.

 

 

 

‘ I} ‘ g.  ,,.‘l’ ’

Copyrighted, 1889, by HIAnu AND Annie. Entemd M. the Post Ofica at New York, N‘ Y,' 35 Second Clnsn Mail Manet. Nov.16. 1589.

 

. Pbl'hWkledl a )
No. 292. 3533. u 15 13:93 mimgfgm‘f figmmms’ Fu’e'gélu. VOLXXIII.

 

 

 

A STRANGE BEING CAME BOUNDING INTO CAMP AND BENT OVER THE WOUNDED MAN.

4

 

2 Bullet-proof Nat.

 

Bullet-Proof Nat;

R,
THE WILD GULCH GOBLIN.

BY W. J. HAMILTON,
AUTHOR or “mm. mm MIMIC SPY," “NORTH
WOODS iu'r,” “ rm: GIRL RIFLE—SHOT,”
ETC., mm, mo.

 

CHAPTER I.
Tm! WOUNDED PAWNEE.
“ No. for I am a hero‘u child:

I'll hunt my (Hurry in lhe wild;

And still my om. this mnnsxon make,
Ol' all unneeded and uuheedin ,

And cherish for my warrior’s an 8—
Tha flower of love lieu bleeding."

As the last WOX'dt Were yet ringing through
the mountains among the toot—hills of the West,
a cauop of leaves were thrust aside, and a
beautifulazirl sprung out into the open space. A
' lorloul woman, worthy of the devotion of man.
. or dark hulr, lustrous. black as night, rolled
in great masses. unconfined, save by the Iimpio
hand about the shapely head, half-way to her
feel. Her complexion was wuito and pure, the

’ rich bloxl adding a delicious glow beneath the
transparent skin. Her drum was a strange min
ture of male and female attire, but worn in so

iquant a fa-Ihion that. no one Could ch11 it uh-
emiuino. Over trowuars of rho Turkish fashion
she wore a. green kirtle of strong cloth, secured
at tho waist by a. narrow belt of red leather. in
which was thrust n silver-mounted revolver and
a small bowie; and she held in her hand a. small
rifle of the best make.

“Hui ha! he!" she laughed. “I have given
Elbert the slip, and he will go mad if he does
not find me. Oh, how happy I am May.
never thought to be so happy.”

She sunk down upon a. moss-covered knoll in a
musing cttitucle. one small hand supporting her
head. and the olbowresting upon the mossy sod,
while the other clasped the rifle-barrel. Her
beautiful 9 as were dewncm, and a tender
light crept ate them.

“ I, who had lost all, father, mother, brother
and friends. am happy in this wild solitude. Oh,
my mother. from your bright home beyond the
blue sky, it you are lookingh down upon your
daughter, rest—for at last I ave found peace.”

A slight rustle iu the bushes amused her, and
she sprung uickly to her feet, throwing for-
ward the ti o in a defiant attitude. her dark
eyes full of coura e. The noise continued, and
to her great surpr 88. an Indian dragged hims’elf
witha painful ell’ort from the bushes, and fell
gasping at her feet. She saw in a moment that
she had nothing to fear from him, for his breast
had been pierced by a ball and the blood was
flowing from the wound. The face was a noble
one, though atype of the strange, unconquerabie
race from which he sprung. His breast and
limbs were models of mnniy beauty. and his
face was proud and finely cum-though convulsed
with the effort to keep down his agony.

.

 

“ Matonahl” she cried. “ What is this? Who
has hurt you?"

He con d not speuk, and she ran to a. spring
which bubbled up at the foot of a great tree,
and filling her cup with water, knelt by his side
and bathed his face and lips. Then, by a. great
etl’ort, she moved him so that his head was sup-
ported by the mossy knoll on which she had
been sitting, and filling the cup again, washed
the blood from the» wound. She saw that,
althou h a very severe one, it was not neces-
sarily atul, being very high up, just below the
collar-bone on the ri ht side.

“There, there, atonuh,“ she said, softl .
“ You will do Very well if we can find the be. i.
I wish you could tell me who has done this.”

“ White man—ha!” muttered the Indian.
“ Melvin—Curt Melvin.”

“Curtis Melvin?" cried the girl, starting to
her feet. “ It cannot be. He dare not come to
this lace for his life."

“ a come, Silver Star—he come,” whispered
the Indian. “ Shoot Matonah.”

“ Say no more about it, my poor fellow. Let
me see what we can do for you; but first I will
call Elbert.”

She took a small silver bugle which‘hung at
her belt and blew a call, three times repented.
It was answered by a. similar instrument not
far awav, and she bent over the Indian, with a
flush auflt‘uzing her beautiful face.

“ Silver Star love Elbert; Elbert love Silver
Star. Good. Matonah is the friend of both,”
said the Indian, faintly. “ Melvin bad heart—
work evil—love Silver Star. Mus’ take his
scalp some day."

Silver Star, as the Indian called her, after
the poetical manner of his race, put her hand
under the Indinu's shoulder to remove a. small
stone which was canal vhim uneasiness. As
she did so, her hand tonc ed the naked skin oi!
the warrior, and she felt -somethin hard and
smooth bulging just behind the shou dot-blade.

“I think I have found the ball, Matonah,”
she said. “Turn upon your left side, it you
will trust me to remove i ."

“ Matonah trust Silver Star,” replied the In-
dian, moving his Body painfully, so as to bring
his shoulder into view. Her delicate fingers

sod over the spot where the ball protruded.

tisfled that she was right, she took the bowie
from her belt and felt the point. It was sharp
as a razor, and perfectly fitted for the work she
had to do.

“ Silver Star bus a. woman's heart,” said the
Indian. “Let her leave this work for a. man’s
hand. Matoneh can bear the pain until Elbert
comes.” . ' .

“Are you afraid I cannot do it right; and
that my band will tremble, Matonahi' , also
said; ‘ Look atthis.” '

She wont to the sprmg near at hand, and
stoo ing, filled the cup with water, so full in«
deedp that it seemed as if another drop would
cause it to overflow.
hand. that she raised it again and again at
arm’s length, without causing a ripple on the
surface.

“Good!” said Matonuh. “Silver Star has a
man’s heart, She shall take out the ball.”

She stooped over him again, and bye. single

 

Yet, so firm was her .

 

.jififg"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

Bullet-proof Nat. ' 3

 

dextrous cut, laid bare the bullet, while not a
tremor of the flesh betrayed that the Indian
felt it in the least. Then pressing hard upon
the flesh on each side of the cut, the bullet
dropped out into her hand, followed by a gush
of blood. She caught up a. handful of moss and
dried the blood, and while engo ed in this, the
sound of coming feet was henrc , and aband—
some young fellow in the dress of a hunter ap-
peared upon the scene, breathing hard, as if
after a run.

“ Elsie?" he cried.
hurt Mutonah?”

“ I will tell you in a moment. I have found
the bull, and hero it is. As well as I can make
out, he will do very Well now, for the wound is
prett high up.”

“ ow is it with you, chief?” said, the hunter,
kindly. “Will it be long before we hunt the
deer together?"

“ No, Elbert," said the Indian. “Lost much
blood, weak as pappoose, but soon be better.
Melvi’n bad man, and mus’ have him scalp, El-
bert.’

“ Melvin? What does he mean? Surely you
have not seen Curt Melvin, chief?

“ Melvin shoot,” replied the Indian, doggedly.
“ Hove him scalp."

“It cannot be,” said Elbert. “You know
well enough that it is as much as Curt Melvin’s
life is worth to come here now,‘ after. what he

“ What is this? Who has

~ has done.”

“Look at bullet,” said the Indian, quietly.
“ Silver Star got him.”

Elbert knew well that every rifleman on the
border had a mark in his bullet-mold to distin-

' guish his own bullets from those of others. It

wusapointof honor with them, in case of a.
dispute with regard to the ownership of game,
to have a mark by which to decide whose bullet
laid it low. He took the ball from Elsie’s hand
and looking at it closely, saw that it bore the
mark of Curtis Melvin-two crossed daggers!
“You are right, chief,” he said, earnestly.

“And the Scoundrel has really dared to come

back, and has marked his coming by a bloody
deed. He shall taste the justice of Judge
Lynch, or my name is not Elbert Spencer.
Give us a blast of your bugle, Elsie, and call up
the boys.” ' ‘

The girl took the bugle and sounded a call
which she knew would be understoth Elbert
set to work binding up the wounds of the Indian,
who was faint from loss of blood. Elsie kept the
bugle, and from, time to time repeated the call,
and they could tell from various sounds that men
were gathering from all quarters. The first who
entered the glado was so remarkable in personal
appearance that he deserves special notice.

(As his head showed itself above the bushes it
would have seemed that he was a boy, not more
than twelve ears old, but, as he came into view,
this was exp dined. He was one of those frenks
of nature sometimes seen. in which some part of
the frame is deficient. The lower lllllbs‘ of this
strange man were long and muscular, but his
body was wonderfully short, and his head seemed
to have been settled between his powerful shoul-
ders without a. neck. His shoulders were those
of a giant, and hisarms were of wonderful length
and" power. Look at him well, for in him you

i

 

see that celebrated scout and guide, Long-armed
Dan, well known along the border. The limbs
from which he took his sobriquet 'were so long
that, when standing erect, the extended fingers
touched his ankles. The face was smooth as a
woman’s, with a fresh color in the cheeks, and a
high, noble forehead, surmounted by clustering
dark hair of great beauty. He was clad in hunt-
ing-shirt, leggings and moccasins, and carried a
very heavy rifle, revolvers and bowie.

“Hey, Elbert,” he said. with a good-natured
smile, “what made you call us in? Oh, Chisels!
what’s the matter with tho Pawnee? I’ll be
bu’sted if them cussed Hudson Bay chaps ain’t
round here ag’in.”

“They are indeed, Dan,” said Elbert. “Look
at this bullet.”

He laid it in the broad palm of Dan, who re-
coiled from the contact as if he had touched a.
serpent, while a terrible light came into his blue
e es.

“ Curt Melvin, by the mortal snakes! What
is he? I kain’t wait, kain’t live, Imin’t breathe
until I’m on his truck. I’ll cut his heart out and
feed it to the buzzurds!”

“Dan!” cried Elsie.

“ I fol-git myself,” said Dan. “Yes, I do, but
I kain’t help it,” dancing up and down the open
space, and striking furiously at an imaginary
enemy with his bowie. “ Curt Melvin; yes.
He’s a nice chap, I don’t thinkl You knew Harry
Barber, Miss Elsie?” ,

{I Yes. ,1 {

“ You knowed he were killed, I' s’pose?"

lf‘gles, but Inever knew how, Dan,”she re-

ie( .

"l’ll tell you. This yer’ blasted Curt Melvin
caught us trapping on the Upper Red. An hon-
est boy Harry was, and believed in the North-
west Comp’ny and wouldn’t take no words from
a Hudson Bay man. _ Melvin come down on us
and they killed him like a dog, and I swore I’d
never forgit it. What! Harry was one of the
few who never lau bed at poor Dan Newhull,
because he wasn’t uilt u 3 like other men, and
Curt Melvin killed him, dir n’t be? And for that '
I’ll have his" life. Whar is he; whar is he, I
say?” _

“He is somewhere in the bills, for that ball
came from his rifle. ‘Where did you meet him,
ghief?’ Speak quick, for the boys will soon be

ere.

The chief described a glen, some half a inile
distant, as the one where he had received the
fatal shot. He had caught a fleeting glimpse of
the face of his enemy, in the act of firing, and
knew him but too well. .

“ Here come the boys," cried Elbert, and as he
spoke a motley group of men begun to pour into
i; 6 opening from all sides. They were the men
of the border—that strange mixture of races only
tobe found hpon the western plains. Tho vola-
tile Frenchman; the stolid German; the cool,
eVer-wnkvful and whistling Yankee; the half-
breed and pure Indian, in all sorts ol’ costumes
but with a general tendency to grease and dirt.
Reckless, goodmatured looking faces there were
in the group, but, forall that, they were men
who had faced dangers in many shapes and were
readv to do so again upon the slightest pretext.

7 Scatter, and search the woods, boys,” said

9

 

 

 

4 Bullet-proof Nat.
Elbert. “Dan will show on where to start 1 alone, and the rest stood like statues waiting for
from. Davis, Benton and orbes, stay with me his signal which they knew would come at the

and help get the Pawnee into camp. Where is
Doctor Sa bin?"

“Here, Elbert, my boy,” said a gray-haired
but hearty—looking old man. “ I’m with you."

The men trooped off into the woods again,
fellowiug Dan, while those who remained lifted
the body of the Indian and carried it away to
the south, Doctor Sabin and Elsie following
them closely.

Long-armed Dan led his companions to the
place indicated by the wounded Indian, and
scattered to look for “Sign.” With men who
had been trailers and scouts all their lives this
was a work of short duration, and a shout from
one of their number apprised the rest that he
had found the trail. All rushed to the spot
and found the successful scout standing over a

place under a low spreading tree, where the 3
grass was bent and trodden as if some creature,
Most men would have '

had been lying there.
been troubled to follow such a clew as this, but
to these men it was all-snflicient.

“ Look out, boys,” said Dan, eagerly. “ Don’t
tramp on the Sign. Let me have a. look at it
before you say a word."

He knelt upon the grass and gazed long and
intently upon it.

“Yes, boys, the Injun was right,” he said.
“ Hyar‘s whar the skunk laid down, and hyar’s
wharhe made a rest with his elbow when he
fired. He was layin’ down, and that’s all that

i saved the Pawnee’s life, for the bloody skunk
knows how to shoot, that’s a fact. He had to
aim u , and the ball took a slant.”

“ ho is it?" said one of the men, for Dan had
not yet seen proper to say of whom they were in
pursuit. At the mention of the name a shout
of execration burst from the party, to whom the

, name seemed to be especially obnoxious.

“ Ah, scelrrat J" yelled a French trapper,
dancing about on the sod. “ Z-it coquin s’all die
by my hand, Certainement. Bah !”

“ Don’t blow, Frenchy,” said Don. “I reckon
ou ain’t the on] one that’s got a grudge ag’in’
urt Melvin. Nigw for trailing. v '
They set to work like men who understood
their business. The forest quickly hid them
from View, and not a sound cumo from it to tell
tlwy Were following with steadfast hate upon
thextrack of the would-be assassin of Matonah.
Silent, but unwavering, they followed the trail
on a run, for long experience had made V
‘equal to this feat. Hisllong limbs carried him
rver the ground at a pace which the others
found it hard to compete with, and he was tire-
less as a hound.

The trail freshcned as they proceeded, and it
was evident thut Melvin had not taken pains to
cover it. What could he mean by this when he
knew that any man in the party would shoot
him down like a dog upon sight? The course
led them deeper and deeper into the foot—hills;
the vegetation grew less rank as they proceeded
and they knew that the man they sought could
not be far away. ,

Dan stopped and held up his hand. Every
sound was hushed, and these hunters of men
held their breaths to listen. Then, with a warn-
ing gesture to the rest, Dan crept forward

»

Dan _

 

right time.

Suddenly they heard a fierce cry—a yell
scarcely human-4mm the lips of the Long-
m'med Scout, and, dashing forward, they found
him standing alone upon the brink of a great
fissure in the earth, caused b some mighty con—
vulsion of nature, beating t 9 air fiercely with,
his hands.

“ Escaped, by the mighty l” heyelled. “ Gone!
the devil that helped him only knows how.”

 

CHAPTER II.
BULLET-PROOF NAr’s CArrIvn. .

THE four men who carried the wounded Paw-
nee went d0un the mountain-side at a brisk
pace, and reached the place where they had
pitched a camp, in a sheltered glen almost in-
accessible to a stranger, but easy of access to
those who knew the ground. They had hardly
reached the camp and laid the Indian down
upon a bed of skins, when a strange being
came bounding into camp and bent over the
wounded man, A grizzled, fierce, save 8-
looking creature, with a. tawny beard e-
scending to his waist, and clad almostentirely in
the skins of wild beasts, rudely stitched together
with- the sinews of the deer. in one hand he
carried a ponderous pike, which onlya giant
could have wielded, but which in his grasp
swung as easily as a magician‘s wand. The
loose skin which formed the covering of his
body was girded at the waist by a broad belt
of untanned leather, and in it was thrust a long
knife without a sheath. Upon his feet he wore
rude moccasins. evidently made by himself, and
his head needed no other covering than his un-
cut hair, which reached below his shoulders.

Elsie recoiled in some alarm from this spectral
figure, but Elbert whispered in her ear notto
show fear of this strange being, who would be
annoyed at such conduct on the part of those he
considered his friends.

“It is Not,” be said—“ Bullet—proof Nat, as
he is sometimes called. Rude as he looks, he is
a friend of the Northwest Company and will do
us no harm.” '

“Blood, blood, blood,” whispered the strange
being, as he laid his hand upon the breast of
the Indian. “ Who has shed it?”

“ Our enemies, Nut—the enemies of the North-
west.” said Elbert.

“He!” said the wild«man, bounding suddenly
erect and flourishing his spear. “ Show me the
place; let Nat strike at them, for he can strike
sharp blows and keen. They fear him, ha! ha:
ha! They have good cause.’

“ They have indeed, Nat,” said Elbert, kindly,
laying his hand upon his arm. ” Do you know
a man they call Curtis Melvin!”

The creature—~he could hardly be called a man
—nttered a yell at which the very mountains
rung, and struck his terrible spear upon the
earth with such tremendous force that it'was
driven nearlya foot into the sod. For some
reason the name drove him frantic, and he
rolled upon the earth, uttering a succession of
the most fearful cries, and the trapper shrunk
away appalled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

B inlet-proof Nut. 5

 

" S ak to him, Elsie, for Heaven’s sake,”
'said lbert. “ The voice of a woman can charm

him in his wildest moods. Do not fear him but
speak to him by his name.”

“ Nat.” said Elsie, swuetly.

“ Hal" said the wild man, starting up to his
knees and lookin at her fixedly. “An angel
has spoken,and at has heard the voice. Speak
again, and let me hear it.”

“ You must be very quiet. for the Pawnee is
badly hurt. Will you promise to be quiet, for
my sake?”

“ Yes, yes, yes; Nat will be quiet, when the
anch speaks. But he said Curtis Melvin was
here, and his name always drives Nut wild.
Let me go into the mountains and find him. I
will bring him bound and lay him at the angel’s
feet. and then she can kill him, and Nat will
look on and Ian h."

“ Do you thin you can find him, Nat?” said
Elbert, eagerly.

" Hush!” replied Nat, waving him back with
a lofty gesture. “I am speaking to the angel,
and She will tell Nat what to do. Let no son of
the earth come between her and me.”

“ What shall I tell him, Elbert?" whispered

E1518.

“ Tell him to go and try to find Curt Melvin—
he knows the scoundrel well enough—and bring
him here. Let him bring him alive, if he can,
for we have an account to settle with him."

“ What says the angel 1” whispered Nat.
“ Let her speak again.”

“You must go out and find this Melvin, as
you have promised. He is a wicked man, and
will work us great evil if he is left at large.
Find him, and bring him to us, but be careful
not to hurt him."

“ Nat bears, and will obey. Hal hal hal He
must hide close if the Wild Man of the Gulch
will not find him. Must I bring him to this
place?"

“ Yes; are you strong enough to do it?”

“The angel does not ask that of Natl" cried
the strange creature. with another of his wild
lau hs. “ See; I struck the spear into the earth
wit one hand. Let one of these strong men
pull it out with two. ”

The pike was still standing upright in the
earth where he had thrust it, and Elbert seized
it,nnrl although a strong man, well knit and mus-
cular, the exertion of all his strength could net
move it. Nut laughed again, and fastening upon
the haft of the spear with his strong right hand,
he plucked it easily from the earth and shook it
above his head.

“ Strong! Hal ha! ha! Nat is the strong
man of the mountains—the Terror of the North-
west—the Demon of the wood ranges. He will
bring Curt Melvin to the angel and lay him at
her feet."

“Be careful of yourself, Nat,” said Elbert.
“ Don't let him get a shot at you, for you know
that he shoots close.” _

“Dues Nat fear him?" cried the madman.
“ Who can kill him 3’ Nat has tried to die, he
has prayed for death, but something turns the
bullets away from him. The grizzly turns aside
from the path he treads, and the carcajou slinks
into the cover when he passes by. No, Nat has
no fear of Curt Nelvin.

\.

 

“ G0 at once,” said Elbert. “ The place where
the Pawnee was shot was in ‘Ulel‘t Canyon.’
under the low pine bush by the sulphur spring.”

The wild .man sprung forward, pressed his
lips to the hand of Elsie, and with an unearthly
cry, bounded away into the woods.

“ Who is this Jearful being?" said Elsie. “Is
he mud?”

“ Any one can see that,” re: lird Elbert. “ Yes,
poor Nat is mad, but who he is, or whence he
came, no man can tell. I have it from trappers
and Indians that for many years he has haunted
these hills, living the life of a wild beast, in the
(lens and caves of the mountains. In some way
he has imbibed the most fearful hatred of the
Hudson Bay Company, and especially of Curtis
Melvin, and he neglects no opportunity to strike
a blow at any of the employees of our enemies.”

“ Where did you know him first, Elbert?"

“I met him strangrly, in the gulch which he
haunts most, about three miles from this place.
I was out with a party, as now, and in some
way had been separated from my men. and was
attacked by three Hudson Bay men. This bor-
der feud has been goin on for years, you must
understand, and there ave been more bloody
deeds done than people in the East dream of.
They were too many for me, and I should have
fared badly if Nat had not come down upon
them with one of his wild yells, and they got to
their horses and fled for their lives, leaving one
of their number dead behind them. Since then
I have met Nat often, and he has always been
my friend.”

“ Poor fellow. How does he live through the
cold winters?”

“He lives in a cave—where, I do not exactly
know, and he is cunning enough to lay in a
 of provisions for the winter, early in the

a .

“ I should have thought he would have been
killed by the Indians long ago.”

“The Indians! They fear him more than any
created being; and beSIdes, no true Indian would
lift his hand against a man on whom the finger
of the Great Spirit had been laid. He is truly
a wonderful man, and has done us great service
before now. Mad as he is, a keener scout or a.
more daring fighterl never saw. Did you no-
tice that I depended upon your influence over
him although you had never seen him 1”

“Yes; is a woman‘s influence so great, then?”

