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Copyrighted. 1881, by BIADLI AND Ann". Enured at the Post Office II New York, N. Y., as Second Clan Mnfl Mutter. Nov. 2. 1887.

 

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80 THEY 8300K HANDS BETWEEN THE TWO annuals,

 

 

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

I  Dictionary Nailfleteclive;

BILL BRAVO, the BEAR TAMER.

BY '1‘. C. HARBAUGH,

AUTHOR or “ ARKANSAW,” “ CAPTAIN BULLET,”
‘V‘ PLUCKY PHIL,” “ OLD raosrv,” “ DANDY
JACK,” ETC., ETC.

CHAPTER I.
A FRIEND IN NEED.

AMONG the mountains of the western bound-
ary of Montana stood the two hundred shanties
that, collectively. went by the pretentious name
of Cinnamon City. The streets were wide and
irregular, as though the denizens of Cinnamon
cared more for room than system, and there
wasn’t agay window in the Whole town.

Like e majority of mountain towns Cin—
namon owed its existence to an accidental dis-
covery. An outlaw known as Progress Paul,
fleeing from the Vi, ilantes of Virginia City,
found refuge and go (1 near the site of Cinna-
mon. He could not keep secret his discovery,
and almost betore he had staked out his claim,
he found fifty adventurers around him, and the
foundation of a. town, soon to be known in bor-
der annals, was laid among the mountains.

To the new gold region flocked the halter’s
own from all parts of the Northwest. The
crack of the ready revolver seldom ceased to
ring in the ears of Cinnamon’s citizens, and
Pro ress Paul was among the first to die, but he
left ehind associates whose wild names were as
outlandish as his own, and who carried, as he
had done, their lives in their hands. v

 

 

It was near the close of a. warm September
day, when a young man, well mounted, drew
rein before a queer—looking guide—post planted in,
a stonspilo in the mountains about ten miles
south of Cinnamon City.

, There was a look of gentility in the youth’s
face which proclaimed im rather out, of place
in that savage part of Uncle Sam’s domain.
His eyes were mildly blue, like a young girl’s,

_ _ his figure was well shaped, but fomininish. In
. short he looked like a young school-teacher in
search of a school.

If he was armed, he did not exhibit the usual

/ sign of the frontier, although he might have. a
brace 01 revolvers in the saddle—bags carried by
his horse. ’ -_
“ They need schnoling in these parts, that’s a
fact,” he remarked in an audible tone, as he
gazed at the guide-board roughly nailed to the
upright post in the stone~pile.
" This was nothing more than a hewn slab on
which was a. skeleton hand. followed h the in-
. scription: “Cinnamon, 10.” The ban pointed

in a. northerly direction. and the distance located
the famous Cinnamon City of Montana. But,
the hide-board had been adorned with the pro-

; - (in of the region. At one end were painted

two crossed bowies, a revolver and a rope.
From one end oi the latter dangled the fright~

'E’

ful caricature of a man, while between the
crossed blades was a rude representation of a.
human heart transfixed with an arrow.

These pictures of course riveted the young
man’s gaze upon them.

“My introduction to Cinnamon will not be
Pleasant, I’m afraid,” he said, with a smile.
‘ Revelation Rube said he would ost me wher-
ever he went, but I see no signs 0 his presence
here,” ‘

The speaker urged his horse from the spot,

, and soon was moving once more upon [the city
‘ 1n the mountains.

Longer and denser grew the shadows as night
approached, and a bend in the trail hid the
guide-board and its hideous illustrations from
VleW.

All at once the dyouth’s horse gave a snort of u

terror and starte back as though a rattlesnake,
had hissed under his feet.

“ VVhat’s the matter now?” cried the rider,
who had been almost unseated by his animal’s
demonstration. “We are yet five miles from
Cinnamon, and— A'grizzly, by my lifel”

The youth had discovered the cause of his,
steed’s fright. ,

In the trail before him stood one of the largest
'grizzlies he had ever seen—absolume huge,
monstrous and menacing. He must have ap-
peared suddenly from the bushes that fringed
the trail on his right, for a moment before his
horse’s wild action the youth had looked down.
the road and seen nothing.

A thousand~pound grizzly in one’s road, five
miles from Cinnamon City, was not a pleas—
ant sight for the traveler. ,

‘5 “ Go on!” he said to his horse, but the animal,
not heading the spurs, seemed to brace himself
anew, and stubbornly disobeyed. '
' Meanwhile the rider had drawn a. brace of
elegant revolvers, which he thrust past his
horse’s head as he ordered the animal to move

on. ,

“ I must go on to Cinnamon, bear or no bear i”
fell resolutely from his lips, and the next mo—v
ment he had leaped to the ground and was ad—
vancing upon the huge beast.

Not a muscle quavered as the young manwent
forward- his blue eyes seemed to emit sparks of‘
fire, and he held the revolvers out 'with the,
nerve of an old borderman.

, “ Hold on there!” exclaimed a rough but not
unmusical voice, as the young adventurer halt-
ed within twenty feet of the Waiting grizzl
and glanced over, the littering barrel of h s
right-hand revolver. “ hat b’ar belongs tome,
stranger, an” I’ll trouble you by askin’ you to
lower yer dropper.”

The youth instinctively turned and cast his
eyes up the ascent on his left to see the man who
had the audacity to claim to be the owner of a
wild grizzly bear.

“ Hyar I am, stranger,” continued the same
voice, which directed the youth’s gaze to the
speaker. “Shall I come down, er shall the b’ar
bring you up?” '

This was followed by a wild laugh, so full of
good—humor that the traveler lowered hismvo],
ver and seemed to forget the grizzly in his m th
in the presence of thed man and his companion

 

standing in full view overhead.

1

 

 

flan“

 

 

 
   
  
   
  
   
    
 
    
  
 

 

     
   
   
 
  

 

 

- look

  

. Dictionary Nat. Detective. 3

 

“ I can’t come up well," he answered hack.

“ Then I‘ll come down."

The next moment a man and a bear came
down the brushy side of the pass and stood on a
level with the astonished traveler.

“ My handle is Bill Bravo, stranger,” said the
bear—man, who was a person of two~and~thirty,
a really handsome mountain giant, with broad
shoulders and eagle eyes of raven darkness. He
wore a. suit of new buckskin, elegantly fringed
and ornamented, and a ca made from a coyote-
skin set jauutil upon his ead, but did not hide
the long black air that fell round his neck.

“ We’ve met for the first time,” he went on,
eying the traveler from head to foot. “ You
appear strange in these parts. Never heard ov
me, I presume—0v me an’ my pets,” he added,
gettin the heads of the two monsters that

ank him.

“ You are a stranger to me.”

“ Whar did you come from?”

“ From Virginia City.” ‘

“Then you certainly heard of Bill Bravo."

“ Never.”

“ Thet’s strange.”

' “Pardon me. I was seeking another man.”

“ That may account for it, an’ you didn’t git
acquainted with any ov my friends, Rocket
Rob, Sonora Saul, an thet class of humanity.
Goin’ to Cinnamon, eh?”

“Yes‘”

“You must be goin’ to start a church, ef I
read you c’rectly,’ said Bill, with a ludicrous
expression on his bronzed face.

“Not exactly,” was the reply, “although
you’ll admit that such an institution might bene~

t society in Cinnamon City. I should think
so, at least, from the appearance of the guide-
board five miles back.”

Bill broke into a fit of laughter.

“ You saw it, then?” he exclaimed. “You
didn’t notice a bulletrhole between Cinnamon
and the number ten?”

“ I was not looking for bullet—holes,”

“ P’raps not. What’s yer handle?”

“ Nat Grayscot.”

“ Got any nickname?”

The young traveler flushed.

“They dubbed mo Dictionary Nat at Vir-
ginia.”

“Because 0v yer schoolin’, I presume. But,
let me tell you, Dictionary, about thet bullet-
hole. Just about two months ago me an’
Rocky Dan, hyar, war lyiu’ up on the moun-
t’in sunnin’ ourselves, when I see’d a chap pilin’
§ rocks nigh the pass whar the trails cross.

e war too industrious to hev no object in view,
so I watched him jest to see what he were goin’
to do. Arter awhile he dragged thet post an’
its board from the bushes an’ planted ’em
amo§ the rocks. Then he stepped back an’

at his ‘ob. 'I‘har war nothin’ on the slab

then but ‘ inuamon, ten.’ All at once a
thought seemed to strike ’im an’ be brought a
can 0v paint from the side 0v the pass an’
ainted them knives an’ things you saw awhile

week. I watched ’im till I got tired. Rocky
Dun 'kept growlin’ an’ lookin’ me in the eye but
lshook my head, for he wanted to go own
and muzzle the painter. So .I took out one ov

my 'six/shootin’ cathartics au‘ sent a bullet

 

whizzin’ by the fellar’s ear. Whewl how he
dropped his brush an' got down ,from the stone-
pilel I didn’t intend to hit ’im. I jest wanted
to take the work 011’ his hands. If I‘d let him
go on he might be thar yet ornamentin' the
guide-board.’

Bill Bravo paused in his narration to laugh a
moment.

“ He looked kind 0’ wild like arter he stood on
the ground once more,” he continued. “ He
drew his shootin’ irons an’ said somethin’ about
makin’ a sieve ov the man “who had shot at
Revelation Rube.”

“ Revelation Rube?” echoed Dictionary Nat,
in a tone that startled the bear—man.

“ That’s the name. You know him then l”

"‘ He is my enemy.”

“ 0v course! He fairly chewed the ground
fur five minutes all around the stone- ile While
me an’ Rocky lay in the bushes an’ he the per-
formance all to ourselves. He’s not dangerous,
is he, Dictionary?”

“ He's a devil l" ‘

“ That’s yer view ov ’im. Do you know
where he is now?”

“ If he put up the guide-post a few days ago
he must be in the vicinity of Cinnamon City at
this time.”

“ Au7 you war goin thar?”

“ That's my destination.”

“ I b’lieve I’ll go along. The ’ve given me
warnin’ to stay out ov the town; ut, what does
thet matter?”

Nat Grayscot looked into the speaker’s face.

He would like such a resolute companion, now
that he was about to enter Cinnamon City
where Revelation Rube might be; but he had
got thought of asking Bill Bravo to accompany

1m

“ I’m oin’ with you! We might ez well be

pards, ictionary ” resumed Bill, while Nat

ooked at him. “ l hevn’t had a pard since the
Injuns shot Brazos Ben, five years ago, on the
Gila, You may need me in Cinnamon, an’ who
knows but thet I ma find use for you 2’”

So they shook ban 5 between the two grizzlies,
and thus began a friendship which was to be
tested and tried by scenes memorable even in the
annals of the Wild West.

“ Are you goin’ to take your bears with you?”
asked Nat.

“ Thet’s jist what I’m goin’ to do,” was the re«
ply. “The boys down at Cinnamon may want
to see the cubs. ’ -

Cubs! Each monster weighed at least a thou-
sand poundsl

 

CHAPTER II.
THE HUNT roa VENGEANCE.
WHEN Dictionary Nat turned to his horse‘he

\

found the animal still staring with dilated eyes.

at the pet grizzlies, and unwilling to join their

com ny.

“ Bl] send the b’ars ahead,” said Bill, taking a.
request out of Nat’s mouth, and the next mo-
ment, in response to a word and a wave of his
hand,dthe two bears trotted 0!! and soon disap—

pears .
" We’ll take a peep at my den store we tackle

4 Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

Cinnamon City ” the bear-tamer continued. “ It
lies slightl out ov our trail, but that doesn’t
matter. ou’re in no hurry to grapple with
Revelation Rube an’ his paras, I presume?”

“ No,” replied the young adventurer; “ but I
long to tell the rascal to his teeth that I am not
afraid of him.”

A look of admiration beamed in Bill’s eyes.

“ I like you a’ready,” he said. “ You’ve got a
wagon—load of the kind 0’ grit people need in this
kentry. I would like to know what brought you
hyar, but that’s none ov my bizness, an’——”

“ I don’t mind telling you.”

d “ Igot now, her hyar. Wait till we get to the
en.

Bill seemed pleased at the thought that Not
was willing to confide in him, and the two
walked side by side down the mountain trail,
Nat leading his horse by the bridle while he con—
versed with his new-found friend.

“ Hyar we ar’,” said the grizzl king, halting
after a mile had been traverse . “ Lead yer
horse into that little pass betWeen them rocks,
an’ leave ’im thar for the present.”

Nat obeyed, and rejoined his companion, who
was looking up the rather precipitous ascent
that rose before him. I

“ Yonder’s the home of the Invincible Three,”
he said, glancing at the youth. “One ov my
pards is waitin for us, Dictionary. Rocky Dan
image: doorkeeper ov himself when he was a

a y.

About thirty feet above the bed of the trail
appeared the front of a small mountain cabin.
Nat Grayscot could see no more of the struc—
ture. The small doorway was almost entirely
taken up with the head and fore-quarters of a
hu 6 grizzly, whose eyes were fixed on Bravo
an§ himself. He knew, of course, that this was
the bear-tamer’s abode, but still his hand moved
mechanically to his revolver, and Bill, who saw
the movement, broke into agood-natnred laugh.

“ YOu’ll never hev to use yer droppers on any
ov 'my b’ars. They know you a’ready, an’
theyz're willin’ to shed ther last drop ov blood for
you.

The trio men went up the path that led to the
bear~guarded home, which they entered, and
found themselves in a large cavern, whose only
light was that which entered at the little door.

Bill Bravo then explained that his home was
a veritable cavern in the hillside, that he had
erectod the front of a cabin for the purpose of
concealing the larrre original opening of the place
as well as to give his abode a somewhat civilized

' appearance.

“You hevn’t seen the rest ov the family,”
averred Bill, turning to Nat with a smile when
,he had kindled a fire on the floor of the cave.
“Go an’ bring in the little purds, Rocky," he
resumed, addressing one of the grizzlies, who
immediately disappeared.

A minute later a chorus of sna and snarls

rested Dictionary Dan’s ears, an Rocky Dan,

a grizzly, reappeared, followed bv four young
bears as large as good‘sized pigs. The quartette

V wore in playful mood, for they jostled each

other in true bear style, and snapped playfully

at Rocky Dan’s flanks as theyr came forward.
At sound of Bravo‘s voice be whole four rose

histantly on their hind feet, and walked into his

I
i

 

presence, where they extended their right pawn
for a shake.

“ Allow me to introduce you to the boys,
Dictionary,” said the bear-tamer with a. smile
ashe turned to Grayscot. “ Touch the paws
an’ make four more friends. You may need
the boys one of these days."

Nat did not hesitate, but carried out the ludi-
crous introduction in laughing moed, and the
cubs dropped on all-fours again. -

“ I wouldn't sell them b’ars for the’r weight
in gold,” declared Bill proudly. “ TheB gram
the den when Rocky Dan an’ Dandy in 31"
oil“ somewhar with me. They’d make a nasty
fight of they ar’ cubs. I‘d hate to tackle ’em
when they git the’r dander up.”

Dictionary Nat coincided in Bill’s opinion,
and watched the antics of the cubs who were
wrestling like young athletes in the flrelight.

Meanwhile, the fire blazing u had illuminated
the entire cavern, or as far bac as it seemed to
extend. Nat saw on one of the whitish walls
the inscription: “ B’ar’s Retreat,” and below it
the admonition that “ strangers hed better keep
outen hyar on account ov the’r health.” The
same hand which had traced the rude letters on
the wall had drawn their striking representa-
tions of bowies and revolvers.

“My pictures make you think 0v the guide-
board, eh ?” exclaimed Bill Bravo, noticing Nat’s
glance. “ I’m a poor artist, Dictionary, but
when it comes to usin’ them thiflizs—l’ll hev to
refer you to the b’ars for partic are.”

“ I hope you’ll not have to use them on this
trip to Cinnamon,” replied Nat.

“ 0v course you hope so, but we’ll wait an’
see. Now, I’m goin’ to ask you to tell me what
brought you into this kentry.”

Nat Grayscot turned from the pictures on the
wall and seated himself on a log in the light of
the fire. Bill had already stretched himself on
the ground, and was lookin up into his face,
while the family of bears ea around like veri—
table human listeners.

“ You may laugh when I inform you that six
months ago was overseeing the studies of six
hundred scholars in a town east of the Missis-
sip i,” begun Nat. ‘

‘ I thought you war a bookexpounder ov
some kind when I first sot eyes on you,” smiled
Bill. “ But, drive ahead. I’ll not put my
finger in the pie ag’in until it’s done. ”

“ Six months ago I had no notion of crossin
the Missouri. One day I received a letter whic
bore the postmark of Virginia City. An hour
after reading it I had resigned and was foot-
loose with six months’ salary in my pocket.
You are wondering what the contents of that
letter were. Here it is.” .

As he paused, Dictionary Nat from his pocket
drew a letter which he unfolded in the light of
the fire and extended to the king of the grizzlies.
Bill took it and raising himself on an elbow bent
forward for the purpose of mastering its contents.

“ I'm a poor scholar," he remarked: “ You’d
hev kicked me out ov yer college, Dictionary, but
anybody ought to be able to read this letter be-
cause it’s short an’ in big rint. . , _

The letter was short an written in a large if
not very legible hand. The letters seemed an in-

dex to the writer’s nature, rough and fearless, I j

 

 

 

 

 

.; of

r 55,,  3, ~

»

 

 

 

a

Dictionary Nat, Detective. 8

 

and the paper was characteristic of the wild
West, dingy and not at all clean.

There was no headin to the communication,
as though the writer ad expected the post—
mark on the envelope to answer that purpose,
and as there was but one line scrawled across
the sheet Bill Bravo mastered it in a short

time.

He read these words:

“ I have run your game down. It is here in Vir~
511nm pity. Be quick it you are not afraid to corral
e Wildcat. PLACER."

“ That is the letter that brought me to Virginia
City,” continued Grayscot as the bear king look—
ed up from the signature. “ It is a mystery to
you, I see. It contains one mystery for me, and
that is the signature. Let me go back five years.
Nathan Grayscot, my father, was a prosperous
merchant in Hlinois at that time. He dabbled
some in western lands, and at times had a good
deal of money in the house. One night our
house was burglarized and father was shot at
the head of the stairs as the thieves were de-
camping with their boot . It was an atrocious
murder. I was at schoo at the time, and took
an oath to become a detective and hunt his slay—
ers down.

“ I never obtained a clew to the burglars, and
was com led to nurse my revenge and see the
years drift by without striking a blow for ven-
geance. I felt however, that my time would
come. A thril shot through me when I read
that strange letter from Virginia City. I knew
at once that it referred to the villain who
killed my father on the stairs. I resolved to 0
at once. I never‘thought who “ Placer ” mig t
WI felt that he could not be an enemy~and a
week afterward I landed in Virginia City eager
to corral the wildcat mentioned by my strange
correspondent. I had some money left, and I
discovered that Vir inia. City is full of hands
ready to rob and ki for an ounce of gold. I
had stepped from the teacher’s desk into a den
of lions. My first move was to find Placer. In
a. city where almost every man has a nickname,
I found that a person—an old minerwcallcd
Placer Pandy who had frequented the rough re-
sorts of Virginia City all winter—had taken his
departure. From what I learned of the man I
was satisfied that he was my unknown helper,
but he was beyond my reach. I resolved to
remain and await his return. But I waited in
vain. My little wealth dwindled away, and I
became known as Dictionary Nat by the men
who Ere ueut the dens to which I wont often in
hopes o finding Placer Pumly. One night I
was drawn into a quarrel which was gotten up,
as I thought, for the express purpose of robbing
me.. The instigater was Revelation Rube, but
in the melee that followed I was forced to knock
him down to save myself, when a stranger hur-
ried me out of the den and whispered in my ears
these words: “The Wildcat come nigh corral-
ling you tonight, Dictionary. Be keerful.” l
was then left alone. Was that man Placer
Pand 7

“ 6 next day I found myself quite a hero,

and the people said that Revelation Rube had

fled disgusted at having been knocked down b
h a ’boy." I resolved to follow him for thye
words whispered in my ears after the ilght had,

 

as I believed, thrown me on the right trail at
last. When a rumor reached my (-ais that
Revelation Rube was in the vicinity ot Cinna-
mon City I started in pursuit. i am here. You
know the res .” .

The story had been told, and Bill Bravo and
his bears had listened to every word.

“ Then revenge brought you into these dig—
gins’?” the young bear-tamer said.

“ Revenge and that only. In our quarrel
Revelation Rube said that he would post me for
u whitolivercd Yankee school-teacher wherever
he went.”

“ That’s no disgrace,” ejaculated Bill. “I
wish you could l’aru me an’ my b’ars one-half
what you know. Now, I kin go down to Cinna-
mon with my eyes open. You hev no idea who
Placer Pond y is?”

“ Not the slightest. I never hired anybody to
hunt father‘s assassin down. If Placer has help-
ed me he must have played detective on his own
hook. But why?” ,

“ That‘s what time Will tell, mebbc. I know
Placer Pandy. He is one of them old miners
what wants to lie doiii’ su’thin’ mysterious all
the time. They would call him a detective in
some places, but, hyurebouts, nobody takes
much notice of him. The next time you tackle
Revelation Rube. boy, I’ll be hangin’ round, an’
Dandy Dick an’ his paid will not be far 011'."

The two huge grizzlios raised their heads, and
each displayed a crimson cavern edged with
horrid teeth.

“ I am read y now,” said Bill Bravo, rising.
“ Tonight we will find the one wild-cat you
want, at Cinnamon. The&oung b’ars kin stay
at home an’ keep house. e’ll take the big ‘uns
down for amusement."

Dictionary Nat did not hesitate, and a few
moments later the den on the hillside was de-
serted, and two men and two grizzlies went
down the mountain—trail in the starlight.

Cinnamon City was scarcely four miles from
Bravo’s home, and, that distance soon traveled,

the two pards halted in the darkened shadowsot '

the shanties at the western limits of the town.
All at once a light flashed above the town, and

then the sharp report of a revolver was heard ‘

and the flame disappeared.

“ At their old tricks!” explained Bill “ They
run a candle in a bottle to the to of a hundred
foot pole an’ then sheet at it, an ,” he added in
an impressive tone, “they say thet not a man
pthinnamon hez ever failed to put out the

1g t.

Dictionary Nat did not reply, but allowed his
lips to meet firmly.

“ Kin you shoot like thet, Dictionary?” sud-
denly asked Bill.

“ don’t know,” was the modest reply. “ But
I have practiced a good deal, although I never
tried to shoot out a candle one hundred feet
from the ground.”

“Thar’s a kind ov slight in candle winkin"

I’ve always thought,” answered the

' rizzly
king. “ Lookl up whirls another!

Crac l out

she goes ag’in. The boys ar' hevin’ a holiday.” v

As Bill finished, the third spark of fire ran

Skyward, but at another report it suddenly dis- ' I

up eared. ,
Bictionary Nat looked on and said nothing. ’

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

 

CHAPTER. III.
NAT INTRODUCES HIMSELF.

