leather?”

“ That is true, but I surmise that you are a
Government scout.” ,

“ You hit the bull’s-eye right in the center
that time!” the old fellow declared.

“That is my business, and my name is Smith,
Zeb Smith, an’ yourn to command.”

“0110! I think I have heard of you i” the
sharp declared.

“Mebbe so; I am pooty well known in this
deesti'ick.”

“ You are generally called Red Smith, and
the Indians have bestowed upon you the name
of the Red Rattlesnake.”

“Yes, you are right, an’ no mistake! That
is the handle that the bucks hev given me.”

The sport surveyed the veteran with a deal of
curiosity. I

Only the evening before, in the little hotel at
Livingstone where Blake had halted to bait his
mule and get shelter for the night, the sport had
heard the story of the remarkable frontiersman,
Red, or’ Rattlesnake Smith. ..

“ Well. I am glad to meet you,” the sharp de-
clared.

“ I have met with so many strange sorts
of men in the West that it is not often my
curiosity is excited, but when I heard about you
last night at Livingstone, and the men told how
you liked to catch and handle rattlesnakes, just
as children play with kittens, I reckoned I would
like to see you.”

A dry chuckle came from the thin lips of the
old scout. ~ . ‘

“I reckon the cusses Were putting it on a lee-
tle thick,” he remarked. “ I don’t play with no
rattlesnake, nary time,” he continued. “ It is
true though that I hate the p’lsoned things, an'

A . that I would '0 a mile or two out of my way to

. am.

kill the varm nts at any time, but that is jest
’cos I hev got a grudge ag’iu’. the crawlin
rerltiles which I reckon will last as long as
w l .

“Well, I thought it was funny that a man
should be such a rsistent hunter of rattlesnakes
just for fun,‘an I thou ht there must be some
reason for it, although e men who told me the
yarn said there wasn't—that it was only a whim
on your part.”

‘ “Thar is a heap of fellers in this hyar world
'iw’ot talk 'ist for the pleasure of hearing the
sound of ha’r own voices,” the veteran de-
clared. “ An’ the less they know ’bont a mat-
ter the more anxious they ar’ to talk ’bout it.

“ I hate rattlesnakes ’cos the best pard I
ever had was killed by the ky critters.”

“ Ah, yes, I see; it s litt e',wonder then that
you should go out of your way to execute ven-
geance upon them.”

' “ I reckon that I ain’t quite ,right in in head

as far as rattlesnakes are consarnsd'”t old
mountain-man admitted. “ ’00s I will hev to
own up that I git kinder crazy whenever I run
afoul of the pesky critters, an’ glam"! drop
whateverlam at until I kin make an end of
the crawlers; but the kurnel in command of Fort
Scott—that is up on the head-waters of the Mus-
selshell, you know-h”

The sport nodded. '

“ Wal, he allers said as how be reckoned that
thar is a deal of method in my madness, 'cos the
red-skins hev got the mice inter their noddles that

I must be fixed with the biggest kind of ‘ medi- .
icine’orelse I would neverdare to tackle the
snakes."

“ I understand,” Blake observed. “ It is so
common for even the bravest of men to Rive a
widexberth to rattlesnakes that the red bucks be-
lieve that you are something more than mortal
or else you would not trouble the creeping men.
stars.” ' \v i

“ That is it," the old fellow responded with a
dry laugh. “ And it is a fact that mighty few
of the blunt-{are willing to lock horns with me
if they kin git out of it.”

“ It is natural,” Blake remarked. “ They

argue that a man who amuse. himself by killing

rattlesnakes must be a pretty tough customer.”

“ Yes. and these red-skins air a mighty super-
stitious lot too, you know. V They believe in
signs, and all such thinz8, you see, and as I hev
al are been luck enufi' to come out first beat in
all skirmishes tint I hev had with them the
hev kinder got the idee into their heads that
am considerable of a devil. an’ it ain’t in either
steel or lead to do me much damage.”

“ Fora man in your line of business it is a

‘ l valuable reputation.”

“ You kin bet all yer wealth onto that!” the
Veteran declared with a wise shake of the head.
“ But, r’ally, as far as the rattlesnakes ar’ con-
sumed, ’tain’t no great trick to kill the varmlnts

 

If
>1

 

fl  man manta understand the critters, .

All I want is a little stick with a fork into the
end 0v it an’ with sich a weepon I kin corner
the biggest and ugliest rattler that ever shook
his tail!”

“1 am not well-pOsted in regard to snakes
and I think if the crawlers will keep out of my
way I will not be apt to trouble them,” the
Fresh remarked in a reflective way.

“ But what was it that you were saying in re.
gard to my not being able to get to Hardtack
City—what is the trouble?"

“The Musselshell Sioux are on the war-
path,” was the startling reply.

CHAPTER III.
A DISAGREEABLE SURPRISE.

A CLOUD appeared on the face of the sport
as he listened to this unwelcome intelligence.

“Are you certain that this is correct?” the
Fresh asked.

“Oh, yes, I am on my way now from Fort
Scott to the lower posts,” the veteran replied.
“The kurncl got wind 0’ the than? this noon,
and a mighty quick man to act is urnel Poino
dexter, so he started me off to hurry reinforce-
ments to him. He ain't got but ’bout sixty men,
an’ seeing that the Musselshell Sioux kin put
nigh onto five hundred warriors in the field, the
kurnel ain’t well fixed to fight ’em.

“The post is strong enufiE‘, you understand,"
the old mountain-man continued. “’Cos it is
mighty well situated, for the kurnel is one of the
best fighting men I ever ran across; one of the
kind, you see, that knows war from A to Am-
persand. He had the laying out of the posts,
an’ right from the beginning he hasa ’spicion
that thar would be trouble with the Sioux.”

“ Was the fort located for the purpose of pro-
tecting the gold-diggers?"

“ In course!” the veteran replied. “ I s’pose
you ain’t posted in regard to these hyer Mussle-
shell Sioux?” '

“That is true; I don’t know anything about
them to speak of. I was aware that there were
Indians up in this neighborhood, but how
many there was of them, or whether they
were peaceable, or the reverse, I could not have

“But now that on speak of the bucks, I re-
member that at Mi es Cit I heard some talk at
the hotel there about the ndians being likely to
meet trouble, but as nothing was said about the
locality, I jumped to the conclusion that it was
in that neighborhood,” the sport continued.

“No; thar ain’t much likelihood o’ the red
imps troubling anybody down that way, for
thar is allers a good lot of sodgers in the forts
thar. an’ then thar’s a heap 0’ men allers ready
to volunteer for to help the sodgers on an' you
kin bet yer boots that the bucks ar’ ’bout
all things of that kind, an’ they don’t take no
on know.”

marked.
“ Although I don‘t know anything about these
Sioux Indians yet I am well ted in ard to

red bucks in general, for have liv right
amon the Apaches," the sport added.
“I al, thar aint much difl'erence ’tween

them, ’cept that ther ’Paches ar‘ a leetle the worst
of the two,” Rattlesnake Smith declared.

“ Still, the Sioux ar’ bad enumpn’ all ov ’em
ar’ p’ison sarpints,” the veteran continued.
"But, as I was iii-saying, the red devils know
too much to make war onless they feel pooty
sfi‘t‘ip that ’bout all the advantages ar’ on tha’r
s e.

“And I suppose they think they have got a
prett sure thing up in the Musselshell‘regioni”

“ as, I reckon so,” the old scout responded,
with a grave shake of the head.

“You see it is/a mighty wild ion, an’ with
the exception of the Hardtsck sett ement, which
only kivers a deestrict ’bout ten miles squar’,
thar ain’t any other settlements."

“ And I should judge—although I am not well-

ted in regard to the country—that Livingstone
is the nearest point." ‘

“Yes, Livingstone to the south and Diamond .bh free i h k to _ ’7 kc,
s sw ng 9 rec ons go in an ma , -

City to the west. It was by way of Diamond
City that most of the miners came.”

‘ And i sup the red bucks look upon the
white men as traders into their country.”

“ You hev’ hit it for sure!” RattlesnakeSmith
declared.

“These b er Musselsh'ell Sioux, you see, ar’ a
kinder wil lot of red devils, anyhow,” the
mountain-man continued. '

“This particular branch of the old Sioux
tribe ain‘t backed up ag’in’ the Government for
a heap of years, ’bout twenty, I reckon, an’ in
that time a lot of young warriors hev grown up
who hain’t got no sense, an’ as they never have
been licked clean. out of tha’r moccasins by
the sodgsrs they ar’ 2 nxious for a‘fuss ’cos they
reckon they Won’t have no difficulty in cleam'ng
out the troops.” '

“It is the old story,” the Fresh remarked.
“ ‘ Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.’ ”

“Say: that is pooty good i” the veteran de-
clared, im by the quotation.

“That is pootry, ain’t it? Wsl I never had
no great o inion of poetry, but Iwill be gol—

darned if t at ain‘t good, common sense all the
way thro hi i ' ‘
“ It ans 0 bill to a ha’ _i”,B.attl_ssna¥o Smith
.   w  ( {ifs-“y {i

 

. -. . .. M
.1; :9    l q: ‘ t '

declared. “The old bucks who have smelt pow-
der, an’ understand jest how hard the Great
Father at Washington kin strike when he its
his mad up ain’t anxious for trouble, ’cos t y
have bin thar, an’ come out at the leetle end of
the born, but the young warriors, who are like
leetle b’ars with all their troubles atore ’em, ar'
jest sp’ilingr for a fight.”

“ Yes, that is usually the way.”

“ These hyer Musselshell Sioux hev never been
on a reservation, you know, an’ they are jest
about as wild as hawks.”

“ Just the sort to believe that the white men
have no business to come into the country which
they claim as their own, and be prompt to resent
the intrusion u lien they discover that the intru-
ders seem likely to settle down for good.”

“ Yes, that is j+st the way the thing is work—
ing,” Rattlesnake Smith responded. “At furst
I s’pose they reckoned that the thing would soon
peter out as most all sich strikes do up in this
region. I have known of twenty camps which
locked as if they were going to develop into big
things in the start-off, but arter a few thou
dollurs’ worth of gold was taken out, slumped
right up.”

‘Oh, yes, failure is the rule and success the
exce tion in mining.”

“ ut Hardtack City r’ally looks as if it had
come to stay,” Rattlesnake Smith observed.
“ You see it happens to be a mighty good place
for poor men, ’cos the gold is easy to get at, an'
it don’t cost ninety cents for to git a dollar’s
worth of gold out.”

“ I understand; a camp of that kind is always
more prosperous at the start than one where or;
pepdsiye machinery is required to get at th

0 .
g “Sari’in! no doubt ’bout that, but thar are
three mines in the Hardka deestrict where
machinery is required, for the rock has to be
crushed, an‘ put through a reg’lar process, stamp
mills are running, an the ore is panning out
furst-cluss.” . '

" As a rule that kind of mining is much more
certain to hold out than where the gold can be
got at easily.” , ,

“I reckon you are right ’bout that; all the
mining sharps lay it out that way.

“Thar is some big bugs interested in these
mills: politicians—tellers with a big pull at
Washington, an’ that’s how this hyer militar
post came to be put up hyer on the Muses
shell.”

“ Oh, yes, I understand,” the sport remarked,
with a smile. “ When these men begin to invest
their money in mines and machinery they want-
ed military tection right away.”

‘f Yes, a they got it, too, an’ I kin tell you,
pard, that it was a good thing for the deatrict
that the sodgers came, for the red im would
hav’ made it live) for the miners g ago,
only they were kin er skeery ’bout tackling the
blue-coats.”

“ How comes it that they are going to make
trouble now!”

“ It is all on account of a new chief,” the old
mountain-man explained. “Tull Thunder, who
need to be the boss of the tribe, died about two
months ago, an’ his son, IAughing Horse, sac
ceeded him.

“ The old man was an ugl devil enufl but he
had a g00d deal of hard, oss 'sense. ’He had
bucked ag’in’ Uncle Sam two or three times, an’
had got the idea into his noddle at lastthat it
wasa game whar he was pooty sart’in not to
git much but hardiknocks.”

“ Most of the red-skins come to that conclu-
sion in the long run. but once in a while there is
out;1 whho is too stupid to see that it doesn’t pay
to g t.

“As I said, the old buck was an ugly devil,
but he wasn’t a circumstancs to his son, the
Laughing Horse who is one of the meanest red
insps that ever lived; an ugly, contagsrous cuss
who has allus been wanting to fight the whites’
ever since he got big enough to go on the war-

th.
p.“ The old man held him back, butnow that be

‘things hum.” _
“ A good thrashing will be apt to teach him .
wisdom.” . .
“He is a peg! caught an’ no mistake!” the
old scout asset . “ 8 has allers been down
on the whitu, an’ et he has hung ’mimd the
towns a heahtoo, or the cuss is fond of whisky,
an' used to ’bout half-full most of the time.
so when his father died the other bucks reckoned ;
to put in some other warrior as chief, but this ’,
hyer galoot turned over a new leaf an’ inde ' ,
sich a fight for the leadership that the others
were completely knocked out. V
“ That was rather odd.” ‘
" Sart’inl nobody thought the red imp had it
in him, ’cos he has been hanging up by the nose ,
’round the saloons for three or four years; aloha ,‘
swallcr as he had for whisky I never did see, .
an’ he was a nat’ral born gambler, too; tarna~
tion salvation!
blushing way the red cuss u to cheat! Why,“ *
he would skin a man out of his teeth, right be-V “
fore his eyes, if he wasn’t watched.” ,
“ Yes, it is not an uncommon case; I hpve
met a good many Indians who were inveterate

 

gamblers, and when they become interested his
:3 ‘ A l ‘ . . > ' r i . .

   

 

You jest on ht to see the on-{ 

 

< Me.

'53, .«

   
 

L  Fresh in Montana.

 

 

game they seldom quit until they are stripped of
all they possess.”

“The Laughing Horse was one of that kind,
an’ be was an ugly devil, too, for a man to
gamble with, ’cos if he lost he allers tried to
pick a fight with the other feller, an’ when it
«Image to a skirmish he was a tiger, claws an’
a l!

“ A lively customer 1"

“You bet! An’ the red galoot learned to
fight like a white man, too—use his lists, you

, know, like a reg’lar bruiser, an’ this was w’ot

h..-

illet

give hlnl'SlCh a big advantage when he had the
fight with the other bucks’bout the chieftainship
o the tribe.

“ The rest wasn’t used to fighting in that way,
an‘ so he kinder astonished them.”

“Do you think there is danger of my being
attacked by the reds between here and Hard-
tack City?

“ Wal, it is hard to say,” Rattlesnake Smith
replied, With a doubtful shake of the head.

“ They were cavorting in the neighborhood of
the cam when I left, an’ all the miners had
come in rom the outlying deestricts.”

“It seems likely, then, that the may keep

.a watch on the trail,” the sport 0 served, re-

flectively.

“ That is the game they ginerally play, an’ I
tell you, pard, it will be Wise for you to keep yer
peepers wide open.

“ I usually do,” Blake replied.

“Wal, so-long. I must be going. I'll see on
ag’in, in Hardtack, if you git through all rig ti”

And with this declaration the old scout de-

parted.

The sport went on his way.

For ten minutes or thereabouts he allowed the
mule to walk, while he carefully examined his
weapons, so as to be sure that they were all in
perfect working order.

Satisfied on this point he pushed the animal
into a gallop again, and a couple of miles were
soon covered.

Then the trail led over a vast prairie which
was dotted here and there with little clumps of
timber, “islands,” as the frontiersmen sa .

The sport shook his head as he noted t e sur-
roundings. ‘ - '-

It was just the place for an ambush.

“ If the red-skins are lying in wait for travel-
ers anywhere along the trail, I don't believe
they can find a better spot for their business
than this broken prairie!” the Fresh declhred.

Hardly were the words out of his mouth‘ when
from be ind one of the clumps of timber came
three mounted Indians, a most disagreeable sur-
prise.

 

CHAPTER IV.
THE GROUND HOG.

TEE Fresh was prompt to take action.

Fifty paces in advance there was a bunch of a
dozen or so-of scrub oaks, which grew close so
the water’s edge, and to this clump of trees the
sport hastened.

The red-skins were a good thousand yards
away, so the Fresh had no difficulty in gaining
the shelter of the timber, as the warriors were
not near enough to interfere with his move-

'mnts.

e

In fact, they had no suspicion of what he in-
tended to do until he was under the oaks and
dismounted. i

Blake led the mule to the go of the stream,
then tied the beast to one o the trees; and as
the ground shelved down toward the water, the
mule was well under cover. ,

Then the sport unslung his rifle and returned
to the edge of the clump, in order to see what
the Indians were doing.

Another unwelcome surprise awaited him.

The three Indians had swelled into about

fif .

'I‘Yhe warriors came from behind the difierent
prairie islands where they had been concealed,
and in an irregular line the red-skins surround-
ed the particular clump of timber where the
Fresh had taken refuge, the line extending in at
half-circle from river to river, so that the In-
dians were in the rear of the adventurer as well
“33113;”? I uspectsd h I  ht

t as as s w on caug
si ht of the red devils!” the Fresh exclaimed.
"I have ridden into an ambnscade—a regular
trap! The red—skins were concealed in the tim-
ber, but the were careful not to show them-
selves until had got the rear guard—until
I was surrounded so t t I couldn’t escape.

“Well I am in the snare surely enough,” he
continued. “Still, they have not got me yet,
although I must admit that there doesn‘t seem to
be much chance for me, for fifty or sixty against
one is fearful 8.,”

    were
w a t ve un y we w n
rang, and Blake thought it was a at time to

t em understand that they had comequits
far enough.

All the warriors were armed to the teeth, and
wore the war-paint with the exception of one
old brave who was decked out in the most fan-

tastic style, and the moment the Fresh got his
eyes on this gaudily-attired red-man he conjec-
tured that he wasone of the great
of the tribe.

 

“ That is the fellow that I must plug at the i

first polpl” the sport exclaimed.

“ If can lay the great medicine—man out the
rest will be apt to get an idea that I am a pretty
tough customer to handle.

“ i will do the square thing by the bucks
thou h, and will not plug them Without warn-
in .’ he continued.

gtepping out from beneath the oaks, he shook
his rifle in the air in a menacing way, and then
brought it up to his shoulder.

It was evident that the sport’s pantomime was
perfectly understood, for the moment the butt
of his rifle reached his shoulder every red-skin,
with the exception of the old medicine-man,
sought shelter behind the body of his horse, but
the old fellow gave the Indian sign of peace by
holding up both his hands with the palms out-
ward, and at the same time he started his horse
toward the white man.

“Aha! the old man wants a talkl" the sport
exclaimed. “ All right! I haven’t any Objec—
tion so long as the rest of the red bucks don’t try
aniy funny business.”

t will be seen from this that the s rt had
very little confidence in the good faith onthe red-
men.

The Fresh kept a wary eye upon the Indians
while the old medicine-man came on.

Butit really seemed as if the red-skins did not
intend to ta ‘e any unfair advantage, for the
majority of them tool: seats upon the ground
while the rest leaned upon their saddles and
gazed with curious eyes upon the white man who
was presenting so hold a front.

With his rifle in the hollow of his arm, the'
sport waited for the coming of the old savage.

As the aged chief advanced, the sport came to
the conclusion that he was about the u liest-
looking specimen of an Indian that be h ever
encountered, being a misshapen fe110w, with a.
head much too large for his squat, broad bod ,
and so fat that the ease seemed to be fair y
oozing out of him. hen he arrived within
ten feet of the s rt, he halted, and nodded in
what he intend to be a friendly way, while a
grim smile appeared on his ugly face.

“ How i" he eiaculated.

This is the common Opening salutation among
the rgdi’skins of theWest, and signifies “ How do

on o r
y Blake was no tenderfoot, and was therefore
well acquainted with the customs of the wild
red-men ef the West, so he immediately replied:

“ I’m pretty well' how are you?”

“ Nish-ma-wah, the Ground Hog, is the great
medicine-man of the Sioux nation i” the old fel-
low declared in a lofty way.

“ Well, you look as if you might be a great
man,” the s rt remarked in arefiective man-
ner. “But can’t say, though, that I am par—
ticularly pleased to make your acquaintance
under the present circumstances.”

“My white brother is in a bad place,” the old
Indian observed.

“Yes, but I have been in worse,” the s rt
replied, ina careless way, which caused a 00k
of surprise to appear on the face of the red-skin.

For a moment the old medicine-man sur-

veyed the sport as though he did not know ex-
actly what to make of him, and then he turned
and ran his eyes OVer the line of Indian war-
riors which cirded around the little clump of
timber in which the white man had taken ref-
u e.
3“ Does not my white brother see that he is
surrounded by the red warriors of the great
Sioux nation? ’ he exclaimed, with a comprehen-
sive ways of his hand, indicating the semicircle
of armed men.

“Oh yes, I see them, all right. I am in full

on of my senses, and really blessed with
remarkably good eyesi ht.”

“ My white brother I a stranger?”

1 “lies, I have never been in this sectionbe-
ore.

“ But he surely knows that the Sioux warriors
are great fighting men, and that, surrounded as
he is b the best braves in the nation, he stands
as lltt e chance to beat the red chiefs oil when
the clone in for the attack as the wounded
bu alo, disabled and cutoff from the rest of the,
herd by a fierce ck of great gray prairie
wolves does to has of! the merciless brutes who
snap at his heels,” the old medicine-man de-
eluted with all the sonorous eloquence of a re-
nowned Indian orator. '

“ That is very nicel Bput, my dusky friend,”
the sport replied. ‘ ut, unfortunately for
your side of the argument, you have not fairly
stated the case.

“ That your red warriors resent the wolves,
is all right enough, but I am not the same as the
wounded bufi'alo.

“ Very far indeed am I from being disabled.
0n the contrary, I am in full on of all
in powers; am well armed, an provided with
plenty of ammunition, although you have the
advantage of big odds—about fifty to one I
should sa —yet I am in a pretty strong position
here, an the chances, it seems to me, are great
that I will be able to lay out ten oradozen,
mayby fifteen or twenty of your braves, before
you can wi me out.

“ There the state of affairs in a nutshell l”

 

“The chances certainly seem good that you
can take my scalp, but you are going to lose
from tentotwenty of your warriors in the opera-
tion, and really, when you cometo look at the
speculation in a business light, I should think
you would come to the conclusion that the
scheme will not pay.”

A grim smile a peered on the face of the

old Indian as he istened to the words of the
sharfi.
” y white brother has an old head on young
shoulders,” he declared. “ But is he not trying
to scare the red-man with big words?” he added,
shrewdly.

“ Oh, I suppose you mean to insinuate that I
will not fight?”

“ it would be utter madness for you to do sol”
the medicine-man declared.

“ I reckon notl” Blake retorted. “ But if you
have a doubt as to whether I mean what I say
or not, go back to. our warriors and bid them
come on; then it Wil not take but a few minutes
to settle the question.”

The old Indian shook his head, being evi-
dently ainaZed by the pluck displayed by the
other; but the sharp was acting on the knowl-
edge of the Indian character which he pos-
sessed.

Although the red-skins are as brave as any
race of men that ever trod the earth, yet they
Will never attack at a disadvantage if it is pos-
sible for them to arran e the matter otherwise,
and they deem it the eight of Wisdom to con-
trive so that the enemy will not have any chance
for their lives.

" The white chief talks big—he has the heart
of the grizzly bear, but the Sioux warriors are
not fools; they will not give the lives of ten
men, or even two, to take a single scalp.”

“ That is where they are wise!” Blake inter-

cted.

Je“ Has the white chief food so that he can
stand a siege?" asked the old Indian, with agrim
smile.

“ Well, I reckon I can hold out for a couple of
days all right without being troubled much,”
Blake replied, in a confident way. “ And in that
time assistance may come.” '

But although the sport spoke in such a hope»
ful way, in truth he had nota morsel to eat, for
he had eaten up his supply at his noon halt, ex-
pecting to reach the mining-camp in time for-
supper. I _

‘And the night!" quoth, the old medicme—
man, wavin his brawny hand ab0ve his head. fl

“ When t a night comes with no moon to
light up the earth, will the white chief beable to
make nine or ten of the red warriors bite- the
dust when they rush to the attack?”

Blake for a moment, hesitated;
had scored a point.

After dark it would be feasible for the Indians
to approach so near, without his being able to
discover them, that it would be possible for
them to overpower him with a grand rush, and
the probabilities were that he would not be able-
to damage them much.

The old medicine-man was intently watching
the face of the sport, and he smiled in a sarcastic
way when he saw that his words had produced
a decided impression.

“I reckon that in the darkness your bucks
would have a big advantage,” Blake admitted.

‘ “Why not yield then?” the old savage de-
manded. “ The red chiefs merely want the
white man as a hostage.”

“ How is that?” -

“ The big chief in command at Fort Scott has
seized upon two young Sioux warriors and ac-
cuses them of having stolen his horses, but it is
a lie, for the horses were stolen by white men
and the big blue-coated chief knows it too.”

i “ why then does he bring such an accusa—
t on '~

the red-skin

" Because he hates the Laughing Horse, the '

rest chief of the Musselshell Sioux and as he
no it these two young braves are dear to him
be h seized u them, and now the Laughing
Home is on t e war-path; five hundred war-
riors can he bring into the field. and the big
blue—coated chief at Carnp Scott Will find that he

has stepped upon a snake which has the power

to turn and sting unto the death.”
For a moment the sport meditated upon the
situation his was a mind which worked quickly

and it di not take him long to come to a con- _

clusion.

That the moment the dusk of the. evening
,set in the Indians would be able to averpowel'
him was certain. and even the poor Ipr'i ego of
biting able to sell his life dearly won d be denied
11 m. .

Under the circumstances then would it not be
wise for him to surrender?

It did not take him long to come to the con-
clusion that it would, and no so announced to
the old Indian.

CHAPTER V.
A raisoxra.
Tim medicine-man renewed the intelligence
with decided satisfaction.
“ It is wise of m white brother to ield,” he
declared. “ The round Hog gives is word
that he shall be well taken care of, and‘ if the

big white chief at Fort Scott does not harm ‘

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the two Sioux warriors no harm will come to
' l)

in.

“Oh, there isn’t any danger of the com-
mander of Fort Scott damagintghthe bucks, al-
though he may be certain that eyare the men
who got away with his horses. They will have
to go through a regular trial in acourt, and even
if they are convicted, horse-stealing is not a
hanging matter, so they are not in any particu-
lar danger.”

“ if the two warriors are killed, the Laughing
Horse will make the Musselshell run red with
the blood of the white maul" the old medicine-
man announced.

“If your chief is wise he will not buck
against the white men, for though he may
kick up considerable of a row for a while,

at it will end in the downfall of his tribe,”
lake declared.

“ You are no chicken,” the sport continued,
“ and from your experience you ought to
know that the Sioux cannot hope to succeed in
the long run if they go in to clean out the
whites.

“ The game has been tried twenty times and
the end is always the same.

“ For a time the red chiefs carry everything
before them, and then the white soldiers pour
in, and the red bucks are crushed by overwhelm-
ing numbers."

‘ The Laughing Horse is the greatest warrior
that the Sioux nation has eVer known, and if he
takes the war-path against the white-skins he
will make them run as the wolves scatter
when the mountain lion descends to the prai-
riesl”

Despite this grandiloquent announcement,
there wasa peculiar leok upon the face of the
old medicine-man which gave the sport the
impression that he was delivering a set speech
which he had got by heart, and that he was
not so certain about its being correct as he might

be.

“The warrior may be all that you say, but if he
is as great as all the big fighting men of the
Sioux nation rolled into one he will never be
anle to whip the white men. for the odds are too
lug. But 0 back to our red bucks and tell
them that, ike Captain cott’s coon, I am ready
to come down”,

“You are a wise brave and the Ground Hog
will do all he can for you,” the old fellow re-
marked as he turned to rejoin the Indians.

Blake untied his mule, mounted and rode out of
the timber, and as he did so the Indians, who
had gathered in a bunch at a signal from the
Ground Hog, came forward to meet him.

When the red chiefs surrounded the s t be
greeted them with a courtly bow, seeming y not
at all incommoded by the situation.

At the head of the savage host, by the side of
the old medicine-man, rode a brawny young war-
rior whose gayly decorated fittire denoted that
he was a great chief, and lake immediately
'umped to the conclusion that this was the

sad of the Musselshell Sioux, the Laughing
Horse, whose overseening vanity was about to
involve his people in a war which would surely
end in the destruction of the tribe.

The young warrior had an evil-looking face,
and bore such a strong resemblancetothe old
medicine-man that the sport conjectured that
the twu were related. . I

As we have said, the young Chieftain was a
big hrawny fellow who looked as if he was
built for a warrior, but the sport could not
discover in his face any of the signs which
denote intelli ence and ability.

“Nothing ut a bi brute who depends upon
bone and muscle a not on brains,” was the
Fresh’s opinion of the Sioux chieftain.

“Take the weapons away from the white
dog!” the young warrior commanded, speaking
English as fluently as though it Were his native
tongue. . ,

The order was immediately obeyed, but though
the red chiefs searched the sport thoroughly the
failed to find a small six-shooter which the Frag
had concealed in a secret pocket in the bosom of

, his shirt.

“Blue Dog and Spotted Calf take charge of

' the white-skin and if he attempts to escapelet

our knivos find his heart!” the chief command-
ed after the prisoner had been Searched.

Then the party took up the line of march,
the Fresh being placed in the center of the
cavalcade with two brawuy red warriors riding
by his side. . .

The rty kept to the trail by the river for
about late miles, then they crossed the stream
and struck off over the prairie toward the north-
west.

Blake kept his'eyes open, and after a while
came to the-conclusion that the party had circled
around Hardtacli City, and were now to the
north of the cam .

Shortly after tEe sport came to this decision,
a trail was reached which showed evident signs
of travel.

“This must be the road from the northwest
into Hardtack City,” the Fresh mused. “The
one which comes from Diamond City by way of

“White Sulphur Springs.”

The cavalcade followed the trail for about a
prairie, which

they came to a rolling
eavy timber,

there was covered with

and as soon as the trees were reached, the In-
dians proceeded to conceal themselves amid the
shrubbery.

“Another ambuscadel” the sharp muttered,
and from the way in which some of the red-
skins examined the ground, and then held a
consultation with the chief, Blake got the idea
that the trail was a stage route, and the red-
skius were discussing whether or not the coach
had passed.

The Indians finally came to the conclusion
that the stage had not gone by. This was clear
from the fact that they arranged their ambus-
cade with exceeding care after the consultation
ended.

“The coach is gone up,” the Fresh muttered.

He had been placed with the main body of the
red-skins, who had found concealment in 9. lat e
clump of oaks a few hundred feet from the trail.

“ Nothing short of a well-armed body of fifty
or sixty men could hope to heat off these red
devils," the sport murmured.

“ The Laughing Horse is out for business this
time, and has brought no big a force with him
that he is certain to make his scoop all right.”

Blake’s meditations were interrupted by the
approach of the stage, which made its appear-
ance at the upper end of the prairie.

On came the coach, drawn by a pair of extra
good horses, and the driver cracked his long
whip merrily, in blissful unconsciousness of the
peril which awaited him.

The red-skins allowed the stage to come on
until it reached the very center of the ambus-
cade, and then the Laugh ng Horse, with a loud
yell, rode out into the trail, and this was the
signal for the Indians to make their appear-
ance.

The driver, a tall, gaunt, middle-aged man,
with a face tanned b exposure to the weather
to a bus almost as dar as the color of the Sioux
who now surrounded him, immediately pulled
up his horses.

There was a rifle by his side, and belted to his
waist were a couple of revolvers, but he did not
attempt to draw his weapons.

A single glance at the multitude of painted
chiefs who swarmed around the cone had satis-
fied the tlriver that it would be a piece of su-
preme folly for him to attempt to offer resist-
ance.

The coach had come to a halt directly opposite
to the clump of trees wherein the Fresh stood,
and when the indians rode forth he accom-
panied them.

The Laughin Horse was in command of this
detachment, an as the chief led his hand right
upto the stage as soon as it halted, the sport
was in a position to see all that occurred.

There were on] two passengers in the coach,
a well-dressed ederly gentleman, who looked
like a professional man, and a young lad of
twenty-five, or thereabouts, a good-loo ing
mug woman, with gray-blue eyes and blonde

r.

She would really have been exceedingly hand-
some if her features had not been a trifle coarse;
one of the ma uline girls who look so much like
a man that it is possible for them to assume
male attire and masquerade successfully as the
lords of creation.

The passengers thrust their heads out of the
windows as soon as the coach stopped, anxious
to discover the reason for the movement but as
soon as they (perceived the painted, feather-
garnished chie s, hastening toward the coach in
all directions, they quickly withdrew to the in-
terior of the coach.

“ Hellol w’ot are you up to, Laughing Horse!”
exclaimed the driver, nodding to the Sioux
chieftaiu, as though he was an old acquaint-

ance.

“ The Laughing Horse is on the war-path. and
is going to make it hot for the white-skins!” the
brave replied.

“ Wal, now, I want to know i" the driver ex-
claimed, in accents of surprise.

“ It is the truth,” the warrior replied.

“ The big white chief at Fort Scott has seized
upon two of the con men of the Musselsheil
Sioux and Laughing orse has gone on the war—

th so as to show the big blue—coated chief that

e is not the only one who can give hard blows.”

“I heel-ed that the kurnel had jumped on two
of your bucks for boss-stealing, but I didn’t
reckon the fuss wouldhaniount to much,” the
driver remarked in a re ective way.

“ The big white brave Will find that when he
crosses the trail of the chief of the Musselshell
Sioux he has a man to deal with l” the red
warrior declared in an arrogant way‘.

“ Thar’s no discount on you, chief, particular,-
ly when you happen to have five or six hund
warriors at your back,” the driver declared.

“ The big white chief has seized upon two of
my oung men and because he has big guns be-
liin his tree walls he laughs at the red-men when
they call for the release of their brothers; but
war is a game that two can play at, as the big
white chief will find.

“ He has shut up two of my young men and
threatens to hang them unless the horses are re-
turned which he says have been stolen by them.
But it is all a lie l” the Indian leader\continued,

 

fierce! y.

“The horses were not stolen .by my young

, v, {’1

men—they will not be brought back and if the
big white chief dares to hang the two braves
the Sioux warriors will takes fearful venge—
ance.”

“ Oh, see hyer, chief, I reckon that you ain’t
got this hyer thing straight!” the driver declar-
ed. “ I know that the kurnel is a mighty tough
old rooster, and allers carries things with a
mighty high band, but hose-stealing ain’t no
hanging matter, you know, and I reckon your
young men ain’t in no danger of stretchinga
rope et awhile.”

" be Laughing Horse will make sure that no
harm will come to his young men l” the chief re-
plied with a great deal of dignity.

“ One white-skin is already in his power, and
now he will take this pale-face squaw and the
white man in the coach; that will be three
white-skins that the Musselshell Sioux will hold,
and if the big white chief hangs my young men
I will hang the palefaces too.” '

The driver looked amazed, the lady in the
coach gave a little shriek, and the old gentleman
stuck his head out of window.

“ This is a terrible outrage, chief!” he declar-
ed, “and I must protest against it! You are
very unwise to commit such an act, for the
Great Father at Washington will soon send
his soldiers after you, an in the end you will
be made to pay very dearly for the deed l”

A look of contempt appeared on the massive
features of the Sioux cliieftain as he listened to
the speech.

“ Bah!” he cried, in arrogant insolence,
“ does the white man think that he can
frighten the Sioux warriors with a few big
words?

“Look around you! This is the red-man’s
land, ani the white-skins have no businem here.
Let them go back to where they belong! Their
tread scares away the game, and the smoke of
their lodges Spoils the pure air.

“The white,men are a set of lying cheats.
The Lig white chief at Fort Scott is crazy for the
yellow metal which the pale-faces dig out of the
earth, and for which they would sell their souls.
He thinks the Sioux warriors know where the ,

ellow metal lies hid in the mountains, and so ‘
e pretends that he thinks they have stolen his
horses, therefore he seizes upon the young
braVes and threatens to hang them, but if they
would tell where the yellow metal can
be found, he would let them go quicklilenough.”

“ Oh, you are away out thar, c 'ef,” the
driver declared. “The kurnel ain’t no sich
man. ’

“The Sioux chief knows what he knows,
and no white-skin can fool him!” the red brave
declared.

“The white squaw and the gray-haired ch'ief
must go with the Laughing Horse to his village
on the Musselshell.

“ If the big white chief at Fort Scott will al-
low my two young men togo free, then I will
not keep my risoners, but if my braves are
harmed then t e white-skins will suffer!”

“ This is monstrous!" the lad declared to her
companion, speaking in a so had tone, so that
the chief should not hear her.

The Laughing Horse, after finishing his speech
had turned to his warriorsto order two spare
horses to be brought up for the accommodation
of the prisoners.

“ Yes, but we are in such a condition that we
can not help ourselVes,” the old gentleman re-
plied, nervously, evidently much moremxcited
than the girl who wasdecidedly more indignant
than alarmed.

“I do not suppose that there is really any
danger, though,” the young lady remarked.

“It is the intention of this red brute to hold
us as hostages for his young men, as he calls
them, and when the officer in command of Fort
Scott discovers that we are in the hands of the
Indians, he will undoubtedly speedily devise
some way to rescue us. ”

“Yes, I should think so,” the old entleman
responded, but it was plain from a way he
spoke that he was very much alarmed.

The horses were brought forward, then the
pas~engers were compelled to get out of the
coach and mount the 8

“Now say to the big white chief that I have
three paleofaces in my village, and if he harms.
hair on the head of either one of my young men
I will ive the white-skins to the torture, a
then ta e their scalps to adorn my Wigwam,”
Laughing Horse declared, addressing the driver.

The Jehu said he would deliVer the moses
and drove on, while the Indians redo of! to t a

west. ,

CHAPTER VI.
IN rain INDIAN VILLAGE.

THE Indian chief had arranged matters so
that the prisoners Were not brought in contact
with each other on the march. I

Blake went with the advance guard, while the
lady and gentleman were in the center of the
main y. ,

But when the Indian encampment was reached
the old gentleman and Blake were placed in the
same wigwam.

fork of the Musselshell River, in a broken and

 

irregular country; and though the valley in

 

The Indian village was situated on the north ' l'

 

6

 

The Fresh in “Montana.

 

5

which the encampment was situated was a pleas-
ant and fertile one, aboun'ding in sweet grasses,
and the woods in the neighborhood filled With
game, while the river swarmed with fish, yet the
approach to the Valley was a difficult one, and
from the nature of the ground, a few men could
make 21 successful stand against a large force.

Blake (lid not fail to notice this fact as he
rode up the valley, for he was one of the men
accustomed to use his eyes, and after being
placed in the wigwam he remarked to his com-
panion that the red-skins had selected a spot for
their village where it would bother the troops to
get at them.

The old gentleman was not a military man,
and, in fact, was nearly as ignorant as a child
about any matters of the kind, so he prompt-
ly expressed his astonishment that the sport
should believe the soldiers would have any diffi-
culty in making short work of the half-naked
sava es, as he termed the red-skins.

“Well, I am not particularly surprised at
your want of knowledge,” Blake observed.

“ You are a tenderfoot, and, of course, are
not posted in regard to matters and things in a

ion like this.

“ These Indians don’t trouble their heads much
about extra clothing, for a fact, but when it
comes to war, you know, it isn’t the clothing
that counts.

“If you are a judge of weapons, you could
have perceived that the bucks are splendidly
armed, better even than the regular soldiers,
and each man, too, prides himself upon his skill
in using his tools. War is the trade which the
red-skins most admire, and to which they are
trained from be hood; in fact, a. kid of ten or
twelve will do is best to fight like a man if he
gets a chance; so, really, when you come to
cipher the thing right down, these Sioux are
about as good food for powder as can be scared
up in the world.”

“ You amaze me,” the old gentleman declared.
“Ishould not have thought that such fellows
stood any chance at all when opposed to regular
soldiers.”

“ You make a big mistake when on reckon
in that way!” the sport declared. ‘ And if you
consult any old army man, he will tell lryou that
‘these red-skins can fight like devils a ter their
own fashion.

“ They don’t come up to the scratch and fight
in regular lines, but they usually contrive to get
there all the same.”

“ Being from the East, you are not posted in re-
gard to these red-skins, but I have had a deal of
experience with them, and therefore I know
their games pretty well.”

“I must plead ignorance, of course, for I do
not know anything about the brutes, and if I
can only succeed in getting safely out of this
scrape, you can depend upon it that I will never
again put myself in a position so the red-skins
can et at me!” the old gentleman affirmed.

“ ell, as far as getting out of the scrape

, I do not think there is much danger but
what we will get out all right,” the sport re-
marked in a thoughtful way.

“ Do you really think so i” the other exclaimed,
his face brightening up.

“ Oh, yes, I do not believe that we are in any
particular danger.”

“ You most certainly take agreat weight from
my mind i” the other declared.

“ I figure the matter out in‘this way,” the
sport explained. “If there was any likelihood
of the colonel in command of Fort Scott—
Poindexter, I believe is his name—putting
these two red horse—thieves, whom he has cap-
tured, to death, than the chances are big that
this Sioux chief might retaliate by taking our

seal ”

“Q1985 but the Government would surel hold
him to a fearful account!” the old gent eman
declared, getting dreadfully uneasy at the bare
thou ht.

“ h, yes, that is true enough. By the act
the Laughing Horse would practically sign his
own death-warrant, but he hasn’t sense enough
to kn0w that, you see; he is a youn buck who
has just attained the chieftainship o the tribe,
and as a natural con hence he imagines that
he is the biggest kind 0 a son of a gun—in fact%
I suppose he is just spoilin for a chance to le
it: wprld at large see wha a deuce of a fellow

is.

“Ath I understand,” the old gentleman
said wi adeep sigh. “ But I wish to Heaven
that he had waited until I got out of the
couptry before he started in to show his abil-
ity.‘

“ Man proposes and fate disposes, on knOW,”
the sharp observed with the air 0? a philoso-
her. “ We cannot always regulate these thin
topur satisfaction, much as we would like to 0

“Yes, I am aware of that, and now, too
late, I realize what a donkey I made of my-
self in coming on this western trip; but then
I knew that my fee would be a large one, and,
really, I had no idea that there was any par-
ticular danger to be encountered. If I had
known before I started what I know now it
would have taken a princely sum indeed to have
tempted me to come from New York on any
llch wild goose chase.”

 

“ You are from New York then?”

it Yes.”

“ I am a New York boy too, although I have
made my home in the West for years.”

“ well, I judged from the wa in which you
conversed that you were nota \ esterner.”

“ No, I was born and brought up in New
York.”

“ I am glad to meet you, Mr—i”

“ Blake, Jackson Blake! That is my handle,
as they say out in this country.”

“ My name. is Gregory De \Vitt, and I am a
lawyer by profession, the confidential agent
and business man of the 'oung lady who was
in the coach with me, . iss Arabella Vander-
hOVen.”

“ The young woman must be pretty well fixed,
as the saying is, to need the exclusive services of
such a man as yourself,” the sharp remarked, a
little surprised by the circumstances.

“ Oh, yes, she is very wealthy,” the law er
replied. “She comes of one of the old ew
York families, her property interests in the
metropolis are enormous, and I assure you that it
takes all my time to look after the business de-
tails; my ofi‘iCe is no sinecure.”

“ What on earth is such a woman doing out in
this country i” the Fresh exclaimed in wonder.

“ Well, in order to explain that itis necessary
you should understand something about Miss'
V anderhoven,” the old gentleman replied.

The sport nodded.

“ She is an extremely odd young lady, remark-
ably strong-minded and self-willed, and it is not
strange when you consider that she was born
with a golden spoon in her mouth, to use the old
saying.

“ er parents died when she was only a child
and she was brought up by her uncle, who was
not wealthy as it happened; his branch of the
family had succeeded in getting rid of the money
which had descended to these modern Vander-
hovens from the old Dutchman who founded the

familrv.

“ e looked upon the girl as a sort of princess,
as she would inherit so much money when she
can]: of age, and so she was brought up like
one.

“ Nine girls out of ten would have been com-
pletely spoiled by such a bringing up.

“ Very true—not a doubt about that l” the old
gentleman assented.

“But really without attemptin to flatter the
young lady, I must say that e is one girl
picked out of ten thousand.”

“ That is high praise.”

“It is deserved !” the lawyer declared, emphat-
ically. “ If Miss Vanderhoven had not been the
heiress to a colossal fortune she would surely
have made a name for herself by her own exer-
tions, for she is wonderfully gifted in half a
dozen ways, really possesses an astonishing
amount of talent, and there isn’t anything of
the s iled darling of fortune about her.

“ Igofact, if you happened to meet Miss Van-
derhoven, without being acquainted with her
position in life, the chances are great that you
would take her to be some prominent woman’s
rights advocate, for she is decidedly strong-mind-
ed, and not at all afraid of allowing everybody to
know it, for she is a very fluent spea er, and
has a happy faculty of utting a great deal of
sense in a very few wor s.”

“ What on earth is such a woman doing out
flu a. country like this?” Blake inquired, in won-

er.

“ Thereby han s a tale!” the lawyer replied.

“ I do not hes tate to speak to you about the
matter, for it is possible you may be able to
give some valuable information.”

“ I shall be glad to oblige you if 1 can.”

“ Of course you will be well paid if you can
afford an aid. the lawyer remarked.

“ Oh, t t is all right.

“ Since we have been conversin an idea has
entered my mind that on woul be just the
man to attend to this usiness, if you are at
liberetg to undertake it,” the old gentleman ob-
serv , examining the sharp with a critical eye.

“Well, I reckon I am 0 n to make an en~
gageinent,” Blake replietfe “ I am my own
master just at present, and was on my way to
these new gold fields at Hardtack City with the
ideg’of speculating, when these red-skins gobbled

e.

“ The aflair is a peculiar one, and a discreet,
capable man is required tohandle the matter
properly,” the olifentleman declared.

“ I am eertai discreet; there isn’t any
doubt about that, at in regard to my capabil —
ties a trial would show just what kind of a man
I am ” the Fresh suggested.

“Oh, I feel satis ed you will fill the bill to
perfection if you care to undertake the matter.”

“ Go ahead with your explanation, and as soon
as I understand what you want me to do I will
tell you in a ‘ brace of shakes,’ whether I can go
into the thing or not.”

“It will not take me long to ac uaint you
with all the facts in the premises,” t e lawyer
remarked.

“Fire own i”

“ As I to d you, Miss Vanderhoven was
brought up by her uncle, Jacob, who was a
man in only moderate circumstances,” the old
gentleman began. “ Jacob Vanderhoven and his

 

wife, Sarah, thought fully as much of Miss
Arabella as though she had been their own
daughter; they had but one child, a boy,
named Jack, who was three years older than
Miss Arabella.

“ The two were brought up together, and when
Miss Arabella. was sixteen. or seventeen years
old the pair had such a liking for each other that
it was the general opinion that a match would
be made between the two.”

“ Very natural under the circumstances.”

“From what I know of the affair I feel cer-
tain that young Jack could have secured the
heiress if he had managed matters lightly.

“ You see, I was in a posmun to know just;
h0w everything went on, for l was the confl—
dential agent of Miss Arabella’s father, and
when he died I was empowered by his will to
look after the estate.”

“ Ah, yes, I see,”

“ Personally I was not in favor of a marriage
between Jack Vanderhoven and the heiress, for
I had watched the young man pretty narrowly,
and was satisfied he was not the kind of a bus—
band to make her happy.

“1 did not take the trouble to open] ' interfere
in the matter, for I am/a man who lieves in.
attending strictly to my own business, 'al-~
though in a case like this I most certainly
would have overstepped my rule if I had not
bad faith that Miss Arabella would have sense
enough to find out the truth for herself.”

“ What was be trouble with the young man?”
Blake asked.

“ Well, he was naturally weak and easily led
astray,” the old gentleman replied.

“ All his father had to depend upon was a cer--
taiu fixed income, just about enough to com-
fortably support him, but young Jack, when he

at to be of age, instead of studying for a pro-
ession, or going into trade, so that he could
make a living for himself, developed into that.
most worthless of all creatures, ‘a man about
town,’ whose chief ambition was to be the best
dressed man of his set.”

“ Yes, I undeistand, and as he hadn‘t plenty-
of money at his back it did not take him long to
get into difficulties.” .