“ It is absolute. If you had not spoken, in a.
moment more he might. have taken us for ene-
mics, and I do not wish to be one of the four
men he chooses to attack. Hark; I believe that
the boys are coming in. I wonder if they have
been successful?”

The question was soon answered, for the men
began to come in with sullen faces, and it was
plain that Melvm had eluded them. Dan came
Milking in long after the rest, and sat down in
a despondent attitude, his long arms wreathed
about his knees. '

" You could not trail him. then?" said Elbert.

“Trail him? Trail the devil! He broke the
sign at a gulch, twelve feet wide, and thou h
we s’arched fur it u an’ down, we couldn’t raise
the color nohow. t’s enough to make a man
strike his maternal ancestor. '

“ We shall have him yet, Dan. There’is only

 

G ‘ Bullet-proof Nat.

 

one man who can beat you at this sort of
work—”

“Any one kin beat me. I’manat’rsl born
fool, as every one knows,” said Dan, eagerly.

“ Not a. bit of it. You are the best scout in
this camp, except one, and thnt one is even now
upon his trail. Can you think who I mean?”

“Was I wrong when I thought I heard Bul-
let-proof Nat laugh, about half an hour ago,
Elbert?”

“ No: you did hear him.”

“And he‘s arter Curt Melvin! Then Satan
save him if he can, for he is a gone coon.
Hurray for Bullet-proof Nut, says I. I wish
‘13’}! ’a: know’d he were out and I’d-’a’ gone with

1m. ,

“ I don’t think he would have any one, Dan,"
replied Elbert. “He always likes to go out
alone.”

“I know that, but he'd take me. Somehow
he seems to think that we ain‘t either of us like
ordinary men, and have s. feller-fecling in our

hosoms. Leustways, he’ll take me with him
when he wouldn’t hey no one else. Whar did he
0?

“ I sent him to the place where the chief was
shot.”

“All right; he’ll trail the consumed skunk,
never fear. I found something jest now, Cap.”

“ What was it?”

“ This,” said Dan, holding up an arrow stained
red with some mountain berry. “ What do you
think of that, now?"

“ Warl” replied Elbert.
us?”

“I ain’t so sure. It’s enough to know that
the red arrer never is sent unless the Injuns
mean business. Hal look at that.”

As he spoke something glanced into the camp
and struck a. large tree near at hand. Dan
sprung up and grasped it, and held up the [el-
’ low of the arrow which he had found—also

stained red.

“ That’s snuff,” said the scout. “ They mean
us, and the qu1cker we git ready for a scrim—
mage the better for us. Doctor, how is the
Pawnee?" '

“ If it were a white man who had received the
wound I might keep him on his back for a
week, but he will be ready for another fight in a
day or two."

“ Ready now,” said Matonah. “ Who has
sent the red arrow to my white brothers? Leta

' warrior of the Pawnees look at it."

They placed one of the arrows in his hand,
and helooked at it with an expression of sur-
prise and disgust.

“Negarnis a Sioux,” he said. ," The Sioux
are dogs, and have always been enemies to the
Pawnees. But why should a Sioux be a chief in
the rest tribe of the Blackfeet?"

“ 0 you tell us that Ncgara has sent this ar-

1, row, Matonah?"
, The Indian nodded his head in silence. and
they had too much confidence in his knowledge
of these matters to doubt that he spoke the
truth. Elbert‘received the new« with anything
but pleasure, for he knew this Negsra well, and
_ that he was a desperate and terrible enemy. He
was it half-breed Sioux, who had been driven
’ tram his tribe for some great crime, and had

“ Was it meant for

 

joined the Blackfeet, making their cause his
own. The party of which Elbert Spencer was
the leader had come out upon the plains for a
double purpose, partly to look out new trapping—
ground for the coming season, and partly to
drive out the encroaching employees of the
Hudson Bay Company, who Were then growing
unusually hold, on uccnunt of some successes in
the last season. Elbert had been a captain of
the Northwest Company for some years, and al~
though a young man, had been intrusted with
the command for his known courage and discre-
tion.

Elsie Vedder had been the only one saved
from an Indian massacre upon the plains, when
a child, by an old trapper who had acted as
guide to the unfortunate party, and who had
from that time reared her as his own child, since
ever one who knew her had died under the
hate ets of the Indians. This trapper, when
leaving upon any of his expeditions, had always
left her at one of the forts, in the cure of some
friends. During that time she had attracted the
notice of an ofllcer’s lady, who had taken pains
to give her on education, and the girl had
learned rapidly until she was accom ilished be-
yond anything often attained upon t 9 border.

The design of the expedition, after performing
the work assigned them in this section, was to
cross the mountains and reach one of the com:
pnny’s forts upon the Upper Missouri. At this
fort the adopted father of Elsie was stationed,
and he had depnted Elbert to bring her with him
when he crossed the mountains. As he knew
that Elbert loved her and would guard her with
his life from all danger, he was quite at ease in
regs rd to her.

0

While the brigade were husying themselves in ,

fortifying the ca mp against assault, in bringing
in the horses and securing them against the
danger of a stampede, and the leaders were
puzzling themselves over the probable designs of
the Indians who had sent the red arrow, they
heard, far off, the wild cry of Bullet-proof Net,
and listened intently.

“ Nat is like a bound. and never gives tongue
unless he is on a scent,” said Elbert. “ I, should
not be surprised if he did bring Melvin into
cam

“He never gives up. They may kill him, and
of course that will end it, but, unless they do so,
e’s bound to have that p’izcn critter.”

He was right. The night had not yet come,
and the guards were being posted. when Nat
came into cam , carrying a. burden thrown
across his shoe]: er, which he flung down at the
feet of Elsie, with one of his wild laughs.

“ There he is, angel! I told you Nat could
bring him.”

It was a man strongly bound with green
withes, and bleeding from the effect of a. crush-
ing stroke upon his forehead.

Nat had kept his word.

 

CHAPTER III.
THE TRIAL.

A our of execrstion went up among the mem~
hers of the brigade as they saw the face of the

$1
“ Pshnll be surprised if he don"t,”snid Dan. \

man who had been brought in by Nat, as the

, .5

i I
g-
i
f:

' i.
.

 

 

news.» “5 I ‘ ,

 

 

   
  

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Bullet-proof Nat. I '3

 

maniac rolled him ovor on his back and pointed
at it. The withes were torn from his limbs and
he was dragged to an upright position, and firm-
ly hold, while Elbert stepped out to question
him. The expression of the prisoner’s face was
defiant, and his hands opened and shut convul-
sively as his dark eyes wandered from face to
faCe among his enemies.

“ So you have come, Curtis Melvin?” said
Elbert. " We are right glad to welcome

on.

“ No doubt,” replied the other. “ I have come
because I have been forced to do so, and I wish
to ask you why you have set a lunatic upon me
who might have taken my life?”

“ I would have done it,” yelled Nut. “Yes,
yes, I would have hung him up for the vultures
to pick at, if the angel had not told me to bring
him alive.”

“ So you set him on, Miss Elsie!” said Melvin,
looking at her with a strange, intent gaze.
“ You of all others! In the time to come I shall
remember this kindness.”

“You ought to thank her for it, base hound,”
said Elbert. “ Rut for her you would not now
be alive. Not that it significs muoh, for, unless

I am much mistaken in the hamper of the men,

you have not long to live.”

“ Of course you will murder me,” said Melvin.
“ I knew that as soon 1 was certain into whose
hands I had fallen. It was a womanly deed,
Elsie VcddeH gentle act, and one to be proud
of l

“ You are not to speak to her, Melvin,” said El-
bert. “ She has nothing to do with it, except in
ordering Nat not to do you any harm.”

“I appreciate her motive, which was to exult
over my sorrows and see me abase myself be-
fore you, and beg for In life. But, by the gods
of the heathen—whom am ready to believe in
as an others—that pleasure shall be denied you
all, or I will die with m teeth set. Come;
when do you intend to mun or me?”

“You shall have a fair trial, sir; I promise
that.”

“ A fair trial! Ha! ha! hal A fair trial,
with you for I judge and your men for a juryl
That is the best oke of the season, upon my
honor. I am delig ted with the prospect before
me. and a preciate the generosity of your
nature. Ba ll go on with your farce."

“ There is no. hurry about it.” said Elbert.
“ The time will come quickly enough, and there
is not a man here who would do you an in-
justice.”

“ Oh, no, certainly not. Your coolness is
really refreshing, but I am in your hands to do
with as you may think fitting. Confound it,
man, I know what Judge Lynch’s court is, do I
not?”

“ You oughtto know," said, Long-armed Dan.
“ It being hauled up by the Rigilators Is any
creterion to go by.”

f‘ Learned language, upon my honor as a. man,”
said the other, laughing lightly. even in the face
of his deadly peril. “I am proud to say that
Only one man could have tracked me down and
that one is the mad devil who has done it. if his
hide was not knife and bullet—proof he would have
found a grave in the gulch to day. But, let it

 

 

55, I will not waste your time, most puissant

udi‘e Lynch.”

“ orm the court i” cried the men, hoarsely.

“ VVo won’t stand his talk an longer.”

“That is right, jurymcn. ,onvict a man be—
fore you try him. I knew how it would he,"
laughed Melvin.

“ Elsie,” said the young captain, “ I must beg
you to go away , and at once. We have a duty to
perform, and no one can be more grieved than I
am that it has fallen to my lot to be the leader
in it. Such a sight is not for you, andl beg
you to go away.”

Elsie covered her face with her hands and
hurried away‘from the camp. Elbert waited
until she was out of sight, and then turned to
his men with a sad look in his face.

“ Let us get this sad business over as soon as
possible,” he said. “ Who shall be judge of this
court?”

“ You! you i” cried many voices.

"I accept the position,’ he said, “although I
would much prefer that another should ocou y
it. Let me so gest some one in my place, who
can have no i] -feeling against the prisoner, and
will be more acceptable to him.”

“ Who is it?”

“ The doctor.”

“Hurrahl Good 1” roared the men. “Come
out, Doc, you have got to be Judge Lynch for
once."

“ No, no,” said the doctor. “ I know nothing
oftthe merits of the case, and I prefer not to
ac .

“ Don't refuse, doctor," said Elbert, hurriedly,
as the men began to murmur among themselves.
“ You are the best man for the position, and I
will be the prosecutor, and you have only to de~
cido the case upon the testimony.”

The doctor looked, once around the circle of
livid faces, and saw that a refusal to act might
be visited upon himself, and stepped into the
midst of the circle. ~

“ I accept, boys,” he said. “You know that
I an); opposed to these infernal trials, but I will
act.

He could hardly blame them, for their on]
safety was in courts of this kind, where cinl
law was a thing unknown. He took his seat
upon a rocky bowlder, which raised him above
the circle of the rest, and demanded why the
court was assembled.

” To try the prisoner Curtis Melvin, accused
of the murder of several persons, whose names I
will state," said Elbert, standing forward as
prosecuting attorney. I

“First, he is accused of murdering, or causing
it) be murdered. a man named Harry Barber, on
the upper Red River, about the 12th of Septem-
ber, 18-.”

“ What say you to this charge, prisoner!”
asked the jud c.

" Bah! I s all make no plea,” replied the
prisoner. As he spoke there was a peculiar
piercing cry coming from the opposite side of
the canyon. The prisoner started, raised his
head and listened intently for a moment, and
then, seeming to come in a decision said, inn
clear voice:

“Not guilty." ,

“ Second, he is accused of killing, by [a pistoL

8 Bullet-proof Nat.

 

shot, at the Royal Ranch, in Kansas City, a
man named Willis Sergeant, over a game at
cards.”

The risoner made the same plea as before,
and stil seemed tolisten to the sounds outside
the camp.

“Third, he is accused of causing to be burned
at the stake, on the 10th of May, 18—, Burt
Bentley,‘formerly a member of this brigade.

“ Fourth, he is accused of shooting the Pawnee
chief called Matonah, who now lies wounded in
this camp.”

To both these charges the prisoner replied as
before—not guilty. _

“ Bring your witnesses, Mr. Prosecuting At-
torney," said the judge.

“ As to the first charge" said Elbert rising,
“I have no witnesses to ring except flan, the
scout. Dan, tell your story.”

Dan stepped forward, and was greeted by the
prisoner in a laughin manner, though he kept
turning his head to 100 across the ravine.

“On the 12th of September, 18—, I was trap-
in on the upper Red,” said Dan, “ and Harry
or r was with me. We had taken some pelts

and were doing well, but that night our camp
was struck by four men, none of whom I know’d
except Curt Melvin, the prisoner. We had a
fight, and I broke out and got away after Harry
was down. I swear that I saw this prisoner
strike him on the head with a hatchet, even
after he fell. This is true, so help me God.”

The witness was about to step back when Mel-
vin, who was evidently anxious to gain time,
800 ed him.

“ beg pardon of the court, but am I not at
liberty to question the witness in 'my own be-
half!

“ Certainly,” replied the doctor.

“ Now, Dan,"said the prisoner, “this is busi-
ness. You swear, first, that this attack was
made in the night?”

If Yea 7!

“ Was it a dark night?”

“No; the moon was shining.”

“ Had you a camp-fire?” ‘

“ No; not such tools in the Injun kentry, with
such skunks as you Iayin’ round loose.”

“No reflections of that kind, witness,” said
the doctor. “ Answer the questions as they are
put to you.”

“ You had no fire, but the moon was shining?
Your camp was under the timber, of course, as
you were good scouts?”

“ Of course.”

“ Then how can you undertake to swear away
the life of a man whom you only saw in the un-
certain moonlight, and that too under the
shadow of the trees?” "

“ I’m morilly sart’in it was you,” said Dan.
lowering his voice.

“ Your Honor,” said Melville, “ you sure-1
cannot convict upon such, testimony as this. .
have nothing more to ask this witness.”

“ Pass on to the next charge. Who are your
witnesses, S nceri" ‘

“ Upon this charge, none of the witnesses can
be produced, but I can prove, by unimpeachable
testimony, that the prisoner was convicted upon
{this charge in the District Court at Kansas Cit ,
and that he afterward escaped from oust y

i

 

and
him.’

Several men swore to being present at the
trial, hearing the testimony an the conviction
of Melvin. By artful questioning he made it
appear that the person so convicted had borne
another name, and that they had only heard
from others that he and Melvin were the same“
person.

In regard to the third char 4:, the witnesses
proved that Melvin was with t e part of In-
dians who had burned Bentley, but ad not
taken an active part in the proceedings, although
be up cared to be under no restraint, but on
friend y terms with the savages.

Matonah testified that he had seen the face of
Melvin just as he received the shot from the
bush, and knew it well. Even over his testi-
mony this artful man endeavored to throw some
doubt, and had almost succeeded, when Elbert
arose with a new piece of evidence.

“ Your Honor,” he said, “ with a skill worthy
of a finished lawyer the prisoner has conducted
his own defense; but I proposeto bring in a iece
of evidence which he cannot controvcrt. an,
remove the shot- uch from his side and place
it in the hands 0 the judge. In the mean ime,
your Honor, look closely at this ball, so as to be
able to identify it.”

He placed a bullet in the hand of the doctor,
while at the same time Dan removed the bullet-

ouch from the person of the prisoner and laid
it upon the rock.

“ Have you looked at the bull, your Honor?”
asked Elbert, turning a look upon the face of
Melvin, who grew pale. “ What is the mark?”

“ Two crossed daggers.”

“Now, open the pouch which has just been
taken from the prisoner, and compare the bullet
with those it contains.”

The judge did so, and found them in size,
she a and marks to exactly coincide with the
bul et he held in his hand.

“ That bullet, your Honor,” said Elbert, “ was
taken from the wound of Matonah by Elsie Ved-
der, and giVen to me. What better proof do
you ask?”

“ How do you know that this is trust’fiasped
Melvin. “ id you see the ball removed

“ I did not, but Miss Vedder gave it to me
when I came up, telling me that it came from
the wound.”

“ More hearsay evidence, sir," said Melvin.
“ It seems that not a word of enuine evidence
can behad here. I demand’ t at Miss Vedder
give her testimony.”

“ I would not do that,” said the doctor. “ Why
should the poor girl be made to grieve by giving
etv’idence against you? . I beg you not to do
i .
"And I insist on it. Do you think that, for
fear of giving her a moment's pain, I will for-
felt my life? She must be called, .or I impeach
the justice of this so-called coiirt.’1

“ 0h shot up i" cried Dan. “ You’ve had
more than fair play, and given the he a dozen
times to men w ose shoes you ain’t no right to
on ie. A sentence, judge—a sentence.”

‘ A sentence!" cried the others. I

“No, men, no,” cried the doctor. " I’m judge
in this court, and I won’t be dictated to by any

they have not since been able to arrest

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

"a" Vania-4»! «-

< Lu

 

 

 

 

Bullet-proof Nut. 9

 

one. Come, now; you are determined to have
Miss Vedder’s testimony i"

is Yes.”

“ You demand it as a right!"

“ Yes," he persisted.

“Very good. Some one step out, and ask
Miss Vedder to come this 2?.”

Two or three men star ofllciously out to
call her, and went in the direction she had
taken. 0n arriving at the tree where she had
sat down, they were observed to start and look
anxiously about them.

“What are the men doing?” said the judge.
“ Why don’t they hurry?”

“Perhaps she will refuse tocome,” said El-

rt.

“ Then she must be brought,” replied the
judge, impatiently. “You, E bert Spencer, go
and bring her.”

Elbert stepped out of the circle, with adim
foreboding of evil in his heart, and ran to the
place where the men were grou in consulta-
tion at the foot of a tree. As 6 came up, he
saw that Elsie was not there, but one of the men
pointed silently to the ass at the foot of the
tree. Elbert looked wil ly at it, uttered a cry
of horror. and staggered back, a look of terror
imprinted on his face.

 

CHAPTER IV.
THE EXCHANGE—THE rms'r 8301'.

WHAT had be seen to change hi face so sud:
denlyl There, imprinted upon the soft earth
was a single footprint, made by a moccasiued
foot. That, in itself, was nothing, but by that
keen knowledge of Woodcraft which Elbert had
in common with all the members of his party,
he knew that the mark was made by an Indian’s
foot. There was no sign of a. struggle, but Elsie
was gone, and only this was left to tell how, and
night yvas coming on. Just then a shrill, trem-
ulous cry was heard upon the other side of the
can on as before, and now Melvin bounded sud—
den y erect and a look of ferocious joy came in-
to his face. "

“ At last, at lastl" he said. “ The work isdone
and I am safe. Dolts, cowards, dogs! I spit at
and defy you. Away with your mock courts,
your trials for deeds of which I am roudl”

“You hear him!" cried Dan. “ e confesses
his guilt. Sentence him, Judge Lynch, and let’s
have it over." ,

“ You dare not, for your lives,” was the reply.
“ Wait for Elbert Spencer and see what he has
to tell you.” .

Even as he spoke Elbert hurried up With wild
and startled looks.

“She is gone, boys; taken by the Indians.”

“ Hal hai hai” laughed Melvin. “ Taken by
my friends; you understand? Now lay a finger
on me, if you darel”

They did understand him buttoo well. If any
Wrggg was done him, she must suffer for it, if
3nd he spoke the truth, and the poor girl was
111 film hands of his friends.
H You need not believe me boys,” he said.

You will hear from my followS before long,
you may be sure. Hal keep that devil away
tram me as ou value the girl’s life.”

Walt, at, wait,” cried Elbert, pushing the

 

maniac back as he made a rush at the prisoner,
with a fierce look in his e es. “ If you touch
him now, the angel will be illed.”

Nat fell back with a helpless look, his eyes flx—
ed upon the face of the speaker.

“ Where is she?” be sai , in a faint voice. “ He
must tell.”

“ That would do no good, Nat. We must find
her without his help.”

“ Hallo, there i” cried a voice from the other
side of the canyon. “I want to come over, but
will not unless you promise that I shall come

safely;
“ be are you?”

“ Never mind that. Do you promise that I
shall 0 as safely as I come?"

“ es; come over. That is one of your fellows,
I su pose, Melvin?"

“ f course; I told you that you should hear
from them.”

They waited for some moments, and then a
man came scrambling up the sides of the canyon,
and drew himself up to the level ground. As
he approached they saw it was a half-breed, in
the semi-savage dress of the border, carrying a
rifle hatchet and knife.

“ how are you, boys?” he said, boldly. “ I’ve
got a little matter of business to do with you if
you will allow me. Ah] how are you, Curt?"

“ As well as could be expected of a man who
has been treated as I have been ” he said.
“ Wh the deuce didn’t you come before?”

“ ’ ad a little business to do first, that we
couldn’t get over before,” he said; “ and now I
anweady for work. I see you’ve got a friend
of mine in limbo, Ca tain Spencer. May I ask
what you mean by t at?”

“ I want to know first who you are, my man,”
said Elbert. “ Come; 5 1: up.”

“ Oh I'll do that ” refined the stranger, quiet-
ly. ‘ “name is lien Wilson, though I don’t
know w at particular good the name can do
you anyhow. ’

“'Very well, Mr. Hank Wilson; what do you
want here?"

“ Came to look after my friend. In fact,
thar's a number of us quite anxious about him
and we want him to be set free.”

“ Yorkers very anxious for that little favor, I
so se.

“ Rather so, I should say. In fact, they won’t
hear to anything else.”

“ But, suppose we do not care to let him go
and have established a sort of claim upon himrl

“ 011, see here, captain; this sort of thing
won’tdo. You are only wasting valyable time
to no purpose. Be so good as to look, at that
little docyment."

He put a small folded pa r, a. leaf torn from
n note-book, into the ban 3 of Elbert, who un-
folded it quickly, and read these words, written
hastily in pencil:

“D ‘AR Enter:—

“1 have bevn taken b a body of men, partly In-
dians and partly hnl savage white men. who
threaten me with a terrible death if Curtis Melvin is
not released. Do as you think best, for I am armed
for any fate which may await me. If anythln
happens, and we cannot meet aigaln believe that
have bipeu true to you and your our love.

‘* Essie"

1 0 Bullet-proof Nat.

