er
a
|
hd

 
 
 
    
    
      

<=

 

 

 

  

pte

‘ Issued Weekly.

Ny

 

 

  

 

An Ideal Publication For The American Youth

 

 

 

Entered as second-class matter at the New York Post Office according to an act of Congress, March 8, 1819. Published by STREET & SMITH
79-89 Seventh Ave., New York. Copyright, 1912, by STREET & SMITH. O. G. Smith and G. C. Smith, 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.

 

 

. : No. (3.

B WVONths, «0.200 cenerecccenverseseens BSC, OME YOATsreees seecererereveesceeees $2.50 Receipts—Receipt of your remittance is acknowledged by proper change
4 TONNE, ee ee seeee seveee res ++ B5C, 2 COPIES ONE YOAT..seeee sees  seweee 4.00 |} ofnumber on your label. If not correct you have not been properly credited,
G MONEE. «- +006 cee cee ccesee ceveenees $1.25 1 COPY TWO YEATES, .ccceecsceeecvcvees 4.00 and should let us know at once.

NEW YORK, October 12, 1912. Price Five Cents.

 

‘Frank Merriwell, Junior’s, Golden Trail;

Or. THE FUGITIVE PROFESSOR.

wae

&

> s 7 - om

CHAPTER RET In
DREAMS AND OMENS.

“Look here, you fellows,” cried Ballard, “if I don’t get
this out of my system I’m going to explode. It will only

take a minute or two, and
“Go on and explode,” cut in Clancy unfeelingly. “Can’t

 

you see that Chip and I are busy?”

“But this dream was a corker, Red, and J-——”

“For the love of Mike, Pink, I wish you’d cork. Wait
till the work out there is wound up and then you can—
wow! How was that for a tackle, Chip?”

‘Three separate and distinct times, there in the grand
stand, Billy Ballard had tried to tell his chums, young

_. Frank Merriwell and Owen Clancy, of a dream he had
had the night before. It seemed to have occurred to

him. suddenly, for the forenoon and part of the after-
noon had slipped away without any attempt on Ballard’s

Part to rehearse the fancies that had afflicted him in his
sleep. But now he was feverishly eager, and the rebuffs

he took. from the annoyed Clancy only exasperated him.
It was hardly an opportune moment, however, to talk
of dreams and omens. Merry was wrapped up in a

practice game of football, and was alternately scrutiniz-
ing the players and hastily jotting down notes with a
pencil,
‘the snappy work on the gridiron was claiming his full

Clancy was not ffiaking any memoranda, but

attention. With a sigh of resignation, Ballard bottled
up his remarks and sat back on the hard boards.
Only Merry and his two chums were in the grand

stand, The practice game was between the regular Ophir
_ Athletic Club eleven and a scrub team.

It had been put
on for Frank’s exclusive benefit.
For two straight years the O. A. C. had gone down

 

‘D. Corr By BURT L. STANDISH.

to inglorious defeat before their rivals from Gold Hill—
thirty-six to nothing on last Thanksgiving Day—and the
sting of those defeats had made Ophir pessimistic and
their eleven a joke. Another Thanksgiving Day was less
than two months ahead, and the Ophir fellows were turn-
ing to Merriwell for help. They felt that if any one
could pick an eleven from the club members and round
them into winning form, it was he, and he alone.

This was not the first practice game staged for Mer-
riwell. The first one had degenerated into a farce, for
the spirit of fun. had taken untimely grip of the players,
and a promising exhibition had gone to pieces on a reef
of horseplay. Spink and Handy, for the club, had waited
upon Merry and tendered apologies, and a second game
had been arranged. Circumstances over which Merry
had had little control had kept him away from that sec-
ond game; and now, four days later, the Ophir eleven
were gallantly retrieving themselves.

The two teams had ranged themselves across the field,
and a scrub foot had booted the oval well down toward
the regulars’ goal.. A nervous full back waited to re-
ceive that opening kick, while his teammates rushed at
him to form their flying screen of interference. The
ball evaded the arms that reached for it, while another
back fell on it and kept it clear of the clutches of a
scrub end.

Frank scrawled a note on the paper that lay on his
knee. “That’s Leversee,” he remarked, “but I think
he'll steady down.”

“That scrub end is faster than a streak of greased
lightning, Chip,” commented the admiring Clancy. ‘““Good
material, what?”

Presently came the first scrimmage, and a regular

   
2 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

half back, all beef and brawn, went down in a flurry.
The sctub defense was like a stone wall. It was the sec-
ond down and four yards to gain. The regular inter-
ferers dashed to get around one end of the line, but were
flung to right and left, and the runner dropped more
than a yard short of the required distance.

The regular full back retreated for a punt. Fast and
far the ball sailed into the scrub field, which proved that
the back’s feet were not nervous, no matter 1f his hands
and arms had been a trifle unsteady.

3ully !” muttered Frank, and scrawled another nota-
tion.

The: scrubs, going up against the regulars’
found it impossible to make any decisive gains.
and rocklike endurance marked the clashes, and both
régulars and scrubs had to punt and punt again. Fake
plays.were riddled by swift and sagacious end rushers,
for one side.or the other, hurling attacks against the
center were crushed and flung back; and, more and
more as the battle raged, it became evident that the regu-
lar. eleven, while good, were no whit better than the
scrubss

The fight in the first half was cafried into the last
minute of the play. The whistle separated the com-
‘batants, and neither side had scored.

» During the interval that followed Ballard sought to tell
his.. dream. * Merriweli «and: Clancy; however, were in
close ‘and earnest conversation regarding the players and
had no time for anything not connected with the game.

“With material like that:to choose from, Chip,” said
Clancy, “it ought not to be much of a trick to select
an. eleven’ that would put it all over Gold Hill.”

“From: all I can hear, Clan,” Merry answered, “the
Gold: Fill bunch is a fast one. I don’t know what we
cando. * The Ophirites are liable to hit their funny bone
qn the last half and.turn the performance into a farce
comedy.” :

“Never again; Chip.. Once was enough.”

“What happens. once is always liable to happen again,”
Frank answered, “although I’m hoping for the best.’

- His fears were not tealized. The last half of the game,
although faulty in spots, was, on the whole, a creditable
performance: : Merriwell was more than pleased, When
Spink and Handy, dusty and breathless, halted on their
way to the showers and the dressing rooms to ask: his
opinion, Merry gave them the praise that was their due.

“We can. mate up: an eleven -here that ought to Re
‘things to Gold Hill fellows,” said -he:

“They say. ‘that Gold Hill is so Sure of getting our
scalps for the: third time,” said Spink, “that they haven’t
begun their fall work.”

“Which. makes everything look’ all the: brighter. for
Ophir,” laughed Frank. ‘Too sigh doa is worse
than not enough. You seem to think that I can help you,
although I é
“It’s a cinch you can help us!” broke in. Handy.
“Wasn't your father the ‘star coach at Yale?”

A slight frown crossed Frank’s face.

“Don’t try to pin any of dad’s medals on me, Handy,”
said Frank. ' “I didn’t inherit any of his coaching ability.
Dad gave me a good, clean bringing-up: Ever since I’ve
been old enotigh to waddle, he has made me stand on.my
own feet.
I'll give some suggestions and do my best. I'll get the
suggestions in shape and give them to you in a day or
S30,” ‘

defense,

Vigor

“anxiety:

she’ lett’

If you fellows are bound that I can help you, .

The regulars and scrubs, who-had grouped themselves
at a little distance behind Spink and Handy, gave a de-
lighted cheer. Frank, putting away his pencil and paper,
sintled as he watched them trot away toward the ey m.

“Now,” said: Ballard, with a show of injured dignity,
“T'- wonder if you fellows can spare a little of your
valuable time ?”’ re

“What’s biting you, Pink?” inquired Frank.

“It’s a dream,” said Clancy derisively. “Pink has béén
seeing things at night, and he has been boiling over to
tell us about it ever since this practice game started.
Why don’t you get a dream book, you crazy chump,”
he added to Ballard, “and figure the visions out for
yourself ?” . et

“Or a joke book,” said Frank. '‘“You can do abquth as FS
much figuring from that as from anything else,”

“Oh, blazes!” exclaimed Ballard. “Don’t make tight |
of this dream. I just happened to remember, sincéawe
reached this grand stand, that I’ve had: it three mights
in succession. When a dream comes to you three taues
like that it’s supposed to mean something.” he

“Sure,” agreed Clancy, w agging his head! “it teas -
that for three nights you have—er—eaten: not wisely bat)
too well. How’s that, Chip? -Pretty good, eh?” “Hie
straightenéd up, looked grave, and went-on to Ballard;
“Dreams, William, are the result of tantrums in the ©
tummy. You load up a suffering organ with grub filat’s
so rich it affects the imagination; consequently, whem the”
razmataz, in a state ag: coma, projects itself itd the

medulla oblongata

Ballard, yelling Witdly, made a jump for Claney,
Merry, however, had already taken him in hand. ~ 4

“That sounds too much like Professor Phineas Borrgey®
daile,” said Frank. “Call off: the dog, Clan;’ and fig
smothered his red-headed chum and pushed him doy
on the hard boards: he

“Til be good, Chip,’ murmured Clancy, in a stifled
voice.) “Take your hands off iny face and let me
breathe.”

Frank released him with a laugh, and Clancy smoothed, |
himself out.

“TI was only expounding,” explained the red- headed &
chap, “and. now that the prof isn’t around to do it, a’
substitute has to take hold.”

“Pink isn’t’ the only one who has taken a foolish.
powder,” said Merry.
“And, talking. about Phineas, what do you stippose the
old fossik-is up*to?”, Clancy went on, just a shade 6f
sifting ‘into his tones.*. “It’s four: days; mow,
sincé he suddenty nade up lis. mind. to go “oversto
Gold Hill... What did he go for?. And -why: is-he |
staying away? We haven't heard a word frotir him since ie

Merriwell looked serious.

AN that has. beer bothering: ine, Clan,” he acknowl
edged. “Since we fourd the prof in that deserted tim ©
ing camp, and helped him file 4 location on that Tuning
claim, we'te responsible for him, in a way. He es
looking after, and we haven't been on the job at all 4)

“After you disappeared mysteriously the othermi
remarked Clancy, “Mr. Bradlaugh had an idea’ that “you
had gone over to Gold Hill to see the profs “Mim
laugh called up the Bristow Hotel, at the Hill, andctalked
with Borrodaile. He said he hadn’t seen YOR, OF see

“I know about that,” Merry interrupted. “That wags
four days ago, and we haven’t seen: eerie, nor v hhad,

 

 
 

 

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. 3

a word from him since. Honest, fellows, I’m getting
worried. Before we started out here this afternoon [
asked Mr. Bradlaugh to try and get the prof on the
phone, and to ask him when he intended coming back
to Ophir. Until I hear from dad, in answer to that letter
TSent the night I was taken out to the Bar Z Ranch, |
"won't know what we’re expected to do with the prof.
_ Meanwhile, we’ve got to keep an eye on him. He’s the
sole owner of a rich mining claim, and he’s about as
> tapable of looking after his interests as a blanket In-
ip hy 7 ”

“That's right,” assented Clancy. ‘“Borrodaile can tell
» you all about the Jurassic Period, and can give you the
tomplete history of the Neanderthal man from A to

Izzard, but I’ll guarantee to sell him a gold brick in five
minutes. As for business—well, he doesn’t know any
mote about ordinary, everyday business than a—er
*troglodyte, whatever that is.”

> “My dream was about the professor,” struck in Bal-

me dard.
=~ ** Merry and Clancy turned at that and gave their chum
some attention.

- “Come over with it, Pink,’ said Frank. ‘“There’s

' nothing in the dream, of course, but the fact that the
professor figured in it proves you were fretting a little
6n his account yourself.”

“Well, it was like this,” returned Ballard,: glad that
the opportunity had finally come to relieve his mind. “TI
seemed to be back in that pile of ruins that used to be
Happenchance, the played-out mining camp. From that
claim of the professor’s stretched a row of nuggets, clear
from the Picket Post Mountains to Gold Hill. They
were big nuggets, too, running all the way from one the

‘size of my hat to a whole lot as big as a washtub ‘

“Whew!” grinned Clancy. “Go on, Pink; don’t mind
me.”

“The nuggets,” proceeded Ballard, frowning at Clancy,
“were arranged like stepping-stones—one here, another
a few feet beyond, and another beyond that, and so on.”

“Regular golden trail,” laughed Clancy. “That was
some dream, Pink.”

“The professor,” resumed Ballard, “was running along
the trail, hat off, his bald head glimmering in the sun,
and the tails of his long coat flying out behind. Three
or four nuggets behind him, running after him as fast
as they could go, were several hard-looking citizens.
That’s about all. For three times, now, I’ve seen the
prof chased over that golden trail by desperadoes. I’ve

- never been able to see how the chase came out, for
always, just at the critical moment, I’d wake up. What
do you think of it?”

Before Frank could answer, some one appeared in the
clubhouse door, across the athletic field from the grand
stand, and trumpeted Merriwell’s name through his hands.

“Hello!” answered Frank, getting up and shouting.
“Mr. Bradlaugh wants you on the phone,” came the
answer.

Without delaying, Frank leaped the rail in front of

him and sprinted for the clubhouse. “ Ballard and Clancy
followed, but at a more leisurely pace.

“That dream of yours, Pink,” averred Clancy, on the
‘way across the field, “was a ‘happenchance’—like the old,
played-out town we found in the Picket Posts.”

- Ballard merely grunted. It was plain that he had
~his own ideas on the subject of that dream.

On reaching the clubhouse the two lads found Merry

just coming away from the telephone. His face was
clouded, and there was an anxious light in his eyes.
“What’s wrong, Chip?” inquired Clancy.
“Borrodaileé isn’t in Gold Hill,” was the answer. “He
left the Bristow Hotel three days ago, and hasn’t been
seen since.”

CHAPTER II.
THE TELEGRAM FROM BLOOMFIELD.

Professor Phineas Borrodaile had for years been an
instructor in an academy in the middle West. His
health failing, he was ordered to Arizona. The dry, in-
vigorating climate had worked wonders in thousands of
cases similar to the professor’s, and there was every
reason to believe that the professor would be greatly
benefited, if not entirely cured of his malady.

At the last moment before starting Borrodaile had hap-
pened to think of an old letter from a nephew of his
who had been engaged in the mining business in a camp
called Happenchance, in southern Arizona. The pro-
fessor looked up the letter. The writer of it had died
years before, and the camp of Happenchance had had
its day and was now deserted and lost among the Picket
Post Mountains. What made the letter of especial inter-
est to the professor was the fact that it gave the loca-
tion of a ledge of gold, not far from the old Happen-
chance placerings.

A bee began buzzing in the professor’s bonnet. It was
this: He would get out of the world; in the old, lost
camp he would recover his health by living the primitive
life. Also, being next of kin to his late nephew, he
would find and possess himself of the ledge of gold. '

Some months after Professor Borrodaile had put his
plan into execution, young Merriwell received a letter
from his father, in Bloomfield, rather mysteriously re-
questing him to pay a visit to the lost town of the Picket
Posts and to report at length upon anything he might
find in the only habitable building of the camp. Aided
by a prospector named Nick Porter, Frank and his chums
visited Happenchance and there found the professor. They
had adventures in helping the professor get his location
notice on file, and only Merry’s fleetness of foot and
good judgment saved a prospective bonanza mine for
Borrodaile.

Very strangely the professor had left Ophir for Gold
Hill not many hours after he had come with Frank and
his friends from Gold Hill to Ophir. The youngsters
weré not his guardians, however, and did not feel author-
ized to interfere too much in\his affairs. Merry thought
it best to go slow in the matter until a reply had been
received to the report which he had sent to his father.
Six days or a week would be required in forwarding a
letter to Bloomfield and receiving a letter in reply.
Meanwhile four days had elapsed, and Borrodaile had
dropped completely out of sight.

Knowing the professor to be inexperienced in busi-
ness affairs, Merriwell had begun to worry about him.
There were unscrupulous men in plenty who would not
hesitate to take advantage of him with the idea of secur-
ing his very valuable mining claim. The telephone mes-
sage from Mr. Bradlaugh, therefore, was quite disturb-
ing.

“Ah, ha!’ exclaimed Ballard, when Merriwelle re-
ported the professor missing from Gold Hill, “so you
think there’s nothing in that dream of mine, eh? This~-

 
ae NEW TIP

news from Gold Hill shows that it amounts to some-
thing.”

“What the mischief do you think is. going on,
asked Clancy

“I'm up in ) the air and haven't an idea,”
“Mr. Bradlaugh asked me to come over
town for a conference.”

“We'll have to hit the golden trail,” declared Ballard,
“and run it out to a finish. We've got to be mighty
quick about it, too, or there’s no telling what will happen
to the old prof.”

“Show us your nuggets as big as washtubs, Pink,”
‘grinned Clancy, “and [’m willing to begin to sprint.”

“The dream was only a warning. It didn’t suggest
what we were to do, or how we're to go about it, but
just gives us a hunch that Borrodaile needs help,”

“That's the trouble with dreams—there’s too much
guesswork about ‘em. If you have one, and something
happens that seems to tally with it, why, you’re apt to
take it for granted that you had a hunch. I'll bet you've
had thousands of dreams about things that never hap-
pened, and yet here you're picking out one that appears
to jibe with the prof’s absence from Gold Hill, and try-
ing to make us think it’s a.warning. Stuff!”

*“Vou're free with your snap judgments, Red,”
said Ballard solemnly, “hut w ait a while and you'll change
your tune,’

Merriwell was already. on his way out of the club-
house, Clancy and Ballard gave up their discussion and
hurried after him. The clubhouse and athletic field were
less than a mile from the town of Ophir, and the.three
friends were soon jogging along through the sand on
their way to Mr. Bradlaugh’s office.

Bradiz wugh was pr esident of the O. A.C. i and Western

representative of the syndicate that owned the big mine
and stamp mill to the south of town. It was the mine
that had made the straggling settlement of Ophir a pos-
sibility. :
. “It will be at least two days more before I can hear
from, dad,” Merry remarked, just as they struck into
the main street of the “camp,” “and before we interfere
too much with the professor I think we ought to learn
from headquarters just how far we ought to go.’

“Oh, bother that!” exclaimed Clancy. “If the old boy’s
in danger, Chip, we can’t hang back waiting to hear from
Bloomfield.”

“Sure we can’t. We're making a guess, though, when
we figure that he is in any sort of trouble. Just because
he can’t be located is no sign he’s shooting the trouble
chutes.”

“Yes, it is!” averred Ballard stoutly. “That dream
bien :

“Oh, cut out the dreams and forebodings, Pink,” broke
in Frank, “We're dealing with facts now and not with
a lot of bunk superstitions.”

That dream had become Ballard’s hobby, and he was
in a fair way of riding it to death. Although he was
easy-going, and rather lazy when circumstances gave him
the chance to be, yet he straightened suddenly at Frank's
sharp fling at his delusion, and was on the. point of
flashing a keen retort. Before he could speak, however,
’ Frank had turned in at Bradlaugh’s office.

Mr. Bradlaugh sat at his desk, smoking a cigar. He
welcomed the lads cordially and waved them to chairs.

“What do you think about Borrodaile, Frank?” he

Chip?”

replied Frank.
to his office in

too

| asked, coming right down to the main subject.

PE)

TOP

WEEKLY.

“I think,” was the prompt: answer, “that he has a.
head that’s stuffed with knowledge—but it’s not the sort
of knowledge that will help him hang on to that bonanza
mining claim of his.”

“My motion to a t, y, ty. He can go back to Cagsar’s
time and tell you ioe the old Romans used to do Busi-
ness, but he’s as innocent as a babe in arms about the
way business is done in;this day and age of the word:
He needs looking after, or some one will get that Claim”
of his for a song—and then forget the singing pari
Have you any idea why he went back to Gold Hill ee
after he had just come from there ?’

“No, sir. That was the night”—-and a flicker, at: a
smile ceaee Merry’s face—‘when:I went out to the fer

sar Z Ranch, and before I had left I didn’t know he had
gone, -

“Hum!” Mr, Bradlaugh sat back in his chair and:
peered into the vapor that floated above his héad. “Boys
said he, when he finally lowered his eyes, “I have a feel-
ing that some one is trying to victimize this professor
of yours; in other words, that evil forces are at work fam
swindle him out of his claim, or, perhaps, to get if if
some way even more desperate. 1 don’t want to alarm
you unnecessarily, but it’s the part of wisdom to con E
sider this matter in the worst light possible, and then :
to go to work along that line. If we're mistaken Im OfF
conclusions, well and good, Better that, you know, than’
to think nothing is wrong, to let matters drift, ana then ;
to find that the professor has been swindled or” —he hesi=.
tated—‘“or that he has disappeared, never to return,” ae

All three of the boys at that gave a jump of —
sternation. ;

“Great Scott!” exclaimed Clancy, “you don’t have any.
idea that the harmless old fossil has heen put out of.
the way ?”

“No,” was the reply; “and yet there are people who
would put him out of the way, if, by so doing, they eould
show up with a quitclaim deed to that wonderfully rich
gold mine. If the professor were gone for good, you see,
no one would appear to question the validity of the legal
document. Such things have been done. I mention i
in this case merely as a possibility. Then, again, we have
to consider it as a case of mere swindling. The pro-™
fessor, I think, could easily be victimized, My most
hopeful view is this: that Borradaile has simply gone
off somewhere, without, any plotters tagging at his heels,
and that he will present himself in due course with the
claim still in his possession, It is best, though, to put
the worst construction on his absence; then, if my last
theory proves correct, we shall all be ‘happily disap-
pointed.”

Frank drew a deep breatli.

“T haven't felt like butting into the prof’ S affairs too
much,” said he, “until I ear from dad,”

“T think you ’re amply warranted in going ahedd and
looking for him,” said Bradlaugh,

“Sure. What would you do, Mr.

Bradlaugh? Go
over to Gold Hill and try to pick up some clews there?’

“That might be advisable : just at present, however
have another line of investigation in mind.

I don’t
pose you have forgotten Nick Porter, the old prospecto ‘
who took you out to the deserted camp in the Picket
Posts ?”’
Clancy began to Gale
“It’s a cinch,” said he, “that we'll never fore old

 
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. «

Silent Porter and his whisky bottle. 1 stippose he used
the fifty dollars Chip paid him to grubstake himself, and
that he’s now in the deserts looking for a mine?”

“That’s what he wanted the fifty for,” answered Brad-
laugh, “but after he got it he seems to-have delayed
going into the hills. Next day after you lads got back
from Happenchance, Porter went to Gold Hill. The
spreehe had there on that fifty has been the talk of the
town, He’s a disreputable old chap when in his cups,
and I’m wondering if he knows anything about Borro-
daile’s disappearance.”

“By Jove!” exclaimed Merry, “I wouldn't put it past
him any. He was with us when we came back from
Happenchance, and I remember now just how he looked
when he saw a sainple of the wire-gold ore.”

“He was ready to throw a fit,” said Ballard, “because
he had been all through the Picket Post range and had
never found any gold there. I'll bet a farm you can
nail this thing to Nick Porter.”

“Don’t be hasty about that,” warned Bradlaugh. “It’s
only a theory, and I believe every man ought to be con-
sidered as honest until he proves himself otherwise.
Porter is merely a subject for investigation, that’s all.”

“Then,” said Frank promptly, “we'll go over to, Gold
Milk this very night and begin investigating him.”

“You won’t have to go to Gold Hill. I’ve heard from
our super at the mine that Porter returned -here this
afternoon, looking a good deal the worse for wear. After
supper you can visit the mine and have a talk with the
prospector. You'll know what angle to give your in-
vestigations, Merriwell.”

“But he may pull out for the hills while we’re delay-
ing here in town!”

“He'll have to get money for another grubstake before
he does any more prospecting. Even if he has the money
—wihich is hardly possible—the super, on my orders, will
delay him if he tries to leave.”

Hete was a sample of Mr. Bradlaugh’s thoughtfulness
which Merry deeply appreciated.

~ We'll be at the mine this evening, Mr. Bradlaugh,”’
said he, “and if Porter knows anything about the pro-
fessor’s absence, we'll do our best to find out what it is.”

“My car would be at your disposal, but just now it’s
in the repair shop,” went on Mr. Bradlaugh. “There
are a couple of motor cycles at the mine, though, if you
‘hind it necessary to go anywhere in a hurry. Pardo, the
ssuper, would be glad to let you take the machines.’’

Frank thanked Mr. Bradlaugh for the offer, and started
to leave.

“Just a moment,” said the older man.
boys shape up in the practice game?”

_Fine | !” Merriwell. answered.

“I suppose after you have located the ‘professor and
extricated him from any troubles he may have. fallen
into, you'll do your best to give us an eleven that will
make the Gold Hillers eat crow instead of turkey for
Thanksgiving ?

» y There was a twinkle in Mr,
spoke... .

“T'll do what I can, Mr. Bradlaugh,”’
“you may depend on that.”

“J am depending on it. It seems to me that the son
of the greatest baseball pitcher and football half back
» Yale ever produced is well qualified to give Ophir a win-
ning eleven. Good luck to you and your friends, Mer-

“tow did the

Bradlaugh’s eyes as he

Merry answered;

5 as SOON

lf |

riwell. Wind up this business of the professor’s
as you can and then Yet back on the football job,
can help you in any way, call on me.”

As Frank, after murmuring further thanks, was about
to step through the office door, Woo Sing, roustabout
Chinaman at the Ophir House, stepped up on the porch
with a yellow envelope in his hand.

“Whoosh!” gabbled Woo-Sing, his parchmentlike face
splitting in a wide grin, “my lookee fo’ you, Missul Melli-
well,”’

“Is that telegram for me?” demanded Frank.

“Allee same,” answered the Chinaman, passing it over.

rank tore open the envelope and read the message ;
then, with a long whistle, he returned to put it in Mr.
Bradlaugh’s hands. Mr, Bradlaugh read as follows:

“FRANK MERRIWELL, JuNtor, Care Ophir House, Ophir,
Ariz., via Gold Hill:
Good work! Watch Borradaile carefully. Don’t let
him out of your sight. Important. Letter on the way.
“Your FATHER.”

Mr. Bradlaugh also gave a long whistle as he sank back
in his chair thoughtfully and with the message in his
hand,

CHAPTER II.

PORTER SHOWS HIS TEETH.

It was eight o’clock in the evening when Merry, Clancy.
and Ballard reached the mine and went hunting for the
office of Pardo, the superintendent.

The surface activities of a big gold mine, in full
operation at night, are as weird as they are interesting.
The boys were deeply impressed as they looked down into
the valley where the mining, milling, and cyaniding were
going on.

