Copyrighted, 1884, by BIADLI AND ADAMI. Entered at the Post Office at. New York, N. Y., an Second Clnu Mall Mather. Dev. 3. 1884.

 

V
3 Yen“ No. 98 WILLIAM 81.. NEW YORK. “W Cell“-

'HE RED BRUTHERHUUD; ofiggnggggjw

BY W. J. HAMILTON.

vol  02.50 Published Weekly by Beadle and Adams, Prlee No 
I I I I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bed Brotherhood:

THE TWELVE AVENGERS.
BY W. JEMILTON.

.—.——

IN the South Sea there is a singular serpent
known as the “Red Dukite,” a. serpent which
looms gifted with the pewer of reason.  long,
slender, red body of singular beauty. With dia-
mond eves and pointed head, and as venomous
as the Cobra di Capella. The legend—however
true it may be—is that this snake goes always
in oompan with a companion, and if one is
killed and t e other is not found and dispatcher]
also, the clever is doomed. Wherever he go-vs
the ~“Red Dukite” glides on silently, waiting
patiently for the time when he can strike his

isoned fangs into the flesh of the man who
B25 dared to slay his companion. The Dukife
makes no mistake. and the lndian is not a more
tireless or eflicient scout than be. That trail
and that trail alone he follows through the
silent night or the sultry day, and when the
tired man sinks to rest it is only to feel the
envenomed fangs buried in his flesh, and then
too late he knows that the “Red Dukite" has
avonged his “friend.” If business presses and
the slayer passes sleepless nights, still the
Dukite is ever near, waiting, waiting. relentless
as death, silent as the tomb. This is the history

,of the terrible Dukite, the red scourge of the
South Sea.

Aahip lies at anchor before San Francisco,
one of those great packets that ply between
Australia and the American coast. Upon the
deck looking out toward the great city, the
Queen of the West, is a group of persons of
whom this story treats. Three men, Ono in the
prime of manhood, tall and siiiewy, and two
young men, in whose faces you can see the
features of the elder person. They are hroth‘rs.
and the elder man‘s sons. A fourth individual of
the group, and yet not with it. standing a little
apart in a, half-res sctful, half-careless manner

eeuliar to the old amily servant. It isan Irish

ce, full of rollicking good humor, the type of
that nation at once the most impudent and yet
most successful—out of their Own green isle—
of any the world knows. In love, war and
politics—happy Pat reigns supreme.

Two ladies are with the party, one a stately
woman. the wife of the elder gentleman. the
other her daughter, a beautiful girl of eighreen.
’Mabel Dilisle was beautiful with the beauty of
face, form and soul. Her sunny brown hair,
fair complixiou, blue eyes and cherry lips; her
form, graceful as the swaying reed; her disposi-
tion—ell combined to make her that noblest of
all God’s creatures, a pure and lovely woman.

“ So, good-by forever to the South Seas and
the dangers we have escaped,” said Oscar De-
lisle, as he looked toward the shore. “There

’ lies the land where vengeance can never reach

us.
“Would that you had never invoked it,

 

 

The Red Brotherhood.

Oscar," said Mr. Delisle. “We have'vlgecaped
it is true, but think what might have happened
if we had been compelled to remain in the
South Seas."

A sneering smile passed over the face of 08-
car Delisle. and be uttered a low laugh.

“ How our enemy will bowl when he knowa
that we have eluded him after all the toils he set.
The Red Dukite has failed in his vengeance once.
and I—the man he hated—have done the work."

“He is a terrible being, and a. man of rare
ability, Oscar. We have done well to escape
him, and in this land we have a refuge where
the vengeance of the Red Dukite can never
Come. What do you say, Walter?”

Whiter Dalisle was leaning over the rail,
looking steadily toward the land with a look of
doubt and trouble in his face.

.“ Father," replied the young man, turning
his face toward the speaker, “ I am sorry to

Say that I do not share your opinion in regard _

to our safety.”

Ll W by?”

“ Because, when we escaped from the island,
0 car was foolish enough to send a message to
the Red Dukite, telling him he would meet him
in Melbourne."

“Did you do that, Oscar?" cried Mr. Delisle,
turning a wild look upon the proud face of his
eldest son. “Could you have been so mad—-
younho brought this trouble on us!"

“I would not for the chance- of a life of trou.
ble, lose the opportunity to defy our enemy.
He had driven me mad by his persecutions, and
it would have broken my heart if I could not
answer his insults in some way.”

“ If the avenger is on our track, who is to be
blamed, if not you. Oscar? You have brought
us into danger, und'nrld to it when we have
thrown our pursuer of! the track. You have
much to answer for, Oscar Delisle. But we
must not hesitate, and as for staying in San
F‘r’nncisco for twenty-four hours, I shall not do
it.
“We must stop in San Francisco,” was 0:-
car’s angry retort. “ You promised me to go
into business here, and you must keep your
word.”

“ We have suffered enough from your folly
and pride,” replied Mr. Delisle. “ We were
delayed four days at Melbourne: how do you
know that the avenger is not already on our
track?" - '

“ Let him come if he daresl” hissed the young
man. “ 1 will give agood account of him when
1 meet him anywhere.”

“You were not so eager to meet him in the
islands, Oscar,” said Waiter, in his quiet way.
“ If it had not been for me upon two occasions.
vou would h-ive felt the weight of the Red
Dukite’s vengeance.”

“ Boasterl Because you were fortunate
enough, by a series of lucky accidents, to ob-
tain a momentary advantage eyer our enemy,
you presume upon it to demerin me."

“Walter is no boaster, Oscar,” was Mabel’s Y

quiet reminder.

“ Bali: you always ‘take his port.”

“. Whatever folly I may be capable of. Oscar
Dellsle, I will not be guilty of this one longer.
If any of his envoys should be upon the ship

 

 

' stately

The Red Brotherhood. 3

 

how you would betray yourself. Three times
have you spoken that terrible name, which you
on his never to utter, and which would be a sure
u do to those who hate us. Let usland and
ose ourselves in the great city where we can
make up our plans.”
“Isay—stay in San Francisco."
“ We cannot denide that now: here, Pat.”
“All right, Masther Wallie; phat’ll I do for
yees?"
“ Get out our baggage, as we _ropose to land
at once. Send it up to the Lick ouse.”
“Lick—isit? Sure an’ that’s a foine name,
alanah. A beantv av 11 name, bedad, an’ it’s
mesilf. Putsev O’Bnfl’erty, County Connaugbt,
88th Connanght Rangers. w’u’d do phat yees
order me. Lick inriade! Phool Pbataname.”
Pateey busied himself in getting out the bag-
gage, which was sent on shore, and the party
landed soon after. Patsey reached the “Lick
House ” before the others, and when he met them
in the vestibule he placed a folded paper in the
hands of Oscar.
“A jintleman bid me give it yees, musther.”
Oscar opened the paper slowly and the mo-
ment his eyes rested on the inclosure he uttered
a cry of alarm and reeled buck. pule as death.
Upon the paper was an exact representation 0:
the Red Dukite in the attitude of striking. The
pursuer was on the track.

 

CHAPTER I.
THE SERPENT SYMBOL.

THE “hotel” in a Californian “city” at the
base of the foothills. “City” is a term vnri-
ously applied in the West. It may mean San
Francisco or Sacramento. or it may mean a
cluster of rude shanties nestling down beside
some gold stream or quartz ledge. 11' the latter,
the busy quartz mill is at work, the great crush-
ers dropping with stunning force upon the white
rock, grinding it to powder, while in the other
parts of the mill science was extractin from
that mass of white dust its virgin gold. umpa
City occupied a middle rank between the great
ocean cities and the last named. It had its
quartz mills to he sure, but it had also its daily
paper. fire department and the other machinery
of municipal government. It was just now a
busy town. for a new ledge had been “deval—
oped” and it was in the flush times when every
one was crazy about stocks, and money was free
as air.

Walter Delisle was seated on the wide veran-
da. of the “hotel,” smoking a. cheroot which
had found its way from Manila to San Fran-
cisco, and then to his hands. The young man
was in a brown study. and in the midst of it he
was touched on the shoulder by a lad wearing
the ioturesque dress of Mexico.

“ enor,” he said, “ my master wishes to speak

you.”
“Ah,” said Walter, starting to his feet.
“ Where is your master?” '

“ Do not disturb yourself, senor.” said a quiet,
melodious voice at his elbow. “I am in despair
at troubling you, but I have a little business
with you which must be attended to.”

The young man looked up and saw a fine,

- coking Californian of noble presence,

to

 

dressed in the rich garb of the Mexican Hidalgo
who has riches to back him. He was not young
——perhaps fifty years of age—and the expression
of his face vi as at once nobla and pleasing.

“ You are called Walter Delisle‘I” he said, in
a questioning tone.

" How did you know my name. sir?”

“I shall explain that presently, but this is
neither the time nor place for doing so. Look
in my face and tell me whether you will trust
yourself to my honor if I ask you to ride with
me to my ranch to the south of the foothills.”

“Your business is important?” _

“ Life or death 1" replied the Californian.

“I am at your service.”

“ Hola, Juan!" cried the gentleman. “ A
horse for the Senor Delislo; he rides with me."

The boy run up with a magnificent “ Ameri-
can " horse—an animal much valurd on the
Pacific slope. Walter was about to leapinlo the
saddle when he thought that he ought to leave
some word at the hotel, for he expected the
family soon.

“Juan will stay,” said the Californian. “He
is a sharp boy, small as he is. and w ill do your
bidding. If any of the senor’s friends must see
him, Juan, you know where to find him.”

The boy nodded gravely and took a seat on
tha veranda ready in case any of the friends of
Delisle made their appearance, and the two gen-
tlemen rode away among the foothills, each en-
gaged in the study of the other. From the ex-
pression of both faces it was plain that the im~
pression was mutually agreeable; each was sat—
isfled that the other was a nobleman.

“You are but young. Senor Delisle,” said the
Californian, as they rode along through the
breezy foothills. “Might 1, without giving
offense, ask your age?"

“ Twenty-five last May,” replied Deliale,
promptly. “Young enough to lack experitnce
and to rely upon older men for the knowledge,
which years of experience must have impart-
e .
The Californian bowed and looked pleased,
for he had come of a race in which the young
deferred to the experience of a ge—a quality
Very rare in this fast Century when toovmany

of the young look upon their elders as “ old '

fogies."

“I have not intruded upondyou without apur- :

pose, my young friend,” sai the Californian.
‘In the and from which you have come did
you not ’I’nake deadly enemies?” . -

“ May I ask from whence you came?”

“From the South Sea islands, where my,
father was a. trader.”

“ '(‘Jan you tell me more or‘ do you fear to trust

e?

“I never do an thing by halves, and I claim
the ability to ran the human face. You. senor,
with whoso name even I am not acquainted.
would he cut into inch piecrs sooner than divul e
that which has been imparted to on under 1. a
seal of confidenc". and your wor of honor not-
to raveul it until I givn you leave.”

“You hava my word. a We are now upon my
ranch, and in this open lain no one can a
proach without our know edge. Shall we sit; 0
here to allow you to tell your story I“ , '

.t.

 

 

/

d V Tho Red Brotherhood.

 

The two descended, picketed their horses and
sat down on a mossy knoll, side by side.

“ In the islands of the Australian group, where
we were located for a few years, my brother—
who is of rather a quick temper—became em-
broiled with a man who had the command of a
society knewn as the ‘Red Dukites.’ The Du-
kite is a serpent of the South Seas, and from the
strange persistency with which theee serpents
follow the trail of a man who has killed one of
their kind, this society took its name. They
were a sort of secret brotherhood, with laws un-
like those of any other secret organization in the
world, the fundamental rinciple of which is the
avenging of a brother’s lood.

“These Dukites hated us, as they hated all
outsiders: and, singular as it may seem, the
leader of this strange society was a white man,
and many others of the order were of the same
race. M brother, meeting with two of these
men 'whi e engaged in collecting sandalwood,
had some hot words with them, and was threat-
ened by them with dangers which he could not
avert. It passed off for that time, but meeting
one of the men again, in the village. they had
a stru gle, and my brother shot the Dukite
throug the heart. It was said, although I was
not a. witness to the struggle, that there was
something unfair on my brother’s part. It is

' said that the members of the Dukite society, like

i -with long knives.

\

their serpent prototype, always go in Company
-—a sing e companion always being at some
point near at hand, on the watch. This was the
case in the present instance. The man slain
was the second officer of the society, and the one
on the watch was his ‘douhle’—aiso a white
man, whose face I have never seen, but who has
made himself our deadly enemy from that
hour.”

u Go on.”

“The first warning we had was the day after
the death of the Dukite. A paper was pinned
u on our door, bearing a picture of the Red Du-
k te, with erected head ready to strike, and a
few words in the native languaZe warning us to
be prepared for death, for the Dukites were on
the trail, and we were doomed. Two days
after, mv brother, passing through a thicket of
cone, was set upon by two masked men armed
He had a pistol, but they
closed with him before he could fire it, and car-
ried him away, after binding his arms. It was
their intention to, take him to their place of
meeting in the mountains, and there sacrifice
him to appease. the manes of the man hehad slain.
By great good fortune, i met them on the other
side of the canes, and as one of the men lifted
his knife to plunge it into Oscar’s heart, I broke
his arm bya. well—directed shot. The two men
plunged into the canes and escaped.

“A second lime they seized my brother upon
the sea-shore, whence they hurried him int-i a
boat and put out to sea. This time he would
certainly have been doomed, but 1 was coming

'into the lagoon the same day, with a cargo of

goods from Melbourne, where I had been to
trade. In the darkness of the ni ht we struck
the boat, cutting her in two. and saving them
floating on the surface. We got out our lan-
terns and found my brother clinging to a brok-

pn fragment of the wrecked craft, but not an-

 

other man was to be found. They swim like
ducks, and had reached the shore.

“ My sister was the next attacked, and I man—
aged to rescue her just in time. It was plain
that we could not remain on the islands, and
one night we placed our valuables on our little
sloop and embarked. But my brother foolishly
sent a. defiance to the Dukite whom he most
hated, which told him where he had gone. We
were in Melbourne nearly a week longer than
we expected, and the Red Dukite had taken ad-
vantage of the time lost to trail us. And, senor,
when we entered the Lick House from the
packet, my servant placed in Oscar‘s hands a
parchment upon which was written in red ink
the sign of the Dukites—the threatening serpent
ready to strike. We know that our enemy is
on the trail.”

“ Hush,” said the Californian. “ Here comes
astranger, and we must wait until he passes be—
fore I can tell you why I came to you."

A stockman’s hut obstructed the View at a
distance of half a mile, and a horseman was
sgurring rapidly down the road toward
t em. As he came nearer, it was plain that he
was admirably mounted, for his horse covered
the ground in gallant style. It was an Ameri-
can horse, seventeen hands high, with splendid
actionwthe model of a trotter. The stranger
was of powerful frame, singularly handsome,
and wearing the peculiar droo ing mustache
generally worn by high-caste rahmins. At
the first glance a locker-on would have taken
him for a Hiudoo, but a closer look revealed the
fact that the olive-brown of his complexion was
the work of the sun, and not of nature. As he
reined in his horse before the pair seated on the
knoll, be looked at them in a quick, searching
wav.

“I crave your pardon, gentlemen,” he said;
“but may I ask if I am on the road to Tampa
City?"

He spoke English well, but in a slow way,
which was either the result of habit, or from
the fact that be had not used the language
much of late, notably the fact when an English-
man giVes up the use of his native tongue in or-
dinary conversation for long years.

“You are in the war, senor," replied the
Californian, politely. “ I give you good-day.”

“The same to you, senor.” replied the stran-
ger, whose dark eyes Seemed to scan the taco of
Delisle with intense earnestness. “Is it farto
the city?”

“Perhaps five miles.“

The man thanked them and rode on rapidly
while Walter looked after him with a doubtful
expression not unmixad with fear. What was
there in the sight of this man’s handsome face
and his melodious voice to arouse such strange
thoughts in him? Why did his mind go back at
once to the island-studded lagoons of the South
Sea. the lofty trees and the spice-laden breezes
of the tropics.

“ l have seen that man before,” he muttered,
“but where it was I can not tell. In South
America, Panama, Melbourne—where? Cor-
found the luck if I can place him, and I would
give ya thousand dollars to be certain of my
man.

The Red Brotherhood. 5

 

w

“There comes another,” sail the Californian,
“and Santa Mariel He is as like the other as
one bullet from my rifle is like its fellow.”

It was true! The man who now advanced
was mounted on a fine American horse, wore
the drooping mustache, and had the same olive—
brown complexion as the man who preceded
him. He, too, pulled up and asked the way to’
Tampa City, and his voice could hardly be dis-
tinguished from that of the first stranger. As
before, his gaze rested longest upon Delisle, and
the same glitter came into his eyes. Then he
rode on and the two men looked at each other in
wonder.

“There is something in this deeper than you
imagine, Senor Delisle,” said the Californian.
“ You have made me your confidant, and now I
will return the favor as far as I can. Do you
remember a young Mexican on board the packet
who became quiteintimate with your party un-
der the name of Estevan Cordoval?”

“ Certainly,” replied the young man, his face
lighting up with delight. “A really fine young
gentleman."

“ Thanks; you honor me in saying it, for Es—
tevan is a son of whom I am proud. Yesterday
Ireceived a letter from him sent by a special
messenger. He told me that he had made your
acquaintance on the packet and that you had
honored him with your friendship. After you
had left San Francisco he discovered the follow-
ing facts:

‘1 You have been followed from the South Sea
Islands by these men who hate you. They were
on the same steamer with on when you left
Melbourne, twelve in num er. These twelve
men have money in abundance, and have sworn
to their comrades that they will never return
to them until they have avenged, in person of
your brother and his family, the murder of their
oflicer. The arrangement of their plan he can
not tell you, except this: you are the first vic-
tim and your brother the last.”

“ Why am I the first?”

“Because they fear on most. They say that
you are active and b0 d, and that until you are
destroyed there can be no safety for them in
carrying out their plans. Not that they hate
you as much as theiy do your brother.”

“Then Oscar an the family are safe until I
am under the sod? So be it. I accept the gage
thrown down by in secret foes who have
drivrn me to the we 1. I will live—I will it
myself against the twelve who have ban ed
themselves against me and I will’beat them if
my life is spared.”

“ Brave young maul Do you then offer your-
self as a sacrifice to save those you love? Then
I give you my word that the power I have in
this conntry shall be used to assist you. But,
ylvhgep do you expect your father and his fam-
1 3’

“They may come at any moment.”

“Then the are in danger from this hour and
we must wor . Hal what is thati”

Something white came fluttering through the
air and fell at their feet. It was a long arrow
with a pn r impaled upon the shaft which
Senor Cor oval detached and held up.

And there, imprinted in full on the sheet, was
the‘ serpent symbol of the Red Dukite, and

 

underneath these words in the language of the
South Seas:

“The Dukitea are silent and know how to be pa-
tient. When the time comes, they strike; when
they strike, the blow is sure. You in your pride of
youth have laughed at the Dukites’ arm. Guard
your breast if you can, for soon the doom shall
cover you like a poll. Beware the sting of the ser-
pen 3“

 

CHAPTER II.
snowmo mam HAND.

THE new friends looked in each other’s faces
in disma for they had scarcely ex ected the
blow to all so soon. But Walter eliale was .
not the man to remain long inactive, and he
sprung to his feet suddenly.

“If the Dukite has a sting, at leastIknow
the antidote. Senor. there is danger in the very
air we breathe, and I was not wrong in saying
that my brother would yet destroy our family.
When I think that his thrice-accursed folly has
brought this evil upon us, 1 am almost tempted
to forget that he is my brother; but I cannot do
that.’

