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Copyrighted. 1886, by Emma: AND ADAMS. Entered at the Post Ofﬁce at New York, N. Y., as Second Class Mail Matter. Feb. 10. 1885.

 
., P blished Weekl b Beadle and Adams ,
VOL IXI ﬂg’zfgng- u No. 98 WXLZIAMyST" NEW YORK. ’ Fi‘gr‘gcéltﬁ- NOI 

 
HE “H I“ mum H] II |
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‘ f"   ‘ 14

“BY THE BRANDED HAND!" AND ALVARhZ, SLOWLY AND WITH A FEROCIOI'S LOOK UPON HIS
FEATURES, HELD L'P HIS HAND.

 
2 7 . ' ' The Branded Hand.

 
 Branded Hand;

THE MAN P}: MYSTERY.

‘ BY FRANK DUMONT,
AUTHOR or “ VJIDE—AVVAKE,” “MARKED FOR
LIFE,” “IN THE WEB,” are, are.

CHAPTER I.

THE GIRL srowawnr FINDS A PROTECTOR.

THE ﬁrst rays of the morning sun were vainly
endeavoring to pierce the lowering clouds that
a brisk wind was scattering to and fro. The
waters of the Gulf of Mexico were rolling in
foamvcovered billows, and occasionally the wind
» lashed them into fury. It was the last struggle
of the terriﬁc tempest that had swept the Gulf
throughout the night; and, in fact, for several
days previous the storm—ﬁend had ruled with
despotic sway over the waste of waters.

A large vessel was seudding before the wind,
and her canvas and riggiuo‘ displayed the havoc
of the midnight tempest. The deck was littered
with the debris of the storm, and her crew were
busily; engaged in putting things ship-shape. A
trem ling negro stood near the cabin, grasping
a saucepan and about to descend the steep
stairwa . Every lurch of the ship threatened
to hurl him head—first into the cabin below.

Some expression uttered by the chattering
black had evidently awakened the derision of
the sailors, for a loud burst of laughter greeted
the Ethiopian as he staggered toward the stair~

way.

“ Dat’s right, laugh! laugh! he! he! be! You
won’t believe me. will you? I tell you dat dis
ole ship is ha’nted, and youlcan’t deny it! I’se
heerd stranga sounds and noises eb‘ry night for
a week, and I seed a real live ghost down in de
cellar of de ship, when I went to get some
’taters. It had eyes like a elephant, and horns
like dat gem’man has dat bosses de brimstone
foundry. Dat ghost said: ‘Washington Jones,
leff dem ’taters be!’ ”

Another burst of laughter greeted the negro’s
Words, and a violent lurch of the vessel ﬂung
him half-Way down the steep stairs. Nothing
daunted, he crept up again.

“ All right. mister sailor mans,” he exclaimed:
. "you see for yerselves how stormy it has been

a1 dc week. Nufﬁn’ but thunder and lightning,
Dat’s a. bad sign—bad sign,”

day. and night.
“Dar‘s a ‘ Jonah’ on

said he, with a shudder.
dis ship-«7'

Before Washington Jones could finish the
sentence a huge wave struck the vessel, and the
shock sent the negro headlong down the stair-
way. There was a sound of broken crockery
and tin pans, as the darky landed in their
I midst and ﬂoundered about, striving to regain

, his feet. He did not return to the deck, but
satisﬁed himself by clinging to every available
support to avoid another catastrophe. A roar
of laughter greeted the negro’s precipitate de-
scent into the stairway. '

A stout, villainous— ooking personage stand-
inﬁat the rail, came forward at this juncture.

is face was partially hidden by the sandy

 
beard that ornamented the lower part of his
countenance, and the ﬁerce mustache that cov-
ered the upper lip. Cold, restless gray eyes
twinkled beneath eyebrows that joined each
other above a ﬂat nose. The eyebrows gave his
features a. perpetual scowling aspect. He was
attired in a rough pea-jacket, and wore a vest
and pantaloons of a dark blue material. .

This person was Jasper Daniels, the second in
command of the vessel and noted for his brutal-
ity to the mixed crew of the ship.

“The nigger is right!” said he. “There is
something wrong. Look there!” and he pointed
out several ﬂoating objects that glistencd in the
straggling sunbeams. “Icebergs! and I’ll war-
rant you’ve never seen them in these waters
before. We make no headway because we have
been blown out of our course. There is a
‘J onah’ on board of the Sea Serpent!”

“Overboard with the Jonah. Toss him into
the sea l” yelled the excited men.

“Wait until you have discovered who it is,
and when you do, cast him overboard, or we
are all lost,” said Jasper.

‘A hoarse shout of rage escaped from the crew
and the swarmed down into the hold to search
and ho d a consultation. The words of the
negro had awakened a strange suspicion. The
ghost seen by the darky corresponded with a
strange form that had ﬂitted on board when
the vessel was about to depart. Jasper sur-
mised that a stowaway had secured a hiding-
place in the hold, and that the negro had prob-
ably seen the person, and his terror pictured it
as a ghostly visitor. As the cargo of the vessel
was of a peculiar nature, Jasper concluded that
if there was a stowaway in the hold, he was
there for other reasons than a passage. By
appealing to the crew and denouncing the hid- '
den person as the J onah~or rather the cause of
the ale and ill-luck—he could have the ship
searc ed and the intruder discovered. At any
other time the sailors would have shielded a
poor Stowaway from the brutal mate’s wrath,
but by picturing the terrors and laying the
same upon any person, the superstitions Span-
iards, Portuguese and Mexicans forming the
crew would rend the unfortunate “Jonah”
limb from limb.

“ Superstitions set,” said Jasper, with a hol-
low laugh; “but we need that kind for our
business. We have arms and ammunition for
the Mexican Government, but I dare say that
Captain Alvarez would sell the cargo to either
faction that could produce. the coin. Some folks
would call that queer business. If our few
passengers only knew of the powder stowed
beneath this deck !”

The negro’s face, spattered with ﬂour, appear-
ed at the stairway, and his teeth chattercd/like
a pair of castanets “Don’t talk about ’pow—
derI I feel as if I war sitting on a bomb-shell.
S’pose somebody was to drop a match down
dar! ’Way goes de whole lot ob us like sky—
rocketSI”

As if to echo the darky’s moan of terror
came a wailing voice from the cabin—a pecu- .
liar voice with a strongr Hibernian accent. The
next moment a wiry little 'ﬁgure came forth,
pale, and unsteady upon his feet. clutching a,
brandy ﬂask with one hand and holding the,

 
.’ The Branded Hand. , 3

 
railing with the other.
side of the vessel.

“ Arrah, wurra wurra! bad luck to ould Nep—
tune and the Whole family of him] Why did
I come aboard again whin we stopped at dry
land, a week ago? Here I am sick and the
sailors grinning at me, and meself a—rolling and
creeping on my hands and knees like a sick cat.”

“Why don’t you eat some fat pork and cab-
bage?” shouted the negro.

“ Hould on there, ye black-faced thafe! Don’t
you spake of anything gr’asy to me!" gasped
the Irishman. “Oh! why did I come out wid
Master Richard to see dirty ould Mexico—oh!”

A violent lurch of the vessel knocked the
Hibernian off his feet, and a Wave deluged him.
Sputtering and blinded by the water, he arose
and clutched at the nearest stationary“ object to
steady himself.

“I say, captain can’t you do somethin to
steddy the ship? ure’s my name’s Phelim c—
Namara, I’ll die on board of your ould tub.
Oh dear, what’ll I do?”

Phelim had scarcely ceased his wailing, when
a robust form emerged from the cabin. The
person was short and exceedingly fat. Like
the Irishman, his face was of a deathly pallor,
caused by the motion of the vessel. To add to
the comical appearance of the stout personage,
he wore a white night—cap and bore several large
sausages.

He made tremendous dives to grasp at every
object to refrain from falling or prevent being
hurle to the deck.

“Oh, vot is do matter mit dot ships?” he
groaned. “Oh, let me get out and I vill valk
home!”

“Take away them ould sausages! The sight
0’ them makes me sicker,” cried Phelim, and
ﬁnding a secure place he held on while, upbraid-
ing the stout German for exposing the sausages
to his view.

Jas er was about to enter the cabin when a
tall, ark man emerged from it. His swarthy
features were shaded by a broad felt hat. A
black mustache shaded thin lips that partially
disclosed gleaming white teeth—teeth not unlike
the fangs of a wolf. It was Alvarez, the com—
mander of the vessel.

“Captain!” exclaimed Jasper.

“Ah! Pleasant weather, after all,” said the
dark personage, with a cruel smile as if the sun~
beams were unwelcome.

“Yes. captain. But See! Yonder are a few
icebergs,” and Jasper pointed out the glittering
mass on the horizon.

“J aspcr, bring my glass!”

The mate entered the cabin to secure the in-
strumeut.

“Bring me von glass, too!" shouted the Ger-
man, endeavoring to cross over to the lurboard
side and join the captain.

Jasper returned from the cabin and placed the
telescope in the hands of the captain,’who took
along and searching sweep of the horizon.

“ Say, captain, I don’t vos know. how to
swim,” whiued the obese passenger, tw1rhng the
sausages nervously.

“ I say captain, couldn’t’y<> tell the feller at
the whee beyant to drive the shi over where

He staggered to the

r the weather isn’t so rough?” And helim clutch-

 
ed the rail and attempted to attract Alvarez’s
attention.

Neither Jasper nor the captain took the slight—
est notice of the two sea-sick passengers, and the
German and the Irishman cursed them roundly
in their mother tongue.

Alvarez handed the telescope to Jasper, who
continued observing the icebergs, while the cap—
tain walked forward and gazed upon the broad,
rolling expanse of Waters.

I must abandon this life,” his thoughts took
form. “Why should I risk so much when I
can remain in Mexico in comfort? I hold docu-
ments that will secure a fortune whenever I
choose to claim it. Although blood has been
shed to obtain them, yet no living being can
point to me and accuse me. The estates were
willed to an only child, and I was appointed the
guardian. In case of the child’s death the for-
tune was mine. In an evil moment I dyed
these hands with my friend’s blood and securing
these papers, placed the little girl on a strange
vessel sailing for South America. One stroke
of the knife and a fortune was at my disposal.
It was not my ﬁrst crime, for the cursed brand
of a felon was scared in my ﬂesh—a mark that
1 will carry to my grave.”

A loud shout arose from the depths of the
hold and the stamping of feet rcsoundcd as of
a body of men pursuing some object. Then
came a thrilling scream—a, woman’s scream of

fright.

little form bounded upon deck from the

companionwuy, and close Leliind hcr came the

infuriated sailors in pursuit. Alvarez remained
assive and watched the proceeding from the
ow.

“What’s this?” cried Jasper, as the girl and

the sailors appeared on deck. ’ ,

“A stowaway! We found her and she’s the
Jonah!” cried the foremost sailor, and several
rushed forward to seize her.

The girl screamed and eluded the rufi‘an. ,-

As she rushed toward the cabin a stalwart '
young man suddenly emerged from it and the .
girl was caught in his extended arms. One blow
from his ﬁst struck the nearest pursuer and the
ruﬂian fell headlong to the deck.

CHAPTER II.
YOUNG AiiriaicA AND ERIN GO BRAGH.

THE swarthy sailors drew back, and a cry of
rage burst from their lips.

The young man who had rushed from the
cabin at this critical moment held the girl in his
arms, and his ﬂashing eyes told of the indigna-
tion that welled up from his heart,

“Oh, save me, sir, or they will kill me!" said
the shrinking form as she crept ncn rerio him, to
avoid the scowling circle of {ems that glared
both upon the girl and her res rue-r.

.“ Look up! You are safe! Sailors attacking
a woman! Shame on you! I thought you were
men!” cried the youth, bitterly. -

The ruﬁian known as J usper stepped forward,
and his harsh voice commanCed silence as he ad-
dressed the girl’s companion.

“ She’s a. spy and a stowaway. I won’t have
her on this vessel!” he declared.

“ She’s a Jonah!” chimed in several sailors.

“ Don’t let them harm me!” pleaded the girl in ..

 
The Branded Hand. 5

 
check them. “ I have but one object in life—-to
ﬁnd the murderer. I have wandered for yrars
——-Sometimes close to the obiect of my search, and
again at times far away. But I feel and know
I shall yet meet him late to face.”

“ And you have never seen this man—the mur-
derer of your father?” queried Richard.

At this moment the evil face of Alvarez up-
pcarcd behind the must and the eyes of the lis-
tener were ﬁxed upon the young couple standing
not a dozen feet away and his ears dratk in
every word they uttered.

“On the ni rht of the crime,” continued El-
dora, “I hear my father’s cry of help. Child
as I was I rushed to his assistance. I seized the
masked assassin by the arm and as he threw me
ande I saw by the lightning’s ﬂash through the
window, deeply imprinted in the palm of his
hand, the letter A.”

A suppressed cry reached the ears of the
young couple. Both turned, but failed to dis-
cover the crouching form, behind the mast,
whose pallid features were concealed by its
shadow.

“ The letter A—that is a clew,” said the young
American. “It was the custom years ago, in
these countries, to brand criminals—to bum a
letter in their arm or brow. Very often in the
palm of the hand. The letter A signiﬁes “ As-
sassin.” ’

Again the mufﬂed cry from the direction of
the mast, and Alvarez’s eyes were ﬁxed upon
the palm of his hand.

“ ’Tis she!“ be grasped. “Since that fatal
night the ravages of the small—pox have furnished
a mask for my features. I am safe While I keep
this accursed mark concealml.” And he glided
silently and unobserved to the cabin.

Instead of entering the cabin, however, Alva-
rez paused, and placing a silver whistle to his
lips blew a shrill blast upon it that brought
Jasper and the motley crew to his side. He
led the way toward the young couple. They
followed at his heels like a swarm of hungry
curs.

“ There stands the person you see 3‘ said he,
pointing to Eldora. ‘ She is a spy You know
the nature of our cargo! Cast her into the
sen !”

A wild yell came from each throat, and the
swarthy, boarded rufliuns prepared again to
rush upon the American and his charge.

“ Cowardsl would you murder/this trembling
girl? You, sir—you call yourself captain of
this vessel, and yet you order your men to lay
violent hands upon a woman? . ouch her if you
dare and I’ll spatter your brains upon the mast
of this vessel!” and Richard drew a polished
wen )on and cocked it.

“ ‘liis vesz is mine,” warned ~Alvarez; “ I
am master here; to disobey is mutiny!”

" You may be master of your ship and the
dogs that now surround you, but you are not
my master! This girl is under my promction.
Remember I am a passenger and claim my
rights as such! Approach me at your .ril.”

“Make ready a rope for our American gen-
tleman l” ordered Alvarez; “ I’ll hang him from
the yard-arm I"

“ Villain! Pirate!" said Richard, with a
withering look, “ I defy you!”

 
Several dark forms had crept behind the
young American unobserved, and as he uttered
the deﬁance the treacherous Scoundrels sprung
upon him, and although he fought like a. tiger
hls hands were secured.

A group with loaded pistols stood at the
cabin door to prevent Phelini and Carl from
interference.

“Make the battle an equal one!” called out
Richard. “Let us meet each other face to face.
I dare youl” . '

Alvarez presented a pis‘ol at Richard’s
temple. “I’d $0de a bullet into your brain
onlyI wish to see you dangle from the yard-
arm. Slip that rope around the brave Ameri-
can’s Dec !” commanded the villain), with a
sneer.

The rope encircled his throat and the ruﬂians '
seized the end of it with yells of satisfaction.

 
CHAPTER III.
IN THE VERY JAWS or DEATH.

THE piratical-looking ruﬂians eagerly awaited
the signal of their leader to launch the young
American into eternity.

With clasped hands Eldora watched the pro-
ceedings, and prayed for Richard‘s safety. A
ﬁgure crept out of the hatchway and glided
into a mass of cordage and rent sails, just as
“ Sail ho!” was shouted by a hoarse voice from
the larboard side of the vessel.

Alvarez bounded to the rail and his eyes
rested upon the approaching sail.
cannon loaded and ready for use?” he shouted.

“Ay, loaded with grape and canister!“
cried Jasper, as he rusth toward a black can—
non mountcd near midship. It was upon a
swivel, and its black muzzle swept the four
points of the compass at the gunner’s will.

“ String up the American, and then we’ll
attend to this sail!” shouted Alvarez.

Eldora bounded toward the captain and sunk
upon her knees at his feet. ‘8 are him-—
cast me into the sea, but do not
she cried. -

“ Out of my way, girl! you plead in vain.”
Alvarez’s face scowlcd malignantly upon the
kneeling ﬁgure, as if he would hunl her from
his path. ,

“Arise, Eldora! Knee] not to that brute,”
said Richard. “ I will show them how an
American can meet death—”

“ Haul away on that rope!” yelled Alvarez. '

The rufﬁans seized it with a will, and the
youth's feet had barely left the deck when the
form that crouched in the debris leaped‘ for-
ward, and with a keen knife severed the rope
with one sweeping blow. ‘

In an instant Richard’s arms were free. and a
pistol was placed in his grasp, while Phelim—
for it was he who had severed the rope—seized
an iron bar.

The astonished rufﬁans stood petriﬁed for an
instant, but Alvarez’s voice called them to their ’
senses.

“ Cut them down—no uarter!” hehowled. and
sprun like aninfuria beast attheAmeiican.

Pheiim hurled his iron her right and left, cleav—
ing a passage through the swarth ruﬂians.

Ric ard’s pistol cracked as varez darted

arm him!”

..

“Is the r‘

 
4

 
piteons tones, as she turned her pale but beauti—
ful face toward her protector.

r “ They will not harm you. I will protect you
with my very life! He who lays a ﬁnger upon
you will answer to me for the act.”

Hardly had the words issued from the lips of
.~ [the young American, when Jasper drew a war-

dereus-looking knife, and in a voice choking
with passion, he cried:

, “ Down with him, lads, if he interferes. Seize
the girl!” ‘

“Stand back, cowards! The ﬁrst that ap—
proaches me will he a bleeding corpse upon this
deck. I am an American, and I protect a lady
in distress wherever I find her, and against all
odds, and against all such cut-throats as now
' opﬁose me.”

ven while speaking, he gently placed the
irl at his side and faced the murderous circle

t at encompassed him.

“Down with the Americano!” yelled the
scowling villains, drawing still nearer.

: “Oh, do not quarrel with them,” besought
’ the girl as she saw the gleam of weapons in the
hands of the lawless men; “ they will kill you.”

“I have faced death too oftm to allow these
blustering ruiﬁans to frightenmo. Cling to
me; I will protect you,” and the young Ameri-
cnn’s hand sought a concealed pocket Within his

* (coat.

“Surrender!” cried Jasper, “for we‘re all
against one,”

“ That’s a lie for you!” cried Phelim, stagger—
ullf over from th: bulwark of the vessel. “ Yer
a. against two, for I’m taking a hand in this
circus. I’m wid you. Master Richard!”

The Irishman removed his coat and gave vent
to a wild “hurroe.” “ Who’ll tread on the tail
ov me coat?” he cried. “We’re two against
the whole cowardly pack!”

“Stop Von leetle! Ve vas dree against de
Whole pack of cards!” shouted the stout German,
waddlingr over and flourishing his sausages.
“Go in, Irish! I’m mit youI Look out; I’ll
shoot you mit a bolognie revolver!” and the
stout Teuton pointed the sausage at the sailors
to intimidate them, and capered about to add
emphasis to the threat.

“ Fools!” hissed Jasper; “ your blood be upon
your own heads! Down with them, boys; no
quarter!”

With an angry shout resembling the yelp of
hungr wolves. the sailors rushed forward and
a ham —to-hand conﬂict ensued. ' Richard grast
ed Jasper and sent the rufﬁan reeling to the
deck with one well—directed blow that brought
blood from his nose and mouth.

Carl Stopelheimer, the obese German. ﬂoun-
dered into the midst of the ruf‘ﬁans and lll'lll-
aged to trip one. and when the sailor lav upon the
deck Carl seated himself upon the prostrate vil-
lain and pounded him With the hard sausage.
Phelim struck out right and left with as much
energy as he would have exhibited at Donny-
.brook Fair. , ‘

v‘ When Jasper fell headlong to the deck, a
heavy revolver dropped from a hidden recep-
tacle and rolled to the girl’s feet. In an instant
she had seized it and as the radian sprung to
his'feet, he rushed forward with a brutal oath

y '1 ‘upon his‘lips. He started back as if he had re‘

The Branded Hand.

 
ceived the bite of an adder for the muzzle of
the revolver was directed at his forehead, the
girl’s ﬁnger upon the triggerl Her eyes Were
dilated with excitement. Jasper read deter—
mination in her looks and his hand sought the
missing pistol.

A tall commanding form glided quickly be-
tween the combatants and his voice arose above
the shouts It was the captain of the Sea Ser~
pentuAlvare-z. ,

“ What is the meaning of iliis tumult?” said
he? in a. voice trembling with passion.

‘It means that we found a stowaway,” an-
swered Jasper, “and that American interfered.
He has struck me. but his me Will pay the pen~
alty of that blow.”

“ Leave all to me,” commanded Alvarez, in a
low whisper to Jasper. “I will give you a
chanceto retaliate in a short time. Take the
men forward.”

VVithOut a. murmur the lowvhrowed villain
led the sailors away from the spot and they
gathered in a group 011 the. forward part of the
vessel, while Carl and Phelim descended into
the cabin. , .

Alvarez approached the young American.

“ I will look into this affair, sir,” he said,
“ and have the ringleaders punished. They
owe you an apology, and you will receive it,
rest assured!”

The latter part of, the sentence was spoken
somewhat sharp, and in a tone of voice that
aroused the young man from his semi~rcverie
caused by the mute look of appeal that rested
upon the girl's features as Alvarez approached.

But, ere Richard could reply, the dark man
had turned and entered the cabin.

“ You have saved my life! Tell me how I can
thank and bless you,” she murmured.

“Do not mention thanks to me, my poor'
tremblinglittle one. Look up! The danger is
past. I have merely performed my duty as a
man in protecting you from the attack of ruf-
ﬂans. Tell me what is your name?”

“ Eldora !” replied the girl.

“Eldoru! A very retty name,” said Rich-
ard. “Now tell me 10W came you tobe con—
cealed in the hold of this vessel?”

“ When this vessel was in port, a week ago, I
silently stole on board and concealed myself: in
the ho d. I had ‘no money to pay for my pas-
sage and I wished to reach Mexxco—for a secret
purpose. I can trust you for you are a friend.
I am the daughter of a patriot, long Since in his
vrave, sent there by the hand of a cowardly as—
sassin.”