The stamp mill, where the ore was pounded to powder
and robbed. of its gold, was a huge, ramshackle structure.
Although it had a framework of heavy timbers, yet the
strong skeleton was but loosely covered with boards.
Through wide cracks and many gaps in the sides of the
building a flood of light poured out, and the thunder
of a hundred stamps filled the camp.

Glimmering lights dotted the shadowy depths of the
valley—some shining through the windows of rough
dwellings and others moving about in the hands of
workers. From the open’door of a blacksmith shop
poured a yellow glow from a forge, and against the roar
of the stamps arose the musical ‘clink of hammer on
anvil,

This blacksmith shop happened to be the first fusing
the boy passed on entering the camp. They stopped
and asked the smith where they would find the super-
intendent’s office. The brawny fellow turned from. the
anvil, stepped to the door, and pointed,

“There’s the super’s office, younker,” he said to Frank,
“where ye see them two lights close together. Mebby
he’s there, an’ mebby he’s over to town; anyways, the
assistant super is on deck.”

A person had to shout in order to make himself heard
in the steady tumult of the mill. Frank bawled his
thanks, and he and his two comrades pressed on toward
the twin lights indicated by the blacksmith. :

These lights, it was presently discovered, came through
two windows of a small office building. A man was sit-
ting out in front, tilted comfortably back in a chair and

 
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

smoking a pipe. He was a vague figure in the shadows,
and the visitors could not see very fnuch of him.

“Is this Mr. Pardo’s office?” Frank inquired, stepping
close to the man and lifting his voice.

“You've struck it,” was the sociable rejoinder.

“Are you Mr. Pardo, the superintendent ?”

“Strike two, my lad.”

“Well, my name’s Merriwell, and I——’

“And you’ve come here for a talk with that old hassay-
amper, Nick Porter,” finished Pardo.. “Mr. Bradlaugh
has put me next.” The super laughed. “I suppose you
know what a brilliant talker the prospector is?”

Unless violently agitated, about the only audible sound
Porter ever made was a grunt.

“We know all about that,” Frank answered.

“Well,” continued the super, “after the way he went
off the harfdle in Gold Hill he seems to be less talkative
than usual. And less audible,’ he added. ‘Whenever
*he bobs up in Ophir he makes it a rule to hang out in
this camp, mainly because one of our crusherman on
the night shift is an old friend of his. But he’s a crusty
old curmudgeon, and I never hanker much to have him
around. ‘He's up in the head of thé mill with Joe Bosley
now. Come on, Merriwell, and I’ll show you and your
friends where to find’ this precious prospector.”

The obliging superintendent got out of his comfortable
chair and started along a camp trail that led up a steep
incline. Along the top of the rise showed one side of
the mill glowing ruddily against the night sky.

Here there was a long, elevated platform upon which
ore from the mine was unléaded. A man could be
seen moving spectrally around and shoveling ore into a
crusher set in the mill wall.

Pardo paused, halfway up the low hill, and drew Mer-
riwell toward him.

“That’s Bosley, the crusherman,” said he. “He'll tell
you where you can find Porter. Bring the prospector to
my office, if you like. It isn’t quite so noisy as the mill,
and you can talk to better advantage.”

The super turned and went back. Frank and his
friends moved on to the ore platform, jumped to the
top of it, and yelled their query at Bosley.

“Nick?” the crusherman bawled, leaning for a moment
on his shovel, and appraising the boys as well as he could.
“Oh, he’s communin’ with himself in the feed loft. Right
through that hole,” he finished,’ pointing to an opening
in the wall, “and down the steps.”

Frank led the way through the opening, and, at the
foot of the steps, he and his chums found themselves in
a smallinferno. The bright, shimmering stems of twenty
batteries, each of five stamps, were marking time before
their eyes like a row of steel soldiers. Each stamp
weighed eight hundred and fifty pounds, and it rose and
fell ninety-five times to the minute. The uproar was
steady and deafening.

Ore feeders were shoveling crushed ore into the stamp
hoppers. Frank’s eyes ranged over the sweating, semi-
nude, powerful figures as they worked. He could see
nothing of Nick Porter.

While Frank’s eyes were searching the loft, Clancy
nudged him with an elbow. Frank turned, and Clancy
made signs and pointed. Looking in the direction in-
dicated by Clancy’s finger, Frank saw the slouching form
of Porter, the prospector.

He was sitting on a keg in an angle of the wall. He
was leaning back against the boards behind him, a cob

;

pipe between his teeth. His eyes, peering out of the
jungle of beard that covered his face, were fixed specue
latively on the three boys.
Merry immediately stepped to the prospector’s side.
“Hello, Porter!’’ he yelled in his ear.

The prospector probably grunted, although Frank could

hear nothing.
“T want to talk with you for a few minutes,” Merry

went on, in a manner calculated to disarm any suspicions —
“Come up to the super’s office,”

Porter may have had.
will you?”

He stepped back. The prospector sat still on the Keg

for a moment, then slowly knocked the ashes from his 7

pipe and stood up. Frank was congratulating himself
that Porter was to make for Pardo’s office without any
further persuasion; but in this he was mistaken.

Clancy stood,on the prospector’s right, Merry in front
of him, and Ballard on the left—between the spot where
Porter was*$tanding and the opening that led into the
feed loft. The prospector slipped his pipe into hg
weariness. ¢ ;

He was not weary, however, "Suddenly, without warn
ing of any sort, he put out one arm and threw ‘Clap
sideways, so that,he fell over a heap of ee O
Another moment and Porter had leaped for a flight ©
stairs and had vanished downward into the body Off
mill. ae
It was all so quickly done that Frank was taken by. sur
prise. The thought flashed through his mind that Pore
ter, unless he knew something about Professor Borges
daile and suspected why the boys were there, would
be showing his teeth in that fashion. An instant after
the prospector had disappeared down the stairs, Pra
jumped after him. “Ballard followed close on Bank
heels; and Clancy, hastily picking himself up, stifled |
exclamation of anger and rushed after Ballard. '

The stairs led down to the floor where the battery
boxes were placed, and where the plates, whos€ quiéke
silver recovered the gold from the ore, stretched the fill
length of the nll. Amalgamators and batterymen were:
going and coming through all the pounding racket of thi:
part of the establishment, but the prospector had
how managed to lose himself.

that it seemed little short of magical. Frank took thie
or four steps from the foot of the stairs, peering alot
the row of plates covered with dirty water from the bai
tery boxes, and looking back into the shadowy recesses
under the ore loft. a
He was asking himself if Porter would have had time
to get away into the darkness back of the batteries, wk
a red-shirted amalgamator stepped to his side. 1
‘Lookin’ fer Porter?’ he yelled.

¢
hy

’
oe

Frank nodded. . be

some: .

So suddenly and completely had Porter disappeared

4

“He ducked out o’ the door yonder,” and the amalga-

mator, with a jerk of his thumb, indicated an opening
that led out into the night. fie
Ballard was nearest the door. He had heard the
amalgamator, and whirled like lightning and dashed jou
of the mill and into the darkness. Bi i ees
Frank was tight at his heels, while Clancy brought
the rear of the little file of pursuers. ‘The nois® Was?
so deafening outside the mill, but the boys were bling i
temporarily by their quick transition from the big

 
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. 7

giow of the mill to the outer gloom. They stared around
them, but could see nothing of the prospector.

Ballard, however, heard something or other which gave
him aclew. “This way!” he shouted.

Frank heard his chum’s feet swiftly crunching the
sand and gravel, and followed the sound. In a moment
or two his vision cleared somewhat and he was able
to see several rows of huge wooden tanks. A plank in-

¢line led to the top of one row, and Ballard could be
distinguished racing up the incline. Beyond Ballard,
traveling at speed over a plang gangway that spanned the
-tanktops, was a burly figure silhouetted against the
lighter gloom of the night. With a shout to Clancy,
Merriwell hustled after Ballard.

Those tanks were part of the cyanide plant, wherein
the refuse of the mill was treated with deadly cyanide
of potassium for recovering what little gold was left after

_the refuse, or “‘tailings,” had come fromthe stamp mill.

The cyanide plant, presumably,, was faimiliar ground
to Porter, whereas the boys had nevefséén it before. In
the gloom the. prospector could navigate across the big
vats with something like accuracy, while the boys carried
On their pursuit at.a tremendous disadvantage.

Recklessly Ballard ran.on. Merriwell called a warn-
ing to. him, but Ballard either did not hear it or else

paid no attention.

The form of the prospector, leaping and plunging on-
ward, sprang from one row of vats to another. Each
row. was a little lower than the row to the north, so
that the tiers took on the form of a flight of giant steps.

Porter gained the top tier, and stood for a moment
on a plank spanning a vat that was three or four times

as large as any of the others. Ballard climbed to the
satne plank. Porter dropped down with a savage, snarl-
ing cry...Clinging fora moment to the edge of the
‘tank, he twisted the plank from under Ballard’s ane,
Ballard dropped with a splash.

“Merciful powers!” yelled a voice in wild alarm.
him out, quick!
with cyaitide!”
» Merfiwell’s heart almost stopped beating. In a gleam
of light from the mill he saw the white, drawn face of
Pardo peering toward the spot where Ballard was splash-

_ ing it the deadly cyanide solution. An instant later he
“bounded to the rescue.

“Cet
That’s the solution tank anid is filled

CHAPTER IV,
A CLOSE CAEL.

Pats one thing saved Ballard from going over his head
into the cyanide solution, and that was this: Porter had
“not-twisted the plank off the rim of the tank, but had
“Manipulated it in such a way as to cause Ballard to lose

his footing and drop into the poisonous liquid beneath.
As Ballard arnaed, he flung otit his arms, seized the
plank, and so kept head and shoulders out of the cyanide.
‘Hadshe gone under, or swallowed even a few drops of
thé ‘deadly stuff, that pursuit of the savage prospector
would have had a tragic termination. Bal lard, kicking
around in the solution, was trying to drag himself up on
the.plank as Merry crept toward him.

“Steady there, Pink!” called Frank. ‘Don’t splash
- the stuff around, and keep out of it as miuch as you can.
ake $: a deadly poison,”

+ {Never inind me,” cried Ballard. “Keep after that
gontounded prospector. He'll get away if you don’t.”

“You first, old chap,” Frank answered. “It was a
scurvy trick Porter played on you, and—and .it might
have resulted fatally. Now,-then!”

Gripping his chum by the arms, Frank heaved him tip-
ward until he was on his knees on the plank,

“Want any help?” came the agitated voice of Clancy
from just below the solution tank.

“No,” answered Merriwell, “we’re making it all right.”

“Drop him over the side,’ called Pardo, “here, over
in this direction. There's a tank of clear water next to
the solution vat, and the quicker your friend rinses that
cyanide out of his clothes, the better.” *

“Oh, hang the cyanide!” shouted Ballard. “I was:only
half into the stuff, anyhow. Stop Porter,. if. you. can.
The brute is guilty of something or he wouldn’t act like «
that.”

“Drop into that tank of water, Pink,”
“or I'll throw you in.”

Ballard, without further discussion, lowered himself
down into the reservoir of water that supplied the mill
and kicked around in it for a few moments; then, draw-

ordered Merry,

‘ing himself up on the rim of the vat, he jumped off to

the ground at the superintendent’s side.. Merry and
Clancy quickly joined him.

“Say, cried the startled Pardo, grabbing Ballard by
the arm, “did you swallow any of the solution?”

“How could IT?” was the answer. “I only went in to
the waist.’

“Got any cuts or sores on the lower part Of your
body ?’

“No.” ea

“By gorty,” declared Pardo, “you're a lucky. kid,. all
right. Cyanide of potassium is the most virulent poison
known. If a person scratches his finger on the tin in
opening a case, and‘gets some of the solution in the eut,
in less than fifteen minutes he’s a goner. You don’t
know, son, how much you've got to be thankful for.”

Now that it was all over, and Ballard. was beginning
to realize how deadly was the bath in which he ie been
plunged, a few cold shivers started up and down his
spine.

“My skin is getting up and walking all over me with
cold feet,” said he. “I’ve got to warm up, and tight,
now there’s only one thing I want, and that is to get my
hands in Porter’s whiskers and twist his neck, Let’s
hotfoot it around and see if we can find him.”

“This way, my lads,” shouted Pardo. “If the thing
has happened that I’ve got in my mind, there’s no use
in. hunting around this camp for the prospector. We'll
find out in a brace. of shakes.”

With Pardo leading the way, the boys. ran to a. corral
on the other side of the camp. Pardo stopped... -The
corral gate was swinging open.

“That looks,” he commented, “as though some one had
taken out a horse in a hurry. I'll bes go in and see
if Porter’s horse is tied in its usual place..- If it isn’t,
why, we can make up our minds that

Just at that moment a man approached ftom around
the corral. The boys jumped forward instinctiyely, im-
pelled by the thought that it might be Porter. But it
was not.

“That you, Cummins?’ called the super,

“Yep, Pardo, it’s Cummins,” was the answer.

“Seen afiything of Nick Porter?”

“Jest about. Say, Nick Porter stormed in here a min-
ute ago, got the gear on his bronk in record time, an’

 
8 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

was off and away afore I could git close enough to find
out what was up.”

“Which way did he gor”
town?”

“Nary.
him p’intin’ for Pete Loco’s,
way from town.”

“He’s made a get-away, boys,”
might as well give him up.”

“We're not going to give him up,’ Frank answered
decidedly. “We've got to keep after him, and run him
down. It’s—4t’s important.”

“Well, now,” protested the super, “you'd better think
twice about that. Porter has shown that he won't stop
_ at anything. He don’t want to talk with you, does he?
He’s shown his teeth once; next time he does that he'll
probably bite, and bite hard.”

“We'll look out for ourselves,” put in the impatient
Clancy. “‘He’s the fellow we want, Chip. Why did he
turn on us as he did if he hasn’t a guilty mind?”

“You think,’ spoke up Pardo, “that he knows what
has become of your friend, the professor? Mr. Brad-
laugh told me, over the phone,” he explained, ‘“‘why you
wanted to talk with Porter.”

“Tt’s a cinch, strikes me,” answered Merry, “that Por-
ter can tell us something about the missing prof.
Wouldn’t you figure it out that way, Mr. Pardo?”

“Well, yes,” acknowledged the superintendent, “I
don’t know but I would. What I’m trying to get at is
this: Old Nick Porter has proved that he isn’t a safe
proposition for you boys’to tackle.”

“You don’t know us, Mr. Pardo,” laughed Clancy.
“That wasn’t a fair shake the prospector gave us on top
of those cyanide tanks. We ought to keep right after
‘him. If we come close, we'll land on him by strategy.’’

“That’s the talk, Red!” approved Ballard, through his
chattering teeth. “I'll furnish the strategy, if Chip
should fall-down on it. Let’s get to moving. Three
horses, Mr. Pardo, if you can spare ’em.”

“You haven’t the slightest notion where Porter is go-
ing,” said the super, plainly disapproving the plan .of
the boys to follow Porter, and marshaling every argu-
ment he could against ‘it.

“Where can he go along that trail toward Pete Loco’s?
returned Frank. “There are only two places the trail
leads to—one is Loco’s and the other 1s MeGurvin’s.
The trail stops at McGurvin’s.”

“We haven’t a horse for you. All that’s left in the
corral is the prospector’s pack burro.”

“How about the two motor cycles?” Frank asked.
“Mr. Bradlaugh said you had a couple of the machines
here, and that we would be welcome to them if we found
they’d come handy.”

“Well, yes,” said Pardo, “‘I’ve got the motor cycles.
If you insist on going after the prospector, you can take
them. But they ‘Il only carry two—one of you will have
to stay behind.”

“We'll draw straws, Red and I, to see who stays,”
chattered Ballard.

“No, you won't,” cut in Merry firmly. “Pink, you’ve
done enough for one night, and have thrown a scare
into me that I won’t get over in a hurry. You want to
warm up, and the best ‘way for you to do that is to
sprint for town, kick off those cyanide-soaked clothes,
and get into bed.”

“Now look here,” Ballard protested, “I’m just as able

demanded Frank. “Toward

which is right the other

said Pardo, “and you

99

I rushed around the corral jest in time to see’

to go on with this chase as either you or Red. I’ve goth:
an ax of my own to grind, too. Remember, Chip, Pm

the one that Porter dropped into the solution ‘tank. They &
Let Claney go

prospector owes me something for that.
back to the hotel ie

“You’re as wet as a drowned rat, Pink,”
Clancy, “and if you don’t go back to town Chip and 1
will worry our heads off about you.” a

“Oh, yes, you'll worry a lot,” derided Ballard. “The ™
excitement is just beginning, and I’m entitled to a little :
OF. 3."

“There are only two motor cycles,
Merry, “so only two of us can go.”

“Tl ride the burro,” suggested Ballard desperately.
“And we'd go to the Picket Posts and back. whi
you were getting to Loco’s,” laughed Clancy. “You for
town, Pink. Don’t hang back. Maybe you'll tiie

some more. "

“You go to blazes,” growled Ballard, seeing that ¢
argument was already decided against him and that i
protests were only delaying the pursuit. *

“Where are the machines, Mr. Pardo?” asked Merry

“This way,” the super answered, and led the boys”
an adobe storehouse not far from the corral.

The motor cycles proved to be twin-cylinder, hig
powered machines.

“They're loaded with gasoline and oil,” said Pard

“for we always keep them in trim for an emergeney/

The gas lamps attached to the front of the mote
cycles were hated, and two penciled gleams searched
out the ground far in advance.

“Porter has a good, long start of us,” remarked Clancyil
an exultant note in his voice, ‘but on these buzz buggies
we ought to be able to travel a dozen yards to his one.”

“I don’t know whether I ought to let you go,” said
Pardo. “I’d go on one of the machines myself if the
assistant superintendent wasn’t away so that I am needed
here. What will Mr. Bradlaugh say 2”

Merriwell laughed at the super’s foolish fears.

“Mr. Bradlaugh knows us better than you. do, Mr.
Pardo,” he answered, “and he’ll say you did just r
to let us have the machines and take up the chase whet
we dropped it at the cyanide tanks.”

Merry, astride his wheel, was cranking with the
The engine began to pop and sputter and was a
crooning its steady song of speed. Clancy had likewi Bish
turned his own engine over. Rss

“T wish you luck, anyhow,” said Pardo. ,

“We'll find that golden trail of yours, Pink! jok
Claney, “and bring you one of the nuggets as a souvent

“Tust bring back your scalp, Red, ” answered Ballard,
“That’s all the souvenir I want.”

Frank dropped a foot and give his machine a a :
forward. The pneumatic tires touched ground, the iron

Pink,” argued

rests folded up automatically, and he started through the :

gloom toward the trail that led to Pete Loco’s.
ment later Clancy darted after him.

CHAPTER V.
ON TO HAPPENCHANCE.

The boys were not long in discovering that
motor cycles they were riding were fine machines
the searchlights boring long holes in the dark, Me
Clancy seerned_ fairly "to fly over the trail. | It s xe

them as though they had hardly started before fie a

 

struck in 4%
NEW

of deep shadow which marked the location of Loco’s
adobe lay almost in front of them on the right.

The house was dark. Frank, after getting out of the
saddle, examined his watch under the lamp.

**Ten o'clock,” he announced to Clancy. “The Loco
family must all be in bed, Clan.”

“Rout some one out, Chip,” said Clan, “and see if you
can pick up any news. While you're doing that I'll skir-
mish around and see if there is a recently ridden horse
at Pete’s hitching pole or in his corral.”

Frank crossed the open space that lay between the
road and the adobe and drummed on the front door with
his knuckles. After two or three attempts he succeeded
iM arousing some one who demanded to know what was
wanted.

“I want a word with Pete Loco,” Frank-called.

The door was unbolted and drawn open, revealing a
Swarthy-visaged man in shirt and trousers, holding a
candle.
=. What in tiles d’ye want?” asked the man with
_ the candle in no very pleasant tone. “I’m Pete Loco.”
“Any visitors staying with you to-nighty Mr. Loco?”
_ Frank inquired.

“I reckon not! -Think this here’s a hotel?”

“I'm looking for a prospector named Porter. The
last we saw of him he was coming in this direction.”

“Nick Porter? He's over to the mine. Seen him
there this afternoon.’

“He? s not there now.
way.” 3

“Well, | haven’t seen him, an’ he ain’t here.”

With that Pete Loco shut the door, and Frank could
thear him shoot the bolt. Turning away, Frank met Clancy
just coming around the corner of the house,

“Loco says he doesn’t know anything about our man,
> Clancy,” reported Frank.

» “T guess he’s telling the truth, Chip,” Clancy replied.
-“T can’t find any extra live stock around, and it’s hardly
possible, anyhow, that Porter would stop such a short
- distance from the mine. It’s a safe bet that he’s gone
on to MeGurvin’s.”

Frank was ina quandary.

“This adobe,” said he, “is at the forks of the trail.
One bfanch goes to the mine and Ophir, and the other
» leads to Gold Hill. It’s just possible that Porter took
the Gold Hill fork and didn’t go on to MeGurvin’s.”

“He wouldn't do that, Chip,” Clancy answered. “If
he had wanted to go to Gold Hill he would have turned
north from the mine and taken the shorter road through
Ophir.”

“Unless,” Frank qualified; “he had reasons for not
wanting to pass through Ophir. Porter might have
thought that we would use the telephone if he went that
way, and have some one stop him.”

"Tell you what we can do,” Clancy suggested,
ob with Merry’s logic and yet not quite satis-
fied to recede fronNhis own position, “we can go on to
MecGurvin’s; then, if we don’t overhaul Porter on the
road, or pick up any clews at McGurvin’s, we can come
back and take the Gold Hill fork from here. We can
get over the ground like an express train with these
machines, and can ride circles all around that horse that
carried the prospector away from the mine,’

“Good!” agreed Frank. “We'll see how long it will
_ take OS to get to McGurvin’s. It’s only seven or eight

He left the mine and came this

taken

TIP TOP WEEKLY. 9

“Hit ‘er up, Chip,” cried the red-headed
won't find me taking any of your dust.”

Once more they got their machines in motion along
the trail. The going was none too good, and Merry got
his machine going at a pace that might have been reck-
less had not “the ‘brilli ant, far-flung rays of the search-
light laid the way so clearly before his eyes.

“That the best you can do?” called Clancy,
along at his chum’s side.

“This will do,” Frank
boulevard, remember.”

Clancy gave a laugh of sheer exhilaration, for the thrill
of that wild dash through the night and across the desert
was in his veins.

“We'll be running Porter down before we can see
him, Chip,” he called, the wind of their flight casting his
words behind him in splintering echoes.

But Merriwell had no fear of that. If Nick Porter
had ridden hard, he would already have had time to cover
the distance between the mine and McGurvin’s.

MeGurvin’s ranch was the last place, short of Happen-
chance in the Picket Post Mountains, where water-could
be secured. Surely, if Porter had come that way, he.
would stop at the ranch. He had left the mine too hur-
riedly to equip himself with water canteens and rations
for a prolonged stay in the desert. Frank’s hopes were
mounting high as the motor cycles devoured the distance
that separated their riders from MecGurvyin’s.

At last, in fifteen or twenty minutes—certainly less
than half an hour—the mad pace was slowed as the des-
tination hove duskily into sight. A yellow gleam showed
at one of the windows of, the ranch house, and suggested
that the proprietor might be entertaining a caller.

The machines were halted at a little distance from the
dwelling, and Merry stole forward to reconnoiter, ere an-
nouncing himself in person to McGurvin. There was
no curtain at the window through which shone the lamp-
light, and the lad crept up to it and looked into the room.
Only one man was visible, and that was the ranch owner
himself. He sat by a table, reading.

“I guess we're off the track, Roper,” said Frank, re-
joining Clancy. “I can’t see any one but MeGurvyin
through the window, and he’s spelling out the news in a
paper. If Porter was there, he and McGurvin would
certainly be together.”

“Not so certainly, Chip,” answered Clancy. “Let's
look in the corral for a tired horse. . If we find one, then
surely it’s Porter’s, and Porter has got into the house
and gone to bed.”

Only one horse and a burro were found, and the horse
showed no evidence of recent hard riding. Frank was
deeply puzzled.

chap; “you

whirring

answered. ‘We're not on a

“If the prospector came this way,” said he, “there,
would be nothing else for it but for him to stop here.
He wouldn’t dare go on into the desert without food
and water,” >

“Possibly he stopped, got what he wanted, and went
on,’ Clancy hazarded.

“No, Clan. We can’t be much more than half an hour
from'the mine; if we suppose that Porter had a full hour
the start of us—it couldn’t have been more than that—
then he had only an hour and a half to ride here, and
no time to pick up food and water and push his tired
horse on into the desert. We'd better go back to Leco’s
and take the fork to Gold Hill.”

 
   

    

“Let's not be in a rush, Chip, Now that we’re here,
we'd better find out what McGuryin has got to say.”

“Of course,’ Frank returned, “we'll have a word or
two with the rancher before we turn back.”

The rancher was not surprised to have visitors drop in
on him at that hour. The better part of his income was
derived from the sale of water, brought up from his well
by burro power, to prospectors and others who happened
along that way. Such customers were liable to straggle
in from any quarter at any hour.

“*Pears mighty like I’ve seen you fellers some place
before,” said the rancher, staring hard at the boys.
“Say,” and his face cleared, “wasn’t you along this way
a few days ago with Barzy Blunt an’ some more, runnin’
some fool race or other?”

He referred to the “relay Marathon,” which Frank
and his chums had run against Blunt and his cowboy
friends, to file in Gold: Hill a location notice of Borro-
daile’s claim.

“Yes,”

> smiled

.

Frank, “‘we’re the fellows.”

“Well, sufferin’ Mike!” guffawed McGurvin.
down an’ be. sociable, can’t ye?”

“We're in something of a hurry; McGurvin,” Frank
went on, “and can’t stop long. Do you know a pros-
pector named Porter?

MeGurvin’s face went blank,
into his tousled hair.

“Not Andy Porter, from up Phoenix way?” he asked.
“Squints with his oft eye, and walks with a limp?”

“No,” Frank answered, “this man is a big fellow,
whiskers, ropy hair, gray eyes.”

“New one on me,” said McGurvin.

“Sot

and he dug his fingers

“Then, you haven't seen, anything of him?”
“Nary a thing. What's he done? Stole a hoss?”
“We don’t know what he has done, MeGurvin. All we

want is to have a talk with him, Can you spare us a
couple of canteens, full of water, and a bag of rations—
enough for two or three meals?”

“Shore,” answered the rancher, “that’s what I’m here

fér. Dollar fer the water in the canteens, an’ two dollars
fer the canteens; then another two dollars fer the hand-
out.- Makes five, don’t it?”