“I fear that there is little brotherly love be-
tween you,” said Senor Cordoval.

“ You are right, senor; and yet I would have
loved him but he would not permit it. I have
no other brother, and if he w uld give back it y
affection I should be glad; but he is cold and
proud in his self-conceit, and we can never love
each other much. What shall we do, now that
we know that the enemy is on our trail?”

“I do not know whether it is safe to move,
even now,” replied the Californian. “You are
armed?”

Delisle showed a pair of elegant pistols and a
long knife. .

“ Good at close quarters, but you must learn
to carry a rifle and to use it."

“I have little to lzurn in that respect,” said
Walter, quietly.

“You don’t know our Western marksman, I
think ” was the reply.

“I have no doubt you can shoot well, but can
you drive a nail at a hundred yards, or crease a
mustang on the jump? Until you can do this-—
until you can hit the eye of an Indian in the
glare of the camp-fire, you cannot equal our
men. But come, we must be on the we .”

He swung himself uickl into the an die, and
bursting suddenly t roug a thicket on the
right, he rode away across the plain toward the
white-walled ranch, which now could be seen.
three or four miles away. People in the East
have no real conception of the extent of these
great stock-ranches in the West, where a man
has u long ride to reach the end of his own land.
and Senor Cordoval was one of the largestland—
owners in the State. They passed corrals filled ,
with rent beeves ready to be shipped to mar-
ket; 0 her corralsin which hundreds of horses
bounded to and fro, shaking their tangled rashes
and neighing wildly, as the horsemen Went by.
They were still a mile from the hacienda, when
they heard I. clear halloa, and a horse came
through a menquit hedge on the right, bearing
on his back a young girl wearing a rich costume
of the Mexican ma den of high rank. She rode

 

 

e ' The Red Brotherhood.

“ en Amazon," curbing her powerful mustang

as she saw the two gentlemen.

She was a rare beauty, this child of the West,
Dark, flowing locks rolled almost to her saddle;
her dark eyes Were seas of liquid fire; her swaet
face was full of enthusiasm, and her graceful
form swayed to the motion of her horse. The
scarlet magua which she wore set all her graces
to advantage. Beneath this, she wore a silken
vest of blue over a skirt of the same color, and
dainty Turkish trowsers, fastened at the ankle,
could not entirely conceal. the symmetry of her
limbs. Natty little boots, armed with the spur
which Mexicans are too fond of using, were set
into her stirrups, and the hand which grasped

I the rein so firmly was small and shapely.

, “ Hola, senores !” with a merrylangh. “ Aqui
esta un par muyfino I" (Here is a very line
pair. “ Why do you leave me alone at the ba-
cien a, when you know that I cannot endure
solitude?"

“ You must excuse me this time, my daugh-
ter," replied Senor Cordoval. fondly, “ for I have
business at Tampa. Senor Delisle, you see my
daughter, of whom her brother must have spok-
en to you, for her name is ever on his lips.  :-
raya, this is Senor Walter Delisle, of whom Es-
tevan spoke when he wrote last ”

The senora put out a pretty little hand with a
1'0 ul grace, and it sunk like a feather into the
pa m of the young man, who held it fully as
long as etiquette would allow.

" I am delighted to meet the sister of Don E3-
tevan, senora. I assure you that he sung your
praises from morning till night, and my own
sister is wild to know you."

“ Why did you not bring her with you?" cried
Zoraya, impulsively. “Ah, to have a. friend,
one of my own age, who would take delight in
my pursuits—that would be happiness in-
deed l"

“, It will not be long before she will be here, as
I expect them at Tampa every hour. When
they come—"

“ They shall not stay at Tammi” cried Zo-
raya. “ Father, assure Senor Delisle that all
will be welcome at the Hacienda de Cordoval.”
, “ It is not necessary for me to say that they
willbe welcome,” answered her father. “ And.
indeed, I think she is right, for more reasons
than one, and for the present there is no place
so safe as my house. have a hundred men in
my employ. and at least thirty of them are
Americans, for. when it comes to fighting, I have
but little faith in my own countrymen, and the
Indians have taken pleasure in driving my cat-
tle the wrong way. many times, until my
American braves persunied them to stop. But
we waste time here, an I you must be hungry,
after fasting so long. Let us go to the hacien—
da at once.’ _ >

alter was ready to agree to anything which
_’would keep him at the side of Senora Zoraya,

' and the rode away at a. foot-pace, the young
man ii: ning with eager attention to the sparks
of humor Which fell from her tongue, for Seno-
ra Zoraya loved to talk! But, that is not singu-
lar; few women difler from her in that respect.
'The ride to the hacienda was all too short, and
they rode into a spacious courtyard, surrounded
by vm'wam—a court which had stood for

/

 

- -~

generations-for the family was one of the old-
est in Upper California.

“ Welcome to the home of my fathers, senor!”
said the owner, quietly and gravely. "I um
one of the few among my eunntrymen who
have had the wit to see that the so-called con-
quest of California was the best thing thatever
happened to us. Enter."

’l‘uey passed into the spacious room, furnished
in luxurious style, for the Californian was rich
enough to command any luxury he wished.
They seated themselves, and while the elder
gentleman touched a hell and ordered dinner,
Z )rayu, took up a guitar and sung to that pleas-
ing accompaniment the ancient war-songs of the
Cid, and Walter was really annoyed when din-
ner was announced. The meal was of the rich—
est description, and when it was over the gem
tlemen adjourned to the nzotea for a siesta and
Cigars. '

Zoraya would have accompanied them, but at
a sign from her father, much to the chagrin of
Walter, she remained behind. From the anotea
they looked out upon the broad plain stretching
along the base of the foothills, and beyond the
blue peaks of the Sierras rising against the sum-
mer sky. They had scarcely reached the roof
when Senor Cordovnl touched his companion on
the arm and pointed to the south, in the {direc-
tion of Tampa City. “ Look there!”

Two men were meeting in the midst of the
plain about five miles d stant. But in that clear
atmosphere objects are seen more distinctly
than in other lands, and eVen at that distance
Walter could make out the two persons that
had passed them on the lain.

To make sure, he too ' up a glass which lay
upon the parapet and leveled it at the pair, and
their faces were brought into view with a pre-
cision which was startling.

“ Magnificent glass, this," said vWalter, as he
glued his eye to the tube. “Yes, senor, you
are right; those are the very fellows who passed
us and they seem to be hail-fellows-well-met,
too. They are making signals now.”

As he spoke, other men appeared from every
direction, until twelve were grouped on the
plain in close conference. By the aid of the
glass Walter was able to make out the fact that
they were dressed exactly alike and had the
some out of beard as the first two. V

Twelve men! Twelve of the Red Dukites had
been deputed to hunt him down, chosen doubt-
less for their vigor and skill. He knew well
that such a striking similarity of face was not
natural, and there was something here which he
could not understand, but of one thing he was
sure—the mystic band were before him!

, "Oh, if we had only an excuse to call out
your men and sweep those murderous scann-
drels from the face of the earth!" he said. “ I
am sure they are my enemies, but how can I
prove it?"

“Time works wonders,” quietly responded
Senor Cordoval. “ I will put a scout upon their
trail at once.”

He stooped over the parapet and whistled.
and a man who was making a lane in the court
below looked up.

“ Come up here, Pedro.”

The man laid dowu his lane and ascended to

The Red Brotherhood. T

 

the uzotea. He proved to bee native Califor-
nian with a sallow face, sharp and cunning.

” You see those men, Pedro?” said his master,
pointing to the party on the plain. “ Take the
glass and look at them.”

“ The man obeyed and studied the party for
five minutes. Then he returned the glass to
Walter.

“You will know them when you see them
again. Pedro?”

" Si, senor."

“You must follow them and when you have
satisfied yourself where they are going bring
me word at once. If you do your work well
you will earn fifty dollars; if you do is ill—you
know what will happen then.”

The man shrugged his shoulders and rapidly
descended from the roof and soon after they
saw him leave the hacienda, admirably mount-
ed, and ride away, making a great circle so as
not to appear to have come from that direction.
For half an hour the twelve remained in con-
sultation and then Pedro rode out of a thicket
and passed them quietly, without seeming to
look at them.

“That fellow is a good scout,” remarked the
senor. “I have tried him in many ways and
have not found him wanting. I-lal they me
etc ping him.”

hey saw Pedro bait and turn back and en-
ter into conversation with the strangers. The
conference was not of long duration and they
separated, the twelve riding oil! toward the
mountain-passes and Pedro keeping on his wa .
But, searching the ground carefully, Delise
saw him riding along the rocky bottom of a.
crevasse, keep ng a course parallel with that
taken by the hand. All were lost to view he-
hind the foothills and Walter laid the glass
down.

“I fear that your scout, brave as he is will
be no match for the Dukites,” said he. “I tell
you, sir, that the Thugs of India are not their
match in subtlety, and that wonderful race can
not shed blood more coolly than they. You
brush a. fly from your face and kill it without
thought; the Dukite brushesa man from his path
as coolly and feels the crime as little. They are
wonderful men and I have a great work to do
to cope with them all.”

“is it not strange that they showed them-
selves to us so plainly?”

“They have some object in that, sir. When
you see them again the will he as unlike what
you have seen as possi is, for they have ways
of changing their afipearance of which you and
I know nothing. owaver, as they are gone I
think it will be safe to go to Tampa City.”

“ We will go with a party and if your family
have come we will have them up here at once.
Hola,John Dean! Get nine of your fellows and
prepare to ride with me to Tampa.”

The one addressed—a muscular, wiry man of
middle age, who was crossing the court-yard—
lookod up at the summons. It was the sort of
face wh oh you or I would like to see at our
side in the tug of battle, strong, bold, self-reli-
ant—the type of men who make the nameof
trapper and scout a terror to their savage ene-

mien
“ All right, senor; any chance of a muss? I‘m

 

lit’rally sp’ilin’ fur a fight of some kind, an‘ I
don’t keer a dern who it ar‘ with. I ain‘t snufl-
ed out an Injun in—Lord love your heart—
when did I raise any ha‘r? It’sn week, sart’in."

“ Get the men, John,” replied the senor,
laughing. “You may have a chance if you are
careful of your op rtunities.”

“ Anybody—a. :hinaman, a Digger—I dunno
but I'd even fight a Piute, I aw’ar.”

The man disappeared and in a remarkably
short time a party of ten servitors—nll of them
desperate Indian-fighters—were gathered in the
court below. They were armed with rifles,
hatchets and long bowies. Revolvers had not
yet come into general use and the Western man
as a rule despised the pistol as a weapon. The
senor and his companion descended and they
rode away, the men laughing and jesting at the
prospect of n fight.

"I’m a man that likes my employer,”said
John Dean; " but one thing he must do—he’s
got to give me a chance fur a fight now an’ then
or I sn’ile. Whar m" we bound, senor?”

“ “'e are going to Tampa.”

“ Waal, one thing we kin do, boys. You re-
member them plugs down to the mill laughed at
as an’ said we war sarvints. I reckon we’ll
hev to lick flwm, anyhow.”

“Bet yer life, old boss.” responded the man.
“We’ll make up a little party, somehow."

“Oh. them chaps are willin’, the’r‘ the willin’-
est lot I chr knowed in all my; life, but we kin
chow ’em on" day in the wee —now you hear
me. VV'nai-‘s Pedro, senor? he‘s the only Grosser
I ever know ed that c’u’d scout, an’ he’s a hull
mule team on that, Pedro is.”

“I’ve sent him on a scout, and no doubt he
will meet us at Tampa.’

“You orwr hev let me go with him, senor.
Pedro is good on the scout, but he kein’f fight
fur shocks, he's too cussed light, he is. What’s
that noise‘i’

They were riding through spans under the
shelter of an ovorllanging clifl. There was a
rustling sound overhead. and the next moment,
to their horror, 3 human bod came whirling
through the air, and struck t e earth at their
feet with a dull thud, the face tnrnedup to the
sky. At a glance they recognized Pedro, the
Mexican scout. A long knife was driven to the
hilt in his heart. pinning a paper to his breast,
upon which Walter saw the fatal sign of the
Dukites, the threatening serpent!

“You send your spies on the trail of the
Dukites,” cried a resounding voice. “This is
the beginning of vengeance; the worst is yet to
come.‘

The men flung themselves from their saddles
and scaled the cliir, but when they reached the
summit, no man was to be seen. The mark of
the Red Dukite was set upon the first victiml

CHAPTER iii.
no: man‘s vxsrroa.

JACK DEAN the stockman came down from
the cliff with a dark scowl upon his hard face.
in his rough way he had low-d the Mexican be-
cause he was a man after his own heart—one >
who loved to taken trail and follow it tothe
end. An American upon the Pacific coast has
little liking for a " Greaser,” but in this case the

‘. l

 

 

 

 

‘.
5.
g

 

C The Red Brotherhood.

attachment was deep and binding. Together
they had trailed the Klamath, the Shasta and
the Modoc in their mountain homes; and fight-
ing under the shadow of so brave a man as Jack
Dean, Pedro had been brave enough. Now he
lay dead, the long thin strip of steel planted in
his heart, and the flaming serpent, with its
erected head, pinned upon his bosom.

“I heard him, the low cuss!” muttered the
stockman. “ Red Dukites they call themselves,
eh? Does any man here know what that word
means?"

“ I can explain it," said Walter, who knew
the wisdom of having such men as the stockmau
and his friends upon his side; and in as few
words as possible he told why he had left the
South Sea, and explained the working of the
anites.

“ Admck’ly!” said Jack as he drew the blade
from the bosom of the Mexican. " Here [ sw’ur
that this blood shall never be wiped from the
blade until the last of the twelve Dukites has
gone under. Then it shall be buried, planted to
the hilt in his heart.”

“ We foller suit, J ack," added the man who
stood next to him. “ What do you say, Sandy?”

“ Hoot awa’, child l” replied the man address-
ed—a. genuine Scotchmun with the red heir,
powerful frame and" canny " ways of his race.
“Dinna fash yersel’ about me. Gin I leave
Johnny Dean na doot I’m no better than a deed
man. I'm wi’ ye, soul an’ body.”

The rest clas ed handsin silence; they needed
no word to sea their faith.

“ Then we are eleven and will match ourselves
against the Dukites. For, when such brave
men take up my quarrel it is but just that I
should cast in my lot with theirs,” cried Welter.

“ He’s a brave child 2” spoke out Sandy Mc-
GreFor, “an’ no doot he’ll mek a gallant fight
age nst these dour deevils we maun fight wi’. I
mind weel the day the last of the clan McCal—
lum an’ McGregor met. there was wigs on the
heather that day. ‘ Blew up yer chaunter,
Sandy, an! gi’e them a taste of the " Rant,” ’ says
the bonny chieftain. An’ the pipes ne‘er sound-
ed so weel as they sounded that day, an’ the
wall rose in the McCallum cabins When the fight
was dune. Wae’s me, the gude auld days long

\ “no In .

“ Hold your pipes, Scotchy i” cried J :ick Dean.
“Mr. De isle, you are our leader, mind, an’
what you say we’ll do. Shall we try to follow
them now?"

“ Better not, I think. I must get my father
and family safe to the hacienda first.

“ I’ll take Pedro across the saddle and carry
him. Poor lad; ’twas an unlucky day for him
When you sent him out, senor. I was crazy fur
a muss not an hour ago, and now—it’s no use
talkin'. Help me to lift him, Sandy.”

The two raised the dead form of Pedro. and
laid it on the horse and the party rode on.
About a mile from Tampa they met one of the
tremolo: to the hacienda, and the body was
pic I! a some straw and sent home. The
Egrt do: ed into the open space in front of the

te‘ , where they were greeted with derisive
cheers by the mill-men, who, for some reason,
were “down” on the stockmen of Senor Cordo-
vai. Jack Dean, fora wonder, paid no atten-

 

tion to these demonstrations, although at any
other time he would have been ripe and ready
for a fray.

“ I kain’t afford to git rubbed out now, b0 3,"
he said, quietly. “Take it eas ; one of t ese
days you‘ll sup on cold lead or this, but jest
now I kain’t throw away a chaince. Only don’t
pile it on too thick or we mou’t forgit our-
selves.”

“That’s the first time you ever took water,
Jack Dean,” said a burly mill-man who was
seated on the rail of the veranda, “and with
nine good boys at yer back it looks odd.”

“ Dove Carroll,” answered Dean, “ let me say
a word to you. Our boys hev got some work to
do that they must ’tend to an’ they kain’t fight
until it’s done. One of our boys hez bin mur-
dered. an’ we ar’ bound to hunt down the man
that did it.”

“ You don’t lay it to any of my crowd?” said
Carroll, knitting his brows.

“ Not a bit; we know who did it, an’ it ain’t
any man you know, so don’t git hufly on that.
When we started out today We was fixed for a
fight with you, but this throwed us oi? the
track.”

“Nut! sod,” cried Carroll. “ Boys, cheese that
now; the one that picks on Jack Dean's crowd
has got to fight 'me. It don’t interfere with
business when you hunt your man down,
Jack?”

“In course not; I’ll give the word when the
work is done.” -

From that moment these rough men frater-
nized with the understanding that at some fu-
ture day, heads should be broken in a friendly
way over the business. While this was going
on the great lumberinrr stage drawn by six
horses came into the “plaza.” at a gailo , and
the passengers began to alight. Mr. Delis e and
Oscar were on the box and Don Estevan Cordo-
vai, a handsome young man, richly dressed,
handed out Mabel and Mrs. Delisle. Pat cnme
(low I: over thewheel grinning widely as he recog-
niz rd his young master advancing through the
crowd.

The arrival of the mail coach inafrontier
town is an event, and the plaza was crowded.
The driver, with the air of a man in authority,
issued his orders to the hostlers with native
grace, interlarding his remarks with a choice
selection of American oaths. For the “native
American ” is gifted with a genius for profan-
ity, deny it ye who will. Senor Cordoval was
introduced to the family, and at once invited
them to visit his hacienda.

“ i think it best, father,” said Walter. “ Some-
thing has occurred which makes it necessary.”

“Some more of your foolish fears,” said Os-
car. “ I should be sorry to think you a coward,
Walter Delisle.”

“You at least have little cause to say so. Os-
car.” was the reply. “ Run your eye over that
paper which _I received to—day, and then tell
£116 If, you still think I have not any cause for

ear.

He placed in his brother’s hand the paper
which had fallen at his feet, pierced by the ar-
row, and even Oscar started and turned livid as
he recognized the fatal sign.

“ Those fellows must have the aid of the Evil

The Red Brotherhood. ' 9

 

One,” he muttered, looking at his father to
whom Walter was explainin the steps he had
taken. “ I did think we shou d be safe here, at
any rate. Well. father. what is decided?”

“ We go with Senor Cordovai, who has kindly

laced his house at our disposal,” renlied Mr.
elisle. “You will understand it better when
Walter has time to explain to you.”

Oscar drew back, grumbling, and Estevan
went away to order horses. In a few moments
the party rode out of Tampa with five horsemen
on each flank, and watching as they rode through
the passes for some sign 0 their enemies. But
the Dukites made no sign, and the party rode
into the court safe and sound, where the horses
were taken in charge by men who came up at
the motion of Cordoval‘s finger.

“ You have a fine old place, senor,” said De-
lisle. looking admiringly about him. “These
historic spots have a rare interest for me, who
have spent so many years literally an outcast,
or rather an exile from my native land. But,
why was it necessary to build these huge
we is?"

“The Indian of the past is not the Indian of
the present,” was the reply. “ The Indians of
this region have sunk step y step until from a
warlike race—the peer of the Comanches—they
have dropped to their present level. In the days
when these walls were built the were not too
strong to resist the sudden attac s of the moun-
tain tribes.’

