. a 3 b im “—@ ——~ ng o. a? 3 om r Eniered According to Act of Congress, in the Year 1879, by Street & Smith, in the Office of the Librarian of Conareagy Washington. D. C.———Entered at the Post Office New York, N. Y., as Second Class Matter. _ Vol. 34. OFFICE No. 31 Rose &,, P. 0. Box 2734 New York. ; FRANOIS 8. STREET page PHANTOMS OF YOUTH. BY MARY MITCHELL. The house is very silent now, I sit by the fire alone ; And out of the beautiful olden time The ghosts of my dead youth come. And one from among the loved and lost Sits in the chair by my side, And turns to my gaze the self-same face I looked upon as a bride. My own is old and wrinkled now, My golden locks are white; But my heart is young with dreamsol the past, That have come to me to-night. And the silent figure sitting there Brings back one golden day When I was a girl, knowing naught of the world, Careless, pretty, and gay. And with manly, eager pleading He, the one love of life, Asked, as if asking earth’s greatest boon, That I would be his wife. I hear them now, the tender words, As when first they swept my ear Like melody from a weird-harp breathed— “Ah, say, canst thou love me, dear?’ My darling, there’s now no need to tell How dear you’ve been to my heart; I have proved my love through a long, long life, Till God called us apart. You to His home in heaven above, I to await His time, To bring me back through the gates of death The love of the olden time. ~ THE £. INDIAN DETECTIVE: A HUMAN SLEUTH-HOUND. A TALE OF STARTLING MYSTERIES, By JUDSON R. TAYLOR, AUTHOR OF “THE YOUNG SWORDSMAN OF PALMYRA,” “THE HEBREW HERO,” etc. (“The Indian Detective” was commenced in No. 44. CHAPTER XI. A STARTLING RESEMBLANCE. Both men dropped upon their ‘hands and; knees and crawled behind the bushes, leaving | i | Back numbers may be obtained from all news agents. } i | the body upon the ground, the dead, ghastly | upward and gleaming weirdly 4 face turned against the darkness of the night. bi Wesley Fitch had not heard a sound, and won- | dered how the Indian came to detect the pres- , ence of any one. I As Wesley lay in the grass he had an oppor- | tunity to observe the face of his companion. : The young man was a keen observer, and, as | he gazed on the clear-cut features of the Indian, | he saw an expression of intelligence that seemed | almost superhuman. The wonderful detective faculty of the Indian a moment later was sustained; a man was seen stealing cautiously toward the spot where the body lay. The face of the Indian fairly beamed.- His dark eyes shone like two living coals of fire, while his nostrils were distended—as motionless he lay as though cast in bronze. The man, who had cautiously approached, ad- vanced and peered at the face of the dead.man. Ina low tone the stranger muttered: “Poor Stanley! he was my most faithful ally, and he has perished at the very commencement of the game.” A moment the man was silent, but again, after an interval, he muttered : “I wonder the brutes did not bury him. Hang it! I dare not attempt to give him sepulture.” Still again the man fell to silence as he knelt beside the body. At length he rose to his feet, and started to move away as stealthily as he had approached. As he shuffled through the damp grass he mut- tered : “T wonder if she had a hand in this murder ?” As the man disappeared from sight the Indian rose to his feet, and in a low tone said to his companion ;: “You go home. I will come to you in due sea- son; and on your life lef not one word concern- ing to-night’s adventures pass from your lips.” Wesley Fitch also had risen to his feet, and laying his hand upon the Indian’s arm he said: “I told you the face of the dead man was strange to me!”’ “Yos ?” “On the other hand the face of the living is strangely familiar to me.” “Aha!” “Yes; I cannot place it, and yet it seems as though I had seen that man’s face before!” “Try and think where.” “T cannot.” “Ts it possible that it may have been shadow of a resemblance that strikes you ?”’ “You have hit it!” exclaimed Wesley. “I am satisfied I have never seen that man’s face be- fore, and yet there is something familiar in its outlines !” “Of wnom does that man remind you ?” “IT cannot tell.” “Let your mind run at will, and it will fix the the oe 1 Wie j ta B N ne eu | ee A moment’s silence followed, when suddenly Wesley exclaimed: “Oh, Heaven! it’s horrible!” “What ?” “T have pinned the resemblance!” ‘Whom do you recall ?” “My father !” “Aha! And that man’s face reminds you of your father ?” “As the stars are above meI must tell the truth ; the sinister, wicked eye, devilish face, we have both just gazed upon, recalls to my mind a memory of my dear dead father !’’ “I thought it would come!” said the Indian in ’ a@ peculiar tone. “What would come ?” “The solution of the fearful mystery.” “What do you mean ?”’ “Tt is not time to tell you; itis sufficient for you to know that Marion lives, and I am on her track. That face recalls a memory of your father? Good! The trail grows plainer! Go home, I will have something startling to tell you anon !” As the Indian ceased speaking he moved away, following inthe same direction taken by the man who had uttered the strange mutterings over the corpse. The detective soon came upon the man’s trail, and dogged his steps with the noiseless patience of a cat on the scent of its prey. It was just before midnight when the man | halted by ths trunk of a giant tree, and uttered a low, peculiar signal call. The detective dropped down in the long grass point.” and waited and watched. UDDENLY THE DOOR OPENED AND A i P| | a A few moments passed and the man repeated his signal. Presently the detective saw a female figure approach. The strangely acting man and the woman who had joined him, held a few moments’ consulta- tion, when the woman turned and moved away. The face of the latter had been hidden behind a heavy vail, while her form had been muffled in a long black cloak. The two had spoken in a low voice, and the Indian had been unable to detect her identity. As the woman moved away the detective start- ed to follow her. He appeared to be more anxious to track down the woman than the man. He had followed the former but a few yards, when he discovered that she was making direct- ly toward the Bramley Mansion, Suddenly a heavy hand was laid upon the de- tective’s shoulder, and the cold muzzle of a pis- tol was placed against his templeas a gruff voice asked : “Where are you going, Mister Man ?” The Indian made noreply, but with the quick- ness of a tiger he threw himself forward, and as the man started to seize him, fell back, extend- ing full length upon the ground crosswise. The little feint, was so quickly and skillfully executed that the man tripped and fell forward. As the fellow came to the ground the detective Indian was upon him. There was no struggle or noise. The detective had dealt the man a quick blow upon the head that caused him to utter a stifled moan and stretch out motionless and still. OST STARTLING TABLEAU MET HIS ASTONISHED GAZE. t FRANCIS 8, SMITH | Three Dollars Per Year. Two Oovies Five Dollars. No. 46. | that Lucy Lavournais has not been from her | room this night.” | Reaching the point where the man had lain | the detective found that he had gone. | Standing a moment lost in thought, he was | assured by hearing a low signal whistle. The signal came from the direction of the | Mansion. | The Indian crawled forward, and had reached | a point directly opposite Mr. Bramley’s library | window, when a sight met his gaze that caused | his heart to. bound. There was a light in the library burning but i dimly, and yet its glare was sufficient to plainly | reveal the half figure of a female standing at | the window. | Long blonde curls hung down upon the wo- ) man’s shoulders, making her appear in her | white dress like a beautiful apparition. | The figure was robed like one who had hastily | leaped from her bed. | There all stood plainly revealed, the beautiful, subtle, cunning Lucy Lavournais. The detective was in the shadow, and saw with- ' out being seen. While he stood watching, he saw the figure ; put her fair fingers to her lips and re-utter the signal that had first attracted his attention. | “Aha! some scheme is on hand!” soliloquized | the Indian, as carefully and silently he watched | that weird-looking figure at the window. A few moments passed, and the figure of the | man emerged from the shadow of the trees, and | approached the window where the figure stood revealed. A brief conversation followed between the two | strangely acting parties, when the man placed i his hand upon the sill, and leaped into the | room. As the man disappeared ia the room, the |; woman again appeared at the window and re- peated the signal that had called the man from the shadow of the trees. AE . i ' the signal, and the two, after the exchange of a | few words, leaped into the room. | The same little drama was repeated uutil four ‘men had passed into the library. The moment the last man had entered, the | light in the room was quickly extinguished, and | silence and darkness followed. | Carefully and noiselessly the Indian ap- | proached the house. | The library window was still open, and after a | moment’s survey, the Indian leaped into the room. Once in the room he stopped and listened. | All was still. Philip Scott dropped upon the floor, and like | a creeping panther moved toward the door open- ing into the hall. The Indian had just crept across the thresh- | old of the library, when he become conscious, | through a wonderful instinct that he possessed, that a human being was not far distant. The detective rose to his feet, and an inch at | a time crept forward. He made no noise in his movements, and