SEPT. 7, 1912 o> CENTS An Ideal Publication For The American Youth 1 FRANK MERRIWELL,JRS Wy _ CLOSE SHAVE STREET & SMITH PUBLISHERS NEW YORK Dashing through the crowd, followed by Owen Clancy, young Merriwell did yeoman service in rescuing the injured from the mine. Tr EEC IN a . meee ait ne SRNR —_ -™- sits PLAY BALL AND WIN A UNIFORM OUTFIT FOR YOUR NINE. See Rules for Eleventh Annual Baseball Tournament on Page ’32. IP Wee Say An Ideal Publication For The American Youth gi Copyright, 1912, dy STREET & SMITH. Issued Weekly. Application for entry as second-class matter pending. Published by STREET & SMITH, 79-89 Seventh Ave., New York. O. G. Smith and G. C. Smtth, Proprietors. TERMS TO NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY MAIL SUBSCRIBERS. (Postage Free.) Single Copies or Back Numbers, 5c. Each. How to Send Money —By post-office or express money order, registered letter, bank check or draft, at our risk. At your own risk if sent by currency, coin, or postage stamps in ordinary letter. 3B moonths...---- ..-.++ +> st tense abeees GSC. OME VOAT-..+6- se cee cere ecnene sevens $2.50 Receipts—Receipt of your remittance is acknowledged by proper changé 4 MODEHS, -.----sse-eeceeeee cree seuss BHC. 2 COPIES ONG YOAT+-.reee scene craves 4.00 of number on your label. Ifnot correct you have not been properly credited, Wipes ONIN G52 5's Adah a ppdhnane-sin 6b;44 duh $1.25 | 1 COPY TWO YEAS. .. 2.60 sseees cameeee 4,00 and should let us know at once. s . No. 6. Price Five Cents. NEW YORK, September 7, 1912. Frank Merriwell, Junior’s, Close Shave; Or, THE PLOT THAT FAILED. By BURT L. STANDISH. CHAPTER I. HATE, $9 “For Heaven’s sake, Chip, look there!” gasped Owen Clancy, gripping his chum’s arm and dragging him to a sudden halt. Young Frank Merriwell paused, his lips still curving in a wide grin over some joke the three friends had been enjoying, and glanced swiftly in the direction indicated by the other’s pointing finger. They were walking through one of the little parks or ‘squares which dotted the Californian mountain resort of Summit Springs. It was simply but attractively laid out in curving walks which circled through banks of luxuriant shrubs and trees and. beds of gorgeous flowers. There was a fountain playing in the middle, and here and there, along the walks, stood neat green benches on which pedestrians might seat themselves to enjoy the. brilliant sunshine and crisp, invigorating air for which the resort was noted. It was toward one of these benches, or, rather, toward its occupant, that Clancy’s attention had been directed. A young man of eighteen or nineteen sprawled there asleep. His clothes, of good cut and excellent material, were soiled and spotted and wrinkled. The coat collar was turned up to hide the rumpled, grimy shirt; the shoes were worn and cut and scratched until it was a wonder they remained on his feet. His head rested in Beta: cramped position on one outstretched arm, and the unshaven face upturned to the sunlight was far from being a pleasant one. It was pinched and thin, as if from privation, and the relaxation of sleep had brought out lines of cruelty, unscrupulousness, and lax morals which the restraint of waking moments would probably, to a more or less complete degree, have kept in the back- ground. As Chip Merriiwell stared at him, the smile vanished from his lips, and was replaced by an expression of as- tonishment and pity. “Hayward Wolf!” he breathed. do you suppose he ever got here?” Clancy shrugged his shoulders. “Looks as if he might have walked,” he commented, in a voice of unqualified disapproval. “Seems to be down and out, doesn’t he?” Merriwell frowned slightly at his friend’s callous -tone. Though Wolf had never lost an opportunity to show his dislike and-hatred for Chip from almost the first mo- ment of their meeting at Farnham Hall, though he had spared no effort to injure Frank by every unscrupulous device at his command, there was an expression of pinched suffering in his face and a look of utter destitu- tion about his formally trim; natty appearance which made it impossible for Merriwell to feel the callous indif-’ ference shown by the red-headed, quick-tempered Clancy. He might despise Wolf, but he could not see him in such a condition without.being moved to pity. If the fellow had been contemptible in the past, he had evi- dently more than paid for his evildoing. To retain even’ “How in the world, a | stump of a shot away re a dexterous cow-puncher “fan” NEW TIP a mental grudge against him seemed to Frank a man w hen he is down, and, after a brief, thoughtful pause, he turned abruptly. to his companions. “Say, fellows,” he said quietly, “would you mind walk- ing on and waiting- for me at the end of the square?” silly Ballard, red-cheeked, bright-eyed, and somewhat indolent of nature, raised his eyebrows in surprise, “You don’t mean to say you're going to ‘he began, “Neyer you mind what I’m going to do,’ Chip inter- rupted in a tone of good-natured firmness. “He's likely to wake up any minute, and think how you'd feel, if you were in his place, to have three old acquaintances staring at you. Beat it, now! I'll be with you in a jiffy.” When they had passed on, Merriwell hesitated an in- stant, and then stepped softly toward the bench, taking out his bill case as he did so, Swiftly extracting several bills, he folded them into a little roll, intending to place this in Wolf’s pocket and depart without arousing the fellow. Unfortunately for ihe success Of this purpose, however, the sleeper seemed to sense Frank's presence, and, just as.the latter’s hand was extended, Wolf’s eyes opened. For a second his blank, sleep-muddled stare remained fixed. unrecognizingly on Merriwell’s face. . Then a gleam of unutterable hate leaped into the dark eyes; the fellow straightened up like a flash, and one hand crept to: his throat, instinctively drawing the frayed collar closer to hide what lay beneath. “You!” ‘he snarled. “Well, around to gloat over me, now S *pose,” Merriwell deliberately took “T had no idea whatever that you were in: Summit Springs,” he’ returned evenly. “As -for gloating, you may not believe it, but I’m right.sorry to see you so down in your luck, Wolf.” The dark-haired fellow’s thin lips curled ina sneer. “Sorry!” he jeered. “A lot you are! Don't lie, Mer- riwell!’ You’re not sorry, but glad; I can read it in your eyes. You always did have it in for me, and tried your best to put me in bad. How do you like the result of your work? Look at me—take a good look! Rags— ditt—not a penny to my name! My people have throw n me off and won't have anything to do with me. “I’ve starved—slept in the giutter—tramped miles for work without getting it, and all because of you. I hope you're satisfied with what you’ve made of me.’ Chip flushed darkly under his tan. “You know that’s not true!” he retorted indignantly. “Whatever you are, you have T’ve never liked you, but I’ve certainly done nothing which “would bring you to this condition.” Wolf’s. eyes glittered fiercely ; side himself with rage and hate. “Bah!” he snarled. ‘“‘Haven’t you, though? Who else was responsible for my having to leave the camp on Wind River with hardly a cent to my name? Who but _ you was to blame for this?” He flung up his right hand displaying the newly healed forefinger—the same finger which had been who had - discovered Wolf flashing a mirror in Chip’s eyes to make him strike out at a crucial moment of, a hard- fought what. d’you want? Come that I’m down and out, I a seat on the bench. he seemed almost be- baseball game. i Merciwell’s jaw. tightened, aid his muscular fingers TOP “Aile hitting only yourself to blame. ' WEEKLY. crumpled the bills into a wad as he strove to retain his self-control under these trying circumstances. “You know perfectly, well that I had. nothing to do with either of these things,’ he retorted: curtly. “‘You queered yourself with the fellows at the camp, and: with your family, I suppose, by what you did at Bloomfield. As for the finger, you ean lay the loss of that to your contemptible a and nothing else,” He arose abruptly and stood over the shabby fellow on the bench, “T never meant. to get ve an altercation with you at all,’ he went on swiftly. didn’t even mean you: to know I was here. When I ne sight of you, a little while ago, I was sorry to see you in this condition, and wanted to help you. 1 was just slipping a little some- thing into your pocket, when you awoke. Here. it is, and I hope it will do you some good and perhaps help you to get a job,” He dropped the crumpled wad of bills into. Wolf’s lap and was turning away, when the sharp, strangled yoice of: the shabby fellow made him pause. “Hang you!” cried Wolf. f won't take your dirty money !” the ground at his feet, ‘“‘Yotr may think you can bribe me with that, but you can’t. I’m pretty low down, but not low enough to take money from you! I’m just about in the gutter, but let me tell you this, Frank: Merriwell, junior: I'd pull myself out of it if only for the sake of getting even—well even—with you! Ill make: you wish : He broke off abruptly in a sort of baffled’ snarl and stared with fiercely gleaming eyes at the stalwart -back of the departing youth. Still growling to himself and muttering imprecations, he watched the lithe, well-set-up figure move rapidly on down the path until it disap- peared around a clump of flowering shrubs. Then’ his head turned slowly and-his eyes sought the ground as if drawn there by a powerful magnet. For a full minute he sat staring at the crumpled wad | of green paper, Then, with a swift, agile movement, he bent forward and snatched it up. His eyes were gloating, greedy, covetous as he spread ihe bills out on one knee ‘and counted: them. “Fifty!” he muttered, I only wish I could have gouged him out of more. It would have given me so much better chance of squaring things up between us. Fifty plunks! Blazes! Just’ see me spending ’em!” | With a swift movement of his hand, he thrust it inside his coat, and a second later was streaking: across the square toward the main street of Summit Springs. _ CHAPTER IL. A SNAKE IN THE GRASS. It was a very ‘different-looking young man who, abot two hours later, reclined in a batber’ s chair in the best shop at Summit Springs, Before his downfall, fifty dollars would not have gone far toward equipping, Hay-' ward Wolf; he had been used to spending thatumuch on But adversity teaches many lessons, 4 a single suit, in fact. chief among them economy. Wolf’s first move had been to indulge insa! square After that, he had made his. meal, solid and satisfying. way to a clothing store, where he pee some, three-’ quarters of an hour in the careful selection-of a edm-. “T don’t want your help! - He flung it fiercely on “What do I care whose it was? Peateeide tie ee eS ea en aa ib F - oe Sona ee ea. i ae see pea eS ns a ae RR: * id 4 => ously at his neighbor on the right. . Wolf regretfully. be willing to shell out handsomely. NEW plete outfit, which he carried off with him to the barber shop to don after a luxurious hot bath. He had naturally good taste and a fine, though some- what emaciated figure; and stch is the excellence and cheapness of ready-made clothing in these days that, when he emerged from the bath, clothed in a well-fitting suit of dark gray, buttoned calf shoes, white negligee shirt with a claret-celored scarf, and a soft gray felt hat, he looked as well dressed as many a man who had spent twice as much on a made-to-order outfit. His Jong dark hair, which had straggled untidily over his coat collar, was now neatly trimmed, and the young man leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, and oblivious to everything save the soothing scrape of the razor which had so long been absent from his face. The deft operator had gone over his face once, and was stropping his razor for the finer finishing touches, when Wolf was aware, without opening his eyes, of a man taking possession of the chair next to him. Appar- ently his name was Griggs. It was equally evident from the barber’s manner that the newcomer was far from being a stranger in the shop. “Well, sir,” began the loquacious operator, while the chair springs were still creaking, “how’s the team? I hear you have a game scheduled with the Sandstone nine for to-morrow.” “It’s scheduled, all right,” returned. Mr. Griggs, with a long sigh; “but unless something unexpected happens between now and to-morrow afternoon it’s not likely ‘to be pulled off. I’m sure in the dickens of a hole, Mike.” The barber clucked his sympathy. “You don’t say so!” he ejaculated. matter ?” “Both pitchers on the sick list,” returned Griggs. “Mo- ran’s shoulder has gone back on him, and last night Glover came down with a high fever. Doctor hasn’t sized it up yet, but thinks it may be typhoid. Ain’t that one fierce mess to be in? They’ve got a peach of a team over at Sandstone, and the whole town’s’ baseball crazy. We'd pull in oodles of coin if I could only rake up a halfway decent twirler, but, as things look now, I’m afraid I'll have to cancel the game.” “Too bad!” said Mike. “Have you looked up Joe Hobbs? He’s pretty good in the box.” “That’s what I came over here for; but he left for Frisco day before yesterday to pitch in a series with the California State League. I’ve tried to get hold of two or three other men by wire, but Ill be hanged if I can pull in a single one who’s worth a hill of beans.” By this time, Wolf’s interest was becoming aroused, and when the barber elevated his chair hé glanced curi- The man. called Griggs seemed to be a well-set-up individual of thirty- five or so, a little heavy of jaw, perhaps, but otherwise clean-cut and pleasant looking. “What a pity I can’t pitch for sour grapes,” thought “A fellow in a hole like that would BB. 5 could only handle a ball like that infernal Merriwell He gave a slight start, and a sudden frown flashed ‘into his forehead. Twice the barber had to ask him whether or not he wanted water on his hair, and when Wolf had answered absently, he continued -thoughtful as he paid the check, added a small tip, and proceeded slowly to don collar and tie. After he hadi slipped on his coat, he took his hat and dropped down in a chair at the end “What’s the TIP» TOP WEEKLY. 3 of the shop with a magazine, as if passing away a few minutes’ spare time. His abstraction continued until Griggs arose, from his chair and was settling the check. Then Wolf left the shop slowly and took up his position just outside the door. When Griggs emerged, a moment or two. later, the younger man approached him swiftly and touched his arm. ‘Tl understand you're looking for a he said quietly. The manager stared at him in surprise, his glance run- ning appraisingly over the slim, well-built, trimly garbed figure, and coming to rest on the thin, rather handsome face. “T am,” he returned SG ; how you found it out.’ Wolf laughed. . “That’s easy. I happened to overhear you talking in the barber shop just now. I was in the next chair.” “T see. Well, can you do any stunts with the horse- hide?” “Hardly,” said Wolf, rather bitterly, lifting his muti- lated hand for an instant and letting it fall again; “but, I happen to know of a fellow who’s a wizard in that line.” “Say you so?” exclaimed Griggs eagerly. the chap I want to talk with. What’s his name? in town? Professional, I suppose?” “If you don’t mind, let’s go in here and talk it over,” Wolf returned, motioning to the bar of a hotel close at hand. “It may take quite a few minutes, and we'll be more comfortable sitting down than standing here in the street.” To tell the truth, he was afraid Merriwell might pass and see him in conversation with his new acquaintance, and when they were settled at a little round table ia the café he breathed a sigh of relief. This was one place, at least, where there was no danger of encountering Chip Merriwell. “You may have heard of Frank Merriwell,” he re- marked quietly, after drinks had been brought and the waiter had withdrawn. Griggs straightened swiftly, and stared in incredulous amazement at his companion. “Whew!” he exclaimed, at length. “I should say I had! What’s he got to do with it, though? Even if he was in town, you wouldn’t catch a man like that playing | with a team of professionals.” “Did I say he would?” drawled Wolf. ing about him, but his son.” “His son! I didn’t know he had one. Can he pitch: “Can he?” retorted Wolf scornfully. “Well, if either of your twirlers can beat him at the game, they’re cer- tainly wasting their time in their present company. I pitcher, Mr. Griggs,” “though I'll be hanged “Then you're Is he “I’m not talk- >) haven’t got a mite of use for Chip Mérriwell, but I’ve got to admit that he’s a sure enough wizard. He’s out here on a sort of vacation, during which he’s played in just two games, One of them was against Kelly’s Out- laws and the other with the Wizards of Wonder. With only a team of young college fellows behind him, he trimmed both those organizations in beautiful style.” It hurt like sin for Wolf ‘to accord this quality of praise toa fellow he hated with every fiber of his being, but it had to be done in order to carry out the plan he had formed. Griggs’ expression of incredulity deep- — ened. His team had been up against both the Wizards — ig NEW TIP and Outlaws, and he hated to remember the thorough ‘manner in which it had been trimmed. “Is that straight?’ he asked doubtfully Welf modded emphatically. , “It sure is!” “But he can’t be anything more objected. ‘Maybe not, but his father’s coached from the time he was old enough to hold a baseball. -Any fellow whe didn’t make good under those conditions would be the worst kind a a dub.” “Humph!” grunted Griggs, sipping his high ball. “I don’t see that it makes any difference, after all, whether he ean pitch er not. That kind of a boy certainly ain't going to spojl his chances of going in for amateur sports by pitching one game with a professional team like the Acmes.”’ ee Wolf smiled a curious smil f the table. “Not if he knows what a teat it is,’ he re- turned significantly. ‘‘But what's to: prevent your keep- ing him.in the dark?” The manager’s eyes widened. . “What in thunder db you mean?” he demanded. ' “Simply this: Merriwell has only just arrived here. | know that he was in Wyoming less than ten days ago, so he hasn’t had more than time, traveling the way he’s been doing, to hit town yesterday or this morning. “The chances are ten to one that he’s never heard of your team. I’ve been here three or four days, and this is the first I knew about it. Now, what's to prevent your hunt- ing him up and putting up a bluff to him that you've got tegether a team of college fellows from Leland Stanford, University of California, and so forth? Tell him ydu're playing this game for sport only, him to pitch. If you work it right, coach the boys prop- erly, and don’t let him talk to anybody in Sandstone who would put him wise, he’ll fall for it as sure as sheot- ing; for there’s nothing on earth he’s quite so keen about as showing himself off on the mound.” For a good half minute Griggs sat staring with widened eyes and open mouth, his fingers gripped around the unheeded high-ball glass. Well, I'll be hanged!” he muttered at last. ‘That's _the darndest game I ever heard of! Why, if he swal- lows the bait, and plays, it'll make him a professional !” Wolf's eyes gleamed with a fierce light. * ‘Exactly,’ he grated. ‘‘That’s the one after.” The manager’s forehead wrinkled in a sudden frown; his lips curved contemptuously. é “Well!” he snorted. ‘You're certainly the limit, to try and put one like that over on $: “Hold up!” interrupted Wolf swiftly. “I’ve got every _ reason in the world for wanting to get even with Chip Merriwell. He can play ball like a fiend, I admit, but otherwise he’s just scum! Look at that!” His voice vibrated with passion as he held up the mutilated finger on his right hand. ‘Pretty, isn’t it? He’s responsible for it. He got a rotten cowboy friend of his to do that to me back in Wyoming, and it's not the first time he’s played the cur, either. Don’t you worry. I’ve got _ every earthly reason for wanting to put one over on him . which he’ll remember all his life.” Griggs began by refusing to have anything to do with © the aeesies but, little by little, Se Wolf worked than a kid,” Griggs hina e, and bent forward over sort of thing I'm TOF and that you’d like WEEKLY. him around by plausible tales of Merriwell’s contemptible behavior and many anecdotes of his skill in the box, Ff until at last the manager gave in. He was only human, # and it meant a good deal to him to win the scheduled game. l[esides, Chip Merriwell was nothing to him, f and if, by hook or crook, he could persuade the youngster Jj to pitch nine innings, it did not really make much matter what happened after that. “Well, just supposing I should think of it,* he said at last; “how the deuce am I going to work such a stunt? I don't see how I'm going to put up such a bluff. my- self, let alone coaching the boys to play the part of col- lege fellows.” a. ‘Don’t let that trouble you,’ returned Wolf promptly. ~ 7 ‘You can pretend to be a friend of his father’s. Vl put — you wise to enough dope for that. Then, while’ you're tackling him, I'll jump a train for Sandstone, hunt up. your crowd, and put them through a dress rehearsal. You can give me a letter to one of ’em that'll let them know I’m ‘all right. It'll be easy as rolling off a log, and, unless this Sandstone nine is big- league timber, I'll guar- antee that you'll cop the game.’ a His manner was so absolutely certain that Griggs thrust | aside his last scryple, and five minutes later the two 4 were hurrying toward the manager's room, taking great |. pains to avoid any possible encounter with the youth against whom they were plotting. ee CHAPTER Ifl. THE STALL. oh Chip Merriwell and his two friends lunched rather late, | and, as they strolled through the lobby after leaying the \ dining room, the former was conscious of the fixed scrutiny of a tall, well-built, rather pleasant-looking man who leaned against the desk. The stranger’s face was _ not at all familiar, however, so the boy gave him no — further thought, and was consequently somewhat sur- © prised to have him walk.briskly up a few minutes later, {| as the trio stood near the door diseussing how they had better spend the afternoon, P “I beg your pardon,” said the unknown; name is Merriwell, isn’t it?” Chip nedded. “Yes,” he answered briefly. “Any relation to Frank Merriwell, of Yale?” The youngster smiled faintly. ‘“He’s my father A broad grin instantly overspread the stranger’s face, and he thrust out a big, muscular hand impulsively. - “By Jave!” he exclaimed; “but I’m certainly glad to 7 meet you. I knew there was something familiar about your face before I asked the clerk your name. Your. father and I were great friends some years ago, but | haven’t seen hide or hair of him in the dickens of a_ while. My name’s Melvin Griggs, and I’m an old Prices: ton grad,” Merriwell shook hands promptly, and at oncé pre- — sented the neweomer to his two friends, When Griggs had greeted them pleasantly, he turned swiftly back to. Frank, his square, good- -natured face still beaming, — “WwW ell, this is great!" he said, chuckling. “How’s yout dad, anyhow? I’ve heard of his success with that school of his, and ofter wished I could run on and pay him a little visit; but somehow I never seem to have the fine, Doesn't he ever get W est t any. more?” “but your — | i > : va t A > ee Cs Py 1 F H ae . i ay st ies oma. | rice ib, ay ho ce te 4 was mighty hard lines. - for a couple of days?” + “Not a darned one! NEW TIP “TTe sometimes comes as far as the ranch in Wyo- ming,” Chip returned; ‘‘but the school keeps him pretty busy | most of the year. You're a Californian, | suppose, Mr. Gr iggs | ” The older man nodded. “By adoption, yes. I’ve heen here seven or eight years naw, and reckon I'll stick for the rest of my natural life. It’s a dandy country. I’ve got an orange grave outside Los Angeles which you must come and see, if you're down that way. Just now I’m taking a little yacation, and I give you my-word I’ye worked harder the last two days than I have during a similar length of time in years. _T’ve run my legs off, trayeled any number of miles, and - spent a small fortune j in telephone tolls and telegrams, all to locate a pitcher.” “A pitcher!” concert. Griggs laughed. “Exactly! Sounds a bit odd, don’t it? Faet, though. You see, baseball’s oo ays been my favorite sport. Played center field on the Princeton varsity, and bucked up against your dad more than once, you know. Haven’t done anything at it for years, af course, but I’m still as much ef a bug as eyer. ‘Well, to make a long story short, I dropped in at Sandstone, a flgurishing mining tawn twelve or fifteen miles back in the moyntains, about a week ago, ta look up an investment I’d made, and found they had the fever the worst way. They’d organized a team there which they said could lick anything’ outside the big leagues, and, I tell yqu, boys, they had good reason for hollering, I saw ‘em play one game with a nine from a neighboring camp, and, believe me, they sure wiped up the diamond with ’ em, All. that night I kept thinking about it, and wishing 1 could get together a crowd ta play *em. I didn’t suppose there’d be a chance in a hundred, but the Fates must have been with me, for the very next day. I happened to rin on some chaps fram Leland Stanford, up there te inspect the workings. Nice fellows they were, and when I mentiqned the matter to them they jumped at it like hungry trout would a fly. Four members of the varsity and twa subs were in the bunch, and they knew of two University of California grads working in the neighborhood and one Cornell var- sity man they were stire would play. “You bet it didn’t take your Uncle Dudley lang to stir things up. We got the crowd all together, located a Co- - Iumbia mining engineer wha pitched a year ago on his varsity, and promptly challenged the Sandstone Terrors. _ They accepted, of course, the time was set for to-morrow, and I eyen christened the crowd ine Acmes and fixed up the name on the uniforms Pd collected, And then, at the last minute, didn’t Glover's firm have to wire him to come East at once, He’s the Columbia engineer, you know, and the only man in the bunch who could pitch for sour grapes.’ “By Jove!’ Chip exclainied sympathetically. “That Couldn’t you get him to stay over Griggs shook his head ‘sadly, “T tried, but there was nothing doing. Glover was all cut up about it, but he didn’t dare delay, Said it might cost him his job, and beat it on the night’ train, Ever ‘since then I’ve been raking the country with a fine-tooth comb for a man to take his “place,” ’ “And you couldn’t find one?’ Merriwell asked. I wouldn’t mind so » much if I TOP WEEKLY. a 5 exclaimed Clancy and Merriwell in . hadn’t gone around shooting off my mouth about what we were going to do with the Terrors. But I played the fool, like I always do when bhaseball’s cancerned, and now we'll have to go and back water. By thunder, son! I sure wish your dad was hege. He'd be a regular life- saver at a time like this.” “Humph!” sniffed Clancy defensively. such a lunkhead himself: He licked Kelly's than a month ago, and that’s going same. Griggs’ jaw dropped, and his square face took on a ludicrous expression of bewilderment, mingled with rap- idly growing hope. “Kelly’ s Outlaws!” he gasped. ‘You don’t mean that *team of independents that’s been touring the coast this, summer ! i “Sure thing!” affirmed Claney, with a grin. ‘em with a bunch of pick-ups, too.” The manager’s eyes veered swiftly back to Chip’s face. “Kick me, won't you?” he begged, in a tone of the utmost chagrin. “If I'd had my wits about me, I'd have known that Frank Merriwell’s son couldn't be anything but a crackajack in the box. I’m syre one double- barreled jackass for fair. Jumping Jemima! ‘Will you help us out, kid? If you do, I'll guarantee there'll be nothing too geod for you in this part of the country.” Merriwell hesitated an instant. They had been plan- ning to leaye Summit Springs the next day, but this - would not delay-them more than twenty-four hours, and the proposition certainly sounded attractive to a bey who was as fond of the game as-he was. “If you’re sure you, can’t do any better,” he answered at length, “I'll he mighty glad to fill the gap to the best of my ability.” “Do any better!” ejaculated Griggs, “Thunder! Why. we couldn’t! I'll bet you can give Glover eards ahd spades at the game: Whew! This is the best news I’ve had in a. month of Sundays. We'll trim this bunch of _loud-mouthed miners to a show-down, kid, see if we “don’t!” His face wreathed in delighted, smiles, he wrung Chip’s hand with a fervor. which nearly cracked the bones. ~Then he shook hands with Clancy and Ballard, as if he found it quite impossible to conceal his joy. Finally, | with a hurried word of excuse, he flew off to telephone the good news to the boys waiting so anxiously at Sand- stone, “Chip isn’t Outlaws less “Trimmed CHAPTER IV. THE TEAM. Somewhat to Chip’s surprise, Melvin Gri eggs did not — think it necessary to leave Summit Springs until the next morning, CTt's only a short ride,” he said, of time for some snappy practice after we get there. The game isn’t scheduled until three o’clock, you know, and ’ I’ye got several matters I want to look after here, now — _ that I'm on the ground and my mind’s, free from warty over finding a pitcher,” For all that, he managed to stick pretty close tothe three’ boys all afternoon and evening, being absent for only a half hour or so just before dinner, Chip found him pleasant and entertaining, though rather more in- clined to talk about foackalt in general than either his experiences at Princeton or the details of his success as an orange grower. Before the evening was over, Mer- “and we'll have plenty. i 3 q riwell decided that if he put as much enthusiasm and attention into his business as he gave to the baseball situ~ ation all over the country, he must have made a howling success of it. ; “He’s sure a fan, for mir!” he remarked to Clancy, when they were going to bed. ‘“He’s got the standing of about every club in the country down pat, and even the batting averages of a lot of the big-league players.” “Reckon he don’t read anything but the sporting sheet,” commented the red-headed chap. “Gee! I’m awful glad he ran across us. This game ought to be lots of sport. I wish there was a place for me on the team.” “Maybe there will be,’ returned Chip, with a grin. - “He seems to be pretty well satisfied with the rest of. his men, but, when he finds out what a red-hot infielder you are, he’s likely to change his mind and drop one of these college boys.” Clancy’s only reply was to send a pillow flying at his friend’s head, and a brisk rough-house ensued, which eended in the two of them falling suddenly upon Billy Ballard and bringing forth yells of protest from that placid, ease-loving youth. “You look so comfortable and lazy, Pink,” chuckled Merriwell, when peace was again restored, “that you’re a constant invitation for somebody to ruffle you up.” On the train next morning, Chip put forth a hint as to his chum’s capabilities at secénd base or shortstop, but somehow Griggs did not seem to take it. It ap- peared that the men who held these positions -were from the Leland Stanford varsity, capable, efficient, and used to backing each other up. “We'll elect Clancy general all-around substitute,” the manager laughed. “He can be ready to flock to any part of the field in case of accidents. How does that suit you, son?” It had to suit, and the red-headed chap hid his ‘dis- appointment in a wide, careless grin. After {ll, these other fellows had formed the team among themselves, and it would be scarcely fair for a stranger like him to oust any of them from it. Sandstone was reached in less than half an hour, and the boys found it a red-hot mining town. Within a radius of a few miles a dozen different companies were operating, employing some five thousand men, many of whom had families. The result was that the place, while ‘possessing little of the solid, permanent quality of the city of Wonder, which had so excited the boys’ admira- tion, was brisk, busy, and populous. Saloons there were aplenty, stores of ‘all descriptions, and two very decent- .- looking hotels. Griggs conducted them atvonce to the larger of these, where they left their bags and then set out for the base- ball grounds, close to the Newhouse Mine.. On the way thither, Chip noticed bills stuck up_ everywhere announcing that there would be a hot nine-inning game between “Griggs’ Fa- mous Acmes and the Sandstone Terrors, at three p. m., sharp.” “You seem to have made a great reputation for your- t beaves 3 in a short time,” he smiled. _ The manager chuckled. “A reputation is easy enough, when you have the bills printed yourself,” he grinned. “That’s a little touch of _mine to excite interest and draw a crowd. Well, here _we are. Now you'll meet the boys, and eo have a bit ac snappy practice before dinner.” about a quatter of a mile distant and. FN ere ae aT ee nes , 5 NEW TIP TOP. WEEKLY. He led the way through a pate in a high board fence, and the boys, following curiously, were surprised at the completeness of the diamond and its surroundings. A naturally flat expanse had been utilized, which needed little w ek to turn it into a first-class field; but the fence which completely surrounded it and the size of the bleachers, a portion of which had even been covered, bore evidence to the fact that not a little money had been spent to make it as commodious and up to date as pos- sible. Evidently Griggs had snot been far wrong in classifying the inhabitants of Sandstone as being base- ball fans of the most pronounced type. Out on the diamond six or eight men in uniforms were - ‘occupied with batting practice, and even at that distance Chip became swiftly aware of the brisk snappiness of their motioris. They had certainly made excellent use of the few days they had been together, he thought; but there was no chance for comment on this. At the ap- proach of Griggs and his companions, the players ceased their batting and fielding and gathered in a little group near the home plate. “Well, fellows,” greeted the manager, in his brisk, jovial manner, “‘here’s the chap*who’s consented to help us out of our hole—Frank Merriwell, junior. He’s got a name to conjure with, and I understand he lives. up to it in every particular. Chip, shake hands with your brother Acmes, and then we'll put you on the mound and sée what the crowd can do to your curves.” In the brief, wholesale sort of introduction which fol- lowed, Chip was able to do little more than catch the names mentioned by the manager and attach them in his mind to the various faces. As he followed Griggs toward the dressing room, however, he was conscious of a vague impression that the men were not quite what he had ex- pected them to be. As a whole, they seemed, somehow, to be rather older than most college men he had known, and the enunciation of some of them,: while not exactly illiterate, did not have just the quality one would expect after three or four years in a university. While arraying himself in the uniform Griggs found for him in the dressing room, Merriwell casually men- tioned this, and the manager laughed. “Some of them are just a bit. rough,” he admitted. “From what they’ve told me, I imagine that nearly all of them have worked their way through college, and very likely they started in later than most boys. Aldrich has been out of Cornell a year, and, of course, bucking up against the world is apt to make a chap seem older than he really is. You'll find them a very decent lot, though, and they certainly can play ball. It’s a marvel to me how any man can support himself through college and find time for baseball or any other sport. couldn’t have done it to save my life.” The remainder of the morning went swiftly. passed the group‘about the home plate on his way. to the box, he was conscious of a battery of eyes fixed critically upon’ him as the other members. of the team sized him up. While discussing signals with the catcher, a_ short, stocky individual named Bob Stanley, whose muscular jaws were constantly in motion over a large cud of what smelled suspiciously like tobacco, the boy — was further aware of a slightly tolerant, Se manner, which was somewhat irksome. “T s’pose they think, because I’m a kid, I can’t do mutch of anything,” he said to himself, as he stepped into the box. “That’s the way with most college rellows, I I’m sure I. As Chip | SG agen rT nT i ae ran ae dun as Pi i" ry nam Laas ai ere ges cheese NEW TIP reckon, Well, it’s up to me to put “em over the best I know how and give chai a surprise. He was further stimulated by. the expression of unre- pressed anxiety on the face of the manager as he waited for the first ball. Chip rather liked Griggs, and the realization suddenly came to him that the Californian had ample excuse for worry. He really knew absolutely nothing of the boy’s capabilities, having taken him en- tirely on trust, in a manner, Chip told himself, that few men would have done. “He's certainly a ‘good scout,” Merriwell murmured under his breath. “I'll have to give him the best: I’ve got, and quiet his mind,” He exerted himself to such purpose that, -within a secant: half hour, Melvin Griggs’ face had relaxed into a broad: smile of placid content. Though he flattered “himself on having kept the feeling hidden, he certainly had ‘been more than dubious about the young pitcher he had picked up so oddly. -Under any other conditions he would never have taken the boy without a try-out; but “it had been Merriwell-or nobody, and, being a good: deal “self ‘with delight. “gate receipts. stigma upon Chip Merriwell which. would. utterly . ruin ~ =. of a sport, the manager had taken a chance. Now, however, as curves, drops, jump balls,, and straight fast ones came over. the plate with ‘judgment and. unerring accuracy, he fairly hugged. him- The kid was a: perfect wonder, he thought; and if he did as well as this in the game—and there was no reason to suppose he would not—the result could scarcely be in doubt, in spite of the known: skill of their opponents. Now and then, to be sure, he was conscious of an annoying little twinge of shame, at the nature of the trick he was playing on the unsuspecting youngster, but he deliberately thrust it from him. He was not the sort of man to waste much thought save on the immediate object in hand. That object was to win the game and )pocket his share of what bade fair to be unusually fat He did not stop to think of the irreparable harm he was doing to the youngster who had so willingly consented to-help him out of a hole. It did not even occur to him, probably, that his action was placing a the boy’s college career, and was quite likely to handicap him all through life. CHAPTER V. A GOOD BEGINNING. Having'.a very natural interest in his new teammates, “Chip would have liked to. talk,to some of them, but “somehow. there\never seemed to be the slightest oppor- tunity. Griggs kept him on the mound for the better part of what remained of the morning, and on the way back to the hotel the manager was so busy praising the ‘boy’s skill that there was no chance for Merriwell to exchange a word with any one else. At dinner, too, for “gomié reason or another, they were placed at a different ‘table’ from the others, and*consequently it was not until they had returned to the grounds and were lounging in the dressing room, awaiting the moment for them to go A 6uteon the field, that the youngster found himself beside . Aldrich, the Cornell engineer. “You graduated last year, didn’t you?” Chip asked, after a casual remark or two. _ ‘Aldrich nodded rather. shortly. ¥ep. Class of eleven.” TOP haps you know him; excellent - ‘ would be a fraternity man, especially at Cornell.” WE EKLY. 7 “IT reckon you couldn’t have played on the varsity till your senior year, then,” continued the boy... “1 was up in Ithaca for the Yale-Cornell game two years, ago, and I’m quite sure I didn't see you on the team.” Aldrich suddenly dropped the glove he, was juggling and seemed a long time recovering it. When he straight- ened up again his face was flushed—from bending over, no doubt. “T only played on the team one year,’ he mumbled. “What frat did you belong to?” inquired Clancy curi- ously. “I’ve got a cousin who’s a Delt up there. Per- Jim Whittemore’s his name,” Aldrich’s flush deepened, and he fiddled nervously with the glove, casting a swift glance around the room. “Why—I he muttered. “Putting Splinter through his paces?” briskly. inquired Griggs, bustling up. “What's that—fraternity?. Didn’t join any, did you, Splinter ? No, I. thought that's. what you said, Well, bin se. we. chase out on. the field. It's getting along toward half past two, and from the noise I should say the crewd was gathering.” As they passed out into the sunlight, Ballard frowned at the impulsive Clancy. “Put your. foot in it nicely that time,” he-comimented severely, in a low tone. “Evidently he didn’t make any frat at all, and he’s sore about it.’ “How could I tell that?” protested the red- rae; chap. “T supposed, of course, a fellow who was on the varsity “Not if he didn’t make the nine till his senior year,” returned Ballard, with a superior air. :““Besides, he don't strike me as—well, the sort of chap they have 1 in fraterni- ties, A bit ‘rough and ready; you. know.’ Ahead of them, Chip was commenting in some surprise at the size of the crowd which was already pouring into — the bleachers and stands, though it still lacked over half. an hour of the time set for the. game to start. “They've certainly got a great bunch of fans in this town,” he said. “ ‘Looks to me as if all the mines” mist have shut down for the occasion. “They have, all except the Newhouse,’ returned Griggs. “The management there is too mean to give the men half a day Saturday, Keep ‘em working right up to five-thirty, | understand,” ; “By the way,’ continued Chip, a sudden thought strik- — ing him, “what are you. going to do.with the gate re- ceipts? Must amount.to a good big sum, I should, think.” “They're to be given. to found. a heme. for crippled miners,’ the manager answered, without an instant’s hesitation. “It’s something the town has needed for a- long time, and the Tigers have been turning over every-. thing above actual expenses for that Burana all summer. I Kaliovd they’ ve got quite a pile banked, and they'll Probe: ably start buil ding this winter.’ Chip thought it would be quite possible, if this was a sample of the crowd which usually turned out to witness the games. It was a rough- and- ready. bunch, leather-— lunged, grimy of face and hands, many of them; and they directed a continual stream of rough, but generally good-natured, comment at the players on either side. They were naturally partial to the home team, but ther was nothing obnoxious in the remarks hurled at the vis itors , though when their quick eyes. picked out _Merriwell warming up to the right of the plete, his youthful p pearance seemed to tickle their humorous side. “Pipe the kid twirler, es hs oné pate | mi ! “Reg’lar boy wonder, ain’t he?’ shouted another. “He’s sure got his nerve with him. The fellers’ll pound his head off.” “You’ve got 4 cinch to-day, boys!” cried still another, as the Terrors swarmed out into the field for a bit of brisk practice. *‘They’ve got a two-year-old in the box that'll give you a reg’lar walking match.” Chip went on with his work, coolly oblivious to their remarks, which flowed from hinv like water off a: duck. Josh and banter of this sort never disturbed him in the least. Personal abuse and. deliberate nagging attempts to rattle a player made him hot under the collar, to be sure; but he had learned that the best way to thwart them was by keeping his head and taking out his revenge in fine pitching. Promptly at three the practice ceased, and the oppos ing managers tossed up for the choice. Ordinarily the home team would have taken the field, but Griggs had bargained for this provision. He won the toss, and the Acmes swarmed out into the field; while the umpire, after announcing the batteries in a series of unintelligible sounds, took his position and gave the signal for the game to begin. “Let’s start off with a run right away!” sounded the voice of Joe Snyder, the Terror captain, above the roars of encouragement from the spectators. “Come on, Spud, get, into it now! Start us off with a good one.”’ “Watch me,” grinned Walsh, the heavy-hitting center fielder, as he selected a bat and walked confidently to, the plate. After a final burst of sound from the fans, their voices hushed. The crowd grew silent, waiting to see what the heavy hitters of the Terrors would do fo this slim, bronzed, handsome youngster on the slab. Walsh was a good waiter and had an excellent bat ting eye. When forced to hit he was the most reliable man on the team. Moreover, he was regarded as a crackajack base runner. Chip paused for a second, sizing the fellow up as best he could, and he then led off with a speedy ball close to the batter’s knuckles. Walsh fouled it. “Strike!” called the umpire. “Just a nibble!” cried Snyder from the coaching line. “Take a bite, Spud—take a bite! Sting it!” The next one likewise looked good to the batter, and he sought to connect with it, but it was such a marvelous drop that Stanley was forced to dig the ball out of the turf close behind the pan, Walsh having failed to touch ie “Two strikes!” rang out the umpire’s voice. “What’s the matter? What’s the matter?’ snapped Snyder. “Losing your eye, Spud? Don’t let him fool you with those ground seekers.” “Aw, shut up!” growled Walsh, in mingled surprise and disgust. “That was an accident. He won’t do it no more.” Even though he had realized at the last moment that he was swinging on a drop, he had failed to gauge the swift fall of the ball, and now he was not a little irri- tated. - Chip seemed to divine exactly the state of mind of the batter, and he gave Walsh no time to recover his composure. A whistling inshoot, shoulder high, was the bait he handed out, and for the third time Walsh bit like a sucker. 8 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.’ Plunk !—the ball landed in Stanley’s mitt. “You're out!” cried the umpire. “That's the way to do it, Chip, old man!” called the delighted Griggs. “Some pitching, all right! Keep up the good work, son.” “By gosh, Spud!” exclaimed Snyder disgustedly, as the downcast and frowning man flung aside his stick and slouched toward the bench, ‘I didn’t think. he’d do that to you right off the reel. What's he got that’s so blamed hard ?” 5 “Nothing !’”’ snapped Walsh over his shoulder. “Trouble was | took him for easy fruit.” “You'd ought to have known better’n to take anybody on trust,” said Jack Munn, the Terror shortstop, as he selected a bat. ‘He may be a kid, but it looks to me like he could handle the horsehtde a little bit. [’ve‘sized up some of his tricks, though, and, if you look sharp, you'll ‘see me fool him.” But Munn was the one to be fooled. He let two. cor- ner cutters pass, and kicked because the umpire called them both strikes. Then he went after a wide one, and missed it by several inches. “You're out!” snapped the umpire crisply. “Whoop!” yelled Griggs exuberantly. “They all travel the same trail. Can that boy pitch? Oh, no, not at all! He’s simply rotten at it.” : From the bleachers came a growl of protest followéd by a barking fire of sarcastic comment, mingled . with cries of : “Stop foolin’ with ‘em, and get down to business!” “This ain’t croquet; it’s baseball!” “Wake up, you Terrors, and smash ’em out the way you oughter!” With these sounds ringing in his ears, Sam Hayes went into the plate, grimly determined to break the streak, and send out something’ in the nature of a hit. But, like the two who had preceded him, the second .baseman fell a victim to Merriwell’s puzzling curves and shoots, fanning in double-quick order. The pick-up twirler had shown his mettle by striking out the choice of the opposing team’s heaviest hitters in one-two-three order. CHAPTER VI. THE FIRST RUN. “Great, old man—simply great!’ chuckled Griggs, fling- ing one arm around Chip’s shoulder as the boy came in from the field. “That was as pretty an exhibition of brainy pitching as I’ve ever seen. You’re sure doing your dad proud. Get after him, now, Jim,” he went on, turning swiftly to the first man up. “A nice little single is all we want to start things humming.” Stick in hand, Farrell trotted briskly to the plate. Demon Woldring, tall, angular, dark, with black hair and rugged, powerful features, eyed him for a moment in a tolerant, cocksure manner which made the burly center fielder’s eyes narrow. ' “T’'ll wipe that look off your face mighty soon, birdie,” he muttered, swinging his bat gently to and fro. “You think you’re just about the only thing around these parts, I judge. Wait!” Farrell himself was‘ reputed to be a good waiter, but the first ball seemed to be perfectly satisfactory; for he swung at it sharp and quigk. Bat and ball met with a Str. = romps et CR RS eet = ~~: Socata hgihorietiaeaeee anaipnatieniens teers Aeneas nr totintinad - Oweti Clancy; and then, realizing that his iiofmeit had come, the crooked-minded fellow left his seat hastily, -tade his way down to the front, and, a moment later, » had slipped under the tailing and was approaching his victim.- As Chip’s eyes fell upon the trim, natty figure of the chap he had last seen iti tags, a look of astonishment flashed into them. Fort a secotid he frowned; then, with an effort, his face cleared, and he nodded. “How ate you, Wolf?” he said briefly; unable to for- get the fellow’s itisulting behavior of 4 few days ago. a “Hardly expected to sée you hefe.” | The other’s eyés gleamed maliciotisly. | “Didn’t you, really?’ he returned. “It’s not a very pleasafit stifprise, tinder the circumstatices, I stippase. | don’t irtiagitie you counted on there being anybody in the erowd who knew you.” A faint line caine into Meérriwell’s smooth forehead, atid his dark eyés narrowed slightly. “T hadn’t thought about it at all,” he retorted shortly. “It makes no differefice to mé who sees ine. I’m not doifig anything of which Pi ashamed.” “Ha! hal’ laughed Wolf. “Tell that to the mariries, Meérriwell, I don’t know what you get for playing with this bunch, but, believe me, you’ve queered yourself for fait by doitig it.” Something in the gloating triuiph of Wolf’s voice brought a touch of veiled anxiety to Chip’s eyes, bit oth- efwise hé remmaitied perfectly calin. | ; “T’m afraid you'll have to be a little more explicit, if | —- yott warit the to tinderstatid yoti,” he said coolly. “I’ve -yet to see any harm in playing with a pick-tip nine com- |. posed of college fellows who——” | et “College fellows!” put in Wolf raticotisly. ‘College fellows! Oh, say! Yot can’t make me believe you've -» béent fopéd in by a transparent stall like that. They’re fot college fellows. They’te rank professionals, and I'll bet you knew it all along.” “What!” gasped Metriwell, his face suddenly tetise and his eyes incredulous. Wolf tiodded. He was finding his revenge even sweeter and more full of satisfaction than he had hoped. “Professionals from the word go,” he affitined jeer- ingly. “They’ve played all stimmer for money. They’re _ playing to-day for coinafid yoti’re playing with thein. spose you thought yott could get away with it aid névetr be fotind ott, but you won’t. T’m onto you, ard Tm going to make it my bitsiness from féw On to see that you riever take patt in aiiiatetir athletics again as Jong as you live.” iy. 3 CHAPTER X. TORTURE. _ For an instant there was 4 tefise, utter silence as Chip Stated at his eneitiy with an expressioti if his eyes which sider his first determination of letting Meffiwell know _. to whom he was itidebted for the itfaimous tri¢k which had beet played upon him. harsh, almost savage, voice. Bork Sa - Jt was the instinctive otitburst of ofté who did not wish to believe; who was striving to banish the ghastly conviction which had flashed over him that Wolf had spoke the truth, For, in that brief interval of stillness, peek aa SE Be sine Ae te catego OTA >. NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. -eold fiity with which despair was distinctly mingled. enough to play ifto his hafids! Yoti’re ‘the imati I sived acttially frightened Wolf atid made hit swiftly recoti-, ‘chum, “T don’t believe it!” the pitchér snapped at last, in a | eee . prec m Se ern a dozen things which had piizzled Chip wete thadeé siid- denly clear. This would account for the stirprisiiig show- ing of the team and the almost iticredible skill. with which they had played together: It wotild explaiti the iticon- gruity of théir agé; and their somewhat rotigh-and-ready inariner ; Aldrich’s @iibartassment whéti questioned about Cortiell; the pains Griggs had takefi to keep him away from the remainder of the tédtii as rittich as_ possible; dnd the nitiniber of other little details which Meérriwell had tioticed but paid scatit attétitiofi to for the reason that such 4 cotitemptible; blackguardly trick as this had never even seemed within the bounds of possibility. “T don’t believe it!” he repeated fiercely. “You don’t?” sneered Wolf. “Well, all you’vé got to do is to put it tip to this tiahager of yours. He’s hot- footing it this way aS fast as he éafi.” It was true. A glancé Showed Chip that Griggs was hurrying toward thet, almost 6f a fun. Apparetitly he © had recogiiized Wolf across the diatnond, and was fiow trying to teach thé ifi time t6 prévent the damage which had already occurred. ! As he apptoached, Merfiwell ttiffied to méet him, his eyes hard arid sterii. “Is it trite that this team of yours is a professional one?” he deniarided, in\a sttatige voice. The flustered manager took one look at the face ftom which every quality of boyishness had vanished, and groaned inwardly. His eyes flashed past the two boys to where Wolf was making his way swiftly back into the stand, and ati atigry glitter came into them. A flood of crimson surged into his face} his muscular hands were clenched unconsciously. “Why, wh—what—do you ” he stammeréd. “Tt is true, then?” intérftipted Merriwell, in a tone of : “Yot’ve lied to me frorh the begining. 1 didn’t know stich a contemptible cur existed !” “Oh, cottie; now!” stuttered Griggs. “Ain’t that going it—a bit too hot?” Re eee “Too hot!” snapped the boy fietcely: “Too hot! Isii’t | it all true? Didn’t you lie t6 nie whet you said this was a team of college men you'd gotten together to play for sport?” | “ThatWolf said—it was the orly way to—get yout to pitch,” mumbled Griggs. “Wolf put you tip to it, did he? And you were houfd up as a ptetty good sport! of decétit blood i your body! , He brought his teeth together with a click, unable to eontiniie for the varied emotiotis which were surgiig up within him. Bitter anger and dull, rending despair — filled his soul. He lotiged to plant his fist ful in the | fliished face of the man standing before him, and yet he knew that would only be making a bad matter worse. The damage had been done, and no power of his could stiffice to help now. For a second he stood there, silent, fighting for self-control. Then he turned abruptly to his 39 Bah! There isn't a dfop © “Come ahead, Clan,’ he said, in a slightly” uneven — voice, “Let’s get out of here.” . ars They had made half 4 dozen steps toward the dressing room when Griggs, suddenly awakening to what the boy meant to do, rushed after him and cauglit his arm. “You're riot going to leave now?” he gasped. inet reaierabemcrams ade. ran _ he thrust out one hand impulsively. pine sport, and if ever I can 14 3 Oo RN DBP TOP Wey. Chip looked at him out of cold, tortured eyes as one might regard some loathsome reptile. “Why not?” he demanded. “We'll lose’ the game,” stammered the manager des- perately. “We haven’t a soul to put in the box.” >What do I care?” snapped Chip. “I hope you do lose it! I hope they'll hammer you all over the lot!” “Aw, don’t be a quitter,” begged Griggs. “What’s done is done. You’ve played seven innings, why not go on to the end? I’m darned sorry about this, Merriwell —honest, | am! If I’d known you were going to take fe ia al “Sorry!” rasped Merriwell. “A lot you are! You don’t care for anything but winning your miserable game. You don’t give a hang for me or the way you’ve made it impossible for me to ever go into amateur athletics.” The manager winced under the biting lash of the boy's tongue, and an unexpected feeling of self-contempt surged up within him at a sight of the tortured eyes which a short time before had been so {aughing and care- arte... “T am sorry,” he repeated stubbornly. “It was a dirty trick, but somehow I ‘didn’t realize at the time how much it was going to mean to you. If there was any- thing I could do to change things I’d do it, and that’s a - fact. a “Ts it?” questioned Merriwell coldly. ‘Then why don’t you really do what you told me you were going to—turn over the gate receipts to this home for crippled miners? That would leave me an amateur, whether you happen to be a crowd of professionals or not.” Griggs twisted his fingers and dropped; his eyes in embarrassment. “There-—isn't any such home,” he confessed awk- wardly. Somehow he had never felt quite so mean in all his life. “I made it up, Besides, the boys would never forego the gate receipts. That’s bread and but- ter to them, you know.”’ He hesitated an instant, and then went on pleadingly: “It won’t hurt you to go ahead ° with the game, kid. Even if we have played a mean trick on you, you don’t want to be that kind of a quitter, I’m sure.” A curt refusal was trembling on Merriwell’s lips when of a sudden the realization came to him that he could get his revenge even more effectively by continuing to pitch than by leaving the field now. In the latter case the Acmes would probably have to forfeit the game for lack of a man to put into the box. If he stayed he could see to it that ‘they lost just the same, only it would be little by little with a sort of refinement of cruelty which would hurt much more than the other ’ way. To tell the truth, the boy was half sick with rage and bitter, unavailing despair at the position in which he had been placed through no fault of his, own, or such a design would scarcely have occurred to him. For a moment or two he hesitated, and then gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. “Very well, I'll stay,” he said curtly. “I’ve never been a quitter yet, and I'm not going to-give even you a chance - to call me one.’ Relief was written large on the manager’s face, and “Put it there, old man!” he exclaimed. “You're a He broke off ae withered by the glance of utter contempt flashed at him by the boy as the latter turned on his heel and walked away, followed by Clancy. A dozen feet or so to the left of the bench Chip flung himself down on the ground and sat staring out across the field with unseeing eyes. Clancy, appalled by the nature of the catastrophe which had befallen his chum, took his silent place beside him. Neither of them spoke, for words just now seemed forced and worthless. Now and then the red-headed chap stole a glance at his chum’s face, and the sight of those straight, set lips and staring, tortured eyes roused within him a boiling rage against the plotters who had done this thing. As for Chip himself, he saw neither the field nor the players on it. He was thousands of miles away in that lovely old New England town which he knew so well from. frequent visits with his father or, latterly, alone. Clearly, vividly, he saw again the wonderful campus, with its mellowed gray buildings and venerable’ elms which always aroused within him a thrill of wonder and reverence. Times without number he had pictured the joy which would come’ with being a part of it all; to belong to the place with which the name of Merriwell had become inseparable. He had had such wonderful dreams and hopes of what might await him there when at last the time came.for him to go. With the optimism of youth, he had even determined that the name of Merriwell should be as well known on gridiron and diamond and track as it had been in the days of his father and the uncle he adored. And now that was all over. He would never go to Yale, nor any other college. Branded as he would be with the name of a professional, athlete; barred from participation in any of the sports he loved and at which he excelled, the thought of any university was intoler- able torment. He might, of course, enter any one he chose and plod along until, he took his degree, but he knew ‘quite well that he would be missing the very salt and savor of life; that the four years would be one long succession of dragging, disappointed days, full to the brim of unavailing regret and bitter, torturing long- ing for. the, things which might have been, yet which could never be. It would be impossible for any human being to bear, and, as he bade a silent farewell to all his hopes and dreams, something came into the boy’s throat and choked him. He dropped his lids swiftly to hide the bright, be- traying moisture in his eyes, and ,caught his under lip between his teeth to keep that quiver of pain which stabbed him ‘to the heart from becoming outwardly manifest. 4 CHAPTER XI. IMPULSE. When the seventh inning ended with the score still unchanged, it was Clancy who roused his friend by a touch on the arm, “Do you really-mean to pitch for that cur, Chip?” he asked, in a voice which vibrated with indignation, Merriwell glanced up with a slight start, and then, seeing the Terrors coming in toward the bench, he. rose, face set and jaw tightened. “Yes,” he said in hard, emotionless voice, without. glancing at the fellow beside him, “I do.” He did not give Clancy a chance to comment, but page endemic aera = te ore anaes itnderdert ve tac Tg Go Alket cabretied ag pais Fe cap NIS ————~ aa MEOW ‘ i - ss tein WERE | strode past him into the diamond, glancing neither to ) gt the right nor to the left, and a moment later reached the ae pitcher’s box. Standing there motionless as a statue, = pes waiting for Stanley to strap on his body protector, he seemed to be looking down a long vista of empty days when he, who fairly tingled with an inborn love of base- om ball, must be content to stand aside and watch others ¥ doing what he longed for with an intensity which would almost drive him mad. With the keenest sort of desire to play, with a well-trained body and unusual skill, he would be barred out like a pariah because he had, un- ls wittingly and with perfect good faith, fallen into this -. “trap‘laid for him by two scoundrels. It was neither fair nor just, and his spirit cried out in impotent rebellion against the bitter hardness of it all. An instant later he heard the umpire’s voice, came back 2 to the preserit with a start, and, instinctively taking the VAP, signal from the backstop, bent over a perfect curve. i Melvin Griggs, who had been waiting for this first ; delivery with ill-concealed anxiety, gave a sigh of relief | as he saw the batter swing for it *in vain and heard at the umpire announce a strike. “By cripes!’’ he muttered under his breath. “The kid’s a sport clean through. I was afraid he’d throw ; us, but I réckon he’s going to stick. Hanged if I'd do it myself,” he added honestly, “if somebody’d went and played a trick like that on me.” His relief was of short duration. Merriwell’s second ball was met by Hayes, who smashed out a clean single and reached first with ease. McGuire, who followed, promptly bumped the ephere into the diamond and took + his’ medicine at first, while Hayes reached second. bat A worried frown corrugated the manager’s face as he beheld these signs of falling off in skill. Bob Stan- ley, who, with the other players, had been put wise to what had happened, also looked troubled as he observed that Merriwell seemed to have lost much of his steam, atid that his curves no longer broke sharply and hand- somely before reaching the plate. The pitcher's appearance *was ominous, too. He no longer wore the cool, half-smiling expression which had characterized him during the early ‘part of the game. His face was Set and hard as marble; his eyes inscrutable ; -and his lips were pressed tightly together in a single, straight line. He seemed, somehow, infinitely older, and gave the impression, not of a pitcher losing his grip and apt to “blow up” at any moment, but of one who was absolutely indifferent to what he was doing. The whole team seemed to feel the change which had come Over their pitcher. Not only that, but the Terrors recognized it and were eager to take advantage of it. “Te’s all in, Dutch!—he’s all in!” cried Snyder from the coaching line. “I thought it was too good to last. . Let's. send him to the stable! Let’s put the blanket of _ him! | eats _ With an anxious frown, Stanley called for an inshoot, holdiug ‘his hands behind Schmidt’s shoulder to indicate that Chip should put the ball close. “Whether Merriwell made any effort to put over an jnshoot’ was doubtful. If he did, the attempt was so half-hearted that the ball refused to take the curve and came sailing straight over the heart of the pan. , Schmidt fell on it with violent delight, smashing the € hhorsefiide out on a line into center field. It was a two- bagget, and Hayes romped home amid the tumultuous > inal aee We es ce NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. ait sailed away, away straight as a bullet over the cent cheering of the fans ane the delighted whoops of his teammates, While the uproar was still in progress, Stanley trotted out into the diamond and spoke to Merriwell in a low tone. . “What's the trouble, kid?’ he asked anxiously. “I called for an inshoot close to that man, and you gave him a stfaight one.” Chip eyed him for a moment in silence from under lowered lids. ‘“Who’s pitching this game?” he inquired coldly, “If you don’t like the way I put ’em over, then get somebody else,’ “Now don’t get up on your ear, son,” begged the catcher. “I’m not saying a thing against your pitching; it’s all to the good. I just wanted you to follow the signals, that’s all. You see I happen to know what this crowd likes and dislikes a bit better than you.” Chip shrugged his shoulders indifferently, - without speaking, and Stanley went back to his. position, an ex- pression very much akin to dismay on his heavy, bulldog face. If his mild rebuke had any effect at all it was in precisely the opposite direction from which he intended. Merriwell either could not’ or would not get them over the plate, for he pitched four wide ones in succession to Joe Snyder and sent him jogging to first. “Smash it, Biff—wallop it!” urged Spud> Walsh, 3rown stepped into the batter’s box. “This is our inning, and we'll win the game right here.” But Brown was eiven no chance to smash it, for Mer- riwell proceeded to bore a swift one into the battet’s ribs, “Take your base,” were full. The Sandstone rooters cheered madly. A little hitting at this juncture would put their team in the lead, ahd, with the Acme pitcher in this apparently demoralized condition, that would be simple. Amid frantic howls on the part of the Terror coachers for him to go in and win, and equally forcible advice on the part of their rivals for*Chip to fan him, Pete Leber -hustled to the box, confidence and’ determination written all over his freckled face. Unable to keep still, Melvin Griggs paced ‘back and. forth in front of the bench, his hands tightly clenched, | his lips moving continually as he mutteréd to himself: . “He’s going to throw the game! That’s why he said he’d go into the box. He's going to deliberately throw it away, hang him!” Yet, deep down in his heart the manager knew that, were their positions reversed, he would have done exactly the same thing—or worse.: Not a muscle of his face relaxed, Chip paused if the box for a long moment as he faced the batter. It seemed” almost as if he. were trying to make up his mind about something, and Stanley had to repeat his signal. for an. outcurve before the pitcher wotind up and sent the: ball straight over the rubber. . There was a pistol-like crack as Lebet’s bat. fiat t squarely, a ,wild, uproarious yell of joy from the fans who billowed to their feet to watch the flying sphere as directed the umpire; and the sacks fielder’s head, to land with a crash against the board fence aut sp farthermost extremity of the see CHAPTER XII. THE CATASTROPHE THAT SAVED. With that terrific crack of leather meeting wood, some- thing seemed to snap in Chip Merriwell’s «brain. It was as if he realized for the first time just what he had done, and as he stood dazedly watching man after man romp over; the home plate, heard the exclamations of furious despair from the infield which came to his ears even above the frantic cheering of the crowd, caught the expression of anguish on the face of Melvin Griggs, a pain, sharper and more poignant than any which had gone before, shot through him. He had deliberately thrown the game! He was worse than a quitter. With no sign of failing force or skill, perfectly able to hold the opposing batters as he had held them up to this inning, he had chosen to let them hit him because he wished to humiliate Griggs and make him suffer. His face flushed darkly beneath his tan, but not be- cause of the taunts hurled at him by his teammates. He was ashamed as he had never been before—humiliated— overcome with vain regrets. Because Griggs had played the knave was no reason why he should behave as he had and forfeit his owngself-respect. He watched Leber race down from third and cross the plate an instant before the ball plunked into Stan- ley’s mitt, and then, as the catcher started out into the diamond, his face dark with anger, Merriwell waved him back, ‘Beat -it!” now.” Stanley hesitated, his eyes searching the boy’s face. It was determined now, but in quite a different way from what it had been before, and there was something in it which told the backstop that he had better