“And you are a spy in the service of the pa;

'triot cause of Mexico?” demanded the young

man in a low whisper.

“ Yes; but let me tell you all; I was but a
child When my dear father fell by the hand of
one who professed to be his dearest friend. This
man had the care of the documents concerning
our estates. One night this false friend slew my
father and robbed him of these papers. I was
placed upon a, strange vessel outward hound.
When I again ventured to my native country, I
was trematodes an adventuress and an impostor,
The villain held the papers and I was an outcast
-alinost a beggar.” '

Tears ﬁlled the sad eyes and she paused to

 
rue-1 9:.“

e The Branded Hand.

 
- [toward him and the villain‘s arm fell, limp at

his side.

Jasper wielded a cutlass and like a ﬁend he at-
tacked Phelim who defended himself with his
iron bar.

Richard soon found himself surrounded by a
dozen yellow-faced Portuguese and Greasers,
with gleaming knives upraised against him.

The revolver cracked spitefully several times,
and at each report a form tumbled to the deck

. and writhed in death agonies.

Alvarez saw the girl’s champion occupied by
the sailors and the villain was quick to reach
Eldora’s side and prevent her from rejoining
Richard. «

“Make no cﬁ‘ort to elude me or you die upon
the spot,” he shouted.

His face was distorted by the pain of his
wounded arm, and by the ﬁerce passion that
was consuming him.

Rapidly was the sail approaching the Sea

' Serpent, and Jasper sought to end the combat

immediately.

Alvarez gras d the shrinking girl and his
voice fairly stil ed her beating heart. His very
touch almost rendered her senseless. Her eyes
sought the form of her protector. She saw Rich—
ard defending himself from a circle of armed
rufﬁans who drew nearer to him every moment.
The contest was raging in the forward part of
the vessel.

One look at the scene of action and the slum—
boring courage was aroused within her. he
freed herself from Alvarez’s grasp and ere he
could realize her intentions she had gained the
side of the cannon and assed behind it.

With one supreme e ort she turned the n
and directed the muzzle toward the strugg ing
group forward. She seized the string and the
hammer raised; Alvarez shrunk back confused]
Her voice, like a shrill trumpet blast. reached
the ears of the struggling youth.
sir, and you are saved!”

In a moment he comprehended the situation
and was at her side. A roar of consternation
and dismay broke from the bafﬂed villains as
they saw Richard: elude them and join the
ﬁgure behind the cannon. They saw the black
gaping muzzle of the loaded gun pointed directly
toward them and their hands fell powerless to

' v their sides.

The gun swept the deck and there was no
chance of avoiding the storm of gra )e and
canister that the iron weapon would bolc forth
if the hammer descended upon the percussion-

cap. , ‘

T66 girl held the string, but a hundred
chanCes were against her. Her uncertain ﬁngers
might fail to draw the hammer with sufficient
strength. Jasper saw this chance, and quickly
seized upon it.

“Down with her, boys! The cannon is not
loaded, and she cannot handle it anyway!”

A chorus of wild shouts followed Jaspcr‘s
voice, and tho scowling ruflians came dashing
forward, uttering cries that resembled the
shrieks of b iﬂizul savages. ‘

Eldorn. pulled the string; a blinding ﬂash

leapol from the gun’s muzzle; a deafening roar

——-a terriﬁc explosion that seemed to rend the
vessel in‘twain, and make every timber shiver

“ This way, I

 
and groan. A storm of missiles swe t the deck
and an appallianl cry came ,from t e mangled
forms that rolle and writhed upon the blood—
stained ﬂoor.

The sulphurous smoke was wafted aside by the
breeze, and the scene of carna e Was exposed to
View. The deck was litterc with splintered
timber, and the prostrate bodies of the sailors
lay among the dead and dying. At the same
moment a lurid ﬂame burst from the compan—
ionway, and a Wreath of smoke curled upward.
The vessel was in ﬂames!

Nearer drew the vessel that had been descrierl
from the larboard side.

Richard gazed among the dead and the Fur-
vivors. but failed to discover either Jasper or
the villainous captain of the Sea Serpent. Both
had vanished.

“There he goes, bad ’cess to him! May Ould
Nick ﬂy away wid him i”

A small boat was driftingr away from the
doomed vessel, and in this craft was Alvarez anzl
his confederate, Jasper. The burning vessel and
the clouds of smoke hid the escaping villains
from those upon the ship, and also from those
upon the approaching vessel.

Alvarez had ﬁred the craft, and in seizing
upon the only boat, had, in company with his
partner in guilt, escaped from the burning and
now sinking vessel.

Phelim’s uick eyes had detected the yawl
as it drifte away upon the crest of ‘the dark
waves, and the Irishman ﬁred a harmless shot
after the escaping wretches.

Clouds of thick black smoke now hung like a
canopy over the ill—fated Sea Serpent. and the
cries of the wounded men made the scene
hideous. Flames shot up from the cabin, and
forked tongues of ﬁre came from the companion-

way.

Suddenly the negro’s form appeared beside
Richard, and with a hollow gasp he fell trem-
blin at the American’s feet.

“ h! master! master! save dis chilel Dar’s
gwine to bc a Judgment Day on dis ship. Take
me wid you- Oh! (lat stuff down in de hold of
dis vessel—”

“What? Speak, man!” said Richard, as he
gazed upon the form of the terror-stricken
negro.

“ Dc ship is on ﬁre and dc hold is full of
powder!” exclaimed the darky. ‘

“Powdert Howly mackerell We’re all kilt
and buried!" shonwd Phelim, and he sprung
nimbly to the bulwarks, as if to plunge over-
board, but he used as if an idea had
suddenly ﬂashed into his brain and hls features
poled.

“I can’t swim a stroke!” he gasped.

The startling intelligence communicated by
the negro caused Richard to grasp Eldora gen-
tly and bear her toward the bulwark of the
burning vessel, In the hold of the ship was the
inﬂammable material and many kegs of powder.
Fully one-half of these had been broken during,r
the sway of the tempest and the bla ck" explosive
lay in heaps among the kegs. One spark of
ﬁre would launch the vessel and every living
person on board to destruction.

The approaching craft was yet too far away

 
l
l
!

 
The Branded Hand. . , '1 ‘

 
to render any assistance and the ﬂames would
reach the magazine within a few minutes.

The lower deck was now a mass of roaring
ﬂames that swept everything before its billows
of lire. One spark would rove fatal to the
human beings on the upper eck.

Richard se'med an ax and instantly dislodged
some timber which Phelim, assisted by Carl
and the negro, cast overboard after lashing the
fragments together, and securing the ﬂoating
mass to the vessel’s side. In a few minutes the
ﬂames had reached the deck and those there
were forced to retreat before the volumes of
blinding, suffocating smoke.

Richard assisted Eldora over the side of the
vessel and by clinging to the rope stairway
she reached the frail, wave-tossed raft. Rich-
ard followed, and Phelim, Carl and the negro
were soon upon the ﬂoat and the fastenings were
severed. A huge wave bore the bulky mass
upon its crest and swept it away from the burn-
ing vessel.

From the deck of the Sea Serpent came the
wailing, piteous cries of the wounded men as
the ﬂames swept over them, burning and de-
stroying everything in its ﬁery path.

Suddenly there was a blinding sheet of living
ﬂames that shot up into the murky sky. A dull
booming sound and a crash that almost stunned
the fugitives upon the raft.

The waters seemed to open like the crater of
a volcano, and the group on the ﬂoating timbers
sunk into a vortex of boiling, seething waters,
that seemed to ingulf them beneath the furious
billows. The air seemed to be one sheet of ﬂame
and smoke.

Richard clung to the trembling form, and
clutched at the fastenings of the raft as the
structure sunk into the watery abyss. When
it arose to the surface again, all were clinging
to the frail timbers, excepting the darky. The
waves had swept him away. Eldora lay sense—
less in Richard 5 arms.

 
CHAPTER IV.
IDIOT VERSUS VILLAIN.

SEVERAL months had elapsed since the start-
ling events related in the opening chapters, and
Richard Denver had traveled throughout Mex-
ico, accompanied by his servant, Phelim McNa—
mara. The young American had received leave
of absence, and, doﬂing his uniform, he had
started for a short pleasure trip through the
distracted land of revolutions and bloodshed.
Richard had reached Mexican territon after
being rescued from the raft by the strange
vessel.

A most mysterious affair was the sudden dis-
appearance of Eldora. .

hen the vessel arrived at Tampico she si-
lently stole ashore, and in spite of Richard’s
search, he failed to discover any traces of the
fugitive. ,

After a few weeks of inquiry and travel he
abandoned the search, and concluded that Eldora
had ayeided him purposely, and remained con-
cealed in order to not main meet him.

Pholim mused over the young man’s actions,
and criticised them inwardly.

“ What’s the matter wid him? I’ll bet he’s in
love wid her! And her a—running away from

 
him.” And Phelim would indulge in a laugh at
Richard’s anxiety and fruitless search.

The shadows of twilight were fast settling
upou the tropical scenery, and the song-birds
made the evening air vocal with their last trib-
uteto the (lying day.

Upon the leit side of the Vera Cruz road,
nestling in masses of wild vines, stood the old
weather-beaten inn where Richard and Phelim
were to pass the night. The young iron sat- u
on the porch smoking a fragrant cigar, win 8
Phelim puﬁcd clouds of smoke from a short,
black pipe.

“ Phclim, I believeI will return to the States,”
said Richard. ‘

Phclim bounded from his chair with joyful
surprise, and taking the, pipe from his lips, gazed
at the young man to assure himself that he had
heard ari ht.

“Ahg t en, Master Richard, it’s sensible ye
are. l m sick 0’ seeing the ycller-faccd divils,
and seeing the snakes and the pi’son bugs of this
outlandish country, so I am. Faith, 3. dog
wouldn’t live out here. Begorra, ye’r7 right!
Let’s go home.”

Ahobbling ﬁgure, whose head and features

were hidden beneath a large hood, passed the

building and entered it by a side door. Once
the ﬁgure of the old woman paused as if regard-
ing t etwo men upon the porch, and then it
disa ipcared in the low and narrow doorwa .

“ am sure ’tis he,” she murmured: ‘and
thanks to my disguise, I baﬁled detection. He
is to remain here to—night, and it may be. fatal
to him. They seek his life, but I will bafﬂe
them. In this disguise I may pursue myinves-
tigations. Ah!” /

The exclamation was caused by the appear—
ance of a man who entered the large room of
the inn.

Heavy black whiskers concealed the dark
features, partly visible beneath the wide som-
brero that he wore.

The man advanced to the tap-room and ad-
dressed the sleepy tapster.

At the ﬁrst sound of the dark man’s voice the
hooded ﬁgure started visibly and a shudder
swept through her frame.

In spite of the disguise she had recognized the
voice of Alvarez.

A second later and the well-known form of
Jasper entered the tap-room and greeted the
disguised i'uﬂian.

Both men sat down near a table and leaned
across in order to prevent their conversation '
from reaching the tapster. The hooded ﬁgure
was sea near the Window apparently asleep.

“Who’s that?” said Jasper, pointing towaid
the nodding form. ‘

“An old woman—deaf as a net. She’s been
about here for several days. on can talk as
loud as you please; no fear that she will hear
us. Don’t you think I did a wise thing in se
curing a lease of this old building? It affords
us a rare. chance for our business and under its
cloak we work our affairs in security! Under
the name of Senor Gonsalvo who would recog—
nize the revolutionist Alvarez?”

“That’s so,” declared Jasper.
indeed a surprise, isn’t it?”

“You allude to the American seated upon

“ But- this is

: ....x.m;_.«l A.‘Ai.8-x2“n_;ll ...-.mm .. .‘

'ﬂuLl-A'u‘t'w‘vi V law on?!

Fury. . .: ;

 
< I

s The Branded Hand.

the porch? He has Ventured into a trap from
which he will never venture forth a ain!”

“He has large sums of money,” (led J asper:
“ We can pay off an old score, and reap a bar-
vest at the same time.”

“Yes; but kee out of his way. He might
recognize you. xcite his suspicions and the
game is lost,” warned Alvarez, in a somewhat
lower tone. “ To—night he must be entrapped
into the lower room and plied with liquor. If
nothing else will do I’ll force a quarrel upon him
and dispatch him at once.”

“ Very well. I’ll be on hand. I still remem-
ber the low that he struck me on the deck of
the Sea Serpent and I long to avenge it,” and
Jasper brought his clinched ﬁst down upon the
table with terrible emphasis.

“Have patience. He is in a web and cannot
break its meshes. Fate has led him to this
place and it will be his grave!” Alvarez arose
from the table and led the way to a. door in the
furthest wall, and unlocked it.

, “ Come,” said he, “examine the room and I
will show you the secret panel in the wall.”

‘Both ruﬂians passed out from the room.

“What shall I do?” murmured the woman.
“How can I warn him of his danger? How
can I avert it? He has saved my life and I
must prevent these villains from carrying out
their plan. Ahi too latel” she gasped, and
drawing the hood down upon her forehead she

assedxout of the narrow doorway. She drew

ack wall a shudder, for the black-whiskered
landlord of the inn was engaging Richard in
conversation. At ﬁrst the young man started.
for something in the dark man’s voice sounded
familiar. The Wily rascal noted this and in-
stantly spoke in a subdued key, thoroughly dis-
guising his voice.

Eldorawfor it was she disrruised in the ﬂowing
gown and large hood—passe out upon the road
and hobbled away.

The brave girl had formed her plan and that
was to return to the inn and if it came to the
worst to openly warn the young American and
denounce the villains. But, upon reﬂection, El-
dora, who knew the desperate character of the
men, resolved to wait until Alvarez had with-
drawn into the house and then reveal herself to
Richard and warn him.

To her chagrin she saw Richard enter the
building, following the man who was leading
him into the trap he had prepared.

“I must enter that building again,” mur—
mured Eldora, and she disappeared in the
shadows only to pause at the foot of a huge oak
and take from its hollow trunk a package,
which she opened and selected from the cloth-
ing it contained a jaunty Mexican jacket and
cap, and several other articles of wearing ap—

pare .
While Eldora is thus busily engaged with the

, contents of the mysterious bundle we will
u glance within the old inn and follow Richard

into the room where Alvarez and his confeder-
ates lay in wait for the young American.
Alvarez had managed to exclude Phelim, and
the youth found himself alone with the black-
whiskered landlord in a oorly lighted room
where the white-washed ra tors ung low.
A ﬂight of rickety steps led to the door

 
above and this seemed to he the only outlet to
the room.

A rough table and a half-dozen chairs com-
pleted the furniture of the apartment.

“Take a seat, sir. This is a very poor apart-
ment, but then it is quiet and no one ever in-
trudes. Myself and a few friends pass many a
pleasant evening in this place. Be seated!”

Richard obeyed ‘mechanically. Again that
peculiar voice rung in his ears and the youth
racked his brain to remember when and where
he had heard it. The face was strange but the
voice recalled a revious meeting.

A secret door in the wall 0 issued and several
persons entered the apartmen . One bore a tray
11 on which were several bottles and glasses.

e placed the tray upon the table and seated
himself.

“Gentlemen, this is my friend, Richard Den-
ver, from the States,” said Alvarez uncorking a
bottle and ﬁlling the glasses. “ You will drink
his health and better acquaintance.”

The glasses were raised and Richard was about
to drink when a commotion ensued, seemingly
in the hallway.

The secret door opened and two rou h Mexi-
cans dragged a struggling ﬁgure into is e room.

It was a boy, whose vacant stare and hollow
laugh proclaimed at once that reason had ﬂed.

His features were very dark and long raven
black curls escaped from the cap that he wore.
He thrust aside the two men who had brought
him into the room and gazed idiotically at the
assembled group.”

“ What’s this, Sanchez?” demanded Alvarez.
The dusky ruﬂian addressed as Sanchez stepped
forward.

“ We discovered this boy prowling ’round the
house—actually trying to force open a door, so
we brought him in.” '

“ Very well, I’ll attend to him," said Alvarez,
and then, in a lower tone meant for Sanchez
alone, he added—“ remain here within call.”

The two rufﬁans strolled toward the door and
sat down upon the bare ﬂoor. ’

A person descended the steps and locked the
door after him.

It was Jasper.

Mexicans at the table. Alvarez saw the look of
inquiry resting upon Richard’s face and be ap—
proached the idiot.
“Where did you come from?” he asked.
t “ Outside,” responded the idiot, with a vacant
s are.
“ I mean how did you get in here?”
“Through the door—ha! ha! ha!”

Alvarez grew impatient, for he knew that

Richard was watching the proceedings.

“ What do you want here?”

“ Nothing!”

“Indeed? We’ll soon see about that!”

“ I know something,” and the idiot laughed
as he twirled around upon one foot, “ but I ain’t
going to tell anybody!”

“ That’s right,” said Alvarez; “a still tongue
makes a wise head. 1 am not offended at you.
Will you take a hand in the game we are about
to play?”

“ I will take a hand in the game you are going
to play—by and by,” answered the idiot with

He kept his features turned
away from the young American and joined the 

 
. getic tones to Richard.

‘ The Branded Hand. 9

a strange emphasis, but seeing Alvarez’s keen
eyes ﬁxed upon him, he quickly drew forth a
few cigarettes and tendercd one to the villain.

“ Smoke!” said he with an empty laugh.

“ N01” replied Alvarez angrily as he rejoined
his comrades at the table.

“ Come! gentlemen, drink your wine, and
then for a friendly game,” Called out Alvarez.

“You must excuse me, gents, for I wish to
retire early. To—morrow evening I will be most
happy to spend the whole evening with you all,”
and Richard arose from his seat. Quick as a
ﬂash of lightning, Alvarez poured the contents
of a small vial into Richard’s glass and the
colorless liquid mingled with the wine.

“I’m sorry you must leave us so soon,” said
the scoundrel, apparently disappointed. “ But
if you must go, of c urse I will not press you to
sta . Come! Emp y your glasses, entlemen.”

'llhe glasses were raised and as Ric ard placed
the goblet to his lips the idiot darted to his side
and dashed the goblet from the Americans
hand.

The shattered glass fell to the ﬂoor, while a
curse fell from Alvarez‘s lips and he turned up-
on the idiot with rage beaming from his eyes.

The Mexicans sprung to their feet and their
hands sought their concealed weapons.

 
CHAPTER V.
IN THE HANDS or THE ENEMY.

RICHARD DENVER sprung to his feet and his
eyes met the stupid glance of the idiot. Jasper’s
hand rested upon a. keen dagger and he partially
withdrew it from its sheath.

“ Curse ou, what do you mean?” hissed
Alvarez, a vancing with a threatening motion
toward the demented lad.

“Why didn’t you give me the wine instead
of spilling it on the ﬂoor?” cried the idiot in a
whining voice and azing with a meaningless
expression, apparenty unconscious of the en—
raged scoundrels who glared upon him.

“ Don’t mind him, sir,” said Alvarez in a 010-
“ He’s insane a‘n not
responsible for his actions. Come, Mister Den-
ver' allow me to ﬁll a fresh glass for you.”

The cunnindg villain place a glass of wine be-
fore Richar . At .that moment a warning
motion from the idiot caught the eyes of the
youth. Onl a momentary gleam of intelli-

ence pa over the _lad’s features and then
t e same blank expressmn settled upon his face.

Richard Denver was upon his guard and be
partially saw through the idiot’s motive.

“ Come, sir! We are waiting for you,” and
Alvarez nervously noted the hemtatmg manner
of the young American.

“Gentlemen, you must excuse me. I_decline
to drink!” said Richard, calmly and deliberate-
ly, but evincing no sign of distrust.

p “ Ha}, ha! ha! do you think I would offer you
ison?

“ It might be poison.”draw1ed the idiot, and
he broke into a hysterical laugh. As Richard
turned, .his eyes rested upon the features of
J r for the ﬁrst time, and he started back
wit su rise. Jasperls’ face and the voice of
the land ord told the tale. He was in the den
of his most bitter toes, and if he eSCaped it

 
>

would be only by strategy or by a desperate
struggle with the Indians.

Jasper saw that Richard recognized him, and
the scoundrel leaped to his feet. “Richard
Denver, further concealment is useless. Look
up! you are caged! You struck me once and I
vowed vengeance for the blow. I am ready
so keep my oath. You’ll never leave this place
alive.”

Jasper drew the glittering stiletto from his
belt and leaped toward Richard. Before the
blade could descend upon the unprepared man
a form bounded forward and seized the up-
raised hand of the ruﬂian. By a quick move-
ment the knife was wrenched from Jaspe’r’s
hand and the weapon was dashed to the ﬂoor.

“ Curses on you! Out of my way, you imp of
Satan!” yelled Jasper, as he thrust aside the
idiot with an oath. At the same moment Al-
varez bounded forward and struck Richard a
blow upon the head with one of the heavy
bottles. Without a groan the youth sunk to
the ﬂoor while the hood streamed upon his
pale features.

Instantly Sanchez and his companion seized
the idiot and bore him to the ﬂoor. “ Conﬂne
him in that room; it cannot be opened from the
inside,” yelled Jasper. The idiot was thrust
into the panel and it. closed with a sharp sound
as of some secret spring closing violently.
“Now then, the money—where is it?” said
Jasper in a hoarse whisper as he bent over the
senseless youth.

“The money is in his room above—in a small
black valise. Here! bind him to this chair,”
and Alvarez spoke hastily and in hoarse tones.

“ What do you intend to do?”

“Burn the 01d rookery and thus destroy all
traces of the crime. The cash in the valise Will
amply repay us all.”

A moment later and Richard’s body was
lying bound u on the chair while the Mexicans
piled combust' le material under the stairway.

“ Quickl lose no time. The old shell will burn
like tinder when it’s started and we must secure
the cash and escape.” Alvarez struck a match
and by aid of the alcoholic liquor he soon had
the woodwork of the stairway in ﬂames.
His companions applied a match to different

ortions of the room and a cloud of smoke

lled the apartment. Flames leaped around the
unconscious man, and the villains, assured of
their work, beat a hasty retreat from the blaz—
ingIapartment.
earer and nearer came the many ton es of
ﬂame, until they seemed about to enve op the
doomed man in their merciless embrace; then a
trap-door in the ﬂoor was suddenly thrust
upward and Phelim McNamara emerged from
the open space.
V Through the smoke he dashed and reached
the senseless form of the youth. He tore at
the fasteniugs and released Richard. He dashed
the cool wine into his face partially reviving
him. The Irishman then leaped toward the
secret panel and Without difﬁculty found the
knob and pressed u nit. The panel ﬂew back
and the idiot das ed out of the closet—like
pa‘ls'ihe' k th k "h hi edh tin

‘ anyou an on ew r as.