“ MEBBE,” remarked Bill Bravo after a mo;
ment’s silence “mebbe we’d better jine the
party down thar without the b’ars. They’ll
come whenever I give the signal. After all, we
mavnit want ’em to—night."

Nat did not object to this arrangement and
when he and his new friend moved forward
once more Dand Dick and Rocky Dan were
crouchin in the ark shadows of the shanties.

“Thar s nothin’ like hevin’ the two big pai'ds
ni h,” said the grizzly king as they went on.

' innamon Cit boasted of a public square not
very large, but ar e enough, however, to con—
tain the entire popu ation of the town.

In the center of this plat rose a pole whose
top was one hundred feet above ground. It
had not been erected for the purpose of flying a
flag, for the men of Cinnamon were not pat—
riotic enough to fly a flag to the breeze: they
had reared the pole for an entirely different
purpose.

On the night, and at the hour of Nat Gray—
scot’s arrival in the suburbs of the town the

ole was being at to the uses for which it had
been erected. motley crowd almost filled the
square, throughout which flared mining lamps
from poles stuck into the ground. These threw
a weird light over the scene, and revealed the
fact that every man either held a revolver in
his hand or displayed the butts of a brace above
the top of his leathern belt.

“Thar’s 0111 five more candles loft," called
out a rough V0106 at the foot of the pole. “ Who
hezn’t shot yet ov the Cherubs?"

“I hevn’t. I’m the last man,” answered a
tall, broad—shouldered and dark bearded man,
, stepping from a group of fellows of his ilk, and
throwing back the hammer of a huge “ navy.”

“ All right, Bowie Buck. Now, git ready.
The Tigers hev four shots on the Cherubs, recol-
lect. Ef you miss the candle they kin win by
one p’int. New, 11 she goes i”

As the speaker nished a spark of fire seemed
to leap from his hand and run 11 the pole.

It was the candle in its bott e, the nocturnal
target of the men of Cinnamon.

Bewie Buck kept his eye on the light until it
stopped far overhead, and hunv in the heavens
like a star, then his right hand went up, and at
the crack of his revolver the light disappeared,
and a shower of shattered glass came down-
ward. r.

A murmur of applause greeted this shot.

“ Now fur the amateurs,” cried out the man
at the foot of the pole. as he lit one of the four
remaining candles. “This is a free-furall con-
test, boys, ez far as neither the Tigers nor the
Cherubs ar’consarned. Atween them to-night’s
shootin’ seems to be a draw. Placer andy hez
spoken for one shot, an’ hez planked down his
foe. Whar is he?”

(s Hyarpv

rThe monosyllablo was followed by the up
penance of a. man on the vacant spot occupied
y the marksman when firing at the lighted
bottle.

“ I object to Placer’s shootin’ ezan amateur,”
suddenly cried a voice from the dense» crowd.

 

“Ef he wants to keep in practice, why doesn’t
he ‘line one ov the clubs?”

ith a curious smile and a flashing eye
Placer Paiidy turned slowly upon the man who
had spoken. ,

The objector was one of his own build, six feet
tall, with a Herculean frame, and eyes as keen
as an eagle.

“ Why don’t I j’ine one of the clubs, eh?” fell
slowly from Placer Paidy’s lips as the eyes of
the twain met. “ I prefer to shoot on my own
pelilk,” Revelation. Now, Daisy,, run up the

ig t.

“ I object!” flashed the individual called Rev—
elation, who stood at ‘the head of the shooting-
club known as the Tigers. '

Under the iist—liko mustache that covered his
mouth, Placer Pandy hit his lip and seemed for
a moment to have ‘ changed his mind about
shooting at the candle, for he stepped back from
the “ scoring-board ” as if to make way for an-
other marksman. _

“ We‘ll take Placer into the Cherubs right
away,’7 called out the rough voice of the bronzed
leader of that organization. “ Dangerous Dan
leaves to—morrer, an’ hez left the club, so we
hev room fur Placer."

“Then he can’t shoot to-night!” announced
Revelatiox Rube, triumphantly.

Placer andy rejected the prolfered election

"to the rights and privileges of the Cherub

Shooting Club of Cinnamon, but his objections
were overruled, and against his will he became
a member of the organization. This prevented
him from using his revolver on the candle that
night, and seemed to nip in the bud a quarrel
rapidly rising between himself and Revelation

u .

Placer stepped back, but cast his 9 es up at
the candle burning at the top of the polb.

“ \Vhar ar’ the amateurs to—night?” called
out the man who manipulated the ropes. in a
derisive tone. “Must the four last candles go
heggin’, boys? Mebbe dollars are scarce? Down
comes the light elf you all back out.”

“ I’ll take a chance," said a voice directly be-
hind Revelation Rube, and as the speaker step-

d to the scoring-hoard, he threw a silver dol- '

ar at the feet of the man at the pole.

Instantly every eye was turned upon the
boyish figure which had appeared in the midst
of the men of Cinnamon like an apparition.
Mon pressed forward with exclamations of sur-
prise on their tongues, and one snatched one of
the lamps from its pole and held it in the stran-
ger’s face in order that he might be inspected
b all. '

y“ Stan’ back an’ give the boy a show, menl
He’s paid his fee an’ is entitled to his shot. He
needn’t give us his handle until he’s sent his bul-

let to’ards ther candle. Sian’ back thar an"

give ’im elbow-room.” - .

These words and commands had only partial
efl‘cct. A few of the mystified men of Cinna-
mon drew back, but the larggr half of the crowd,
notably'the Tigers, headed y Revelation Rube,
held their ground, if, indeed, they did not ad-
vance a few inches.

The newcomer—no less a poison than Dic-
tionary Nat—stood his ground, and even smiled
at the curiosity of the ru‘flians.

 

 

 

 

 

 
  

Dictionary Nat, Detective. 7

     

 

I“ By J ehul it’s ther Yankee book—rat from
V irginia City!” exclaimed Revelation Rube, in
an audible tone which did not fail to reach
N at’s cars, and cause him to send a quick
glance at the speaker, and then. in a louder
tone, he addressed the crowd: “Let’s all stan’
back, boys, an’ see whether the youngster kin
shoot.”

“ Give ’im a new candle, Daisy. Thet one up
thar’s most out,” cried some one from among
the Cherubs.

“ No; I’ll take my chances with the spark left
up there," answered Nat Grayscot, firmly. “ I
am ready to shoot.”

“ Then blaze away.”

Up went the youth’s revolver, and a moment
later its clear report rung out.

“He’s a daisy, sure enough,” exclaimed sev—
eral, as the li ht went out.

“ He can’t 0 it ag’iul Give ’im another can—
dle anZ let ’im try.”

“I have satisfied myself, men of Cinnamon,”
said Nat, stepping back, but not before he had
sent an arrow-like glance full of triumph toward
the spot where Revelation Rube stood. " I will
shoot no more to-night.”

“ Mebbe he‘ll hev to try livin’ targets store he
leaves Cinnamon, almost hissed Revelation.
“ He used to practice with the revolver at re—
cess, I’ll bet. Meb‘be they used to shoot at can-
dles in Illinoy?" '

The last sentence went to Nat Grayscot’s heart
with a thrill that made him start.

How did Revelation Rube know that he used
to teach school in Illinois?

“ 1 never heard of candle-winking until to—
night, sir,” he said, wheeling u n the captain
of the Tigers. “ I have met youmfore, I believe,
in Virginia City. I trust you have recovered
from t at meeting.” .

There was an irony in Dictionary Net’s voice
which darkened with a scowl the face of the
man before him. His cutting allusion to his vic-
tory over Revelation Rube in the Virginia City
taro den, where he had actually knocked him
down, was enough to arouse all the tigerism in
the desperado’s nature.

“See hyar, no insolence!” grated the bronze
brute. “ You bed better stayed whar I left you.
This is an onhealthy locality for boysl”

“ But the chap hez a right h or ez long ez he
behaves himsel ," interposed Racer Paudy, as
he threw his tall figure forward and halted al-
most directly between Nat and his insulter.

“ That’s so, Placer!” broke from the ranks of
the Cherubs. “ Boy er man, the stranger is got
to hev a fair show.’

Rube looked at the stalwart men who stood
behind him. He was eager for a fight, but for
the present the Tigers seemed to sympathize
with Nat.

“ Make ’im show his grit over the devil’s
dram l” was whispered in .Rube’s ear from be-
hind. “ If his sand is ez good ez his shot war,
he’ll prove no baby to tackle. ”

“ All right!” said Rube. answering Placer
Pandy, and the men who backed him. “ But
the chap must set ’em up afore we give ’im
thenfl‘eedom 0v Cinnamon. That’s the law for

No objection was made to these remarks.

    

 

Nat, who saw that he was caught in a. snare,
turned round and asked in a loud tone for a.
drinking-place

“All aboard fur Idaho Ike’sl” chorused fifty
voices, and the crowd began to rush toward a
saloon whose doors stood invitineg ajar at one
side of the square.

Revelation Rube turned away with a glare of
savage triumph under his bushy lashes.

Nat did not hesitate to follow the stream al-
ready pouring over the threshold of the largest
den in Cinnamon. He threw his glance through
the crowd, but did not see Bill Bravo.

“ He’ll turn up when I need him,” he said to
himaelf. “ And I may want him very soon.”

The next moment he felt the fingers of a huge
hand close on his arm, but could not make out
the features of the man, for he was just then
crossing a darkened space.

“ Don’t go too fast, pal-d,” was said. “ They
a1" goin’ to mix the dev11’s dram fur ye at
Ike’s. I advise you to take it down ef it ar’ a
nasty dose. You mustn’t give Revelation Rube
a pretext fur gittin’ his work in to-ni ht in
Cinnamon whar he rules the roost. I’m lacer
Fundy. You’ve heard from me.”

Dictionary Nat started, but did not reply.

He had discovered his correspondent at last,
and from that moment he felt stronger and
safer, for Placer Fundy and his revolvers were
near at hand.

The next minute he crossed the threshold of
Idaho Ike’s uninviting den.

CHAPTER IV.
THE nnvujs DRAM.

IDAHO IKE had built his saloon with a view
of accommodating at one time the cntire popu-
lation of Cinnamon. The interior was commo-
dious, and furnished with rou h benches and
tables, the latter not covered wit the proverbial
green cloth.

At Dictionary Net’s heels, as he entered the
place, trod Placer I’undy, the man whose rough
scran had drawn him into the strange situation
in which he then was.

“ Hyar’s the chap!” greeted Net’s appearance,
but without noticing the thirsty and curious
crowd ranged along a chalk line which Idaho
Ike had just drawn on the rough pine floor be-
fore the counter, he said uietly:

“ What Will you have, mys?”

“ Hold on!’ exclaimed Revelation Rube.
“ We‘ll take whisky ov course; but ther young
gentleman must show his pluck by drinkin’ ther
initiation dram. Mix it up fur ’im, Ike, and
straights fur the boys.”

Nat stepped back a foot in order to better
watch the manufacture of the drink which Pla-
cer Pandy had designated the devil’s drain, and
when he halted he found himself at the miner’s
elbow. ~

“ Gulp ’er down an’ never wink,” whispered
Placer. “ If you want to winin the end, swal-
ler the insult to-night.” ' ‘

“ I may.” was the response.

Meanwhile the barkeeper was emptying into
a large-sized glass which stood on the counter a
little of the contents of the various bottles that
decorated his shelves. Visible smiles came to
the faces of the spectators as he proceeded, and

 

8 Dictionary Nat. Detective.

when he broke an egg into the glass and emptied

upon it a quantity of cayenne pepper from an

ancient-looking castor, all eyes were turned to
the youth.

' “ Thurs yer medicine!” announced Ike, ush-

ing the mixture toward Nat, who steppe for-

ward and took up the glass With the steadiest of
nerves.

“ Drink ’er down ef you hev the gritl” hissed
Revelation Rube, but his eyes said plainly:

. “ Drink the mess or fight!”

Nobody watched Nat’s movements with more
solicitude than Placer Pandy. The miner took
a strange interest in the youth, and when Rev-
elation hobo spoke he shot that worthy a. glance
which at any other time might have been fol-
lowed by the crack of the deadly revolver.

“ He’s going to take the dose i” went through
the crowd as the glass approached Nat’s lips.

A moment later. or just as the young aven-
ger’s nostrils caught a whiff of the disgusting
mixture, he sprung back and raised the devil’s

v dram high above his head.

His eyes flashed lire; his whole frame quiv-
ered with excitement. -

“ You can mix, but you can’t make me drink 1”
he exclaimed. ‘ If to refuse to taste this vil-
lainous deccction is to tight—I fight 1"

Down came the glass, 0 be shivered to atoms
(in the floor at Revelation Rube’s feet, and Dic-
tionar Nat stood before the crowd with 5.
cocks revolver in each hand!

“ He’s sp’iled it all," groaned Placer Pandy,

- starting back. “ The chap’slgot more grit than
giscfetion; thet’s jes’ what uhe wanted ’im to
0..

For a moment the entire crowd seemed par-
alyzed by Nat‘s action. They drew back from
the running mixture as though it was a serpent
crawling toward them.

All but Revelation Rube, from whose belt
lied leaped a revolver, which his right hand
cocked in the dead silence which had followed
the crash of the lass.

“Gentlemen, was to treat you," said the
youth. “ Name your drinks. I will drink with
you, but not the devil‘s dram. That’s for hogs 1”

Not a man moved, not a voice answered.

I“ Mix up the same dram once more, Ike.
We’ll ive ’im another trial,” suddenly broke
forth evelation Rube, whose face rage had al—
most blackened. “The white-livered book—rat
doesn’t understaan the consequences!”

“ I do understand theml” retorted Nat.
“ You will mix up another draw at the ex nse
of your liquor and glasses. I will bran and
spill so long as you mix.”

“ Then, youngster, you’ve got to fight Revela-
tion Rube."

Almost before the sound of his own name had
left the desperado‘s tongue, up went the young
adventurer’s revolvers.

“ Riddle the bloodless chap!" “Make a lead
mine out of ’im l” rung through the den.

The excitement was intense. Nat Gra scot
heard the ominous click, click of revolver- ocks
on ever side.

The hernbs, headed by a. man named Wild-
cat Carl. Were behind him; Revelation Rube
aparthet'l‘igers. the rival shooting club, were in

18 ron .

 

“I didn’t hit the candle by accident, gentle-
men," came steme over the two revolvers held
steadily in Net’s outstretched hands. “I shall
certainly kill the man who lifts a pistol against
me, and Revelation Rube es ially. I came to
Cinnamon in the interest of Justice, and am able
to protect myself.” ' _

‘ Back out!” was whispered behind him.
“ The way to ther door is open. You’re brave
enough to b’long to ther Cherubs.”

Nat did not move.

“Take ’im out i” ordered the same voice, this
time in a. tone of command.

A hand tell on each of Dictionary Nat’s shoul-
ders. ,

He was forced back.

At the same time the men who had been held
at buy by his revolvers advanced, and a dozen
weapons looked him in the face.

Suddenly a loud report filled the room.

Nat heard the whiz of a bullet andthe ter-
rible thud occasioned by it striking some one
just behind him. V

One of the Cherubs had been hit.

Dictionary Nat tried to free himself, but
strong arms solicitous for his safety hustled him
toward the door.

“ Exterminate the book-rat!" shouted the
Tigers sprin in forward, but Placer Pandy
threw imsel begore Net and covered his forced
retreat.

All at once those nearest the door started
back with wild cries, and the next second were
reversing the tide of retreat.

“ A b’arl a grizzly l" echoed everywhere.

An enormous grizzly had sprung over the
threshold, to be followed half a minute later by
his counterpart, and suddenly between them ap-
peared the athletic fi ure of a handsome man
whose hands clutche the arbiters of the wild
West—revolvers.

The entire crowd, Cherubs and Ti , now
strangely intermingled, draw back rom this
startling spectacle, and as Net’s would-be-pre-
servers were frightened with the rest, he was
left alone before Bill Bravo and his bears.

“It ar’ Bill an’ his b’arsi" cried Revelation
Rube, the first to recover. " We guv ’im orders
to keep out ov town, but he’s hyar with his

ards to help the book—rat what wouldn’t swal~
er the devils dram. Draw, boys, Cherubs an’
all, an’ let us wipe out Bill an’ his brutesi"

Rube’s command was an unnecessary one, for
every hand in the room seemed to clutch a re—
volver. . .

“ For’ard, pardsl” called Ont Bill, in a low
tone to his bears. “ Now, men of Cinnamon,
thar ar‘ Dandy Dick an’ Rocky Dan. Pull a
tri ger on ’em ef you dare.”

he desperadoes hesitated. _

“ Come hyar, Dictionary,” ordered Bill.

Nat obeyed. ‘

“Go out an’ Wait for me at the pole in the
squar’.”

“ No. I am going to stand by you”. ’

“Go out, I say! I command it, Dictionary.
We ar’ rds, you know." .

Bill ravo moved slightly to one Side, and
Not, catching his eye at that moment, passed
bfitvagen him and the bears, and sprung from
t e n.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dictionary Nat, Detective. 9

 

A howl of rage followed his escape, ands rush
might have been made after him if two refol—
vers and a brace of grizzlies had not blocked the

ath.
p Nat hesitated just beyond the door. To seek
the ole in the middle of the square looked too
muc like (losertiug Bill and his friend Placer
Pandy.

“You must obey the bear—tamer," suddenly
said a voice at his side. “ You are not safe here.
Revelation Rube has been hoping that you would
follow him to Cinnamon.”

These words spoken in an anxious tone, full of
silvery sweetness. held Dictionary Nat entranced
until the last sentence was finished.

He was looking into the upturned face of a
beautiful young girl.

“Who are you?” came almost unconsciously
to the youth’s lips.

“I don’t know, but they call me Posy Nell.
But, go to the pole and then back to Virginia
City. The Tigers are against you, and Bill
Bravo, his bears and the Cheran are powerless
to save. Revelation Rube wants your blood for
something, I don’t know what. He told me a
geod deal about you the other day—"’

“ Then you—”

The girl’s eyes fell.

“ I belong to him, I uess,” she said. “ That
is, he brought me over i: e mountains when I was
a child. I don’t want them to kill you. You
must go."

“To the pole, yes; from the country, never!”
cried Nat. “ Answer me one question first: Are
you satisfied with your lot!”

“There! you mustn’t ask me that,” was the

reply‘.’
‘ e’ll meet afin, then.”
“ It might not best.”
Nat bounded away.

 

CHAPTER V.
THE THEFT or A coarsn.

THAT portion of the square immediately
around the pole was deserted when Nat reached

it.

“Why did I come hither?” he asked himself.
“Just because Bill Bravo told me to leave the
den, I deserted him in the face of a mob. What
if he kills Revelation Rube while I wait here?
That would be taking long delayed vengeance
out of my hands. He must not harm that man,
for he belongs to me! There! that was the
crack of a revolver. I will not stay here. My

lace is at the side of the grizzly king—not here,
édle though armed while they fight down yon-
er!

Dictionary Nat moved impulsively from the
pole. One of his revolvers was clutched in his
ri ht hand.

‘Ah, you are not keeping your promise!” said
a voice from behind. ‘ I was afraid you would
break it.” -

Nat turned and saw the figure of Posy Nell in
the starlight.

“ It is you. is it?” he. exclaimed, springing to—
ward the girl, who instead of standing still
Seemed to shrink away. “ Do you not think I
am needed down yonder? That pistol-shot may
have ended my friend’s career.”

y

 

“ It did not. I can tell on this,” was the
reply. “ On the contrary, rave Bill sent a.
bullet whizzing through a Tiger’s brain. They
hesitate to attack him and his grizzlies. He is
facing the mob. Stay here; he will retreat in
good order. I saw him shoot, and I knew you
would be anxious to know the result so I came
here at once.”

Nat Grayscet was deeply impressed with the
interest the beauty of Cinnamon City was taking
in his welfare.

“ Do you know whom Bill Bravo has slain i” he
asked. .

“I do not.”

“ He may have killed Revelation Rube.”

“ With his secret? No! no!” cried the girl.

“ Then he keeps a secret from you?" ‘

“ Yes. I do not know who I am, but I have
told you this before. Revelation Rube knews.‘
That is his secret. I would remain Posy Nell al-
ways if the bear king shot him down.”

“And I would be forced to go back baffled,”
added Nat.

The girl was silent for a moment.

“ You have filled my heart with fears,” she
said, almost suddenly, as she looked up into the
youth’s face. “ I wouldn’t have Revelation Rube
killed at this time for all the gold in these moun-
tains. I am going to see for myself. Will you
not stay here I don't want you to fall into the
hands of Revelation’s men.”

Nell’s tone was so imploring that Nat could
hardly summon coura e enou h to resist. .

She was deserting im w en a clear voice
came across the square.

“ Men ev Cinnamon,” said that voice, “ from
to-night thar’s eternal wa‘r between us! Me an’
my pard expect no quarter; we shall give none.
You kin bury yer pard an’ hold an indignation
meetin’ over the grave. I’ll not be hard to find
when you want me, an’ Rocky Dan an‘ Dandy
Dick will not be far off. Jes' call round when
you hev bizness ov importance to transact with
Bill Bravo. My new pard kin shoot, fur didn’t
he wink the candle at the top ov the pole? ‘Ef
you hed looked cl’al‘ down into his eye you would

ev seen aforehand that you war ofierin’ the
devil’s dram to ther wrong man. Men 0v Cin-
namon, I toss {Ion good-night.”

Didctionary at and Posy Nell heard every,
wor .

The voice told them that Bill Bravo had with-
drawn from the rum-hole, and that he stood , '
once more in the starlight in front of it.

“ Your friend is safe!” said the girl to the
youth; “but the man who has kept the secret .
of my life so well may be lying dead in Idaho
Ike’s saloon.” l

“ I hope not,” was all Nat could say. .i

Half a minute later the figures of a man and
two bears became visible, and Bill Bravo halted
in front of Nat.

“Hyar you Hi", Dictionary,” he exclaimed.
“I have roused the animals, but I hed to kill
one afore I could control ’em.”

“ Whom did you kill, sir?”

The bearvman whirled upon the speaker, and
the next second he was looking down into Posy
Nell’s face.

“ Rube’s gal by hokeyl” cried Bill, as he

. glanced from N‘ell to Nat. “ She’s one 0v them

 

  

  

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

kies.”
Nell’s hand fell on Bill’s arm. “ I asked you a

qufission,” she persisted, sternly, “ whom (lid you

ki ?

“ Not your pertecter my beauty,” was the an-

swer. “ The fellar I laid out war called Karl
the Killer. Kind 0’ Injun, warn’t he?”

“ Yes," responded Nell, with gratefulness.