MeGurvin had the reputatién of being more or less of a
robber, Having a monopoly of the water in that locality,
he set his own prices, and did not fear competition.

“Five dollars is all right, McGurvin,” said rank.

“Blunt was out this way this arternoon, with a couple
of his pards,” remarked MecGurvin, unaware of the bomb
he was exploding. “They watered up, rested a spell, an’
then hiked on to the Picket Posts.”

Merry was startled, but’ contrived not to
Clancy jumped, but his chum gave him a warning

“Hustle around and get those supplies for us, please,”
urged Frank. ‘We're in a hurry.”

?” queried the rancher, starting for a

show it.
glance.

‘“Hosses to water:
rear door.
*““No horses, MeGurvin.
“Ottermobile, IL reckon,” deplored MeGurvin.
_ them things git too thick in the aeseet they'll be the 2 ruina-
tion of me. I'll have yore stuff ready in ten minutes.”
As he went out through the door, Clancy leaped ex-
citedly toward Merriwell.
“What's on your mind now,
“Why the grub and water
“Il made up my mind, all of a sudden, to extend this
trip of ours to Happenchance.”

UTE

Chip?” he whispered.

rildied  silie' ephdgar ea siar

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

 

 

“You're crazy!” gasped Clancy. “How can we/find abe
the way? It would be hard enough in broad daylight, but . .
at night we'd get all twisted up, and end by losing our-
selves in the foothills. If we’re going to Happenchanee,
Chip, we’d better camp right here until morning, then
cross the rough country when we can see what we're
about.”

“T had made up my mind to go on to-night
answered, “even before
Barzy Blunt.”

“Gee, but that was a bombs! iell!
B lunt is doing out this way?

“It’s possible he may know something about the pro#
fessor, Why did he go on to the Picket Posts? What
business has Barzy Blunt got around the old camp of
Happenchance, where the professor’s claim is located?”
Before McGuryin told us Blunt had gone in that direg
tion, I had made up my mind that we ought to take a look
at the deserted town; now that | know Blunt is there, T
am more anxious than ever to get to the place,”

“But what about Porter ?’

“Where he has gone is a mystery,” said M ferrivaad
“but I think Blunt and his cowboy friends offer a more’
promising clew to the prof’s whereabotits, We'll for
get about Porter for the present, and give our attention ©
to Blunt.” ia

They talked in whispers for a short time longer, and 7
then sat back suddenly in their chairs as McGutvin’ came
into the room with two filled canteens and a small canvas’)
bag of rations. e

Merry exchanged five silver dollars for the supplies,
and then or rancher followed the boys out and watched
them while t they started their machines,

“A couple 0’ gasoline go-devils, by thunder!” muttered 9
MeGurvin, “All kinds 0’ ways 0’, beatin’ a mam that’

az ‘4 atk. *

:’ Merry,
MecGurvin told us that about

ae

oe

   
  
 
   
 
 
 
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
  

What do you suppose

sells water out 0’ his rights. If ye didn’t have them
contraptions, yed be shackin’ along on a couple o”

bronks, an’ my well ’u’d bring me in two bits a head fer’
each of ’em,” Ss

The rancher was still sputtering as the boys raced off
through the starlight, heading into the desert. As soon
as they were well away, McGurvin’s wrath died in his,
throat, and he gave vent to a husky chuckle.

“On ter Happench: ince, or I'm a Piute!” he muitered
jubilantly. °“Go it, you erazy galoots—but 1 opine asi
won't find what ye’re a-lodkin’ fer.”

Still chuckling, he turned back into the house and #
pounded on a stov epipe that ran through the couane and”

we 4

   
   
 

into a room overhead. :
“Have they gone, McGurvin?’’ came a mv uffled voice |
from above. ( aee

“I reckon they have, Nick,’ laughed the eaten
“they went pippity-poppin’ away, each of ’em ona couple
o’ wheels run by gasoline,” eee
“Where'd they go?” , ok x
“Happenchance, I reckon. Leastways, thee ‘readed ha
inter the desert, p’intin’ thataway.” .. ae
A satisfied grunt echoed from above. moe 4
“Lucky I hitched yore bronk out in the scrub,” ” went
on McG urvin complacently. “T’ll bet a-plenty thern kids bi
was nosin’ around afore they come in here.. ‘But they ake
didn’t find nothin’, nary, they didn’t.” veg vi
“Buenas noches, Mac,” called down the man upstairs,
“Pm turnin’ in,” Mt

The words were followed by a faint echo Of beans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
 
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. IT

laughter. McGurvin caught up the sound with some
heartiness as he locked the door, blew out the light, and
went groping through the dark for his own bed.

CHAPTER. VI.
A STARTLING DISCOVERY.

_ The entrance of Barzy Blunt into that mystifying tan-
gle had been as sudden as it was unexpected. And yet,
Knowing Blunt as he did, Merry wondered that he had
not thought of the fellow before.

Blunt was a young cow-puncher, who boasted of being

a “homemade” athlete, and would take a back seat for

» nobody, least of all young Merriwell. He was not exactly
“eracked” on the subject of his prowess in athletic sports,

- But his views were certainly warped. Obsessed with the

idea that it was his duty to take Merriwell down a peg,
— Blunt was continually, and in the most weird and won-

_derful ways, contriving to force Merry into tests of

strength and skill.

Merry had shown Blunt his heels iu a hundred-yard
' dash, and at least once had put him on his back in a

. tatch-as-catch-can wrestling bout. It was at Blunt’s sug
‘gestion that the relay Marathon was run, with the pro
tessor’s claim as the prize; and it was by a plot of
» Blunt’s that Merry had been lured to the Bar Z Ranch,
"where, as Blunt had planned, Merry pitched against the
“cowboy in a baseball game. “rank and his chums had

won the relay Marathon, and Frank had pitched his

Yet Blunt still refused to be

B payboy team to victory.

The “Cowboy Wonder,” as Blunt called himself, had
been reared by a man who bea implanted in his growing
mind a vast array of false notions. By these, the Won-
"der regulated his conduct, with a result that was ludicrous
> at times, and at other times almost tragic.

i There was something about the queer fellow that

"young Merriwell liked. And yet, while he sympathized
‘with Blunt to a‘certain extent, he was forced to condemn
his rashness and dare-devil behavior.

“Clan,” said Merry, as he and his chum moved on into
the trackless desert, “while I sat in McGurvin's adobe,

- it flashed over me, all at once, that we had forgotten

_ ~ something about Professor Borrodaile which might pos-
sibly explain his absence,”
> “What was that?’

“Why, you remember how we left Happenchance in
such a hurry, the time we went to the place and found
‘ the prof ?”

*) “We were chased out by Blunt and _ his puncher
friends.”

“Not exactly. We were hurrying out ahead of them
in order to reach the automobile and beat Blunt to Gold
Hill with the professor’s location notice. Well, we were
in such a rush that Professor Borrodaile had to leave his
luggage behind. Now, wouldn’t it be the natural thing
to suppose that the prof returned to Happenchance after
his goods and chattels?”

‘: “Holy mackerel!” exclaimed Clancy. “You've nicked
it, Chip! That’s just what the harmless old fossil has
done. He wanted his trunk, and he slipped out of Gold
Hill and went after it. We're thick, all right. It’s ‘a
wonder that some of us didn’t think of that earlier in
the game. I shouldn’t be surprised if we found the prot
' back in his old place in the only house left in Happen-
chance!” - |

“It’s possible,” said Merry. “Anyhow, that’s the idea
that flashed through my mind as I sat talking with Mc-
Gurvin. And that’s the reason I contracted for the can-
teens, the water, and the rations. Then, when McGur-
vin said what he did about Blunt, | was more anxious
than ever to keep on to Happenchance.”

“What do you think Blunt has got up his sleeve this
time ?””

“He’s so full of wild ideas that there’s no telling. If
the professor is in Happenchance, then Blunt has some
reason for following him there.”

“And out of it all, Chip,” declared Clancy, “there’s go-
ing to‘come a contest of some sort between you and
Blunt. The fellow’s crazy on the subject of getting the
better of you in some feat of strength and skill, Can't
he ever be satisfied?”

“Seems not,’ Frank answered. “Sometimes I have
a hunch that I ought to hang back and let Blunt make a
winning. If that’s what he wants, why not humor him?”

“Not on your life!’ protested Clancy promptly.
“You've got to meet Blunt at every point, and trim him
well. I think he’s ‘yellow,’ anyhow.”

“You and I will never agree on that,’ said Merry.
“There’s good stuff in Barzy Blunt, and some day he’s
going to see the error of his way, and reform. When
that happens, you'll find he has the making of an all-
round star athlete.”

Clancy muttered something under his breath. What-
ever it was, it certainly was not creditable to the Cowboy
Wonder.

“We're getting into the hills,” observed Clancy, shift-
ing the subject, “and now, if we don’t get lost, it will be
because your bump of location is a lot better than mine.”

Merry had the habit, at all times, of keen and care-
ful observation. He had made but one trip to the old
camp of Happenchance, but circumstances, at that time,
had conspired to fix the route to it firmly in his mind.
He had gone to the lost town of the Picket Posts in the
Bradlaugh car, guided by Nick Porter, but he had rid-
den back to McGurvin’s on a horse, accompanying the
runners ,in the first lap of the relay race. So he had
been able to use his faculty of observation to some
purpose.

Could he follow the course by night, with the moun-
tains, a constant guide by day, all but blotted out in the
starlight? He believed he could, and now the test of
his confidence was at hand.

His keen eyes watched the ground as it ruffled into low
foothills. Although he laid a zigzag course as his search-
light brought cactus clumps and thorn bushes into view,
in the main he succeeded in dodging obstacles, and yet
held to a fairly direct route. A mound of rocks, stark
and almost shapeless in the gloom,’ guided him like a
fingerboard; or a flat‘topped hill, or a peculiar-shaped
valley between two uplifts, set him on the right track.
Mile by mile the black mountains came closer, and then
Clancy himself began to pick up a landmark or two
which he recognized. ©

“Chip,” he cried, “‘you’re a wonder! Unless I’m badly
mistaken, we just passed the valley where we left the car
when Porter led you, and Ballard, and I into the gap that
cuts through the mountain wall to Happenchance.’

“That was,the valley, Clan,” replied Merriwell, “and
there’s nothing very wonderful about getting back to it,
either. It’s just a matter of minding your P’s and Q’s,
and remembering a thing or two. We couldn’t take the

 
 

 

12 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY,

Pa car through the gap, but I believe we can make it with
- these machines. We'll go around the hills instead of over
~~ them.”

. Then began a sinuous weaving back and forth, fol-

Bi lowing the seams in the uplifts and mounting steadily

He toward the narrow gap. The pace was slow and la-

bored, but Frank unerringly traced the way until the
motor-cyle lamps flung their round, yellow eyes sqttarely
into the fissure of the mountain wall.

“Maybe there isn’t anything wonderful about this,”
called Clancy, as Frank led the way into the narrow pas-
sage, “but—well, it gets my goat. Poor old Pink is miss-
ing the time of his life. Now, if we can find Borrodaile,

and jog him into a realization of where he is and what

_» ‘he has done, we'll just about make a good night's work

ae of it. It’s a relief to know, that the prof hasn't been in

danger of being bunkoed out of his gold mine.”

“We don’t know that yet,’ Frank called back over his
shoulder. “Don’t take too much for granted, Red. This
move on Happenchance may be putting us clear off the

E scent.”’

|. “Dll bet something it isn’t,” said Clancy, with supreme
conviction.

RoC Emerging from the pass, the boys descended into acir-

cular valley, in whose center shapeless ruins covered all
the old-time glories—such as they were—of a once bus
tling mining camp.

‘ The seatchlights pierced the vast heap of. débris, and
| ~  revéaled the cluttered lane which had once been the
F town’s main street. Carefully Frank ‘steered through
- the passage and came at last to a halt in front of the

_ only four walls in the place that remained standing. Here
was the building in which they had discovered Professor
Phineas Borrodaile,; living alone in primitive surround-
ings and trying to imagine himself a troglodyte.

“Hello, professor!” shouted Clancy.

His voice echoed back and forth between the cliffs that
rimmed the valley, but brought no answer.

“Not here!’’ he exclaimed, in a voice of profound dis-
appointment.

“You really expected that yell would* bring him?”
Frank asked.

“TT really did.
theory won’t hold water.
absent, after all.”

Merry had removed the lamp from his machme, and
was standing in front of the old door, It was swinging
by one rusty hinge, and he pushed it wide open.

“Look out for snakes, Chip!’ warned Clancy.

Cautiously the boys pushed through the doorway and
into the room that lay beyond. They looked around them,
as Merry flashed the beam of light over the ruinous w alls.

Instinctively a gasp of surprise escaped them.

A cot had once’ stood at the side of the room, and there
had been an oil stove in the place, and a shelf with some
books, a chair, a trunk, and a few other odds and ends of

primitive housekeeping. But now there was nothing.

tvery object had been cleaned out of the place, and only
the bare walls remained.

- “Professor Borrodaile isn’t here, Clan,’ said young
- Merriwell presently. “But he has been here, and made
off with his plunder, that’s plain, The question is, where
is the professor now ?”
re Tt.was a startling discovery the boys had made; not in
‘itself alone, but in the question to which it had given,
rise.

  

Hang the luck! , Say, Chip, I guess the

   

The prof is still mysteriously ~

   
   
  
   
  
  
   
    
  
  
   
   
   
   
    
    
    
   
  
  
  
  
  

CHAPTER VIL:
WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE.

Merry sat down on a chunk of adobe which had fallen
out of the wall. Placing the lamp in the niche left by
the chunk:in its fall, he hooked up a knee between his ~
hands, and grew thoughtful. Clancy found a seat for
himself, and waited for the result of his chum’s reflee-
tions. He waited so long that he became impatient.

“What's at the back of your head, Chip?” he asked.
“There isn’t a thing at the back of mine.” :

Frank dropped his knee, and looked at his watch.

“It’s one o’clock in the morning,” said he. “Let’s have
lunch.” » Rai

“An ounce of grub is worth a pound of theory any ole ye
time,’ said the red-headed fellow cheerfully. “Ti da
in the canteens and the chuck bag.” ,

He went out and returned with them, and he and Frank -
got busy with some sardine sandwiches, crackers, and
cheese which MeGurvin had provided for a “hand-out.
The water in the canteens was refreshing, and likew
the fare, rough though it was. ud

“Tn the first place, Clan,” reasoned Merry, “we ve.
to consider that it isn’t exactly a cinch that Borro
has been here. It’s probable, but. not absolutely cer
Some desert Arab may have raided the place and ¢
away his stuff.” |

‘Not likely,” returned Clavuag swallowing a mouthiu
of sandwich. As he was about to take another ite) hi
had a thought that caused him to look up quickly. %
less,” he added, “Blunt and his friends did the looti
They came this way during the afternoon. They're
here now. Where are’they ?” o

Frank shook his head.

“You might just as well ask where Porter is, oF |
prof,” said he. “It’s hopeless to try to keep track
3arzy Blunt, or to figure out from what he’s done, wh
he’s going to do next. From what McGurvin said,”
thought Blunt had come here with some of his friends):
Maybe he did. Possibly he collected the professor
goods and chattels and rode off with them. It isn’t likely
eee Cow-punchers wouldn’t be apt to do all t
freighting on horseback. Would they take the troub
to balance a cot across one of their horses and ride aw,
with it? Or the professor’s trunk? I guess Blunt an
his friends wouldn’t have much use for the professor
plunder; so it’s a fair surmise they didn’t take it, Some
one else did, that’s evident. The testimony all re t f
the professor himself.” .

“He left Gold Hill to come to Happenchance,”
marked Clancy. ‘Why didn’t he tell us about it?
couldn’t have been such an awful secret he had to
it to himself.”

seen s a deuce of a hard thing to figure out,” said Mer
“T don’t think .we ever will understand it until Bo
daile bobs up and clears away the mystery himself.
a hunch that Blunt is the key to this riddle of the ‘
fessor’s whereabouts. The. Wonder may be somew
around—that is, if MeGurvin wasn’t lying.

“Vou can bank on it, Chip, that. a robber like
Gurvin wouldn't tell the truth if it was to his int
tell something else.”

“THe said he didn't know Nick Porter, a maf’
been roaming these deserts all his. life, yee that’
truth, it’s remarkable.” .

“Now you're getting back to Porter again. ee

 
    
  
    
  

      
  

  
       
 

   
        
 

  
      
 

   
        
   
     
  

   
  

  
     
 

  
     

     
  

  
      
   
       
 
  

 
 
  
 
   
  

  
 
   
 
+ we're here,

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

we had agreed to let him go, and pin our faith to Barzy
Blunt.”
“Blunt, I think, is our best bet. I merely rang in
Porter to give you my estimate of McGurvin’s truthful-
ness. Porter couldn’t have been at the McGurvin place,
or wed have found his horse.”

“That's so.” Clancy yawned. “I move we stay here
all night and knock around a little in the morning. A
good deal of the night has gone; anyway, and I guess
we can stick out the rest of it in Happenchance. What

» do you say?”

» “It’s important to locate the professor,”

said Merry.
“Dad’s telegram puts that right up to us.

Now that
we'd better wait until morning and see if
anything develops. We'll bring in the machines, hunt a
couple of soft rocks, and see if we can’t get a little
sleep.”

The motor cycles were trundled into the old house,
the Hight put out, and the lads lay down on the old clay
floor with lumps of broken adobe for pillows. In spite

> of the hard be: is, the lack of even the most meager com-

- heads.

Fs ty,

- dozen on mine.
ae our foom at Pophagan’s—and that’s going some.

marked,
_ ledge and the professor's mine.

~ fobtsp both Merry and Clancy were soon asleep.
/ *Metry awoke, with a beam of sun in his eyes. He sat
“up, staring incredulously around him, and could hardly
believe that several hours had passed. The sun was shin-
1g into the old ruin through the hanging door. Merry
looked over toward the spot where he had last seen his
‘chum, and found that Clancy was also sitting up.
“Top of the morning to you, Chip,” grinned Clancy.
“How many lumps on your backbone? I’ve counted a
This mattress was harder than the one
Any
new theories this mérning?”
“Haven't had time to think up any,” laughed Merry.

“Tt doesn’t seem more than a minute since I put out the
- light and—er—turned in. What’s happened, since I closed
~ my eyes, is a perfect blank.

How about that spring? It
isn’t big enough for a cold plunge, but we can duck our
Maybe that will clear our brains a little.”

“Me for the spring!” cried Clancy, bounding to his

Leaving the old house, they hurried to the spring,

iahich they had located on their previous visit to Happen-

chance. The water was cool and clear, and the pool into
Which the water dripped was big enough for a partial
ducking. Handkerchiefs served for towels, and there was
a lot of good-natured joshing as the chums dabbed away
_at their dripping faces.
“On the way back to the grub bag,” Clancy finally re-
“T move that we make a detour by way of the
Let’s make sure, Chip,
thatthe claim is still there. Maybe it has vanished, like
the prof.”
The claim was found where it had been left, although
‘some of the ore had vanished. The shelf was gouged
‘ and disfigured as though some one had put down a blast,

et “blown a hole in the vein, and then taken away a lot of

‘the ore.
“By Jove,” exclaimed Merry, “here’s something else
re might lay to Blunt. I don’t think, though, that he’d
come here and steal any of the professor’s ore.
sT’ve got my own ideas about that,” said Claney.
‘Dome one has been here, anyhow. Did the professor do
*when he caine for his household goods?”
e wouldn’t know how to drill a hole, cap a fuse, and
off a stick of giant powder. No, Clan, it wasn’t

Professor Borrodaile. The deeper we get into this busi-
ness, the more complicated it becomes.”

The outcropping of ore was wonderfully rich. It was
of the sort known as wire gold, and the rock was cov-
ered with a fuzzy yellow web of pure metal. What ore
had been blown out by the blast had been gathered up
slick and clean.

“A bagful of that stuff,” said Merry, “
whole lot in dollars and cents.
grading.’ ”’

“And he dropped a little of his swag as he went off
with it,’ added Clancy, stepping off a few yards from
the ledge and pointing to a bit of ore that lay on the
ground. “There is some of the fellow’s loot,” Clancy
went on. “It lies gold side up, and shimmers in the sun
like a double eagle.”

He looked at the sample for a few moments, and then
slipped it into his pocket.

“Finding is keeping,’ he grinned. “This ought to pay
you back, Chip, for the five you gave McGurvin in ex-
change for stuff that was actually worth about ten cents.”

Frank ran past Clancy for a couple of rods straight
out into the valley.

“Tt was a thundering bad leak, Clan,” he called, stoop-
ing down and gathering in another ore sample. “That
makes two chunks of the stuff the thief lost. He was
probably in a rush to get away, and didn’t notice how the
ore was dribbling out.”

“Wait a minute, Chip,” said Clancy, “and let’s figure
this down as fine as we can. There are prints of a horse’s
hoofs along the course where this ore was dropped. Bal-
lard ought to be here to do the Sherlock Holmes racket
for us. I’m not very swift at this detective business,
but T’ll take my oath the thief loaded his bag of loot on
a horse.” :

“You don’t think, do you,” said Frank dryly, “that he’d
carry a bag weighing two or three hundred pounds over
his shoulder? Of course,:he had a pack animal. It
wasn't a horse, though, but a burro.”

“How did you guess it was a burro?”

“Small, hoofmarks,”

“Oh; scissors! Of course, of course! This claim of
the professor’s is*too valuable to be left unguarded. He
ought to begin working it, or else sell it to some one
who'll see that it’s taken care of. Let’s take our gold
ore and make tracks for the chuck sack. I fell hungry,
somehow.”

As they started across the valley, at a distance of per-
haps a hundred feet from the spot where Frank had
picked up the second bit of ore, they found another.
lifty feet from that they found a fourth piece; and then,
as they paused at the lane leading through the heart of
the ruined camp, their eyes, wandering toward the gap,
took in one glittering point after another—each point a
scrap of wire gold, glimmering in the sun.

“The thief left a trail,’ ” exclaimed Merry, “from the
ledge directly to the gap.”

“And how much farther, Chip?” asked Clancy ex-
citedly. “Say, maybe we can follow that trail and find
where the fellow went!” | .

It was a startling proposition, and yet one that might
be easily demonstrated.

“We'll try it,” said Frank, “but not till after we have
break fast. Come on, Clan, and we'll take another fall
out of our rations; then ho, for the golden trail!”

would mean a
Somebody has been ‘high

 
14 NEW

As Merry spoke, a queer idea popped suddenly into
his mind. He stopped short and stared at Clancy. The
latter evidently was fired with the same notion.

“Ballard’s dream!’ muttered Clancy, rubbing a hand
over his wet hair. ‘Hang it all, Chip, this is quite a jolt
to a fellow who isn’t at all superstitious. The golden
trail! Why, Pink saw it three times hand running, 1

akg

his sleep!

CHAPTER VIII.

W HERE THE GOLDEN TRAIL LED.

Merriwell was not superstitious, and had no patience
with any one who was. He was forced to admit, how-
ever, that a strange coincidence had developed in the
matter of Ballard’s dream and the discovery that had just
been made.

“Pink dreamed of nuggets as big as washtubs,” said
the marveling Clancy, “and they were arranged like
stepping-stones, and stretched from the professor’s claim
to Gold Hill.”

By that time,
laughed softly.

“Yes, Clan,” said he, “I remember. These pieces of
ore are not nuggets, however, and if the whole golden
trail was raked together, I don’t believe’ it would come
anywhere near filling even a small-sized washtub. And
Vl bet the trail doesn’t lead from here to Gold Hill.”

“In the dream,” went on Clancy, “Pink saw a gang of
toughs chasing the prof along the row of nuggets.”

“Which is about as consistent as dreams usually are.
If Professor Borrodaile wanted to get away from the
toughs, why did he keep on his yellow stepping-stones ?
\Why didn’t he duck aside and hide in the bushes? All
foolishness, Clan. Let’s go and eat.”

Making their way back to Professor Borrodaile’s old
lodgings, the boys ate a hurried breakfast. They were
thrilled with the novel idea of following the trail of ore,
and, perhaps, of overtaking the thief.

“The fellow, whoever he is,” said Clancy,
to tell ts something about the professor.”

“Ieverybody we run across out here is liable to be
mixed up with the prof’s disappearance,” answered
Merry. .

3efore starting, the two motor cycles were gone over
carefully. Only a small amount of attention was needed
to put them in trim for the morning’s work. At last, with
their canteens freshly filled and hung across their shoul-
ders, and the dwindling bag of rations secured to Clancy’s
machine, they got clear of the old ruins and made their
start along the golden trail.

The scattered ore led upward and through the gap,
then out on the farther side and into the foothills. Nor
did the trail, after getting away from the circular valley,
‘point toward Gold Hill. On the contrary, it bent in the
opposite direction.

“Elere’s where the facts knock another hole in Bal-
lard’s dream,” said Frank. “Gold Hill is northwest of
us, and the ore takes us southeast.”

“We haven’t any gasoline to waste, Chip,” remarked
Clancy, “and if we go very far in this direction we're
liable to get hung up in the desert with a couple of dead
engines.”

The reservoirs were full when we left the mine, Clan,

Merry had got himself in hand. He

“may. be able

and I guess, if we’re careful, we can make ‘the round,

trip. without having to walk part of the\way. If the

 

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

golden trail promises to lead us too far, we'll hidé the™
machines somewhere and go over some of it on foot.”

The man with the burro and the leaky ore bag Rad ~
naturally hunted for the easiest way through the hills.
His devious course bothered the boys a little in keeping ~
track of the pieces of dropped ore. The pieces lay on
the ground at irregular intervals. Sometimes there would
be two samples within three or four yards of each other,
and then perhaps the boys would have to go three or four
hundred feet before they found another. At such tgs
the hoofmarks of the burro served as a guide.

“That thief is a mighty careless sort of a man,’ - sate
Clancy. “It’s a wonder he didn’t notice what was going
on, and stop the leak.”’ Me

“Strikes me,” answered Sherty, “that he walked, and
led the burro. If that was the case, he wasn’t in a geet
tion to see that the loot was getting away from him”

For at least a mile the golden trail zigzagged thre "
the foothills. Finally it came out on a level stret
ground, partly covered with a chaparral of grease
ironwood, and paloverde.

oll had been noticing for several minutes that

ter “of ee ints. A good many of the prints weré
enough to suggest that horses had passed over the ¢
trail.

Merry and Clancy were discussing the additional
as they wheeled out upon the flat bit of desert.
could make nothing of them,.and the anxiety they Gai
was presently lost in another discovery: They
pane d the end of oe line of ore!

gold ore hoes they find. The thief, it ‘Gece mus
have discovered the hole in the bag, at that point, am
have repaired it.