not inter- fere. He stood for a second, undecided. Then, grum- bling something under his breath, he tossed out the bal! and walked slowly back to his position. Woldring was at the bat, and, to his astonishment, the first ball came over with burning speed, breaking with a decided shoot which made the fellow step back to avoid being hit. There was no danger of this, how- ever, for the sphere cut a corner, and a strike was + called. This was followed by an amazing drop, which Wold- ring missed by a good foot; and, before he had time to recover from his surprise, a swift one, shoulder high, was shot over the plate with such astonishing speed that the’ Terror twirler swung too late, and was declared out. The fanning of Woldring made little impression on __ the discouraged visitors, for the man was as poor a stickman as the average pitcher. But when Spud Walsh likewise struck out and the- inning ended abruptly, a faint flutter of uppe rose in the breasts of the more _ optimistic. Chip walked off "the field and dropped down on the bench in silence. His manner did not invite comments of any sort, and Griggs was wise enough to realize this and caution his players by gestures to let the boy alone. In truth, the youngster was more utterly wretched than he had ever been in all his life before. He hated Griggs and every member of the team for the contemptible tr rick they had played upon him. He hated himself for what he had done. He was sore and sick at heart, and would have given the world to be able to leave the field and -~ he said, in an odd voice. “I’m all right— ; oD - NEW TIP: TOP’ WEEKLY. get off somewhete by himself, but he stayed because he, had made up his mind to repair the damage he had dong, if it lay within his power. ‘ae Stanley, the first man up, managed to reach first by a scratch, and Chip sacrificed him to, second. He did not | ~ advance beyond that point, however; for the Terrors, ey: encouraged by the result of the last inning, which had ~ if put them three runs to the good, were playing great , © ball. The two men who follow ed fanned promptly, and f the Acmes again took the field. If the home team expected to turn their victory into a landslide, they were mistaken. Merriwell had stiffened amazingly and was pitching brilliantly. His face was still serious, his eyes somber, but his arm had not lost ° its cunning nor his brain the ability to fool and deceive the batter. ¢ Only four men faced him and, when he returned to the i bench again, Melvin Griggs ventured to stammer an ga* approv ing- word or two. a? ‘Now, if we can only manage to start a batting streak,” he added, with a sort of desperate hopefulness, “there’s ‘just a chance of breaking even this inning. I’m afraid . the boys are too discouraged, though, to do much “Brace ‘em up, then, why don’t you?” put in Chip : wearily. ‘You'll never do anything if you start out feel- x ing like that. Put some ginger into them. Tell them a they’ve got to hit. I'll do my best if they get down to me.” For a second the manager stood staring at the young- ster’s drawn face, which had, at the moment, nothing in, the least boyish about it. And ingthat instant he seemed to realize to the full how grave had been the injury he % es had done. He understood, too, in one of those unac- countable flashes of inspiration which come toall of us... at, times, that Merriwell: meant every word he said; that a he would strain every effort to repair the damage which had resulted from that disastrous slump in his pitching; and an expression of mingled gratitude and admiratien ; came into the face of the older man as he hurried off: to cheer up his players. \ Whether it was due to his efforts or to the courage of ou despair, would be hard to say, but the Acme batters mie certainly took a brace at a time when it was most needed. Bull Henger led off by pushing a-warm grounder into right field, both first and second basemen going after it but failing to touch it. Henger sought to draw a throw by romping over first and turning to second, but Leber | was wise and took his time in putting the ball to Hayes, who covered the second sack. Sandy Cox followed by knocking a weak scratch past short, and Henger, who had taken a good lead off the sack, was off for second like a shot. Although Walsh raced in on the ball and made a beautiful throw, Bu!l was so fast on his feet and slid so handsomely that his fingers were against the cushion when Hayes bored’ the ball into his ribs. “Safe!” announced the umpire, and Melvin Griggs began to pluck up heart. “That’s the way to take ‘em!” he cried. going now, boys! Here's where *we Here’s where we tie up the game!” Hal Dyer responded to his urging by placing his | bat against the horsehide and driving it, past 1 MeGuire, who made an ineffectual jab for it with his left hand. For some reason Dutch Schifidt had crept in to short ‘ 7 (nd . “Got ’em do something { field and, in spite of his seeming stolidity, was on the ball like’a flash and lined it in to the base just as Henger plunged forward amidt. a cloud of dust. It was close, some thinking the runner safe, others _ that he had been tagged before his hand touched the *hassock, The umpire was fair, however, and gave the ne _ benefit of the doubt to the runner, declaring him safe. oe A roar of disapproval arose from the fans, followed by a tense, anxious hush as Bill Crane hurried to the plate, his manner alert and eager. It seemed incredible that there could be the slightest possible danger of the visitors tying the score, yet, with bases full and not a man out, the situation was more than dangerous. “Steady, Ring!” cautioned Snyder, from first. “Take . it easy, and get this man. You can do it; he’s a mark.” f “All we want is a little single—just a little one!’ f cried Griggs, beaming from ear to ear. “Get after it, Bill, and tap one out!” But Crane was not equal to the opportunity. At best, he was an independable hitter, having on that account been placed well down on the list. He tried for two ee wide ones, so eager was he to hit, and then allowed himself to be deceived by an illusive drop. :: _ “Never mind, boys!” encouraged Griggs. “Only one ~~ out, Hit it on the seam, Stan! You can do it!” But Stanley likewise failed to come up to the scratch. He did, indeed, hit it on the seam, but only to lift a high fly to the infield, where it was smothered with : ease, » oe This easy feat was greeted by a roar of applause from . the bleachers. And then, as Chip Merriwell was seen advancing to the plate, a little pale, perhaps, but other- 4 wise quite calm and unruffled, for the first time hoots and oe jeers and catcalls arose from some of the fans in a ee deliberate attempt to rattle the batter. The opposing side was strangely silent. Griggs cast one pleading, despairing glance at the boy as he passed, but a look at Chip’s face told the manager that nothing he could say would make a whit of difference. . Merri- : well would hit if it lay within his power, regardless of “a8 cheers or hoots or any other thing. i “On your toes, boys!” ¢ ariggs contented himself with crying. “Run on the hit, now!” “There ain’t going to be no hit!” howled the fans. “He can’t touch it! Fan him, Ring—fan him!” “That’s it, old man,” put in Snyder. “Strike him out and win your game,” Woldring knew, however, just how dangerous this handsome stripling * was, and he did his best to lure Mer- i riwell into reaching after the teasers. ° Not until three balls ‘were called did he cease this effort and put the sphere over the inside corner. His command was per- fect, and he got the corner beautifully, but Chip’s eye did not fail him. With perfect judgment and an exertion _ of every ounce of strength in his body, he brought his ' bat against the ball with a crack which sent it like a bullet into left. field. . With a thutderous groan of dismay, the spectators leaped clatteringly to their feet and watched the flying sphere in tense, eloquent silence. Past Schmidt it went— far past him. For a moment it seemed as if it would strike the fence; instead, it barely grazed the iho and yanished from sight on the other side. Merriwell did not see it disappear. - and over second, digging his toe clips into the ground a giving an exhibition of marvelous spr peeg.! ae Over first he raced NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. | 17 was a beautiful thing to see. As he rounded third he cast a backward glance into the field, and, seeing Schmidt striving frantically to climb the high boards, he was just slowing down when, gf a sudden, without the slight- est preliminary warning, the air was rent by a thunderous roar, appalling and terror striking. The ground beneath him shook and quivered as if from an earthquake. He stumbled, missed his stride, found it again, and ran on instinctively to the plate. As he crossed the rubber he saw the stands belching forth human beings in streams. Shouts and cries of alarm rent the air. Men ran hither and thither, stunned, bewildered. Women were shrieking hysterically, and the shrill, frightened cries of children came from every side. For an instant Chip stood there, staring dazedly about him. Then he caught sight of Griggs, not far away, and hurried to him. “What is it?” he asked curtly. Is it an earthquake?” The manager, pale and bewildered, shook his head helplessly. “IT don’t know,” he gasped. ‘I haven't the tease idea.” A second later Merriwell saw that the greater part of the crowd was beginning to streak toward the gates as if animated by some_definite purpose. “The mine!” yelled a man as he stumbled past. “Somethin’s, blown up at Newhouse! “Dynamite!” cried another. “A lot of dynamite’s s gone off—an’ the boys is all down there!” “Great, heavens !" groaned Griggs. sible Chip did not hear the end of the sentence. By. the time it was finished he whirled about and was running with all his speed toward the gates. He had no definite idea of what there was to be done. He was governed in part by the rush of everybody about him and in part by the instinctive desire to help, which comes at a time like this. And so he streaked through the crowd, fol- lowed by Owen Clancy, who had caught sight of him. In a moment both were lost to sight. “What’s happened? “It can’t be pos- X* * * * * * * It was past midnight when Merriwell and Clancy stumbled wearily into the hotel lobby. Chip was covered with dirt and grime, and his baseball suit was in rib-. bons. He was ready to drop with weariness, and his mind was a turmoil of ghastly pictures, which he felt as if he were never going to forget. Miners, wounded and horribly maimed; screaming, hysterical women and children clustering about the en- trance to the shaft; tormented officials, white-faced and ‘horror-stricken; interminable distances of .dark,. rock- filled passages, through which he had crawled in search of living souls; all these were jumbled together in one dreadful medley until there was no room left for a thought of his private, personal suffering of the after- _ noon, which was, in contrast, so small and petty. . He had scarcely staggered into a chair when he saw Ballard before him, and, close beside the boy, the figure ; of Melvin Griggs. “Thank Heaven you’ve showed up at last!” exclaimed | : the manager, “I’ve been waiting here for hours.” Chip lay back with closed eyes. had brought back the bitter remembrance of what the man had done, which, added in his present exhaustion last straw. ~ of mind and body, was in the nature of a The sight of Griggs — “Have ‘you?’ he murmured indifferently. “Yes, I wanted to tell you something,” the manager went on in odd hesitation. “I wanted to tell you that— that we’ve—decided to give the ptoceeds of the game to the wotinded miners and ‘the families of those who were killed.” Merfiwell’s eyes jerked open, blankly at the man before him. “Will you say that again?” he asked: incredtilously. "The boys have agreed to give every cent we took in to-day to the injured miners and their families,” re- peated Griggs, his face somewhat flushed. A look of unutterable joy drove the weariness from Chip’s eyes. “And so,” he gasped, “I’m not “No; everything’s all right.” He paused, twisting his big fingegs awkwardly. “I’d be awful glad,” he went on slowly, “if you’d—er—shake hands, just to show there ain’t any more hard feeling. I sure am darned sorry —honesty and I’ve done the best I could to make things right.” _ The. boy was on his feet in an instant, his hand out- stretched. Griggs shook it heartily and, a moment or two later, dropped down in the next chair. “Of course it was the accident that put it into my head,” he explained, in answer to Chip’s question; “but, believe me, kid, if it hadn’t been for the corking way you pulled iis out of that hole, I’d never have done it.” “But I got you into the hole myself,” Merriwell pro- tested, flushing faintly at the recollection. “Sure!”? was the reply. “But that:was natural. Now it’s all over, I don’t mind telling you I’d have done the _ same myself. Only I got a sort of hunch I wouldn’t have caught myself up in time an’ showed the spirit you did. You’re a dead-game sport, kid, from the word go; and anybody that says the contrary has got to reckon up with Melvin Griggs.” and he lay staring 3) / THE END. “Frank Merriwell, Junior, on Waiting Orders; or, A Dash for the Good Will of Ophir,” is the title of the “next story that will appear in this weekly. The story tells how Frank Merriwell, junior, and his two chums _ overcome the animosity of the people of Ophir, who have been prejudiced against them by Chip’s enemy, Hayward - Wolf. There is a great description of a race in this “story, which is a remarkably good one, and it reveals some of the methods ' ‘crooked” athletes stoop to some- times. . . ———_~4 + 0+ = —_____ A WOMAN BLACKSMITH. i, Anna M. Albrecht, of New York City, is thought to be the only female blacksmith in the United States. v She acts as assistant to her husband, who conducts a ee in the borough of the Bronx. Mrs. Albrecht has aided her husband in his work for the past two years. She is a sturdy, well-built woman, of medium height, ; thirty- five years old, and the mother of three children, Nes Pe + 0 ANIMAL BAROMETERS. The. seagull makes a splendid living barometer. If a covey of seagtills fly seaward early in the morning, sailors and fishermen know that the day will be fine and the wind ; fair, but if the birds ee inland, reer there be no haze NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. victim was dead. amovement would be heard. the landing, Tom had arrived at the next floor. + 3 ‘the room, slammed the door, and saan pushed: a sofa hanging out toward the sea, to denote unpleasant weather, interested folk know that the elements will be unfavorable. Of all weatherwise fish, the dolphin is the most retnark- able. Dtiring a fierce gale or a storm at sea, the mariner knows that the end of it is near if he can see a dolphin or a number of that fish sporting on the high sea waves. +O THE ADVENTURES OF TOM HARVEY. By MATT ROYAL. CHAPTER XXVII. AT BAY. The ruffians were now in a very jovial mood. Little did they know the lad was behind the door. It was so plainly impossible for him to get out of the pit that they did not bother about looking into it. They helped Rawlins to ¢mpty his first tub, and then they listened, with him, for the groans and shrieks. “T guess he’s dead,” remarked Johnson. Tom wished to steal from behind the door, but Dyke Johnson was standing where he could not fail to see him = if he moved. He would have to await a better chance. When the contents of the second tub failed to bring — groans and shouts from the pit, the men concluded their Holland :took the dark lantern and looked down the hole. “I can’t see very distinctly,” said Holland. “But I'd say he’s dead. He seems to be lying all in a heap.” Tom felt grateful to the waterproof coat again. It was being mistaken for himself, and was thus helping to throw the villains off their guard. Pe Rawlins took the lantern and leaned over the hole. ; Tom shivered, for he knew this man had good eyesight. “Thunder!” cried Rawlins. «“There’s no one down there. The hole’s empty!” This remark made his companions more serious. They oe all gathered around the hole to take a ‘look. Now was our hero’s chance. He came from behind the door on tiptoe and stole’ into the hall. He paused a moment, because the silence was so great that’ his slightest The villains were looking into the pit, and holding their breath, as men will when they are straining any one of their senses. “Rawlins is right,” said Johnson, looking up. ae “Great Cesar! you don’t say so?” exclaimed Holland Low hoarsely, and he leaped to his feet and rushed into the _ hall. He arrived there just'm time to see our hero dis- ee appearing at the head of the stairs. os “Upstairs, men. Quick!” he roared. and he bounded up two steps at a time. “He’s there,” Vass When he reached The latter fairly flew along the hall toward. the room where the young women were confined, #Arrived, at the door, he found it locked and the key gone. He stepped — back to the opposite wall, and, making a rush. threw, his “fie whole weight against the ot oe a? tle he lock sprung, and the door flew open. just, ‘as es pursuers appeared at the head of the stairs, “On.they catne, like a pack of howling wolves. Tom dashed. into and table j in front of it. EEE. er tee a re ee ee a e% 7 ze os: re ee ea ar a Be i ee oe tae Ss sank on her knees to offer thanks to Heaven. NEW The terrified girls in the inner room heard the noise, and screamed and shrieked. Tom sprang to the door of the bedroom, raised the cur- tains, and saw the two girls lying on the bed claspe@ in each other’s arms. They were in an agony of fright. “Here, Martha, quick,” cried Tom. “Can you *dis- charge a pistol and help me save Miss Elinor? With your help, I can keep the brutes at bay.” Martha bravely answered to the call, and stationed her- self at the side of the door, but Tom had no intention of allowing her to expose herself to the bullets. “Hold that pistol, Martha,” he said, ‘and hand it to me at my call.” Saying this, he posted himself in the doorway, and cocked the little revolver. The hall door burst open, and three of the gang ap- peared ready to rush in. They would have done so, but for the obstructions that had been placed there. “Leap over them,” cried Holland. “Seize the duffer, and haul him out here!” Three shots rang out in quick succession from Tom’s revolver, and one of the ruffians fell to the floor. In the smoke, Tom could not see which one it was. He fired a fourth shot, and retired behind the curtains. The villains leaped back into the shadow of the hall ‘and allowed their wounded ‘companion to crawl out. un- — assisted. “Martha,” whispered Tom, “hold this box of car- tridges, and watch while I show you how to reload the weapons,” “Hark! They’re coming!” Tom looked out through the curtains. “No,” he replied, “they'll not come yet. Two of them were struck, and they’ I form some plan before attack- ing again.’ He showed Martha how to take out the cylinders and insert the cartridges, and bade her reload one weapon while he was discharging the other. Then he consoled the timid Elinor, and bade her have no fear. ' Help would come, and, meanwhile, with Martha’s aid, he would defend her. At the mention of help, Elinor cried out with joy, and Tom looked on, with heartfelt pity. He knew it would be twenty- -four hours at least before Crandall could ar- rive with help. A bullet tore through the curtains and whizzed over his head. He dropped on his knees, slightly parted the curtains, and saw Jake Parr climbing over the sofa. He took de- liberate aim, and fired. The bullet struck Parr in the shoulder, and he fell forward over the sofa. The other -ruffians behind him ran back into the hall. Parr groaned, and crawled forward toward the cur- tain. Tom shoved his revolver out and aimed it at the man’s © head. “Don’t shoot!” whispered Parr. “I’m coming to help you. See!” And he quenched with his fingers a light that was attached to a small bag he held in his hand. Tom recalled Parr’s former strange looks and signs, and in the impulse of the moment, resolved to trust him. He. reached out his hand and helped the wounded man into the room. ey couldn't be a scoundrel any longer, lad,” the latter. “I made up my mind to save whispered ly ou, if I could.” TIP TOP WEEKLY. 1g “You can trust Parr, ladies,” he said; “he means to defend you. And you, Parr, I hope you I forgive me for that last shot.” “Never mind, lad. than that.” — He then showed Tom the little bag, and explained what it had been intended for. It was filled with dynamite, and had a fuse attached to it. Holland had ordered Parr to throw the bag in Tom’s face so as to blind, and, if pos- sible, kill him. Parr had quenched the light of the fuse to save Tom’s life. When the ruffians in the hall saw Parr made a pris- oner, as they supposed, their mortification and astonish- ment knew no bounds. “What in thunder is that kid, anyhow?” You didn’t know ; you owe me more remarked Rawlins. ‘Big difference between him and the ‘Pigeon,’ here.” : He looked at Franks as he spoke, and the latter groaned A with pain, and cursed. by Tom’s first bullet. “Come,” said Holland, “we’ve got to dislodge him some way. I’m not going to live and let him live.” 4 “How is it to be done?” asked Johnson. a “The four of us will make a rush. Come, get ready, ¥ and the moment I say ‘three,’ rush together.” “Oh!” groaned Franks. “You, too, Pigeon,” said Holland. in the background, I'll run this dagger into you. All a ready - a “Yes,” answered Rawlins and Johnson. Meanw hile, Tom Harvey was preparing for just such a maneuver. As the besiegers entered the doorway, he and Parr appeared behind the curtains and fired simul- taneously. There was a wild yell, a volley of curses, and the vil- lains fled back into the hall. They had been so surprised they could not fire a shot. Parr had deserted them. is “Come again,’ whispered Holland; “and death to the first man that retreuts.” ; In the second rush, six shots were fired, two of them taking effect. Parr received one and the other disabled Franks: ‘ As Holland was leaving the room this time, he pulled the door to after him, and for some time there was suet in the hall. . “Are you hurt, Parr?” asked Tom, in a whisper. ee “I am dying, boy,” replied the ex- ~ruffian, and he fell — back on the floor. It was true. He had received his death wound. Within five minutes he was dead. The women helped Tom to lay him on the bed, and cover him with a quilt. 