hardly breathed. Soon his wonderful instinct indicated to him the position of the man whose presence he had detected. It was a critical moment. might prove fatal. Four desperate men, all armed, and in the , midst of some desperate purpose, were beneath that roof. Like a cat who foralong time had watched its prey, the detective leaped forward. The man was borne to the floor, and his in- tended cry was stifled by a strong grasp upon his throat. Ina twinkling the fellow was bound and gagged, and lay a helpless object on the floor. The detective always went prepared for every sort of emergency, and was not unprepared on ; | | | | | i | | | A miscalculation At once the detective moved onward again in | this occasion. pursuit of the mysterious female. He saw her enter the house of Mr. Bramley by a side door. Philip Scott did not follow her, but be sped around the house and took up a position from whence he could command a view of the window of Lucy Lavournais’ room, There was no light in the room. All was dark and still. The detective climbed the porch as he had upon a former occasion, and laid himself down on the roof of the piazza directly under the window. All his motions were quick and noiseless. The detective waited for some time, but what he seemed to anticipate did not oceur. At length he rose, and as upon a former occa- sion, raised the window and stole into tho room. His lantern was once more brought into play, | and its light revealed Lucy Lavournais calmly sleeping on her bed. Once more the detective closely examined her dainty shoes, and at the conclusion of his ex- | amination remarked : ‘The mystery deepens.” CHAPTER XII. THE APPARITION AT THE WINDOW. Philip Scott closed his mask of the lantern and noiselessly stole from the reom. As he reached the ground and moved toward the point where he had had the encounter with the strange man under the trees, he muttered: “Who is this other woman? It is evident His foes were now reduced to three. | The Indian started to go up the stairs in the | Same noiseless method as he had borne himself 'all along, when suddenly a wild cry for help | broke the stillness. The cry came from one of the upper rooms. With lightning-like swiftness the detective sprang up the stairs. He was guided by the sound of a struggle go- ing on in one of the rooms. | In aninstant he was at the door of the room. : Curses, mingled with tramping feet, were the | sounds that greeted him. | The true facts of the situation flashed over the | Indian’s mind. ‘ Mr. Bramley, the master of the house, had | been assailed, and was facing a life and death | struggle with three assassins, | The faithful Indian was at fault. The room was vailed in darkness, and he could not distinguish friend from foe. A pistol-ball might aid the assassins, and a knife-thrust was as likely to pierce Mr. Bram- ley as one of his foes. ‘Where are you, Mr. Bramley? Assistance is at hand!” exclaimed the Indian, in a loud tone, Like magic the sounds of the struggle ceased. ‘Speak, Mr. Bramley !” called the Indian. No answer came, and the conviction was forced upon the detective’s mind that the assassins had accomplished their fearful intent. | | | Down he dropped upon the floor, and com- | menced to move about the room. In his hand he carried a cocked pistol, and ' between his teeth a naked knife. -e ’ this house !* | started to leave the room. 7 CO His object was to discover the point where | “What did he say when you appéared upon the Mr. Bramley lay, living or dead. It was @ most remarkable fact that the room was Vailed in such total darkness that he could not, literally speaking, see an object six inches trom his face. The detective soon became aware that he was not the only one moying cautiously about the room, A deep game twas'to be played. , Our hero ha@@the assassins, howeyer, atthe same disadvantage as himself. They dared nob strike in the darkness, lest they might murdé@p one of themselves, Another fact wags patent. The detective wis dealing avith cool-headed, nervy Villains, or they would all have fled from the reom at the first Signal of the approach of assistance, Thus the desperate game proceeded. The detective heard a voice, im # low whisper,’ say: “Ts it you,.Mart ?” And the answer came: The Indian knew that two of the villains had come together, and both had feared to strike in the darkness. 