Still searching, and hoping against hope, the boys pre
ently came close to the edge of the chaparral. Then, with
stunning abruptness, a voice shouted from among th
bushes:

“Now, then, pards, make a surround!”

It was a familiar voice. Merry was not so start
that he failed to realize that.

The chaparral shook and rustled with the movement
of horsemen. Ina moment four riders plunged into yi
and drew rein on each side and in front and rear
Merriwell and Clancy. The surprised lads recognized the t
fellows at once,

’They were some of the cowboy athletes from ‘nega ’
Z Ranch—Blunt, the Cowboy Wonder, and his partig

cronies, Ben Jordan, Bandy -Harrison, and Aaron L

“Whoop!” exulted Blunt, his spirited black horse
ing under his firm grip on the reins. “Look Who's
pard! It's Merriwell, by glory! Chip Merriwell) @
son of his dad! Merriwell,’ the ‘silk-stocking athlete
We're diamonds in the rough, pards, but he’s cut @
polished until he dazzles the eyes. W ell, well! :
do you think of this?”

Merry was conscious of one thing, and that w as. oh
the present meeting in the desert was due to charice
and not to any plotting on Blunt’s part.

“Whoop!” jubilated Blunt’s three companions, pub
somewhat to curb their restive mounts,

“Hold still, Borak, you crazy fool!” cried the |
der, slapping his horse about the ears with his hat.
scared of those chug-chug bikes, same as the rest é

bronks. Whoa, I tell you!”

~

 

 
 

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

Blunt was a master horseman, and soon had his plung-
ing steed steadied down. Clancy looked up into the face
of the Cowboy Wonder and scowled.

“You're the limit,’ he grunted.. “I guess Chip will be-

«lieve you’ve got a yellow streak, after this.”
A smile, mirthless and ugly, crossed Blunt’s bronzed
-face. Leaning forward along his horse’s neck, he fixed
his sloe-black eyes on Clancy’s.

“Yellow streak, eh?” he echoed. “What is there, in
this, to make Merriwell think I’ve got a thing like that?”

“Of course,” flashed Clancy, “you touched up the pro-
fessor’s claim for the trail of ore we've been following
from Happenchance,”

“That's a lie,” snapped Blunt. ‘We're cow-punchers,
and homemade athletes, but we’re not sneak thieves.
We were on our way to a ranch beyond the Picket Posts
after a bunch of Bar Z strays. We watered, late yester-

_day afternoon, at the spring by old Happenchance, and we
Teached the range we were bound for at ten o’clock last
night. Couldn’t find the cattle we were looking for, and
we started back an hour before dawn this morning. We

Struck that trail of ore half a mile from here, and turned’

baek to run it out. Right in this place she petered out.
While we were thinking about continuing on. to Mc-
_Giirvin’s, we heard you two popping this way, and took
to the brush in order to give you a little surprise. That’s
the truth of it, and you can believe it or not.’
ie believe it, Blunt,” Merry answered, with a restrain-
. “ing Blance in his chum’s direction. “Now that we have
met you, possibly you can give us a little information.
We're looking for the professor. He suddenly dropped
out of sight, and we’re anxious to locate him and get him
back to Ophir.”

“Wow!” exclaimed Ben
anything about this perfesser?
he’ a.

“Cork!” shouted J
about the professor.

“Do we all know
{ reckon. Why,

Jordan.

Well,

sunt sharply. “You chaps keep still
I'll do the talking on that point.”
He turned in his saddle to face Merriwell, “We can tell
you a whole lot about this professor of yours,” he went
on, “but I’ve an ax to etd Merriwell, and the informa-
tion is going to cost you something.”

“T thought that was your stripe,” sneered Clancy.

“Oh, you did? Say, if I wasn’t so teetotally wrapped
up in Merriwell, I’d give a little attention to you, my
buck.”

“What is the information going to cost?” asked Irank.

“It’s going to cost you a fight—with me. Sabe? If
you can put me down for the count, Merriwell, we'll not
only tell you what we know about Borrodaile, but we'll
turn in, every man jack of us, and help you get hands
on him.”

That was Barzy Blunt’to a hair. He never allowed a
chance for a contest with young I‘rank Merriwell to get
past him,

“Give him his wish, Chip—or let me,” growled Clancy.

“He ought to have a little sense pounded into that head of
his, and: here’ $ an opening.”

“Tf youre hankerin’ fer a go,
_ Jordan, , mebby I could obli ige.”
-#No,” put in F rank. “This little matter is between
Blunt and me. We've got the center of the stage, and

were, going to keep it. The rest of you can look on,’

“Ae turned to the Cowboy Wonder. “Sparring is all right,
Blunt,” he continued, “but, if it is all the same to you, why
not settle the matter catch as ‘catch can? -T have already

Redhead,” called Ben

Ty

taken one fall out of you, but you have always claimed
you could have turned the tables on me if the bout hadn’t
been interrupted.”

“I’m agreeable!’ answered Blunt cheerily. “Best two
out of three,” he added, slipping out of his saddle and
handing his reins to Bandy Harrison. ‘Hitch, pards,
and gather ‘round. A diamond in the rough is going up
against this polished article from the East. Watch me
juggle with him.” He threw up his head and roared in
a kind of chant: “I’m Barzy Blunt, of the Bar Z Ranch,
known to fame as the Cowboy Wonder! Whoop!’

“Whoop!” howled Blunt’s three companions, leading
the horses back toward the chaparral.

Frank had already begun to strip to the gymnasium
clothes which he wore beneath his ordinary apparel as
under garments. His sleeveless shirt he took off as well,
thus matching the Wonder who was also stripping to the .
buff.

Merry knew that the cowboys would play fair, as they
understood the word. They showed their sportsmanlike
spirit by agreeing that Clancy should act as referee.

“If you’re ready,” said Claney, “get busy!”

Warily the two wrestlers faced each other. Again, as
in the relay Marathon, Merry was contesting with Blunt
for the benefit of Borrodaile. And Merry, although the
Wonder was a quick and powerful antagonist, was de-
termined to win, and to do it handily.

CHAPTER IX.

Ae SH AR Pah ASA

Barzy Blunt was a splendid specimen of physical de-
velopment. His shoulders were broad, his chest deep,
and there was not an ounce of superfluous flesh, on his
whole body. Under his clear, white skin the muscles
tensed and flowed, as he crouched, and approached, and
retreated warily, looking for, an opening. His “move-
ments were swift and graceful, carried out with a pre-
cision and certainty that not only claimed, but received,
Merriwell’s silent admiration.

3ut if Blunt was a fine specimen of a “homemade”
athlete, Merriwell’s more scientific training revealed him
a shade better on every one of Blunt’s points, admirable
though they were. If Blunt’s appearance suggested ex-
cellence, young Frank’s spelled perfection. Even’ the
cowboys, Blunt’s partisans, could not refrain from ex-
clamations that honored the “‘polished gem from: the
East.” ‘Nevertheless, the Bar Z fellows kept all their
encouragement for their own champion.

“He’s got nothin’ on ye in weight, Barzy!” called Aaron
Lloyd. “Flop him! Jump in an’ turn him over!”

“For the honor of the ole Bar Z, Barzy!’’ whooped
Ben Jordan.

“It’s yore bout, pard!” cried Bandy Harrison.

Suddenly the two wrestlers rushed at each other. By
a quick movement, Blunt secured a hold ‘which Merry. did
not fancy, and he slipped out of his grasp. On. the
marble whiteness of Merriwell’s bare back four livid
streaks showed, and a flick of red oozed from oné of
them.

“First blood fer Barzy!”’
the mark of yer claws on him, pard!
away from ye. .

Again the two came together, and Blunt once more
succeeded: in getting under Merriwell and snapped him
over for a’quick “flop.” Merry, however, broke the hold

howled Harrison. “Ye left
Don’t let him git

 
  
  

as he went down, twisted to hands and knees, and bobbed
up two feet away and again facing his antagonist.

The cowboys were wildly exultant. They believed that
Barzy Blunt was showing his superiority in these initial
moves.

But they were mistaken. Merry was merely trying
out his adversary and calmly studying his weak and his
strong points at the game.

Blunt, through lack of proper training, was making the
grave mistake of using all his strength on what might be
termed nonessentials. In wrestling, no more strength
should be used than the moment calls for, a reserve being
held for the supreme moment.

When the wrestlers came together for the third time,

the time-honored hold of ‘‘one over and one under’ was
secured, and Merry was satisfied. From this, after a
minute of squirming and twisting, Merry slipped to an
arm-and-neck hold, his left hand’about the back of Blunt’s
neck, right hand locked in his left elbow. Blunt began
to kick.

“Stop that!’ Clancy ordered sternly.

“Never mind, Clan,” said Merry, “I’ve got him now.”

With a swiftness and ease beautiful to see, Merriwell
thrust his left foot between Blunt’s kicking extremities,
pushed the left arm farther, and completely around his
neck, clung like a leech to his left elbow, twisted on his
toes, bent his knees, and heaved upward. Blunt was lifted
clear of the ground on Merry’s back. It was the old re-
liable hip lock. The next instant, Blunt had fallen.
Merry was on top and Blunt’s shoulders squarely on the
ground.

“First fall for Chip Merriwell,” sang out Clancy.

“He’s a ‘chip of the old block’ in more ways than one.”
a Blunt got up, smiling. It was his old, mirthless smile,
be and, like a barometer, announced his rising temper.
A The second round was a little more exciting. Possibly
- ~ Merriwell, wishing to encourage Blunt, gave him the
initial advantage. A minute, or a minute and a half of
fierce, silent struggling followed, blunt blowing like a
grampus and Merriwell taking it easily.

With an arm clasped around Merriwell’s neck, Blunt
labored tremendously. to turn him over. Merry, how-
ever, was like a rock, and all the cowboy’s efforts failed.
& He expended a vast amount of strength, which was ex-
_ actly what Merry wanted.

: ._ Then, with startling suddenness, Merriwell from a
rocklike, passive defense became the aggressor, He

seemed to yield to Blunt’s pushing and hauling, but that
supposed yielding was a sorry disappointment to the cow-
boy. Somehow, Merry regained his feet; then, in a
flash, Merry’s right arm had Blunt’s head in chancery,
with Blunt at his back. With a marshaling of his re-

| _ serve strength, Merry turned the Wonder a somersault

| _and laid him stunned and flat on his back.

eth “Well, I'll be blamed!” exclaimed fordan, rubbing a

dazed hand across his forehead. “That’s the best I ever

seen, an’ no mistake.”

ao “How the jumpin’ sand hills did he do it?” murmured

' the bewildered Harrison.

Bi “He’s sure some on the wrestle!” exclaimed Aaron

he Lloyd.

“Second fall,” announced Clancy crisply.

straight for Chip Merriwell, and he wins,”

Frank, breathing a little hard, hurried to kneel at
Blunt’s side.

“Didn’t hurt you, did 1?” he asked anxiously,

“Two

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY:

_to it, too.

back to Mac’s, an’ Mac’ll hold him.

hired this Turkeyfoot to came to Happenchance y

    
  
 
   
   
 
  
   
    
    
  
   
     
    
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
   
    
 

Blunt sat up and stared at him, smiling wrathfully, and
his jet-black eyes two points of ‘flame.

“No, you didn’t hurt me,” he’ answered. “I’m ‘all.
rawhide and whalebone, and it isn’t in you to hurt me
Confound you, I’ll get you at something or other yet. a)
Want to spar with bare knuckles 2”

“Not to-day,” Frank answered. “A aa is a bat- | .

gain, Blunt. I won this set-to in a couple of straight
falls. Now, tell me what you know about Frere
Borrodaile.”’

Jordan brought Blunt’s shirt, and began pulling it over ~
his head. Harrison rushed to the horses and returned ti
with a canteen. Blunt took a long pull at. the canter
and got up.

“Tf you’re afraid to spar——
ter Tupted him.

“You’ve lost out, Blunt, and Merriwell has bought and
paid for the information about Professor Borrodaile
Give it to him.”

“That’s right, old pard,” put in Lloyd.
or let some o’ the rest of us.” a

“Tl do the talking,” Blunt answered. “Yesterday
afternoon,” said he, “we stopped for a while at Me
Gurvin’s. While we were: watering the bronks, I
up and saw a man’s face at an upstairs window.
the face of this professor of yours.”-

‘Great Scott!” gulped Clancy, staring.

“At McGurvin’s?” demanded Merry, no less excit

“Yes, at McGurvin’s. I asked Mac what the prof
was doing in his house, and he answered that wha
didn’t know wouldn’t bother me. It was none of my4j
in, and so I let it go at that. There’s something %
Tell what you found out in Gold Hill, A
two days ago.”

Merry and Clancy turned their eyes on Lloyd.

“I was there fer the ranch mail,” began Lloyd,
Nick Porter was crookin’ his elbow a-plenty. And tal
ing a heap, too. In front of the Red Light he had a”
feller .in flashy clothes with a sandy mustache, and the”
two was goin’ it some in the gab line, I was leanin’ |
against the front of the Red Light, at the time, a-readin’
a letter, an’ I couldn’t help hear a little of w hat them two
said. ‘Sam/’Il put down a hole an’ blow out a bag 0’ sam-
ples,’ says Porter, ‘an’ bring ‘em round about to Mae’s. 7
Turkeyfoot’ll take the perfesser on from Mac’s to the 77
old camp the mornin’ after Sam gits through, Arter 77
loadin’ up with the perfesser’s plunder, he'll. bring him }

‘Then you, Heppner, :¢-°? Tat,
can go out to Mae’s Tuesday arternoon an’ make yer
play.’ That's all,’ finished Lloyd.

“Aaron didn’t remember all that until after I'd seen
the professor at the window,” interpolated Blunt. “Then, —
as we were riding on, he let it out.” us

“Blazes !’”’ exclaimed Clancy.
to rob Borrodaile of that claim of his!

“Looks thataway,” said Lloyd passively.

“Who is this Sam that was to get the bag of samples
and take it to McGurvin’ s by a roundabout. way?” queried,
Merriwell.

“No sabe.¥

“He’s the fellow that had the leaky bag. nae dropg
this trail of ore! Who’s une foot ?’ 2

“Feller that lives. out o’ Gold Hill a “waysy:
freightin’.”

“The way I size it up,”

’ he began, but Clancy in- : .

“Come across.

  
 
     
     
  

   
  

  
    
         
     
     
     
    
  

         
     
       
   
    

“There’s a scheme on

1»?

    
         
     
     
      
 

  
    
        
 
  

  

said Frank, “the p ro

    
 

   
NEW. TIP ‘TOP. WEEKLY: 17

Bet the goods he had left there. They, halted at Mc-
murvin’s place long enough to give Sam time to do his
Deine and make off with the samples. ‘Then the pro-
fessor and Turkeyfoot went to the claim, got the pro-
‘fessor’s goods, and went back to McGurvin’s; and there,
fellows, the professor is being held until this man in
ashy clothes comes out and does something to. beat Bor-
daile out of the claim.”
‘That’s you,” said Blunt. ‘“To-day’s Tuesday; and it’s
§ afternoon that the business is to be pulled off. The
ng to do is to hike for. McGurvin’s and nip the affair
the bud. Mac is on the side of the opposition, and so

That makes four, Mérriw ell, and there are only you eid
ery to see the game through. We'll help. . That was
att of the bargain, and we Bar Z fellows stand up to

agreements.”
We were at McGurvin’s, last night,” remarked Frank,
“There wasn’t any one there but the rancher

There might have
McGurvin’s

"said Blunt, “you’re easy.

ing into himself. Everybody knows that.”
erry’s dark eyes began to flash.
his is an outrage!” he exclaimed. ‘MecGurvin, and
the rest who are working with him, ought to be ar-
ed!”
Blunt laughed.
=’ What do you want to arrest him for?” he asked.
'Beat him at his own game and let it go at that. Climb
= aboard your chug bikes, and we'll mount and hurry along
with you. We can get to the ranch in time to make
MecGurvin and his bunch look two ways for comfort.”
Se Merriwell realized the need of hurry. The sin was
imbing toward the zenith, and afternoon, and the work-
me out of the plot against Borrodaile, would soon be at
ind. Without further delay he got into his clothes;
en he and Clancy started their machines and headed for
McGurvin’s. The cowboys galloped along just behind
em,

15

CHAPTER X,
FOILING THE PLOTTERS.

speed in
This was

| Merriwell and Clancy had to diminish their
bidder to let the cowboys keep thei in sight.

_ “annoying, and Merry formed another plan and slowed

to a halt in order to broach it to Blunt.
+ “Clancy and I,” said he, as Blunt and his friends gal-
oped up, “can cover the ground between here and Mc-
Gutvih’s four times as quick as’ you fellows. I think
/we had better push on.”
“What's the use?’ Blunt demanded.
“there before afternoon.”
“Suppose the man with the flashy clothes and the red
mustache should: take it into his head to come to Mc-
rvin’s before afternoon?”
“Then maybe it’s too late. Possibly he’s there now.”
ell go on and see,” said Merry. “You fellows can
€ along and get there in time to help Claticy and me, if
wind they’re too many for us.’
« Correct, Merriwell. We'll come a-smoking.”
ank-and. Owen ducked through the rough country
a couple of meteors. The daylight was all they
eded to help them in their flight over a course so care-

“We'll all get

fully covered the night before. Again, as once before,
the professor’s claim was at stake, and the motor cycles
were pushed to the utmost in an attempt to reach Mc-
Gurvin’s and head off the scoundrelly work of the plot-
ters.

It seemed almost no time at all until the verdant spot,
irrigated by McGurvin’s well, came into view in the dis-
tance across the bare sands.

“We'll make a detour, Clan,’ said Merry, “and come
up on the ranch from the rear. There are only two of
us, you know, and we will have to proceed with care if
we don’t want to spoil everything.”

“Sure,” Clancy promptly assented. “We’d better leave
our machines in the brush somewhere, and move up on
the adobe on foot. If we don’t, McGurvin will hear us.”

This plan was carried out. The motor cycles were
left at a safe distance, and the lads crept cautiously for-
ward under the screen of McGurvin’s corral. Corn was
growing in the irrigated truck patch, and Merry and
Clancy got into it and moved upon the house.

Presently they began to hear voices; then, catching a
glimpse of McGurvin’s hitching pole, they saw a saddle
horse secured there.

“Looks like our man was here already,”
pered in his chum’s ear.

‘Where. is the talking coming from?” returned Clancy.
“It seerns pretty close.”

“We'll find out.” ;

On hands and knees the boys crept on, screened by the
broad leaves of the corn. Presently Merry reached the
edge of the cornfield, and paused. The shady side of
the house was not over twenty feet from him, and there, :
comfortably seated, was a florid, flashily dressed, red-
mustached person. Opposite him, in another chair, was
not less a personage than Professor Phineas Borrodaile.
He was looking over his glasses in consternation at the
man with the red mustache. Grouped in the background
were McGurvin and two flannel-shirted, rough-looking
Arizonians.

It had been’ a happy inspiration of Merry’s to hasten
on ahead of the cowboys. It was not afternoon, yet al-
ready the stage was set and the play for the professor’s
claim was being made. Clancy gripped his chum tensely
by the arm. They did not speak, even in whispers, but
crouched at the edge of the corn and watched and
listened.

“Yes, indeed,” the professor was saying, in his cracked
voice, “you aver rightly, Mr. Heppner, that this is a -
remarkable country, most remarkable. Over in the Picket
Post Mountains, if you please, I have seen misty island-
like protuberances, resembling greatly the post-pliocene
crannoges of the Roscommon loughs. Now——”

“Call off the dog, professor,” interrupted Heppner.

“T’m a government agent, and I’m here on_ business.
See? You didn’t know you'd jumped a mining claim
belonging to McGurvin, but¢such is the fact. This will
have to be straightened out, or the responsibility will rest
heavily upon you. Now, speaking personal, Ud hate a
heap to see you sent to jail, seeing. as how you're in this
country for your health. Jails ain’t a health resort, by
ae gad of means. What do you propose to do about
this!

“Dear me!”” murmured Borrodaile, taking, off his hat
atid rubbing the top of his bald head. “I am not dis-
honest, gentlemen, I assure you that I want only to do
what’s right. The claim I located was discovered by my

Merry whis-

 
  

nephew, and I am his next of kin. I supposed, you un-
derstand, that it was rightfully mine.”

“Sure,” answered the bogus government agent heartily,
“IT can see right where yoy made your mistake. How
could you know that, in the years that followed your
nephew’s discovery, the claim was located again by Mc-
Gurvin, there? When did you locate it, Mac?” he asked,
turning on the rancher.

“Night onto two year ago,”
emnly,.

“There you are!” exclaimed Heppner triumphantly.
“McGurvin has done the assessment work, so it belonged
to him. And you jumped it. State’s prison offense, pro-
fessor.”

The professor shuddered.

“T didn’t intend to do any wrong,” he answered.

“Ignorance of the law,’ expounded Heppner, “ex-
cuses no one, Still, speaking personal, I’m here to let
you off light. You’ve had a lot of trouble in this matter;
and McGurvin is willing to give you a hundred dollars
for that. You will have to sign a quitclaim deed, though,
so as to clear up the title. I call that,” beamed Heppner,

“mighty generous.

“A heap more’n I ort ter do,”
burst of frankness.
“More’n I'd do, Mac,

asserted McGurvin sol-

said McGurvin, in a

” said one, of the two others.

“Ye know, Sam,” whimpered the rancher, “J allers
was troubled with enlargement of the heart. 1 reckon,
some day, it’ll be the ruination o’ me. Ain't that so, Tur-
key foot?”

“Not as nobody can notice,”
“All IT wants is to see the perfesser git his rights. I was
totin’ his stuff ter town, an’ I’m in his pay. I stick
fer the hunderd, an’ you can whine all ye darn please.”

“Mr. Turkeyfoot,” said the professor, casting a grate-
ful look at that noble gentleman, ‘I shall never forget
your loyalty and kindness to me. If you insist, I will
accept the hundred dollars, and sign this quit claim. All
I want is to do what is right. . Otiwm oum dignitate, that
is my motto, and what I am seeking. Such matters as
this, in which I have unwittingly erred, distress me
greatly.”

Heppner had pulled a paper and a fountain pen from
his pocket,

“There ain’t no odium attached to this move, profes-
sor,’ he said reassuringly. “You have done wrong, but
you are doing your best to make amends,” He got up
and handed the pen to the professor, and then- opened
out the paper. “Sign there,’ said he. “Mac,” he added,
“have your hundred dollars ready.”
~McGurvin went down into his trousers, fished up a roll
of bills, and held it in his hand, eying it hungrily. The
professor, hunting for a place on which to write, stood up
and laid the paper against the wall of the house.

Merry was astounded to think that Borrodaile should
prove so lacking in ordinary understanding as to take
the words of that gang of tricksters in’ such a matter.
But he was a child, so far as business affairs were con-
cerned. It was easy to make him believe anything, so
long as his particular field of knowledge was not intruded
upon,

Something had to be done, and Merry was not long in
doing it. A bold move was necessary, If Heppner ever
got that signed quitclaim deed in his hands, the transac-
tion would be badly ropipnonted:

replied the other bystander,

'

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

   
  
  
 
    
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
    
   
  
 
  
   
     
      
   
  
   
  
     
     
  

Starting up, Merriwell jumped clear of the cornfield,
dashed across the space separating him from the group of
men in the shade of the house, and, before the astounded
plotters could interfere, he had reached over the profes- ~
sor’s shoulder, snatched the paper out of his hands, and —
torn it to bits. |

“Blast ye!” roared McGurvin, jumping forward sav- |
agely. “What right you got buttin’ in 2” ‘

Sam, Turkeyfoot, and Heppner likewise contionlln SH
Merry with flaming eyes and twitching, angry faces. THe ©
professor fell back, astounded. a

‘““Merriwell!” he gasped, lifting a hand to his fore- —
head. :

Clancy, losing not a moment, jumped to place himself
at his chum’s side.

“You're a pack of curs!” eried Merriwell, “and you're :
trying to swindle the professor out of a bonanza mining. ‘
claim. You -

With a snarl of rage, all four of the plotters began
closing in on Merry and Clancy,

 

 

CHAPTER, si.’

THE COWBOYS SAVE THE. DAY.

For a few moments matters took on a serious aspect foi
the two boys. The quitclaim deed, however, had bee
destroyed, and there was no fear ‘that Professor Borr
daile would again fall into Heppner’s trap. Frank had
counted upon this, and had even figured that he would»
have to take a few hard knocks in bringing it about. 7 97

Heppner, fairly boiling, was'rushing at Merry like an
unleashed tornado. MeGurvin, too, was plunging toward”
him from the right. Sam and Turkey foot were malking
Claney the object of their attack.

Merry felt that Heppner was entitled to a little some=
thing as a memorial of the plot that failed. So, dodg- a
ing the bull-like rush of MeGurvin, he jumped at Hepp> i
ner, and his doubled fist shot out like a battering-ram.