3e hopeful, ” he whispered. “I know help will come —in time.” ¢ He took advantage of the lull to take away the barri- _ cade from the outer door and place it before that which — was overhung w ith curtains. ie His reason for this was that he could fire peer under shelter at the villains. Tom twice ran the risk of approaching and listening at the outer door, but could hear nothing. It seemed the men had left the hall. “ae “Hark!” Elinor whispered. “I hear a noise overhead.” Tom rose from the kneeling posture he had taken behind the barricade, and listened. There were sounds overhéad. Suddenly a bit of plaster fell from the celia, : and the point of an auger appeared, . It was he who had been wounded “If you try to keep NEW “They aré boring a hole, to shoot us from above,” whispered Tom. “They the ceiling.” As if to confirm his words, another large piece of plas- ter fell, revealing the fact that several auger holes had been bored. The villdins were cuttitig a hole about a foot square. Toin drew a latge dressing case in front of the door and stationed the girls between it atid the barricade. He bade Martha watch the outer door, and not take her eyes off it. She was to call him at the first sign of the hall door opening. Having guarded against a stirprise from that quarter, he prepared to meet the attack from the ceiling. He guéssed that his eneniies intended to attack froin two sides at once: He thust upset their plans by stratagem, and make the attacks come in succession. The hole was being made in the vety center of the ceiling, It was tiot yet see but would be in less than five minutes. His plan of defense had to be ready within that tithe. He took a couple of hewspapers, folded them together, and made a shade for the gas jet: He fixed this shade in sich a way that the light shone ofi the center of thé ceil- ing and left thé rest of thé rooiti in sémidarkness, The not be seen. He next leaped on top of the dfessing case and took down the long curtain pole that was over the door, To one end of this curtaifi pole he tied tlie little bag of dyna- mite, which Parr had given him, and which lad beef in- tended to kill him, and to the sdme end he attached a piece of string taken from one of thie pictures. Hé took - the other end of the curtain pole in his left hand, and, - gtaspiig his pistol iti his fight, le sto6d on the bed. “Girls,” he whispéred. “Make tio soiind to ifidicaté your position. Keep silent, no matter what happens, tris less the hall door moves.’ “We'll obey you, Tom,” answeéted Elinor, “Would you have the courage to lielp me in oné thing, Elinot ?” “Yes, Tom,” replied the brave girl, stepping froni ‘be- “hind the dressing easé, “I'll do anything you tell me,’ _ "Good, ther. Cross to the wall atid stand beside the gas jet; there—that’s right. Put your hand on it, please.” _ She obeyed his difections, and stood tryitig to seé him ti the darktiess, - “The moment I speak, Elinor, you will turn down the fight a little~just a little. Do you understand?” "Ves, Toin, I'll do it.” Smash! A heavy knock sounded on the ceiling, and the little : square int the center fell to the floor, carrying a large cake or plaster with it. _ There was now a hole a foot square it the ceiling, and “the villains wete ready to fire down, Tom knew they were not all upstairs. the hall, He raised the curtain pole till the bfass. knob on the end entered the hole. Then he listened, He could hear Whisptring above. This was just what he expécted. Thé mén were wondering what the pole méant.. They had intended to fire down “through the hole, and now they ” TIP TOP WEEKLY. intend to cut a large spacé in. corner where the bed stood was so dark that it cotld Two of them at least weré in e: confronted with something they did, not tnder- Tom shoved the pole an inch or two higher. Some one above touched the knob. This was just what Tom Ht ; wanted. as éle lowered the pole an itich, as if he were going to ae pull it away, and the person above grasped the pole ie ‘ tightly. oO | “Good!” inuttered Tom inwardly. “I’ve got you now!” is He pretended to pull harder, and the resistatice over- tian: | head became greater. ae All this tine he had taken care to hold the pole so obliquely ‘that 4 shot cotild not be fired at him. He again pretended the pull and miake desperate ef- forts to get the pole away. The petsoti above grasped i it more firmly and tried to wretich it from his hand. q Tom reached out a foot or so and allowed the knob to be drawn tip farther. “Now!” he whispered to Elinor. The light was turhed down: as eS PELE A SER IOP Sg 8 as The room becatne dark . 4 4 except the center of the ceiling. Me 4 Toin simulated. another effort to obtain possession of 1 the pole, and then let go his hold. But he kept his hold | ||, on the string. iv’ “Turn lowef,” he whispered to Elinor, and as she a lowered the light, he stole cautiously to the center of the bs room. Be ze The pole took a vertical position and began to ascend. The villains, believing they were gainirig a point, were dfawing it up thtough the hole. a+ Tom had his pistol cocked, ready. He was kneeling |) on the floor. His eye was 6f the ceiling. His-left hand . held the string. Up, up went the pole, dragging with it the little bag of dynamite, which was tied tightly to the = = = |" etid of it. AS the bag neared thé ceiling, Tom pulled on = | the string so as to guide the bag safely into the hole: He ; did not wait it to catch on the edge. It entered the hole safély. He let go the stting. It was about six inches ffom the ceiling to the surface of ° the floor above ; or, in other words, the hole was six inches deep, | _ When the bag entered the hole, Tom leveled tis pistol at it and took steady, ait. ; The motient it réached the surface, he fited, and ab, once léaped away from the center of the tdort. The shot striick the dytiamite and ignited it. There was a loud explosion on the floor above, 4 wild ery, a volley of shouts and ctirsés, and a scampeting of feet. The room was vacated. oa Tot Harvey arose coolly to lis feet, atid whispered: “Blifiot, dear, you may turn tip tlie light.” A ae “s oe ° CHAPTER XVIIL ; BEHIND THE BARRICADR, It was Johnson and Franks who cut the hole in He éeiling. It had been aftafiged that they would attack Tom in the rear as soon as Holland fired a signal shot. iri the hall, THe plan had béen well coticeivéd, but Was as cleverly defeated by a lad who possésséd the brains of © a Hannibal. Tom fired at the right moment. A second sooner might have made it more disastrous for hintself than for the enemy. ie Neither Johnson nor Franks were dangervsly wounded, but their faces were blackened and BCAEFOS: and their eyes nearly blinded. When they came running down into the hall and eX ‘ plained what had happened; the rage and chagrin of theif leader knew no bounds. Meanwhile, Tom Harvey was doing some planning in- side. The success of his last. stratagem had given the girls such confidence in his powers. that they began to . have hopes of being ultimately saved. e He again stationed them behind the dressing case and handed Martha a pistol. He showed her how to use it, atid bade her watch the hall door, as before; and fire if any one entered. To Elinor he deputed the task of watching the hole in the ceiling. This she could do without leaving her place = WR ve “ ; i a ae BE ER PPO tS og og OE 5 of shelter. The thoughtful lad knew the ladies would be less alarmed if he kept their minds occupied. He was now free to act. He entered the outer room and cautiously approached the hall door. The villains - | were several feet away from it. He could hear them ) whispering togéther. IE He lifted the table and laid it gently against the door. ' {1 Against the outer legs of the table he placed the sofa, and de néxt to this he sét the large box. The space between the | box and the wall he filled in with chairs and other fiir- | niture. He made a barricade so strong that the door. |. cotild not be opened tinless it were smashed to pieces. < | His next action was to take down all the pictures from the walls, and gather from them the strings with which | they had been hung. The separate pieces of string he | tied into one long cord. One end of this cord he at- -} tached to one of the heaviest picture frames. Ae - He entered the bedroom, climbed tipon the dressing - case and drove a nail into the top part of that wall which was farthest from the window and the outside wall of the house. He passed the cord over the nail and pulled “A till the picture was raised about three feet from the floor. | He found by pulling the.cord a little, and then letting the | weéight of the picture draw it back, that a scraping noise was made on the wall. This was just what he wanted. ~ He called Martha to his sidé, and, pullitig the string a few _ titnés, whispered : , ~. “What does that sound like, Martha ?” _ “As if some one was tryitig to make a hole throtigh the wall,” she replied. ‘ — “Just so. Will you work the string that way for about fifteen minutes ?” : “Yes, Tom,” said Elinor, “Martha and I will stay here and work the string.” “Excuse me,” said Tom; “you may work the string, but you can’t stay here.”’ “Where?” _ “In the other room. You must pull it ftom thete, and while ohe does that, the other miust listen for sounds of an attacks The door being barricaded, they can’t enter before you have time to call me.” : : The girls obeyed his directions, They remained iti the outer room and kept the string working. /Tom closed the - curtains \so that they could not see what- he was doing. _. A few moments after thé scraping noise began, Tom Me heard whispering in the adjoming room. ‘The villains were listening to the noise, and econjecturing, as to the . ¢ause of it; Tom crossed to the opposite side of the | foom and exainined the window. Two bars néeded to ‘be wretiched off before the window could be touched. His heatt leaped with joy when he found that the bars were screwed on from the inside. na! ‘The room had been intended as a prison for the women ¥ 2 NEW Tip TOP WEEKLY. | 31 lie, but he had a motive in speaking. sponded to several cunning questions put by the young only, and, as it was a great height from the ground; fio other precautions had been deemed necessary: Tom got the knife and set to work. Only six screws had to be taken out to remove the ends of the two bars. He had accomplished this much of the task, when he a@ain heard whispering in the adjoining room. He crossed to the wall whereon the pictute was still making the scraping noise, and listened. ; “What in thunder are they doin’?” he heard Rawlins exclaim, “Cutting a hole in the wall; keep quiet; Let them work away, and the moment they put a head through, we'll cut it off.” It was plain they did not yet know Parr was déad. This was to Tom’s advantage. While they were ttder that impression they wére léss likely to break in the hall door and make a rush. He returried to the window, arid with one of the bars pried up the sash, making as little noise as possible. What he did make was covéred by the scraping of the picttire, which the girls were working admirably. He got the window half open, and fastened it there with the poker. He pried open the shutters and looked out. Tom calculated that the wall of the house was within six feet of the edge of the bank, and the bank was fully twelve feet from the surface of the water. If any one fell out of the window he would be liable to fall into the river. Yet there was bank enough for Tom’s pur- pose. Six feet was as much as he wanted. He listened, in order to learn if the villains were all together. They might be scattered, One of them, in fact, might be at the hole in the. ceiling. Tom could do no more till he settled this point, He wanted them all together. He stepped out into the sit- ting room afid whispered to Elinor and Martha. They at once stopped ‘pulling the string. Tom advanced to the wall opposite the window and shouted as loudly as he could: “Dick Holland, I want to speak to you.” “What is it?’ came the gruff answer from the other side of the wall. ° “If Elinor gives up the secret, will you let us all go?” “Ves; of cotirse.” . Ton knew the question was silly, and the answer a ’ He did not care what they said, as long as he heard them speak. He had learned where Dick Holland was. shouted out: “Will you, Rawlins?” i. “Yes, you bet.” i see Theré Was no doubt of it beitig the voice Of Rawlitis, so Tom called again: “Will you, Sid Franks?” “Veg,” Wheht Johnson wes asked, there was no teply. showed Johnson was not with the others. Tom required them all together, 86 he cried out: = “Call Mister Johnson. Elinor wants*to speak to the + whole of you.” eee ae In 4 moment Johnson arrived, and each villain re- — He now~ ; m This’ i : un Hafinibal. Elinor approached the wall and took in hand the de- — puted task, which: was simply this: To hold the four — villains in conversation of any kind while Tom, assisted by Martha, was concluding the work in the inner room. © 22 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. ‘ Frightened as she was, poor Elinor showed diplomacy. She kept up ‘a running fire of conversation, now pretend- ing that she was just going to yield to their entreaties to give up the secret, and again pleading for mercy. Meanwhile, Tom and Martha had entered the inner room and were now tearing the sheets and curtains into strips and tying them together. They used the picture cords, too, and soon had a good, long rope, capable of holding a person’s weet Tom left the rope hang out of the window and found that it was about six feet too short to reach the ground. When Martha saw this, she began to tear her apron and the pillow cases, and Tom pressed into service his belt. “Have you courage to do it, Martha?” he whispered. “Yes, Tom, I would attempt anything for poor Elinor’s sake.” “You will take with you one of the pistols, in case the dog should attack you.” “Which way when I reach the ground?” “To the right. Be careful of the river. Cross the yard toward the gate in the center of the hedgé fence. Enter the arched avenue, and pursue that till you come to the main road. “When you reach the toad, turn to the left, and keep straight on till you come to the village. It can’t be more ‘than a couple of miles. Rouse some of the people and bring help. I will, meanwhile, protect Elinor.” “T'll try. my best.” “Heaven bless you, Martha.” He tied an end of the rope firmly about Martha’s waist.. He assisted her to clamber up on the window, and then gently lowered her down on the outside. She reached the ground safely and unfastened the rope from her waist. Then, without losing a moment, she waved her hand to Tom and Prepon around the corner of the house. Tom quickly drew up the rope and rejoined Elinor. His chief aim at present was to keep the villains talking until Martha should get safely away from the house. It would be an hour, at least, before she could reach the vil- ‘lage, and, perhaps, two or three before she could return with help. Until that time Tom must keep the enemy at bay by active resistance or by stratagem. Two or three minutes passed, and the conversation flagged. The villains were becoming tired of words. They wanted action; they were about to put some plan into execution, when of a sudden they stopped and listened. : _ Tom listened, too, anf a dreadful fear smote him as he heard the loud barking of a dog in the yard below. Martha had not yet got away from the house; she was _ afraid to pass the dog. This was the terrible conviction that seized Tom when he heard Holland cry out: “* “Some one’s coming. Run below, quick, and see what's up.” Three of the villains obeyed the order. Tom could a. ‘hear their heavy footfalls as they hurried downstairs. It was a fearful moment. If Martha were caught, all _ hope was gone. _ *Tom bitterly repented having exposed the poor girl to such arisk. If she were killed, he would feel responsible for her death. So far, Elinor had known nothing of _ Martha’s flight. Tom had deemed it best not to tell her, for, in the eieent she would Bs unable to play her part of keeping. the villains in conversation. Now he told her, and her grief and fright were excessive. “Oh, my poor Martha, my poor Martha!” she ex- claimed; “oh, Tom—Tom i “Frafies * “What's that?” “It’s the dog barking again. ‘Listen!” There were sounds of quick footsteps in the yard. Tom ran to the window of the inner room, but could see noth- ing. The kitchen door had closed, and the villains were again in the house. Had they caught Martha? “Oh, Tom, Tom! this suspense will kill me.” Loud sounds were now heard below—shouts and coarse laughter. These were followed by a struggle, which was of short duration. Something fell, and then, for a mo- ment, all was quiet. Tom Harvey felt almost deprived of strength. He had been the cause of placing the fer woman in the clutches of human beasts. He would have laid down his life that moment to redeem her. But was she captured? He would soon know. Already the villains were com- ing upstairs, Their loud talk and laughter had a tri- umphant sound. It boded ill for his hopes. He and Elinor held their breath and listened. could hear the beating .of the other’s heart. There was a heavy tramp in the hall, and the door of the adjoining room flew open. “What’s the row about?” asked Holland. “Cap, we've got news,’ answered Rawlins. “News! Is it good?” “The very best. 3 “Was the dog barking at any one?” “You bet!” “Well, what’s the news?” As Holland asked the question, he laughed, which showed he was pleased. The others laughed, too, and invited their leader to guess the news. During the pause, Tom and Elinor laced in each Each other’s pale face, and each knew the other was looking | | a last farewell. Their hopes. were dead. “What's the news?” repeated Holland. “We've captured the runaway prisoner!” CHAPTER XXIX, THE VILLAIN’S STRATAGEM. A loud and wicked shout of triumph arose from the lips of Dick Holland when he head this announcement. All obstacles to his plans were removed. He was as much elated as Tom was depressed. a “Rawlins,” he cried, “you’re awonder! For this cap- | tute I vote you five hundred dollars. | You heard dhe ie barking first.” “Thank's cap. “That’s right.” “And then I move a drink o on the head of ir “Then we'll attend to the folks in the next room. This AS comedy can’t go on forever. Come!” ia Tom Harvey heard them go off to another room. There was very little comedy in the thing for him, He looked at the poor, helpless girl lying on the carpet, and his heart melted with pity. She had him alone to depend upon; if, he failed to rescue her, she must die. ; He picked “Elinor up in his arms and laid her’ on a Bis _ which he placed in the hand. NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. sofa. He was glad she was but half conscious, as he did _ hot wish her to witness the work he had to do. ~ Knowing the villains would not return for _ five minutes, he entered the inner room and clésed the curtains. He approached the bed and drew the quilt off a2 poor’ Jake Parr. _ Tom tore another curtain and his own shirt into strips and: made a rope, which he passed twice around Parr’s - body; just. under the shoulder. To this belt he attached an end of the long rope which he and Martha had made. - Putting “all his ,strength into the task, he lifted the , figure off the bed and carried it over in front of the cur- _ tained door. He tied it fast to the back of the dressing . case, in such a way that to a person standing in the | sitting room it would appear like a'live man defending ' the doorway. With a piece of string, he tied Parr’s | right hand in such a position pont it seemed to be point- _ ing a pistol at the hall door. In the coat pocket he found - a briar-root pipe, which answered for the pistol, and : He arranged the curtains - in such a way that the villains could see the tall figure _ standing against the dressing case, but could not tell _ that it was inanimate. He now carried Elinor into the bedroom. At that moment he heard a sound in the hall. sprang to the curtains and listened. _ He had not been mistaken: The villains were outside the hall door, and were about to renew the attack. “Elinor, ” he whispered, as he heard her rise from the 3e brave. I am going to make one more effort.” Pl tr y, Tom. Oh, Heaven, what is that?” “They were breaking in the door.” This was true. The ruffians had resolved to close the iege, and were smashing in the door. 41 “Stand back, Elinor, please. Don’t look this side of | the dressing case. Don’t * . But she had looked, and now shrieked with horror, There was Parr standing erect on his feet and guard- ing the doorway with what seemed to be a pistol held in his hand. “Oh, Tom, look. at least He ” How, came he—— i Twas i Elinor. You don’t understand, Keep back—I Hark! They are upon us. Don’t stir.” » He leaped | out through the curtains, and, seizing the huge box, dragged it before the doorway. It would help to shield him. Smash! ~The outer door flew open, having been burst off its ees: Tom immediately fired two shots into the dark hall and then crouched behind the box. *The double |}. shots were’ to give the impression that he and Parr fired. _ The villains had drawn back out of danger, and could not be seen. There was no doubt they had seen Parr’s figure and mistaken it for a living foe. They were sur- prised at the besieged presenting such a bold front. There was some whispering in the hall, and then Hol- land called out: aaa Jake ‘Parr, come ott here. ber your oath.” W e want yoy Remerm- Tom. thought of how his danger w ould be increased if. the besiegers found out Parr was no longer glive. Noth- ‘was making them hesitate now but fh e dread of ng'-tWo pistols. - “Do you hear me, Parr? Come out. “Heawon’t come,” answered, Tom. “What have you got to say about it?” i ' : ty 4 j ; : I command it! “Trt the leader of this army, and I forbid Jake Part to answer your call. I forbid him to speak!” “We'll make him speak.” “You c-——” Tom was going to say “you can’t,” but it suddenly occurred to him they might guess the truth, so he replied: “Jake Parr will obey me, and I forbid him or any member of my band to parley with you. This is a fight to the death!” Poor Tom was making a great bluff. His depleted army consisted of himself, a half-fainting girl, and a corpse, yet his voice had a ring of confidence about it, though the perspiration stood thick on his forehead. “Jake Parr,” cried Holland, “I command you once more to step out. If you don’t, you will die the death of a dog! “Jake Parr will not obey you,” you call all night.” “Why? What’s the matter with him?’ This question staggered Tom. He was afraid they had become stispicious. Let them once learn Parr was dead, and all his hopes were blasted. To cover up his mistake, Tom cried out, as if addressing Parr: “Jake, you gave me your wordito stick to us, and I call upon you to do it. “I will!” came a deep voice fom behind that made Tom start and look around. It was Elinor. Seeing the danger, she had come to the rescue with a well-simulated voice of Parr. The villains whispered among themselves, and then a’ heavy stamping commenced in the hall. : Tom at once scented a trick, and resolved to be ready for it. The noise increased. There were footfalls, talking and laughter. Had Tom not known the truth, he would have supposed there were a dozen persons in the hall. Suddenly Elinor put her hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear: ‘Tom, there is some one upstairs. the hole in the ceiling.” Tom put the two circumstances together in his mind, and immediately understood the artifice. The noise in the hall was intended to rivet his attention while an attack ° was being made on‘his forces frotn the rear. This was a danger that had to be met by the promptest action, “Jake,” he said, aloud, “you keep blazing at those duffers in the hall, and I'll watch. the ceiling.” He crawled to the center of the room as he spoke, and fired at the ceiling. A piece of plaster fell, His fire was returned by a bullet that tore the heel off his boot. There Was slenke tot moment, and then the flash of a dark lantern illumined the hole in the ceiling. “Here, Jake, fire at the hole,” cried Tom, giving orders to himself. The same moment he took quick, but de- liberate aim, and fired at the hole. The bullet struck | the lantern and shivered it to pieces. Instantly, Tom sprang to the doorway and fired at a head that appeared in the hallway. Scarcely three seconds had elapsed be- tween the shots. This clever maneuver confirmed Ae villains in their belief that Parr was alive. . ieee Tom had now expended the last shot in his revolver. a If the men renewed the attack before he had time to , reload, -his cause was lost. answered Tom; “not if I hear a noise at Pour Elinor, crouched under the bed, had bounted the ae shots, and newt the extremity to which a brave, pro- Ae j pag : , SR ee eg DT ee NEW, TIP TOP WEEKLY. tector was driven. All she could do was to prgy for The figure was now drawn a little to the left,.and two him. of the villains stepped out behind it. Then it was drawn Tom resorted to stratagem to gain time to reload. to the right (the two villains moving with it) and two While placing the cartridges in the cylindet of his smok- more stepped behind—making in all five persons in, a ing revolver, he exclaimed, in a loud voice: * row, one behind the other. Tom could not fire at any “We're the boys, Jake. Takes us to teach them one-of them without striking the one in front—Martha. how to fight. You just watch the hall, Jake, and rid- The solid body commenced to advance, the foremost dle the first duffer that pokes his Head out; I'll keep pep- figure being impelled by the one next behind it—Hol- pering at this hole every minute the vermin come near land. it.” : Instantly Tom saw through the diabolical scheme, and Elinor uttered a guttural sound, as if in reply, and . his blood turned cold in his veins. They. were using Tom continued : Martha as a shield to protect them’ till they reached “You bet we will, Jake, every time. I’m blessed if I’m the inner door! Then they would see Parr. not getting fond of this diversion. I could just about Oh, Heaven; it was fearful! put a hole in a penny at twenty feet.’, Not a point of the entire enemy but was covered by While -he was talking, his fingers were working like the foremost figure; nevertheless, Tom stood up and ‘lightning The pistol was now reloaded, and a sound raised his pistol. was heard at the hole above. Without leaving his posi- Immediately five pistols were leveled at him, the front tion, Tom fired. at the hole,’ and turning around, sent two being in the hands of Holland, and held over Mar- a bullet whizzing into the hall. tha’s shoulders. “That’s right, Jake. Fire every time I do, an’ keep me Just-at this moment the person in front made a quick, company. Eh?” answering an imaginary remark. “Yes, convulsive movement, caused by an action on Holland’s of course. Just as you say, it would be better if we part. The hood fell from its head and exposed’ the had something to shoot at, but the ruffianly cowards are _ face. . afraid to face us.” Tom started back in surprise. The figure was not “You'll soon’ havé something to shoot at,” cried Hol- » Martha, but a man. / land from the hall. It was Monsieur. Poullin! “That so?” exclaimed Tom. “That's good. D’ye hear that, Parr? They’re going to put up a target for us. . CHAPTER XXX Use the other pistol while Elinor is reloading for you. ; ee rea ay Eh? Of course. Ha, ha, ha!’ And he laughed loudly SUCCESS. AT LAST. 08 at an imaginary joke of the defunct Parr. It was Elinor’s father, and not Martha, who had been How the ‘brave lad kept up this acting while his heart captured on his way in search of his daughter. Mar- was breaking, and his limbs trembling, was a mystery. tha was still safely on her way for help. These thoughts He afterward declared it the most trying scene he had ran through Tom’s head in an instant, and, despite the — ' ever passed through. fact that five gleaming pistol barrels confronted him, Up to this time, Parr’s figure had stood rigid and mo- he felt new hope. tionless. It had been taken for a living person, and, Two circumstances saved him from immediate death: consequently, had played a useful part. But a sudden [Ejinor sprang forward, and throwing her arms. about turn in affairs made it.a menacing danger rather than a. his neck, stood between him and his assailants. She was: ~ help. a prize Holland wanted to preserve¢alive. At the same The hall became illuminated. The villains had a new pas Monsieur Poullin fell to the floorein a swoon. plan on foot. Tom Harvey fired, and the bullet struck Holland in ” Quick as thought, Tom leaped to his feet. He saw the breast. The leader uttered a cry, and fell back into the danger. He lowered the figure of Parr to the floor. the arms of Johnson. Then, lest the light from the hall should make him a Tom fired again, and the ‘villains got so excited that mark for any one at the hole in the ceiling, he moved they quickly retreated to the hall, dragging Holland was a the dressing case still closer to the door. He knelt down them. behind thé box. During the next two minutes, the attack was not re- There now appeared in the hall in front of the door a newed, The men’s attention was on their wounded _ strange figure enveloped in a long cloak, that concealed chief. the entire person, face and all. Around the waist were Tom took advantage of the lull to ‘slip over tuk box c An ‘tied two ropes, one of which was held by some one on .and drag Monsieur Poullin into the room. He un- the right. The figure appeared from the left side, and bound him and handed him his pistol to defend’ the — was pulled into position by a force exerted on the right. door. Then he seized Jake Part’s silent figure’ ‘and This was the mark at which Tom was invited to shoot. carried it to the window. But he saw the dodge. The figure did not come there -By a great effort, he raised it to the sill. This was: voluntarily. -Though it spoke not, he knew it would if — the second part of the great plan he had conceived*nearly it could. The mouth of the figure was gagged! half an hour before. To the rope belt on Parr’s waist Tom instantly concluded it was Martha. They were he attached one’ end of the long rope, and its other going to use the poor captive for some diabolical pur- end he tied to the leg of the bed. . pose. A noise was heard in the hall. ; . He did not fire, though the villains Waite fully a Holland, though seriously wounded, got to his feet f edtnite. and cried: rst Hest “What’s the matter?” asked Holland — “Men, will you let a boy conquer you? Deatlt.to Ane “You can’t come that over me—on us,” answered Tom. one that retreats. Corne.”’ fe i , = \ ‘ iF 1d 1g ral ; ie “T'll obey you, boy.” i % a below. Tom heard the words, and understood what the result would be—a determined rush upon him. He thought of _ his new plan interrupted by the attack, and resolved to at } «tempt it. He was still practically without help, for Monsieur Poullin was as weak as a child. He called _ Elinor to his side, whispered a few words to her, and then glanced at the hall door. The villains were prepar- ing for a determined rush. Jake,” he shouted. “Lower yourself from ‘the win- dow, quick, and bring help. Martha and I will keep __ the brutes at bay.” _' The same moment there was a crash of glass in the _, room. Elinor, by Tom’s orders, had thrown a book through the window to make a noise. 1: “Is Parr near the ground, Elinor?” ~ “Yes—yes.” y The villains paused in perplexity and astonishment. They were wholly unprepared for such a move as this. To let one of their prisoners escape and go for | help was to give up the game altogether. There was a | whispering in the hall for a momeht, and the gruff voice | of Holland was ‘heard. — “Quick—to the bank outside—cut off Parr’s flight. ' Take him alive, = door,” Re sfhioaTA cried Tom. if possible—I'll stay and guard this 4 ___He looked in at the hall door as he spoke, and saw | Monsieur Péullin stationed at the inner door. To the latter Tom Harvey handed his-pistol again, saying: “Protect Elinor for one minute. Don’t let the brute » enter.” : Tom sprang to the window. He tied Parr’s hands to the rope and began to lower the figure. He let the rope pass once around the bedpost, so as to lessen the strain on his arms. He looked out of. ‘the window, and saw three of. the villains on the gt ound This was just what he wanted. Rawlins, Johnson, and Franks were waiting to catch the ‘supposed runaway. They were crouching down on the edge of the bank to conceal themselves. Behind and below them, at a depth of fifteen feet, flowed the River Humber, which, at this place, is wide and deep. Lower and lower went the figure. In the moonlight ‘it looked like a living person, as it was being let down quite slowly. When it got within about seven feet of the _ ground, it stopped. That was as far as ‘Tom intended to let it go. He fastened the rope tightly to the bed- post, and looked out of the window. i Rawlins, Franks, and Johnson sprang up from the | bank and grasped Parr by the legs. A Tom began to pull upward on the rope. The men pulled, too, believing Parr was trying to climb back to, the window. Tom lowered a little, and the men pulled harder. They were almost at the edge of the bank. | The rope became taut, ‘and the men planted their feet - against a stone and pulled with all their strength. _ Suddenly there came a change. Tom cut the rope with his knife, and over the sgl into the river went rope, men, and all. _ The stratagem was worthy of a Hannibal. * * * ** * # Pee __ When Tom Harvey turned from the window, he found Elinor’ clasped. in the arms of her father. The latter NEW TIP TOP "WEEKLY, 3 3: ' ter Elinor. Ov had deserted his post at the door. There seemed to him no need of guarding it, since no attack was made. When he and Tom entered the hall, they discovered the cause. Dick Holland, the leader, was lying dead on the floor, with a bullet hole in his breast. One of his fingers was missing, a sufficient proof to Tom that Cotturo’s mur- derer was before him. Martha arrived with help when it was not needed. The poor, faithful creature carried out a task that would have awed many a man. Parr’s body was afterward recovered and interred. Rawlins, Franks; and Johnson all escaped from the water, only to be captured, imprisoned, and condemned. Franks went to prison, where he died, insane. His com- panions were executed for former crimes. When the facts of the Cotturo case were brought to light, it was found that Dick Holland had committed the murder to prevent Cottura enlightening Monsieur Poullin as to the way the latter was being deceived by the gang. It is not known how the Italian became possessed of the knowledge, but it was learned that he wrote a letter to Poullin, asking him to come to his place at a certain hour on the night of the tenth of September, if he wished to learn something about the men with whom he was associated. Poullin did not answer the note, for the reason that he was too ill to do so, but he confided its contents to two persons, both of whom, unknown ‘to him and unknown to each other, took action in the matter. These persons were Elinor Poullin and Dick Holland.’ Holland went to the house of Cotturo, quarreled with him, and took his life, and it was he who had rushed out of the door and fled from the police in the direction of Parkdale. Elinor, in order to learn the secret that embittered her life, also went to Cotturo’s house, and arrived at its door just as the quarrel was at its height. Hearing a shriek, and becoming alarmed, she hurried down the steps and concealed herself in a summerhouse. She saw the murderer fleeing from the place, but did not recognize him. She heard the shouts of the people, and knew that she was in danger of being suspected of the.crime. She stole cautiously to the gate, gained the sidewalk, and darted toward Dundas Street. It was nearly a minute before she learned that she was being pursued. It is almost needless to say that our hero’s good name was vindicated, and that his father’s love and esteem, as well as the respect and admiration of the citizens, were restored to him. He married the lovely Elinor some years afterward, and the couple went to Europe on their wedding trip, taking with them the faithful Martha and ex- es Kelly, who became Tom’s valet. About a year and a half before that event, statist Poullin diéd, leaving his immense wealth to his daugh- He had been under the power and influence of the gang for two years, during which time they had extracted considerable money from him, making him believe they were using it for philanthropic purposes. He had none of his wealth concealed, as they suppgsed, © but for a time he pretended both to them and his’ daughter that he had. for a reason for this strange pretension. THE END. As he was demented, it is’ useless to look Philadelphia to Compete with New York as a Port. Philadelphia is to be made a competitor with New York as a real shipping center through plans being considered by the Pennsylvania Railroad in connection with the building of the proposed Broad Street subway. These plans, which have been laid before the politicians, include the use of the tube between the Pennsylvania Rail- road at North Philadelphia and League Island, where immense wharves for trans- continental commerce will be built. As outlined by a railroad official, the Pennsylvania will make an offer to lease two tracks in the tube when it is built and will-run- its lines from North Philadelphia to League Island. The tubes will be used by the railroad for shortening the distance to New York and for fast freight ship- ment abroad. Boy Saves. Mother from Drowning. : At peril of his life Lynde Holly, years old, saved his mother, Mrs. Perry M. Holly, from drowning in the east branch of the Farmington River in Barkhamstead, Conn. Mrs, Holly and children and sev- eral women guests were bathing in the deepest part of the river, Mrs, Holly dis- appeared beneath the surface and the other, women were panic-stricken, Lynde, who had learned to swim a little, started for his mother, although others tried to. hold him, When she came to the surface the second time, he caught one of her arms, and unassisted brought her to shallow water. She was soon revived and thinks she has the bravest boy in the land. Boom Boston as a Pott. “Sail from Boston” is the advice being ‘sent broadcast in cireular form by the Boston Chamber of Commerce. The leaflet, the circulation of which is to be one of the chief activities of the chamber, points out that everesince that day in July, 1840, when the first Cunarder, the side-wheeler Britannic, from Liverpool, docked at Bos- ton, the first port of New England has offered particular advantages to transat- lantic travelers. The approaches to the city by the great railroad systems are described, as are also the hotel facilities within the city limits, and the park system and other points of interest. The circular tells of the various lines sailing from Boston and the docks -. from which they leave, and urges all to avail themselves: of the advantages of this port. I2 The chamber feels sure that this campaign | will increase materially the number of pas- sengers *sailing from Boston. To Preserve Birds and Wild Animals. The National Association of Audubon societies has announced that arrangements ave been completed for starting an. ex- _ tensive’ campaign to preserve the birds, game, and fur-bearing animals of Alaska. The sum of $5,000 already has been sub- » seribed for this purpose, and more funds will be available as needed. The importance of this movement be- oes apparent med it is remembered that NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. TEMS GHENT CRED. for years to come many of the inhabitants of that territory must depend upon game birds-and animals almost entirely for their meat supply. The flocking of settlers to Northwest Canada during the last few years has made important changes in the conditions of water-bird life in America. The draining of innumerable sloughs and grassy lakes is driving the breeding ducks and geese farther north, and Alaska ulti- mately will be their chief summer home on this continent. “We shall begin by inaugurating bird study in all the schools, with the use of free literature and colored pictures of birds,” said T. Gilbert Pearson, who, as secretary of the National Association of Audubon Societies, has charge of the ar- rangements. . ‘We have the hearty co- operation of the United States bureau of education in the school work we shall un- dertake. We also will employ guards to protect many of the important bird colonies and to prosecute illegal killers of game.’ An agent of the association will sail from Seattle in a few days to investigate and re- port on certain existing conditions, and ac- tive work in other directions will: begin at once. A Millionaire for a Day. Representing himself to be a son United States Senator Guggenheim, Colorado, Fred L. Lennox, 22 years of age, a draftsman from Buffalo, N. Y., led the life of a millionaire for two days. at a fashionable Chicago hotel. Lennox came to Chicaga and registered under the name of O. Guggenheim. After being in the city a few hours he purchased an automobile, tendering a check in pay- ment. He employed a chauffeur and rode about the boulevards and parks until a rep- resentative of the automobile company conferred with the manager of. the hotel and the young man was requested to settle his accounts. He failed'to do so and his arrest followed, Golf Ball Kills Fish, , J. W. Hunt, postmaster, of Worcester, playing against H. A, Morse, of ‘the Ox- ford oboe Club, in a team match at Chicopee Falls, Mass., Seat a ball into the brook on the seventh hole. The stream is a famous trout brook and the ball killed a 10-inch trout that was lurking in a pool. The fish will be mounted as one of Ox- ford’s golf trophies. Breaks Motor-cycle Record. Arthur. Chapple, New York’s fastest mo- tor pilot, broke the world’s best one-mile record at the Brighton Beach Stadium Motordrome recently, when he flew around the three circuits for the distance in 39 1-5 seconds, thereb notch mark of 39 4-5 seconds made by Eddie Hasha, of Dallas, Texas. Chapple’s speedy ride was witnessed by 5,000 persons, all of whom gave him a great ovation when the premier performance was’ announced. That he was on the way to take a fall out of Father Time was evidenced at the! of of displacing the former top-| end of the first lap, as he flew by the line in 12 3-5 seconds, a pace equaling 95 miles an hour. In his: second lap “he: fell. off a bit in his speed, requiring just ¥3-sec- ands, or 25 3-5 for the two-thitds of a mile. His Rial lap showed a still greater diminution of pace, but not enough to keep him outside the world's best figures, which he beat ‘by three-fifths of a second, Street Cat “Don'ts” for Children, The American Museum of Safety in New York is going to try to teach the children of that city to ‘éxercise more care: when they are in the streets, so tKat there will be fewer accidents. . President Arthur Wil- liams, of the museum, says that ‘during — May twenty-nine’ children. were killed in the streets, to say nothing of the large num- ber &removed to the hospitals. who. were in- jured. The museum is at 39 West Thirty- ninth Street, New York City. When the ‘children. get to. the museum they will see little trolley cars and dolls-to teach them certain dangers, and how to get on and off a car. The children will also get a little text book of “Don'ts” that | contains these cautions: e Don’t hang on- behind the car. Don’t stand onthe car steps. Don’t touch a w ire; it may be a live ona Don’t put your head or arms out of the car windows. eg Don’t run across:a car track in front of an approaching car, automobile, or wagon. — Don’t cross immediately behind a pass-— ing car; there may be another car or wagon © approaching closely in the opposite direc- tion. Don’t jump on or off a moving car, ,” Don’t get off facing rear of car, ~ Don’t cross street without looking both ways for passing automobiles and wagons. Don’t fail, when.leaving car, to look both ways for other vehicles, Don’t play in the street where car trate are. Don’t cross a street except at a cross- walk. ; Don't take a chance. The museum folk are hoping to get the Interborough to carry the children to ag from the museum free of eharge. Woman Candidate for Congress. Democrats of the «ninth congressional — district, of Los Angeles, Cal., have .se- — lected a woman as the candidate of .the Democratic party for Congress—Miss Musa Rawlings, who was secretary of the — Woman’s Champ Clark Club during the recent campaign, Those who are behind Miss Rawlings! candidacy declare a campaign will be mac with vigor and seriousness, that. the first woman member of Congress may. repr sent Los Angeles, Petitions for Miss. Raw- lings’ nomination are being circulated. f _ Capture Python, : Thowias Burchinal, a Youngwood Pa, railroad man, is the possessor ‘ofia. South American python, He and Piao were shifting cars in Ruth's pore rd, at Scottdale, ‘when the” nae ee NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. 