At this moment Zoraya, who had been waits
ing impatiently for them to come on, darted
from the main entrance and threw herself into
her brother‘s arms, which 0 ned at once to re-
ceive her. No brother an sister ever loved
more fondly than these two, and for a moment
nothing was heard save the delicious sobs which
joy wrung from the bosom of this sweet girl.

‘ There, there, mio care I” said the young
man, as he removed her clinging arms; “ you
forget that I must make you known to my
friends. Walter you already know, but here I
give you a lady friend—the one you have so
ong sighed for—Miss Mabel Delisie. You have
heard me speak of Zoraya often enough, Miss
Delisle.”

“So often that I already love her,” replied
Mabel. The impulsive child at once embraced
and kissed her, and the two were fast friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Delisle were warmly received, but
as Zoraya placed her hand in the burnin palm
of Oscara shudder passed through her rame.
“ I hope that our meeting is not prophetic, my
dear sir,” she said. “ A shudder clpassed through
me when I touched your han ; is there any
meanin in it?"

For h m—yes'; the touch of that small white
hand, the flash of those speaking eyes. had done
their work. Oscar Delisle loved her with all the
power of his flery nature, and woe to any man
who dared to cross his love! It was a passion
at first sight—a consuming fire which would end
in supreme happiness or utter misery. They
entered the hacienda chatting merrily, but
Oscar saw that it was by the side of Walter she
walked, and that her taco lighted up whenever
he spoke. ‘
“ f be has dared!” he muttered between his
set teeth. “If she should love him, the little

 

affection I have for him would turn to undying
hate. Let him beware!"

“ I’d like to speak to Captain Delisle if he has
the time,” said Dean, who stood in the door-
way as they assed through. Walter stopped
at once and abel laughed merrily.

“Captain Delislei Ha, ha, hai You have
received your promotion suddeiil‘y, brother."

“ You may laugh if on like, abel, but I am
roud of the title, for t makes me the leader of
rave men. Go on, sister; I will join you in a

moment."

The party passed on into the reception-room,
leaving Walter with the stockman.

“Now, look here, Cap.” said Dean, in a tone
of expostulation; “you must take keer o! yer-
self. Wimmin are the devill I guess I orter
know far I’ve hed four wives in my time an’
every cussed one made it might hot fur me.
A burnt child dreads the fire; on’t you hev
nothin’ to say to ’em."

“What do you mean, Jack?” said Walter,
laughing heartily.

“Never you mind; of you don’t know now I
ain’t going to tell you. WhatI want tar say
is this yen—you ar’ capt’in of our party an'
we’ve got work to do, an’ I don‘t want on to
go throwin’ away time on a pesk gir. Not
but Zorayor ar’ a bu‘ster an’ a migh y nice little
gel, but she’ll draw you of! the track of you
don't take keer."

A hot flush mounted into the handsome face
of Walter Delisle. This rough stockman had
penetrated his secret at a glance and knew how
deeply he was interested in the pretty little
Californian.

“Thor’s another thing, Cap—don’t git mad
with me—but in two weeks’ time that brother
of ours will be fit to take your life out of
jen ousy; he will, by jinks.”

“ Oscar?”

“You bet ye—Oscar. I never see a man
look at a gal as he did at Zora a, an' he’s got a
nasty black drop of blood in is veins som’ers

"or other.”

“Don’t be troubled about me, Jack. While
those twelve men live there is no safety for any
of us, and I never put my hand to the plow and
look back. I’ll stand by you to the end.”

“ ’Nuf! sed,” was the relply. “I’ll go to my
but now. for I know you‘l keep yer word.”

Jack Dean left the hacienda and rode quickly
across the plain to the stock-hut where he ale t.
It was close to one of the main corrals, and a
dismounted, took of his saddle and bridle and
let his horse run loose, for he knew that the
trained animal would not stray far from the
place and would come at his whistle. Two of
his friends were seated at a little table, deep in
the mysteries of “draw poker,” and a rather
pretty Mexican woman, Jack Dean’s fourth,
was enga ed in preparing an er.

“ Even n’, boys. evehin’l ow’s the luck?"

“ The chiei has stra ppit me i” answered Sandy
McGregor, as his opponent raked the lie on
four kings. “ He’s a dance laddie. and m aair
afraid he keepit some cairds in his sleeve."

Jack laughed and the men drew back from
the table. at which sign Mrs. Dean put on the
dishes and prepared the evening meal. They
went to work in a hungry fashion, Sandy pep, ‘

/

 

 

 

.‘ we!"

10 ' The Red Brotherhood.

forming in a wonderful manner. Then the
table was cleared away, Mrs. Dean began to
tinkle a guitar and the men were sitting down
to cards when they heard the beat of hoofs and
some one rattled on the door with a whip-mock.

“0 n the door, can‘ssima I” said Dean.

“Cos ttol Who can it be at this time of
night
he door swung back on its leathern hinges

and the light of the lam fell upon a tall man
mounted on a long—limbe horse. He was bend-

. ing‘ forward to look into the room.

Can I get to stay here all night, stranger?“
he said.

“ We’ve got mighty cluss Vgunners here,
stranger,” answered Jack. “ by don’t you
go to the hacienda?”

,“ I don't take much stock in big-bugs," replied
the man. “I can camp down anywhar, you
know—the floor is good enou h for me. Or if
you don’t want me in the cab n I can camp on
the grass, but I’d like to toast 8. piece of venison
at our tire."

‘ You ar’ welcome to what we’ve got. stran-
ger.” replied Jack. “ I kin give you a blanket
on the floor.”

“Good enough for me. I’ll picket my horse
out on the grass and come in.”

Mrs. Dean put the remains of their supper on
a little table and when the stranger came in he
accepted her invitation to partake, in the off—
hand way peculiar to the prairieman. When
he had finished he lighted his pipe and drew up
to the table to watch their game. Jack, who
was looking at him intently, could not but od-
mire the muscular frame of the man, who was
wonderfully strong of limb.

“ Take a hand. stranger?” he said.

“Don’t care. though I don‘t know the game
very well, but I'm always willing to r‘sk dollar
for dollar.”

,r The Cards were dealt and for a f aw games the
stranger lost. playing rashly and risking his
money on weak hands. Then the luck begun to
chan e and he won steadily, until the three
frlen 3 found their funds running low. As the
stranger leaned forward to take his winnings,
his sleeve caught upon a corner of the table and
stripped the cotton shirt above his elbow before
he resll knew what he had done, and the keen
e as of ack Dean sew, imprinted upon the arm,
t e fatal sign of the Red Dukitel Quicker than
thought a bare b0wie was at the throat of the
stranger, while Sandy McGregor seized his arms
and inioned them behind him.

“ reckon ou’ve go' to the end of your rope,
Mr. Dukite, growled Jack. “ Curse on your
bloody heart, ll teach you to come into my

I ranch.”

“Do you want to rob me?” demanded the
stranger, coolly. “ I thought I had got among
poor honest men.” Q o .

. “And so you hev, stranger. an’ I judge it ar’
company that don’t agree with you. Will you
tell us what that mark on your arm means?"

“ The mark!” demanded the stranger.

_“ You bet!”

' f‘ I don’t know what there is in a mark on a
man's arm that you should jump on him like

ti rs. '
"mol’ve been allover the world and I got that

 

 

mark in the South Seas. A native put it on my
arm for me but I never supposed my life would
be in danger on that account. Do you murder
every” sailor you find with an anchor on his
arm

“ You play the game down mighty fine, boss,”
said Jack Dean, without lowering his weapon.
“ What did your native call the sarpint, might
I be so bold oz to ask?”

“The Red Dukite.”

“ You’ve got the same mighty pat," said
Jack, $10wly. “ See here; l’m goin’ to take you
up to the hacienda and show you to Walter De- -
lisle. El’ he don’t know you I reckon we’ll let
you lease.”

“You are very kind," replied the man. “I
don’t recognize your authority in anyway, but
you are stronger than I am. I will go quietly.”

“ You promise that?”

“Yes.” .

Sandy McGregor. obeying a. sign from J sick,
released the arms of the stranger which he had
drawn over the buck of a chair in a very awk-
ward manner. The fellow rose quietly and drew
down his torn sleeve which he buttoned again.
This done he called for his coat which was
handed to him by Jack Dean, who helped him
to put it on. laying his bowie on the table while
he did so. The other men were looking on care-
lessly when they saw Jack go down under a
blow which would have felled an ox, and the
next moment the stranger, whirling the bowie
above his head, sprung through the open door.
They ran for their rifles, but when they reached
the door the beat of flying boots, and a. wild, ex-
ultant shout told them that their guest had es-
caped. It was nearly five minutes before Jack
recovered his senses suficiently to sit up and
then it was with a swimming in his head and a
deadly faintness which quickly compelled him
to lie dowu again.

“ I’ve been kicked by a mule." he said, faintly--
“ been blowed up in a. steamer, shot through the
right lung. been in twenty-two airth nukes,
been bucked forty feet above the bee of a
Mexican plugg‘bnt such a crack as that I nevcr
experienced in all my life. It’s just awful and
no mistake. Whar is he?"

f‘ The daft callant gaed aw1‘ like a whirl-
wmd," exclaimed MzGr gnr. “Hoot. men, but
ye s'u’d he’s seen him fl:e awa’ over the grass!
’Deed, men, but he’s no canny, that chiel w1’
the snake.”

“ It’s only one thing more against him.". aid
Jack. “I say, Scotchy; take my horse and ride
to the hacienda and warn ’em to takecsre. Call
out Walter an’ let him know first.”

“ I‘m no see sure it w‘u’d he s We to gang non."
replied the prudent Scot. “They’ve gude
strang walls to ’fend them an‘ we have none.
Gin the (rift body came back wi’ mair help wnt
w’u'd y: do then!”

“ Never mind me, Sandy. I’ll be all right in
an hour's time.”

f‘ Let Billy gang; he’d be ower glad to get a.
hhnk out of the pen of the young leddy’s maid.
Ye mind her, Billy; Sle gl’e yer hairt a lair
blown"

“I don’t care if I go,” confessed Billy. “ Can
you whistle the horse up. Jack?"

The injured man raisod his fingers to his lips

\

The Red Brotherhood.

11

 

and emitted asharp whistle which was answered
by 'the neigh of the trained horse, which came
hounding back a. minute later. Billy Blake
loaded his rifle, swung himself into the saddle
and rode away ata. swinging pace. He was a
gallant young fellow and had little fear of the
ordinary dangers of the border for he had a
strong arm, was a dead shot and knew that he
bestrode one of the best horses in California.
The night was not dark and objects could be
easily seen ata distance of two hundred feet.
The young stockman rode on at a brisk trot
until he saw a dark form start up suddenly
from the grass before him and run on rapidly.
He urged his horse, but to his utn r surprise his
utmost effort did not suffice to decrease the dis-
tance between them.

“Halt, there; I want to whisper in your ear,
stranger."

But the dark figure still ran on before him,
and if anything gained upon the horse.

“ If I shoot you’ll come down, my boy,” cried
Billy. “You'd better pull up, now mind, 1 tell

)1

A mocking laugh was the only response, and
that dark figure still fled on before him through
the gloom of the night. Billy leveled his rifle
but it was not in his nature to shoot a man in
the hack, and he again called out in a tone of
warning:

“Turn back you,” was the reply. “If you
follow me, you come to your death.”
“You will have it." cried Blake. “When

you pass yonder tree. I will fire.”

The man kept up his headlong pace, but, just
as he reached the fatal tree he paused, and his
hand went back over his shoulder. Even in the
moonlight Blake saw something leave his hand
and flv out before him. Mechanically he halted
and followed the dark object with his eye, when
there came a. whistling sound and the dark ob-
‘ecr, which was nothing more nor less than.a

oomt rang, struck him just above the eyes with
terrible force. and he was stretched senseless on
the plain. The fleet‘footed enemy came back
and placed his hand on the bosom of the fallen
mgn. He could feel no pulsation beneath his

[I m.
p “Deadl We will teach them what it is to
follow the trail of the Dukites.”

When morning broke, its rays fell upon the
still. could face of William Blake. a bloody mark
upon his brew and on his breast the fatal sign
of the serpent! The Rud Dukite had again
placed its sting in the breast of a. victim.

CHAPTER IV.
THE MIDNIGHT ASSASSINS.

TEE hacienda De Cordoval Was wrapped in
the mantle of silence. Not alight gleamed in
a window. not a step sounded in the long cor-
ridors or in the lofty rooms. All had retired to
rest—Mabel sharing the couch of Zoraya, who
would not be parted from her new friend. Her
apartment was upon the second floor. aspucious
chamber overlooking the gardens at the back.
In the dead hour of night, when the two beauti-
ful girls who had talked themselves into simu-
ber lay clasped in each other’s arms. the golden
locks of Mahe] min led with those of her darker
sister, a hand was aid upon the gauze curtains,

 

drawing them gently aside. and a dark. sinister
face looked dorm upon the sletping pair. The
moonlight falling upon that face added to its
devilish beauty, for it was the face of Lucifer
after the fall.

“I could wring their proud hearts to the
quick,” he thought. as he lifted a. thin-bladed
knife which he carried in his right hand. " but
even I. sworn asI am to ev11. could not look in
their faces and strike. Ha! she wakes! Sleep
——l command it!" -

He stretched out his hand and made a few
passes over the head of Mabel. who had partly
started from the couch. and she again fell back,
utterly powerless before the will of this wonder-
ful man. .

“ So the strong cor quers the wrak,” he mut-
tered. “Would the charm work with Walter
Delislei If it would—which l doubt—our work
would be done this night. But. I know that in
his breast is a will more powerful even than
mine, which will neither bend nor break. If I
conquer him, it can only be with my dagger in
his heart."

For full five minutes the man stood looking
down upon the sleeping maidens. who had re-
mained subject to his will. There was an ex-
Kfression of douht in his face as he looked at

abel Delisle. You might almost call it‘love, ,
so strong was it.

“We have the power to spare one and One
only of this fated family. if I have my voice
it shall to you. fear not, sweet girl. '1 would
give the best years of my life to know that our
work was done andnhnt she would love me.
Then in yonder sunny isle—hut I dream and my
work is still to be done."

Alow hiSs called him and he left the room
silently, leaving the girls wrapped in slumber.
He had willed that they should sleep for five
hours and then awake. freed from the mesmerio
influence he had thrown about them. In the
passage he met a second man who had warned
him by the serpent hiss that there was work to

o.

“ Speak,” he said. “The girls willnot wake.”

‘ Senor Cordoval sleeps in the chamber which
opens into the library on the ground floor. Our
hated enemy is in the room at the right of the
mafia, entrance. We can reach him first if we
vii . ’

“ He is reserved for a worse fate: go on.”

“Mr. Delisle and his wife occupy rooms at
the lower end of this passage. Estevan Cordo-
val sleeps opposite. and Walter—”

“What of him? Is he alone tool” hissed
the man who seemed to he the leader.

“ Yes; he sleeps at the hack of the main salon.
If yogi, wish to justify him, now is the accepted
time.

By way of answer the man pressed the cold
blue steel blade to his lite and signed to the
other to lead on. He too had drawn a dag or
like that carried by his companion, the ban le
of which represented the coiled body of the
Dukite. There could be no question but that'
these were the chosen avengers who had follow-
ed the Delisles from their island home. As they
passed through the long halls each man enveer
his face with a craps mask. They passed down
the staircase, their feet awaking no echoes upon ‘

\

 

 

12 e The Red Brotherhood.

 

the stained floors. pushed open the door of the
main salon, and crept in silently. The door of
the bedroom stood partly open and the Dukltes
aueed and looked in, while the leader, touchin
himself upon the breast, signified that he woul
strike first. They approached the bed with the
blue blades glittering in the moonlight raised
above their head. Walter lay there sleeping,
his broad breast rising and falling with each
respiration. But these men, recognizing in him
the most powerful bar to their designs against
Oscar, never thought of pity. The bright
blades glittered in the moonlight and the strong
right hand of the avenger ascended. There
was a sharp, metallic ring and the blade was
shivered to the very hilt upon the concealed
vest which Walter Delisle, living as he had in
constant danger of the assassiu’s dagger, had
learned to Wear night and day. He was upon
his feet instantly with a sword in his hand—-
‘ for he always kept arms beside him in his bed.
The weapon was one of those frail but pointed
blades which are manufactured especially for
the use of “Knights Templar,” of which body
Walter was an active member. As he sprung
from the bed he lunged out, and the hilt knock-
ed against the breast-bone of the second assassin
who was springing upon him with the design of
stabbing him in the throat. The man uttered a
hollovv groan and dropped dead at the feet of
the slayer, who, without attempting to remove
the blade, snatched up a bowie from the table
by his bed, and uttering a shout to alarm the
house, sprung noon the man who had struck
him first. But t at wilyuvillain had seen how
usaless it was for him to struggle against a man
clothed in mail, and springing back. had closed
the door so quickly that the blow which was
launched at his back was arrested by the wood
through which the heavy bowie passed as if it
had encountered paper. By this time the house
was in an uproar. Servants variously armed
were curing down from the dormitories, and
Don stevan and Senor Cordoval rushed in
with swords in their hands to find Walter bend-
ing over the body of the man whom he had
pierced through the lung.

“ Search the court-yard; send out horsemen
toscour the prairie about the hacienda.” cried
Walter. “I have made this one safe, but one
has escaped.”

The dying man made a feeble eflort to strike
him in the breast with his dagger, but the Weak
blow hardly penetrated the cloth and touched
the mail.

“Curse the mail vest!” hissed the baffled as-
sassin. “ But for that the strongest enemy of
the ‘elected twelve’ would now be dead with
the sign of vengeance over his heart. Beware
the eleven who still live—but most of all beware
of the'chief.”

He grasped the bloody handle of the sword
with both hands, and tried to draw it from the
wound, but the effort was vain. Walter laid
lhis dhand upon the sword and stopped his

an .

“Not yet: I know enough of wounds to be
sure that when that blade is removed your life
goes with it. Who are your companions, and
where is their secret haunt!”

i ‘TYOI, dog,”th Oscar, who by this time

 

was in the room, “ speak before I tear you limb
from limb.”

“ Whatever happens to the elected twelve you
at least are doomed, murderer of our brother. I
spit at you, and laugh you to Scorn."

By a mighty eflort he tore the blade from the
gaping wound, a great gush of black blood fol-
lowed, and the first of the elected twelve lay
dead at their feet.

“A most determined villain,” said Senor Cor—
doval. “ If the other eleven have this man’s
determined courage, and I do not doubt it, it

.will not be an easy task to defeat them.”

“They are villains, it is true.” replied Walter
Delisle, “and I have escaped them twice by
gre-it good fortune; but they are as brave men
as any now upon the earth. Why should they
not bei—men of all countries and all oreeds,
banded together with two objects, that of per-
sonal ambition and the good of the brotherhood.
I should have said one object, for every personal
feeling sinks into insignificant-e in their eyes
compared with the wants of the order. I tell
you, sir, that this order is grand in its concep-
tions, were it not it lacks one thing which has
made another order glorious."

“ And that—”

“ Is‘ charity toward all mankind.’ But, what
shall we do with this body—for the ladies must
not see it?”

“ The men are coming back,” was the reply of
Senor Cordoval. “ I hope that they have caught
the other.”

“Never think it, sir,” replied Walter. “A
Dukitn always provides for his escape, and if he
is not cut down in the beginning he will get
clear."

Some ot‘ the men came in hastily. and an-
nounced that not the slightest trace of the Du-
kite was to be seen. In some way unknown, he
had seemed to vanish from off the face ol.’ the
earth. Senor Cordoval told them to take up
the dead form of the Dukite and bury it upon
the plain outside the walls. Walter had thought
it strange that, in ‘this tumult in the building,
nothing had been heard from Zoraya and
Mabel, and one of the maids Sent up to their
room soon returned and announced that they
were sleeping, and her utmost efl’ort-s could not
rouse them.