“ You war fearin’ I had dropped Rube, eh? I
left him fur Dictionary, hyar.”

The girl looked into Nat’s face.

“ You must not forget that he carries a secret
in his breast,” she said. “He must not perish
with it there. He shall not 1"

Nat mi ht have made another promise if Bill
Bravo ha not clutched his arm.

“ Make the gal no rash promises,” he whis—

red. “ You might hev to break every one
afore long. It’s war to the knife from this min—
ute. You made friends fo-night an’ many an
enemy, The Cherubs made you a member ov
the’r club, didn’t they?”

H Yes. ,1

“ They ar' yer friends, boy, but the other club
—-the Tigers—”

“ Are my enemies.”

\ “They ar’, fur a fact, an’ they a1" tigers in
more than name. Let us be off now. The b’nrs
hear snithin’.""

V “ So do I,” assured Nell.
moving over yonder."

‘.‘ Back to the Retreat fur the present,” Bill
commanded.

“ Yes, 01"

Nat hel out his hand to the girl, who touched
it with more than a passing interest. Their
eyes met, spoke silently, and thus they separated.

A moment later the place was deserted. The
two pards were leaving Cinnamon City, and
Posy Nell was hastening down the street that
ran past Idaho Ike’s den.

Just as she reached the front of the saloon she
saw two men carrying a human body through
the wide doorway.

“It is the man Bill Bravo shot—Karl the
Killer,” she murmured, as she hurried on as if

or to escape observation.
“Not far away stood the rough structure which

.. She called home—a rather large cabin with two
rooms.

“ I’ve given orders fur ’em to brin Karl to
my shanty,” said the voice of Revelation Rube,
as Nell was about to enter the house. “ He War
one 0V my men, an’ I’m goin’ to see thet he ar’
decentl lanted."

“ He n t we better git word to the Injuns?”
asked another voice. ‘ They more’n half claim
Karl fer ca ’11.”

“No! 9 don't want the reddies to mix in
our” fight. Why didn’t you fellars drop Bill

. when 9 stood between his b’ars?”

Nell could hear no reply.

“ I guess he held the trump cards,” continued

' Revelation Rube, with a low chuckle. “ It war
a cold deck he set up on us to—night, Dave. But
jest wait till We have planted Karl. Then the

and the b’ars will surrender the checks
’ve carried too long already.”
_ ‘ The Tigers will stand by you, cap’n.”
, “ l know that.”

1 flowers that you don’t find everywhere in the
R00

“ I have seen figures

 

 

“ But the Cherubs—” .
9"“. They made thet white-livered boy a pard,
jes’ to r’ile us,” was the rated interruption.
‘I know Placer Pandy. Tie must go down in
the general wreck. He’s follered me too long
alread ."

“ F0 lered ou Rube?”

“ Like a b codhound. He thinks I never no-
ticed it, but 1 hevn’t been asleep.”

“ What hez Placer got a ’in’ you?"

“ More than you could ream out in a week’s
solid sleep, Dave,” assured Revelation Rube in a
tone of in stification. “ Ahl hyar comes the
corpse. e needn’t be hyar. Ther boys know
whar to put Karl.”

The two, who were a short distance to the
right of the cabin, moved away, and Posy Nell,
instead of entering, drew back from the door
and followed them.

She therefore did not see the two Tigers carry
the corpse of Bill’s victim into the house.

She was anxious to hear more of the conver-
sation which Revelation Rube had terminated
so abruptly, and it was for this pur so that she
glided after her “protector” and his friend.

But they did not enlighten her further. for
they joined a group of companions before Idaho
Ike 5 and held a kind of indignation meeting.

Nell went back to the cabin.

She had prepared herself for findingthe corpse
of Karl the Killer stretched on the floor, but she
had not dreamed of meeting an Indian ou the
threshold.

The irl drew back from the door with an ex-
clamation of surprise, and a yard away stared
at the arrow-like fl ure of the brave who had
just emerged from t e cabin.

“ Karl the Killer is dead, Mountain Rosel”
said the Indian. angrily, and then before Nell
could reply: “Him more red—man than white.
Him go back to the tribe."

“ His friends are going to bury him here,” the
girl answered. ,

“ N01 Black Feather strong enough to carry
him to the camp down in the bigi valley. Him
take fim away now. Mountain 089 must keep
her tongue still."

The stalwart Sioux turned back into the
cabin, before which Posy Nell stood more than
half bewildered.

Should she raise the alarm and prevent the
red—skin from carrying out his purpose?

She was still undecided when the Indian re-
appeared at the door with the body in his arms.

Black Feather got his brother, Mountain
Rose,” he exclaimed, triumphantly. “The
wolves what killed him shall perish. The whole
tribe will hunt ’em down. Karl was killed in
the white man’s town. The fire shall eat it up."

Nell did not tell the Indian that Karl the
Killer had not fallen by the hand of a man of
Cinnamon. ‘

“ The young man has enemies enough al-
ready.” she said to herself. “I don’t want the
Sioux to hunt him. too."

" She did not resist the abduction of the body,
but stood aside and saw Black Feather bear it
toward the Indian camp, not far away.

She then entered the cabin and retired to the
little sleeping apartment to the left, of the door,
But the girl could not rest.

 

   

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

11

 

“ Fate must have brought us face to face, she
averred, time and again. “I wish he had not
come into this country; but he is here, and we
have met. He and Rube are enemies, and the
secret that Revelation carries may be unspoken
forever. Nat Grayscot did not romise me
that he would not strike until Rube ind revealed
the story of my lilo. He was abouttodo so.
but the bear—man checked him. 1 hate Bill
Bravo for that. Now the Indians have come
upon the scene. There will be terrible times
from this night. And all because Nat Grayscot
ha tes Revelation Rube.”

The young girl paused almost abruptly, for
the cabin door had been (lashed open, and she
heard an exclamation of surprise, and thena
mad Oath.

“ Nell, Wbar ar’ you?"

The girl started, then flung herself down on
the conch—she had been seated at a. little win-
dow—and pretended to be fast asleep.

The next instant Revelation Rube sprung
Lug) the room, and almost lifted her from the

e .

“Whar’s Karl?” he demanded, holding her at
arm’s length while he glared at her with a
tiger’s ferocity. “Don’t shake yer head an’
say you don’t know. I want the truth, Nelly—
the bottom facts. Now, whar’s Karl?"

“ You must ask Black Feather.”

At mention of the Indiau’s name an oath shot
from Revelation Rube‘s throat, and she fell
from his grasp. ~

“The buzzards found the carkiss afore we
looked fur ’em,” he muttered. “Go back to
bed, Nelly. You couldn’t keep the Injun from
.totin’ Karl off. You’re more precious to me to
night than you ever war since I’ve protected
you. They sha’n’t tear you from Revelation
Rube ez long ez he kin touch a trigger er handle
the bowie l”

The girl’s eyes dilated.

Who were seekingto separate her from the
captain of the Tigers?

“The youngster don’t want you, Nelly, be-
cause he’s never seen you,” Rube explained, in
reply to her look. “The man what hez been
my shudder fur fifteen years ar’ closin’ in on
Int—fur what?—-—to furnish the mountain vul-
tures with a squar’ meal. You’re not goin’ to
Chan a masters now, girl. I could sell you fur
8. mil ion, but my enemy—the old one, I mean—
. sha’n’t tear you from this shanty !" .

Nell was alone again.

CHAPTER VI.
REVELATION EUBE’s REVENGE.

BILL BRAVO spoke but little during the
journey back to the mountain cave, nor did Nat
care to break the Silence.

The two bears trotted along the trail ahead of
them, and were the first to enter the den.

A moment later the four cubs rushed from
their corner and greeted the qunrtette with
many ludicrous demonstrations of joy.

“ Wal. DictionaryJ what do you think?” sud-
denly saidBill, turning to his friend in the fire-
light, anddaying his hand on his shoulder.

“ W hat do I think of what, Bill {—Cinnamon
Cit‘y?”

‘ No; ther gal—Posy Nell.”

 

 

“ She is pretty."
“ 0v course.”
“ And brave!”
“ E2 8. lion."
“ But she’s a. slave."
“ Whose?”
“ Revelation Rube’s.”
“ She told you, then?”
“In one brief sentence. What do you know
about her?”
A smile brightened the bear-tamer’s eyes.
“ Forgettin’ Rube a’read ?"’ laughed Bill.
“ You’ve met yer destiny, ictionaryl When
you first told me you war on tner road to Cin‘
namon I said to myself—J Fare 31" bringin’ the
two face to face.’ What do I know about the
gal? Not oz much ez she told you, I expect. I’ve
seen ’er 011’ an’ on fur a few years, that’s about
all. Rube appears to think a good deal of Nell,
an’ it’s ther only raleemin’ trait the catamount’s
0t.
“ She isn’t his child?" '
“0v course she isn’t. Thar’s bluer blood in
her veins than ever run through his. She’s a
lily, he is dog-fennel—thet’s about the difference,
Dictionary. But, look hyar. I’m goin’ down
into ther valley. I saw a. light down thar ez we
came up. Dandy Dick saw it, too, for he gave
me a knowin’ look, but didn’t let on. You kin
stay hyar with the cubs an‘ Rocky Dan. I’ll be
back ufore you’re half through thinkin’ (N the
Lily of Cinnamon. Come, Dandy !”
be huge grizzly obeyed his master’s call, and
the twain left the cave together. I
Nat threw himself down on the ground at the
edge of the firelight, and reviewed his gourney
since leaving the school which he had eserted
at Placer Pundy’s summons. .
He had found new friends and new enemies—
the former true, perhaps. the latter deadly. ,
While thus enga ed with his thoughts in the
cave, the youth db not dream of the scenes to
which Bill Bravo and the grizzly were hasten-

1n .

The hear-tamer lad not been mistaken when
he said he had seen the reflection of a campfire
in the valley. He soon stood above the fire gaz-
ing down into an Indian camp, that held r-
haps fifty Sioux, who looked like a marau ing

arty. he entire gang was well armed, but

ill did not. see any horses, which omission
seemed to puzzle him.

On a certain spot where the firefight revealed
everything lay some object covered with‘ a ,
blanket. The bear-tamer had scarcely noticed ,
this when one of the Indians threw‘the cover
back and revealed the body of a man. I

“ Karl the Killer!” ejaculated Bill. “The .
men of Cinnamon gave him back to the lnjuns,
who allus claimed that be war more Sioux than
white man. Ef he had stayed with his own, an’

'not tied himself to Ruheis band. he mightbe

breathin‘ yet. But be war too eager to stop one
ov my bullets. warn’t he. Dandy l” '

The grizzly looked into his master’s face and
showed his teeth good—naturally. _

The bear-man was soon to discover that Reve- '
lation Rube and his followers had not given
Karl the Killer back to the tribe of his adoption.
minto the light sprung suddenly an athletic In-

D. .

 

  

 

 

 

grounds possessed by the Sioux.

Dictionary. Nat, Detective.

 

“Black Feather,” cried Bill Bravo, at sight
of the Sioux. “ I once put an end to the play
0v Mazoppn. which the Crows war playin’
with him, but he’s forgotten the little circum—
stance. "

While the bear-tamer spoke, Black Feather
halted beside the corpse of Karl the Killer.
The other Indians instantly surrounded him.

“Suthin’s up. “They’re goin’ to hunt down
the man w hat sent Karl down the narrow trail.
Dandy, we are in fur it now,”

The following moment Black Feather began
to address the assembled Indians. He told
them how he had entered Cinnamon to see two
men carrying the corpse of their adopted broth—
or into Revelation Rube’s cabin, and how he
had entered it and stolen the body for burial by
the tribe.

Then came the terrible denunciation. Black
Feather played well the part of a rod Anthony
'over the body of Bill Bruvo’s victim. Ho
roused the Indians until cries of rage and ven-
geance made the valley ring.

“ All thet means me!” said the auditor above
the camp.

No! suddenly Black Feather announced the
names of the men who were to pay for the
death of Karl the Killer. He know every man
in Cinnamon, the town built on the best hunting—

“ To the wooden wigwams of the white
wolves!” cried Black Feather. “ They have
sent Karl to the Great Spirit, and that after he
had liyed with them. The chief of the Tigers
has reddened his hands with our brother’s
blood. Let not a. wolf escape! Let the light of
the burnin lodges blacken the sky, and by and
by where t ey now stand the red—mun will once
more watch for the buck, and stand fare to face
with the mountain grizzly l’ Our brother‘s blood
is on the hands of every person with a white
face. The Great Spirit tells Black Fouthcr that
the sun need not shine on the lodges of the gold—
hunters. If the Indinns listen not to his voice

, hemay visit them with a. plague before Karl

the Killer rots in his grave. Will the Sioux go

~ and strike the blow?"

Need we record the wild answer which was
one prolonged shout for revenge?

The Indians acted like fiends.

They executed a, grotesque dance around the
corpse, while they gave vent to sundry cries
which would have driven fear into hearts less
brave than Bill Brovo’s.

The listener knew that at the conclusion of
the dance the Indians would take up their
march for Cinnamon.

“Fift bloodounds like thet crowd in Cinna—
mon wil make an nsh-heapand a graveyard
out ov it More inornin’.‘7 he said. “They will
baffle ther youngster, un’ kill Posy Nell. They
will prevent me from hevin’a fair fight with
the men ov Cinnamon. Thor town must he
Warned. Come, Dnudyl We must try to

, save some 0v ther turn what would kill us on

,si ht.”
iiill Bravo and his companion withdrew from

the scene rapidly coming to an end.
’ “ I’ll take thor Retreat in on my Way to Cin-
namon," he said turning), into a‘ narrow trail

‘ ’ that led to the mountain cave.

‘z‘ . /

Iv,

 

A few minutes later he and Dandy Dick the
bear entered at the door-like o ning.

“ Back ag’in Dictionary! hat ar’ ye?”

There was no reply.

“ Dictionary, I say?” in a louder tone. “ We’ve
got hot, hard work afore us."

At that moment the grizzly which had accom-
panied him emerged from the darkened recesses
of the cavern carrying in his mouth the carcass
of one of the four cubs.

“What does this mean?" almost as d Bill
Bravo springing forward as Dandyglfic drop—
ped his burden on the ground and looked up
into his master’s face with an almost human
moan. “ Who’s stooped so low 9.2 to kill one of
the babies?”

He was kneeling over the cub whose forehead
had been perforated by a. pistol bullet, and
whose throat had been horribly gashed by a
bowie-knife. I

“Did you do this, Dictionary?" be flushed,
springing erect. “ No! no! you wouldn’t harm
tner cubs. Revelation Rube an’ his pards hev
made a raid on my home. Why wam’t I hyar?
Whar a1" Dictionary an” the rest of the b’ars?”

Dandy Dick, who had retired, partly answered
the question. The old grizzly stood before Bill
with another dead cub in his mouth.

“ Mebhe Dictionary an’ the rest ov ’em ar’
back then.” cried Bill, snatching a burnin stick
from the fire and turning toward the hue part
of the cavern.

Forty feet from the fire he came suddenl
u )on the other two cubs lying side by side (1de
’ at was all he saw at that moment.

“ Black Feather un’ his devils kin go to Cin-
namon now, Without hevin’ me ahead 0v ’em!”
fell in hisses from Bill’s lips. “ Now, if we only
knew whar Dictionary {111’ Rocky Dan war,
Dandy, ef—” ~

He had glanced up at the wall before him and
broken his own sentence.

Sci‘awled on its whitened surface in eat let-
ters was this brief sentence. It seem to stare
at him:

“ How do you like our work. killer of Karl?

“ REVELATION {AND Pums.“

“ I’ll answer thct question by an’ byl” fell
madly from Bill Bravo's lips. “ Mebbe afore
mornin’ ef I find you, Revelation l”

He turned away and threw his torch back in-
to the the as he sprung across the floor of the
main cavern.

The beer was at his heels.

Down the mountain path he went like a. mad-
man.

“ Jes’ in time, Dandy!" he said to the bear as
he halted at the foot of the ascent. “The In-
juns ar’ on the road to Cinnamon. Can’t we re-
inforce ther gang?”

Not a minute later he stepped boldly into the
moonlight that illuminated the Cinnamon City

trail. and faced the red avengers, at wh0se head

mn‘igieid the stalwart figure of Black Feather.
‘ a t!

The word was unnecessary; the Indian had
already recoiled. -

“ You ar’ goin' to Cinnamon; so am II" con-
tinued Bill Bravo. “Ther men ov ther town
hev killed my little Dandy Dicks. I mean biz.

 

 

  

  

 

 

   
  
  

 

  

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

13

 

 

ness. Refuse to let me march at Black Feather’s
ride, an’ I’ll begin to kill hyar. Dandy will get
his work in, too, an’ the sun will see Cinnamon
with all its houses unburned, arter all. What
do you say, pards?”

The position assumed by the bear-tamer was
a menace. He stood boldly erect, with his
head thrown back, and with a cooked revolver
11] each hand.

“ To Cinnamon behind me, er death hyar—
which do you choose?” shot over the weapons.
“ We kin he pards fur to-night. Arter thet you
kin hunt Bill Bravo all ther rest ov yer lives.
Black Feather hez furgotten the man what shot
the Crow horse when he war playin’ Mazeppa.”

A cry of recognition peeled from the Sioux’s
throat, and he leaped forward regardless of the
mountaineer‘s revolvers.

“ Black Feather has not forgotten! He has
often hunted for the white man who shot the
horse.”

“ To scalp ’im, eh, chief? But, never mind,
I go with you now to Cinnamon, don’t I?”

‘ White brother shall march beside Black

Feather !”

“ I thought my revolvers an’ a glimpse at the
past would bring you to tarms,” said Bill, step-
pinito Black Feather’s side.

T e marching signal was then given, and the
avengers then sped along the trail once more.

Though shou der to shoulder with Black
Feather, the grizzly king did not let one of the

' Indians’ movements escape his eye.

,, “I wouldn’t be safe a second hyar ef the In-
'uns knowed who wiped Karl the Killer out.

hey’ll know afore long. It wouldn’t do to tell
’em now.” .

 

CHAPTER VII.
VENGEANCE FOR run BABY BEARS.

THE brutal butcherfi of the four young bears
had transformed Bill ravo into a demon and
prevented him from carrying out his intention
of warnin Cinnamon City of the approach of
Karl the iller’s avengers.

He believed that Revelation Rube and his
followers had returned to the mountain town,
and imagined them at Idaho Ike’s relating to an
admiring crowd the story of the massacre.

The bear~tamer’s fancy on this occasion was

. not far astray, for Revelation Rube and his

pards had returned to Cinnamon from their visit
to Bill's mountain home.

Idaho Ike’s was, as usual, well filled with its
old frequenters, and the observed of all ob-
servers was the chief of the Tigers, who, with
hatthrown back, was leaning against the coun-
ter from which he was telling the story of the

’ “ c eaniu’ out ” of Bravo’s retreat.

, J uat outside the shan , and among the shad-
ows at the door, stoope , or rather crouched, a
girlish ii re.

Posy ell, the narrator’s ward, was listening
to the roughl -told story as it fell from Revela—
tion’s lips. . er eyes wore an anxious expres-
sion. and her cheeks were entirely colorless.

“ He was not content with escaping with his
life when the bear man and his hears were here
a short time ago, but he must go away and by
one mad act seal his doom!” Nell murmured.
“Bill Bravo hassworn Vengeance before this.

 

He will hunt Revelation down and pistol him.
Then I will never be anybody else than Posy
Nell, of Cinnamon, for with Rube would perish
the secret I want to possess.”

When the Tiger’s story had been narrated,
Nell glided from the spot, and was crossing the ,
square when a figure darted to her side and she
felt a hand on her arm.

“ You back here?” she exclaimed, staring into
the face plainly Visible in the moonlight.

“ Yes, I am back, Nell. Do you nowwhat
is about to happen?” -

“ No," said the girl, almost unconscious] .

“A band of Indians threaten to attack inns.-
mon.”

“ Indians attack Cinnamonl” was the echo in
an incredulous tone. “ Oh, I recall Black
Feather’s words. He did threaten the city
when he carried Karl the Killer 01?. Where
are they?”

“ They cannot be a mile from the town.”

“And you are here for the purpose of warn-
ing us?” / ‘

“Partly.” ‘

“I thank you, but Revelation must not find
you here. He was disappointed to—night; you
know that. He would not thank you for the
warning you have brought. Instead of thanks,
you might get a pistol-bullet in your head.
Where is your friend?”

“I do not know. He left me in the cave
awhile after we had returned to it, for the put;-
pose of inquiring into the meaning of alight
somewhere in the valley. As he did not return
as soon as I expected him, I went out to find
him. The bear, Rocky Dan, went along. We
saw no light, and then I surmised that my com-
panion had come back here for a purpose. I On
the trail the bear suddenly deserted me, and I
lost my way for awhile, but recovered it.
saw the Indians on the march, and heard their
threats. They do not intend to spare a single.
life in Cinnamon City.” _

“ They shall spare one i” cried Nell, with reso—
lution.

“ Yours?”

“ No; Revelation Rube’s!”

Dictionary Nat started back. .

“He is the only man in Cinnamon whom I
hate,” he said. “The rest hate me. You must
not be here when the Indians come. They may
be at the edge of the town at this moment.”

“Then the men of Cinnamon shall be warn
at once!” - '

Posy Nell broke from Nat’s loose grasp, and.
started toward Idaho Ike’s.

“You must not!" she exclaimed, halting.

“Your life wouldn’t be worth an ounce of dust f I l

in the glare of Idaho’s lamps.”

“ You talk to stone now,” was the reply.
“ The men of Cinnamon must be warned, you
say. I agree to it. Come on.”

Dictionary Nat sprung across the square,» 

followed by the frightened girl, whose fingers
strove in vain to clutch his sleeve and detain
him. , '
“I will spare Revelation awhile. for your
sake, girl—and for the secret,” he said. ,“ Then
he shall fall before my revolver. I have Ion ed.

for the time when I could stand face to ace
with the man who struck that cowardly blow

  

  

'y « voice that made Nat Grayscot start.

 

  

 

I4 Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

five years ago. Ihave found him. He is sur-
rounded by a band of men, tigers in more than
name; but what do I care?”

“ Halt thar, youngsters l” suddenly cried a
voice, as a man ste )ped in front of the pair.

" It is Placer l’andy, the Captain of the
Cherubs," Whispered Nell.

‘ The young couple had halted before the old
miner, who seemed to have risen from the
ground.

“ You hevn't got the least idea ov corralin’ a
wildcat, boy?” said Placer, addressing Nat.
“Thar ar’ forty revolvers at Ike’s waitin’ fur

you. When I writ you thet I hed found the
man you wanted, I didn’t expect you’d leave
yer edgrne’nt in lllino .”

“ nt you do not now that Black Feather
and his braves, crazed by the death of Karl, are
at the edge of the city?” cried Posy Nell.