“That was the result, and then he indulged in
the small vices of his fashionable friends, drank
pretty heavily, gambled a little, and the natural.
consequence was that the first thing he knew he
was over head and ears in debt.”

“ That is the way it alwa 3 works when a man
tries to be a high-roller wit out having plenty of
money.” ,

“ Old Jacob was an easy-going sort of man,
who thought a great deal of his boy, and so he

id his debts three or four times, although he

ad to pinch pretty well to do it, and each time
Jack romised to be careful in the future.”

“ , yes, but young men with weak back-
bones never keep such promises. I have known.
hundreds of such cases; they can’t withstand
tem tation.”

“ he end came at last. Jack got in to the
tune of five thousand dollars, and knowing that
he could not hope to get such an amount out of
his father was unwise enough to apply to Miss
Arabella for aid.”

“ Then the cat was out of the bag!"

“ Exactly, and though the youn
very plausible story of how be h at in over
his head beforehe knew it and vow that if he
got out all right this time he would never be such
a fool gain, the young lady was too keen to be
deceiv .

“Although reared as became a great heiress,
with all her wishes indulged to their fullest ex—
tent, yet she kpew the value of money as well as
the c osest miser that ever lived, and the idea
that Jack should run in debt to the tune of five
thousand dollars for mere idle business—"she tool:
pains to put him through a regular cross—ex-
amination, mind you—astounded her."

“ I should imagine so.”

“ Before she would agree tohel him out she
sent for me and requested I shoal examine into
the matter. I did so, and when I made my re-
port, although I rather glossed the matter Over
aud made it as light for the young man as I
could, still I did not hesitate to say just about
what the trouble was, so she was completely dil-
gusted by the young man’s foolishness, and after

er eyes were 0 nod to his folly I do not believe
she would have n willing to have married him
if he had been the only man on earth.”

“ A very natural conclusion for such a young
woman, as you have described the lady to be, to
arrive at," the sport remarked.

“ And in her earnest straight-forward way she
immediately set her wits to work to devise some
we to reform the young ma n.”

‘ Yes, women are natural-born reformers"

“ She did me the honor to ask my advice about
the matter, and I told her that I did not think
there was any chance of the young gentleman al-
terin his way of life so long as he remained in
New ork, for his habits and associates would
be pretty certain to exert t00 strong an influence
over him, and the temptations which he had
been unable to resist would be certain to over-
come him again.”

“That is correct reasoning beyond a doubt,”
the sport asserted.

“ Man is the creature of habit,” he continued,

man told a.

a.‘

we. r—

'1‘he Fresh in Montana.

 

 

“and he must be a strong-minded fellow indeed
who is able to rise superior to his associations.”

“That was my argument, and although, re-
ally, the lesson seemed to be such a severe one
that the young man would not be apt to forget it
for along time, yet knowing as I did that his
father had paid his debts three or four times un—
der strict promise from Jack that he Would rc~
form, I was not hopeful that the young man
would lead a different life if he was pulled out of
this new scrape.”

“ The odds were a hundred to one against it!”

“ Miss Arabella had arrived at the same con-
CIUsion,” the old lawyer continued. ‘ And in
her active, practical way set to work to devise
some means to redeem the young man. and put
him in a path which would lead to a steady in-

come.

“ She had cogitated earnestly about the mat-
ter, and finally came to the conclusion that J ack’s
removal to the West, there to grow up with the
country, would do the business.”

“ A wise decision.”

“ I thought so too, and did not hesitate to say
as much,” SO. after due deliberation, Miss Ara-
billa came to a determination.

She would pay J ack’s debts and allow him
twent -five dollars per week, rovided he would
leave ew York and take up is quarters in the
W'est—she was not particular where he went—-
anywhere he chose where there was a prospect
that he could do well, and she further said when
he found a business which rpmised to be prof-
itable, and which he thong t he would like, she
would find a reasonable amount of money to
purchase it." .

“ A remarkably liberal proposition l” the sport
declared. “ Not one man out of a thousand ever
gets such a chance.”

“This was not to be a gift, you understand,
merely a boon which the young man was to pay
back when he was able.”

“ Yes, a delicate way of puttin it," the Fresh
remarked with a sarcastic smi e. “ But the
youn fellow understood, of course, that he
won] never be pressed for payment.”

“ Oh, yes, undoubtedly.”

“ He was glad to accept, I presume?

“Certainly! I arranged the details of the
matter. His debts were paid and he started
west on an exploring tour. .

“Now to do the young man full justice.‘ the
old lawyer continued “ I will say I firmly believe
that when he left ew York he fully intended
to turn over a new leaf.

” He did not tarry in Chicago nor any of the
rest of the prominent Western cities, as he might
have been tempted to do, for by the terms of the
agreement he could have looked for an occupa-
tion in one of the prominent towns if he had so
desired, but he really acted as if he wanted to
avoid temptation. and so came straight to the
extreme West.

“ By letter he kept me informed of his move-
ments. and after considerable journeyings here
and there he finally came to these new gold-dig-
gings, and the last letter I received from him
was dated at Hardtack City.

“ I received that letter on a Monday morning
and on that night his father suddenly died. "

 

CHAPTER VII.
JACK’S aria.

“THAT was a calamity indeed!” Blake de-
ciared.

“Yes, and the blow came so suddenly, and
without warning, that the shock was much
gator than it would have been if notice had

11 given.” the lawyer remarked.

“The old gentleman seemed to be in perfect
health, and had just finished a hearty meal
when the stroke came which hurried him into
another world-

“Miss Arabella took the affliction dreadfully
to heart, for she had a sincere love for her
uncle, and then too she felt badly because Jack
was absent, and for that she blamed herself, as
she was responsible for his gomg West.”

"Yea. peo is who are conscientious are apt
to be troub ed by such a matter. although
real] tag? ought not to be."

“ n the telegraph to the nearest point to
the minin -cam , with instructions to send the
messa e t roux , regardless of cost, assoou as

possib 9.

“Of course, I. understood that it would take
eight or ten days before the young man could
reach New York, oven if the dispatch was
hurried forward with all possible haste.”

“Yes, it takes time to put such things
through in the Wild West ” the Fresh observed.

“ I confidently expected though to receive a
message from Jack within a week at the out-
side, as I had requested him to answer as soon
as possible. and therefore when ten days passed
by without my either hearing from or seeing
the young man I began to believe that my
message could not have reached him.”

“ Yes, that was a natural conclusion.”

“ I telegra hed again, and made arrangements
at the New ork office to have the dispatch
sent through by a special messenger with in-
structions for. the messenger to report whether
he succeeded in finding the man or not."

 

“ You wanted to be certain.”

“ Exactly! In due time a report was received
from the messenger. He had found Jack, de-
livered the dispatch and the young man had
started for New York.”

“You took the proper method of getting at
your man,” Blake remarked.

was anxious for him to come so that
his father’s estate could be settled up. The old
gentleman did not. leave much, only ten thousand
dollars, and the son was the sole heir.”

“ Quite enough to give him an excellent start.
Had be gone into anything in Hurdtack City?’

“ On that point I am in ignorance. I only re-
ceived a single letter from him after he came to
the t0wn,and it was a brief epistle, merely saying
he had arrived safety in Hardtack City—that it
was a busy, hustling camp, full of business, and
he thought he would be able to get into some-
thing which would pay him very well. Two
Xeelk: afterl received this missive his father

is .

“ He would hardly had time to have done
much. and then too he would have had to draw
on you for money if he had gone into a business
venture,” the Fresh remarked, refiectively.

“ Yes, but no such demand reached me,” the
old gentleman affirmed.

"After receiving the message that Jack was
on his way to New York, I looked for his appear-
ance at any moment after five or six days had
elapsed, and you can judge of my surprise when
a young, and rather gmd-looking woman came
into my ofiioe one morning and announced that
she was Mrs. Jack Vanderhoven.”

“ Well, well, that must have been a surprise."

“It was indeed! As I stated she was a good-
looking young woman, but had a bold, forward
way which impressed me very unfavorably.

“ She noticed that I was astonished, and said
in an extremely fiippant manner that she sup-

she was about the last person in the wor d
ex ted to see.

“ replied that it was certainly the truth for
I was not aware of Jack’s marri e.

“ ‘ You will find that I am is wife, fast
enough!’ she exclaimed, in the peculiar way
which was so disagreeable to me.

“ ‘Jack couldn’t come himself and so I had to.
I understand the old gentleman left Jack quite
a tidy bit of money.’

“ ‘ Yes, there is a small inheritance coming to
the young gentleman,’ I replied. ‘ But how does
it hap n that he did not come?’ I asked.

“ ‘ ack couldn’t come very well for he is
dead,’ she answered.”

“ Ah, that must have rather astonished you i”
the sport exclaimed.

“ It did, I assure you i” the old lawyer replied,
with an earnest shake of the head. “ I don’t
think that I was ever more surprised in my life,
and as won as I recovered from in amazement
I asked her to be g enough to give a full ac-
count of the matter.

“ ‘Certainly!’ she exclaimed, ‘that is what I
am here for.’

“ And then she told her story; it was a plain,
strai htforward one enough.

“ he had met Jacx in Hardtack City. He
was drinking hard, and making a fool of himself
generally; be boarded at the same house with
hemelf, and when he fell sick she nursed him.

“ He apparently got well, and was so grateful
for the care she had taken of him, that nothing
short of her becoming his wife would satisfy
him, and so, although she really did not care
much about him, for she saw that he wasa weak
sort of fellow with ‘no ssnd,’ as she phrased it,
yet when she listened to his talk about what a
good family he came of in New York, and how
much money he would have when his father
died, she came to the conclusion, as she honestly
admitted, that it would be a good speculation
for her to marry him.”

“ She was frank enough 1" Blake declared.

“Oh, yes; I must give her the credit of say-
ing that she was by far the most outspoken wo-
man I ever encountered.

“ She did not hesitate to declare that if it had
not been for the ‘yarus’—the woman was ad-
dicted to the use of all sorts of slang words, you
understand—for the big yarns which Jack told
her about his New York kindred, she would
never have consented to become his wife, but as
she thought there was a chance for her to make
something, she agreed to the union, and they
were married.”

“ Well, judging from the description that you
gave of the young follow, the tale of the woman
does not seem to be an improbable one,” Blake
observed in a thoughtful way.

“I regret to have to say that that was the
opinion at which I arrived after thinking the
matter over,” the old lawyer declared, with a
melancholv shake of the head. ‘

“ Jack Vanderboven was just the man to be-'

come the victim of a dashing, unscrupulous ad-
Venturess, such as this woman evidently was,
and although she had not resented any proof
that her tale was truth, yet IJ felt pretty certain
it was.”

"‘Yes, from your description of the young
man I should think he was just the kind of fel-
low to make a donkey of himself in this sort of
way ” the sharp remarked.

‘ I have never had any experience with

I

 

women of this kind, and so for a few moments I
was really at a loss to determine just how to
treat her," the old gentleman explained.

“ I could perceive from her manner though
that she had come prepared for a hostile recep-
tion and was all ready for war.

“She did not think that her story would be
credited and no doubt expected to be treated in
an unhandsome fashion. '

“ Well, I presume that a great many men in
your position would be pretty certain to receive
such a woman in a manner which would be apt-
to make her feel uncomfortable,’ the Fresh
observed, slowly and in a thoughtful way. “ I
am not a lawyer, and I don’t know as I can la
claim to be a first-class business man, but it is
my impression that when a man acts in that way
he is making a mistake."

“Yes, yes, that is my opinion also. There is
a deal of truth in the old-fashioned, homely say-
ing that molasses catches more files than vine-
gar”.

“ Undoubtedly !"

“It has always been my rule to treat every
one with whom I come in contact in the most
courteous manner, no matter what the condition
in life of the party might be.”

“ An excellent rule.’

“Well, it was not on] my belief that it was
gocd policy to act in t at way, but naturally
such a course was r greeable to me.”

, “ Yes, I should imagine so.”

“ So, after the young woman finished her
recital. and I thought the matter over in my
mind lorafew moments, I addressed her, speak~
ing with as much respect as though she had been
one of the first ladies in the iand;l explained
that although her story appeared on the surface
to be perfectly correct, and I had no doubt in
my own mind that it was so, yet as I was only
an agent of the law, it would be necessary for
her to bring forward certain proofs before she

‘ could be put in possession of her late husband’s

estate;-

“ How did she receive the information ?” Blake
asked, having become decidedly interested in the
matter.

“ She was evidently su riscd, and did not
kn0w exactly what to ma 6 of it, and I could
see from the suspicious way in which she looked
at me that she had an idea I was not sincere in
my statements—in fact, that 1 was preparing
some sort of a trap for her."

“ That was natural,” the Fresh observed. " A
woman of that kind who is up to all sorts of
tricks herself is just the one to doubt the honesty

of everybody with whom she comes in con-i

tact.

“At the same time such a woman ought to
have been shrewd enough to understand that she
could not hope to get hold of solar e a sum as
ten thousand dollars without being a Is to brin
forward geod legal proofs that she was entitl
to receive it.”

“ She understood all about that, and had come
pr0vided with the necessary papers. which she
promptly produced for my examination. First,
was her marriage certificate, which showed that
she, Pauline Kemperwell, had been married at
Hardka City by one Reverend J abez Robinson
to Jack Vanderhoven, then there was the state-
ment of two witnesses who were present when
the marriage took place, and an account, signed
by the same two witnesses, of the death of Jack
Vunderhoven, which occurred just as ' he was
on {he point ( f setting out for the East.”

“ If these witnesses can be depended upon, the
proof seems to be sufficient,” the sport re-
marked.

“ Yes, and then, too, the young woman had
some of the letters which I had written to Jack,
which appears to be positive roof that the Jack
Vanderhoven whom she ha married was the
Jack Vanderbovsn who was entitled to the ten
thousand dollars.”

“ The chain of evidence was certainly strong,
yet it was «finite possible for the whole thing
to be false,” lake observed, in a reflective way.

“ It would not be a difficult matter, you know.
for any one who was acquainted with Jack Van-
derbover to work a smart game so as to get at
his inheritance.”

“ Yes, I understand that, and my first impres-
sion was that the story was not true, but when I
came to think the matter over, and reflected
upon what a foolish,-weak young man Jack was,
I came to the conclusion the chances were great
that the woman was telling the truth.

“ After perusing the papers carefully, I gave
them back to the young woman,.at the same
time remarking that there did not seem to be
any doubt about her having a good case, but I
further explained that it was not possible for me
to Settle the adult; it would be neccmary for
her to employ a lawyer, and make application
in due form for the estate as the widow of the
dead man: Jack Vanderhoven having departed
this life, the law would have to becalled upon to
settle his aflairs.”

“ Yes, of course.”

, “ She retired with the remark that she had no
idea that there would be so much trouble in
gaining possession of what was justly hers.

' “ The young woman was prompt to 3:63
though, form a couple of hours I was wai
upon by a lawyer. who announced that he had

    

  

 

‘ minded, of the type which I judge Miss Arabella

 it would

' cuga

\

, Ix than to the masculine gender, came intooher’

that the question could only’be settled

. proving nod.

’scbeme to Miss Ara

‘ the old gentleman continued.

  

.2 I

'8

 

 v. flesh in”.  “I

 

 

been retained to look after the interest of the
widow.

“ She had employed a good man, too, although
he was what is technically called a criminal
lawyer, but he was a sh fe1l0w, in good
standing, and there was no oubt that her in-
terests would be Carefully guarded.”

“ This legal gentleman, of course, understood
my ition. [took no interest in the matter,
for it did not conce‘rn me who got the estate.

“ I had supposed that Miss Arabella would in-
herit, as she was the legal heir, but to a woman
possessed of her enormous wealth, even so much
money as ten thousand dollars was but a trifle;
and she would never think of contesting the
matter if she was satisfied that some one else
was justly entitled to the money.”

“ es, but women take queer notions some-
times,” the Fresh remarked, shrewdly.

“ And though the story of the girl who claimed
to be Jack Vanderhoven’s widow might appear
to be an honest, straightforward tale, worthy of
belief, to you, a practical, hard-headed business
man, at to my thinking the chances are big
that t a lady would have an entirely different *
opinion in regard to the matter.”

The old gentleman nodded assent.

“It is evident that you are well acquainted
with the peculiarities of the female sex,” he ob-

ed

rv .

“Yes, I have met with a few women in my
time,” the sport replied. “And though I can’t
say that I have ever laid myself out to make a
study of the dear, delightful creatures, yet I am
one of those peculiar men who generally manage
to see everything that is going on, without hav-
ing to bother myself much about it.”

“ You are a natural student and can not help
making a careful study of all that comes in your
we .
“ Well, yes, I suppose that is about the idea.”

“ You are correct in your supposition that
Miss Arabella was not disposed to credit the wo-
man’s tale,” the old lawyer affirmed. \

“ Nay more, she even went to the Ieu th of
declaring that the story was all a lie, an that
the girl 'was no more Jack Vauderhoven’s widow
than she was.” '

“ Women who Are a little inclined to be strong-

to be from your description, are very likely to
make extremely forcible declarations.”

“I did not attempt to argue the matter, for
as the case stood I considered it would be merely
a waste of time, so I contented myself b sayinig

sen -
ing a trusty messeu er to the minding-campy where
the marriage had ta on place with orders tospare
notex use to discover the truth.”

“ hes, under the circumstances that was the
only course to you.”

‘ By 0%?ng the claim of the.alleged widow

an easy matter to gain time so that
the examination could be made, and then too the
law required that the death of Jack Vander-
hoven should be proveu in a conclusive manner,
or else his estate could not be settled.

“ Of course, it would not be exactly the
square thing for the law to step in and distribute
the property of a man unless it was certain that
he had dc rted from this vale of tears."

“ Exact y l” the old gentleman declared. “ As
executor of the estate I demanded proof of the
hair’s death and the surrogate appointed a com-
mission consisting of two young lawyers who
had been chums of Jack Vauderhoven at cxille e,
and therefore being well- uainted with h m
were perfectly competent to, entify his remains.
to proceed to Hardtack City and ascertain if he
real] had died there.” ~ ~ \

“ ad that sort of thing takes time,” the sport

observed.

;‘ Oh, yes, it is an old adage that great bodies ‘
move slowly, and a commission of that kind
dose not get under way in a hurry.

“In fact, the two will not leave New York
for a week yet, being detained by professional
ements.
fterI had arranged this matter, when I
explained it to Miss Arabella and said the next
move was to dispatch a trusty agent, who would
have time before the commission arrived on the

ad to look into the merits of the case—my

ea being, you understand, for the man to

quietlyget at all the facts in the case withOut

allowing anybody to comprehend what he was
driving at.” ' .

" Yes, I see,” the Fresh remarked with an ap-
“ If there was a game—a cons ir-
acy so to speak—your man would stan a
chance of getting at the truth, for the rties
who 9 working the thing would be on y pre-

redi'or the visit of the cemmission and there.
fire arrange all their plans to hoodwink them.”

“Certainly! Now when I suggested this
hells she was pleased. and
took”pains to compliment me on my shrewd-

“ The idea was an excellent one-not a doubt
of it!” Blake declared.
“ But now comes the odd part of the aflair,”

“ After she had hesitated over the matter for
a few moments, one of those eccentric ideas,
Which are decidedly more common to the female

 

mind; why could not we two come tb Hardtack
City and examine into the matter?”

“ That is a woman, all over!”

“She quoted the (id saying that one who
waits upon himself is well-served.”

“ There is a deal of truth in that,” the sport
declared with a knowing shake of his head.

“I interposed the objection that neither one
ofuusycould hope to play the detective success-

“ That is true, too.”

“ But she was ready for the objection, and re-
plied immediately that she had no idea that we
could do anything of the kind; we could hire a
man in the mining-camp to attend to that part
of the business, and she felt convinced that we
would stand a much better chance of learning
the truth about the matter if w could be right
on the ground so the agent cogld consult with
us than if we remained in New York.”

“ The lady was certainly right about that.”

“ Yes, I was obliged to make that admission,
and though I did not particularly relish the trip,
yet when I saw that her heart was set on it I
agreed to go.

“ Of course, I understood that as far as a fee
went I was at liberty to name my own price,
but I must say that if I could havo foreseen this
Indian business I would not have come on any

uut.

“ I don’t think there is any particular danger,
although it is disagreeable to have to run the
risk ” Blake observed.

“ es, your arguments seem to be sound
in regard to that, still it is very unpleasant.

“ But to come back to the main idea, the
thought has come to me that you would be a
good man to undertake this detective business, if
you care to go into it.

“ The price for the service will be a liberal
one," the old gentleman continued. “ Miss
Vanderhoveu is not the woman to baggie about
money if she is well served.

“ What do on say i”

“ Well, I on’t see any reason at present
wiheyi I should not take the job,” the sport re-
p .

“ I don’t profess to be a trained and skillful
detective, you understand?” he added.

“Oh, yes yes! I comprehend that!" the old
lawyer exc aimed. “I did not expect to find
a. regular professional slot-hound in this out-of-
the-wa corner of the world, but I hdve no doubt
you wi be a success in the role.

“In fact it is my opinion that you stand a
much better chance to accomplish important
results than a regular eastern detective, for you
age well-posted in regard to men and matters in
this wild region while he would labor under the
disadvauta e of ignorance.”

“All rig t, it is a bargain! If we get out
of this scra all serene, and I reckon there
isn’t much nger but what we will. I will go
into the affair, and do what I can to find out all
about Jack Vanderh0ven; if there is a game I
ought to be able to discover it!” .

 

CHAPTER VIII.
ran IN'nuN rmncnss.

THE shades of night had descended upon the
Indian village. ‘

It was early in the spring, and with the ap-
proach of the gloom came a chilly air which
offered the red-skins an excuse to keep up the
fires by means of which their evening meal had
been cooked, and around these fires the people
of the encampment were gathered, ‘all busily
engaged in discussing what the future would
bring forth.

Theludiuus were divided into two rties- the
majority of the young men—the w ld, reckless
fellows, who were eager for a chance to 'distin-
guish themselves upon the war-path—looked
upon 'the Laughing Horse as being one of the
greatest men that'the Sioux nation had ever
known, and they felt quite certain that if war
did come. as seemed almost certain, theredchiefs
would give the hated pale-faces such a drubbing
that the white men would not be in a hurry to
again invade the Indian Territory.

But the old experienced men—the sages of the
tribe—shook their heads as they listened to the
boastful utterances of the young men.

They had tested the powers of the white
braves to their sorrow and understood how small
was the chance of success attending the efforts
of the red-man when he gave battle to the pale-

face.

So stron though did the war-current run
that the 01 men saw that their words were onlv
wasted when the‘yl counseled peace, and so, with
gloomy brows, t ey held their tongues and Ms
toned to the vaporings of the young braVos.

At the upper end of the village, remote from
all the wigwams, with the exception of the one
hiwhich the two white men Were confined, was
the te of the old medicine-man. '

.Nis -ms.wah sat Within the lodge, attending
to a small fire. ovor which was an iron put. con-
taining herbs that the old an was rendering
into medicine in the Indian ashion. ‘

The rays of light which came from the fire

lighted up the‘interior of the lodge so that all -

ob sets weredistluctly visible. ‘
ith a rudely-shaped wooden spoon the old
. w V

I "'

 

man stirred the decoction, which filled the wig»
wam with a most peculiar odor.

That the thoughts of the old medicine-man
were not pleasant was apparent from the scowl
which sat upon his brow, and the vigorous way
be stirred the contents of the kettle every now
and then, just as though he bore the innocent
simples a deadly grudge.

The meditations of the medicine-man were dis-
turbed by the abrupt appearance of a young in-
dian girl, who, with almost noiseless steps, lifted
up the wolf-hide which masked the door of; the
tags: and glided into the Wigwam.

e new-comer was tall and straight, splendid-
ly proportioned, and so light in color that if she
had not been dressed in the Indian garb it would
have taken a very good jud e of nationalities in-
deed to have decided that s e was a daughter of
the red lords of the wilderness.

From her proud and haughty carriage, as well
as the unusual richness of her attire, it was plain
she was no common Indian maid.

The Speckled Pi eon she was called. and she
was known far au near as the White Squaw of
the Musselshell Sioux.

The daughter of the dead chieftain, Tall
Thunder, sister to the Laughing Horse, she oc-
cupied a position far in advance of all the other
women of the tribe. .

And that she was entitled to the situation,
not only because she was the daughter of the
great Sioux Chieftain, but on account of her
being truly a remarkable girl was apparent from_
her noble appearance and the brain y look which
she possessed.

That she was gifted with unusual courage, and
resolution was plainly shown by the expression
upon her mobile features.

After entering the wigs-ram she halted fora
moment and looked at 9 old medicine-man, -
who, beyond lifting his eyebrows in a peculiar
way when she entered, gave no sign that he
noticed her presence; then the 'rl took a seat
upon a pile of robes to the left 0 the old man.

“ Is not my father well?” she asked, s aking
in the Indian tongue, her voice rich an melo-

‘1

dious.

“ Well in body but sick at heart,” the old
medicine-man answered. I

“ All has not gone as the Ground Hog Wished ?”

“No; the Laughing Horse is like an unruly
colt, and when I attempt to put a bridle upon
him he evades my hand "' the old Indian replied,
with a solemn shake of his maive head. »

“ This white man is not the one?”

“ He is the second—r ot the first.” ,

“ How comes it, then,‘ r'i'i'y tether, that the
first man was not captured

“Because he was the-Red Rattlesnake, and i

when the Laughing Horse saw him from his
covert among the trees he cried out that he could
not be the one that the Great Spirit spoke of,
for he was not a white man, but a white man’s
devil l" ,

The proud lip of the girl curled in contem t.

“ My brother has more of the wisdom o the
fox in him than I gave him credit for possess-
ing!” she exclaimed.

“ But were the other warriors satisfied with
this speech! Did they consider the excuse a
good one?”

“Oh, yes; there is not one of them who is
willing to face the Red Rattlesnake—no, nor ten ,
of them, even, were he alone and weaponlessl"

“ And did my father, when he went into the
s irit-land in his dreams, see that the Red Rat-
tesin:”ke would be the first to come along the
tra l. r

There was a sly twinkle in the eyes of the red-
man as he replied, although he nodded his head
in a grave and solemn way. ‘

“ In the spirit-land it is. dark and shadOwK
and the red prophet who gropes his way throng
the gloom cannot see clear] , yet the figure
which I saw there resembl the Red Rattle-
snake more than any one whom I ever saw ”

“ It was not the figure of this white man who
has been Captured?” the Indian girl asked, a
Slight frown clouding her handsome face.

‘ ‘ No, no, taller—en older man.” ’

“ And so the Lau hing Horse allowed the Red
Rattlesnake to go yand waited for the second
man,” the girl remarked in a reflective way,

“ Yes, and the warriors believe that he was
right, too,” the old -mediciue-man declared in a
way which showed he was annoyed by the cir-
cumstance. 4 .

The maiden gave utterance to a low high
which was full of scorn. V

“Ah, my father, you are not as cunning as
you think, for in this afl’air ou must admit. .lial.
the boasting young chief as got the bes . if

on.” ‘

“ Yes. it is true.” and the old medicineitfi.
shan his head in a mournful way. .

" The evil spirit must have been at the elbow
of the Laughing Horse. or else he never would '
have been able to avoid meeting the Red Biat-
tlesnake.” .

“ It is a pity l” the irl declared. “ For if‘he
had not shrunk from t e encounter, there is little
doubt in regard to the result.” "

“ No. for it is as he says, the Red Rattlesnake
is the white man’s devil. and the Indian b {we
who crosses his path must prepare to Chan: his
death-soug.‘ 6;,

    
    

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“ And what think you of this white prisoner?”
the girl questioned. “Will he not answer in
place of the Red Rattlesnake!”

The old man shook his head.

“There is but one Red Rattlesnake in the,
sun; no white brave tbut i
ever stepped foot n the country of the Sioux 1

land of the settin

nation is as great as he l” the old me( icine-man
responded in a tone which showed plainly that
he had the utmost faith in his statement.

“ It may be true, yet I think this strange
white chief is a good man,” the girl remarked in
a thoughtful way.

The other shook his head.

“ Did he not offer to fight the red warriors,
although completely surrounded ’9'”

“He is a stranger;, and did not know how
great was the danger.

“You should be a better judge than I, yet I
believe you to be wrong,” the girl dec .

“ He is not a mountain-man like the Red Rat-
tlesnake, and what can he know of prairie war?”

“If [judge aright, he is as brave as a lion,
and will fight to the death.

“ I must see him!” she cried, abruptly. “ There
is a vacant wigwam next to the one that the
two white men are in.

“I will go there, and you bring him 1” And
then the lndian princess strode away with the
air of one who knew' that her commands must
in: obeyed.

 

CHAPTER IX.

THE STORYVOF THE WHITE SQUAW.

THE red warriors had not taken the trouble to
bind their prisoners, for as the wigwams in
which they Were confined were surrounded by
a line of sentinels, who kept vigilant watch
both by day and night, an escape was almost
impossible.

The Indian chief known as S tted Calf had
charge of the prison eguard, a as he was the
nephew of the old m icine-man, Nish-ma-wah,
that worthy had no difficulty in arranging the
transfer of the prisoner. . .

Blake followed the old Indian Without a word
when he was told to come, but as the two came
within a yard of the wigwam wherein the
Speckled Pigeon waited, Nish-ma-wah halted,
laid his hand upon the arm of the prisoner, and
said in an impressive tone:

“ You are about to enter the presence of the
Speckled Pigeon. the White Squaw of the Mus-
selsbell Sioux. She is the daughter of the great-
est chief that the tribe has ever known, Tall
Thunder, who is also the father of the Laugh-
ing Horse, the present chief of the Musselshell
Sioux. \

“Give wise heed to what the White Squa
save, for she is wiser than any red'brave in the
tribe. and her words have weight.”

“ Oh, yes, I will be careful to pay attention,

particularly” I have a high respect for the‘

wisdom of the female sex,” the sport replied.

The brows of the old Indian knitted, and a
SCOWl came over his dark face.

For though the sharp spoke in a serious way
yet there was something in the tone which jarred
on the sensitive ear of the medicine-man.

“ The white man must not make any mis-
take!” he declared.

“The Speckled Pigeon is no common squaw,
and if on do not listen attentively to her words
you w' I be sorry for it.” .

“ Much obliged to you for the warnin ,” Blake
, ded. in an easy, careless; way, w ich was
so natural to him.

. “ And nOW. respected red brother, let me can-
tion you not to make any mistake about me. I
am not the kinda! man to be fri htened, par-
ticularly by Words. Your White quaw may
be a very great creature, but I reckon I am not
going to how my head down in the dust before
her if she is; I am not that kind of man because
1 am not built that way.” _

, “ Thewhite chief mistakes my meaning,” the
old medicine-man declared. ,

“ It was not my inteution to attempt to
fri hten him,” he added. with great dignity.
“ at I know that the white-skins are apt to
1 think that the Indian women are'bnt little bet-
ter than of burden, and I did not want
my brother to make that mistake iii regard to
the White Squaw. for she has more brains than
any man in the tribe.”

3‘” ~ “ As I am a stranger in this part of the coun-

‘dry, I of course know nothing about, your
people, and I can assure you, too, that I am not

nxious to know anything about them,” Blake
iffirmed. “ It was not of my own free will that
L came here, and if I had my way I .would
speedily depart.

. “ I hav’n’t any idea what your White Squaw
whnts of me, but you can rest assured I" will
my careful attention to what she has to sa .”

‘ More cannot be asked,” the old in icine—
Hall declared, in a sententious way, ,and then he
pushed aside the skin door of .the wigwam that
the splofrt could enter, remaining on the outside
Muse . «

Blake advanced without hesitation and found
himself in a medium-sized tepee, in the center of
which blazed a small fire, Which afforded suf-
ficient light to enable the sharp to see plainl .

. Tire Indian girl was seated on P cone of

| .
skins, in the center of the wi

 

pluck the stars from the sky,
, . .. . . ‘ ' a?

in, just back of
the fire, and she motioned t e sport to take a
seat by her side.

Blake was a keen observer, and the life of ad-
Venture which he had led for years had made
him a ood judge of humanity, and so he was
able to Siscern, after tting a good look at the
girl’s face, that the o d medicine-man had not
made any mistake when he declared that she
was far superior to the common run of Indian
women.

“ Or white ones, too, for that matter,” was the
Fresh’s thought, after he had seen what the girl
was like. ,

After the sport seated himself by the side of
the Indian maiden, on the couch of skins, she
spoke.

“We must converse in a low tone, or else
there is danger of our words being overheard,”
she remarked, in a voice but little above a
whisper.

” Yes, I can understand that, for a Wigwam
is not like a house.”

“ Although I am a stranger to you and come
ofa race which has ever had reason to be hos-
tile to all men whose skins are white, yet you
will not find me to be your enemy,” the girl de-
clared. _

“I am lad indeed to know that, for it is my
opinion t at I am in a pretty tight place here,
and it is always well to have friends at court,
anywa .”

“ on will find that I will .do all I can for
you ” the girl observed.

“Much obliged, and you can rest assured I
will return the favor if it is ever in my power so
to do!” the sport replied.

“ Is this your first visit to this section?"

“Yes, I'was on my way to Hardtack City
when your warriors captured me."

“But you do not look like a miner,” the
girl remarked, glancing at the sha ’s costume.

“No, mining isn’t exactly in my ine. I am a
speculator—a sport—a gambler, to come right
down to the plain honest truth.”

A shade over the face of the Indian
girl and she shook her head.

“I suspected from the fashion of your dress
that you were something of the kind, and I
am sorry that my suspicions are correct. ,

“It seems to me that a man like yourself
could find something better to do,” she added.

“ Yes, 1 am aware that I might, but circum-
stances alter cases,” the sport replied. “ What
a man might do and what he does do are two
entirely different thin s. i .

“Now take oursel , for instance: you speak
as good En sh as I do, and as far asyour
color goes . have known lenty of white
Women who were fully as dar in complexion
as you are; really now, without any desire
to flatter you, I must say that you appear to
be as lady-like and well-bred as any girl I
ever encountered, and yet what are yout—the
White
sociate men the majority of whom have
no higher ambition in life than to get drunk
on cheap whisky and scalp defenseless white
men.

“ No, no; that statement is not correct!” the
girl replied.

“ The Indians are not all bad and will com-
pare favorably with the white men on the
éontier with whom they are brought in con-

ct.

“ You must take the fact in consideration, too,
that the whites have advantages which the red-
men lack. That these are more merciless and
save e in time of war is true, but you must bear
in in ad that the red-men but follow in the. foot-
steps of their ancestors, and when it comes their
turn to suffer they do so unflinchingly.”

f‘ Yes, undoubtedly there is a great deal
of truth in what you say,” Blake observed, re-

flectiveli.

“ As t e red-men are brought up to think that
sort of thing is correct, [suppose it is only
natural they should believe it to be all right,
and it would be hard work to make them think
otherwise. An illustration of the old saying
that it is hard work to teach old dogs new
tricks.”

“ And in regard to myself it is not strange that
I am radicall different from the women of my
race.” the In ian girl remarked;

.. “I am the daughter of one of the test

chiefs that the Sioux nation has even nown.

Tall Thunder was not only a warrior but a

statesman, and while he lived his branch of

the tribe prospered, for he was too wise to

permitnhls, people to dare the white man’s
wer. V '

“ There is where he was sensible,” the sport de-
clared. ‘ ‘

“An Indian war can have but one endin .
The redchiefs may, make it lively for the se
tiers for awhile, but in the end the troops
alwa s whip the braves to a standstill.”

“ es, that is the truth, but it is so hard to
make the young warriors comprehend it,” the
girl observed.

“ The old braves who hate been through such
an experience seldom fail to comprehend that
it is almost as impossible for the red~man tocon-
qu‘er the wliite~skins as for them attempt to

t.

Situaw of a tribe of savages, the as-'
o

  

will not listen to reason. All the know of the
white men is what they see in t e little settle-
- ments on the borders of the Indian Territory——
. the white-skins are a mere handful, apparently,
i when compared to the red-men, and when one of
the old chiefs, who has traveled through the
land of the pale-faces, tells his story of the vast
cities with countless lodges, and men so plentiful
! that they may be likened to the leaves of the
l forest or the grains of sand upon the riter’s
edge, the young men either straightway brand
him as a liar, or else declare the white medicine-
men were cunning enough to put a spell upon the
speaker so that his eyes were blinded and his
judgment misled.”

“ Yes, I have heard this story before, and it is
but a repetition of an ancient one.” the sport re-
marked.

“ Ever since ther world was young, men have
either been ready to believe the most outrageous
fables, or else quick to scoff at the seekers after
knowledge when they told a plain, straight for-
ward tale.”

“Yes, it is not alone the untutored red-men
who ‘ strain at gnats and swallow camels,’ ” the
Speckled Pigeon observed. ’

“ But to return to myself: I am the child of
Tall Thunder by a white wife, a settler’s daugh-
ter who fell in love with the Sioux chieftain
and deserted her people to dWell in his lodge: I do
not think, either, thatshe ever regretted the step,
for my father treated her like a queen.

“:She died when I was ten years old, and my
father sorrawed for her as sincerely as evera
white man mourned for his lost partner.

“ Before my mother’s death my father had
promised her that I should be sent amon e
whites to be educated, and be kept his wor .

“I went to the Indian school at Carlisle, in
Pennsylvania, where I remained for eight yean
before I returned to my people.” I

“I should think that after so long a sojourn.
among the civilized people of the East you, would
have been reluctant toreturn to the primitive
villa e of the red-men.

“ might say the same thing of yourself,” the
girl retorted, quickly.

“You are a welLeducated man, and used to

 

 

The Fresh laughed, for he saw that he was
fairly caught.

“It is the original barbarian cropping out
from beneath the veener oi civilization, pre-
sume,” he answered.

irl said, slowly. “ In my own case I am cer-
gin that it is so. It is hard work to civilize
one within whose veins runs the red life-current
of the old Sioux nation.

“There is something in the wild cOmpanion-
ship of nature which ap ls powerfully to the
' children who are rea in the wilderness, and
though they may for a time be content todwell
in the haunts of civilized men, yet, sooner or
later, the desire to return again to the vast soli-_
tudes, where nature reigns supreme, becomes too

temptation and return to their original barbar-
ism. ’

about right,” lake remarked.

“ In my case, though, I forsake the East for
the West—the city for the mining camp, be- .
cause I am a natural born rover and cannot be
content to lead a uiet life. I crave change
and excitement and do not sup
be content to settle down unti I receive my
marching orders for another worl .” “

The sharp was honest enough to admit the

truth. i ,

“ Yes, I understand, and then in my "
too, I had another motive for returning to m
tribe," the Indian girl remarked. .

“ Blood is thicker than water. and as I had
advants which were denied to the rest of my
peeple,
do all I could to improve their condition.” .

“ That was right i” the sport declared, with an
approving nod. '

‘ I considered that it was so. If white women
think that they are doing a service to humanity
by going as missionaries to civilize the red-men,
how much stronger, then, should he the induce»
ment for an Indian woman, capable of doing the
work to undertake the task.”

abandoning civilization to take up your resident»
in the wilderness.” ‘

“'While my father lived all went well, and
the condition of the Sioux was steadily improv-
ing; then came his sudden death, only a few,
months ago and the rise of my half-brother, the
Lau hing fiorse,to the chieftainship.”

“ as I am acquainted with the particulars j
of howlie came to be chief,” and the rtde-
scrlhed how he had encountered the ol scout.
Red Rattlesnake, and detailed the conversation
which ensued. ‘ = v 

“ The Laughing Horse was jealous of the

 

the time of his grasping the chieftains’hip he
has done his best to interfere with my work; now. M
, I have, practically, been obliged to stop, and it ‘
! gill got take him long to undo all that I have
one. . '

 

     
   

good society; I can see thatplainly enough; what ‘ i
then are you doing out here in this wilderness?" - l

i.
“ Yes, that is the truth, I think,” the Indian J i

great for them to resist, so' they yield to the ‘-

“I reckon éou have ciphered the thing out 

I will ever ; 

felt that it was my duty to return and“ ' ’

“Very true, and you acted quite rightin "

 

fluence which I had over the warriors, and 1mm .

Jetw- T -

- J'vfl‘r 1;. ;‘ "5'. t5: 1,. , .' is“: I .",.".«‘r-,‘ ' . v‘f, oriw

“ ., i
\ ’..,,.
v

Fresh in Montana.

32,514:  .‘3-  .

The '

"i’ "\‘;‘_"f:’:»,\ '

 

 

 

CllAi’l‘ER X.
In: MEDICINE-MAN‘S TRICK.

"AH, yes it is the old story! ‘ Blake declared.
“ It is alwaysa great deal easier to tear down
, than to build up

i “ The Laughing Horse represents the war
' rty of the tribe—the young bucks and the
stubborn old bigots who cannot knock sense into
their heads even by butting against a stone
wall.” the sport continued.

“ Thanks to the information given me by the
old scout, I understand the situation as well as
through I had been living in this section all my

i e.
“ The trouble began with the distribution of

  

the Government goods by the Indian agent at the
  reservation,” the Indian girl explained.
37 “ The agent is no better than he should be.
 and if he has a chance tocbeat the red-men will
grit undoubtedly im owe it, but on this occasion
3‘? there was very little cheating. but the Laughing

Horse declared that there was and threatened
the life of the agent.

“His courage was not great so he promptly
fled to Fort Scott for protection. and this move-
ment gave the Laughing Horse an opportunity
to abandoned the. reservation, under the pretext
that the soldiers were coming, and the camp was
pitched in this ont-of-the-way spot

:‘ Then the colonel in command of Fort Scott
was cuto- enongh to catch two of the Laughing
Home's favorite braves in the act of stealing
horses from his corral, and be promptly locked
them up this gave my half-brother another
chance to denounce the white men , and this time
he got the braves so eme that they were all
ready to go on the war-path, in spite of all that
I and the few old warriors who did not he-
, ,,  lievc in fighting. could do to prevent," and the
 girl shook her head with a sad air.”

‘ “ Ah, yes. I understand how that sort of thing
is workedll‘ Blake declared. “ The red braves
, are like the white men in allowing themselves
. tobecarried away by the impulse of the mo-

' meat; rushing things through with a hurrah. as
the saying is.”

“ It was in vain that I attempted to stem the
tide; the popular sentiment in favor of war was
1 I too strong, and oven the counsels of the old med-
». icine-man, Nish-ma-wah, were disregarded be-

. cause he spoke in favor of ca."

“T’hat shows how strongly the tide was run-
nin . ' '

“gNish-ma-wah is my father’s brother. and,
. - like him, is a man oflgreat natural powers.” the
‘ - r Speckled Pigeon explained.

- , ” When he found that the braves were not die-

    
   
   
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
  
   
  
 
   
  
   
  
 
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
    
    
  
  
    
      
  
  
  
  
  
  
     
 
    
    
  
   
  
  
   
    
  
  
    
   
   
   
   
  

‘ " ., posed to pa heed so his words he cunningl pre-
 ) tended to {How binnelf to be convince; that
' . they were in the right in believing war to he do-
- stable."

I

- . , " I understand the game,” the Fresh observed.
v.1,  “Finding that he could not stem the tide he
5 concluded to go with it in hopes that he might
f be able to direct the current.”
i, “.Yel, that was his idea.” the girl admitted.
“The old man has a great re utaiion as a
mphet, and Ido not wonder at t for he oer-
alnl isstrsn ely gifted.
 r “ t times 0 cos into a trance, and while
 in that state is a is to tell many things which
* «in known only to the person who desires in-
, \formation.”
» , “I comprehend; it is the clairvoyance busi-

 ness,” the sport remarked. “I know all about
' i for I was well acquainted with an old fellow
' w o traveled around telling fortunes by means
of clairvoyance. _ ,

‘f I found him ‘ stra l,’ as the boys say, in a
little frontier town. e was down on his
with a bad attack of chills and fever, and as I
happened to have plenty of money at the time I
tow the old fellow through, for he was an honest
old chap, although clean gone on his clairvoy-
ance business

“ I have a sort of turn for investi tion. even
though the matter may be one that can not con-
 me in the least, so I looked into clairvoy-
once, and I speedily made up my mind that as
far as fontell the future went the thing was

an out and out rand.
The gofessor, Is he called himself had the
gift of ing able when he went into his trance

*  to tell me what I,know; that is, in some mys-
terious way he was able to read the thoughts
_ that were in m brain, and could even recall
'- 'tbings that I ha almozt f otten, but that was
theextent of his powe , an as far as fortune-
telling went 1 would back myself with a‘ pack
not-cards to tell fortunes in the good old-fashioaed
way for any amount against him.” '
724 s ‘ I do not know much about the matter,” the
5i Italian irl remarked. “But I should not be
surprise if you were right.”

'“ Oh. yes. I am positive that I am i” the shar
replied. “The profemor had the utmost fnit
that he could do exactly what he said he could
accomplish. The man was no fraud knowingly
on]? little weak in the upper story in regs
"to . is system, but
Ways, and he made a flat failure in not only
' rafflicting the future, but in revealln what had

* ken place when it came to things which it
- m not possible for either one of us to have any

nowlodge. I

     
  
  
   
  
 
  
   
     
    

 
 

 

I tried him a down different v

 

 
  
 

" Your int-dicineman may be more highly
gifted than my professor, but I doubt it.”

' Well. he certainly does possess strange pow-
ers, and thepeople of the tribe regard him with
a great deal of awe.” the Speckled Pigeon ob-
served.

" He took advantage of this fact to make an
attempt to stop the red-men from making war
upon the whites, for he believed with me that if
a war began it would only end with the total
(Lstruction of the Musselshell Sioux.”

' His head was level there, in my opinion!”
die sharp declared.

“ it is customary, you know, for the Indians

, betore entering upon any important enterprise,

to consult the medicine-man.

-“ Yes, 1 am aware of that fact, and they hope
through him to get the Great Spirit to look with l
a favorable eye upon the undertaking.”

“ That is correct, and when Nish-ina-wah shut
himself up in his wigwani, and went through
the mystic services necessary to the supernat-
ural process. all the tribe waited With wondering
owe for the revelation.”

“ And it is a remarkable fact that the Great
Spirit is always kind enou h to come when
the medicine-man summons im.” the sport re-
marked. with a sarcastic smile.

“Another odd thing, too. is that all these
prophets. from the earliest ages, have always
taken care to seclude themselves when they in-
tended to commune with the powers of the other
world—secrecv, and, generally, darkness, are
necessary to the successful carrying out of the
programme.

“ To the mind of an unprejudiced man—one
who desires to examine the matter in the clear
light of reason, it would appear asthough these
communers with su ernatural persona had
made a their min s to have the business so
arrang that no one would be able to tell
whether they did really receive the revelations
or not.

“You must take the whole thin on trust.
you know." the sharp continued in h I terse de-
cisive wa . “ You must believe what they say
because t e tell you it is so, goin on the idea
‘ I am the b est wonder-worker t at the world
ever sawx on I speak let no dog barkl’ "

The white squaw laughed.

“ In this case you arecertainly right in your
coniecture that the medicine-man was much
more res sible for the communication, which
he said 9 had receivad from the other world,
than the Great Spirit who was supposed to have
ant it.” .

'1 What was the communication?”

“ That the result of the war would depend
upon the first fight which would take place be-
tweegd-the red-men and the whites,” the girl
re i ;

1"If a red warrior succeeded in overcoming a
white-skin in a fair airmen stru lo then the
Sioux would surely en in dri mg the pale-
facea from the Indian Territory, but if the
white man conquered, than the war would end
with the complete destruction of the Mumelshell

“Well. well. that was comiderable of a pro-
phecy." the sharp observed.

“Upon the prowess of two men—champions,
so to speak. the issue was to depend.”

“ Yes, and as the Laughing Horse had set
himself up to be the greatest warrior in the
tribe it was only natural that all should think
that he was the man who ought to do battle for
the red-men.”

“ And I don't doubt he was eager to improve
the o portunity."

'~ 9 Was, and he besought Nish-ma-wah to
again consult the Great Spirit in order to see if
h s assumption of the role of champion would
be looked upon favorably.”

“ I have no doubt the old medicine. after 0-
ing through his mystic performances, responi ed
that it was what the Great Spirit desired above
all things,” the sport remarked in a cynical,
wa .