“Oof!’’ Heppner grunted, flinging up his arms,

Frank’s knuckles had landed on the point of his heavy,
brutelike jaw, in just the place best calculated to make ~
a man sid Stars, and, incidentally, to teach him a lesson,

 
  
  
   
 
   

The “government agent” reeled back and. staggered 7)
groggily. McGurvin, swearing furiously, flung. his arms]

  

around Frank from behind.
“T’ll wring yer neck fer ye, you young terror!” threat:
ened the rancher. .
And it. was at that moment, when Merry and Claney 4
were hard beset, that a Bar Z yell floated down the ©
breeze. It came with ‘an accompaniment of wildly gal- ae
loping hoofs. High above the tumult and the shouting a
arose the voice of Barzy Blunt: eee
“Hang to it, Merriwell! We're on the way!” «—.
The coming ‘of reénforcements had a dampening’ effect —
upon the ardor of McGurvin, Sam, and Turkeyfoot. The 7
rancher released Frank and started at a hurried pace for
the other side of his house. Sam and Turkeyfoot also
attempted to decamp, but they were not quick enough, Be
The cowboys, throwing themselves from their horses,”
rushed pell-mell to take a hand in the conflict. Such
ruction appealed to them, and they proceeded to wade int
Sam and Turkey foot. Frank and Blunt went on a hur
ried search for MeGurvin. .
The rancher was finally located, barricaded behind
locked door, and he was breathing fierce threats of favage
and slaughter. 4

  

+
we
:

4A : e

 
   
 
  
  
   
   
    
   
 
  
  
  

  
    
    
  
  
  
 

     
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY; 19

| Keep away from me, or I'll fill ye fuller 0’ holes than
| pepperbox!” was one of the rancher’s many remarks.
Bunt, laughing loudly, threw himself against the door.
Witt Frank’s help, it was kicked open. And McGurvin
id not shoot. It transpired that he had nothing to shoot
with.’ He tried to fight, but Merry and Blunt got him
' in hand and dragged him out of doors.
> “Tell us about this, you blamed coyote,” said Blunt,
and be quick. You've got about as much grit as a chip-
uak, and if you don’t talk we'll show you a trick or two
iat will make you wish you had.”
*What you a-tryin’ to do, Barzy?
an injured tone.
wad agin’ me?”
Pah!” exclaimed the Cowboy Wonder,
™m ‘no friend of yours, you old tinhorn.
iy eee to do? Out with it!”
| it wasn’t me, Barzy,” whimpered McGurvin,
epp er—Heppner, from Tombstone.
m an’ Nick Porter.”
hit what up?” .
“Why, this scheme to beat the perfesser out o’ that
wmo’ his. I was drawed inter it innercent like.”’
Yes, you were mighty innocent!” put in Frank scath-
= “You pretended that you had located the profes-
laim a long while ago, ‘and that the professor had
dit. Heppner professed to be a government agent,
here to straighten the matter out, and you were to
Borrodaile a hundred dollars for a quitclaim deed

” asked McGurvin,
“Takin’ the part o this Eastern

in disgust.
What were

“it. was
He put it all-up

“Great snakes!
The professor stood

” gasped Blunt.
‘that claim’s w mh thousands.
hat yarn?”
hey had him scared stiff,” said Merriwell. “He was
ig the deed when I jumped out of the cornfield and
ed it away from him.”
‘was Heppner’s doin’s,” insisted McGurvin. “He
er gi’ me a hundred for helpin’ him,”
You were to sign the quitclaim over to him, eh?”
Blunt.
at’s the how o’ it, Barzy. He’s a villain,
mer person, but I was took in by his wiles.”
ow much was Sam to get?” asked Merry.
Te was gittin’ another hunderd fer the bag o’ samples,
fer helpin’ in other ways.’
5 “And Turkeyfoot ?”
» Another hunderd was comin _ter him, sarne’s to the
Y us.”
How about Nick Porter?”
Dunno how much he was ter git. He told Heppner
t the perfesser an’ the claim in the fust place, so I
on he come higher. The perfesser is kinder weak
he headpiece. He'd b’leeve anythin’. Nick Porter
le me so when he was here last night.”
“Oh!” said Merry. “So Porter w as here, was he, when
Clancy and J came looking for him?’
ra ‘Well, yes. I didn’t say nothin’ ter you about it, Mer-
well, bec’us’ I didn’t dare, Porter would ’a’ killed me,
i bad. ”
“You're a’ skunk!” gritted Barzy Blunt.
Where’s Porter now? derhanded Frank.
“Pe hiked out early this mornin’. _ Say, Barzy,
wasn't no friend o’ Merriwell’s.
™ I'm not,” was the answer.
i, and this is part of it,”

that

[ heerd

“T made a bargain with

“Where are the professor’s goods and Turkeyfoot’s
wagon?” Merry questioned.

“Out in the scrub,” was the rancher’s reply. “So’s
Sam’s burro, which he took when he went arter the ore
tother day. Sam was gittin’ the ore ter show Heppner.
He lost part o’ it on the way here, but enough was left
ter make Heppner open his eyes a whole lot. He allowed
it was the richest claim he ever seen.”

“Yes,” remarked Blunt, “‘we know all about Sam’s los-
ing the ore. .But for that golden trail, Merriwell, you
and I would never have got together out there in the
desert, and this scheme against the professor might have
worked to a fare you well. I’d never have butted in, if
you hadn’t bested me with two straight falls.”

“Have you been keeping the professor here against his
will?’ demanded Frank of McGurvin.

‘Nary, I wasn’t. Turkeyfoot had him skeered. He
tells the perfessor there’s a gov’ment agent arter him,
named Heppner, an’ that the claim he thought he located
he really jumped. That was Turkeyfoot’s part o’ it—
purtendin’ ter be the perfesser’s friend an’ goadin’ him
on ter fall in with Heppner's plan. Oh, Turkeyfoot’s a
missable skunk, all right.”

“The professor stayed here because Turkeyfoot told
him to?” asked Frank, far gone with wonder on Borro-
daile’s account.

“That’s the how of it, an’ I’m givin’ it to ye straight.”

Clancy had come up during part of the talk with "Mc:
Gurvin, and presently Ben Jordan arrived with Turkey-
foot, and Harrison and Lloyd with Sam. The professor,
dazed and bewildered, came pottering along presently,
and stood off at 4 distance while he tried to adjust his wits
to the sudden whirl of events.

‘“Where’s Heppner, Clan?”

“Concluded he hadn’t better stay, Chip,” Clancy ex-
plained. “‘Just as the cowboys got here, Heppner jumped
to the back of his horse and began hitting the high places.
He took your mark along with him, though,’ the red-
headed chap finished, with a laugh.

Merry walked over to Borrodaile and laid a soothing
hand on his shoulder,

“Wake up, professor,” said he. “It’s
you've still got your claim.”

‘My boy,’ answered the professor, still a little “flighty,”
“T don’t want that claim if it’s not legally ntine.”

“It is legally yours, Heppner was only pretending to
be a government agent, and McGurvin never saw the
claim,”

“Well, well!” murmured the professor, mildly. sure
prised. “Then they were dishonest?”

“I should say so!”

“But Mr. Turkeyfoot is my friend. He thought I‘had
done wrong, and he fought loyally to get me off and to
make McGurvin give me a hundred dollars,”

Clancy turned away to hide a laugh,

“Turkeyfoot deceived you, just as thé others. did,”
Frank explained patiently. “You hired him to go to
Happenchance after the stuff you had left there?’

“Yes. We came thus far on our way, and Mr, Turkey-
foot explained how I had laid myself liable to fine. and
imprisonment for stealing’ a claim. He said I must re-
main here at McGurvin’s for a time, and—er—keep
shady. That is the term he used, I believe. Well, I kept
shady until he came to go to the old town. Then, when
we returned from there, I had to keep shady again. A
little while ago Mr. Heppner arrived, saying he repre-

Merry asked.

all over, and

 
20

sented the government, and—and Well,” and the
professor drew a long sigh, ‘I’m glad to know I haven’t
stolen anything from anybody.”

“Why did you leave Ophir for Gold Hill?”

“Mr, Porter told me about Mr. Turkeyfoot, and said
he was the one to go out and bring in my personal ef-
fects. You had had enough trouble on my account,
Merriwell, and I did not want to bother you further.
Yet it seems,” he finished regretfully, “that I have done
the very thing I tried not to do.”

“I’m going to take you back to Ophir,” declared Merry,
“and da what I can to look out for you.”

“J am quite capable of looking out for myself, Mer-
riwell; nevertheless, I shall be glad to have you near me
to offer advice. Your father had a very good business
head, and I presume you are likewise gifted.” His face
brightened perceptibly as he went on: ‘‘While returning

from Happénchance with my personal effects, I clipped |

a really excellent specimen of amorphous diapase from a
reef among the hills. The cellular crystallization of the
diapase is intensely interesting. It will give me pleasure
to show it to you, Merriwell, and F

“Never mind that just now, professor,’ Frank an-
sweted. “Turkeyfoot is getting ready to take you on to
Ophir.’ Clancy and I have a couple of motor cycles, but
we're going to load them in Turkeyfoot’s wagon and ride
with you.”

“Just why do you inconvenience yourself in that man-
ner?”

“To make sure that nobody takes the mining claim
away from you between here and the Ophir House,” said
Frank.

The professor looked puzzled, but' was wiseé enough not
to ask Merriwell to explain.

7

THE END.

“Frank Merriwell, Junior’s, Competitor ; or, The Honor
of the Game,” is the title of the story that will be found
in the next issue of this weekly. In this’ story, Barzy
Blunt is defeated by young Merriwell in another feat of
strength and skill, and he begins to see a light. Frank
gets a letter from his father which is full of interesting
surprises. You will find this narrative of the doings of
Chip Merriwell and his chums to be full of incident and
sustained excitement. It is No. 12, and will be out Oc-

tober 19th.
$$$ 0.02

QUEER ENDOWMENTS.

A well-known bachelor who died at Frankfort, Ger
many, left an endowment for an annual prize of $125
to the man who leads the ugliest woman to the altar.
If the bride is lame as well as unprepossessing, the groom
will receive an additional sum of $25.

This reminds us that the town of Haschmann, in Ger-
many, has a system of rewarding lovers who marry girls
who have little or no personal attractions. A well-known
financier left a sum of money to the town authorities to
provide dowries for the plainest woman under thirty
married in Haschmann every year, a cripple, and four
women under forty who had been jilted several times.

Givette, a town in France, was left some money a long
time ago, and to-day it encourages matrimony by award-
ing money prizes to mothers who send the largest num-
ber of children to the schools.

A sifigular ceremony was observed at Guildford, Eng-

NEW TIP TOP. WEEKLY,

land, when several maidservants competed for the
“Maid’s Money,” which was left by John How in. 1674.
According to custom the entrants had to throw dice, and
Miss Edith Palmer, scoring the highest number, was de-
clared the winner.

erm -0 D0 nee

THE YELLOW DOG. —

By GEORGE BARTON

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS, e

Carl Spencer, a capitalist, is found dead in his New York office: ~
Evidently the blow that killed him, whether a physical or mental ©
one, was delivered while he was at the telephone. Ralph Sparks,
a young lawyer, who had come to New York to participate m@
deal with Spencer, interests himself in solving the myster
Sparks has become smitten with Grace Garland, adopted daughtér”
of the dead millionaire. Jasper’ Morris was waiting at the resi”
detice of Spencer when the body was found. aie

Sparks gets appointed special district attorney so that hé cam
have a free hand in investigating the case. Boggs, janitor of th
building, tells Sparks that Philip Garland, brother of Gracé, had:
called at the office and qutarreled with Spencer, shortly before
Spencer’s body was found. Philip’s cane is also found im thee ~
office. Confronted with this evidence, Philip admits being with ~
Spencer and 'the quarrel, but denies all guilt. %

At the coroner’s inquest, Sparks presents the case in steh a 9
way as to exonerate Philip Garland. The testimony seems tO |
show that Spencer was frightened to death, A charwoman, in”
an adjacent building, heard a man threatening Spencer over.
phone, After this man left the booth from which he wags tél
phoning, a yellow dog was seen sniffing about it. Philip suddé
disappears. - ee

When Carl Spencer’s will is read it is found that he hag left
the bulk of his fortune in equal parts to Alban’ Spencer, his. :
son, and his adopted daughter, Grace Garland, provided they 99
become man and wife. The one who refuses to cafry out this’
provision forfeits his or her share to the other. It is announce
that Alban Spencer is dead. apes

Ralph Sparks starts for the Klondike, where

: Alban ‘wen
several years earlier, after a quarrel with his father. He wishe

to learn positively if Alban is dead or alive, Soon after Ralph
leaves, the card of “Alban Spencer” is brought to Grace Garlan

CHAPTER, XIV.
THE BLACK SHEEP.

semistupor, holding in her hand the little card which, in
the twinkling of an eye, brought shipwreck to h
happiness. i

She recovered sensibility slowly, and then came
feeling of dreadful desolation with a dull pain at th
heart. Her first coherent thought was to escape this
man who had risen from the grave to haunt her. But 7
she banished the temptation to run away, and rang the
bell for Amy. The girl responded quickly. tos
“Amy, tell Mrs, Cramer J would like to see her at)
once.” ve
The faithful housekeeper hurried into the room, her
kindly face the picture of tranquillity. But the moment
she glanced at Grace her expression changed.

“My dear child, you are ill!” she exclaimed.

“Oh, no,” was the gitl’s response, “I’m all right; o
a little bit unstrung.”. |

“Why,” answered Mrs. Cramer, looking at her wit
keen and loving eyes.

Grace wearily handed the card to Mrs. Cramer.

The housekeeper gave a cry of amazement.

“Where is he?”

“In the drawing room,”

 
NEW TIP

“Have you seen him?”

z ““No, 3?

Why not?’

"Oh, my dear aunty,” cried the agitated girl, giving

the housekeeper her pet title, “I’m afraid.”

*it is your place to meet him.”

But,” said Grace, “you must remember that I've never

seen him. I would not know hin®from Adam.”

Mrs. Cramer sighed.

“Ym afraid | know no more than you do, J met him
€ as a boy, and the boy and the man often seem
two different persons.’

“Weil, ” said Grace resignedly, “I'll see him,”

m @ few minutes the curtain parted again, and Amy,

The self-possession of the trained servant, an-
mced :

“Mg. Alban Spencer.”
€ Bdvanced into the room hesitatingly. Both women

im intently, if somewhat tremulously, He was
but medium height, with thin, stooping shoulders.
d shifty eyes. He had sandy hair, brushed down
7: low forehead. His mustache was’ brick-red.
he spoke, it was in a halting way. On the sur-
e€ was lacking altogether in character.

. I speaking to Miss—Miss Garland?” he said,
jaddressing the girl.
dden wave of pity swept over the.girl, and with
emembrance of all that she owed her generous
ian. She rose to meet the prodigal. She held out
nd without a word. He seized it eagerly.

I thank you,” was all he could say.

Pthe meantime she had recovered her self-possession
Berit; to say:
You are Alban Spencer?”
@ bowed his head.
am that unfortunate person.”
painful silence ensued. It was broken by Mrs.
er. ‘
‘Why didn’t you answer your poor father’s letters?”
——was ashamed.”
"Why did you ever leave him?”

He smiled wanly.

“That is a long story, but I shall try to tell it

ay’

‘Sit down,” interrupted Grace, who noticed, for the
t time, that he was standing.

hank you,” he said, taking the proffered chair.

e passed his hand wearily over his forehead, and

ing his throat, began:

ee always was a black sheep. ‘No one realizes it more

im myself. I admit it freely, and I do not seek ex-

ss for my conduct. I merely give you the facts. It
seedless to speak of my early history. Mrs, Cramer
ably knows all about that.

t was the lecture my father gave me for being ex-
led from college that made me run away from home.
Pwas right and I was wrong. I admit that now. I

vent to San Francisco. I worked on the docks. I be
aime a sailor.’ | gambled, and lived in Honolulu. After

# 1 returned to America and went to the Klondike.
ashamed to tell of my career there. Once I heard

her was thete, and I hid from him.

oon-after this | received a forgiving letter from

asking me to come home. | resolved to do so, but
that very morning, while on a trip between Dawson
by and Skagway, a storm arose and our boat was up-

mm he

ieee om

of the death of my father.

TOP WEEKLY, at

set and all but myself were drowned.
wreck of our craft. When I recovered consciousness I
was on a steamer bound for Yokohama. I was there
three months with fever. I returned to San Francisco
two weeks ago and then to New York. I’ve just heard
The shock of it is on me
yet. I also heard, Miss Garland, of your adoption by
my father, and of the position which you hold in his
household. I intended going to his lawyer, but some-
thing within me said that my place was here—was
home.”

He dropped his head on his arms as he spoke,:and,
for some moments, his shoulders shook in the manner of
a strong man in the throes of great grief. Grace pitied |
him from her heart, but some instinctive repugnance kept |
her from going to him. With Mrs. Cramer it was dif-|
ferent. She walked over to the prodigal and put her
arms around him.

“You are tired and worn—you actually look hungry, |
Come upstairs. I will give you a room where you can
wash, and after that I’ll get you something to eat.”

Mrs. Cramer and Alban Spencer left the room, and
Grace sat in the library, alone, thinking—as she sat think-
ing after the departure of Ralph Sparks less than an
hour before.

Presently Jasper Morris came in, and she told him
all that had taken place.

He listened to the recital with a look of blank amaze-
ment on his heavy face. The awkward good nature
gradually disappeared from his countenance. He was
angry. The narrow,slits of eyes flashed out of the broad
face like little flames of fire. When he spoke, it was in
short, sharp terms.

“The proofs!” he said.
present ?”

Grace looked at him blankly,

“He simply told his story.”

Morris laughed in his boisterous way.

“He must prove his identity. If he can’t do it, you
must not tolerate him for a moment. If he can, then
he should be accorded the fullest consideration.”

“And be given his rights,” put in the girl.

“Yes,” acquiesced Morris, “and be given his rights.”

“What shall I do?”

“Send for Mrs. Cramer.”

The housekeeper appeared presently, flushed and beri-
evolent-looking.

“Where is this Mr.—Mr. Spencer ?”
sharply.

“In his old room, sir.”

“How do you know it’s his old room?” sneered. the
monster, “In short,.how do’ you know that this is
Master Alban?”

Mrs. Cramer looked startled.

“OR, aot ty itil! als

‘There you go again,” Morris growled, in his bull-
dog way, “just like your young mistress, taking things
for granted.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, puzzled.

“Simply that this man must prove his claim, and
prove it to my satisfaction,” and Morris emphasized
the words by pounding his fist on the library table.

“How?” asked Mrs. Cramer, still bewildered.

“Well, you can help us out on that,” he answered
persuasively. ;

Tell us how,” she pleaded.

I clung to the

“What proofs did the man

demanded Morris

 
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

“Don’t you remember any peculiarities of Alban Spen-
cer as a boy?”

She paused before replying.
positiveness :

“Now that you speak, I remember two distinct things
about him.”

“What were they?”

“Well, first there was a scar on his forehead He
got it from a fall while quite young, but the mark always
remained.”

“Splendid!” ejaculated Morris. “What was the other ?”

“The other was a tattoo mark—an anchor that was
made on the upper part of the right arm.”

Now Jasper Morris rubbed his hands with glee.

“The conditions could not be better,” he said. ‘“Every-
thing is favorable to the test. If the man does not meet
the requirements he must take the consequences. It rests
with him to prove his case.”

A sound on the stairway attracted the attention of Mrs.
Cramer. She went out in the hallway, but returned
quickly.

“It is Alban—that is, it’s the gentleman.”

“Show him in,” ordered Morris, assuming direction
of affairs.

Presently she said, with

CHAPTER XV.

THE PROOFS SUBMITTED.

The newcomer entered the room. He looked more
presentable than when he first met the ladies, but there
was still that downcast manner.

“Young man,” said the miner, advancing to meet him,
“T’m Jasper Morris, late of Dawson‘City. I was the best
friend of Carl Spencer when he lived, and now that he’s
dead, I’m the adviser and protector of his daughter.”

The stranger put a flabby hand into the broad palm of
the speaker, and said, in a listless way:

“Glad to meet you.”

“Of course you are.
say for yourself ?”’

The prodigal looked up in a half-surprised way.

“Nothing,” he said, “except that [’m Alban Spencer.”

“Quite so, quite so,” cried the other, with great energy ;
“you say that, but how are we to know it? I’m here
to look ‘after these ladies, and look after them I shall.
‘ Now, I want to know if you have anything in the way
of proof?”

“Oh, as to that,” said the pale-faced man, “I think I
have proof, but I thought that the proper place to take
that was to the legal representatives of my father.”

“The place is here and now,” shouted Morris, “and
you'll have to speak up at once or forever hold your
peace.”

“Very well, here is a letter that may be convincing.”

Morris took the epistle that was handed him, and
scrutinized it with great care. It was the last letter
written by Carl Spencer to his erring son. .The miner
rubbed his big fist across the little slits of eyes as he
finished reading it and handed it to Grace. The mere
sight of the familiar handwriting caused the girl to
burst into a flood of tears.

“T have this watch, too,” said the claimant.

Morris examined it with the eye of an expert. On
the back it, was engraved in fine lettering. The inscrip-
tion read: “To Alban Spencer, from his father, Carl
Spencer.”

Now, what have you got to

wi)

bP

“Tt was the last thing he ever gave me,
that spoke trembled ever so slightly.

“So far, so good,” said Morris. “Now, Spencer, wed)
like something a little more personal. Any one ¢an™
pick up a letter or a watch. They’re not conclusive to.
me.’

and the voice

exclaimed the young man, his 5

“What do you mean?”
face ee ’ oe
“Oh, I mean nothing offensive,” returned the other,
his s i chin protruding toward Spencer with that awful.
aggressiveness, “I want proof that can’t be denied: @
Now, for instance, I believe Alban Spencer had a pro- 5
nouriced scar on his forehead. I ‘ Mee

Without waiting for Morris to finish, the young mam #7
lifted his right hand and swept away the thick hair that”
overhung the right side of his forehead. =

There, clear and distinct, was an ugly scar.

Mrs. Cramer uttered an exclamation of satisfaction:

Grace shuddered. .

The central figure in this little scene did not appe
to notice either of them, but quietly let the bushy
fall back in its place. <

“One final test,” announced Morris. “The boy had@am
anchor tattooed on his right arm. It Was done years ago
but the impression must “be there yet.’

Silently the prodigal removed -his coat and rolled’ up
his shirt sleeve. Three pairs of eyes were glued on hi
arm. Roll after roll of the shirt sleeve went up. Al
were breathless with suspense. When he had finishe
there, before them, clear and distinct, was an aneh@
imprinted on the fleshy part of the arm. 5

He rolled his sleeve down again slowly, deliberately,
without any sign of triumph. “He put on his coat an
looked at them in the most impersonal way. They stared
back at him. At that moment Amy came to the door.
and called out:

“Dinner is served.” 4

Mechanically Grace and Mrs. Cramer filed into the 7
dining room. Morris followed, and the prodigal brought
up the rear. A vacant chair stood at the head of the
table. He took it without a word. He was established, ~
beyond question, as the head of the house. «ed

CHAPTER XVI.
THE YELLOW MYSTERY.

A week later Alban Spencer asked Grace if he might
have a word with her alone. a
She bowéd assent, and he escorted her to a corner
of the library. She anticipated the nature of his com
munication, but did not betray her feelings by word of 8
sign. He was plainly embarrassed and seemed at a loss

how to begin.

She faced him coldly and offered no assistance.

“Miss Garland,” he said, in a low voice, “there
something I have been trying to say to you for sot
days.”

He paused.

She said nothing.

“T hope you. will not think I am presumptuous,”

Still she remained silent.

“T want you to be my wife.”

His voice had become surprisingly gentle.
ticed that, even in trying to preserve her calmness.
measured her words carefully.

She no ‘a
She

ee

Bf ser4 ean ae ce .
ee WS RL hes a kd

 

es
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY: 23

"1 decline,’ she said, with all the directness she could
=command,
“Grace,” he said, with great earnestness, “please don’t
retise me.”
> Some subtle change in the tone of his voice caused
S her to turn to him, her pretty face twisted with a sneer.
"You play your part well; much better than J antici-
"pated. But there is no need of profonging the’ farce, You
| have complied with all of the requirements of the will.
) You have my formal refusal, and the fortune goes with
A spasm of pain crossed his pale face. He caught her
| by the;arm, and she pulled herself away from him.’
> But he followed her.
® ilis breath came short and quick.

“(grace, don’t imagine me blacker than I am.
Mimking of money or power now. I was never more
@mnest in my life. I ask you to marry me again. |
apm it'because J love you with all my heart.”

He seemed transformed. His voice was a caress. The
eeiiity eyes, for once, gazed straight into her great brown
Hors. The stooping shoulders had miraculously straight-
d

tié creature she had despised stood before her a man.
‘0f a moment she was touched. But it was only for
moment. She made up her mind not to submit to
Worthy weakness. She discarded her scornful man-
“4ohe turned to him with sudden savageness.
S You act splendidly, Mr. Alban Spencer, But it is
sted on me, Take your money and be gone!”
@ stood gazing at her like a man fascinated, Her
ver heightened her beauty. Mothlike, he continued to
@f about the candle of his destruction. The red spots
@ared on his waxen cheeks. He held out his hands

Sadingly.
israce, tell me there is some hope for me.. I admit

Yuiter tnworthiness. I come into this house a stranger

wou. I cared only for the Spencer fortune. But,
ially, you entwined yourself about my heart. I’ve
a hard’ life, I never dreamed that such happiness
d be within my reach, If you could only, learn to
'for me in the future, I don’t ask it. now. All I
tis a word of comfort,”

"An uncontrollable feeling of resentment surged through
frail frame. Her big, lustrous brown eyes danced
| anger, She lost the confiding, clinging manner.
voice rose shrilly.

St will give you-a word, but you'll not get any comfort

feof it. I hate you; do you hear me? I hate you!”
her excitement she retreated from him, step by step,

she stood in the center of the room, He winced at
y word as if she had struck him in the face with a
ip. He followed her quiveringly. He spoke in a
ty voice:
Don’t say that; please don’t.” :
will,” she cried. ‘I consider your love an insult.
t ever dare to speak to me again!”
the red spots.on his cheeks faded away and left him
tly. A tremor went through his body. The room
going round. He swayed for a moment uncertainly,
fell to the floor like the trunk of a dead tree.
ban Spencer was confined to his bed after this
e. Grace weepingly informed the housekeeper that
intended’ to, leave the place. Mrs, Cramer’s eyes
fe sufftised with tears. She embraced the girl, and

lam not

“If you ever leave this house, I shall leave with you.
But it is not necessary. Your father’s will provides that
it shall be our house as long as we live. Now, that
should be sufficient. Please don’t speak of such a thing
again.

“But, aunty, ’m in an intolerable position here.”

“You only imagine so,” was the quick reply. “You
mitist not be stupersensitive. It would be wrong to leave
while Alban is ill, and it would distress me very much.”

“My dear aunty,” cried Grace impulsively, “I have no
wish to do anything that would displease you.”

It was tacitly understood that Grace should remain
in the house until further notice—at least, until the
complete recovery of the sick man.

In the meantime she preserved her distance, which is
only another way of saying that she sedulously avoided
the sick room. She inquired after the patient morning
and evening,.and, on several occasions, sent flowers to
adorn the table near his bed. Also, she promptly re-
sponded to any calls that came from Mrs. Cramer or
the trained. nurse. In this way several weeks elapsed.
At the end of the fourth week it was announced that the
crisis had passed, and that the patient was on the
road to recovery.

One day the doorbell rang, and Amy, the maid, re-
sponded to the summons, ‘The caller was the janitor of
the Sprague Building.

He had a chain in his hand, and on the end of it
was a forlorn-looking yellow dog.

The animal had but one eye, and it looked at the girl
plaintively while it wagged its poor stushp of a tail gro-
tesquely.

“Does this dog belong here?” asked the janitor,

“Certainly not,’ answered Amy severely.

“Well,” said the man, “a gentleman who lives in this
house was at our building a little while ago, and all the
time he was there the dog whined and scratched and
smelled as if he were the owner.”

“Well, he isn’t,” asserted the girl, with the positiveness
which servants will frequently employ.