, “ They ar’, ar’ they!” returned Placer, fixing
his 9 es on the girl who was ea. er to rush for-
war and warn the inmates of daho Ike’s den.
i‘  little gal, they might kill you in the me-
ea.

I ,“ They swear to butcher all, and burn the
ci 1

acer Pandy’s eyes began to flash.

“ Thet includes the Cherubs!” he said. “El‘

, it didn‘t do thet, I wouldn’t keer so much. I’d

more’n half like to see the Injuns come. You

two youn tors must git out ov the way ez quickA
1y oz 0381 is. I’ll do the warnin’ myself.”

“ 0!” said Nell, firmly.

r “ You won’t trust me, eh? You think I’d
warn the Cherubs only?”

“ You hate Revelation—I know that.”

Placer Pandy stepped back a foot.

"Of course I hate him I” he responded, in a
“ I have
cause for hating that man. I have dog ed his
_ footste s for fifteen years, and now that have
track him to his den, I do not intend that he
shall esca the penalt he owes to justice.”

Not an Nell uttere exclamations of surprise.
’ for Placer Pand had unconsciously thrown off
‘ a mask. He he dropped, as it Were his minin

rb and rough dialect, which he had carrie
hose fifteen years for ekpurpose.

, “You forget,” said at, recovering,“‘that I
have a debt to cancel with that wretch.”

“ Then cancel it before—”

“ Before you settle ours? I understand. I
will cancel mine to-nig t—now I”

With the last word on his lips, Dictionary
Nat, the young vengeance-hunter, bounded to-
ward the saloon, whose lights were visible from
the spot where the trio stood.

Revelation Rube‘s ward strove to detain the

outh but a hand sein her arm and she was
ierked back by the old miner.

‘3‘ Let Em go, Nelly,” he said. “ He won’t
find the settlin' ov his account an easy job.”

“ But the secret?”

A strange light came into Placer’s eyes.

, “Let us 0 into Revelation’s cabin or some—
whar else. want to tell you somethiu’, Nelly.

1 The Injuns aln’tso nigh arter all,’an’ what I
know may interest you more than what will
 at Idaho’s within the next ten minutes.”
' tones of the miner’s voice, coupled to his
looks, strangely interested the beauty of Diana,

men, and she scarcely resisted when he led her
away.

She forgot for the time being the youth who,
revolver in hand, was rushing toward the
gamblihg den where Revelation Rube and his
companions were planning a new campaign
against the league of two which had been
formed recently among the Rockies.

The door of the den stood wide open, and
though the dials were pointing to morning, the
place was well filled.

“ Talk about Satan, an’ ye’ll see his horns!”
sudden] cried a bronzed fellow, pointing to-
ward t e door. “ The boy hez come back fur
the dram he refused awhile ago. He’s changed
his notion.”

Before the man had ceased to speak every eye
in the den was fixed on the slender figure in the
doorway.

“I am back!” grated Nat lifting the weapon
clutched by his right han . “Let the man I
want step forward and face the son of the man
he slew in his own house, five years ago. Where
is your captain, men of Cinnamon? Push the
coward forward if he is afraid to show himself.”

The mad eyes of Dictionary Nat could not
catch sight of Revelation Rube’s figure, for the
men who stood between him and the captain of
the Ti ers.

Sud enly the crowd before him began to
separate, and he caught a glimpse of a man
sur ing forward.

“ ’m no coward!” hissed the advancing per—
son. “ May I be killed by a baby if I hide from
you. Hyar’s Revelation Rube.”

At that moment the last man who screened the
desporado’s figure stepped aside, and the next
second Dictionary Nat staggered from the revol—
ver that flashed in his face.

Quick and eager though he was, the eye of
Revelation Rube had beaten him, and be‘ore he
could cover the chief of the Tigers the enemy’s
revolver had spoken.

Nat fell on the ground just beyond the door."

“ You didn’t finish ’im, cap’nl ’ warned a man
at Revelation’s elbow.

“ I will." ,

A single bound carried Nat’s foe to the door.

The crowd was at his heels.

The next instant a second shot might have been
fired at the fallen man, who was attempting to
rise, had not a stalwart man leaped between the
two, and two revolvers covered Revelation and
his bronze backers. ,

“ We are pards, dogs 0v Cinnamon Cityl an’
I am hyar to ay you fur the killin’ 0v the baby
b’mlllflash the new-comer. “You, Rube, first
ov all. Then I’ll settle with the rest,”

The astonished crowd had retreated, and
were staring into the muzzles of the outstretched
revolvers.

“You killed the b’ars, Revelation. . I’m goin’
to finish you I"

“ No! 1101 not until I know the secret!” ex-
claimed a woman’s voice, and the next instant
the figure of Posy Nell was precipitated between
Rube and the bear—tamer.

At that thrilling moment a jet of fire leaped
from one of the deadly weapons, and the girl—
goththe chief of the Tigers—reeled from the

as . .

 



 

mg,

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

Dictionary Nat. Detective.

‘15

 

 

Bill Bravo staggered back with a cry of hor-
ror.

“Posy Nell instead 0v Revelationl” he gasped.
“ Great God] an angel instead ov a wolf. ’

An instant later the crowd rushed forward,
and the bear-tamer would have been riddled
with bullets, if two huge grizzlies had not risen
on their hind feet and presented a bold front to
the mob.

“Kin you walk, Dictionary?” asked Bill, ad-
dressing the youth at his feet.

“ I can t .”

But Nat was forced to fall back when he at-
tem ted to rise.

“ e’ll hev to fight it out hyarl” said Bill.

All at once the startling war-whoop of the
Sioux nation fell on every ear, and before it had
ceased to sound a volley was poured into the
mob and against the weather-boarding of Idaho
Ike’s den.

“ I did not come alone to Cinnamon I" ated
Bill. “ I shoot fur the baby b’ars, the njuns
fur Karl ther Killer!”

 

CHAPTER VIII.
NAT’S NEW FRIEND.

BUT few of the men of Cinnamon went down
before the Indian volley. Bill Bravo, his bears,
and Nat Gra scot remained untouched by the
avenging ha] 8, when with fiendish yells the
Sioux rushed to the attack.

Revelation Rube and his pards mechanically

' fell back, and as the door of Idaho Ike’s den

stood invitingly o n, they crowded in the place
with cocked revo vers in their hands. As the
last man crossed the threshold the door was shut
and kept closed by the three bronzed giants,
who put their backs against it.

The frenzied red-skins reached the scene too
late to eifect an entrance. They were confront-
ed by Bill and his bears.

One of the braves sprung) forward to finish
Nat’s career, but the paw of andy Dick dealt
his arm a blow that caused him to drop the up-
lifted tomahawk and yell with pain

“ Thar ar’ four ov usl" cried Bill Bravo.
“ When you touch one you touch all the rest, so
be keerfnl in the future. ”

The Sioux now turned their attention to the
'den in which the men of Cinnamon had taken
refuge. They seemedto ignore the presence of
the whites and the bears.

“We must leave hyar fur the present,” said
Bill Bravo, stoo ing over Nat. “ I did an
awful deed a whi 6 ago. I on ht to he scalped
fur pressing the trigger when did, but I didn’t
know the gel war er out. She appeared between
us like a ghost, an’ m weapon went off jes’ at
that time. Let Black eather finish the work.
Him an’ his red-skins will settle fur the b’ars,
an' fur yer father‘s blood.”

Nat would have resisted. . I

Wounded though he was, he did not want to
leave Revelation Rube to the mercy of the in—
furiated Indians. He had discovered his father’s
slayer, and he longed to carry out with his own
hand the resolution he had formed.

Bill Bravo seemed to read this in Nat’s hesita-
tion. for he called one of the grizzlies to his side,
and before the young avenger could protest,

 
 

 

Bill’s hand was holding him upon the hack of the
bear. which was trotting from the spot.

“We‘ll come back ef ther Injuns leave a nest-
eggl” the bear-tamer said, in responso to Nat’s
look. “ Ye’r’ onflt for sarvice now. Thar’s a
bullet someer in yer anatomy, an’ ye hev the
honor 0v bein‘ the only man what didn’t lie still
arter Revelation tetched the trigger.”

“ He’ll pay for granting me that honor," hissed ,

at.

“ Mebbe so, Dictionar .”

“ Do you think the In ians will make a clean
swee to—night?”

“ hat depends. If Idaho's shant is fixed
ez I think it is thar’ll be more’n one end In'
on ther squar’ afore we git to the mountains.

“ A rear door?”

“ Thet’s it.”

A few seconds later the sudden reports of
more than a score of reVOlvers reached the ears
of the partners hastening from Cinnamon. A'n
expression of triumph OVerspread the bearman’s

ace.

“ Thar! didn’t I tell ye so?” he exclaimed,‘
looking into Nat’s face. “ The Tigers an’ the
Cherubs got out in the rear 0v Ike’s shanty, an'
the ’ve taken the Injuns on the flank."

file two friends and their ferocious com
ions had halted 'ust beyond the outskirts o the
town, and were istening to the noise of the mad
battle raging in the square that fronted Idaho
Ike’s saloon. ,

They could see nothing. but the ceaseless is- -
tel-shots told them that the struggle was of a
most desperate nature.

“ The n 'uns seem tobe surrounded,” said Bill.
“ But they re fightin’ like tigers.” r

The battle ceased as suddenly as it had been
resumed, and the friends in the moonlight ex-
changed puzzled looks.

“ I don t understand it," murmured Bill.

" Unless one side has annihilated the other.”

“ Thet’s not likely. I’m afraid it meansanew
twist to the wheel ov fortune.”

“ A compromise?” asked Nat.

Bill did not reply, and the youth saw b the
workings of his countenance that he was urn-
ing with eagerness. ,

“ I’m goin’ back to as the meanin’ ov the
confab among the dea ,” t e bear-tamer said, v
turning with an abruptness that startled Nat.
“You an’ the bars kin go on to the cave.
Dandy Dick will carig you of you hold on; thet’s
all you’ll hev to do, ictionary. Thar now] no.
protests. You’ve at one ready, I see; but I
won’t take any stoc in it.” .

Nat bit his 

“ What if velation has escaped with his
life?” he said.

“ I’ll promise you anythin now, Dictionary.
I won’t settle accounts with evelation to—night,
although he slits ther throats ov ther baby barl.‘
I’ll let ’im IiVe till you git able to go round
ag’in.” That’s what yer eyes ar’ beggin’ fur
now.

The bear—tamer had seemingly read Net’s in-
most thoughts, and before the youth
thank him, he was gliding back to the scene at
thgémttle, which had ceased mysteriously and
an en. .

“Now letusresume our journey,” said Not. , ~

I
z )

  

 

 

16 Dictionary Nat, Detective. ’

turning to the bears. ” I am not badly wound-
ed. that is certain; but I’m in no fighting con-
dition. I pray Heaven, Revelation Rube, that
the balls of the Indians failed to take your life
tonight.”

The two grizzlies moved on side by side until
the mountain trail became too narrow, when
Rocky Dan moved ahead to clear the way for

'* his companion, to whose back the young avenger

clun .

“ fcannot—I will not believe that Bill killed
Nelly,” he said to himself, as his mind returned
to the bear-tamer’s brlef narrative of the terri-
ble shooting scene before Idaho Ike’s. “ Heaven
will not let such a promising- life be snuffed out
so cruelly. Bill will find her alive, though
wounded, like myself. We are destined to meet
again—Posy Nell and 1. I will not believe other-
wise, because my presentiment is too strong in
t t direction.”

e was now being borne upward to the open-
ing of the cavern, and the streaks of dawn were
chasing away the long night of tragic scenes as

‘he was carried into the Retreat.

With an ejaculation of relief Dictionary Nat
disengaged himseif from his sin ular steed, and
reclined on a blanket before t e few coals of

' the bear king’s fire.

He did not see for several moments the mur-
dered cubs over whom Bill Bravo had sworn
eternal vengeance against Revelation Rube and
his pards. The two old bears were making
almost human demonstrations over the car-
casses. Suddenly they broke out in loud growls

‘ which increased in intensity until Dictionar

Nat thought they were going mad, and laid 1115
handon his only remaining revolver.

The two grizzlies, at times playful as kittens,
were now monsters incarnate. They filled the
cave home with their roars, and trumped in—
cessantl around the cubs~all four of whom
the ha dragged to one place—until their looks

- an huge feet more than threatened Nat Gray-

t.

“A few more mad circles and I will be at‘
tacked l" he murmured bestowing a firmer gri
on the weapon clutched in his right hand.)
“ Bill did not dream of this when he sent me on
ahead.”

The rage of the bears increased every moment.

u'Not one of their movements escaped N at’s eye.

Suddenly Rocky Dan, the larger of the two,
8 ped in one of his rounds and turnedafe—
racious front to the youth.

“ It is coming!” thought Net.

The next instant Dandy Dick paused and
strode to his companion’s Side.

“ You advance at your peril, blood-seekers!”
grated Nat. leveling the revolver. “ You attack

be best friend you ever had when 6X01: charge

mfii Don’t I hate the men who kill the cubs?
B‘ would tell you so if he were here. But
if you" have determined to attack me, I am

He .addressed the grizzlies in a firm voice as
though the dark-brown monsters were human

ngs.
Rocky Dan growled derisively and thrust for-

. ,ward another foot.

Dictionary Net’s flu or had begun to press
the'trigger when Dan y Dick suddenly cast

 

his lumbersome body before his companion,

and effectually blockaded the may to his Vic-

tim. .
A breath of relief from the expectant victim
and a look of gratitude rewarded the mediator.
Dandy Dick shot Nat a look which seemed to
promise new friendship, and for a moment the
two grizzlies eyed each other like gladiators.

If Rocky Dan overto ped his comrade, he
did not relish the thong tof engaging him in
mortal combat, for Dick’s eyes rather invited
the fray, and his attitude was a menace.

“ Thank heaven I” ejaculated the young aven-
gerreclining on the ground.

“One finds strange friends in this wild land.
Dandy Dick has outlooked his giant companion.
I am saved for the present!”

The big izzly had actually turned his back
on Dandy ick and gone back to the cubs.

His vanquisher with another look that assured
Nat of continued protection, came toward him
and sat down at his side.

“A thousand thanks, my old fellow,” said the
avenger looking up into the grizzly’s face.
“ From this night we are the truest of friends.
I would shed my blood for you. You have
saved my life—preserved it for the Work before
me i”

A huge paw dropped lightly upon the hand
which he put forward in pledge of the friend-
ship spoken by tongue and eye; but Nat did not
imagine that he would soon be called upon to
prove his assertion—that he was willing to shed
his blood for Dandy Dick.

By-and-by, des ite his wound and watchful-
ness, overstraine nature asserted her power,
and Nat Grayscot fell asleep.

When he awoke he felt a sharp twitching
pain in his side, and caught sight of two eyes
watching at his head.

“ Here yet?” he exclaimed recognizing the
friendly grizzly. “ You wouid not desert me
for a moment while I slept, old fellow. Where
is your pard, Rocky Dan?”

Nat raised himself on his elbow and looked
around.

Dandy Dick’s companion had disappeared,
and with him the four dead cubs.

He was speculating on the disappearance
when the grizzly guard uttered a short, sharp
growl and bounded toward the o ening.

A moment later he came bac followed by a
figure which Nat instantly recogniZed:

“ Back alive, thank Heaven'l” cried the
even or. '

Bil Bravo for a moment avoided Net’s gaze,
but advanced until he stood directly over his
friend.

“Whar’s yer revolver, Dictionaryl” he sud-
denly asked.

“ Here,” was Net’s reply,- as he lifted the
weapon which had dropped from his hand while
he slept.

“Cock it."

Nat obeyed, while he stared wonderingly into
Bill’s face. .

“ Now shoot me, Dictionary! Gave it to me
squar’ between the 9 es.” r

A strange cry pea ed from Net’s throat, and
he shrunk from his companion with e shudder.

“ Don't flinch, Dictionary! I mean what I

 

4-,!

 

ma),

Dictionary Nat, Detective. ' 15'

 

my. You’kin never kee yer oath, an‘ I hev
broken mine. I hev wipe out Revelation Rube;
but I’ll sw‘ar that I couldn’t help it. My hand
wouldn’t stay down!”

Nat Grnyscot uttered only a groan of bitter
disappointment, and the revolver fell from his

band.

“I thought 0 bed more grit than thet, Dic—
tionary,” said ill Bravo, with a grim smile, as
he looked down upon the youth, Whom his an-
nouncement had completely unnerved.

CHAPTER 1X.
A TUMBLE FROM A BARREL.

BILL BRAVO was quite positive that he had
slain Revelation Rube.

Let us go back a step and Witness the en-
counter.

It was the mysterious stillness brooding over
Cinnamon City that had caused the bear-tamer
to retrace his steps, leaving Nat to continue his
journey on the grizzly’s back to the cave in the
mountain-side.

B111 more than half believed that the sudden
cessation of hostilities between the Indians and
the men of Cinnamon meant a compact of some
kind, and he was not slow to conjecture that
the true facts concerning the shooting of Karl
tfie Killer had been made known to Black Fea—
t er.

He became certain of this when, as he neared
the square, he heard the voice of Revelation
Rube, and a moment later, he saw a crowd
around that worthy, who occupied the head of a
whisky barrel in front of Idaho Ike’s den.

Indians and whites were mixed together fra-
ternizing like old friends, not like enemies who
had'i'vust been firing at each other‘s hearts.

“ he wolves hev become lambsl" ejaculated
Bill, as he leaned against the rough weather
boarding of an adjacent cabin and took in the
scene with a smile. “ Ther truth about Karl’s
wipin' out hez been punched into Black Fea-
ther’s head, on’ he’s mad enough to eat himself,
fur hevin’ marched shoulder to shoulder with
the man what did the job. They're all marl.
Thar’goes Revelation a rh'n. I’ll take in a part
ov his speech. Mebbe kin git a grip on thet
pa rt ov the programme thet consarns me.”

“Fortunater our shootln’ didn’t amount to
much arter all, ’ said the man on the barrel at
this moment.

“ The Sioux an’ the men ov Cinnamon must
not be enemies when er common cause should
unite ’em. Them two mountain pards must be
wiped out; we—the Tigers—will take the book-
rat, an’ the red-men kin hunt the b’ar-man. Er
we’ll hunt together jes’ ez our friend Black
Feather as s.”

“ Black eather and his braves will hunt the
man who sent Karl the Killer to the lone lodge
across the mountains of the sky,” cried the ring-
ing voice of the Sioux warrior. “ He met
Black Feather in the mountains and made his
bl (1 hot against the men of Cinnamon with a
fig ofl ing words. Now the Indians know
that the b 00d of their brother Karl the Killer
is not on their brothers’ hands; but on those of
the man who keeps the big bears in the moun—
tain den. They will hunt him, and before long
he will lie dead between his grizzlies.” .

 

 

A derisive smile crossed the Face of the man
in the shadows.

“ Don’t count yer chickens yet, Black Feath—
er,” he murmured. “ Ther buzzards may hold
a post mortem on yer remains long afore they
get a chance at Bill Bravo’s.”

The Sioux’s speech was greeted with shouts
of joy and approbation by the assembled multi—
tude

“ The book-rat won’t be a breakfast-spell fur
me,” said Revelation Rube, “ ihar‘s no tellin’
how badly I winged ’im to-night. He war
tossed onto one 0v them infernal b’ars who
trotted oil? with ’im follered by Bill Bravo with
a hull hide. Thar arn’t ez innny b’ars in thar
cave now ez their war yesterday, that i", not ez
many live ones. Snakes un’ lizards! Black
Feather, you an’ yer braves ought to hev seen
us sail into ther lot ov cubs what Bill war raisin’
fur his enemies’ benefit. Bill an" ther youngster
hedn’t got home yet, an’ we tharfore found only
ther four babies in ther mountain cradle. They
war fierce on old wolves, an’ it warn’t child’s
play thet we bed on our hands. We got ’em
cornered at last, an’ I told ther boys to stand
back. The revenge b’longed to me, fur hadn’t
Bill grossly insulted me by takin’ his ard out
ov Ike's jis’ when we had ’im foul? a1, when
I told ther boys to stand back in ther cave, I
sailed into ther cubs, and planted some cold lead
where it ’d do ther most good. Then I turned
my attention to their breathin’ apparatus, an’ I,
left ’em in er condition most benutifulto behold.
I’d like to know how Bill acted when he found
ther baby b’ars with the’r wind ipes exposed.
They could dance a hornpipe on t e’r hind feet,
I hev heard; but the’r’ in no dancin’ condition
jes’ now.”

Revelation Rube supplemented his coarse jest
with a rough laugh which went through the
crowd. -

“ Thet’s more than humanity kin stan‘!” fell
from Bill Bravo’s lips. “ I promised Dictionar
thet I wouldn’t tech Revelation: but I can
bear thet laugh over ther killin’ 0v ther baby
b’ars.” '

Up flew the bear-tamer’s revolver as he sprun
impulsively from the shadow of the cabin, an
at the sharp re rt of the weapon Revelation.
Rube tumbled 'rom his barrel and fell among
his com nions. ,,

The s ooting of Revelation Rube, so sudden
and unexpected, seemed to paralyze the crowd,
and before a single person turned toward the
avenger he had left the cabin, and was hurrying
in the direction of the cave.

“ It wouldn’t be policy fur me to stay an’ fl ht
ther pards on the’r own ground,” he said. “ e- .
’1] meet ag’in an’ soon enough ef Dictionary
doesn’t display a certain kind ov grit when I get
back to ther cave." ,

At that moment certain sounds told Bill
Bravo that the allies were hunting the man who
had shot Revelation Rube, but as they were ,not‘
near him. he kept on until he found himself at
the edge of the mountain town where he paused
fora moment, and listened. '

"Another man wiped out on the square,”
suddenly said a voice. so near the rizzl king
that he turned like a person struc in t e side
with an arrow. -

 

 

 

 

  

18

 

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

He had halted near a cabin, and it was in the
doorlthat the speaker, tall, sinewy and striking,
stout .

“It ar’ Placer Fundy,” exclaimed the bear-
tamer as he stepped forward and confronted
the old miner who started and allowed his hand
to drop to the butt of his revolver.

“You’ve bin down thar?" said Placer, recog—
nizing Bill. “ You bed to come back an’ shoot
ag’in. You didn't hit a. young girl this time,
did on?”

“ hank Heaven, no.”

“ Who war it?”

“ Revelation Rube.”

Placer Pand bounded from the door-step,
and landed at 111 Bravo’s side.

' “ Did—youmkill him?" in gasps.

I ‘LES’ I didn’t, blame it upon therunsart’in

i t.

g‘ Awhile ergo, Bravo, I would hev thanked
you fur that shot; now—~now I wish you hedn’t
come back ther second time. Ther girl nr’
goin’ to git over it.”

“ Then I didn’t kill ’er?”