“yYes, you are right, that was the answer,
and with it came the information that the
Laughing Horse must take part with his war-
riors on the Musselshell River trail, and the first
man that came along the trail as the sun sunk
wrest behind the western bills would be the one
whom the the red chief must encounter.”

‘ Well, I suppose I am the man then as I was
the first one captured.” the sharp remarked in a
thoughtful way. " But, really,I don't see the
object of this communication, for, of course, I
take it for granted that the old medicine-man
had some deep Motive in representing that the
Great Spirit had made this announcement.”

" Yes, that was my thought when I heard of
it, for I. knew Nishm-wah too well not to un-
derstand that he would not have delivered such
a message without good reason. .

“I did not question him, for I knew that not
even to me would he admit there was any trick-
ery in his supernatural communications, but I
soon learned his plan. ‘

“ He had discovered that RedBattlesnake was
to leave Fort Scott, journeying to the eastward,
and be timed his announcementso that the Laugh-
ing Horse would encou tor the old scout.”

‘ But he missed him nd got me instead.”

‘9 Noe, he did not-miss him, but with a cunning
  fixt'  1.7. r": . 5 ’

,
it,

 

for which even I, who know him so well, did not
give him credit for paslessing, he evaded meet-
ing the Red Rattlesnake by declaring that the
Great Spirit had said he must encounter the first
white man, and the old scout was not a man but
a devil.”

‘ ‘ Very ingeniously pnt indeed l” Blake declared
with an approving nod. “ And it shows that
your half-brother has a big head. Hedid not
want to tackle the old scout, who hasa great
reputation as a fighting man, and yet could not
afford to back right out and give that as a rea- .
son. '

“ Yes, that is true, although, really, 1 don’t be-
lieve there is a single warrior in the tribe who
would be willing to face the Red Rattlesnake if
he could possibly avoid the encounter.”

“ Well, the red buck certainly show ed a great
deal of rhi'e‘ullleSS in the “ ay Wblt'll he managed
to get out of the scrape. He let the Red Rattle-
snake go on in peace and gobbled me."

“ Yes, and you will have to meet him.”

“Quite an honor, now!” the Fresh declared,

smiling! '. “ Just consider! The whole issue of
this lnd an uestion de ends upon me. If I can
lay out the ughing orse peace comes instead
of war.”

 

CHAPTER XI.
A REVELATION

THE speech was accompanied by a laugh just
as if the sport did not consider the matter to he
a pariicuhrly serious one, and the Indian girl
shot-k her head in a slow and serious way.

“ I fear you do not comprehend the gravity of
the situation,” she obserVed.

“ Oh, yes, I do,” Blake replied, quickly.
“This Indian buck is a big chief, and all that
sort of thin . and I have no doubt he calculates
to eat me vi thout salt.”

“ He is a gooc‘ warrior, and when his right to
the chieftainship of the tribe was disputed,
he easily defeated the men who opposed him.”

“ Well, he may be able to get away with me,
but I doubt it!" the Fresh declared, in his airy,
confident way.

“ You are not as muscular as the chief,” the
8 kled Pigeon observed, With a doubtful
g nce at the well-proportioned figure of the
s rt.
plBlake was so well put together as to {resent
an extremely dece tive appearance, not appear5
ing to be as big y forty or fifty pounds as he
really was.

“ You are not an expert, and so are not a good
judizgdin regard to that sort- of thing,” the sport ,
re i . .

R It is an extremely hard matter for an in-
experienced person to form a correct 0 inion
in regard to a matter of this kind,” 9 ex~

ained.

“The chief is a brawny, big fellow, with ,
plenty of bone, but I doubt if he pmsesses 1
muscle in proportion' he has good arms and
chest, but very bad logs, notat all what the
should be to correspond with the rest of h 3
body, and then, he is decidedly slow and ex-
tremely clumsy.

“ In fine, to sum him all up, no lgood judge of l
men in search of a chum ion nth etc, a man fit
to be a worldcbeater, =wou d ever make the mis-
take of selecting him.”

The confident manner in which the sport
spoke encouraged the girl, and her face bright-

ened.

“ Of course, I am no judge in regard to such a
matter, but, really, it does not seem as if you "
stood a chance to conquer the chief,” she re-
marked. .

“ Well. I do not feel much anxiety in regard
to pulling through,” the Fresh declared.

‘ In fact, I feel convinced that I will not come
out of the little end of the born. but whether the
struggle will be long or short willdepend a great
deal upon the weapons used. ’ ‘

“ Are you a good shot i” .

“Yes, with either rifle or revolver, and the
distanCe does not matter a particle to me so
long as it is within range of the gun.”

“ The chief is a good shot, but nothing extra.”

“Well, I am, luckilyl. And I am not indulg-
ing in any boasting when 1 say that though I
have met my equals, in, skill in that line yet I
never met a man who could beat me.” ,

“ The chances then are in your favor if the '
chief chooses either the rifle or the revolver, but i
I have an idea that he will not select either. \
wen ,” the girl remarked.

“ d justias lief meet him with the knife!"
the Fresh declared. -

“ I flatter myself that I can handle a bOWIe as
well as the man who originally got upthe weap-
on, and as 1 am about twice as quick on my  
as the Laughing Horse it will he a miracle if I .5 '
do not succeed in giving him more knife-play
than will be agreeable to his red lordship.”

“ I do not thinkth will choose knives either.”
said the S ieckled geon.

A look (if surprise appeared on the taco of the i, '

rt. , , ,
p3What then—Indian war-clubs, or toma-
hawksl" he asked. ,

“Those are rather outlandish weapons3 and I ;
though I can handle the hatchet pretty w l , yet ~
if there is any particular science in wiel ing a

 

_ “r __....‘1_n ‘

  
  
  
  
 

 

   

  

 

jigs/A .. .i,‘

The Fresh in Montana.

11

 

war-club, and he is an expert in that line, I am
afraid I shall have to admit that he has an ad-
vantage.”

“ Few of the young braves bother themselves
to become skillful in the use of the war-club or
tomahawk,” the Indian girl replied. “ Those
are the weapons of the past, and the warrior of
to-dny relies upon fire-arms, although the knife
and tomahawk are still used when it comes to a
handtrhand struggle.”

“ W hat weapon will he choose then?” asked
the Fresh, decidedly puzzled.

“ Those which nature gave him,” was the
replv.

“ You don’t mean to say that he will decide to
fight with lists?” Blake exclaimed.

“ From what he said to one of the warriors,
who told his words to me, I do not think there
is a doubt but what he will decide to fight with
fists.”

“ Well, I am amazed!” the sport declared.
“Though now that i come to think of it, I re-
member the old scout told me that while he had
been hanging around the saloons of the camp,
he had learned to box after the white men’s
fashion.”

“Yes, itis true, and he fancies that he will
have an easy task to conquer you, for he thinks
from the style of your dress that you are not a
\Vesterner, and therefore will not be able to
stand against him.”

“ Ah, yes, I see,” the sport remarked, with a
sarcastic smile.

“He has made the mistake that almost all
ignorant men make of judging a man by his
harness.

“ His idea of a fighter is, no doubt, a big fel-
low in a red shirt, wnh lists like small legs of
mutton, one of the ‘ I can lifta ton’ style, half
boss and half alligator, a man who goes around
prwlaiming that he is the biggest kind of a
chief: the bully of the frontier camp, in short."

“ Yea. that is the kind of man whom he Would
be apt to consider dangerous.”

“ Before he gets through with me he ma
have reason to change his opinion materially,”
the Fresh remarked, with a grim smile.

“ From what the chief said, I know that he is
looking forward to the encounter with a great

deal of eagerness.”

“ Oh, he is, on ?” and a peculiar light shone in
the keen eyes .of the Fresh—the light which
always played in his orbs when he was on mis-
chief bent.

“ Yes, he is so confident that he will be ableto
beat you With perfect ease, that it is his inten-
tion to play With you as a cat plays with a
mouse.”

“Hang the red scoundrel’s impndencel” the
sharp exclaimed. “ Going to make a plaything
out of me, is he?"

“Such is his intention. He intends to treat
you as the red-men sometimes treata risoner
when he is put to the torture; the tri enjoy
the sufferings of the victim before death comes
to relieve the unfortunate from his misery.”

. “Ah, yes; I understand,” and the peculiar
light in t e eyes of the sport grew stronger and
stron er.

“ e is so confident that I will not be able to
do anything against him that he intends to ham-
mer me at is eisure—make a laughing-stock of
me, in fact. for the amusement of the gaping
lockers-on.”

O“ Yes, he has boasted that such is his inten-
tion,” the Indian girl replied.

“ Oh, he has?”

:‘ So one of the chiefs told me.”

‘And I don’t suppose that our. informant
had any doubt but what the ughin Horse
Could carry put this programme all rig t?" the
sport asked in an extremely sarcastic wn .

“ Oh, no; no one in the village thinks that you
stand any chance.”

“ And when the fight takes place, I have no
doubt that every body in the encampment will be
present, all struggling to get a place at the front
so that they may have a good view of the white
man’s sufferings.”

“ Yes, undoubtedly.”

“ hat a disappointment it will be to these
children of nature if the white man should hap-
pen to succeed in pounding their red buck within
an inch of his life 1” the sport exclaimed.

“ Their disgust will be eat.”

“ Well, you are safe in betting everything
that you have, or ever expect to have, that a
‘performance of that kind is just what will take
place, if this red chief is ever unwise enough to
stand up against me.”

“ The contest will take place to-morrow.”

“ That is good—the sooner the better!” the
Fresh declared, rubbing his hands together in a
way indicative of great satisfaction.

“ And one thing you can rely upon,” the sport
continued. “ Yes, you can count upon it about
ascertainly as you can count upon anything in
this uncertain world, and that is, if peace or war
depend upon the result of this contest, it will be
peace, for if I don’t give this Laughing Horse
the most unmerciful hammering that ever mor-
tal got, it will be because I don’t know anything
at all about the manly art of self-defense."

“ I am so glad to learn this, for my heart was
sore when I thought that my people were doom-
ed to ruin,” the girl replied.

 

“Keep your own counsel and say not a word
to any one of this disclosure.”

Then she signaled and the sport was taken
awn .
hen Blake returned to his former quarters
the 01d lawyer was very anxious to learn what
had taken place, but the sport merely said he
had been put through a little cross-examination,
which did not amount to anything.

But when the old gentleman nervously asked
if the Sport thought there was anvchance of
their escaping with their lives from the Indians,
Blake replied in a decided manner that he did
not think there was a doubt about their getting
away all right, a declaration which the old
lawyer affirmed took a great weight from his
mind.

After a brief conversation the two retired to
rest.

The lawyer grumbled a great deal at the rude
bed—all they had to sleep on was a couple of
buffalo-robe—sand protested that he did not be-
lieve he Would be able to close his eyes at all.

The sport laughed at him. ,

“ Why, this is all right,” he declared. “ When
you have slept on the bare earth with nothing
under you but the turf, with the vaulted sky
for a coverlet, as many times I have, you will
consider a buffalo-robe to be the height of
luxury.”

“ Yes, but I do not intend to go through any
experience of that kind!” Mr. De Witt ex.
claimed.

“I have had about all of this sort of thing
that I want!” he Continued. “And I can tell
you that if I succeed in getting safely out of
this scrape you will never catch me exposing
myself to such a risk again. I have quite made
up my mind about that!

“ I am going back to New York just as soon
as I have Settled this little business at Hardtack
City, and if any man ever catches me in the
wilderness of the wild West again I will give
him leave to take in head for a football 1”

Blake could not orbear laughing at the old
lawyer’s emphatic words, but he was glad to be
able to encourage the old gentleman.

It was a good hour before Mr. De Witt got
asleep, but within ten minutes from the time be
stretched himself upon the buffalo-robes the
sport was in the land of dreams, and he slept
as peacefully as though there was no care upon
his mind, no thoughts of the coming encounter
on the morrow disturbed his slumbers; the
brawny red chief was not in his dreams.

CHAPTER XII.
’I‘HI OFFER.

Tm: captives awoke early in the morning and
the old lawyer was in an extremely bad humor.

“ This is perfectly awful!” he declared with a
deep groan. “ A week or so of this sort of thing
will be the death of me, 1 know; I never will be
able to stand it.”

“ Don't be discouraged,” Blake counseled.
“ You have no idea of what you can stand un-
til you have been through some tough ex-
periences. Humans are capable of enduring a
great deal more suffering than the individual
who is going through the operatitn is willing to
believe.

" If this was not the truth, explorers and
pioneers would not be able to accomplish much.”

“Yes, yes, I suppose that a man can stand a
great deal before breaking down, but, really, I
would be willing to give about all I am worth if
I was safe out of this terrible predicament,” the
old lawyer responded with a deep sigh.

“ Oh, you will get out, all right!” the sport
declared in the most confident manner.

“Don’t worry about the matter—take thin
easy; ‘ what can’t be cured must be endur .’
There is a heap of good, sound, old philoso by in
that saying, as you must admit if you WI 1 take
the trouble to examine into the matter care-
fully.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” the 01d gentleman re-
marked in a rueful way,

“But the trouble is. you see, I can’t regard
this affair With the indifference which you mani-
fest; I cannot take things easy, as 'ou counsel.
I am dreadfully worried, and l on‘t believe
that it will be possible for me to have a mo-
ment’s peace while I am in this frightful place.”

“ Of course, all men are not constituted
alike,” the Frt sh observed refiectively.

“ There is no use of our attempting to get
away from the fact that we are in a deuce of a
scrage,” he continued.

. “ till, it is my opinion that it is not as bad as
it might be. We are held as hostages, you
know.”

“ Yes, but if the commander of the fort puts
the Indians to death we will surely be executed,”
the old gentleman urged. .

“ Very truel that is what this red Chieftain
threatens, and it is very possible that the copper-
colored buck would be as good as his word in the
event of the red horse-thieves being executed.
but you must remember that there isn’t any
dflll er of such a thing taking place.

‘_‘ f the commander of the post,— Colonel
I’Oindexter I believe is tho name of the officer—
is one of the old style of military men, who
goes in for backing up any move that he may
make, regardless of the consequences, the

 

chances are that this idea of the Sioux seizing
us for hostages will not have the slightest effect
upon him as far as the horse-stealing braves
are concerned.

“He will go right along in the discharge of
his duty just the same as though the red-skins
had not gobbled us: the horse—stealers will be
tried, and if they are found guilty, punished ac-
cording to law.”

“ Yes, of course, I understand all this, and
that is what worries me!” the old gentleman de-
clared. “ If the red~skius or: punished will not
that exasperate our captors into some acts of
retaliation?”

" It uill be likely to have that efiect, I sup-
pose,” the sport admitted.

“But if this Colonel Poindexter is good for
anything he will be sure to put a flea in the ear
of this Laughing Horse as soon as he hears of
our capture.”

“ How scil I don’t understand.”

“ Why, he will take pains to send a messenger
and notify him that if he harms us in the least
he will hold the tribe to a bloody responsilnilty.”

The old lawyer shook his head in a melan-
choly way. It was plain that this explanation
did not bring him any comfort.

“You don’t take much stock in that, eh?” the
sport asked, with a quiet smile.

“Indeed,l do not, for it Seems to me asif
these red-skins must have calculated upon the
commander of the post acting in some such a.
way when they decided to capture us.”

“ Oh, no, you can‘t be sure of that!” Blake de-
clared. “The most wily and sagacious of men
often not upon the impulse of the moment and do
the calculating afterwards; these red devils are
regular hurrah boys sometimes, you see, and it
seems to me to be very probable that they
planned your capture without taking the trouble
to reflect upon what the consequences might be;
all they considered was that if they could get
hold of some white-skins they could say to the
colonel at Fort Scott, ‘Be careful in regardto
your treatment of our young men or else we
will make it warm for our captives l”

“Well, it certainly seems to me as if they
made a ve shrewd calculation,” the old gentle-
man remar ed in a nervous wag;

“ The colonel, of course, will anxious to m
cue us and so he will undoubtedly not do any-
thing to put us in jeopardy.”

“Well, that depends a goOd deal on what sort
of a man the colonel is,” the sport replied, slow-

y“ If he is one of the old school as I said—a mili—
tary martinet, a man who thinks everything
ought to proceed by rule, he will be apt to be
come indignant that the savages should dare to
fry such a game on him, and, in his anger, dare
them to do their worst, with the threat that he
would hang every mother‘s son who had a hand
in the matter.”

“ Ah, my goodness!” cried the old gentleman,
considerably alarmed. “ Such a message as that
would be certain to prevoke the Indians, and if
they tortured, or put us to death the fact that
the troops would take a bloody vengeance for the
outrage wouldn’t do us any good!”

“ Not much!” the Fresh declared. “ It would
be on a par with locking the stable door after the
horse was stolen.”

The conversation was interrupted at this point
by the entrance of the Indian guards with some-
thing for the captivss to eat.

The fare was plain enough, flour cakes baked
on hot stones and dried beef, but although the
old lawyer made but a scanty meal the Fresh did
full ustice to the meager repast.

“ ou appear to eat with a relish ” De Witt
remarked. “ While it is as much as I can do to
force the stuff down my throat.”

“The fobd is palatable enough,” the snort re-
plied. “ It isn’t first-class hotel fare, and then
too I have been obliged to subsist on worse in my
time, so I am not disposed to grumble; besides
have an idea that I may need all of my muscular
energies pretty soon, and I must try and keep
myself in as good condition as possible.”

“Ah. yes, see; you seem to have the happy
disposition of trying to make the best of every-
thing,” the old gentleman remarked with a mel-
ancholy shake of the head.

“ It is the right way to act, of course but, un.
fortunately I am so constituted that Ican not
accept the reserves of fortune in such a philoso-
phical way,” he added.

“ I know that it is very foolish of me not to be
able to accustom myself to meet misfortune with
a smile, but I cannot, and that is all there is to
it.

Just as the captives finished their meal they
were disturbed by the entrance of another
visitor.

It was the old medicine-man, Nish-ma—wah,
this time.

Blake anticipated what the old man had to
say, thanks to the warning he had received
from the White Squaw, and so he listened to
the communication without betraying any as-
tonishment, although the old lawyer was so
amazed that he stared, open-mouthed, at the
aged Indian.

To reduce the speech of the old medicine-
man to a few words, he informed the sport
that the great chief of the Musselshell Sioux,

I;
' l
.,,
‘l
.l
il
"l
l
l
l

 

     
   
   
  
  
  
    
    
  
    
  
    
   
   
 
    
  
   
   
    
  
  
   
   
 
   
 
   
    
  
     
   
   
  
   
  
   
   
  
 
 
   
  
   
  
  
     
    
  
   
  
    
 
   
   
     
    
   
  
    
   
  
  
 
     
  
  

the Laughing Horse had come to the con-
clusion from the fine weapons possessed by
the white man that he must be a- mighty war-
rior, and he was anxious to meet him in single
fight. .
Blake at once expressed his willingnem to ac-
v oommodate the great chief.
Then the old medicine-man explained that as
,' the Laughing Horse did not desire to take the
life of the white chief, as be wishel ‘to hold him
, for a hostage, so as to protect his young war-
iriors at Fort Scott, he w ~nl-l fight him with
fists after the white man's fashion. and the mes-
' senger took pains tc explain that the Lang ling
Horse wanted the pale-face to understand that
he knew all about fighting with fists, as the
white men fought and ha easily vanquished
some of the best of the white chiefs in the Hard-
tack district.”
“ That is all right It is a go, as far as I am
, concerned 1” Blake exclaimed in the most cheer-
ful manner.
/ "ti “ I am right up to the t )p of the heap in a fist
" ' fight," he added. “ And if your big chief has
the sand to Stilld up and take his grnel likea
‘ man I will havumer him so that his own mother
Won’t know him!”
“ If you conquer the chief you shall go free i”
the old medicine-man declared.
“That is a bargain that I gladly jump at!”
the s rt declared.
“ hen is this little'picnic to take place?” he
in uired.
‘ As soon as you are ready,” was the reply of
the old Indian.
, ‘ “Let ,her go Gallagher. right away!” the
. 'Fresb exclaim . “ The quicker the better! I
" am all ran y now. and the sonnet we get at it the
I ., sooner will youi big chief make the discovery
/ ,

 

that he has hit of! more than he could chew when

he challenged me to a fist fight.”

‘ Let the white man prepare—soon I will eum~

‘mon him,” Nish-ma-wah declared. turning upon

‘ bis heel to leave the lo-lge.

“And, by aisle wa ,bhave the kindnesshto et
gm muere yan avemywea s any
soyI need not be delayed in my pggparture,”

. Blake said.

- ' A grim smile came over the stern face of the

' ‘old medicine-menu be halted, with his hand on
the skin-door of the Wigwam.

“ Is my white brother so certain that he
can defeat the great chief of the Musselshell

- Sioux!”

' ‘ “IfI don’t knock him out inside of half an
hour after we once get at it you are welcome
to boil me up into soup for your dogs i” the
Fresh replied in the most confident manner.

“ It is good i” exclaimed the old In lieu. “ If
‘ the white man can fight as well as he can talk

’ then he is indeed a mighty warrior!” And with
this declaratibn Nish—ma—wah departed.

.- “ This is really a most extraordinary affair!”

, the old lawyer declared, full of amazement.

; “Yes, itis what the boys would c-ill a soft
sna , not for the red-man, though!” the sport

.» exc aimed with a laugh.

 “ But, surely you are no match for this paint-

x ed savage 2" Del itt cried.

, “ Oh, yes, I am! And before he has stood up
before me for five minutes I will show him that

. therea some tricks in boxing which he never
even d med of.” r

H“ You must get permission to see this fl ht!

«I don’t know as you ever witnessed an oils of

: the kind?” '

' a “Never!”

’ “ Then there’s a treat in store for you.”

' “ Youtunderstand boxing then i” -

I " Oh. yea. I am a boxer from 'Boxervillel”

l

 

CHAPTER XIII. .
m rm: RING.

‘- . Tn old lawyer shook his head in the gravest
gunner, for this aflair was a complete puzzle to
m .

“You don't understand kit, ehi” questioned
the Fresh, his face lit up by a confident smile.

‘ " Indeed I do not; and I am 00mpletely

amazed by the confidence which on seem to feel

about the issue of this extreme y peculiar con-

test. .

. “ Of course, I am not an expert in such mat.
fare—far from itl" the old gentleman declared.

x “.‘I have not seen any boxing since my school-

boy days, and then, as I was always a quiet sort

‘. of chap, who did hot go in for such things, I

never got in any quarrels myself, although I

have seen the other boys fight.

. "But, really. it seems to me. that vou are

 laboring ‘under adecided disadvantage In meet-

,» man than yourself. ” .
, “Oh, no!” ,the sport declared, decidedly.
_ I“ That calculation shows that you are no judge

. of men.

I 1/“The red-skin looks bigger than he really is,
; for he is big-boned and clumsily put together,
while I, being well~proportioned, do not appear
to boas big as I ready am. ,

g V “In fact, I am so confident that I have not
 made any mistake in this matter that I would
:  Willingto bet a trifle the chief does not wei h
ten pounds more than I do, and ten poun l
more or less. when the 'men gotta be middle

- fighter.

.1. ing' this brawny savage, for he is a much bigger .

 

"L ‘9'” ‘ ‘. . .  ' «9,7
I ) l ‘ ‘ , .

The Fresh in Montana.-

weighte, a hundred and fifty pounds or over,
does not amount to much."

“ Well, no, I suppose not, but, really, I am as
innocent as a child about all such matters, yet,
looking at the matter in the light of common
sense, I should not think you were wrong in
your statement.”

“My usual weight is about a hundred and
amenity pounds, but I can get down to a bun-
dred and fifty and be Well and strong,” the sport
declared.

“The probabilities are that I do not weigh
over a hundred and sixty now, for I have been
in the saddle for a week,and have undoubtedly
worked off what little flesh I had to spare.

“A man like myself, you see. is almost always
in condition for] am temperate in all things.
and being always on the go, taking regular ex-
ercise, never put on much fat, which is the worst
enemy the athlete has to contend with, particu-
larl y the boxer.

" You are not aware of the fact, of course as
you don’t know anything about boxin , but five
minutes exercise in that line will be apt to
make the strongest man haVe ‘ bellows to mend,’
as the saying is.”

“ I com rehendi The wind isnfl’ected'!"

“ Exact yi try to run for five minutes as hard
as you can—and a good professional runner
will cover :1 mile in that time, you know—and
then see how you will feel.”

“ Bless my soul! I do not believe I would be
able to speak—l would be utterly exhausted.”

“ Well, it is fully as hard work to dance
around a man for fivc minutes, striking at him
with all your might, and doing your best to
keep him from landing on you as it is to do the
running,” the sport declared.

“ In fact, I think I would rather take the run-
ning end,” he added.

“ Well, well, I sincerely
succeed in conquering th s
the old lawyer remarked.

“Unless some accident happens I will ‘do"
him to a certainty l” the sport aflrmed in the
most confident manner.

“But I don’t understand how it is that on
can be so confident about the matter,” De itt
observed with a uzzled air.

“ You do not now anytLing about the man,
how can you tell that he isnota terrible fighter?
the Olll gentleman questioned.

“The chances are a thousand to one that he
will not be anything but a chopping-block for
me!” the Fresh replied.

“ You must consider that boxing is not only
an art but it takes genius to become a great
It is as much a gift as the power to
become great in painting or music, or anything
of the kind, where one man stands a head and
shoulders above a thousand others, apparently
as competent in every way.

“ You can teach a pupi the rules for drawing,
and the use of colors, but you cannot make an
artist out of the learner if he hasn’t got it in
him, and it is just the same way with boxing:
then too there must be not only actual genius, but
the capability to stand hard knocks—the stamina
to. endure blows, calculated to almost kill an
ordina man,” the sport explained. ,

Theo d lawyer had listened with the utmost
attention, and his gaze expressed considerable
“new . 1... d

‘ pon my wor , you comp e ysurp some,
Mr. Blake!” he asserted.

“I supposed from what I have read in the
newspapers about such things that there was
considerable science about these prize-fighting
fellows. but I had the idea that if a man posses-
sed sufilcient muscle and strength it would not
trouble him much to learn to he an expert
prize-fighter, but I see I had the wrong idea. ’

“Yes, a man must possess certain gifts or
else he’s no good in the ring. Now I have not
got remarkably large hands, but feel them.”

The old lawyer did so.

“ They are extremely hard,” he remarked.

“ Run your hand over my arms.

De Witt complied with the request, and an
ex ression of astonishment came from his lips.

‘ I never felt such solid flesh!” he declared.
“ And your muscles feel like bundles of whip-
cords.” , ,

“ Then, if you notice, my arms are rather
long—really, they are out of proportion with the
rest of my bed ,but it is one of those things
that nobody n lees, and it gives me what the
boxers term an extremal long reach.”

“I think Icomprehen . By the lucky acci-
dent of being gifted by nature with long arms,
Kean are able to hit your opponents without their

innr able to at at you?”

“Yes, that s comet. Now then to sum the
matter up, there is not much more 1: an one man
out of a hundred that really knows anything
about boxing; not more than one out of a thou-
sand who oan be said to be gifted in that way.
and so in this case the odds are fully a thousand
to one that this big ch‘lef will not be a dangerous
foe. - '

“When these miners indulge in a fist fight,
th usually do more hugging and clawing t an
stri ing, and as that is the school in which this
red-man has ked up his knowledge, it stands
to reason the. he can know but little of the true

Pfiglciplfiva ” #59

hope that you will
brawny Chieftain,”

   

 

 

,-_.. . ... .. ._.-......-«.. ..-........_...

“ I understand his game, I think,” Blake con.
tinued.

“He is a big fellow and probably imagines
that he is possessed of wonderful strength. He
is burning with a desire toshow his tribe how
easy it is for him to get away With a white
man.

“ It would not do for him to kill me just n0w
for he has an idea that Colonel Poindexter
might get back at him through his young braves
that the officer holds, so be devised this plan of ,
fighting me with his fists. r

“ If he can whip a white man at his own game
so much the greater his glory.”

“ Ah, yes, the savage has planned the matter.
with extreme shrewdness.”

“Yes but before he gets through with the
affair fthink he will arrive at the conclusion
that he made the biggest kind of a mistake when
he picked me out for a victim.”

“ I sincerely hope that events will shape them—
selves in that way!” the old lawyer declared in
a fervent manner which went far to prove that
the wish came straight from his heart.

" It is my intention, if I can do it—and I think
I can—to give this red rufilan as complete a
thrashing ns mortal man ever received," the
Sport affirmed.

"~' As a rule I am not a particularly vindictive
fellow, and I seldom go in to punish my adver-
sary any more than is absolutely necessary to
convince him that he made a mistake when he
entered the list against me, but on this occa-
sion, under the circumstances of the case I think
I am justified in hammering this red rascal to
the best of my ability. and you can rest assured
I will not spare him in the least.”

“ Certainly not!" the old lawyer exclaimed in
a ver decided way, “ The honor of the white
man is in your hands, and vou must maintain it.
by giving this arrogant savage so bad a beating
that he will never want to face a white man
again.”

“That will be my little game, ‘the sport re-
sponded.

At this point the old medicine-man again made
his a pearance.

“ be great chief of the Musselshell Sioux is
ready and he waits for the white warrior,"
Nish-ma-wnh announced.

“ I am ready tool” the Fresh exclaimed. “ By
themay, is there any objection to this entic-
man here witnessing the cdnteet? I u some ,
one .to assist me, you know: a second, as the
white men call such an assistant.”

1;;dHe may come if he wishes,” the old Indian' re~
p v . H ,
Then the sport stripped for the fight.

He removed all the covering from the upper
partof the body. so that he was naked to the
waist, and both the old lawyer and the aged
medicine-man were astonished by the revela-

tion.
To use the 'ng term, Blake “stripped
replay of muscles upon his well-

 

 

big," and the
knit form was wonderful.
“ My goodness! you are about twice as big as r l
I thought you were 1” De Witt exclaimed.
,The old medicine—man did not say anything,,
but he shook his head in a solemn way. and
there was a faint twinkle in his dark, sunken
eyes, which seemed to suggest that he was
p eased with the appearance of the White man,
When his pcigparations were completed the
Fresh announ that he was ready, and I‘lish-
ma-‘wah led the way from the tepee. - l
. When the Barty got into the open air they
found that a the people of the village, young-
braves, old men, aquaws and children, watches
sembled in a. little opegoéilain, by the banks of
the river, only a few 5 from the Wigwam
where the prisoners had been confined.
The Indians were squatting upon the ground,
forming a circle, about fifty feet in diameter, the
men in the front rank, and behind them they
new and children.
aqun the center of the tin , naked to the waist, .
wearing only leggings an moccasins, was the
Laughing Horse. _
His arms were folded acre. his brawny chest,
and the look upon his face plainly showed that;
he considered himself to be a very king among

men.

The old medicine-man conducted the prisoners
into the circle; and great was the interest which i i
the appearance of the Fresh excited.

The red-skins were as much surprised by the
muscular development of the white man as the
old medicine-man had been, for now that the
Laughin Horse and the pale-face champion
stood si e by side, so that they could be com-
pared, the tators discover , to their amaze-
ment. that the Indian was not a lar er man
than his white opponent, for althoug he was ,
about as big around, yet he was fully six inches
shorter. and from the waist downward he could
not compare with the Fresh, for his lower limbs
were stunted and misshapen. .

H

CHAPTER XIV.
warm AGAINST RID. .

Tan Laughing Horse was as much surprised
too by the unexpected muscular development 01'
the white man as any of the rest of the lookers-

on. -

From the fanciful way in which the I901“

,", l,

    
   

  
  

     
  

 

   
 
    
 

     

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

,“

  

had been dressed when captured by the Indians,
"the Musselshell chief had got the idea that the
prisoner was a sort of a dude, as a miner would
have said, and so he had flattered himself that
he would not have any trouble in giving him a
terrific thumping.

But now that the white man stood before him
in battle array the chief had intelligence enough
to see that his 0 ponent was just about as good
a man as himse f asfar as muscular develop
ment went, and then too he came into the circle
with an easy, confident air, which seemed to
imply that he did not have any apprehensions
in regard to the result of the contest.

The Laughing Horse was annoyed; not that
he had any doubt in regard to beating the white
man, for in his arrogance he felt sure that he
could accomplish the feat, but because he realized
that he had a task before him which would be
pretty certain to be a difficult one, and this
was something that he had not bargained for,
having made the mistake of thinking the white
man would prove to be an easy customer to
handle.

“The white chief is ready!" t 9 old medi-
cine-man announced, advancing to he center of
the circle.

“ So is the Lau hing Horse,” responded the
Sioux Chieftain, un olding his arms.

“ I have told the white warrior that if he suc~
ceeds in defeating the chief of the Mussel—
shell Sioux, he is to go free,” Nash-ma-wah con-

tinned.

“ So it shall be.”

And then in the Sioux langna e, for there

were man in the throng who di not under-
stand Eng ish, the old medicine-man told of the
blip-gain which had been made with the white.
8 in.
. The Indian braves nodded assent; it was their
idea that the prisoner did not stand much
chance to obtain his freedom, for there were
few of the lockers-on who fancied that the pale-
fuce would be able to defeat the Musselshell
Chieftain. ,

Only the White Squaw and a few old men of
ihe tribe, who did not have a good opinion of
the arrogant young warrior, held to the belief
that the Laughing Horse would not succeed in
doing the task which he had so confidently taken
upon himself.

but the rank and file of the tribe’ and the
$Qllths‘ in particular, were strong partisans of the
Laughing Horse.

Nothing in this world succeeds like success, and
the rapid ascent to the chieftainship of the young
warrior had caused the majority of the Sioux to
regard him as being one of the greatest chiefs
the tribe had ever known. .

And the squaws were friendly to the young
warrior beehuse they knew that he and his half
sister, the White Squaw, did not get on well to-
gether, for a large number of the womenpf the
tribe were jealous of the Speckled Pigeon on ac-
count of her being the daughter of a white wo-
man.

. After making the announcement the old medi-
cme-man retired from the center of the ring and
the contestants approached each other.

Ex tation among the Indians was on tip-toe,
for a l of .them knew of the mango which the
gidmtedicine-man had received from the Great

piri .

Upon the result of this 00th de nded the
issue of the war which the Sioux Nat on intend-
ed to wage against the whites.

If the aughing Horse was beaten naught but
disaster and defeat awaited the red-men.

It was not straendge then that the dusky-skinned
spectators watch the scene with almost breath—
less eagerness.

The foemen approached each other the Fresh
with his fists carried at about the level of his
waist. the Laughing Horse with his clinched
palms brandished in the air.

The two came within a couple of yards and
then the red-man made a rapid dash at his foe
striking with right and left in an extremely ugly
way, but none of the fierce strokes allghted on
the person of the sport for, with surprising quick-
ness, he ducked, dextrously avoiding the blows,
then dodged under the arm of the red-man, and
as the Laughing Horse turned in a clumsy way *
endeavoring to fellow him up, the Fresh can t
him under the ear with a right-hander wh ch
gent-1y seemed to lift the Indian chieftain off his
Backward he staggered for full a yard, and
he s rt was prom tto im rove the a
twilBlCEobefhfid gaiings. p _ demge

lake 0 0W be Lau hin Horse
seemed fairly to rain blouse ghim. Up and

The Indian struck out wildly? eudeavoring to
beat off the attack; but few of his blows reach-
eid Blake, and none of them did any particular

smage.
. Then the two clinched, and s‘ thrill of fie
.30 531% through the heart of tip savage chill?

_ 0 that he had the hated White’man within
his grip he would squeeze the life out of him.

But that was a game that two could play at
as the red-skin soon discovered. '

The Fresh was a magnificent wrestler, as the
reader knows w ho has follmved the fortunes of
Jackson Blake through the various tales in which
he has figured as a hero, and when opposed to a

 

 

.x.... H... ...

'P

.u. haunt-raw.

The Fresh in Montana.

clumsy fellow like the Indian chief he had no
difficulty in disposing of him.

A few moments the two struggled together,
clinging to each other like two angriserpents,
and then the Fresh “back-heeled’ l e Indian
?Dd brought him to the ground with tremendous
orce.

A long breath came from the throats of the
savages, the tension of excitement being for a
moment relaxed.

The Indians looked at each other with won-
dering faces, completely astonished by what had
taken place.

They were not much used to this sort of thing
—not good judges of a ring contest, for few of
the lookers—on had seen many affairs of the kind
—but it was plain to the most ignorant person
upon the ground that the Indian champion had
been terribly roughly handled without being
able to damage his opponent. ,

The Laughing Horse came down likealog,
and for a few moments he lay motionless as
though stunned by the fall.

This was not so; all the trouble was in his
wind,,which was about gone' the exertion he

had put forth, and the punishment he had re- _

ceived, for in the beginning of the clinch the
Fresh had punched him in the ribs with both his
right and left in a particularly unpleasant man-
ner, made his breath come hard and short.

After the chief was down Blake retreated to
the edge of the circle where the old lawyer stood
and leaned on his shoulder.

The breath of the Fresh was coming decidedly
quicker, for though the “ round ” had only lasted
about a minute yet the work had been of a lively
and fatiguin nature.

“ Wonder ul, wonderful l” DeWitt exclaimed
in the ear of the sport.

“ Upon my word! I must declare that I never
saw anything like it!” he continued. “ I would
not have believed that it could bepossible for
such punishment to be inflicted.”

" Oh, this isn’t anything,” Blake replied,
speaking in a 10w tone so that noonc but the old
lawver could hear his words. .‘

“ I have only just begun with the red buck.
Wait until the. next round when I will ‘rush’
him if you want to see some fun.

“ I am going in to swin with my left for his
body, just above the be t, and after I have
cracked him there three or four times he
will hegin to think that his ribs are giving
“'8 '.

“y Y es, yes, I understand, and I must confess
that I would not be willing to be in the nplace of

'our opponent for a thousand dollars,
lawyer declared. ‘ .

“ Not for a thousand. eh i” the sport questioned
with a smile. .

“No, sir, decidedly not i” the old gentleman
replied. “ A thousand dollars would not be any
temptation for me to stand u and allow you to
hit me someof those awful b ows.”

By this time the Sioux chieftain had in a meas—
ure recovered his wind and was slowly rising to
his feet.

“ What he has received isn’t anythingto what
he is going to get,” the sport responded.

“Watch me now and see me swing for his
heart, and if he isn’t a pretty sick man after I
get a half-a-dozeu straight drives home with
my left then I can’t hit as hard as I think I
can. ,

The laughing Horse was now on his feet and
Blake advanced rapidl upon him.

The Indian, warne by his previous experi-
ence, broke ground and gave way, striving to
call to memory all the boxing instructions he
had received from the miners, who had thought
it a rest bit of fun to teach the red-man to fight
in t e white-skin’s way. ‘

Blake would not he denied, and followed the
chiefi up so closely that he was forced to make a
stan .

Then the s rt €«played the old boxing trick
upon him.’ 0 1 what looked to be an ex‘-
tremer vicious right-hander at the Indian’s
head, but it was only a feint, and when the
Laughing Horse threw up his hands to ward off
the bIOW, leaving his body uncovered, the sharp
improved the opportunity, and sending out his
left as straight as a dis, caught the red man a
blow on the lower chest, just under the heart,
which knooked the chief hack a foot- or more.

The force of the stroke made the Indian grunt
with pain.

Never in all a life had the Laughing Horse
received such a 10w, and if he had not been sure
the white man struck him with his fist, he would
hlav: been certain that he had been hit by a
cu .

The grunt of pain wrung from the chief was
answered by another grunt which came in sym-
pathy from the lips of the spectators. -

As the sport had determined not to show any
mercy to his antagonist before commencing the
fight, he was prompt to follow up his man.

Already the red-man was in trouble, although
the contest had. only just begun, but the chief
was not in a good condition for an encounter of
this kind, being burdened with some extra
pounds of uselesslfat which he would have been
milli'eh seardwithont. '

n e esperete from the in of the bed
blow the Indian endeavored to regulate. I y

   

  

.. .W‘QNx.m...-4muwm LA‘.~..‘.lkuu'- - m-

the old ,

  
   
    
   
    
  
 
   
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
    
  
   
  
  
    
  
  
   
  
  
   
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
  
   
 
  
 
 
  
    
   
  
   
   
  
    
      
   
   
 
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
    
  
    
  
  
   
  
    
    
       
  
   
   
    
   
   
   

swims...» . ,

is.

There was a rapid exchange of blows at close
quarters, and though the red chief succeeded in
getting in three or four chest blows, et the
strokes seemed to lack force, and did not isoolor
the skin of the white champion.

The Laughing Horse paid dearly for the at-
tack though, for twice more the terrible left fist
seemed do fairly crack the ribs of the red-man,
and as the chief was forced back by the last
body blow, the sport got a chance to swing his
right in on the jaw of the Laughing Horse, and
the force of the stroke was so great that the In-
dian at first was under the impression that the
wonderful white man had knocked the whole
lower part of his face away.

The stroke floored the Chieftain and he “ went
to grass” as limp as a rag. '_ ,

The sport was a little winded from his exer- “i
tions, for he had done his best to “ knock out,” p g
the red-man, and was not sorry for a breathing “.1
time.

As before he retreated and leaned on the _
shoulder of the old lawyer, who was fairly 
trembling with excitement, so interested had he 
become in this strange contest. ~ - ,

The old medicineman had deemed it wise to 
go to the assistance of the Laughin Horse, for ‘ . f.
his experienced eyes detected that t e chief was -
in a very bad way. . , l ‘

“ If we were fighting under Marquis of 5‘
Queensberry rules this would end the battle, for
1 have knocked him out,” Blake remarked in
De Witt’s ear.

“ You certainly have pounded him in a
famous manner!” the old gentleman declared.
“ Of course, I do not know anything about the
rules of which you speak. but you seemed to,
have taken the fight out of him in an extremely
scientific manner.”

“ The time between rounds accordin to
Queensberry rules is one minute: three minute
rounds, and one minute’s rest; and if a man is
not ready to renew the fight after one minute
has elapsed he is said to be knocked out.”

" Ah, Well, that fellow will not toe the mark
in a minute’s time, or I greatly miss my guess,” ’
De W itt declared. ' .

“ No. it will be three or four before he is up, I
fancy," the sport responded. I 

“ But he can take all the time he wants for all ‘ q
I care,” Blake remarked.  j: '

“ We are fightin under Sioux rules and the ‘ "
Marquis of Queens rryis not in it. This is g
going to be'a fight to the finish and the on] I
question now is, how much opunishment will this
fellow be willing to endure.

“ If he isn’t a‘ fool he ought to know by this
time that he does not stand any chance, and the ,‘«
longer he keeps at it the worse it will be for, 
him.” the old lawyer remarked.

“Yes, you are right, and if the fellow was
wise he would throw up the sponge now," Bhke '
observod.

“ Well, I should think that after what he
has gone through he would not be so dull-wittcd _ -
as tonimagine that he Las any chance at all with i' k ;

on. I. 
“ He is an obstinate fellow; and chuck full of '
self-conceit I should judge from what I have
heard of him, and it is a mighty hard matter ‘.
for a man of that kind to acknowledge that he
is whipped, icularly when the ration
takes place right in his own town in the '
presence of his people. " ‘ '

“ He has been strutting around boasting that
he is one of the h' t warriors that the Sioux, i
nation has ever known, and it is a terrible down» 'r
fall for him to have to openly admit that the'
first :hite man he tried on was too much for
him.

“ Ah. yes,- that is very true. but in this case
the old saying fits in admirably that it isn’t any
use for a man to kick against thepricks, and
the lpnger he does so the worse itwill be' for
him.’ ,

“ Very true, but it is awful hard work some-' ‘
times for a man to make up his mind toquit. 
It is a wise man who knows when it is time to ,
get out.” the Fresh remarked with the air of t '-
philosopher. '-

While this conversation had been going on the
old medicine-man had been doing his best to re-'
vive the Laughing Horse. ' , -.-

Blake was right in his surmise, the Indian
, had been knocked out and it was a ghod three ,
minutes before he recovered his senses. ;

Then he looked in a dazed manner into the face
of Nish-ma-wah. ' 

The old medicine-man had_raised him to a sit-
ting posture and was supporting the chief’s; head

on his knee.

Laughin Horse had never been remarkable 
for his gong looks and now he appeared perfect-
ly hideous, for the iron-like fists of the sport had
left their marks on the countenance of the,
savage. .

He had two well-developed black eyes, and
his nose, always an extra prominent feature of
his face, was now swollen to twice its usual sins 7
there was, too, a big lump of swollen flesh on him
chest where the Fresh had given him such hrs
rihle thumps. A

In fine, the Indian brave answered vary a
indeed to the description of the man d '
in the western yarn as having

 

 

f: . ,
‘J

    

 

 
     

thrashing machine.

14

“How is it with the great chief?” asked the
old medicine-man, in a sympathetic tone, as the
dark, ugly eyes of the Laughing Horse unclosed
and lookel him in the face.

But although Nish-mnowah spoke as though he
was deeply grieved by the condition in which the
Sioux Chieftain found himself, yet in his “ heart
of hearts ” he was delighted to see the arrogant
youn chief reCeive so fearful a drubbing.

“ ah, this white man’s ‘medicine’ is good,”
the Indian growled.

A slave to superstition, like the majority of
the red-men, be ascribed the easy triumph of his
foe to the fact that the white man’s “ medicine "
—that is charm to bring good luck—was stronger
than his own.

“ Yes, my brother has the worst of the fight,”
the old medicine-mun declared, with a solemn
shake of the head.

“ Is this man a devil, then, like the Red Rattle.
snake, that I can not harm him?” the Laughing
Horse demanded, angrily. ,

“ He is a mighty warrior—his fists seemed to
be as hard as the rock,” N ish-ma-wah answered.

“ And when I clasp him in my arms he wrig—
gles from my clutch as though he was a serpent
and not a man.” ,

“A mighty warrior!” the other repeated, in
a solemn manner.

" But I will die in my tracks before he shall
boast that he can conquer me!” the Indian de-
clared, rising to his feet with difficulty, for his
joints were beginning to grow stiff.

“You are right, my brother!” the old medi-
cine-man declared, anxious to get the chief to
keep on so that he might receive more punish-
ment.

Nish-ma-wah knew well enough that the
worse the thrashing the buck received the smaller
woggd be his influence over the warriors of the

It is the same with the Indians as with their
civilized white brothers, they have no use for a
beaten man.

The successful warrior is the one who carries
the crowd with him. and the quicker the defeat-
ed man gets out of sight and hides himself away
in some dark corner the better it is for him.

“ Remember, the fate of the war is in your
hands,” Nish-ma-wah continued.

“ If the white man triumphs the Sioux braves
would be fools to take. the war-path, for naught
but disaster and defeat awaits them.”

The Laughing Horse fairly groaned aloud
when these words fell upon his ears, for he was
well-aware that unless some unforeseen accident
helped him he stood no more chance to beat the
white man than to move the mountains with a
wave of his hand. '

The issue of the Indian struggle depended
upon his exertions and here he was terribly
punished, sore in every limb, and no more fit to
longer contend with the iron-fisted white man
than if he had been a fiteen year old boy.

“ I’ll Conquer him or die l” the Laughing Horse
fairly hissed bet ween his firm-set teeth as be
advanced to meet the sport.

Blake was ready for him, for he had kept his
eyes on the chief all the time that he had been
conversing with De Witt.

The sport was prompt to commence hostilities:
he knew that he had his man whipped, and
was anxious to bring the matter to an end.

So the moment he got within reach be rushed
at the chief with the fury of a tiger.

With both right and left he banged the In—
dian on the jaw, the chief being so utterly worn
out by his exertion that he could not parry the
blows, although he made a weak attempt to do
.0.

Four times, in rapid succession, the port
reached the weak t on the jaw knocking
the Indian about Ii 8 a shuttlecoc , and the
Laughing Horse dazed by the terrific blows,
began to get the idea that there wasn’t much of
his chin left.

Then the Fresh steadied himself and measuring
his man carefully sent in a terrific right-hander,
which alighted right between the eyes, knocking
the warrior over on his back just about as
quickly as though he been shot.

The Laughing Horse was “ knocked out;” this
time for good and all.

He was senseless when he struck the ground
and although the old medicine-man, assisted
by the other braves, worked to restore him, it
was a half-an-hour before his senses returned.

CHAPTER XV.
KEEPING rm: COMPACT.