5 CHAPTER XIII, THE COMBAT IN A DARK ROOM. 34 The advantages were turning in favor of the detec- Ive, He had heard the voice of one of the assassins, and the name of another. Cautiously he moyed in the direction whence the whisper had come, He had crawled but afew feet, when, in reaching Sea his hand, it came in. contact witha human orm. The Indian withdrew his hand quickly and waited @® moment. Again he reached his hand forward, and bore it down heavily upon the form. No motion was mule in response to his pressure. He had found the body of Mr. Bramley, and now his romt was clear. One to three in the darkness was a game with too great odds agaiust the one. Still he would make sure playing ’possum on him. It was evident that the villains had assured them- selves that assistance had come in the person of one individual only, or they would have sought to escape. The Indian’s wonderful traits of memory and keen observation were betrayed at this moment. He applied a simple and yet most wonderful test to ascertain the identity of the man upon whom he had placed his hand. He satisfied himself by the fineness of the texture of the clotli of the man’s clothes. He was now assured that it really was the body of Mr. Bramley against which he had stumbled in the darkness. The time had come for him to act differently. His foes, should one of them discover him, would haék him to pieces with their knives in short order, while he could not hope for amoment to dispose of them in detail. The Indian leveled his pistol and fired. The ‘lash illuminated the room, and revealed the position of two of the assassins. The detective had prepared, as he fired, for a cer- tain maneuver. Inetantly following the first shot there came a sec- ond, and the latter came from a directly opposite di- rection from the first, while both shots had come in such quick succession as to’ be almost simultaneous. The little trick had served well its purpose, as he heard one of the assassins whisper: “There’s two against us!” At the same moment steps were heard in the hall. The Indian kept on blazing away, when suddenly a most thrilling and startling incident occurred, Alight shone in the room, and a human figure stood in the door-way. | At a glance the detective recognized Lucy Layour- nais, and the cunning girl was dregsed as ashe had ap- peared at the window of the library when signaling to the assassins. " One mystery was solved in the detective’s mind, and yet he was astounded at:the beautiful girl’s depth of cunning. In fact, he could not conceive how she had been able to gain access to her room, and cuddle herself away in bed as successfully as she had upon one or two Occasions. The assassins had fled. The girl Lucy was backed by several of the ser- vants of the: house,and had assumed a leok of ex- treme terror as, in a wild, excited tone, she asked: “What has happened {” “Bring the lightinto the room and we will see,” said the detective in his quiet, decided way. ‘3 The girl came into the room, and for the first time her eyes fell upon the prostrate form of Mr. Bram- ley lying upon the floor. “Whathas happened to uncle?” cried the girl, as shé set the lamp she had carried upon the floor, and leaned over her uncle. “T fear the men you admitted into the house mur- dered him!” said the detective. “Unelé murdered!” ejaculated. the lovely girl, in a tone of scemingly well-assumed terror and amaze- ment. “Yes, woman, I fear your scheme has worked but too well!” said the Indian, fixing his strange, dark eyes upon her, The girl for the first time appeared to become con- scious of.the presence of the detective. She fixed her-eyes upon his dark, handsome face, and asked in a tone of strange calmness: “What do you mean ?”’ “You certainly inust know what I mean!” ‘First let us see to dear uncle, then’ you shall have an opportunity to explain your strange language.” “You do not appear astonished to see me here!’ said the detective in a meaning tone. The girl made noreply, but having recoyered from the tirst shock of the discovery, she acted as coolly and calmly as though aceustomed to senenes of ex- citement and horror, _Despite his strange suspicions concerning her, the detective could not but admire her excellent nerve and coolness. that some one was not CN = It was the first time he had met Lucy Lavournais face to face. He was struck by her wondrous beauty. He was a great student of the huinan face, and as he gazed upon Lucy’s lovely features he could not see one line indicative of a’character that warranted ao suspicions he was forced tO indulge concerning 2er, Lucey ealled to one of the servants and told him to go and summon a doctor, and then ride over to notify Wesley Fitch. “Here, go for the doctor, but do not go for Wesley Fitch!” said the detective in a deeided_ tone. Lucy Layournais rose to her feet, and with flashing eyes demanded : “Who are you who dares countermand an order in “T willsummon Mr. Fitch,” said the servant, as he The Indian advanced, seized the servant by the arm, and fixing hiz glittering black eyes upon him, | said: “Suinmon Mr. Fitch and I will kid you !” The servant had caught the glance of those eyes, and heard the tones of that voice, and his heart told him not. to go contrary, to the command of that strange man. A doctor came, but before his arrival the Indian had discovered that Mr. Bramley had only been stunned by