“Not quite, but it war a close shave. She’s in
thar,” and Placer Pandy pointed over his shoul-
der toward the shanty.

“I couldn't see ’er, I s’posel” said Bill.
“ Twould be good news fur Dictionary.”

The old miner did not speak, but led the way
to the cabin, across whose threshold he stepped,
followed closely by Nat Grayscot‘s friend, on
Whose race was an anxious and eager expres-
51011.

“This or" Rube’s shanty,” exclaimed Placer
in a low tone. “ I hev no right hynr; but how
could I keep erwey when I saw them carry Posy
Nell fur dead through ther door?"

“ For dead, Placer?"

“ Thet's jes’ it, Bravo. But hyar we ar’.”

The only light that revealed the interior of
Revelation Rube’s cabin was that afforded by
the moon, but it was sufficient to reveal the
white face and bandaged head that rested on
the pillow of bearskin not far from the door.

Posy Nell was asleep, and the beer~tamer
stopped suddenly and riveted his gaze upon the
face on the pillow.

“Ell you lied killed ’er, Bill, you would hev
L ained the worst toe man ever hed ” said Placer
u andy through linched teeth. “ her’ ar’ some
things what yo don’t know yet, but ef you hed
finished Nell when you shot, even though you
didn’t intend to hurt her—you would hev dis-
covered suthin’ afore the proper time.

There was a mystery somewhere in the miner’s
sentences: Bill Bravo looked uzzed.

“ I don’t understand you, lacer,” he said.

“0v course on don’t,” with a smile. “I
didn’t intend t at you should; but we aren’t
enemies, ef you did draw Nelly’s blood to-night.
We won’t waken ther child.” ‘

“ No: let her sleep.” ,

Placer Pandy who during the brief dialogue
had knelt at the young girl’s pillow, started

_ siiddenly up, and grasped the bear-tamer’s
s eeve.

“ Ef she war fit to move she shouldn’t stay
hyar a minute!" he crietir “ She war dead
when they brou ht ’er hf , but I brought ’er
back to life, an hevn’t a right to’er, Bill?

\ .

,joy Caused

 

She’s no more Revelation’s child than she ar’
yours. By an’ by you’ll know suthiu’. An’ so
you killed Rube?”

The question was shot into the ears of the
grizzly king with an abruptness that made him
start.

“ I’ll admit thet I played the fool, Placer; thet
I forgot thet the boy, Dictionary, holds a. limit
gage on his heart—”

‘ Thar!” interrupted Pand . “Ef you killed
’im, thet settles it. 1 held t er first mortgage
on ’im, an’ I always said I would kill the man
what wiped ’im out an’ cheated me.”

“ I’m thet man,” said the avenger of the cubs,
storming hack.

“ l can’t kill you, with the gel lyin’ thar."

“ Then follow me down ther trail a, few rods.”

“No! go back to yer wounded pard. You
kin tell him that Nell still lives. I like ther
youngster, but thur’s sich a thing ez a man
heviu’ too much grit. Nell wouldn’t be thar of
he bed grinned an’ downed ther devil’s dram.”

At that moment the girl moved and opened
her eves.

“ Heavens! go!" cried Placer Pandy. pushing
the bear-tamer toward the door. “You’ll see
lier soon enough of she lives, an’ Placer ef she
( iesl

CHAPTER X.
RIFLES AND TRUMPS.

SEEKING to address the old miner no more,
but with a farewell glance at Posy Nell, whose
wandering eyes were gradually becoming fixed
upon him in a questioning stare, the bear—tamer
crossed the threshold of Revelation Rube’s
shanty and hastened toward the mountain
home.

We have seen him enter it, and startle Nat
the avenger with the declaration that he had
killed the captain of the Tigers of Cinnamon. ‘

0f the truth of his assertion Bill Bravo had
not the least doubt. He had seen Rube tumble
from the barrel at the report of his pistol, there-
fore he had good reasons for thinking that he
had sent a. bullet into the desperado’s brain.

“ VVal,” he said, addressing Nat, “ ef you
won't pay me fur killin’ Rube, mebbe you’ll let
me tell ye a bit ov good news.”

“ Go on.”

“ I shot the gal you know when she jumped
atween Rube an’ me?”

ti Wen?"

“ She isn’t dead, thank Heaven l”

Dictiona Nnt’s eyes gave expression to the
y Biil’s announcement, but he said:

“ Not dead?”

“ It war a close call, however,” continued
Bill, “fur they carried her fur dead to Rube’s
shanty whar Placer found ’er, an’ whar I left
’em both an hour ago. But hyar I’ve been
standin’ ten minutes without once askin’ y u
about Yer wound.” ‘ \

“ It doesn’t hurt me now,” Nat said. “ I shall
be ready for whatever the days may bring forth
after to—morrow.”

The bear—tamer examined Net’s Wound which
proved to be a bad fl esh shot in the thigh, but
one not at all dangerous.

 

 

 

Dictionary Nat.’ ' Detective. i 9

 

“ What hoz become 0v the baby b’ars?” sud~
deniy inquired the western surgeon.

“ i do not know. They were yonder when I
fell aslee l.”

" An’ ocky Dan is missin’, foo!”

“ Might he not have carried the cubs away?”

“ To bury ’em? Thet‘s jis‘ what the old chap’s
done. I’ll hunt 'im up in a few minutes.”

Not long afterward the figure of Bill Bravo
crept down the mountain-side in the increasing
light of morning. H

A brief examination of the narrow trail that
skirted the base of the mountain told Bill Bravo
that a body of some kind had been lately drag-
ged over it, and he at once knew that the big
grizzly had carried off the cubs.

“ Rocky Dan ar’ hevin’ a funeral ov his own
somewhar,” the mountaineer said, as he hastenv
ed over the trail. “ I’ll stake my pistols ag’in’
Revelation’s last drink, thet he’s selected the
Bi Holler for his graveyard.”

‘en minutes later the grizzly king halted at
the edge of a dark hollow, basin—shaped, and
not at all inviting. But little sunshine ever
penetrated it, and on this occasion as the day-
god was not two hours high, the center of the
hollow was dark and forbidding.

Still Bill Bravo could see a huge figure mov-
ing about where the shadows lay thickest, and
doubting not that it was Rocky Dan’s, he sprung
forward.

“ I’m too late fur the services, I see; but I kin
throw on the baby‘s rave the pistol that wiped
out Revelation Rube! ’ he exclaimed as he halted
before the monster grizzly which had wheeled
at sound of his voice.

, The bear’s answer was a fierce growl that
made the mountaineer recoil.

“ A strange War, by hokeyl” fell from his
lips. “It ain’t ther first time you’ve jumped at
conclusions, Bill. Now fur a tussle with ther
grizzly king.”

If the bear—tamer had recoiled, the king of
the Rockies had stood his ground.

He was larger than the largest of Bill’s pets,
but this fact did not frighten the mountaineer.
His left hand relieved his belt of a fourteen—inch
bowie, as the click, click of the revolver clutched
in his right fell 12 on the grizzly’s cars.

“ I’ll open ther lull,” he said, as he sent a bul~
let squarely into the bear's front

A bowl of commingled rage and pain told
that the leaden pellet had inflicted a wound,
but instead of retreating the grizzly rose quick—
ly on his hind feet and advanced upon the
enemy.

“ N ow comes the knife’s hour,” said the moun—
taineer, dropping the revolver and transferring
the bowie to his right hand. “ More’n once I’ve
faced yer betters, grizzly. Come on an’ meet
yer master!”

Bill Bravo even advanced to meet the ho e
antagonist that threatened, avalanche-like,
fall upon and crush him. He threw forward his
left arm to turn aside the paw uplifted to strike

r him down, and the next second he aimed a blow

at the grizzl ’5 side.

If his stro e was swift, the hear was prepared
for it, for instead of the heart, the bowie en-
countered one of the tore-limbs, into which it
sunk almost to the hilt!

w.

 

“ Thunders! a paw instead ov a. heart l” grat-
ed the bear-tamer.

A moment later the grizzly sprung back,-
wrenching from bill’s grasp the bowie, which
still stuck in the wound, and for a minute the
mountaineer found hi usclf Weaponless, and in
the presence of a monster who had by no means
given up the contest. '

“ You can’t unknife Bill T’ravo that easy 2”
flashed the bear-tamer. “ El? you hev yer
dander up thar’s a. feller not far off who kin ele-
vate his.’

The grizzly rose again as the courageous man
rushed at him, and quick as a flash of lightning
Bill’s hand shot at the bowie-hilt which, In spite
of the blow aimed at his hand by the other
paw, be seized, and with a terrible wrench drew
from the wound.

Straight at the grizzly he sprung. and his
arm, knife-armed once more, darted between
the menacing paws, which, as he struck a blow
that sent the crimson blade far beneath the
shaggy shin, clased about him like the arms ,of
doom.

Another moment and the two went to the
ground together like wrestling giants, Bill cling-
ing to the hilt of the bowie, and the teeth of the
grizzly buried in his shoulder. '

“Down they go!" the mountaineer heard-a
voice say as he struck the earth, but, as he
could not turn his head, he did not see the
speaker. ‘

“ Ther grizzly hez got ther upper hand, pards,
an’ he’ll prevent us from settlin ‘with ther cave
devil,” continued the same voice. “Drop yer
pistols an’ give ’em ther compliments 0v ther
rifles ov Cinnamon. Now, into the grizzly an‘
Bill, pardsl Fire!"

A deafening volle followed the command
and a score of hul ets whistled around Bill
Bravo and his enemy. ' ,

He felt no pain, but the bear’s teeth suddenly
left his shoulder, and the huge paws that seem-
ed about to crush him fell apart like the jaws‘ of
a broken vise.

The volley had killed the grizzly, and the
bear-tamer, mysteriously unscathed, was at
liberty to rise and confront foes as deadly as the
one of which their rifles had just relieved him.

Bill Bravo followed the first thought that
rushed through his brain. He sprung erect,
armed solely with the bowie which had been
drawn from the grizzly’s breast as the animal
fell back dead, and turned in the direction of
the firers of the volley. '

“Hol ho! we never teched ther book—rat’s
pardl” roared a coarse voice as Bill Bravo
turned. “Cover ’im, pards. We’ll make ’im
show his hand.” . I L.

The sight that met the bear-tamer’s gaze was,
enough to blanch the stoutest cheek. .

Fifty yards away, shoulder to shoulder, stood
the twenty men whose rifles had just put an
cndto the grizzly’s life. It was no fault of ,
theirs that their bullets had not terminated his ‘
career at the same moment.

They were a portion of the Tigers of Cinna-
mon City, Revelation Rube’s penis, and of V
course his avengers. ‘

“Show yer hand,
space between them.

Bravo!" came over the
“ Ye kin tumble Revelhs

 

    
 

 

«a

 

so

 

 

., Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

ti )n from his bar’l but the game goes on.
W e’ve sot a cold deck upon ye, by ther grizzly’s
help. Rifles ar’ trumps in ther Big Holler.”

A fearless flash in the inountaineer’s eyes was
the sole response to these words.

He changed his bowie to his left hand, and
coolly picked up the revolver that lay at his

feet.

“ Ef fight’s yer time, hyar stan’ thor boys
what ar’ itchin”to p ay it,” were the words that
greeted his action. “ A fool fights twenty men
an’ dies like a dog. Revelation Rube couldn’t
come along. Ye’r’ afraid to drop yer Weapons,
Bill. an’ let us conduct you to him.”

‘ The bear-tamer started.

“ I kin do‘ thet,” he said to himself. “ It might
save Nat besides. Then they’ve got me foul,
Revelation’s pards hev.”

“ Yer dare not go with us to Revelation Rube l”
was the challenge.

‘5 That‘s a lie!” said Bill Bravo, as he put up
both knife and revolver.

 

CHAPTER XI.
BEFORE JUDGE LYNCH’S COURT.

WAS Bill Bravo going back to Cinnamon City
with the twenty desperadoes who held his life
in their hands? '

The Tigers exchanged significant glances at
his reply in their challenge, and advanced upon
him With their revolvers still covering his
breast.

The bear-tamer did not flinch, but his eagle
eyes flashed as they Come on.

' “Yer warn’tlookin’fur us hyar, Bill?” queried
the leader of the band.

" Thet’s a fact, Solid Sol.”

“ An’ we didn’t expect to find you in ther Big
Holler. Thar war two b’ars hyar a while ago,
fur we heard ’em growlin’ nt‘ore we struck the
spot. Didn’t you find two?"

5‘ The only b’ar I found hyar lies yonder,” said
.Bill, glancing at the huge carcass of his late op~
ponent. “ Mebbe the old grizzly saved my life
arter all.”

Some of his captors smiled.»

“ Ef thar war two b’ars hyar at one time the
other war Rocky Dan," mused the mountaineer.
“ Fur once Rocky met his match an' backed out
0v the scrimmage, but not until nrter he had
buried ther babies. I’ll bet my head on thet."

“ Ar’ you ready, Billi” were the words that
put an end to the bear kin ’s musings.

. “ To go to Cinnamon? es.”

“ Whar’s ther boy—ther book—rat.”

“ Dead afore this from the shot Revelation
gave him last night.”

“ At ther cave?"

“I don’t know.”

The last answer puzzled the men.

“Paras, we’ve got the main man,” said the
leader of the Tigers, putting an end to more
than one whispered suggestion. “ The young
bird are crippled anyhow, an’ we kin ketch ’im
when he’s wanted. We’ll go back to Cinnamon
with the man we’ve got. For’ardl”

A gleam of satisfaction lit up the depths of
Bill Brevo’s eyes. .

He had kept the roughs of the mountain city

‘ from making a descent upon Dictionary Nat.

,

 

As Bill was conducted through the hollow, his
eyes ospied a heap of fresh earth, on a] id around
which were numerous bear-tracks.

“Rocky Dan lied his funeral, jes’ ez I expect-
ed," he said to himself.

He was correct. If one had opened the mound
he would have uncovered the carcasses of the
four cubs, which the old grizzly, Rocky Dan,
had buried by digging a grave with his claws.

The sun was climbing zenithward when the
Tigers and their captive re-entered the abode of
the Rocky Mountain roughs.

Bill was marched down the main thorough-
fare and across the threshold of Idaho Ike’s den,
into which the population of Cinnamon began
to pour.

The bear—temer’s glance ran through the
crowd as if in quest of a particular person.

All at once he caught sight of a figure that
leaned against the upright planks at the rear

end of the resort. He saw the stalwart frame ‘

and noticed that the man’s arms were folded
upon his broad chest, but he had to look a sec.
end time before he recognized Placer Pandy,
the miner.

If Posy Nell still lived, the bear-tamer had

one friend at least in the den; if she was dead, ,

the saloon held but his enemies.

lie was unable to fathom the aze With which
the miner was regarding him. uddenly Placer
left his place, and Bill lost si ht of him.

“ Ther gel is dead!” flashe through his mind.
“ I can’t count on Placer now."

Then he turned to the man who had led his
captors, and said in an impatient tone:

“ llyni- I am Solid Sol. You said I war
afraid to go hac- ( to Cinnamon.”

“ Any man will march straight ahead when
thar in" twenty revolvers at his back,” was the
reply as the eyes of the two men met. “ What
or we waitin’ fur? You’ll know in less than five
minutes.”

Bill Bravo leaned complacantly against the
ragged rim of the bar and faced the men who
were tliirstiiig for his blood. Every right hand
clutched a revolver. Ne efforts were made to
conceal the deadly weapons; their owners took
pride. as it seemed, to hold them conspicuously
before Bill’s eyes.

In spite of all this. he knew that he would be
accorded fair play when the proper moment ar-
rived, for the mountain roughs admired. fear-
lessnoss even in their worst enemy, and it was
evident that Bill’s courage had impreSSed them.
Still. if he had drawnhis revolver at that mo-
ifnent, fifty weapons Would have flashed in his

ace. '

The bear-tamer had more than once mental]
Eenlgl‘ked the absence of Black Feather and his

an .

Not an Indian was to be seen.

Vvere the fierce avengers of Karl the Killer
hunting him among the mountains? and would
they not swoop down upon the mountain cave,
and put an end to Net Grayscot’s career?

“ Don’t look for yer shaggy pards, B ll," said
one of the men noticing the glance Wllich the

mountaineer had sent toward the door. “ We’re
prepared fur them this time.”

I “ Twenty rifles ar’ waitin’ fur ther b’ars out-
Side,” said another voice.

\ _.

 

:3
3
..
'i,

  

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

  

 

 

“ They wouldn’t git to ther squar’ afore they’d
be full 0v load.”

“ I Warn’t lookin’ fur ther b’ars,“ retorth the
bear-tamer. “ I want ’em to stay whar they
ar’ this time, but if they take a notion to come
to in: all ther rifles in Cinnamon couldn’t stop
’em.

The boast drew out a general laugh, which
was followed by the words: “ Hyur they
come!” in a. loud voice.

There was a universal clicking of revolver
locks, and a general movement toward the door,
but the next instant the crowd fell back disup«

ointed, for the announcement had led them to
elieve at first that the two grizzlies had put in
an a pearance.

Bi 1 Bravo was seen to start as the doorway
was suddenly darkened by three figures, and a
moment later two men, leading a third between
them, entered the den.

“ I thou ht the bullet would go straight with—
out aimin, but thar’s whar I missed!” ejacu—
lated the roughs’ prisoner, and he then encoun-
tered the fierce gaze of the man led by the couple
just mentioned.

It was Revelation Rube, clad in a dark shirt
and buckskin pants, the ends of the latter gar-
ment stuffed into the tops of a pair of dingy
boots.

There were stains of blood on the shirt, darker
than its own swarthy texture, and around the
desperado’s chest was a broad bandage which
told that Cinnamon City possessed some one who
professed to know something about surgery.

Rube’s eyes had the glare of a. madman’s, and,
although weak, he tried to stand alone when he
found himself before Bill Bravo; but he would
have fallen forward if his conductors had not
caught and held him firmly.

“ y pards didn‘t hunt you long, Bravo!”
commenced Rube, laughing, not at his own
words, but over the pleasure occasioned by the
sight of the mountaineer in the midst of his
roughs. “You were liyal‘ last night! I carry
in my lungs yer infernal compliments.”

Did Bill Bravo’s eyes shoot the speaker a look
of triumph?

“ Thets enough! you war hyar!” continued
Rube, interpreting the glance. “You thought

01; ,would pay me back fur the cubs, eh.

i1 Z”

“ Fur ther baby b’arsl” flashed the grizzly
king, straightening so suddenly that the breath—
less crowd involuntarily drew back. “ Ef I
planted a bullet in yer lungs an’ not in yer head

ast night, it warn’t my fault. I broken. solemn

promise when I techerl the trigger, an’ thet is
why, mebbe. the bullet went astray. Yer pnrds
an’ ther Injuns stopped fightin7 so sudden thet I
had to come back to see what it all meant. I
could have heard ye through if you hadn’t boast—
ed about slittin’ the cubs‘ throats. I had raised
thor bars from little chunks of meet an’ b’ar, an’
to hear you talk the way you did war more’n I
could stan' !” .

Revelation Rube ground his teeth, but demon—
ism danced in his eyes.

“ You wouldn’t do it again, Bill?” he ven—

“Wouldn‘t I? Tr me!” was the quick re-
joinder, as the rave ver of the bear—tamer left

 

 

his belt and was cooked despite the menace of
the twenty that surrounded him. “Jes’ boast
0v yer Vlrll} to the Retreat, Revelation. Lau h
now ez you laughed last night about cuttin’ t 8
babies’ throats an’ yer laugh will end in the ears
ov death 1”

Out shot Bill’s right arm as the last sentence
left his tongue, and its muzzle almost touched
the forehead of the Tigers' chief.

“ Keep down yer pistols!” he said, sending a
lightning glance through the crowd. “ I’ve got
the call on yer pard. I want ’im to laugh once
more over his hatchery ov ther little grizzliesl”

But the laugh did not ripple over the white lips
of the menaced rough.

“Ye'r’ sensible, Rube,” said Bill, a moment
later, lowering the revolver but keeping hisflnger
at the trigger.

For a second Revelation Rube did not speak.
Almost choked by rage and fear, he was that
length of time catching his breath.

“What if you shot me hyar, Bill?” be said.

“ Thct's so,” was the answer. “ I would be a
fool to hurry the grim monster over the trail
he’s on at this moment.” r

“ Thou you think I'm goin’ to pass in my last
chip $0011 2”

bill Bravo’s gaze answered the des credo.

“ I’ll go you a pound ov dust thet ’11 see more
sunrises than you!" hissed Rube.

“ You‘ll hev to see a dozen afore dark, an’ t9
do thet you’ll hev to wipe Bill Bravo out.”

“ You Won‘t srake ther dust, then?"

“ I never bet with dyin" men.”

Revelation’s eyes left his prisoner’s face and

-cn(:ountered the eager gaze of his minions.

“Organize ther court!” he said, in a tone in-
tended to be a voice of command.

“ Hyar, Rube?” inquired a dozen men.

“ Sart’inly, of Ike hez no objections.” '

“ Go ahead, gentlemen,” responded Idaho Ike.
“ You hevn’t hold court hyar since last sprin .”

lke knew that during the session of Jur g8
Lynch’s court a goodly quantity of liquor would
be imbibed, and he was. therefore, willing that
the farce should be enacted in his den. '

Bill Brnvo said nothing, but a contemptuous
smile was visible at the corners of his mouth.
He saw a rude platform erected upon sevoral
“ooden benches at one end of the room, and
Solid Sol, springing upon it, called the “ court ”
to order. '

At that moment a man glided past the bear-
tumcr and halted afoot away. When he had
asked for a drink. he caught Bill’s eyes for a.
moment, and said hastily, in a penetrating

whis r:

“ 'thar ar’ twenty 0v us, pard. We took you
in bya unanimous vote last night. Lift yer
hand when you want us.”

That was all.

The stranger sw owed his liquor and disap«
peared almost before Bill had had a square look
at him.

One thing he did know—the man was not
Placer Pandy.

“The man may lie ” murmured the bear—
tamer. “ It’s impossible fur me to hev twenty
friends in Cinnamon at sich a time ez this. I
hevn’t one; but I’ll lift my hand when 1 need .
help, jes’ to try ther experiment." _ ‘ ' '

 

  

 

 

 

' ings had reached his ears.

28 A Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

  l... Manes: ,-...

 

 

CHAPTER XII.
NEW HANDS IN THE GAME.
To more than one man in the improvised court

I the termination of Revelation Rube’s wild career

seemed a question of very few hours. The rage
that flashed in the eyes that were riveted on Bill
Bravo did not abate one jot, and beneath them,
around the twitching lips of the desperado,
lurked a triumphant smile.