The man ‘scratched his head in a perplexed way. He
looked down at the mournful canine with an injured air.
“Do you think it’s worth while to ask the missus?”

“T do not.”

“Or the gentleman

“No”

“All right,” he sighed, starting down the steps, “then
we've got to stand this pup a while longer. He’s been
a perfect pest for the last hine or ten weeks. We can’t
drive him away. The only hope is to find his owner.”

“And if not?’ queried Amy.

“Then,” he answered, with a philosophic eye, ‘I’ve got
to keep him.”

399

‘CHAPTER XVII.
AT DAWSON CITY.

It was on a cold, clear, crisp day that Ralph Sparks
arrived at Dawson City. The journey to the Klondike
had been long and uncomfortable, but it was not marred
by any serious accidents.

The time was coincident with one of the periodic rushes
to the gold fields, and the young lawyer had ample oppor-
tunity for the study of human nature. Men, women,
and even children, bent on the sudden acquisition of great

 
  

24

 

wealth, subjected themselves to all manner of hardships,
with the broad acres of the Klondike as their Mecca.

Old and young, black and white, of all nationalities,
they came from every section of England and America,
filled with the dreams of glittering gold.

Sparks stood on the main street of the magic city
and inhaled health-giving drafts of pure air, while he
gazed at his unique surroundings. Compared with the
civilization of New York City, it was like being dropped
down in the midst of a new, raw, and fascinating world.

He sauntered farther into the town. The main street
was crowded with all sorts and conditions of humanity.
Eager-eyed men and women, miners and adventurers,
some alone and others laughingly escorting girls with
overbright eyes and calcimined cheeks, jostled one an-
other on the narrow sidewalks. Improvised banking
houses, general stores, billiard rooms, and gambling
houses lined one side of the street of the primitive town,
‘which, in a few years, was to become one of the sub-
stantial cities of the great Northwest.

Ralph made inquiries, and learned that the most pre-
tentious place of entertainment in the town was a two-
story wooden structure bearing the euphonious title of
the “Hotel Hogan.” The first floor contained the in-
evitable bar, the office, and a large dining room. The
second story was occupied exclusively by sleeping apart-
ments, one or two of them “with: bath.” There were
narrow strips of carpet on the floor, and thin, white cur-
tains at the windows. Altogether, it was a sumptuous
affair for the time and place.

Ralph soon selected a room with a bath adjoining, and
in a little while he had removed all his traps to the
hotel.

After supper he bundled himself in warm clothing
and took another stroll about the town. He peered in
at the principal gambling establishment. It was crowded,
and the loud buzz of conversation filled the room. One
long line of men about the bar consumed whisky con-
stantly and discussed the prospect of making ‘“‘a strike.”
In the corner a group of men and women sang maudlin
songs.

At the far end of the apartment four couples were
engaged in dancing clumsily a plain quadrille. At a
round table a dozen men were engaged in playing roulette.
One of the players, a man whose back was turned to
Ralph, seemed to be having a streak of luck. Everything
he touched literally turned to gold. He called out
feverishly, doubling his stakes each time.

At one stage of the game the unknown had two
heaps of gold piled up before him. A great big, burly
fellow, standing directly behind him, whispered sanratins
in his ear, but the gambler made an angry retort and
continued his game. Still he continued to win. Again
the big man urged him to quit, this time in qffite SHC
tones.

Ralph looked at the good angel, and what he saw
_caused his heart to beat with redoubled energy. .The
fellow was slouchy in dress and manner, and he wore
a thick, ginger-colored beard. He answered perfectly the
description of the man who was seen at the Sprague
Building on the day that Carl Spencer died.

While Ralph mentally debated the situation, the un-
known, whose back was turned to him, began to lose.
His luck had turned. He grew reckless, and in twenty
minutes both piles of gold had melted away. The red-

NEW- TIP: TOP. WEEKLY.

  
  
  
   
  
    
   
  
  
    
    
  
   
   
  
   
  
   
   
  
   
  

whiskered man smiled, and his big white teeth glistened
beneath the bristles of his mustache. He leaned over,
not unkindly. A pair of twinkling eyes looked down at
the gambler.” :

“Now, boy,
home?”

This time the player assented. He rose from his chair.
For the first time he turned his face in the direction ~
of Ralph Sparks. The young lawyer could have shouted ~“¥
with surprise. He leaned against a chair for support. '
He looked a second time. There could be no mistake.
The player was Philip Garland! é

Ralph stood there as if he were stunned.’ In the
meantime the heavily built man with the merry eyes and ©
Philip Garland left the room. The lawyer gathered him-~
self together and followed them. They proceeded through
the starlit streets at a rapid gait, néver pausing un
they were opposite the Hotel Hogan. They were evie”
dently stopping at this house. That simplified matters; ©
They entered. He followed. ‘The big man halted at the”
desk for a moment, obtained a key, and then he and
his: companion went upstairs. Ralph hastened to the
clerk,

“These two men,’
here long?”

“Only a couple of days.”

“What are their names?”

“The big fellow’s named Sykes.
Philip Garland.”

“No attempt at concealment,” thought Ralph.

He debated just what he should do. The proprietor,
a short, thickset man, was standing in the hallway. Ralph”
approached him and revealed his identity. He said that™
he was on the track of a man who was accused of a
grave crime. He wanted to go up to the room occupied
by Mr. Sykes.

“Go ahead,” was the idvcleas reply.

Ralph obtained the number of the apartment and
proceeded there at once. He walked in. Sykes stone a
there, wondering, no doubt, at the intrusion.

For a moment the lawyer was at a loss how to pro-
ceed. But his decision came without much delay. He
would try and throw the smiling giant off his guard. He?
stepped up to him and said suddenly :

“What were you doing in the Sprague Building, in New
York, on the afternoon of Monday, Seppanuer twenty-
sixth?”

If Ralph expected Mr. Samuel Sykes to start and
show signs of guilt, he was very much ‘disappointed. In-
stead, those merry eyes twinkled more than ever. a

“Are you all right in the head, sonny?”

“Perfectly.”

“Well, I can’t tell you what I was doing in the Sprague
Building, because I didn’t happen to be there.”

“Nor in New York at that time?”

“No; I’ve never been in that burg.
much use for those Eastern towns.
farther east than Chicago.”

Ralph looked at him helplessly. There could, be ‘no ae
doubt of the candor of those pitting blue, eyes a

99

he said good-naturedly, “will you come

* he asked eagerly, “have they been™

The other one

     
  
  
  
  
    
  
 
     
  
 
 
   
  
 
   
  
 
 
  
   
  

In fact, I haven't” |
I’ve never been

  
   
  
  
  
  

looking sheepish. Ralph walked over to meet him’ “with
extended hand. ose
“Hello, Phil.’ he sais ad,
“Hello,” responded Garland, still suspicious) oe ye
come out here for me?” 1D gee

  
   
 

   

     
NEW TIP TOP WEEFKLY. 25

o3 but I’m glad I found you.”

‘oure not going to try and take me back East?’
"Not until you are willing to go back. But what are
Hou doing out here? Tell me about yourself.”

)  Saim’s my partner,” he said, indicating the giant.
he candid eyes twinkled.
Yes, and I’m mighty proud of it. That boy’s helping
lé to make my pile in this God-forsaken place.”
Ow *”
guess it’s up to me to answer that question,” re-
@ Sykes. “I'll try to make a long story short. I’m
Chicago—do you understand ?—Chicago, the me-
is of America. I came out here in the first gold
with a fellow named Scott—‘Red Dan’ Scott, we
sd him. We didn’t go in for mining, too many poor
ere giving up their lives chasing that will-o’-the-
‘e opened a general store to sell supplies to the
aded ones that expected to make their fortunes
:

1, I was called back to Chicago to see my wife,
Was dying. The poor girl lingered a long while, but
ally gave up the ghost. Anyhow, I had to stay
ago for some time. I thought ‘Red Dan’ was on

el. But he wasn’t. He was doing me dirt.. He
d out overnight, and I was compelled to ‘come
ere. Now, I’m all right in my way, but I needed
ht fellow to keep books—‘Red Dan’ was all right,
e was a little too bright for my purposes. d
around for some months, and then I stumbled
mst this young fellow. He started as my assistant,
snow he’s my pardner. But I see you want to talk

Him, so I'll leave you alone.”
md the big fellow quit the room.

CHAPTER XVIII.
NEWS FROM NEW YORK.
tks looked at Garland intently. He spoke anx-

/ i did you leave New York? Did your going have
anything to do with the death of Carl Spencer ?”
ev Yo; thank Heaven, it did not. It was bad enough,
it not that bad.”
ell, what was it? You ought to confide in me. I’m

T will confide in you. I'll tell you the whole truth,
‘then you can do with me as you will. re

“Go ahead.”

"You know how foolish I was in New York; how I
ipated and worried my sister and her foster father.
Te is no need of going into details. Well, the climax
é when I forged the name of Carl Spencer to a check
F twenty-five hundred dollars.” :

Ralph looked grave.

Did he discover it?”

| Yes, on the very day of his death. He charged me
ith the crime on that afternoon in his office. That
the cause of the dispute between us. He talked
i, and the janitor overheard him as he passed along
we Borridor. But his sense of justice was tempered with
, and I’m sure the matter could have been straight-
out.if he had lived. Unfortunately his strange

intervened, and I was helpless.
r. Mustin knew of the transgression, and if you
him; you know he has no mercy. I was afraid
1 the truth at the coroner’s inquest. I feared it

might connect me with Mr.
I refused to tell you because I did not know how you
would act. I was just on the point of confessing to
iny sister when I received a tip that Mr. Mustin intended
getting out a warrant for my arrest.

‘“‘Panic-stricken, I fled. Since then I have tried to live
right. It has been a constant struggle. Occasionally I
give way to the lust for gambling. I did so this very
night. But I live always in hope of finally becoming an
honest man.

“My connection with Sam Sykes may be my salvation.
I have’ been perfectly straight with him, and intend to
remain so. We are doing well, and it is my intention
to pay. back the full amount of the forgery before re-
turning East. Only yesterday I sent a remittance of five
hundred dollars to Mr. Mustin. It will be the first of
a series that I shall send for the purpose of wiping out
that stain on my life. Now you have all. Can you have
mercy on me? Whatever you do, don’t betray me to
Sykes. He believes in me, and I want to justify that
belief.”

Ralph put out his hand.

“You can count on my friendship. I’m sorry to hear
that you allowed yourself to do such a thing. I won't
attempt to justify it; but I’m glad to see that you have
the courage to try and work out your salvation.”

“Thank you,” said Philip feelingly, “but tell me what
you are doing here.”

Ralph explained in a few sentences. He told Philip
of his theories regarding the death of Mr. Spencer, and
urged him to be on the lookout for any red-haired man
who had come from the East during the previous six
weeks.

“Why, Sam Sykes answers that description.”

“Yes,” laughed Ralph, “but he has an alibi.”

“T should think so,’ cried Philip, with a show of
feeling, ‘he’s been here for six months.”

“You overheard my conversation with him?” suggested
Ralph.

“Scraps of it,’ replied the other, “but let’s. go down-
stairs. He’ll wonder what we’re talking about.”

They walked down the stairway together. Sam Sykes
was standing at the bar, talking to the proprietor. That

=

Spencer’s mysterious death.

_functionary walked over to Ralph.

“Have you located your man?”

Sykes burst out with a hearty laugh, and his aid
eyes twinkled like evening stars.

“Sure he has. He says the man he’s after answers -
my description to a T.”

“Oh, you'll never be wanted by the police,”
host easily.

Suddenly Sykes paused in the midst of his uproarious
laughter. A thought flashed through his brain.  “

“Why, Hogan, didn’t you ever hear me describe that
late pares of mine?”

“Who? Red Dan Scott?”

“Yes; it used to be said that he was a pocket edition
of me. Red beard and slouchy manners—only smaller
than me.” —

“That’s so?”

“Sure,” said the giant;
said slowly:

“Say, pard, the man you want is the man I’m after,
too—‘Red Dan’ Scott.”

Sparks spent the next two days in looking after the

said the

then, turning to Ralph, he

 
26 NEW

business interests of Grace Garland in the Klondike.
Among other things, by a clever bit of strategy, he man-
aged to purchase the Benson claim, a valuable bit of
property adjoining the “Big Knob Mine.” When Sain
Sykes heard of it, he clapped Sparks on the shoulder.

“My boy, you’ve got the richest thing in the Klondike,
but what in the world are you going to do with it?”

“IT have an object in view,’ smiled the young man,
“but I’m not ready to disclose it at ee

That evening Ralph received a letter from Grace. He
devoured the contents hungrily. But the words fell on
his heart like drops of ice water. Long before he reached
the end, he realized the import of the message. ‘The
written page fluttered from his nerveless hands and
fell on the floor—the death sentence of his hopes. He
sat there with whitened cheeks, gazing with unseeing
eyes out into the chill twilight of the barren Klondike.
The atitiouncement—the simple announcement that the
prodigal had returned—that Alban Spencer lived—af-
fected him physically as well as mentally. He became
chilled, and his teeth chattered.. He felt as if he had
aged dreadfully in those minutes.

The gray twilight melted into black night, and still he
sat there thinking of the deadly message and the rapidity
with which it had.crushed his little world into mere
fragments. The terms of Carl Spencer’s will stood out
as if they were written in lurid letters on the dark pall
of the unpitying sky. “It is my fondest wish,” said the
document, “that my son and my adopted daughter should
marry—I enjoin upon my executor to use every legitimate
and reasonable means to bring about such a union, a
union that, in addition to its sentimental side, will be the
means of keeping my fortune intact.’’

For a while Ralph basked in the hope that she might
cast aside her legacy and marry for love. But sai | she
care for him? And, even if she did, he argued, looking
at ‘the dark side again, how could she have the moral
strength to resist the solemn injunctions of her father’s
carefully worded will? He lay awake the greater part
of the night, trying to solve what appeared to him as an
unsolvable problem. It: was nearly morning when he
sank into a troubled sleep.

Sy the next mail he got another letter—this time from
Mr. Mustin. It conveyed the astonishing information
that the prodigal was about to renounce all of his interest
in the Spencer forttine in favor of Grace Garland. Ralph
gave the news to Sam Sykes and Philip.

“T really have an admiration for the fellow,” he said ;
“he’s had’ hard lines, but it seems to me that this act
of renunciation will be a mantle that will cover
sins.”

Sykes looked at him qttzzically from out of his big,
blue eyes.

“Boy,” he said, “I’m from Chicago, and I think I can
tell a hawk from a herneshaw.”

“What do you mean?’

“Til answer that with a question,”

“Go ahead.”

“All right. Do you care for Miss Garland?”

“Very much,”

“Well, then, get to New York as fast as steamboats
and railroads will carry you.”

“T’m still in the dark.”

“You're like most men, when it comes to love—you’re
stupid.”

“Won't you please explain?”

t

ean oS Ge

many

WEEKLY.

adopted an infallible
minute he renounces

“Yes. This man Spencer has
plan for winning the girl. The
the fortine in favor of Grace Garland, she will be overs
whelmed with admiration. From admiration to love i§

a mighty short step. The.man that makes a big saerifice®
for a girl will win her as sure as shooting. While youres
moping out here, that couple will marry and live hapa
forever after, as the storybooks say.

Ralph was lost in thought. Presently 1
at his two friends.

“Tf I only thought I was justified in leaving heré tom
a short run to New York, I’d go. But the mimes and.
the search for ‘Red Dan’ Scott: f

1e looked up 4

Dan’ will kaon? sso Eas,
go with you.”
TO BE CONCLUDED.
tb * 4

‘THE pigepa int: SAYS:

St aecal er ae a scientific man may attempt to remov
himself fromhis early studies, he returns to them again ‘
in his old age. by

We can persuade ourselves of something quicker tha 6
we can persti: ude anybody else.

things do not pidiire.

People are apt to'despise what they ‘are unable t
appreciate.

One of the great mistakes of the past has been
suppose that any woman with a little good will on”
part and a deal of good nature on the part of her partn
can set up a satisfactory home. ;

Some people are often expressing wishes for the tines
which weré gone, but it is far better to make use of the
Daas

Breadth. of mind is often but another name for sla
ness of morals. :

A woman who loses her pride in her children hag Jo
her pride in herself, .

To be a good speaket one should have a complete an

treat. Tiere: must be a certain sthionit of courage, and
there must also be sympathy between the speaker, and
the audience.
It is human nature to be ‘selfish;
product of teaching.
ah ao te
A MODERN SOCRATES.
The partition between respect and snobbety is ve
thin. ;
You can jtidge a woman's mental capacity hes
clothes much better than yeu’ can a man's,

aAscthehaask: is the

you break them:

The great thing in life is to avoid caré by modera
one’s desires and ambitions and one’s loye of, wi
things.

Friendship is like wine. It either matures or: r goes oft.

Our fatlt, as a nation, is that we think almost tG
much for ourselves, and perhaps not qitite enotiglt
our fellows.

Once you start thinking about yourself and ‘your 9
plaints, your health begins to go, : .

' Scandal and gossip are only other natnes foe lie

i i ah Uariote, a naa tile oie sn Te aad ge
a a ea MES a Nell” ins aie = isk

 
otd Churchill’s Trip to Canada Postponed.

Hit is rumored that the proposed. trip of
mston Spencer Churchill, first lord of
admiralty, to Canada has been post-
ed, according to the report, pending a
Hement of the naval question between

1€ imperial government and Canada.

tt Powers Keep Eyes on Montenegro.

Ninsignificant though the little kingdom of
\ Vlontenegro is, the eyes of the diplomats
® great powers have been anxiously
fing events at Cetinje, and there has
‘tonsiderable fear lest the war-loving
Mountaineers should take advantage of the
Roment:and swoop down upon their arch-
s, the Turks, thus giving the impulse
much-dreaded great European war.
al Martinovitch, the prime minister
ntenegro, in a recent interview, how-
»has done much to allay any such
though the assurances contained
F too many “ifs.” F
fe general agreed that the situation
the frontier was critical, but said that
Mtenegro would do everything in its
fr for the maintenance of peace. At
ent Scutari was quiet, but he was un-
to predict how long it would remain
“Should the Malissors join the revolu-
on the position of Montenegro would, the
hier said, become exceedingly difficult.
Herring to the-Turko-Montenegrin inci-
nt on the banks of the Zeta, in which
6 Montenegrins were killed, the premier
= “You understand perfectly that our
len have a natural desire for revenge, and
vit’ is most difficult to restrain them.
© situation is, therefore, serious, and if
6 not have full satisfaction from Tur-
it may become insurmountable.”
tently King Nicholas addressed the
ps collected at Podgoritza for the ma-
fers, and warned them laconically: ‘T
lot want the peace disturbed this year.’
BS desire the Gospodar traced to anxiety
fave Italy from being suspected of in-
Ming in the Balkans through the agency
NV montenegro.
fhe situation was rendered more diffi-
iby the fact that the Montenegrins were
,in home territory, only one Monte-
in having previously violated the fron-
* and that the bodies of the slain were
pated by the Turks.

gland to Spend Millions in Africa,

land is going to spend $2,500,000 on
te of Uganda and British
Africa next year, and this outlay is
© prove a good investment, which will
to make that country independent of
rica’s cotton supply. Uganda is an
country for the raising of cotton,
is cheap, and the quality of the
fuct almost as good as that of Egypt.
ashire wants all the cheap cotton it
sget, and Uganda can grow just the
that Lancashire wants.
i success of the Uganda Railroad has
-tmarvyelous. Eight years ago its re-
ts were $660,000; they are now $2,120,-
1° A loss of $300,000 in 1903-05 has been
tr raed into a present profit. of $675,000,
€ railroad of 600,000 miles, from Mom-

 

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

Ne Wo TPES OF INTERESY:

 

basa to Lake Victoria Nyanza, is no longer
equal to the work thrown upon it, and a
sum of $1,500,000 is about to be spent in
all manner’ of improvements, and in a
much-needed increasesof the rolling stock.

Yet another $125,000 is to be spent on
a new line in Uganda Protectorate, which
is to form the beginning of a new trunk
line to Kongo State, and on the far side
of Uganda $500,000 is to be expended on
macadamized roads for motor traffic, so
that natives’ cotton crops may be, cheaply
borne down to the lake.

Free Cigarettes for China,

Opium, for centuries the curse of the
Chinese empire, has given way before the
American cigarette, while in America the
cigarette is leading to a more general use
of opium, according to Professor Albert
Schneider, in charge of the United States
bureau of chemistry at San Francisco.

Professor Schneider says the Tobacco
Trust, after ‘the campaign against opium,
sent an army of men into China and dis-
tributed free more than $5,000,000 worth
of cigarettes. He says boys and girls in
China, many barely able to walk without
assistance, are confirmed cigarette? users.

Leaves Bequest of Fifteen Cats.

A crowd of women gathered in the queer
little apothecary shop at 1419 Franklin
Avenue, St. Louis, Mo., recently, discuss-
ing with awe the death of Doctor Sarah
F. Wells, the proprietor, who for years
had held them in fear through the mystic
powers which she was reputed to possess.
Doctor Wells was a graduate of Oberlin
University, founder of medical colleges,
author, lecturer, and traveler.

Though she is said to have had a large
fortune in tenement houses in Dayton,
Ohio, and Kansas City, real estate in, Flor-
ida, and government bonds, for days she
sat in a broken chair in the little Frank-
lin Avenue shop, suffering from  scalds
received when she fell into a bathtub filled

}with hot water, before she was persuaded

to call a doctor.

Clothed in rags, she waited painfully for
the end, while about her \were trunks
packed with gorgeous silk gowns, rich pos-
sessions from the Orient. She knew she
was dying, and her last act was to send
for Madame Bee, a fortune teller, and
Miss Delia Huddy, who lived in the rooms
above her shop, to whom she gave her fif-
teen cats.

For years the women of the neighbar-
hood had held the fifteen cats in supersti-
tious terror. They swarmed about the
place, enjoying every liberty. Before the
death of the woman doctor’s husband,
Rufus G. Wells, an eccentric aéronaut, two
years ago, there were two cats to which
strange influences were credited. The
acéronaut was a poet, after a fashion, and
when he was composing a rhyme, one big
cat would sit on‘his right shoulder and
another on his left knee.

Where the Rich Bear Tax,

Laborers; clerks, mechanics, and farmers
in Dane County, Wi isconsin, pay almost no
income tax. Manufacturers, bankers, mer-

 

chants, and professional men with large
salaries pay nearly all the tax. Dane
County is typical of the State, showing that
the income tax hits only the classes of citi-
zens abundantly able to pay. These are
the conclusions drawn from an analysis of
the income tax returns of the county by
the tax commissioner.

Only seven laborers in the county pay
a total tax of $13.71, an average of less
than $2 each. Seventeen persons with av-
erage incomes of $16,000 pay $7,955, an av-
erage of more than $460 each. Seven-
teen wealthy men pay 24 per cent of the
total tax in the county. Seventy-one per
cent of the total income tax comes from
taxable incomes of $2,000 or higher.

Madison will raise $32,000 net from the
income tax after the $6,000 personal prop-
erty tax is deducted, which will enable the
city to reduce the general property tax one
mill.

This American Walking Around the Green

Earth.

The Panama -Exposition pilgrim, Henry
Stewart, peripatetic American, who left San
Diego, Cal., February 14, 1910, to walk
around the globe, has just left Rome for
St. Petersburg. From there, after greet-
ing the czar, he will turn his footsteps to-
ward Vienna, On the way to Rome,
through southern Europe, he crossed to
Africa for a while.

From the Austrian capitals he will go
to Athens, and from Greece he will pro-
ceed across Turkey to Jerusalem, in Asia
Minor, where he will tarry four months.

From the Holy City, Stewart’s program
carries him through India, China, and Ja-
pan. When he takes leave of the mikado’s
kingdom he will cross the Pacific to his
native country.

He has until January I, 1915, to com-
plete his earth- circling tour. Wherever he
goes he puts in a good word for the Pan-
ama Exposition.

Girl Pitcher Shows Skill to Quakers.

Philadelphians were given their first op-
portunity to witness Miss Carrie Kilbourn,
the seventeen-year-old girl baseball pitcher
from New Brunswick, N.:J., when she
twirled for the Wissonoming Field Club
against the Tacony Athletic Club.

Heralded as the feminine pitching mar-
vel of the age, the girl fully lived up to
her reputation, She says she was taught
the fine points of the game by Willie Keel-
er, the Superbas’ former outfielder.

Attired in a neat white, blue-trimmed
sweater, and the regulation baseball blouse,
with a skirt that reached almost to her
shoetops, the girl looked the real athletic
marvel that she really is. Her control of
the ball would have done credit to many
big leaguers, and the way she bent them
across the corners excited admiration.

Until the sixth inning she held the
strong Tacony team down to one solitary
single, and when her own side had ac-
quired a safe lead Miss Kilbourn eased
up and was batted for two hits in the clos-
ing inning, and this produced the only run
scored against her delivery.

She is also a basket-ball enthusiast and

 
 

28

is regarded as a good tennis player, while
her ability on ice and roller skates is not
far short of her other athletic perform-
ances.

Aviatot Falls into Bay.

©. G. Simmons, aviator for Robert J.
Collier, who owns a country home at Wick-
atunk, near Red Bank, N. J., flew recently
in the Collier hydroplane, from Red Bank
to Keansburg, where the carnival was on,
and where he had been making flights every
day. His passenger was James Hubbard, a
Red Bank automobile dealer.

The trip was made easily, and after the
two men had paused a while to watch the
baby parade, they started back. The mar
chine was sailing 500 feet above the waters
of Raritan Bay, when suddenly the pro-
peller snapped, ‘the aviator felt the machine
give way, and he made 4 quick turn. iM
hydroplane shot downward and landed,
wreck, in Raritan Bay, with the two aer
beneath it,

They were carried safely shore by
members of the Keansburg division of the
American Life-saving Society. Simmons
had escaped with a few slight cuts and
bruises, but Mr. Hubbard received an ugly
gash behind his left ear, and at the Mon-
mouth Memorial Hospital it was said that
his condition was serious.

to

Panama Canal May Bring Jap Steamers Hete.

Haruki Yamawaki, the imperial Japa-
nese commissioner general to the Panama
Pacific. International Exposition, in San
Francisco, was a guest of the Nippon Club,
in West Eighty-fifth Street, New York,
recently. There, Mr. Yamawaki, who is
one of the leading business men of Tokyo,
in a talk with.a reporter, in which he em-
phasized the friendship existing between
the United States and Japan, said that he
was convinced that the completion of. the
Panama Canal would still further cement
that good understanding, and that one of
the meats for the furthering of the in-
ternational good will would probably be the
extension of the services of the three great

Japanese transpacific steamship lines to
New York and other American Atlantic
ports.