“Is Richard side?” y ’ ape

 
’1
i
\;
|

 
The Branded Hand. 11

 
The bandits uttered a howl of rage, and their
wea ons were raised simultaneously.

“ own upon your faces to the ground!”
shouted Phelim, seizing Richard’s arm.

And down they all dropped to the ground, 
a blinding ﬂash was followed by a shower of
missiles that passed harmlesst over the pros-
t: - iv forms.

'1. a torch was suddenly extinguished, and a
ﬁgure leaped among the group of bandits, drai—
ing death and destruction at every crack of the
brace of pistols it ﬂourished. Down went the
surprised ruiﬁans before the attack of the un-
known rescuer. Jasper sought the shelter of
the Chaparral, and Alvarez ﬂed into the

loom.

“This way! Quick !" cried the unknown.
“Not a moment’s to be lost if you would escape
with your lives!”

Richard and Eldora sprung toward the exit
and passed out into the starless night. A quar—
ter of a mile away the burning building red—
dened the sky with its glare.

A masked ﬁgure, enveloped in a long cloak,
stood near the opening of the passage, and ex—
tending his hand toward the dense growth of
trees, exclaimed:

“Take her; guard her well. You will ﬁnd
ﬂeet horses in the Chaparral. Go! I will cover
your retreat!”

A shrill whistlew-ung through the still night
air. The bandits were signaling to their con—
federates.

“Fly! Not a moment to spare!” cried the
unknown, as he moved away in the direction of
the signals.

'Richard plunged into the Chaparral, clorely
followed by Eldora and Phelim.

Several quick cries and the crack of ﬁrearms——
then the. hurried tramp of many feet. The ban—
dits were in rapid pursuit.

Richard scarcely knew what direction to pur-
sue, for the gloom was intense and the locality
unknown to him. Yet he ﬂed, but suddenly
paused, for dark objects moved directly in ad-
Vance.

“Surrounded!” said Richard, despondingly.
and passing an arm around Eldora he prepared
to meet the rufﬁans.

Phelim cocked his ponderous “pepper-box”
pistol and for a moment hesitated in what di-
rection to ﬁre.

The neigh of a horse startled the Irishman and
forced a glad cry from his lips, and he ex-

claimed: “There’s the horses, master Rich-v

ard!” V

The dark moving forms in the shrubbch
were the expected horses! The trio rushed
eagerly forward to ﬁnd two stout mustangs se-
cured to the low branches of a tree. It was
but the work of a moment to unfastcn them.
Richard mounted and bending downward
raised Eldora to the pommel before him. Too
late! A bandit sprung forward and seized the
bridle!

“Dismount or die!” he yelled in a hoarse
voice.

The words were his last for the Irishman’s
Eistol exploded. and the rufﬂan sunk under the

orse7s boots with a. low groan. Then they sped

away over the prostrate bandit, Phelim’s mus—

 
tang crushing another rufﬁan who sprung up-
ward to check the steeds.

A murderous volley,of bullets cut the foliage
above the heads of the fugitives and added to
the speed of the mustangs. The bandits came
on in pursuit, their lou curses adding to the
wild scene. “
- The mustangs seemed to know what was re«
quired of them, for the intelligent brutes picked
their way through the intricate windings of the
forest, and sped away again when the nature of
the ground permitted a rapid ﬂight.

Richard crouched low in the saddle to avoid
the sweeping boughs and stout limbsot‘ the trees.
Eldora’s head rested upon his shnuldcr and her
shrinking form told of the suspense under
which she labored. The cries of the pursuers
sounded at times quite near, and then again the
shouts would die away altogether, as if the
bgndits had lost the trail, and had abandoned the
c asc. ‘

Phelim’s mustang showed no signs of fatigue,
but the one that bore the double burden began
slowly to labor and pant in order to keep up
with the other animal.

“This horse cannot last much longer,” said
Richard. “ See! he stumbles!” Even as he
spoke, the beast shivered, and vainly endeavor-
ed to move forward.

It trembled in every limb, and then with a
snort of anguish sunk down upon its knees, and
fell upon its side. It then was seen that the poor
bca st had received a wound.

As it fell. he leaped to the ground, bearing El-
dora with him. ,

“ Here. master Richard! Take my horse and
away wid you!” cried Phelim, leaping from his
mustang. and the noble fellow almost forced the
youth into the vacant saddle.

“ And you! Phelim, I cannot allow this sacri—
ﬁce. Go! save yourself, my good fellow. Do
not delay, for see! the rascals are at hand.”

“ Divxl a fut will I stir. I’ll be muidered ’pon
the spot. I’ll not run away and l’ave you and
the lady to he kilt by the Greasers.”

“For Heaven’s sake go, while yet you may!"
cried Richard. entrcatingly.

“No, sir! Me mind’s made up! 1’11 not go.
Take my horse and you and the young lady ride
away. Quick, or it will be too late!”

A pistol cracked from the copsc, and the voice
of the riiﬂian Jasper followed. .

The bullet cut the air close to the young
American’s head.

“Takc the horse and save the young lady!”
cried Phelim, in a voice tremulous with exc1te—
ment. “Don’t mind me, master Richard; I’ll
look to my own safety!”

In an instant Richard was in the saddle and
Eldora was in his arms.

“ Good-by, Phelim! God bless you!” he mur-
mured, and, as the shouts of the bandits rung
in his ears, the mustang leaped forward.

“ Saints protect you!” yelled Phelim. “Take
that, ye dirty vagahnnd,” he added as he turned
quickly and struck the nearest bandit a terriﬁc
blow full in the face. ‘

In a moment the brave fellow was surrounded
by the ﬁerce Mexicans and a dozen weapons
were aimed at his head. ‘* ' .

In spite of the fearful odds Phellm did not

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" The Branded Hand.

 
“’Deed he is! I’ll not leave him until we’re
both roasted to a cinder to ether,” cried Phelim.
And running to Richard 19 seized him in his
arms and bore him toward the trap—door.

“ Can you 1159 a pistol 2” he asked.

“YeSI Give me one if you have one you can
trust in my hands,” answered the idiot, eagerly,

" and he darted toward Phelim to receive the

weapon, but stopped suddenly. ‘
With a cry of mingled fear and surprise, the
Irishman looked toward the blazing stairway.
Throu 'h the lurid ﬂames he saw the forms of
the vi ins at the head of the stairs, and a. shout
from them told that they had discovered the
attempted rescue. A bullet whizzed past
Phelim’s head, and a shout came from the vil—
lains above. The idiot raised the pistol that

‘Phelim had placed in his grasp, and taking

hasty aim, ﬁred.

A shrill cry of pain arose above the crackling
of the ﬁre, and then the body of a man fel
down the burning stairway, and its weight

_ crashed through the frail structure, and the en-

tire mass came down.

‘ A moment sooner, and the group of Mexicans
on the landing above would have been swept
down into the surging ﬂames. Alvarez clung
to the woodwork above with one hand, while
with his right he discharged his revolver at the
dim outlines of the idiot and the Irishman,
whom he could see bearing away the form of
the young American. Even as he discovered
the ﬁgures in the lurid light, the outlaw, known
as Sanchez, clasped his hand to his left side and
tOppled backward.

The Whiplike crack of a pistol came from the
room below, and Alvarez ground his teeth with
rage as he discovered that it was the idiot who
had again fired.

“See! They are escaping by the trap into
the underground passage! What ﬁend has dis—
covered that secret? After them! We can yet
cavethem. Guard this door, some of you. They
will either perish in the flames, or fall into our
hands. Come, Jasper, follow me!” And the
excited man rushed from the door, followed by
several confoderates.

Jasper followed after the bandits.

From every window the ﬂames were seekin
an outlet, and volumes of smoke curled aroun
the doomed building, as if 10th to abandon it to
its fate.

Phelim lost no time in descending the trap,
and bore Richard to the vault«like passage be—
low the ﬂooring, while the idiot, following,
closed the heav, trap-door.

“ Now thin, to low me !" cried Phelim. “ We’ve
got to get out of these rat holes before they get
to the end of ’em and block the passage. Come,

_Ma.ster Richard, try and walk a bit."

The damp air revived the young man, and he
mechanically followed his preserver. The idiot
grasping the pistol, followed close behind, and
ever and anon halted to see if they were not
pursued. The long passage led in a winding
manner and apparently into the very bowels of

. the earth.

“Do you know where this passage leads?”
the idiot anxiously asked. ~ -
g “ Faith I do! I explored it all before I came

 
up! It’s all right' fdllow me, but be as lively
as a ﬂea, the two of2 yees.” ,

Phelim hurried along in the gloom—holding
onto Richard‘s hand,

“ Don’t worry about the little black va lise
Master Richard—{We got it safe and the black-
faced baboons had their trouble for their pains.
Begorra, they’ll not catch Phelim McNamara
asletX).

“ nd the boy—the idiot—where is he!” in—
quired Richard, as if awakening from a dream.

“Here!” responded a musical voice, and the
lad found his way to Richard’s side. The young
man started; the voice was not that of the idiot,
yet the demented lad was beside him.

A cloud seemed to be lifted from Richard’s
brain. “ Do not deceive me any longer,” said
he. “ In spite of your disguise and assumed
voice I know you. You are Eldora!”

“ Yes,” confessed the tremulous voice. “It
is Eldora !”

“Well! well! what next!” murmured Phelim.
“ The fool turns out to be a girl! Begorra, the
fool made afool of the whole of us! But stop!
No time for love-making or the likes of it. The
ﬁrst thin we know we’ll know nothing.”

Richer held the little hand of the girl within
his own and sped away inward the exit of the
tunnel.

“ Found! found at last!” he whispered to her.
“ Never to lose you again !”

“Bedad! The double six is domino and the
game is blocked!” roared the Irishman who was
in advance and who leaped backward in alarm.

A ﬂaming torch appeared directly in advance,
and a dozen scowling faces were in the circle of
ﬂickering light.

Then came the ominous click of ﬁre—arms and
the gleam of lished steel. Elclora clung con—
vuls1vely to t e arm of the American.

The little group was trapped in the narrow
tunnel and a barrier of deadly weapons cut off
the only avenue of escape. ,

“ Surrender, or we’ll shoot you down like
dogs!” shouted the harsh voice of Alvarez.

He presented his weapon and aimed it at
Richard.

 
CHAPTER VI.

THE PERILS OF A NIGHT.

PHELIM MCNAMARA thrust his hand into his
pocket and withdrew from it a formidable six-
shooter. ‘

“ Begorral I’m goin’ to die like a jintleman,
wid me face to the inimy,” he muttered.

The click, click, of the weapons in the hands
of the bandits blookin up the only means of
egress from the tunne , aroused Richard. He
realized that Eldora was clinging to him for
protection. The thought put new life into every
vein and muscle.

ﬁ “Surrender!” again cried Alvarez, “or I
re!”

A deafening explosion rung through the low
tunnel, and a ﬂash illuminated the dark passage
momentarily.

“Take that, and divide it amongst yees!” cried
Phelim. as he again raised his smoking weapon.

A cry of mortal agony followed, and a form
tottered andrfell. '

n
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l

 
12 The Branded Hand.

 
, cease his struggles until his hands and feet
were secured by leather thongs.

“I’m willing to let yez have me,” he cried
“ for Master Richard’s safe out of yer claws an
it’s small loss if Phelim McNamara never gits
back to the States again!” \

“ After the American deg!“ yelled Jasper as
he dashed up. “Secure the American and the
lad! A thousand dollars for either of them,
dead or alive! The captain promises the reward,
remember, dead or alive!”

A dozen men dashed away, bent upon securing
the promised reward.

Richard’s mustang went forward at a rapid
gait. A faint light struggled through the chap-
arral and the gloom gradually lifted. The moon
was forcing her way through rifts in the clouds
that hung low in the horizon. The way became
difﬁcult, for bowlders and masses of earth and
rock arose, barrier—like, to impede the progress
of the panting steed.

The pathway grew steep, and all vegetation
vanished: nothing greeted the eyes of the fugi-
tives but huge, fantastic bowldcrs thrown b
some mighty convulsion into the center of this
desolate region.

The steed struggled hard to obtain a footing
upon the rugged surface of the steep rock, one
side of which was in complete darkness, and ap-
peared to be a yawninr gulf. One false step
would precipitate both t e steed audits burden
into the black abyss.

Hark! what was that? The sharp crack of a
riﬂe and the startling command to halt!

Richard uttered a cry of surprise as he reined
in the mustang. At its feet yawned a deep
black precipice.

CHAPTER VII.
‘OLD COMRADES FORM A NEW COMPACT.

ALVAREZ did not follow after the fugitives
when they fled from the tunnel.

Coward-like he contented himself with urging
on his followers and firing harmless shots at the
disappearing fugitives.

He believed that his confederate Jasper would
secure the American and his two companions.

As the shouts of pursuit died away the villain
muttered:

“ Confound this night's work! There’s the
building gone and nothing to show for it.
expected the gold in the American’s valise
would wcll repay me for the loss of the old
rookery, but it seems as if Satan aided the fel~
low; the valise was gone and the thousands that
I expected to handle are not to be found. To
make matters worse he has escaped. Who was
the idiot lad? A trick~a clever one—hut who
V Wis he? And who was the unknown that de-
- liverod the three when-I had them caged?”

Alvarez forced his way through the (lamp
vegetation and failed to notice the shm10wy
form that glided after him. paused when he
paused, and occasionally seemed to sink into the
very earth to avoid the villain’s backward
glances.

Finally Alvarez halted in a clump of trees
that encompassed a deep pool of water.

Several trees grow close together, and step-

 
ping into their midst he knelt down and raised
a trap—door whose surface was cunnineg cov-
ered with moss and earth. An opening lay
revealed, and he glanced about to assure himself
that no one was in the vicinity. Having satis~
ﬂed himself that he was alone and unobserved
he descended into the narrow aperture and can—
tiously closed the trap after him.

A moment later the shadowy ﬁgure crept to
the clump of trees and paused.

“ So! villain! murderer! you burrow into
the very earth for security, do you?” said the
cloaked ﬁgure. “ Tonight on would have
added another crime to your ong list of atroci-
ties, but the arm of the avenger interposed.
Beware, blood~stained monster, for your career
is almost at an end!”

Silently the ﬁgure moved Within the trees
and found the iron ring fastened to the trap
and raised it.

The entrance was exposed to view, and the
cloaked ﬁgure producing a weapon, slowly and
carefully descended, closing the trap without
neise. '

He found himself within a rough, clamp pas-
sage, cut through the soil.

He moved along cautiously, groping his way,
his ears alive to the slightest sound, and his
hand ready to grasp the hilt of a double-edged.
poniard.

He had gone probably forty yards, when he
suddenly halted. -

A faint light came throu h the gloom, and
the low hum of voices reachei his ears. Silently
the phantom-like ﬁgure stole forward, and pans—
ed at a rough door imbeddcd in the earthen side
of the passage;

Through several rifts in the rough door came
the faint light that had attracted the unknown’s
attention.

He approached the door, and applying an eye
to a small aperture, he was enabled to View the
scene beyond the wooden barrier. A tallow
candle shed an uncertain light. and afforded the
watcher an opportunity of hastily scanning the
underground apartment and its occupants.

Rough boards and logs prevented the crumb-
ling earth from caving in, and held the roof of
the chamber in position.

The secret retreat was quite roomy, and vari—
ous large boxes and pieces of machinery lay in a
confused mass at one end of the room.

A table, formed of a barrel upon which a short
plank was laid, occupied the center of the cham-
ber, and seated beside it, with the spluttering
candle between them, was Alvarez and a Villain«
mislooking personage attired in the costume of
a Mexican guerrilla.

Every word uttered bV this pair of sconndrels
could be distinctly heard by the mysterious spy
who peered through the door, standing immov-
able as a statue and as silent as death.

“You say that the American eluded you?”
said the powerful fellow opposite Alvarez.

“ Yes; with him goes a good sum of money.
I owe the fellow a debt of vengeance, and I
wished to pay everything at one fell swoop, but
it seems fate was against me. Even our coining
of American dollars is a thing of the past, or
will be; these confounded Yankee detectives are
up to everything, it seems, and they’ve do.

 
i‘ft'

 
\

The Branded Hand. ' " 13

 
stroyed or captured the best members of the
fraternity, either upon the Texan borders or
the Gulf States. My latest venture was the
purchase of arms for the revolutionists, and I
was forced to blow up the vessel to avoid cap~
ture by a Mexican corvette,” and a ﬁerce oath
broke from Alvarez’s lips as the magnitude of
his loss seemed to suddenly dawn upon him.

“Then my chances of obtaining money are
rather slim l“

“ W'cll, yes; at present I can’t place any
amount in your hands.”

“Look ye, AlvarGZ. it won’t do to triﬂe with
me,” said the guerrilla. “You have reaped a
rich harvest, and enjoy its beneﬁts. I have re-
ceived driblets now and then, but not the equal
share you promised me!”

Alvarez turned pale, for he knew the temper
of the man. He attempted to speak, but the
guerrilla motioned to him to-be silent.

“ Wait until I have concluded,” said he. “ Re-
member that I placed the child upon the strange
vessel and sent her forever out of your path. True
’twas your hand that struck that deadly blow;
but I secured the documents and concealed them
for you. Fool that l was to place them in your
hands! I might have retained them and com-
pelled you to come to my terms. One thing
more, Alvarez; the estates can be claimed by
you Without trouble, for the man you murdered
was hunted by the Government as a traitor and
would doubt essly have been hanged, so you
might have spared his life and surrendered him
to the minions of Escobedo. The child is dead
and you and I‘ are left alone to share this
wealth.”

“ Gomez! The child lives!”

The villain started from his seat and glared
upon Alvarez like a wild beast.

“I believe you are lying to me, but remem-
ber the old saying ‘ when thieves fall out honest
men get their dues.’ ”

“I am speaking the truth; I am telling on
what I have seen with my own eyes—the c ild
lives!"

“Where have you seen her?”

“ Under very strange circumstances. She
was a stowaway upon my own vessel—a spy in
the interest of the revolutionists—or the Govern-
ment I do not know which. By accident I
overheard the story she related to the 'oung
American who shielded her from us. S e de-
scribed the assassin and said she could identify
him.”

“ Identify him? How?” _

“ By the branded hand !" and Alvarez, slowly
and with a ferocious look upon his features, held
up his hand. ,

Seared. in the ﬂesh of his left hand was the
letter A, in the very palm, and looking as if the
mark had bden imprinted but yesterday. .

“ The letter A—prominent and lasting l” cried
Gomez; “ I never saw it before.” .

“No; because I keep it well out of Sight.
Curse the law that authorized the mark, and
may Satan crush the one that ﬁxed that brand
upon me. I feel that it will one day be the
means of dragging me before a tribunal or point
to me as the murderer of one that trusted me.
Oh! for some acid, some chemical that would
Wipe away this accursed mark even though my

I

 
hand withered! I have often thought of doing
so, but a reassuring feeling would cause. me to
dispel these violent remedies,” and Alvarez
dashed the hand upon the frail table almost ex—
tinguishing the candle and plunging the apart—
ment in gloom.

The listening ﬁgure started nervously when
belioldiug the singular mark upon Alvarez’s
hand and hearing the words that fell from the
villain’s lips.

“Enough of your troubles!” said Gomez. “ I
want to know what proof you have. that the
child lives and has grown up to woman-
hood?”

“ The story she told Richard Denver, and her
features are the only proof! Stay! another
proof. Fool that I was. Blind fool! This very
night she was in my power and I knew her not!
As the idiot boy she gained access to our secret
room and foiled me in several schemes. Blind
tool that I was, I could not recognize the face
and voice then, but I see it all now and curse
myself i or my stupidity.”

“ So the girl lives and you saw her to—night?”
demanded Gomez, incredulously.

“ Yes, I swear it,” responded Alvarez, calmly.

“ Thank God! she lives,” murmured the cloak-
ed listener at the door, and a subdued prayer
ﬁngered upon his lips.

“ Do you mean to say that, because the girl
lives, my interest in the share of the estates is at
an end?" asked Gomez, ﬁxing his eyes upon the
features of his associate in crime.

“Well-no; but I think you ought to carry
out your share of the work. The compact be-
tween us was to the effect that the child be
destroyed or forever removed. Your part of
the work, you see, is a failure!”

“Very well! She shall be removed, if that
is the only obstacle to the money. And re-
member, when I bring you sufﬁcient proof that
she is dead, I want you to claim the estates at
once and share all with me immediately.”

“ It shall be done! But remember, Gomez,
the American will prove a stumbling—block in
your path. My men are now in pursuit and
may overhaul the fellow and even bring the
girl also!”

“In that case our compact must hold good
also. No matter by what means she is destroy—
ed or by whom—our arrangements must not
be altered. The American will never leave
Mexico alive. I will set my mountainirali~
gers after him and they’ll track him like blood
hounds, you can depend upon it,” and Gomez
chuckled savagely over his s¥gestion

“But what of Jas ier? e expects a share
and he is working li e a beaver to retake the
American and capture his confederate,” Al-
varez answered.

“Jasper? Well, let him work and when he
has accomplished the work and demands his
pay, I ’ll settle with him,” and the guerrilla chief
made a motion across his throat With his fore—
ﬁnger and adding: “We can’t afford to share
with a third party.”

A slight sound reached the cars of the villain
Alvarez. The sound came from the passage.

Slight as it had been the rascal had heard it,
and com rehended that an cavesdropper lurked
beyond t e door. r

 
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‘a speedy death.

This trap was constructed

~.--wm.h. W,- _ , ,

 
CHAPTER VIII.
STEFANO, THE l)l‘)t'\)lt3[1~ll) DWARU‘.

ALVAREZ, standing partially erect. one hand
leaning upon the rude table, the other grasping
a revolver presented it weird picture with the
wavering light of the candle falling upon his
features and adding to their ferocity.

The wild aspect of the underground chamber
formed a. rude background for the animated
tableau.

The bandit’s shadow cast upon the wall of the
subterreanean retreat assumed gigantic propor-
tions as he bent forward to listen.

Without a word he stooped quickly to the side
01’ the room and his hair appeared to press upon
some hidden objects among the planks forming
the support to the roof. »

Instantly following the bandit’s action the
ground seemed to open beneath the unknown‘s
feet and he was precipitated into space, wildly
clutching at the sides of the pit as he shot down-
ward. The trap reclosed after the cloaked ﬁgure

, 'had fallen throu h.