“ Make ’er short l” he whispered to his attend—
ants, referring to the trial about to take place.
“I’ll feel better when ther hand that teched ther
trigger last night stiffens under a limb. He
won’t be hard to pull up when the verdict hez
been pronounced. I’ll be thar when ther affair
comes off. By thunder, I’ll «be strong enough to
read ther sentence ov death. The man what
meddles with Revelation Rube’s affairs in C‘m-
namon handles niter-glissercenl”

Trials before Judge Lynch’s court open with
but few preliminaries; none are needed. Such

, courts are invariably organized for conviction,

and the one hastily established in Idaho Ike’s
den, with Solid Sol as judge, was not an excep-
tion to'the time-honored rule.

, The jury—twelve bronzed athletes who did
not relinquish their revolvers when they stepped
aside and stood shoulder to shoulder, with their
eyes fastened on Bill Bravo—had delivered its
verdict beforehand.

Solid Sol opened court with a few remarks in
which he expatiated on the enormity of the
shooting of one of the most prominent citizens
of Cinnamon, and dwelt for a moment on that

' well-known article of the frontier criminal code
.. which declares for “ blood for blood."

“Thar, Sol, thet’ll dol” exclaimed Revelation
Rube, as his swarthy right hand went up in
view of all. “‘Bravo admits ther shootin’ an’
I’m yer prominent citizen what stopped his ball.

,He knows ther law. Throw ther case into ther

hands ov ther jury, unless he wants to speak in

, his own defense.”

Thus choked oflf, Solid Sol stepped back and
everybody looked at the boar-tamer.
Defiance and contempt looked out of his eyes.
He said nothing.
“Give it to ther jur , then,” continued Rev-
elation. and he finish in a whisper to his at
tendants. “ He’ll open his mouth when thar’s a
limb over him 3”
Intothe hands of the bronze twelve went the
cause, and a minute later the verdict fell upon
Bill’s ears. .
Death by hanging within the hour!
“ He wanafraid to put up his (lust, ejaculated
Rube. “ An’ I wouldn't hev to see all my sun-
rises et to—day.” .,
“ ou miserable reptile, death is gnawin’ at
or Vitals now!” cried the mountaineer, whirl-
ng upon the captain of the Tigers, Whose rejoic-
“ A thousand times
afore you give up yer chifi you’ll curse Bill
Bravo, whoss bullet onened to death the door to

er heart. I wouldn’t hev shot you through

», be head last ni ht fur all the gold you ever
dug an’ stolel

nu’ll die a thousand times
afore the king ov terrors closes round yer heart,
anggu’ll wish you’d never teched the dancin’
cu
Headless of the menacing look of the Tigers of
. . . ,

 

Cinnamon, and of the fingers itchin
thirty pistol-triggers. Bill Bravo sto
launched his hatred into Rube’s teeth.

“ He’s grit himself 1” whispered more than
one rough to his companion. “ Ef Revelation
expects him to blubber under the limb, he’s
fibosgn the wrong pard fur a coward, that’s sar-

in.

Rube heard the king of the grizzlies through,
thou h be burned to interrupt him.

“ r’ you through?” was all he said when Bill
had finished.

“ I’ve heri my sa .”

“ To ther limb!” was the response which was
a. command, for strong arms seized the menu-
taineer, as a score of pistols encircled his head,
and a Inoment later Idaho Ike’s den did not con-
tain a single person. for the proprietor was in
the motley crowd hastening across the square.

Once outside the saloon, Bill Bravo mechani-
cally threw a glance around, for the words of
the stranger had recurred to his mind; but he
saw nobody but his executioners.

“ Ef Dandy Dick an’ his pard knew this thar’d
be a scene enacted what ain’t on ther bills,” he
said to himself. “ But mebbe I hev no pards
now, of Black Feather an’ his wolves ar’ loose
among the mountains; mebbe ‘Dictionary an’
the big grizzlies ar’ lyin’ together, euchered by
a cold deck.”

Near the further side of the square grew a
tree which, standing alone as it did, seemed to
have been left by the lawless founders of Cinna-
mon City for the ex ress purpose of carrying
out the mandates of udge Lynch’s court. One
of its limbs stretched toward Idaho Ike’s like an
arm of bronze, and Bill’s eye saw that a. rope,
supplied with a noose. dangled from it.

‘ The boys war anticipatin’ ther verdict,” said
Solid Sol, catching the doomed man’s glance,
and then his voice dropped to a whisper full of
admiration.
Bill?” _

A proud flash full of resentment shot from the
bear—tamer’s eyes, and Solid Sol dropped his
gaze, abashed by the silent rebuke.

Bill Bravo’s “ When I die I’ll die like my
mother’s boyl” was not needed to tell 801 that
no coward was marching to the fatal tree.

Under the limb the grizzlies’pard halted of his
own accord, and turned to the mob.

Near by stood Revelation Rube, held by a man
at each side. A slight color came back to the
rough’s face as the eyes of the two enemies
met. ‘

to press
erect and

“ You won’t put up an ounce of dust now, ,

Bill?” he broke forth in insulting banter. “I’ll
be more liberal than I war at Ike‘s. I’ll bet you
a pound to an ounce that I see more sunrises
than vou, an’ none o’v ’em today, either!”

“ You’ll never cut another cub’s throat! I’ll
go you a pound to an ounce on thet,” was the
response.

Revelation WinCed and hit his lip.

“ Let’s put an end to the man what refuses to
bet when ther odds ar’ in his favor,” he suddenly
cried. “ Thar ar’ rope an’ limb, jedge; ther
man ar’ not wantin’. Men of Cinnamon, carry
out ther sentence ov yer court 1”

Down came the noose over Bill Bravo‘s head,
and lay for a. moment on his broad shoulders.

“You’re goin’ to go out game,

 

 

 

 -_.-nn,...-....n-..}  _ a-.. 

Dictionary Nat. Detective.

23

 

At his left with eyes fixed on Solid Sol stood
the four men who held the other end of the
lynching cord.

“ I‘ll try the signal!" suddenly said Bill to
himself. “ Ef I hev pards in Cinnamon, I need
'em now 1”

The command that 'wonld have jerked the
bear-tamer from 1110, ground was hurrying to
the lips of Solid Sol when with aquick stride
Bill Bravo threw himself forward.

At the some moment as he drew his splendid
figure to its true hight up shot his right hand
above the heads of the crowd!

“ What does that mean?” stammered Reve—
lation Rube.

A loud voice answered him.

It came across the square and made every
Tiger turn.

"“ Ther Cherubs ar’ his pards!" exclaimed
Solid Sol. “We might hev knowcd this, Reve-
lation. They held a secret meetin’ last night.”

“ An’ they voted him into the’r club.”

Was it not true?

Scarcely thirty yards away and in front of
one of the shanties from which they had prob-
ably emerged, stood fifteen men with rifles
trained on- the mob under the hungman’s
limb!

' 0 all outward appearances they resembled
the Tigers, but they were the rival shooting
club, of Cinnamon—the fearless Chernbs in
whose ranks Placer Pandy had often been
found, and whose captain, Wildcat Carl, was
roughism itself.

Bill Bravo’s eyes filled with astonishment
when he beheld the startling effect of his signal,
and heard the Words which had kept back the
command trembling on Solid Sal’s tongue:

“ Halt thar, Tigers! You’ve carried ther joke
for enough!"

There was menace unmistakable in the brief
demand. It drove every vestige of color from
Revelation Rube’s face: Solid Sol looked at his
master, and the fingers that had leaped to the
trigger at the first sight of the Cherubs seemed
to creep out of the trigger-guard, cowed on the
instant.

“ We mean biz’nessl” continued Wildcat Carl.
“ Bill Bravo a1" entitled to all the rights an’
firivile es ov a member ov ther Cherub Club.

e or one ov usl Stan’ back from our pard,

Revelation. Draw off yer Tigclsl”
. “ We must, fur policy’s sake, Rube,”whispered
Solid So], in response to Revelation’s consulting
glance. “Let Wildcat an’ his pards hev their
hour. We’ve jes’ been hevin’ ours. Turn about
ar’ falr play.”

The captain of the Tigers did not reply. Rage
and cha rin choked his utterance.

“Re y, Chorubsl” rung out Wildcat Carl’s
impatient voice. “Kiver the best men across
the uar’.”

Fif en bronzed cheeks dropped to the stocks
of as many leveled rifles. '

“ Stan’ back, but keep yer fingers on yer trig-
gers,” said Solid Sol, in a low tone. “ Wildcat
an' his pards holds ther trump kerds now.”

“ It’s worse than er cold deck!" groaned Rev-
elation Rube.

The next instant the Tigers fell back. glaring
madly at the rough rank across the square, and

Bill Bravo stood alone with the loose noose rest—
ing on his shoulders.

“For’ard, pardl” called Wildcat Carl to him.
“ I mean you, Bill. Throw ofi? ther rope an’
come hyar.”

The bear-tamer broke with an effort the slight
cords that held his arms to his sides, and threw
off the almost fatal noose.

Then he strode forward, brushing past Reve-
gtion Rube, whose eyes seemed arrows of living

ame.

“ Ther Cherubs can‘t allus set up ther deck.
Bill,” hissed the wounded rough. “ Go to yer
new pards, an’ wait till I want you. You won’t
hev to wait long, Bill.”

“ I'll be around when I’m wanted, mobbe
store," was the cutting response. “You’ll not ,
furget me while my compliments keep open
house fur death in yer life chest.”

“ Man never forgets the snake that bites him.”

“ But he doesn’t allus get to kill ther afore-
said snake !” said the bear—tamer, with a grin, as I
he Ipassed bedyond Rube’s hearing.

9 walke fearlessly toward the leveled rifles ,
of Wildcat Carl and his pards. and as he did so
his e es searched for the familiar face of Placer

an y.
But the old miner was not to be seen.

CHAPTER XIII.
RUBE LOSES HIS BET.

WHEN the bear-tamer was within a few feet
of the rifles of the Cherubs, he was about to di-
verge to the right and join Wildcat Carl who
stood at the head of the line, but that worthy’s
. voice changed his intention.

“Keetp straight ahead, pard; the club will make
a door ur ye to pass through."

A minute later the rank ahead esented a
gap to Bill Bravo’s gaze, and when 9 had pass-
ed into it, it was instantly closed. and a solid
front once more faced Revelation Rube and his
astonished roughs.

“ It war a close call, pard,” said Wildcat
Carl. “ We war waitin’ fur the Sign. You
kept it back a long time, an’ ther boys war
afraid ye warn’t gom’ to give ’em a. chance to
help their new pard. Now, Cheruhs, fall back
in good order, onless Rube an‘ his men want to
trv a shootin’ match.”

he experienced eye of the mountaineer saw I
that a word might inaugurate a deadly conflict
between the two factions, and he hoped that
the Cherubs would quietl withdraw, thus dis-
pensing with unnecessary loodshed.

“They don’t want to fire. ple with ther Cher- I
ubs now,” continued 1: e eader of the bear-
tamer's friends, “ Ef Rubc’s looks War bullets
we’d be dead ez door-nails whar we’re standin’
at this minute.”

The Cherubs withdrew unmolested in the .
faces of their enraged rivals, and not a word,
not a challenge was hurled at them, until they
were conducting Bill toward the confines of the
mountain town. 1

Then coarse epithets and oaths reached their
ears, and caused bronze fingers to glide with
eagerness to the triggers of revolvers.

But Wildcat Carl who saw these actions shook -
his head. .

“No fightin’ now unless ther Skunks charge

 

 

 

 

  

 

--_ WWW-my. .. w .v_.. 7.. .  WV.

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

  

us,” he said. “ We must first conduct our new
pard beyond danger, then—”
He paused abruptly and looked at Bill Bravo
who had all the while been regarding him.
“Then what, Wildcat?" fell mechanically
from the bear-tamer’s lips.
“ You ought to be able to guess. You’ve
lived long enough in these parts.”

“I can guess. Havin’ conducted me from
Cinnamon, you will come back an’ offer the
Tigers battle.”

‘ Thet’s jos’ it! We'd like to hev ye witness
ther tussle, Bill, but a stray bullet might de-
prive ther boy 0v his pard.”

The bear-tamer started. He had not thought
of Dictionary Nat for some time, and at Wild—
cat Carl’s reference to the youth, he glanced
anxiously at the heav'ens. The sun having
reached his meridian, was slowly descending
westward, and while the mountaineer felt like
going back, and facing Revelation Rube and
his pards in the ranks of the Cherubs, he was
anxious to rejoin the {)Ong avenger Whom he
had left with the bear, andy Dick, in the moun-
tain cave.

The suburbs of Cinnamon were soon reached.

“ Thar’ll be but one shootin‘ club hyar when
you come back, pal-d,” said Car], with a grim
smile when the grizzly king had thanked his
bronze rescuers. “ I war commissioned to han’
youa dockerment ov some kind beforeI left
ye. It ml ht be a love—letter from ther size (N
it. It ar’ ur ther boy.”

Wildcat Carl drew from beneath his dingy
buckskin doublet as he spoke, a. folded piece of
pa er, on which were traceable the words,
“' or Nat.”

Bill’s eyes lit up with delight when he extend-
ed his hand.

“ N all isn’t dead!” he said.

" Dead! Ef you could hey see’d her eyes
glisten when she handed me bet letter, on
wouldn’t think about her handin’ in her chec s,”
was the quick response. “How kin she die
when Placer swears she‘s got to live?”

The mountaineer put the paper away, and the
following moment he had said good-by to the
Cherubs of Cinnamon, and was hurrying to«

l ward the cavern.

Almost before he had passed out of sight,
Wildcat Carl turned to his men, and said, as his
eye flashed down the line:

“Let every shot tell, pards. Thar must be

- but one shootin’-club in Cinnamon to-morrow.
About face! for’ard march! It ar’ cold deck
ag’in’ cold deck now. The Cherub what’s afraid
to die with his boots on will leave the ranks
More the enemy hoves in sight. Cinnamon’s too
small to hold two clubs.”

Bravel the fearless roughs marched into the

- town wit the ranks intact, and turned into the
unpaved street that ran past Idaho Ike’s den
and across the noted square.

“ Thar they ar‘, ready fur that game!" said
Wildcat Carl, espying the crowd that seemed to
be waiting for them in front of the saloon.

“Halt!” ‘

The Cherubs came to a halt, and Car], with a
cocked revolver in each hand, walked boldly to-
ward the rival club.

“ We ar’ back ag’in, readyto fight ’er out!” he

.- pa

 

i
_ , r
K

 

 

said, addressing the crowd in front of which he
halted within easy range. “ Cinnamon can’t
hold all ov us. Ther events ov ther est few
hours hev made us eternal enemies. et ther
sun to—morrow shine on livin’ Tigers an’ dead
Cherubs, er vise versy. What do yer say,
b0 s?"

at from the crowd sprung the tall figure of
Solid Sol, Revelation Rube’s trusty lieutenant.

“ We will not fi ht now,” he said, “though I
admit that one cub’s enough fur Cinnamon.
Our pistols would disturb ther last moments 0v
our ca ’n."

“ W ar’s Revelation?”

“ In yonder," and Solid Sol glanced at the
saloon.

u D ins?”

“ Dyin’ with ther bullet ov a man what shoots
in ther dark in his life-box! Let us hev a truce
till death hez robbed Rube of his last check,
then~” .

“ Thet‘s fair, Sol,” interrupted Wildcat Carl.
“ Ther game will not begin fur awhile yet.”

Thus unexpectedly was the bloody contest be-
tween the roughs of Cinnamon delayed, and
hammers were let fall quietly upon the ready
cartridge.

Wildcat Carl and a few of his men went for-
ward and entered Idaho Ike’s, where the Tigers
stood over the prostrate form of Revelation
Rube.

“ He swears he ain‘t goin' under new,” whis-
pered Solid Sol to Wildcat, as the latter looked
over several shoulders at the wild-faced man
lying on the undressed planks whose sole cover—
ing was a tattered army blanket. “Ef deter—
mination ever helped a man, Rube will see some
good flghtin’ yet.”

Almost at that moment the leader of the
Tigers wrenched his arm from the grasp of the
men who were trying to calm his struggles by
holding him down to the floor, and sprung first
to a sitting osture and then to his feet.

“ Whar’s ell?” he shouted. .

S ‘1‘ She’s safe~livin’, cap’nl” answered Solid

0 .

“ I’m goin’ to her—must see ther child.”

“ That settles it," wbis red one of the Ti ers.
“ Rube’s throwed down t er kerds. He won dn’t
ask that way after Posy Nell ef he didn’t think
he war goin’ off with his boots on.”

“ Go fur the gal—quick!” said Solid Sol, turn-
ing to the speechless crowd before whose eyes
Revelation Rube had just torn away the
bandages of his wound.

“ Note. step: Nelly sha’n't come hyar. I’ll
go to her. ”

Already a man had disappeared from the
crowd and was hurrying down the street.

Rube, with an oat , sprung toward the door
as if to intercept the man whose departure he
gzdk noticed; but a score of hands held him

0 .

“ We’ve sent fur Nell.” said Solid Sol. “ You
can’t leave this place. You will see her hyar.”

“ Bnut I will not tell her the secret before you

“ We’ll retire when the gal comes.”

Five minutes elapsed, at the end of which
time the words, “ Hyar she is," made Revelation
start and turn his eyes to the door.

   

Isa- _1

 

 

f

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Dictionary Nat, Detective. 25 ‘

 

The Lilly of Cinnamon had arrived; but wh
did Rube utter an oath of rage, and start bac
instead of rushing forward to greet the girl?

“I didn’t send for you, Placer Pandy!”he
flashed tigerishly, as he eyed the man who sup-
ported Posy Nell.

“I am hyar, jes’ the same. I hevn’t do —

ed yer steps fifteen year fur nothin’, hev ,
Rube?"

There was triumph in the old miner’s tone,
and for several moments the two men 9 ed one
another with the vindictiveness of ifs-long
enemies.

“ Wal, I’ve been a fool, an infernal fool, to
let you see this hour,” grated Revelation Rube,
at last. “But 1 kin git even with on in ther
end, Placer. I did intend to tel Posy Nell
suthin’, but now I’ll go down ther dark river
with my secret.”

The girl and the miner exchanged rapid
glances; the latter seemed to smile.

“You‘ll spite nobody but yeiself, Rube,” he
said. “Mebbe Nelly wouldn’t giv’ a nickel fur
yer secret. Last night when she jumped be-
tween you and Bill Bravo she would have given
her life fur yers; now she doesn’t keer whether
you pass in the secret with the kerds er not.”

Slowly the eyes of Revelation Rube returned
to P08 Nell, and became fixed on her face.

“W t hez Placer told you, Nellyi’, he asked
in a husk voice.

“ I’ll te l on what,” cried the old miner, be—
fore the gir could speak.

“Send the boys out first, Sol,” said Rube.
“This or” private bizness between Placer an’
me. ’

“Let those men stay,” the miner cried. “I
want them to hear. The shall hear 1”

The dying man, whose ands seemed to make
an impression on the counter against which he
was trying to steady himself, hit his lip, and
sent Placer Pandy a look of unquenchable
hatred. '

“ You can’t listen to along story, Rube. Mme
must be told afore the angel ov death rakes in
ther last pot. Sixteen years ago everybody
knew Felix Norton and the pretty little child
he called his daughter, and everybody soon af-
terward cursed the devil who sto e her from the
nursery one night. Felix Norton was rich, but
he had inveterate enemies, amon whom was a
man named Reuben Gragg, w o disappeared
trom the neighborhood soon after the theft.
Felix offered thousands for the child’s return.
but without avail. Both Reuben Greg and
Ada Norton had effectually disappeared. After
three years of unavailing search, elix died.”

,“Thet’s so!” said Revelation, who had not
lost a word of Placer’s stor .

“Silence!” thundered t e miner. “Though
Felix was dead, there was one man who had re-
solved to find both Reuben Greg and Ada. He
had a right to hunt them—a rig t to find Ada
and kill the girl-stealer. That man did not rest
until. west of the Mississippi, he had found Reu-
ben Gragg in Revelation ube, the Yellow Lion
of the acifio Coast. He dogged Rube’s steps
from the moment of his discover . You know
this Revelation. You know the one hater has
shadowed you fifteen years or thereabouts; but

' your succeeded until a short time ago in keeping

 

your prize from his sight, for these men—Tigers
and Cherubs—now know that Posy Neil is Ada
Norton. But the do not know that I am not
Placer Pandy. on do not know who 1 am,
Revelation. I have carried a secret for more
than fifteen years. Let me reveal it to you
now.”

The breathless listeners gathered closer around
the old miner; every eye was fixed upon him.

“ I am Posy Neil’s father!” he said slowly.

A cry of unbelief shot from the throat of
Revelation Rube.

“ No wind now, Placerl Felix Norton is
dead.”

“But he was not Ada’s father. When her
mother died, I gave the child to Felix to rear as
his own, for he had money and 1 had none.
You thought she was his own child when you
struck for reven e, Rube Gra . You stole my
child instead. am Roger orton, not Placer
Pandy, the character I have )layed during my
ceaseless hunt for in child. thousand times
I could have ende your career, but I said
“ No,” for on could lead me to Ada and at last
you did. knew that you killed drayscot the
merchant five years ago, and it was I who drew
the son of that man into these mountains and
put him, vengeance armed, on your track. I do
not talk like Placer Pancy, the miner, now, do
I? I need that role no longer. Posy Nell doesn’t
care for your secret now! I must reakga part
of my vow. You know what I mean.”

“ I am ready for you, Placer ” was the retort.
“Now that I know you, I feel like a new man.
Revelation Rube gits a new lease ov life. Giv’
me my pistols, Sol, an’ let ther boys stan’ back.
We km fight h ar, Placer.”

“Give the 0g his revolverl” flashed the un-
masked miner as Solid Sol drew back from
Rube’s outstretched hand.

“ Quick! let me hev it, Sell”

The next instant the desperately wounded
man once more held his revolver in his hand
and a. wild cry—almost like the bowl of a mad
wolf~pealed from his throat as he whirled upon
the old miner.

“Take ther gal—Nelly—away first I” he com-
manded.

“ Get away from before that door! I want a
hand in that duel!” I

These words were uttered in a loud tone by
some one outside, and as the crowd turned to-
ward the street, its numbers mechanically
divided, and left a lane running straight to the
captain of the Tigers. ,

A second later the report of a revolver struck
the ears of every one, and with a. piercin cry of
death Revelation Rube staggered bac , shot
through the brain! ‘
I Vengeance and justice had overtaken him at
ast.

CHAPTER XIV.

DICTIONARY N AT STRIKES.

IF Black Feather and his warriors had been in
Cinnamon City when the Tigers reentered it
with Bill Bravo for their prisoner, it is robable
that wveral scenes last recorded wou d never

Imve claimed the services of our pen. But dur- " '

 

 

 

\

~. --~r3x-.-. . n,

 

26 Dictionary Nat. Detectii‘ve.

ing the bear-tamer’s arraignment before the
hanging court of Cinnamon, the Indians were
on a trail which they fondly ho ed would end
with the death of the slayer of arl the Killer
—Bill Bravo.