a blow on the head. At the time the detective did not wait for explana- tions, he had other business on hand. He was now convinced that the neighborhood was infested by a whole gang of organized assassins, and it was his idea that several assassinations were in- tended. : The conspirators intended evidently to make a clean gweep with a bloody broom. They had made a dead set for the immense fortune which was removed from them by but a few lives. The silent, faithful Indian was resolved, unaided and alone, to circumvent them, and during the fol- lewing twenty-four hours some startling, incidents occurred, CHAPTER XIV. ® TRAILING AT MIDNIGHT. The assassins had fled from the room before the ap- pearance of Lucy Layournais. at the door with the lamp. On their way down stairs, as the detective subse- quently discovered, they had released their comrade, whom they had found bound and gagged. When Mr. Bramley fully recovered from the blow |} he had received upon the head, he could tell but little as to what had occurred in the darkness. He only knew that he.had retired to his room and had fallen asleep in a chair without having removed any of his clothing. He had been aroused by the laying of aheavy hand npon him. The struggle had followed, and he had received the blow which had stricken him to insensi- bility. . The detective only remained to hear the above brief explanation when he passed from the room, Before leaving he had whispered to Lucy Lavour- nais: “T will hold you responsible for that old man’s life! Beware!” The girl would have answered him, but the detee- tive had disappeared from the room as a shadow mysteriously fades from a whitened wall. “What do you know about this attempt upon my ‘life?’ asked Mr. Bramley, after the Indian had dis- appeared. “All I know, dear uncle, is, that I was aroused from sleep by the sound of pistol-shots, and upon coming to this room found that strange, dark-faced man standing over your prostrate form with a pistol in his hand.” BCanG YT” “He used strange words to me.” “What did he say?” “T cannot remember his words, but they implied a most extraordinary suspicion against me.” The master of Bramley wus silent and thoughtful a few moments, but at length he said: “Go to bed, child; to-morrow we will talk this mat- ter over.”’ ‘ It was the Indian who had brought Mr. Bramley to consciousness before the arrival of the doctor, and as he addressed his so-called niece as aboye, the doctor entered the room. The latter asked for @n explanation, but recelyed nono, and after attending to his patient, the surgeon left his house. “a About tive miles from the Bramley Mansion was @ a man who was the terror of the tavern, kept by neighborhood, Several times this man, Martin Alston, had been in the clutches of the law, but he had always managed to escape, His house was situated in a lonely place where four | roads met. Some four miles from his place was an iron mine, and the miners at times were wont to gather at his tavern and spend their money; and these meetings i had often been attended with rioting and scenes of | violence. It was Mart Alston’s influence with the miners that made him such a power in the county, as he was credited with controlling a large number of votes on election day. It was also rumored that several men had been murdered at midnight in the Owl’s-head Tavern, but proofs of the crime had néver been obtained, and the suspected man had lived on in defiance. of Jaw and evasions of punishment for his many crimes. When the Indian passed from Mr. Bramley’s room after the scene of the conilict, he took the road leading to the Owl’s-head Tavern. He knew that in going to that place a stranger ho carried his life in his hands, but our hero was 2 man who was never turned from a purpose because of the | danger attending it. é He had faced death almost daily for a number of years, and had come to feel himself that he bore a charmed life. The Indian arrived within a short distance of tho tavern when a most singular incident occurred. Upon leaving the Bramley mansion the Indian had gone to a clump of bushes on the lawn, from whence he had drawn forth a good sized bag. The latter he had carried with him on his way toward the Owl's-head Tavern. As he halted near the tavern he drew from his bag an elegant suit-of clothing, and in a few moments transformed himself from a plainly-dressed man in- to a most elegantly attired gentleman. Even his dark face and hair failed to identify him as the same strange looking individual who had so suddenly and mysteriously appeared in Mr. Bram- ley’s library a fow night’s previously. The change of clothing was entire, and the change in his appearance complete. : His old clothes he stowed away in his bag, but not before taking from them a number of weapons and other curious articles which were concealed upon his person in the changed