“Two of the transpacific lines that I re-
fer to,” said Mr. Yamawaki, “run to San
Francisco, and the third to Seattle. They
are the largest of all the lines whose ves-
sels fly the Japanese flag, I do not think
that I violate any confidence when I say
that the matter of extending the seryices
of these three lines to New York certainly,
and perhaps to other American Atlantic
ports, when the Panama Canal is opened
to the world trade, is now being consid-
ered. The completion of the canal means
the shortening by three thousand miles of
the water distance between New York and
Yokohama, and as the Japanese trade with
the Eastern part of the United. States is
greater than with any other part of the
country, it is reasonable to suppose that
every advantage will he taken of the short-
ening of the route to improve the facilities
for the still further development of this
trade.

“In both export and import business the
Japanese trade is greater with thé Eastern
part of the United States, and a direct
water route for this trade; it seems to
me, will enhance the value of this trade
to both countries. The distance and -the
time that will be saved by the finishing of
the canal will, in my opinian, immeas-~

 

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

urably increase the value of the busitess
between the two countries. As to whether
or not the Japanese steamship lines I have
in mind will also extend their services to
New Orleans, Norfolk, Boston, and other
great Atlantic ports, | am not now in a
position to say. However, I know that the
extension to New York is a matter of seri-
ous consideration.”

Speaking of the San Francisco exposi-
tion, Mr. Yamawaki said that. the whole
Japanese nation was interested in the big
fair, and that Japan intended to make her
exhibit one of the greatest in the history
of that country.

“Japan is proud of the fact,” said Mr.
Yamawaki, “that it was the first country
to aceept America’s invitation, and also that
her commissioner general was the first to
come to the United States. I shall leave
for San Francisco few days, to be
present at the laying of the corner stone of
the Japanese pavilions, after which I shall

ina

sail for home, to return again early next
year. Our people are intensely interested
in the exposition, and they do not intend

t permit any chance to pass that will
still further cement the friendship of our
two countries.”

Women’s Voting Strength,
The bureait of census has issued a state-
ment showing that in the six States in

which women vote—California, Colorado,
Idaho, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming—
there are 1,346,925 females twenty-one

years of age or over,

Of this number 654,784 are of native
white parentage and 333,925 of foreign |i
white or mixed parentage.

There .are 327,682 foreign-born white
women entitled to vote. There are also
13,488 negroes. and 17,046 Indians, Chinese,
Japanese, and ‘other Asiatics. These fig-
ures were gathered in 1910.

Farmets Lose $250,000,000 Through Poor
Roads.

A. C. Trumbo, of Muskogee, Okla, pres-
ident of the Trans-Mississipp1 Congress,
which met in Salt Lake City, declared that
the producers of agricultural products in
America lost annu; ally $250,000,000 through
cost of transportation.

“The solution of the problem,” said Mr,
Trumbo, “is in good roads, a question
which the forthcoming congress is going
to make paramount.”

Treasury Pays for Motoring Garments Vice
President Bought,

Vice President Sherman’s trousers are a
legal charge against the government. The
Senate commitiee on audit and eontrol de-
cided so recently, and the government of
the United States promptly paid $20 for
them, with a ceat thrown in, Another $5
got the vice president a rubber coat—all
three garments being for motoring—and
under a géneral appropriation aet that bill
has also been paid out of the treasury.

 

Both items go with the provision of law
granting an automobile, a chauffeur, and

the maintenance of both to the vice presi-
dent and to the speaker. Cabinet officers
and justices of the supreme court have car-
riages.

7 he vice president has been scrupulous i in
the accounts he’ sent in. One item for
ten cents tells how he bought twenty Cot-
ter pins, one inch long. At one time he
was forced by local conditions to buy
gasoline for 18 cents a gallon. That was

 

    
   
   
  
   
   
 
   
 
 
  
  
 
    
  
  
   
  
   
    
    
  
 
  
 

in November, and he only bought two gal-

lons in that market, But in December, |
when he could get: oil at 12 cents, he~

bought a large supply. Five feet of prim="
ing wire for the motor cost the government
30 cents.. The chauffeur’s salary, $1,000,
was fixed by a Senate resolution of July
27, 1911, bi

Boston’s Mayor Keeps Hens. . 9 9”

Mayor Fitzgerald, of Boston, has another
plan to. cut the high cost of living, Hey
has a profitable flock of hens at his homie”
in Dorchester and urges every one in the=
city who has a vacant plot or spare ground
in the back yard to keep poultry.

“Our flock furnishes all the fresh eggs
we can use, as a rule,” said the mayOmers
“ond at times the egg yield has been si eed
prisingly large. With meat at such exore
bitant prices and plenty of land m th
residential sections, it is criminal that
waste land in the city is not used to Keer
poultry.”

  

Electricity ra Any Home,

Thomas A. Edison sees no reason why
an isolated country home should not be @é
conipletely equipped with electrical contrr
vances as a Manhattan apartment. Tow
prove his point, he has leased a housé ne
his home in Llewellyn Park, and has
stalled a genet ‘ating plant, with all the des

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

vices for lighting, heating, and coo
designed to ease the burden of the hou
keeper.

 

 

Electric heaters and irons, motors to T&
the washing machinery, and glowing bull
in every room receive their current ff

a battery stored by a gasoline engine gé
iene

The inventor does not pretend to gene
erate electricity more cheaply in such nn
— than can a public utility compan
But he does insist that he has assembledy
a plant that will provide the current for’ ei
isolated house at a reasonable cost,

The model house is in charge of
Edison’s son, Charles, and his ne
Charles A. Poyer.

Heart Still Three Minutes; He tive

Anthony Lama, twenty-five years old, a
lineman, was revived in Philadelphia af
his heart action had completely stopped,
cor ding to the statement of Doeto Fe
Francis Taylor, police surgeon of the nine
teenth district.

Lama was trimming a city lamp, when
touched a live wire and was hurled ut
scious to the. ground twenty feet be
Doctor Taylor happened to be near
used what is known to the professhell
Sylvester’s method of artificial respiratt
Despite the fact that there was absolw
no pulsation for at least three minutes
succeeded in restoring the man after Ww it
ing over him for more than an hour,

Surgeons say many deaths from ele
cution might be avoided jf artificial res
tion were resorted to immediately. ”

New Way to Smuggle Lace,

The customs officials of New Yo
learned a new trick in smuggling face 3 i
the country from Mrs. Anna Scholes}
Cleveland, when she arrived from:Glas
on the Anchor liner Caledoma, » The?
spector who examined her baggage not
that she had a very fine toy Chantecl
the tray of her trunk, which Mrs, Sel
said was a present for one of her ni
When the customs official picked up

  

 

  

  

 
 

 

 

 

  

 

  

   

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 
 

  

 

 

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

  

 

  

 

 

 

 
 

 

   

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

  

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 
 

 
 

 

   

  

   

  

 

    
40 examine it he remarked that it was
ently constructed to flap its wings and
t by clockwork arrangement inside, but
sre seemed to be very little weight for
cha large toy rooster.
pon examination by an appraiser the
Mm was soon explained. The works
Been removed, with the exception of
Gueaker at the base of the neck, which
j@ feeble imitation of the monarch of
thyard crowing when pressed. The
of the bird was stuffed with Irish
fued at $250.
mm Mrs. Scholes was searched, $400
Of Trish lace was found on her, sewn
ferent garments.
woman collapsed entirely when taken
Judge Hough, in the Federal court.
posed a fine of $150, with a warn-
Yersto smuggle again. Mrs. Scholes
mnly that she never would.

th Suffering Caused by Earthquake.
Dalling story of suffering and dam-
ed by the recent earthquake in the
? Marmora, Turkey, was told by
rs Of the expedition dispatched re-
‘the stricken district on board the
Biates gunboat Scorpion, guardship
ntinople. J. Cornell Tarler, sec-
etary of the United States embassy,
‘special mission of four doctors on
Teport that conditions along the
Of the Sea of Marmora were found
much worse than anticipated. They
late the number of killed in the va-
wns and villages at 3,000, while the
those injured reaches 6,000.
ne Red Crescent Society and the Greek
mihiropic societies are doing good work
ie district, the Red Crescent having
éd missions to the interior to as-
sufferers.
Wisaster coming as it does at the
a political crisis in Turkey adds
burden of the Ottoman government.
@w grand vizier, Mukhtar Pasha, is,
, one of the most noted and is con-
one of the most able men in the
He was a leader of the Turks in
against Russia in 1877.

nan Gives 40 Inches of His Skin.

musual skin-grafting operation was
¥ performed at the Smith Infirmary,
sn Island, in which David P. Con-
member of the New York fire de-
nt,’ gave forty square inches of his
0 graft on his five-year-old son’s leg
| the ankle to the kneecap. Both pa-
§ are now believed to be out of dan-
Sand Doctor A. H, Thomas, who per-
ed the operation, attributes its suc-
Jargely to Condon’s fine physical con-
L Ne also believes in the method used
$ Case, where there was no cauteriza-
jondon has walked for the first time,
cts to leave the hospital in a few

Condon boy tripped and fell into a
around which he had been playing.
d in the embers in such a position
_ right leg was severely burned
kle to knee along the shin bone.
‘rushed to the hospital, and for
physicians worked over him in an
avoid amputation, The boy’s leg
badly scarred, however, that more
> it seemed as if that would be the
ble course,
her at length resolved to give up
his own skin to heal, if pos-
son’s wound, and he applied to

ar

 

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

Joseph Johnson, fire commissioner, for five
days’ leave of absence. The operation was
performed by Doctor Thomas.

Bertilion on Crooks,

Doctor Bertillon, the criminal mensura-
tion expert, who is to head the school of
detectives to be established by M. Lépine,
the prefect of police, has written to Le Ma-
tin to say that, according to his experience,
society holds no professional crooks, and
that the stories by certain French novel-
ists about humane, generous criminals of
refined breeding and good birth are fake in
the very nature of things.

There undeniably exists, he says, among
the gentle classes the idea that if they
chose to turn thieves they would excel in
that profession; but let any gentleman or
lady under this delusion walk into a shop
in the Rue de la Paix, select $5,000 worth
of jewelry, and try to obtain it without
payment, and they would quickly discover
their mistake.

Doctor Bertillon declares that he is sur-
prised that habitual international robbers
can ever pass for gentlemen, for they al-
ways show palpable signs of vulgar origin.
The best of them are only about the social
rank of a groom of one of the big hotels,
and more ordinarily they are on a level
with stable help, servants, chauffeurs, or
workingmen.

A few minutes’ conversation on subjects
other than racing and gambling is suf-
ficient to betray the shallowness of their
pretended acquaintance with society,

Doctor Bertillon declares that his own
detectives on duty at the railway waiting
rooms, bank halls, et cetera, generally rec-
ognize any individual likely to be arrested
in the next half hour by some offense
against taste in dress or manner.

It would be most interesting to learn
how. Doctor Bertillon taught his agents,
since any expensively dressed, glib-tongued
man, especially if a foreigner, seems ca-
pable of imposing indefinitely on even such
presumed experts as hotel managers and
servants, But an outsider never deceives,
even for five minutes, any of his own
countrymen, and this is perhaps the reason
why he enrolls himself as an “interna-
tional.”

After dismissing contemptuously the idea
of gentlemen thieves, Doctor Bertillon re-
marks that each one has his specialty. The
worst jailbird will succeed in duping a
jeweler where a genuine aristocrat would
fail, because formerly he was himself in
the trade and knows exactly how to deal
with men like his former masters, creating
a momentary confidence and exciting cu-
pidity by saying the right thing and avoid-
ing saying the wrong one.

The bank swindler who forges checks
and otherwise profits by a knowledge of
banking ways is almost always a former
bank clerk, like Gallay, the Frenchman,
who is now out of prison, Another curious
fact stated by Doctor Bertillon is that, how-
ever carefully dressed externally interna-
tional thieves may be, it is usually found
that they are far from irreproachable as
soon as their clothes and boots are stripped,
as anybody in the anthropometrical service
can testify.

Summing up, Doctor Bertillon declares
that the elegant, redoubtable thief of
romance exists only in the newspapers.
Bands are generally recruited while under-
going punishment in prison, and more often
manage to rub shoulders with the wealthy

 

29

classes through the introduction of femi- .
nine accomplices rather than by any per-
sonal talent or attraction, with which few
are ever endowed. It is generally through
the woman that the police finally get on the
track of criminals, although as long as they
believe that a man is true to them these
women can never be tempted by any sum
to betray criminals.

The moral is, that these gentry depend
for success principally on the accident of
being foreigners, and that they could never
impose on their own countrymen, | -

lf it is true that it is best to set a thief
to catch a thief, it is evident that it re-
quires a gentleman to tell a gentleman at
sight, and one of the most astonishing in-
stances of these truisms occurred lately
in Paris, when an ex-chief detective of
New York allowed himself to be robbed in
Paris of $5,000 by the “confidence trick”
by two pretended “gentlemen” in the most
conventional fashion.

Find Prehistoric Museum.

The privilege of being members of the
first party to visit a museum 20,000 years
old has fallen to H. F, Osborn, president of
the American Museum of Natural History,
New York, and Professor MacCurdy, of
Harvard University.

Comte Begouen, mayor of Montesquiou
Avantes in the Department of Ariege, while
walking a few days ago by the side of a
Pyrenean rivulet, discovered a subterranean
stream, half a mile long, leading to an un-
explored cavern. Comte Begouen and his
son rowed down the stream, which was
arched with magnificent stalactites. Com-
ing to the rocky soil of the cavern, they
discovered behind a series of natural col-
umns and above an ancient stalagmitic
cascade a superb room, naturally deco-
rated. with the most exquisite stalactites.

On the walls of a passage running
parallel with this room the explorers came
upon a collection of bas-reliefs and stone
engravings. Although specimens of primi-
tive art, the work was still remarkably well
defined and included engravings of rein-
deers, bisons, horses, elephants, and even
wolves and carnivorous animals.

Mr. Osborn and Professor MacCurdy,
who happened to be in the district, were in-
vited with others to form the first party
to inspect this important find.

The French Academy of Inscriptioys has
confided to Salomon haltark the task of
making an exhaustive report on this pre-
historic museum, which is estimated to be
20,000 years old,

Rapid Progress Being Made on New East
River Bridge,

Rapid progress is being made by the
Gillespie Contracting Company in the con-
struction of the four mammoth piers that
are to support the Long Island end of the
new bridge over the East River that is
to connect the Bronx with Long Island.

The piers, which are located in the Stein-
way section of Long Island, cut diagonally
across a section west of Steinway Avenue
and south of Flushing Avenue, and then
extend beyond Flushing Avenue in the di-
rection of Woodside as far as Thirteenth
Avenue, When this section is visited the
most striking objects first seen are the tow-
ering scaffolds erected to a height of 150
feet and which are known as “cement
hoists.” They are of steel and wood, and
at intervals on the structure are erected
chutes from which the cement is to run to

 
30

the places where
structed,

The Gillespie company is under contract
to have the four piers done in three months.
Then. the steel superstructure will be
-started.

The bridge is to carry four tracks, and
it will extend from the Brooklyn line and
run across the Second and First Wards of
Queens to the shores of the East River
above Hell Gate, where a cantilever bridge
will span the East River to abutments on
Wards Island, and from this point the
bridge will be carried over Randall’s Island
to the mainland in the Bronx.

At the point where the piers ate now
being erected the clearance above the street
level will be forty feet, and it will continue
to rise until the shores of the East River
are reached, where it will have a clearance
above high water of 150 feet.

Mattons Get Police Pay.

Supreme Court Justice Brady has sus-
tained the contention of the police ma-
trons of New York that they were entitled
to equal pay with first-grade patrolmen.
The test case was brought by Adele D.
Preiss, a matron, who petitioned the court
for a writ of peremptory mandamus com-
yelling Commissioner Waldo to take such
measures as would insure an advance in
her pay from $1,000 to $1,400. The writ
was granted.

Justice Brady interpreted the law of 1899,
whereby it was ruled that matrons should
receive the same pay as police doormen
as having been of effect only so long as
the position of doorman existed. The
doormen. used to receive $1,000, but in 1912
the rank was abolished, and it was ad-
judged that those performing the service
of police station doormen should be re-
munerated as patrolmen. A patrolmdn re-
ceives $1,400 a year.

This Wedding Cake Weighs 300 Pounds.

One of the most extraordinary wedding
gifts ever presented to a bride is a. 300-
pound wedding cake given to Miss Mamie
Morgenstein, of Philadelphia, by her father.
It is said to be the largest cake ever baked
in Philadelphia.

Among the ingredients in the cake are
100 pounds of raisins, 100 pounds of cur-
rants, 30 dozen eggs, 75 pounds of sugar,
and 20 pounds of butter. It stands six
feet high, and is aftistically decorated.
Mr. Morganstein and his two sons spent
two weeks making the big confection. They
say it will last, without crumbling or melt-
ing, for 25 years.

the piers are being con-

Interest in Light Harness Racing Growing.

Light harness-horse racing in all parts
of the country, particularly in the East,
which was on the wane a few years ago,
has suddenly jumped to great prominence,
and at the present time is on a better foot-
ing and larger scale than ever before.

Since the abolition of the thoroughbred
the attention of many have turned to this
class of sport, and interest has steadily
increased, The breeding industry is more
extensive and not now confined to any par-
ticular district, but is thriving in many
localities. The racing end is also in better
condition, and nearly every part of the
country where any number of supporters
can be found are now supporting valuable
purse meetings.

The metropolitan district has been ex-

ceedingly active, and not a few sections!

 

 

NEW TIP TOP, WEEKLY.

of New York, New Jersey, and near-by
States have successfully promoted purse
meetings,« with valuable purses, and at-
tracted good entries from points as far dis-
tant as Canada, Although New York City
proper has not had many meetings to which
the local devotees of the sport could get to
conveniently, the Parkway Track, Brooklyn,
proved a great success and established new
records, both from a competitive and spec-
tators’ standpoint. ‘The crowds which
turned out to witness the sport were the
best ever attending a meeting at the old
track, and the entries included horses from
New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
and Canada.

New York State has contributed well
to the sport, and this summer has
scheduled two well-balanced meetings at
Monroe and Goshen. In addition to these
there are.a number of smaller meetings,
such as those of Ogdensburg, Plattsburg,
and Monroe. These latter three organiza-
tions have pooled interests in an endeavor
to revive the sport in their localities and at
their fairs this fall have decided to offer
five stakes valued at $4,500 each,

At these smaller meetings, which are
mostly over half-mile tracks, the purses
have. been exceptionally large and have
acted as an incentive to attract many horses
capable of traveling in the company of
Grand Circuit condidates. At the Goshen
meeting the purses were all liberal, the
highest being $4,000 for the 2:12 trot, and
the quality of the sport was very gratifying.
The first day a crowd estimated at 10,000
witnessed the races, and the other two days
were just as well patronized.

Aside from these individual meetings
there is still to be considered the Grand
Circuit. This campaign of the celebrities of
the light harness world has always been
the classic, but the campaign of 1912 has
been one of the greatest since the institu-
tion of the circuit. A number of cities
that dropped from the list years ago have
resumed their place, and the class of en-
tries and purses have been better this year.
The racing since the circuit began has been
productive of a number of record-break-
ing performances, and the purses have been
divided among a number of winners, with
very few steady winners, as in years past,
when one horse in a class proved almost
peerless.

Twenty years ago there were very few
horsemen who believed that fast trotters
and pacers would ever be raised in the
North, especially in New England, owing
to the changeable seasons, as there could
bein the hotter climates of Kentucky and
California.

This has long since changed, and any
amount of fast-stepping and high-bred cam-
paigners are now performing that have
been bred in the North. When the New
England Association of Trotting Horse
Breeders was first organized, two classes of
stakes. were offered for horses bred in
their territory, which have been contested
annually.

For Health on Farms,

In line with the effort of leading men of
the country to make farm life better and so
end the drift to the cities that has figured
so largely in the increase of the cost of
living, the Utah Agricultural College is to
establish a special course of lectures whose
object will be to promote health among
farmers, :

Among the lecturers who will take part

/

 

 

in the course are the president-of the Sta
board of health, the State pathologist,
the director of the State reformatory, 4
leading veterinarian, the professor of ba
teriology and physiology of the State co
lege, the professor of home economic
and other members of the school facul
and a lecturer on eugenics. Strong stress 7]
will be laid on the dangers associated” he
addiction to the use of patent medicines =

i
Granite Mausoleum for Senator Dryden i

Plans have been completed for a granite ™

mausoleum forty feet square and fiftystw A

feet high, to mark the last resting pic *

ex-Senator John F. Dryden, in the Mem

Pleasant Cemetery, in Newark, N. Jo
The exterior of the mausoleum Wi

of Connecticut white granite and ats”

terior of pink Knoxville marble. ~

will be thirty-six crypts.

ih

The last survivor of the immense
of passenger pigeons—called by se
the “common wild pigeon,” of North A
ica—which, prior to 1880 visited the woe
sections of New Jersey, died secentl
a farm near Montville, N. J. “The
had been kept in captivity sinte M:
1888, See
That the’birds in a wild state have
appeared is shown by the fact that ten
the Audubon Society of Illinois 0
$100 for definite proof of the finding”
nesting paif of passenger. pigeons.
claimant has appeared. 2a

$200,000 Circus Tent Burns, 4

Sparks from a blazing barn carried
blocks by wind, fell on the main tent:
the Ringling Brothers’ circus at Sterl
Ill., and burned it to the ground within:
minutes. %

The

afternoon performance had | 0h
started and the few people in the tent es=
caped. The animal tent was taken dos

in time to save it. The loss is place i

200,000,

Seek English Millions.

The discovery that an estate of $50,000,000.
in Middlesex, England, is awaiting a claim=
ant has resulted in the appearance o
least five in St. Louis, one in Chicago,
one in Des Moines, Iowa. The esta
said to have been left by Alfred Page, wi
died in England in 1833. It is said t¢
clude Weabley Manor, one of the most
posing country places in England,

The search for the heirs was begun
the instance of Charles Nelson Page,
Des Moines. The Chicago heir is sai
be Patrick Saunders. The St. Louis ef
ants are Mrs. Frances Gansey, Mrs, B
Farrell, Mrs. Anne Cunningham, Mich:
Saunders, and Thomas Saunders.

Glove-cleaning Costs Bride’s Life.

Glove-cleaning with gasoline cost the
of Mrs. Charles E. Thedford, the y
wife of a coal dealer, and the burnin
the uptown apartment where she lived
New York. ‘t

With her clothes ablaze Mrs. Thed
rushed to the telephone to sound the al
The apartment switchboard operator ba
heard the cry of “help, help” succeed
silence. Those who responded some
utes later found her husband, who ha
expectedly returned for lunch, fighti
get in the apartment, himself on fire from
the flames shooting into the hallway’2

 
cause he could not reach his
wife. He was dragged to safety.
Mrs. Thediord’s charred body was found
foom by the firemen.

485 Feet into Bed of Soft Cement and
Escaped Injury.
Pecompanied by the débris of 26 feet of
Mmolding and by five feet of loose ce-
iemt, Henry Smith, a laborer, fell 185 feet,
attle Creek, Mich., landed in a bed of
cement, shot out of sight, and then
gled to. the. surface—unhurt.
ith was shoveling cement on the tower
| Construction company’s new plant,
the scaffolding gave way. A police
ser Was summoned, and when he arrived
‘Was still embedded in the powdery

Rail Death Rate Lowet in New York.
he Public Service Commission in New
“chas received the summary of the
thly reports of accidents on railroads
Feet. railways in New York for the
of July, with comparisons. for pre-
years. The records show that while
imber of accidents during July was
,agath 5,772 fot the same month in
ind 6,040 for July, tort, the number
ous accidents dropped from 3590 in
7910, and 233 in July, 1011, to 208
lis. July.
number. of: petsons killed on local
sand railways for the same period
j. against 40 and 4t during. July, ror0,
tly, 1011;. respectively. The total
f of injuries reported for the July
"Passed is 4,211, against 4,109 in Jtily,
and 3,843. in July, tort.

ine Eggs for One Cent in China.

e in ' the United States who are tired

high cost of living may rest their

at least by studying the following
rices as they. exist to-day itt west
cording to United States Consul

f Amoy, and, if dissatisfied with

.of living ‘hete, ‘might move to

“Ghina, according to Consul Arnold,
"hen eggs cost: 1 cent; a good-sized
ieken, 5 cents; mutton, a pound, without
@ pote, 3 certs; 4. pigeon, for eating, 1
wracée of pheaSarits, 6 cents; coal, a
* flour, two pounds, I cent; wheat,
shel, 25 cents; pork, a pound, § cents;
‘bushel, 20 cents; a mule or horse,
man’s wages for.a day, 3-cents;, an
be bought otitright for $rs5.-
low level. of prices im west China
Consul Arnold says, to the. fact that
Hote section of China has not ‘yet
fluenced by the world’s increased

6h of gold in the last sixty years.

“adequate transportation has kept
‘tewion closed to the outside world,
Chinese are fooling tourists with
made in Germany and embossed
hese characters and containing imi-
ade. Not only is the jade artificial,
German gold is only 14 carat as
inese gold of 16 to 22 carats.

1 Booth Founded World Crusade.
he passing of General William
1¢ Of the grand old men of the
‘the dreamer, politician, fighter—the
pindomitable dictator of a strange army
“tuken away. He was born in
- April 10, 1829. At 17 he was
acher ‘and at 19 he was called to
r+ of the. Wesleyan Church.

| England.

 

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

From the very first he had a way of prowl-
ing about the slums, of taking unfortu-
nates by the-hand and compelling them to
come in,

One could not stand face to face with
him without feeling the wonderful force of
the man. It was in every line of his face,
the enormous hooked nose, the deep-set
eyes under the beetle brows, the stern
mouth, and. the waste of ragged, gray
beard.

The Salvation Army, the most extraor-
dinary of all in this age of religious move-
ment, began in 1865 in a tent in the old
Quaker burial ground, in Brick Lane,
Whitechapel, with the preaching of a gaunt,
eccentric, eagle-beaked evangelist. It began
noisily with the beating of drums and the
melancholy voices of penitent sinners. It
has marched around the world with its
drumbeats and its sinner’s wailings; in the
slums of evety city, in the villages of every
land, in Zulu jungles, in China, India,
Japan; wherever its trumpets have sounded
the miserable ones have fallen into line,
shouting for the glory of God and the
defiance of the devil. And the man who
directéd it, a grim old man, looking for
all the world like a peddler of Yankee no-
tions, told tis, even in his dying moments,
that its goal will not be reached until
“every man arid woman is redeemed, mor-
ally, mentally, socially.”