The exact location of the mountain home was
unknown to the Sioux, althou h they were Well
acquainted with the coolness o the grizzly king,
but Black Feather felt sure that he could gain e
the band to it Where they would speedin avenge
the death of their adopted brother.

Therefore after leaving Cinnamon the Sioux
proceeded straight down the path that led to
the cave retreat; but mornin overtook them
among the mountains with Bi Bravo’s home
still undiscovered.

All at once one of the Indians uttered an
exclamation of surprise and pointed excitedly
at a huge grizzly swaggering alone down the
trail with nose erect as though he snuffed an
enemy.

“ See l” cried Black Feather. “ The old fellow
wears a collar. He is the white killer’s bear.
Ah! we shall soon see the pale liar!” '

But the red—skins watched in vain; the grizzly
was entirely alone and more than one red finger
toyed nervously in the trigger- unrd as be ad-
vanced toward the ambush w ‘ch had been
hastily formed.

Dandy Dick—for the grizzl was Bill Bravo’s
favorite bear—halted abrupt y fifty yards from
the Indians and began to survey his _surround—

ugs.

“ Him huntin‘ white killer,” said the young
Sioux chief. “ Mebbe they meet by ’m by.”

Dandy Dick seemed in no haste to desert the
spot; but, as the moments wore away without
rewarding the anxious braves, ejaculations of
impatience fell on Black Feather’s ears, until
the chief shot the grizzly a fierce look and raised
his rifle. M

“Bear kill Injun, too, if him git a chancel”
grated the Sioux. “ Him no better than his
master, the white killer. Him must die I”

The wea n touched the chief’s shoulder, and
a minute ater Dandy Dick uttered ahowl of
pain and staggered back.

“ Bear move just as Black Feather shoot!" ex-
claimed several Indians, but this consolation af-
forded the young chief no pleasure, for he hit
his lip while he stared at the rizzly, who was
dancing for pain while he loo (ed at a foreleg
which was bleeding profusely.

“Him can’t git away, an how,” said Black
Feather, at last. “ Black eather meant to
cri ple him so he could lead us to his master.
Le us go down an’ make the bear tell the
truth.” ,

The Sioux’s words were received with delight,
and all at once the entire band sprung from the
ambush and descended like an avalanche upon
the wounded bear.

Dandy Dick’s eyes seemed to flash fire as he
rose on his hind feet and greeted the Indians

I , witha fierce growl.

His left foreleg was evidently broken, for it
hung useless at his side, while blood streamed in
torrents from it.

“ Where master, bear?" asked Black Feather,
halting in front of the wounded monster, but

well out of the way of his claws. “Bear must

5..

 

tell, or we hang him to limb just as the pale-
faces hang their bad brethren.”

Dandy Dick‘s answer was, of course, a mad
growl, which meant defiance and contempt.

“Bear fool for talkin’ that way!” cried the
young Sioux. “ Him will sing another song
when the twisted ropes of the Sioux encircle his
neck. Black Feather ask now for the last time:
Where white killer, bear?”

Another growl, followed by a futile lunge
forward was the animal‘s reply. Black cather
drew back with a cry of terror, although the
claws would have fallen far short of his precious
person.

“ Git ropes ready!” he cried, to his followers.
“ We will hang the bear till he offers to guide
us to his master.”

A number of stout lariats were at once pro-
duced. These were twisted together until a
rope strong enough to hang an ox was formed.

A slip noose was left at one end, and Black
Feather ordered one of the Indians to lasso the
bear.

This was no easy task for Dandy Dick seemed
to understand his enemies" tactics, and. maneu-
vered to escape the noose. Several throws
proved futile, and it was not until the grizzly
was induced to rise on his hind feet, that a suc-
cessful cast was made.

Loud yells of triumph that echoed far down
the trail greeted this success, but Black Feather
and his followers soon learned that if they had
lassoed one of Bill Bravo’s dangerous pets, they
had by no means deprived him of his strength.

It took the united strength of more than half
of the Indians to keep him from rushing upon
them despite his wounded leg, and he was not
brought to terms until the rope had been thrown
over a limb directly overhead and a severe chok-
in%administered by a united etfort.

andy Dick struggled more furiously than
ever, but the stout cord encircled his throat, and
twenty red Samsons were tugging at the to e.

“ Pull ’im 11 i” cried Black Feather. “ ear
tell where w ite killer is when we hang him
awhile.”

A half-smothered growl, a pull all together,
and Dandy Dick, unable to disengage the noose,
began to leave the ground!

he Sioux were delighted with the work on
hand. Black Feather’s eyes danced with glee,
and he shouted loud at the antics of their vie,-
tim.

The limb was not far above ground, but when
the bear’s head touched it. his feet failed to
touch earth. He was literally ban edl,

“ Him tell now. Let ’im down. raves.”

Dandy Dick was lowered, choked almost into
unconsciousness, and he would have fallen in a
heap at the foot of the tree it his tormentors
had permitted it.

Black Feather stepped forward and began to ‘

taunt the grizzly; at the end of his insults he
demanded to be guided to Bill Bravo. Dandy
Dick eyed him fiercely as he gasped for breath,
and the Sioux at last hit his lip and drew back.

“Bear no tell yet,” he grated, turning to his
warriors.
willm‘ to tell.”

Dandy Dick was jerked up for the second
time, and the Indians were holding him in mid-

“ Him must bang this time till him ,

 

r’z'.~.

 

 

 

 

5 .--___. . I. .« 5?.

 

 

 

Dictionary Nat, Detective. *; E?

 

air when the sharfi report of a rifle cleft the air,
and the grizzly to to the ground like a bag of
lead! '

The Indians who held the rope thus relieved
of the bcar’s weight—for the cord had been
severed by a bullet——fell backward inaheap,
while Black Feather and the other red-skins
turned toward the marksman,

Not far away—so near, indeed, that his
features were quite visible~stood a youth who
held in each hand a large revolver. A recently
dischar ed rifle rested against the side of a
grizzly arger than the one on whom the Sioux
had ust been wreaking their ven eance.

“ ouch that bear again and send some of
you to the Death Lodge before your time l” came
across the s aco between the youth and the
Indians. “ hen you touch Dandy Dick you
touch me, and Rocky Dan, for that matter.
You have already. shot the grizzly, I believe.
Villains! I ought to open In six-chambered
batteries on your scarlet s ‘ns. Advance,
Rocky.”

The big bear gave the speaker a look and ad—
vanced with a growl toward the Indians. He
was accompanied by the youth who walked
with a limp, but his hands held the cocked re-
volvers on a level with the Indians’ breasts.

“I heard your devilish yells, but I did not
think Dandy Dick was in your power, until
Rocky Dan had coaxed me from the cave, and
to a spot from which I could witness your bru-
tality,” he continued, as not an Indian stirred.
“Stand where you are, you red fiends, or I’ll
send death into your ranks in two forms!”

Black Feather and his braves did not obey
Dictionary Net’s command; they instinctively
recoiled.

“ Is the bear dead?”

“Him no much hurt,” ventured the Sioux

. chief.

“You lie! You have killed the animal that
saved my life last night. ”

At that moment Dandy Dick moved and tried
to single out the youth whose voice he had
evidently recognized.

Rocky Dan uttered a growl and plunged for-
ward to halt over his com nion whose blood ho
snuffed for a moment, an then glared fiercely
at the frightened Indians whom he seemed
about to charge.

Nat hurried forward, and in a tone of com-
mand checked the enraged grizzly.

He stood directly beneath the limb to which
Dandy Dick had been twice drawn and his re
volvers looked sternly into the faces of the

speechless Sioux.

“ I ought to teach you mountain vagabonds a
lesson!” he hissed. “If I had witnessed the
shooting of Dandy Dick there would be more
than one dead Sioux where you stand now.
Wh did you hen the grizzl 1 Speak!"

“Dim no tell w iere white iller"is,” ventured
Black Feather, when the fingers of Dictionary
Nat seemed to press the triggers of the weapons
that looked into his face.

“Hanging would not give you the informa-
tion on want.” .

“ r like him smart enough to talk if him
want to.”

A smile flitted across Nat’s face.

 

“ You should have sought me out,” he said;
“butI should not have enlightened you. My
opinion is that you will see Bill Bravo soon
enough."

“ Him shoot Revelation last night.”

“ I know that.”

“ But him no kill ’cml”

Nat started.

“ What! Revelation Rube not dead?” he
cried. “ Fate is preserving the devil for me I”

“ Bullet find Revelation’s breast, but no slay
’im,” Black Feather continued. “ Him bad
hurt though; mebbe die before sundown.”

“ I should be where he isl” flashed Nat. “ The
wretch may die before I can satisfy my ven-
geance."

“That true, white boy. Black Feather no
hunt on now; him want the pale—face who
shoot arl theKiller. Rcvelation’s monhuntin’
’im now; but they no find ’im because the Sioux
want ’im too badly.”

“The men of Cinnamon may have found
Bill," passed through Nat’s mind. “He has
been absent some hours from the cave. He
went away to discover where Rocky Dan buried
the cubs, but the bear came back alone, and he
is still absent. If they have found the bear-
tanier they will make short work with him be-
fore the court they will organize in Cinnamon.
I should be there now. These Indians shall not
keep me back!”

His eyes met those of Black Feather as he
finished.

“ Boy no shoot Karl,” the Indian said. “ If
him take down his pistols Black Feather will
leave him with the bears.”

There was honesty in the Sioux’s look and

tone.

“Agreed!” crizd Nat eagerly. “ I did not
come to this can try for the ur ose of dyeing
my hands with Indian liloodl.) Fhate but one
man among those mountains. I hate and hunt
him because be slow my father in one of the
happiest homes east of the Great River. . Last
night 1 was told that Revelation Rube was dead.
Now you make my heart leap for joy, for you
tell me that the villain still lives.”

Black Feather turned to his braves.

“ Boy no hate us," he said. “ Him white
killer’s friend. that all. Revelation could have .
saved Karl the Killer’s life, mcbbe, but him no
do it. Let white boy go down to the pale men’s
town, and strike the serpent him hates. Black
Feather say let ’im go. The Sioux will hunt
white killer till they find his scalp.” » ‘

“Yes, you can hunt Bill,” said Nat, who be-
lieved that the bear-tamer was at the hour in
the clutches of the roughs of Cinnamon. “ If
Eve are not entirely friends, we need not fight

ere.

“That so, white boy. Black Feather an’ his
braves keep on the trail.”

The Sioux were only too eager to Withdraw
from the two revolvers that covered them, and
from the threatening looks of Rocky Dan the
big grizzly.

The two bears growled re retfully on seeing
the Indians depart, and at Grayscot felt

relievgd when the last red-skin had disap-
are .
“ will devote one moment to you, Dandy,

 

 

    

28'

 

. r12: mow J'yu'uq'm:

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

Dick,” he said stooping over the animal for
whom he had just risked his life.

The grizzly who had recovered from the se-
vere choking administered by the twisted lariats
held out his wounded paw, and Nat soon per—
ceived that the leg had been broken by Black
Feather’s ball. ‘

“ I would kill the Sioux if he were here now!”
he flashed, sending a look of rage down the
mountain trail. “ But he has escaped you for
the present, Dandy. I trust your teeth will
meet in his flesh in the near future. N01 you
can’t go with Rocky Dan and I. Hobble back
to the cave. You can do that. lVe are going
down to Cinnamon.”

Nat waved his hand toward the Retreat as he
sploke, and Dandy Dick seemed to understand
a

“ My leg hurts me now,” Nat went on. “ I
couldn’t walk to the roughs’ rendezvous, yet 1
must go thither. Death may he tugging at
Revelation Rube’s heartstrings. Rocky Dan is
as ood as a. horse, though not so fast.”

he big grizzly did not object when Nat
mounted him and urged him forward.

The ride Waswithout incident, and Net, to his
surprise, found Cinnamon comparatively de-
sorted.

“They are all at Idaho Ike’sl” he exclaimed.
“ They are holding Judge Lynch’s court over
somebody—Bill, perhaps—in that den. ”

He crossed the square to hear a Voice that sent
a thrill of revenge through his heart.

“ Let ther boys stan’ back. We kin fight
fiyar Placer!" were the words the avenger

ear .

He halted Rocky Dan in front of the den and
sprung from his broad back.

Then he uttered the Words that cleared a path
toRevelation Rube, who fronted the door, pistol
in hand.

“I am not too late!” murmured Nat. “ Fate
has preserved the great villain for my aim.”

The next instant one of his revolvers spoke,
and his father was avenged.

 

CHAPTER XV.
A BRIEF‘ RESPITE.

“THE boy did thatl” ejaculated Placer Pandy,
as we may still call Roger Norton, as Revela-
tion Rube reeled away with the revolver clutched
in his death-struck hand. “ I always had a
notion that fate would bring the two together
again.”

With shouts of Revenge the roughs of Cinna—
man had leaped to the door, and thence into
the street, where they halted before Nat’s two
revolvers.

“ I want but one life, and that I have taken,”
said the avenger, coolly. “ II‘I am assaulted, I
shall defend myself to the bitter end. I have
backing, as you causes!” and his gaze wandered
for a moment to the grizzly at his side.

Rocky Dan showed his teeth, and his eyes
evinced an eagerness which told the Tigers that
the old hear was readyto precipitate himself
upon them.

Silently and' without show the men who be-

r

.r.

 

longed to the Cherub Shooting Club withdrew
from Revelation Rube’s friends and cooked their
revolvers.

A deadly encounter was imminent.

" A life for a lit‘o! That’s the law west 0' the!-
Mississip,” was heard in Wildcat Carl’s rough
voice. “ Ther boy hez carried it out. We shall
stun,” by ’iml"

Solid Sol and his men made no reply.

Behind them on the rough floor of Idaho
Ike’s den, lay their reckless leader, stiffening in
death.

It was evident that the Tigers were burning
to avenge him, but not a revolver was lifted
against Dictionary Nat.

For several moments this startling tableau
was not disturbed.

“ Ef ther boy will tell us ther whys an’wharu
fores ov his shot we might fix things up further
present,” suddenly said Solid Sol.

Wildcat Carl looked at Nat.

“I will tell you,” the latter said, and a min-
ute later he was rehearsing the story of Kobe’s
crime, and his (Nat’s) hunt for vengeance to the
bronze crowd.

Not once was be interrupted.

As he neared the end Nat saw a number of
hammers fall lightly upon the deadly cart-
ridges, and not a few were replaced in capacious
pockets on their owners’ hips.

Solid Sol was one of the most absorbed audi-
tors.

“Rube did all thet, did he?” he said, when
Nat had finished.

“ He did. I will swear it.”

“ No use ov thet. We’ll tackle onto yer word,
youngster. Revelation ar’ dead this time, sar-
t’in. Ef you hed held yer fire a. minute or two
death would hev claimed ’im anyhow. Ther
grim monster hez been holdin’ a cold deck ag’in’
Rube ever since last night.”

“ Then my 1i to hunt has ended at last.”

Nat spoke these words with the satisfaction
of one who had reached the end of a long jour-
n

advice is fur you to make yerself scarce in these
parts.”

“ l have nothing to keep me here now.

Nothing more was to be said.

Nat could see a few revolvers in the hands of
the Cinnamon Tigers but they were not going
to harm him then. The eyes of their swarthy
owners were threatful, full of revenge.

“ Come, Rocky,” he said to the bear, but not

before a slight nod and a significant glance from
Wildcat Carl had admonished him to move
away.
“’ t is not all over yet. I was mistaken," the
avenger said to himself. “Those roughs will
hunt me down. They let me ofl? because a. col-
lision with Wildcat Carl and his men was not to
their liking just now. Bill Bravo is not here.
If he is alive I must find him as quickly as Ecs-
sible. We must stand side by side or has to
back from this day.”

Nobody seemed to take any notice of his de-
parture.

In the excitement of the hour he had for ot- ' i

ten his wound, and was walking at the

. rs
side. ‘

ey. \
“ You kin go, boy,” Solid Sol said. “ But my

 

 

 

res...

 

 

 

  

  

  
  
  

  

.,

 

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Jr

Dictionary Nat, Detective.

    

29

 

“ Hold a moment, Nathan I” said a voice that
made him stop and he looked over his shoulder
to see the familiar face of Placer Fundy.

“ The rest of us might as well go along,” con—
tinued the 01d miner coming up. “ My hunt
ended just when and where yours did.”

Before Nat could reply, :1 young girl emerged
from one of the cabins and approached the pair.

It was Posy Nell.

“ I am so glad that you are safe,” she said
halting in front of the avenger, and in atone
which ssessed more than a passing interest for
him. ‘ The secret is out at last.”

“But Rube did not reveal it,” said Placer
smiling. , _

“Then you must censure me‘ for not keeping
my romise.”

‘ ut I do not.”

“Ah!”

“ I had a secret, too,” the miner said before
Nell could reply. “My hunt has been for my
child. I have found her.”

An exclamation of surprise, an incredulous
stare at the couple, was Nat’s response.

“ Posy Nell is Ada Norton from this day,” the
miner continued. “ We are going to unite our
fortunes with yours.”

“No; that will never do. Revelation Rube’s
men W111 turn on me before another day.”

“There may not be any left to turn when
the sun rises again. A shooting—match is to
take place in Cinnamon before that hour.”

“ Are you certain of this?”

“ I know it. When a. cage gets too full of
bears there is certain to be some hard fighting.
Don’t object to our intentions. We are going
with you. I have seen you tried, and you have
not been found wanting. The Sioux are hunt-
ing your com nion. The Cherubs saved him
from Revelation Rube’s halter awhile back.
now the Indians are after him. We must all
stand together. To the mountains, boy. ”

The young aven er acquiesced. and the party
soon had their bac 5 turned upon the city of the
rou hs.

at once more sat on Rocky Dan’s hack, and
the mountain trail became the little band’s

road.
He led Placer Pandy and POsy Nell to the
cave which they a proached with caution.
A low growl an the head of a grizzly greeted
them as t ey stepped across the threshold.
“You are here, Dandy Dick, but where is
your master?" exclaimed Nat.
Bill Bravo was not to be seen, and after a brief
examination the avenger informed Placer thut
the bear-tamer had not been to the cave since
his departur .
“Listen!” suddenly cried Nell. “Was that
not] 3. shot? There is another, and another
stil 1
Her father was alrde at the entrance
.which was almost blocked y the huge body of
Rocky Dan, the big grizzly who was snufiing
the air while he uttered sharp' growls and
showed his teeth.
, “The Indians have found Bill Bravo!” ejacu—
lath the minor. \ I o

“ If the hunted did not surprise hlS hunters,”
laid Nat.

The sentence had hardly left the youth’s lips

 

 

 

 

 

when the grizzly hounded away and disappeared
down the ush-fringed trail before a hen could
intercept him or a voice cell him back.

Dandy Dick would have followed his comrade
if his broken leg had not interfered.

“ There goes Bravo‘s revolver. I have heard
its voice before,” said Placer, as two distinct
shots came up from the round below. “ The
brave fellow may need he p. I will throw my
arm into the scale.”

“ So will I.”

“Wounded as you are? No! it is not your
fight now. Stay here and guard Nelly—-—Ada, I
mean.” and the next instant the miner, Revela-
tion Rube’s old enemy, was flying in the wake
of the mad grizzly.

 

CHAPTER XVI.
WOLF mnns WOLF.

“ HALTl You ar’ huntin’ me. Hyar I am i”

These words, clearly spoken, fell like the
crack of d! om upon the ears of the stalwart In-
dians defiling through a narrow pass in the
mountains within rifleshot of the cave-home.

The leader of the band rccoiled aghast, and
with his red warriors stared into the lace of the
man who blockaded the way like a statue of
bronze.

“ White Killer 1” fell from the lips of the
braves. «
“ It’s all ther same to me what I’m called so
I’m hyar ready fur ther fracasl” was the re—
sponse that was shot from behind the hands that
thrust a pair of revolvers into the faces of the
br ves. “ I’ve been watchin’ you snakes more
than an hour. I’ve see’d you crawlin’ hyar an’
thar lookin’ fur me. Now I’m hyar in ther
flesh, large ez life, an’ eager fur the scrimmage.
We had to meet some time an’ I’m not used to
uttin’ off ther evil hour. hevn’t got a b’ar to
elp me, but I hold in my hands twelve through
tickets to Kingdom Come. Shall I proceed to
distribute them, my red varmints?” I

There was a distance of twenty-five feet be-_
tween Bill Bravo and his enemies, and the bear-
tamer shortened it by a few inches as the last
word dropped from his lips.

“ One -— two — threel Hyar goes, Black '
Feather.”

At that moment the revolvers went ofl! simul-
taneously, and two Indians fell back, bored
through the brain by the deadly bullets of the
mountaineer’s wea n3. ’

Black Feather himself had been spared, al-
though he had presented a prominent target to
Bill’s aim. ,

A third shot placed another Indian hora du
combat, and then, having recovered, the Sioux
rushed forward, straight into the jaws of death.

Fast and furious, although he retreated astep,
the fearless man poured the contents of his

. wee ons into the midst of his foes!

“ ’m always on hand when wanted, an’ some-
times a few minutes afore!” lollowed the shots.
“This ain’t fur ther cubs, mind ye. l’ve settled
that Score with Revelation. This ar’ ther settle—
ment ov a personal account. I’m a Cherub,
don’t ye know? An‘ 3. Cherub kin‘shootl” ’

The Sioux seemed bent on to.ka the menu. ,

 

 

 

.- "we. «fa . 

 

30 Dictionary Nat, Detective.

 

taineer alive. The recoiled once more when
they might have 5 0t him down, but for a mo-
ment on 

Black eather led them forward again. Each
red-skin seemed a tiger.

All at once a tomahawk, hurled past the
chief’s head, struck Bill a sidelon blow in the
face. It was not thrown to kil , else the keen
edge of the weapon would have opened his
cheek.

A mad blow it was, and the slayer of Karl
the Killer was forced back. The band rushed
forward, and before he could recover they were
upon him like wolves.

Down he went, but the next moment was on
his feet again, beating them elf with the empty
revolvers, dealing blows that told.

But resistan-e against such terrible odds was
useless, still Bill Bravo continued the struggle.

It was when twenty hands held him, when
ten at least were trying at once to throttle him,
that the Indians were startled by a terrible
growl, enough to appall the stoutest heart, and

efore they could meet the new enemy a huge
grizzly threw himself upon them.

b ’fhe bear entered the contest like a thunder-

o t.

The igantic paws struck blows that scattered
and ki led like a. blast of death, and the red-
skins recoiled with cries of terror. But not un~
til Black Feather had been slain and every hand
wrenched from Bill Bravo’s throat.