“ Go up to them, mother,” cried Walter. deep-
ly agitated. “See if there is anything wrong.
as I much fear. Perhaps they haVe been drugged
—the Dukites understand drugs better than any
man on earth."

Mrs. Delisle left the room in great haste, and
hurried up to the chamber in which the girls
slept. As she looked at their faces she starred.
and turning hastily, sent a Servant after Walter
whom she met at the door.

“Unless I am very much mistaken you will . i

understand this,” she said. “ Come in and look
at them.”

Walter entered and lonked into the silent faces.

“Mesmerism!” he cried, turning pale, “and
we brinve driven away the man who made them
5 ea .
“lit 2': n question of power of will, is it not,
my dear Walter?"

I“ Yes; the strongest will rules the weaker. If
his Will is stronger than mine I cannot wake

The Red Brotherhood. 18

 

them; if mine is most powerful his will must
bond to it. I will make the trial first on Mabel.
Mabel l"

The girl did not stir, but a singular expression
flirted across her face.

“ You have been put to sleep by a strong man
but his will must bow to mine. He has told you
to sleep; Icommand you to wake.”

She started slightly and muttered brokenly
and again sunk back. Walter compressed his
lips, and laid his hand upon her forehead With a
strong pressure.

“ ake, Mabel; I will it!"

There wasa violent struggle in the mind of
the sleeping irl. The powerful will already in
possession of er intellect struggled hard for the
mastery, but a still more powerful opposed it.
A moment more and Mabel started up, looking
wildlv about her.

“ Where is be? What has happened? Ah, is it
you, dear Walter?"

“ Iam here, my dear girl. Be calm and tell
me what you have seen, if you will?"

“ A man stood there looking at me, and when
I was about tocry out he commanded me to
sing;

“ id you see his face?"

“ I cannot recall it, but it seems to me that I
should know it in m sleep.”

“That is enough or the present. I imagine
that it will not require so strong an effort to
awake Zoraya as my will has conquered his."

He touched Zoraya lightly on the forehead
and commanded her to awake, and seeing that
her eyes were opening he at once left the cham-
ber. accompanied by the servants who were
without the curtains.

“ It seems strange that you should go into
that room,” hissed an angry voice in his car.
He looked up and saw Oscar looking at him in a
threatening manner.

“I don’t think you know what you are talk~
ing about.” replied the young man, coolly.
"Mother sent me and it was needed, for both
Michel and Zoraya were in a dee sleep."

“ Pshaw. A capital excuse, should think.
Mother is always on your side, and I should be
glad to know by what right you call the senora
by her first name.”

" A slip of the tongue, certainly," replied the
young man. laughing. “But, once IOI‘JIH, no
other man in this house could have roused them
from that sleep, and I believe that no other man
in the world could have done so. Laugh if you
will. but it is so.”

“ You must not cross in path in this as you
have everythin else in ii e,” cried Oscar. with
a fierce look. ‘ If you do, wee be to you.”

“ I believe that you are oing crazy. upon my
honor. I Will not talk wit you any more upon
the subject until you are master of! yourself. as
you certainly are not now. Don’t you see that
the servants are lonking at you?"

Oscar drew back and Walter went down to
the lower floor. where he found the rest of the
gentlemen in close consultation.

“ We must open the campaign at once.” said
Senor Cordoval. “I am not the man to allow
my house to be invaded in this way. nor will I
endure it. To-morrow fifty men will be in the
saddle to commence the search.”

 

“You will look in vain, then,” said Walter,
“ but, take your own way."

The morning came and as its first rays shone
upon the earth the band rode out at the hacien-
da gates in gallant array. When they reached
the place where they had buried the Dukite, the
night before, they found only an empty hole.
the fresh earth a ut it bearing the marks of
many feet. Walter pointed to the opening as a
proof of what he had said.

“They have taken away the body to bur it
according to their rites,” he said. “ We s all
look for them in vain.”

At this moment they were joined by the
Scotchman and Jack Dean. whom they meant
to take up at their cabin. The latter bore 11 n
his saddle in front the motionless form of B lly
Blake, whom he had found upon the plain.

“ One more count against the Dukitesl” fairly
howled the stockman. “ Are you ready to
march?”

CHAPTER V.
rm: BURIAL BY FIRE.

IN the heart of the mountains nature had
scooped out a deep bowl, the bottom a tangled
mass of pines and dense shrubbery of mountain
growth. A deep. dismal place in which the foot
of man had rarely rested—a place from which
the Indian shrunk with holy horror for heknew

that the bad spirits of the mountains dwelt in,

this dismal 8 0t. Even the miners in thesearch
for gold avo ded the locality for they saw little
hope for them in the dry bottom where there
was neither water nor quartz. Shastas and
other Indian tribes had seen the spirits which
inhabited the lace and feared them.

1!: is night, ark, lonely night, the clouds hid-
ing the face of the moon; a single man comes
stealing down the mountainside and disappears
among the pines; there follows an interval of
silence; then another man passes. In this way
ten forms go down the mountain-side and are
hidden by the pines. Half an hour later a single
man, tal and strong, goes down the path alone
and no one follows him. ‘

Eleven!

The number of the Red anites since one has
fallen upon the sword of Walter Delisle at the
hacienda. A single spark of light is seen gleam
ing like a star threading its way in an erratic
manner among the trees. Suddenly it goes out
and all is darkness in the deep vale. Then a
twelfth man comes stealing down the mountain
and is lost among the pines.

Who is it that dares follow on the Dukltes’
trail,,in their secret haunts?”

-—

A great cave, the roof hung with stulactites
of rare beauty. A fire blazes in the midst of
the vast room making it glorious in its beauty.
In a circle about the fire. near which stands a
has of resinous pines covered by a blood-red
clot , eleven men are seated in a circle. Each
wears a mask and a white robe. u on the breast
of which is worked in red the fate serpent sign,
and in the red belt shove the waist is seen the
slender dagger with the handle. Only one has

/

 

.— s»--. ..; sweets—e... l

4."...

at..- ens-mass; ..;..s.a....:.

 

 

 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  

' the ohizf Said.

.. have not been idle, and
‘ heard much which will do us good. First, we

.raised and brought him here. vou alread
, It I have not done well—if I have faile in any

 I/
_l_

14

Tho Red Brotherhood.

 

i
no dagger and that One is the chiof, who is sezt- 1

ed high above the rest Wearing a sort of helmet.
upon the trout of which are three words in an
unknown tmgue.

“ Are all here?” demanded the chief, in a deep

tone.

“ All," responded the brethren.

“We were twelve,” continued the chief, “I
see but ten brothers of the serpent before me.
Where is the twelfth?" '

“Here-l” cried one of the brethren, throwing
OR the red cloth from the hem) of pines which
was indeed a funeral-pile. Upon this heap,
clothed in the robes of the Dukite but without a
mask, in the man who had been slain by Wu!-
ter Delis e. The blood which had besn drained
from him by his terrible wound had left his
race of, the color of impure wax, but there was
a Certain majesty in his appearance, even in the
reams of death.

For, notwithstanding the fact that his had
been a life full of evil and violence, it was a
bold face—that of a man who had not yet reach—
ed his thirtieth year. The eleven looked at the
still face for a moment, and then each covered
his eyes. crying out:

“ Woe, woe, woe, to the accursed race! Death
to our enemies! In this world woe, in the world
to come—tormentsl”

,“ I must speak and tell how this happened,”
“ We two were deputsd to put
to death Walter Delisle. Fate has been against
us, and 'we have failed, utterly. I went first to
the cabin of the stockman, Dean. In playing
cards my sleeve caught upon the rough table,

, and the ser ent sign was revealed. I was taken,
' but escape

by stratagem. dealing Dean a blow
which he will remember for days to come.
companion was on the alert, and watched the
cabin. Soon he saw the younger of the three
men leave it to warn the people at the hacienda
that we were on the track. He ran on before
the horse, and when he had tempted the young
man near enough, threw a boomerang and
brought him down. We climbed a tree at the
southwest angle of the hacienda wall. dropped
our ladder into the courtyard. and descended
easily enough and entered the house. I put the
spell of sleep upon the young girls while he”—
pointin to the body—~“discovered the lace in
which t ey all slept. Then we struck at alter,
but he wears a vest under his shirt. Remem-
ber, if you strike at him to strike him in the
throat. He seized a sword and killed my friend,
and I fled, tor the house was already in confu-
sion. How they buried our brether ankd we
now.

thing, each brother has a dagger, and my breast

'is bare. ”

“You have done well, oh chief.” responded
the solemn voices of the ten brothers. “No
‘man could do more, and we are commanded to
flee when there is no hope.”

“Enough. then. Let us take counsel, here
above the dead form of the man we have lovad.
and who has died for us. It was decided toslav
Walter Delisle first. Let us see if we can not
first torture this hated race in other ways. I
have both earn and

, .
.. he, 1.

 

know that the father and Walter D'r‘ilrlic love
Mabel dearly. 1! any thing Were to happen to
her, it would cause them great agony.”

“ it, is good; let their hearts be wrung to the
core.

“ Zoraya Cordovnl is beautiful. The first
glance of her eyes has made the two brothers
love her. and they are already at daggers‘
points. Let us stir up strife between them, and

know that there is evil enough in the heart of
Oscar Delisle to cause him to kill even a brother
if he stands in the way. If We could do this it
would be Well.”

A murmur of approval passed through the
circle at this refinement of vengeance, and a
Ciapfing or bands was heard.

“ ask you then, brothers, whether it would
not be better to drop violence until they sink
into repose, and work upon those loves and
hates? While they stay here, and titty men are
ready to spring into the saddle when Walter
Delisle lifts his band, we can do little. Why
not send out four men, the most subtle among
us, to worm their way into the confidence of our
enemies and wait the time to strike a blow?”

There was a hurried conference among the
ten, and then one of them spoke ill-1‘) quickly:

“ I speak for the brethren. at the chief
name those to do the work.”

“ Number three, four and eight are the men I
have chosen, and I also will go. To number
three 1 give the work of betraying the maidens."

“ I accept the work," replied a melodious
voice, “and I will not fail to do my work well.”

“ Accepted and recorded. Number four I
give the task of working among the stockmen,
because he has livad among them. These fools
think that the Dukites dwell only in the South
Seas, but we know that their members dwell in
many lands, and are ready to do the work of
the order.”

“ I obey,” answered number four.

“ Accepted and recorded. To number eight I
give Walter Delisle, and it is a dangerous mis-
sion, fox-he is a man worthy of the name, whom
it is] not easy to deceive. You accept, number
ei t?

5‘I do."

. “Record it. As for me, I have chosen my
work. and while I retain a general supervision
over the actions of the others my work is with
Oscar Delisle. You shall see im wrought up to
that pitch of fury that he shall be read to stain
his hands in his brother’s blood. It can ac-
complish that, you will say that I have done
we ii

“ We will,” responded the robed brothers.
“ We know you. and what you promise you
will he sure to perform.”

“Once more I say to the rest, keep close. If
you need anything, you are unknown in Tampa,
and any one of you can go for what you want.
The means to buy it lie at your feet in the
wealth of this strange valley, where gold may
he had hv simply picking the nuggets oi! of the
soil. Number three, I have chosen you in place
of mv dead friend.”

“And I will be as true to you as he was.” re-
sponded the same melodious voice. “ Great
chief, you have only to command and your ser-
rent will obey. Only let me warn you to be-

The Red‘Brotbex-hood. ‘ 1s

 

were of one thing—the love of the profane. It
is written in our laws that none of the Dukites
ma wed outside the society."

‘ Why do you Say thatl demanded the chief
in a changed voice.

“ Zoraya Cordoval is beautiful—”

“ I could kill her without mercy.”

“ And Mabel Delisle: what of her?"

“Say no more or you may go too far. As
for Zora a she is the ma net by which I will
draw bot Oscar Delisle an his brother to their
fate. Yet I would give much to know that
Walter Delisle. was a sworn brother, for with
his will joined to mine we could make the world
bow down before us. I do not wish to say it.
but he is stronger even than I. You remember
I told you that I had put the sleep spell upon
the maidens?”

M Yes."

“Last night, long before the hour I had ap-
pointed for their waking. I felt his will strug-
filing with mine for the possesaion of these mai—

ens. I to ht. hard, first for Mabel and then
for Zoraya, at I was Var uisbed and felt them
pass away from me. Had been upon the spot
with my eye upon the sleepers, and my hands
weaving the mystic signs above them. I know
not who would have been victorious, but he is
conqueror now. Silence alll”

He raised his hand above his head, and made
a sign which all understood. in an instant the
band were scattered in confusion. and the chief
stood with a single com anion, the man known
as “ number three,” hes do the dead form of the
Dukite.

“ You felt it too, great chief?" murmured the
sweet voice of his companion. “Be at case: it
will not be long before the brothers bring good
tidings.”

The eyes of the chief gleamed like stars
through is mask. The minutes passed slowly
by, the fire burned low, when there came a con-
fused sound of hurrying feet in the passage
which led to the outer world, and a man with
every mark of abject terror upon his face, broke
into the lighted cave where he was at once seized
by the strong hands of the chief, and hurled
to the earth.

" To me. Dukites!” shouted the chief. “ I
have him safe.”

The men poured into the room and the prison-
er was seized and dra ged into the circle of
light, which. falling on is face, revealed one of
the stookmen of Cordoval, a half-breed Shasta.
His face was literally convulsed with terror, for,
:lthough a skillful scout he had a cowardly

eert.

“ You hava dared to act the spy on the coun-
cils of the Serpent Brotherhood l” hisssd the
chief, “and you have come in time. They who
struggle with the serpent may find themselves
in his coils before they are aware. Who sent
you to spy upon as?”

“Mercy, mercy; I could not help it, for they
swore tokill me if i did not come.

“ They—who are they?"

“Senor Cordoval. Jack Dean and the rest.
Do not kill me and I will join you; I will be
your friend if you will only spare my life.”

“TuaRed ukites want no c0wards among
them," was the chilling reply. “My brothers,

 

you have heard it said that our brothers sleep
more peacefully if we lay beneath them the yet
warm body of an enemy. The Spirit whom we
serve knows our wants and has given this cow-
ard into our hands. Who has a dagger?”

Ten blades gleamed in the light of the lamp
and the spy sunk under twenty stabs, bleeding
at every pore. He did not struggle, for man
of the keen blades had been sheaihed in h a
heart. They Jilted the yet quiverin body and
while some removed the form of t eir rlend.
the spy was laid upon the funeral pile beneath
him. when the other was replaced and than the
band marched in solemn procession about the
pile, singing a funeral dirge in a strange tongue.

liree times they made a circuit of the pile,
when the chief applied a torch and the real one
heap at once burst into flame. The Brab in’s
wife, who threw herself upon her husband’s
funeral-pile was not more devout in her sorrows
than these strange men. The murder they had
just done was nothing to them—it was a duty.
necessary to appease the manes of their depart-
ed friend. With them there was onlv one ven-
geance, the blow of the dagger. and life was an
mety mockery at the best. Solemn and slow
the funeral dirge rose about the pile as the
white-robed men, still holding their bloody da -
gers, circled about the death-pile. The terrib e
heat consumed the two forms, and when the
solemn march was ended and the fire was gone
out they marched abouta little heap of ashes
smoking on the floor, all that remained of the
half-breed spy and the first man that had fallen
of that terrible hand.

CHAPTER VI.
MYSTIC voxons.

Tm: avengers of Billy Blake and Pedro were
in the footh lls, eagerly searchin for traces of
their enemies. Walter had little ope that they
would succeed, but as they were determined he
took the command and the search commenced.
The half breed alone of all the scouts sent out
struck the true trail, and we have seen how
little be gained. His ashes mingled with those
of the fated “ number twelve” in the mountain
cave. No other trace of their enemies could be
found and the scouts came in, one by one, utter-
ly disheartened.

“We'll have to give it up. I’m afraid,” said
Jack Dean. “The skunks have found out that
it ar’ too hot for ’em an’ hev dug out.” ~

“That is not my opinion." replied Walter,

 

"‘but while there is a well-organired company

like ours upon their track you will see nothing
of the Dukites. My advice is to return totha ha-
cienda and keep the scouts at work until they
have a trace." I

“I don’t know but you ar’ night, On . but!
hate orfully to he beat. I’d give all t e dust
I’ve got for a lick at that skunk that came tomy
cabin.’

“You will have a chance yet. The Dukitca
never forgive nor forget, and you will hear
from them again before many days. You may
be sure of this. Are all the men at”

“That half-breed Justin ain't here, but I
don’t set much store by him, an’ be ma never
come”back. He’s a cowardly houn any-
way. , .

 

 

 

to

4 ' fun”
.. ,...
5'"

 

The Red Brotherhood.

 

“That makes no difference here," rejoined
Walter. “He is one of us and as such he is
worth waiting for. We will give him five
hours. In the mean time, let the scouts be at

- w0rk.”

The search was fruitless. Old mountaineers
as they were, not one of the men knew anything
of the existence of the cave which held the Du-
klte secret. As the five hours drew nigh to a
close the men came in, one by one, until all save
Justin stood in the silent lade.

“It’s no use,” protest Jack Dean. “I did
think the half-breed had got skeered an’ pefiged
out, but now I don’t think it, the cussid Du ites
have got their claws on him. ’

“ Ha, ha. ha!” roared a voice under their feet.
“They follow the Dukites, they dare follow the
Elected Avengers! Ha, ha, ha!”

The camp was in confusion. and the stock-
men, etarting to their feet, looked wildly about
them in search of the owner of the mysterious
voice. They clambered up the rocks and search-

‘ ed in the crevices, but nothing rewarded their

earc .

“Dig for us!" cried the same voice. “Delve
into the bowels of the mountains if you would
find the haunts of the Red Dukites. You are
drones—you are fools! Where is the half-breed,
Justin! WhereisBill Blake? Where is Pedro,
the Mexican scout? et all men who follow us
beware!”

“ Hold me, some chap 1" howled Jack Dean, as
he danced wille about on the rocks. “ I’m so
darned mad I know I shall bu'st. I feel it in
my bones. Oh. let me once get my claws on
Igawand won’t I make you sweat blood for

3

“Ha, ha, ha; Jack Dean, do you remember
the blow I gave you in your cabin on the night
when Billy lake was killed? Does your head
ache! Is the hand of the Red Dukite heavy?”

“Oh, come and see me!” bawled Dean.
“Come all at once, the hull darned caboodle,
an’ I’ll make the liveliest time you ever heard
tell of.”

“We are not fools,” was the reply. “You
have commenced the search for the Dukites, and
we laugh at you. When you find us we shall
know it. When you can burrow in the earth
like moles and dive into the sea. without harm,
then I'you can cope with the Red Dukites.”

“ ll match you yet, you red fiends " yelled
Dean, as the voices seemed to recede be ore him.
“Come out and face us.” ,

Mocking laughter was the only response and
the stockmen again began a frantic search of
the rocks in the ope that some opening mi ht
be found. There was one crevice from whic a
thin smoke slowly rose, and they searched it
without avail for a large opening. This smoke
might arise from a dozen causes, and yet Walter
was in doubt.

“Boot and saddle, boys,” he said, after a
moment’s thought. “I begin to think that we
are no match for the Dukites on their own

' Round, and this business really puzzles me.
e

y have got hold of Justin in some way, and
I have no doubt that he is dead alread ,for
they never spare an enemy once in their ands
unle- he is worth to be one of them, when

they place every nduoelnent before him. I,

 

myself, if I lind yielded to theirdemands, would
at this moment he a chief among them, if not
the chief.”