Alvarez boun ed to the door and flqu it open.
Candle in hand he peered down upon the earth
and the trap before the door.

An exclamation of mingled surprise and sat-
isfaction fell from his lips as he behold the mark

' . of footprints in the soft earth and the loose par-

ticles of soil adhering to the planks forming the
trap-door.

Gomez came to the door and both rascals
gazed upon t 9 spot where, a few moments be-
fore, a human being had trod the treacherous
covering of the pit.

“ See? I was right! There was some one lis—
tening to our conversation. Whoever it is found
I work upon the principle that
dead men tell no tales ;” and Alvarez gave a sat
isiied grunt.

“ And so do I. I’ve always found it the safest

’wny to keep secrets from spreading,” replied

Gomez, si niﬁcantly

“ “, Who 0 you think it was?”
“ I can’t say,” replied Gomez.

tered this room by the passage I used.

“ N 0 one eu-
Who-

'ever it was, followed and descended the en—

trance that you used to-night. I would like to
know who it is and why we were tracked!”
“I can easily ﬁnd out who it is by sending

the dwarf, Stefano, to the bottom of the pit,”

cried Alvarez.
“How deep is it?” asked Gomez. 1
“Over thirty feet,” replied Alvarez, “and it
can be entered from the next room by descends
ins; a series of winding tunnels to that depth.
in the palmiest

da. 5 of our order. I saw one just like it in an

‘01 castle in Spain and I obtained a. sketch of

its workings and a skillful workman built it.
It was convenient in more ways than one. In
case of a surprise, those standing upon the trap
could be hurled into the pit by merely pressing
the hidden knob. Again, we could destroy any
member whom the order had sentenced by al-
lowingr them to come to the door, and while
waiting to be admitted they were suddenly

" launched into eternity. Nine times out of ten,

the full resulted in instant death, but should it
not be fatal Stefano would complete the work

i with his iron pike.” .

 
14 ' ‘ ' The Branded Hand. .

 
“You protect your underground den with
secrets worthy of the days of the Inquisition,”
said Gomez with a grim smile; “ but how to
business. Let us understand each other dis-
tinctly; I am to rid you of' the girl and instant-
ly share the property; is that the compact?”

“ Yes; here’s my hand upon it.”

And the two scoundrels clasped hands to seal
the compact.

A few moments later Gomez returned into the
dismal chamber, followed by Alvarez.

The guerrilla approached a. corner of the
apartment and bending down he forced open a
few planks in the wall disclosing a low dark en-
trance.

“See! I use this passage at all times,” said
he. “ Now you can call Stefano and have him
enlighten (you. I’ll bid you good—by for the
present an begin the search at once. Remem-
ber, Alvarez, twelve years is a long time to
wait for a fortune, and there is such a thing as
growing tired and impatient. ”

Gomez stooped down and entered the passage
and h1s retreating footsteps grew faint in the
gloom of the tunnel.

Alvarez closed the oriﬁce and returned to the
table. His brows were knitted and the veins
upon his forehead stood out like cords.

“ You’ll wait a mighty long time to et your
share, I can tell you,” muttered he, sha. ring his
clinched ﬁst toward the hidden passage. “ Re-
moving the girl from my path is well enough,
for it saves me trouble, but obtaining a share
of the estate is something I will not hear to.
When I’ve got through With your service, friend
Gomez, I will rid myself of you—easily and
systematically. Ha! ha! ha!”

Alvarez laughed, but his voice sounded so
strange and hollow in that ghostly place that
the arch-villain alpickly checked his mirth and
gave several quic , searching glances about the
apartment to see if some sha 6 had not arisen to
echo his horrible mirth e secured the door
and sat down beside the improvised table, and
drew the candle nearer to him.

“ Strange that I was followed to this place.
I’d give ’most anything to know who it was.
I can’t believe that the person dog ed my foot—
steps to-night. No; some one has een lurking
in these passages. and accidental] paused at
that door to observe and listen. hoever it is
will never blah the secret to any one, for his
mangled body lies at the bottom of the pit, and
there is no escape from that terrible place; I’ve
provided against all that. When once you are
there. you stay until doomsday, unless Stefano
should open his heart and extend pity, and that
is something the dwarf never knew. No, no;
whoever you are now at the bottom of that pit,
you‘ll never see daylight again 1”

Alvarez drew from an inner cket a. package
wrapped in a piece of oiled mus in,'and carefully
removed the outer covering. From another
wrapper of the same material he “drew forth a.
soiled and somewhat old—looking package of
documents, some written on heavy paper, but
the greater part were onparchment.

He selected one with several broad seals af—
ﬁxed to the lower edge, and his eyes perused the
writing. '

It was the last will of Don Francisco De Vega.i

 
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,it matter? I will compel

The Branded Band, I I A I V 15 .,

 
specifyin g the conditions and appointino Alvarez
the guardian of his only child, Eldora LTDe Vega.

Alvarez held the last testament of the man he
han murdered, and again read the instrument
carefully, and then folding it up, replaced it
among the mass of papers.

lo scoured the package, and thrust it into his
pocket.

“ My way is clear,” said he, musingly. “ The
only obstacle that I see is the girl. Even she is
not to be feared if the present government can
hold its sway. In this blessed land of sudden
changes it does not behoove a man to pledge his
life and fortune to any faction. One day up,
next day'down; that’s the fate of our Mexican
parties. Now, should this new faction prove
successful I should be swamped, for Don De
Vega was an inﬂuential leader of the party, and
his daughter could obtain her estates and my
speedy execution. My interests demand the
stability and success of the present regime, and
my outlaw hand must draw swords in its favor.
Stay! A most brilliant idea suggests itself:
why do I not seek the girl, boldly carry her 01f,
or declare my love for her? Once she is my
wife, who will dare dispute my claim? Who
will point to me as the murderer of De Vega?
Gomez! Yes; he alone. But I can easily rid
myself of him. W'ould that I could rid m self
of this cursed branded hand as easily," am Al-
varez bowed his head as if in deep meditation.

“ I’ll do it,” said he. musingly. “ There’is a.
difference in our ages, of course, but what does
her to become mine,
and then, let come what will, I am doubly sure
of the fortune!”

A gleam of satisfaction lit up his Satanic fea-
tures and he a rose from the rude table.

" Stefano! Stefano!” he called.

Theopcning in the wall was disclosed, and a
hideous object forced a passage through the
narrow aperture. A head covered with hair
resembling the wool of a buffalo rested upon a
diminutive body. A pair of ogreish eycs~that
rolled in their sockets, lent a. wi d appearance to
the brutish features of the deformed dwarf.

A row of gleaming teeth that protruded over
huge lips and prevented the mouth from closing
gave the strange being a wolfish and repulsive
appearance. The hands and feet resembled the
claws of a baboon.

A coarse shirt and leggings of the same ma—
terial formed its costume. V

It presented a most repuls1ve aspect as it
leaned upon a short iron spade and awaited the
commands of the villain seated at the table.

The weird light of the candle only served to
represent the dwarf as a demon suddenly loosed
from below to answer the summons of the
bloodlstaincd rascal.

“Is it you, Stefano?” called out Alvarez,

'shrinking away as if he dared not trust his eye-

sight, and the nondescript before h1m*was a
visitor from Hades. _

“Yes, master,” returned the dwarf, With a
hideous leer, disclosing the long fangs and the
capacious mouth.

‘ Stefano, I’ve had a visitor.”

“ch, me ster.”

.“I do not mean Gomez.” .

‘ No, master-mot Gomez,” echoed the horn-

 
ble'creature with a low chuckle. “ Some one
else, master?”

“Yes, and I do not know who it was.”

“ Where is he, mast-er?”

“I touched the spring and sent him down into
the it.”

“ nto the pit, master? Then there is work
for Stefano,”said the dwarf, with seeming glee.

“I think he is dead! Stefano, you will dc-
scend into the pit and take a light with you,
hold it close to the man’s face~ 1 will look
through the trap and thus see who the person
was that listened at that door ll.1

“Why don’t you come down into the pit,
master? Don’t be afraid of it—you built it,
master!” and the creature horribly smiled. ’

“‘ Yes, but I have a strange presentiment that I
may have built, it for my own tomb. I’d rather
remain up here and glance throu h the open
trap) Go!” and Alvarez motione the dwarf
away. 7

The hideous creature disappeared in the niche
in the wall.

“Heaven help the wretch in that pit if life is
not yet extinct!” murmured Alvarez.

CHAPTER IX.
A MYSTERIOUS DELIVERANCE.

WHEN Richard reincd in his mustang as he
saw the fearful precipice, he could not repress 8.
sharp cry of alarm. Eldora. clung to him, but
smothered the scream on her lips-mow bloodless
and quivering with terror.

From crag to crag leaped the wild echoes of
the ﬁre-arms. and the cries of the bandits who,
now certain of their prisoners, bounded forward
with ﬁerce cries ‘of exultation. ,

One ﬁnal effort on the part of the frightened
mustang to prevent himself from being swept ‘
over with the crumbling earth, and the poor
beast uttered a piercing cry of anguish and shot
forward over the treacherousbrink, carrying his
burden in the plunge down into the unknown
depths of the abyss.

A wailing cry arose from the two human
beings clinging to the stecd‘, and then the fright- ,
encd faces of the bandits peered over the brink
in an unsuccessful attempt to note the depth
of the chasm, or hear aught of the fugitives
in their terriﬁc descent. The moon failed to il-
llumilxlie the dark gulf, even half—way to its rocky

e t . '

afﬂed and disappointed, the ruﬁians with-
drew from the crumbling edges of the chasm, ‘
and departed toward the glen to rejoin their
comrades and acquaint them with the startling
denoucmcnt of the pursuit.

As Richard felt himself whirling: through
space, be grasped Eldora to his breast, and
clutched the shaggy mane of the mustang to re—
tain a ﬁrm position upon its back. ‘
. Down—down through the murky darkness,
not knowing at what moment the horrible
death that must ensue. would at an end to the
suspense worse than the deatl itself. A thou‘ "
sand thoughts seemed to ‘ chase each other
through Richard’s brain, within the very few
seconds that must have elapsed since takin
the awful plunge. Then followed ash ,k.

thousand lights seemed to'ﬂash before is eyes
and rapidly fade awayagami A hushed silenca _

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followed and everything was as silent as the
grave.

His senses were leaving him.

_ Then followed a blank!

When Richard again opened his eyes, he saw
the dim outline of a form bending over him
and he felt a cooling ﬂuid laving his temples an
forehead.

‘ / He closed his eyes for a few moments. and the

startlingoscene of the preci ' ice and the fall came
vividly his mind. Slow y he opened his eyes
a ain, and the light of day greeted his vision.

ext he observed the face peering anxiously into
his own, and noted the si us of joy that swept
over it as its owner behe at his return to con-
sciousness.

.It was Eldoral
“ glared from the terrible abyss!” he mur-
mure . “Thank Heaven! We are not yet de-
serted by the Great Ruler, who notes even the
fall of the sparrow.”

It was indeed Eldora who was laving his
temples with the cool water that trickled down

I throu h the massive walls beside her.

Bot Richard and the noble girl were upon a
narrow ledge, whose surface was covered with a
thick, green moss, and the innumerable leaves
and twigs that had fallen from above, the entire
mass of vegetation forming a thick, but yielding

i . Carpet.

Below—as far as the eye could penetrate—-
was the jagged opening of the chasm stretching
away into a deep gloom. A bottomless pit, that
might well characterize the mouth of the infer-
nal regions.

In fact, the spot was known to the guerrillas
and. the wild rovers of the mountains as the
“ 0am di Diablo ” (Satan’s Home).

, The term was well applied and the spot
shunned b night or day.

Above t e ledge where Richard and Eldora
found themselves, the towering rocks and stunt-
ed trees seemed to stretch upward until they
touched the sky.

V Innumerable tufts of vegetation grew be-
tween the crevices of the rocks, and gnarled

trees-vainly striving to fasten their roots in

the thin layer of soil—covered the almost per-

pendicular side of the precipice. .
Above the ledge, these were the only signs of

vegetable life. Below, nothing but the deep

gloom and the deathlike stillness.

, Richard turned his eyes toward Eldora. The

girl was upon her knees and her lips moved in

_ prayer.

A prayer to the All-Seeing, who had stretched
forth His hand and plucked them out of the
very :jaws of death.

It was a most miraculous escape, and one
well, calculated to bring them to the foot of
God’s throne with their heartfelt thanks.

“Eldora!”

“Yes, Richard!”

“ We are safe! This is no dream! Do I be

I I hold you alive?”

“Yes, Richard. God has interposed and

spared us,” replied the girl, devotedly.

Richard crept to the verge of the ledge and
landed down. His heart sunk within him and
cheeks grew still paler as he noted the fear-

I

i _ /

 
ful depth and realized the hair—breadth escape
they had experienced.

‘ And the mustang?” he feeny asked.

“ The poor beast struck upon this ledge in such
a manner that we were hurled upon it and thrown
close to the wall. The mustang rolled over into
the awful pit below. ”

And Eldora shrunk away from the edge of
the shelving rock with a shudder, not daring to
peer over the verge.

“You say the mustang rolled from the edge
into the black space below?”

“Yes,” replied Eldora, “for I did not lose
consciousness. You struck in such a manner
that you were senseless almost as soon as you
were freed from the saddle. Throughout the
long dreary night I watched b' side your lifeless
form, praying for the coming day. I could feel
the feeble throbbing of your heart and knew
that life still remained. At early dawn I dis-
covered the tiny stream of cold water that
revived you.”

“ Eldora, you are an angel and I love you,”
said Richard, impetuously, and before he could
realize what he was saying or doing, he had
caught the beautiful girl in his arms and pressed
his ips to hers, in the ﬁrst kiss of a love pure
and holy as that of the mother for her babe.

In the presence of the Supreme Ruler, and
midst the awful desolation surrounding them
lthe young couple exchanged their ﬁrst words of
ove. ‘ -

An hour passed. and yet neither realized the
position in which they were.

“Eldora, I have gained your love only to
lose you again! See! there Is no way of reach-
ing the hight above, and to attempt a descent
is sure death. We are spared from a violent
death, only to meet a lingerin‘% one of tortures
~—the tortures of starvation. e are unable to
quit this ledge, and here we must remain until
the dark angel of death puts an end to your suf-
feringsl Oh! Eldora, I have won you, only to
lose you in this world!”

And Richard took the little white hands
within his own, and stood silently gazing into
the eyes of the irl, with a look of mute de-
spair. Despair, ecause he had carefully ob-
served the situation above and below, and saw
no hope of leaving the ledge. Even the frail
tufts of vegetation were beyond his reach-ay,
many yards beyond his reach—and as the breeze
swayed them to and fro, they seemed to mock
him and defy him to grasp them.

Behind them was the.massive buttress—layer
upon layer—reaching upward like an endless
wa .

The sun shone down upon the ledge. beating
upon the bare heads of t e young couple, as if
it was in league with the elements to destroy
the fugitives. It was a strange picture to see

the tall ﬁgure of the young American, with "

calm features, awaiting the hour of dissolution,
and the little ﬁgure clad in the Mexican garb
of a peasant boy, standing beside him, watch-
ing every movement, every expression of the
handsome, manly features of her lover.

“ All hope is gone,” murmured Richard. “ I
see no avenue of escape. I have glanced every—
where, and my heart fails me. No one can save
or help us,” said he, despondingly.

 
‘The Branded hand. V i“?

 
“Yes, Richard, there is One who can and
will save us,” and the girl inted toward the
blue heavens far above. ‘Godl Put your
trust in Him and He will not forsake us!”

“I do. Heaven forgive me for doubting as I
did. God Will help us I”

“ And He sent me to your assistance!"

A deep velce sounded behind the young
couple, and they turned quickly with looks of
speechless surprise u on their countenances.

A large bowlder ad turned seemingly upon
a pivot, disclosing an aperture in the face of the
rocky wall. .

Before the opening, motionless as a statue,
stood a remarkable form.

It was that of an aged man, whose long white
hair min led with the ﬂowing patriarchal heard
that reac ed almost to his girdle.

He wore a coarse brown robe and rough
wooden sandals were u n his feet.

He grasped a tall sta with his right hand.

Upon the apex of the staff writhed and coiled
a live serpent, whose eyes ﬂashed, and whose
forked tongue darted rapidly in and out of its
distended jaws.

“He sends me to your assistance!” repeated
the voice, and the stran e being advanced a
step toward the couple. ‘ ear not,” said he,
“I am notaspirit of evil. I will do you no
harm. On the contrary I could leave you here
to perish, but Heaven has sent you to me. I
have waited so long—so long!”

The man spoke in tones so son-ewful that
Eldora felt as if the words were addressed to
her, and her heart beat with a strange and un—
accountable emotion. ’”

She drew still nearer to Richard as if in dread

‘of the odd personage before her. A look of
* anguish seemed to steal over those furrowed

features, and in a whis r he said:

“ She shrinks away rom me!” and then in a
louder tone, “ perhaps she is alarmed on account
of the se nt?’

He ma e a motion with his left hand ~ the snake
unwound itself from the staﬂi', glided down upon
the old man’s shoulder and along his
arm. twining its scaly body around it and rais-
ing its vicious head to peer at the young couple
with its gleaming eyes.

“ Come! Enter he abode that for years and
years no human feet but mine own have ever
traversed. Come!” and the strange ﬁgure led
the way through the opening, remaining behind
to close the aperture. Sudden] he sunk upon
his knees and murmured, “ God, thank thee for
answering MY prayer 1”

CHAPTER X.
THE MAN or MYSTERY AGAIN. '

WHEN the unknown fell through the trap he
shot downward with great velocity and made a
frenetic. but unavailing effort to clutch the sides
of the pit. ’ ‘ . -

He heard the trap-door spring to again, and
with a prayer upon his lips, he resxgned himself
to his fate.

From the sides of the pit excavated in the

round, there grew at intervals the great snake—
ﬁke roots oﬁhuge treesutowering far above the

 
earth’s surface, and whose roots grew down and
projected through the wall of the pit—seeming
not unlike serpents protruding from their den.

In these the victim’s long cloak became so en-
tangled as to partially break the. fall, and the
unknown, instead of lying at the bottom of the
pit a crushed and lifeless mass of humanity,
merely was momentarily stunned.

A most sickening smell-pf the tomb or the
charnel-hmisc—pervaded the pit. His sense of
touch told him that a mass of bones and decayed
animal matter lay beneath and around him.

A slight noise caused him to look upward, and
far above he saw a star—like gleam appear in the
darkness. The light became stronger. and the
unknown was enabled to see that the trapdoor
had been opened and that a man’s face was peer-
ing down is rough the opening. It was Alvarez,
who was thus striving to disc-over the where-
abouts of his victim and awaiting the entrance
of the dwarf in order that he might expose the
gentures of the person at the bottom of the aw—

u pit.

The spot where the unknown lay was plunged
in profound gloom, therefore Alvarez could not
even discern the form of his victim, who was
suddenly startled l y a mufﬂed foot—fall that
came faintly to his ears, apparently from the
earth behind him. Some one was coming, per—
haps to ﬁnish the work that the fall had failed ,
to accomplish, or perhaps the object of the per-
son’s coming was robbery.

These thoughts ﬂashed into the victim’s mind .
as he crouched in the gloom listening to the ap-,
preaching footsteps.

A faint streak of light appeared in the side of

the pit, thus revealing the exact quarter of the‘ "

approaching footsteps, and the position of the
door or aperture leading into the cavity. ,
Whoever it was his intentions were evil. So
reasoned the crouching ﬁgure, and he prepared
to sell his life dearly. ‘
His heavy revolver yet remained in its place
within his belt. "

With an exclamation of jo he grasped the . 

weapon. and drew back into t eshadows, close
beside the streak of light in the wall. The small
iron door moved. It opened, and a broad glare
of light from a dark—lantern ﬂashed into the pit.

The next moment the face of the hideous dwarf ' ' w

ap red at the opening.

(Eigefully the houl—like creature descended,
holding aloft the antern with his left hand and
gralsping the murderous iron spade with his
rig t. ‘ *

He failed to note the ﬁgure standing close be.
side the damp wall.

The dwarf stooped down to examine the ﬂoor-
ing of the pit and a cry of surprise broke from
his lips as he saw not the mangled form of him '

whom he expected to ﬁnd crushed and bleeding ' ' a

among the putrid’ and decayed mass forming
the bottom of the pit. There was a swift rush
and a dull thud as the unknown struck the de- ;
formed creature a tremendous blow upon his _,
shaggy head. ‘ .
The blow felled the dwarf, and he dropped his
lantern and spade to the ﬂoor, uttering a cry
resembling that of a wild animal wounded to
the death as he sunk upon the repulsive mass
littering the place. . , ‘

\

 
18 . 1 The Branded Hand.

 
‘ Only a moment to note the )osition of the

I aperture and then the masked gure seizedthe
lantern and crawled through the low doorway,
making his way rapidly through the winding
tunnel.

Alvarez closed the trap with a howl of rage,
and dashed into the low room with the intention
of intercepting the mysterious person who had
lived through the terrible fall. '

“Man or demon! he must not escape me,” he
shouted. “ Can it be possible that a human be-
ing can live after such a fall?_ This knife will
test whether he is invulnerable to steel.”

Alvarez stooped down and dashed through the
opening, taking the same direction that Stefano
had followed, in order to descend the zigzag
course of the passage leading down to the pit.

“Curses on my blind haste! I have forgotten
to bring the candle,” he muttered, as he sped

' . along in the dark.

He expected to see the ﬂashing rays of the
fugitive’s lantern, but he was doomed to disap—
'pointment.

The unknown, hearing the approach of the

villain, closed the lantern and drew back into a
dark corner before the approaching bandit could
obtain a glimpse of its light.
i A second later and Alvarez was directly op-
posite the ﬁgure—and almost touched it with his
elbow. He had not gone a foot further when he
received a crushing blow that sent him reeling
to the ground—prostrate upon his face and ob-
livious to the surroundings.