 

" Who gave you this, you scoundreli” said
Elbert, turning savagely upon Wilson.

“ The person that wrote that letter wrote her
name on the inside I you know. And sart’in

ou ought to be able to tell Whether it’s her

andwrite or not.”

“ You have come to make a. proposal; out
with it."

“ We think a. good deal of Curt Melvin, that’s
a. fact. We ought to or we wouldn’t dare to
make the offer we do. We will give up the gel
for bin, and nobody else; that’s the proposition
I am to make.”

“ Do you know that this man’s life is forfeited
by the lo. we?”

“We ain’t got llu lows out here but the law
of the strongest hand. I’ve played my uce; fol-
ler my load." ‘

“ I must speak with my friends first. Natl”
The wild man approached ut the word and

grew ed his spear. ' _

"‘ on see this fellow, Nat,” said Elbert.
“ While we are talking yonder, see to it that he
does not move away from the 5 int where he
now stands, or so anything to (lurtiu Melvin.
,Do on understan me?” ‘

at lifted his spear in a significant manner

and looked at Wilson in a way which made him

tremble. -

. “ Now scohero,” he said, “ kein’t you give me
another 5011; of guard? This devil may take it
into his head to spear me like a. frog. Set some
one else to watch me.”

" He’ll do," replied Elbert. coolly, calling the
leading men of the band about him. Wilson, in
motto terror, crouched upon the spot where he
had been standing, hardly daring to look up.
The others went aside and held a short confer
ence. Much as they hated Melvin, this could
have but one issue, for there was not a man
among them who had not been touched by the
beauty; and grace of Elsie, or would not have
laid down his life in her defense. They soon
cargo back and Elbert signed toNat to stand
am e.

“We res to your roposition,” he said.
” How is t e exchange to e infected?”

“ Why,” said Wilson, “seeing I am here, I
don't see that we can do any other way than to
let me take Melvin with me when Igo back.
and then we will send the gal ovor to you, of
course." ,.

. “ Excuse me," replied Elbert. “ While I have
the strongest faith that you are a man of the

v strictest honor, I dislike very much to expose
you to temptation of this kind. We must take
another course, for fear you might forget to
give up the lady.”

i’d“ Oh "usaid Wilson, with a grin. “ That’s the

ea 9

‘ , “'I'hot’sthoido'o, clumsily ex ressedyno doubt,
but having a meaning in it. on will return to
your poop e. and bring the lady to the bottom of

' the gulch. You are at liberty to take one man
with youto perform the duty. I will take one

Of my men and bring the prisoner to the same

place. and there we will make the change.”

“ That’s fair enough. Shall you come armed 3"

“Just as you like about that. Perhaps both
bins had better bring; our weapons.”

“ Nothing more to be said, I suppose?’

 

“ Nothing that I can think of. You had bet-
ter niako’haste, as night is coming on, as you

may see.
he man gave them a rough salutation, and
hastened away. Not looked after him with an
evident desire to try the temper of his spear
upon him, but was restrained by his fear that
an injury might‘ be done to Elsie. Mad as he
was he seemed to understand that, and re
strained himself bravely. Fifteen minutes pass~
ed, and Hank Wilson, accompanied by a tall
Indian appeared at tho olpposito side of the can-

on. ’I‘he Indian held lsie by the wrist, and
or appearance was greeted by a stunning cheer
from t e bri ado.

“ Bring t e prisoner, Dan,” said Elbert.
“You may as well take your rifle, in case of
treachery, although I don’t think they will dare
to tr that. Keep your eyes on them, lads,
andi you see anything wrong you know what
to do.’

The men grasped their rifles and ran to the
edge of the canyon, and Dan took char 6 of
Melvin, from whose hands the withes he not
yet been removed. They helped him down the
rugged and precipitous path, and met the others
in the center of the canyon.

“ Here we are,” said Wilson, gayly. “Even
exchange, they say, is no robber ; and now, it
you’ll give Melvin up to us, we lgive you the
gel and go on our way rejoicing."

Ina moment Elsie was in- her lover’s arms,
and Melvin was standing unbound among his
friends. For a moment he seemed to be inclined
to try conclusions with his enemies upon the spot,
but a look at the grinning row of rifles u n the
rocks above Warned him that the thong t was
madness.

“ We have met and we have parted," he said,
quietly. “ It will be my fault it ‘it is our last
meeting. Miss Vedder, I wish to say a word to
you. ' ,

“I have no desire to speak to you, Curtis
Melvin,” she said. “I cannot say that I am
sorry you have escaped from death, but beyond
that I have no wish‘in connection with you.”

“But you must hear me. I am not loud or
turbulent, and you cannot deny me this privi-

e.

“ We have no time to waste, Curtis Melvin,”
said Elbert. "‘ Say what you have to say quick-
ly, and have done, with it. ’ , . ’

‘It is on] this, and is not addressed to you.
I love that ard-hearted girl who is restin to
confidently upon your arm, and in other ays
she gave me reason to believe that she at least
did not hate me.”

“Until you deceived me; until you showed
yourself in your true character, that of a des~
perete and wicked man. Even when with us,

i you were plotting to betra us."

“ You drove me to i . If I committed a.
crime, it was in a moment of passion and in to
own defense. I see thatl cannot justify mysel ,
and you have only yourself to blame for what
follows. As for (you, Elbert Spencer, the hate I
hear you will fln its vengeance against you in
a day not far off.”

“ 1 do not fear you, Melvin,” replied the young

man.
“You have cause to do so, my dear young

 

 

 

3:: were» fi

 

 

 

 

 

  
   
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
   
   
 
  
  

 

Bullet-proof Nat. 1 1 ’-

 

man. Wait; the time will come when you will
beg on your knees for death at my hands. Be
sure of that.”

“ Go, or I will forget the compact we have
made, and draw upon you.”

“Curt, Curt,” whispered Wilson, “it won’t
do, you know. Thor’s forty rifles p’inted at us
this very minit, and they kerry true.”

“ It would be like you to betray me even now,
Spencer. Why don’t you do it?”

“I tell you to go at once.”

“ I am going; but before the sun rises again
you shall hear from me, in a fashion you little
dream of. Lead the Way, Hank, for we are
wasting time." '

Both parties turned hastily and began to
ascend opposite sides of the ravine, Elbert assist—
ing Elsie up the difficult ascent, and breathing
more freely when they reached the top safely,
and she sunk down exhausted.

“ Give me a moment before you question me,

Elbert,” she said. “ I am out of breath.”

One oithe men brought her acup of water,

and she drank it eagerly and appeared to be re-

freslied.

“ Now, my dear Elsie, tell me what you know
of this strange affair. And while she is doing
it, Dan, you had better post the men, taking
especial care whom you put on the outer guard,
for we shall have trouble to-night."

Dan hurried away to perform the duty, and
Elbert sat down upon the rock beside Elsie.

“When I left the camp,” said she, “ I sat

‘ down upon the other side of the tree yonder,

out of sight and hearing, for I did not wish to
knew anything about what was going on. I
can not tell you how it was done, but while I
set there a cloth was thrown over my head
from behind, so quickly and skillfully that I
had not time to cry out. When the cloth was
thrown off, the white man you'saw with me
just now was bending over me, threatening me
with an upraised knife if I made a movement.
An Indian who was with him thrust a gag into
my mouth, and then they lifted me and carried
me rapidly into the lower canyon. Once there,

1 the ‘ put a. handkerchief over my eyes and hur-

ri me quickly over a rough path for some dis
tance, when I heard the sound of voices, and
when the bandage was removed Iwas in the
center of a circle of savage faces, most of them
Indians, althou h many were White men and
half-breeds, w 0 were eVidently under the
leadership of the man called Wilson. They did
not allow me to observe much, but, after threat-
ening me in a dreadful manner, they gave me a.
pencil and paper and told me to writeto you,
and I did it. ‘ 9 man Wilson went away, and
when he came back I was blindfolded again,
and led heck, I think, by another course. The
bandage was removed from my eyes Just as we
reached the ravine."

“ You know nothing of tlte number of these

L men 3”

“ I saw at least thirty white men and half-
breede, and perhaps sixty Indians, but I did not
have time to count them.”

' J HOW were the Indians armed?”
“ Most of them had rifles, I should think.” ‘
It certainly is the band of Negara. Did
you see an Indian wearing three eagle—feathers

 

in his head-dress, with a redhelt about his
waist?” ‘

“ I: did not notice any such.”

“ Strange; he ought to be there, certainly. I
am sorry that Melvin got away, for he is sure
to make us trouble, and 1 do not like to lose any
of my men. Hal”

With the exclamation he sprung suddenly
from the bowlder, dragging her with him. Not
a moment too soon, for a. bullet sung through
the air a. second after, passing over the spot
where they had sat.

“ To arms!” cried Elbert. “They are com-
ing, or the red—arrow tells false tales. Steady,
and take good aim."

CHAPTER V.
THE BATTLE BY NIGHT.

THE camp of the trappers was a. sort 01:"
natural fortress, and not easy of access on any
side, nor commanded by any eminence higher
than itself within rifle—range. On one side lay
the narrow canyon, the precipitous walls of
which were not easy to climb, and, if climbed,
it must be done in the face of the i‘iflemen of the
brigade, who knew how to use their rifles well.
On the west, 21 thick gi‘Owth of bushes and trees
formed a convenient shelter, from which an at-
tack upon that side could be repelled, and that
with safety to the defenders. Upon the east
and south was a long, level stretch, aifording no
cover to the assailants, but broken enough to
make'it almost impossible for horse to charge.
Years of experience upon the border had taught
Elbert many lessons, and he had made use of his
knowledge in choosing the camp.

The attack was commenced by a fire of sharp-
shooters upon the other side of the ravine, which
would have made the camp untenable but for
the sort of natural parapet that ran along the

verge of the canyon, behind which the brigade y 

ensconced itself and returned the fire.
“ Now then, Dan,” whispered the young cep- 
tain, “ take care of this ravine with ten men as
I call off their names. The main attack will
come in another place.” ' .
He called off the names of ten men, ,. who.
silently ranged themselves along the verge of
the ravine. They were all finished marksm’en,
and he knew that he could trust them. 3 : 1
" Elsie?" he said, looking about for her. -
“ Where are you 2” .
“Here,” she said, in a low voice. r '
He turned quickly and saw her kneeling he
side Dan, grasping her little rifle, and, to all up.

pearance, as eager for the fray as the boldest  5;

men among them. ., .
“You must not expose yourself, Elsie,” cried
her lover. “ You might get hit.” ‘

“So might any one here and in what em I , 

better than the brave men w o are around me?

Do your duty, Elbert, and leavu me to do mine”; ; -‘
“ I’ll take hear of her,” said Dan. “ Oh, glory, '1  :'

what a row we 'will have i”

There was no time to waste in, idle words, and , '1 ~

quickly turning, Elbert called to his men, and
steeping low, they glided into the bushes which
fringed the western side of the camp. The moon » r»
was up, and objects were plainly distinguishable '

at a. distance of a, hundred 'yards, They could
hear the rapid crack, of miles on both eldest):

 

 

12 Bullet-proof Nat.

. ¢ ‘
the ravine, and knew that Dan and his men
were resolutely defending their position. On
this side, however, not a sound was heard. but,
to practiced Indianvfighters, this was only a
proof that they were in the right place.

The scouts, who were further out than the
line of bushes behind which Elbert and his men

lay, had received their orders, and not a shot,

was fired. The due] of rifles was yet at its height
'when the scouts, giving the signal to announce
their approach, came creeping -in rapidly, and
throwing themselves into the cover, turned at

ay.

“ The are here, Cap," said one. “ Git ready
for wor , I tell ye.”

“ Indians?"

“ A miscellaneous b’ilin’, Cap. Coinin’ on the’r
hands an’ knees.”

“ Hush!" whispered Elbert, “ I see them,
boys. Don’t fire until you can see their eyes
shine, and then give it to them. You have your
orders when to fire, and don’t let any man fire

. out of his turn. When the rifles are empty, out
knives and revolvers and at them.”

The force of the enemy had almost reached
the woods. when, as if a spring had been touched
or a match lighted, a terrible rifle-tire burst out

directly in their faces, scattering ruin and death
through their ranks.

TJiis sudden fire. coming from a quarter where

' they least expected it, was more than the assail-
ants could bear, and they had actually turned to
fly, when a terrible war—cry rung, ard a man
wearing the three eagle-feathers of a. chief, with
his arms bared to the shoulders and stained red
as it with gore, and carrying a heavy hatchet in

" his hand, burst in upon them and literally forced
them back to the assault.

By this time the rifles were reloaded, and, as

. before. the head of the assailing party was
swept away by a close and terrible fire. In
spite of that, they pushed on fiercely, but as

' they reached the line of wood, the second volley
tore through them with fearful effect. The war-
rior looked about him and saw how fearfully

, his ranks were decimated by the fire, but there

‘ ,was no time to daily, and they pressed forward.

, ‘U rose the trappers knives and revolvers
ready, and for five minutes a fearful struggle
for the ossesson of the woods continued. The

; leader 0 the assailants was ever where, strik-

. ing terrible blows with knife an hatchet, and
encouraging his men by voice and action.

 Elbert was certain that at least one-half the

' force opposed to him,.althou b all were inted

, in Indian fashion, were hal -breeds on white

» men, from the determined way in which they

I-foaght, and he recognized the leader, by his cos

,, tame, as the redoubtnble chief Negarn, who had
sent the red arrow to his camp that day.

Both parties now paused for breath, and the

‘» trappers seized the moment to fill the chambers
:’ of their revolvers with cartridges, and get ready
for a new struggle. They were aware from the
,Ysounds in front that their enemies were being
; constantly reinforced by the coming of new
".‘men, and Elbert did not feel strong enough to
, commence the struggle, but rather to act upon
the defensive. He had not long to wait, for, at
pasiguai shout, the,,attackiug arty glided sim-
if" ultsneously from behind the tees where they

 

I
had found shelter, and the desperate struggle
e.

began anew. Elbert singled out the chief

gnra, and determined that one of them should
go down when the battle recommenced, and
they met, each armed with a hatchet and knife.

Negara’s appearance was terrifice. He had
been slightly wounded in several places and
the blood was streaming down his face and
breast, and mingled with the red and white of
his paint, giving him a grotesque and horrible
appearance. He greeted the approach of Spen-
cer by a. shrill cry of joy, and rushed forward to
meet him.

The melee was now at its height. On all sides
the opposing bordcrers mingled in a deadly strug-
gle, and as each had chosen his opponent, few
were left at liberty to do more than attend to
their own affairs.

Elbert and Negara approached each other
cautiously, each having faith in the other’s
prowess, and neither being desirous of giving
the least advantage.

Their weapons clashed together, and while the
hatchet of Negara was driven from his hand,
the handle of 'Elhert’s ax broke, leaving him as
defenseless in that res ect, and they stood face
to face, armed only with bowies, dreadful wea-
pons in experienced hands.

In spriiliging back, Elbert slipped and stag-
gered, ant at the same time a savage, who was
for the moment disenga ed, struck him a stun-
ning blow upon the has with a hatchet. The
weapon turned in his hand, and but for that he
had not needed another blow. As it was, his
eyes were dim, and objects swam before them
in a mist, and it was with difficulty that he
warded ed the blows of Negara, who was press-
ing: him close. '

The Indian who had struck him wa ap-
proaching again, and he was stepping ack
instily to get both enemies in front, when he
stumbled over a dead body and fell to the earth.
Knife and hatchet were lifted to finish the strug-
gle, and the fate of the young man seemed
sealed, when the wild laugh of Nat sounded
in his ears and his long spear was driven com-
pletely through the body of the Indian with
the hatchet. So sudden was his death that he
remained standing in the attitude he had taken
when struck, as if still alive. Nat planted his
foot against his breast as he withdrew the spear
and he fell in a ghastly heap, two yards away.

At the same moment the blow was strucka
little rifle cracked, and Negara felt the ball raise
the feathers from his head-dress. Lifting his
eyes he saw Elsie standing 9. little way 011’, with
the rifle smoking in her hand, while Long-armed
Dan and his ten men were coming on to join in
the fray, with triumphant cries.

He cast a hasty glance about him to see how
the fortune of war stood. Half his men were
down and the rest were struggling faintly
against the rushes of the trappers who remained
upon their feet. He felt that all was lost, and
springing back he shouted to his men to follow,
and those who could disengage themselves from
their antagonists did so. Nat had not taken his
eyes from the form of Negara, and joined in the
pursuit, striking down an enemy at every
stride. Elbert had strength enough to wind his
bugle, and so recall his men from the pursuit,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a; MAJ

Bullet-proof Nat. ‘ 13 I

 

 

but they obeyed sullenly, and came back one by
one, many of them concealing in their hunting—
shirts the fearful trophies of'the result of that
terrible fray. ‘ ‘ I

“ Are you badly hurt, dear Elbert?" soul the
brave girl, bending over him. “ 0h, tell me
that you are not.” ’ _

“I am all riglt, thanks to you, dear girl,”

said Elbert, rising. “ lint for your aid, and
that of Bullet-proof Nut,l should have fared
badly. Are the men coming back? See to the
wounded first, Dan; I fear they are only too
man .i’
“ The doctor is at work already,” said Dan,
“but some of the boys are rubbed out—past all
doctorin’, you bet. Better have them see to
your wounds first.” .

“My Wounds will take care of themselves,”
replied Elbert. “ There are others who need
the doctor more than I. Get to work, Dan, and
in the mean time keep a sharp lookout for the
enem . They, may come back.’

“th they, replied Dan. "If they ain’t got
their fill of fighting for one night, then thar ar’
no snakes in Virginny. You orter seen the gal
blaze away at Negara. By the mighty, she cut
the feathers out of his bend-dress, and he saved
his scalp by a half-inch.”

“ What could I do, Elbert?” she said, softly.
“ His knife was raised above you, he was about
to strike, and it was to save your life."

“ I shall find a time to thank you better, dear
one,” he said. “ Now I must see after my poor
men."

Having set a guard over the different points
which might be assailed, the young captain
divided the rest into two parties, one of which
dug a shallow trench, in which they laid the
dead of the enemy, side by side.

The terrible duty was performed, and the sur-
vivors la down to rest. little knowing whether
they shou d see the coming of the morning. Only
Bullet—proof Nat could not rest. He had come
back sullenly from the pursuit, when recalled by
the bugle of Elbert, and had since remained
with his head buried in his hands, starting up
now and then to peer into the gloom, muttering
to himself:

“ Red and White—red and white. Negara and

~Curt Melvin~—Curt Melvin and Negara. Ha!

ha! hai What fools these wise men are.”

It was after three o’clock when Elbert went
throu h the camp and aroused his men one by
one, y a. touch. They understood him for
they had received their orders before ying
down to rest. A single low blast of the bugle
called in the guards, and they Silently set to
work getting- up the horses and sadd ng them.
Last of all Elbert aroused the sleeping girl.

“"Up, up, Elsie,” he said; “ it 15 time for us to

o

“ Where? what do you mean?” . .

“ Keep silent, for your life,” he said, in a
whisper. “ There is no time to answer questlons
now, if we would escape from our enemies.”

She allowed him to lift her to the saddle, and
followed him in silence as be led his horse down
the slope to the east. Dan was in from; leading
his horse and showing the way, and the rest of
the men, brought up the rear, each with his
hand upon his rifle, for they did not know how

 

soon they might fall ugon the enemy. At this
moment Bullet-proof at started up and threw
himself in the way. '

“ Look 1” he said. “ Nat knows that the pass
is red with Blackfeet. Will you go there and
be killed?”

“ We must get out of this somehow, Nat,” re-
plied Elbert.

“ Then let Nat show the way. He can find a
path which the Indians never saw; and he will
show it, for the angel’s sake.”

Elbert knew him too well to doubt that he
spoke the truth. The direction was at once
changed. Dan fell back, and Bullet-proof Nat
took the lead.

 

CHAPTER VI.
A HUNDRED AGAINST ONE.

THE forces of Negara, with thinned ranks,
made their escape by devious ways, followed by
the shots and shoots of their enemies. It had >
been a desperate fight, and they felt the humili— ~
ation of defeat very keenly indeed, and none
more than Nega’ra. One by one the men came
in, many desperately wounded, and the chief -
looked over hls thinned forces with a thrill of
rage, He was not used to defeat, and he felt it
the more on that account. He had lost about
half his followers, and the dreadful chant of the -
Indian warriors over their slain was ringing
through the valley in which they had found a
shelter nearly driving him mad.

A tall warrior, painted in motley colors, with
the blood yet flowing from a deep out in his ‘

shoulder, approached the chief, as he stood sulv 

lenly at the foot of a tree. _

“ Why does not Negara. mourn with his ’
brothers over the brave wau'iors who have
fallen in this battle?” he said. '

“Why should Negara weep?” was the reply.‘
“'They died in the smoke of the battle with their
weapons in their hands, and their faces to the
foe. We cannot weep for such men;rwe can
only avenge them.” _

“Negara speaks well,” replied the warrior.
“ They have gone to the hapfiy hunting-grounds 
of our people, and chase t 9 red deer by the ‘
beautiful river. As I sung the death-song over - ,
the slain, I heard their voices say, ‘ Strike for i -‘

me; let not these white dogs rejoice in the death -

of brave men." 3
“ The voice spoke well,” said Negara. “ Let ‘
my brothers be at rest, for all shall be well with

them. Negarn will take no rest until every“ :9

man in yonder band has given his scalp to hang
in a Blackfoot lodge. ” -
to“?’1,&nd-shall the Wild Goblin of the Gulch die, 3‘
O V ‘
‘* That shall be as my brothers say; but he
deserves to die,” replied Negara. *1 ‘

The conversation was interrupted by the arri—r I

val of a new force of Blackfeet, who had intends

ed to join them before, but had been detained in; ‘
some way. It was wellsfor Elbert Spencer and 

his party that they had not come in timeto ,-
join in the battle, for they numbered one bun-4r .
dred well-appointed warriors, eager for battle. 
They were met with black looks by their friends; ‘
who had suffered by their delay. - j  f;

_“It is sad to tell," said t e chief who ’led -’ 3
them, “and it is well for Negara. to mourn. 

 

 

/

 

,w; 739'“, s it , .. 

 

 

  
 
      
  
 
 

 

’ . enemy.