27 Procuring a coal pick the railroaders tried | the cells, they experimented with cancerous |,discovery that the white corpuscles form to hold the reptile until it could the air. Several clubs and sticks were procured and the men captured the python alive. It is on exhibition in the Youngwood Moose Club. The snake is a beautiful specimen, about:seven feet long and well marked. It is believed that it either came in on a load of lumber from the South or escaped from a circus. New Chutch for Watertown. To replace the Church of the Sacred Heart, in Watertown, N. Y., badly dam- aged by fire last February, erection of a new $60,000 church has started. The Rev- erend Thomas W. Coughlan, the pastor, ex- pects the new church will be finished by January 1, 1913. It will be of gray Devonshire brick, with trimmings and tracery of gray artificial stone and roof of slate. Part of the old church is being incorporated. The granite basement walls and the granite tower which escaped the fire'are to be parts of the new edifice. Cement plaster and artificial stone will be used in the interior finishing. There will be three altars, with a large traceried window over the high altar and a similar window at the other end of the church, between the halves of the organ. The - woodwork will be mostly of oak. The church: will be of the perpendicular Gothic style of architecture. American Buys Irish Castle. The celebrated Macroom Castle, in Ire- - land, has been sold to Michael P. Grace, of New York City, well, known in London and South Africa. The castle has an interesting history. It is said to have been built in the time of King John—12th century—by the Mc- Carthys, whose chief was created Earl of Clancarty by Queen Elizabeth. A legend that an inscription saying that William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, was born near. the place of the tablet, and also that there is a cradle to be seen there which bears the inscription that in it was rocked | the founder of Pennsylvania} is without the slightest foundation. According to Canon Murphy, of Marcroom, one of the most learned of the clergy of Ireland, Penn’s father occupied the castle during a part of - Cromwell’s successful days, but at the “Re- storation” the McCarthys, from whom it had been wrested by the Cromwellians, drove out the Penns and possessed it for some time after. Troublous times came again, however, and the McCarthys lost Macroom Castle as well as Blarney and oe other noble mansions. It is said M. a at" which act similarly, using combinations first and last of 16 metals. They discov- ered that these induced autolysis of the cells, but the problem was how to make the remedy reach the affected parts, since subcutaneous injections found too many barriers opposing their way to the seat of the disease. They eventually made injections directly into the veins. Immediately results were observed and complete cures effected. The medicants had no effect on any healthy part of the body and also did not affect non- malignant sarcomic growths. Injections of the same _ proportionate quantity and frequency as employed on the mice have proved poisonous in the case of rats, and still more on dogs, and the experimenters are careful to declare that it will be a long time before they will be ready to treat human beings. But they will hopefully continue their research. Throat Burned so Badly He Starves to Death. Having. starved slowly for nearly two his throat with sulphuric, acid, Charles A. Billings, chief of tthe Ashburnham fire de- partment, died to-day at the Gardner, Mass., hospital. . While Chief Billings was fighting a for- est fire with a crew of men on July II, in Ashburnham, he picked up a jug he thought contained drinking water, and swallowed a mouthful. The jug contained sulphuric acid used. to fill chemical fire ex- tinguishers, and the chief’s throat was ter- ribly burned. He was brought to the hos- pital here for treatment, but the burns made it impossible for him to take suffi- cient nourishment. He was 56 years old. Ambassador to Live in Palace in Rome. Ambassador O’Brien has at last solved in a dignified and suitable way the ques- tion of a residence worthy of the repre- sensative of a power like the United States iin Rome. In Rome the ambassador of a | great country can hardly live without losing | some prestige in a modern house or villa residence. The French ambassador occu- pies the Palazzo Farnese, a national monu- ment in itself; the Austrian ambassador lives in the Palazzo Venezia, a stronghold so-called because it belonged to the re- public of Venice; the ambassador of Spain has the Palazzo di Spagna, which for cen- 'turies has housed grandees of that country; ithe German ambassador has the Palazzo | Caffarelli, which from the heights of the | capitol frowns over the Eternal City be- |low; the Japanese ambassador lives in the historic Palazzo Altieri, erected in 1670. Mr. O’Brien signed a contract to occupy weeks because he had accidentally burned | ld be cap- mice, rats, and dogs with metallic salts,'a bodyguard againstdisease, it has been Sir tured. The snake hurled the pick through Almroth’s task, as the Pall Mall Gazette puts it, “to assist this permanent garrison against what we may call the germal in- vasion, health being simply a measure of re- sistance,” It is found that the inoculation of dead microbes, or vaccine, in appropriate num- bers into an individual whose disease is due to living microbes of the same kind, acts as a stimulus upon the patient and helps to destroy the living microbes. and restore him to health. F A report just issued by Sir Almroth Wright states it has been found by experi- ence that a regimen of fresh air, good food, et cetera, brings about a cure in cases of 'tuberculosis only where there is slight in | fection, when such infection is the result ‘of unhygienic conditions. The ideal | method of treatment is not only to replace |the patient in the most favorable sanitary conditions, but to stimulate by vaccines the production of antibacterial substances in his blood. « The report discriminates betvgeen open cases of tuberculosis in which the bacteria ‘are readily diffused from some central focus into circulation, and closed cases in which they are more or less imprisoned within a barrier of protective tissue. In the former class the difficulty is to guard against excessive self-poisoning liable to be produced, by even moderate exertion, while in the latter, exercisé or massage is de- liberately employed in order to liberate enough bacilli for their destruction. Fastest Dirigible. The latest military airship of the Zep- _pelin rigid type was taken over by the Ger- man war department after an endurance and speed trial lasting eighteen hours. The airship developed a speed of forty- nine miles an hour and is considered the fastest dirigible in the world. It has been named the Z J//. and is to be stationed at tier. First Aviator to Sue for Accident Insurance. Probably the first lawsuit ever begun by an aviator to recover accident insurance for injuries received while flying is before the State supreme court, in New York, cident policy in the company in June, rort, under which he was insured for $150 a week. He fell July 21, 1911, while he was | learning to fly, although, as he deposes, he used much care. His* complaint alleges that he suffered from his injuries 24 weeks. The writer-aviator filed his claim ‘promptly, *but the company repudiated it, ace has some of the blood of the|? gorgeous apartment in the Palazzo Bar- alleging that the contract provided that he ancient McCarthys in his veins. Germans Trying Hard for Cancer Cure. If it does not fall to the lot of German scientists to find the world-sought cure for cancer, it will not be because of lack of effort, for nearly every week brings reports of discovéries which awaken the hope that the consummation is near. he latest encouraging experiments were _ described at a meeting of the Berlin Med- - ical Society by Professors Neuberg and --Caspasi. Recognizing that the beneficial _ effects of radium on cancer are due to the fact that it induces the self-destruction of j berini, the gnost imposing structure of the renaissance, begun/ by the great architect, Maderna, in 1624, and finished by the ubi- | quitous Bernini. The palace is more than royal and js surrounded by one of the most | magnificent gardens in Rome, full of stately . pine trees and sweet-scented orange groves. It was the residence and studio of W. W. | Story, also of his son. @ New Medical Discovery. Sir Almroth Wright takes the science of healing another step forward in a report /on the bacterial work in St. Mary’s Hospi- tal, London. Since Professor Metchniooff’s had not in contemplation any hazardous journey nor undertaking not required by , his business. Cowboys Made Wedding Lively. Two hundred cowboys attended the wed- | ding of Miss Marie Dedual and William — the Fortress of Metz, near the French fron- © brought by, Albert Ridgeley, a financial | writer when not flying. He took an ac- . . * Henderson, a cattle buyer of.the stock — yards, in Chicago, in a manner that could hardly ‘have been improved upon had the scene been laid on the Western plains. : ’ About the time the young couple were — | ready-to start for church, the cow-punchers | arrived on horseback, equipped in true cow- boy regalia and headed by a brass band, With wild shouts that one might expect to hear at a Cheyenne carnival, they accom- panied the bridal party autgmobiles to the church, Drawing up in frant of the edifice, the “Westerners™ quictly remained outside during the ceremony. As the members of the party emerged from the church, the chauffeurs of the automobiles were fassoed’ and dragged from their seats and a “cow-puncher’’ was substituted for each of them at the wheel. Then the cowboys took the wedding party in, charge and with two bands leading, the shouting escort’ paraded seyeral miles through Southside streets.. Phe cowhoys were friends of Henderson and are em- ployed in the stock yards. Used Pepper to Throw Bloedheonds Off His ‘rail, When Charles Jenkins, cashier of the Bank of Gilbertsyille, Ky,, went home for dinner recently, he set his cash drawer in- side the vault and locked the combination lock. He began sneezing when he unlocked the ~ hank after dinner, but soon recovered enough t® discover that somebody had en- tered the building, picked the lock, and. stolen $6a9 in the fill and soyered his tracks - with liberal applications of cayenne pepper to forestall bloodhounds. : German Spy Found Guilty by English Court. Armgaard Karl Grayes, a German, was found guilty by the ‘Scottish high court of justiciary, in’ Edenburgh, on a charge of espionage, He was sentenced to eight months imprisonment. Notes regarding guns under construc- tion in the British government arsenals ant other incriminating documents were found in his possession. Shoes to Cost Mote, Shoes of all grades are to be raised in price, and according tq Chicago dealers the automobile is ta blame far the increase, Shoes which have been purchased in the past for $5 will cost this fall $6. The. ad, vance in all lines will be similar, about 20 per cent, it ig said. ‘Since January I, 1908,” said one dealer last night, “the price of leather has in- creased 72 per cent. The price of shoes has been raised from time to time to keep pace with the increased cost of production, but now another good, substantial boost must be made in the price, and we have notified our patrons. “fhe prin¢ipal cause for the advance is the popularity of the automobile, It is not generally known hew many sides of leather are used daily in the manufacture of the - autamobile, but it is something enormous.” Important Decision to Lumber Shippers. One of the most important decisions by the interstate commerce commission af- fecting Pittsburgh interests was made known when the Germain Company, of - Pittsburgh, extensive lumber operators, was notified that it had been awarded a decision against the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad jointly with the Louisville & Nashville Rail- _ road, which refunds nearly $4,000 over- ‘Charges in freight rates and estaklishes a new precedent in lumber rate that will have fay reaching effect, : _ The case has been pending many months and inyolved the right of the Atlantic Coast line to charge nearly four times the rate | NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. for hauling railroad crossties than for lum- ber of the same kind of wood, The Pitts- burgh company had shipped 32 cars of ties from Brunswiek, Ga., tg Ocoee, Tenn., and were charged at the rate of 43.18 cents per 100 pounds, On tumber the charge is only 19.18 cents. It was shown that the rail- road had arbitrarily increased the rate and the Pittsburgh company maintained that railroad ties were merely lumber sawed in a different. form. There is more back ef this, however, than this contention. it has long been asserted that railroads have steadily dis- couraged the shipping of ties off their own lines, as ties are scarce and each road strives to keep its natiye supply at hand. The position of the railroad, however, was attacked and the commission awarded the Pittsburgh concern a refund of $3,637.28, with interest, which amoynts to approxi- mately $4,900. President Louis Germain, of the com- pany, said that the decision was important because 1t makes it possible for other shippers to recover overcharges on the same basis, Thief Caveht After Thirteen Years. The woolen firm of Goodman Brothers found a shortage of $30,000 in their books 13 years ago and swore out a warrant against their bookkeeper, James Fisher, who had the power to sign checks and had much to do with the firm’s finances. They neyer caught the man, however, for he left his house by the back door without coat er collar as a detective called at -the front entrance and fram then the police got no trace of him until recently, when the two Goodman brothers, riding in a Broadway street car, New York, saw a man whom they decided was their missing bookkeeper. They had him arrested. he prisoner | said he was Thomas Fisher, a liquor dealer. He admitted that he had worked for Goodman Brothers, but said that he was a brother of the man the police were} looking for. A detective, however, posi- tively identified him from a photograph as the missing bookkeeper. New Life-insurance Invention. The latest invention in life insurance is the bank-collateral policy which is shortly to be introduced in St. Louis by one or more companies. The idea is for a bank to protect itself by carrying life insurance’ on a borrower whose death might make his note worthless or Fisseult of collec- tion. If the borrower dies before the loan is, paid, the insurance gompany pays to the bank the face of the policy, which car- responds to the amount of the loan, and the bank returns the note to the borrower's estate, The method devised for issuing the poli- cies is to furnish the bank with policy forms in blank, The bank fills in the amount and the borrower's name, and when one of its officers countersigns the policy it goes into effect without further ado, In the case the borrower pays only part of the deht when it falls due, a new policy for the reduced amount is issued as a renewal, As the’ cgntract, is for short periods, the rates are based on $100 of insurance for one month, At ages 25 to 30 the rate is 14 ‘cents, The maximum is for ages 56 to 60, 39 cents per $100. Borrowers over 60 are not. iasurable, The policy bars recovery fer death by suicide. Jt is not issued an certain prohibited risks. The Hartford Life is the first company in the field with this form of insurance. The persons who got it up figure that the average bank can use the policy on at least 10 per cent of all its loans. Miss Keller Learning to Talk, Probably as a result of the notoriety the discovery of her presence in Cresson, Pa., caused, Miss Helen Keller, the blind girl, has returned to her home, in Boston, with her teachers, Mrs. Macy and Professor Charles White and wife, and the summer home of Mrs. Mary Copley Thaw, mother ef Harry K, Thaw, has been closed. Professor White is teaching Miss Keller articulation. It was expected he would be able to spend seyeral hours a day in Cresson giving her lessons, but was ealled to Boston, and Miss Keller and the others followed him. Miss: Keller has made won- derful progress in articulation and.is able to sing the seale one oetave and ean also speak very intelligently, Her hope is to attain sufhcient- proficiency to be’ able to speak in public. She operates the type- ‘|writer skillfully, and does a great deal of work on it each day. Report-an Method of Killing Rats. The fight against rats, as protection from the invasion of the bubonic plague, is the subject af warning and advice from the public health service in a report that they’ have circulated. The report gives methods of killing and quarantining against rats and draws attention to the fact that the plague is “primarily a disease of rodents, and secondarily and accidentally a disease of men.” Describes cattle - caida Shrinkage of Hittel. F Guillaume describes at length in the Ma- tin his apparatus for measuring the vertical © lengthening or shrinkage ef the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. To a stake driven into, the ground at the foot of the tower is fixed a wire con-. ~~ sisting of a certain alloy of iron and nickel, which is incapahle of expansion or shrink- age, The other end of the wire is carFied — up and attached to the end of a lever pro-. jecting from the second platform. The free ‘end of.the lever is in contact with a Rich- ard register, and in this way every vertical movement of the tower is automatjeally | and instantaneously registered. At the end of each day the diagram is remoyed and ~ preseryed, “These. diagrams reveal the sensitive- ness of the tower,” says M. Guillaume. “A passing cloud, a blast of wind, a sud- den burst of sunshine, leave their mark in a more or less rapid ascent or descent shower falls the 116 meters of rapidly into themselves.” This “abrupt shrinking’ > the height of the tower amounts to only a little over an inch, The writer goes on: — “Normally the tower begins to rise and stretch itself at sunrise, and continues its. upward movement till the middle of the afternoon, The susceptibility of these’7,000 _ - due, of course, to the ease with which the wind blows through its trellis work or rods. “Measurements taken by the geogr pt shrin} is an instanee of | picturesque imagination on the part of M. | tGuillaume, for the greatest variation in of the mighty strueture, and when a heavy « 9)” : . 5 iron shrink © tons of iron to changes of temperature is — ical section of the army show that even in| a gale of wind: blowing 90 miles an hour, the oscillations of the summit searcely amount to four inches. In addition to ‘this, there is a certain quantity of twisting or torsion due to the unequal heating by the sun of different sides of the structure, In some cases eight inches of torsion have been measured.” ws French Powder Seems Dangerous to Own hips. The inquiry regarding the explosions in the cruiser Jules Michelet off Toulon Irance, hy which four men were killed anc twenty wounded, shows that they were due to spontaneous combustion of the no- torioug B powder. Twa successive explosions occurred dur- ing firing practice in the turrets. The ac- cidents were at first attributed te a back- fire having ignited the cartridges as they were heing placed in the breech. Tt has now been established, says the Eacelnor, that such a theory is untenable. vera According to the statements af the officer in charge, nine minutes elapsed hetween the previous discharge of the gun and the first explosion, during which time two air blasts had been driyen through the breech. A half charge was then inserted, and just as the second half charge was about te be placed in the breech it hurst spontaneously into flame. The second explosion, which. took place about an hour later, was due to a similar cause. After the total destruction last autumn _of the battleship Liberte, owing to the spon- tatleous combustion of "B powder in her magazines, all suspected powder was re- moved from the French pyarships. “The accidents in the Jules Michelet seem to show that the new powder is as bad as the old. Says ‘Titanic? Captain Was Saved, Captain Peter Pryal, one of the oldest ‘mariners in Baltimore, who sailed with Captain E, J. Smith, of the lost Titanic, when Smith was commander of the Majes- ti¢, and who says he was also in the em- | of the White Star Line on the Re- bab lie, makes the startling statement that es ds certain he saw and talked to Captain Smith at the corner of Baltimore and St, Paul Streets, Baltimore, recently, He de- clares he walked up to Smith, and said: “Captain Smith, how are you?” Then, according to Pryal, the man answered: “Very well, Pryal, but please don’t detain me; f am on business.” e says he fol- lowéd the man, saw him buy a ticket for Washington, and as he passed through the gate of the Washington & Baltimore Rail- road station, he turned, recognized Pryal again, and remarked: “Be good, shipmate, ‘until we meet again,” _ Pryal said: “There is no possibility of my being mistaken. JI have told Doctor arfield of the gecurrence and he will - youch for my sanity,” Doctor Warfield said Captain Pryal is perfectly sane. Rich Indian Girl Hopes to Marry White Man, Juniata Tatama, crowned queen of the _ Euchees, recently, is the richest Indian girl in Oklahoma. The little queen is 17 years old, a suffragette, and believes in the old adage that “Fine feathers make fine birds.” She is raising peacocks for the market, - Her peacock ranch is a little gold mine, Several ‘birds are valued at $200 each, _ Miss Tatama lives with her father, but i ‘ i yi es NEW TIP TOP. WEEKLY. hopes some day to marry a white man and learn to drive ‘an auto, dress like her pale- face sisters, and take an active part in women's rights. She was crowned “queen” of the Euchee tribe at a recent green-corn dance near Sapulpa. Her string of beads, consisting of 125 elk teeth, is valued at $10,000. Miss Tatama owns a quarter seetion of land in the heart of the oil district, and her royalties run into the thousands every month. A large gas well was drilled an her allotment recently, which adds $250 a day to her income, The Euchees are the “bluebloods” of the Creek tribe, Their division of tribal prop- erty was made equal, but the Euchees never lived with the Creeks, and no Euchee girl has ever married into their tribe. Huge Fortune Stolen Through the Mails, One hundred and twenty million dollars was filched from the American people dur-" ing the last fiscal year by swindlers who operated Jargely through the United States mails, according to a statement just made in a formal report to Postmaster General Hitehcock. This was an increase af ap- proximately $50,000,000 in the aggregate of the previous year. Of those who are alleged to have oper- ated the fraudulent schemes, 1,063 were ar- rested by post-office inspectars. They in- cluded persons in all walks of life: mer- chants and mechanies, politicians and pro- fessional men, paupers and millionaires. During the year which ended June 30 last, 452 persons were canvicted and sen- tenced and 571 cases are awaiting final dis- position, Postmaster General Hitchcock's arder to inspectors to collect evidence that would warrant criminal prosecution of the swind- lers gradually is building a wall of pro- tection against such frauds around the American people. Before that the punish- ment was only a fraud order forbidding the delivery of mail to suéh operators, who worried but little. They merely changed their names, addresses and title of their “businesses,” continuing their operations until another fraud order caught up with them. The report says that these fraud ma- nipulators, who usually exploit bogus mines, fake remedies and worthless lands, consti- tite a distinet class of law breakers. Among the wealthy offenders who have been caught by the inspeetors are criminals who have posed as respectable citizens, leaders in their communities and personages in the highest social and business fields. Some of them were millionaires, enriched by their plunder, Some of these men now are serying prison sentences, Charged to Laundry His Money. When his laundry bill showed a charge for washing four greenbacks, George B, Rowan, of San Bernardino, Cal., gasped in astonishment. He looked through is laun- dry and found that neatly and carefully ironed and starched bank notes had come Home with his weekly wash. They amounted to $60, which he had failed to remove from his clothing before sending it to the laundry. Like to Take Their Pleastwes Underground. . The fact that while Parisians like to take their pleasure in the street many Londoners pees to take theirs under the street has een recently borne out by the opening of 29 the new sidewalk café in Paris along the Avenue de Clichy and the opening of the Cave of the Golden Calf, under a ware- house in Hedder Street, a court that leads off Regent Street, in Londen. A deep oblong-shaped apartment eapable of housing perhaps 200 persons in atmos- pheric comfort is the Golden Calf cabaret, the latest addition to the amusement life of London. ‘Fhe raftered ceiling is picked out in green and white; there are many sus- pended lanthorn-shaped lights and numer- ous round tables with ordinary straight- hack, Vienna cheirs. Araund the walls, which are adorned with curious panels in colered chalks, looking much like enlarged editions of a child’s early drawing efforts on a slate, are a few divans. On the right as you enter, raised a foot or sa ahove the level of the floor, and occupying about a third of the wall space, is a platform across which fall deep blue