THE old medicine-man had raised the chief to
a. sitting posture, supporting his head on his
knees, while the Fresh retreated to where the
old law or stood, at the side of the circle.

De itt was trembling with excitement.

“ Splendidl glorious! the old lawyer ex-
claimed in the ear of the sport. “ I never saw
anything like it in all my life!”

“We have had a pretty lively rally,” Blake
responded, his breath coming quickly, and his
chest heaving up and down, p ain proof that he
had been indng ng in some Violent exercise.

“ R,.’eally, now, it looks as if you had killed the
man.

“ No, I reckon not,” the Fresh re lied. f," These
:od sons of the wilderness are m e of too stout

 

 

The Fresh in Montana.

stuff to be unceremoniously hurled out of the
world in such a fashion.”

“ Do you think he will come around all
right?”

“ Undoubtedly!”

“ But you gave him a most unmerciful pound-
ing,” the old lawyer remarked, with a grave
shake of the head, as though he was not con-
vinced that the sport’s surmise was correct.

“Yes, that is true; I don’t believe that any
man in Montana ever had his hide better
tanned,” the Fresh remarked, with a quiet smile.

“ But it is not a killing matter, you know,” he
added. “He is too tough to have the life ham-
mered out of him by human fists; it would take
a club to lay him out for good and all!”

“ Yes, yes, I suppose so.”

And then the ir waited and watched in
silence until the ndian chief, by a faint move-
ment of his head, showed signs of returning con-
sciousness.

“ You are right, he isn’t dead!” De Witt ex—
claimed.

“ I felt quite sure that he was not,” the Fresh
responded.
1“”Do you think he will want to renew the bat-
t e? ‘

“ No, not unless he is a great deal bi ger idiot
than I take him to be,” the sport replie , grimly.

“ If he is not a complete fool, and is possessed
of any common sense whatever, he ought to be
satisfied by this time that he does not stand any
chance, and that the longer he fights, the worse
it Will be for him.”

“ Yes, he surely ought to be certain now,” the
old lawyer affirmed.

“ I do not doubt that he would like to keep on,
but I reckon he has been punished too severely
for him to do it.

“ The will is good but the flesh is weak.”

“ That is about the size of it,” the Fresh
affirmed.

And it was the truth.

Despite the fierce rage that burned in the
heart of the Sioux Chieftain, and the burning
desire that he had to be revenged upon the
white man who had conquered him so easily, he
was physically so weak that it was as much as
he could do to stand.

A renewal of the battle was out of the question.

His head was all wrong, too, and felt as if it
did not belong to him.

“ Can the great chief renew the fight?” the old
medicine-man asked, peering earnestly in the
face of the warrior, as soon as he saw that the
Laughing Horse had recovered sufficiently to
comprehend what was said to him.

Nish-ma-wah felt perfectly certain that the
Sioux chief had got all the fighting that he had
stomach for when he put the question, but it
was his game to get the Laughing Horse to ad-
mit that he was beaten before all the tribe.

“ Ugh! the whim man’s medicine is too big,”

the Laughing Horse responded, slowly, it being
as much as he could do to speak, and the effort
caused him to relapsse into unconsciousness
again.
“ The Great Spirit is angry with his red chil-
dren, and frowns on them,” the old medicine-
man announced, with a weighty shake of his
massive head, which struck awe into the hearts
of the Sioux.

Then Nish-ma-wah had the beaten Chieftain
removed to his Wigwam.

“That settles it!” the sport remarked to De
Witt. “ The red-skin has thrown up the
sponge, fi ratively speaking, and I have so-
cured my om.”

“ My dear fe110w, I congratulate you i” the old
lawyer exclaimed.

“ 'l‘hank youl I have not been worrying m -
self much about the matter, for the moment t e
proposition was made me to fl ht the chief, with
the proviso that I could go if I whipped
him, I felt certain that the way was open for
me to escape from this hole.”

“ Ah, yes, I understand, and I do not wonder
at your confidence. You knew what on could
do, and therefore was positive that t e savage
did not stand any chance.”

“ Exactly !”

“ If he had chosen to fight you with weapons,
rifles or pistols, or something of that sort, your
chances would not have been so good,” the old
gentleman suggested.

“Well—I don’t know about that.” the Fresh

nded with his quiet, confident smile.

‘ The fact is, you see, I am what is called an
all~round athlete,” Blake ex lained. “And it
is a pretty hard matter to ad anybranch of
sport at which I am not an expert.”

“ Is that possible?” asked the old lawyer,
amazed.

“Oh, yes; there is hardly a weapon that the
Indian could have chosen of which I am not a
perfect master, and the end of the contest would
not have been different, as far as defeat and
victory are concerned; that is, in all probability.
you know; of course an accident might have
altered the result.”

“ Yes, yes, I comprehend.”

“In my opinion, though, it was wise for the
red-skin to decide to fight with fists for if he
had chosen a weapon the chances are hi , in my
opinion, that when we got through the flgght, the
Sioux nation would have had to go through the

 

 

formant?7 of choosing another great chief; for I
reckon would have l-een likely to put the
Lao hing Horse in a condition for p'anting.”

“ ell, from what I have even of your abili-
ties in the fighting line 1 should judge you were
about right in your «-.~timate.”

“ I think so, and l um not a man who cares to
flatter himself you understand,” the sport dc-
clured. “ I ways strive to discover all my
weaknesses so as to prevent disastrous conse-
quences arising therefrom. The man who
knows where he is weak, and is wise enough to
look out for that quarter, may be considered to
be arrong.”

“ Oh, yes, no doubt about it,” the old lawyer
assented.

“ But I say, you seem to speak very confident—
ly in regard to being set at liberty,” DeWitt
added. “ Ain’t you afraid that the Indians may
not live up to their agreement?"

“ Oh, no, not the least danger of that, to my
thinking,” the sport replied, confidently.

“ W'ell, I hope so,” the old gentleman observed,
and from the tone in which he spoke it was
plain that he had serious doubts about the sub-

ject.

“ I know the red-men pretty well, for during
my sojourn in the West I have spent consider-
able time in their villages and so bad the op-
portunity to become wel ac nainted with the
manners and customs of the ndians; therefore
I am able to do them the justice of saying that.
as a whole they hold to their words much bet-
ter on the average than the white men do.”

“ Really, you surprise me!”

“It is a fact, and in this case, if they don’t
keep the agreement they made with me, and
allow me to depart, unharmed, I shallbe very
much astonished.

“ And, by the way, I may as well get my
clothes on, so as to be all in readiness to light
out.

Then the rt turned to the Sioux chief who
had chargeo the wigwam wherein the prison-
ers had been confined, the S otted Calf, and
asked if he might resume his c othes.

The Spotted Calf looked daggers—as the say-
ing is—at the cool and self-possessed white man,
for he was one of the nearest friends of the
Laughing Horse.

He was terribly enraged at the defeat that his.
chief had suffered, and, willingly, would have
wreaked vengeance upon the conquerin white
man if he could have seen his way c ear to:
accomplish it.

At present, though, he was not able to gratify
his passion for vengeance, and so be contented
himself with scowling at the sport as he nodded
his head to show that he had no objection to
offer to the request of Blake.

Little cared the redoubtable Fresh of ’Fi-isco
for the scowls of any man, and so, when he no-
tired the angry look upon the features of the
Indian warrior, he laughed in his face, a pro—
ceeding which made the Spotth Calf fairly grit
his teeth with rage, but as he did not see his way
clear to resent the affront just at present, he was
obliged to " rin and bear it,” which the Indian
really did, w thout any exaggeration.

The sport proceeded to the wigwam, donned
his clothes, and then returned to his former
position.

Just as he returned, the old medicine-man
made his a pearance, having seen the Laughing
Horse safe y bestowed in his lodge.

Nish-ma-wah advanced to the center of the
circle, and the sportaccosted him.

“ I claim the fulfillment of your promise,” he.
said. “ If I conquered your great chief my mule
and arms were to be returned to me, and I was
to be allowed to go free.”

” The white man speaks with a straight
tongue,” the old medicine-man announced, with
great dignity. “ So it was said.”

“ And wil my red brother keep his promise?”
the Fresh demanded.

“Ay—as sure as that the night succeeds the
day ” Nish-ma-wah replied.

‘ e great medicine-man of the Sioux nation
cannot speak with a forked tongue. The white
shall go free, because he is a mightywarrior,
and when he reaches the lodge! of his people
let him not for et to say that the red warriors
kept their word with the white-skin.”

‘ I shall remember, and you can rest assured
that I will do the Sioux braves full justice,” the-
sport declared.

Then Nish—ma-wah ordered some of the young
warriors to bring the white man’s mule and his

arms.

When they departed upon their mission Blake
seized upon the opportunity to say a rting
Word to the old lawyer, who had watc ed the
scene with curious eyes. _

“ Well. upon my word, in dear fellow, I
really believe that you are gomg to get out of
it!” the old gentleman declared.

“ Oh, yes: if you remember, I told you that I
did not think there was any doubt about the In-
dians living 11 to the agreement.”

“ Well, well), I am glad you are going, of
course, although 10th to lose dyour company,
and I sincerely hope that I an Miss Vander-
hoven will be able to get out of this scrape with
as little trouble.”

“ Don’t you werry now about the matter, for

:19

 

The Fresh in Montana.

15

 

 

you are all right!” the sport declared. “And
if you get a chance to speak to the young lady
just be sure to tell her that everything will come
out all straight in the long run.”

“ I hope so, my dear fellow, I hope so, and,
really, I begin to believe you have inspired me
with some of your magnificent confidence, for
I do not feel half as anxious about the matter
as I did.”

“That is right; keep up a stout heart!” the
sport advised.

“ This victory of mine will benefit you and
Miss Vanderhoven as well as myself,” the Fresh
explained.

“ The Indians, you know, had a message from
the Great Spirit, by the way of the old medicine-
inan, that upon the result of the fight depended
the issue of the war which they were about to
begin against the whites.

“ If the Laughing Horse had been able to cook
my goose for me, then the red-skins would have
gone upon the war~trail with joyful hearts, be-
ing perfectly satisfied that they would not have
any trouble in cleaning out the white men, but
as it is, I doubt if they will dare to go to war at

all.

" The red bucks are fearfully superstitious,
and to go ahead with the enterprise n0w, after
having been warned by the Great Spirit that
they cannot expect any success, will be more
than the majority of them will want to do.”

“ Yes, yes; I comprehend, and I have no doubt
that your ideas are correct; the superstitious
red-men will hesitate to go to war.”

“Exactly, and if they want peace they will
be careful not to commit any outrages, so I
think they will speedin release you,” Blake ob-
served.

“ Yes, yes; I think there is no danger now
that we will be harmed.”

“ As soon as I am free I shall push forward as
fast as I can for Fort Scott, and will acquaint
tillegolonel there with the fact of your captiv-
l y.

“ My dear fellow, if you will be so kind I shall
be ever so much obliged to you!” the old lawyer
declared, pressing the sport’s hand warmly.

“Don’t mention it! That is all right; I will
do what I can for you.

“ If this Colonel Poindexter is a good soldier
he will take speedy measures to convince the
Sioux that the uicker they release you and the
young lady the etter it will be for them.”

At this point the canversation was interrupted
by the arrival of the mule.

 

CHAPTER XVI.
A FRIENDLY WARNING.

THE sport gave the old lawyer’s hand a fare-
well shake and advanced tothe animal, whose
bridle the young braves had given into the hand
of the old medicine-man.

Nish-ma—wah had the sport’s weapons ready
for him, and Blake received them with a visible
expression of delight.

Then he vaulted to the back of the mule.

“There, I feel something like myself again!"
he announced.

“I am much obliged to you red gentlemen for
your hospitality, but I don’t think that I shall be
apt to trouble you again for a long while, that
is, if I haVe any say about the matter,” he added
With one of his peculiar, quiet smiles.

“ my brother know the way to the lodges
of‘the white men!” the Ground Hog asked.

es, I reckon I can find the road without
much difficulty. I must follow this stream until
it runs into the Musselsbell, and then turn to the
“fest and keep on up along the bank of the
"rt" . t. .

yw i rotherisri ht-th ' h we
go,” the old medicine-mangi-epliedft u t e y to

“Farewell, you are a mighty warrior and it
will be many moons before the Sioux braves will
bavoachance to look upon as good a man as
yourself,” Nish-ma-wah continued with stately

i ity.

EuMuch obliged for the compliment,” the sport
responded with a polite b0w. “But good man
or not there is one rule I always try to live upto
and that is to do my level best no matter how I
maly be Situated.”

hen the sport favored the Indians with a
courteous parting salutation and rode out of the
Circle, taking the trail which led down the val-

le .

fi‘he magority of the red-skins returned the
Fresh’s sa utation, gravely inclined their heads
while the muttered Words, “ Big medicine! Heap
powerful!” escaped from their lips.

There were a few Who scowled and fingered
their hunting-knives, as though they would like
to try the sport’s metal at that sort of game;
these were the rash young warriors of the tribe,
personal friends of the Laughing Horse, who felt
angered and humiliated by his defeat, but ere
wasn’t .any one of them Who cared to challenge
the white man to a single combat with the idea
of finding out whether he was as good with a
getapou as he had proved himself to be with his

s 9.

And as the Fresh of ’Frisco encountered these
angfy glances a scornful expression came over his
mo 110 face, and between his teeth he muttered:

 

“ Ay, ay, scowl all you like, you red dogs!
There is not one of you who dares to do more
than scowl!”

' u 1] m the Indian encampment, down the
narrow trail, past the Indian sentinels sta-
tioned at the lower end of the little valley so
as to guard against a surprise, went the sport.

Below the valley was a rough and broken
country which abruptly descended fora mile or
so, and the nature of the ground was such that
from their elevated posts the Indian sentinels
could command a view of the trail for fully a
II” 8.

Blake noted this fact as he rode along.

“ Well, there is no gainsaying that the red-
skins selected a particularly strong point for
their village,” he mused.

“ A hundred well—armed, determined men
ought to be able to hold these hills against a force
of three times their number.

“Artillery would be the only thing that
would be apt to bother the red-skins, and it
would be a wonderful battery, with wonder-
ful horses, to be able to get up a trail like
this.‘

By the time that the sport came to the end of
his reflections he had got through the foot-hills
and now his way led along an open table-land,
studded here and there with timber islands, and
the road bent around to the west so that it was
com letely hidden from view of the sentinels
perc ed on the crest of the hill.

Although he was apparently safe out of the
Indians’ hands, yet the Fresh proceeded with ex-
treme caution.

He rode With his left hand on the rein while
his right hand held his rifle across the pommel of
his saddle, the hammer raised, sothat he was all
ready for action.

“ There is no telling but what I may run into
some stray bucks who have not had the honor
of being introduced to me, and therefore do not
know that I am loaded and warranted to bedan-
gerous,” the Fresh soliloquized.

“Seeing a solitary white man wandering in
their territory the might take it into their
heads that it woul be a good idea to make it
warm for him; it would be quite a feather in
their caps, with this war fever running so high
just now, if they could bring a pale-face scalp
into the Indian village; it would be the first
trophy of the war and the braves lucky
enough to win it would own the camp for a
while.”

While uttering these reflections the keen eyes
of the Fresh narrowly surveyed the country in
advance of him.

He was going on the idea that behind each
rock a red-skinned warrior might lurk, or that
concealed in the center of a friendly tree-clump
a buckskin-garbed, painted chief waited for
his coming to drive home the death-dealing
ball. So acting upon this imagining he took
pains to give a wide berth to all suspicious
places.

About half-way across this open plain be pro—
ressed, and then his keen eyes detected that be
ind a clump of scraggly junipers a human

form was hiding.

A light pressure on the rein checked the
motion of the Well-trained mule, and’ in a
second the Winchester rifle leaped to the shoul-
der of the sport and his keen eyes gleamed along
the barrel.

“Come out, I see you l” he cried.

And then, to the astonishment of the Fresh
of ’Frisco, out from the shelter of the junipers
stepped the White Squaw of the Sioux.

She raised her hand in a commanding gesture,
while a bright smile illuminated her handsome
features.

“ Do not fire, Fresh of ’Frisco,” she ex-
claimed. “It is I, the Speckled Pigeon—your
friend i”

“ All right!” And again the Winchester re-
sumed its place on the pommel of the saddle
while a touch of the heel put the mule again in
motion, until the rider’s hand compelled a halt
by the side of the junipers.

“This is an agreeable surprise,” Blake re-
marked.

“ I am about the last person in the world that
you expected to see?” the White Squaw ob-
served.

“Yes, that is true."

“ Yet you were on the watch for some one.”

“I had an idea that I might run across some
wandering bucks, and from the way that
matters stand it would be natural for the braves
to go for me without much warning,” the sport
explained.

“Yes, that is true, but there is little danger
of your meeting wlth any stra glers. for about
all of the warriors are in the vi lage."

“ Well, it was not possible for me to know that,
you know, and as I am one of the kind of men
who never take an chances, if it is possible for
me to help myselyf, I was proceeding with as
much caution as though there was danger of my
running into a war-party at any moment.”

“ You are wise, and you are a great warrior,
as my red brothers would say,” the girl remarked
with an admiring glance at the adventurer.
b0“ Thank you l” the sport responded with a polite

w.

“ I assure you I appreciate the compliment,

 

and none the less because I have a firm convic-
tion that it it not far from the truth. “I am
no boaster, you know," the Fresh continued.
“But it would be false modesty for me to say
that I am not conscious of being able to hold my
own, for I am well aware that it will take an
extra good man to beat me, and any ordinary
fellows tands no chance with me at all.

“ I suppose you are aware of the result of‘my
encounter with the Laughing Horse, who had an
idea that he was about the biggest man in
creation I”

“ Oh, yes, I saw the contest from the begin-
ning to the end,” the girl replied. “And I as-
sure you I am deeply grateful, for you have per-
formed a service to my tribe of wonderful value.

“ Urged on by the Laughing Horse, and a few
more rash young warriors, who were not cap-
able of understanding how utterly foolish was
their action, the Sioux were contemplating mak
ing war on the whites, and the certain result of
the war would have been the destruction of the
Musselshell Sioux.”

“No doubt about that; a man might as well
attempt to break a stone wall with his head as
for the red-men to brave the power of the
Government,” the sport declared.

“Your defeat of the chief will undoubtedly

ut an end to all thoughts of war,” the White
Squaw responded.

“ It is difficult for me to express in words how
thankful I am, but I was desirous that you
should understand how I feel about the matter,
and so I hurried to intercept you, taking advan-
tage of a short cut through the foot-hills.

“ The trail, you see, bends around in a circle,
so that it is full a mile nearer to the valley by
the short cut,” she explained.

“Yes, I understand, and the road is so bad
too that a man on horseback can’t make much
better time than if he was on foot.”

“ Very true; so it was an easy matter for me
to intercept you, particularly as I left the. camp
before you did.”

“ Well, really, you need not have put ourself
to all this trouble,” Blake remarked. “ y serv-
ing you I served myself: but I don’t suppose I
would have hammered the fellow quite so hard
if you had not explained to me how matters

st .

“ “'Len I comprehended how the game was
running I went in to give the chief such a
thrashing that he would be apt to have to take
to his bed for a few days, so as to cool the war
fever in the veins of the young bucks.”

“ A sin I thank you for the service!” the In-
dian girl exclaimed, gratefully.

“ Don’t mention it!
right,” the sport replied.

“ But it was not alone for the purpose of ten-
dering you y thanks that I came to intercept
you,” the bite Squaw declared.

The Fresh looked surprised.

“ I think that danger threatens, and I came to
warn you to be on your guard.”

' “ I am much obliged. In what shape will the
danger come?”

“ After the contest ended, and the Spotted
Calf came with you from the wigwam where
you dressed, I noticed him in earnest conversa-
tion with one of the young braves known as the
Blue Dog.

“ These two are the close friends of the Laugh-
ing Horse, and when 1 saw them talking earn-
estly together with bended brows I surmised
that they were plotting mischief.”

“ A very natural supposition l” the Fresh de-
clared, with an approving nod.

“ The conversation lasted but a few minutes,
and then the two sluuk away to their wigwams,
which are on the outskirts of the village.

“ I followed cautiously, determined to keep a
close watch upon them.”

“ That was a wise proceeding.”

“I fancied from their angry looks, and the
baleful glances that they cast at you, that they
had concocted some plot of which you was to be
the victim.”

“That was a reasonable conclusion under the
circumstances.”

“ So I considered,” the Indian girl replied.
“After the pair procured their rifles they stole
from their wigwams, and hastened toward the
foot-hills, where they disappeared among the
bushes.

“ I was the only one who noticed this move-
ment, for all the people were in the center of the
valley listening to your conversation with the
old medicine-man.”

“ Yes, I see; it was an easy matter for the
pair to get away without attracting observa-
tion,” the adventurer observed. thoughtfully. V

“ If I had not hap ned to notice the two in
conversation, I shou d not have thought of
watchin them.” t”
su pose no .

ygung men, I think, intend to re-
venge the defeat of their friend by waylaying
7,

‘ “ Very likely. They are not satisfied with the
taste of my quality that they have already got
and are hankering for more,” the sport observ-
ed. in his dry way.

“ It certainl seems like it.”

“Well, I wi try and oblige the bucks and if
they don’t succeed in getting me at such a dis-

I
As I said before, it is all

.. In...

«i--.

 

  

  "1‘6 1‘ "

  

o‘

 

 l onward toward the tree clump.

The V FreSh in Montana. ‘

 

 

advantage that I will not stand any showI

for my life, I may be able to astonish them.”

“ They took advantage of the short cuttoplan
an ambush, and so I warn you.” '

“ Thanks!"

“And now, farewell! Ma the Great Spirit
who watches alike over the ndian and the pale-
face protect you!” cried the White Squaw,

‘ as she hurried away.

CHAPTER XVII.
TEE PRAIRIE FIGHT.

BLAKE watched the well-proportioned form of
the Indian maid as she hastened onward until
she disappeared amid the shrubbery.

“ That girl is the clear white article, and no
mistake, even if she does happen to be alittle
03 color in complexion,” the Fresh remarked.

“ She professes to be grateful to me because I
warned t e big chief, but under the circumstan-
ces it was Hobson’s choice as far as I was con-
cerned. I either had to knock the big chief out
or be knocked out myself."

And the sport laughed quietly to himself as
be reflected upon what a sorry picture the great
fighting man of the Sioux nation had cut at the
end of the fight.’

“ There is no mistaking the fact that the
White Squaw has done me a signal service in
giving me warning of this ainbuscade for
although I was on my guard, yet the bucks
might have succeeded in picking me ofl.

“ But as it is, unless the red-skins take advan-
tage of some point to pop at me where it will
be almost an impossibility for them to miss me,
the chances are big that I will be able to give
them a good tight. ,

“ Anzl now then, Jackson Blake, let your eyes
and ears do their best, for in all your life there
never was nee-l of better work 1”

Again the sharp resumed his onward way,
proceeding with the utmost caution.

The trail now passed over more level ground
so the sport was able to proceed more rapidly.

For a couple of miles his way led over an
open prairie, where there wasn’t any chance for
a foe to find concealment, then the timber islands
appeared again and Blake proceeded with in-

. J creased caution.

When a man gets used to the wild life of the
wilderness through long experienCe, in a certain
degree the instinctive sense of the birds and
beasts seems to come to him and he is able to de-
tect hidden danger where the average mortal

- . would not suspect it lurked.

And in this case, when Blake got in about the
center of the prairie, his attention was directed
to a clump of cedars about a quarter of a mile
off and within a hundred yards of the trail.

here wasn’t anything in particular about
this especial clump of trees to call for atten-
tion, excepting that the afforded ample con-
cealment for three or our men, but, in some

‘ ' mysterious way, the moment the sharp caught

’ sight of the cedars the idea came to him that the
red chiefs were concealed therein.
“ A nice, easy shot i” he muttered, as the mule

‘ If the red bucks are not able to ick me of!

I as I ride by them they are a couple 0 chumps!
" “That is their idea, of course; the will wait
until I get within range and than t ey will go

i / for me.

“A nice little game!” the Fresh exclaimed,
with a sarcastic smile, “ but it will not work 2”

And then, having carefully measured the

:distance that intervened between himself and

’ the clump of cedars with his eyes, and being
satisfied that he was nearly within range, he

V abru tly sheared off to the right, takinga course

‘ whic would not briitg him within a couple of
hundred yards of the recs. /

“It takes a good shottoplu a man on a mov-

' ing horse six or seven hundre feet away i” the
‘- sport declared, as he executed this movement.
Then he touched his heels to the side of the
' mule, and the well-trained beast immediately
'; quickened his pace.
I It was by no more chance that the sharp took
it into his head to force the animal along at a
. little better pace, but on the contrary he was
 acting on a carefully devised lan.
v . And the game worked too ust exactly as the
Fresh had expected.

The two Sioux warriors, Spotted Calf and
Blue Dog, were concealed amid the cedars, and
when the saw the white-skin bend of! to the
right, an increase the speed of his mule, they
at once jumped to the conclusion from the abrupt
manner in which the maneuver had been per-

. formed that the sport had discovsred the am-
ibush, so the at once fired upon him.

5, 3 As waste expected under the circumstances
both (if the bullets went wide of the mark, and

l the Fresh yelled forth a shrill note of defiance.
Then he rode his mule behind a giant bowl-
which cropped out of the earth hear at
, slipged down from the back of the ani-
, and astin tethered him by means of the

riat.

‘Back of the rock, and surrounding it on three
sides, was a dense growth ofcgines, so that when
the mule was placed behind e bowlder, he was
almost completely sheltered from an attack.

\

tags

 

 

 

  

It only took the sport a few mements to per-
form this movement, and then he returned to
face the red-skins again.

The braves were in front of the evergreens
which had afforded them concealment.

The abrupt action on the part of the Fresh
Puzzled them, and when they saw that their bul-

ets had not harmed him, they hesitated, uncer-
tain what to do.

When Blake came from behind the rock and
perceived the warriors halting in front of the
evergreens, he was not slow in jumping toa con-
clusion in regard to thelll.‘

“Aha! you are a little bothered, eh?” he ex-
claimed.

“ Don’t exactly understand my game, and you
are waiting to see what I am going to do?”

And the rt laughed.

. “ I don’t oubt that you two red bucks thought
that you were going to have a heap of fun with
me,” the Fresh continued.

“ You provided yourselves with a coupleof the
best ponies in the band, and you reckoned that
if you did not succeed in knocking me over at
the first pop, you could easily run me down, for
although a mule is a mighty good beast fora
traveler on a long ‘ourney, yet when it comes to
a. race for life, the ong-eared ‘ critter ’ is not up
to the work. .

“ But the picnic is not progressing accordin

to the pro ramme that on laid out,” and a
this oint t e adventurer ndulged in a hearty
chuc 'le.
. “ You ambushed your man all right, but
after you missed your mark the victim didn’t
grass to his mule’s boots for safety, as you calcu-
a .

“On the contrary, he shows fight, and thou h
as a rule, to at your man oi! his steed, is tie
game you r devils always try to play, at on
the present occasion the thing isn t goiZig to
wor in the way you would like to have it.’

“The white man is dismounted, but his steed

is safe, and if you want his scalp, you will have.

to work to earn it.”

And then in the exuberance of his spirits he
slapped the butt of his rifle and made a gesture
of defiance to the red braves.

This preceeding kindled their rage at once.

“ The white dog defies us!” the Spotted Calf
cried angrily.

“ 'r’ne pale-face is mad if he thinks he can es-
cape,” the Blue Dog exclaimed. ,

And then the wily red-men set to work to de-
vise a plan by means of which they might be able
to take the scalp of the white-skin without en-
dangering their own safety.

The reader must not think that this was a
proof that the Sioux warriors were not as brave
as lions. for the were, but it is a cardinal prin-
ci le WivU the ndians to always go into a tight
w th all the advantages on their side, if it is pos-
sible for them to so arrange the matter, and the
red-men have been known to delay an attack for
a week, or even a month, until they could get
matters arranged to their satisfaction.

Then, on the other hand, when the red warri-
ors are cornered—placed at such a terrible disad-
vantage that to resist was certain death, they
have entered upon the fight with grim determin-
ation, accruing to ask for quarter.

The‘Fresh was quick to notice the consultation
and he understood what it meant.

“Aha! trying to hatch up some little scheme
so that you will be able to take my scal without
having to work very hard for it, eh?” e ejacu-
lated as he placed his back against the rock, and
surveyed the red warriors with a sarcastic smile.

“ “Tell, the odds are two to one, and,that
ought to insure your winning this fight, provid-
ed I am not a better fighter t an both of you two
put together, but, I reckon, that is just where
the hitch comes in: that is a‘point though which
cannot be settled without an actual trial, for all
the arguments in the world will not decide the
question.

“ To my thinking the odds are big that neither
one of the two can hold a candle to me when it
comes to rifle-shooting and within the next ten
minutes I think I will be able to convince these
red entlemen of that fact if ‘they will have the
kin nose to come within rifle range.”

The t was correct in his conjectures.

The Indian braves were perplexed at his adopt-
inga course so opposite to the one which they
supposed he would follow, and they had put their,
head together to arran e a scheme by means of
which they would be agle to slay him With as
little risk to themselves as possible.

In an attack of this kind, it is the game of the
red warriors to disable the horse as soon as pos-
sible, so as to cut of! the escape of the destined
victim, but as the Fresh had stowed his mule
away in the evergreen thicket, this part of the
game could not be worked.

The bold action of the sport, though, in com.
ing out in open sight and with defiant action,
challenging the pair to mortal combat, made the
red warriors a ry, and so they made up their
minds toshow t e braggart white man that he
was not as great a fighter as he thought, even .lf
they had to risk their own precious persons in
the attempt.

’ The plan that the warriors formed was. the old
familiar one which the prairie redekins have
used from the timewhen they first encountered

  

v

 

 

 

the white man on the trackless plains of the
wilderness.

After the brief consultation the warriors sepa-
rated. The S tted Calf rode off to the right
and the Blue og to the left.

“Aha! going to try the old game, eh?” the
Fresh exclaimed, as soon as the warriors pro-
ceeded to execute the maneuver.

“ It is your calculation that I will not be able
to  my eyes on both of you, and so that
while am busy with one the other will have a
chance to take me in the rear.

“Maybe you can work it, but I have serious
doubts in regard to the matter.

“And now, what is my game?” the sport add.
ed, in a reflective way.

“In the first place, you two red rascals are
nothing better than a pair of cowardly assassins
for you would have shot me down in cold blood
without givmg me a. chanCe for my life, if I
had not been sharp enough to smell out the

tra .

“p Now, then, I am _not the kind of man to
allow a trick of that .kind to be attempted at my
expense without calling the men who put up the
job to an account._

“ You tried to kill me, therefore I am going to
do my best to lay you out, and the first point is
for me to disable your ponies so on will not
be able to escape quite so handily, i you should
suddenly come to the conclusion that when on
went into this little scheme you hit off moret an

you will be able to chew, to use the good old ‘

western sa ing. .
“ In a m nuts or so both of you Wlll be within
rifle” range and then we will see what we will

The Fresh was leaning against the bowlder
with his eyes fiXed intently upon the two war-
more.

The ponies of the pair were roceeding at a
walk, and they were riding a a circle with
the rock as a center point, but as they rode they
Were gradually drawing nearer and nearer to the

sport.

With the eye of a hawk the Fresh watched
the pair. .

For a couple of minutes the red-skins went on
their way, and the peculiar glint of fire appear-
ed in the keen eyes of the sport, the Sign that
always signified that he was about to take an ac-
tive part.

“ Now then, you red devils, the performance
is about to be in, and,,unle-s I am tly mis«
taken,’you wi l he mightly astonish before the
picnic is ended.”

According to the sport’s calculation. the Blue
Dog was a trifle nearer the rock than his com-
panion and so be selected his horse for a tar-

at.

g Down dropped thes rt on one knee and up
came the rifle to his s oulder.

The red-skins were quick to perceive the mo-
tion, and though from the fact that they ‘had
not damaged the Fresh when they fired at him
they had doubts as to their being within rifle-
range, yet in order to be on the sure side
they came the old Indian dodge of sheltering
themselves behind the bodies 0 their horses.

They slipped out of the rude ,skin saddles, and
all that was visible of the braves was red hands
clutching the ponies’ shaggy manes and the
toes of a couple of moccasined feet projecting
over the ponies’ hips. v

This maneuver can on! be rformod b a
practiced rider, being a trio wh ch would bot_ er
any one but a circus performer, or an Indian
brave, who constantly notices at such maneu-
vers from the timetha he is big enough to keep
a seat upon a horse‘s back.

"Very nicely done, my 'boys!” the sport ex-
claimed, a grim smde curling his lips.

“ But this little bit of circus business will not
interfere with me at all as it happens; for it is
not ygu two men but your steeds that I am
after. .

And then, just as the last word escaped from
his lips, be pulled the trigger of his rifle. _

There w s a puff of smoke followed by the
‘shrill repo r of the rifle, waking the echoes of
the wilderness.

The aim of Blake was true, and the death-
dealing ball went straight to “16 mark.

Over went the pony ridden by the Blue Dog,
and it was only by a dextrous movement that
the chief esca being crushed beneath the
body of the un ortunate beast.

The Spotted Calf, peeping out from under his
horse’s neck, witnessed the destructive eflect of
the shot, and was so enra ed by the fact that be
halted his pony, rewm his seat in the saddle,
and bringing his rifle to the shoulder took de-
liberate aim at the Fresh, burning with a desire
to avenge the death of the horse.

The sport laughed outright'as he turned the
muzzle of his rifle in the disection of the Spotted
Calf. _

Not a moment did thd Fresh dwell on his aim
thou h, for he was one ,of the marksman who

co take as sure an aim with a snapshot“ .

an ordinary rifieman with all the elaborate
care usual in a shooting gallery. _ .

And. therefore, he was able to anticipate the
Indian’s shot by a second. ‘

The two reports were‘so near tOgethgr “at
one sounded li e the echo of the other.

   
 

  

 

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"A . w. . was. 445.13 

..,....~..,....M.~ ,M-..“ .4. M...

1’5: ~

   
  
 
  

 

 

The Fresh in Montana.

17

 

There was a wide difference though in the ac-
curacy of the shots.

The red-skin fired too low, although it was a
good line-shot, for the bullet went Into the
ground, twenty-five feet away from Blake.

The sport did not make any such mistake,
though. A fairer target than the Indian war-
rior presented, seated on his pony, with his dark
figure outlined against the sky, a marksman
would not have desired.

And such a shot as the Fresh of ’Frisco, could
not miss so easy a mark, unless there was some-
thing the matter with either the gun or the am-
munition.

But the Indian chief was a doomed man, for
on this occasion the weapon worked to perfec-
tion.

The leaden missile struck the Spotted Calf full
in the chest. ,

From his hands drop the Winchester—his
features were diatorte< with pain—wildly he
clutched at the air with his outstretched fingers,
then pitched headlong to the ground, and before
he struck the earth the soul of the Indian war-
rior had taken its flight from its earthly tene-
ment to the red-man’s realms of bliss, the Happy
Hunting~Grounds.

“ That account is squared, and now for the
other!” Blake exclaimed, springing to his feet
as soon as he saw that his shot had proved
effective.

The Blue Dog also assumed an erect position
at the same moment, and a ho wl of re e came
from him when he saw his companion fa 1.

It was plain to him from the way in which
the red chief went down that he was hard hit,
and a wild desire for vengeance upon the vic-
torious white-skin came to him on the instant.

But before he could make a movement toward
the accomplishment of this purpose, Blake began
offensive operations, so the chief was put upon
the defensive.

The Fresh was satisfied when the Spotted Calf
came tumbling from his horse that his race was
run, and no more danger was to be apprehended
from him, so he was at liberty to turn his entire
attention to the other.

It was a common joke of Jackson Blake’s that
it was but seldom anybody accused him of “be-
ing backward in coming forward,” and on this
occasion he acted according to his usual custom.

With a shout of defiance be advanced toward
the Indian warrior, running at a brisk rate.

The Blue Dog u as astonished by this proceed-
ing, for as he was within range of the white
man’s fire, it was his anticipation that the pale-
faCe would endeavor to lay nim low with a rifle-
shot, since he had disposed of his companion in
that manner. ‘

But there was a deal of method in this seeming
madness of the sport.

He had calculated that the moment be en-
deavored to draw a bead on the red-skin the
chief would set-k shelter behind the body oi his
horse, and being thus protected it might be a
difficult matter for him to hit the warrior.

It was his anticipation that the rapid advance
would have a tendency to “rattle ’ the Sioux
brave, and so give him a chance to lay him low.

The sport’s conjecture was a shrewd one, for
the movement did produce the result he desired.

Burning with a desire to avenge the fall of
his comrade, and believing that he was not in
any immediate danger, as the white man’s rifle
was not leveled at him, the Sioux Chieftain did
not seek shelter behind the body of his dead
steed, but placing his left foot upon the carcass
of the pony, he brought his rifle to his shoulder,
then proceeded to take deliberate aim at the
gold white man, who was advancing rapidly on

im.

A couple of moments the red-skin hesitated,
for he wanted to be certain that his bullet would
go straight to the heart of the pale-face, and
then he pulled the trigger.

Blake had calculated so closely in regard to
the time that the Sioux warrior would dwell on
his aim, that just as the red chief pulled the
trigger, he pretended to catch his foot in a clump
of grass, and down he went, sprawling fiat upon
the ground.

And so it happened that the bullet of the
Sioux brave whistled harmlessly over his head,

The red Chieftain fell into the trap!

Believmg from the clumsy way in which the
white man had apparently some d0wn, that he
Was greatly discommoded by the fall, the Blue
Dog sprung Over the body of the horse, and tak-
ing a fresh aim, prepared to shoot the sport as

. he rose to his feet.

But hardly had the red warrior assumed his
pOSition when the rifle of the s rt was at his
shoulder, and a pull at the trigger sent the
leaden ball on its death-dealing mission.

This was a trick which the Indian had never
seen practiced, and he was taken completely by
surprise, for he had no idea that it was pessible
for a man to take accurate aim when lying flat
on the ground on his stomach.

Too late the suspicion came to him that he had
been tricked, and when the white puff of smoke
came from the muzzle of the sport’s rifle, follow-
ed by the sharp crack of the report, the red-skin
‘umped back and endeavored to find safety be-
hind the body of the horse.

But though the long—necked wild fowl, the

 

crazy loon, may be expert enough to dodge the
swiftly moving rifle ball, warned by the curl of
smoke that death is near, yet a human seldom
succeeds, and in this instance the only result of
the chief’s movement was that the leaden mes-
senger aimed at his chest struck him in the
throat, bringing him to the earth writhing in the
agonies of death.

The fight was ended, and the Fresh of ’Frisco
was again a conqueror. '

 

CHAPTER XVIII.
AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL.

THE Fresh or ’Frisco rose slowly to his feet,
dropped the butt of his rifle to the ground, and
gazed in a thoughtful way around him.

“ Well, I reckon this little affair is ended,” he
observed.

“If I haven’t made any mistake about the
matter, both of these warriors have taken their
departure for the Happy Hunting-Grounds, and
the places which once knew them will know them
no longer.

“ But I reckon I had better make an examina-
tion, so as to be sure that the red-skins are done
for,” the sport added.

And this he proceeded to do.

His judgment was correct: both of the war-
riors were dead, as he had expected.

“ This is a bad beginning for the Indians,” the
Fresh soliloquized. “And I reckon that when
the red bucks discover these two bodies, they
will come to the conclusion that the Great Spirit
who rules the fate of war is frowning upon
them in an extremely unpleasant manner.

“ If it will have the effect of working so
strongly upon their superstitious natures as to
prevent them from embarking in this war which
they contemplate, it will be one of the best things
for the Sioux nation at large that ever hap-
pened, and I should not be surprised too if it
produced that effect.”

While indulging in these meditations the
sport had allowed his eyes to rest in a. thought.
in] way on the countenance of the Spotted Ualf,
by whose body he was standing, then, happen-
ing to lance around, he caught si ht of a horse-
man a vancing rapidly across the istant prairie
swells.

He recognized the rider upon the instant.

It was the old mountain-man, Rattlesnake
Smith.

Leaning upon his rifle the Fresh waited until
the scout came within hailing distance and then
exclaimed:

“ You are a little late! If you had made
your appearance about ten minutes ago on
would have had a chance to enjriyaa little fun."

“ So I perceive,” the Red ttlesnake re-
plied as heldrew rein by the side of the sport,
much to the disgust of his horse which mani-
fested the decided aversion to the dead body
which such animals usually exhibit.

“ The Spotted Calf, eh?” the old scout con-
tinued as he looked upon the face of the stricken
warrior.

“ I don’t really know,” the sport replied.
“ You see the fact is, neither of the two took the
trouble to introduce himself to me.

“They were in ambush, waiting for my com-
ing, as they knew I was riding this way, but as I
was lucky enough to detect where they were
hiding they did not get the opportunity to lay
me out without giving me a chance for my life.

“ l tilted the matter so they had to come out
and fight me on a fair field, but though they un-
doubtedly thought that as the were two to one
they had a sure thing, yet managed to lay
them out, as you see.”

The old scout surveyed the sport earnestly for
a moment and then he shook his head.

“Stranger, I don"t know much of anything.
’bout you. seeing that you are new to these
parts, but this I will say that no matter who
you ar’ or whar on come from thar is no mis-
takingr the fact i at you ar’ a fighter from ’way
back!" the Red Rattlesnake declared.

“I am very much obliged toyou indeed for
are compliment," the sport replied with a polite

w.

“ The more so because I reckon that you are
a man who is an extra $00.1 judge in that line.”

“ Wa-al, I reckon I ought to be,” the old scout

remarked.

 

“ These hyer two chiefs. Spotted Calf an’ Blue 3

D03, although young warriors, hev the name of
being two of the best braves in the Musselshell
Sioux tribe.

“ I know ’em both—hev known ’em for years,
an’ I kin tell you that a pair of uglier red devils
never wore a moccasin, an’ when it comes to
war the two were counted to
braves as kin be scared up in the Injun country,

i
i

l
i
I
I

be as great;
‘: mistake ’bout if!

so you kin see that it is a mighty big feather in ;

your cup to be able to lay out the pair."
“And yet 1 was not put to much trouble to
accomplish the fee t,” the sport observed.

in this section, anyway?” the old men .tain-man
asked, abruptly.
“ Oh, I have had quite a little adventure, for
the reds captured me on the trail as you antici—
ted

“ Shol you don’t tell me?”

“ Yes, it is a sure enough fact,” Blake replied.
And then the sport related all that had occurred
from the time he parted with the Red Rattle-
snake by the bank of the Musselshell River up to
the present moment, and as he judged that the
knowledge of how the Indians felt in regard to
making war upon the whites would be of service
to the scout he was particular to explain the
matter in full, only suppreSsing the name of his
informant.

“ Wa-al, wa-al! if this don’t iest take the rag
right off the bush!” the Red attlesnake ex-
claimed.

“ And you managed to upset the apple-cart
too!” he continued. “ And now this little fight
will be mighty apt to make the red imps think—
when it comes to their knowledge -—that if they
do go into this war they will not stand any show
to win.”

“ It was my calculation that it ought to work
that way."

“I noticed that you kept uiet ’bout who it
was that put you onto this t in%, but I know
enufl ’bout these hyer Musselshell ioux to guess
right away as to the party,” the old scout re-
marked, shrewdly.

“It was the bite Squaw,” the Red Rattle-
snake continued. “She is a good gal—mighty
good! is as honest as the day, an’ the red-skins
would get along a heap Sight better if they
would only allow themselves to be guided'by
her advice, an’ wouldn’t pay any attention to
the ravin of these young bucks, the most of
whom hav n’t got sense enough to go in when it
rains.”

“ Well, from the way thin s are going I reck-
on the reds will be rather ubious about going
to war,” the Fresh declared.

“ The thrashing of their big chief was consid-
erable of a set—back to them, and when they dis-
cover that these two braves, who set out so con-
fidently to take my scalp, have assed in their
checks they will be apt to think t at luck is run-
ning dead against them."

“Yes, it 03M to work that way,” the old
scout coincid .

“ There is another thing to be considered too,”
the Red Rattlesnake added. “ Kumel Poindex-
ter, who is in command of this district, is an ex-
tra good man; most people ar‘ inclined to con-
sider him rough and overbearing, an’ thar ain’t
the least mite of doubt that he is kinder hasty
an’ high~strung at times, but when it comes
down to war he knows his business from A to
Ampersand, an’ in a case of this kind he is sar-
t’in to act promptly.

“ That is always the wisest course,” Blake ob-
served. “ I have considerable knowledge of
these red-skins, and therefore understand that
the man who wishes to strike terror to their
souls must act promptly, and when blows are
dealt they must be severe ones; no half-way
measures will answer.”

“ You are right, by hockey l” the old mountain-
man declared.

“ Wa-al, in this hyer case the kurnel, as soon
as he got wind that the reds were inclined to cut
up rusty, started me off to warn the next post.

“ It was the kernel’s calculations, you see, that
the red bucks would make a break for the hills
jest as soon as they made up their minds to be
ugly, an’ sure enufl, that is jest what they did

0

“ Yes, they have selected a very strong posi-
tion, and if they show fight it will not be an easy
matter to get at them.”

“I reckon I know the spot,” and then the
old mountain-man gave an exact description
of the valley where the Indians had taken re-

fu e.

g That is the place,” Blake remarked.

“When I heered that the had broke away I
reckoned they would make or that ar’ valley,
an’ I told the kurnel so; he bad faith enufl' in
my judgment to believe I knew w’ot I was talk-
in’ ’bout, an’ went in to make his preparations to
git the reds into a trap.”

“Ah, yes, I see; it is his idea to stop the war
by getting the Indians in such a position that
they willseeit would be madness for them to
fi ht.

g“ That is the scheme, an’ I reckon it is going
to work all right too," the Red Rattlesnake de-
clared.

“I know all ’bout this hyer valley whar the
red imps ar’ located as well as any copper-col-
ored buck in the deestrict, an’ thar ain’t no
being a mighty good place for
a skirmish, but in a sart’in way this hyer valley
is a good deal like a rat-trap, an’ if sart’in ar-
rangements are made the red heathens will
be mighty apt to find themselves in a tight

“A single shot apiece did the business,” he 3 place.”

added.

" Yes, I heered the cracks, but I never reckon-
ed thar was any war going on, for I thought it
was some of the red bucks arter game.”

“Yes, I think I understand the game,” the
sport remarked, thoughtfully.

“I should think from what I saw of the val—
ley that there are only two we s of either get-

“That is true enough, but it was human game I ting into or out of it,” Blake a ded.

they sought.”

“ You hev hit it plum center!” the old moun-

“ But I say, w’ot on airth ar’ you a-doing up tain-man exclaimed.

I

-—-..~a ~e‘3.

.... ._ a, a-..” _. .:

I ' '«v

The ’Frléshtie‘illcfitana-

 

 

 

   

  

“ Thar ain’t but two ways for humans, though
a mountain goat might be able to climb up the
rocks on the sides.
., ' ‘.‘ Now then, the kurnel has fixed up the
'9 nicest kind of a plan,” the Red Rattlesnake con-
 tinned.

“Major Ben Canteen from the lower fort on
the Musselshell has made a forced march with
four companies, an’ got round to the north
Of the valley, an’ as he has got a couple of light

ms with him, an‘ is, too, oneof the old Injun—
fighters who has stood up a ’in’ these bucks so
many times that he has got al tha’r tricks down
as fine as kin be, the odds ar’ big that if the
Sioux ar’ pushed from the lower end of the
valley that they won’t be able to skip out on the
upper trail in a hurry.”

‘ Yes, I fancied I understood how the game
would be worked when you began to explain the

 matter,” Blake declared.

 “ With the colonel at the lower end of the
I; ' .valley, and the major at the upper the red-skins

‘ will he caught between two fires.”
“ Exactly! and as both detachments have
., ' light guns the shells will be apt to make things
.. interesting to the red-skins!” the old scoutre-

' ' marked, with a rin.

“ Yes, and she is they don’t like.”