14

The Blackfeet have not wings to fly through the
air, and they came as soon as they could. 't
us not speak of those who are dead, but take
revenge on the living.”

“ Let it be as you say,” replied Negara, clutch-
ing his knife fiercely. “ Ah, but for the woman
who is with them, this knife would be red with
the blood of the captain, Spencer. lteiiiciiiber,
Burenn, that I claim her for my own."

“ It is good,” said the Blackfoot. “ Negara
has some of the blood of the white men in his
Veins, and it is well that he should choose a wife
of that race. The white maiden shall be yours.”

“ And one thing more. The madman must die."

“ It is good,” replied the other. “ My brother
has spoken well, for the Blackfeet will not suf-
fer one tolive in all that band. The madman
shall die, and Negara shall choose away for
him to die.”

“Enough, chief: Negara. Would not ask any-
thing which was not for the good' of the tribe.
,It is well that all these men should die, for the
brood of the serpent will raise more young to
trample upon Blackfoot graves. If you are
ready, we will march at once.”

“ But my brother is hurt: he has lost blood.”

“ What cure I? You will not find my arm
weak in striking the foe in the battle that is to
come.”

Their plans were well laid, and their first
\work was to secure every pass leading from the
canyon. Their forces were now solargo that
they could afford to be reckless, and they
charged from all sides upon the sleepiii camp.
But they charged shadows; of all the and of
Spencer, not a man remained.

Raving in fury, Negara. ran round and round
the camp vainly seeking for some trace of the

The guards in the different passes had
not been disturbed, so that they had not passed
out that way‘ but gone they were, horses and
all. 80 com ate a disappearance was more
than the In lans could understand, and they
looked at one another in confusion and dismay.

“ The hand of the bad Manitou is at work in
this,” said the chief, who had brought reinforce-
ments to Ne are. “What has he done while
you slept? ave the white men taken the
wings of the eagle to fly over the mountain, or
guv$’,they dug into the earth like the prairie—

og -

“ We must wait," re lied Negara. “When
morning comes, we wil take their trail, and
never leave it until they are dead. Shall it not
be so?”

“ My brother has said it,” replied the chief.
“ The Blackfeet never forget.”

The lay down to rest under the times, and

f White for the morning, which was mot far
[away In'thnt dim hour, just before the day.

 when the senses seem most completely locked in

slumber, they were aroused by a terrible cry of

" agon . as of a man mortally hurt, and started

up. he camp was in confusion; those who

' were awake said they had seen a Vision of a gi-

gantic,  monster, which bounded down the
mountain-aide, struck a swift blow ,or two. and
‘r was gone. That hehad not come in vain was
well attested, for two of the bend lay dead,
, pierced to the heart by some sharp instrument.
' _ ‘f It is the Spirit of the Rocks, who fights to—
‘ ” , \

Bullet-proof Nat.

.w

the white men," was the terrified murmur which
ran through the camp.

“ Nol” said Negara. “ It is the man the
whites call Bullet-proof Nat. who hates us, and
would kill us all if he could.”

“ Yes, yes, yes,” yelled a Nike from the dark-
ness. “ Bullcr-proof Nut is here; why do you
not come and take him?"

Half a dozen strong braves, at the command
of Negura, bounded forth in pursuit, determin-
ed to slay Nat or die. He met them at a nar—
row pass between the rocks, where only two
could pass abreast, and through this retreated
slowly, drawing the six liidiniis further and
further from the camp. As morning dawned,
they were still in puisuit, hut separated some-
what. He turned, at last, Lind killed the fore—
most by a stroke of his spear. Two others rush-
ed upon him together, but he brained one by a
thrust of lhe butt of his spear, and catching the
other by the waist and shoulder, hurled him
shrieking into a dark chasm a hundred feet in
depth, and then rushed furiously upon the
others. They were swift of foot, but their fleet-
neSS did not avail them against the tireless feet
of Nat. Of the six braves who started out in
pursuit of the madman, not one came back, and
the first notice the Indians had of their fate was
seeing the wild man upon a rock high above
them waving five bloody seal s in the air.

“ Flivel” he cried, “fivel he vultures have
the other. Hal ha! hal” .

Negarii snatched a rifle and aimed at him, *
but Nat knew him too well to give him a chance
for a shot although his Wild laugh Could still be
heard. e was standing on the crest of a. preci-
pice n hundred and fifty feet above them, at a.
spot where a chamois could not have reached
him from below. While the Indians gazed in
mute consternation, agreat stone, loosened by
the efforts of the madman, came bounding in
erratic leaps down the side of the cliif, and tak-
ing a long leap from a granite bowlder, swept
two of their number into eternity, amid the ter-'
rible laughter of the maniac.

“ Hal ha! ha!” shrieked Nat, wildly. “ I’ve
done it, I’ve done itl Who made me mad, who
made blood flow, who made me a wild man of
the hills? Hool yahl Look out for another!”

The Indians were perfectly frantic with rage, '
but what could they doll It was plain that the
wild man knew more of the mountains than they
did, and to pursue him would onl be to expose
more braves to death. The lasti ey saw of Nut
as they marched away he was laboringto detach
another great stone and send it down upon them.
He was too late, for the stone swept by a hundred
feet behind the party. . .

Bullet—proof Nat still lingered upon the rocks
above, and while the Indians searched the pass
for the trail, he was on the alert, hurling stones
at any who had the temerity to approach near
the cliff, which very few of them dared do.
They found the trail at last, but it led them un-
der the cliff, where the madman had collected a
great an ply of ordnance, and stood ready to
launch t em on the heads of the enemy, if they
should attempt to pass. Negara began to see
that he had an object in defending the height so
, d xsp‘erutely and knew that he must be driven
'~ my in order to allow the band to pass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.‘wgm’ia ,2“ i \. .

 

V

 

Bullet-proof Nut.

15

 

At his order twelve marksman were selected,
who took their stations within easy shot of the
cliff, with orders to fire at the madman if he as
much as showeda finger. This done Negara him-
self took the trail and hurried on, two or three
of his bravest men following him. Nat was cun-
ning enough tosee that he could not lift his head
above the rocks, but, lying prostrate on the
earth, he pushed the stones he had gathered over
with his feet in quick succession, and it was only
by the exercise of extraordinary address that
the chief escaped from the fearful shower alive.

In a rage the Indians rode up and down, vain-
ly seeking for an outlet from the pass, and in
the midst of their perplexity, they heard again
the mocking laughter of Bullet-proof Nat.

“ Find it, find iti Nat knows the we , but he
won‘t tell the Blackfeet. They are blin as bats.
Hal hal ha!”

Again the rocks began to rattle down about
their ears, for Nat took every opportunity to do
them harm. He was not in sight, but his voice
sounded upon the crest of the precipice in front.
They rode back out of the dangerous vicinity,
many of them badly bruised, and in a raging
mood against the madman, who thus met them
at every turn. _

“ We have passed the spot where these white
wolves burrow in the earth,” said Negara.
“ They have doubled back at some place like
foxes.” '

“ I see no signs of turning back," said the man
Wilson, who was with the party, and had just
received a terrible bruise from a stone hurled
by Nat. “ But, this I will say, that, if on will
give me leave, I’ll go back and try to 'nd the
way out of this.”

“ Go if you willI but beware of Bullet-proof
Nat, for he is on the watch.”

Hank Wilson, who was a bold and desperate
man, rode back to the spot where the trail
seemed to have ended so abrupt] . He had a
pistol in his hand cocked and rea y, and never
removed his eyes from the summit of the clilf.

“Let me see the cuss show his head, that‘s
all.” he muttered. “ I’ll fix him." '

But Nat did not see proper to show himself.

' 0n the contrary, nothing more was heard, and

after waiting for a moment to satisfy himself
that all was safe, Hank dismounted, and looked
at the trail closely. He now saw that the party
had fallen into single file, and had ridden so close
to the base of the clifl! that the red-skins had
overlooked it in their haste, under the granite
shower which Nat had sent down upon them.
Pleased with this discovery, Hank rode along
upon the trail until he found aplace where there
was a cleft in the wall of the pass. partly screen-
ed by low bushes. The trail led up to this and
“Path

* ‘ ,” muttered Hank. “I’ve got 'em
dead to rights. I s’pose Ion ht to go in yer’
and make asure thing of it fore I call the
rest.

. He half turned his horse’s head asif toride
Into the bushes, and as he did so he caughta
glimmer of steel, and bad just time to drug him-
self half out of the saddle, when the spear of
Bullet-proof Nat whizzed thron h the air where
his bOdy had been a moment bego . The train-
ed buflalo horse bounded away, with Wilson

 

hanging by one foot and hand, and carried him
safely out of reach of Net‘s weapons. He start—
ed up and seemed about to follow in pursuit,
but stopped.

“No, there is not time. The angel *is in dan-

or, and no one can save her but Bullet-proof

at, the Gulch Goblin. They fear me, ha! bill
ha l—they fear me, do the not?”

He could see Hank Wi son darting down the
pass gesticulating wildly and shouting to his
companions to Come on. Nat saw that there
was not a. moment to lose, and, as the warriors
began to move, he recovered his spear and
climbed the rocks beside him, and when the
Blackfeet reached the spot he was gone, But,
in the place where he had been lying, parting
the bushes, they saw a narrow path, through
whigh they could see the open country for be—
yon .

 

CHAPTER VII.
unonna‘s vow.

TEE brigade, led by the mad guide, had
safely passed out of the toils their enemies had
set for them, and were now camped in a circular
valley, hardly three miles from the camp they
had so luter occupied. On all sides arose the
mighty ranges, green at the base, sterile further
up, their tops shrouded in clouds. Elsie Vcdder
had passed much of her life amid such scenes
and she gloried in them.

The young girl was the idol of the camp, es-
pecially since her heroic conduct in the attack
of the‘night before.

The adoration of the lunatic for “ the angel,”
as he still persisted in calling Elsie, was some- ‘
thing wonderful. To lie at her feet and watch
her as the faithful dog watches his master, was
his greatest delight.

“ Nat ain’t got a bad heart, by no manner of
means.” said Long-armed Dan, “or he wouldn’t
have the cod sense to love our Elsie and hate
such blac thieves as Curt Melvin. I say, Gap,
don’t’you think we‘d do better ’to get out of
this? .

“ I am not going to be driven out of the foot-

hills b Curt Melvin and that half-and—halt
thief, eama.” re lied the young man. “If it
wasn’t for Elsie, ’d never have left our last
camp."
“ t does seem mighty hard to have to run
from such as him.” said Dan, “but it was
good policy. We planted some mighty good
boys in the canyon ender.”

‘ I know it, Dan, know it. They were brave
men and died fighting, but it hurts me to think
that it I had not been so squeamish about letting .
Elsie see the trial of Curt Melvin, we never
should have had to let him go.” » '

“ ’Twas foolish in us,” replied Dan, “ but, at
the time, I thought you was in the right and so
did every one .in the camp. How they got
round us and snatched up our Elsie I dunno;
I’ll it even with that “Hank Wilson for it, one
of I; one days"

“He is at least abold villain, and deserves
well at the hands of the Hudson Bay,” said
Elbert. " Don’t you think it time for Net to
come in?” , . ' _

" He is watching the inimy,” said Dan, “ and
he won’t come while he can do any good. . They'd

l

16 Bullet-proof Nat.

 

better be keerful how they cross his path.
Hark!”

A low moaning cry was heard, such as Nat
was known to utter when approaching a camp,
and soon after he was among them, his eyes
shinin fiercely behind his heavy brows.

“ W at is it, Natl” said Dan. “ Have you
seen them, then?” ‘

In answer, the madman opened the hairy cover-
ing on his breast and showed Dan what lay
beneath.

“ He’s been raisin’ ha’r,” said Dan, coolly.
“ Now then, old teller, speak up. Hev they
found the trail?”

Nat nodded his head slowly.

“ Comin’?”

The wild creature nodded again.

“ Nat has seen them, and some of them will
never go on the war-trail again. Hal ha! ha!
They know what it is to hunt Bullet-proof Nat
in his own hills.” '

“ I reckon,” said Dan.
new

Nat shook his head, and seating himself before
the fire snatched up a half-cooked rib of the deer,
which was lying on the coals, and brushing oil? the
ashes began to eat ravenously, like one who had
fasted for a long time. Indeed, he had eaten
nothing since the day before.

” Nat must eat—he must have strength,” he
said, as he tore of! the rich, juicy meat with his
strong teeth. “ By-and-by he will go out again
and meet the enemy. Curt Melvin and Negara.
Hui/ha! be! If they knew what Nat knows!”

“I’d rather board him for a week than a
month," grumbled Dan, who had been cook-
ing the ribs for himself. “Never mind; I hope
he inj’ys the meat, and it does me good to see
him eat. Break off two or three of them ribs
for me, Tom; Nat has cleaned me out.”

One of the men backed off three of the ribs
with a home, and gave them to Dan, who pro—
ceeded to cook for himself, while Nat stretched
himself out upon the sod.

“’Tain't no use to saya word to him now,
said Dan, as Elbert was about to speak to the
madman. “ He won't say anything to you.”

Elbert turned to Elsie and whispered some-
thing to her, and she turned aside into the little
shelter—tent, which was carried wherever she
went for her use, and came out a moment after,
carrying a guitar in her hand. She sat down near
the madman and touched the instrument with a
gentle hand. wakin a sweet harmony, and then

egan to sing. At he first note Nat started up
eagerly, and leanin on his elbow looked at her.

“ Hush!" he sai , waving "his hand to the
others. “ No noise, for Nat must bear the song
of the angel.”

She began the last verses amid a strange
gleam, never moving her eyes from the face of

a

“ Till he made him a boat of birchen bark,

That carried him off from the shore;

Long he followed that meteor spark,

The wind was high and the night was dark.
And the boat rim/med no more /

And oft by the Indian hunter's camp,
Those lovers so brave and true.

Are seen at the hour of midnight damp,

To cross the lake by their fire-fly lamp,
And paddle theirlight canoe. " ~

“Must we put out

    

 

“Yes, yes, yes,” cried Nat.
dearly and she loved me, but she died. No, no,
she was killed! Who killed her?” he shrieked.

He started to his feet and his eyes rolled wild-
ly about him, but at the touch of Elsie’s fingers
upon the strings of the guitar he became calm
(figain, and sunk down upon the earth at her

eet.

“ This poor man has been crazed by some
great sorrow,” said Dr. Sabin. “In my opin—
ion, the loss of one he loved tenderly.”

“ Yes, that is it. Loved her beyond anything
else on earth, but she died—she died, and my
brain gave wag, and now I am only Bullet-
proof Nat, the ulch Goblin—«Bulletproof Nat,
the Mountain Devil, before whom the Indians
tremble. Ha! ha! ha! Give me my spear and
let me go out against them and kill them like
do 5. All, all, all shall die!”

gain the fin ers of Elsie pressed the strings,
and his hand re eased its hold upon the haft of
the spear.

“ Ask him about the Indians, Elsie,” said
Spencer. “He will tell you.”

“ Yes, Nat will answer when she speaks.
What must I tell?” ,

, “Where are the Indians who attacked us in
the canyon l”

” They are coming,” replied Nat. “ They
have found the pass.”

“ Have any more joined them?”

“ Yes, many more. They are too strong for
you new, and you must fly again. Nat will tell
you where to go."

“ Then, if you would have me escape from
Curtis Melvin. show us the way at once.”

Nat was on his feet in an instant, and heck-
oned them to follow. '

“ Quick, quick,” he said. “ Negara is swift of
foot,”and he is not far away. I seem to hear him
now.

The fires were scattered; the brigade mounted
and marched away. Not half an hour after the
Indians surrounded the camp and rushed in,
only to find as before, that the nest was empty
and the bit s flown. ,

“ It is the work of that thrice-accursed mad-
man,” said Hunk Wilson. “ He must not live
or he will baffle all our plans.”

“ He is doomed," replied Negara; “ but some—
thing whispers in my ear that when he goes I
must go with him.” .

“Bah! shake ofl! these coward fears, and be
the one to strike him dead."

“A Prophet of the Blackfeet told me that my
fate was to fall by the hand of one upon whom the
finger of the Great Spirit had been lair ,” said
Negara, in an awe—struck tone. “ Since that
hour I have feared men who were mad, and
something in my heart tells me that it was of
the Gulch Terror the Prophet spoke.” ‘-

“ You are not the man to be made a fool of by
a random prophecv of an Indian medicine man,”
said Wilson. “If you are, by Heaven I Wlll
follow you no longer.”

“ Can you say that my arm is weak in battle,
or that I am slack in the hour of danger?"
demanded Negara, fiercely.

“ No; you are brave enough.”

“ Then talk not to me until I turn back
like a coward,” said the chief. “ If I must die,

‘0

“ I loved her ‘

    

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 a.» “#3.... 

Bullet-proof Nat. ‘ 1 ‘3'

 

I must die, and it is not in the power of man to
change the decrees of fate. Why are we waste
ing time here? Let us follow and crush out
these white dogs Who have killed our com-
rades.”

“ That is the kind of talk that suits me,
Negara,” said Wilson, “ and while you talk it I
am our man." '

“ he chief, Barena, wishes to speak with
Negara,” said an Indian, coming up.

“ Let him ‘come to me, the-n,” replied the half-
breed. “ I am waiting for him.”

The chief came forward, accompanied by a
stunted old man in the fantastical dress of a
medicine-man, wearing various amulets and
charms about his person, and painted in ridicu-
lous colors. At the sight of him Negara turned
pale, his terror showing itself beneath his

aint.
p “You, you, Prophet? Why have you come
to Negara?” .

" The Spotted Cat is the great Medicine of the
Blackfeet,” replied the strange creature, in the
Indian tongue. “ He has been down among the
caves of the dead; seeking for charms to make
the tribe mighty in war, and to teach them how
to sweep the White Destroyer from the face of
the earth. While he slept in the caves under
the mountain, a dream came to him, and he has
come to speak it in the ears of Negara, chief of
the Blackfeet.”

“ Why has the Spotted Cat come to me?” de-
manded the chief. ‘

“Because he would save the best men of the
tribe from death. A aapirit came to me'in my
dream and whisper in my ears, ‘ Fly to
Negara, the War-Chief, and to Bureau, the
Night Cloud, and warn them to turn back and
fight no more until the moon is full.’ ”

“ It is a 1 ing message, Spotted Cat,” said
Negara, “ an must not be obeyed."

“ It must be obeyed, or the pride of the Black-
feet must lay in the dust."

“ It is a message from the spirits who watch
over the white men,” replied Negara, who saw
that many even of his own band_ were troubled
by the message. “ Some bad 5 irit would save
them from the hatchets of the lackfeet.” ‘

“ It is a good message!” screamed the Spotted
Cat, “ and the spirit was good. The white men
have no spirits in the caves of the dead, where
the Spotted Cat dreamed the dream. Men of
the tribe, I have seen visions and wonders, and
all spoke of death to Negara and his men, and
to Barena, if he does not listen to the words of
the Spotted Cat and turn away from the path
his feet are treading.” «

“ It is a lying voice,” replied Negara, waving
the Prophet away. “ Spotted Cat has lied to
Niagara before.”

‘ When?” shrieked the medicine-man. “Say
when" Sioux traitor?”

“When you spoke of the death before me.
Go: I have heard your words, and they are

‘ those of a coward, who would let the bones of

the dead cry out in vain for vengeance from
bloody graves. Before the moon is full, the
white men will be safe where we can do them
no harm.”

“ The voice of the Prophet has been good in
the ears of. the tribe, Negara," said Barons, who

 

had got before spoken. ” Let us believe him
now.

“ Are you a coward too, Night Cloud?” said
Negara, sneeringly.

“ Barena has carried too many scalps to the
village where he dwells to bear the name of a.
coward,” replied the warrior. “ Negara speaks
falsely.”

“ If you turn back now, then you are a cow-
ard; if you go on, you area brave warrior, and
Negara will unsay his words.”

“ Words cannot make a chief a do ,” an-
swered the Blackfoot quietly. " I have fistened
to the words of a Prophet, and they have a
sweet sound in my ears. Barena ' go no fur-
ther until the moon is full.”

Rage was depicted upon the countenance of
Negar'a as he saw the enemies he sought so sud-
denly redeemed by the cowardly conduct of the
chief. ‘His hands opened and closed upon his
hatchet. and it seemed for amoment that he
would immolate the Prophet upon the altar of
his ven eance.

“ Ha! ’ he cried; “ are all the Blackfeet the
sons of dogs, to turn back with the enemy in
sight? You who are friends to Negara and who
will avenge the slain of yesterday come away
from cowards and stand beside me.’3

About half of his own band heard the sum—
mons and came to his side, and nearly all were
half—breeds, not so open to superstition as the
pure Indian.

“No more!” he said. “Then let these kneel *
with me and swear to the Great Spirit that we
will not give up the pursuit of these white dogs
until their scalps are ours or we are dead.”

At this moment a deep thunder peal-sounded
from the cloud upon the mountain’s brow. Be-
1flora the Prophet could speak, Negara forestalled

1m.

“ The Great Spirit hears us, my brothers.
Let us fall upon our knees before him and make
the vow.” "

They kneeled with uplifted 'hatchets, and
twent more came from Barena’s force and ,
bowe with them. A ray of light piercing the
cloud above them fell upon their upturned faces
as the vow was made. ‘

 

CHAPTER VIII.
CURTIS MELVIN’S TRIUMPH.
THREE days passed, and the brigade had heard

nothing from their enemies. They had disap- r ‘

peared as suddenly as they had come, and the
most_ skillful, scouts in the brigade could make
nothing of it. Once satisfied that Negara had
drawn ofl’ his forces for the present, they set,
about. the duty for which, they had come out, ’
and were successful beyond their highest hopes.

~Nat knew the haunts of the beaver and otter,

and introduced them to streams of which the
best scouts knew nothing, but which he, who
had spent years in roaming through the mouné
tain region, had become familiar With.

They finally made a camp in one of the can-
yons, and from this, explorin parties went out
in various directions, guide-d gNat and Dan,
and, in a week’s time they be found beaver—
dams enough to keep them all in employment
the coming season. ‘As the days went on,

 

  

18 ‘ Bullet-proof Nat.