“ Did they want you?” cried Senor Cordoval.
“That is very strange as they hate you so
much. I am really very much in doubt as to
:vhat’they mean by making you such a proposi.

10!].

“Yet the man who proposed it placed before
me riches and power if I would join them. He
proved to me beyond a doubt that these prom-
ises could be fulfilled, and I have no doubt they
would have been if I had yielded.”

“ Pshaw!” sneered Oscar. “ How you do wish
to be regarded as a man of unspeakable virtue,
\Vallie. Every man has his price. The choice
of riches and honor before you, you would have
ohOSen as any other man."

“ In other words—” began Walter, with a.
quickening pulse, his hands convulsively clinch-
ed as he faced his brother.

“ Silence, Oscar!” cried the father, as the
young man was about to retort. “ If you open
your lips I disown and disinherit you, and you

now that what I promise, I fulfill.”

Oscar sto pad, 0. flash of furious passion on
his face. e knew his father well and that if
he dared speak he would be disinherited from
that hour. Yet furious passion was tugging at
his heart, and he was in a mood to commit al-
most any act. His eyes, with him the best in-
dex of his intense passion, turned bloodshot.
An ensanguined mist swam before them and for
a moment he was literally a madman.

“ You were about to insult your brother, Os-
car,” said the father, quickly, “and it was time
that I interfered. You must remember that I
know that Walter speaks the truth. Did he not
show me the letter he received?”

“A letter i” sneered Oscar. “ Let it pass, fa-
ther: I won’t say anvthing to bring down the
pride of your pet. How long are we going to
stay fooling here? Our astute oung captain
does not seem to acc0mplish muc .”

“Hear us, Oscar Delisle!” cried the hollow
voice beneath their feet. “ You have committed
three crimes which in themselves alone deserve
death. You have murdered a man who had
done on no wrong—like a coward, firing be-
fore t e time.”

“ Liar!” shrieked Oscar.

“ You know it is true, you villain. You have
robbed an old man of a treasure which he val-
ued more than life itself, for it was his all.”

“Again on lie!” screamed Oscar. “ I have
not done this, and you only say it because you
hate me."

“ It is as true as the records of the Dukites,”
replied the voice, “ and you deny it because
Vou wish to appear well in the eyes of Senor
Cordoval. Fool! Do you think that Zoraya
will care for you when Walter loves her?”

A look of shame mingled with rage appeared
upon the face of Oscar Delisle. He gasped for
breath and his hands opened and closed ina con-
vulsive way. . .

“ It tears your proud heart to have this
known, base dog!” cried the invisible Dukite.
“I can see your face full of deadly pain, and
know that you are almost ready to take your
brother’s life. Liar, you seek to deny that we

The Red Brotherhood.

1'1'

 

would have loved your brother if he had loved
us. It is false; we would have made him our
chief, would have placed him, with the consent
of the greatest among us, even above him who
is now our chief,"

A hiss like that of a serpent came from the
closed lips of the tortured man, and the Dukites
laughed in chorus.

“ You demons, you hounds! Oh. to be among
you for a moment, sword in hand.”

“You are not yet appointed to die, Oscar De-
lisle. When the time comes we will give you
the rest you seek. Where is Marv Vanverne,
the beautiful maid of Tasmania? Who was her
destroyer and sent her to rest under the salt sea?
Who but Oscar Delisle, the white curse of the
South Seas?"

“ Great heaven, Oscar!" cried Mr. Delisle, in a
voice of wonder, “ what do these charges mean?”

“ Do you wish to have me swear upon the
holy bonk, that these charges are false? They
are, and my word ought to be enough. But if
you require it I will swear.”

“ I remember Mary Vanverne, a beautiful
girl, and wondered what had become of her. If
you have injured that beautiful child you shall
rue it,” cried Walter.

“ A moment since when I doubted your boast-
ing words, my father interfered with threats of
disinheritance. Now when you offer me a
dee er insult he is silent.”

“ ecause I fear that there is cause for the ac-
cusation,” groaned the elder Delisle. “Who
was the man you killed, whom you said was a
Dukitei The brother of Mary Vanverne, the
White Maid of Tasmania, as brave a youth as
ever trod the earth. Where was ary last
seen? With you, upon the sea-shore among the
coral reefs. This much I know, but whether
you have wronged her. or whether. as you say
she was driven to her death by hopeless love, i
cannot tell. This much I do know, the girl was
pure as an angel of light."

“ And so she was for all the wrong I did her.”
replied Oscar, hoarsely. “ I have offered to
swear to it. and I cannot do more than this if
you cast me out forever.”

“ We must be satisfied with that.” said his
father. “Come, Walter; if there is no means
of making out the mystery of these voices, let
us march at once.”

“There is something in this deeper than we
can fathom, at present," said Walter.
“Mount and follow me.”

The cavalcade rode d0wn the pass, followed
by a burst of taunting laughtr-‘r, at which the
o d rocks rung again. The night was coming on
when Waiter who rode in advance. felt his
horse tremble beneath him, and then stop sud-
denly. A dark form lav extended on the grass
beneath the hoofs of his horse—a form which
remained motionless after the hoofs touched it.
Walter called the party to a bait. and leaping
from the saddle. bent over the rostrate form.

“ It’s a man,”rhe said, “ and 9 seems to have
lost his senses. Hii wake up here, my manl
He don't seem to have been drinking. and yet-—
Amuse, old maul What is the matter with you i”

The man moved feebl and stretched out his
arm in an party, grop sway, as if he were

0

dazed by

 

“ I—I don’t know where I am," he said feebly.

“Where are ou, Dolfi Help me up. for I
bavohad a fa 1. Are the mare’s knees all
right?”

“ Never mind the mere now," said Walter.
“ She is all right, and if you will come with us
we will show you where she is.”

“ I’ll go,” replied the injured man, rising with
the assistance of Walter’s strong arm. “ I be-
lieve she threw me, but I don’t lay it up against
her, for she is a good beast. Where is Dom I
don’t see him anywhere, and he promised to
meet me here."

At this moment the beat of hoofs was heard,
and a stranger came up at a gallopl leading a
mare by his side.

“Strangers,” he said, hurriedly, “have you
seen a man—why Abe. old boy, how are you! I
reckon you have had a fall, for I found the
mare on a wild gallop over the prairie. Ar’n't
you ashamed, an old mustanger to be thrown
by any piece of horseflesh goin ’

“ She stepped in a gopher be e, Dolf,” replied
the injured man. “ These strangers found me
and now they’ve done so much maybe they’ll’
tell us how to get to the hacienda.”

“ Which one?” said Walter.

“ De Cordovai; we are old mustangers out of
a job. and we reckoned we might hava some-
thing to do there. We know horses, gentlemen,
and that’s what the senor wants.”

“You are in luck, gentlemen," said Walter.
“Here is the senor to speak for himself. You
had better ride with us to the hacienda where
{on will be welcome, and, to-morrow you may

6 able to do something.”

“ If you are the men I think you are," said
Senor Cordoval, “you will be welcome; I will
give you work to do, and enough of it. Ride
on, gentlemen.”

An hour‘s ride brought them to the hacienda,
and the stockmen scattered to their several
cabins with the exception of those who had
quarters in- the hacienda. Jack Dean took
charge of the strangers, and led them to his
cabin, Sandy McGregor and himself being all
that were left of his party. As they entered
the cabin the two stockmen looked at their new
companions. The one who had fallen was tall,
stooping slightly from being much in the saddle,
with a pale face closely shaven, and a ve de-
cirled look about his firm mouth and in his eep«
set eyes. In short, he was a bold-looking fel-
low. just the sort to pleass the eye of a border-
man. The second was a man of a slighter build
with a fair complexion, blue eyes and almost
girlish expression. The stockmen fell in love
with him at once.

“We are happy-go-luck y fellows, I tell you.”
said the slighrer of the two. “ Any cards,
stranger! Id like a game for love as I ain’t got
any money to throw away.” _

“We had a game the other night With a big
thief that ave me a lick in the jaw that made
them sing allelujah for two days, and they
ain’t fairly quit achimr yit. I’d like to git hold
of the low cuss i" said J ark.

An almost imperceptible smile crept over the
face of the elder of the two strangers.

“ He gave you a good one, ehi”

“ Good one; thunder! It sent me on my back

 

1'8

quicker than lost! I thought lightning had
fetched me. that time sure!"

“ What sort of a men was he?"

“ Teller than you nr’ but straighter in the back
~a hard one to tackle. He tore his sleeve on the
table there an’ showed a red sarpint on his arm,
an’ we went for him but he fooled he; didn’t he,
Sandy!"

“Aweel, yes. mon; be fooled us sairly. Gin
I meet him, soul 0’ me body but I’ll mek him
sorry.”

“ Where was this mark?" demanded the man

called Abe, stripping his sleeve to the elbow.
. - “ A red snake with his head up, just below the
:4 shoulder herei”
' “Ay,” said Sandy. laying his finger on the
naked arm of the speaker. “ Ye ha’e n bonny
norm. mon, an’ a sair string muscle. Na doot
,ye o’u’d gi’e a men a de’il o’ a pelt aif ye were
sac minded.”

 

 

  “I'm not a baby,” replied Abe, making the

“ muscles rise and fall in great snaky folds.

‘4 “ Now I’ve seen this chap you are speaking of
u‘itbiu a week, and I had a little turn up with
b :0

“Did you lick him?”
“Dolf said I did, but I don’t know.
me something to remember him by.”
~“He was a bonny lad if he was a veelin,”
Wanted Sandy. “ I hope to meet him as day.
eel. weel, it's a flair warld we leeve in, I gar
e understand.”
The cards were brought out and they had a
merry time, the free hearted stockmen furnish-

He gave

 

iii. ' ing their adversaries with money enough for a
A I “stake.” They played until the “ wee sma’
, hours” as Sandy said, and drank punch brewed
1 by that worthy, who, at the last, was heard to
,3 sing:

“9 ' " We’re no. that too, we're no that fun,
I ‘ ‘ But just a droppie in our e‘e;
The day may daw, the cock may crow.
But still we‘se taste the barley breel“

The new-comers exchanged glances of satis-
. faction, for it had been their Inn to make the
 two etockmen boozv. But, h eared as his eye
" ' was. and silly the expression on his face, Sandy
5 McGregor was not drunk!

 

 

, CHAPTER VII.
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.
TEE carousel Went on in the cabin, and Jack

‘J
 Dean was the first to succumb; and at last, in
lg » . ‘begfnning again “Willie brewed a peek of
in?  maut.” Sandy went under the table, and the two
i new recruits looked at each other across the

board.
“ They are there,” said the taller of the two.
, “ What think you of the description of the man
whom they tried to takein this cabin! Shall we

 

 ‘ - do iti They are dangerous men—that infernal
ts Sootchman, especially."

iii, “ We must not do it yet. You see our power,
"3y and that at any time we can have them in our
,‘5 hands as tamely as now. No. no: let us be good
 ' etockmen for a while, and earn our daily bread
 ,by‘ the sweat of our brow. Good faith! our
i-‘i South American experience will stand as in
"is V ‘ good stead here, since we have set up for stock-
ig- 1' men. Now for a little rest.”

" '

 

 

The Rod Brotherhood.

The two men lay down in the bunks by the
fire-place and were soon asleep. No sooner was
this done than Sandy McGregor rolled over so
that his face was turned toward the bunk in
Which the slighter of the two men was lying.
He was already fast asleep, but for half an
hour Sandy lay silent, until the heavy breath-
ing of Ahe convinced him that he. too, slept,
when the Scotchman began to roll himselfalong
the floor to the bunk occupied by the younger
man. His right arm covered only by the linen
of his shirt, for he had thrown off his coat, hung
over the edge of the bunk. McGregor had a
bowie with a needle-like point. and inserting
this in the cloth without touching the flesh he
made a slit about sixinches in length, beginning
just below the shoulder. Having done this he
did not move, fearing that what he had done
might disturb the slumbers of the young man.
Five minutes after. satisfied that the boy still
slept, he raised himself cautiously and parted
the slit he had made in the cloth and looked.
Although he had suspected something of this,
yet it was with a feeling of horror that he saw
on the bare arm the blazing si n of the Dakites.
The Scotohman fell back on t 6 floor and roll-
ed himself over and over until he reached the
door, when with a sudden hound he flung him-
self out into the darkness, running like a hunt-
ed stag in the direction of tho hacienda. The
old Hi hlander was fleet of foot and long-wind-
ed an the run of a mile was nothing to him.
In five minutes he was clamoring for admission
at the hacienda gate and when he made himself
known he was at once admitted.

“Quick wi’ ye, lads,” he cried. as some of the
men gathered about him. “ Rouse up Master
Wulter and tell him it‘s no a time to dilly-daily
wi’ the girls. I want him."

“ What haveyyou got to say?"

“ Diana fash yersel’, chlell If onyhody he’s
a chance to mek a drsp of siller, it’s his bounden
duty to mek it. Don t waste time, laddle, but
ha‘l1 him 00L.”

Walter, who was in the parlor with the rest
of the young people. came out at once when he
board who want=d him.

“ Why, Sandy: what‘s the matter!”

“ I dinna ken.” said Sandy, “seein’ ye are
havin’ yer diversion wi’ the bonny lassies
w’ether or no yese thank me ower muckle for
mekin’ ye gang out, but there's the deevil to pay
cop till our hoose."

" What’s the matter, I say i”

“Ye ken the twa ohiels we found the night
oot on the plains? I’m a wee bit afraid they’re
no‘ swanzn’y as they lookit til the outside, mon."

..

“ Diana ye think what I ha’e to tell mean be
worth a trifle o’ silleri”

“ If you have any really good information
you shall he aid.”

“What wi 1 ye ei’e me gin I deleever intil yer
hand twa 0’ thev Duckitsi”

“ Give you! Five hundred dollars the moment
they are in my hands."

“ Five hoonderd dollarsi M certie, men,
but ye’re ower flush wi’ the siiler. Get help
then an' conm awa‘. for the de’ll’s in it gin they
twa dour deils at our hoose are na Duckits."

“ Collect ten good men as soon as you can

 

The Red Brotherhood.

while 1 alarm my father and the rest. Be
quick!”

The Scotchman, sure of the reward, now
wasted no time, and when the gentlemen had
reached the gate he was there with ten of the

bravest men in the hacienda.

“ No horses,” raid Walter, “and I will kill the
man who fires a shot before I give the word.
Lead the way, McGregor, and make haste.”

Snndys'ruck at once into along swinging
walk, which caused some of the shorter legs in
the party to stretch themselves to the utmost to
keep up. At such a pace the distance between
the hacienda and the cabin was soon passed
over, and the party were halted within ten feet
of the door, while Sandy stole up to take an
observation. Grazing in at the open door he
saw Jack Dean still lying where he fell, while
the two men they sought lay in the bunks fast
asleep. A grin of triumph pnssr‘d over the face
of Sandy as he thought of the live hundred he
would win. and turning he beckoned the rest to
come on. Two men were placed at the window
with, orders to knock any one on the head who
nttempted to pass out and the rest rushed in at
the open door over the prostrate form of Jack
Dean. At the first sound of a step on the floor
the hunted men were on their feet with a long-
hladed knife in one hand and a pistol in the
other. They saw at once that in some way
they had been betrayed, and as the one calling
himself Doll glanced at his sleeve, he knew how
it was that they had been discovered.

“Waitl” said the taller mun, straightening
his bent back. “ It may save two or threelives
if you give me a moment’s time. What do you
want with us?”

“We charge you with the murder of the
young man known as Billy Blake,” said Wol-
ter, “ and with being accessory to other deaths.
I know your face, David Slocum, and you know
that vou deserve death.”

“Gently, Walter, genllvl My pistol covers
you, and on know that I nevsr miss. t we
give curse ves up, what will you do with us?”

“ We will take you to the hacienda and give
you a fair trial.”

“With yourself and men for judge and jury.
That is a magnificent idea, but it does not suit
me. Once for all, if you will send me to Tampa
to he tried we will yield; otherwise we will
fight it out.”

At this moment a stout lariat settled over the
head of the speaker, and he was drawn with
sudden force backward, and the pistol he held
exploded without injury. At the same moment
the stockmen darted upon the tw0 men, and
Dolf was quickly overthrown, but not until he
had severely wounded one of his assailants.
But with Dave Slocum the struggle was despo-
rnte. Although his arms were bound to his
sides by the lazo, and he had little use of his
hands, he fought desperately with his feet and
head, stamping like a wild bull at bay. Half a
dozen men were on him at once, but shaking his
huge form as a water~dog does, he shook them
08' and managed to free his arms, but before he
could raise them he fell under a blow from a
heavy pistol in the hand of Sandy McGrezor.

‘9 Lie down, ye dour devil!” roared the Scotch-

 

1.

man. “Div ye theean I‘m gaun to lose my five
hoonderd dollars?”

Dave Slocum was down, his hands and feet
bound, and the victors stood flushed and panting
on the floor of the cabin.

“Seems to me you make mighty free with
mv ranch,” said Jack Dean, sitting up quickly.
“ 'Whnt’n thunder are you all doin’ hyar? Any
man would think it was your ranch an‘ not
mine, the way you kick up a sbivdy hyar.
Hullo, Abe; they've got you in a tight hitch.
seems to mel guess ] won’t ’low any man
that got drunk with me to be tied in my
ranch.”

“Haul off your hand, men,” said Sandy Mc-
Gregor, as Jack advanced unsteadin to cut the
hoods of the prisoner. " Dinna ye ken that this
said heastie is gray wi’ wisdom? That dour
thief is ac Duckit.”

Duckit was as near the proper term as the
burr under Sandy McGregor’s tongue would
allow. Jack Dean stored in surprise, and was
sober in an instant.

“But, see hyar; I understood that every Du-
lzite had the mark of the sarpint on his arm an’
this big ’un ain’t.”

“ Strip his right arm to the shoulder,” said
Walter. “ If the Red serpent is notthere David
Slocum shall go free. villain though he is.”

“You won’t find any sargint on him,” Jack
Dean declared. “ I‘ve seen is arm.”

“Did he take the trouble to show it to you,
Jacki” .

“Yes, he did.”

“Then he has some object in view for which
I cannot account. Let me look at his arm.”

The hrawny arm of Slocum was bored, and
there wns no mark upon it anywhere. Fore mo
ment Walter wns puzzled, and a look of hope
came into the dark face of the prisoner.

“ Keep your Word now, Walt Delisle. You
said you would set me free. if you could not find
the mark of the serpent on my arm!” he said.

“And I never broke my word yet wilh :1
friend or foe. 1f the mark is not on your arm
you shall go free.”

“ Here, boys!” said the prisorer, in a cheerful
‘one: “your leader tells you to cast 01! these
bonds and set me free.” .

“ Not yet, old fellow,” said Walter, uieilv. V
“There is something ahrut this that don’t
understand, but I never allow anything of this
kind to go without studying it a little. When
we were friends I remember well that you had
three moles in the shape. of a triangle just above
the elbow-joint. [would like to know where
they are gone. Suppose you take up that other V
sleeve." _

“What for?” cried the prisoner, furiously.
“ Curse you, let me alone!”

“Up with the sleeve, boysl” said Welter. “I
think I see my way through this thing.”

In spite of the struggles of the prisoner the
other arm was laid bare, and a shout of leugh~
tor burst from the men as the two were laid >
side by side. While both were brewnv limbs,
nobly proportioned in every way, the left arm ,
was dotted with black moles and covered with
black hnirs. He ground his teeth in fury as the
stockmen laugh: d.

“ Twins, by thunderl” roared Jack D: an.

 

 

30

The Red Brotherhood.

 

“Something must hev struck into that arm,
stranger; ’tain’t nigh so pooty as t’other.”

"Oh, if my hands were free—it only for a
momenti" hissed Slocum.