“’7‘ “ Thar comes the kurnel now 1” the Red Rattle-

? X”. snake exclaimed, abruptly.
H r, I __
CHAPTER XIX.
run COLONEL.
.,- Tin: old mountain-man was, correct in his
. ’ statement. .
v About half a mile off the head of a column of

mounted troops could plainly be discerned.
-; a, I “Now, then, sport, if you are game fer a
"" leetle more fun, I kin introduce you to the kur-
nel, an’ I reckon he will be glad to bev you go
v 3. along ” the old scout remarked. ‘ .
 if  “All right! I am agreeable,” the Fresh re-

sponded. . . .
“Since I have got mixed up in this thing, I
suppose I may as well see the matter through,"
i he added.
, “ Yes, that is w’Ot I thoughtl”
 “ I’ll get my mule, so as to be all ready for a
4 ., start,” Blake remarked. “ When I saw that I
l; _ ‘ i was in for a fight, 1 corraled lhe beast in yonder
, clump of evergreens back of the big rock. for I
v knew the reds would go for the animal at the
3;} first break, with the idea of cutting off my es-
, ' , ca ,” .
a» “ ReOh, yes; that is the ame that they allers
' 1., ts: ' try to hpolity,” the Red attlesnake affirmed.
" at t hyer thing must have been a dreadful
, _ surprise party to them, for it is sart’in that they
, did not know you were loaded fer b’ar when they
went in to lay you out.”
“ The best and wisest of men will make little
. V mistakes of that kind once in a while,” the sport
\ : re led with the air of a philosopher.
hen he proceeded to his mule, mounted the
beast and rode to the side of the mountain-man.
By this time the troo rs had approached so
‘ near that a good view 0 them could be had. '
r j At the head of the column rodea man who
7 was the perfect picture of a veteran soldier.
‘ In, me he wasa little above the medium
heigh , well-built and decidedly muscular, with
regular, yet strongly marked features, such as
i an would have attracted attention anywhere.and
., any good judge of human nature would have
 set the owner of the face down for being a re-
,  , markahle man, and any one who .had ever met
5 4r. the entleman would notbe apt to forget him,
' 1;, . for is face was certainly a striking one.
I ‘ '3 . 8 n and wind had bronzed his complexion
; .. an i he was almost as dark as an Indian; than,
i * ’strsnge contrast! his tightly cropped hair, as
'9 well as the long curling mustache and Franchi-
7% fledim ' lwhicb adorned his lipand chin, were
it 2 as whi as the driven snow, and those set of!
g by his ruddy complexion gave him a most pecu-
 liar look. '
9, This was Colonel Jefferson Poindextor, who
,, [bore the reputation of being as able an oficer as
 ,, Uncle Sam could boast.
« The stifle eyes of the colonel detected the dead
"Indians rom afar, and so be halted the column

. companied by his senior captain, Mortimer Mc«

l Nah, a red-headed, red-whiskered son of the
‘ “land of cakes,” bonn Scotland. 4

, L “Well well, Bmit , it looks to me as if

7* g; “ you had had some warm work here,” the colonel

_ marked as he rods 0

' “ Spotted Calf and lue Dog, ehi two rascals

who have done more to make trouble between

‘the Indians and the whites than any other

.warriors in the tribe with the efiception'of the

«fith ’ ’1'!) person, that scouudrel, Laughing

o , ,

m.
* “Wu-a], kuruel I reckon they won’t never
kick-up any more disturbances, leastways not in

this :iorld, anyway,” the old mountain-man ob-

.C'V . .
   “As I am not acting as Indian police in’, the
‘ other world at resent, it does not matter to me

what they do t

re,” the odlcer remarked in a

‘_ ” Rattlesnake Smith asserted.
“And it is adssd surething that you won’t have
.30 marshal»; with ’sm in this." ‘ .x I ‘ I

  

 i “w ’..
, - ‘4, 

'a good thousand feet off and rode forward,‘ ac:

 

the bucks dubious about go
.th I , mu."

“ How did it happen that they went for you i”
the colonel inquired.

“ I am rather surprised that the bucks should
try a move of «that kind, for there are mighty
few of the red-skins that are Willing to run up
against you,” the officer added.

“That is a sure enqu fact, I reckon,” the old
scout admitted, with a grin.

“But this time you are barking up the wrong
tree, kurnel," he continued. “I ain’t the man
w’ot give these two reds thar ticket for soup,
but this hyer stranger,” and Rattlesnake Smith
nodded to filake.

Colonel Poindexter elevated his eyebrows in a
peculiar way, an indication that he was sur-
prised by the statement, and then be closely ex-
amined th’| Fresh of ’Frisco from head to heel, a
scrutiny which Blake bore with perfect compo-

sure.

" I don‘t think that I have ever had the pleas-
ure of meeting you before, sir,” the military
mun remarked in the stately way so natural to
him. “But I have no hesitation in saying that
it is my 0 inion that you must be an extra good
man, or e seyou could never have succeeded in
settling these two warrionc, who bear a reputa-
tion as braves second to none in their tribe. ’

“ Oh, I suppose they were good men enough,”
Blake replied, carelessly. “ et I did not have
any particular trouble in dispOsing of them; still
there isn’t anything wonderful about the matter,
for I claim to be a first-class man and it is my
belief that even two firstclass Indians are not
a match for a first-class white man.

“ This ma seem a little like boastin on my

art, colone ,” the sport hastened to ad . ” But

don’t want my words to be taken in that way.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. you
know and in this case. if any man thinks I am
boasting, I can point to my game as proof that
my statement is not overdrawn.”

“ Your position is undoubtedly correct,” the
colonel affirmed. “The Indian is not the equal
of the White man as a warrior, as has been
am ly proved on a thousand different occasions,
an the men who insist that he is do not know
what they are talkingabout.

“How ma y I call ybur name?” asked the col-
onel, abrupt v. \

“ J acksou Blake.”

“ And . from the style of your dress I should
fancy that you are a speculator,” the officer re-
marked, with a quiet smile.

“ Yes, you have hit it. I am a speculator in
pasteboards and ivory,” Blake replied. “ And
men who have tried my metal in that line
usually come to the opinion that I am well-post.
ed in regard to my business.”

“ So should fancy from your appearance,
and on some future Occasion, when the oppor-
tunity serves, I shall be pleased to experiment
with you in the short-card line so as to discover
just how reat a chief you are.” I

“ I she be glad to meet you, of course,” the
sport remarked, with a polite how. “I was on
my way to Hurdtack City when these red-skins
gathered me in, having heard that the district
was enjoying the biggest kind of a boom. and
so I thought it would be a good place for me to
locate.”

“If you remember, kurnel, I told on ’bout
meeting this hyer stranger on the trai ,"the old
mountain-man remarked at this point. “And
how I reckoned the red bucks would be apt to
go for him.”

“ Yes, yes, 1 recollect,” the colonel said.

“ An-i they did gobble him, too, but from the
way the thing turned out it was ’bout the Worst
bit of business that they could have done,” Rat-
tlesnake Smith declared. And then be detailed
the sport's adventures in the Indian encamp-
meat.”

The officers listened with the utmost attention,
and it was plain from the 100k upon their faces
that they were reatly amazed. ,

When the to] ended the colonel spoke.

“ Well, upon my word, I must say that this
sounds more like a romance than reality 1” he
exclaim . ‘ .

.u “It is e truth, though, as you can ascertain
when “you Open communications with the red-
skins. Blake observed.

"Oh, I hawn’t any doubt in regard to the
matter,” 0 lone! Poindexter replied.

“ The bodies of these two braves are visible
evidence that ou are an extra good man,” he
continued. “ ad from what I know of the
Laughin Horse, I am not at all surprised that
you then d be able to thrash him when it came
to a boxing bout.

“ He needed a lesson. and I am very glad that
you were able to give him one.” ‘

“Yes, and I think it .will be a long time be-
fore he will be anxious to encounter another
white man in that manner,” the sport ob-
Served. ~

“I shoul:l not be surprised if your victory has
an important influence, the Officer remarked, in
a meditative way. \

“ These red-men are the slaves of superstition.
and your easy defeat of the chief,,coupled with

the fact that the old medicineman predicted

rtant bear-
cer in to make
into wipaout

that the contest would have an im
ing oaths war,'will be pret

 

N“

a,

l
. a

“And then the death of these braves, too, will

1 be apt to huveade ressing influence upon the

spirits of the Sioux,’ the colonel added.

“ Yes, undoubtedly, and when they find out
that I am the man who did the job, they will be
apt to think that I am the biggest kind of a war-
rior,” Blake observed.

“ I suppose that it is quite likely, too, that some
of the relatives, or friends, of the braves may

j feel like taking the mutter up when the reds find
out that I am responsible for the death of the.

 

  

two men,” the sport suggested.

” Very likely,” said Colonel I’oindexter.

“ Still, if ytll choose to keep the matter secret,
the truth need not get out.”

I “ That’s sol” the Old mountain-man exclaimed.
“Only us four hyer know anything ’bout the
matter, an’ all we hev got to do is to hold our
tongues, and no one will be able to tell who sali—
voted the bucks.”

“ Well, although I am very much obliged to
yod', gentlemen, nor your kindness in suggesting
this course, yet I am obliged to say that it
is one that I can not carry out,” the Fresh Ob-
served. '

“I am a very plain, straightforward sort of
fellow, one of the ind that believes in standing
up to the rack and taking the responsibility
ever time,” Blake explained.

“ hen, too, in my judgment there is not the
least use of a man trying to get out of an amn-
Of this kind.

“ Although there wasn’t any witnesses to this.
fight, and only you three know that I killed the ‘

braves, yet, in my opinion, the truth is as cer«
thin to leak out as that we are standing here
living men, so, in time, I am certain to be called
to an account.”

“ I believe you are right,” the colonel re-
marked, in a thoughtful wa . “ It is a remark-
able fact, but it is a bar matter to keep an
affair of this kind quiet. The very birds seem to
carrv the news.” '

“ Exactly! that is just what I think,” the
sport declared. “And then it follows that the
bold and open course is the best. The man who
in a matter of this kind boldly takes the bull by
the horns, sold. a loses anything by so doing.”

“ Correct! 1» is my experience that the bold
player generally stands a much better chance to
“in than the man who is afraid of his game,”-
Colonel Poindexter remarked.

“That is m ideal That is the rule I always
work on, and propose to go ahead on that line
now, so with your rmission I will a" company
you to the Indian vi age, and when I at s h
with the red-men I shall say to them
made’an agreement with me that if I w ipped
your chief, Laughing Horse, I should be per-
mitted to ofree. I did the job, as you all know,
and you al owed me to go, according to the como
pact, but two of your young men lay in wait
for me, anxious for revenge, and in defiance of
the solemn agreement made, attempted to kill
me; but they were not as great warriors as they
considered themselves to be, and so I wiped them
out. ‘ ‘

“ ‘ NOW then, warriors of the Sioux nation, I
come to tell you that your two braves, Spotted
Calf and Blue Dog, were a couple of cowardly
hounds, whom I slew for their tre chery, and if
there is any brave in the tribe wllio d to
avenge the death Ofthese two curs, let him step
forward and meet me in single ’13 ht.’ ‘

“ That is the layout that I ntend to ive
them, fair, open and above-hoard, and if t ere
isn’t any warriors in the village bold enough to
take up the defiance I reckon it will be the 19,31:
of the thing.” ‘ ,

All three of the hearers nodded in approval
when the sport concluded his speech.

“ You have come to a correct decision in my

Opinion," Colonel Poindexter remarked.‘

"Oh, yes, the reds must come up to the rack
or admit that their men are no good i” the Scotch»
man declared. ‘ '

“The argument lsa mi ht sound one, but I
am betting a big stack of Ol that ther blufl’
will go, an’ nary red buck will dare to take the
thing up!” the Old scout exclaime§«

“ I should not be surprised if it worked that
way,” the colonel said. “ And I assure cu,
Bloke, that you are cite Welcome to go ong
with us and make the rial.” .

The sport uded in suitable terms and a
few minutes laterrtbe column was again on its
way.

 

CHAPTER XX.
run TALK. .

Tumors to the nature of the filigdeianfl :29,
a n me 8, a.

excellent watch kept by the. Ind
advancing troops were discovered before they
had got within a couple of miles of the Sioux
stronghold. '

The news was at once sent to the village and
the I ndians swarmed like a lot of bees to the out-
posts. eager to gaze upon the white foe. ,

Some of the young braves talked war in the
most valorous manner, but the great majong
of the chiefs, rticularly the old ones, sh
their heads an counseled peace. - ‘ .
The pointed out that the white braves
come a force, and they pointed also totbe,‘

. \ .

     

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“hiss, 4‘

  

 

 

 

 

     

 

.-_—-- —-—-«— .. .x...fl..._ - _._...__.......~.....J....V.-.». m. . - ..<

The Fresh in Montana.

19

 

 

' l
guns,” the Indian’s particular dread, which were
in the center.‘of the troopers.

These light pieces, mountain howitzers, the I
reds-men had learned to respect, and a single ,
shell screeching through the air as it winged its
rapid flight seemed to them like a veritable de-
mon bent on blood and destruction, striking i
more terror to their souls than a regiment of ‘
soldiers.

And then there was another thing which oper-
ated to discourage the war-party‘-

“It was an open secret in the village that the
Spotted Calf and the Blue Dog had gone forth on
a. mission of vengeance, their intention being to ]
kill the bold white chief Who had defeated the
great warrior of the tribe.

The pair had told some of their companions of
what they intended to do and these braves let
out the secret.

The warriors had not returned, and some of
the old men shook their heads in a doubtful way
while they expressod the hope that the white
man’s medicine had not proven too much for
them.

The soldiers came steadily on, and great was
the disgust of the Indians when they distin-
guished the Fresh of ’Frisco, ridin in advance
of the column in company with lonel Poin-
dexter.

The braves had not succeeded in their under-
taking, and then the red-skins caught sight of a
rude litter carried by the troopers upon which
bodies, seemingly, Were placed, and though from
the fact that the soldiers were in the way so
that a good view could not be obtained, yet the
keenest-eyed red-skins Were of the opinion that
the bodies on the litter were not those of white

men.
A horrid suspicion took possession of the In-
dians; the two braves had encountered the
strange white chief only to be killed by him.
The soldiers were now within a mile of the
outposts and if the Sioux intended to make
an effort to prevent them from'coming up
into the valley it was time they set to work,
but as the warriors diflered in regard to this
mattera wrangle ensued, and while the In-
dians were disputing a messenger arrived from
the upper end of the valley with the intelligence
that a strong body of soldiers, armed too with
some big guns, had taken possession of the upper
asses.

The consternation of the Sioux was great.

“ We are in a trap and it is utter folly for the
red chiefs to talk of resistance!” the old medi-
cine-man declared.

And in the face of this new discovery not
even the bragging young warriors dared to ad-
vocate war.

The knowled e that if they attempted to
fl ht the colone ’s detachment and got the worst
0 the struggle that their escape through the
upper passes was impossible, removed all the
longing for war.

“ I will see the great white chief and ask him
why he comes with the big guns up into the
Sioux landl” N ish-ma-wah declared.

The rest thought that this was a good idea,
for though the red warriors outnumbered the
white so] iers three to one, yet they had no de-
sire to try conclusion with them.

They feared the big guns and they dreaded
the big white chief, Colonel Poindextor, Long
Whitehead, as the red-skins had named him.

They had tried the colonel’s valor and skill
on some well—fought fields, and they did not
want toptand up against him in battle array
unless they had everything in their favor, and
0'1 “10 Pmsent occasion things were Very de-
cidedly not in that condition.

By the time that the Sioux had come to this
conclusion the troops had advanced until they
were just Within rifle-ran e, and then in obe—
dience to an order from Co one] Poindexter the
command prepared for action.

The soldiers formed into line, dismounting as
they did so and sending their horses to the rear,
the howitzers were wheeled to the front and the
gunners got in position.

Then as soon as these preparations were com-
leted there wasn’t one of the Indians on the
sights who did not have a firm conviction that

Colonel Poindexter meant business.

At this int the old medicine-man started
down the ill, elevatin his hands, giving the
Indian sign of peace as is advancod.

Colonel Poindexter with the old mountain-
man, Rattlesnake Smith, Jackson Blake, and
half a dozen officers formed a group as the old
medicine-man advanced.

“They want a talk,” the colonel observed.
“ I had an idea that this display would be apt
to bring them to their milk.

“The red-skins don’t like shells for a cent,
and when the big guns begin to get in their
fine work the average Indian comes to the con-
clusion that it is time he is among the miss-

in .”

g‘ I reckon that thar ain’t going to be much
trouble,” the Red Rattlesnake remarked. “ For ,
it is the old Ground Hog who is coming, an’ he is
jest as square as any red-man that kin be scared
up an where.”

“ es,dNish-hma-wah is a good man and, has
always one is best to preserve peace, the
colonel declared.

 

“ Quite a different sort of fellow from the
majority of these medicine-men, who are a set of
ignorant bigots with just enough low cunning to
fool the red-men, and they usually strive to stir
up strife, thinking to enhance their own impor-
tance,” the soldier declared in conclusion.

“ But the Ground Hog is a long-headed old
fellow and he knows that as the Injun is the
weaker vessel the more he bucks up ag’in’ the
whites the worse off he is,” the old mountain-
man remarked, shrewdly.

The old medicine—man advanced until he
reached the group in the center of which stood
Colonel Poindexter.

“ The great white chief is welcome to the land
of the Musselshell Sioux,” the Ground Hog re-
marked with a great deal of dignity. “ But
why does he come with all his young urn and
the big guns as though he meant war?”

“You know well enough why I came, Nish-
ma-wah, so what is the use of beating around
the bush?” Colonel Poindexter asked.

“ And since we have begun With questions let
me put one to you,” the soldier continued.

“ Why have the Sioux left their lands in the
valley and fled up into the mountains?

“ \Vhy have your young men put on the war-
paint and made captives of whites who were
peacefully proceeding about their business?”

“ It is the work of the Laughing Horse,” the

old medicine-man replied. “ You captured two
of his young warriors and as word was brought
to him that you intem ed to hang them he seized
upop the pale-faces so as to be able to retali-
ate.
“I supposed that was his little game,” the
soldier rejoined. “ But he was misinformed.
The fellows I laid by the heels were a couple of
horse-thieves, and the Great Father at VVashing-
ton does not hang men for stealing horses,
although these Western Judge Lynch fellows
do if they are lucky enough to get their hands
on the rascals.

“ But the chief need not worry about
his young men,” the colonel continued. “ I
thought I had the rascals safe and sound; but
though they were carefully searched, and their
weapons taken away from them, yet one of the
fellows managed to conceal a knife, and during
the night the pair succeeded in digging their
way out of the guard-house where they had been
placed.”

“ The braves have escaped, then?” the old
medicine-man remarked, in a thoughtful way.

“ Yes, they gave leg-bail, so no longer are fac-
tors in this aflair; therefore, your people have
no excuse now for retaining the whites whom
they have captured,” the colonel remarked.

“ You understand I am putting this matter in
this way so as to let you down easy—to give
your chief a chance to release the captives with-
out a parently being forced to do so,” the ofilccr
addeiil

” Yes, I comprehend, and your action shows
that you are as wise in council as you are brave
in the battle-field,” the Ground Hog declared.

“ You are pleased to be complimentary,” Col-
onel Poindexter observed, with a grim smile.

“ Of course you know that I have come for
the white prisoners, and that I am going to have
them, either by fair means or foul. If your
people are willing to ield them peaceably, well
and good. In my op nion they will be Wise not
to make any trouble about the matter, but if
they are inclined to be obstinate I shall be under
the necessity of making an attack upon them
which will go far to wiping out this branch of
the Sioux tribe.

“ You understand that I mean business,” the
officer continued, with stern determination.

“Your chief, the Laughing Horse, and some
of the oung warriors, have been insolent lately,
and it 3 about time they were made to compre-
hend that when it comes to war, they do not
stand any chance against the white men.

“ The captives must be released, and your
people must return to their former location.

“ If you have been unjustly treated, I will do
my best to see that the wrong is righted.

“ You know me, and know, too, that what I
say can be depended upon.”

‘Yes, that is the truth,” the old medicine-
man admitted.

“ The great white chief always speaks with a
straight tongue.”

“ Yes, that is the kind of man I am i” the col-
onel responded with staton pride.

“ And you must understand too, N ish-ma-wah,
that this is no idle threat that 1 have made,” the
soldier declared.

“ I am not the kind of man to waste time in
empty vaporings.

“ Your chief probably thought he was playing
.-._ particularly smart trick when he moved his
Vil_ age up into this rocky region; he undoubted-
ly imagined that be was taking a position where
it would not be easy for me to get at him, and at
the first glance it would appear as if it was so,
but if you look into the matter closelv you will
see that the Laughing Horse has really got you
all into a trap.

“ Thisretreat of yours can only be reached by
two trails. I command the lower one, and

Major Canteen, with a large force, has occupied
the upper pass, and when I open fire here it will
be the signal for him to advance, so between the

 

two of us I fancy your people stand a chance of
being pretty well used up.”

“ The great white chief knows that the voice
of Nish-ma-wah has always been for peace,” the
old medicine—man replied. “It is the young
braves who have no sense that cry for war.”

“Yes, and those are just the fellows that I
would like to handle fora while!” the colonel
declared. “But the trouble is that these rash
young bloods drag good men in with them, and
so the innocent suffer with the guilty.”

“There will be no war this time,” the old
medicine-man declared. “ The Laughing Horse.
will not be able to raise his voice in the council-»
lodge for some time, and the. war-party without
their leader is harmless.”

“I am glad to hear it." Colonel Poindexter
replied. “Although war is my trade yet I am
averse toshedding blood, particularly when it
can beavoided just as well as not. I am ac~

uainted with all the facts regarding the

aughing Horse’s retirement from active ser—
vice, and know how much this gentleman here ”
—and he nodded toward Blake—“contributed
toward bringing about that result, and I can tell
you, Nish-ma-wah, that it was a mighty unlucky
day for your tribe when your warriors jum
on this white chief, for not only the de eat
of the Laughing Horse, but the deaths of two
braves, Spotted Calf and Blue Dog, lie also at
his door.”

Then Colonel Poindexter directed that the
litter containing the two bodies should be
brought forward for the inspection of the old
Indian.

Nish-ma-wahjurveved the dead men with-
out betraying any particular emotion, although
the colonel fancied he discovered a gleam in his
e es which seemed to indicate satisfaction rather
1: an regret.

Poindexter knew that the two warriors had
been fast friends of the Laughing Horse, and he
suspected that as the young chief and the old
medicineman did not get on very well together,
it was probable that he was not on good terms
with the braves.

This was the truth. There was bad blocd'
betwoen Nish-ma-wah and the two young chiefs,
and therefore he felt no sorrow on account of
their death.

The Fresh of ’Frisco felt that it was now time-
for him to say something, and so he made his
declaration in regard to his Willingness to,
afford satisfaction to any friends of the slain.
warriors.

The old medicine-man shook his head.

“ The Sioux warriors are not fools to rush to
certain death,” he replied. “ Already have the
Sioux people beheld the strange white chief
handle their best brave as though he was a
child. and when they learn that he, alone and
unaided, has caused two renowned braves:
like the Spotted Calf and the Blue Dog to bite
the dust, the Sioux warrior must be mad indeed
to want to meet him in battle array.”

9‘ That, of course, is a point which each man
must settle for himself,” the sport replied. “ If
none of the Sioux warriors are willing toface
me, that ends the matter.

“ I come forward like an honest man and ad-
mit that both of the braves fell by my hand, and
declare that 1 am ready to give satisfaction;
more I can not say.”

“There may be some fool among the Sioux
warriors who will be mad enough to meet you,
but I do not think there is,” Nish-ma-wah re-
marked.

“ But I will deliver your message and also
yours, great white chief,” and he made a grave
inclination of his head toward the Colonel.

“ Very well, I will give you ample time to
talk the matter ever,” the officer said. “ And
if your people are Wise they will not bring
about their complete ruin by attemptingto re-
sist.

“ The Sioux warriors will be certain to yield
obedience to the demands of the great white~
headed chief,” the old man declared. “I feel
sure of it.

“ The Laughing Horse is sick and sore in his
Wigwam. Spotted Calf and Blue Dog have gone
to the spirit-land, and these three were the lead-
ers of the war-party: now that their voices are
silent the hearts of the Sioux will turn toward

ce.

peg Well, I hope so,” Colonel Poindextor re-
marked. “1 am not anxious to wipe out your
tribe, for I feel convinced that if the braves
decide upon war no other result can be reached.

“ Shall I send some of my men to carry the
bodies?”

The old medicine-man assented to this, and as
soon as the soldiers were detailed led the way to
the Indian outpost. .

When this was reached the soldiers laid down
their burden and returned down the hill.

The savages crowded around. the litter and
with solemn faces looked upon the dead war—
more.

Then the old medicine-man told the etc of
how they had been slain and delivered thec a1-
lenge of the Fresh of ’Frisco.

The Indians looked at each other in wonder.
What kind of a man was this strange white
chief who thus boldly dared to hurl defiance in.
the teeth of all the Sioux nation!

 

 
   
 

’20

é:
a,

The Fresh in Montana.

 

 

But as the Ground Hog had expected, none
of the warriors appeared to be willing to accept
the challenge.

They had already seen enough of the white

‘man to lead them to believe that his “inedi—

cine” was extraordinarily good, and no one of
the red warriors was anxious to secure a quick
dispatch to the Happy Hunting-Grounds by ac-
cepting the defiance of the sport to single fight.

Finding that no one was willing to encounter
the white chief, Nish-ma-wah proceeded to de-
liver the colonel’s message.

By this time the war-fever had materially
abated.

The Indians had sense enough to see that the
white-skins had decidedly the best of the situ-
ation, and none of them were anxious to bring
on a fight with the chances against them. V

The red-skins did not like the idea of giving
up their captives, but, as under the circumstan-
ces it was not possible for them to retain them,
they concluded to make a virtue of necessity
and yield them with a good grace.

The Indians too felt more resigned to this
course on account of the escape of the two young
horse~stealing braves.

If the pair had been still in the colonel’s hands
the Sioux would not have been so willing to give
up their captives.

A rand “ talk” was held and the subject de—
bate at length.

As the old medicine-man had shrewdly calcu-
lated the absence of the Laughing Horse and his
two chums weakened the war-party so that the
did not make much of a figure in the counci ,
:and the chiefs who were for peace had every-
thin their own way. ‘

v ithin a brief hqu an hour the council ar-
rived at a decision.

The prisoners were brought forward, given in
charge of Nish-ma-wah and down the hill he
proceeded with them, to the intense satisfaction
of the old lawyer and Miss Vanderhoven, who
were delighted to get out of the clutches of the
red-skins.

After delivering the prisoders to the colonel,
the old medicine-man announced that the Sioux
had decided to comply with all the soldier’s de-
mands.

“ Already they are preparing for the march to
return to their former dwelling-place,” the
Ground Hog said in conclusion.

Colonel Pomdexter expressed his satisfaction
that the red-men were inclined to listen to
reason.

Two hours later the Indians were on the move,
escorted by the troops.

The Indian war scare was over and the Fresh
of ’Frisco had much to do with bringing about
this happy result. '

CHAPTER XXI.
0N ran ROAD.
COLONEL Pomonxrna, dos its the fact that

' he was an old bachelor, wel along in years,

with a head silvered by the frost of many win-
ters, was a great ladies’ man and therefore was
very much impressed by the charms of Miss
Arabella, and after the details of the march
were arranged he took care to provide good
ponies for the use of the lady and her escort, the
old lawyer. ‘

The civilians rode on in advance of the troop-
ers, and the Indians brought up the rear.

After the party Were well under way Mr.
Deflz’itt drew along breath, indicative of great
re ie .

‘\Thank Heaven that we are well out of that
terrible predicament!” he exclaimed.

“How extremely lucky that the troops came
as they did,” he continued. “(If it had not been
for the fortunate circumstance it might have

, gone hard with us.” '

“Oh, I reckon that you wasn’t in much dan-

' " gar," the old mountain-man observed in a rather

curt manner. '

He rode on the right of the old lawyer, while
Miss Vanderhoven was on De Witt‘s‘left, and
next to her came Jackson Blake.

Rattlesnake Smith had the usual contempt
that the old Western rustlers generally exhibit
toward Eastern strangers, tenderfeet, as they

‘are commonly called.

“Ah, my deir sir, I do not feel at all sure in

regs d to that l” the old lawyer exclaimed.

“ fcourse I do not pretend to be much of a
udge in regard to such matte but from the
ittle I have seen of these savages am satisfied

that the renter part of them would take a great
deal of p ensure in putting a helpless white man
to the torture.” ‘

“ Oh, yes, you are right enuff ’bout that, I will

allow,” the old scout replied.

“ I ain’t a-standing up for the red imps; and

although I know that thar ar’ some good men

among ’em I will hev to gi’n in that the big
majority ar’ as ugly devils as kin be scared up

1 above ground.”

“ Then we Certainly must have been in great

v danger,” the old lawyer argued.

“ Not so much as you think, for with all tha’r

ugliness the reds hava a blisight of good, hard

sense, an’ they know t at if they damaged

you the kurne would be sart’in to hold ’em to a
mighty strict account.

situation,” Mr.

 

“ ’Tain’t like, you must understand, as though
they had run across you on the prairie, when
they was on the war-path and were all ready to
go for a whiteoskin on sight.

“ In such a case as that, now, the red bucks
might have been inclined to take your scalps
without ary bit of ceremony.”

“Ughl'7 exclaimed the old gentleman with a
shiver, “ the very thought of such a thing makes
me have a chill.

" Ah, I can never be too thankful to Colonel
Poindexter for etting us out of our unfortunate
e Witt added.

“ Thar’s a party over yonder that had a deal
to do with pulling you out of the scrape,” the old
scout declared, with a back-hand jerk of his
thumb toward the sport.

“ If he hadn’t jest warmed the big Sioux chief,
Laughing Horse, right out of his boots, an’ then
laid out two of his pards, I don’t reckon that the
kurnel—although he is as good a man to handle
the Injuns as ever struck this country—would
havo been able to settle the matter so easily.”

“ The statement is correct,” Miss Vanderhoven
remarked. “ This gentleman contributed materi-
ally to our release,” then she bowed to the Fresh
of frisco, favoring him with an extremly sweet
smi 0.

“Don’t mention it!” Blake exclaimed with a
polite bow to the lady.

“ Through the kindness of that strange Indian
girl, whom they call the White Squaw, I was
enabled to see your contest with the chief, Mr.
Blake, and right from the beginning I saw that
he did not stand any chance with you.”

And then with a little lau h she continued:

“ You see I am quite a ju ge in such matters.
I used to go with my cousin, Jack, to his club—
he was a member of one of the leading athletic
clubs in New York—and although I know that
very few young ladies take an interest in boxing
matches, yet I will have to admit that I did, and
I always made it a point to be present when box-
ing receptions Were given.”

“ You are posted then of course,” Blake re-
marked. '

“ Yes, and I can assure you that when you got
the best of that red rufllen so Cleverly, I had
hard work to restrain myself from givinga good
old New York cheer, just as the boys do in the
city,you know.”

J usi. at this poith the colonel rode up. ‘

“We will not make particulerl good time,
with all this raftto look after,” he as d. “ And the
thought just came to me that there really isn’t
any need of you people waiting for us, as I
suppose you are in a hurry to get to your des-
tination.

“ I can spare Smith here for a guide, just as
well as not, and you can go ahead as fast as you
please.” .

“I am very much obliged to on for your
kindness and consideration,” Miss anderhoven
said, for as the colonel addressed the remark
more particularly to her than to the others, she
took itu n herself to reply.

“ Don t mentirn it, I beg l” the old soldier ex-
claimed, with an extremely gallant how. “I
shall be haifipy to call upon you after you arrive
in Hardtac City, and if I can be of any service
to you, I trust that you will not hesitate to com-
mand me.”

The lady replied in suitable terms, then the
colonel made another elaborate bow, and rode
back to the troopers.

“ I’m glad the kurnel thought of this hyer
thing!” the old scout exclaimed. "’Cos it will
be mighty tiresome to putter along this way.”

“I presume there will not beany danger to
be encountered,” the old lawyer observed, with
a regretful glance over his shoulder at the
trmns.

“ ot a mite!” Rattlesnake Smith replied.
“ ’Sides if We should happen to run into a war-
party of twenty or thirty bucks, it will be jest
old pie for Mr. Blake hyer, an’ a feller ’bout my
size to la ’em out !”

And t is speech was delivered with such.a
grave air that for a moment the old gentleman
was alarmed, then Miss Vanderhoven laughed
outright, and Mr. De Witt perceived that the
old mountain-man was disposed to have some
fun at his expense, so he made a wry face. ‘

“ Well, Well, although I have the greatest
amount of faith in the fighting abilities of you
two gentlemen, yet I must admit that at the
present time, as I am a man of peace, I had
raiher the red-skins would keep away.

“ I think I have had snflicient of the noble red-
man alread to last me for the rest of my days,
and I woul wish to be placed upon record as
being of the opinion that a little Indian goes a
lon ways.” ~ ‘

his statement provoked a general laugh.

The party gave rein to the horses, and in a
short time left the rest far behind.

As the old mountain-man was well acquainted
with the country, it was an easy task for him to
conduct the party to the mining-camp, which
they reached ate n the afternoon.

The t0wn of Hardtack was just about the
same as the usual settlements which spring up
in the neighborhood of mining discovsries.

There was but a single street, where the busi-

 

ness houses were situated-as customary, there‘
were more saloons than anything else-land the

|
miners had their cabins on the outskirts of the
town.

The principal saloon was called the Pink Pal-
ace, on account of its color, as the enterprising
preprietor, Doc Slater, the leading sport of the
town, determined, when he set n his “ she-
bang ”——as he usually termed it in his humorous,
playful way—to outshine any other resort in the
camp, so he sent for paint and gave the building
a coat.

As it happened, a bright pink was all the color
he could get, but the veteran sport was wall sat-
isfied with the hue, particularly as it gave him a
chance to apply a novel name to his establish-
ment, and ieally, when the painting was com—
pleted, the building presented a gorgeous ap-
pearance.

It was the only house in the town that was
painted, and so it stood out conspicuously above
all the rest.

There were five other saloons in the camp, all
of which made more or less pretensions to pro-
viding “square meals” for their patrons who
were hungry as well as thirsty, but the Pink
Palate was the only one that afforded sleeping
acm mmodations, and set up any claims to being
a hotel.

Women were few and far between in the min-
ing-ca mp, and therefore, the arrival of a “ first-
class Eastern lady, a reg’lar A No. 1 female!” as
one enthusiastic miner put it, excited great at-
tention. ‘

The veteran landlord sport, Doc Slater, re-
ceived the lady with as much ceremony as
though she had been an empress.

The old sport was a decided character, stand-
ing a trifle over six fist in his stockings, splen—
didly proportioned. ith massive features fring-
ed by long, flowing iron~gray locks, and a long
heard of the same hue, he presented a decidedly
patriarchal appearance, and a stranger attem t-
ing to guess the characier of the man from is
appearance, would have been much more apt to
set him (lewn for a prominent merchant or
banker, just the sort of man to run a Sunday-
schcol, than an all-around sport who for years
had been one of the chief captains of King
Fa ro’s hosts.

“ Want to get to stop awhile with me, eh?"
Doc. Slater said, after the old lawyer had ex-
plained what was desired, and from the style of
the host’s speech, it was plain that the landlord
sport was either Southwestern born, 'or had lived
so long in that part of the country as to acquire
the peculiar manner of expression common to
that rt of the United States.

" es, that is what we desire,” Mr. De Witt

replied.
“ 'ell, this isn’t the Fifth Avenue Hotel of
New York, nor even the Southern of St. Louis,
nor the St. Charles of 7Orleans, but I reckon I
can make you comfortable for all that,” Doc
Slater remarked.

“ Walk right in, and I will have my house-
kee r fix up a room for the lady in a brace of
she es!"

Then the host conducted the pair up-stairs.
On the landing stood the house seper, a .big,
brawny, middle-aged Irishwoman, who, despite
her rather rough‘appearance, had a pleasant,
honest face.

She had witnessed the lady’s arrival from one
of the front windows, and hastened to greet her,
anxious to do the honors. ‘

“ Here’s a lady for you to take care of, Mrs.
O’Toole,” Doc Slater explained. “ And you
want to do your level bestto make her f_eel right
at home.”

1“ Faith, an’ I’ll do that same!” the woman de-
c ar .
“ Walk right'in here, miss, and you, sur, too.
if you pl’ase. This is the arlor, an’ you will
pl’ase rpmain here while am afther gettin’
yer apartments ready.”
CHAPTER XXIIJ
A DISCOVERY.

“ THANK you,” Miss Vanderhoven said in the
dainty, agreeable .way common to her as she
entered the room, the old gentleman following,
while the housekeeper remained at the door.

“ Don’t hurry yourself on my account, I ,”
the'young lady continued. “I will be qu te
comfortable here until my room is ready for

e.

“ It will not be after taking me lon but, on
see, miss, it isn’t often that we doglie hazin’
lodgers to eta wid us, for the most of them that
do come to t ecamp do be afther coming wid
their husbands, an’ they get a cabin an’ set up
for thimselves right away.”

"yes, I should suppose that such would be
the ‘case.

“ But I will be either seein’ that you are com-
fortable,” the woman declared, as she took her
departure and as she went through the entry
she remar ed to herself that it wasa real pleas-
ure to wait on a lady of this kind who though
shh was one of “ the quality ” knew how to have
the “perlite word in her mouth.”

The couple seated themselves and surveyed
the apartment.

It was a small room and scantily furnished,
the principal article being a big {round table
which stood in the middle of the apartment;

around _it were a half-dozen common wooden

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chairs, while a couple more were by the win
dows, and these the pair had taken.

In one corner was a tuna little sort of a
dumb waiter which ran to the cor below.

“ Well, I must say that this is about the
queerest hotel parlor that I ever saw,” the old
gentleman remarked after he had Carefully sur-
veyed the apartment. '

“I have been in a good many odd hotels in
my life but this is really the oddest that I ever
got into,” Mr. De Witt continued.

“ This is more like a dining-room than a ar-
lor, for that table is certainly large enoug to
accommodate a damn guests.”

If the ’Fresh of Frisco had been present he
could quickly have explained why the ” parlor ”
was furnished in such a peculiar manner.

An apartment reserved for a parlor is a lux-
ury that few mining-camp hotels can boast, but
hardly one of these houses of entertainment is
there where a poker-room can not be found, a
private apartment where the men who like to
play a “ stiff ” game, for big money, can
secure the privacy which is essential to their en-
joyiiient.

And this apartment, dubbed the parlor for the
nouce, was the poker~room of the Pink Palace,
and the diminutive dumb waiter ran directly
to the bar beneath, so that the gamesters could
procure their liquid refreshments without put-
ting a man to the trouble of running up and
down stairs.

But, as {be old lawyer was not posted in regard
to the “ customs and manners ” of the Wild
West, the mystery of the room was too deep for
him tosolve.

After examining the apartment, Miss Vander-
hoven looked out of the window, and no sooner
did her gaze fall upon the house on the opposite
side of the way than she uttered a. cry of amaze-
merit.

“ What is it-what is the matter?” asked the
old lawyer, rising from his chair and approach-
ing the window, by which the lady sat.

“ Oh, see, Mr. De Witt, that Sign on the house
across the way 1” Miss Vanderhoven exclaimed.

The old gentleman put on his eye-glasses and
stared out of the window.

The house to which his attention had been
called by the young lady was a one-storied
shanty saloon, and a ong the front in big letters
was painted the name of the establishment.

“ The Dew-drop Inn,” read Mr. De Witt.
“Ah, yes, that is a common name for a saloon.
I have seen it in the East a half-a-dozen times.”

“ I do not mean the name ” Miss Vanderhoven
exclaimed. “ But the small sign painted on a
piece of paper and fastened to the board by the
door. Do you see it?”

“ Yes yes now that you call my attention to
it I do, but  can not exactly make out what it
says. You see, my dear Miss Vanderhoven,
my sight is not as good as it used to he.”

“ The letters are not very distinct for the s'
is poorly painted but I can read it, thong?
Without any trouble, for I am quite long-sight-

“ Yes, I am aware of that.”

“ I will read it for Evan.”

“If you will be so 'ind."

“The Charmin queen of song, Miss Pauline
Kemperwell, wil sing here at nine to-night.
Don’t fail to be on hand.”

“ Pauline Kemperwell—bless my soul!” the
old lawyer'exclaimed, in an extremely nervous

wa .

“V That is the name of the woman, is it not?”
Miss Vanderhoven questioned.

“ Yes, that is certainly the name of the wo-
man who claims to be the widow of your Cousin
Jack.

“ And she was a gublic singer!"

“Yes, she and er sister—the Kemperwell
Sisters they called themselves.”

“ Do you suppose that this can pomibly be‘
her?”

“ Well, no, really I don’t see how it can be,”

the 01.1 gentleman replied, after reflecting over
the matter for a few moments.
. “ You know that she was in New York when
we started on this Western trig. and it does
not hardl seem probable that 8 e started and
realcplfiied his camp before us,” Mr. D‘ Witt
adr . .

“ Oh, she could have done it without any
trouble, if she started on where near the time
that we did,” the young dy observed. “ You
know that we took our time and we lost nearly
a week in Chicago on account of the opera be—
ing there.”

‘ Yes, yes, that was true, and was my fault,
too, for if I had not suggested that it would be a
KOOd idea to rest for a while, so as to break the
journey, you would have come straight on.”

“ It was a pardonable error,” the young lady
observed, slowly. .“ Who could foresee that
there was any need of haste?”

“ That is true,” the old gentleman remarked,
with a grave shake of the head. “ I never even
dreamed of such a thing, and even now it does
not seem possible to me that this can be the w
man. It may be her sister, you know.” .

, MistioVanderhoven shook her head.

“ Oh, no, I cannot a with you there!” she

said, in the curt deci ed way so natural to her

  long exercise of undisputed power.

“ If it was her sister she would use her own
name.”

“ Yes, it certainly seems as if she would; but,
if it is the woman, how comes it that she has
hurried here to the West?” the old gentleman
remarked, in a puzzled way.

“ There is only one explanation as far as I
can see,,” the young lady replied. “ She became
acquainted With our intention to visit the West,
and so hurried on here in order to be in readi-
ness to give us trouble in our investigation.”

“ We] , under the circumstances, it really
seems as if that must be the truth.”

“ You must look into the matter!” Miss Van-
derhOVen exclaimed with an air of firm determ-
ination.

“ I will—immediately! that is, by proxy 1" the
old gentleman replied.

“ You know, my dear Miss Vanderhove’n, I
am not exactly the kind of man who would be
apt to make a success of a matter of this nature,”
the lawyer continued.

“But I have spoken to a party who will be
apt to do good Work, I think—this Mr. Blake. I
did not have a chance to communicate with you
about the matter before.

“We were confined in the same Wigwam in
the Indian village, and from the conversation I
had with him I got the idea that I could not pick
out a better fellow to get at the truth.

“ He is a thorough man of the world, you

know, and understands all about these
Westerners.”
” 1 think on have acted very wisely in select-

ing Mr. Bla 'e,” Miss Vanderhoven remarked in
a. thoughtful way.

“ He is a superior man i”

And this was said in such a decided manner
that it caused a faint look of surprise to appear
on the face of the old gentleman.

In all the years that he had been acquainted
with the imperious young lady he had never
known her to betray so much interest about any
man before.

I “Eh, bless m soul!” he muttered to himself,
“ I hope the gir hasn’t made the mistake of fall-
ing in love With this card-sharper!

“ That wduld be a very had hit of business in-
deed, and perha it would be wise for me to
give her a slight hint as to the nature of his busi-
ness—explain how he gets his living.”

While the old lawyer was indu ging in these
reflections, Miss Vanderhoven was looking out
of the wind0w, staring at the painted sign, and
apparently giving no heed to t e lawyer.

In reality, though, from the corner of her eyes,
she was keeping watch upon him, and was acute
enough to guess from the expression on his face
what thought: Were in his mind.

“ Yes, this Mr. Blake. seems to me to be an
extra smart fellow, and when he frankly con-
fided to me that he wasn’t anything but a com-
mon gambler, who depended upon his wits for
his living, I was very much astonished."

“ Well, from what little I have seen of the
’ gentleman I should say that he was a very un-
common gambler,” the young lady remarked
with a demure smile.

“ Ah. yes, 1—1 don’t really know but what
you are right about that,” De Witt admitted.

“ I suppose that you did not have any idea of I
what his business real! was?”

“.Oh, es, I did. ack has pointed out the
leadiiigqfights of the fraternity a dozen times to
me in ew York, and so when I saw this per-
son it did not take me long to come to the
conclusion that he is What is called a sport:
but I must admit that he is far superior to
any of the class that I have ever encountered
and it seems to me to be strange, for in this wil
countrieyou would hardly expect that such
would the case.” \

“ Yes, yes, he is quite a superior sort of a fel-
low,” the old gentleman remarked, a little con-

duc, the effect that be anticipated.

“I think that it would be wise to get Mr.
Blake to give his attention to the matter as
speedily as possible,” Miss Vanderhoveu de-
c ared. * ‘ '

“ Yes I agree With you, and I will hunt him
up and instruct him in regard to the affair, im-
mediaiely,” Mr. De Witt remarked, rising.

“ I do not' think there will be any necessity
to keep back anything that wemay kn0w about
the matter,” the young lady said in a thought.
gull way. “3,1 believe that Mr. Blake ca? bfi

u y trus and if he is in Wion o a
the facts he ma be able to do better work."

“ Oh, yes, Is all at him in full pmsession of
all the details, and do not doubt that he will
get at the truth in regard to the matter if it
is possible for any one to do so,” Mr. De Witt
observed, and then he took his departure.

“ I hope_to heaven that she is not going to fall
in love With this fellow!” the old lawyer ex-
claimed, as he descended the stairs. “That
wouldbe a nice state of affairs, to be sure!”

CHAPTER XXIII.
A MINER oancrs.

As Mr. De Witt entered the saloon by one
door the Fresh of ’Frisco and the old mountain-
man came in by another.

They had just returned from the corral where
they had put up their steeds. r, i _’ . :

 

. 1..  ._‘

fused for he saw that his remarks had not pro-‘

name V”

 

 

The landlord was behind the bar, and greeted
the 'r warmly.

“ by, old Rattlesnake, you darned old long-
legged son-of—a-gunl how was it that the red
bucks didn’t gather you in this time?” the vetr
eran sport exclaimed.

“’Cos my legs hev been too well brought up
to see my body abused,” the old mountain—man
responded with a grin.

“ When it comes to a running match I am
thar every time!” he continued.

“Yes, but as a rule I reckon you generally
run inter the Injuns instead of away from
them i” the landlord declared.

“Anyway, that is what the most of the red
bucks allow.”

“ Wa-al, I allers calculate to try to hold my
end up the best way I know how; mebbe I don t
allers succeed but I ginerallz fotch prett close
to it,” the Red Rattlesna e remarke with
another one of his shrewd grins.

“ This here durned old copper-colored, leather-
skinned piece of humanity is‘ a holy terror
when he gets a-going, stranger, and you want to
kee your eyes peeled for him!” the long-bearded
lan lord declared in a joking way, now address.
ing his conversation to Blake.

“ Oh, I have got pretty well acquainted with
him by this time,” the Fresh replied.

“And that reminds me that l havn’tcaught
on to your handle yet. I reckon that you are a
friend and a brother, judging from your get u ,
and I, am glad to welcome you to Hardtac
Cit .

“yMy name is Jackson Blake!”

Doc Slater gave a start of genuine surprise.

“ You don’t mean it?” he cried..

“\Yes, that is my handle.”

“ Put it there!” and the old sport extended his
brawny hand over the counter to the young
man.

“I have heard of you Fresh of ’Frisco, more
times than I have got dngers and toes, and I
have often wondered how it was that we never
hapened to meet!” -

“ There is an old sa ing, you know, better late
than never,” the Fres replied.

“ Ah, yes, that is true, and I tell on what it
is, gentlemen, there is a heap of trut in some of
them old adages!” the landlord declared.

“Of course; if there wasn’t they never could
have COme down to us from the dark days of
antiquity,” Blake remarked.

There was a big, burly, black-headed féllorv,
rou hly dressad, lolling against the bar at the
fur't er end of it.

He had his back to the counter and was rest-
ingboth his elbows on it.

he man was the typical frontier ruflian to
the life, and an expression of deep disgust came
over his face as he listened to the sport’s
words.