 

 

nothing more Was heard from Negaru or Curtis
Melvin, they became lulled into a. sense of false
security, as trappers are only too apt to be, and
relaxed their vigilance somewhat.

It was afternoon upon the twelfth day, and
most of the trappers. wure out of camp, some
upon exploring expeditions and others after
game, for it had been decided to break up the
camp on the morrow and strike out for the fort.
Five men only besides the young captain were
in the camp, when Nat came down the moun-
tain-side alone.

“ Come, Elbert, come,” he said. “ You want
to see the home of the beaver, and Nut will show
you; Nat hus found it.”

“ Cannot 1 go, too, Not?” said Elsie, springing
to her feet eagerly.

“ The path is rough for tender feet," said the
lunatic, “and we must go on foot. The angel
had better stay here though Nut would love
to have her with him}7

“I think he is right, Elsie,” suid Elbert.
“You know that we march to—morrow, and you
have had many a trump about the mountains
during the past week.”

“Just as you say, Elbert," she replied, pout—
ing. “ If you don’t want me to go with you, of
course 1 will stay." _

“It is not that,” Elsie,” said Elbert. “I
would do anything to please you, but as Nat
says the path is difficult, think you had better

stay."

‘ I will stay, Elbert,” she replied, “ and I did
not mean what I said."

“Then good-by for the present, my den" girl.
I will Soon be back, you may be Sure of that.”

Not led the way up the mountain—side, and as
they proceeded, Elbert was very glad that he
had not been yersuaded to allow Elsie to accom-
pany them. l‘ho utmost exertion was necessary
to enable them to climb the mountain path,
although Nat, assisting his progress with his
spear, which he always carried, got on with
greater ease than the younger man.

Their» course was upward: plateau after
plateau was passed, until they cressed one of
the higher notches of the mountain. and began
to descend upon the other side. The descent
was more quickly accomplished, although great
care was still necessary, and they came at last
to a ledge which overlooked one of thosu strange
streams, the heads of our mighty rivers, which
rise in the mountain regions.

On each side of the stream was a. narrow
patch of green, and as Elbert crept to the edge
and looked down the straight canyon through
I which the stream forced its way, he saw that it
’ wasa mere succession of beaver~dams, and ex-
nnded at re ulardistances into those miniature
shes formed y these sagucious ahimals. Hun-

., dreds of them were dispel-ting in the water,

_ performing strange aches, and beating the
- water into foam with their broad tails.

Just below them a colony of the-wonderful

‘v- creatures were engaged in building a. dam.
, They had. felled the tree across the stream al-
most as skillfully as a man could have done it,
and were now planting the stakes and chinking
up the crevices with mud. working like skillful
 masons. Although Elmrt had done a. great
' ,deal of trapping in his day, it had never been

 

his good fortune to find a colony of beaver at
work upon a. new dam, and he was almost sorry
that he had not suffered Elsie to come with him,

“Elbert is glad to see the beavers,” said Bul-
let proof Nut, “ and Nat is glad to show them to
him, because he is kind to Net, and leves the
angel. Let us go back, and when we have
taken the angel to the fort, where she will be
sate, we will return and trap the beavers, and
catch Curt Melvin, and hang him up in the
sight of the buzzurds.”

“That is what I intend to do, Nat,” replied
the young captain. “ Let’s be getting back, for
we ought not to leave the camp too long under
the care of five men, and rather lazy ones at
that, or they would be out on the hills.”

They again began the ascent, and were part
way up, when they heard the crack of rifles in
the va ley on the other side.

“ Confound them! Do the fools want to bring
the Indians after us?”

A confused sound of firing came up from
the valley, and Albert grew pale as a horrible
doubt begun to force itself upon him. Had
the Indians attacked the cam , or what was the
cause of the confusion? at uttered one of
his wild cries, and bounded up the mountain
at a. terrible pace, and the young man, strain-
ing every nerve. bounded after him, until
they reached the summit, from which the valley
lay in fair View before him, a. mile away, but
the spot where the camp was set was hidden
from his view by the intervening trees. Elbert
raised the bugle to his lips and sounded the call
to bring in his struggling men, even as be rushed
down the mountain some distance behind Nat,
who was going in long leaps whichit was im 5-
sible to imitate. On they went, and as 1; air
feet struck the level, Nut shook his terrible
spear and dashed furioust forward, and as he
pn’sser] the woods, the old hills rung with the cry
he uttered. Elbert sprung to his side, and saw
in a moment that he was too late.

Scattered about the sward in various posi-
tions, their weapons alas ed in their dead hands,
lay the five men who ha been left to keep camp,
scalped and gory. They had fought hard, for
the earth was bloody in many places, and al-
though the Indiuns had carried off their dead,
they never could have conquered those five men
without losing some of their number. But,
where was Elsie? Had they killed her,‘ too, and
had her bright young life come to a. bloody end?
Not run here and there with his face bent near
the earth. lookin‘: with strange intentness upon
the ground, studying the trai . =

“ Can on give me hope, Nut?” gasped Elbert.

»“ Oh, tel me that she is not dead.

“Not dead-«oh—no—no. Better dead than
where she is l”

“Who has taken her? Can you tell me that,
you to whom the earth is an open book?”

“Curt Melvin has been here," re 1in Nat,
pointing to s. footmark on the earl: ._ “ Curt

never sleeps when he seeks vengeance. Nat has J

followed his trail too far not to know it when he
sees it.” ,
“ What is to be done?" ‘ v
“ Nat will go—will follow the trail and tell

where they go. He has an ear like a. bound and,
an eye like an eagle. He can tell where a mouse .

' ,

 

  

‘ or.” Nam. My, ~

>1
:l
«i

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

'time then, but be off at once.

 

Bullet-proof Nat.

has stepped upon the grass, and can he not fol-
low the course of heavy feetll Look here!“

Near the body of one of the slain men an ar-
row had been thrust into the ground, and flut-
tering on it was a bit of paper. Nut .took it off
and gave it to Elbert, who find it \\ uh a. brain
which seemed on lire.

“ To Elbert Spencer, Long‘mme I Dun, and all whom
it may concer .'

“Having occasion for the society of the young
lady called Elsie Vedder, who has for some time
been allowed to remain in your camp, I have in-
duced her to leave it You will remember that the
young lady is my promised wife, and I only seek_my
own. Any foolishu 53 which may have come into
the head or your caplain is now set atin st lorever.
as the young lady will now-r rrturn. Xou ma say
t-~ hcr reputed l'uLhI r, Peter Vedder, that I wil take
at least m good care of her as he can. With man
Dl‘ObrSlallollR of esteem, and sorrow for 'our loss,
remain, truly yours, CURTIS ELvm."_

This diabolical note, so skillfully written,
drove Elbert nearl mad. The men came hurry-
ing in at the cal of the bugle, but stood ap—
palled as they saw their unfortunate comrades
deud upon the sod, and they began to make wild
queries as to how this had ha pened. To all
this there was but one answer— urtis Melvin!

“ But we kain’t let it go so,” said Long-armed
Dan. “ I for one ain’t goin’ back to the fort
without our Elsie. I dare not face Peter Ved-
rler and tell him we let i is darter git stole away
by that consarncd critter.”

“Nat will go,” said the’wild man. “ He will
find them; and when they are found he will
come back to you."

“That’s the only chaince,” said Dan. “ I kin
trail some, but Nat kin beat me. Now my idee
is to set him on the trail and let him foller it as
fast as he kin while we stay whar we ar’ and
wait for him."

“ I cannot wait,” cried Elbert. “ I must go
with him."

“ You’ll only hamper him, Elbert. He kin
travel as fast ag’in as you, and it Won’t do. If
any one is to go with him, I‘m the only one that
can keep up with him on a long trail. And,

come to think of it, I’d better go, for when we.

find '6!!! one must stay to watch while the other
goes back to warn you.”

“ Your plan is a good one,” said Elbert,
“and I will try to restrain myself. Waste no
_ The rest of you
bring spades, and let us bury these poor lads
who have fallen. Good-by, Dan; good-by, Nat,
and be careful, for you know how much depends
on you."

The two strange scouts hurried away together,
and slowly and sorrowfully the others set to
work burying their dead.

Elsie, after the young captain had gone from
the camp, had amused herself for some moments
with her guitar, and was picking out an impro-
vised air, when she was startled by an oath from
one of the trappers and saw him spring to his
feet and discharge his rifle at a body of men who
were rushing furiously upon the camp. At a
glance she recognized them as part of the force
which had captured her before, and foremost
among them rode Curtis Melvin and Bank

1 D.
V The other truppers sprung up and discharged

 

 

19

their rifles and three of their enemies went
down; and then seeing nothing for it but to sell
their lives dear y, hamhets and revolvers were
drawn, and a terrible fray, five to fifty, was at
once commenced. Elsie saw her brave defend-
ers the center of a wild mass of tossing urine
and glittering steel; pistols cracked, oaths, Cl'll'S
and groans intermingled, and when the mad
fray was over they lay dead upon the sod, and
their sculps bum in the belts of the fierce war-
riors who had 8 aiu them. A moment after
Melvin pushed his horse to her side, and bowed
low before her, showing his white teeth in a
manner which was anything but pleasing.

“And thus we meet again, my dear E eiel” he
said, in a jocular tone. “I told you when we
ported that you should see me once more."

“ Coward; you have murdered these brave
men in cold blood.”

“ Cold? Hardly so, my dear Elsie. I never
heard any one accuse these Indians of being par-
ticularly cold—blooded. Hank, come this way,
please.”

Wilson rode up with a grin upon his face.

“ This lady is in your charge, Hunk. Toke
good care of her and get her a horse, for she has
consented to ride with us. How many of our
lnds did these fellows put down?"

“ Four killed and seven wounded,” replied
Hank.” “ One of the wounded has got his

ue .

“ Even up, eh? A life for a life. It seems to
me we might have put five men on ther hacks
without losing so many, but they fought like de—
mons. Givv me an arrow, Barda.”

One of the halthrccds brought him an arrow,
and dismouuting he tore a. leaf from a. notebook
and wrote the letter to Elbert, thrust tho arrow ‘
through it, and pushed it into the earth where it
was found. ’

 

CHAPTER IX.
A NIGHT IN MELVIn’s CAMP.

ELSIE looked hastily about her, calculating
the chances of escape, and was 'ust about to
make an attempt at flight, when ank Wilson
touched her on the arm.

“ Don’t try it, my lady,” he said. “ It won’t
do you any 00d, for [should have you ag’in in
half a jitf. otter take it easy, since you’ve got
into trouble, and don’t, make Curt angry, for
there’s no telling what he mou’t do in scch a.
case."

“I wish to speak to him; tell him so at
once.”

“ Here he comes; tell him so yourself. Curt,
hil Lady wants to speak to you."

“ I am quite at your service, Elsie,” said Mel-
vin. familiarly, sauntering up with a jaunty air.
“ Sorr to put you to any inconvenience, but
these ellows deserved all they got. ‘ MayI ask
where Spencer is?” _

“Thank Heaven he was not here, Curtis Mel-
vin—you would have murdered him.” _

“And. pray, what did he intend to do With
me when he caught me the other day? I should
have showed him the same mercy he meant for y
me. of course. ”

“ Your vengeance is satisfied now, I hope, and
you will let me go free.”

“ Satisfied! When every man of his accursed

l

   

20

Bullet-proof Nat.

 

party is dead, than, and only then, shall I be
satisfied. And as to letting you go, that is out
of the question. Have you forgotten that you
once promised to be my wife?”

“I have forgotten nothing I once promised,
neiiher have I forgotten that you yourself
opened my eyes to your sinful heart. There is
nothing in common between us, and 1 must do-
test you all my life long.”

At this moment they heard the yell of
Nat, as he leaped up the iiiountaiu-side from the
beaver stream. As he heard it, Melvin became
ghastly pale, and turned hurriedly to his com-
pnnions.

“ Do you hear that, lads?” he said. “ The
shots have roused them and they are coming.
Let’s be off at once. That is the voice of the
Gulch Goblin."

“ You fear Nut, and with good cause,”
said Elsie. “ Coward! murderer! I will not go
with vou."

“ Will not!” he hisied. “ Living or dead, you
go with me. Bid good—by to Elbert Spencer,
for on have Seen him for the last time."

“ eep oifl” she cried. “Do not touch me,
as you value your life!”

She laid her hand upon the little revolver she
carried, but at a signal from Melvin, Hank Wil-
son seized her by both arms from behind, and
held her fast.

“I reckon you’d better take that little toy
away from her, Curt," said the desperado,
quietly. “ She’s got spunk enough to use it
ri‘rht smart, if she got a chance.”

elvin advanced and took the revolver and
knife from her belt, and placed them in his
own.

“Children should never be allowed toplay
with edged tools,” he said. “Bring up a horse
here, Barda. The rest of you get out of this as
soolnnas you can, and leave me to manage the
gir .

The Indians were quickly in the saddle, and
Wilson and Melvin Elaced the struggling girl
upon her own horse w ieh had been brought up,
and rode away, keeping her horse between them.
She cried out once, when they gagged her, mak-
ing it impossible for her to give an alarm, and
they disappeared iu,one of the many passes
which led into the valley, just as Nat and Elbert
appeared upon the scene. From this point they
rode hard, and at nightfall were back in fa-
miliar scenery, upon the spot where the Prophet
had Sorted the forces of Bureau and Negara.

“ amp down,” said Melvin. “ I’ll take charge
of the girl. Now, my dear, I don’t wish to be
harsh with you, but will you agree not to run
away. if I don’t tie you?”

H No n

“ You intend to try to escape?"

“ The very first opportunity."

“Your ride must have a fall, my lady,” he
said, flerce y. “ I Wlll teach you that you are to
have no will but mine, when you are my wife."

“ That shall never be, if knives are sharp and
waters will drown.”

“ You would destroy yourself sooner than
marry me?”

“ Yes; I will never be your wife.”

“There are worse fates than even that of be-
coming my wife,” he said, slowly.

“ I can think of none."

“ There is a Blackfoot chief who has a sort of
claim upon you which he waived in my favor.
You have Seen him—Negara."

She uttered a cry of horror, as she remem-
bered the horrible face of that redoubted war-
rior, us he bent ovur Elbert in the act of strik-
ing a knife into his heart.

“ It is simply a matter of taste,” said Melvin,
coolly. “ Much as I would prefer to marry you
myself. I must give you ulp to him in case you
are obstinate. In fact, passed my word to
him that I would do sfi.”

“ You cannot mean it.
even to think of.”

“ Doubtless it looks so to you. Now Negara
is a sort of Indian Adonis, and the handsomest
women of the tribe are eager to come into his
lodge. You are very hard to please.”

“ You are not a man—you are a. fiend, Melvin.
You do this simply to annoy me and make me
wretched.”

“ You have never annoyed me, I suppose,” he
said. “ But I have said enough tonight and will
leave you. Shall I send you anything to eat?’

“ No; I could not swallows. morsel of fond.”

“ You will need strength, even to run away,”
he said. “ y the way, I will introduce you to
your guards. ’

He whistled, and two ferocious-looking wolf‘
hounds, with blood-shot eyes, came bounding up
to him, and laid their broad inuzzles into his
outstretched palms.

“ These two beauties will lie near you tonight,
my dear girl and I would not advise you to
wander too far from the camp, or they ma
bring you back in a way which will not suit

on

This is too horrible

“Take them away, for pity’s sake. Do not
let them touch me, Melvin.”

“ I am glad to have found a vulnerable point
in your character, my lady," he said. “ So you

do not like my two friends, Lion and Terror?”

them away, I beg of you."

“ They won’t hurt you unless you try to run.
You had better let me leave them near you and
they will save you the trouble of making a
promise which you might break. You know
you broke a promise made to me once.”

“ It was your own art. I loved you then,
Curtis, why deny it. I thought you a good and
noble man, but when I saw you as you are, I
cast vou aside as I would any unholy thing.”

“ Ex‘ictly; and as you would forget your
promise it I were weak enough trust to it to-
night, since you object to the dogs, I will try to
find other guards.” ,

He went away, and shortly after, two Indians
came and spread some dry leaves and moss un-
der a tree, and threw some blankets upon it, and
signified to her that it was here that she was to
pass the night. She could make nothing by resis-
tance, so she sat down on the blankets, leaning
against the tree, and the Indians sat down not
far away, one upon each side of her, immovable

owls at night. Whenever she looked up, they

 

“ This is your decision?”
“ It is.”

“Ican not bear the sight of them. Take

as statues. and sleepless to all appearance, as ’

sat in the same position, their eyes fixed upon

     

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Bullet proof Nat.

81

 

; her watchfully. After a time, fatigue got the

better of her, and throwing one of the blankets
over her, she lay down with her head resting on
her rounded arm, and was soon fast asleep. As
she lay there in her innocence and beauty, Gun
tis Melvin, who had been seated by one of the
fires, in deep thought, arose and came toward
her, and leaning against the tree, looked down
into the sleeping face with a strange expression
in his own.

“ Innocence—yes,” he muttered, “ both inno-
cent and 00d. This girl has it in her power to
change a1 , to make me another sort of being;
but can she give me back the good name I once
had, can she wipe out the many crimes with
which my life is stained? And she hates me;
ah! I deserve it at her hands."

She stirred uneasily in her sleep, and mur-
mured a name, and as be bent to listen, he
heard that of his rival, Elbert Spencer, and a
look of rage came into his face.

“ That youn hound shall not have her, at
least. He won :1 have hanged me, hanged me
like a dog, and his men would have looked on
and laughed. Curse him, I, will have my re—
venge upon him, and what is better than this?”
; , He remained for nearly half an hour looking

5 down upon the sleeping face, and then moved
' away and lay down under the sl'elter of a bush,
scarcely twenty feet away. A life of wander-
 ing had made the man careless of exposure,
.Land he slept as sweetly as if his pillow had
been of down, instead of the hard earth of the
can on.

T a camp was at rest, and nothing moved
isave where an Indian stalked out in silence to
,take the place of another, whose time of guard
iduty was over. The rest slept soundly by than

V fires save where now and then one of them sat

i “up, lighted his pipe at the embers of the fire
and smoked stolidly before lying down to rest
again. It might have been midnight, when the
camp was aroused by a fearful cr ' of. agony.
and every man started to his feet, t inking that
the enemy was upon him. Twenty to thirty of
the savage band seemed to be strug ling to-
gether in the center of the glade, and 1; en they
were burst asunder as though .an earthquake
had passed through, and agigantic figure rushed
out and was lost in the darkness. One remained
prostrate upon the earth, but not alone, for
three figures lay scattered about who would
never rise again. They dragged the prisoner to
his feet and brought him forward to the light of
the fire and saw that it was Long-armed Dan,
the scout.

“ Ha, my friend,” said Melvin, “ I am glad to
see you.”

' “ I wisht I could return the compliment,

Curt,” replied Dan “but in jestice to my good

sense I kain’t do it."

“ Do you know that you have put yourself in-
to the lion’s jaws?”

“ Alien! 8. polecat, you mean. Why, rot me

. all to pieces at you don‘t disgrace the noble ani-
;., mlle I speak of by makin’ yerself the ekal of it.”
' “You have a long tongue as well as long

A‘ arms, my lad. Perhaps we may find a way to
, I make you wag it less.”

5 “Who keers? .You’ve got me. an’ that‘s
,. 91111.3. I tried to git that pritty gal out of yer

  

 

claws an’ failed. I ain’t the only one she be: on
her side, you bet.”

“ 0h, Dan, my brave fellow,” said Elsie. “ I
am so sorry for you.”

“ I ain’t got nothin’ to say ’bout it, Miss El-
sie,” said Dan. “ Good Lord, I hope I know
how to stand grief as well as another man, an’
ef I’ve got to go under I reckon I kin stand it.
He ain’t goin’ to skeer Long-armed Dan, nohow
he kin fix it."

“Tie him neck and heels, Hank,” said Melvin.
“We will attend to his case in the morning.”

“ An’ dig a hole to plant your carrion in, too,
you useless thief,"roared Dan. “ Wagh! What
a lot of polecats, half~an’-half, an’ prary—wolfs
the Blackfoot nation kin turn out when he tries.
It’s eunif to make a man forgit his parints when
he sees it.”

A growl of rage ran through the ranks of the
followers of Melvin, and Dan smiled, for, know‘
ing that they would torture him in the morning,
he wished to provoke them to give him an easy
death at once.

“ Hess-thieves, mushrat—eaters, an’ diggers!
A Pawnee like Matonah could lick the hull li’il-
in’ of you in two minutes by the capt’in’s watch.
Ef I hadn’t got my feet tangled in a. lariat I’d‘
hev cleaned out the hull party—I would, by
mortality yes I"

“ Dan, an,” said Elsie. “You are making
them angry. '

“ They can’t git mad, Miss Elsie. I’m doubt-
ful ef thar's a man among ’em that ever struck
anything big er than a ground-hog. That big
thief with t e grizzly claws round his neck
never got ’em fair.” Then, speaking in the In—
dian tongue: “ He stole them from a hear I
killed; he had not the heart to kill for himself.”

The Indian he referred to, a ferocious-look-
ing savage with a necklace of bear’s claws, ut—
tered a howl of rage at this announcement.
No insult which Dan could have uttered would
have struckso deep as this, for his reputation
was built upon the very trophy to which the
scout so insultingly pointed, and Dan knew it.
In an instanta naked hatchet gleamed in the
hand of the Indian, and Long-armed Dan closed
his eyes, but, with a leap like a panther, Melvin
bounded in to the circle and clutched the Indian
by the arm.

“Stand backl” he cried, in a voice of thun-
der, in the Indian tongue. “ Lay not a finger
on him, for our lives.”

“ I know‘ they wouldn't hev the luck to do
it,” said Dan. “ Pshawl I’m ’shame because I
killed this chap.”

And he spat in the face— of the dead Indian
who lay at his feet. His companions made. a
simultaneous rush at the bold scout, and With
uplifted hatchets strove to cut him down. The
half-breeds and disguised white men rushed be-
tween them and their prey and beat them back
by force.

“By the big horn spoon," said Dan. “ You
chaps is mightv hard to suit. I thoiight I’d in-
sulted you ennfl. How does that suit, then?”