“A little turpentine here, Jacki” ordered
Walter, seeing his finger over the bare right
arm. “ want to make a. little experiment.”

Jack bronghtasmall bottle of the required
article, and while some of the men he“ the
arms of the desperate man, the young leader
applied a little oi! the turpentine, and rubbed it
hard. A thin coating of paint disappeared
from the arm, and the blazing serpent of the
Dukite appeared in bold relief upon the white

in.

“Idon’t think we will let you go just yet,
Dave, my boy," said Walter, quietly. “Rope
him well, and away with him to the hacienda—
I have no doubt Senor Cordoval will give him
lodgings, as he intended.”

An hour later and the two Dukites, heavily
manacled, were in the deepest cells which the
ancestors of the Cordovais had made beneath
the hacienda. Manacles supplied the place of
the ropes, and a stout iron belt surrounded the
body, and to this was attached an iron chain
which in turn was fast to ariug set into the
solid stone. Fate seemed to be against the Duk-
ites, yet the sublime faith which had upheld
them before, was with them now.

“Wait and"hope my brother,” said David
Slocum. “ Help will come to us, even here."

Dolf said nothing. but there was something
in his eyes which told that he was losing hops.

 

. CHAPTER VIII.
ran DUKITES IN norms.

“WE must look out for our recruits for a
while,” said Wulter, after the prisoners had
been placed in the cells. “I never dreamed
that we could have the luck to nab this man,
for, although I am not certain of it, I believe
that he is the master spirit of the Dukites.”

“ You know him, than?”

“Know him? Who of all the men who ever
lived in the South Seas does not know him?
There is no crime of which he is not capable,
and yet I have never been able to trace a single
one to his door. He has the reputation of hav-
ing been a pirate, but there is no proof. Rob-
beries without number have been laid at his
deor, and yet he always escaped. Murders have
been done and the burden of proof always de-
clared him innocent. That is easy enough when
a dozen men were nlwavs ready to prove an
'nJibi—men whom we did not then know to be
members of his infamous band.”

“ What was he?”

“ He has been captain of a Whaler, and after
that of a fast schooner, said to be engaged in
the sandal-wood trade, but in reality kidnap-
ping natives to labor on the plantations about
Honolulu. He has lived in Australia, South
America and in China—speaks half a dozen
languages fluently, and is a professor of mes-
merism. A man of wonderful boldness, who,
if he [applied himself to honest pursuits might be
anyth e chose.”

“ It s srd to see such rare talents prostituted
to each base purposes,” said Senor Cordoval,

 

“ but while he is our enemy it is good to have
him in our power. It was very lucky that
Sandy McGregor kept his head clear last
night."

“I thought so much of what he has done, that
I gave him five hundred dollars for it, and he
has earned it well. Jack Dean says he will sell
his head for a football for he has been fooled
twice by David Slocum.”

“Why was it that he wished to‘be tried at
Tam a City?"

“ on’t you see that? Half a dozen of his
friends wll come in and swear that he was with
them in a certain place when these murders
were committed.”

“ I see how it is. But, how can we, if he brings
such roofs, hang him for the crime?"

“ 0 will search every man who comes as a
witness, and all who have the Dukite mark will
be detained.”

“ Do you think they will come here, then?”

“They are very bold men, and there are not
many things they will not do. the scoundrels.
Let us lay out a plan and keep to it and we shall
come out conquerors.”

The night passed and Oscar rose froma sleep-
less couch and went down into the court where
he met Jack Dean.

“Do you know that Sandy McGregor and
that brother of yours did a neat trick last
night?

" What trick!" said Oscar, carelessly, little
dreaming what the answer would be.

“ I hope to freeze if they didn’t nah the king-
pin of the Dukites, a chap they call David Slo-
cum, and another of the same stripe, a smooth-
faced little cuss with a voice like a woman.

“ Dave Slocum?”

“ Bet yer life! Lasstways, Walter seemed to
know him, an’ thet’s the name he guv him.
And, boss, you may knock me all full of holes
ef you want to, far I ain’t wu‘th shucks no more.
I ain’t a patch on the seat of a pair of pants.
I’ma mullet-headed galloot with a glass eye,
likewise with a wooden leg. A grasshopper on
a raft an’ a hen under a barril."

“ But it can’t be: the news is too good to be
true."

“ And J ack Dean was drunk—drunk—drunk ;
Jack Dean was drunk ez ab’iled owl, completely
cumfoozled, an’ that long-headed Scotchman
heiul‘ed in the stamps. Yes he did; he raked the

1 e.

p “How was that?”

“ He played drunk, the uncivilized galloot, an’
when they slept the sleep of innersence an’ pu-
rity, he crept in an’ opened the sleeve of the
young ’un an’ saw the red sarpint. Then he
crawled out an’ got help while I laid there
drunk, an’ they nabbed the gang. What’s
mgrs—Walter guv him five hundred fur the

o .
“Five hundred! I would have given a thou-
sand—two—three—flve, any amount to see Dave
Slocum in the toils. Why was I not called when
the Scotchman came to the hacienda! Why am
1 always passed by when there is work to be
donel”

“I reckon they didn’t need you.”

“I’ll tell you the reason, it you want to know
it: Walter wished to appear as a hero in the

The Red Brotherhood.

21

 

eyes of Zoraya. and purposely left me in the
background. 1’“ get even with my and brother,
some day, if it costs me my life. at he should
triumph—that he shouid be the one to laugh in
the face of my enemy in bonds— Where are
the risonerst"

“ reckon they are down in the cells.”

“I must see them at once. It will besome-
thing to spit in his face as he lies bound, and to
laugh at him, even if I did not take him. Is he
in strong irons, chained down like a mad-dog?”

“ He ain’t any ways likely to get away,” was
the reply of the stockman. “Irons on his hands
an’ feet an’ iron ’round his waist, with a chain
in the wall, orter keep him. The r’s Walter now,
and on kin ask him what you kin do."

“ sk him what I can do: Do you mean to
insult me?"

“Ska’cely: but he’s capt’in, you know, an’ we
all obey orders here.”

“Who made him your captain?”

“We did; hush your clam or he’ll hear.”

“ What do I care for that? I want him to
hear me and understand what I say, too. Walt,
I hear you have taken Dave Slocum."

“ You have heard the truth, Oscar. I am
happy to say that we have him bound down in
heavy chains in the cells of the hacienda. That
was a good night’s work, and we have to thank
Sandv McGregor for it all.”

“You don’t claim the honor yourself, then?”
snil Oscar, in asulky tone. “I’d beglad to know
why I was not culled to share in the enterprise I"

" You were asleep, and I did not wish to dis-
turb you.”

“I was not asleep. Who the devil can sleep
when such accusations are made and believed
against him? This story about Mary Vanverne
and her brother drove me nearly mad, and I
was sitting in my room when you left the haci—
enda. But, let that pass and take me down to
see the prisoners.”

“ What do you wish to see them for?” de-
mrlnded Walter. in an uneasy tone.

I “Never mind that; I wish to see Slocum and
assure myself that we really have him safe.”

“You might take my word for that, I think,”
said Walter. “But, since you insist upon it I
will go down with you.”

He entered a law doorway at the south angle
of the hacienda, and went through along arch-
ed passage, unbolting several doors as he went.
At last he stopped at an iron-studded door be-
fore which two stookmen were seated, each with
a rifle laid across his knees. A huge key was in
the lock of the door.

The two men rose and stood at the “make
ready,” until satisfied who the visitors were;
then they grounded arms and saluted.

“We are going in to see the prisoners,” ex-
plained Walter. “Don’t let any one also pass
unless I give you leave."

He laid both hands on the heavy key, and
by the eflort of all his strength turned it in the
lock. Then, shooting back two heavy bolts he
a plied his shoulder to the door and entered.

he two prisoners, who were seated on the
benches which formed their bed, turned to look
at the new-comers. and Slocum uttered a grovvl
like that of a wild beast as he saw Oscar, who
went quickly up to him.

 

“ At last, Dave Slocum!" he hissed. “Well
met in the cells of the Hacienda de Cordovan”

“I might have known thatihis base wretch
would come here to exult over us, In brother."
said Dave Slocum, slowly, speaking to his
friend. “It is like the black dog to insult his
enemies when it is safe to do so. Oscar Delisle,
your brother is a gentleman. It is through him
that we are here, and yet I cannot find it in
my heart to hate him as I hale you. Look at
his face, Walter Delisle, and tell me if it is not
the face of a villain.”

Oscar made a forward bound and struck the
bound man in the face with his open hand. ‘
With a leap like that of an imprisoned tiger
David Slocum sprung up and struck at him With
his manacled hands. That moment would have
been his last for his skull would, have been
crushed like an egg-shell, but, just at the right
moment, Walter tripped his brother and he
fell, and by the sheer impetus of the blow David
Slocum fell upon his face with a resounding
crash. Oscar, pale as death, rolled himself out
of reach of the heavy irons. and stood up with
the look of a demon on his face. The shining
barrel of a pistol appeared, but with aloud er
of astonishment and anger, Waller wrenched t
from his grasp.

“What would you do, madman that you are?”

“Kill him like a dog, as he is; he richly de-
serves it.”

“ Then you must kill me first.”

“ Did you not see him \ry to murder me? He
would have done it. but for you.”

“You struck him in the face—the act of a
coward. I never thought a brother of mine
could be guilty of such an act.”

“Standout of my way i"

“I will not. ’

“ Give me my pistol." ‘

Instead of doing so, Walter cooked it and held
it at his brother’s breast.

“ Stand hackl While I live I will defend my
prisoner.”

“You hound! Ylu dare to come between
gin apd the man 1 hate. Then you shall go

rst.

He flung himself upon his brother when Wal-
ter dl'npp d the pistol and caught him by the
waist and for a moment the two struggled des-
perately—one to pass by to the destruction of
the prisoners and the other to keep him back.
Driven to madness by opposition, Oscar re-
leased one hand and struck his brother in the
face. while David Slocum at the utmost limit of
his chain endeavored to get a blow at either 0 .
the two, but especially at Oscar. ' »

“He has done it, my brother,” the Dukite
cried. “Without our help these two are ens--
miles and what we seek wi 1 be accomplished.”

Up to this time Walter had not put out all
his strength, but with the blow he hurled Oscar
tothe earth and set his foot upon him. .Then
too late he remembered that, after all, this man
was his brother and he would have given any
thing to recall the act. The two guards. who
had darted in as soon as the confusion began,
but not in time to interfere. now came u .

“Give your orders, Cap,” said one 0 them.
“We are witnesses that you were obliged to
throw him.”

 

 

“I have no orders to give, only that on no
pretext whatever must you admit him to this
cell while these risoners are here. Get up.
Oscar; you have one this by your own folly."

Oscar rose slowly and without saying a word
8h00k his finger in a slow threatening manner in
the face of his brother and went out.

“ He's got a bad heart if he is your brother,”
added the guard. “Thunder! You ought to
lick him out of his boots.”

“I am sorry that he drove me toraise my
hand a inst him," said the young man. sadly.
“ Devi , I will see that he does not have anoth-
er opportunity to insult you as he has done to-

a

y.

“ But for you, I would have repaid the insult
in a way which would have settled all scores
between us." was the reply oi‘ the Red Dukite.

Walter went out and closed the heavy door
behind him. As he Went up the stairs he met
Mabel who was seeking him in haste.

“What have you done to Oscar?" she said.
“He has been with father, raving like a mad-
:ianband crying out that you have insulted

m.
“ Is he with him now?”

“No; he has taken his horse and is by this
time on his way to Tampa City.”

He explained in as few words as possible the
encounter with his brother. and then hurried to
his father’s room, who listened to him with a
sad look/on his face.

“You havo done no more than any man
would have done under the circumstances, ex-
cept that you did wrong to set your foot upon
him. He is your brother.”

“ I did that without thou ht, to keep him
down.” protested Walter. “ was sorry for it
the next moment."

“ With his hot, passionate nature it is impos-
sible to say what he will do,” continued the
father. “ Lat it go for the present, but you must
oonciliate him if possible.’

“ 1 will apologize as soon as he is cool enough
to receive the only apulcgy it is in my power to
make toanv man whom I have wronged more
than he. What is to be done with these Duk-
iteai”

"We will consult with Senor Cordoval and
his son today. and make up our minds as to
what is best to bedone. You have seen Mabel!”

“Did she tell you where she was going!”

“She said some-thing about riding to Tampa
City to find Oscar.” ~

“ D) you think it best for her to so?"

. “It might do some good, and for me I shall
not interfere. I would go with them but—“

“ You must not go. Let Mabel and this
sweet child, Zoraya, speak to him, and they will
win him back.”

An hour later, Zorava and Mabel rode out of“
the hacienda and took the road to Tampa City
'with only a Mexican boy as attendant. The
dc passed; ni ht was coming on, and Oscar,
an] on and m y, rode into the court, alone.

_ I CHAPTER. IX.

’ m UNIDOKED FOR BLOW“

"Tn sullen boar," muttered Estevan Cordo-
val: “he has come back without the ladies. l

 

 

The Red Brotherhood.

e

crave your pardon. Senor Oscar, but where did
you leave your sister and anayn’l"

“I don’t know anything nbout them. that
do you mean?”

“ Have you been to Tampa City 3"

“ Yes~all day."

“ And have you not seen the girls today i"

“ Certainly not; why do you ask?"

“Because they left here an hour after you
did. meaning to search for you in Tampa City.
and they have not come back. I know not what
to think. for Zoraya knows the roads well, and
Juan was with them."

He shouted to a Mexican vaquero who was
near by, and sent him with three or four others
to scour the prairie in search of the girls, with
orders to one to ride to Tampa and inquire.
The news spread like wildfire through the ho-
cienda that the young ladies were missing. and
all was confusion. Mrs. Delisle and the mother
of Zoraya were wringing their hands wild ly and
crying out to the rum to send help to their loved
ones; while the gentlemen, more composed, but
not the less troubled at heart, were making pre-
parations to ride out in search.

“The man I have Sent to Tampa will make
short work of the ten miles he has to go." said
Estevan. “Before we allow ourselves to give
way to fear, let us satisfy ourselves that they are
not in Tampa City.”

“ They are not there—they are not there,”
sohberl Mrs. Delisle. “Those dreadful Dukites
have taken them."

This was the fear which really occupied every
heart. but which only the mother had dared to
speak uloud. Walter uttered a low groan and
Oscar turned pale.

“You have boasted of your love for Zorava,”
he cried, fiercely facing his brother. “ Why
don’t you do something to save her nOW?”

"I have made no such boast,” said Walter,
sadly. “ All that man can do I will do for her
sake and Mabel’s. 0h, Oscar, lay aside your
bare, for a. time at least, and j in With me like rt
man in trying to rescue them if they are indeed
taken.” I

“ on will not find me slack in doing this,” -
replied Oscar. “I hear a horse‘s boots on the
prairie."

Every one ran out into the court—varrl, just as
the vsquero, who had been sent to Tampa City
dashed into the open space.

“ What news. Grz'ii" cried E=tevan.

“They are not in Tampa and have not been
there,” replied the Vequern. “ But as I was
passing through the gap where Pedro was killed
a voice called to me and this letter was thrOWn
nt my feet. The man who threw it ordered
Imfe ’to take it to the hacienda, if I valued my
1 9.

Walter snatched the letter from the hand of
the vaquero, for he recognized in it the form
usually sent by the anites. Tearing it open
hastily, he saw the blood-red serpent and under-
neath these words:

“ To Quit Ennms:—The serlfint. when it receives
a blow, stings the assassin. e Dukltes have re-
ceived such a blow. and two goodly branches havn
been lapped oft. Two brothers of the Order mo
chained down in the dungeons of the huclenda and

they have sent a prayer to us for help. We 3va it;

 

 

The Red Brotherhood.

 

promptly. Two birds have flown from their nest and
alighted among us. We make these fair maidens
answer for the lives of the two men you have taken
by numbers. Return them to us. or a wall shall
come into all 3 our hearts when we send you thedead
ffl'ms of the two who have written their names upon
t l s rage.

“We give you the oath of the Dukites, on this
sacred symbol, that if these mean come back to us

before the sun rises, unwatched by you. before the :

srn sots you shall receive in return, safe and well,
those whom you mourn.
“THE RED anirns."
Bl-low was written these words in the hand-
writing of Mnbvl:
" We are prisoners and in dreadful eril. Save us
if you can, for if we do not have he p we have not

long to live.
“ MABEL and Zomu."

“ Ten thousand demons!" screamed Oscar. ;

“Why did you let the girls go when you knew
that those villains were threatening us night
and day? Of all the fool’s work of which I
ever heard, of all the stupid nctions—”

“ Oscar!" cried Mrs. Delisle.

“ Yes, Oscar and Oscar again! It don’t make
it any the less one of the mest stupid blunders
of which I ever heard in my life. It is sin:-
p x Oscar,” said Mr. Delisle, “ you must bear in

mind that this is not a time for vaporing words. V

We have to make up for the ‘blunder,’ as you
name it, by setting the girls at liberty. To do
this. we must give up our prisoners.”

“Never! Do you think I would allow David
Slocum to go free after all that has been done’i’

“ We shall take counsel together in a manly
and womanly way. As you have made your-
self spokesman in this matter so far, permit me
to ask why you would not give up the prisoners
in exchange for Mabel and Zorayai”

“ I will tell you." answered Oscar, in apomp-
' ous manner. “ You willogree that it is im-
portant to keep these prisoners?”

“Certainly.”

“And that they will give us a great deal of
trou his if set free?”

“ Of course.” '

“Then listen to me. They have taken the
girls and intend to frighten us into giving up
our prisoners by threatening to send us the
‘ dead forms’ of the girls if we do not give up
our prey. This is mere stage effect. and we
know that these men. had. as they are, would
not take the lives of innocent uirls.”

“Did you ever know the Dukitos to fail to
it?” a promise, if it was in their power to keep
it ’

“Nonsense: we won’t give up the prisoners.
and as for the young ladies, it will be a useful
lesson for them not to he imprudent in future.
When the fellows see their cannot frighten us
they will send Mabel and Zorsva hack."

“Senor Oscar,” said E~tevan Cordovai. “it
may suit you to speak in that cold-hlnnded way
of leaving our sisters in thtI hands of these me".
but as for me I would sooner go myself. a will-
ing victim. and sufl'sr them to cut ma piecemeal,
than permit those sweat girls to remain a mo-
ment longer than necessary in the hands of men
who stand ready to murder them. Int the re-
mind you that a. mement since, and many times

 

 

since you have been with us, on hinted at love

for my sister. Is this your ove which would
consign her to death to satisfy a private ven~
geance of your own?"

“ Bah!” retorted Oscar. “ I see that you are
all against me and will do as you like. But, of
one thing you may be sure—David Slocum shall.
never go back to the mountains alive.”

His horse was still standing in the court-yard.

 
   

ready saddled. He leaped into the saddle and I

rode out of the court-yard at a furious pace be—
fore any one could interfere to stop him.

“ Iam afraid that he will give us trouble yet,”
said Estevan. “By my faith, Walter, it seem
strange to me that two brothers should be so
unlike in character. What say you, gentlemen:
shall we go down and visit the prisoners?”

Walter and his father, with Senor Cordoval,
followed the young man into the prison where
the ouards sat before the door.

“Your work is ended for the present, boys."
said Walter. “You can go.”

The two guards, nothing lolh, shouldered
their pieces and went out: Walter swung open
the massive door and entered the cell. David
Slat-um looked u with a smile as they entered.

“ Give me the otter." he said.

Walter started and looked athim fixedly.

“You heard me. Walter Delisle. I want the
letter which the Dukites sent you when they
had turned the tables on yr u.”

huge you know in what way they have done
t is

“If it had been my work to do, I should have
taken the two girls and held them as hostages.
The Dukites generally do the right thing at the

right time. and herce I conclude that the ladies

are in their hands."