“ Hol smoke! did anbyody ever hear any-
thing li e that store!” he muttered, half to him.
self, and yet amply loud enough so that every-
body elm in the room could hear him.

A l in the saloon stared and look at the bi
fellow with the exce tion of Blake, who no
as if he had not hear the words. .

Then, finding that the sport was not disposed
to take any notice of him, the fellow continued
in a louder and more insolent tone.

“ This hyer camp is going to the dogs when a
durned band-box rooster kin come into it and
put on frills that are enufl to make a good man
sick all through, talkin’ as if he had swallowed
a dictionary, and the dandy cuss too had the
impudence to name his miser’ble old flea-bitten
mule arter King Solomon, one of the greatest
men w’ot ever liVed.

“ I tell you w’ot, feller citirens, it r’iled my
good, old, rich American blood when I heard
him tell the nigger at the corral to take keer of
King Solomon, and he meant his ol-durned
ornery old mule, a reg’lar walking s eleton of
a beast that ary sens’ble man would be ashamed
to waste powder and shot onto!” '

This speech riveted the attention of eve one
in the room on the man, for it was not pertectly
ap arent to all that he was one of those saloon
bu lies who are the pest: of frontier towns; men
who delight to go out of their way to force;
quarrel with unoflending strangers. ‘

But the bully was not the first man who had,
picked Jackson Blake up for a tender-foot, and
discovered to his cost and sorrow later on that »
he had made a great mistake. . ’

The Fresh turned sharp] on the man the mo-
ment the speech .was ended? and exclaimed in I.
quiet but very decided tone: ‘ r

“ What business have you to make remarks
about the name of my mule? If I had named
him after you, now you might have ob' . .
although I suppose the name would have fl
him better than King Solomon." . ‘ '

“ Named him arter me?" cried the bully in as-
tonishment, taking his arms from the counter
and taming so as'to face the sport.

“ Yes, that is what I said.” ~ * "

“ But I reckon that you don’t know my
 “ I reckon I do.”

“ W’ot is it!” ‘ ,

“ Billy Jackass!” 4 ' V
Then there was an explllosion of laughter.
The miners rou'ed wi delight, for jukt hyac- , r _ ,

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

' 7“"?!3W,

“‘?.—‘r.1:rl\ 1r

  

‘22

cident the Fresh had hit on the first name of the ‘

' l

 

fellow.

“ W’ot’s that?" roared the man in a terrible
rage, doubling up his big fists and advancing
upon the sport. .

“ Are you deaf, or can’t you understand good,
plain United States language when you hear it!"
the sport exolaiined, bracing himself for action,
and the peculiar glint of fire coming in his eyes,

' the certain sign that he meditated an offensive

movement. .

“My name is Bill Ugly, I want you to under-
stand, and I am a. mighty tough man to run up
ag’in’, too, you had better believel" the big fel-
low declared.

He was mad all through, as the saying is, and
had made up his mind to give the sport a pound-
ing which would last him for a while, but as he
had no doubt about his being able to accomplish
this feat without any particular trouble, he was
in no hurry to begin. ,

He wanted to play with his victim fora while,
cat fashion, before proceeding to action.

“ The name suits you first—rate, Ugly Billy
J ackassl” retorted the sport.

Again the bystanders laughed: it was rare
sport for them to see the big bully chuffed to
his face.

“You mis’ble hound! don’t you dur’ to call
me outen my name!” cried the ruiflan, shaking
his big fist at the sport.

“Are you anxious for me to go in and lay
you out?" esclaimed the Fresh, throwing him-
self into a boxing attitude, and squaring away
at the other in an extremely scientific way.

The big fellow was amazed. He had no idea
that the other would dare to face him, for in
his opinion the’sport, being a so much smaller
man than himself, did not stand any chance
in a contest.

“ You don’t r’ally mean to say that you hev
ary idea that you kin stand up again a man like
me do ye?” he ejaculated.

‘ If you are ripe for fuss just sail in and if
I don’t whip you to a standstill inside of ten
minutes then you are a far better man than I
think you are l" the sport replied, promptly.

“Oh, you are only blowing now . I reckon—
kinder talking through yer hat!” Ugly Bill de-
clared with a contemptuous sneer.

" Or mebbe, you are soft enui‘f to think you
kin skeer me with a few big words, but if that
is yer little game I kin tell you that you never
made a bigger mistake in your life. 4

“ Wah! Ikin walk all own you and not half
try either.”

“ Game on and don’t waste your breath, for I
reckon you will need all you have got before
you go through with this picnic!” Blake ex-
claimed, and than with the ease and race of an
experienced boxer be made a “lea " with his

ght fist for the prominent nose of the bully,

/ nd although it was only intended for a playful

faint yet it came so near to Ugly Bill’s face as

‘ to cause him to throw his arms up wildly in a

clumsy attempt to guard against t a blow, and
jump back so as to get his nose out of, harm’s

wa, .
{he lockers-on grinned.
. Already all of them who know any thin
about boxing had come to the conclus on tbs.

the strange sport was no slouch—to use the ver-
nacular—when it came to a s rring match, and

r. ' they gleefully anticipated t at there was fun

 

 take Your

As to just how good a man Bill Ugly, or Ugly
Bill, as be delighted to call himself, was, no one
really know.

He was a new-comer in the camp and being a
big overgrown fellow, when he had announced

’. that be was the biggest kind of a chief, no one,

so far, had cared to dispute the assertion.

' , ,, He was big enough, and ugly enough, to be a
: first-class warrior, and although he had done a

nod deal of talking since his arrival in the camp,
9 had not been engaged in any actual con-

. The town had taken him at his word that he

was the toughest kind of a nut in a row and al-

; IOwed him to boast with impunity.

“Oh, come now! that is no way to do!” the
Fresh exclaimed as the big fellow jumped back.
.“ You ought to stand right up to the rack and

udder like a man, you know.
“'No jumping Jack business! You never were

w cut out for anything of that kind, and Ivivou will

 ,-nevsr make a success at it! You are not
a clumsy elephant-like dufler, and the best t ing

~ you can do is to stand still and let me hammer
; some sense into
"  ‘ This speech irritated the big fellow greatly.

in but

you i”

f‘ You darned mean, mls’ahle Jack‘s-dandy!”
he roared, swiaging his arms, windmill-fashion,
in the air, “ I ll soon show you that you made
the biggest kind of a mistake when you dar’d to

. stack up ag’in’ mel?’

“ We hava had enough of talk—try a little
action!" the sport exclaimed.

, Then he made another faint with his right at
the big bully’s face, and when that worthy throw
up his arms to guard, loavin his bod uncov-
cred, just as the Fresh had ca culated, t e adven-
turer sent in a left—hander ‘with such vigor that
the blow fairly doubled up the man, and in spite

' of himself bu was forced to utter a grunt of 

its-blob Was heard all over the room.

 
 

The Fresh in Montana.

The bystanders chuckled with delight, for this
was a rare show indeed.

Nerved to (ieSpel'nilou by the pain the big fel-
' low made a feiOcious rush at the s ort.

Blake dodged under the arm 0 the attacker
and contrived to extend his foot so that Ugly
Bill tripped over it.

Down on his hands and knees fell the rufiian,
sprawling on the floor like a huge frog to the in-
tense amusement of the spectators.

 

CHAPTER XXIV.
nacmmo run QUESTION.

THE Fresh of ’Frisco now had his antagonist
exactly where he wanted him.

In a contest of this kind, regular rules did not
“ go,” so as soon as the bully was down, Blake
proceeded to administer a tremendous series of
kicks.

As fast as the man attempted to rise a violent
kick brought him down again, and at the same
time prOpelled him toward the door; each kick
bringing a bowl of rage from the discomiited
rufiian.

Ten good solid kicks Blake gave the man and
the tenth one took him through the door, land-
ing him in the street, sprawling all in a heap.

New although this performanCe \\ as anything
but funny to the man who received the kicks,
! yet it appealed so strongly to the risibilities of
l‘ the bystanders that a. great number of them
i laughed until the tears came in their eyes.

“Now, sport, you will have to look out for
yourself, for the odds are good that the galoot
will pull a gun on you!” the landlord warned.

“ Oh, yes, no doubt! Some men are such
fools that you have got to about kill them to
get any sense into their heads.” the Fresh re-
joined, drawing his revolver as he spoke.

As the landlord had anticipated, as soon as
Ugly Bill scrambled to his feet, he reached for
his “gun” and came rushing back into the
saloon almost breathless with excitement and
re a.

e had just got his revolver out as he came
through the door, but before he could raise the
hammer the Fresh had him “ covered.”

“ Go slow, now i” was the stern command that
Blake ave. “ Don’t‘attempt to cock that gun
or I wfil put a ball right through on! 1 have
got the drop on you in the worst ind of wa ,
and unless you are anxious to be put in a con i-
tion for planting you will ban] in your horns!”

The bystanders had scattered to the sides of
the room when it became apparent that there
was a good chance for a " shooting match,”
none of them being willing to stop a stray bullet,
; so the fighters about had the saloon to them-
selves.

Furious as was the rufiian at the defeat which
he had met with, yet he was not so blinded with
rage as to be unab e to see that the sport had him
at a terrible disaquntage.

He was looking right into the muzzle of Blake’s
leveled revolver, and there was a look in the
face of the sport which satisfied even his dull
senses that the other would undoubtedly be as
good as his word.

Then he noticed that the hammer of his op-
ponent’s reVolver was not raised, but as he had
a suspicion that it was a self-cocking tool he
dared not go upon the assumption that it was
nor and “ ull ” on the sport.

He coul not forbear a “ growl ” though.

“ I reckon ou hain’t got sicb a heap sight the
advantage!” gly Bill ejaculated. “The bam-
mer of yer pistol ain’t raised!”

“ You know deuced well that it is a self-
cocker, or else you would never take the trouble
to call my attention to the fact,” the sport re-
torted. .

“ Just keep your eye on the hammer now fora
moment ” he continued. '

And then with a gentle pressure be caused the
striker to move.

“ You see I haveyou foul,” Blake continued.
“ And if I choose to pull on you, your life would
not be worth a red cont.”

The rufiian glared at the sport fora minute
and then he shook his head in a sullen way.

“ Ssv. ain’t you going to give'me any kind of
a show?” he demanded.

“I reckon that if you got the drop on mel
might whistle for a show, and that is all the
good it would do mel" Blake r lied.

“ That ain’t sol” Ugly Bil declared. “ I
allsrs allow to giv every man a show i” ' .

“ What do you want—a little more fist-fighting
so as to fully satisfy yourself that you are not
half as 00d a man as you thought you was?”
Blake as ed in a somatic way. \

“ New l" responded the big fellow, sulkily.

Although he really had not tested the abili-
ties of his anta onist in that line but in an ex-
, trainer limit waydvet be had got the idea that
' Blake was a hand an shoulders above any man

that he had ever run across, and be was not
-. anxious to have anything more to do with him
i in the boxing line. , ,

But as he was bun ry for revenge he wanted
a fair chance at t e wort in a ‘f shootin -
match,” hoping to be able to turn the tables

111.
“ Got all you want: lathe boxing line?”
ff Yas, sadism blood now.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Just hungry for gore. eh?" the sport re~
marked, in a careless, indifferent way.

“ Oh, well, I reckon I will have to try and ac-
commodate you, for that is the kind of a hair-
pin I am!”

“ You don’t dar’ to come out in the street and
g’in me a fair crack at you nilh a revolver!” the
big fellow asserted.

“ Oh, yes, I dare! And you never made a
bigger mistake in the world than when you say
that I don’t!” Blake replied, immediately.

“I know just what kind of a fellow you are,
as well as though I had been acquainted with
you for years. You have got a thick bead, and
into it, but as I have kinder got into the job,I
am going to do my best to make a success out of

t.

“ You just march out to the street—go up or
down, Just as you please, for a hundred paces;
then I will come out, and we will see who is the
best man of us two.

“ Does that suit you?”

“ You bet!” the big fellow responded, de-
fiamly.

“ All I want is a fair show, and if I don’t put
you in a condition for planting, then I ain’t as
good a man as I think I am.”

“ Well, you are not!” the Fresh responded, in
the coolest possible manner. .

“ You are not half as good a man as you
think you are,” Blake continued. “ I have met
a lot of big-mouthed blowhards of your style in
my time, and it has always given me a deal of
satisfaction to stick a pin in the walking gas-
iags, and let out a little of the wind.“

“ You won’t stick no in in me E" the big fel-
low declared, shaking his end in an angry way.

“That remains to be seen. Itis pretty hard
work to tell who is governor until after the elec-
tion," the sport replied in his brisk, business-
like way. \

“ But come! we are losing time and wasting
breath! March out into the street, and then we
will see what we will see.”

“ I will fix you this time for keeps. and you
kin bet all you are worth on it, tool” Ugly Bill
declared, as he shoved his revolver back into its
holster, and I1th stalked out into the street.

“ How is that fellow—~11 big bully and a
gitéeral nuisance, eh?" Blake asked of the land-
lo . ,
“Yes, I reckon that you have sired him up
about right,” the veteran sport replied.

“ He hasonly been in the camp about a week.
but has done a heap of blowing about how good
a man he is in that time, and as he is an over-
grown sort of a galoot the boys have kinder
fought shy of tackling him, for fear that he
might be a holy terror."

“Ah, yes, 1 see. Well, big words and a big
man generally make considerable of an impres-
sion, but you can not always tell by either a
man’s size or his words just how good he is.

“ In this case, I take Very little stock in the
partv. He is no fighter when it comes to fists,
and I doubt his making a much bettershow With
weapons.”

“I reckon he is what the sporting-men call a
big stuff, and if you can arrange to run him out
of the camp, there is not a doubt but his room
will he a great deal better than his com , ny,"
Doc Slater remarked, with the air of a ju e.

“ I don’t really care to kill the fellow, alt ough
I have no doubt he will do his loyal best to lay
me out,” the Fresh remarked, in a reflective
way. “ And from what I have seen of him, too,
I should judge that he is a man who can Well be
s ared, being of little use to himself or anybody
e so; still, as 1 am not bloodthirsty, I would
rather somebody else would give such scoundrels
their tickets to the other world."

" But you have ot to look out for yourself,
you kn0w,” the lan lord urged. r,

“ I should reckon from what I have seen of
this fellow that he would be just the one not to
care a Continental w hether he killed anybody or
not,” Doc Slater continued. '

“ And when I run across a man of that kind, I

reckon that he ought to be served Just about as A

mad dogs are treated.”

“I don’t know but What YOU are right,” the
sport remarked, thoughtfully. “ Such men are
certai better out of the world than in it. for
like m dogs, they are apt to rend and tear all
with whom they come in contact." .

While this exchange of views had been going-
,on. between Blake and the landlord, all the rest'

in the apartment \\ ere occugied in has ing
which on the big fellow, either y means 0 the
door or windows, and now the old mountain-
man uttered‘a warning.

“The cuss is all ready for you, Blake!” the
Red Rattlesnake exclaimed.

“ And I say, parrlner, don’t go to fooling with
this galoot—don’t reckon to let up easy on him,

on know, for he is inclined to be wolflsh, an’ it

ls mv idea that he will do all be kin to salivato __

r. .
“ Well, unless some accident ha pens, I will
fix him so that he will not beabetodamaga
anybody for a month of Sundays," Blake ro-
plied, as be advanced to the door. ‘ ; ‘ ' '
Out into the street he went, while the rest foli

lowad eagerly, anxious to secure good positions

to witness the contest, for there is no fight in the . ‘ ‘

    

it is an extremely hard matter to beat any sense r

 

 

I

gJ<——«

_r~—Wi

 

 

 

. A‘wr ~
1 _. .

 

 
    
  

 

(.3:

l

«a.

The Fresh in Montana.

23

 

 

world that appeals so strongly to the average
man than when humans are opposed in battle

array.

The big fellow was about a hundred feet up
the street.

According to his calculation, that distance
was about as far as a revolver could be de-
pended upon.

He had taken the middle of the road, and was
all ready for the fight, when the sport appeared.

As Blake proceeded to the center of the street,
the lookereon flattened themselves against the
Walls on both sides of the way, anxious not to
lose a single incident of the coming conflict, yet
a little afraid of stray bullets.

In a street fight it is generally the case that
the bystanders stand as much chance of getting
hit as the principals.

It was Blakes idea. to disable his opponent,
and so the moment he got in position he opened
fire upon him, firing purposely high, so that the
bullets would whistle about the ears of the bully,
and as he fired be advanced rapidly upon his an-
tagonist.

It was his design to “rattle” the big fellow.

The game succeeded to perfection.

Startled by the singing bullets, the big fellow
blazed away, but it takes an extra good revol-
ver-shot to hit his man at seventy or eighty feet,
and as Ugly Bill was not a good shot, all his bul-
lets went wide of the mark.

Then Blake put a shot into the big fellow’s
left shoulder, causing him to drop his pistol as
though it had suddenly become red-hot, then,
becoming tunic—stricken, the man took to his
heels and ed at the top of his speed.

CHAPTER XXV.
THE saRio-COMIC.

THE Fresh of ’Frisco had won an easy victory,
and a yell of derision went up from the miners
as the big fellow took to his heels and ran as fast
as he was able.

“ He’s no fighter—but a champion foot-racer,”
Doc Slater exclaimed.

And then, just in a spirit of mischief, the
miners drew their pistols and banged away at
the retreating man.

He was out of range, and there wasn’t an
danger of the bullets hittin him, but for all that
the volley seemed to lend im wings, and in a
very few minutes he was out of sight.

The miners were as pleased over this occur-
rence as a lot of children with a new toy, and
their mirth was unbounded.

“ Well. I don’t know as I am much of a

rophet,” the veteran landlord-sport remarked,

‘ but I don’t mind putting myself on record as
bein willing to make a good big bet with any
gent eman here that this camp has seen the last
of Ugly Bill for a good long time.”

No one was willing to take the bet, for it was
the eneral opinion that after this remarkable
exhi ition of cowardice that the big fellow had
given, he would never come back to the camp if
he could possibly avoid it.

The Fresh was the hero of the hour, and if he
had been willing to accept all the drinks that his
admirers tendered him, he would have been com-
pelled to retire to the seclusion that his bedroom
granted.

But Blake was not a drinking man, and in
downright plain terms he gave the crowd to un-
derstand the fact.

“1 shall be pleased to take one lass of ale
with you, gentlemen, but that is a 1!” he de-
clared.
The crowd did not attempt to persuade him to
depart from this declaration, for from the little
they had seen of the sport, they had an idea that
he wasa man who would be pretty certain to
hold to what he said.

When Doc Slater served the sport with the
ale, he took occaSion to remark:

“ I have heard a good deal of you, Mr. Blake,
at one time arid another, and I have often
wondered hoW 1'3 W“ “hat you came to get so
queer a handle as theFl‘eSh of ’Frisco, but from
the little bit of an insight which I got into your
character to-day I can understand how it is that
most people seem to think that the name fits you
so we 1.”

“ Yes, I am too fresh, as the saying goes, not
ladogbt about that!” the sport declared, with 3,

aug .

“If there is anything going on when I am
around I am bound to have a finger in the pie,
and it does not matter much whether it concerns
me or not.

“ Another peculiarity of mine is that when I
get into a little snarl of this kind that I have
just got through with, I always go in to meet
my man a good deal more than half-way, par-
ticularly if the thing happens to occur in a new
town, where the people haven’t got very well
acquainted with me, for you see it gives me a
chance to show just what kind of a man I am,
and after people find me out they are apt to get
on a good deal better with me thanas if they did
not know me.”

The miners looked at each other and smiled as
they listened to this explanation.

In their opinion there was a deal of truth in
what the sport said.

After the display of his abilities which the
sharp had givsn it was pretty safe betting that

 

mighty few men in that camp would care to
make an enemy of Jackson Blake if it were pos-
sible to avoid it.

Mr. De Witt had witnessed the whole of this
extraordinary scene and was more and more im~
pressed with t: e idea that Blake was one of
the most remarkable men whom he had ever en-
countered.

He had not been able to get speech with the
sport until all the excitement was over; then,
after the saloon had settled down into its usual
quiet, he got the sport into a corner, where he
could converse with him secure from inter-
lopers, and proceeded to explain what was de-
sired.

Blake was surprised when he learned the par-
ticulars in regard to the show-bill.

“ Well, well, that is rather odd,” he observed
in a thoughtful way. “ It really looks as if the
girl had got wind of your trip to this region for
the purpose of securing evidenCe, and had hur-
ried herself so as to be on the ground.”

“ This is exactly what Miss Vanderhoven sug-
gested,” the old gentleman remarked. “ But
really, you know, I can hardly bring myself to
believe that it can be possible.”

“ Oh, I don’t know about that. It seems to
me to be just such a move as a sharp girl such
as you describe this one to be, would be likely to
make under the circumstances.”

“ Well, if it is the truth it shows that she is
pla ing a very deep game,” the old lawyer
dec ared with an owl-like shake of his gray
head. '

“The stake is a big one, and it is only nat-
ural for the girl to do the best she can in the
matter.

“ If it is the girl it is evident that she is going
to make quite a struggle, and the quicker we set
to work to find out how much truth there is in
the story she has told, the better.”

“ Yes, that is undoubtedly so."

“ 1 have jotted down the ending points,” Mr.
De Witt said, producing a memorandum.
“Here are all the particulars for you to work
upon.

“ In my judgment, the first point is to find out
all you can in regard to the girl; then take up
the minister who performed the wedding cere-
mony, this Reverend J abez Robinson; from
what little I have seen of this lace I must as-
sume that any minister who dwel s here is a very
strange sort of a clergyman; after you ascertain
all you can about the minister, look after the
witnvsses to the ceremony."

“ Michael Dufoy and George James," said the
sport consulting the memorandum.

“ es, those are the names of the witnesses,
and take notice, too, that all three of the men
are also witnesses to the death of Jack Vander-
hoven.”

“Well, I am a little in doubt as to whether
that is a su icious circumstance or not,” Blake
remarked, s 0wly.

“ Of course it may be only a coincidence, and
yet it seems rather odd to me i” the old lawyer
declared With a grave shake of the head.

“ It depends a good deal upon the circum-
stances,” the sharp observed.

“ It was natural that the minister should be
present at the marriage,” Blake continued. “ The
parties could not get married without a minister
to perform the ceremony.

“ Witnesses were required, and, as a rule, in a
camp of this kind when a man goes through an
operation of that kind he usually gets a couple of
his rticular friends to see him through.”

“ ut you must remember that young Vander-
hoven was a stranger here and so he could not
have had any particular friends,” Mr. De Witt
urged.

“ He spent three or four weeks in the camp?”

“ Oh, yes, fully as much as that.”

“ These free and easy Westerners are a genial,
warm-hearted people, and the way they cotton
to a stranger, particularly if he has plenty‘ of
money to spend, is wonderful,” the sport re-
marked.

Now take such a ran as Jack Vanderhoven
and set him down in this camp, with enough
loose cash about his person to hold his end up
with the boys. and there isn’t adoubt that inside
of a couple of days he would fall in with some
gang with whom he would be as intimate as
thou h they had all been brought up together."

“ peculation of course is idle, and, really, we
are only wasting our time in indulging in it,”
Mr. De Witt observed with a judicial air.

“ Exactly, and the quicker I set to work to get
at the truth of the matter the better.”

“ That is certainly correct, and I have faith
enough in you, Mr Blake, to believe that you
gannlearn all the particulars without any trou-

e.

“If I do not succeed it will not be for want of
trying,” the sport declared and this brought the
interview to an end.

The old gentleman departed and Blake be:
gan to calculate how he had best proceed.

“ In my opinion th odds are a hundred to one
that this Pauline emperwell is the girl who
claims to have married young Vanderhoven,”
the Fresh mused.

“ And her prompt arrival on the ground
here shows that she means business.

“The old lawyer is a little slow, and there-

 

fore is puzzled to guess how she learned that
he and Miss Vanderhoven had journeyed to
this Western wilderness with the idea of ex-
amining with their own eyes into the merits of
the girls claim.”

“ If he was sharp, and up to the times, he
would suspect that the girl was not soft enough
to believe that this wealthy old New York
family were going to admit that there was any-
thing to her claim without making the biggest
kind of a fight.

“ The girl expected trouble right from the be-
ginning, and was shrewd enough to be on her
guard.

“ After she had stated her claim and been po-
litely requested to wait, she was shrewd enough
to, suspect that the old lawyer was talking
smoothly to her for the express purpose of gain-
ing time so as to prepare to successfully resist
her claim.

“ How easy would it have been then for her to
but a shadow cn the old gentleman soas to learn
just what he was up to.

“ That is the game that she played, undoubt-
edly, and when she learned that the lawyer and
Miss Vanderhoven were going on a western
trip she suspected immediately that the pair
were coming to this camp with the idea of
finding out just how much truth there wasin
her claim.

“The girl would have been very stupid in-
deed, not to have come to that conclusion, and
soshe hurried on here in order to be on the
ground, prepared for any emergency.”

“Now then: the question rises: who shall I
strike for information?”

“ The landlord! The chances are big that the
New Yorker made the hotel his headquarters
and Doc will be able to post me.”

CHAPTER XXVI.
THE LANDLORD EXPLAINS.

JUST as the sport came to this conclusion
the landlord came from behind the bar, his as-
sistant having arrived to relieve him.

Blake beckoned to him, and Doc Slater came
over to where the sport was sitting.

“ Have you got time to spare for a little
chat?” the Fresh asked.

“ Oh, yes,” the landlord replied, helping him-
self to a chair. “ There isn’t any business in the
daytime, you know.’

 

“ I wan to see if I could get a little informa-
tion from on.”
_ :Well, reckon you can, if I am able to give
i

“ It is a little private matter and must be kept
quiet.”

“ Men in our line are not usually talkers,” the
host responded with a knowing nod.

“ You understood that though I do keep a
hotel, yet that is not my regular business—only
a side issue, so to speak.”

“Yes, I comprehend, and the reason why I
spoketo on about this matter was thilllM! I
felt sure could depend on your discretion.”

“ A still tongue makes a wise head,” the land-
lord observed. “ That is an old saying, and one
thalit”men in our line live up to as a general
ru e.

“That is a fact,” the sport assented.

“It is just by accident that l became mixed
up in this business,” Blake continued. “ It does
not concern me personally at all, for the old
gentleman, Mr. De Witt, who is a New York
lawyer, has charge of the affair, but as he is not
used to the ways of the West he thought he
would get along faster if he made a bargain
with me to look after the matter.”

“ That was a very sensible move on his part!”
the veteran sport exclaimed with an approving

nod.

Then Blake told the story of Jack Vander-
hoven.

“ Oho! so this elegant young female is a
cousin of that fellow, eh?” Doc Slater aske d.

“Yes, and her sole object in coming to this
camp is to ascertain the truth in regard to this
alleged marriage of Jack Vanderhoven.”

“ Well. do you know I think you will find that
to bee much more difficult job than you an-
ticipate,” the host observed in a reflective way.

“ Is that possible?”

“ Yes, I reckon it is. and it is lucky that you
spoke to me about the matter, for I am about as
well posted in regard to the affair as any man
in the camp.”

“That was my calculation. As landlord of a
plow like this, the leading resort of the town,
you ought to know pretty well about all that
gas on.”

“ That is true, and as I am one of the kind of
men too that usually keeps his e es open, there
is not much goes 0n without my nowledge.

“ I thought when I saw the lady that she
looked a wonderful sight like somebody I had
seen before, but this Jack Vanderhoven never
came into my mind.

“In the first place I never took an
his story that his name was what
was,” Doc Slater explained.

“ You see the man was under a cloud from the
day he came into the camp until the one on
which he left it for the other world.

“ He was under the influence of liquor when
he arrived, and I don’t hardly believe that he

stock in
e said it

\

  

   

.7'

The Fresh in Montana.

 

 

 

drew a really sober breath while he was in the
camp.”
“ A first-class high-roller, eh?”

“ Oh, yes, that is he wanted to be, but he did
not have money enough to cut as big a dash as
he would have liked to have done.

“He stopped here with me for a while, and
when his money gave out Went to live with
a miner who had a cabin on the outskirts of the

cam .

“ 'Fhe fellow would not b.1V8 gone, you under-
stand, if he could have got me to have trusted
him and he gave me a lot of fairy stories about
how his remittances from New York were un-
accountany delayed, and that as soon as they
arrived he Would be in huh and able to square
up,” the landlord expl lined.

“ And he showed me some letters, too, from a
New York lawyer which apparently proved that
he was speaking the truth—by the way, they
were from this De Witt, I think, now that I come
to recall the particulars.”

“ Yes, that gentleman did send him a regular
allowance.”

“ I did not take any stock in the statements at
all,” Doc Slater declared. “And I told the
young fellow in the frankest manner possible
that while I hadn’t any doubt that everything
was just as he had said, yet as I did business on
a strict cash basis it would not be possible for
me to come to any arrangement with him in re-

, gard to credit.”

“I don’t presume that he liked that sort of
thing?”

“Oh, no, he didn’t. He got on his high-horse
right away, and began to blow about what a
great man he was in New York and how much
money his family had, but I gently called him
down and told him that talk wouldn t answer for
cash in the Pink Palace.

‘t‘I’t was either put up or get out, and he

0 .
, “ And extremely angry, I presume?"

“ Yes, he never came in in place again, but
that didn’t worry me any,” {he host declared
with a smile.

“ He was one of the kind of men {that I hate
to have around,” Doc Slater continued. “He
would get full, and when he was in that con-
dition was inclined to be impudeut, and I
suppose I had to interfere a half a dozen
Ernesto keep some of the boys from warming

1m.

“ Such men are nuisances.” ,

“Then he got in with a miner and went to
his cabin, and I never saw the fellow again, al-
though I heard enough about him, for after he
left my shebang he got to running after this
Pauline Kemperwell, who was singing then—as

_ she is now-at the Dewdrop Inn across the street,
and as she seemed to take a'good deal of notice
of him it was the general 0 inion among the
boys that she belieVed the to low’s yarns about
what a great man he was in New York, and was
supplying him with money, for most certainly
he was getting some cash from somebody.”

“ I reckon the boys got it about right. ’

“ And then the next thing I heard was that
the fellow was sick, and a day after that the
report was all around town that Pauline had
been married to the New Yorker and had gone
up to the cabin to look after hi to."

“ But where did the minister come from?”

“ The miner that gave Vanderhoven shelter

,w'as a minister,” Doe Slater explained.

“ Or at any rate that was the yarn he gave

 ’ out when he first struck the town, and as he

looked like a dominie, and was a mighty smooth
talker when he asked me if he couldn’t have the

use of my saloon for Sunday afternoon, as it '
‘ was the b

ggest room in the town so he could
give the boys a. little Gospel talk, i said, - es,’
at once, for I am always ready to help anyt ing
of the kind along. V
“ The thing came 06 all right, and I reckon
I that about everybody within ten miles was here;
’ the saloon was crowded, and the best of order
was maintained.
“ I looked after that, on know, for I ive
the meeting a bit‘ of a k before the dom nie
chipped in; I told the boys I wanted to see them

7/ , behave themselves, and as the thing was being

run in my saloon I should feel obligated to shoot
theflrst man who attempted to kick up a dis-
turbance.

“A utle hint of that kind coming from a
man i e yourself had a deal of weight, of
course,” the sport remarked, in the most mat-
ter-of-fact way possible.

“ Oh, yes: there never was a quieter meeting,
and it was really wonderful too for the dominie
was not up to the mark. .

“ Any one could see that he had not lied about

I I 5’being a Goa l sharp, but he was a mighty poor

one; one o the kind whose best holt was‘dn

' » howling at the top of his voice, and beating the

Eng" all to pieces—he about ruined the table I
t im have. . .
“In fact, the only part of the sermon that
« was worth shucks was at the end when he
came out strong about how it was every man’s
duty to ante up all he could for the siépport of
rah on. and he hoped his hearers woul chip in
glive when he sent the hat around.”

 

“ , ell, it is a poor kind of aman who cannot
make a good speech whenhe knows that he is V

.l‘

 

 

talking for his own personal gain,” Blake ob-
served.

“That is mighty true. Well, the collection
was a good one, and, would you ,believe it, the
dominie used some of the money to get as full as
a tick that night.”

“ A nice kind of a Gospel sharp he wasl”

“ It was the first and last time he ever tackled
the Gos lbusiness in this camp!” the landlord
declared:e “ A few of the boys were for giving
him a coat of tar and feathers and then riding
him out of town on a rail. But I opposed that,
and so many sided with me that we upset the
idea.

“ Any man was liable to get full at times, and
adomiuie was only a man when all was done,
and my recommendation was that a committee
should wait on the fellow and tell him we didn’t
want any more of his preaching, and if he
wantted to stay in the town he must let up
on 1 .

“ That was about the right thing to do.”

“That was how we worked it. The man
took the thing coolly enough. Said he knew he
was more fond of his fire—water than a minister
ought to be, and allowed that he had better
give up the Gospel business; said that his
thirst for liquor had run him out of the East,
and he reckoned he had better go into mining.

“A fool for luck, you know, is an old saying,
and a drunken man comes pretty near to being
a fool, so I don’t suppose it wasn’t any wonder
that he struck a good claim on the very first
day he went prospecting, right on the outskirts
of the camp too, in a spot where a dozen men
walk daily.’

“ Those odd things happen sometimes,” Blake
observed.

“Yes, sir, he struck it rich!" Doc Slater de-
clared. “ Men in the dominie’s neighborhood—
everybody calls him the dominie, although no
one who hears him swear when he is drunk,
would believe he had ever been a parson—who
are in a position to know, say that he is taking
out from ten to fifteen dollars per day, clear
money and he does not half work the claim either,
for as he gets full ovary night he seldom gets to
work before noon.”

“A nice kind of a fellow to pretend to be a
Gospel sharp, the sport obSerVed.

“He has only tried the dominie dodge on
three times since he has been in the camp,” the
landlord explained. “First, when he held the
meeting; Second, when he married the New
Yorker to Pauline Kemperwell‘, and third,
when Jack Vanderhoven was buried and he took
care of the funeral."

“There is no doubt that Vanderhoven was
married to the girl?”

“,I reckon not. There were two men present
as witnesses, and when I heard that I said at
the time, after hearing all the particulars of the
affair, that I reckoned the gal had an idea that
somebody might try to make out she wasn’t
married, and she had things fixed so asto be able
to prove it without much difficulty.”

"Michael Dufoy and George James were the
witnesses,” Blake remarked, consulting his
memorandum. ’

“Yes, Mike Dufoy is the man who runs the
Dewdrop shebang; he is Pauline Kemperwell’s
brother-in-luw. She was Mrs. Dufoy when she
came to this camp. Her husband was named
Dick, and he was in artnership with his
brother, but there was a s irmish in the saloon
one night, and in it Dick Dufoy was killed, so
the woman became a Widow, and was free to
marr the New Yorker when he came along,”
Doc later ex lained.

“ And who s George J ames?"

“The barkeeper at the Dewdrop, and a
mighetty tough customer he is, too,” the landlord
re 1 “

‘ He’s a prise-fighter and a killer of the first
water,” Doc Slater added. ,

CHAPTER XXVII.
onrrmo AT ran mum.

BLAKE pondered over the matter for a few
moments and then he shook his head in a doubt-
ful way.

“ It seems to me that this girl hasgot a pretty
strong case,” he remarked.

“ She is about as keen and smart as they make
’eml” Doc Slater declared. '

“ And when a woman of her stamp goes into
a thing of this kind you can depend upon it that
she is going to take all possible precautions so as
to have the game go throughall right.”

“ It seems almost incredible that a man like‘
Jack Vanderhoven, of a good family and with
his future secured, should take it into his head
to marry a girl like this who makes a living by
singing in a regular dive; still, men of good
standin , have done just such foolish things, and
as Van erhoven was a hard drinker he might
have married her at a time when he was so
much’under the influence of licyior as not to be
able to tell what he was doing. ‘

“ Very likely that the game was worked that
way, but on can bet your life that you nor
anybod e so, will ever be able to prove it!” the
landlo declared in a very decided we .

_ “O was landward the

 

t. ‘I gave not-

 

  

 

missed any of the points of the game,” the sport-
replied.

“ I comprehend that all these witnesses are
birds of a feather and can be depended upon to
swear towhat they claim to be the truth in the
stoutest manner. '

“ The minister is a scallawag and will declare
that Jack Vanderhoven was perfectly sober,
and knew exactly what he was about, when he
married the irl.

“ In fact, think the chances are good that
the old fellow will be prepared to swear that it
was only after long and repeated solicitations
that the New Yorker could induce the girl to
cement to be married to him."

“ No doubt I Some such game will be
worked, and the rest will back up the state—
ment.”

“And the only witness who can prove that
the story is a lie is the New Yorker, and I reck-
on he has gone to a land where court summonses.
will not trouble him much.”

“That is true enough,” Blake replied.

“On the face of the matter it looks as if the
girl had put up a game which can not be beaten.”

“Sure as you are born!”

“And I reckon that if I was a regular detec-
tive, one of the fellow’s with gimlet eyes, who
can see further into n millstone than the man
who drilled the hole, I should be mighty apt, af-
ter interviewing the gang and finding out that.
they had put up the strongest kind .of a job, to
rep )I‘t to my principals that they might as well
compromise the thing, for they could not hope
to win.”

Doc Slater looked a little puzzled and shook
his head in a doubtful way.

“ You don’t mean to say that you think
there is any chance to beat the game?” ‘he
asked. , '

“Yes, it is m opinion that there, is a bare
chance, a sort 0 forlorn hope, so to speak.”

“ Blame me if I see a weak point anywhere in
the thing!” Doc Slater declared after meditating
over the nutter for a moment. I _

“I am merely going on a supposxtion,” the
sport exclaimed. “ It may be, you know, that
there isn’t anything in it, but when a man gets
hold of a desperate case,:like this one, he must do
his level best to take a trick.”

“ Ah, yes, but the smartest player can’t win
if the cards are running dead against him.”

“ Very true, but I am going to try and change
the luck.”

“ Maybe you can, but I’ll be blessed if I can
see a ghost of a show for. on!”

“ From what I have 1 card of this woman I
assume that she is thirty-five or thirty-eight,
maybe forty.” ,

“ Yes, I should think you are not far out
of the way. She is no chicken, that is cer—
tain ”

“ A woman who has passed through a pretty
rough experience, and has, probably, had a herd
time of it?" ,

“Yes, and that is the reason why she is so,
durned sharp; there is no school in the world
like experience to sharpen one’s wits.”

“A Woman of forty who ddesn’t look to be
over twenty-five or thirty, with the exception
that all the freshness and bloom of youth is gone,
and in their place has come the hard sharpness
that earnest and- rude contact with the world
produces.”

“ You have described the party to a dot i” the
landlord exclaimed. _

“ And now comes the pomt—the only chance
that there can possibly be to beat the woman’s
well contrived and developed game.

“Was she free to marry Jack Vanderhoven
when the wedding took place?” ,

Doc Slater saw What the sport was drivin at
immediately, and he shook his head in a co-
tive way.

“ We l, as far as anybody knows here, she
was ” he replied, slowly. . .

“ he husband with whom she came to this
camp was dead.”

" Oh, yes, killed as I told you.”

“I remember; but was he the only husband
that she had?” .

The landlord BhOok his head.

“ You are too much for me, sport!" be ex.
claimed. “ 1 will have to pass on that.”

“ Marriage ties sit li htly on the soul of a we-
man of this kind you now, and it is not often
that women of this class trouble the-divorce
courts._ When they tire of a husband they quiet-

ly leave him, and after a time, whenanother -

fellow comes along who suits their fancy they
straightway get married to him) w thout
troubling their heads about the fact that there
is another man in existence to whom they are
legally bound.” 1
Doc Slater listened with theutmost attention
to the sport’s explanation and was much im-

prgssed.
Blake, you are about, as keen as they make
’em, I must say i” the veteran sport declared. '

“I have a kind of a sneaking notion that I
am no slouch, myself, when it comes to brain
work, and while you have_ been getceiEg the
points of this thin I have kinder studi top,
and the only eonc usion I could come to was
that on would not be able to do anything, but
this i so of yours may amount to something.”

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“ It is the only chance,” the sport replied.
“ If the woman can’t be 'caught on it then her
game is sure to win. .

“ I am only going on the probabilities, you
see,” Blake exclaimed. _

“ To my mind it seems more than likely that
a woman who has led such a life as this one
undoubtedly has led for twenty odd years would
be pretty certain to have had two or three hus-
bands in that time, and if she has been careless
enough to take it for granted that some one of
the husbands was dead, and then went and mar-
ried another man without taking the trouble to
go through the formality of getting a divorce
from the first one, then I may be able to get the
best of her.” .

“ The game is worth trying, anyway,” the
landlord remarked.

“ Oh, yes, there is no doubt about that. It is
the only chance, as I said, and if it fails to work,’
the woman Wlll win.

“ Where will I find this dominie; Jabez Rob-
inson?” ,

“Take the north trail after you get out of the
camp, and keep on for about half a mile, then in
the IOOIrhIIIS to the right you will see a little
cabin built in against a bluff, with two half-dead
pines before the door. You will hardly be able
to miss it if you keep your eyes open.’3

“ I will go and have a talk with the man,
although it is not likely that 1 will get much out
of him,” the Fresh remarked, as he rose to his
feet. x
“ No, I don’t believe that you will, for he is a-
slipyiery old customer.”

‘ have got to try, of course, but I reckon I
will only have my labor for my pains,” the sport
observed, as he took his departure.

Thanks to the plain directions given by the
veteran sport, Blake found the cabin of the dom-

\

ginie-miner without any trouble.

The door of the house was open as the sport
came up, and just inside the threshold, moking
a short, black pipe, sat an elderly man.

He was rather short and stout in build, with
iron-gray hair and stubby beard of the same

ue.

Although the man was dressed as roughly as
the avera e miner, yet from the looks 0 his
hands an a certain expression on his face, it
was plain that he had never been used to any
hard manual labor.

‘ “ Is this Mr. Jabez Robinson i” Blake asked!

“ That is my name,” the other replied, looking
at the sport With a questioning glance.

“You are a minister, I am told,” the Fresh
continued, seating himself upon ab0wlder which
ccnveniently cropped out of the earth a yard
from the cabin door. .

“Yes, I am a minister, although without a
Ch‘l‘ll'Bch at present.” E

ut you ss he proper authority to
marry people, I suppose?” ‘

“Oh, yes; the fact that I am not at present
occu ying a pulpit, hasn’t anything to do with
it. am a minister in good standing,” the old
fellovv declared, with an unctuous draw].

“ Say, parson, don’t take offense now at what
I am going t9 tell you," Blake remarked, with
an appearance of great honesty.

The other blinked his dull, fish-like eyes, and
appeared to he a little uneasy.

“ Oh, that is all right, my friend,” he replied
slowly. “ 1 don’t believe that you are the kind
of man to say anything to annoy me.”

“ It is only some loose talk of the boys,” the
sport explained.

The face of the dominie-miner b ' htened up
{muggdiatelm and it was plain that e felt re-

iev .

“ Oh, I never trouble m If about an thin of
that kindl” he exclaimzdf “ The bgys gill
talk, and they usually say a good deal more than
their prayers.”

“ Some of them were allowing that you could
not legally marry anybOdY; they declared that
you had been expelled from the pulpit, and as
you had been kicked out of the church, you
w n’t a minister any m°m9”,th'e sport said,
b  '

The old man looked annoyed, and he made an
impatient gesture.

‘ Now, my dear sir, you must not yany
attention to any loose talk of this kin l” Rob-.
inson replied. \

“The fellows who made that statement did
not kndw what they were talking about.

“Now, just think the matter over, and apply'
a fair amount of reason to the subject,” the old

“ In the first place, w at does any one in this
camp know about me There is notaman in
the town who ever saw or heard of me before,

. or can tell where I came from of his own knowl-

ed r.

Herbs explanation of the matter is that the
be is have discovered my weakness; I am fond
of iquor, and drink more than is geod for me
so on this fact they base their opinion thatI
must have been expelled from a c urch some-
where.” ' .

“ Ah, yes, I see, a natural conclusion for them
to come to under the circumstances.”

“ But it is not the truth!” the other declared,

earnestly. e
\ “When I was East I took better care of my-

.  if»,   ., ‘  .,..A.}1§%§3'1"-_1 - ,y 1 ,  

  

~‘ A '3 :2 ;’

self than I do ,now, and though I drank, yet I
was cautious about it.

“ I will admit that I did get into trouble on
account of my drinking habits, and charges
were made against me. but as Ihad a number
of good friends the affair was hushed up, and
I was aIIOWed to resign; so you see that though
I retired under a cloud yet I was still a minister
in good standing, and I am now just as compe-
tent to perform the marriage ceremony as any
minister in the land.”

“ Well, I reckoned that there wasn’t any truth
in the statement, for you appear to be a pretty
good sort of a man, and I did not believe you
would say you could marry people if you did not
have the proper authority.”

“If any man believes that I am not telling
the truth I will give him the name of the town
where I last preached and the address of the
bishop who presided over my district, so by
writing a couple of letters the exact facts con-
cerning me can be had."

“ That statement 0 ht to satidfy anybody,”
the spout declared. “ t certainly does me.”

» And this was the truth. Blake had had his
doubts as to whether the man could perform
a legal marriage, but was inclined to the be-
lief that every thing was all right, for he
{Edged from what be bad heard of Pauline
'emperwell that she was too sharp not to make
, sure the man was a regular minister before she
had the ceremony performed, which united her
to Jack Vanderhoven.

“You can rest assured that every thing is
correct!” the old man affirmed.

“ So, if you have an idea of getting married,
just bring your girl along and I will tie the knot

‘so tightly that nothing short of death or a
divorce court will be able to loomn it."

“Oh, I haven’t any notion of getting married,”
Blake replied."

The other looked surprised.

“ Wherefore this questioning, then?”

“ Just to satisfy my curiosity about the mat-
ter,” Blake explained, with one of his quiet
smiles.

“ You see I heard of this Jack Vanderhoven
affair, and I was wondering whether Pauline
KemperWell was legally married to the New
Yorker or not,” he continued.

“It was a perfectly legal marriage, if there
ever was one in this world i” the old fellow de-
clared, and he glanced at Blake in a peculiar
way as he spoke; it was plain that his suspicions
were excited.

“Nothing crooked about it, eh i”

“ No, sir, nothing,” the other replied, slowly,
and he looked as though he was puzzled by the
question. ‘

“ I am going to come right out and be honest
with you about this matter,” Blake remarked, in
a brisk, business-like way.

“ I represent certain parties who want to find
out just what is the truth about the matter.
They have a suspicion that there was something
wrong. If the marriage was a legal one, was
Jack Vanderhoven in a condition to know what
he was doing when the ceremony was per.
formed 1”

“ Oh, yes, no doubt about that,” the dominie
replied. “ There were a couple of witnesses
present. and they will bear evidence, in addition
to my testimony, that the New Yorker was in
full possession of his senses, and knew perfectly
well what he was doing when he married Miss
Kemperwell.

“ Some witnesses don’t amount to much, you
know ” Blake observed, in a careless way,

“ T ere are always plenty of men in all camps
of, this kind who would be willing to swear to
almost anything, provided they Were paid
enough for the service."

“Oh, yes, I understand all about that, but
this thing is all straight—you can depend upon
it!” the other asserted; but he spoke in a nervous
way as though the discussion worried him.

‘ If it is a question of money, you know, the
people whom I‘ represent have got plenty, and
they will not be afraid to put it out, either,"
Bluke declared. ‘

“ If there is anything crooked about this
marriage, and it has been brought about by the
use of money, then the men who have been led
into the game by the prospect of making a stake
can rest assured that they can make double,
and treble eVen what they were originally
promised by coming out and upsetting the
crooked bosiness.”

The old fellow medicated over the matter for
a few moments and then he shook his head.

“Oh, no, there isn’t any. question of money;
GVGIXthIDg was all straight," he replied.
' “ nd then thereis another point, my dear
friend, which you have not taken into considera-
tion,” the domiuie added. “ And I will just give.
you a hint to put on on your guard. Mike

ufoy, whois runn ng this thing, is adangerous
man, and if one of his associates should go back
on him‘he might as well order his coffin.”

Blake saw thatit was useless to talk more, so
i he rose to his feet.

“Dangerous man, eh?” he said. “Those are
just the kind of men that I like to look at, sol
will see him as soon as ible.”