And he spat in the face of Curtis Melvin who
was near him. The desperado turned liVid but
said not a word, but pressed hack the Indians
Ehouting to his immediate follwers to s V,

rm. ~

 

22

Bullet-proof Nat. '

 

“Men of the Blackfeet,” he cried, “you shall
have your revenge in the morning, but not now.
Stand back, I say!”

They at last withdrew sullenly, and Dan,
hound hand and foot, was left alone at the
mercy of the wild hand. For a few moments
the tumult had been frightful, and the confu-
sinn great, and none of the band but had been
mixed up in it more or less.

“ You are mine,” hissed Melvin, “ and in the
morning I shall claim my revenge. This mark
shall not be wiped from my face until I can wash
it clean in your blood.’7

“ Just as you say, Melvin, but I’d rather you
finished me at once.”

Melvin shook his finger at him menacingly,
but made no other sign, and turned away.
Then, for the first time he thought of Elsie and
looked about for her, and then a cry of rage
burst from his lips.

In the confusion of tho struggle she had made
her escape. _

'CIIAPTER X.

FEARFUL SENTINELS.

BULLET—PROOF NAT and Long-armed Dan had
followed the trail of the villains who had broken
up the camp and carried away Elsie, and were
surprised to find they made no effort to cover

 

their trail, all their movements indicating a!

sense of security, and a. contempt of anything
the brigade could do to injure them, and they
came suddenly in sight of the cam , after the
ilres had been lighted and the guar s set. Ap-
proaching, as only skillful scouts know how to
do, they crept near and looked into the sleeping
camp.

When Curtis Melvin approached and looked
down into the sleeping face of Elsie, the were
not twenty yards away, lying prostrate bind
a. bowlder, watching him intently. The scoun-
drel little knew how near he was to death that
night, for the finger of Dan was three times
upon the trigger of his rifle, and he was only re-
strained from firing by the thought that Elsie
would be in greater danger without the pro-
tectlon of Melvin than she was with him alive.
At least he would rotect her from all others, as
he loved her himse f.

They remained quiet, until the man went
away and lay dewn to rest. But the Indian
guards did not move, sitting like statues gazing
at their charge. Dan thought if they could
once got Elsie safely out of camp they could es-
cape into the mountains and manage to elude
their pursuers. But, could it be done?

He looked at Net and saw that he was trem-
bling in overy'limb, though not with fear. The
crazed bein could understand that they dared
not do Mefvin any injury while Elsie was a
prisoner, and yet it required the effort of all his
will to refrain from springing forward and
plunging his spear into his body. The two
guards were nodding, and after alittle stretched
tlmnselves upon the earth and were soon fast
asleep.

“Them chaps ain’t Injuns,” thought Dan.
“ They wouldn t go to sleep—they ain’t in it.”

The scouts exchanged ooks, and began to

great tree between them and-the fire.

hey

creep nearer to the sleeping girl, keeping the

 

were just about to attempt to rouse her, when a
heavy body descended on the back of Dan, with
an Indian exclamation, followed by the appall-
ing war-whoop. Dan shook him off, and his
bowie flushed, and when he drew it back it was
deeply dyed in the blood of the Indian, who

roll dead to the earth. Both now sprung up
and would have fled, but, as if touched bye.
magician’s hand, every Indian boundedto his
feet and surrounded them. '

The result we know. Bullet-proof Nat broke
out and escaped, when he saw that Dan was
down and overpowered by many enemies, and
in the confusion which followed. Elsie also
slipped away and fled like a spirit into one of
the many passes of the mountains. She had
only one thought. and that was to put as much
distance as possible between herself and her one-
mies. The night was not very dark, and she
was out of sight before her escape was discov-
ered, but she heard the shout which arose when
she was missed, and knew that she would be
pursued.

As she hurried on in the darkness she stumbled
over a stone and fell, and to her horror, she
found herself falling into a cleft in the rock.
Before she had time to think, she was sliding
down a sloping rock, and landed safe, although
somewhat bruised, upon a hard, rock floor.
Scarcelz had she regained her feet w an she
heard t e rush of coming footsteps, and paused
as she was about to make an attempt to climb
up out of the‘ cavity, referring to take her
c ances of remaining idden in this place, to
facing foes so close at hand.

The footsteps came near, and paused amo-
ment near the chasm, as if to listen; some
words were spoken in the Indian language,
and then the men, for there were two at least,
hurried on up the mountain-pass. Elsie was
about to creep out of her place of concealment,
when the entrance to the place was darkened,
and she hastily retreated, and for the first time
became conscious that she was in some sort of a.
cave, and in considerable depth.

She began to grape her way back cautiously,
her heart beating wildly, and found that the
floor was hard and smooth, but a sickenin
fetid smell arose from the walls about her, an

for the first time she realized that she was in the .

den of some wild beast, and the conviction
forced itself upon her that it might return and
find her there.

A scratching noise was heard at the entrance
to the cave, and shortly after, a bulky body slid
down the inclined plane, with a. ms ing, metal-
lic sound as the claws dug intot elimestone
rocks. Filled with fear, she ran back hastily
and found her way stopped by a. barrier of solid
rock, with shelving prOJoctions here and there.
The beast, whatever it might be. was not alone,
for three other huge bodies came tumbling
down, two of them of smaller size, but even the,
smallest looming up vaguely through the gloom
of the place. All at once the thought struck
her that these could only be that terror of the
mountains, the grizzl and his family.

From her elevate: firch, she could plainly
See the huge boasts gum ling about on the stone

,floor, the old bears lying down and the playful

cubs rolling over them in various uncouth

 

  

 

 

 

 

   
   
  
  

  

 

 

  
 
  

 

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,_ 4,54,..W A 1

a. — m were?

 

 

 

 

Bullet-proof Nat. ' 23

 

ways, uttering their peculiar note when in sport.
The place where Elsie now stood, was some two
feet wide, and she sat down to rest, satisfied that
the bears did not suspect her presence, and that
for the present she was safe. But how would
it be when daylight shone into the place, and
they began to wander about in search of food?

Elsie was about to give up in despair at day—
light, when she noticed that the ledge upon
which she stood was continued along the wal of
the cavern, and that it narrowed as it proceed-
ed, until it was only wide enough for a single
person, by clinging to the projections above, to
keep a footing upon it. Springing up, she be-
gan to creep out upon this shelf, holding by the
stalactites above her head, and proceeded until
another step would have made her footing too
precarious. Here she paused, and clinging to a
groiecting stalactite with one hand, she ookod

ac at the grizzlies.

She was getting weary. An unusual stren th
had supported her up to this time, but she elt
that it was giving way. Fearing the worst, she
took off her Zouave jacket and tore itinto strips
and formed a sort of rope which she fastened to
the stalnctite in such a way as to give her addi-
tional support. The hours remained in the same
position, gazing at her with bloodshot eyes, and
it was evident did not intend to go awa . Elsio
prayed fervently, while clinging to er frail
support, for stren th to sustain her in the try-
ing hour. , Should she cast herself down and
take that death rather than the fearful one
which stared her in the face? She felt herself
sinking, life and sense were fleeting fast, when
she heard a cry of surprise, and Bullet-proof
Nat appeared in the doorway of the cavern.
Elsie ran hastily to the ledge and sunk fainting
upon the rocks.

CHAPTER XI.
’ N. H. 1832.

THE followers of Melvin had scattered every-
wherein ursuit of Elsie, need we say, without
result. veral of them had passed the mouth
of the bear’s den, but knowing what purpose it
was likely to serve, had not thought proper to
improve a dangerous acquaintance. The idea.
that Elsie could by any possibility have taken
shelter there had never entered their minds.

Melvin was in a fury, for all his plans had
been set at naught by this unlucky contretemps.
He had joined in the pursuit, and had done his
best to recover her, but as the night regressed
and no signs of the girl could be four! ,he called
in his scattered bands, fearing an attack from
Elbert Spencer, and made a camp again a'quar-
ter of a mile nearer the chasm in which EiSle was
besieged by the bears, determined to Search for
her in the morning and never give up the pur«
suit until she had been recovered. He lay down
in no very good humor, and was greeted next
morning by a very unpleasant revelation. Long—
armed Dan, by long practice, had acquired con—
siderable skill in uutying knots with his teeth,
and he had used his skill to very good purpose

‘ during the night, and had made his way out of

the camp, unseen by his guards, and was gone.
, “A thousand curses follow him!" hissed Mel-
vin. “ If I am ever betrayed, it will be through

the stupidity of the men who follow me. New,

 

of course the long-armed rascal will bring his
friends down upon us, and we shall lose some
more good men, but I’ll be cursed if I leave this
place until I have found Elsie Vedder.”

“ That girl will be your destruction yet, Curt,”
said Hank Wilson. “ It would be better for
you if you had never seen her.”

“ You 8 eak truly, Hank,” replied Melvin
morosely, ‘ but it is the curse of my life that i
cannot forget her, and, much as she despises
me, I must love her still. How in the name of
all the fiends did you suffer this Dan to escape?
He will give us great trouble when he gets with
Nat again.”

“ Let me once get where I can draw a head
on that wild madman, and he at least will never
trouble us more.”

“You can’t kill him,” said Melvin, hoarsely.
“ Curse him, he is bullet—proof, for I have tried
him half a dozen times, and know that I’m not
a poor shot.”

“ You are afraid of him, Curt, and I am not,”
said Wilson. “ Don’t say that you are not
afraid of him, for you know that you are.”

“I have not denied it, Hank. He is the only
being on earth I really do fear, I tell you. If it
were not for this cursed prophecy the men of No-
gam would not be so few.”

The men were standing on the outskirts of the
camp while they conversed. All at once Hunk
uttered a delighted cry, and springing to a rock
Kicked ofl’ a uttering fragment of cloth and

eld it up before his leader.

“A iece of her dress,” cried Melvin, eagerly.
as gone through this pass, then, as I
live."

“ If she has, she can’t get out,” said Wilson.
“ It’s a perfect (all do sac, and only runs about
a mile up. We‘ve got her, as sure as you live.
Probably she was hiding somewhere when it
was so dark we couldn’t find her.”

They passed by the bears’ den and heard the
growls of the infuriated animals; but had no
wish for a closer acquaintance. The whole
party scattered here and there in search, but
saw nothing of Elsie. Reaching the end ofthe
pass, they turned back, and were searching up
and down among the rocks, when they heard
the cry of surprise which Nat uttered, when he
saw Elsie in the cave.

“'Nat is there," cried Melvin. “ Oh, my God,
E1319 is there, too, and the bears are attacking ‘
them. Who is man enough to follow me?”

Not a man stirred, for of all things created
tigheb i’i’iouutuin-man and the Indian fear “ Old

f‘ Give me your knife, then," hissed Curt Mel-

vm. “ I will 0 alone.” . '

He snatche. aheavy bowie from the sheath

at the side of Wilson, and leaped down into the

cave, holding a. revolver ready. As he pushed"
into the cave, he saw the she-bear leap from a

shelf eight feet above upon the head of Nat,
whose spear was driven through her‘ body with

such force that the steel point protruded a foot

from her back. Nat, however, was crushed

down by the falling body, and Melvin, running

up, fired four chambers from his revolver into

the broad ear of the bear, and uttered a shout

of triumph as the muscular limbs contracted

for the last time. ,

l

- you ask of me?"

24 ._ Bullet-proof Nat.

 

At the shoot a dozen of his men sprung into
the cave, and looked with dilated eyes at the
wild scene about them.

“Get some lariats and tie that fellow," said
Melvin. “ Tie him tight, beyond the possibility
of escape. Our luck is coming back to us, I
think, for I would sooner have this mnn than a
hundred Long-armed Dans. Get n torch, some
one, for Idon’t see anything of Elsie.”

“ Perhaps she isn’t here," said Hank. “ Or
perhaps the bear—” ~ '

“ No, no. It cannot be," gasped Melvin. “ I
will not believe that she, so young, so pure, so
beautiful, has perished by such a. horrible
death.”

” It may he,” replied Wilson. “ Nerve your-
self to bear the worst that can come to you.”

“ Torches, torches,” shrieked the unhappy
mnn. “ Four of you stay and take care of the
prisoner, and the rest come with me."

They had not far to no, for the cove narrowed
as they advanced, until it ended in a yawning
chnsm which seemed to be of unfathomable
depth. One of the men threw in a stone, and as
he did so they listened, and after some seconds,
benrd it strike for below.

“ Deep enough,” suid Hank. “ It can‘t be
that she ran from the boars and fell down here.”

“ I could kill you for the thought,” cried Mel-
vin, honrsoly. “If I have driven her to death
I will kill myself.”

A shout from the Indians they had left in
charge of tho insensible form of Bullet-proof
Nut called them back. They rm to the place,
and one of tho savages pointed to the shelf
above, where they could see a. corner of a skirt
hanging over the rocks. Melvin sprung up the
rugged side of the cavern, and his cry of joy
rung through it a moment after, and he do-
scended, carrying the insensible form of Elsie in
his arms.

“ I’ve got her,” he cried, eagerly. “ I don’t
think she is hurt, either. Have you got any
li u \r, Hank?”

ilson gave him a flask, and be poured a. lit-
tle of the contents into his hand, and applied it
to the nostrils of the senseless girl, and put a lit-
tle on her livid lips.

“ That’s right,” said Hank. “Her color is
coming back, and she will be all right in a. mo-
ment.”

“ What is all this?" cried a voice. “ What am
I doing here? Hal Curtis Melvin, is it you, dog
that you are? Give me back my wife and
child! .

The voice was that of Bullet-proof Nat, but he
was no longer mad! Ata glanee it was plain
that he was no longer insane.

A shock had given him back that which a
shock had taken away!

“ Who are you i" faltered Melvin. “ What do

“You would know who I am, villain?” cried
Nat. “ Part this strange covering on my. breast,
and let him look at it.”

They pushed aside the hniry covering on his
breast, and there, printed with indelible ink,
they read the letters:

“N. H. 1832.”
Melvin recoiled as if he bed been struck by

l

 

lightning, and a terrible look came into his
ace.

“ You, here?” he cried. You, Bulletproof Nat,
the terror of the Gulch?”

“ Yes, it is I, bloodthirsty villain—I and no
231971,} What am I doing here? What place is

13‘

“ Stand back, all of you, and let me talk to
this man. Drive them all out, Hank, and watch
the entrance.”

The lesser villain obeyed the order, and the
two were alone in the cave.

Bullet-proof Ijlat regarded Melvin with a.
strange stare, and it seemed that his bewildered
mind was striving to regain what it had lost.

“ You know me, then, Nathan ?” said Melvin.
“ I did not think it possible, after fifteen ears."

“Know you? Of course I do! I shoul know
you anywhere, and in any disguise. You have
worked too much evil to me and mine to be able
to forget you."

“ Do you remember all the past?”

“ I remember your treachery, to say the
least,” said Bullet-proof Nut, writhing in his
bonds. “I ask you again, why am I here, and
bound in this way i”

“ Does your memory retain nothing of the
past fifteen years?”

“Fifteen years? What do you mean, man?
It is notso long as that; it was only yesterday
when you did that great wrong. Ani yet this
strange dress, this savage place—I do not under-
stand. Where is my wife, you dog? Give her
back to me i”

“ Your wife?" said Melvin, hoarsely. “ I can-
not give you back the dead. She was killed
that night.”

“ Killed! Hu, say you so, black-hearted vil-
lain? I remember now—I remember all. I am
Bullet- roof Not, the Wild Gulch Goblin—Bullet-

roof at, of the Quartz Ranges—Bulletproof

at, the Demon of the Hills, and I am mad
mad! Release me, you black dog! Why am I
tied up like a thief?”

He was mad again, and Melvin saw it with a.
sort of pang, but, at the same time a terrible
thought payed through his brain. It was better
that this man should die at once, for while he
lived there was no safety for him.

“Look you, Bullet-proof Nat,” he said. “ For
years you have followed me like a shadow, and
you have always had the best of every en-
counter. Now the turn is mine, and you have a.
very short time to live. I am going to have you
killed to make myself safe.”

“ You cannot kill Me I ” replied Nat, hoarsely.
“ Death has been turned away from me so often

that I know that I cannot die until my work is

done. You are a fool to think of it."

“ Yet, though you have done me so much in ury.
I cannot find it in my heart to kill you. here
is one whose life, by a prophecy, depends upon
your fate, and I huve promised to give you up
to him. That man «is Negm‘a, the Blackfoot
chief.”

Upon hearin this Not uttered such a shout of
laughter that t its walls of the cave echoed back
the sound.

“Negeral Hal he! he! Does he think to
elude me, me who have watched him so lon i
Curt Melvin and Negaru, Negaru and Curt Me;

 

 

 

., . 1...; in. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 s 

 .MA; '

 

 

 

 

 

Bullet-proof Nat. ~ 25

’vini You are going to give meu tohim be-
cau'sfa you cannot find it in your eart to kill
me.

“ Yes; why do you laugh, fool?”

“ At my own thought, ’ replied Nat. “ There
wgo away, and send Negara to kill me. He is
not very far away, you know."

“I was right, Nat,” said Melvin. “ You
know too much for your own good, and I must
see that you trouble me no more.”

He left Nat uttering his shouts of laughter,
lying upon his back in the cavern, and climbed
out of the dismal place. Here he found Elsie,
supported by Hank Wilson, just recovering from
her swooning fit.

“ You are better, I hope,” he said, bendin
over her and making a signal to Hank tofal
back, while hesulpported her head. “ You are
not hurt, thank eaven.”

" Do not 1profane that holy name, Curtis Mel-
vin,” said lsie. “It is the will of God that I
should fall again into your hands, and I bow to
His will.” I .

.“ You were wrong to fly from me,” said Mel-
Vin.
“ Wrong? I am almost sorry that my life
has been saved, if you are to be my keeper.
Do n’ot touch me, sir; your very touch is pollu-
tion.

“Perhaps Negara. will suit you better,” he
said. “ I have told you that there are but these
two courses open for you—to accept me as your
husband or go into the lodge of the chief. One
or the other you must do."

“ I can at least die," she answered, proudly.

“ If the opportunity is given you to do so, I
doubt if you would take advantage of ’ . Most
people cling to life, no matter how sad hat life
may be. I am going away to concoct plans for
the destruction of Spencer’s brigade of trappers,
and Ne am will resume command of this force.
You wi l be his prisoner, and as such shall have
an o portunity to decide between us.”

“ 80, if you will,” she said, coldly. “ But, be-
fore you go, tell me what you are to do With
that poor man whom I hear shouting in the
cave?

“ I have given him to Negara, to do with as
he will,” re lied Melvin. If you have any
appeal to me 9. let it be made to him when he
comes, although I can tell you now that nothing
can save him.

“ Why? What evil has the poor man done?”

“ I have no time to explain. Wilson, you
will take charge of this lady. As for the mad-
man, let him remainin the cave, and set a strong
guard over it, so that he cannot escape. When
Negara comes you know what to tell him."

Wilson nodded, with a queer smile, and.
whistling up a horse, Melvin mounted and rode
gaylleaving Wilson in charge of the imprison-

ir .

‘ I hope on won’t try to escape again, my
lady for don’t want to use you roughly.
Han Wilson is a lady’s man, and it goes to his
heart to be rough with a lady. Promise to keep
quiet and I won’t tie you.”

“ I promise,” said Elsie, wearily. “ I am too
weak to make any attempt at escape."

“That’s right, my lady-bird. Don’t try it,r

and it will be all right.”

 

An hour passed and the shoots of Nat in the
cave were still continued. The Indians had
dragged out the bodies of the bears and were
cutting them up and preparing the flesh for cur-
ing, and some of the men lighted the fires and
indulged in some savory steaks of bear-meat,
which the borderinen delight in, from its rarity.
The cluttter of boots was heard and Negara, in
all the finery of the Indian warrior, rode 11 ac-
companied by twenty mounted Blackfeet. 'il-
son started up and met him, and they drew to
one side and engaged in an animated conversa-
tion. The Indian spoke vehemently, waving his
band now toward the cave and then toward El-
sie, and Wilson replied in the same tone. After
a talk of some moments Negara dismounted and
came toward the spot where Elsie sat, and sa-
luted her with a lofty gesture, such as only an
Indian warrior is capable of making.

CHAPTER XII.
THE LEAP IN THE DARK.

“ SILVER STAR,” he said, “the white man, who
is the friend of Negara, has sung a sweet song in
my ears. He has said, ‘ The white maiden who
is so fair to look upon Will not come into my
lodge. Go to her, and try if the chief of the
Blackfeet may find favor in her eyes.’ ”

“ The white man who is the friend of Negara is
an enemy to me," she answered.

“ He would not he an enemy to the Silver Star,”
said the chief. “ What has he done, that the
white maiden will not look with favor upon
him?”

“ His hands are red with innocent blood, chief,”
she answered.

“ Blood must be shed,” said Negara. proudly.
“ I myself have shed much, as becomes a brave
I a’rrior, but I have lost some of my own with

it.

“That was in battle, chief.”

“ Silver Star says well. A chief of the Great
Nation should not shed any but the blood of men.
Listen to the words of Negara. There is a. warm
lodge in the Blackfoot village and a bright fire
always lighted. It is the home of Negara, and
he lives there alone. It is not good that it is so,
and Negara would change it. Will Silver Star
come into the lodge and keep the fire bright.”

“ Chief,” she said, “ you ask more than yoh
have a right to demand. Doubtless there are
many in the Blackfoot village who would ladly
be the wife of Negara, for they are of ndian
blood. But, I am a white woman, and can only
marry one of my own race.”

“It is well spoken ” said Negara. " Look]
Half the blood which ows in these veins is the
blood of the whites. The other half comes from
the blood of the great Sioux tribe. Let Silver
Star marry a chief who has the blood of her na-
tion in his veins.” ‘ _

She shook her head, and the face of the chief,
which had hitherto been persuaswe and bland,
began to change. ‘ _

' The white girl is very proud," he said.
“ Does she know that she speaks to one who can
command her to be his wife?”

“Never! you may command, but 1 would die
before I would Submit to you.’f

“ Let the white girl think it over,” said the
chief. “There is only one way, and if she is

 

 

 

28 “ Bullet-proof Nair.