Walter placed the letter in his hands and he
read it attentively.

“Well?” he said, interrogatively, as he re-
turned the letter.

“We agree to the terms, but what surety
have we that the rromise shall be kept in rela—
tion to the ladies?”

“My word I" replied David, drawing up his
fall form. “ 1 never failed to keep it yet. unless
for such weighty reasons as these on my hands
y-nd feet. Where is Oscar? I suppose it oifends

‘ him to the soul to think that we have escaped

his vengeance ”
“I warn you that he has left the hacienda,

threatening your life. If anything should hep. )

pan to ycu after we let you go it is not by our
uish rrssnctlnn.”

He unlocked the fatten, and led the way into
the open air. The two prisoners drew in long
breaths of the pure air they had lcst for some
hours. '

“Prisons do not agree with me,” said Slocum.
“I would not spend another day in one for the
worthless life you seek totahe. Gentlemen, I
agree to
time. on my word. not one of my men will lift
a hand against you if you keep the peace."

“ Is Oscar included i”

“ if he keeps the truce; if not, let him look to
himself.”

a. truce of three days. during which V

“Weoannot control him. nor are we in any '

way responsible for his actions.” /
“ So be it, then,” said Slocum. “ Balm-amid-

   

 

 

’4 Tho Red Brotherhood.

 

day tomorrow the young ladies shall ride into
the hacienda. safe and sound. Be upon the
azotea at nine o’clock, and you will see them
coming."

'fiheir horses and arms were returned to them
an the two men rode away quietly, as coolly
as if on their return from a friendly visit. The
moon was up and shining brightly, and the
people of the hacienda watched them for quite a
distance as they rode away. Suddenly the
silence was disturbed by the crack ofu rifle.
and they saw the companion of David Slocum
fall forward and clutch at his horse’s mane to
keep himself in the saddle. while with a hoarse,
unnatural cry of rage, Slocum set in his spurs
and rode after a man who was rapidly disap-
gearing in the darknes=. But the horse which

locum rode had receivevl a. slight sprain, and
the man who had fired the shot disappeared in
the gloom.

Walter Delisle ran out alone and assisted the
' wounded man from the saddle just as Slocum
came back.

“The assassin! the cowardly bound, to shoot
down men who were protected by a solemn
promisel”

“ I warned you to be careful. Slocum.” said
Walter: “ but from this hour he is no brother of
mine. if it were indeed Oscar.”

“It was that villain and coward, for I saw
him plainly. He fired at me, andmissed me.
How is it with you, my brother?”

“Hit hard,” re lied the wounded man. “It
is not the fault 0 any one, save that dog, so do
not visit it upon the girls."

“ Look here, Davxd Slocum,” said Walter.
“ I am sorry for this as any man can be. and if
you will let me take this man to the hacienda
and cure him, he shall go back to you safe as
soon as he can walk, provided he Will not take
advantage of his position in the hacienda to
work against us.”

“He is yours,” said David Slocum, who had
been examining the wound as well as he could
in the moonlight. “It will take a week to cure
this. and it would be death for him to ride far
as he is now. The girls shall come back, in
spite of this.”

. He leaped into the saddle so lately vacated by
the wounded man and was off like an arrow from

a. bow. At the command of Walter. three or .

four men lifted the wounded man, carried him
into the hacienda and laid him on a bed, and
Walter, who had dabbled in surgery somewhat,
washed and dressed the wound, which was in
the right side. Having done this he placed a
guard before the door of the room and went

own below. Shortly after. Oscar rode into
the court where he was met by Senor Cordov ll.

“Your company would have been welcome,

here if you had behaved in another manner,
sir," he said. “As it is. you may remain here
ovor night, but in the morning I must ask you
to find other quarters.”

“ Why? because I shot that internal Dukite?"

“You shot a man who was under the safe-
guard of my honor and that of my son, your
brother and our father. When you did that
you disgrace me. My respect for your father
hill: ’l'ais family is great but I will not suffer
t v - .

 

“ Senor Cordovai," said Oscar, in a very quiet
tone, for him, “if you had been bounded and
persecuted for two years, as! have been, you
would not wonder that my passion gets the best
of me sometimes when I meet these men. I in-
tended that bullet for Slocum, but hit the young
man instead."

“ If you apologize~”

“I do, most sincerely, and I will try to be
guided by you in the future, as to my course.
I covet your good opinion of all men on earth."

“I withdraw what I said a moment since,"
said Senor Cordoval. “ You will, of course, do
me the honor to remain here as long as it may
suit your pleasure or convenience. An apology
for a wrong is the only atonement a gentleman
can make, but he should always be ready to
proffer that.”

“ i would be pleased to apologize to the maul
have wounded.’

“ He is in your brother’s care."

“Everything and everybody seems to be in
the care of my worthy brother!" muttered
Oscar in a low tone. “ Walt, you heard
what i said: I want to apologizo to the man I
wounded.”

Walter led the way without a. word, and
they entered the room where the prisoner lay.
Oscar approached the bed upon which, white
as the pillow on which his head rested—for he
had bled freely—lay the victim of his hasty
action. He bent to look closer. when he started
back with a. look of horror, doubt and fear com-
bined, as if he had seen the face of one latelv
risen from the dead. The wounded man, half-
rising from his pillow, turned his ghastly face
upon the man who had wounded him with a
lurid smile of hate, a smile which had deadly
threatening in it.

“Stanley Vanvernel" cried Oscar. ” Can the
dead come out of their graves, then?”

“Yes. they do rise. Oscar Delisle. The man
you shot in the back at Tasman’s Point, like a
cowardly dog as you are, now lies here, again
shot down by your felon hand.”

“ Stanley Vanvernel” said Walter. “ Can it
be possible that you yet live!”

‘ It is not only possible but a fact that he
aailed”to take my life, although he tried hard to

0 so.

“ Then, since you are not dead and the crime
of your murder is not uggn his soul, why do you
yet pursue him?" as d alter.

“Ask him! Loo at his eyes half-starting
from his head, his pale face, his quivering
nerves! He knows, none so well as he, that
while I live there is no peace for him. Oh. that
I were not lying here chained to my bed like a
wounded hound! Take him away, or the very
sight of him will kill me!”

The guilt man, for he was guilt if we may
judge by his face. unable to bear t e reproach-
ful e as of the young man, left the room. reel-
ing ike a drunken man. Walter looked after
him with sad I yes for he could not forget that
this was his brother, the one with whom he
had played in his innocent childhood. Vanverne
noticed the look and a better expression came
into his face.

“ By the sacred sl n of the Order, Walter, I
wish we could be 1 ends. You have a noble

The Red Brotherhood. ‘5.

 

heart in your bosom, a heart which might do
great things for the Brotherhood it you were
one of us. And if you knew David Slocum
is? h: really is, you could not help admiring
1 m.

“I never could join an order which gives
countenance to murder." replied Walter, quiet-
1y.n Say no more, Stanley, but try to get
we .

The night passed and the sunlight crept slow-
ly down the slopes of the Sierras. As the top
of the nearest peak was bathed in golden glory
they saw, filing out of a pass, miles away, a
line of moving spots. Walter leveled a glass at
them—tor the entire party were on the azotea
—and made out that they were mounted, but
whether men or women he could not deter-
mine. Mrs. Delisle and the Dona looked at the
young man wildly as he still kept his eyes upon
the moving figures.

“I can’t tell yet,” he said, slowly, with his
eyes glued to the tube. In a moment more—“ I
think I can catch the flutter of a woman’s rid-
ing-dress, but it might be a blanket—no—yesl
hip, hip, hurrahl It is they !”

A delighted cry went up from the azotea and
they saw four perons separate from their es—
cort and ride toward the hacienda. The gen-
tlemen ran down, mounted their horses and
rode away to meet them. and as they came
near, to their surprise, besides Zoraya and
Mabel there was a. third lady whom they had
pever seen before.

CHAPTER X.
vanvmusa's WIFE.

THE greetings were seen over and without
waiting for much ex lanation the party rode
back. As they went alter looked closely at
the person who was with them—a beautiful
child, seemingly not more than seventeen years
of age with the olive complexion common to the
inhabitants of the South Seas. Her hair was of
that shining lustrous black so seldom seen in
that color of hair, and rolled in rich masses al-
most to her- saddle. Her form was light and
full of willowy grace. ,

“ You ask with your eyes why I am here,
Walter Delisle?" she said at length—“ although
you do not speak in words. I am the wife of
the man who was wounded and taken to the ba-
cienda.” _

“ Do women know the secrets of the Red Duk-
ites?” cried Walter in surprise.

“You share the usual idea of men that they
alone can keep secrets, because all orders which
admit women sooner or later cease to be secret
in their work unless they change it year by year.
But, you must not judge us b orders whose
signs and passwords are flung a out the streets
b boys and girls of ten years of age. Women
0 n kee secrets—some of them at least.”

“Be tso; why are you here?”

“ I have come to see my husband."

“I have the word of David Slocum that noth-
ing shall be done against us for three days."

“ His word‘shall be kept good, sir. What can
a weak woman do to harm you?”

“Weak womanl Umph. I have seen 9. eat
deal of woman’s weakness in my time, and ave
round it more powerful than the strength of

 

 

men. You must expect that We will watch you
while you remain under our roof.”

"Certainly; I am not in the least averse to
that course, it I can be with my husband.”

The mothers of the rescued girls could hardly
wait for. their coming, and they had hardly
alighted in the court-yard when they wereclasp—
ed in those fond arms. Oscar, who had not

one out to meet them, greeted Mabel in asulky

ashion and held the hand of Zoraye in a burn-

ing clasp. As he looked up he saw the eyes of
the wife of Vnnverne fixed upon him with a
strange expression. It was with difficulty that
be suppressed an oath, for he knew that this wo-
man was keen and cool, and no doubt possessed
of‘ his secrets.

“ You are not glad to see me, Oscar," she
said quietly. “If it were poor Mary Vanverne
DOW-'-

“Keep silent, you tiger-cat!” hissed Oscar.

“Or you may forget your manhood and strike
me,” she replied bitterly, her face wreathed into
a sneering smile. “ Dees it not surprise you, Mr.
Delisle, that your son should meet so many old
friends of whom you knew nothing?”

“Oscar has chosen his own friends," was the
reply, " and it they have not always been of the
best. he had no one to blame except himself."

" Which reflects somewhat upon us." said Mrs.
Vanverne, laughing. “ if Oscar has feasted his
eyes upon my race sufficiently I would like to go
to my husband.”

“ Do you know what I will do with you if you
betray me?" whispered Oscar Delisle, in her ear
as she passed.

“I can hardly guess; won’t you tell me?”

“ I will twist that pretty neck behind you i”

“Thanks—bow good you are to warn me;
Very kind in you. Oscar. My good friend, you
have greater cause to fear me than I have to
fear you. Ruin hangs ovar your head, and it
will fall when the finger of fate is lifted.’

She passed on with the same smile on her face
and followed Walter, who led the way to the
room in which Vanverne lay. Walter pushed
open the door and passed in, while the lady
paused upon the threshold. . It almost seemed
to Walter that he could hear the beating of her

ear .

“I have brought a visitor, Stanley,” he said,
gayly. “Be careful now; remember that you
are not strong.” ,

There came the rustle of a woman’s robe, a
low tremulous cry. and a pair of rich ri e lips
were glued to those of the invalid. alter
quietly left the room, unwilling to be a witness
of the interview. He spoke to the guard at the
door, and told him to watch the visitor, and
then went down into the lower part of the build-
ing. Oscar was the first erson who met him.

“ How long is that flen in the shape of s. wo-
man going to stay here?"

" That will depend entirely upon the time it
takes for her husband to recover from his
wound,” replied Walter.

“I warn you, that in her, you have the most
cunning devil Australia ever produced, and I
want you to be careful. She will trick you, it
such a thing is possible.”

“ I think we ought tube a match in cunning
for one woman,” said Walter, as he passed on.

 

£6 The Red Brotherhood.

 

“You have some reason for hating Vanverne i “You know why the hate you,Os('ar," said
and his Wife which [you do not care to reveal." i his brother, coolly. “ ill you explain it to us

 

“ You liel" shrieked Oscar, furiously. " Who
told you—"

He stopped in confusion, seeing that he had
committe himself. and in a rage caught his
long hair between his hands and gave it a furi-
ous tug. Walter passed on with a laugh, leav—
lng his brother stamping furiously in the bull.
Zoraya, who had not yet had time to exchange
greetin with Walter, met him in the hall, and
the lit! 0 hand seemed to melt into his as ho
clasped it. Oscar, glaring down upon them
from the staircase above, noted with fury thv
looks they exohanged.

“ I am mad enough to join the Dukites," mui
tered the madman. “I will do it if they will
take me and forgive what I have done in time<
past. Then, my good brother, beware of me."

Three days passed, and they saw but little oi
the Dukite and his beautiful wife. Their meals
were sent up to their rooms, and once or twice
she consented to come into the parlors, where
she vied with Zoraya in old songs of the almost
forgotten days. On the fourth night the convav
leseent came down himself, walking feebly, and
lay upon a couch, while the women grouped it
picturesque attitudes and chatted gayly. His
wife sat by him, holding his hand and yielding
gracefully when asked to sing. Oscar, hov-
_ering in the back-ground, looked at the pair with
the eyes of a demon, for he felt that the return»
ing force of Stanley Vanverne was a threat to

him.

" I believe the three days of truce which Da»
yid granted are up, Captain Delisle,” said Van.
_verne.

“Yes; and I am ready to take the field as
soon as he. Inaction tires me and I wish to set-
tle our guarrel as soon as possible and have done
with it.

“ Slocum will not keep you long in suspense,’
said Vanverne, laughing. "It is comical, aftei
all. to ace us sitting here so coolly and talking 0'
this event when we are enemies. You mus:
send me out of this as soon as possible.”

“Not until you are stronger,” said Walter.
“If we all suffer through you I will keep m3
word to your friend.”

. “I would ive my life for you, Welter De
lisle,” cried anverne, suddenly. “ Do you
hear me? I would give my life, and the rim“
may come when—my dear, let us go. And to
morrow I leave this roof which has so kindh
sheltered me, and with my will the Dukite yen
geance shall not reach it.”

Kate Vanverne. with tears in her dark eyes
gave an arm to her husband and the two let:
the room. The night passed and at early morn
ing when they went up to relieve the guard 13'
the door of the prisoner, they found him lying
m a deadly stupor while an empty flask lay at
his side. v

"Dragged!" said Walter. “ The work of th.

’anites, who have been here while we slept.
Thanks to our precautions they dare not do an)
evil before Vanverne and his wife were gone.”

“ i believe that you onnnived at this escape."
cried Oscar, fiercely. “ You know that Stanley

Vanverne and his wife hated me above all things ,
. when your life is in danger at any moment, you

A earthly and would do anything to kill me."

so that we can understand as well as yourself?"

“ Don’t say too much, my ood brother,"
“buttered Oscar—the words coming through his
:linched teeth with a strange, hissing sound.
"From the cradle in which they rocked you un-
11 tuis hour you have been a stumbling-block
n my path, and an end must come soon. I
have had enough of this, and if on will not
mad the stockmen against the Dukites, I will do
'r myself.”

“You will, eh? I wonder if they would fol-
‘ow you? But, in order to satisfy you I willsay

net as We are upon the subject I will lead my
own men, and that soon. And I hope, when we
return, to be able to say that we have wiped out
the name of Dukite from the face of our chosen
land. Trust me, Oscar; there is no man alive
who would be better pleased to Know that this
has been done than myself."

“Why don’t you let Mabel lead?" said Oscar.
“ Since a woman must lead them, she is as good
is any.”

Walter received the sarcasm with a quiet
smile, and turned away. An hour later he was
engaged in a close consultation with Jack Dean
and Sandy McGi-egor, who, for the last two
lays had been upon a scout. and would report
to no one save the “ captain,” as they persisted
in calling Walrer. While this was going on,
Oscar got out his horse and rode away toward
l‘amga City. against the advice of his father
mil euor Cordoval.

" I‘m old enough to take care of myself, I
'iope.” he said.

“ But you must remember that you have ene-
~nios. and that every step you take is in the
mullet of danger. Mabel and Zoraya—”

" I am not a woman if my brother is.” he re-
‘ilied, as he leaped into the saddle. " I shall re-
‘urn in the course of a. week and by that time
nerhaps he will be ready to march. Heavy
)o'lies move slowly, you know.”

“I would be thankful if you were animated
)y the same spirit as Walter," was his father‘s
reply, as the young man rode away. He only
:eplied by a laugh. and they saw him cross the
)rairie and disappear in the pass between the
'oothills. He rode on carelessly, whistling a
'ove ditty. when, in the narrow pass, he met a
voman whose face was concealed by a thick
-nask. He could make out that her form was
graceful and that the eyes which gleamed u on
him through the visor were bright and ful of
liquid lig‘it. Always ready for an adventure of
this kind be halted, and, as thelady approached.
saluted her with an easy grace which he could
assume when he chose.

“ Well met, sir!” she said, in a slightly-tremu-
ious voice. “If I am not mistaken, your name
is Oscar Delislef”

“I am glad that you know me so well, fair
lady.”

“ How do you know that I am fair?"

“ Such eyes as you have. a sweet voice, a bean-
tiful form—must be accompanied by a. beautiful
face,” he replied, gallant] .

“You are not changed.” she said. in a sad
tone, " and I had hoped that in times like these,

.
t
;.
1’l

'l‘

 

 

 

The Red Brotherhood. 8»?

 

would assume another tone. Man, wicked us
you are, is there nothing in your heart of hearts
which speaks of one you have wronged. and to
whom you have not made atonement? Have
youlsoghing to regret?"

‘ o

“ Let me recall a name to you—that of Mary
Vauvernel”

“ Mary Vanvernel”

“No. not that name, but Mary Delisle, your
wife in the sight of man as well as of HeaVen.
whom you wedded by stealth when you found
that your flatteries could not break down her
purity. Neither force uor fraud availed and
you made her your wife.”

“False, I tell you: false!”

“You want proof, then. You think you were
wedded without wi nesses, but I tell you no.
Here is the marriage-certificate, with the names
of three men who, unseen by you, witntssed the
marriage.”

“ The sly jade fooled me. then?"

“ She only protected herself from wrong.
And when you found her in your way—when
she importunevi you to save her from shame by
acknowledging her as your wife, what did you
do? You plunged her into the Sea, down among
the coral-reefs and left her there to die.”

“ it seems as if my shame were to he trum-
peted through the world, no matter where 1 fly.
Give me that paper. woman.”

“Wait; do you want another witness to the
marriage!”

“ Whom can you bring, unless the sea should
give up its dead !"

“ Behold l"

She tore the musk from her face and with a
wild cry he reeled back and covered his face,
for she looked at him with the eyes of her he
whelmed among the coral-reefs of the South
Sea, his “ranged \vife——Mary Vunveruel

 

CHAPTER Xi.
THE END APPROACHES.

THIS man’s heart was not of steel and it bent
before this blow, the most unexpected that
could have fallen upon his guilty head. He
could not believe that she stood here in the
flesh, beautiful as an angel, lookingr nt him in a
wild, questioning way to see what effect the re-
velntinn had upon him.

“ Mnryl" he whispered.
me that it is indeed the woman
in the end so hated.”

“You see that I am here,” she said. “ h,
Oscar. you were saved from a shameful crime
by an accident. for when you had hurled me in-
to the sea and fled. you forgot that I had almost
lived upon the sen, and when i went down in
the deep water at the’ base or the corral-reef it
was only torise in a place of safety under a
shelving rock. I am here to ask you to do me
justice, and if you will it is in my power to
save you from the Dukites.”