“ Dog! I ought to kill you!” muttered the un-/

known as be bent over the senseless villain and
, opened the lantern’s side, allowing the rays to
fall upon the apparently dead body of Alvarez.
“I ought to kil you, but I will spare you for
the present. Your time has not yet arrived.
But beware! for I am constantly on your
track." a
The. masked man spurned the prostrate body
with his foot and strode away in the passage.
, He soon reached the low chamber Where Al-
' v'arez’s candle was just casting its expiring rays
upon the objects in the apartment.
' ‘ The strange adventurer did not pause an in-
‘ ' ,staut in this room, but passed through the door,
\Wlli’ch had served him as a place of observation
‘ only a short time previous. He passed over the
treacherous trap that had launched him into
‘ thet pit and then hurried along toward the
6X1 . , "

, He reached the rough steps leadin to the
doorway in the midst o the trees—an raising

it, he passed out into the shadow of the clump.
«He closed the trap and stood for a moment as
if to rest from the exertion.
He was gradually growing fainter, and now
that he had escaped the terrible fate he Seemed
’to realize its magnitude and his limbs almost re-
fused to bear him.
.'. , ' “ Courage!” he murmured. “Only a few
L hundred feet into yonder Chaparral and I will
ﬁnd my trusty steed. Heaven be praised for
saccording me its timely assistance! I still live
~—1ive toaccomplish the one object I hold most
dear to my heart. ' Vengeance! vengeance!”
He entered the, thick growth of bushes and
, cacti, and was soon in a small grove of trees
crowning the verge of a steep hill. Among

 
these trees he paused, and placing a silver
whistle to his lips, he blew a soft but peculiar
blast upon it.

A horse, bridled and saddled, arose from the
tangled vines, and came forward to greet the
man of mystery. A second later he was in thc
sadélle, and the steed bore him away at a rapid
gal .

Even while the unknown galloped away from
the locality, the repulsive looking dwarf made
a few movements of returning consciousness
and struggled to his feet.

His eyesfailed t) pierce the gloom although
the deformed creature glanced in all directions,
as if to assure himself of his whereabouts. He
searched upon the ﬂoor with his talon—like ﬁn~
gers until they grasped his beloved spade.

He pressed it to his bosom as if he had found
a bag of treasures.

Searchin his pockets he found a few matches
and ignite( one upon the hard surface of his

spade.

By aid of this feeble light he passed through
the open cavity in the damp wall of the pit, and
shufﬂed onward through the low passage.

He muttered to himself and re—lit fresh
Switches as if dreading to pursue his way in the

ar ;.

He seemed a veritable creature of the under-
ground regions—his terrible' shadow dancing
upon the wall. like a “ will—o’-the-wisp,” lead—
ing him onward, and his eyes gleaming in the
uncertain glare of the burning match as if they
were coals of ﬁre.

Suddenly the dwarf paused, and he dropped
the smoldering match to the earth.

Upon the damp clay, directly in the center of
the passage, was a form—the form of a man
now attempting to raise himself.

With a fearful yell Stefano dartai forward,
and raised the terrible s )ade.

“ Stefano!” said a Wel -known voice.

“Yes, master!” ’

The dwarf allowed the spade to descend to his
side. and he leaned over the bleeding villain
and helped him to his feet.

“ You spoke in time, master; I Was going to
kill you,” said the dwarf. “ My eyes were
blinded with blood, and I saw nothing but re-
venge—nothing but revenge!”

“ How did you enter that pit, without seeing
that the man at the bottom of it was alive and
prepared for you?” demanded Alvarez.

“I did not think to ﬁnd him alive, master!
That was no creature of ﬂesh and blood! No!
it was a spirit! It struck.me with its hand.
See! even my shaggy head did not protect me
from its wrath.”

“ Spirit? Bah! It was a foe—a human foe——
one most to be feared. Why did you not try
to kill him .2” cried Alvarez, vehemently.

“ Why didn‘t you kill him, master?” responded
the dwarf, humbly. -

Alvarez could not reply. He had fallen by
the same hand, and even when he felt sure
of confronting the man of mystery in the dark

assage, and easily disposing of him with his
agger.

He spoke not a word, but slowly made his
way back toward the room where the candle,

burning feebly in its socket, threatened each .

 
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The Branded Hand. 19

 
moment to leave the chamber in deepest dark-

‘ D655.

The dwarf followed at his heels, rubbing his
hands with glee. Now and then, with a mali—
cious leer, he would exclaim:

“ Why didn’t YOU kill him, master?”

 
CHAPTER XI.
men TO FACE WITH HIS ron.

RICHARD found himself in a chamber, hol-
lowed out by Nature in the very heart of the
mountain. Far above was the roof of this

‘ chamber, composed of gigantic layers or strata,

so interlocked that each layer held its superin-
cumbent strata in position. It seemed, if one
should be displaced by a sudden shock. that the
entire mass would fall crashing to the rocky
ﬂoor below. A ﬂight of square blocks of stone
served as a stairway to an opening in the un-
even wall of the room. It led into a second
vault—like chamber, where a small ﬁre in the
cleft of a projection in the wall served to illumi-
nate the abode of the hermit. Buffalo—robes
hung against the rocky side, thus giving the
chamber a comfortable appearance. The smoke
of the ﬁre curled upward, until it found an exit
through a crevice iii the roof.

Richard paused and awaited the coming of
the strange being, who hobbled toward the
young couple after they had reached the second
cavern. '

He was soon beside them, and ﬂung aside the
long staff. He cast the serpent into a small
chest and closed the lid.

“ Here you are safe,” said he, “for no one
will molest you—I know that you are pursued
and hunted, but they will fail to ﬁnd you in the
hermit’s cave.”

“ My thanks—heartfelt thanks, are due you,
sir, for you have saved this lady and myself
when all hope seemed dead and that Heaven it—
self had forsaken us,” said Richard.

“ Heaven never forsakes those who call upon
it in their hour of distress,” responded the her-
mit. “ Some may call, and for years that call
may remain unanswered because’Heaven, ever
wise in all things, deemeth that the hour is
not yet at hand. I have for years prayed and
only received an answer to my prayer this very
ni ht.” ’

IVithout another Word the hermit approached
Eldora and taking her face between his hands he
gazed into her features and a deep sigh welled
up from his heart. . _ .

His eyes ﬁlled with tears and his lips qmvered
with a hidden emotion.

As if to hide his feelings he released the girl
and hastened away, disappearing in a caVity
behind the hanging buffalo—robes.

“ Strange creature,” thoughtBichard. ‘f Wb
does the fair face of this girl agitate him in this
manner? Does she awaken sad memories? Per-
haps some angel cheered his life in earlier days
and cast sunshine and gladness upon his path-
way? Eldora must recall the featuresof his
lost one; I can ﬁnd no other reason for his eme—
tion and sudden withdrawal from her pre~
sence.” . V

In after years when the ineldent came to

 
mind he saw only too plainly the sorrow that
must have torn the heart of the hermit at the
moment he ﬂed to conceal his emotion.

“ Eldora,” we have been saved by this person
and yet he ﬂees from our presence as if you re—
called memories of the past. Peihaps your
lovely face reminds him of a lost wife or daugh—
ter? We shall respect his grief and not breach
the subject when he again returns.”

A small pool of clear fresh water served to‘
quench the thirst of the young persons and a
quantity of fruit and wild honey placed close
by the hermit’s ﬁre, served to appease their
hunger.

Thus refreshed the young eople wandered
through the underground abo e and explored
the chain of caverns and the subterranean pas-
sages. Huge columns supported the immense
dome and numerous stalactites hung down like
vast icicles— littering in the rays of the ﬁam~
beau that Ric ard held aloft.

The youth failed to ﬁnd an outlet, and after
wandering from one chamber into another, he
ﬁnally returned to the central cavern where
the replenished ﬁre cast a ruddy glow upon the
surroundings. Eldora laid her hand upon '
Richard’s arm and motioned toward the burn-
ing twigs. Before the ﬁre, sat the white-haired
hermit, gazing into the ﬂames, oblivious to the
approach of the couple. Not until Richard laid
his hand lightly upon his shoulder, did he turn
and seem conscious of their presence.

“ 1 knew that you would not leave thisplace,”
said he, “ because an exit is hard to ﬁnd. Come!
I will show you the secret opening and then
you can come and go at will." ’

The hermit arose and led the way out of the
chamber, followed by Richard and Eldora. si-
lently, as the strange guide strode on through
the dismal windings of the place until he ﬁnally
paused at the base of a huge column supporting
the jagged roof.

“ This is the place. Stoopl” ordered the her—
mit. Richard did as requested and at the base
of this column he discovered an opening large
enough to admit a man.

“ Within this column is the winding ascent to
the world above. Enter and fear not. You
will ﬁnd the exit in a secluded part of the deso~ '
late locality bordering upon the Chaparral,” the
hermit explained.

Richard examined the opening and then re~
joined Eldora.

“Thank you. I will use the exit when you
tire of our society. At present we cannot depart
without ﬁrst thanking you for your timely as:
sistance and hospital ty, ’ said Richard.

“ I do not care for society! I dwell here alone.
For years I have never looked u on a human
face in these caverns. I live in so itude beneath
the earth’s surface where the power of evil men
cannot reach me. When I venture into the , \
outer world I go forth as a nameless being;
Here I am also a nonentity. I have no name.
I merely exist, brooding over wrongs—dream-
ing of a brighter life, to come. It will, come, '
but only when the angel of death has closed my,
eyes forever and I awake in a land where all is»
peace——peace and good will!” , ,

Slowly the hermit glided away from the spot

with his hands clasped and his eyes ﬁ'lxed upon ,, j  .

 
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The Branded Hand. 1 . 21

 
piratical son of a baboon, ye come out here on
the ﬂare foreiiinst me. and be me grandmother‘s
cat ['1] lick ye wid me pinky.”

And Phelim held up his little ﬁnger to indi-
cate the particular ﬁnger that would be used to
inﬂict the chastisement.

The tall Mexican whom Phelim addressed,
scowled savagely upon his comrades, as if he
despised them for not having killed the Irish-
man instead of making a. prisoner of him.

" There‘s not a one o’ yees that dares to come
out and have a go wid me. Ahl ha! ' If I had
me blackthorn wid me, I‘d soon show yees a
cure for the dandruff. None o‘yees will an-
swer me, will yees?"

Finding that his remarks brought no answer,
Phelim contented himself by singing Rory
O’More at the top of his voice.

About a’quarter of a. mile from the Smolder
ing ruins of the old inn, the outlaws struck into
the Chaparral, and in a clearing beside a nar—
row stream the entire party paused.

0n the verge of an eminence stood a rough
building, composed of logs and adobes. A wind-

' iiig path led up to the door, and the windows of

the hut overlooked the almost perpendicular
side of the hill. F mm the windows to the level
ground below, the distance was almost thirty
ect.

The windows could be used to repel an
attack, while they were almost inaccessible to
the attacking party should they determine to
hesiege the building from that direction.
Perched upon the steep mound, the structure
resembled a primitive fortress.

The outlaws began the ascent to the gloomy
looking pile, and Phelim was urged forward
despite his threats and abuse, The foremost
Mexican rapped in a peculiar manner and the
door was opened, when the entire party entered
the hut.

The building was divided into twmcompart-
ments, and a candle served to illumine the room
in which the bandits entered and seated them—
selves. The one who had opened the door
greeted the arty cordially, and several out-
laws forced P elim into the next room—secur-
ing his hands and feet, and then locking the
door. From his position upon the hard ﬂoor
he could hear the rufﬁans in the next room
drinking, and his mouth watered to hear the
gurgling liquor poured into the glasses and
the smacking of lips added to his desire.

“Say! one o’ yees in there! If yez have the
heart of a snake about yees. ye’ll come in an’
give me a sup 0' that stuff. Begorra. I wouldn‘t
refuse a drap to me 'worst enemy, and the
mouth of me a—watering like a pump. Say!
d’ye hear me in there? Oh! the smell of it is
driving me crazy! Say! let me smell the
breath 0’ one of yees!” .

Nota word in reply, and the prisoner grew
louder in his demands as the fumes of the liquor
were wafted to his nostrils through crevices in
the wall.

“The meanest lot of skunks 1 ever saw!
They wouldn’t even let me smell their breath——
afraid I’d get some of the liquor's ﬂavor,” said
he to himself, and then he exclaimed in loud ac—

cents:
“ Say! would yees come in and look at me dy-

 
ing? I’ll be a corpse in a few minutes and ’pon
1110 word I’d oblige tidying man if I was yees.
Come in and rub a drop upon me lips so I can
die aisy! D’ye hear me in there? Oh! listen
to them pouring that out as if it was meself that
had no feeling. Say! are yees going to grant
the last wish of a dying man? Bad luck to yees!
I wouldn’t touch yer ould liquor. It‘s p’izon any
way—bah] I’d spit it out if ye ever dared to
put it in me mouthl Come and try me, see if I
Wouldiﬂt! Are vees coming in to soc if I’m toll-
ing yces a lie?“ Fhelim paused cxpcctantly. No
answer reached his ears and he burst into a.
storm of abuse and threats.

Meanwhile the outlaws grew hilarious as the
liquor mounted to their heads and their boister-
ous laughter irritated Phelim to a high degree. '
He gradually grew sleepy, and mutteri
curses upon the bandits, he fell into a. ﬁtEﬁ
slumber.

He dreamed of countless casks and bottles of
alromatic poteen, and he groaned aloud in his
s cop.

’l‘he.sun streamed into the window ere he
awoke, and the footsteps of the bandits in the
next room proclaimed that they were also awake
and stirring.

A piece of coarse bread and musty cheese
were placed beside him during the day and in
spite of his pleadings he was denied even a drop
of the “ craythur.”

The afternoon wore away, and Phelim was
on the point of again making a loud demand.
for something1 to drink, when a commotion
arose among 1: e bandits, and the Sound of ap-
proaching footsteps told of the arrival of visi-
tors.

Phelim crawled to the door and found a
crevice that enabled him to View the next room,
and all its occupants. An exclamation of sur-
prise fell from his lips. He saw the evil fea-
tures of Alvarez, and several of his lawless fol-
lowers, and among them with his arms pinioned
was Richard!

A low whistle broke from Phelim‘s lips, as he

realized the fact that Richard was a captive
like himself, and in the power of his sworn
enem . ,
“ hghster Richard‘s in the same ﬁx as I aml"
said he, “and they’ll keep their eyes upon us
now, and not give us a chance to give ‘em the
slip. What shall I do to hcl, him! Begorra,
I’m powerless to help mesel ! Hello! what’s
that?”

Phelim's eyes rested upon a coil of rope lying
among several kegs and boxes, that were
thrown into a corner of the room. The Irish-
inan’s hands were tied but he managed to reach
the coil of rope and he kicked it into the midst‘
of the kegs, in order to conceal it, and then re-
turned to the door.

“ There now!” said he. “I may want a rope, r
and if I do I’ll know where to ﬁnd one. What
are they going to do wid Master Richard, I
don‘t know.” ‘

Phelim was not ke tin suspense much longer, _ r

for the door open , and a gruff voice sum:
inoned him to come forth.

The Irishman obeyed, and passed into the
room, and met Richard face to face.

“Arrah, Master Richard, it’s‘ meself that’s r

l

i

y,

« with him. Come!

’ minating point.
' carefully. Eldora waited heelde the base of the
.4 column and could hear the footsteps of her
» 'lover growing fainter and fainter until they

(
1;.

 
20 ’ The Branded Hand.

 
vacancy, as if he saw the shade of a form—an
invisible spirit who beckoned him to follow.

Slowly he passed out of the cavern, retracing
his steps toward the central chamber, while
Richard and the girl followed, wondering and
watching every movement of their most sin-
gular preserver, _

He paused before the fire. and after casting a
few pieces of brushWOO'l upon the ﬂames, he
raised the edge of a hanging robe and again dis-
appeared behind the heavy curtains.

“Poor creature! he is demented. He has
snatched us from the ver; jaws of death, and I
would like to show my gratitude We cannot
restore him to the world because he will not
listen to such a proposition. Ican see that he

, has turned hermit because the world and its in-
habitants have wronged him. Or, perhaps a
dear and valued friend betrayed the trust re-

used in him. or her? At any rate, we must
eave these caverns. He has trusted me with
the knowledve of the sccret‘exit, and we must
make use of it to regain the outer world.”

Richard waited'in vain for the hermit‘s re-
turn. Finally he grew impatient, and drew aside
thehanging bulfalo—skins; but the white-haired
occupant of the cavern was not to be seen. A

v round opening among the uneven rocks exposed
the exit used by the old man. But why did he
ﬂee from those he had rescued? Twice had he
disappeared without a word of explanation and

\ for no apparent reasons. i

“Eidora, we cannot remain here. This poor

" demented creature will do us no harm, but per—

haps he would rather be alone in his dreary
' abode. I have a duty to perform, and that is to
meet the villain Alvarez and balance accounts
I will seek the outlet to the
world above.”
Richard led the way to the base of the gigan-
tic pillar within which the spiral stairway led
, to the open air.
The youth paused and examined the dark
cavity at the base of the column.
“Perhaps itwould be best for me to explore
this outlet alone,” he suggested. “ What do you

‘ think ’tis best to do?”

_“I will wait for you here. Richard. The

' passagg may lead to the open air and it may

not. 0 not fear to leave me. I will patiently
await your return,” said Eldora.

Whispering a few words of encouragement to
the fair girl, he entered the column and began
the ascent of the rough and winding stair-
way.

This stairway was formed by jutting masses
of rock that protruded from the sides of the
pillar in such a manner as to form a succession
of steps winding upward in almost an unbroken

ht.
acre and there the huge rocks would render
the ascent somewhat difﬁcult, but with these
few exceptions the mount presented no great
~ obstacles to Richard’s journey toward the ter-
He toiled upward slowly and

died away in the gloom far above. Occasion-
ally she could see the faint star—like gleam of

~ the torch that he bore as be advanced. One

 
false step meant death to the man she had learn. ,.

ed to love devotedly.

Eldora clasped her hands and a prayer issued
from her lips. Within a short time she had lis-
tened to Richard’s words of love and they
found responsive feelings in her own heart. She
loved the young American ofﬁcer for his many
words of kindness, for his self-sacrificing deeds
in her behalf when a rough crew threatened
her with instant death. Yet she had a vow, an
oath to fulﬁll. Her father’s assassin was yet at
large, and the deeds concerning them—states were
in the hands of the murderer. Until she met
him. and forced these documents or a partial
confession from him, she must remain almost a
beggar, without a home, without kindred.

Would love banish the feelings of duty from
her heart? Would she abandon the fruitless
pursuit? Abandon the patriot cause of Mexico,
and withdraw from the secret order, caring for
no one, thinking of no one, but the man she
loved?

These thoughts presented themselves to Eldo-
ra’s mind as she waited beside the monster col-
umn and listened anxiously for the return of the
young American. No sound came to her ears,
and a silence reigned that was oppressive.

In the meantime Richard continued on his way
from step to step until he paused breathless up-
on a huge slab of stone and gazed toward a
crevice through which the sunbeams were fOI‘C'r
ing their way.

He knew that the outlet must be close at
hand, and he turned to descend in order to lead
Eldora over the uneven steps. A thought
seemed to strike him. and he halted to reﬂect.

,“ Perhaps it would be best to proceed to the
outside before bringing Eldora?" and he con--
tinued over the few remaining blocks toward
the sunlight.

A few steps brought him to a low passage in
the side of the column, and he placed the expir-
ing torch in a crevice; then he pushed a round
bowlder aside, and the daylight streamed into
the mouth of the outlet.

Richard stepped forth into the sunlight, and
had but time to observe the mass of wild grape—
vines and the tangled chaparral, when the black
muzzle of a pistol was placed to his head, and
the harsh voice of Alvarez rung in his ears:

“ Another step! another movement, and
you’re a dead man 1

CHAPTER XII.
PHELIM AMUSES THE BANDITS.

THE reader will remember that we last saw
Phelim McNamara in the hands of the Mexican
outlaws, who, failing to overtake and capture
Richard, had overpowered the Irishman, and

after a short parley, had allowed him to arise

and loosened his bonds, to enable him to walk.
Phelim’s tongue never rested for a moment; he
taunted the Mexicans and shouted words of
ridicule and deﬁance, while his swarthy captors
led him away in the direction of the burning
building.

“Ah! hat ye are after Master Richard, are
yez? Well, be me sowl, ye can whistle till ye
catch him. Ye black-looking bullfrogs, ye

 
“I. jg,» Wu 

 
‘ The Branded Hand. " ' 23

 
prisoners by as dirty and thieving 8. looking
crowd as ye are—saving yer presence—and we
were taken 11 to the place where these black-
guards had t eir roost—same as ye have—and
our hands were tied and we couldn’t move hand
or foot to scratch our heads—d’ye see?”

A peal of laughter answered Pheh’m’s ques-
tion, and the Irishman continued:

“ By and by, me brother got hold of a
knife, and While I was telling the dirty-looking
baboons a story—same as I’m telling it to yccs
—1ne brother was cutting the ropes and divil a
one 0’ them smelt a rat at all, at all. After he
had the ropes cut and his hands and feet were
at liberty he listened to what I told him to do;
but me t roat is getting dry again; ﬁll up every
one o’ yees!” and Plielim ﬁlled the glasses and
arose to offer another toast.

“ Here’s—may ye never have the wool pulled
over yer eyes—till I pull it,” he added, in lower

, tones, and the glasses were emptied.

During the recital of Phclim’s stor , Richard
had severed the ropes, and his ban 5 and feet
were at liberty. He paused to listen to the re-
mainder of the story, feeling that the story was
meant for him, and the instructions were in»-
tended to he put into immediate effect.

“ Well, ye see, after he had the hands and
feet of him at liberty, I told him to go to the
lot of old boxes and barrels in the corner of the
room, but he had to do it mighty slick, or the
vagnbonds would see him, but I kept them busy
while he went to the barrels and found a rope. ’

“ Did he ﬁnd a rope?” said one of the bandits.

“ ‘Deed he did, and he done it very slick. He
got the rope and laid down in the same place—
hal ha! ha! Did ye ever see such a lot of tools
in {111 your life?” and Phelim roared.

The Mexicans joined in the laughter.

“Ye wouldn’t ﬁnd men like ye, being fooled
so easily, would ye?”

“ No! no!” cried the rogues, amidst shouts of
laughter, and Phelim roared louder.

During the story Richard had secured the
rope and now la waiting further instructions.

‘Well, ye see, 6 ot the rope, and I knew it,
but the spalpeens di n’t know it; they were the
worst lot of wooden heads I ever saw—till -I met
yees, saving your presence. Well, ye see he got
the rope, and I told him to go carefullyto a
window and open it—d’ye see? It was a great
hight from the window down to the ground, but
then ye see he had the rope and he could lower
himself easily, and I told him to do it while I
kept the blackguards interested wx_d a'story I
was telling them—same as I’m telling it to ye.
But now came the worst part of it all. He was
afraid they’d hear him, but how could they,
whin I’d laugh me loudest this way "—and
Phelim burst into a peal of laughter that caused
his keepers to join in the hilarious outburst.