‘ obstinate, a fire may be kindled which will con—
sume) her. Why does Bullet Proof Nat cry out
so loudly? His mouth should be stopped since he
interrupts the talk of a. chief.”

“ What will you do with him, chief?" demand-
ed Elsie.

“ He is to die," said Negura. “A prophet has
spoken in the cars of Ncguru and commanded
him'to do it.”

“ Dare you touch him? Remember that your
laws Forbid you to injure a madman.”

“He has shed the blood of warriors, and no
law can save him. Lot the white girl stand buck
until u chief calls for her again.”

Full of fen-s for poor Nat, she stepped back,
and Wilson, in a sort of careless manner, came
near her, and it was easy to see that his business
was to keep a. watch upon her movements. Ne-
gara, cilling to ilis‘llld four of the most fero—
cious Indians in the hand, descended the sloping
entrance to the den, whom he found Nat lying
Upon his back, lnu hing wildly,

“Hui hu! ha! (flora he is!
him to kill me. Hnrmh!”

“ Siloncel" said the chief. “ You are about to
pass across the silent river, but I am a chief of
ahewBluckfeet, and you shall say how you will

ie.‘
' “ Untie my feet," said Not. stop .ing his wild
lniiqhter. “You are kinder than thought”

The Indians armed with rifles raised them
ready to fire, while the chief stepped forward
cut the cords upon the limbs of Nat, and moved
back, as the madman rose slowly to his feet.

You said I could choose how to die!” he
sm .

“The word of a. chief is sacred,” replied Ne-
gara. , “ As you say, so shall it be." 4 ,

“ My blood shall not be upon your hands for
the Blackfeet will point at you and say, ‘This
man murdered a creature upon whom the fin er
of the Great Spirit had been laid.’ I will in
myself if you will let me.’

“ Be it so," snid Niagara eagerly, and evident—
ly relieved to be free from the odium of this
murder. “Choose your death.”

“ Follow me,” replied Nat, “ all of you.”

They paced slow] y on, some ten paces behind
21c madman, and saw him pause upon the brink

f the deep chasm which has been mentioned. A
sort of steam rose from it, like the reek of the

« culdron. and Nut pointed downward in silence,
an i the chief understood him.

V “ You will tbmw yourself into this place?”

, said Negara, “ and so save your scalp?” '

N at nodded in silence, and waving the Indians
back, knelt upon the brink of the place which
was to be his grave. Those who saw his face

' A thought that never had they seen anythin‘ so

majestic. The Indians stood trembling, t eir
nervous hands scarcely able to hold their wea-
pons, watching the kneeling man. His eyes
were upraised, and a beautiful expression passed
over his face. Nevara. the man least likely to
be moved of all his'band, turned away his head,
'for he could not look upon that face and doom
him to death. At last Nat raised his head and
came slowly to his feet. ,
Niagara,” he said, in a solemn voice. The
I {Indian started and turned suddenly toward
m. , '

Curt Melvin sent -

. told him that either he or Bullet-proof

you,” said Frank.

 

. Q

“ I am about to die, Indian,” said the strange
man, in a. voice which had no touch of madness
in it. “ And I summon you to meet me, before
to-morrow’s sun shall set. at the judgment.”

“ Do it!“ cried Negara, fiercely. “- Go down,
or the rifles shall speak.”

“ I am going,” replied Nat, calmly.
hurry a. man who must die.”

He looked once about the cave, once down
into the awful da th. and then leaped boldly out
and was gone. he Indians ran to the month of
the opening and looked down, but could sec
nothing. All was vailed in gloom, and Nut was
gone.

Negara. came out of that dismal place an al-
tered man. A gloom, which could never be re-
moved until deuth called him, was settled upon
his savage face. His eyes were stony, and he
started at every sound which came from the
hills. Wilson approached him and whispered
in an awe-struck voice:

“ Is it done?”

“ It is done," replied Ne am.
never trouble us more. and have made the
words of the Spotted Cut a lie. And now to
keep the oath which I swore, to never give up
the ursnit of the white men. Let us go.”

“ but shall we do with the prisoner?” said
Wilson.

“ Let her ride by me,” replied the chief. “ 1
will speak to her."

He had no need to call her. for Elsie came
forward with a look of detestation on her face.

“ You are a murderer, chief,” she cried.
“ You are guilty of the death of a. man who was
not accountable for wrong.”

“ The ilver Star has a long tongue," he said,
fiercely. “No hand was laid upon him, but he
died by his own act.”

“ Where is he?" ,

“ Look for him at the bottom of the pit in
yonder cave. There you will find his bones.“

“The dead will find you out,"she said. “I
feel like u prophetess, inspired to tell you that
you have not long to live. Beware!”

The chief lifted his hand fiercely, and it
seemed as if he was about to strike her; but be
restrained himself by a mighty efl’ort of his
powerful will, and fell back to his horse, telling
Wilson to take charge of her and bring her on.

“ It is hard, Miss Vedder,” said Wilson; “ the
Worst thing I ever knew him to do. But think
it over. He is superstitious, and a Pro but has
at must

“ Do not

die. and this is the result.”

” But he was mad. If he killed men he was
not to be called to account.”

“He had a method in his, madness," replied
Wilson. “ If you noticed it, he took a peculiar
delight in wi ping out our men, and it’s no more
than fair that he should go under. The chief is
not so much to blame, and certainly Curt did all
he could when he went away and left him to
Niagara.” _

“ Great mercy that. He knew that the chief
would not spare him, or he would never have
given him up.”

“I see it ain’t much use trying to talk with
“ Let us move on.”

He helped her to the saddle, and they rode on

rafter the band, who were already in motion. By

 

“He will ‘

    

 

   
  
  
  
 
  
 

 

 

 

  

 

 

pm. .
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A, mag; rim-“*5

 

Bullet-proof N at. V 2"

 

the addition of the twenty brought by Negara,
they now numbered seventy, enough, at least, to
meet the brigade thh a good chance of succes:,
although it was against the advice of Wilson,
who had tried to reason with the chief without
effect.

The chief rode at the head, and \Vilson, with
Elsie. was in the rear, when a loud word of
command was heard, and a close fire was poured
into the Indians from both sides of the pass. Sn
sudden and terrible was the shock, that the head
of the column was swept away, leavmg the chief
almost alone. Seeing this, he wheeled his horse
and darted back in such a way that to fire at
him was to endanger Elsie, who was with that
section of the savage band who had been an
touched by the fire.

“ N o more! no more!" cried the voice of
Elbert Spencer. “ Fire not another shot lest
you kill her. Forward, all!”

There was a mad rush of men and horses, and
the narrow pass at once became a scene of the
utmost confusion.

Before the savages had time to recover from
their first unic, the brigade “as upon them,
cuttingrig it and left with their bowies. Ne—
gura and Wilson, throwing themselves in front,
slistained the fight with a gallantry worthy of a
butter cause, but they were struggling with des-
perate men, who did not know what it was to
be beaten. Back, hack, step by step, contesting
every inch of ground, and staining it with their
flowmg blood, went the bond of Negara.

Two of the immediate adherents of the chief,
nbeyin an order which he shouted to them, had
seized tloie and rapidly conveyed her to the
rear, where she would be out of danger. It was
a generous act, and yet the most unfortunate
thing that coal-l have happened for the Indians.
Up to this time the brigade had refrained from
using that terrible weapon, the revolver, fearing
to do some injury to Elsie, but as they saw her
move away, a stunning cheer ran through their
ranks.

“ Revolvers, boysl” cried Elbert. " Give it
to the blood y dogs.”

A hailstorm of bullets began to rattle through
the, rapidly~thinning ranks of the Indians, and
they fell back more quickly, and some of the
weak—kneed ones began to clamber up the rocks
in various directions, leaving their more stout-
hearted companions to bear the brunt of the
combat alone. Looking about him in'n lull of
the combat, the chief saw that of his entire band
scarcely twenty backed him, the rest haVing
either fled or fallen by the weapons of the white
men.

The appearance of the chief was fearful. His
left arm had been broken by a. ball from a re-
volver, and hung uselessat his side, but his right
wielded a ponderous ax with deadly effect. An-
other ball had grazed his temple, and the blood
was running down his face. In two or three
other place his garments were stained With
blood from wounds of lesser importance. 1 But,
in spite of this, he fought gallant] , and en-
couraged his failing men, who were alhng one
by one under the deadly weapons of the bri-

ade. .
g “Yield, Négara, yield!” cried Elbert, as he
struggled to get near the chief, “ and by Heaven,

l

 

Eon shall have quarter, if you have not harmed
lsie or Bulletproof Nat.”

“ Look for Bullet-proof Nat under the earth i”
cried Negara. “ I ask no mercy at your hands,
nor will I take any. Strike on!”

At this munent, Wilson, who had raised his
arm to strike down Long-armed Dan, who was
approachin him, received his bullet below the
arm-pit. he powerful arm dropped to his
side, a vacant look passed over his face, and like
a giant tree felled by the stroke of the ax-mon,
he came crashing to the earth.

Negara saw that his last hope was gone, for in
this desperate man he had confided more than
any other, and to the last had some little hope
that their united prowess mith be able to hear
back the tide of their enemies. The brigade
made a single rush, and the scanty remnant of
the defenders began to fall back ra idly, still
dealing desperate blows. Negara whispered a
quick word in the ear of a gigantic Indian who
fought at his right hand, and with a heroic de-
votion very seldom equaled, he ruined his horse
between his chief and the weapons of Dan and
Elbert, who were rushing to assail the chief.

Negara forced his way through the ranks of
his own men, and goading his horse with the
edge of his hatchet, bounded away. Something
in iis eyes, as he did this, warned Elbert that
this was not a coward’s flight, but some desper-
ate expedient, and that they must sweep the
few remaining enemies out of their path and
follow at once. They were only ten in number,
but those ten s'ood up for three minutes against
three times their force, impeding their onward
course. One by one they dropped, and at last a
mad rush was made, and the last Indian went
down before the bowie of Elbert Spencer.

“ Forward, for Heaven’s sake, Deni" cried
the young man. “There is no telling what he
may do.”

Scoring their horses’ flanks with their knives,
the brigade dashed on, in time to see the chief
disappearing around an angle in the path, car-
rying Elsie before him, apparently senseless. ‘

CHAPTER Xill.‘
A STRANGE REUNION.

“AFTER him I” cried Elbert. “The man is
desperate and may harm her. Do not spare
your horses.” '

Even while he spoke, the horse he rode s rung
madly forward, as the keen int of a owie

ierced his flank. Long-arms Dan was not for

hind, and the brigade followed, according to
the s eed of their horses. -

“ e kaiu't go fur,” said Dan, as by a desperr

ate effort be brought his horse level with that
ol‘. Elbert. “ The pass ends a mile furder on.”
They now had the enemy in full view, and
snwthat he wavered in his saddle, and that the
stones over which they were riding were spotted
with the blood which dropped from his many
wounds. He ulled up at the entrancetothe
besrs’ den. and) leaped out of the saddle, still
carrying Elsie in his arms, and the next instant
he was out of sightin the black depths. They

ran tothe entrance and looked down, and saw .

him walking with uneven steps ever the stone

 Mt;

28 Bullet-proof Nat.

 

floor, still carrying the insensible form of Elsie.
What did he intend to do?

Elbert and Dan were quickly in the cave, and
would have shot him down, but he carried the
poor girl in such a way that it was impossible to
fire without (1 611711100 of injuring her. U ou
the brink of the pit into which Bullet—proof . at
had plunged he paused and faced them, holding
the irl in a firm clasp.

“ aka care what you do,” he said. “ You
see what is behind me, and if you shoot me, I
fall into the pit, and she goes with me."

The voice was no longer that of Negara the
chief, but the oily, silken tonesol.’ Curtis Me via,
and both cried out his name together in tones of
execration.

“Yes, the man you have bounded and hunted
to his death, Negara. the Blackfoot chief, is
Curtis Melvin," he sai . “ You know me—be—
were what you do.” I

“ As I hope to be saved, Curtis Melvin," cried
Elbert, in agonized tones, “ if you will give her
up to us, not I, nor any one of my men, shall
Ii t a hand against you.”

“ Ay, you do well to promise that now-now
when I am hurt to death, and can have but a
few minutes to live. I must die, but before I go
I will take a revenge which you will remember
through your life. You asked me, not long ago,
to spare Bullet-proof Nat, the Gulch Goblin. I

' will tell you now why that is impossible, if you
would like to know.”

“ Where is be?"

“You see this dark cavity at my feet? He
plunged into this an hour ago, and the darkness
zuyallpwed him up. That was a. fitting end for

im.

“ You murdered him.”

“ He leaped down of his own accord, I tell
you. Be careful, Dan; if you fire at me, I go
down after him, and your lady goes with me.
Ahal I think I have you now.” '

“ Have some mercy,” pleaded Elbert. “I
will give my life for her sake.”

" Your life? What is your life to me? No,
you may rather live and think of me and my re-
venge.

“ Melvin, think before you do enact which
will consign you to an endless perdition.”

“Hal hul ha!" he laughed, wildly. ” As in
cared for that, with so many crimes upon my
soul. No, no! she goes down with me, and you
shall see it done."

Elsie began to struggle a little, and stretched
out her hands imploringly for help. He only
clutched her more firmly, and cried out to them
to witness that they drove him to this.

“Oh, mercy!" screamed Elsie. “ Do not kill
me, Melvin; do not doom me to this horrible

death.”

“It is something," cried the unhappy man,
staggering from weakness—“ something at
leustto hear you beg for mercy at my hands,
but I do not know the word. No, no—-come
dgwn With me into the black depths. We shall
r st well together in the caverns under the
earth.”

The man was mad, let us hope. He must have
been, or he could not have resisted those appeal-
in hands and the beautiful face uplifted to his.

rt, seeing that he was in earnest, and that

 

in another moment they must go down into the
depths together, sprung madly forward to tear
her from his grasp, but they were tottering upon
the brink of the chasm when he saw Melvin
stagger back with a cry of horror, and half—re—
lease his grasp upon Elsie.

Out of the dismal depths of the pit rose the
form of Bullet-proof N at, as we have seen him
before, the water dropping from his long hair
and heard, and from his covering of skins. His
hand grasped the terrible spear with which he
had done such fearful work, and a savage look
passed over his face, a look of demoniac tri-
umph, and he sprung at the throat of Melvin
with a. yell which was full of triumphant
malice. '

“Buck, backl”shrieked Melvin. “Down to
death, black phantom! Why do you haunt me,
now that my hour is come?”

“The prophecy, the prophecy l” was the reply.
“Give me back my wifel"

The next moment they were locked in a dead-
l(y grapple. The excitement of the moment lent

‘urtis Melvin unnatural strength, and he fought
like a tiger. But what could any ordinary
man’s strength avail against the mighty power
of Bullet-proctNat in the hour of his triumph?
The form of Melvm was whirled shrieking into
the air, and sent crashing down into the it.
and they heard his body strike with a nil
sound against the rocky sides as he descended.
Bullet—proof Nat reeled backward, covered his
face with his hands. and fell senseless to the
earth beside the girl whom he had saved from
death. Elbert s rung forward and caught at
Elsie and carrle her away from the dangerous
vicinity, and Dan dragged away Nat, and then
ran to the mouth of the cave. ‘

“Hurrahl” he shouted. “ Come down here,
half a hundred of on, and help us out of this.
GlorytoGideon i this ain’t hullyl I kin out—
flght anything in Oregon, by gracious. Come
down, you fightin‘ ungels' come down, you imps
of Satan, and help me yelll” Y

The cave was quickly filled with a. motley
group, many of them bleeding, and all wild
with excitement, and by their help both Elsie
and Bullet-proof Nat were lifted from the cave
and carried up into the sunlight. Elsie soon re-
covered, and, sitting by her lover’s side with her
hand in his, told of the pangs she had endured
since she had fallen into the hands of Curtis
Melvin.

Bullet-proof Nat lay as one dead, only the
heaving of his broad breast telling that he still
lived. The doctor pushed them all back, and
took him in charge.

“ This is an extraordinary case of syncope,”
he said. “Keep backrall of you, and let me
work.”

Doctor Sabin was a skillful man, and only his
great love for nature and science had led him to
take n part in these wild scenes. His method of
practice, however, was at fault here, and_for
two hours he worked over the strange being,
and still he lav in the same deathlike sleep. At
last his nostrils began to twitch, and. he moved
uneasily, and then, stretching his giant limbs,
set no and looked wildly about him. .

” Why, what is all this?” he said; in a. wander-
ing tone. “ Where am I now?”

 

gm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I

Bullet-proof Nut. 29

 

“ No matter about that,” replied Sabin, push-
ing Dan back as he would have spoken. “ You
have been sick and I am your surgeon, and I for-
bid talking.”

“ I think you are right. doctor,” he said, fin.
gering his long beard reflectively. “Yes, you
must be right. Why, my hair and beard are
grown out of all reason, and I think I should be
better for a good cutting.”

“ Let me be our barber,” said the doctor,

taking a pair 0 shears from his case, and set ‘

ting to work industriousiy. In ten minutes
most of the su erabundant hair and beard which
had so long isfigured him were gone, and he
sat before them, a gigantic but remarkably
handsome man, perhaps forty ' years of age.
The doctor had seated him in such a way that
he could not see either Elbert or Elsie, and tell-
ing him to be quiet he went and whispered
something in her car. She arose and stepped
quietly out of sight behind the projecting rocks,
and the doctor came back and sat down near

him.

“ You have been light—headed during your
illness, my dear sir,” said he, “ and I wish to see
how far your cure is effected. Will you allow
me to look at your eye?”

Bullet—proof Nat assented by a nod, and the
doctor pushed back the eyelid with his finger
and looked into his eye, and turned away with a
satisfied air.

“ Now, sir, can you recall past events? In
the first place, what is Wur name?”

“ Nathan Houston. by do you ask that?”

" Never mind now. Think over the past and
tell me what you think proper.”

“ I was an engineer and land-surveyor in St.’

Louis, and started out with a party to cross the
plains to one of the forts. The Indians were
quiet and I allowed my wife and little daughter
to go with me, as I was to be stationed at the
fort for some time. We were attacked by In-
dians, headed by a young man, claiming to be a
white man, but as some said with Indian blood
in his veins, and the whole party was out 01?. I
remember being struck upon the head With a
hatchet, and after that it is a blank to me."

“ Do you know the name of the white leader
of whom you speak?” _

“ I can tell you that, too. He came into the
camp an hour before the attack and was kindly
received, giving his name as Curtis Melvin.
Yet I am ready to make oath he led the attack,
although disguised as an Indian.”

“ And were all slain?” I

“ All, all! My dear wife, my angel child, the
brave men who were with me, not one was
spared. I shall live long enough to find this
Melvin and kill him, and after that I am ready
to die.”

At this moment Elsie, obeying a preconcerted

' sign from the doctor, came out of her place of

concealment and noiselesst advanced, and sud-
denly faced Nathan Houston. He strung to his
feet,- looking at her in vague wonder and doubt.

“ Rosalie! my wife!” he whispered. “Ah, no,
that can not be! Who is this, doctor? Speak,
before I go wild.”

“ Do you see any thing familiar in her face?”

“ The image of my wife as she was when I first
knew and loved her."

 

“ This girl, then,” said the doctor, slowly,
“was saved from such a. massacre as you have
described by an old guide, Peter Vedder.”

“ Then she is mine!” cried Houston, clasping
her to his heart and raining kisses upon her up-
turned face. ‘ My God. I thank thee that this
has been given me to soothe my wounded heart.”

The meeting is too holy for my pen. Let us
dropa Vail upon their joy.

 

They descended the smoking it in the bear’s
den next day, and understood ow it was that
Houston had been saved from death when he
leaped into it. ’l'wenty feet from the verge it
was full of water, almost hot, causing the steam
which hid the depths from view. And there,
floating u on the tepid surface they found the _
body of urtis Melvin, whom they had known
as Negara. They raised the body and interred.
it in the pass, with the bodies of his companions.

On the march to the fort, Elsie told her father
what she had know of the man. In one of the
forts where she had passed two years of her life,
she had met him, under another name, and he
had made many friends, but as they after ward
heard, he had come with intention of betraying
parties who had went out into the Indian
country. They had loved and were to have
been married. ad not a man who had suffered
through the treachery of Melvin come into the
fort and accused him. In the struggle which

ensued, the man was stabbed to the heart,
and Melvin, after being condemned for the
crime, managed to make his escape, and she had
not seen him since that time until they met in
the camp of the brigade.

The fort was reached in safety, and Peter
Vedder received his adopted daughter joyfully,
and although hequ grieved to lose her forever,
his love for her was too real not to make him
rejoice in the recovery of the parent, lost so
many years, and so providentially restored.

Six weeks after their return, Elbert and Elsie
were made man and wife, and the young man
resigned his position under the Company. and
went with his father-in-law to Califoiinia, where
he had a large property, which was recovered
after some little trouble, as the deeds were in
safe hands. Long-armed Dan and his associates
bade adieu to them with heartfelt sorrow, but
they were wedded to the border life and would
not leave it. ' ‘

Nathan Houston is now one of« the most pro-
minent public men in the middle district of the
Golden State, and Elbert is in the State Legis-
lature and rising rapidly. Houston remembers
his fifteen years of madness only as a. fitful
dream, and lives only for his daughter and her '
children. His years of sorrow are having their
reward. “ i.

rm: END.

 

 

 

‘ 85 gaptain Ralph, the Young Explorer.

BEADLE’S BOY’S LIBRARY.

 

78 The Young Moose-Hunters; or, Trail and Camp—
Fire in the New Brunswick Woods. By William
H. Manning.

74 The Boy CnrnlrFishers: or, The Sea Cavern
Scourge. By Roger Star-buck.

75 Revolver Billy. the lloy Ranger of Texas. By
Col. Prentiss lngraham.

76 The Condor-Killers: or. Wild Adventures at the
Equator. By T. C. Haibaugh.

77 Lud Liouhoels, the Young‘ Tiger-Fighter. By
Roger Starbuek. ‘

78 Flatboat Fred: or. The Voyage of the Experi-
ment. By Edward Willctt.

79 Boone, the Hunter; or. The Backwoods Brothers.
13y Captain F. \\‘hittakcr.

80 Kentucky llen, the Long Rifle of the Cascades.
By R. Srarbuck.

81 The Kit Carson Club; or, Tl‘ n Young Hawkeyes
in tho Northwest. By ’1‘. C. iIarbuugh.

82 Little Buck, the Boy (luidowr. The Gold “ Eye "
of Montana. By Barry Ringgold.

88 Pony Bob, tho Reckless Rider of the Rockies. By
Col. P. Ingraham.

84 Captain Flyby-Night; 0y. The Colorado Boys on
the War-Path. lly J osrph E. Badger, Jr.

By C. D.

lurk.