curtains, On the other side there are two or three closed. doors, which ocasionally open ta waiters or other servants, and that-about describes the simple premises of the club, originally intended to do duty, as in mast of the adjoining houses, as the warehouse of a clath mer- chant, Midshipman’s Sad Death, After climhing the topmast of the Hart- ford, Farragut’s old flagship, moored at the — naval academy wharf, and piercing his cap with a spike on the highest point, thus ful- filling the academy tradition thought to be a necessity for all new midshipmen, W. L. -Bullock, whe entered only six weeks ago, fell 1e0 feet to the deck and his neck’ | was broken. His father, W. L. Bullock, of Corsicana, Texas, was informed of the eccurrence, Young Bullock was an ex- cellent physical specimen, being six feet in height and well proportioned. Bullock was with his roommate, Mid- shipman Alston, also from Texas, when the accident occurred. He reached the highest point of the mast without difficulty and transfixed his cap on the spike at the top. In descending Bullock tried to slide a rape and his hands evidently were burned by — the rapid descent. He tried to grab the mast or other ropes and lost his hold com- _ pletely, He struck the eross bars of the - mast in his fall and the deck, 100 feet be- lew. Reports Tenements of Cleveland the Worst in the Country. Cleveland, Ohio, tenements are the foul- — est in the country, and New York tene-— ments are of the sweetness of a flower — garden in comparison to them, = Such was the declaration of John Ihlder, © of New York, secretary of the National Housing Association, following @ trip re- cently with Health Officer Ford and’ Miss Mildred Chadsey, sanitary chief, through the Haymarket district. ~ ee Ges ea “TJ have spent years visiting tenements af practically all the cities ef the coun try,” said Mr. Ihlder, “and never have seen such utterly vile and absolutely un- sanitary conditions as I have seen in a few hours here in Cleveland, : ae _ “The Haymarket and River Bed district is a festering sore in the heart of the cit The houses are so built in the side of a hill that ventilation is impossible. rds are’ foyl with filth and reek with muck, Garbage is strewn’ from one end to the other. Stables are built within a few feet of the houses. The stable refuse is allow to accumulate at the very doors and win- dows of the dwellings. “I didn’t suppose so many flies were in existence. Never in the most neglected tenement district in the country have I seen such swarms.” Novel Point Decided. A novel point in the ethics of politeness has just been decided in a German court. A forester in a provincial town was in the habit of saluting the mayor with his left hand when riding past him on a bi- cycle on his way to work. The mayor on, more than one occasion reprimanded the forester for what he termed insolence. The forester thereupon inserted an adver- tisement in the local journals'to the follow- ing effect: : “To avoid misunderstanding and unpleas- antness I hereby make known that when riding a bicycle I can only guide the ma- chine with the right hand, whereupon I am} gompeiled to salute with the left.” The mayor rebuked the forester again and ordered him to withdraw the adver- tisement. The man then took the matter into court, as the mayor threatened to have him dismissed. The decision of the court was that the forester had laid himself open to the charge of insolence toward his superior; that the advertisement must be stopped and that the defendant must apologize to the mayor. Cat Mothers Young Rat. An official report of the assistant actuary of the Ohio liability board declares he has discovered a cat at the Goodman plant in Hamilton that had adopted a nest of eight young rats, The mother rat had been killed by employees of the plant. The report says the cat is mothering the rats just as if they were her own offspring. Shipwrecked Japs Will be Deported. Five shipwrecked Japanese, captured by immigration inspectors ten miles from En- cinitas, Cal., will be deported. Their story, told by an interpreter, is that they were for nearly three months at sea in a, 50-foot, three-masted Japa- nese junk, in which they had set sail on a fishing cruise from Yokohama last _. May; that they were blown about by con- trary winds and traveled more than 7,000 _ miles, crossing the equator, passing the Christmas Islands, coming within sight of the Calapagos Islands, and being then car- ried up the coast until their junk went ashore south of San Diego. Ten Dollars for Broken Heart. Ten dollars. was all that Miss Konda Gowacka asked as balm for a broken heart when she filed suit for breach of promise in Chicago against Adam Zakwij, who _ failed to appear the day set for the wed- ding. Miss Gowacka had spent a consider- _ able sum and much time courting, so she presented a bill for $751.50, The $10 asked for one broken heart was the last item. The other items included 92 days’ courting at $5 each; $100 wedding _ supper which had been ordered, and $175 _ trousseau. She sued for $1,000, but the _ jury awarded only the amount of the item- ized bill. é ; No Protection Against Submarines. _ Naval men stationed at Newport, R. I, are satisfied that there is no protection from ubmarines under present conditions be- NEW TIP. TOP: WEEKLY. cause of the successful attacks made by the destroyers and submarines in the Block Island war games against the battleships. Rear Admiral Aaron Ward said after the battle: “The submarines picked us up whenever they ‘choosed to, but we could not do a thing with them. Yet the screening of our destroyers was well timed and perfect.” “What will be the future plans of defense against submarines?” Admiral Ward’ was asked. “We will have to run away from them,” replied the commander. Asks Jail Sentence to Cure Drug Habit. Richard Spafford, 35 years old, who con- fessed that he was a victim of the cocaine habit, was sentenced to the Joliet peniten- tiary in Illinois, recently, on a charge of forgery at lis own request by Judge M. L. McKinley. Spatford hopes to be cured of the drug habit while in Joilet. Prosecutor F. M. Lowes and Judge Mc- Kinley pleaded with the prisoner to allow the charge to be changed to a misdemeanor so that he could be sent:to the house of correction, but he insisted that the peniten- tiary was a better place for him, and his wish was granted. He will serve three years, Germany’s Great Naval Expenditure. The effect of Russia's gigantic new nayal program—$1,330,000,000 is to be spent in five years—on the German naval policy is attracting widespread attention in the Ger- man press. Count ‘Reventlow, in the Deutsche Tages- seitung, says: “From a military standpoint the rise of such a colossal naval power in the Baltic cannot, of course, be overlooked. From the German standpoint, however, it must be remembered that relations between the German and Russian empires have been continuously good, and appear to be based on mutual confidence. It is, indeed, within the range of possibility that they will take a still more positive form in the future. “The Russian fleet is only in the first stages of its restoration. When it is com- pleted, the international situation may be such that a Russia strong at sea will be useful and desirable for Germany. No mat- ter what the futuré may bring forth, we shall, as before, allow anxiety over foreign naval expansion to be ‘the traditional specialty of the English,’ ” Many Money Orders Stolen. Serious thefts of money orders have been reported to the post office department at Washington by the postal authorities of Canada and Mexico. Forty-seven blank money orders, in a series running from No. 2,653 to 2,700, inclusive, is furnished for the use of the postmaster at Gamebridge, Ontario, were stolen, and so far have not been traced. In Mexico fifty-eight orders have been reported stolen. They are in a series run- ning from No, 1,242 to 1,300, inclusive. In both cases it is thought that the thefts were committed with a view to making out the ordefs in high figures and then cashing them in remote offices. The Mexican theft was committed at Pedricena, in the State of Durango. There have been disorders in that State, but the report does not charge the rebels with the theft. Third Assistant Postmaster General Britt has directed all postmasters in this country to refuse payment of the orders in question. They are ordered to wire the inspector in charge of their division as soon as one of the missing orders is presented, and if possible they are to take up the order itself. It is hoped in this way to run down the thieves. Clothes to be Higher Next Year. The price of clothes is going to be ad- vanced next year. This increase in the al- ready high cost of living is clearly indi- cated, merchants say, by the prices an- nounced by leading producers of cloth, who have lifted the prices for the spring of 1913 from 714 cents to 20 cents a yard over those which prevailed last year. How much more the merchant tailor or the retail clothier will charge the consumer because of the advances that have taken place cannot be stated accurately, because there is every likelihood that the quotations just made will be further advanced before the season is very old. Cloth prices are higher for the next spring season, agents say, because of the conditions over which the manufacturers have no control. They say that the most important element that brought about the advance is that the domestic wool clip this year is about 30,000,000 pounds smaller than a year ago. The price of wool has also gone up abroad, while mill owners say that the high scale of wages and the shorter working hours will also have their effect on the increased price of cloth.. Brave Girl Captures Negro Burglar. Miss Lois Ball, daughter of John Oscar Ball, a New York lawyer living in Rochelle’ Park, N. Y., foufd a negro under her bed, dragged him out unassisted, and held him until her father came to her aid with a re- volver. Miss Ball is 19 years old. Mrs. Ball whistled for ‘a policeman, who took the man to police headquarters. The prisoner said. he was Frederick Williams, without a home. He said he had entered the house,. seeing the door open, and had intended to rob it, but the return of Mr. — Ball and his family, who had spent the day on their yacht, had interrupted him and he crawled under a bed to await an opportun- ity to escape. The police say he was ar- rested in Yonkers two and a half years ago under the name of Douglas and was sent to a reformatory, It was nearly midnight when Miss Ball, | her sister, Miss Eunice Ball, and Miss Bar-_ ity Roe, of New York City, who is their guest, retired to their rooms. Miss Eunice Ball and Miss Roe were in their beds, on. the sleeping porch adjoining the room, when Miss Lois Ball discovered Williams, who pretended to be asleep. Instead of screaming, the young woman reached under the bed, grasped the man by the collar, and pulled him out. Williams tried to get away, but the girl held him down and called to her father, who was in the next room, to come and bring his revolver. The other girls did not know of the capture until they heard Mr. Ball enter the room. Want Eastern College Rowers to Compete in the West. The presence of the Leland Stanford University crew at Poughkeepsie this sea- son in the intercollegiate regatta on June 29 was considered by many in the West as. _ the first real step in the booming’ of the sport of rowing on the coast. Although the Califotnians did not make a very credit- be iged s able showing, they displayed a sportsman- like attitude and returned home jubilant over their trip to the East. The latest suggestion from the West is that the crews of the East invade the Western territory in 1915 after the intercollegiate races on the Hudson and compete against the Western eights in a special regatta which will be ar- ranged for the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. If this can be arranged and sufficient crews. sent from the’ East, it will go 4 long ways toward establishing rowing ‘on a substantial footing in that section. This suggestion comes from the Leland Stanford oarsmen and indicates that the impression they formed of college rowing in this part of the country took a strong hold.. Before leaving their quarters on the Hudson, the Californians talked over the . scheme informally with the rival college eights, and while nothing was. definitely decided. they succeeded in. arousing a great deal of interest among the oarsmen of the East. They plan to send inyitations to Cornell, ‘Columbia, Pennsylvania, Syracuse, and pos- sibly Wisconsin to visit San Francisco and scompete in a regatta with the Western oars- men-during the exposition in honor of the opening of the Panama Canal. The races will be held some time shortly after the Poughkeepsie events, so that the eights will be in good condition and not require an extended period of training in the West. It is doubtful, however, if the regatta is arranged, whether the coaches or the oars- men themselves would consent to a four- mile race, but they would probably have no objection to a two, or even a three- mile race.. The Westerners are corivinced that as a result.of their visit to the East there is now an awakening of interest in rowing among the colleges of their section, and do not doubt that the Washington State crew, as,well as their own, would: be on hand to try conelusions with the East- erners if they can be induced to make the journey. v In presenting the suggestion, the Stan- _ ford crew had no idea of regaining their laurels by meeting the Eastern crews on their home waters. The Westerners showed that they were true sportsmen throughout their visit here, and they were first to con- cede after the race that the West was far behind the East in the sport. Figures for Democratic Campaign in 1908. Detailed’ figures showing Democracy's finances in the 1908 presidential campaign were furnished the Senate investigating committee by Herman Ridder, of New York,..who was treasurer of the Demo- cratic national committee., Ridder appeared armed with books and records. He said the total receipts were $620,644, and the ex- penditures, $160,410. ~~ William J. Bryan, the nominee, had given, instructions, the witness -explained, that no.contribution larger than $10,000 should be accepted and no money at all ' should be accepted from corporations, Rid- ‘der, said.-he himself, was the largest con- tributor,.to, the campaign fund. ~He had evaded Bryan’s order by contributing $10,- 000 in his own name and $9,000 in the name of each of his three sons. Tammany Hall contributes . $10,000. Other large contributors as listed by. Ridder werds WW. - ya 93000; ae Jntermeyer, $2900; J. Sergeant Cram, $1,- ; 7M I. O'brien, $500; Jacob Ruppert, oy oe et Tn ie ~~ err PEROT I I NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. $1,000; Delancey Nicoll, $1,000; E. M. Shep- ard, $1,000; J. D. McGraw, $2,000; The Oklahoma, an Oklahoma newspaper, $1,- 090}: “H, \H. Lehman, $3,0003 *D.. E: Conway, $1,000; E. F. Goltras, $3,000; Nathan. H. Straus, $1,250; National Democratic Club, of New York, Archibald & Neil, the law firm of Chilton, Corkle & Chilton, of West Virginia, and the Buffalo Times, Norman Mack’s paper, $1,000 each; J. W, Cox, assistant treasurer of the ha- tional committee, and ex-Governor D. .R, Francis, of Missouri, each $3,000. Ridder declared that neither August Belmont nor Thomas F. Ryan made any contribution to the campaign. The witness turned over to the commit- tee two account books that showed in de- tail the contributions and the expenditures during the campaign. Low Price Paid Farmets for Milk. Although milk is being sold in New York at 9 and 10 cents a quart now, the farmers are only receiving about 234 cents a quart, despite the fact that this has been the dry- est summer in many years in the big milk- producing counties of Delaware and Sul- livan, In June the price paid for milk in Dela- ware County by both the Bordens and Shef- field Farms-Slawson-Decker Company was $1.13 a hundred pounds, or 2% cents a uart. On July 1 the price paid to the armers was raised half a cent. At this rate the farmer has to. lose money, as his pastures are so dry that the cows cannot get enough nourishment to stand the milk test, and he has to buy feed the same as in winter, when the price paid is a little more than 3 cents. Milk in Delaware County must test at least 4.50 a hundred oie or the price paid shrinks. If the milk tests only 4.40, 3 cents less a hundred pounds is paid, and 80 on. tests above the mark set, the farmer. re- ceives 3 cents more for every one-tenth of a point. The average in Delaware County is 4.80, although it is sometimes as high as five, The test of milk is based upon the pounds of butter fat it contains, and this butter fat is separated from the milk in a sepa- rator at the creamery. The creaméry also makes use of the remaining product, which is skimmed'milk. This milk is made into buttermilk and sold, The farmers all over are expressing their indignation at what they consider unfair treatment received at the. hands of the creameries, afid in many cases have threat- ened to sell their dairies and start truck farming, In fact, there are certain parts of Delaware County where the farmers have declared a milk strike and have re- fused to sell milk, preferring to throw away what is not-used by them on the farm. Pajamas for United States Tars, Should not soldiers have pajamas, too? That is the issue that has now developed between the army and navy. The navy and marine corps are going ahead supplying their enlisted personnel with pajamas, while the army declares that not until ordered by Congress will it put a single soldier into Pajamas, It is contended that the army has. so many clothes, that the soldier ought to make some of them do for this purpose. The soldier must shift for himself when he lays On the other hand, if the milk himself down to sleep. Besides, it is. said at the war department, pajamas cost money and the soldier has to spend enough for clothes as it is, In the marine corps and the navy, how- ever, pajamas are stoutly defended as ne- cessities, not luxuries. Both services are adopting pajamas on the recommendation of the surgeon general, who has declared them necessary for sanitary reasons and desirable as affording greater comfort to the bluejacket and marine. As for cost it is pointed out that the pajamas to be issued cost less than a dollar a suit. Queen Dressed as Peasant Woman. A Rome dispatch says that Queen Helena, of Italy, during her stay. at Gres- soney, at the foot of Mont Cervin, adopted the holiday attire of local peasant women. Tt ig made of the same material, consisting of a short skirt and bodice without sleeves over a muslin chemisette, a silk apron -com- pleting the toilet. On cool days a cloak, ornamented with silver braiding, is added to the costume. If the queen, however, expected. to es- cape observation, her wish is not: realized, for her height. and commanding presence do not allow her identity. to be mistaken. -In her cotintry walks she is often accosted b peasant women, who study her dress. wit critical but approving eye. Does Japan Want an Alliance With Germany? That the tour, of Europe recently begun, by ex-Premier Prince Katsura, of: Japan, was undertaken to negotiate an alliance be- tween the mikado and the kaiser is asserted in diplomatic circles. acy’ It is said the Japanese want to dissolve: partnership. with the English, and are pre- pared to guarantee protection to» German interests in the Orient in fhe event of anh Anglo-Saxon war. The kaiser is reported to look askance on the plan, however; prin- cipally because he thinks it would embarrass him in the event of friction between Japan and the United-States. ‘ Prince Katsura has said repeatedly that the tour is purely for pleasure, Much Horseflesh Eaten in Paris, Horseflesh is a popular human. food in Paris, and often so-called “beefsteak” at restaurants here is really of equine origin. Owing to the increased cost of living, the corn famine, the dearth of provisions of all kinds resulting from last year’s drought and the manettvers of monopolistic specu- lators, even’ horseflesh is at ruinous prices to-day. In the hundreds of horse butchers’ shops, 18 cents a pound is now charged for’ a prime cut, and even at this price the butchers can not make both ends meet. They have just held a congress to protest against the scarcity of edible horseflesh and to protest against the import tax on horses. intended for‘human food. ee The crisis is so acute that they threaten. to close their shops unless the tax is ré- moved or decreased, at least temporarily. - Similar protests have come from Marseilles, sordeaux, Lyons, Troyes, Lille, Poubaix, Nanses, and other cities, and although the) national horse breeders supply 200,000 ani-— mals annually, there is no doubt that the demand is greater than the supply. Neh The horses used in France for food ar generally over five years of age, and the import tax on such horses is no less than $30 per head. ys cae fpray! Eleventh Annual PL AY BALL! ! Baseball Tournament | BALL! ating : ieee Tip Top Championship Contest of 1912 Open to amateur baseball nines anywhere in the United States. New uniforms for each of the two winning — teams. BEGIN NOW. Contest Closes October 15th. FIRST PRIZE:—The team which, at the end of the season, has the highest average—that \is, plays the greatest number of games and scores the largest number of runs, will be declared the TIP TOP CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM OF 1912, and will receive a handsome silk pennant bearing words to that effect. In addition to this, the champion team will receive an equipment of nine high-grade uniforms—cap, shirt, belt, trousers and stockings for each member. | ia SECOND PRIZE:—The team showing the next highest average, will be declared the winner of the second place, and the members will receive each a uniform equip- ment exactly like that given to each member of the champion team. In the event of a tie between two teams, the batting and fielding average of the teams will be considered. The captains of com- peting teams are therefore advised to preserve the detailed score of each game, but not to send it to this office until requested to do sos i TEN COUPONS REQUIRED FOR THE RECORD OF EACH GAME — In order that TIP TOP may have a complete and ‘proper record of each game played by each | team entering this contest, ten coupons must be sent in for each game. These consist of one © coupon from each of the nine players, and one manager’s coupon. The last coupon must be mailed .— on or before October 15th, when the contest closes. SS Ea Ss ‘atibansiihiia Pee ae oie MANAGER’S COUPON | PLAYER’S COUPON r F . In fairness to all the clubs that enter this contest, and that th Pr cee a a de ee eee Cnc ahianeeer Consors, | may be no doubt as to whom the prizes should go, Tip Top requiresa | like that below, fill it in, sign it, and obtain the ‘endorsement of his | Coupon from each member of the nine as well as the manager's postmaster or a ‘reputable news dealer, as provided in the coupon, Site alee poate to Sheteaecer moe gy apa tag tA me ary ly and mail 1t to this office. k along with the manager’s coupon. " y ——S—S — SEES TIP TOP BASEBALL TOURNAMENT OF 1912 os ’ TIP TOP BASEBALL TOURNAMENT OF 1912 ‘ Name of My, Team. ...4-. +:--