“ What do you ask of me?”

“Tell all the world that I am your wife; take
away the shame which i’lBDg-i upon my memory
like a pull. 1 know that a new passion has
taken the place of one which first induced you
to turn against me, but that passion is hopeless.

“ S eak to me—tell
once loved and

 

Walter will marry Zoraya if he escapes the
Dukite steel."

“ i would sooner die any death than see him
triumph!” was the fierce reply.

“ You know not what you say, Oscar. Hope-
less as your love is while I live it is worse than
foolish to peril your life in this world and your
soul in the world to come, by refusing to listen
to me. Great as my wrongs have l-een I am
ready to forgive all and saw you if you will ac—
knowledge me before the v: orld.”

“You ask too much, Mary,”he said. with a
sneer. “Go your ways and leave me to work
out my des-iny as i may.’

“ Your destiny is wrought already,” cried a
stern voice. “ Seize him, my brothers. and hear
him away. Fate has given him into our hands."

Men seemed to rise from the rocks about him
on every side, and before he could turn to fly,
strong hands seized and dragged him from the
saddle. Closely pinioued, he stood in the circle
of masked men, who glared at. him with eyes in
which there was no pity. He knew the men
who surrounded him as the Red Dukitrs and
felt that all hope was gone. ‘

“Since I must yield to the inevitable and
have matrimony forced upon me in spite of my-’
self, itis best to yield gracefull . I acknowl-
edge this woman as my wedde wife and am
u illing to take her by the hand as such.”

His wife started impulsively forward, but
was sternly repulsed by one of the masked men.

“No, no, Mary; you have heard the dog say
that he does this upon compulsion and ought to
know that be will repudiate the act as soon as
he is free. We gave him n chance of life if he
would do justice, and he refused. That chance
is [zone fnreVer. and it only remains for the
Dukites to do justice.”

“David. as you hope for mercy. show mercy
to others,” moaned the unhappy woman, as she
still tried to pass him.

"Such is woman‘s nature. yielding to every
wind that blows," replied the Dukite. “ Num-
ber three. take charge of this girl and hear her
away. We were mad to allow her to come
here, at all."

The mask designated as number three took
Mary luv the hand and led her away, leaving
Oscar Delisle in the rircle of his enemies. He
felt his danger, yet in this moment bore himself
like a man, for he had good blood in his veins,
bad and cruel as hisl‘eart was. it is a mistake
to suppose that cruel men are always cowards
for it is not always true.

“ I am in your hands to do with as you will,
gentlemen,” he said, in a strangely quiet tone.
“ 1 am deeply grieved that it is outol' my power
to repay in some manner the solicitude you
have shown for my safety, but it is not to be.
As for you} David SlOCum. I had thought you
prav’e enough to give a man a chance for his

ife.

“What do you demand?”

“The chance to fight single-handed, with any
weapons you mav name against any two of
your infernal band.”

“The Dukites will think of it. Bear him
a way to [be council-hall, and we will there do.
ride his fate.” I

With a strong band grasping either wrist, and

 

 

33 The Red Brotherhood.

 

a pitiless avenger marching behind with a
cocked pistol in his hand, they marched him
away; by dark and devious paths until they
reac ed the verge of the Demon Bowl. Oscar
felt a shudder pass through his frame as he
looked down into that dark pit, for he realized
that a terrible fate awaited him there. There
was no mercy for him at the hands of the men
he had so bitterly wronged in past days.
Strange as it may seem, this man was more
deeply moved by the fact that, his enemies
having destroyed him, would give up their
designs against Walter and the rest, than by his
own peril.

“ I'd like to ask you a question, Slocum,” he
said, as they prepared to descend into the
“ Bowl.”

“ Ask,” was the brief response.

“ Having finished me, is it your intention to
follow up the rest of my family, my dearly
loved brother among the rest?"

“ Why do you ask?"

“ Because, after all, he has wronged you more
than I have. You accuse me of the murder of
Stanley Vanverne. and he is alive; you said that
I had wronged Mary, and I have said that she
is my wife before you all. My brother certain-
ly ki led one of your number at the hacienda,
and the rest exalted in the work."

“ In other words. you would not grieve deep-
ly if you knew that the Dukites had more work
to do before their vengeance is sated?”

“ Why should be live on, happy and beloved,
while I am murdered for a crime long since
atoned for? Why should be live to wed Zoraya.
while I am laid in a bloody grave by avengers’
hands? I tell you that I could come out of my
grave to haunt them if this is to be.”

“I knew that your heart was bad, villain,”
muttered the Dukite, “ but this baseness is worst
of ’all. We will speak of this in council; go
on.

They descended the rugged slope, and wound
their way among the low pines at the bottom
of the Bowl, and as they passed a little excava-
> tion the prisoner saw particles of gold shining
amid the dirt.

“You are walking over a gold-mine,” said
David Slocum. “In this valley is wealth
enough to buy a kingdom, and when we have
justi ed you and all pursuit is over, we will
come out of this valley armed with the lover of
Archimedes, the power which moves the world.
I will build up an order so grand that all the
earth shall come and bow at my feet as at a
Ihrine.”

“Ten thousand curses! If I could see you
dead at my feet I would breathe out my life
gladly; die any death.”

The Dukite aughed as they moved on silently,
and entered the dark passage which led to their
' secret cave. Here the prisoner was strongly

bound to a huge stalagmite which rose from the
. floor, and for a moment utter silence prevailed
in the cavern.‘
, “Be robed, Sons of the Serpentl” said the
chief.

From various nooks and crannies the men
drew out the white robes which they wore in
council, and appeared before the prisoner, each
with the long dagger in his belt.

 

“ Senseless mummery is wasted u n me, fools
that you are!" cried Oscar. “ hatever you
are going to do with me, do it at once. I have
made up my mind to die, and if you wring a
groan or cry from me it will be because I lose
my sen3es. Red spawn of the serpent, cowards
and fools, I defygou to do your worst!”

“He talks lou enough,” remarked the chief.
“Wait; the council is not yet ended, but you
shall hear our deliberations. Come about me,
Sons of the Dukite, and hear my words.”

They gathered around him in a circle, and
waited for him to speak.

“This man is tried and condemned already,
and we need only speak of the manner of his
death. I would torture him in the body, but I
know that he would die with set teeth, for he
hasacertain brutal courage which wouli sus-
tain him in an hour like this. You have seen
how he hates his brother and that he would die
more easily if he knew that we intended to pur-
sue him. By our laws we have the ri ht to
pardon an enemy by whom one of us is s ain in
self-defense. Shall we use that right and let
Walter Delisle go free?"

“Yes, yes!" cried the Dukites. "The brood
of the serpent knows when you spare. Let
Walter Delisle go free and unharmed."

Oscar writhed in his bonds and uttered a wild
cry of rage, for the thought that Walter would
be safe—Walter. whom he now hated—while he
was doomed to die, drove him nearly mad.

“ You see, my brothers,” continued the chief,
“the dog would be happy in the death of his
brother—our enemy. but a brave man. It isde-
cided then; Walter Delisic lives."

“We agree.”

“ Accepted and recordml. Now as to the man-
ner of this man’s death. He has asked as a
mercy that he shall die fighting and has called
me coward because I do not grant it. I am not
willing to accord him anvthing, but sooner than
he should die making reflections upon the great
order, I will give him his will. But, he shall
not fight two at once. Any man of the Dukites
is more than his equal, but he shall die by my
hands.”

“No, no!” cried the man known as number
eight. “You must not peril your life in such a
cause.”

“It is my will.” was the reply.

Every man was silent, for who among them
dare dispute the great head? ,

“The council is ended. Oscar Delisle, you are
about to die by my hand."

“Not yet; am in a trap. and I will not die
easily. What are the weapons?"

“These,” replied the Dukite, raising in each
hand the long Dukite dagger. “Number five
and six, take your stations at the entrance to the
cave, and if he attempts to fly, shoot him down
like a dog.”

“I shall not attempt to fly." said Oscar,
grimly. “I light, not for life, but for venge-
once.”

The Dukite threw oi! his robe and mask and
showed the prisoner that he were no defensive
ar'nor beneath his cloak.

Then, by a single stroke of his dagger. he
severed the bonds which tied Oscar to the lime-
stone oolumn, threw one of the daggers at his

The Red Brotherhood. 20

 

feet and retreated. Oscar picked up the knife
and the two began to circle about each other,
waiting for a chance to strike a blow. The Du-
kite was by far the heaviest man of the two, but
he lacked the activity of his younger antagonist.
Twit-e Oscar ran in, but the blade of blue steel
was eyer ready and be bounded back out of dis-
tance just in time to escape the point when the
long arm of the Dukite was extended.

“ You must lo<.k out, my son,” adjured the

chief. tauntingly, “or you may be hurt. Why
don’t you come on?" .
“I am in no hurry,” replied Oscar. “Hal

take that!”

He darted in suddenly and lunged straight at
the heart of the Dukite. But, the thin blue
blade seemed to wrap itself about his own. and
he could not disengage it. Before he could re-
treat the blade of the Dukite passed through his
shoulder.

“ One!" said Slocum, as his antagonist bound-
ed back.

Was the Dukite playing with him? There
was a smile upon his hard face and he stood like
arock instead of following up the advantage
which he had gained in the first close encounter.
Oscar showing his teeth with a tigerish gleam,
the blood from his wounded shoulder staining
his white shirt, stood for a. moment inactive;
then realizing the fact that he was fast losing
strength, he again (-losed'with an ugly snarl and
inflicted a wound in the wrist of his enemy so
deep that he could no longer use the knife.
Leaping back without turning on his heel he
changed the knife into his left hand and met
Oscar as he again rushed on, eager to end the
fray. The knives of the Dukites flew out like
bee—stings, but Slocum waved them'hack.

“Let no man dare to interfere between us!”
he cried. “ I must do this work alone, and if I
fail I charge you to attack him singly.”

Again they closed, and to the surprise of Os-
car he found that the loas of his right hand was
no disadvantage to the Dukite. 0n the con-
trary, he seemed to fight with greater skill. and
a left-handed thrust is hard to parry. Oscar
was wounded in three places in this encounter,
and beyond the first wound, David Slocum was
hardly touched. At this moment they heard
the sound of distant shouts and knew that their
enemies had in some way found out their haunt
and were upon them.

“Away with you, brothers!" cried the Dukite.
“ We have been betrayed, and you must save
yourselves. Take that for vengeance.”

He thrust full at the breast of Oscar, who,
instead of trying to arry, lunged in return;
but at that moment ary Vanveme, rushing
in from some other part of the cave, threw her-
self between the combatants, and, to the horror
of all, the blade of Oscar found a sheath in her
bosomhand she fell prostrate at his feet. The
cry which burst from the lips of David Slocum
was scarcelyhumnn, as drawing back his hand
he buried his steel in the bosom of his enemy
and left it there. the diamond in the hilt gleam-
ing as he fell. The sound of etc came closer,
and every Dukite, except one. p eating his dag-
ger in the breast of the fallen man, bounded
over the prostrate form and followed their
leader into the darker recesses of the cave. So

 

quickly was this done that no one erceived
that Stanley Vanvorne had caught up is dying
sister and rested her beautiful head upon his
knees. He did not look up as the stockmen,
bended by Jack Dean, Walter and Estevan,
poured into the cave. They stopped short as
they saw the dead form of Oscar. and the pale
face which rested on the knee of Vanvarne.

“ There he lies!’.’ said Stanley, in a fixed, stonv
way. “Only my dagger is not there and it
ought to be, for he has murdered this dear girl,
his wife.”

“Stop not herel" cried Waller, pointing into
the cave. “Torches, torches, and follow tl.e
Dukites to the death i"

They had come wall provided, and in a mo‘
ment more forty men. each with a torch in his
hand, was following the trail of the Dukitrs.
Walter led the way, for all thought of enmity
with his brother was gone at the sight of his
bloody form. They could hear the footsteps of
the flying Dukites as they dashed on through
the great cave, but the enem had the best
knowledge of the ground overw iel) they passed
and the gained but little. Still they held on,
four ofy the bravest—Walter, Estevan, Dean
and McGregor—far in advancr. They came at
last to a narrow passage, through which only
one man could pass, and here the anites had
posted three of their number, willing victims
to save the rest.

“ You follow desperate men," said one of
these. “ I warn you, if you would save blood-
shed, to let us go in peace and from this hour
you will never hear from us or feel our war."

“Down with them!" cried Walter. y this
time the rest of the party were up to them, and
in a body they dashed upon the devoted trio.
The fight was ghastly in its character, but could
only end in one way. Inch by inch these dcs-
perate men disputed the narrow passage, giving
ground only when forced to do so by the repeat-
ed rushes of the stockmen.

One by one they fell until only one man, and
that one des erately wounded, stood in the nar-
row way. is blade seemed charmed and made
a bloody road before him as he stepped slowly
back. A shot from the rear brought this brave
fellow to the earth, the blood bubbling from a
death-wound.

“ Saul 0’ William Wallace!" cried Sandy Mc-
Gregor, “ but the daft callnnt died grim 1”

“Tell the chief how I died, and my name will
go upon the record which can never die l” he
gasped, as his breath left his body, and over his
ghastly form the stockmen, now wild with hat-
tIe-flre, dashed on to vengeance. Their work
was not yet done.

CHAPTER XII.
FAREWELL To run nuxrras.

. THE immolation of the .three brave men had
not been enough, for again the stockmen began
to close in upon the trail. It was hard, for they
caught the glimmer of light inst—ahead, and
knew that if they reached that ight they would
he ate, for the stockmen here could be held at
bay for a year if need be. But, it was not to
be: all these men could not escape and some
must die for the rat.

 

 

 

 

 

so The Red. Brotherhood.

Who should it be? The chief looked over his
shoulder at the coming stoekmen, and saw that
it must soon come tc a hand-to-hand struggle.
The blood dripping from his wounded wrist had
sap ed his powers, and he was in no condition
to ght, so that out of the “elected twelve,"
only six remained fit for duty since Stanley
Vanverne had been left behind.

“Some must die, great chief,” said number
two, who stood next to the chief. “You are
not fit to fight, and I offer myself for one. Who
will stand with me and keep this pass?"

“ Ii” cried the man known as number ten, as
be cast away his mask and drew along, thin-
bladed sword which hung at his thigh.

“ Why have you thrown away your mask,
numlzer ten?” demanded the chief.

“I shall need it no more, my chief,” was the
reply. “ When we two turn back now, we
turn back to die. Take me by the hand, and
let thy honored blood drip upon it and I shall
fight more bravely.”

hey clasped hands with the chief, received
his benediction as a father’s blessing and bade
the rest good-by. Then they turned back to the
narrowest part of the passage, drew their
blades, and calmly waited. The stockmen,
rushing on incautiously, came suddenly upon
the steel points, and a battle royal began under
the glittering dome. Those who had fallen so

. far were more neophytes, but those two were

chiefs of the order, men selected for their skill
and valor, and who counted life lightly if by
layin it down they could aid the order.

Pac ed in the narrow space the attacking
party could use their arms to little advantage,
and before the first of these brave men went
down he had sent five men before him to the
spirit-land. There only remained that gigantic
man who had cast away his mask. Under the
light of the torches his large, majastic face
shone like one inspired, and the Scotchman
who had drawn his old claymore and rushed
to the front, dropped his point for a. moment
before making the attack.

“Stand back, laddiesl" he cried. “He’s a
bonnie lad, an’ one fit to dee by the bond of an
auld Heelan’ mon. Shall We he’s. a tilt the-
gitber, laddie?"

“I’m a Scot, mysel’,” replied the giant, “ of
the tribe McCallurn."

“ McGregorl Death to the McCallum l”

The swords clashed together, and the stock-
men, holding their torches, looked on while the
fray lasted. The canny Scot fought like a man
who had learned his lessons in many a border
foray, threatening now with the point ani then
With the edge as he forced his enemy back.
He had a foeman worthy of his steel. and for
five minutes the struggle was doubtful, when
Sandy; making a cut at the face of his adver-
sary, dropped his point and drove it through
the heart of the giant, who dropped at his feet
with agasp. But the check had been enough,
and the four remainder of the Dukites reached
the opening which led into the mountain pass,
near the place where the mysterious voices had
started the avengers, and especially roused the
ire of Oscar Dellsle.

At the openingywhich was so narrow that
only one man could pass through, crawling on

 

his stomach—-David Slocum paused and shouted
to Walter Delisle:

“Do not dare to follow further, for we can
kill you, man by man as you come through the
opening. We came to s ay Oscar Delisle, and
our work is done. As for the Dukites they will
live, and in the time to come you shall hour
from them again. But we hold no enmity
against you or yours from this hour.”

He passed through the opening and was gone.
From that hour they never saw his face, but the
order of the Dukites yet lives, growing in pow—
er through all the East. Walter knew that it
would be death to follow them through that
narrow pass, and went his way through thelong
passages, taking up the dead as they wen-r.
They found Stanley Vanverhe yet kneeling over
the dead form of his sister.

“ Walter,” he said, rising, “all we have done
has been for her and that grand old man, her
father and mine, who was as much murdered
by the hand of Oscar Delisle as if he had buried
his knife in his breast. 1 never struck him, yet
it has been through me that he died. If you
think me worthy of death I offer you my breast.
Kill me if you will.”

“ And kill ms with him,” said Kate Vanverne,
as she took her stand by the side of her hus-
llinnd; “ If he must die I have no desire to
we.

“ Men,” said Walter, “ I will vouch for it that
this young man has not the blood of one of our
friends upon his hands. Even if he had, this is
his sister who lies dead—murdered I fear by my
brother.”

“ Let him go free I" cried the bordermen.

“ He did not intend the blow for her,” said
VaDVerne. "He had chosen to fight with the
chief, and she run between them before he could
stay his hand. Enough blood has been shed,
and I give you the oath of a Dukite that you
and vents shall be safe from this hour.”

“ Yet we have killed your brothers 9”

“In self-defense; it 1-1 wanton slaughter we
hate and punish. I give you a Secret since you
give me my life. In this valley is a gold mine
which will make you alLrich if you can keepthe
secret for two Weeks. I only wait to see my
sister laid beneath the sod; then we will go. ”

 

The last sad rites have been paid to the dead;
the Dukite has muttered his last farewell over
his slain brothers, and is gone as be came. And.
Walter Delisle, as he turned back toward the
hacienda, felt that a great weight had been lift-
ed from his breast. They kept the secret of the
valley Well, and when at last a wandering
“ prospector" found them at work they had
lifted the “ cream” of the surface digging.
Buta rich lead had been struck in draining,
and a bUsy quartz-mill now runs above the dark
valley which was at once the Dukite refuge and
their grave. .

Walter Delisle became one of the richest men
in a country of riches, and two years after these
events he led to the altar Zoraya de Cordoval.
And he was not alone, for scarcely had the
words which made them man and wife been

oken, when Mabel and Estevan took their
0 acea An hour later they wr re stun ming down

the Yuba on their way to San Francisco—the

 

 

  
 

  

 

 

 


i
*.

  

 

The Red Brotherhood. - 31 ,

   

 

Isthmus and the East. And there no longer
has over their heads the sign of the serpent——
the readful symbol of the Red Dukite.

{tick Dean is still overseer for Senor Cordo-
va .

Sandy McGl'egor has a ranch of his own, not
far from the Yuba, and has taken a wife as
thrifty as himself.

In the East the order still lives—in the West
it is growing. But men whisper that, under the
hand of Stnnley Vanverne, it has changed its
character, and that blood does not flow for tri-
vial wrongs. A gray-haired, stately man in
Melbourne yet directs in secret the workin s of
the order. and that man is David Slocum. ill
the great time for which he hopes ever come to
him? We will wait and see.

THE END. '

Bari 

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