86 Little Dan Rocks; or, The Mountain Kid’s Mis-

sion. By Morris Redwing.

“ 87 The Menagerie Hunh‘rs: or, Fanny Hobart, the

Animal Queen. Dy Maj. II. Grenvrllo.

88 The Bo Tram ps; or, Life Among the Gipsits.
By J . ll' . Hoffman.

80 ’Longshore Lige- or. How aRough Boy Won His
Way. By C. D. Clark. ‘

90 Roving Rifle, Custcr‘s Little Scout. By T. C.
Harbaugh.

91 {31-05011 Josh, the Wizard Rifle. By Roger Star-

nc '.

V 92 Hurricane Kit: fri Old Lightning on the Ramp—

ago. By A. 1". I o t

93 J umging Jake, tho Colorado Circus Boy. By 13.
1mm ridge. ,

94- Sam Spence, the Broadhorn Boy. By Ed. Willctt.

95 Mosoow to Siberia; or. A Yankee Boy to the
Rescue. By Charles Morris.

96 Fighting Fred: or, The Castaways‘ot Grizzly
Camp. Ble. C llarhaugh.

97 Cruise 0! the Flyawav; or. Yankee Boys in Cey-
ion. By C. Dunning Clark.

98 The Boy Vizllnntes; or. King Cole and His Band.
liy Major I'Inii. Stoddard.

09 The White Tigers; or, Silver Rifle. the Girl Track-
er 0! Lake Superior. liy Capt. Chas Howard.

100 The Snow-Shoo Trail; or. Tho Forest Desper-

. adoes. By St George Rathbcnc.

101 Mariano, the Ottawa (iirl; or, The Mysterious
Canoe. By Edward S. Ellis.

10:? The Flyawav Afloat; or. Yankee Boys Round

 the World. By 0. Dunning Clark.

108 Pat Mulloney‘s Adventures: or. Silwr Tongue.
tho Dacoluh Queen. By C. L. Edwards.

104 The lloy Prosvmcior; or, The Socrrt of the Sierra
Ravine. By ltogoi-thl-lmck. ,

105 Mlnunoe, the Wood Witch; or, The .‘lquatter's

‘ SCCI'CI}. lly Edwin Emerson.

106 The Boy Cruisers; or, Joe and Jap’s Rig Find.
By Edward Willett.

1107 The Border Rovers: or. Lost on the Overland

Trad. ByJ. Milton Hoflman.

 

4108 Alaska, the Wolf-Queen By Captain Howard
Lincoln.

109 Christian Jim, the White Man’s Friend.‘ By Ed
ward S. Ellis.

110 Plucky Joe, the Boy Avenger. By J. M. Hoffman.

111 The Border Gunmaker; or, The Hunted Maiden.
By James L. Bowvn.

112 Left-Handed Pete. the Double-Knife.
E. Badger, Jr.

113 The River Rifles; or, The Fate of the Flatboat
By Capt. J. F. 0. Adams.

114 Alone on the Plains; or. The She—Eagle’s Venge
ance. By Edward \i'illett.

115 Silver Horn, and His Rifle Firedcath. By Roger
Starbuck.

116 Exploits of Hezekiah Smith, the Backwoodsman.
By Emerson Rodman.

117 The Young Mustangirs; or, Dick Merry’s Ran
gers. lly C. Dunning Clark.
118 Old Traps; or, 'ihe lioy Rivals.

gold. \ _
119 Center Shot, the White Crow. By T. C. Har-
hangh.
120 A Hot Trail; or. Clark Cloverly Among the Tar
tars. By Charles Morris.
121 Hunter Pard Ben: or. The Wakash's Blind Lead.
'By Roger Starbuck.
122 The Esquimaux Queen; or, The Mystery of the
Lone Hut. By G. Waldo Browne.
123 Tim, the Boy Acrobat: or, Life in the Circus
Ring. lly Charles Morris. _
121 Queen Bessie, the Border Girl. By Henry J.
Thomas. '
125 Tom Tabor, the Boy Fugitive: or. The Young
Lynch Gang Wolves. By Barry Ringgold.
126 Mink Coat, the Death—Shot; or. The Spring of
the Tiger. By .103. E. Badger. Jr
127 The Deer Hunter; or. Life in the Ottawa Conn
try. By John J. Marshall.
128 Wolf—Ca : or, the Night—Hawks of the Fire-
Lands. y Capt. Chas. Howard.
129 Silvers r; or, The Mountain Heroine. By Ed-
ward \ illett.
130 §e§tseaa Queen of the Plains. By Percy B. St.
0 n.
131 Wistah, the Child Spy. By George Gleason.
132 The Island Tra )pcr: or. The Young White-Bub
falo Hunters. y Charles Howard.
1513 The Forest Specter; or. The Young Hunter’s
Foe. By Edward Willett. ' ‘
134 Wild Nat, the Trooper; or. The Cedar Swamp
Brigade. By Wm. R. Eyster.
135 The Silver Bugle: or. The Indian Maiden of St.
lroix. By Lieut. Col. Hazcltine.
136 The Prairie Trapper; or. The Child of the
Brigade. By C. Dnnnlng Clark.
137 The Antelo ., Boy; 0 '. Smohollcr, the Medicine
Man. 15y (.180. L. Aiken.
138 Long Shot; or. The Dwarf Guide. By Captain
Comstoc . l
189 Colonel Crockett. the Bear King. By C. E.
Lasallo. ‘
140 Old Pegs. the Mountaineer: or, The Trapper
Rivals. By Lewis W. Carson. "
111 The Giant Hunter; or. The Mad Scourge of the
Kickapoos. By ilarry Hazard.
142 Black Panther. the Half-Blood: or, The Slave:
of the Silver Mines. By J. E. l‘adger, Jr.
143 Carson the Guide; or. The Perils of the Fran
tier. 3y Idem. J. H. Randolph.

By .103.

By Barry Ring-

 

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“‘ Winkle; .. . ..

 

 

    

 

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BEADLE’S BOY’S LIBRARY.

 

144 Kent, the Ranger; or. The Fugitives of theyBor/
der. By Edward S. Ellis. ‘

145 Bill Robbins. Hunter; or, The Mam in Green. By
Edward Willett. .

146 The Half~Breed Rival; or. The Tangled Trail.
ll Joe. E. Badger. Jr. .

147 T e Masked Avenger; or, Death on the Trail.
)1? Col. P. Ingraham.

148 at, the Trapper and Indian Fighter. By Paul
J. Prescott.

1-19 The Elk Demon; or, The Giant Brothers. By
T. C. Harbnugh.

150 The Boy Mustang-Hunter; or. Eulnlie, the
Beautifii Amazon. By Frederick Whittaker.

151 Frank Yates. the Young Trap r; or, Mountain
Kate’s Warning. By Joseph . Badger. Jr.

152 Wild anvn, the S out; or. Blanche. the Over-
land )lniden. By 0]! (homes.

153 Lynx-On ; or, Four Tmppers Amongthe Sioux.
B Paul libbs.

154 Tie Champion Texan Rider; or, Red Buflalo
and the Hercules Hunter. By Harry St. George.

155 Dusky Dick’s Doom; or. Tobe Castor, the Old
Scout. By Jos. E. Badger. Jr.

156 Frank Be 1, the Boy Spy; or, The Mystery of
Crystal Lake. By 01] Coomes.

157 Nick Doyle, the Gold-Hunter. B P. H. Myers.

158 Kidnaéiped Dink; or, The Fate 0 the Fire-Fly.
By J. ‘tanley Henderson.

159 Sam's Long Tmil; or. The Twin Scouts. By W.
J. Hamilton.

160 Hmik Triplet’s Vow; or. The Old Guide’s Wrong
Trail. By Harry Hazard.

161 The Mad Skipper: or. The Cruise of the Monon-
gahela. By Roger Starbuck.

162 The Trapper King; or. O.d BranPaw. the You-
kee Scout. By Mn . Jinx Martina. '

168 Simon Kenton, unter; or, The Renegade’s
Doom. By Emerson Rodinan. ’ '

164 The BoyChief: or, Frank Bell‘s Compact. By
0 Coomes. . '

165 The Trader Traitor: or. Old Bark the Marksman.
By J. Stanley Henderson. '

166 Old Jupe‘s Clew: or, The Darky Detective. By
Mrs. Orrin James

167 The Youn Tmiler;or, The Black League's Plot.
By W. J. amilton. ‘

168 TheS ecter Sign or, The Wizard Canoe. By
Maj. wis W. arson.

169 Lnnk Lute, the Old Colorado Hunter. By E.
W. Archer. . .

170 The White Wolf; or, Followmg a Trail. By
Edward Willelt. .

171 The SwameIGuide; or; Canehrako Mose and his

. N. M Neil. ‘

Dog. By c

172 The Yankee Paddler; or. Jabez Hawk,_the Spy.
B O. Dunning Clark.

173 9 Scout and His Young Chum.
St. John.

174 Blacksmith Tom‘s Mask; or, The Renegade v
Rival. By Geo. 1). Gilbert.

175 The Buckskin Rider; or, The White Scourge. By
Guy Greenwood. . _

176 The S untter's Surprise; or. Frontier Life at
Squire Zoker's. By Mrs. H. J. Thomas.

177 Four Fellow Scouts; or The Unseen Hand. By
J. Stanley Henderson.

178 Old Kit and His Comrades; or, The Long Trail.
16y Jos. E. Badger. Jr.

179 ncle Grill's Disguise: or, Tom Drain. the Young
Ranger. 'By Barry Hazard.

180 The Marked Miner: or. Jolly Jon the Dutch
Trailer. By Lieiit. Col. Hazcltine.

181 The Wild Huntress; or, Old Grizzly the Bear-
Tamer. By Capt. Bruin Adams. {

182 The Dwarf Decoy; or. The White Steed Rider.
By More 0. Rolfe. ,

183 Job Dean’s Tactics: or. The Captains
Rescuer. By Ingoldsby North. V ,

184 Yanker h sDilemma; or, the Scheming buitor
Foiled. y J. R. Worcester. _ ,

185 The Wily Witch’s Ward. By Edwm E. Ew.n.

By Warren

Fair

 

186 Frank, the Furrier: or‘ The Yankee Magical
Medicine Arrow. By J. Stanlefi Henderson.
187 Diana, the Fair Mountaineer. y Capt. F. Whit-

taker.
188 Jack’s Snare; or, The Kent Boys’ Plot. By Mrs.
Ann E. Porter.
A Romance of 1779.

189 Sam. the Swamp Scout.
By W. J. Hamilton. .

190 T e Dashing Trooper; I or, The HalfiBreed’s ’
Revenge. By Frederick Dewey.

191 The Boy Brave; or. Stone Castle‘s shrewd
Schemer. By James 1.. Bowen. .

102 Sandy Bill. of Texas; or. The White Apache’s
Doom. By Edward \Villett.

193 Hurry Winkle‘s Long Chase; or, the Haunted
Hunter. By Wm. R. Eystei‘. I

194 Creeper Cato, the Shadow Swamp Trader. By
E. Dewey.

195 The Ranger Detective; or. The Scolpless Hunter.
By Hurry Hazard. . '

196 Gypsy Mali. the Mountain Witch; or, The Mys-
terious Mu e. By C. D. Clark. .

197 The Branded Captain; or, The Silent Slayer. By

, W. J. Hamilton. _

198 Old Ci'ossflre’s Crisis; or Frank Nesbit. the
Young Trailer. By Capt. Charles Howard.

199 Zebra. Zack, the Texan. By W. J. Hamilton.

200 The Nameless Hunter; or, the Dacotah Scourge.
B George W. Robinson.

201 ’1‘ ie Yankee Ca. )tives. By Edward Willett.

202 Teddy‘s Long mil. By Edward S. Ellis.

203 Old Hzink. the Hermit; or. The Capture of the
Cave. By Edward W. A: Cher.

204 Goosehewl's Best Shot. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.

205 The Dutchman’s Dread: or. Gottlieb and his
Hunter Pard. By Capt. Charles Howard.

206 Kit Burt’s Mask; or, Nick the Scout. By W. J.
Hamilton. ’s ' v '

207 Eagle-Eyed Tim‘ or. The Crafty Captain’s Plot. -,
n c. Dunning diark.

208 T eVilla 0 Sport; or, The Young Mechanic‘s
Muster. y James L. Bowen.

209 Buck Burt‘s Pluck; or. The Scouts of the Scioto.
By Edward \Villett.

210 The Tell-Tale Bullet; or, The Outluws’ Fate. By

011 $.11 Stsfinleysfieuderson. h

.. o my Curveyor' or, Rug t eDarin Rider.
By W. J. Hamilton.‘ . y‘ g

212 Yankee Drover Swipes‘; or, The Young Mustang
Rider. By Seelin Robins. ,

213 Silver City Tom; 01‘, Blue Belt‘s Barter. By
J ames L. Bowen.

214 Nick, the Detective; or, The Border Vagabond’s
Doom. By Edwin Emerson.

215 Mustang Rider Boy; or, The Brigands of Texas.
B Albert \V. Aiken.

216 T e Dakota Dutchman; or, Sharp Eye’s Brave
Band. B Maj. Max Martino.

217 Yankee osh. the Rover; or. Two Adventurers
lllth'!’l‘1‘0pli§$.‘ By B. H. Belkna . M. D.

218 New York Ned In Californieror. he Brothers of
the League. By W. J. Hamilton. '

219 Kentucky Kate 5 Shot; or, Border Focs’ Frays.
B. Edward Willetb. v .

220 ' risco Frank‘s Rival; or. The Gold Cave of
Death Valley. By Paul J. Prescott. V

221 Doctor Ba . Detective; or, Trailer Tom’s Tact.
By Lewis my Swift. ,

222 Sly Sam‘s Snare; or, The Boy Hunter’s Vow.
By Louis chmnd. M. D. .

%1(_>'1Na.ncy’s Word or. The Rustic Rifle Ran: ,
zero. By Licut. Co . Hazeltinc.

224 Rnttlcpnte, the Nobel); a Story of New York in . V  ‘

Early ‘imes. By Scott R. Sherwood. .
22') N iglitrI'Iawk Bill; or, The New York Sportsmen‘s
(View. By W. J. Hamilton.
220 The Masked Maniac; or. The Old Man‘s Mission.
By Marc 0. Rolfe. ’ i
w Barney‘s Bold Brush; or, Three Youths in Idaho.
By James L. Bowen. '« . /
228 The Deadwood Sports or, Diamond Dick‘s De-
liverance. By Lieut. S. G. Lansing.

 

 

BEADLE’S BOY'S LIBRARY.

 

229 Hans Schmidt. Jr.; or, The Disguiscd Yankee.
By W. J. Hamilton.

230 Lone Star's Sure Shot; or, The One-Armed Rival.
By Harry Hazard.

231 Mark Morgan’s Mask; or, The Girl Avenger. By
Capt. Charles Howard.

232 Billy Broom's First Cruise; or. Tom Pintle, the
Pilot. By H. Minor Klapp.

2‘33 The Girl Rifle-Shot. By W. J. Hamilton.

234 Old Kyle’s Long Tramp; or, Zeke. the Renegade.
By Henry J. Thomas.

235 Old Bill Syce’s Pledge; or, The Texan Unmasked.
By Edward Willelt.

236 The On-the-Wing Detective; or. Tracking a New
York Bank Robber. By Ed. S. Ellis. I

237 The Do] hin‘s Young Skipper; or, Will Wing,
the Fear Pirate. By RogerStarbuck.

238 Josh's Bo Pal-(ls; or. The Mysterious Sky Ran-
ger. By . G. Lansing.

239 Lee Dakin‘s Disguise; or, The Madman‘s Re-
venge. By Marc 0. Rolfe.

240 Daring Dick’s Race; or. The Yankee Peddler’s
Surprise. By Arthur L. Mesrrve.

241 Uncle Ephe's Boys; or. Archy Gordon’s Grit.
By J. Stanley Henderson.

242 'Cyclist Bob Snared; or. The Champion’s Rival.
By Capt. R. M. Hawthorne.

243 Flash-Light Joe; or, Brave. the Canine Scout.
By Charles P, Isley.

244 Bob Baker's Lust Leap: or Old Reuben“: Re-
venge. By T. Benton Shields. U. S. A. ‘

245 North Woods Nat; or. The Young Mountain
Captain. By W. J. Hamilton.

By

246 The Girl Chief; or, Dolly‘s Droll Disguise.

J. M. Merrill.

247 Denver Dick. the Rattler: or The Miners of
Deadwood Gulch. By Harry azard.

248 Black Jim‘s Doom; or, Billy Bowlegs‘s Revenge.
liy Lieut-Col. Hazeltine.

219 Morgan, the Sea Rovcr- or. The Shrewd Scotch-
mnn‘s Scheme. By J ohn' S. Warner.

250 Zach‘s Ghost Trap; or. The Haunted House. By
George Applcgate.

251 Kyd‘s Bold Game; or, the Death Trail Mystery.
By Paul liibbs.

252 Sancho Sam’s Shot; or. Fort Binkhy‘s Specter
Riders. By Gnorgc leasnn.

253 Crafty Crazy Slack; or, The French Fugitive.
By Harry Hazard.

254 The Fighting Qual- er; or. The Droll Darky's
Dismay. By Edward S. Ellis.

255 The Ranger’s First Cruise: or. The Yankee Tar
Abroad. By John S. Warner.

256 Bob Gage’s Crew: or, The Boys of Logger—Camp.
By John Neal.

257 Tommy‘s Fast Pacer: or. Searching for “Uncle
Josiah.” By W. J. Hamilton.

258 Doc Bell’s Pluck: or. The French‘man‘s Fate.
By Capt. Charles Howard.

259 Rocky Mountain Burt; or, Harry. the Furrier’s
Son. By Edward W“ e-tt.

260 Reckless Ralph‘s Risk; or. The Tell-Tale Clew.
By James L. Bowen.

261 Gold Nugget Dick: or. Two Boys‘ Good Luck.
By Tom 1’. Morgan.

262 Ira’s Big Bonanza; or.vMysierious Crazy Tom.
liy Hurry Hazard. /

263 Josh M lrsten. Detective; or. The Crafty Agent’s

« Crime. By Mary A. Denison.

264 Uncle Jerry. the naker; or, the Schoolmaster‘s

Trial. By John eal. .

 

265 The Skipgfr‘s Mate; or, The Cruise 01! the Fire-
Fly. By arry Cavendish.
266 The Girl Cowboy Captain; or. The Skinners of
the Carolina Swamps. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
267 Eph. the Mimic Spy; or, The Frenchman's Doom
By W. J. Hamilton.
268 Ralph's Last Tramp; or, The Woodman’s Recre-
ant Rival. By Edward S. Ellis.
269 S01 Steele‘s Grudge; or. The Madman of the
Miami. By Edward Willett.
270 Jack. the Coast Detective; or, The Disguised
Captain’s Clerk. By Roger Starbuck.
271 Old Gotlieb. the Jnlly Landlord: or. The
Daring Dutch Damsel. By Herrick Johnstone.
272 The Boy Boomer; or. Pawnee Bill‘s Protege.
By Howard M. Boynton.
273 Red Mike's Ruse. By W. J. Hamilton.
22% Bonny. the Dutch Dame; or The Alderman’s Lit-
tle Protegee. By Decatur Baulding. U. S. N.
275 Conrad, the Ocean King' or. Leon Lorraine's
Disguise. By Harry Montort.
276 Put. the Pluck Sergeant; or, Ralph on the War-
Path. By W. . Hamilton.
277 Jack Jordan‘s Pard; or, The Santa. Fe Hunters.
By Mrs. M. V. Victor.
278 Tom. the Old Tar; or. Jack Winthrop’s Long
' Trail. By Roger Starbuck.
279 Dolly's DeathShot; or DuskfiMark. the Young
Wild<Cat. By Capt. Charles oward.
280 Detective German Joe; or. The Flying Dutch-
man Out West. By Howard M. Boynton.
281 Joe Curd‘s Double; or, The Idiot's Cunning.
By J os. E. Badger, Jr.
282 Nat Dodge, the Peddler; or, Black Cato’s Trick.
By Henry J. Thomas. .
283 ktho Stowaway; or, Adrift in Brazil. By 0.1).
ar . 
284 Dan, the Darky Dwarf; or. Brook and his Trained
Dog. By Ralph Ringwood.
285 The Mexican's Double. By T. W. King.
286 Job Sharp, the Detective. By Maro O. Rolfe.
287 The Two Middies; or, The Buccaneers Ward. By
Lafayette Laforent.
288 Rover Dick Dingle; or, The Lost Boy‘s Disguise.
By Edward S. Ellis.
289 Molly, the Girl Captain; or, The Dutch Peddler.
By Mary A. Denison.
290 Detective Dick‘s Bard; or Four New York Re-
porters in Colorado. By H. M. Boynton. _
291 The Miser’s Lost Ward; or, Dick Dowle‘s Deal.
By C. B. Lewis. ‘
292 Bullet-Proof Nat; or. The Wild Gulch Goblin.
By W. J. Hamilton. Ready Nov. 16.
293 The Te§an's Claim; or, Harry’s Good Fortune.
By Edward W'illett. Ready Nov. 23.
294 Tom Swift's Cruise; or, The Wreck of the Albion.
By John S. Warner. Ready Nov. 30.
295 The Witch of Black Hollow. By N. C. Iron.
Ready Doc. 7
296 Tom Tatters. Detective; or, The Sherpest Boy
in Chicago. By C. E. Tripp. Ready Dec. 14.
BEana‘s Boy’s LIBRARY is for sale by all News-
dealers. five Cents per copy, or sent by mail on re-
ceipt of six cents each.

13mm: AND ADAMS, Publishers,
98 William Street, New York.

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