Richard was at the window, and forced it
open during the noise of the laughter. and fast,—
ened the rope just as Phelim concluded his cach—
innations and again ﬁlled the glasses for another
oast.

“ Here’s to your stupidity, and may ees
never have any less of it!” Whether the 9x1-
cans understood the Irishman, or their befuddled
condition prevented them so domg, they never—
theless drank the toast with shouts of pleasure.

 
“ Shout away, me boys, ye’r’ doing nicely l” cried
Phelim; “and now for me story; me brother
had everything ready, and be commenced crawl—
ing out of the window. He was half-way out,
and they hadn’t ne’er a one, even smelt the pre—
sence of a mouse—whin I began to fear that
something might happen, ye know, whin I
grabbed a pistol from one 0’ thim—same as I

0 now from you ”—and Phelim grasped the hilt
of a weapon in the belt of the nearest bandit
and withdrew it, laughing, “ and thin I took
another revolver from another blackguard—
same as I take yours ye know "—and the cum
ning romancer reached forth and secured
another weapon from the unsuspecting ruﬂian
near the table.

“Then, ye see, I-had two pistols, and I'
shouted to me brother to git as if the divil was
after him, and I raised me pistols and I blazed
away!”

Two sharp explosions rent the air, and two
bandits sunk at the Irishman’s feet. '

Had a thunderbolt exploded among the ban-
dits, they could not have been more astounded.

Before they could recover from this sudden
astonishment, Phclini’s weapons cracked again,
and a brace of outlaws sunk to the floor with
bullets lodged in their brains. With a wild hur—
roo Phelim leaped to the door and darted down
the pathway, while a volley of ﬁrearms echoed
among the crags, serving to accelerate the Irish
man’s speed. 1

Richard had just readied the ground from
the window, by aid of the rope, as Phclim
dashed up to the spot. .

“Come, Master Rh 1 ard, away wid yo!
They’re after us, and goodness knows how
man 0’ thim may be in the neighbol hood.
I‘Ve’grbest get out of it entirely,” .

Richard seized the .lrishnian’s hand and
wrung it cordially, as the two dashed away,

.with the outlaws in full pursuit, and not many

hundred yards in their rear.
Once'in the tangled Chaparral, the {u itives
could evade the bandits, nit hardly ha they

gained the recesses affording a concealment ‘s, '

when shouts arose from another quarter of the
wildwood. Another party was approaching

from the very direction in which the fugitives ‘- 3

sought to esca Jel
“ That’s bad,”muttcred Phelim. “ Theblack-
guards are signaling, and we’ll be surrounded.”
“My plan is to separate and conceal our-
selves,” cried Richard. “What do you say,
Phelim—don’t you think ’tis best?” ‘
“Faith, I do! Come this way and then you
0 to the left, and I’ll scoot off to the right.
ere, take one 0’ these pistols-ye’ll need it.
There’s no use of ﬁghting a regiment of the,
vagabonds in such a place as this; they could,
shoot us down, and we wouldn’t know it!” ‘ .-
Richard took the proffered weapon, and
again grasping Phelim’s hand, the two men
separated. Richard plunged into the tangled. >
Wild vines, and Pholim into the tall weeds,
while the sounds of the pursuers drew nearer,
as if the entire Chaparral was surrounded by the
bandits. ,
Richard reached a secluded spot, and lay be-
neath a mass of vines, listening to the voices V
of his pursuers. ‘

 
22 . - v y The Brandedﬂand.

 
' sorry to see you here. Worra, worra, how are

yez ever going to git out at all, at all?”

A look of mingled surprise and joy rested u
on Richard’s features when he- first behe d
Phelim emerge from the room, and at the sound
of the Celts voice he smiled to reassure the
faithful fellow.

“ Don’t worry, Pheliml I am sorry to meet
you here, but as we are'to be fellow-prisoners
we must endeavor to be cheerful. "

Before Phelim could reply Richard was forced
into the room lately occupied by his serving-
mun, and the door locked. Phelim was allowed
to sit in a corner of the room occupied by the
bandits.

“ Keep an eye upon them,” commanded
Alvarez. “ Remember I hold you all responsi-
ble for their safe keeping, Don’t allow them to
remain together for a moment.”

“ Go am soak your head I” muttered the Irish-
man; “it will do your brains good.”

Alvarez took his departure. V

“ Good-by! May Ould Nick ﬂy away wid

‘ you,” shouted Phelim after the retreating form

of the villain. .

Phelim contented himself by abusing the ras-
cals that sat about the table. Now and then he
managed to come among them, but was soon
forced back into his corner by several swarthy
Greasers, who used no gentle means to do so.
During one of these attempts to reach the table

, Phelim managed to clutch a knife that lay upon

the edge of the rough table, and although his
hands were secured he still retained his grasp
upon the handle of the weapon, and when he

«' reached the corner he had the knife concealed in
, his sleeve.

“ Begorra, I‘ve got something anyways,” he
muttered. “N 3w. I can amuse myself at the
ropes whin I have a chance.”

In order to attract attention and prevent the
owner of the knife from discovering his loss,
Phelim began singing a comical ditty, and in—
troduced a number of trills and turns in the

uaint melody. causing the Mexicans to laugh.
' 8 followed up the advantage by singing nu

_ merous Irish songs, ever making them..eccentric
and peculiar to raise a lau :h from his listeners.

He introduced words in his melodies intended
for Richard‘s ears. and which the Mexicans nae
turally supposed were part of the songs, The
burden of Phelim‘s worls, sung to the most out-
rageous droning and extemporized melodies.
w‘erc: ‘ '

“ I’ve got a knife—to cut your ropes —when I
get a chance—to be near you.”

Gradually he grew into favor with the ban-

‘ dits“, and to cap the climax one of the ruﬁians

gave him a small quantity of the liquor in order
to induce him to sing again.

Phelim pretended that he did not feel disposed
to sing. but the second glass brought forth the

7 A desired song, and it was sung at the top of his

voice, causing the rafters of the building to

‘ echo.

' Finally, by dint of coaxing and promises to

’ ' sing and dance for their amusement, the lawless

fellows released the Irishman, but gave him to
understand that the least sign of treachery or
making the slightest attempt to escape would

resultin his instant death.

l

“ Is'it me trying to l’ave yees? Neveri never!
while yees have the poteen on the table!” cried
Phelim, and then he burst forth into a Wild
melody and executed a number of grotesque steps
that brought forth shouts and laughter from the
outlaws.

“ Look here, now,” demanded Phelim, “ don"t
ye think it's mighty mean not to give the poor

amusing meself?”

But the bandits would not listen to such a

proposal, and Phelim refused to sing or dance.

‘ I don’t Want him in here 7’ he explained, “ but
ye can open the door and he can look on—d’ye
see? What harm can he do? He can’t come in
here wid the hands of him tied and all of yees
armed and ready to use the weepings—can he?”

Phelim’s argument satisﬁed the bandits who
were anxious to witness the Irishman‘s terpsi-
chorean accomplishments, and the door leading
into Richard’s room was ﬂung open. The young
American could see all that transpired in the
room and witness Phelim‘s dancing also.

The bandits were facing the door, and their
eyes could observe the prostrate form of their
prisoner lying near the mass of kegs and boxes.

Phelim began his dancing, and as his voice
grew louder his limbs ﬂew in all directions in
time to his wild music. His arms ﬂew around
like wind-mills, and now and then he burst
forth into a series of wild “ hurroos.” Suddenly
he managed to produce the knife he had stolen
from the table, and during one of his wildest
evolutions he passed the door of Richard’s room
and ﬂung the knife to the young man.

CHAPTER XIII.
A DOUBLE SURPRISE.

THE movement was executed rapidly, and the
sound of the knife as it fell was smothered by
the noise of Phelim’s heels as he plunged into a
series of steps that riveted all eyes upon him.
He paused breathless, and a chorus of shouts
greeted his efforts.

Richard was quick to notice the movement
made by the dancing Irishman. and as the knife
fell close beside him he seized it, and in tho
twinkling of an eye it was concealed behind him
ready to sever the ropes binding his hands.

The Mexicans poured out a glass of spirits and
Phelim raised the li nor to his lips. “Here’s a
toast for yeesl” said
luck follow yees—and never overtake yeesl“
, Phelim drained his glass, and the Mexicans did
likewise.

“ Sing—more!” shouted a scowling ruﬂian,
who labored under the effect of the liquor.

“ Not another song! Me throat IS all sung
out. But I’ll tell yees the funniest story that ye
ever heard. D‘ye like stories?”

“ Yes—yes!” came from the bandits.

“ Well, then, ye’ll have to be quiet all of yees,
and don’t yens laugh till the place where the
laugh comes in—will yecs?”

“ No—«noW said the ruiﬁans in unison.

“ “Tell, now, give me yer attention all 0‘ yees,
and listen to nvery word I say, beca’se it concerns
somebodv. Don’t let yees miss a word of it.
First of all. it happened in Irelandr—to me and
my brother. One day We was out on the hills,

 
and, would ye belave it, the two of us was taken

feller in the next room a. chance to see me,

he. “Here’s. may good ‘

 
The Branded Hand. 25

 
real motive I am sure you will not condemn me
and think that I am persecuting you. Listen to
me. I can tell you all in a very few words. I
have learned to love you, but saw that the
young American was a formidable rival and
that you favored him. This incensed me, and I
scarcely knew what I did. I have acted upon
the old maxim that all is fair in love and war,
and I have captured my prize. Now tell me,
Eldora, that I do not love you in vain—bid me
hope. All—all that you can possibly desire
shall be placed at your command. I have
wealth which you shall share with me. Tell me
that there is he ,” and the wily villain paused,
waiting the rep y of the girl.

“Alvarez! the wealth of the Indies would not
cause me to look more favorably upon you.
cannot disguise my feelings. I hate yew—hate
you for your cowardly actions upon the deck of
your vessel when you allowed our ruﬁiuns to
almost trample me beneath their feet, and you,
coward that you are, doomed me to death be-
cause I lay concealed upon the vessel—friendless
and alone. Away from me, sir, nor dare to
breathe words of love to me again!" Eldora’s
eyes ﬂashed and her lips quivered as she turned
upon the villain.

“ You love the young American?” he gritted.

“ Yes: and I am proud to acknowledge that I
have won the love of a brave and honest man,”
said she, haughtil .

“Take care! ta e care!” hissed Alvarez in a
voice husky with passion. “Remember that
you are in my power, surrounded by men who
acknowledge no master but myself. ‘My word
is law and every wish is executed instantly.
You can see for yourself that pleasant words
will suit much better than those you have
uttered.”

“ I do not fear you. You war upon women,
therefore I must expect nothing but insults
from you. You have my answer. My heart is
in the keeping of one who will treasure the love
it bears for hnn.” .

“Not long will he live to treasure it. You
forget that he is also my prisoner. He stands
between me and the object of my love; can you

ess what I will do to rid myself of him? .

will kill him before your very eyes, and then,
willing or unwilling, you shall become mine!”

His eyes scintillated with passion, and his face
was purple with rage.

“Monster! do your worst! With my last
breath I will still whisper that I scorn and de-
spise you.” . ,

Alvarez could not restrain the curse that ﬂew
to his lips, and he strode away to hide his in-
tense passion. He ground the blades of 
under his heel, and smote the briers and Vines
from his path savagely with his riﬂe. I

Asmile of contempt played upon the girl’s
1i 5 as she observed the villain giVing vent to
his blind wrath.

The party had entered a dense growth of tall
mesquite and vines, when a chorus of shouts
resounded from afar, and the faint crack of ﬁre—
arms came home upon the still air. _

“Something’s wrong in the direction of our
retreat!" shouted Alvarez. “Guard well the
prisoner and come forward with me, several of

, you that are well-armed!"

 
Ho darted forward, with several ruiﬁans at
his heels.

The shouts grew louder, and the report of
ﬁrearms sounded close at hand.

The Siginals in the depths of the Chaparral the
bandit c icf understood.

“ Separate here!” he shouted, “and meet me
in the glen i”

The men darted away in different directions,
now and then pausing to listen for the shouts,
their weapons ready for immediate use.

Alvarez soon strode into the glen and ap—
proached the hollow tree wherein Pliclini lay con-
cealcd.

Eldora watched her chances and at a favora-
ble moment bounded away from her guard, who
followed in rapid pursuit.

Her footsteps aISo were toward the glen,
where, as we have seen, she was, ere long,
clasped to Richard’s bosom. It was a strange
and unexpected meeting and in a most thrilling '
moment.

Richard licld Alvarez at bay with his revol-
ver, and Phcliin, with the captured i'iﬂo leveled
at Jusper’s head, kept that scoundrol almost
rooted to the spot.

Fear and surprise were depicted upon the fea-
tures of the two villains.

For a few moments they stood there, cowering
before the ready riﬂe and revolver; but even
as the two scouiidrels stood immovable there, a

dozen forms glided into the glen from different ’ 

points, and before Phelim or Richard could
turn they were completely hemmed in, and a
full half—dozen riﬂes and pistols were at their
heads.

Phelim broke the stock of his riﬂe upon the
head of the foremost bandit, but before he could
repeat the act, he was beaten down insensible to ‘
the earth.

The tables were turned, and Alvarez was again
master of the situation.

“Now my bold American—and your Irish
friend also—can rest easy in the. hands of the
men who will look after your comfort. I’ll
warrant you won’t give me an further trouble.
A few moments ago you helr my life at your >
command, and should have seized upon the op-
portunity thus offered. Your life is now in my
hands! Expect no mercy. Plead for none, for
you die," hissed the villain. ,

“Plead to you for mercy—ha! ha! ha! I
would rather die than speak one word implor-
ing pity from you!” cried Richard. “ Take my
life, but let me ask one favor, if you still have a ,
spark of manhood left in you—spare that girl.
She has never wronged you; let her depart, and
offer her no insult. My lit'e is in your hands;
take it, but spare that girl !"

“Spare her?” cried Alvarez; “I spare her
new, because when your carcass lies bleeding at _
my feet, she shall gaze upon you and then she
becomes mine—mine! Do you fully understand
me? ,

“Villain, would that my hands were free!
Av, kill me, for I swear that if I again have an
opportunity I will crush you as I would a ven—
omous snake.”

“There is no possibility that you will ever
give me any further trouble! Your moments ,

\

 
' 24 

t/.

The Branded Hand.

 
Phelim continued his ﬂight until he reached
a steep declivity, and ﬁnally found himself in a
glen. A swift stream wound through the deso-
late spot and a few fallen trees served as a
bridge to cross the waters.

Bleak rocks arose upon all sides almost
shutting out the light of do, .

A huge tree had fallen beside the stream, and

, one on] was partially submerged in the muddy

waters

One glance revealed the fact, that the pros-
trate trunk was hollow and Pheliin made his
way rapidly toward this place of refuge, and
crawled into it feet foremost, and was thus'en—
abled to see what transpired in the glen without
being observed, unless the trunk was closely ex-
amined.

He had hardly arranged himself in the mar»

' row trunk, when approaching footsteps Warned

him that some one was close at hand. In a few

“moments a man bearing a rifle, strode into the

ion and halted: It was Alvarez. and his basi-
isk eyes swept the surroundings, until they
ﬁnally rested upon the hollow tree.

He came toward it, hearing his riﬂe in his
hands ready for use.

“That settles it!” murmured Phelim; “he’s
coming for me beca’se he’s seen the red head of
me.’

Instead of pausing and examining; the base of
the tree, Alvarez walked to its center and took
a seat upon the prostrate trunk.

He placed his riﬂe within a. few inches of the
opening and gazed up—stream as if awaiting

‘ some one.

“ Strange that I have missed them,” he said,
loud enough for Phelim to overhear every
word. ‘fJaspor was fortunate in securing the
girl and I have got the American safe in my
hands.”

1“ Yo have—over the left," thought Phelim.

“I left Jasper and his men conveying the
girl toward our retreat while myself and several
others started forward to ascertain the cause
of the shouts and reports of ﬁrearms coming
apparently from this direction. Has anything

happgfned at the log house?”
_ u

ell, I should smile!” murmured Phelim

to himself. “Ye’ll be astonished whin ye get

there. Ye’ll not ﬁnd me nor Master Richard,
d‘ye mind that? Arrah, look at the gun!”

Phelim’s eyes caught sight of the butt of the

riﬂe leaning against the opening and he silently

‘drew it into the hollow trunk where he could

grasp itand handle the trigger.
Alvarez was so busily engaged watching for

the cominor of his comrades that he failed to

notice the disappearance of his riﬂe.

Suddenly a shrill scream resounded from the
tangled forest beyond and the villain leaped to
his feet and glancel hastily about for his wea—

pon. .

“ Confouud it, where’s m rifle?” he cried.

Another scream reached us ears and the next
moment Eldora came bounding into the clear—
ing as if ﬂeeing from unseen pursuers. The
moment her eyes rested upon Alvarez, her face
, aled and like a startled fawn she ﬂed toward
be rude bridge. Alvarez darted forward to
intercept her but she passed under his out
stretched arm and eluded him.

 
With a glad cry she ﬂung herself into the
arms of a man who bounded into the glen and
clasped the girl to his breast.

It was Richardl and as Alvarez darted for-
ward the young American leveled a revolver
full at his head and with a brutal oath the vil-
lain shrunk back.

“ J asperl J asperl where are you?” he shouted.

“ Here!” crier the rascal known as Jasper, as
he rushed out of the thick bushes, knife in hand.
“ I’m here i”

“ And so am I I” yelled Phelim, emerging
from the hollow tree; and he leveled the riﬂe at
Jasper, bringing the villain to a dead stop.

 
CHAPTER XIV.
THE TABLES ARE TURNED.

ELDORA waited long and patiently for
Richard’s return after he had ascended the
rocky stairway within the huge column in the
hermit’s cave. '

At len th she resolved to enter the hollow
ipillar an ascend the stairway in search of her
over.

She ignited a piece of the rosin-wood which
Richard had left in her care to serve as torches
until his return, stepped within the hollow
column and proceeded upward, to ﬁnally pause
at the entrance Where Richard had displaced
the bowlders; there she emerged into the open
air.

Her ﬁrst discovery was footprints of many
persons imprinted in the yielding earth and the
unmistakable signs of a struggle having taken

place.

“ Ohl Richard, Richard, where are you?” she
unconsciously exclaimed, as she stood with
clasped hands tearfully regarding the s t.

“I will answer that question,” sai a voice
that caused her heart almost to cease its beat-
in rs and the blood almost to forsake her cheeks.

he turned/to confront the man she most
loathed

“Alvarez!” she murmured, shrinking from
the villain. '

“Yes; pray do not move away from me.
Allowme totell you that I was watching this exit

for a certain person, and instead of capturing,

him I found my old friend, the American, and
in a moment he was bound hand and foot, and
is en route for our retreat in the Chaparral.
Thinking that you might not be far away, I lin-
gered in the vicinity, and I have been re-
warded.”

Alvarez placed awhistle tohis lips and a shrill
blast rung again and again.

A dozen swarthy forms arose from the cactus
plants that studded the earth’s surface and
Whose monstrous leaves and stalks aﬂordeda
good hiding~place for the bandits.

They awaited Alvarez’s orders.

“You see that these gentlemen are ready to '

escort you to our mountain retreat, so you will
go with us without giving any trouble.”

To attempt an escape was useless, and by ac—
companying the bandits she could again meet
Richard; so she did not hesitate tofollow the
rufﬁans, Alvarez walking by her side.

“ Eldora, you must forgive me for the part I
have taken in this affair. When you know my

   
,’

 
The Branded Hand. . ‘ 27

 
thoughts were ﬁxed upon the fair being whom
he loved so well, when a key turned in the lock
of the iron door, and a grating sound followed
as the door swung upon its hinges. A person
bearin a lamp entered and azed upon the
manac ed risoner with a leer o satisfaction.

It was asper—Richard’s sworn enemy!

“At last we have got you in a safe place,
haven’t we?” said the ruﬂ‘ian with a grim smile
of satisfaction. “ I would again remind you of
the blow you struck me, for I intend to repay
you for that.”

“You need not fear me,” replied Richard as
he saw J as )er move away as he raised his head.
“ You see am heavily ironed—I can do on no
harm. Were I free to use these hands could
repeat the blow that seems to worry you so
much, but I must satisfy myself by waiting
until my time arrives I”

“You’ll wait a long time 1” retorted Jasper.
“ These ruins are never visited, and if that was
your hope, abandon it at once. You will prob-
bly never see the sunlight again. Alvarez has
not returned, but he has instructed me to carry
out his wishes. You are to die, and you may
guess how happy I am to be enabled to carry
out the sentence personally. I thought I’d call
to prepare you—I hate to take you unawares
you know.”

Jasper laughed at what he considered a sar-
castic rebuke, but the young man paid no atten—
tion to his humor, and the lowvbrowed rufﬁan
passed out from the vault.

The key turned in the lock, and Richard was
a ain alone to commune with his thoughts.
PIielim had just severed the link in the chain
when he was aroused from his labor by the
sound of a footstep in the adjoining passage.

“Saints defend us! somebody’s comingl” he
ejaculated. “ VVhat’ll I do now?"

A key turned in the lock and the door began
to move. Phelim glided swiftly beside the
door, which, fortunate] , opened inward. As it
swung into the vault P elim slid behind it, and
he was concealed from the gaze of the person
who entercd‘the dungeon.

The person was Jasper, and close behind him
came the beautiful captive. As they swiped
forward well into the vault, Phelim glide out
noiseless as a shadow, and darted into the dark
passage. -

“ I thought we had the Irishman in this
chamber,” said Jas r, musingly; “perha s I
am mistaken in the ocality of the vault. ow-
ever, this dungeon will answer. the pa
very well. Eldora, on Will remain here. on
may console oursel with the thought that your
lover is in t e vault to your right. You will
hear his moan of agony when the death-blow is
struck, for he dies to-night!” _

Jasper walked slowly to the door while speak-
ing and swung the door into its place as _he do
livered the concluding words, and locked it.

The poor girl gave way to her sorrow and the
tears coursed down upon her cheeks like the sum—
mer rain.

At length moaning and sobbing she closed her
eyes and knelt upon the cold ﬂoor and offered
11p a prayer to the All-Wise Ruler who is ever
ready to hearkeuuntx) the call of the distressed.