Then the sport departed, leaving the old man

 

considerably amaze

 

 

 a  

 

  
  
   
  
 
 
 
 
 
    
   
   
   
 

CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE wouan SPEAKS.

BLAKE retraced his steps and fell meditating
over the affair as he went on.

“The dominie was evidently a little annoyed
by my visit, and in order to get square he threw
out that little hint about the keeper of the Dew-
drop Inn being a dangerous man.

“ That was meant to remind me that I was pok-
ing my nose into a business which did not concern
me, and that I might consider myself extremely
lucky if I did not get into trouble.

“ I think I played the game pretty well, al-
though I did not succeed in taking a trick,” the
sport continued, after thinking the matter over
for a few moments.

“ If the marriage was the result of a con-
spiracy, and the minister went into it with the
hope of making a good stake, I showed him that
there was a chance for him to make more money
by betraying his associates.

“ He did not take the bait though, and from
what he said it isevident that his fear of the
vengeance that Mike Dufoy would be certain to
take on any one who betrayed him is stronger
than his avarice.

“So far as I can see the only crooked work
there could have been in the affair was that it
is possible Jack Vanderhoven did not knOw
what he was about at the time of the marriage.
The conspirators may have dosed him with
liquor so that they would be able to do what
they liked with him, but if this is the truth I
doubt if it can be proven.

“Then again, I don’t feel so sure that Van-
derhoven did not know exactly what he was do-
ing,” the s rt added, thoughtfully.

" Accordihg to all accounts he was a reckless,
worthless kind of a fellow, one of the chaps
who would 'ust as lief make a fool of himself
as not, and think it was very probable that he
did marry the girl, lust as she states.”

By this time Bla e had reached the camp
again and so he brought his muttered reflections
to a close.

Straight to the Dewdrop Inn he proceeded.
When he entered the saloon there were only a
couple of miners in the place conversing with the
man behind the bar, and from the description
that the veteran sport had given of the bar-
keeper George James, George, the Killer, as he
was n ck-named, Blake felt satisfied that the
man behind the counter was the one who bore
so terrible a cognomen.

The Fresh sanntered into the saloon in his
airy, easy way, and as he approached the bar,
took occasion to “ size up ” the barkeeper.

“ Too much beef, old and stale—has, undoubt-
edly, been a pretty good man, but it was twen-
ty years back,” was the opinion that Blake
reached.

The barkeeper stared at the sport.

Already the sport had become a noted man in
the camp.

The story of how he had hammered the big
Sioux chieftain into insensibility and then
killed the two warriors who had sou ht to
aven the defeat of their leader, ha been
wide y circulated, and then his encounter with
a big. black-bearded bully in the Pink Palace
saloon had afforded a number of the citizens a
chance to see with their own eyes just how good
a man the new sport was.

The harkeeper was disappointed though when
he got a good look at B ake, for hemade the
usual mistake of thinking the sport wasa deal
smaller than he really was.

Being a big, burly fellow himself his idea of
world-heaters was that they ought to begreat
over wn masses of flesh after his style.

“ should like to see Mi Kemgerwell ona
little matter of business,” Blake sai . '-

“ I reckon you kin, but I will see,” the bar- ‘
tender replied. ' ' ‘ ‘
Then he went to the rear door, opened it and

delivered the message.

In a few moments he returned. .

“ If you go thmugh that door you’ll find her,”
he remarked. _
Blake nodded politely, and advanced into the
entry, closing the door after him. V
At the further end of the entry stood a female ‘
figure.
“ This we , please,” the woman said, in a‘
high, shrill, ut not unpleasant voice. .
The sport along the entry and at
the extreme end was ushered into a little sitting-
room scantily furnished. ‘ ‘ ,'
Furniture is almost worth its weight in gold
in the for Western camps as it has to be freight-

ed on mule back-over the mountains.

The lady placed a chair and invited the sport
to be seated, and as he took the chair she also
sat down. ~

Pauline Kemperwell was a woman who was
fully forty years old, but as she had always ‘
taken pretty good care of herself, and under-
stood to perfection the art of “ making up,”
and did not hesitaltle to aig and] improve native
b da light aswe asw en a e was preparng
toyappyear on the stage, she did not leukto he a
dav over thirty. . '

She was a little slender woman, but with a /

figure: her features were rather sharp,

    
     
       
       
   
   
   
   
   
       
       
           
     
     
       
       
     
     
         
         
       
     
     
     
     
         
     
     
       
      

    
    
     
         
       
     
         
     
     
        
       
           
         
     
       
       
       
       
       
     
       
   

= ' “-  ~‘i‘h'éli'res‘h in“ Montana.  .  

 

 

 

it was not from a certain bold way which she I

pass *ed.

T is was evidently the result of the peculiar
sort of a public life which she had led.

The girl who sings on the stage in a mining-
camp soon loses the modest, retiring way which
is one of woman’s greatest charms.

“My name is Blake," the sport explained.

“Yes, I am aware of that—in fact, I know all
about you,” Miss Kemperwell declared with an
extremely pleasant smile.

“ Well, that is lucky, for it saves me the
trouble of introducing myself,” the sport re-
marked.

“ Yes, it is not necessary for you to go into
any explanations, but I must say that I am very
sorry that you concluded to take part against
me,” the Woman remarked in a regretful way.

Despite his really wonderful assurance Blake
was surprised by the speech.

“ I don’t suppose that you had any idea I un-
derstood all about this matter,” Miss Kemper-
well continued, before the sport could speak.

“ No, it is something of a surprise.”

.- “ Weil,rvou must take into consideration the
' ‘ fact that am fightin a battle alone and single-

handed,” the woman ( eclared, pressing her thin
lips together in a resolute way.

“ The people on the other side have plenty of
money, the advantage of a good position—every-
thing, almost, in their favor, you may say, and
under these circumstances I must put forth all
my energies—use all my woman’s cunnin or
else I Will not stand any chance of winning.

Blake nodded assent, for he was somewhat
perplexed and did ‘ not know exactly what to
make of the affair.

“ And I will say to you very frankly, Mr.
Blake, that under the circumstances I am very
much distressed to find that a man like your-
self has entered the lists against me.

“ I am not at all afraid of the old lawyer; he
is a good-natured, well-meanin , but dull sort
of a man, and though he will 0 everything in
his power to keep me from gett t e mone
to which I am justly entitled yet do not thin
he is smart enough to en .

“ So far I have met all his moves without any
dimculty,” the woman continued, with a tri-
umphant expression on her resolute features.

“ When he asked for time in New York,so

 , that he oculd examine into the matter, and said,

r in his smooth, oily way that he had an impres-
sion that my claim was a just one, I understood»
just what k nd of a game he was going to play.”
And the woman’s lip curled in contempt as she
made the remark. _

“ Despite all his smooth words he did not care
the snap of his finger whether my claim was just
or unjust; he did not intend that I should get
the money if he could ibly keep me out of it,
no matter whether was entitled to it or

   
    
  
 

not.

“I promptl put a spy on his track, and so
was able to iscover that he, in compan with
, .Miss Vanderhoven, intended to make a estern

trip, and I guessed at once. that they were com-
‘, ing to this camp, with the idea of trying to dis-
, cover some flaw in my statement. '

“ This fact did not cause me any uneasiness,”
4 the woman continued, with a deflant toes of her

head. “ For I felt sure that they would not be
able to accomplish anything.
_ “I ‘was on m guard, thou h, and took the
ave the ol lawyer closely

, “When it was reported to me that Mr. De
, Witt and yourself wore holding consultations, I
" immediately suspecud that he had made some
.1 arrangement with (you. for I knew that he had
 enough to un erstand that a man like him-
, self could not hope to do much of anything in a
'- cam like this.” .

 “ rom this disclosure it is very evident that
 old lawyer is no match for you,” the sport
remarked, with a' smile.

, “ I am fighting for a great stake, and I should
he Very foolish indeed if I did not do all in my
’ :power to win!" Miss Kemperwell replied.

“‘ Yes, that is true.”

“ Then when I became satisfied that you had
indeed become an agent of my enemies, I put a
spy on you, and so know that you have just
come from the dominie’s cabin, and I under-
stand whit passed between you just as well as
 though I had been present and listened to the
' conversation.” I

‘ The rt laughed outright.

' ~ . e i, you are a fighter, and no mistake,” he
doc ared.’ , ‘
V ,,"" oucan not find afiaw inmy story, and I
,donl‘ticare how earnestly you look!” the woman
,oxc a , .
l , , “I am Jack Vanderhoven’s wife; the marriage
’ was a legal one, and I defy anybody to prove
that it was not sol"-

V’.“You certainly seem to have a strong case,”
the sport remarked, slowly, and in a reflective

   

   
  

  

  

  

; l

  

     

    

 

  
 
 

     

  
  

  

W. . '
g “"yYea and I must win, for justice is on my
side!” she replied.
f" Andcome now. Mr. Blake, Iask you are fair
3st, do you Consider it right-for this rich Miss
under-haven to bother herself about this mat-
 use
WNW

  

  
   

9:? (money to keep mqout of what

i

“There are wheels within wheels, you know,”
the sport replied. “ And it is sometimes hard to
fathom the motives of humans, particular of the
female persuasion.

“ It is certainly a fact that Miss Vanderhoven
is taking a good deal of trouble about the mat-
ter, and for no particular reason as far as any
one can see, but I learned from the old lawyer
that once there was sort of a love affair between
this rich young woman and Jack Vunderhoven;
his wildness put an end to it, but it is possible
that there is a good deal of the old feeling in the
young lady’s heart, and so she idoks upon you as
a rival who took the man she fancied and in re-
venge she is going to do all she can to keep you
from getting his money.” ' ~

Miss Kemperwell sat With downcast eyes and
reflected upon the matter for a few moments,
then with a half sigh she said:

“I think it is probable you have hit on the
truth.

“I am a women, too, and under like circum-
stances I think 1 would follow just about the
same course.”

“ But as you have such a strong case this little
bit of female vengeance will not be apt to bother
you much,” Blake observed.

The woman shook her head.

“I am not so sure about that,” she said in a
doubtful way. “ She has plenty of money while
I am poor—reduced in fact to sing in this dive so
that I can get money to live.

“ I don’t pretend Mr. Blake, to be any better
than I on ht to be, ’ she continued with a plainly
perceptib e tinge of bitterness in her tone.

“But for a woman who has passed through
the experience—the trials and vicissitudes that
I have and yet kept herself respectable, the
world should have some regard although I

lktnoiw that it is folly to expect anything of the
in .

“ I have always tried to do as near right as I
knew how, although at times I have been so
situated that it was a hard matter for me
to resist temptation. Now in this case, here
was this New Yorker making a fool of him-
self in the camp here. I was singing in this
saloon and he became infatuated with me right

awa .

“ {will admit that I liked the man well enough,
for he was a gentleman and a nice fellow, when
his brain wasn’t turned with liquor, but I laugh-
ed at him when he began to talk about marrying

e.

“ At last, though, when he was taken sick—he
had left the Pink Palace and come over here for
a room the day before-I had a suspicion that he
was breaking up, and as this saloon, with its
noisy gang, was no place for a sick man, I made
arrangements with the dominie for the use of
his cabin and had him taken there.

“And then, when it was a parent that he
hadn’t many hours to live, and e begged me to
marry him as the only payment he could make
me for the cure‘I had taken of him,saying that
as his widow there would be money for me in
the East, I consented.

“ Now you have the truth, and I ask you, Mr.
Blake, do you think that it is fair for a man like
yourself—a man of the world—a s ort—to join.
hands with a woman like this rich iss Vander-
hoven, who is worth I don’t know how many
millions, a ainst a daughter of Bohemia, a child
of the foot ights, such as I am?”

Blake shook his head; the words of the woman.
so straightforward and directly to the point, had
impressed him. _

‘ No; you are right. I am on the wrong side,”
he remarked. .

“A man like myself ought not to be bou ht
with a little money like a common, every ay
detective, who is always ready to serve whoever
can affor to pay him. '

“ But have not done you any damage,” he,
continued. “ So far as my examination has
gone it has hem favo' able for you.

“Ibo only weak point in the case as far as I

 

l

 

 

iota sun

can see is this—were you free to marry when
you were united to Vanderhoven?" .

“ I understand!” the woman exclaimed, with
a confident smile. “ We stage-ladies are not al-
ways as particular about getting divorced from
our husbands, if we find it necessary to separate
fromwthem, as we might be.”

“This is only a supposition of mine, you un-
derstand," the sport explained. ‘

“I have not discovered anything in relation
to the matter."

“Oh, yes, I comprehend that, for it would
not be possible for you, or anybody else, to
make any discovery of the kind.

“ I have been married twice, the first time
when I was a mere child to a minstrel performer
known as Billy Kemperw‘eil, andafter my mar-
riage he (put me and my younger sister on the

or the name of the Keinperwell sisters,
an the three of us traveled together for a long
time.

“Ten years ago- lie.died of consumption, a
common cahse of death among the song and
dance men.

“ My sister married, and retired from the,
stage so I was forced to keep on alone.

, “A year ago I met Dick Dufoy, a brother of
the man who keeps this place. , . ‘ «
“ Although 3 he was a gambler, yet he was a

   

       

- it,” Miss Kem

very nice fellow, and for the second time in my
life I fell in love.

“ We were married and he came to this town
and opened this place with his brother; a month
later he was killed by a random bullet.

“ Now you have the history of my life, and I
give you my word I have told you nothing but
the truth."

“ I believe you 1” Blake exclaimed.

He had been keeping close watch upon the
woman’s face while she had been telling her
story, and fancied he had experience. enough
in the human face divine to decide from the ex-
pression upon the features whether the speaker
was telling the truth or not. ‘

“ And now, Mr. Blake, I will make you a good
offer," Miss Kemperwell said in an earnest

way.

“ Although I know that I have right and jus-
tice on my side, yet I am afraid to have a man
like yourself iopposed to me and I would much
rather have you on my side than against me.

“ You understand, I presume, that if I win I
will not be able to retain all the money,” she
continued.

“ These three men whose testimony is so valu-
able to me have got t0 be Paid, and they expect
to be paid well, too, for they knew that I depend
upon them, and they understand at without
their testimony I cou d not pcssnbly in.”

“ That is true enough, but I don’t see as that
is any reason why they should expect you to pay
them any large sum.”

“I am to give them five hundred dollars
apiede.” I

The sport gave a low whistle, indicative of
great astonishment.

“ Why, this is sheer, down-right robbery l”
Blake declared. i .

“ Yes, I know that I ought not to pay them
any such sum, but. under the circumstances what
can I do?” the woman asked.

“ Without their evidence I could not hope to
prove that I was really married toJack Vander-
boven, and they take advantage of that fact to
make me pay t em a Lig price.” .

“They are a set of robbers, and if you will be
guided by my advice you will not pay them any
such money l’ Blake exclaimed.

“Five hundred dollars!” he continued with
growin indignation.

“We 1, well, upon my word! if this don’t beat
anything that I ever heard of in all my ex-
riencel '

“ Bah! if they Aget ten dollars apiece they
would be well pai . And one of them is your
hrother—in-law, too.” V , ,

“ Yes, but all he thinks of is money.” the
woman explained. “ He is. entirely different
from his brother who married me.

“But to return to what I was about to say,
if you will stop playing the detective on me I

same as I am to give them.”

“ That is a very good offer for me, but a very
foolish one for you to make,” Blake replied im-
mediately.

“ If your story is true, and most certainly I
am inclined to the belief that it is, it is not pos-
sible for me to place any obstacles in your way,
even if I was disposed to do my level but .in
that direction.” ' ~

‘f Mr. Blake, it would be a difficult taskxfor
me to explain to you just how anxiousI am to
obtain this money i” the woman exclaimed in
a tremulous voice “ It means life to me, I
am so heartily sick otthe wretched existence
which I hare been forcsd to lead since the

I Would rather die than continue such a miser-
able lii’e!” .

sport remarked, after deliberating over the ma}
ter for a few moments. . '

“Suppose I contrive a meeting betwnn-.3'°0
and Miss Vanderhoven, so that you will have a
chance to tell' her your story just as you have
told it to me '

“ I should think that would be a good idea,”
the Woman replied. -

“ With the lady herself I have not had any
conversation, sol am not able to say how .he
re ards the matter,” Blake remarked.
, ‘ And as for the old lawyer I think it is pro-
‘bable that when he talked with me about the,
affair he merely expressed his own idea. ,It is

hoven has allowed: the old
ahead in his own way.” ,

“ Yes, that is true.”

“ If you will come up to the hotel in half an
hour I think I can have matters so arranged
that you can see _Miss Vanderboven. and really,
you know, a family matter like this ought not
to be settled by a lot of lawyers; the parties
themselves ought to get together and arrange
the affair,” Blake remarked, rising to his’ feet.

’ “Yes, I should think so.” , . ’

“ And if the affair is settled up in that way
‘you will not have to pay these three robbers any
five hundred dollars apiece.

“ They will be fearfully apdgry if I do not pay

rwell declar . -
“ Oh, don‘t t that bother you! If they don’t

gentleman ,  30

 

like totake‘ a fair price just turn the matter

 

\

.—'

will give you five hundred dollars, too, just the v

“I think this affair can be arranged,” the i

more than likely, you hour, that Miss Vauder- I

I

death of Dick Dufoy, and I am satisfied that" .. "

ovor‘to me and see if I don’t manage the  , g. ’ «

   

      
     
         
       
       
       
     
     
       
       
     
     
     
     
 

 

      
     
     
     
       
       
       
       
     
     
       
       
       
       
 

 

      
       
       
       
    

2 :5: f

    
          
      
       
       
     
             
         
     
       
         
     
       
       
     
    

     
       
      
     
      
  
       
     
     
       
     
    
      
   
      
 

 

     
    
    
      
       
 
   

 

The Fresh in Montana.

27

 

 

so that they will b_e glad to take whatever I
choose to give,” the sport remarked in his easy,
careless way, and then he departed.

Hardly had the sound of his footfalls died
away in the entry when in through the rear
door of the apartment came the keeper of the
Dewdrop Inn Saloon, Mike Dufoy.

Mike Dufoy was a big, muscular fellow, with
a dark, ugly face.

The moment that the man made his appear-
ance, the woman understood that he had played
the listener. _

This was a complete surprise to her, for she
supposed that Dufoy had gone up the gulch on
business.

The man took the seat which Blake had just
vacated, and glared at Miss Kemperwell in an
ugly way.

“ Going to throw us over?” he exclaimed.

“ You have been acting the part of a spy,
eh?” she questioned, with a look full of con-
tem t.

“ reckon that I heard a little of your talk.”

“ You ought to know, then, that you are not
correct when you say that I am going to throw
you over.”

“ That is what that dandy sport advised,
though!” the saloon-keeper retorted, in a savage
way.

“ Did I say that I was going to do it?” she ex—
claimed, impulsivelyu

“ No, but you didn't say that you wasn’t going
to, either!”

“By rights, though, I ought not to pay such
a sum of money if succeed in getting my claim
allowed without your help,” the woman argued.

“ Yes, but if it wasn‘t for the fact that we
three are prepared to give our testimony in your
favor, I reckon you would not be able to make
any arran ement with these people!” the saloon-
keeper dec ared.

" That is possible, of course, still the service
that you are able to render is not worth the sum
that cu demand,” Miss Kemperwell replied.

“ ell, that is just what you are going to
pay, and you might as well make up your mind
to it first as last.

“ You would never have thought of kicking
over the traces if it had not been for this dandy
sport,” the saloon-keeper continued, his tone full
of anger.

“ But I will arrange things so as to fix his
bash for him! I will give him a warning to
mind his own business, which will be‘apt to last
him for one while!”

And with this threat, Mike Dufoy took his de—
parture.

The woman was not alarmed, for she had con-
fidence that the sport would be able to take care
of himself. _ __

CHAPTER XXIX.
nnaxn’s nncrsiox.

Arms leaving the saloon, Blake proceeded
directly to the hotel.

It was only across the street, but the sport had
time to think over a plan of action before he en-
tered the Pink Palace.

“ I had better see Miss Vanderhoven and have
a talk right with her,” he mused.

“And now the question comes up—is it wise
for me to attempt to bring the two women to-
gather?”

Then he shook his head as though he did not
feel at all sure about this point.

“Women are queer creatures, and the man
who thinks he can decide in advance just how
they will act under certain conditions, generally
discovers before the affair is ended that he has
made the biggest kin-:1 of a mistake.

“ I must manage the matter without the inter-
ference of the old lawyer, for I am satisfied that
he will only make a botch of it.”

Just then he happened to raise his eyes, and
saw Miss Vanderhoven sitting at one of the par-
lor windows.

“ I don’t see the old gentleman,” the sport
soliloquized, as he raised .his hat and bowed in
response to the lady’s smiling salutation.

‘ And if he is out.of the way I had better im-

rove the opportunity, for it may be some time
fore I get another chance.”

As Blake entered the hotel he encountered the
landlord, and upon inquiring of him in regard to
the whereabouts of Mr. De Witt, received the
pleasing information that the old gentleman had
set out to inspect the mines.

“I will have a chance to talk a little business
then with Miss Vanderhoven without his being
able to interfere,” Blake remarked.

“ The old man means well, but he is a back

number and not at all up to the times,” the sport,

added. _

“ Oh, yes, he is a deCIded old logy. There is
no mistake about that.”

“ He means well, but is no more fit to manage
an affair of this kind than I am to run a steam-
en ine.”

‘ That is true, and it is something of a wonder
too that he had sense enough to understand that
the thing was too much for him, and got you to
take hol .”

“ When he got out here and saw what kind of
poo le he would have to deal with be weakened
on he job.”

“ And no wonder!” Doc Slater exclaimed.

 

“ But I say, how did you get In? Find every-
thing about as I said?”

“ Yes, your statements were all correct, and
as far as I can see the woman has a good case,”
the s ort replied.

“ hat is about the way it looks to me.”

“ There is no doubt that she was legally mar-
ried to Jack Vanderhoven. and although it is
very possible that she would not have married
him if she had not thought that he came ofa
wealthy family and there would be a chance for
her to come in for something handsome, yet that
dOesn't amount to anything.”

“ I reckon not!” Doc Slater exclaimed, em-
phatically. “ If a row was kicked up about all
the women who got married solely because they
thought they could make money out of the
operation there would be a heap of trouble in
this world.”

“ She claims to be a decent, respectable
woman, although she is obliged to get her living
by singing in a saloon which isn’t any better
than it on ht to be.”

“ 'Well, reckon that statement is correct,”
the landlord remarked, after reflecting upon the
matter for a few moments.

“ I must do her the justice to say that I never
heard a word against her since she has been in
the town.”

“ And she claims that Vanderhoven ran after
her 'ust as soon as he came to the camp.”

“ hat is true too; the fellow was completely
infatuated.”

“And then when he fell sick and had no place
to go, she hired a cabin so as to be able to take
care of him.”

“That is correct! There is no getting away
from the fact that she treated the man white all
the way through!” Doc Slater declared, emphat-

icall .

“ (gt course it may have been all a game on her
part to get the man to marry her, but if
she speaks the truth about his infatuation it
would not have required much planning on her
part to bring about such a result.”

b “That is a fact; the man was clean-gone on
er.

“ It is my opinion though, you know, that the
fellow was so soaked in liquor that he did not
know what he was about nine-tenths of the
time." the landlord added.

“ But that is a thing that is not easy to prove,
and her claims are all right as far as that is con-
cerned.”

“ I thought perhaps that she might be tripped
up on some old-time husband, but when I sug-
gested it to her she replied promptly that she
was a free woman when she married Vander-
hoven.”

“ Well, she ought to know,” the veteran sport
responded with a grin. -

“ That is true enough.”

“I have been thinking over this matter since
you have been gone,” Doc Slater remarked.
“And I have come to the conclusion that it is
a rather mean thing for a Wealthy women, such
as the old lawyer describes this Mim Vander-
hoven to be, to make such a fight to keep an-
other woman out of a good stake, particularly
when, if I understand the matter rightly, the
money does not come out of her at all.”

“It doesn’t.”

“ Well, pard, I reckon you must admit that it
is not just the square thing.”

“ As near as i can find out this Mim Vander-
hoven had an idea of marrying this man, Jack,
herself at one time.”

“ Ah, yes, I see; that explains the matter,”
the landlord affirmed with a sagacious nod.

“There is a little bit of feminine jealousy
in the thing. It annoys her to think that
another woman got the man she once fancied.”

“Yes that is the way it appears to me,”
Blake 0 rved.

“I don’t exactly know how it will suit her,
but I am going to make my report to her
now and recommend that some sort of a com-
promise be made, giving it as my opinion,
from the investigation I have made, that this
Miss Kemperwel has a perfectly good claim.”

“ Ireckon she will not like it,” Doc Slater
sug ested.

“ t is not my fault if the report is nota favor-
able one,” the sport replied. “ I went in to find
out the truth, and if it is not pleasant I am not
to blame.”

Then Blake proceeded up-stairs.

 

CHAPTER XXX.
THE INTERVIEW.

MISS Vannnaaovnn received the s rt with
a gracious smile, and invited him to seated,
an invitation which the Fresh accepted with a
polite how.

i The sport proceeded at once to business, say-
ng:

“ I have made a careful investigation into
this affair, and I think I have found out all
that can be discovered.”

“ You have certainly acted with great prompt-
ness,” the young lady remarked.

“ Well, in a matter of this kind, when there is
nothing to be gained by delay, I believe in go
ing ahead as quickly as possible.”

And then Blake related all the particulars of

 

his interviews with the dominie and Miss Kem-
perwell.

The young lady listened with the utmost at-
tention, her face grave and earnest.

“ Have you arrived at any opinion in regard
to the matter?” she asked, in a slow, reflective
way.

“ Oh, yes; do you care tolbear it?"

“If you will be so kind. You see, Mr. Blake,
I place a great deal of dependenCe upon your
judgment. You are a man of the world, and
I feel sure that your opinion will be valuable.”

“ As to that, of course, it is not for me to say
but you are quite welcome to it, such as it is,’
the sport responded.

“ Ishould judge from your manner that you
have formed a favorable opinion of this person’s
claim.”

“ Yes, that is true.”

“ You do not think then that my cousin was
the victim of a conspiracy.”

“No, I cannot find any evidence going to
prove such a thing.

“ According to all the testimony, your cousin
became infatuated with this Miss Kemperwell
as soon as he saw her, and it was he that ran
after her, not she after him, and up to the time
that he was taken sick she did not do any-
thing to encourage him: then she took care of
the sufferer, and finally allowed him to per-
suede her to become his wife: doubtless his
stories of the money which would come to her
if anything should happen to him had weight,
but, really, under the circumstances, it was only
natural that it should.”

“ Yes, I presume so,” Miss Vanderhoven ob-
served, slowly.

“Perhaps I have judged this woman too
harshly,” she continued.

“ I imagined that when such a woman, ssI
imagined her to be, saw a chance to secure so
large a sum as ten thousand dollars, she would
not hesitate at any means to gain it.”

“Well, in this case, most certainly in was the
man who did the wooing, and not the woman,”
Blake declared.

“ And I will further say that this Miss Kem-
perwell was taking big chances when she con»
seated to marry your cousin, for although he
told large stcries about the wealth that his
family , no one knew whether there
was any truth in them or not, and, personally,
he had sunk almost to the level of a common
drunkard, so if he had not died, this woman
would have been pretty certain to have led a
dreadful life with him.”

“ It is terrible to think that poor Jack should
have gone so utterly to the bad,” Miss Vander-
hoven exclaimed, with a shudder.

“Yes, it is not pleasant for me to have to
make such a report, but you desire to know the
truth, of course.”

“ Certainly, and I wish above all things that
you should deal frankly with me.”

“Oh, I will do that !” Blake exclaimed,
quickly.

“Well, under these circumstances, what \

would you advise me to do?” Miss Vanderhoven
asked, slowly.

“ Admit the woman’s claim, ,and have the
affair settled up as quietly as possible.”

“ Your advice is exactly contrary to the
opinion of Mr. De Witt,” the young lady re-
marked.

“He was speaking about the matter just be-
fore he went out, and he said that it was his ad-
vice that the claim should not be paid, for it was
his opinion that, no matter how fair a showing
the woman presented, poor Jack had been the-
victim of a conspiracy.

“ He talked to me about the same, and I un-
derstand his idea,” the sport observed.

“ You have plenty of money and the woman
hasn’t got any, so he relies upon the fact that it
is not a dimcult matter employing smart law-
yers, and being willing to spend plenty of cash,
to keep a suit of this kind in abeyance, until the-
patience and money of the protesting party are
exhausted.”

“ Yes, I did not ask him to explain at length,

‘ but from what he said I think it was his idea. to

act in some such wa .”

“V'Vell, he is an o d and experienced lawyer,
and ought to be far more on le than a man
like myself to give good advmein an affair of
this kind.” Blake remarked, reflectively.

“ But notwithstanding that fact, I think he is
decidedly wrong in giving any such advice, and
it is a strange fact too that old and experienced
law ers very often do make just such mistakes.

“ ow, just consider: what will you make by
fighting the claim?

“ De Witt may argue that as the woman is.
poor she will not be able to get the money to
carry on along lawsuit.

“ But as far as that goes you can take my
word that he has made a bi mistake.

“ Where the stake is so arge a sum, and the
claim of the claimant is so good, she will not
find any difliculty in finding plenty of lawyers
who will be glad to take the claim on shares.” .

“ Yes, I have heard of such things bein done,”
Miss Vanderhoven remarked. thoughth y. .

“ She will not find an difficulty in making
some arrangement of the ind.

“ And then here is another point which I don’t

   

28

The Fresh in Montana.

 

 

 

   
     
   
   
    
  
   
   
    
  
  
   
  
  
   
   
   
  
    
  
     
    
   
  
   
  
    
   
 

believe Mr. De Witt has taken into considera-
tion,” the sport continued.

“Just think of the amount of talk whicha
suit of this kind will occasion,” Blake urged.

“ All the particulars of your cousin’s life will
be made public, and if I were in your position,
possessing plenty of money, I would rather pay
twice ten thousand dollars than to give the
affair to the world.”

A shade came over Miss Vanderhoven’s face,
and she shook her head in an earnest way.

“ Oh, it would be dreadful 1” she exclaimed.

“ It would not be pleasant, that is sure, ” the
sport declared.

“ And, you see, all these thing have to be con-
sidered before you make up your mind.

- “ Suppose you see Miss Kemperwell and have
a talk with her," the Fresh suggested. “ I think
you will find that she is a great deal diflerent
from what you think. I must admit that she
surprised me.

“ She is a woman who has had a hard time of
it, and, as a natural result, her battle with the
World has made her somewhat coarse and bold.
but her heart seems to be in the right place, and
I really believe that the woman means to do as
nearly right as she knows how.”

“ She has evidently made a favorable impres-
sion upon you,” Miss Vanderhoven remarked,
 . ' with a smile.

3 ,, “I will have to admit that she did,” Blake
replied. “ And the impression which I had
formed of her in advance was adecidedly un-
favorable one, too, but 1 alwa s try to be fair
in all cases of thiskind, and so was able to do
_  -_ the woman justice."
I f' ' “ And that is only right, too,” the young lady
declared with an approving nod.
v , “ Mv idea was that a conspiracy existed, and
' when I came to examine into the matter I found
that there wasa cons iracy indeed, but it was
girected against this 153 Kemperwell, not by
er.‘
“ Indeed i” exclaimed the girl, in amazement.
“ Yes, these three witnesses who can testify in
regard to both the marriage and death, had
banded together and demanded that the woman
should pay them five hundred dollars apiece for
their valuable evidence.”
“ What a monstrous outrage!” Miss Vander-
hoven declared, indignantly.
“That is about what I laid, and I told the
party that she must not pay any such sum.”
“ Well, if we arrange the :matter quietly, and
’ without a suit, she Wl i not need their evidence,
. and then she need not pay the rogues any-
’ thin .” ‘
“ hat was my counsel.”
“It is justl”
, “Will you see the lady, and announce to her
that on will not dispute her claim?”
“Well—yes; if you think it best,” the young
I lady re lied, a little reluctantly.
. “ I t ink it would be the wisest wayy’to arrange
‘ the matter. You can have Mr. De itt present
and allow him to do the talking—perhaps that
. will be more agrees ble to you 9”
“ Yes, and t en I want to get away from here
2 as soon as I can,” Miss Vanderhoven declared,
/ abruptly. ‘

‘ CHAPTER XXXI.
‘ a PROMISE.

 BLAKE was not surprised when the young .ady
exposed herself in this fashion.
, I o a cultivated young woman from the East

‘ [there was not much that could be attractive
~ about a rude, wild, Western mining-camp.

. “ Well the scenery is picturesque, but that is
, about all that can be said in favor of this place,”
. the a rt remarked.

‘ “ ea, but one scr‘n tires of that, and the ma-
, jority of the ' pic here are Such rude, wretched

creatures!” ins Vanderbovsn declared, with an
. expression of profound disgust upon her hand-
. some features.
' “ They certainly are not remarkable for either
their looks, intelligence or manners."
“ Mr. Blake, it is a mystery to me how a man
i- ‘like yourself can be content to remain in such a
' miserable place as this mining-camp!” the girl
exclaimed, abruptly.

“ Oh, well, I am net the only man here who

, appears as if he was fit for something better,”
 the sport replied with a smile.

t- “I suppose that. is true,” Miss Vanderhoven
observed, musingly. " You are far better cal-
culated to judge than I, and you ought to know.
w;;,8till,-’I. must say that since I have been in the
‘ town I have not seen but two, or three men who
would be likely to prove congenial associates for
“a man like yourself.

“ You eahout right in that surmise,” the
Fresh adm tted.
' “But you must understand that I do not come
to a place like this for the sake of enjoying the
do hts of society, but entirely as a matter of
nose,” he continued.
The rl nodded.

“Th s is a flourishing camp, the miners are
’ making plenty of money, and therefore it is a
good place for me to locate for a while. I am a
,wolf, you know, and. must go where 1 can find
” the sport remarked in a cheerful way
a pleasant smile.

 

   

  

  

0‘

  

  
  

 

landwit

   
  

 

Miss Vanderhoven shook her head and a grave
expression appeared on her features.

“ I do not like to hear you talk in that way i”
she declared l”

“Yes, but it is the truth, and I always try to
stick to the truth as far as possible. T en, too,
as you have honored me with your confidence, I
should not consider it right to attempt to de
ceive you in any we '.”

“ Oh, I know all about you, Mr. Blake!” the
girl exclaimed.

“ Really, is that possible?” the sport asked,
somewhat surprised at the declaration.

“ Yes, the housekeeper this morning gave me a
history of your career, and she made you out
to be quite a hero.”

“ A good story seldom loses anything in the
telling,” Blake responded, dryly.

“ She dec'ared though that what she said was
the truth,” Miss Vanderhoven persisted.

“ Well, a good storyoteller is never willing to
admit, you know, that there is any fiction in the
narrative."

“ Oh, I feel sure that about all she said was
the truth,” the young lady observed.

“ You see, Mr. Blake, you are not altogether a
stranger to me, and as I am satisfied t 'at you
are a remarkable man, I am quite ready to be-
lieve a number of wonderful tales about you.”

“ Now you are indulging in considerable
flattery,” the sport declared with a laugh.

“ Oh, no! I think I an) .1 good judge of man-
kind, and lam sure I have not made any mis-
take about you.

“But the wonder to me is that a man like
yourself can be satisfied to lead the life that you
do,” Miss Vanderhown added.

“Well, men get into ruts in this world and
then it is hard work to get out,” the sport re-
marked in a reflective way.

“ And then, too, Iain an odd fish; this wild
life of adventure suits me, and I doubt if I
would be content to lead any other.” ’

“But if you got the chance would you not
make the attempti” the young lady asked, a
trace of eagerness visible in her touesi.

“ I don’t really think that it would be of any
use,” the sport replied.

“ It is a very hard task, you see, to teach old
dogs new tricks.”

“Oh, I am satisfied that if you made the at-
tempt you would succeed!” iss Vanderhoven
declared, manifesting a strange interest in the
subject. .

“ The only trouble, as far as I see, will be for
you to get the proper place,” she continued, in a
thoughtful way.

“A man like yourself, full of action and en-
ergy, would never be satisfied with a quiet, hum-
drum occupation.”

“ Ye-‘,-you are right about that,” Blake ad-
mitted, considerably impressed by the girl’s
shrewdneee.

“ But there are plenty of chances which I feel
sure would suit a man like yourself!” Miss Van-
derhoven declared. " And all these peculiar
gifts of yours, which have enabled you to make
so great a name in these Wild, rude mining~
cailnps; would be of equal service in another kind
of ife.’

" No doubt l”

" Come, now, Mr. Blake, I have takena great
interest in you, and I want you to promise me
that you will try to lead a different kind of life
from the one you are now following,” she said,
in the most earnest manner gossible.

“ I must wait until the c ance comes along,”
the sport replied.

“ And when it does come will you take it?”
the girl asked eagerly.

“Oh, yes, I don’t mind giving you that prom-
ise," Blake replied, smilingly.

“ Particularly as the chances are great that
no opportunity, such as you describe, will come
in my way,” be added,

“I am not at all troubled in regard to that,”
Miss Vanherhoven declared, with a peculiar
smile u n her handsome, resolute face.

“ Is t at a fact?” the sport queried in surprise.
“ Do you feel certain, then, that a favorab 0 Op-
portunity Will come in in my way? ’

“ Oh, yes, I am quite positive about the mat-
ter, for shall make it my business to look out
for a suitable position for you.”

“ Upon my word! Iyou surprise me i” the
Fresh exclaimed, amazed by this disclosure.

“ I am a woman, and it is my aex’s privilege,
you know, to become possessed of all kinds of
odd whims," the young lady remarked, with a
charming smile.

“ Oh, es, ladies are entitled to indulge in
strange ancies."

“The explanation in this is simple enough,”
Miss Vanderhoven remarked.

“ You are so entirely different from any gen-
tleman I have ever encountered that I have

come to take a great interest in you, and as I 7

am satisfied that if you have a good opportunity
you will make a great name for yourself I have
made up my nimd to do all in my pOWer to af-
ford you the chance.”

“ Really you will place me under .an over-
poworing sense of obligation,” the 'sport de-
clared.

“ Oh, no, you must not look at the matter in
that way,” the young lady replied, quickly.

‘ she would not trouble herself any more about

   
   

 

“I am rich—really have more money than I
know what to do with, and in looking for a suit-
able occupation for you, I may be able to find
an opportunity to use some of my surplus funds
so that the money will be a benefit to the world
at large.” '

Miss Vanderhoven spoke in the most earnest
manner, and it was plain that she was deeply
interested in the subject.

“ Yes, there is a possibility that you can suc-
ceed in your endeavor, and although when I gave a
you the promise, I had no idea that I would
he called upon to fulfill it, yet I will hold to my
word.” the sport remarked.

“ Very well. I am glad to hear you make that
decliration, and I feel sure that it will not be
long before 1 will find an opportunity where
you will be able to show your good qualities.

“Peace has its victories as well as war, you
know, and there are plenty of opportunities in 
the ranks of commerce for the right kind of ~
men to show that they were designed for great
leaders.” '

“I will do my'best to deserve your good ' ” ~
opinion when the time comes, and I hope that I
shall not disappoint you,” Blake remarked.

He had no idea that anything would come 5
of this affair, and merely gave the promise in
order to please the girl. 

It was but a whim on her part, and after she '3
returned to her Eastern home, and again en- IL
tered the whirl of society, it was his idea that

 

 

the matter.

“ Oh, I feel sure that you will not!” Miss
Xanderhoven exclaimed in a voice full of confi-

ene.

“ And now, shall I send for Miss Kemperwell?”
Blake asked.

“I suppose the quicker the affair is settled the
better. ”

“ Yes, you are right. There is no longer any
need for delay,”‘the lady replied. “As soon as
We come to an understanding with her I will be
able to depart, and I can assure you I shall be
bleartil'y glad to get away from this dreadful
p ace.’

“ I don‘t doubt it, and I don’t wonder that you
should not be anxious to remain any longer than
is absolutely necessary.

“ I will semi for the lady, and you can expect
her in about ten minutes,” Blake said, as he took
his departure.

There wah a half-grown boy lounging in front
of the Pink Palace, and the sport hired him to
carry the message to Miss Kemperwell.

The boy returned in a few moments with the
answer that the lady would come right over.

Blake did not have long to wait, for soon Miss
Kemperwell made her appearance.

“ Miss Vanderhoven is waiting to see you, and
all is arranged in a satisfactory manner,” the
(siport announced when he met the Woman at the

oor.

“ I am so glad I” Pauline exclaimed in a thank—
ful manner. “ It takes a great weight from my
mind.”

“ I had very little trouble in convincing the
young lady that it would be far better to settle
the matter quietly than to allow the lawyers to
wrangle and fight about it.” «

“ Yes. yes, for then the truth would come out
about the kind of life that Jack led during the
tWo or three years that preceded h death, and
it Would be very uh leasant.” - , I

“ Decidedly sol” lake exclaimed, as he led
the way up the stairs.

“ But there will not be any trouble now.”

Then the sport ushered Miss Kemperwell into
the presence of Miss Vanderhoven and intro— .
duced the two.

The women surveyed each other with curious,
glances.

Then the rich young lady said in a very polite
but rather cold tone. '

" I regret that I did not see you in New York,
Mrs. Vanderhoven, for I think that if we‘ had
met we could have settled this business without
any trouble, but the lawyers thought it wise to
keep us apart.”

“That was policy on their part,” Blake ob-
served. “ These legal gentlemen thriVe on con-
tention, and if people got in the habit of coming
together, and settling their disputes without
taking the advice of the legal sharks, their occu-
patina would be gone.” .

From the fact that .Miss Vanderhoven ad-
dressed her by her married name Pauline under-
stood that the wealthy young lady was prepared
to accept her as her cousin’s widow,

“ Of course I would much rather settle the
matter quietly,” Pauline observed.

“That was m idea when I came East to see
Mr. De Witt,” s 6 Continued. “But from the
way he received his I saw that it was not

. lble for me to get along without consulting a

      
 

 

      
     
     
     
     
     
     
       
     
       
     
     
       
         
       
       
   
     
       
       
       
     
     
     
       
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
     
     
     
       
 

 

 
    

      
   
          
 
      
    
   

  

      
       
      
     
     
    

 

   

wyer.”
“ Ve will not trouble the legal gentlemen any
more in the matter,” Miss Vénderhoven declared, ‘
shortly. ’
“I presume Mr. De Witt Will be amazed
when he learns that you have decided to settle
the matter without a contest,” the sport ob-
served.
“Yes, it is possible, but the old gentleman
understand: me pretty well, and he knows that

    
     
     
    
  
    

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 madame

.p ,.

 

r mi. sweeter

 

‘ that he is angry
‘gossibility of the cash slipping through his
118

 

rj$..

.. t-v. r. i2,. 4,.
r“, 3") 'y mmzw -_ «. ska-’9?-

“ .

"The, Fresh in; Montana.

»     .2.“ :‘«‘.“\m:"g* ! w" v

29

 

 

when I make up my mind to follow a certain
course I rarely allow anything to turn me
from it,” the young lady replied With great
firmness.

“ How soon can you be prepared to start for
the East?” she asked, turning to Pauline.

“ As soon as you like, and the quicker we go
the better I shall like it,” was the reply.

“ There isn‘t any reason why I should wish to
stay in this place and I shall be heartily glad to
get out of it.” .

“ Very well, as soon as Mr. De Witt comes I
will instruct him to make the necessary pre-
parations for our departure.”

“ We will not be able to go until to-morrow
for the coach will not arrive until this evening,’
Pauline remarked.

“ Indeed! I am sorry for that, forI would have
liked to have got away tocday, still a day is not
long to wait.”

“ Oh, no, the hours slip away quickly enough,”
the sport observed.

“1 have my trunk all packed in anticipation
of a departure,” Pauline affirmed. " And I
shall send over and have it brought to the hotel,
as I do not intend t) return to my former abode
a sin. .

“ Mike Dufoy played the spy upon our inter-
view, Mr. Blake, and he was very angry when
he discovered that there was a chance I Would
be able to get my money without being obliged
to de nd upon his assistance.”

“ hat is not surprising,” the sport remarked.
“A man of the Mike Dufoy stamp does not
get a chance to pick up a sum like five hundred
dollars every day of his life, and it is no wonder
when he finds out there is a

are.”
“And he blames you because he thinks that

»- if you had not interfered in the matter he would

have got the money,” Pauline explained.

“ Well, my shoulders are broad, and I
reckon 1 will be able to bear the burden with-
out much trouble,” the Fresh replied with a
pleasant smile.

“Thaman must be a miserable wretch or
else he would never have dreamel of making
any such demand upon you 1” Miss Vanderhoven
declared.

“ Oh, he is a first-class rascal; there isn’t any
doubt about that 1” Blake asserted.

“ And you must be on your guard, Mr. Blake,
for he blames you in the matter,” Pauline
warned.

“Oh, he does?”

“Yes, he overheard you tell me that I ought
not to pay any such sum as five hundred dollars,
and he vows to have vengeance upon you for,
giving me suchcongualfi? -‘  ‘

“ Theme isgal'bld ' {ht threatened men

live long,-yoh“kno‘w,,, lefinflxl'lesggiéegé itito:

manifesting the least  ,
intelligence. ',

“But you must be on your guard,” Pauline
declared. “ For I feel sure that he will do you
a mischief if he can.”

“ Yes, Mr. Blake, on will surely heed this
warning?" Miss Van erh0ven asked, anxiously.

' “ You can trust me to keep my eyes open,"
the Sport declared. .

“ I have not been in the town long enougfi to
find out just what kind of a man this ike
Dufoy is, but when any man makes threats
against me I always make it a rule to believe that
lie is extremely dangerous until I discover to the
contrary. ,

“ By acting in this way, you see, 1 never make
the mistake of underratingfin opponent." .

“ He is a vile, bad maul Pauline exclaimed.
“ But as a foe he is not w dau erous as his bar-
keeper, who bears the name 0% George, the Kil-
lcr.

“ George, the Killer,” eh!"

“So he is called.” ‘

“ Well, that is certainly a bloodtth name;
and he is the big fellow behind the bar

“Yes; he is disputed to be one of the most
dangerous men in the town,” the woman
affirmed.

“ He looks like a tough customer.”

“And when Mike Dufoy etc the to
send my trunk over to the ink Palace, and so
learns thatI do not intend to return to his place
he will be sure to t that he does not stand
any chance of gettingthe five hundred dollars,
and his ra e Will be unbounded.” »

“ Very ikely,” Blake observed.

“ And he wi l certainly blame you.”

“ I will be read for him; ust write me an
order for your trim and I m attend to it.”

Pauline did so, an then the sport took his de-
parture.

’ CHAPTER XXXII.
_ BLAKE MEANS BUSINESS.
WHEN Blake entered the saloon, he found the
old lawyer in conversation with the landlord.
“How is this, Mr. Blake? Mr. Slater tells me
that this woman, who claims to beJack Vander-
hoven’s widow, is up-stairs With Miss Arabella!”
the old egentleman exclaimed, evidently much
astonish . .
“ Yes, that is correct,” the . rt replied.
. “ Well how does such a t ng come tobe?”

Mr. De Witt asked.

for

 
 
  

 

 

 

“ The explanation is simple enough,” Blake
answered. “I made a careful examination into
the case, and soon satisfied myself that the wom-
an’s claim was ajust one, and so I aUVised Miss
Vanderhoven to settle the matter quietly.

“ After she had heard my explanation, she
came to the conclusion that my advice was good,
and so sent for this Miss Kemperwell, as she has
called herself, but who will be known as Mrs.
Vanderhoven in the future.”

“ Bless me!” exclaimed Mr. De Witt, “ it
seems to me that this was all very sudden, but
then Miss Arabella was always impulsive.

“ I hope that everything will come out all
right,” the old gentleman continued, with a
grave shake of the head, by means of which he
wished his listeners to understand that he had
grave fears in regard to it.

“ Oh, yes, I reckon there isn’t any doubt
about that,” the sport answered, in his easy,
careless way.

“I have managed to get myself intoamess
thou h, by engineering the thing,” he added.

“ ow so?” Doc Slater.