When he first started to show interest
in méen atid women who were “down and
out,” as it is put to-day, his elders in the
Wesleyan Church did not believe in taking
the Bible quite so literally and edged him
out of the.church. This led him to be-
come an evangelist and to wander over
His methods grew noisier as the
earnestness of the man increased. Sinners
who did not wish to be saved attacked him,
riots broke out, and he was hissed and
stoned. The authorities frowned on him,
the churches gave him the cold shoulder.

The evangelist determined he would take
a scriptural injunction and become a_ sol-
dier. After he had founded the army in
the out-of-door mission in Whitechapel, he
promoted himself to the rank of general.
‘His organization gtew so that thé day came
at length when the atthorities in many
lands sought his assistance in solving ‘the
question of pauperism, and the churches
copied his methods,

Hent Pirate Boat on Lake Michigan.

A pirate motor boat, which the police say
has been leaving murder and_ plundered

yessels in its waké, is at large on Lake
Michigan.” Police boats have been working

on the case.- The pirate boat is a small
craft of preat speed. The members of its
ctew make their hauls and get away so
swiftly that they cannot be followed. It is
said the pirates’ headquarters ate in the

northern part of Wiscongin,

Use Umbtellas to Ward Off Army of Grass+
hoppers.

People carried umbrellas to protect them
from grasshoppers when an army of the
pests descended upon the town of Tulsa,
Okla., visited all the houses and made life
miserable fot everybody, The approach
of the "hoppers was attended with a noise
like a hailstorm, The next mofning the
streets were paved with grasshoppers. The
army was moving southward, and, accord-
ing to experts, was making schedule time.

At Sapulpa the grasshoppers crippled in-
terurban and city electric line traffic and

 

31

hundreds of chickens died eating the in-
sects. Gardens, lawns, alfalfa, and shade
trees were damaged. Old Indians say the
visit of the grasshoppers means a_ hard
winter,

Wild Soldier is Found in a Cave.

After living like a wild beast in the
woods between Junction City and Fort
Riley, Kan., for four months, Matthew
Burke, a private in the Fourth Artillery,
was captured by a detail of soldiers sent
from the post. The ransacking of a farm-
house for food, and the stories of several
people who saw Burke, led to his capture.
When found he was near his den, which
was a hole in the mud covered with a bit
of canvas. Burke still wore his tattered
khaki uniform. His hair had grown down
to his shoulders,

During the four months he hid himself
he lived principally on green corn, wild
grapes, and other wild fruits that he could
gather.

Watchman Derails Train to Avoid Expected
Collision,

The Wabash flyer, which leaves Detroit
at 12:30 o'clock in the morning, was
wrecked six miles west of Chatham, Can-
ada, recently. There were more than 100
passengers, but the injuries of those who
suffered were slight. The engine and five
coaches were overturned.

It is said that the accident was due to th
action of a watchman who, believing that
another train was approaching and a col-
lision imminent, threw the derail to avoid
more serious conseqtiences.

Say America Wilf Have no Lumber in
Twenty Years. :

There will be no lumber in America in
twenty years if the presetit. rate of “con-
sumption keeps up, is thé opinion of tum-
bermen of Kansas City, who declared the
only way to conserve the fast diminishing
supply is to increase prices.’ This will be
done at onee. ;

The cause of the diminishirig supply of
lumber -is: prosperity, according to the lum-
bermen. It has infused. the American work-
man with a desire to build a hore for him-
self and family, and the resultant ‘building
activity has cut into the supply of lumber.
Last year the lumber exported and’ used for
railroad business alone’ was 600,000,000 feet
more than production. The lumberman
has no other altetnative than to raise pricés,
say thé dealers. “at, gt Sty si te

J. P. Motgan Transfers Art Treasures from
London to New York.
J...P.- Morgan’s .famous collection .of
paintings, including the series known as
the Grasse Fragonards, which have for
many years adorned the chambers of his
residence at Prince’s Gate, Hyde Park,
London, has already arrived in this coun-
try and will irfethe future form one of the
most, attractive features of Mr: Morgan’s
residence in New York. ;
. The customs appraisers have recorded the
entry of some of these art treasures at_an
aggregate nominal valué of $610,000. The
Grasse. Fragonards series, consisting in it-
self of 10 pictures was. sold at auction at
Carnes in 1898 for $250,006, Bh, ee
Mr. Morgan’s paintings and antiqtfes have
been brought into this country ‘wnder the
free entry prevailing for works of art, et
cetera, more than 20 years old, provided in

 
<i

have suspected a milk ve

 

32

the Payne-Aldrich tariff law, and the values
given in the appraisers’ records are merely
nominal.

Chinese Soldiers in Mutiny to Save Pigtails.

Resenting an order to cut off their queues,
government troops at Tunk Chow, ‘near
Peking, China, revolted and burned and
looted the town, killing nearly a score of
persons. The foreign missions were un-
harmed, but more trouble is expected as a
result of the mutiny, and special troops have
been dispatched’ from the capital to quell
the uprising.

Rich Sheep Ownet Found Dead on New
Mexico Ranch.

Solomon Luna, millionaire banker and
sheep owner, for sixteen years Republican
national committeeman for New Mexico,
was found dead recently in.a dipping vat
at his sheép ranch, seventy miles from Mag-
dalena, N. M.

Word of Mr. Luna’s death was brought
to Magdalena, the nearest railway point.
It was said that there was no indication of
foul play.

Bull Fighters Are Expelled from France,”

The attempt of the French government
to prevent bull fighting at St. Malo has
given rise to much dissatisfaction,

The prohibition issued: by the prefect
caused so much indignation that he finally
gave way, and announced that the bull fight
would be permitted on condition that it
was carried out in French fashion, as is
done in the Landes—that is to say, that
the bull should not be killed by the torea-
dor, and that no bandarillos should be
used.

The bandarillo is a piece of wood, coy-
ered with colored paper, which has a barbed
point. This is stuck into the bull’s shoul-
der, and the pain inflicted naturally arouses
the most sluggish beast to fury. In spite
of their promise, the bull fighters who came
from Madrid fought the bull in Spanish
fashion, with bandarillos and all the rest of
the bull-fighting paraphernalia.

On this the prefect, escorted by gen-

darmes,; entered the bullring and stopped the

fight. This naturally displeased the public,
and a riot followed. Later, by order of the
government, the impresario and the torea-
dors were expelled from French territory.

It is rumored that the government in-
tends to suppress all Spanish bull fighting
in France, but it is more’ than doubtful
whether it will dare to do so. Spanish bull
fighting is technically forbidden in France,
and after each bull fight the organizers are
fined the nominal sum of tenpence for
breach of the Grammont law for the pre-
vention of cruelty to animals.

Water Apparently Milked from Cow.

For some time the police of Paris, France,
er, named No-
ziere, of watering his milk.

Several times samples of milk which No-
ziere was delivering were submitted to the
experts of the municipal laboratory, and
each time these were declared to_ contain
a large proportion of water.

Despite this, the man vehemently pro-
tested his innocence, and invited the police
to visit His dairy at any time to see the
cows milked. Two inspectors did so, and
after witnessing the milking, carried away
the milk, which, on examination, was found

to contain a large proportion of water.

 

NEW..TIP TOP WEEKLY.

The visits were repeated, but each time the
milk which came straight from the cow
was fotnd to be too thin.

The police were much puzzled, until one
day Inspector Debout noticed that the milk-
man, who was very fat, milked with only
one hand. Another curious point was that
he also seemed to become thinner as the
milk pail grew fuller. Inspector Debout at
once ordered the milkman to undo his
waistcoat, when two India rubber bladders
and a system of piping were revealed. One
bladder contained air and the other water.
By pressing the air bladders the milkman
caused the water to trickle out of the
water bladder through a pipe into the milk
pail, the operation being concealed by his
artificial obesity.

Milks White House Cow, Using Hat for Pail.

Persons in Canton, Qhio, are ready to
take off their hats to J. F. Koehler, instruc-
tor in agriculture at the local high school,
and who has just returned from a trip to
Washington, when he told of milking Presi-
dent Taft’s prize cow, Pauline, on the
White House lawn when no one was look-
ing. He told how he saw Pauline while
strolling through the White House grounds,
how he tried ‘to withstand the temptation
and could not; how he left the walk and
stalked across the grass with fear in his
heart and a new straw hat in his hand;
how the deed was dane, and finally how the
straw hat was ruinéd in the absence of
a pail,

Pirates Break Record for Three-base Drives.

Pittsburgh holds the record of the Na-
tional League for the most three-base hits
in a season. The mark was passed recently,
when, Hans Wagner hammered the ball to
the fence, giving the Pirates a grand total
to date, of 107. The former high figures
of 106 were chalked up by the Pirates last
year.

The major-league record is 112. Two
American League clubs hold this record.
Baltimore made 112 triples in 1901, and Bos-
ton in 1903, the year that club won the
American League pennant and later the
world’s championship.

Pittsburgh may yet equal or even beat
the world’s record. Chief Wilson, of
course, is the one who had more to do
than any one else with helping Pittsburgh
to break the National League record, as he
contributed 33-of the team’s 107 three-
baggers.

* The best previous individual record in
the National League was made by Larry
Doyle, of New: York, last year. Doyle made
25 triples. Previous to that time the record
was held by Sam Crawford, now of De-
troit, but who, while a member of the Cin-
cinnati club in 1902, made 23 three-baggers.

Larry Lajoie holds the world’s record,
having made 43 triples in 1903. Wilson
will come close to this mark, in all prob-
ability, Wilson’s record with the _ Pitts-
burgh club is most remarkable. He has
improved steadily ever since he joined the
team.

Makes Dresses for Chicks.

During the recent chilly weather, Mrs.
Forrest Ferrill, of Waukegan, Ill, was con-
fronted with the problem of caring for 200
little chickens which had arrived at that
stage where their feathers were few and
far between. She sought baby flannel and
designed suits for the shivering chicks. She

 

 

 

 

ye 4 fowl
made dresses for those she figured were of
the variety needing dresses, and for he
others a smart trousers and, cutaway coat “i
effect. : ee ae
When they grew a little older and the 7
weather moderated, ‘Mrs. Ferrill ©") of
dressed” her big brood, but saved the
ments for emergencies. :

Wants United States to Pay for His Dead
William Smith, a Union Civil War vera
eran, wants the navy department to pay 4%
for his cow which was starved to ‘dealt
during the recent Mississippi floods. Ek
says the warrant officer in charge of
Algiers naval station, opposite New ~
leans, refused shelter to his cow, altho
the stock of other flood refugees were b
ing cared for. Acting Secretagy Winth
has declined to admit the responsibility ©
the department. aye

Essence of Violet at $20,000 a Kilogt
The essence of Oriental roses wid
the perfume most in vogue next wintet, >>
announcement having just been made th»
owing to the exceptionally good sea.
average price this year will be only

kilogram (two pounds three ounce:

On the other hand, the phenomenaliy
and wet summer in Europe, with the
sence of any sunshine, will, it is also sta C1
make other scents so dear as to be out ol (J
reach of all but millionaires. : 4)

The pure essence of violet will not
obtainable for less than $20,000 a kilogram,
while mignonette perfume, which bas om
been very much in fashion in Paris, w
come second at the price of $8,000 for th
same quantity. ae OR

In consequence of this scent famine, ther’
is expected to be an enormous increase >
the sale of artificial perfumes extract
from coal, and a huge demand will, it 9/
believed, probably cause important improv...)
ments in this industry. OE a

  
  
  
    
 
   
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
   
  
 
 
  
   
  
  
  
  
    

 

”

 

Cent an Ounce for Parcels,
Senator Bourne, chairman of the Senate |
committee on post offices, hb ~ “een P
most inundated with inquirie
tails of the provisions 0! “a
post law which will becui.© «eaectiv
January tT next, He has made his res
in a general circular: letter, in which’ h
gave this official summary of the exac¢
fect of the new law: ‘ oe
Any article is mailable if not oy
pounds in weight nor more than 72 4
in length and girth combined, nar like
injure the mails or postal equipment
employees. Flat rate of one cent per ¢
up to four ounces, regardless of”
Above four ounces, for first: pow
additional pound and I1 pounds, ’t1 ro
and city delivery, 5, 11, and 15 cents respe
tively; 50-mile zone, 5, 3, and 35 cen
r5o-mile zone, 6, 4, and 46 cents; r
zone, 7, 5, and 57, cents; 600-mile
6, and 68 cents; 1,000-mile zone, 9,
79 cents; 1,400-mile zone, 10 cents, @
and $1; 1,800-mile zone, 11 cents, 16
and $1.11; over 1,800 miles, 12 cent

$1.32. 4S
_The postmaster general may make
vision for indemnity insurance ct
tion on delivery, with additional
for such service, and may, with the ¢
of the interstate commerce com
after investigation, modify rates, ¥

and. zone distances, when experienc? hi
demonstrated the needs thereo

     
   
  
 
  
    
   
    
  
   
    
    
  
 
  
  
   

   
 

  

      

 

    

  

   

       
 
   
   

    
 
 

 

—ALL OF THE BACK NUMBERS OF

TIP TOP WEEKLY¥¢4

THAT, CAN NOW BE SUPPLIED

 

 

—Frank Merriwell’s Six-in-hand
—Frank Merriwell’s Duplicate.
2—Frank Merriwell on Rattle-
snake Ranch.
—Frank Merriwell’s Sure
: 4—F rank Merriwell’s

Map.
—Frank Merrivwell,
Rope.

the
736—Dick Merriwell,
Varsity.
< Merriweli’s Control.
c < Merriwell’s Back Stop.
Merriwell’s Masked
my.
Merriwell’s Motor Car.
Merriwell’s Hot Pursuit.
Merriwell at Forest Lake
Merriwell in Court.
Merriwell’s Silence.
Merriwell’s Dog.
Merriwell’s Subterfuge.
Merriwell’s Enigma,
Merriwell Defeated,
Merriwell’s “Wing.”’
Merriwell’s Sky Chase,
Merriwell’s Pick-ups.

658—F rank Merriwell’s Lesson.
659—F rank Merriwell’s Protection.
660—Dick Merriwell’s Reputation.
661—Dick Merriwell’s Motto.
662—Dick Merriwell’s Restraint.
663—Dick Merriwell’s Ginger.
664—Diek Merriwell’s Driving.
665—Dick Merriwell’s Good Cheer.
666—F rank Merriwell’s Theory.
667—Frank Merriwell’s Diplomacy.
668—Frank Merriwell’s Encourage-
ment.
669—Frank Merriwell’s Great Work.
670—Dick Merriwell’s Mind.
671—Dick Merriwell’s “Dip.” e
672—Dick Merriwell’s Rally. —Dick
673—Dick Merriwell’s Flier. Dick
674—Frank Merriwell’s Bullets. i nhs k
675—Frank Merriwell’s Cut Off. —Dick
676—F rank Merriwell’s Ranch Boss. —Dick
677—Dick Merriwell’s Equal. >—Dic k
678—Dick Merriwell’s Development. —Dick
679—Dick Merriwell’s Eye, —Dick
680—F rank Merriwell’s Zest. s§—Dick
681—F rank Merriwell’s Patience. —Dick
682—Frank Merriwell’s Pupil. —Dick
683—Frank Merriwell’s Fighters. -Dick
684—Dick Merriwell at the ‘Meet.’ 2—Dick Merriwell on the
685—Dick Merriwell’s Protest. ing R.
686—Dick Merriwell in the Mara-753—Dick Merriwell’s Penetration.
thon. 754—Dick er ere sain tion:
687—Dick Merriwell’s Colors. 7T55—Dick Merriwell’s Vantage,
688—Dick Merriwell, Driver. 756—Dick Merriwell’s Advice.
608—Dick Merriwell’s Value. 689—Dick Merriwell on the Deep. 757—Dick Merriwell’s Rescue.
609—Dick Merriwell Doped. 690—Dick Merriwell in the North 758—Dick Merriwell, American.
610—Dick Merriwell’s Belief. Woods. 759—Dick Merriwell’s Understand-
611—Frank Merriwell in the Mar-691—Dick Merriwell’s Dandies. ing.
ket, 692—Dick Merriwell’s Skyscooter. 760—Dick Merriwell, Tutor.
wag tac Merriwell’s Fight for6938—Dick Merriwell in the ses ee eet Hy 8 snanid ary.
‘ortune. Mountains. 762—Dick Merriwell on the Boards.
613—Frank Merriwell on Top. 694—Dick Merriwell in Utah. 763—Dick Merriwell, Peacemaker.
614—Dick Merriwell’s Trip West. 695—Dick Merriwell’s Bluff. 764—Frank Merriwell’s Sway.
615—Dick Merriwell’s Predicament. 696—Dick Merriwell in the Saddle. 765—Frank Merriwell’s Compre-
616—Dick Merriwell in Mystery 697—Dick Merriwell’s Ranch hension.
Valley. Friends. 766—Frank Merriwell’s
2h Abe Mertiw rid ee 698—Frank Merriwell at Phantom Acrobat.
518—Fran erriwel erplexec Lake. tp A ae ie tata dS ob Toe be
619__Frank Merriwell’s Suspicion. 699—Frank Mérriwell’s Hold-back. TOT eee icccanctias Wridiiies
620—Dick Merriwell’s Gallantry. 700—Frank Merriwell’s Lively Lads 7¢9— rank Merriwell’s Acuteness
621—Dick Merriwell's Condition. 701—Frank Merriwell as Instructor.779__Frank  Merriwell’s Young
622—Dick Merriwell’s Stanchness, 702—Dick Merriwell’s Cayuse. Canadian.
623—Dick Merriwell’s Match. 703—Dick Merriwell’s Quirt. 1—Frank Merriwell’s Coward.
624—Frank Merriwell’s Hard Case. 704—Dick Merriwell’s Freshman 44,7 7f°0% See wae
OK ba tte ales z = —F rank Merriwell’s Perplexity.
625—Frank Merriwell’s Helper. Friend. Frank Merriwell’s Int :
626—Frank Metriwell’s Doubts. 705—Dick Merriwell’s Best Form. eteh. nterven:
627—F rank Merriwell’s *Phenom.” 706—Dick Merriwell’s Prank, sell’
328—Dick Merriwell’s Stand. 707—Dick Merriwell’s Gambol. 74—Frank Merriwell’s Daring Deed
5—Frank Merriwell's Succor,
76
et

575—Dick Merriwell's Twirling.
576—Dick Merriwell’s Party.
577—Dick Merriwell’s Backers.
578—Dick Merriwell’s Coach.
579—Dick Merriwell’s Bingle.
580—Dick Merriwell’s Hurdling.
582—Dick Merriwell’s Respite.
583—Dick Merriwell’s Disadvan-
tage.
584—Dick Merriwell Beset.
586—Dick Merriwell’s Distrust.
587—Dick Merriwell, Lion Tamer.
588—Dick Merriwell’s Camp-site.
589—Dick Merriwell’s Debt.
590—Dick Merriwell’s Camp Mates.
591—Dick Metriwell’s Draw.
592—Dick Merriwell’s Disapproval.
593—Dick Merriwell’s Mastery.
594—Dick Merriwell’s Warm Work.
595—Dick Merriwell’s “Double
Squeeze.”
596—-Dick Merriwell’s Vanishing.
597—Dick Merriwell Adrift.
598—Dick Merriwell’s Influence.
599—F rank Merriwell’s Worst Boy.
600—F rank Merriwell’s Annoyance.
601—F rank Merriwell’s Restraint.
602—Dick Merriwell Held Back.
603—Dick Merriwell in the Line.
604—Dick Merriwell’s Drop Kick.
605—F rank Merriweil’s Air Voyage.
606—Frank Merriwell’s Auto Chase.
607—F rank Merriwell’s Captive.

Hand.
Treasure

of
of

Prince

Captain

En-

tock-

Elk

Young

»
2
or

§29—Dick Merriwell’s Circle. 7O8—Dick Merriwell's Gun. x ]
630—Dick Merriwell's Reach, 709—Dick Merriwell at His —Frank Merriwell's Wit.
331—Dick Merriwell’s Money. 0—Dick Merriwell’s Master 777—Frank me tieete Ss Loyalty.
632—Dick Merriwell Watched. , —Dick Merriwell’s Dander. 18 —F rank Merriwell’s Bold Play.
633—Dick Merriwell Doubted. —Dick Merriwell’s Hope. oe See iver, 8 Insight.
634— Dick Merriwell’s Distrust. —Dick Merriwell’s Standard. 780- —Frs nk Seca tten I's Guile. ‘
635—Dick Merriwell’s Risk. —Dick Merriwell’s Sympathy. | 781—Frank Merriwell’s Campaign.
636—lF rank Merriwell’s Favorite. 5—Dick Merriwell in Lumber 782—¥ rank Merriwell in the Na-
637—Frank Merriwell’s Young Land. tional Forest.
Clippers. 16—F rank Merriwell’s Fairness. 783—Frank Merriwell’s Tenacity.
639—Frank Merriwell’s Record 717—Frank Merriwell's Pledge. 784—Dick Merriwell’s Self-sacrifice.
Breakers. 718—Fri _ Merriwell, the Man of 7g95-_pDick Merriwell’s Close Shave.
786—Dick Merriwell’s Perception.

640—Dick Merriwell’s Shoulder. rit.
641—Dick Merriwell's Desperate 719—Frank 787—Dick Merriwell’s Mysterious
Disappearance.

Work. Blow.
788—Dick Merriwell’s
Work.

3est.
Mind,

1
1
1%
1:
1
Li

Merriwell’s teturn
642—Dick Merriwell’s Dxample. 720—Frank Merriwell’s Quest.
643—Dick Merriwell at Gale’s Ferry. 721—Frank Merriwell’s Ingots.
644—Dick Merriwell’s Inspiration. 722—FY rank Merriwell’s Assistance.
645—Dick Merriwell’s Shooting. 723—F rank Merriwell at the 789—Dick Merriwell’s Proof,
646—Dick Merriwell in the Wilds. Throttle. 790—Dick Merriwell’s Brain Work.
647—Dick Merriwell’s Red Comrade. 724—F rank Merriwell, the Always Ons k Merriwell’s Queer Case.
648—Frank Merriwell’s Ranch. Ready. 2—Dick Merriwell, Navigator.
649—F rank Merriwell in the Saddle. 725 eee Merriwell in Diamond 10% Ore, Merriwell’ s Good Fellow-
650—F rank Merriwell’s Brand.
651—Frank Merriwell’s Red Guide.
652—Dick Merriwell’s Rival,
653—Dick Merriwell’s Strength.
654—Dick Merriwell’s Secret Work.
655—Dick Merriwell’s Way.

656—F rank Merriwell’s Red Visitor.
657—Frank Merriwell’s Rope.

Detective

nd.
726—Fra nk Merriwell’s Desperate 794—Dick Ser rriwell’s Fun.
“hance. { oa ae Merriwell’s Commence-

727—Frank Merriwell’s Black Tete nt.
796—Dick, " Merriwvel at Montauk
-oin
797—Dick Merriwell, Mediator.
729—Frank Merriwell’ s Hard Game 798—Dick Merriwell’s Decision.

ror.
ree ene protnemnent Again on the

799- Merriwell on the Great
Lakes. :
800—Dick Merriwell Caught Nap-~
ping.
801—Dick Merriwell in the Copper
Country.
802—Dick Merriwell Strapped.
803—Dick Merriwell’s Coolness. ‘
804— Dick Merriwell’s Reliance,
805—Dick Merriwell’s College Mate.
806— Dick Merriwell’s
Pitcher,
Dick Merriwell’s Prodding.
rank Merriwell’s Boy.
-Frank Merriwell’s
ere.
810—F rank Merriwell’s
Warriors.
811—F rank Merriwell’s Appraisal.
812—Frank Merriwell’s Forgive Moss:
813—Frank Merriwell’s Lads,
814—Frank Merriwell’s
Aviators.
815—Frank Merriwell’s Hot-head,
816—Dick Merriwell, Diplomat.
817—Dick Merriwell in Panama.
818—Dick Merriwell’s Perseverance.
819—Dick Merriwell Triumphant.
820—Dick Merriwell’s Betrayal.
821—Dick Merriwell, Revolutionist.
822—Dick Merriwell’s Fortitude,
828—Dick Merriwell's Undoing.
824—Dick Merriwell, Universal
Coach. ‘
825—Dick Merriwell’s Snare,
826—Dick Merriwell’s Star Pupil.
827—Dick Merriwell’s Astuteness.
828—Dick Merriwell’s Responsi-
bility. :
829—Dick Merriwell’s Plan.
830—Dick Merriwell’s Warning.
831—Dick Merriwell’s Counsel.
§32—Dick Merriwell’s Champions,
83 33—Dick Merriwell’s Marksmen.
834—Dic k Merriwell’s Enthusiasm.
83 35—Dick Merriwell’s Solutions
886—Dick Merriwell’s Foreign Foe.

-Dick

t

807—
808
809- Inter fet

Young”

837—Dick Merriwell and thes gar-
lisle Warriors.
838—Dick Merriwell’s Battle for the
3lue. ,
it
839—Dick Merriwell’s Evidence,
840—Dick Merriwellts Device, +
841—Dick Merriw ig Princeton 6
ponents.
842—Dick Merriw. eli’ Sixth’ Sense.
843—Dick Merriwell’s Strange
Clew. é ’
844—Dick Merriwell Comes Tack.
845—Dick Merriwell’s Heroic Crew.
846—Dick Merriwel] Looks A head.

Young,

4
¥

:
#;

a

Yung:
ee -e
. 7

“4

v7 |
‘,

y
7
«i

iy boa

847—Dick Merriwell at the Olym-

pies.
848—Dick Merriwell in Stockholm.)*
849—Dick Merriwell in the Swéd-
ish Stadium.
850—Dick Merriwell’s Maratha:

NEW TIP TOR WEEKLY ©

1—F rank Merriwell, Jr.

2—Frank Merriwell, Jr,

8—Frank Merriwell, Jr's, Suse:

4—Frank Meprriwell, Jr.’s, Skill.

5—Frank Merriwell, Jr. in Idaho, ”

6—Frank Merriwell, Jr. + Close,
Shave.

7—Frank Merriwell, J fo yraied)
ing Orders, , m,

8—Frank Merril de fete ngar.

9—Frank Merriwell, Jn’ 8, kein
Marathon. ~ ~—

10—TFrank Merriwell, Stes ar. oe.
Bar-Z Ranch.

 

. PRICE, .FIVE CENTS PER COPY

If you want any back numbers of our weeklies and cannot procure them from your news-dealer, they can be obtained direct

from this office.

STREET & SMITH, PUBLISHERS, 7

Postage-stamps taken the same as money.

7
79-89 SEVENTH AVE., NEW YORK —