Again the heavy door opened and Eldora

 
arose in time to behold the sinister countenance
of Alvarez who was about to enter the vault.
Close behind him came the repulsive dwarf,
Stefano, rubbing his hands with glee as if he
scented blood from afar.

Alvarez strode into the center of the vault and
placed the lantern upon the ﬂoor. A long knife
protruded from the red sash worn by the deform-
ed creature and he toyed with the weapon
ominously as Eldora glanced toward him and
with a shudder drew away toward the Wall.

“ Eldora, I have returned to visit you,” said
Alvarez. “I have concluded to extend my
mercy to the American provided you give a sat-
isfactory answer to the question am about to
ask on.”

“ ou need not ask the question, for I know
its import. Do not speak of love to me. Do
not speak of mercy, either, for there is not a.
spark left slumbering in your black heart,” cried
Eldora.

“Have a care!” warned the villain, as he
made a step forward as if to seize the girl, but,
quick as the ﬂight of an arrow, she darted to—
ward the dwarf, to grasp the knife from his
sash and spring away in time to ﬂash the steel
before the amazed villain.

“ Don’t approach me I” she cried, in a voice
of desperation, “or I’ll redden this blade with
your blood 1”

Alvarez saw the ﬁerce light that came into
her eyes; he beheld the ruby lips pressed close
together, and he saw deadly determination

lainly written upon the pale features of the
autiful girl.

“That’s your game, is it?” he hissed, savagely.
“Very well; in a few moments the man you
love will be lifeless upon the ﬂoor of the next
vault. Ho! there, Stefano! In the next dun-
geon on will ﬁnd the American. He is chain~
ed. ake this knife and make short work of
him i”

Alvarez handed a dagger to the dwarf, who. r
shufﬂed out of the vault.

‘ “Matteo! Matteo!” shouted Alvarez.

In replyto the call a short, villainous Mexican
appeared in the passage, armed with a riﬂe, and
he entered the vault.

“Matteo, guard this girl until my return. If
she attem ts to assyou, shoot her dead upon
the spo 0 you ear?"

The human brute made a hasty exit from the
vault, and Matteo strode forwaid.

He had barely taken sovei :11 steps when a
ﬁgure darted throu h the doorway, and felled
the Mexican to the 001', and seized his gun. It
was Phelim!

“ Keep quiet,.miss; I’ll guard the door. Here, ‘
take these keys and get upon one of these bar-
rels, and see if e can open that graicd windy
up there. Quic , or ye’ll be too late!” Phelim
ﬂung a. barrel into the vault, and, rifle in hand,
he stood at the door, ready to shoot down the
ﬁrst intruder that prosonted himself. ‘ '

Eldora placed the barrel under the Window,
and in a second she was 11 on it, and ﬁtting a.‘
key to the lock. By the im light that came
through the open door of Richard’s dungeon she
could see the ugly dwarf, weapon in hand, just
entering the vault.

“Oh! Heaven aid mel

Q > , "

Heaven aid me i” she

26 'ﬁne Branded Hand. »

 
are numbered. Come, menl Bear them away,”
commanded Alvarez, as he turned to depart.

“ Whither, captain?”

“ To the vaults beneath the ruined abbey!”

A dismantled and ruined building in the
midst of a neglected cemetery, not far from the
main road, loomed out of the dusk, and beside
this ruin the outlaw and his retinue paused be—

‘fore they entered the crumbling structure.
Broken tombs littered the old churchyard, and
. gave the place a ghostly appearance. Raising
a huge slab of marble, close beside a ruined
arch of the building, the outlaws and their
three prisoners descended a damp and slippery
' ﬂight of stone steps.
Alvarez remained behind to close the tomb,
' and as he stooped to descend he felt the cold
muzzle of a pistol pressed close to his temple.
He turned to meet the gaze of the masked ﬁgure
of the unknownl

CHAPTER XV.
THE FOILED ASSASSIN.

BENEATH the old abbey were a number of
large, roomy vaults, wherein both monks and
prisoners found ample places for concealment
or safe keeping at a period when insurrection
reared its head.

The cruman walls and arches of the abbey
bore evidence 0 the iron hail that had swept
over that ﬁeld several days before the fall of
Vera Cruz, in the brilliant campaign during
which Scott gained imperishable renown for his
; im ortant victories.

he shattered tombs and monuments remained
in the same condition as the contending forces
left the ﬁeld after the hand~to—hand struggle in
the place of the dead.

The iron doors of the vaults had been repair—
ed, and Alvarez and his league found a safe re—
treat beneath the abandoned abbey.

The ruﬂians pilla-ged the homes of both par—
ties, and pretended to serve either faction when

I, _ an opportunity alfordel them a rich harvest for

their pains.

It was into these vaults that the bandits de—
scended and led the three prisoners into their
.dark and chilling recesses.

Jasper placed them in'separate vaults, and
swung the heavy doors into their places and
locke them from without.

_ “ This is a nice place for a gossoon to be in.
' Faith! I’ll catch a dampness lying upon the ﬂure.
. It’s a bed of down I have-down on the ﬂure.

Bad luck to me! Look at the bats a—ﬂyiug
' round the head of mel” and Phelim made a
. few wild attempts to strike at several bats

which he had disturbed by his presence. “ Scat

out of that! Oh! Saint Patrick come down and

drive out the bats before tliev pull me hair out

and it’s baldheaded I am. Will ye l‘ave off ﬂy—
‘ mg ’round me head, ye ugly imps 0’ Satan?
Scat!”

Phelim seized upon broken pieces of crockery
that lay upon the ﬂoor of the ‘dungeon-like
ghgsmber, and ﬂung the bits at the ﬂuttering

a .

For several hours he amused himself in this
manner.

“ How am I going to slape wid the bats a—ﬂy—

ing’round me head like missquiteers? I wish I

 
hada net for me bed. But where’s the bed?
Ohl I forgot!
produced a huge stone from the corner of the
vault and placed it in position to rest his head
upon. - '

“Begorra, there’s a mighty little taste of
feathers in this pillow, and sorra one 0’ me
knows w’ether it wouldn’t be better for me to
wait till they kill a chicken and berry tlic feath-
olrs to stuff the stone so I can get awink of
s eep. ’

Phelim rested his head upon the stone, and for
a full hour he lay tossing and striving to ﬁnd a
“ soft spot ” on the stone. At length he fell into
a ﬁtful slumber, and while he slumbered a pc—
culiar grating sound came from the slimy wall
directly behind the sleeping Irishman, and, ere
long, a square block of stone began to move,
and some unseen person withdrew it, leaving an
aperture through which a‘ faint ray of light
shone into'the vaulted chamber.

Then a face appeared at the opening.

“Say, Irishl rish!” said a voice, in low tones,
“ vos you asleep? Say, Irish!”

Phelim opened his eyes, and rubbed them in a
dazed manner.

“ Whoo the divil is that talking about the
Irish?” he growled sleepily. “ Is it the bats?”

“ Say! vake out—dot’s me—wyour olt friendt
Carl vot vas sea—sick mit you on dot ship, vet
had de ﬁreworks and vent up like do skyrocket
—don’t you vos remembered?”

“Give us your ﬁst, Dutchy!” cried Phelim
joyfully, but he paused; one limb was secured
to a huge ring in the ﬂoor bya stout chain.
“ I’m chained like a dog to his kennel,” he cried
tugging at the iron links.

know dot! Don’t make much noises. Herel
dot’s a bunch of keys,” whispered Carl, and he
ﬂung the keys into Phelim’s extended hands.
“ I can’t go through dis hole because I vos too
fat, so you must hellup yourself. Herel dot’s a
small ﬁle——now go to work; I vill vatcli outside.
De keys vill open de door; I stole dem; hurry
up now I”

Phelim seized the ﬁle that Carl ﬂung into the
vault, and the stout German withdrew from
the aperture, leaving Phelim busily engaged at
the chain.

“Faith it’s Jack Sheppard I am nowl” said he
ﬁling at the chain. “ Scat out of that! Be gob
if I catch one 0’ ye bats I’ll ﬁle the wings oﬂf o’
yees-bad ’cess to ye, anywa 5!”

While Phelim is alternate y ﬁling the chains,
and striking at his winged tormentors, we will
glance into the next vault which is built similar
to the one in which the Irishman is imprisoned.
Richard sat in the gloomy vault, busily en‘
gaged in reviewing the incidents of the past few
weeks. In the partition of the vault, was a nar-
row grated window. He could not reach it
without standing upon some object, therefore
he had not even deigned to peer through the
iron bars to observe the occupant of the next
vault.

He could hear the souan of a voice now and
then, but the hollow tones caused by the arched
roof of the chamber, prevented him from re-
cognizing its owner.

It was Phelim vowing vengeance upon the

bats. Richard had just bowed his head and his

Here’s the pillow,” and Phelim .

a {l 

 
O

I

'23

The Branded Hand.

 
groaned aloud, as she endeavored to ﬁt the key
in the rusty lock. It turned slightly; she placed
her strength into a. supreme effort, and the bolt
shot back.

She seized the iron bars and tugged at them
to draw them back upon their creaking hinges,
Not a moment; was to be lost. The hideous
dwarf was beside the helpless prisoner, and the
glitter of his dag er told that the deformed ﬁend
was ready to str' e the deadly blow.

Eldora drew herself to the sill of the window
overlooking Richard’s dungeon, and as the
dwarfs weapon was raised aloft, she sprung
down like a young tigress, and seized the assas-
sm.

 
CHAPTER XVI.
THE TOMBS GIVE UP THEIR OCCUPANTS.
.- WHEN the unknown presented the pistol at
the astonished villain e merely exclaimed:
“Haltl” and the click, click of the weapon
brought Alvarez to a motionless attitude as if
he was rooted to the spot.

He saw the gleaming eyes through the aper-
tures in the mask and he knew that his life
hung by a slender thread.

He recognized the man of mystery whom he
had launched into the pit and who had escaped
both the terrible fall and the murderous dwarf.
No wonder that Alvarez was chilled to the mar—
row and his limbs refused to bear him. He
clutched the sides of the tomb for support.

' ’ The man of mystery pressed the muzzle of the
pistol so close to the villain’s head that when he
withdrew it, a round crimson ring was imprint‘
ed upon the scoundrel’s temple.

“ Come from that entrance,” said the masked
ﬁgure, in a voice that added to Alvarez‘s ter—
ror.

' Mechanically he obeyed the order, and arose
from the aperture more dead than alive.

While the unknown covered him with his re-

,volver, with one hand'he produced a rope and
unwound it.

“Eluce your'hands behind you,” ordered the’
mas . ,

Alvarez obeyed, and in a few seconds the vil-
laiu’s hands were secured. ~

“Now, villain, I can talk to you, and not be
obliged to keep my weapon at your head. Cun-
ning, treacherous wolf hat you are, I have you
at length in my power. The day of retribution
is almost at hand.” I

“What have I ever done to you?” gasped the
miscreant.

f‘ What have you done to me?” cried the
masked ﬁgure. “You have compelled me to
live a life of agony and torture.‘ You have
.compelled me to conceal m self beneath the
earth’s surface and forget t at I ever had a
home or those whom I could love and call

/ _, mine!”

“ I do not know you. Why do you persecute
and haunt me?” whined Alvarez. -

, “ The time is not yet arrived for a full disclo-
sure. You will know me in due time. Do you
remember the friend that trusted you? The
friend uwhom ou murdered? The friend whom
you robbed? illain, are you not afraid that the

r very earth will open at your feet and ingulf
you? You murdered the friend that trusted,
4 ' ‘

 
and perhaps destroyed his only child, a girl
whom you have deprived of the estates right—
full hers by virtue of the will of Don Miguel
La egal” I

At the sound of that name Alvarez turned still
pa er.

“ La Vega trusted you,” continued the mask,
“and you repaid the trust by killing and rob—
bing him. The child lives—lives to assert her
wrongs and denounce the murderer. She will
know him by his branded hand—the letter A
burned into the palm—the mark of Cairn—Assas-
sin!

A low groan escaped from the white lips of
the inioned wretch.

“ t was by your hand that I was hurled into
the it and by your orders that the dwarf
song t my life. The days of triumph are re-
versed; it is my turn now.”

And the cloaked ﬁgure raised the polished
revolver. The moonbeams fell upon the wea—
pon, and also exposed the countenance of the
cringing villain. ,

“ Mercy! mercy !" he gasped.

“Dare , ou beg for what you have denied to
others? ow often have the doomed knc.t at
your feet, imploring pity? How often have you
almost trampled upon them, and laughed at
their cries? You—beg for mercy! Fiend!
human monster! expect no mercy from me, be-
cause I have no heart. I live but for vengeance
and [the man whom I have hunted to destroy is
you.

Again came the click of the lock, and Al-
varez looked into the very muzzle of the leveled
weapon.

The man of mystery stepped forward, but
before he could press the trigger a form dashed
through the dismantled tombs and struck up the
unknown’s hand as the pistol was discharged.
The bullet whistled harmlessly into the air.

Before the masked ﬁgure could turn, a heavy
blow descended upon his head and the unknown
sunk to the earth. In a moment the ropes bind—
ing Alvarez’s hands, were cut in twain, and the
villain stood at liberty.

“ Gomezl you have saved my life!” cried Al-
varez, and he clasped the hand of the guerrilla
chief, and wrung it cordially.

“You are too precious to me,” confessed
Gomez: “ I don’t want to have you die before I
get my share of the fortune.”

“ Now to discover the secret of this masked
ﬁgure. l will tear aside his mask, and the man

of mystery will be a mystery no longer,” cried

Alvarez, darting forward,

At that instant, the dull report of a pistol
came from the depths of the open tomb and both
the villains turned. Gomez drew his knife as ho
sprung toward the tomb, but, ere he had reached
it, the prostrate ﬁgure of the unknown raised
itself upon its elbow and quick as a ﬂash he lev—
elcd the pistol that he still retained in his grasp
—and ﬁred. With a shriek of pain Gomez
pitched forward and fell headlong upon a marble
slab—dead.

W'itll the agility of a squirrel Alvarez leaped
into the open tomb nor paused to close the slab.

“He has escaped me for the present,” cried
the unknown in a‘voice betraying his disappoint-
ment, “ but his confederate in the crime lies

 
«The rimmed Hand. " 29

 
dead at my feet. The tool has paid the penalty
of that dastardly crime—now for the instiga—
’7

or.

The masked ﬁgure withdrew into the sha-
dows of the huge ruined arches, and like a visi-
tor from the other world glided away in the
gloom.

Alvarez reached the dark passage under the
tomb and paused a moment to assure himself
that he was not followed, “ It’s an ill wind that
blows no good,” he growled. “The unknown
came near ﬁnishing me, but, thanks to his pis—
tol, he has rid me of Gomez. I can still have
the spoils—all to myself—and share with no
one.”

A few yards further in the passage he met
Stefano. “ What was the meaning of that pis-
tol-shot?” demanded Alvarez, sharply.

“ I don’t know, master; I believe that some
one tried to force an entrance into one of the
vaults, and Jasper ﬁred at the person,” replied
the dwarf.

“ Indeedl you'must be careful and watch the
prisoners day and night.”

Alvarez visited Richard’s vault and later, ac-

, companied by the dwarf, he entered Eldora’s

dungeon and, as the reader has witnessed, he
sent Stefano to dispatch the young American.

It will be remembered that Eldora sprung
through the window, and seized the dwarf as he
raised the knife.

So quickly had she grasped the hideous crea—
ture that he could not turn to offer resistance.
She seized his knife, and buried it up to Its haft
in the misshapen body. .

Stefano sunk upon the stone ﬂoor, while El-
dora stood speechless with horror as she cou—
tcmplated the dripping knife she held in her

hand.

Phelim had stepped from the doorway to
observe the struggle in the adjoining vault,
when Alvarez rushed past him and sprung upon
the barrel.

One look, one glance through the window,
and he comprehended the situation. He saw
Eldora with the blood-stained knife and the
dwarf lying at her feet. Not having observed
the features of the Irishman he naturally sup-
posed it was his bandit sentry, Matteo!

Turning rapidly, his face livid with passion
and his voice husky with anger, he exclaimed:

“Matteo! shoot! Shoot into this vault,” and
he pointed into Richard’s dungeon.

‘ Faith I will shoot! Look out for the top 0’
yer head!” shouted Phelim, and he leveled the
riﬂe at the astonished villain. '

Alvarez clung to the window-Sill, speechless
and incapable of moving hand or foot. 3 Before
he could realize the intentions of the Irishman,
that individual had darted out and slammed the
door and turned the key in the lock. .

Alvarez was imprisoned in the vault! lf‘hehrn
ran to the next vault and stood ready With his
riﬂe while he cried out to Eldora, who still re-
mained motionless: “ Come, mISS, 0111'! Your
stick out of this! Hould up a bit! Try these
kGVs on the locks of those chains, or Master
Richard won’t be able, to go wid us.” _

Eldora seized the few keys that Phellm had
removed from the ring, upon which numerous
others had been strung, and which Carl had

 
ﬂung into the vault. Fortunately one of the
keys ﬁtted and opened the lock of the manacles.

Richard embraced the fair girl and pressed
her to his bosom.

“No time for any 0’ that love—making! Bee
gorra, there’ll be a funeral instead of a wedding
if ye’r7 not in a bit of a hurry!” shouted Phelim,
impatiently.

Richard took the trembling hand of his pre—

server in his own and quickly followed after

the Irishman.

They hurried along the dark passage until a.
ﬂight of stone steps presented themselves like a.
barrier across the narrow archway.

“Up these steps! No matter where they
lead,” cried Phelim. “Hurry, for I hear the
spa‘lpeen after us.”

The bandits were in pursuit, and the voice of
J as er arose above the tumult. »

Pielim reached the head of the steps am!
raising his hands upward he felt the cold marble.

Remembering the manner in which they had
entered the passages Phelim pushed with all,
his might, and, as he supposed, a slab was
raised and a ﬂood of moonlight streamed into
the opening.

“Hello! dot’s business!” shouted a voice near
by and a portly ﬁgure glided toward the spot.

It was the German, Carl. A

‘ He grasped Phelim’s hand and assisted him
out of the aperture, and helped Richard and-
Eldora to emerge from the outlet. Not a
moment too soon, for the bandits were at hand '
and their footsteps were heard upon the steps.

Phelim slammed down the slab and leaped
upon it. Carl placed his ponderous form upon
the marble and exclaimed:

“Now, by jimminetty, let us see you get out
of dot hole.” ' ’

CHAPTER XVII.
A HAPBY CONCLUSION.

ALVABEZ heard the tumult in the passages and
ﬂung himself against the iron door and shouted
untilahe was hoarse.

To his inﬁnite joy the door was opened and
Jasper ap eared in the doorway.

“ Whats the matter, captain?” he asked.

In a few words the villain had explained
every thing and the rufﬁan started in pursuit of
the escaping prisoners. ’ ‘

“No use going in that direction,” shouted
Jasper. “The ‘men are after them. We will
take a short cut in this direction.”

Jasper darted away, followed by Alvarez, and
they reached the outlet where, a short time

revious, Alvarez had met the unknown. The
ody of Gomez lay in the same spot where it
had fallen. The gun—barrels of an armed party
glistened in the distance, and before either vil-
ain could speak. a rattling dischargelof ﬁre«
arms came borne upon the night air and a wild
chorus of yells followed. ‘

“ What’s that?” cried Alvarez.

“ Just what I’ve expected would happen long
ago; 7tis the revolutionist band of the “Red , '
Stars” and it means that we are attacked. It
means ﬁght or ﬂight to us,” replied Jasper.

“Let them come,” cried Alvarez; ‘i these
ruins are undermined! I’ll blow them all to do
struction if I see that we are losing ground.

 
/

. :-s..».....,.¢d..y.... -..:~‘__.,....-, .

V is at ban 1” and La

' 30 . ~ ‘ ‘  VThe Branded Hand.

 
Jasper, you know the secret 0t where the
~ powder train communicates wit the mine;—
see that it is ﬁred in case of defeat.”
“ I’ll go and cheer the men on to the attack,”
shouted Jasper, and before Alvarez could pre-
vent him he had darted away in the direction

~ of the struggle.

Alvarez stood near a pedestal upon which a
life-size ﬁgure cast a shadow in the moonlight.
The villain did not observe the statue and it
was well that he did not scrutinize it closely for
the ﬁgure was Eldora—standing upon the ped-
estal like a statue carved from stone and look-
ing for all the world like the many images and
broken ﬁgures that here and there arose from
the countless tombstones and monuments.

“ Why should I fear?” cried Alvarez. “ I can
now escape and abandon the league to its fate.

,Herel here are the documents that I have
guarded so long—the will of LaVega-here it is

, safe in my hands—never to leave them!"

He reduced the package of documents and
way them triumphantly aloft.

In a moment the ﬁgure upon the pedestal
leaped down and the apers were whisked out
of the villain’s hand. e turned mute with sur—
prise to see Eldora with the package in her gras .

“Those papers! those papers,” he gasped;
“ return them or I will kill you!”

He extended his hand and as he did so the
bright moonlight shone upon the palm and re-
vealed the letter imprinted upon the ﬂesh~the
letter A.

“ The Branded Hand!” shrieked Eldora;
“' my father’s assassin! Found at last, villain—-
found at last!”

“ Yes, found at last!” cried a thrilling voice

_ beside Alvarez, and the ﬁgure of the unknown
. arose from behind a huge tombstone.

“ Alvarezl look upon me. You have known
me as a man of mystery. ’Twas our work that

' compelled me to shun the word, but, thank

Heaven, the patriot cause of Mexico is in the
ascendancy, and we defeat the tyrant in every
battle. Eldora, you have known me as the her-
mit, and I shunned you because I could not con-
trol my feelings in your presence, and the time
had not yet arrived for me to reveal myself.
Look upon me, Alvarez!”

_ The ﬁgure tore aside the mask, and a ﬂowing
board that covered the lower half of his features.

,“Don La Vega!” gasped Alvarez, as he tot-
terjed against a broken monument ;_ “does the
grave give u its dead?”

“Fatherl atherl” shrieked Eldora, and the
next instant she was clasped to the bosom of the
cloaked ii are.

“ Not eadl” he said, calmly, “ for our
weapon! failed to deprive me of life. But lin—

ered between life and death for weeks. When

did recover I found mys 1f shattered, both in
mind and body. I searched far and wide for
my child, while I dreaded to reveal myself, as a
price was placed upon my head ere your mur-
derous arm struck the blow. They believed me
dead, and I allowed myself to remain dead to
all feelin save reven e. Scoundrel, your hour
ega sought his weapon.
Alvarez turned to ﬂee when a riﬂe cracked

' close at hand, and a pistol—shot echoed the report

of the gum. '

 
Alvarez threw his arms upward, and fell, face
downward, upon the earth, with a bullet im-
bedded in his brain.