dress. Among other articles that were employed to alter his re peerancs Was a dainty mustache, and as he ap- peared he would readily have been taken for an Italian or Spanish.gentleman, At least none but the most experienced and keenest observers would have noticed one point indicative of the Indian raeéjn his changed appearance. When the singular transformation was complete the detective proceeded to the tavern. It was after midnight, yet a dim light glimmered through the bar-room window. The detective advanced to the low door of the main building, ‘the barroom being situated in a side wing. ' An old-fashioned knocker hung over the door, and the Indian sounded a summons. \ A few moments passed, and there came no answer to his knock, but he had observed that the ray of light that had shot out from the .bédroom window had suddenly disappeared. ’ Again the detective rapped. | f After an interval he heard: steps, and an instant later obseryed a fash of light in the taver§ hall-way. Again he sounded the knocker, when suddenly the door opened and a most startling tableaw met his«as- tonished Baze, wc": se A double-barreled shot-gun was thrust through the opening, backed by a man of *most fierce and villain- ous appearance, Behind the man who held the gun was a second fellow, not less fierce and villainous in appearance than the first. — ee = “What do you want?" came the query,in a gruff tone. Bie : : ss The Indian had spent a number of years. amo the Spanish raves of Mexico and South America, aba had uired.a perfect thastery, not only of the lan- guage, but.could imitate to perfection their broken English idiomy <.. s.9.. {a Speaking in Spanish broken English, he said: - “T have lost my whe es as I saw this was a hotel I came for shelter and lodgment until morning.” Bo you pay for your entertainment ?” ; “T can, See ae Sh : “Let's see your boodle.” —. Mer The Indian had: prepared himself for the role he wus to play, and exhibited a number of gold pieces. In the mean time Mart Alston had studied the would-be: lodger’s appearance, and said in a gruif manner, “Well, come in, stranger.” CHAPTER XY. THE INDIAN IN A NEW ROLE. Rey The pad aig by the detective had acted as he had calculated it would. He knew well that no. respectable trayeler. could have found lodgment in that well-hole, unléss its villainous proprietor saw a prospect for plunder. It was to hold out such an inducement that the de- tective had shown the gold. He had come there to take long chances, and opened the game he was. to play without any cere- mony. ° : iat “Come this way, stranger,” said the landlord, and he led the detective toward the bar-room. Three men were seated about a common deal table, on which stoed a bottle, and a paek of ecards was scattered around. a i , The meh were about as: rough-looking as the two who had greéted him at the door. —_. “We-area rough, honest sort of lot around here, stranger,” said the host,in an apologetic tone, add- ing, “You must not be scared at the way we received you at the door, but the parts around here are in- tested by tramps, and: one has to be on his«guard against them.” : ee : Among the three men seated around the table was a tall man, slender, but erect and muscular in form. The man was heavily-bearded, and had elean-cut features and cold, cruel gfay eyes. ( The latter individual was toying with a part of the pack of cards as the detective entered the reom, and as the latter’s eyes fell upon the man he diseovered at once that the fellow was in disguise. 3 sh His:hands were not tanned, rough, and bony like his companions, but. were small, white, and delicate, and on the finger of the left hand glittered a hand- some diamond ring. As the Indian was ushered into the low-csiled room, he noticed a dark scowl darken the face of the ninn with the white, delicate hands. A grim smile also ‘played over the detective’s face ashe knew that he had struck the right trail, and had run his game.to their. hole. “Have a drink, stranger?” said Mart Alston. The detective nodded assent and drank some of the dark liqnor that was poured from the black bot- tle into a gins for him. The man with the delicate hands remarked, ad- dressing the Indian. ‘“‘You’re out of your latitude, I reckon.” ‘The detective’s quick ear informed him that the man’s rough miner mode of speech was assumed. “Yes, Iam out of my latitude,” he answered, speak- ing in the broken Spanish idiom. “You are & stranger round here, anyway ?”’ “Yes.” “What’s your calling when to home?” “T live in Lower California—I’m a rancher.” “Got business down East here ?” “Yes.” “Buying property ?”’ ‘To “Ah, you don’t tell your business ?” “Well, yes, ’ve no objection. cattle that is raised round here.” ‘‘You’re from California?” ae Ye mi?’ ““A rancher %” ‘¥oR7” “You play ?”’ “Sometimes.” “We'll have a game.” “‘All hands in %”’ “No; afair game. You and I.” “T’m not much of a hand at the game.” “You lie!” his eyes glittering. “You know you lie!’ mination to back up his uncalled-for accusation. The Indian turned to Alston and said, quietly : “Can you show me to a reom? reat.” mean anything, he’s a has played against him.’ the table, ‘we'll play.” “T’d rather not.” “You must.” The Indian sat himself at the table, saying: “TLL bet on three deals, then I’m done.” THE NE\ Mr, Bramley pakséd down to his library, and arm- ing himself with a braec@of pistols went forth from I’m after a breed of “Hold on there, stranger,” exclaimed the detective, And as the man spoke he drew a large knife and buried it in the table, as anindication of his deter- Tam tired and need “Oh, don't scare, stranger, wy friend there don’t gentleman, but the bottle “Come,” said the man who had buried the knife in Ae eee ——~- — 3 paid a -———~ “Allright.” The game commenced; the cards were dealt, and three times the detective lost. He had carried his purpose, however. He had sat face to faee with the man who had chal- lenged him, and had made a close study of his dis- guised face. ‘Phe hair was false, the beard and mustache were false, and @ false tan was on the face; but the vil- lain had forgotten bis hands, ite ; After the three Geals, the Indian rosélfPom tne table, when his opponent exclaimed: ¢— ae “Sit stilt” a The Indian made no reply. ~ “Bit sti, I tell you!” “No ys . ’ i The man sprang from, his sé@at and niade a lunge with his knife. The Iudian leaped back, and quickly drawing a pistol, exclaimed: bt ‘This has gone farenongh! Attempt to intimidate me further, and you aré a dead@man!"” —— The riffian settled-back in his 6hair, lamghed gayly, and rémarked : at va : “l’mdone! You’re game! Tt’s all right, stranger; I'd stand with you agin a gang Of cltthroats any time!” “Will you show me fo a room?” asked the detect- ive again, addressing the landlord. “Yes; come this way,” answered the landlord, and taking a light from the table, he left the room, fol- lowed by the detective. Philip Scott was shown into quite a respectable sized room, The landlord bid him good-night, and passing down stairs, rejoined his Companions, As he re-entered the room, the man with the deli- cate hands asked: “Who is yout guest ?”’ “T don’t know.” ar t suspect, eh? “Well,’ see here, andyequickly.” . yy “How do you meéan ?”’ “We must look every door in the house, surround it with drawn réyolvers, and set the building on tire.’ “Burn my own property ?” Yous : “Neyer!” “You shall be paid for it." “When ¢” , ’ “As soon as I come into my own.” “That won’t de, Winston. If you want to burn my house dewn, you must plank down the value,” “Your rake is in jeopardy, old man.” “Who in thunder do you suspect the man is who T just lighted up stairs t” “Well, you’re blind.” “Not much.” f “Didn’t you see my game when I went at him with the kniie ?’ “Well, no, I didn’t. You are in the habit of bully- ing men, and I didn’t take much stock in your racket a few moments ago.”” “Well, you’re blind.” : “Stop riddles, and tell what you have dropped to, old man.” ; “Did you notice that man didn’t scare?” “Well, he was kinder cool.” : “A stranger, coming into a strange house, against five men, having a pistol shoved under his nose, ought to weaken a bit, hadn’t he?” “By George, that’s so!” “Well, do you know why that man didn’t weaken 2?” ‘No. “T’ll tell you. Fit\act out to come here, prepared for the worst !” “Who is he, Winston ?” é . “He’s the man who was blazing away at us in Bramley’s room an hour ago.” “Aha! The detective ?” <“"¥ea:" Mert Alston, we must act boldly and was [TO BE. CONTINTED } ” Churclyard Betrothal; f p OR. # fp Coalis,of Fire. By Georgie Sheidon (Bertha Allyn,) AWTHOR OF “NORA, THE IRISH CHARITY SCHOLAR.” 4 “The Churchyard Betrothal” was commenced in No. $9. Back numbers can be obtained of all News Agents. } , PTER XX. eB STUDIO; ‘ ‘Poor Lady she reached her own apart- mieuts, Was more wretched than she had thought she ever could be agaim in this world. — She had begun to think the fearful past was forever buried out of sight—that she had transmigrated, as it were, from all its horrors into another sphere, so bright and full of joy that naught could eyer again | trouble the deep, calm sea of her present content, Yet here in the very which was surrounding her, with searce a Wish un- “gratified, when she had risen above, and almost con- uered that one fatal episode of her life, its dread skeleton had suddenly started upto confront her, secret, and © n= which she had been building for the future. had left him, rather than obey him. He, too, had suffered, and the knowledge of that ae wrung her heart keenly. Yet those mén had said that he would not forgive her—they had even ceased seeking for oe and both herself and her fate were ‘alike ignored. peas eOh, it was too cruel, when she had loved him so, when all her