Jes’ in ther nick ov time, Rocky,” said the
mountaineer. “ e’r’ bizness when you put yer
paw into a scrim go. We’ll finish ther game
to other.”

he bear-king picked up one of his revolvers,
but the few remaining Indians were now flying
from the field. The teeth and claws of Rocky
Dan were too formidable for them.

“Am I too late?”7 asked a voice that made Bill
Bravo turn.

“A little too late, onless you can outrun a
Sioux Placer,” said the mountaineer, recogniz-
ing the old miner, who had come 11 3 armed for
the battle. " Rocky Dan war reinforcement
enough. He always holds trumps!”

The bi grizzly seemed to enJoy Bill’s praise
for be ex ibitevl his teeth in u. bearish grin and
would have chased the remnant of Black
Feather’s band if the mountaineer had not
called him off.

“ They won't fool with me an’ the b'ars any
more,” Bill resumed. “ Whar ar’ ther boy ’1’”

“At the cave. VVe’re all there.”

“All, Placer? I don‘t understand ye.”

The miner briefly narrated the events which
had inst transpired in Cinnamon.

“ ’m goin‘ down thar ag’in,” Bill said at the
conclusion of the narrative. “ Ef they fight it
out tonight, Placer, I must be on hand.”

“A’n'tI a Cherub? Didn’t they initiate me
when I war absent, an‘ than snatch me from
ther noese? Ez I’m a member in good standin’;

' my duty is to be] ‘my pards. I go to Cinna»

mon to take a him In ther biggest game what
war ever played thar. One gang; ov b’ars a1"
encugh for one den. Cinnamon ar too small to
hold two.”

Placer did not argue the case further with the

 

determined mountaineer, and the trio went
back to the cave.

“ You three go at once to Virginia City,” he
said. “Ther roads ar’ cl’ar now. To—morrow
it may be full 0v wolves. I’m goin’ to Cinna—
mon. Bill Bravo’s motto is: ‘ Always stan’ by
yer pardsl’”

Arguments and cntreaties availed nothing,
and an hour later the mountain cave was desert-
ed by everything living save the wounded griz-
zly, Dandy Dick, who leaned a ainst the mouth
of the retreat and growled his ispleasure.

Bill Bravo and Rocky Dan were on their way
to Cinnamon City.

 

Four days later a ponderous two-Wheeled ve-
hicle, drawn by a horse and arded by a
bronze—faced man and a grizzly ing, rumbled
into Virginia City and created no little excite-
ment. I

“The man is Bill Bravo!” exclaimed one of
the spectators, a. youth, who sprung from a
companion’s side and joined the crowd by which
the two were surrounded.

In the cart lay another bear, whose paw was
bandaged and splintered like a broken human
limb.

“ Hyar you ar’, Dictiona , safe an’ sound,”
exclaimed the driver of 1the ambulance, on
catching sight of the youth who was pressing
through the crowd to greet him. “ An’ I’m
hyar, too, in pretty much ther same condition.
Did we hev thet shootin‘ match? Wal, I should
obsnrve l” and the rough fellow laughed.

“ And the Cherubs came 01f victorious, Bill?“

“Kinder so,” was the reply. “ Sech a shoot—
inl—inatch war never hed afore. Ther pro-
gramme formerl by a committee in ther after-
noon ov thct day war carried out at night. It
war fun of it war earnest. Thet’s ther fullest

raveyard in ther Rockies—ther one up thar to

‘innamon. Lots ov cabins to rent up thar,
too. J es’ afore I left, Wildcat an‘ me posted a
notice that read: ‘ This hull town to rent,’ fur
Wildcat an’ yours truly ar’ the only relics ov
thet terrible sliootin’-match.”

Dictionary Nat uttered an exclamation of
horror.

“ Wildcat went further north whar he expects
to git up a new Cherub club; but he’ll never
find another that will shoot like ther old one."

Thus in rough and, at times disjointed, sen-
tencos was told the story of the terrible conflict
between the rival factions of Cinnamon, the
cit of the roughs.

gill Bravo and his rizzlies found an asylum
in Virginia City until andy Dick’s limb healed,
and he then announced his intention of going
East with the little party soon to start.

“ l’ll take ther grizzlies along jes’ to show ’em
ther best pards a man ever bed!” he said, and he
did

East of the Father of Waters Ada Norton, or
Posy Nell as Bill Bravo persisted in calling. her

became Nat Grayscot’s bride, and the assembled ,,

nests were delighted to see two real grizzlies
dance at the wedding.

Nat, however, watched the old bears with‘

pride.
1m: END.

 

 

 

 

   
     
  
  
    
  
  
   
 
     
   
   
     
  
   
  
   
  
    
       
    
        
         
       
     
           
       
           
        
       
    
     
    
    
     
      
      
       
          
      
     
       
       
      

 

 

 

 

/ 32 OCTAVO PAGES. /‘BE \ PRICE, FIVE (lENTS.\
POCKET LIBRARY. ,

acne/awcoma:Wm(aanc4a:a:a.<7:camvac/awcart:Mammmmcnwwmwwmmmwmmuquwl

 

l Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. By 62 “"lll Sinners-the BuyDetective. By ell-RR. Morris. l

Edward L._\\'hwiur. 63 S01 Ginger, the Ginnfl‘rnnuev. Dr A. W. Aiken.
2 Kfilnru nBlfilng; ur, The Red Right Hand. By (34 Roncbud Rob. By Edwnrd L. \Vlieeler.
hi it o i . 5

8 The Flylqu Yn'i’~ee. By Cul. Prentiss Inarnhum. 66

Ll htnlnu Joe. By Cnptnin J. F. C. Adnrna.
 llnrefoot, the Wouddlnwk. By T. C. ilnr‘

 

  

 
 
 

  
 

 

4 The Dunble Dnmzern. Hy E-lwurd L. Wheeler. nugh.

5 The Two lick-«then; 0r. The FOHHWB ul' 0 67 Rollo, the Buannger. By Oll Cnomen.

Bowery Girl. My Albert \\'. Aiken. 68 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. By

6 The l’rnlrle l’llni. Hy Huflnlrl Bill. Edward L. VVlweler.

7 The lhlfl’nlo Der-Inn. Dy Edward 1... Wheeler. 69 Detectlve Blek: or, The Hero in Rugs. By Charlel

8 Antelope Abe, xht- lioy Guide. By on Coonies. norm,

9 Ned Wvldc. the “my Srgnit. 15y “ ‘i'xllstm‘li." 70 Burufihot Seth, the Boy Riflemnn. ByOllCaon-m.
10 Bulfnlo Ben, l‘rinrc of the rum]. Bylt. 'A-“l160ilfl‘4 71 Shnr Sum ; or, The Adventure! ofaFriandlen Boy.
11 Ralph Iloy. the B W l-“('|‘llllter. liy C l. lngrnhaui. lly . Alex-rider Pntten.

12 Nlek o‘the h It. B_ " ('. llnrhunizh. 72 The Llon of‘the Sea. 13y Albert W. Aiken,
18 Yellowfitunt (k. Hy Jnselih IL. Badger, Jr. 73 Photon-rum: l’hll,lhe Em Sleuth; 0r,Roaubud Rob‘s
l4 1Vlld Ivnn, Ihe Buy Clnudu DIH'lIl. ByE. L.VVlieeler. ltnnlvpenmncu. By E. L. Wheeler.
15 Dunnli Dirk; 0r, ’l‘hl- libilcry of the Yellow- 74 I’lenyune Pele; or, Nicodeuiua,tlie Dog Detedive.

slime. liv (.‘wlunvl l‘rcutiss lngruhnni. BV Clmrlvn Morris.
16 Keen-k l" the l’rxirivr. By OllCoomea. 75 Inland Jim: or. The Pet of the anlly. By Brace-
17 0.1%.... s ». . ~ \rldln m lloySpy. By 0...». bridge llemyngflm'k llnrkmvay).

J. 1‘. C Adm 76 “'nteli-Eye, the, Shadow. By Edward L. “'heeler.
18 Denth-Fncc. ilm newline. By E. L. Win-eler. 7? chk Dead Eye. the Boy Smuggler. By Col. P.
19 anu) .l nuk llm Y rlllIL’ linstnntrar. llr Ull Canines. Ingrnhnm.
20 Roaring l‘lnlph llfnl'wnod, the Reckless 78 Dendwood lllck’fl Device.

.a

79 The film

   

Rnnul-r. llv llmry St. (1 v M “flange” B -

rdnii S. Finn. 80 Old Front. ', the HUME. Br '1'.

 

 

21 The Boy Clown. By h L. llzll‘lmuuh.
22 The Phantom Miner; 0r. Deadwood Dick’s 81 The sen \ lner. Byctd. l’nmljuIllurnlmm.
Bunnnzn. lly Edward 1.. \\ hnelrr. 82 Seth Jonen; or.The Cnptivea of the Frontier. By
28 The Sea-(Hit; nr. The “'ltvh ur Durien. By Cnpt. Edwnrd 5. Ellis.
’ Frederick \Vhittuln-r. 88 Cnxmdn Chet, the Connterfeiter Chief. By Edward
~ 24 The Dumb Spy. By Oil Canines. L. Wheeler.
’35 Ruttlllu: Rube. My lln Qt. Goor e. 84 The Dumb Pate; or. The Doga’n Daughter. By
2 26 ("11 .vh'nlnnl-he. llh’ Anni lnr. lly ‘. L. Wheeler. Capt. Frederick Wluilui.er.
3i» ' 27 Glam-Eye, the Grcut Shut of the West. lly Cnpt. J. 95 The Boy’ Miners. By Edwnrd 5. Ellis.
_ _ F. (1. Ailnms. 86 Jack llnrknwuy In New York. By Bruce-
' 28 The Boy (‘nntnllh B- Rngzer Stun-buck. bridge Henlyllz.
' 29 Dlek Hurling:~ this l’uny Eipxess Rider. By Cnptnin 8? The lluulnr Cnptnln. Fly Col. Prentiss lugrnhnm.
breduriok Whittaker. 88 Deadwood Diek 1n Lendvlllcé‘ or, A Strnnge
30 B01) \Vonli'. tho, ISA-rdrr Rufllnn. By E. L. Wheeil‘r. St‘oke for Liberty. liy Edwnrd l.. 'heeler.
8| nghtlnx‘nle Nut. By ’1'. C. llnrhmwh. 89 Bill Blddun, Trnpper; or, Liie in the horthweit.
83 “luck John. Um» llund Agent. By J. E. Badger. Jr. lly Edward 5. Ellis.

88 llmnhn 01], tlm Mink d ’l‘crror. lly E. 1.. Wheeler. 90 Tlpll)’, the 'l‘t-xnn. By George Gleason.
84 Hurt Bunker. thn 'l‘rn rmr. By Genrge E. Lnsnllu. 91 Muutung Sam, the King at the Plnim. By Joe. E.

35 Tin-1:0,. mlch or,’ n» Underground omnp. By [Sudan-ruin
A. C. lrnns. 92 The Ocean Blnodhnund. By Smnnel 1N. Prince.
36 The “'hltv, Bull’nlo. By GEMS”, E- LMHUG- "3 ’llll "11"”; the “IV” Buy. By Chnrlea Morris.

 

37 Jill] "1.14500. .1 r. Bx F .. Win-elem 94 lendu'ood chk m- lletoctly-e. lly E. L.Whaeler.

 

851 Ned “Illoldlm l;.._-; ’I‘i-n,.,..-r, " npt.J.F.(‘.. Admin. 95 Ihu-k Buckrum. By (‘an-un J. F. C. Adan".
1w Dundlv l‘lvo. Iiw mind...” Smut. in mm. Inn. 96 Gut-Edged Dick. By Ediv-rd 1,. Wheeler. .
40 vak “'hilllt-«Vu I'd-1,. liycnpt. J. F. C. Adzlllls. 97 The “luck Steed of the l’rulrlcu. By lumen
41 lk-mlu'nml lliok‘u Englcn; or, The Punk of L. llowvn.
["0‘ * '“'- l'." ""5 in Winfle 99 'l he Sen Serpent. By Junn Lewis.
The “1) _. lly llll Cnnnnm. 99 Bonanza Blll, thu Mun Trucker. lly E. 1.. Wheeler.

  
 

l'nndy Ellis‘n Scnlp. By Hurry 100 Nut Todd; ur, The lrnto of the Sioux Captive. By '
St. Gvnrgn. Erin-uni S. Ellis.

44 The “'1.th Indin“; m, The Scuuls 0f the Yellow- 101 During Davy; the Yuung lienr Killer. By Harry

‘ stnnu. lly (f: .x. .I. l“. C. Admins. St. (hinge.

45 Buekhorn lhlll; or, The Rul Rifle Team. By 102 The. ‘l cllowChlcl’. By Cnpt. Mayne Reid.
Edwnrd L. VVlquli-r. 108 chip, the can Sport. 8:.- Edward L. Vt'heeler.

48 The‘thdow Shin. By Col. Prentiss lnzrnhnm. 104 The Blm-k Schooner. By Roger Smrhnck.

47 The Red Brotherhood. By W. .l. Humiltnn. 105 llnndnolnc Harry, the Buotblacli Detective. By

48 Dandy Jm-k; or, The Uullnw of the Oregnn 'l'rnil. Charla Mom».

49\ "By  C. l'lnrlmugh. ‘1 S d H H P d n 106 il'fiht-l‘l rhwlk Kl}; or, the Daughter of the Ranch.
llrr cane lllll‘ nr . “stun nmnn is ar . _\~ on. .. m z". I'-
By .l'maih E. lhi.l;’;ur,’.]r. g 107 Jack "oyle’n Lend. By Edwnrd L. Wheeler.

50 Slnzle land; or. A Life {or it Life. fly \t'. J. 108 Rocky )lountaln Klt. B'T. C. Hurbnugh.
Hiuniltnn. 109 The llrnnded lland. 13y rnnk Dumont.

51 l’ntent-lcnther Joe. By Philip S. Warnc. 110‘1‘he Dread Rider. By war a W. Browne.

52 The t I 'r Robln "0011' ur,’l‘he Prairie ROVM‘. 111 150M 11011. Um Kllwnfliunthluc I. By lt‘. LWheeIer.
By rind-drifi‘mu. ' 112 The llelplen “and. By Capt. Mayne Reid.
58 Gold June, the sharpshooter. B ~ E. 1.. Wheeler. 113 Sour-Face flnula “refill-mt Hunter. By 011 oomes.
54 old le’n gum“; or, A Greenhuru lnthe W'ooilg. 114 l’lncy Paul, I e Mount-Hr. ‘13on; or. The um.
‘ By Cum. .1. d. (I. Add“... Armw orthe Adirondnch. lly ’1. J. llnrbaugh.
55 Delaware luck, lllh Young Ranger Spy. By 011 1:5 Deadwood chk’n Douhle. By E. L. wheel“.
11

6 {abet Coflln. Skipper. By Carl. F. Vl'hittnker.
’ 56 Mail Tom “'estern. By \V. J. Ilnxnlltnn. T l‘ nncy Frank. oi Union-do. _ By “Ilulfiilo Bill."
57 Dendwood Illck on Dork; "I. (‘nlnmity Jana. ‘

the Hvrmnonf\\'|i<\u]n~Un. L. “'hreler. “med EN?! Wednesday-

homes.

  

' 58 llnwkeye llnrry, the Yuunu rapper Rnuger. By Bendlc’l Pocket Library in for Bltlo by all New!-
0 Canines. ' dealers, five umll per copy, or sent by mail on recnipt at six
59 The flu lluellnt. By Col. Prentna Inurnlmm. can" each.
60 Abe, ()0 t the Crow-Killer. Ry Albert W. Aiken. DEADLY; & ADAMS' Pubudmr.
y

 

 

9
H
C
o
’1
a.
=
2
v2

' ' Charlie the Boy Bravo. By Edward L. I
1 wheeler. ’ 98 “’illlnm Street, New York.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

32 00 TAVO PAGES.

gaADLE,SM

POCKET LIBRARY.

 

 

mmmma:tommmascot/:44he»mmwmmmmmmh’hmmmmmmwmmmmw

118 Will “'ildilre, the 'l'horoughbred. By Chas. Morris.

119 Blonde liiil‘ rlr, Deadwood Dick's Home Bun.
By Edward L. \l/hoeler.

120 Gopher (lid, lho Boy Trapper. By T. C. Hnrbuugh.

121 Harry Arnmirong, the (‘nptain of the Club. By
liracebrirlgc ilumyng, (Jack Harlmwny.)

192 The Hunted Hunter. By Edward S. Ellis.
1213 Solid Sum, the Boy Ronni-Agent. By E. L. Wheeler.
124 Judge Lynch. Jr. By ’l‘. C. llarlmngh.

125 The Lnnd l’ir-nten. By Capt. Mayne Reid.

126 Blue "lumen; an'l‘ho Break 0’ Day Boys of Rocky
Bar. lly Frnnk Bunwut.

121 Tony Fox, the Forret. By Edward 1.. Wheeler.
128 Block Benn, Will Wildfirc’e Racer. Bv C. Morris.
129 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. By Oll Commas.
130 Gold Trigger, the Sport. By T. C. Harbnugh.

181 A Gnlno of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick‘s Big
Strike. liy Edwllrd L. Wheeler.

132 Dainty Lance, the Boy Sport. lly J. E. Badger,Jr.
133 “liltl-ilre. tho Brvsx ol'rhu Road. liy Frank Dumont.
134 Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. By C. Morris.

135 Deadwood Dick oi' Deadwood. By Edward
L. \Vheelur.

136 0111 Rulm, the Hunter. By Capt. Hamilton Holmes.

137 Dulldy Rock, the lllun from Texas. By G. Waldo
llruwlw.

138 Bob Rooketi. the Boy Dodger. By Chas. Murrls.

189 The Black Giant: or, Dainty Lance in Jeounrdy.
By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

140 Ollptnin Arizenn. By Philip S.Wnrne.

141 New York Noll, the Boy-Girl Detective. By
Edward L. Wheeler.

14% Little Tcxmmhe Ymmgliiusmngcr. By OllCoomet

148 Deadly Dunn: or, Fighting Fire with Fire. By
Jon. E. Badger, Jr.

144 Little Grit, the Wild Rider; or, Bessie, the Stock
Tunder‘n Daughter. By Col. l iss lngmhatn.

145 The Tiger oi‘Tuos. By Goo. Wulrlo Browne.

146 The Cattle King. By Frank Duvnont.

147 Hobby Nick oi'Nevudn. lly Edward L. Wheeler

148 Thunderbolt Tom. By Harry St. George.

1.49 Bob Roekett, the Bank Runner. By C. Morris.

150 The Mad Miner. By G. Waldo Browne.

151 The flea Trniicr. By Col. Pmntiu lngmluun.

152 Hand Dnrke; or The Tigers ollligh Pine. ll
Willtarll new“. ’ y

153 Wild Frank, the Bllrklkin Bravo. By Edward L.
W eeier.

154 The Boy Trnlicrn. By Joe. E. Badger, .lr.

155 Gold Plume, the Buy Bandit; or, The KldGluve
Sport. lly Col. l‘rontivs Ingrahanx.

156 “7111 “'ildllre In the Woods. By C. iorrin.

155‘? Ned Temple, tho Border Buy. By 1‘. C. likr‘wlgh.

158 Deadwood llivk’n Doom. By E. L. Wileelu

169 Patent-Leather Joe‘s Defeat. By Philip‘s.

W'anle.
100 lhliYnlo Billy. the Boy Bullwhncker. By Col. P.
ingrnlwm.
161 Bob Roekett. the Crncknman. By C. Morris.
1(l2 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain. By 0]]

Canines.
183 Deadwood Dirk‘o Dream. By E. L. Wheeler.
“ii Tornado Tom. By T. C. llnrbaugh.
165 Buffalo Bill’s Bet. By Col. Prentiss lnurahnm.
166 W lii Wildfire Wins and Loses. By C. \lorrls.

 

l6? Dandy Rock’s Pledge. By George W. Browne.

168 Deadwood Dick’s \‘Vard Th Bl -k I
Jezebel. By Edward 1.. Wheeler?“ 0 M H1"

169 The Buy Champion. By Edward Willett.
170 Bob Rock ett’n Fight for Life. By C. Morris.
171 Frnnk Morton, the Buy l’lel’culul. By 011 Coemes.
172 The Yankee Ranger. By Edwin Emeuon.
173 Dick Dingle. Scout. By Edward S. Ellis.

1741 Dandy Rock‘s Scheme. By G. W. Browne.
175 The Arab Detective. By Edward L. Vi'heelur.
176 “rill “’ildiire’o Pluck. By Charles Morris.
17? The Boy Commander. ByColJ’renlin lngrolmn.
178 The Mnniue Hunter.

179 Dainty Lanee; or, The Mystic Marksman. By
Joe. E. Badger, Jr.

180 The Boy Gold-llllnter.
181 The Senpegrnec Son.

182 The Dnrk - Skinned Scout.
Hazelline.

By Burton Sue.

By T. C. Harhnugh.
By Clurlel Morris.
By Lleui. Col.

198 Jaboz Dart, Dctectlvv. By 011 Cnnmes.
184 Featherweight, the Buy Spy. By Edward wanen.
135 Biuon Bill, the Overland Prince.

Ingraham.
186 Dainty Lance and “is Part]. By Joseph E.
Badger, Jr.
187 The Trapped Tiger King.
188 The Ventriloquist Detective.

molar.

By Col. Prentiss

By Charles Morris.
By Edward L.

189 Old Rocky’s Boys.
190 Sim Simpklnl. Scout.
19l Dandy Roek’n Rival.
192 Hickory llarry. By Harry St. George.

198 Detective Joni: Grim. By Edward L. Wheeler.
194 Prospect Pete, the Boy Miner.
105 The Teuderfoot Trailer. By ’I‘. C. lebnugh.
196 The Dandy Detective.

19’? Roy, the Young Cattle King. By Colonel Prentiss
lngmham. Ready Oct. )9.

I98 Ebony [Inn’s Mask.
Ready Oct. 26.

199 Dictionary Nut, Detective.
andy Nov. 9.

200 The Twin lint-semen.
Whittaker. Heady Nov. 9.

201 Dandy Durkc’ll Pnrdn. By Wm. R. Eyster.
Ruddy Nov. 16.

202 Tom, the Texan Tiger. By Oll Gnomes.
Ready Nov. 23

203 finm, the (lillcc Buy.
Ready Nov. 30.

Issued Every Wednondny.

Bendia’n Pocket, Library in for sale by all No...
dealers, fivo conln per copy, or sent by mail rm receipt of six

By Maj. Sam. S. Hall.
By Jame-1 L. Bowen.
By Geo. Waldo Browne.

By Oll Coomen.

By Charle- Morris.

By Frank Dumont.

By T. C. Horbnugh.

By Cnpt. Frederlck

By Chirleu Morris.

cents each.
BEADLE 4L ADAMS. Pubiiahers,
98 William Street, New York.

 

 

 

 

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