“ I had an interview with the lady in the
saloon across the street, and when I found that
the three witnesses who were going to testify for
her expected a big stake, I advised her not to
submit to be robbed; this Mike Dufoy was lis-
tening, it seems, and after I had gone he told the
woman that he was going to get square with me
for interfering in the matter.

“ Bless my soul! did anybody ever hear of
anything like that?” the old lawyer exclaimed.

“ He is an ugly customer, Blake, and you will
have to keep your eyes peeled,” the landlord
warned in a serious tone.

“ Oh, you can depend upon it that I shall not
alloveyd them to catch me napping l” the sport de-
c ar .

“ Mike Dufoy himself, although an ugly cus-
tomer enough, is not half so bad as his barkeeper,
who bears the reputation of being a holy terror,”
said the host.

“ George, the Killer, eh?”

“ Yes, that is what he is called," Doc Slater
replied. .-

“ A mast extraordinary appellation upon my
word!” the old lawyer exclaimed.

“ Mrs. Vanderhoven is going to de for the
East to-morrow with your young ' lady,” the
sport remarked to the lawyer. “ And she has
made up her mind to remain here until she oes,
so she gave me an order to get her trunk,’ and
Blake exhibited the bit of paper.

Doc Slater shook his head.

“ You think there will be trouble about get-
ting the. property 3” the sport observed.

“ The odds are a hundred to one that there
will be!” the host declared, emphaticall .

“ That is just about what I think,” lake re-
marked in a. calm, judicial way.

“ Why, surely this man will not dare to
attempt to detain the ropert when you have
a written order for it?" r. De itt questioned.

“‘The moment. the demand is made for the
trunk he will understand that the game is up as
far as his getting any bi stake out of the affair
is concerned; therefore 9 will be certain to be
angry, and will be inclined to do all in his power
to be ugly,” Doc Slater argued.

“ I rec on that you have figured the thing out
about right,” Blake declared.

“ To the same conclusion I came, and when
Mrs. Vanderhoven told me that this ruflian had
threatened to make this camp too hot to hold
me, I made up my mind that the quicker I
gave Mike Dufoy, and his barkeeper, a chance
to show Just how good men they Were the
better.” .

“You are ri ht there; when a thing of that
sort comes on t e carpet the quicker it is settled
the better i’lthe veteran sport affirmed. ‘

The old lawyer looked from one to the other
in astonishment.

“ Really, Mr. Slater, ou don‘t think that Mr.

Blake oughtito go onto his wa on purpose to.

meet these ruffiansi” Mr.‘ De W tt questioned in
ampvzsgient. f l '

y, yes,o course; so ong asheex tsto
meet them he better get the thing of! hlflhind
as soon as possible.”

“The gentleman doesnlt understand the way
we Westerners work a game of this kind,” the
sport remarked

“ You see, Mr. De Witt, the man has sent me
warnin that he means businem, and ifI am not
d' to admit that he is a better man than
I am I must take the challenge up as soon as

ible.” ‘
“Oh, yes, I 'n to understand; this is the
Western way of ghting a duel l” the old lawyer
declared.

f‘ Exactly! not much fuss and feathers, as you
Will perceive, but business from the word, go!”
Blake explained.

“Now, Doc. I will walk up the street and get
in. ition,” the sport continued. “ And if you
wil have the kindness to hunt up a messenger to
send to Mike Dufoy—”

“ I will go.ninelfl” the landlord exclaimed.

“.If on Will be so kind I will be much
obliged,” Blake declared. .

“ Oh, that is all right and I am glad to be able
to accommodate 17% A

“ You can say to 'ke that I havebeen told

he has a grudge against me, and I am perfectly
willing to give him satisfaction; it does not
make any difference either to me whether he
takes it up himself or sends some one to repre-
sent him. It is all the same to me.

“ I stand ready to meet all corners and all I
stipulate is that they shall come one at a time.

" If they will engage to come on singly I am
willing to meet all the fighting-men that he can
muster; provided that they don’t use rifles or
snot-guns, they can have a cart-load of revolvers
and knives for all I care.”

“ Well. all I have got to say is that if
Mike is not satisfied with that lay-out he must»
be an extremely hard man to please—a regular
hog in fact i” the landlord exclaimed, in profound
admiration.

The old lawyer shook his head: to his think—
ing this was the most astonishing piece of busi-
ness that he had ever heard of in all his experi-
ence, and if he had not been an eye—witness he
would not have been willing to believe that any
such a thing could possibly occur.

“ I will just take a look at my tools to see if
they are in working order,” Blake remarked.
as he slipped his revolvers out of their bolsters
and began an examination.

“ It would be a pity, you know, in an affair
of this kind for a man to literally throw his life
away because his weapons were a little out of
order.”

in 
“ And i

,7

“ Certainly! Many a good man has lost his
life on account of a defective cartridge. or be
Cause at a critical moment his revolver wouldn’t
work,” the sport remarked.

“ When men go into a game where life is the
stake they cannot be too careful.”

“ That is so,” the landlord assented. “ And if
a man isn’t careful, the chances are big that he
will t left in the worst kind of way.”

“ am all ready; my tools are in good work-
ing order, and you can go ahead as soon as you
like,” Blake declared. ' ,

Doc Slater at once departed.

Blake followed him and strolled up the sweet,
while the landlord proceeded to the saloon. Mr.
De Witt remained in the doorway, nervous with
excitement.

A hundred feet up the street the Fresh halted.

Hardly had he got in position when Doc Slater
made his a arance, followed by Dufoy and.
George, the iller. .

The pair had their revolvers out.

The landlord waved his hand toward Blake”,
then hurried across the street and sought the
shelter of his own doorway. ,

There were only a few people in Hie street, but
the quickness with which the get optof the
way wheu’thoy noticed the war the preparations»
was laughfli‘le. '

Mike Dufoy was so enraged by the course which
. the Fresh had pursued that he had resolved to
take vengeance into his own hands, so be ad--
vaneed to ve battle, while the barkeeper re-
mained in t 0 rear.

Dufoy was so anxious to kill the sport that he‘
did not attempt to fire until he got within about
seven feet, and then he brought his revolver
up to t 0 level. But Blake was on the watch,.
and he fired before his antagonist could take-

aim.
a marksman as Blake copld not fail

is, that is true,” Doc Slater remarked.
ve known just such a thing to happen

So
to hit is man at such a distance, and the ruf-
flan went down with a bullet in his lungs, his
account with this world abruptly closed.

A bowl of ra came from George the Killer, ,
when he saw h patron fall,‘ and he dashed for-
ward eager to revenge his defeat. ‘

The Fresh did not wait for the new foe to-
fire, but blazed away as soon as he got within.

ran . ,

' g: second bullet was as fatal as the first...
Down went George, the Killer, writhing in the-
agonies of death.

innocent victims u n their hands, were thus.
abruptly sent to the doom, and when the stair
became known to the citiaens of the mining.
camp it was the unanimous opinion that the
Fresh had done the town a great service.

This unexpected aflair detained the two ladies
for a few days, for as Mike Dufoy had no rela-
tions that anybody knew anything about, Mrs.
Vandal-haven was declared by the citizsna to be
his heir, and she had to stay until the saloon
was sold,.and the money i‘d over to her.

Theta, in r‘icsolmpany wi the old lawyer, the

Miss gliderhoven was the last one to shake
hands with Blake. t
“ Don’t forget your promise, for I shall soon
call upon you to keep it!” she declared. '
These words Were a mystery to the heaters,
and the general impression was that the rich
young Eastern girl, the heiress of man mil-
ions, had fallen in love with bold Jacksonfilake,
the Freshof ’F‘risco. .  ,
Whether this was the truth or not, the reader “
will learn anon, when we again take up the
to chronicle the deeds of the man as daunt

 

in his coura as an ofvthe famclis knight of
chivalry, the eroes o the olden time. 1
3 ran IND.  ’

. .

{f

 

‘ ‘

.*

The two desperadocs', with the blood of many _ ‘ L‘

    
 

 

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Thirty-Eight Numbers !

15 to 25 Popular Dialogues and Dramas in each
book. Each volume 100 121110 pages.

 

Dime Dialogues, No. 31.

Barr’s Boarders. For various characters.

A Livel Afternoon. For six males.

A New other Hubbard. For six little girls.

Bread on the Waters. For four females.

Forninst the Scientists. For two males.

Sloman’s Angel. For two males and one female.

What Each Would Do. For six little girls.

Twenty Dollars a Lesson. For eleven males.

Aunt Betsey’s Ruse. For 3 females and 1 male.

The Disconcerted Snpernaturalist. For one male
and audience “ voices.”

Grandma Grumbleton’s Protest. For a “grandma " l

and several girl grandchildren.

 

 

 

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Nothin Like Training. For a number of males.
The Bu ble. For two little gin ls.
Medicine for Rheumatiz. For two “ cullud pussons.”
That Book Agent! For three males and one female.
The Well Taught Lesson. For five little boys. ‘
A Turn of the Tide. For 8 males and 3 females. l
A True Carpet-Bagger. For three females. 1
A plied Metaphysics. For six males. ‘ l
hat Humphrey Did. For 5 males and 3 females i

Dime Dialogues. No. 37. l

The Fairies” Prisoner. A Scenic and Dress Piece for
a Young Ladies‘ School, or Garden Part, , or Par-
lor Entertainment.

The McFlackertys and McDoozlers. For two males
and three females.

The Children of the Week. For seven little rls.

Uncle Resp ’8 Ruse. For one male and four emales.

The Land 0 "Once-on-a-Timo." For 7 little boys.

Jupiter Johnsum's Affairs. For one male and one
female and one outsider.

The Bores of a Day. For four males and six females.

Rather MIXed. For a number of small girls.

The Ould Oirish Tay. For several ma es and two
females.

Cherubino and Seraphina. For 1 male and 1 female.

The Comic Valentine. For four boys and teacher.

The Two Roberts. For five males and one female.

Keeping Bachelor‘s Hall. For several males and
one female.

Four Wishes. For four little irls.

Things Are Seldom What T ey Seem.
males and two females.

The Charity Student. For several girls.

A Catch at Last. For three males and one female. .

The Bogus Doctor. For four males and a ghost.

Prefifiing for an Exhibition. For teacher and three
0 ren.

For two

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Dime Dialogues. No. 38.

Just Published.

A Wild Irishman’s Diplomacy. For five males and
four females.
Aunt Deborah in the City. For two females.
A Chinaman in Camp. For three males.
Playing Hostess. For two ladies and a little girl.
Slightly Hilarious. For four males.
1 What Happened to Hannah. For two males and
i one female.
The Awakening of the Flowers. For a girls' school.
Plato Pendexter’s Ashes. For four females and two
i males.
The Spirit of Discontent. For nine little boys.
The Good Strikers. For six little girls.
i The Missing Essay. For a number of girls and
i teacher.
I, The Well Taught Lesson. For several boys.
} Ephraim Black’s Politics. For several males and
I one female.
I The Strike That Failed. For three boys.

 

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 "<11...

Published Every W’ednesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Unz'fomn Price of Ten Cents. No Dpuble Numbers.

 

BY \"lLLIAM B. EISTEB.

661 Old Handcart‘s Big Dump.

62: ’i‘nc All Around Sports.”

(m Dcscl‘. Alf. the Man “1111 thc Cougar.

54M Gentle Jack, the High Hillier from Humbug.

57 Seven Shot Steve. the Sport witha Smile.

56% the Dude Detective.

5'15 Hurrah Harry. the Hiizh Horsc from Halcyon.
549 liclsuazzar Brick, thv Bailiff Of Blue Blazes.
Oregon, the Sport \\ ith a Scar.

push Frank, tho Dvl‘i’lligt‘l‘ Daisy.

The Dude from Dciii'vi'.

Pinnacle Pete; 01‘. Tl!" Fool from Way Back.
Mn'or Sunshine. the Man of Three Lives,

Ha r Triggi-r Tom of RM lie-nil.

- Snapshot Sam: or. Thc Arizcls‘ Flat Racket.

‘ The Piper Detectiv»; or. The Gilt Edge Gang.
Royal Goor c. the Town in 0110.

356 Thr 9 Hum sonic Sfports; or, The Combination.
34-1 Double Shot Dave 0 the Lo‘ft Hand,

33% Derringer Dick. the Man with the Drop.

300 .1 Sport in Spectiu-lcs; or, Bad Time at Bunco.
268 Magic Mike. thc Man of Frills.

22!} Captain Cuisiccvc; or. The Little Sport.

214 The Two Cool Sports; or, Gertie or the Gulch.
19:3 The Lightning S )(ii‘[.

182 Hands Up; or, Tlie Knights of the Canyon.

1
J.

‘J

1
u.

525

5a.“.

' 160 Soft Hand. Sharp: 02', Tho Man with the Sand.

145 Pistol l’ards; or, The SilentSport from Cinnabar.

BY CAPT. FRED. WHIT'I‘AKER.
614 The Showman Detective; or. The Mad Magician,

609 The Texas Tramp; or. Solid Soul.
445 J ourne man John. the Champion.

412 La!- ‘ ke. the Man of Iron.
406 Old p Hicks. Showman.
878 John strong, Mechanic.

826 The Whitest Man in the Mines.
310 The Marshal of Satanstown; or. The League.
308 To -Notch Tom, the Cowboy Outlaw.
295 01 Cross-Eye. the Maverick-Hunter.
290 The Lost Corvette: or, Blakeli-y’s Last Cruise.
984 The Three Frigates; or. Old Ironsides’ Revenge.
277 The Saucy Jane. Privateer.
272 Seth Slocum. Railroad Surveyor.
265 Old Double-Sword; or. Pilots and Pirates.
A Yankee Cossack' 0r.The Queen of the Nihilists.
Aggwr Ike: or. The Swret of the Everglade.
T a 0: Devil: or, The Ski r oi the Flash.
The Flvinz Dutchman 01‘ 1 .
226 The Mad Bussars; or. The 0‘s and the Mac's.
215 Parson Jim. K1118 Of the Cowboys.
211 Colonel Plunger; or, The Unknown Sport.
206 One $0. the Cannoneer.
198 The n in Red: or The Ghost of the Old Guard.
187 The Death‘s 33...; em.
174 The Phantom night...
159 Red Rudiger. the Archer.
132 Nemo. King of the 
115 The Severed Head; 01‘. a Castle Coucy Secret.
108 The Duke of Diamonds.
93 The Rock Rider; or. The Spirit of the Sierra.
96 Double Death; or. The y of Wyoming.
09 The Irish Ca “in. A T of F ntenoy,
as The Bad ah; or. The Scourge of the Indies.
39 The Russian Spy; or. ThoStarry Cm“ Brothel...

mi 01.1. COOMls.

619 Kit Bandy & CO . the Bord"- m“

148 One-Armed Alt. the Giant nun...“ "3‘

137 Long Beardfiutihe Giant Spéhd .

0 Giant eman: or. Cam

:3 ad ROD. the BC Road-Afient. 

46 ldaho Tam. the oung Ou law of snwrhnd‘

46 Bowie-Knife Ben. the Nor'west Hunter.

44 Old Dan Rackback. the Great Emma...
- 48 Dakota Dan. the Reckless Ranger.

7 Death-Notch. the Destroyer. .

BY PHILIP s. WARNB.

in Adair. the Cattle King.
% again Midnight. the Man or Craft.
544 he k to Back Pards.
592 The sings!) Three.
509 Bareback ck. the Centaur ot the Plum,
4?" Si Foot 81' or, The Man to “ Tie To."
.431 editor-his iht. the Always on mm
404 Silver Bid; or A “ Daisy " Blui’l'.
380 Tiger Dick's Pied e: or, The Golden Serpent.
359 Yellow Jack. the cstlzo. .
338 Jack Sands. the Boss of the Town.
N9 Three of a Kind; orfiDick, Dana” and “188w”. I
280 Tiger Dick‘s Lone and. _
851 Tiger Dick vs. iron De ard.
W7. id Hard Head: or. “ rlwind and his mm,

W
247
242
$0

"'1 Dick. the Iriian olf'ihe iron Hen-t.
114 Gentl ,man roui ‘ife.
m A MMil 0! fierVe' or. Caliban the Dwarf_

54 Alwa on (i; or. The reporting Sport.
89 Tigerylgickgrfio ang; or. The Cashier's Crime.
4 The Kldnappeg; or, The Northwest Shouting,
1 A Hard Crow ; or, Gentleman Sam I Slater.
BY, ANTHONY P. MORRIS.
357 Jack Simona Damm-
w The Head Hunter; or, um; Magic in the line.
334 The Cl her Detective. .
818 Mark ll agic, Detective.

‘mil The Run ha of RichnIond.

988 Elcciro etc. the Man of Fire
zoo The. ked M ste ; or, 'rhé Buick Crescent.
238 Bank ound. he rescent City Detective-
u Spider; or. The Beautiful Sphinx.
Hanoi Steel. Tale of Love and Terror.
French Spy; or. The Bride of Paris.
W Tmhe‘fit. the Axman; or. The Palace Secrets-
5 . ,. “Finns; or, Hercules, Hunchback.

BY Pnor J n INGRAEAM
. I _ _ o o o 0
810 WWW” hunt: or. Child of the Sea.

BY CAPTAIN HO‘VARD HOLNIES-

612 Red Pard and Yellow.
608 Silent Sam the Shadow Sphinx.
592 Cu tain Si , the Shasta Ferret.
579 Ult Cormorant. the Bowery Shadow.
5139 Captain Cobra. the Hooded Mystery.
559 Danton. the Shadow Sharp.
550 Silk Hand. the Mohaw Ferret.
513 The Magnate Detective.
5'12 J not Javert. the independent Detective.
523 Rcynard of Red Jack: ,or. The Lost Detective.
512 Captain Velvct’s Big Stake.
505 Phil Fox. the Geutcel Spotter.
496 Richard R/ciihrc. the TWo Worlds’ Detective
487 Sunshine Sam. 9. Chip of the Old Block.
430 Hawkspear. the Man with a Secret.
4 -8 Coldgrip in Deadwood.
460 Captain Coldgrip. the Do-tective
453 Contain Coldiirrigs Long Trail.
447 Vocano. the 1 co Spy. 1
411 The California Sharp.
434 .uUL'lfel' Lynx. the \\ onder Detective.
21 Father Forret. the Frisco Shadow.
413 Captain Coldgrip in New York.
407 Captain Coldgrip’s Nerve: or. lniun Nick.
«100 Captain Coldzrip: or. The New \ork Spotter.
392 The Lost llouanza: or. The Boot of Silent Hound.
382 The Bonanza Band: or; Dread Don of Cool Clan.
314 Major Blister. the Sgort of Two Cities.
365 Keen Kennard. the hasta Shadow.
352 The Des rate Dozm.‘ ‘
347 Denver uke. tho Man with “ Sant ."
340 Cool Conrad. the Dakota. Detective.
3‘35 Flash Dan. the Nabob: or. Blades of Bowie Bar.
321 California Claude. the Lone Bandit.
291 Broadcloth Burt. the Denver Dandy.
278 Hercules Goldspur, the Man of the Velvet Hand.

BY CAPTAIN MARK WILTON.

323 Hotspur Hu 1:; or. The Banded Brothers.
311 Heavy Han : or. The Marked Men.

305 Silver-Plated Sol, the Montana Rover.

291 Horseshoe Hank. the Man of Big Luck.

235 Lightnin Bolt, the Canyon Terror.

276 Texai Ch ck. the Southwest Detective.

271 Stoneflst. of Big Nu get Bend.

266 Leopard Luke. the in of Horse—Thieves.
S33 iron-Armed Abe, the unchback Destroyer.
258 Bullet Head. the (Johnnie Bravo.

245 Barranca Bill the Revolver Cham ion

237 Long-Haired liiax; or. The Ble a e.
227 Buckshot Ben, the Man-Hunter of Ida )0.
223 Canyon Dave, the Man of the Mountain.

219 The Scorpion Brothers: or. Mad Tom‘s Mission.
202 Cactus Jack. the Giant Guide.

194 Don Sombrero. the California Road Gent.
176 Lady J aguar. the Robber Queen.

BY SAM S. IIALIP“ Buck-kin Sun.”

511 Paint Pete. the Prairie Patrol.

871 Gold Buttons' or. The Up Range Ford:

858 The Prince 0 Pan Out. ‘

842 Blanca Bill. the Mustang Monarch.

828 King Kent; or. The Bandits of the Boson.

822 The Crimson Coyotm; or. Nita, the Nemesis

809 Raybold. the Battling Ranger.

301 Bowlder Bill; or. The Man from Taos.

293 Stampede Stove: or, The Doom of the Double.
287 Dandy Dave and his Horse, White Stocking.

m The Merciless Marauders; or. Carl's Revenge.
278 Mountain 11 ose, the Gorge Outlaw.

969 The Bayou mo; or, The Temble Trail.

264 The Crooked Three.

$6 Double Dan. the Dastard; or. The Pirates.

250 The Rough Ridérs; or. Sharp-E e. the lfiourga.
214 Merciless Mart. the Man Tiger 0 Misso .

239 The Terrible Trlo- or. The Angel of the Army.
2-25 Rocky Mountain in; rr. The Walt of the Range.
221 Desperate Duke. the Guadeloupe “ Galoot."
917 The Serpent of El Paso; 0r, Frontier Frank.

212 The Brazos Tigers: or. Phr Minute Men.

W4 Big Foot Wallace, the Kin ot the Lariat.

199 Diamond Dick. the Dandy rom Denver. '

195 The Lone Star Gambler: 01‘. olia‘s Maid.
191 The Terrible Tonkawa ; or, Old k 's Pards.
186 The Black Bravo: or. e Tonkaway'a riumph.

178 Dark Dashwood. the Des to.
90 Wild Will, the Mad Kane era.
8 Kit Carson, Jr., the Crack Shot.

EY MAJOR DANGERFIELD 13033.
448 Hark Kenton. the Traitor.
139 The Phantom Mazeppa: or. The Hyena,
156 Velvet Face, the Border Bravo.
142 Captain Crimson. the Man 01' the iron Face.
117 Dashing Dandy; or, The Hotspur of the Hing,

- 98 Buflalo Bill. the Buckskin King.

BY COL. THOMAS H. MONSTEEY.

an Spring-Heel Jack: or, The Masked Mystery. .
*2 Fighting Tom. the nor of the Toughs.
230 Champion Sam: or; he Monarchs of the Show.

:3 Corporal Cannon. the Man of Forty Duels

Mourad, the Mameluke; or, The Three Sword

. masters.
150 El RubioBi-avo. Kin oi' the swordsmen.

148 The Czar-‘38 y: or. he Nihilist League
The Demon uclist: or, The Lea c or Steel.
Iron Wrist, the Swordmaster. g“ =

'EY MAJOR DA NIEL EOONE DUMON'I'.

573 The Witch of Shasta; or. The Mano! Cheek.
we Topnotch Tom. the Mad Parson.
464 Sandvcraw. the Man of Grit. '
454 The Night Raider. .
23% timing?” 3%“
e ver rt; or. A Man of Honor.
411 The White Crook? or, Old Hll'k'l Fortrea.
389 Colonel Double-Edge, the Cattle Baron'- Pad.
383 Silver Sam. the Detective. ‘ '

3

BY NED BCNTLI‘NE.

833 The Sea Spy. .
621 The Red Privateer; or. Thc Midshipman Rover.
584 Fire Feather. tho Buccaneer King.
51.~ Buffalo Bill's First Trail.
361 Tombstone llick. the: Train Pilot.
270 Andros. the Rover; or. The Piraie's Daughter.
1212 Saul Sabberday. the idiot Spy.

111 The Smuggler Captain; or. The Skipper‘s Crime.
61 Captain Seawaif. the l’rivat‘cr.

23 The Red Warrior; or. The Comanche Lover.

18 The Sea Bandit; or. The Queen of the Isle.

16 The White Wizard; or. The Seminole Prophet.
14 Thayendanegeadhe Scourge;or. The War-

BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS.
618 Kansas Karl. the Detective King.
552 Prince Primrose. the FIOWer of the Flock.
528 Huckli-bcrry, the Foot-Hills Detective.

BY DR. NOEL DUNEAB.
604 The Dctective in Rags; or, The Grim Shadow.

500 The True-Heart Pards. ‘
BY NE‘V’TON M. CURTISS-

254 Giant Jake. the Patrol of the Mountain.
120 The Texan Spy; or, The Prairie Gunde.

BY C. DUNNING CLARK.

183 Gilbert the Guide.
164 The King‘s Fool.

BY ISAAC HA‘WKS. [Ex-Detective.

240 A Cool Head: or. Orson Oxx in Peril.
232 Orson Oxx; or. The Rivar Mystery.

BY E. A. ST. MOX.

491 ll and Cutt. the Invincible Detectivet
471 The cart of Oak Detective.

BY EDWARD WILLE’I‘T.

483 Flush Fred. the River Shit“).

868 The Canyon King; or. a on on his Head.

346 Dan Dillon. King of Crosscut.

837 Old Gabe the Mountain Trams.

327 Terrapin hick. the Wildwood etcctive.

815 Flush Fred’s Double: or, The Squatters’ Loam
aos Hemlock Hank. Tough and True.

296 L'gger Lem; or. life in the Pine Woodl.

289 Flush Fred‘s Full Hand.

274 Flush Fred. the Mississip i Sport.

248 Montana Nat. the Lion 0 Last Chance Camp.
222 Bill the Blizzard; or. Red Jack‘s Crime.

209 Buck Farlev. the Bonanza Prince.

129 Mississippi Mose; or. a Strong Man's Sacriilu.

BY GEORGE C. JENKS.

572 Jaunty Joe, the Jockey Detecdve.
554 Mad Sharp. the. Bustier.

538 Rube Rocket. the Tent Detective.
526 Death-Grip, the Tenderfoot

50?" The Drummer Detective.

432 The Giant Horseman.

398 Sleepless Eye. the Pacific Detective.

BY PERCY B. 81‘. JOHN.
86 The Big Hunter: or. The Queen 01 tho Woods
57 The Silent Hunter.
BY WM. ,6. P I "EN.

641 Aztec Jack. the Dvscrt Nomad.

681 Colonel Cool, the Santa Fe Sharp.

602 Cu tain Nameless. the Mountain Mm.
571 Oli Dismal. the Ran e Detective.

545 Hustler Harry. the wboy Sport.

BY GEORGE ST. GEORGE.

417 Tucson Tom: or. The Fire'Trailegl.
296 Duncan, the Sea Diver.

MISCELLANEOUS.

566 The Dauntless Dcteciive: or, The Danni. 

Avenger. By Tom W.Kin . .

542 The Ocean Drift; or. The Fight for Two Linn.
By A. F. Holt.

534 Gram Mountain Joe: or. The Cauntertbiur'l
.Care. B ' Marmaduke Dey.

518 Brad] Ric and. the Thoroughbred. By J. W.

5 ion.

410 Sarah Brown. Detective. By K. F. Hill.

866 The Telegraph Detective. By George H. I!

833 Bart Brennan: or. The King of Straight

. Bv John Cuthbert.
850 Flash Falcon. Society Detective. By W. J. Cobb.

812 Kiiikfoot Karl. the Mountain Scourge. By lor- ' ‘

ris Rodvnng.
275 The Smuzgler Cutter. BYEJ. D. Conroy
261 Black Sam, the Prairie erbolt. Dy Oat.

Jo Yards.
190 The Three Guardsmen. B Alexander Duran.
179 Conrad. the Convict. By rot. Gildenleevo.
166 Owlrt. the Robber Prince. B S. R. Urbw.
158 The Doomed Down. By Dr. k Powell. -
152 Captain honncrve. the Counterfeiter (3th
146 The Doctor Detective. B George Lemuel.
144 ‘The HunchliackofNotn me. B VictorE‘...
140 The Three Spaniards. B (300. alker. .
188 Rod the Rover. By W am Carleton.
125 The locksmith Outlaw. By B. Ainsworth.
110 The Silent Rifleman. H. W. Herbert.
102 The Masked Band 3y 9 L. Aiken.
78 The Mysterious S y. By Arthur M. Gram '
33%;. elftll'sy'll‘raet 13 c tJFCM
e n p r. y ap . . . . on.

3 Wide Awakg. the gbber King. By P. Dumo‘.

B’ho
11 Mlds ipman Easy. ByCa tain MEWS“.
10 Vidocq. the French Police y. By him-alt.

..

 

can.
Flu-h, .-

By George Albany} 1 '

of Yale: or.Tlre Scrapes of Conan“ ‘

          
    
    
  
 

   
 
 

      
 

     

 

 

 

 
  

0

 Detective. The Flying Glim; or. The  era, is William met, New York. ,

1

~ ', 9. H 6 Andy. By Samuel Lover.
' 31:: mtg?! o" 029mm? giggglfén 3m BY Lnnn Lawn. 6 “31M. Bob. ByEdwam LWheeler. _,
. 11’ Th” 3"“ Mr: or. e'irroeboooen. m The Submarine Detrc'ivewr, The WatuGhouls. . 4 MD WW W Wednadav- H
" l  ’ ' “Yul-Mn. mourns. % giiptgli‘ Tfifilsél;“3.“i§:°§£m h  mu" “mu” h ‘O‘E'ilyhmbfl‘
 yum ,‘ v . e Ien 4 e: . 090'. .tencen peroopv orscn _:‘-_
l   wfl‘wu Detective. g The Demon Steer. . of. "once each. 313101.11: a Li) p} ; ’9‘

     

s

  

BEADLE’SrDIM

Published Ever’y lVednesday. Each Issue Complete and’Sold at the Uniform Price of Ten Cents. No Double Numbers.

 

BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR.

645 Gopher Gabe. the Unseen Detective.
636 Dandy Darling, Detective, .
627 Mossback MOSe, the Mountaineer.
617 The Grip-Sack Sharp‘s EVen u ).
597 Big Bandy, the Brigadier of Brimstone Butte.
588 Sandy Sands. the Sharp from Snap City.
576 Silver-Tongued Sid: or, Grip Sack Sharp‘s Sweep.
564 The Grip-Sack Sharp: or. The Seraphs of Sodom.
555 Grip-Sack Sid, the Sample Sport.

7 The Buried Detective; or. Soul‘s Six Sensations.
541 Major Magnet, the Man of Nerve.
Dandy Dutch. the Decorator from Dead-Lift.
Dandy Andy. the Diamond Detective.
Gabe Gunn. tile Grizzly from Ginseng.
504 Solemn Saul. the Sad iIan from San Saba.

495 Rattlepate Rob; or, The Roundhead‘s Reprisal.
486 The Thorou hbred Sport.

474 DaddlyoDea -Eye. the Dcsnot of Dew Drop.

466 Old ugh and Ready, the Sage of Sundown.
458 Dutch Dan. the Pilgrim from Spitzenberg.

450 The Rustler Detective. .

443 A Cool Hand: or. Pistol Johnny’s Picnic.

4 18 Oklahoma Nick.

433 Laughing Leo; or. Sam‘s Dandy Pard.

426 The Ghost Detective; or. The Secret Service Spy.
416 Monte Jim. the Blacx Sheep of Bismarck.

409 Rob Roy Ranch: or. The Imps of Pan Handle.
403 The Nameless Sport.

395 Deadly Aim. the Duke of Derringers.

387 Dark Dur . the Ishmael of the Hills.

379 Howling onathan, the Terror from Headwaters.
872 Captain Crisp. the Man with a Record.

367 A Royal Flush: or, Dan Brown‘s Big Game.

360 Jumping Jerry. the Gamecock from Sundown.

355 Stormy Steve. the Mad Athlete.

351 Nor' West Nick. the Border Detective.

845 Masked Mark. the Mounted Detective.

3‘39 Spread Eagle Sam. the Hercules Hide Hunter.

331 Chis a Charley. the Gold Nugget Sport.

324 Old orked Lightnin'r. the Solitary.

817 Frank Lighttoot. the Miner Detective.

302 Faro Saul. the Handsome Hercules.

292 Make Homer. the Boss Roustabout.

286 Pistol Johnny; or. One Man in a Thousand.

283 Sleek Sam, the Devil of the Mines.

257 Death Trap Diggings; or. A Man 'Way Back.

219 Elephant Tom. of'Durango.

241 Spitfire Saul. King of the Rustlers.

Z33 The Old lloy of Tombstone.

2m Pirate of the Pincers: or. Joaduln‘s Death Hunt.

197 Revolver Rob: or, The Belle 0 Nugget Camp:

180 Old ‘49: or. The Amazon 01' Arizona.

170 Sweet William. the Trapper Detective.

165 Joaquin. the Terrible .

154 Joaquin, the Saddle King.

141 E iiinox Tom. the Bul'y of Red Rock.

'127 So Scott, the Masked Miner.

119 Alabama Joe: or. The Yazoo Man-Hunters.

. 105 DanBrown of Denver: or. The Detective.
88 Big George; or. The Five Outlaw Brothers.

, 71 Captain Com Blade: or. Mississippi Man Shark.
67 The boy Joe-key: or, Honesty vs. Crookedness. '
64 Double-Sight, the Death Shot.

50 Jack Rabbit, the Prairie S rt.

47 Pacific Pete. the Prince 0 the Revolver.

45 Old Bull’s-E e, the Lightiiln Shot.

40 Long-Hal Pards; or. The arters of the Plains.
30 Gospel George; or, Fiery Fred the Outlaw.

28 Three-Fingered J ack. the Road-Agent.

BY JACKSON Knox-“old hawk.”

643 Castlemainc. the Silent Sitter.

616 Magnus. the Weird Detective.

606 The Drop Detective.

595 Wellborn, the Upper Crust Detective.

582 Joram. the Detectlfie Expert.

574 Old Falcon's Double. ’
561 The Thug King" or. The Falcon Detective’s Foe.
548 Falconbrit . the Sphinx Detective.

536 Old Falcon 8 Foe: or. The Detective’s Swell Job.
515 Short-Stop Ma e. the Diamond Field Detective.
509 Old Falcon. t e Thunderbolt Detective.

561 S ringsteel Steve. the Retired Detective.

494 eDetective‘s S y.

485 Rowlock. the Bar r Detective.

477 Dead-arm Brandt.

467 Mainwarlng. the Salamander.

462 The Circus Detective. ;

451 Grlplock. the Rocket Detective.

«A The to Detective: or. The Hidden Band.

424 Hawk eron's Deguty.
886 Hawk Heron. the alcon Detective.

Int WILLIAM H. MANNING.

646 Dark John, the Grim Guard.
688 Murdock. the Dread Detective.
623 Dangerous Dave the Never~Beaten Detective.
611 Alkai Abe the Game Chicken from Texas.
Rustler Ruhe' the Round-Up Detective. ’
Dan Dixon‘s uble. '
575 Steady Hand. the Na oleon of Detectives.
568 Wyoming Zeke, the Ho ur of Honey suckle.
551 G Kean. the Man wi 11 Backbone.
569 Old ubledark. the Wll Detective. ,.
581 Saddle-Chief Kit. the I’m rie Centaur.
521 Paradise Sam. the Nor‘-West Pilot.
518 Texas Tartar. the Man With Nine Lives.
506 Uncle Honest. the Peacemaker of Hornets’ Nest.
498 Central Pacific Paul. the Mall Train Spy.
492 Border Bullet, the Prairie Sharpshooter.
486 Kansas Kitten. the Northwest Detective.
479 Gladiator Gabe, the Samson of Smjwk.
470 The Duke of Dakota.
468 Gold Gauntlet. the Gulch Gladiator.
465 Yank Yellowbird. the Tall Hustler of the Hills.
449 Blui! Burke. King of the Rockies.
442 Wild West Walt. the Mount in Veteran.
43? Dee Duke: or, The Man of
427 The vals of Montana Mill
415 Hot Heart, the Detective SIN. .
405 Old Bald . the Brigadier 0 Buck Basin.
3 Will Die Turpin, the Mville Lion.

.997 Colorado Rube. the Stron Arm of Ho .
I79 The Gold Dragoon. or, California 810%6.

wo Lives.

 

 

  

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I

ErflBRARY.

I ,

‘I\..‘ ‘ I“ I . “NH

 

-. ...A- ._.. .. .,

BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAM.
6-10 The Rev 'r’s Retribution.

' 635 The Eli-Buccaneer; or, The Stigma of Sin.
. 630 The Sea Thief
* 625 Red Wings; o'r, The Gold Seekers of the Bahamas.

615 The Three nuccaneers.

610 The Red Flag Rover; or,\Vhite Wings of the Deep.
605 The Shadow Silver Ship.

600 The Silver Ship: or. The Sea Scouts of ’76.

593 The Sea Rebel: or. Red Rwers of the Revolution.
5‘37 Conrad. the Sailor Spy; or. True Healts of ’76.

581 The Olltlnwed Skipper; or. The Gantlet Runner. ‘

560 Tiledllali from Mexico.

553 Mark Monte. the Mutilleer; or. The Branded Brig. A

546 The Doomed Whaler; or. The Life Wreck.

540 The Fleet Scourge; or. The Sea Wings of Salem.
530 The Savnces of the Sea.

524 The Sea Chaser; or, The Pirate Noble.

516 Chatard, the Dead-Shot Duelist.

51!) El Moro. tht Corsair Commodore.

493 The Scouts of the Sea.

469 The Pirate Hunter; or. The Ocean Rivals.

482 Ocean Tramps ' or, The Desperadoes of the Deep.
476 Bob Brent.the uccaneei‘; or. the Red Sea Raider.
469 The Lieutenant Detective: or. the Fugitive Sailor.
457 The Sea Insurgent: or, The Conspirator Son.
446 Ocean Ogre. the Outcast Corsair.

435 The One-Armed Buccaneer.

430 The Fatal Frigate; or. Rivals in Love and War.
425 The Sea Sword; or. The Ocean Rivals.

418 The Sea Siren: or. The Fugitive Privateer.

399 The New Monte Cristo.

393 The Convict Caption.

888 The Giant Buccaneer: or. The Wrecker Witch.
377 Afloat and Ashore: or. The Corsair Conspirator.
373 Sailor of Fortune; or, The Barnegat Buccaneer.
369 The Coast Corsair: or, The Siren of the Sea.

364 The Sea Fugitive; or. The Queen of the Coast.
346 Ocean Guerrillas; or, Phantom Midshipman.

341 The Swa Desperado. .

336 The Magic Ship' or, Sandy Hook Freebooters.
825 The Gentleman Pirate; or. The Casco Hermits.
318 The Indian Buccaneer: or. The Red Rovers.
BO? The Phantom Pirate; or, The Water Wolves.

231 The Sea Owl: or. The Lady Captain of the Gulf.
259 Cutlass and Cross; or, the Ghouls of the Sea.
255 The Pirate Priest: ORTHC Gambler’s Dau hter.
246 new Helen, the Amazon of the Overlan .

235 .d Lightning the Man of Chance.

231 The Kid Glove Miner: or. The Magic Doctor.

224 Black Beard. the Buccaneer.

220 The Spectlr Yacht; or. A Brother's Crime. 1

216 The Corsair Planter: or. Driven to Doom.

210 Bucoaneer Bess. the Lioness of the Sea. '

205 The Gambler Pirate; or. Lady of the Lagoon.
198 The Skeleton Schooner; or The Skimmer.

164 File. Ocean Vampire; or. The Castle Heiress.

181 The Scarlet Schooner: or. The Sea Nemesis.

177 Don Diablo. the Planter-Corsair.

172 Black Pirate: or. The Golden Fetters Mystery.
162 The Mad Mariner: or, Dishonored and Disowned
155 The Corsair Queen: or, The Gypsies of the Sea.
147 Gold Spur. the Gentleman from Texas.

139 Fire Eye; or. The Bride of a Buccaneer.

134 Dal-key Dan, the Colored Detective.

131 Buckskin Sam. the Texas Trailer.

128 The Chevalier Corsair; or. The Heritatre.

121 The Sea Cadet; or The Rover of the Rigoletts.
116 Black Plume; or. The Sorceress of Hell Gate.
169 Captain Kyd. the King of the Black Flag.

104 Montezuma. the Merclless.

16‘} Merle, the Mutineer; or. The Red Anchor Brand.
94 Freelance. the Buccaneer. .

89 The Pirate Prince; or. The Queen of the Isle.

65 The Cretan Row-r' or. Zlileikall the Beautiful.

2 The Dare Devil; or, The Winged Sea Witch.

BUFFALO BILL NOVELS.

Numbers * are from the pen (y Butfalo Bill.
614 Bufl'alo Bill’s Bonanza.
‘639 The Gold King; or, Montebello. the Ma lflcent.
629 Daredeath Dick' or, Buffalo Bill‘s Da ng Role.
#599 The Dead Shot m... or My Pards of the Plains
517 Buffalo Bill‘s First Trail.
*414 Red Renard. the Indian Detective.
*401 One-Arllled Pard; or. Borderland Retribution.
*897 The Wizard Brothers: or, White Beaver’s Trail.
*394 White Beaver. the Exile of the Platte.
862 Buffalo Bill‘s Grip; or Oath Bound to Custer.
829 The Lea e of Three: or. Buflalo Bill‘s Pledge.
’319 Wild Bi . the Whirlwind of the West. »

o *804 Texas Jack. the Prairie Rattler.

‘248 The PI rim Sharlp: or. The Soldier‘s Sweetheart
189 Wild B l‘s Gold rail; or. .The Desperate Dozen
175 Wild Bill’s Trump Card: or. The Indian Heiress
168 Wild Bill. the Pistol Dead Shot.

92 Buflalo Bill. the Buckskin King.
'88 Gold Bullet Sport: or. Kni hts of the Overland.
'52 Death-Trailer. the Chic! 0 Scouts. ‘

BY J. c. cownnicn.

6% Ducats Dion, the Nabob Sport Detective.

612 Sheri! Stillwood. the Regulator of Raspberry.
5% The Dominic Detective. -

591 Duke Daniels. the Society Detective.

580 Shadowing a Shadow.

565 Prince Paul. the Postman Detective.

557 The Mountain Graybeards; or. Riddles’ Riddle.
519 Old Riddles. the Rocky Ranger

499 Twilight Charlie. the Road Sport.

473 Gilbert of Gotham, the Steel-arm Detective.

452 Rainbow Rob, the Tulip from Texas.

436 Kentucky J can. the Sport from Yellow Pine.

422 Blue Grass Burt. the Gold Star Detective.

390 The Giant Cupid: or Clbuta John‘s Jubilee.

BY COLONEL BELLE. SARA.

106 Shamus O‘Brien, the Bould Boy of Glingal.
87 The Scarlet Captain; or. Prisoner of the Tower.
58 Silver Sam: 01', The Mystery of Deadwood City.

A

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BY ALBERT 1V. AIKEN.

647 The Fresh of Frisco at Santa Fe.

637 Joe Pilenix in Crazy Camp.

632 Joe. I’llenix’s Master Search.

Joe Phenix‘s Combine.

620 Joe Phenix‘s Silent Six.

613 Keen Billy, the Sport.

607 Old Benzine. the “Hard Case " Detective
601 Joe Phenix’s Shadow.

594 lire Face, the Silver King’s Foe.

58.: The Silver Sharp Detective.

577 Tom 01' California.

570 llle Actress Detective; or, The Invisible Ha!
562 Lone Hand. the Shadow.

g

 556 Fresh. the Sport-Chevalier.

537 Blake, the Mountain Lion.

529 Tue Fresh in New York.

520 The Lone Hand on the Caddo.

497 The Fresh ili,Texas.

490 The Lone Hand in Texas.

475 Chill Chill. the. Chinese Detective.

465 The Actor Detective.

461 The Fresh on the Rio Grande.

440 The High Hor e of the Pacific. 1

424 The Lone Hand; or, The Red River Recreants.
419 The But of the Batter) :or. Joe l’henix. Detective.
408 Doc Grip, the Vendetta of Death.

391 Kate Scott. the Decoy Detective.

3'44 llljun Dick. DetectiVe: or. Tracked to New York.
361 The Gy sy Gentleillan: or, Sick Fox. Detective,
376 Black Seards; 01. The Rio Grande High Horse.
370 The Dusky Detective: or. l’ursued to the End.
363 Crowningshield. the Detective

354 Red Richard: 0i The Crimson Cross Brand.

349 Iron-Hearted Di: 1:. the (Jelltll'nlan RoawAcent.
320 The Genteel Spotter; or The N. Y. Night Hawk.
25': The Wall Street Blood; 01'. The Telegraph Girl.
203 The Double Detective; or,Tlle Midnight Mystery.
196 La MarmosM, the Letective Queen.

173 California John the Pacific Thoroughbred.

161 The Wolves of New York: or. Joe Phenix‘s Hunt;

' 130 Captain Volcano or. The Man of Red Revolvers.

112 Joe Phenix. Private Detective.

107 Richard Talbot. of Cinnabar.

101 The Man from New York.

97 Bronze Jack. the California Thoroughbred.

93 Captain Dick Talbot. King of the Road.

91 The Winning Oar: or. The Illllkf’t‘élel‘T Daughter.
84 Hunted Down: or. The League 0 Three.

81 The Human Tiger: or. A Heart of Fire.

79 Joe Phenix. the Police Spy. '

77 The Fresh of Frisco: or. The Heiress.

75 Gentleman George: or. Parlor. Prison and Street.
7-: The Phantom Hand: or, The 5th Avenue Heiress.
63 The Winged Whale: or. The Red Rupert ot Gulf.
59 The. Man from Texas; or, The Arkansas Outlaw.
56 The Indian Mazeppa; or; Madman or the Plains. ‘
49 The Wolf Demon; or. The Kanawha Queen.

42 The California Detective: or, The Witches 0! NY.
41 Gold Dan: or, The White Sava e of Salt Lake.
66 Velvet Hand; or. Injun Dick’s ron Grip.

36 Injun Dick: or. The Death~Sllot of Shasta. .

35 Kentuck the Sport: or. Dick l‘albot of the Mines.
34 Rocky Mountain Rob. the California Outlaw.

83 Owrland Kit: or. The id 1 of White. Pine. .

31 The New York Sharp; or. he Flash of Li§btnmg.
27 The Spottdr Detective: or. Girls of New ork.

LATEST AND NEW ISSUE.

648 Gold Glove Gid. the Man of Grit: or. Desperate
Durg's Desperate Scheme. By Wm. G. Patten.

649 Buck Taylor. the Saddle King' or The IMO
Raugers‘ League. By Col, Prentiss lngrahamu .

650 Lucky Lester’s Lone Hand ; or Uncle Bed Rock's
Queer Game at Ginger Flat. By Wm. R._Eyster.

651 Silvertip Steve the Sk Scraper from Sisklyou.
By Joseph E. Badger, r.

652 Jackson Blake, the Bouncer Detective. By A.

. ken ' ‘

3 h Lasso Ki '3 League. Acom anion Story-
65 35 3Buck Tayl‘ogr. the Saddle King.‘ By Colonel

Prentiss Ingraham T .
654 801 Sphinx. the Ferret Detective; or. The Seven.
Secrets. By Capt. Howard Holmes. in
655 StraWberry Sam, the Man with the Birth ark;
Or. The War-Clan of Lucifer Annex. ByWilllun
H. Manning. _ Th
656 Old Plug U l ', the Rough Md Bead ' 91'. e
gist Stroke if the Land Sharks. By William G.
atten .
657 Long Tom, the Privateer. By Ned Buntline.
658 The Cowboy Clan; or, The Tigress of Texas. By
Col. Prentiss Ingr'aham.
659 Gilt-Edge Johnny; or, Roldan and His Rovers.
y Wm. Ey er. J k
h in Montana: or. ackson Bis e‘s Full
660 £73.31? {gnardtack By Albert W. Aiken.
66 G t-There She. : or. Grip-sack Bid at Rocky
1 glollidrt. By 308- Badger. Jr.
662 The Jew Detective: or, The Beautiful Convict.
By Col. Plentlss Ingraham.

' 668 The Giant Sport; or, Sold to Satan. By Wm. G.

Patten.
1: More the Man-Hunter- or. The Trail of
6“ ggnBandit abob. By Capt. Howard Holmes.
Ready July 15. .

665 The Frisco Detective; or, The Golden Gate Find.
Bv Albert W. Aiken.

Ready July 22.
A new issue every Wednesday.

Beadle’s Dime Library is for sale by 611‘
Newsdealers, ten cents per chpy. or sent by mail on
receipt of twelve cents each. _

BEADLE AND XDAMS, Pummns, ' 
' ‘ 98 William SM New York. I

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