life she had bowed down to her one pa- V YORK WEEKLY. ; upon her braided hair. inidst of the love and care} menacing her with ite ghastl é . threaten-|- ~ Several papers and hooks, lay upon the table, and ing to destroy by one. fell blowall the fair fabric} among them a package that noded like &@ book wrap- Her father had nearly died then, when he knew she | and, with the young artist’s face still in berthoughts, ey: xi into a quiet slumber, which lasted far into he day. When she arose again she was surprised that she did not feel really ill afterthe excitement of the evening before, her swoon, and the suffering of the ight, its wakeful misery and heartache. But, aside Prom @ slight feéling of lassitude, she was as well agiusual ue eae. ’ The duchess exclaimed, however, at her pale face whens 8h6 went down to bréakfast, and almost ut- tered & protest against her making the promised visit to Powers’ Studio, fearing the exertion Would prove too Much for her. “Oh, no, your grace, [pray do not givait up onmy account, for Tassure you IT am perfectly well able to £0,” she said, trying to smile away her fears, “T suspect there is some other attraction for our bird of paradise in Mt Powers’ studio, aside from the world-renowned statue of his Greek Blave and America’s Washington,’ said the duke, with an areh glanee into her lovely face. * : sculptor himself,” she retorted, quickly, Thongh her face flushed at lis insinuation: “T forgot that hecould Dean attraction,” he an- swered, looking amused, then added: ‘‘But they say that Mr. Lenox bids fair to become his equal, and I think myself he is a yery superior young man.” Lady Alicia did not reply, yet it was:;very pleasant to her to hear him spoken of so kinély—why, she could not have told. “But he is yery poor, isn’t he?” asked her grace, with a quick glance toward the young girl. : She was very ambitious for her beautiful protegee, and, while. she could not help acknowledging Mr. Lenox’s worth, yet she. would prefer him not to be | quite so attentive as he had been the day before. “What does that signify, my dear?” queried the duke, y “A great deal sometimes,” she answered. “True, but I would rather have true worth with- eal money, than untold treasures and an empty rain.’ “Certainly, but it is very nice to have the two to- gether,’ “Mr. Lenox without doubt has genius, and, take my word for it, wealth and distinction will yet crown him. I confess, my dear, I am wonderfully pleased with the young man,” the duke said;earnestly. The duchess did not_reply—she would not borrow trouble; besides, if her husband was soe confident about. tue young man and ‘his talents, she could not object.to him. : At one they drove into the city. Mr. Lenox met them at. the entrance to the studio, and conducted them through the various rooms. They were de- lighted with the treasures of art which he displayed aren and no less 80 with the great sewptor bim- self. While the duke and duchess were engaged in con- versation with Mr. Powers, Mr. Lenox drew the Lady Alicia to an alcove, where there stood a beauti- ful and majestic female figure representing America. She was standing in an easy and raceful attitude one hand resting onthe symbol of union an strength, while the other pointed to heaven, the tace turd eyes elevated, following the direction of the up- lifted hand. “How beautiful it is!’ murmured the fair girl as she looked into the classical face. “Is it not strange hee frosty marbie can be wrought to look so life- ike 7. “Perhaps so,” Mr. Lenox answered, smiling, “and ie it may be because s0 much of real life is put into “How po?” . } _ “You know it often takes months, and even years, to complete a single piece of statuary.” a7 Yes he “The artist bends all his powers to it, gives all his thought, and almost breathes his own life into it, while fashioning it according to his ideal,’ he an- swered, his fine face glowing with earnestness. “What beautiful thoughts artists must have then,” she said, looking up at him with her witching smile, while her eyes seemed to read his very soul. “Show. me something, please, that you have done,” she pleaded, as they were turning from the alcove. His éye lighted with a sudden fire—it thrilled him strangely that she should be interested in his work. He led her into another room, where, among many treasures, there stood one piece that made the young girl hold her breath, it was so beautiful.’ It represented a young tisher-girl sitting upon the sandy beach, with shells and pebbles seattered uround her, engaged in mending hér net. Her position was modest and full of careless grace, a wreath of deli- cate Shells was twined around her. forehead and fell The expression of the small oval face Was sweetand lovely, while the Jittle hands eae the net were snicoth, and rounded, and perfect. _ They stood before it several minutes without speak- ing.