Phelim and Carl emerged from the shadow of
a tomb, and came forward.

“ Begorria, I’ve settled his hash for him. Bad
luck to him} I owed him that, and I always
pays my debts like the intleman that I am.”

“ Dot’s so!” cried Car . “ I helped you to pay
it, too,” and he held the ponderous horse—pistol
up to view.

In a short time the engagement became gen-
eral'. shots rung out on the still night air; mcn
grep led in death—struggles mid the graves.

“ ear not, daughter,” said La Vega. “ I am
in command of the attacking party, and we will
destroy every member of this infamous league.
The two leadin spirits are dead.”

“ B golly, heard dot feller tell der oddor
one a out blowing up everbodies mit powder!”
said Carl, suddenly, as he spurned the body of
Alvarez with his foot.

“ Truel" said La Vega' “ I must warn my
men at once. Here, Ric ard, take her and
guard her until my return.”

Richard came forward, and Eldora was soon
in his arms.

Obeying Carl’s warning, the little party
moved away from the ruin, and not a moment
too soon.

A dull rumbling sound came from beneath
the old ruin; a bri ht ﬂash seemed to leap into
the air; the earth caved, and then a noise re-
sembling distant thunder followed.

Jasper had ﬁred the train, but no great harm
had resulted from the act. La Vega’s timely
warning had baﬂied the villain’s last resort.

As Jasper sought to escape from an exit
among the tombs he was shot by one of La
Ve a’s followers.

he struggle was soon at an end, and the ban-
dit league entirely destroyed, for the revolution—
ists took no prisoners.

Carl explained his presence in Mexico and his

arrival at the opportune moment to be of as-'

sistance to his friends. By mere accident he
had discovered the ruins and watched the
bandits as they descended into the vaults
with the three prisoners. He searchedcarefully
and found an ingress which he used to such ad-
vantage that he overpowered a sentry and
secured his keys.

But a few words remain to be written. Rich-
ard induced La Vega to dispose of his estates
and sail for the States and reside.

A happy party soon left the shores of Mexico
and once more stood beneath the starry ﬂag of
'the United States.

It was Richard and his promished bride, Eldora
La Vega. Phelim and Carl are both inducing
La Vega to become an American citizen.

While Richard and Eldora, hand in hand, are
whispering of the ceremony that is to make
them husband and wife, we will conclude the
story by using Phelim’s remark to La Vega:

“ ist tell the mayor that yez wants to become
an American citizen.”

“ And what—l”

“ That’s all of it I”

THE END.

 
 s...» Nam

 
1 Dem-hunter, the Boy Scout of the Great North Woods.
li_\‘ ()u chum...

2 Illlii’ulo Bill, irom Boyhood to Mnuhood. liv Col. Pren-
iisa inLvi-nhnnr. '

8 Kit; UIII‘NHI. Kin: hf Guides. B ' Alhert Vl'. Aiken.

4 Gunian Lillie, the “liy'iliiri‘pi’etter (“the l‘awuwa. By
Mu‘prr. ll. ll. Sim’hlunl.

5 llFIIlllv Afmnu, Old Grizzly’s Boy Pnrd. By Col.

' - £5 l ' ' ' ill

_ l in .

(i liemlwoml Iliek nu uliuy. iiy Edwnrrl L. \Vheeler.

7 “’illl Hill. the l'islnl l’rinrn. By Co]. I’. lnuruhum.

ill The l’rnirie Ihineh. Br Joseph E. Bridger, Jr.

9 Roving Joe : Tim History at u “Border Buy." By A.
ll. l‘uit

10 Texm‘ Jtlok. the .‘lnstﬂn: King By Cr-i. P. lugmhmn.

ll Churley Skylark. A Slory nl‘Sr-html-dny Scrnpesund
.ullege Cnpm. in thm' n. n. swam.

12 itlnrlpotm Marsh. By Joseph it. Bridger, Jr.

18 Roving lien. By John J Mnrshnll.

14 Enring Steel, King; of this Hush. By J. E. Budget, Jr.

‘15 “’itlc-Awuke (Satyr-re. iiv .dwurd Willcit.

Hi The Boy \Vlzurll. ll iingg‘nhl.

1? Peter Pepper-grind, the blLLlillui‘il frnmGuthnxn. Bv
Nouh Null. P '

Di Adrift ml the rnlric. nmi Armin-m- l I". 1-,.
on the liui’l’uln Ihume. By Ull Cuonnes. I ‘e

19 The Fortune Hunter; nr, Roving Jae n3 Miner
(Juwhhy, Trapper and Hunter. By A. H. l’uii. ’

20 Trapper Tum, tiw WOud imp. By '1‘. C. Hurbunzh.

21 Yeiiuw lluir. the Boy Chirfol'the l’awnaL-n, Bv Co].
i’rnntiss lngruhnm. '

2'! The Snow Truil. By T. C. ilnrbnugh.

23 (“Pd Grlizzly Adams, the Bunr Tnmer. By Dr. Frank

0W9. .

24 “loud: and “Waters. By (Tupi. Fr derick Whittaker.

25 A Rolling: Storm: luridth in this CnNer on Sm and
Luml ui Col. Prentiss lngrnhurn. By Will. R. Eystcr.

26 Red Riv Rove 5. By C. Dunning Clark.

2’? l’iuzu mn l’lulu; nr, Vi ihl Adventures nl“‘Buckakin
Sum.” (Mu . Sm". ‘. H il .) My Ca]. V, lngrnlmm.

28 The Swort I’rlnee. The Romantic Life of Cul. Mun.
sin liy Cu t. Frmier~ k \Vhitt her.

29 Sun“ Qhoe om. By'l‘. (I. Hnrlmnph.

30 Print do Lucy, the French Beust Charmer. By C.
llllilliin: Clurh. o

81 Reunll the Camp Fire. Br Juseph E. Emily-r, Jr.

873 White Beaver. thu Indian ltiedirlnu Chief. By Col.
Preuliss lnurnhnm.

83 The Boy Crunmier. By Ca it. Fred. Wlilttnlaer.

M The Chime at‘ the Grout, W ite Sting, and, Camp
umi Cunoe. I?" C. Dunninz ClnrlL.

35 Old ’l‘ur K wide and "in Boy Chums. By
Roger Stnrh

36 The ﬂushing “Human: "h The S'm‘y of Gen. Guam:
A. 17in! er. u,- c... t. ll‘rcd. Vl'hitinkur.

37‘ Night-lluwk Gear 0.

83 The. Boy Exich ot' .‘ibcriu. By T. C. Ilnrlmngh.

39 The Young “our Iluntern. 113' Morris Rn-llu'inu‘,

40 Hnutrt Sim, th» Lnd with n Level Head. Hy Ed Willutt.

Th1”I Settlch Son. Hy Edward R. Ellis.

42 \i'ult li‘eriiuuun'n Cruiw. ii I. Dunnin Clark.

43 liiilc uml {crolyen iiy Cupt. Fred. \i'hiltnhur.

44 The Loni. Boy \i huh-rm. ilv T. C. Hurlmugh.

45 3mm." Billy, the Sum e rince. linul. lnynhnm.

' Diek, the Nou‘uwuv. l filmrins Morris.

4.; The Culurmh, Boy. , hr, Life antm indigo Pinntution.
By Jnsnph E. lindut-r. Jr.

48 The l’ulnpun llnnierﬂ. 'BVVT. 0- llnrhnuuh.

4.! The Mivcutnrmm Life 01 hebrnnku Charlie.
By (Jul. Prentiss lngruhum.

 
By Col. Prentiss ingruhmn.

t

 
I

 
I 50 Juek, Hurry and Tom, the Three Champion Brothers.

iiy Capt. Frud. \\'hitiuker. ‘

51 The Young Lumi-Lulvher. By C. D. Clark.

The Bov "elm-then. liy ’i‘. C. Hm‘lnlllzh.

lln cat‘llnrrv: ur, The Country Bur Adrift in u“,

Cilv. iiy Churlns Morris. '

54 Culil'nrnln Joe. the Mysterious Pluhninmu. By CuL
l’rnntiun lngru nun. U

55 Tip Trennel. u..- Flunter. By Edward» rum.

The Snow Hunters. By Barry d9 l‘urrest.

5? Hurry some”, the Suilor Bay Mngzu-Inn. iiy S. w,

’t-rnre.
53 The Allventurouﬂ Life oi'Cnptnln Jnek, tln;
box-aw Buy. liy Col. Pmuiss lilgruhaiin.

$Y$Y
ma

‘1'

 
Price, Five Cents.
$3?»

0%

/

\

\\

59 Lmne Tim, the Mule liny oiliie )liurs. {V C. Mnrris,

(it) The Young 'l‘ruil Hunter-n. liy 'l‘. C. lilii‘huugll.

61 The Tiger lluntere; or, The (lulumdh linys in Elw‘
phnnt Lund. My JUSI'irli l’ud: ,. ..

62 Diretor Curvcr, tlu: “ Evil Spirit " vi the i‘lnins. By
(301. l’rt'lltirs lug nh'un.

63 BI: k Home mu, u... Bandit ‘Ji'rm-ker. my new
Stnrlrurk.

64 Young- Dlek Tulbot. By Albert W. Aikm.

(S5 The Boy I’ilut. liy Col. i’runtis. liWrulmili.

66 The, Desert Raver: or, Stownwny Dick Among the
Arabs. liy Charles Marvin.

ti? Texan Charlie, the Boy Rnnger. liy (fol. lnzmhmn.

68 Little Riﬂe; or, The Young Fur Hunters. By Cnptuin
“ Bruin ” Admins.

69 The You)“: Nihilist. liy Clmrlca Morris.

70 Pony the Cowboy. By Major ii. B. Studdm-rl.

71 Rntf Rolmitrtsuul lliM Benr.

Ad unis.

72 The Ice Elephant.

   
liy Cuptnin “ Bruin ”

By Cupt. Frederick Whiltnher.
T: The Young: Moone-llunturn. By \\ . ll. Manning.
74 The Buy Coritl-Flnhcrn. By R ul-r Stnrbuch.
75 Revolver Billy. 3ndl. l'relltia< lugrnhum.
76 The Condor Killers. By T. C. Hnrhungh.

’2'? Lml Llonheeis, the Young Tiger Fightur. By Roger
Sturbuch.

7’3 Flnthout Fred. By Edwnrd Willett. Randy Oct. lo.
79 Bumm, the Hunter. By Cnpmin F. Whittaker.

80 Kentucky Ran, the Long Riilc ol' the Cuscmles. By
Roger Stm'imck.

81 The Kit Cur-Mon Club. By '1'. C. I-inrbnugh.

82 Little Buck, the Boy Guide. By hurry Ringgold.

38 Pony Bob, the Reckless Rider of the Rockies. By Col.
Prentiss lngrnhnxn.

5‘4 Captain Fly-lty—N Ight. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

85 Cuntuln Ralph, the Young Explorer. By C. l). Clurk.

86 Little Dun Roeks. liy Morris Rerlwing.

87 The Menagerie llnnterﬂ. By Mn]. Ii. Grenville.

88 The Boy Trumpﬂ; or, Life Among the Gipaies. By

' J. .‘vl. liutl‘nmn.

89 ’Longnhore. Lije. By C. D. Clark.

90 lign‘lllig Riﬂe, Custer’s Little Scout. By'l‘. C. i-iar-
uug i.

91 Oregon Jon]:, the \Vizuril Riil‘. liy Roger Stali‘blick.

92 llnrrlenne Kit. liy A. l“. Hull.

93 Jumping: Juke, thu Chlorinle Circus liny. l‘~_\,' lirynut
lininin‘inlgu.

94 Sum Spence, the lirnndhvrn Buy. lly ltd. Willett.

95 Monenu' to Elbert“: nr, A Yunhec Boy tn the Rescue.
My ('hm'lus Mun-is.

96 Flghtlng Fred: r r, the (‘nsiuwuys of Grizzly Cump.
liy 'r. c. Ilurhnuuh.

Willi-nine Qi‘ the Flynu'uy. By (7. Dunning Clark.
lh‘nnly l'ull. ‘10

98 The, Boy Vizilnntcu.
Rcudy Feb. ‘."l. Q

99 The \Vhite Tlg’c‘ . liy Cupt. Churirs Unwnril.
ltemly Mnrch e.

100 The Plnmv-‘h'ue Trull.
“Ull .y .\lurch 13,

101 )Inrlnun, the Ottuwn Girl. My Edwnrd S. Ellis.
1mm y Mnrcu 20.

Beudle’n Boy’s Library is {or snlu hy ull Newmlenlcrn,
ﬁve cents per copy, or shut by nnul on ru-cipt Ufsix cents each.

i); Mnj. if. Ii. Stoddard.

lly St. George Ruthbonu.

 
' BEADL 3 AND ADAMS, Publishers,
'98 \‘Villinm Street, New York.

 
EEADLER

PRICE, FIVE GEN TS.

POCKET LIBRARY.

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9 U. 9.5-1 09292922..

WEDNESDA Y.

 
1 Deadwood lllelr, the Prince of the R ad.
Wind L. Wheele
2 Kan! M King; or,'l‘ha Rm] Right llnnd.
him Bill.

The Flylm: Yunliee.
The llonhle Dal:ng
The Two "Worth
The Prairie 1’ lot

I m.

By Ed-
By Duf-

By Col. I‘m-miss: Tngrnhnm.
By ICIlwiu-ll 1.. \Vll: eler.
By All...” w. Aiken.

iy liilllhlo Bill.

I liy lidwnrd L. Wheeler.

Antelope Abe. lhu My Guide. liy ()l] (in-mm

Ned “’vlde. the Boy Swot. lly “Tean Jack"

. nll‘alo Ben, the Prime ul'the i'lalill. By Edward
L. \theIi-r.

llaloh Roy. the Tiny l'ncrnnser. liy C I. lngruhznn.

Nltek o‘ the N] rht. lly '1'. C. llnrlningh.

Yellowstone. . aok. liy Joseph l5. Badger, Jr.

“'lld Ivan, the Boy Claude Diivul. lly E. I..\\'heeler.

Diamond llil-k lly (.‘ulonul Prentiss llllzrnhanl.
een-Knl l ' e ol‘thn Pruiri . By 0]] Comm-s.

Ore on No , or, . k Whilllus’s Boy Spy. By Capt.
J. . C. Alllllllﬂ

Death-Fave, the Detective. By E. L. “'houlel'.

Lasso Jack. liy 0H (tomnes.

Roaring Ralph Roekwood, the Reckless Ranger.

By llnrry  (iwrgc.

The Boy Clown. 13y Frnnl: Film.
The Phantom Miner. wuril L. “'hi-elw.
The Sea-(Fat. By (Taiplain ll del'ick Vvlllullliui‘.
The Ila uh H y. By (ill Uni-nuns.
llamlln r Ru 0. My Hurry St. Unm'zo.
0 01d\. Va anehe, thou-rent Aimihilnlur. By Edwnrd
I .

i. on.
Gin N- .ye, the Grunt Shut of the \‘l'ext. By Cupt. J.
l“. C. Aiiums.
8 The Boy Contain. llu- Roger Stnrhurk.
lllek l): , the Pony Express Rider. By Capt.
:‘rodcrii-l‘ Whilt~ her.
“oh \l’ooll', the “Ol‘lll'r Rulﬂnn. liy E. L. VVlwelvr.
Nightingale Not. lly'l'. (l. llurhm
“lack John, the limul Aim-Ht. .. Rodger, Jr.
8 "maha (ill, the Musk (1 Terror. I In. L. ' ll'elirr.
Burt Bunker, the ’l‘mwm'. liy George E. Lusullc.
The lloy Riﬂes. 'lly A. C. lroi s
The \Vllite IS ii’alo. lly Gav-rim E. Lasulle.
" Jim lllnduoo. Jr. lly l‘hlwnrd l. \th-lm‘.
Ned llazel, the Buy 'l'rnpyer. By Capt. J. F. C.
Allnms.
lleaill Eve. ihe Unknown Smut. llv Buffalo Bill.
Nlek \‘ hllilen’n Pet. By Capt. J. F. C. Adnms.
Deadwood llli-k’n Eagles. liy 141. L. Vl’heeler.
The Border King. liy Oil Comnes.
01d llleiiory. lly llnrry St. Georg:
The \Vhlte Indian. lly Clllll. . . C. Adams.
lluekhorn lilll. 13y Edwnrd L. \\ celor.
The Shadow Shin. lly Col. Pl'un Ingrnhnm.
Thelied Brotherhood. By W. J. llnmilttn.
Dam] Jack. lly 'l‘. (1. llnrhnugzh.
llarr . lly .l'mph ll). Bridger, Jr.
Single By W. J. Hamilton.
l’oten - Lather . oe. lly Philip S. Warm.
The, Border Robin Hood. Hy lluil‘nln Hill.
Gold lune, the Shlirrlhooti‘r. liy m. L. VVIlL-iclL-l‘. 0
01d le’u Clllllll. Ky Cunt. J. l“. 1‘ -\Ihmvs.
Delaware Dick, the Youn Rnng .py. 15y on
Comnes.
Mull Tom \Vcntern. B. J. llnnliltml.
Deadwood llluk on Book. By 14. L. “durulrl'.
llowkeye llm-r lly 011 (‘onmt‘lh
The llov Duel . lly Col. Prentiss Inurnlnnn.
0 Abe Co t, illi‘.( oW-K'ller. By Albert W. Aiken.
Corduroy Chm-lie, the Buy Bravo. By Edward L.
Wheuler. '
\Vlll h‘omcrs. the Boy Detective. By Chas. Mnrris.
‘ Sol (lln er, the Ginnt'l‘rnpnev. liv A. W. Aiken.
By Cnpt.

aim?“

m»:

¢¢CD Qmﬂbmﬂﬂ 0‘:

 man Hl—‘Hu—n—‘H l.-

.. .. . y. L- ..
F°$lﬂampwﬂncs

via?
10

 
lioscbui Rob. lly Edward L. Vl’heolor.
Lluhtnlng Joe, the Terror of the Prairie.
.1. l“. ‘ Adnlnn.

Kit Ilarei‘oot, n... Woounwk. By T. c. in...

haugh.
Rollo, the Buy Ranger. By 011 Coomes.

 
GR Idyl, the Girl Miner. By Edwnrd L. “'heeler.

139 lieu-«1h lick. By Charles Morris.

:0 h e Eliot Seth, the lioy Rillenmn. liv Oil Coomes.

‘1 5 am Mun; or, The Adventures oanfieud ess Boy.
liy J. Alexxuidur Patten.

:2 The Lion ot'the Sen. By Albert W. Aiken.

:3 Photograph l’hll, the Boy Sleuth. By E. L.Wheeler.

t4 l’ii-aynne Pele. liy Charles Morr s.

75 Inland Jim; or. The Pet of the Family. By Bruce-
ih-mgu Hun.pr (Jack Hathaway).

:6 \l atoll-Eye, the Slmdnw. By Eilwnrd L. \‘l'hmler.

s 7 Dial!" Dead Eye, the Boy Sillllggler. 15y Col. 1’. in.
urn Iﬂlll.

73 Deadwood Bick’n Device.

ll ‘ El. L. Vl‘l 1:] .
'29 '.| Bluuk Mllutallger. " ( I“ er

‘he ll Cu lllll
. Reid lunl Frederick “'hixtnher. y l n Mﬂyna
30 Qld Frouty, [he Gui-iv. By '1‘. C. Hurlmugh.
8| The Sea \ lper. By Cnl. l‘rvnlisu lngmhnm.
82 Beth ‘Jilléenh'm', The ('nptivel of the Frontier. By
A. 1 l3:
R3 Canada Chet, the Connterl’eitcr Chief. By Edward
M  “Rabi I’ n 0
ie um) mm. y ti1i.Fradel’il‘k‘Vhliillher.
H5 The Boy Miner-ml By Eriw. rd  hill}:
86 Jack llarkawuy in New York.
hriillze Ilnmynlz.
S7 The llummr Captain. By Col. Praniiu Ingrnhnm.
as Deadwood Dial" in Lcudvllle. 5yl‘1- LWhrelur-
39 Bill lllddon Trapper. By Edward S. Ellis.
lly Gmue (Hudson.
By JUL. E.

xiy mm—

90 'i‘lppy, the 'l exnn.

91 Mustang Sam, the Kiqur u! the Pinion.
Iintlgur, .1 r.

92 The (Mean Bloodhound. By Smnnnl W. Pearce.

on Phil Hardv, the on». my. linhurli- ‘

94 Deadwood lbiek an lleteoth‘e. livl

9:, Buck Buokram. lly («plum J. 1*. 0. Adams.

93 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport lletactiw. By E. L
\Vlloolur.

92' The Black Steed of the Prairies. James
L. Buwonf‘

98 The Sea Sex-pent.

99 Bonanza Bill, the Mun Trnfhor,

100 Not Todd: or, The Fate of the Sioux ('nptiw.
Edward S. Ellis.

101 Daring Davy, the "Young Bear Killer.
St. George.

102 The Yellow (‘l-iei'; or,The Half-blood: Vengeance.
liy Cum. 3‘ item.

103 Chip, the (url Sport. By Edward L. Wheeler.

104 The Black Schooner. By Roger Sim-buck.

105 llnndloine Harry, the Bootblnck Detective. By
Chnrles Morris.

106 Night-Hawk Kit). By Ins. E. Badger, Jr.

107 Jack lloyle’n Load. By Edward L. Wheeler.

108 Rocky Mountain Kit. liy T. Hnrhnugh.

109 The Branded “and. By Frnnl: Burnout.

“0 The Dread Rider. By George W. lirnwno.
«and, 1“.- .17.

111 Boys Bob, tin:Kiuznl‘lioolhlncku. 12y E. L.Whee er.
liemly mm. 24.

112 The llelplenn "and.

Ready March . .

1 [3 ﬁ(.ur.1<‘.|ne Saul, theSilentlIuntzr. lly OllComnea. ‘
Ready March 10.

By Juun Lewis.
By x. 1.. Whistler.
h).

By Hurry

By (Hort. Mayne R id.

Bendie’n Pocket Library is for sale by all News-
dvnlcra, ﬁve cent! per copy, or neat by mail on receipt. of Iix
cents each.

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