OLD CALIFORNIA JOE K Hi Vlto Prrm.TftTOR 84 "Bookman Street, THE AJJBANY NEWS CO., Albany, N. If, The Great Story Paper of America, and the Best Popu lar. Illustrated Family Newspaper. NEW YORK FIRESIDE COMPANION List of Contributors for 1874. Wilkie Collins. Prof. James De Mille, Tony Pastor. Edmund Yaies. Oliver Optic. RricUton. Petroleum V. Nasby. Jr. John B. William*. J. W. Mackey. Clara Percy. Mrs. Snmuer Haydeu. Arthur L.Mtse i.iicy Randall Comfort. Leslie Thome. C. i,. Aiken. liliznbctlft l>Mllcj. Mary .,, Oft (\<\ One Year Two Copies. , 5 00 One Year-Eight Copirs 20 00 Those sending $20 for a Club of Eight, all sent at one time, will oe entitled to oj >y FREE. Getters up of Clubs can afterward add single Copies at $2.00 each. Specij MUNEO, Publisher, 8^ Beekman Street, Hew York, j OLD CALIFORNIA JOE, The Great American Sharpshooter. By CAPTAIN CARLETON. I GEORGE MUNRO, PUBLISHER, 84 BEEKMAN STREET, N. Y. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873. bj- GEORGE MUNRO, In the office of the Librarian of Oomgttsi, Washington, D. C, OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. CHAPTER I. A WELL-BEATEN track, worn to the depth of six In- ches, wound across the prairie. An old hunter would have called it a " buffalo- trail/" and would have told you that it was made by herds of bison traveling daily to some well known watering place. Along this "trail" a single horseman rode, on a bright, sunshiny afternoon, several years ago. He was a youthful-looking man, who wore a hunt- ing suit, that seemed weather-stained and soiled. The horseman carried across the pommel of his sad- dle a rifley whose shining, well-varnished stock, indi- cated that it had not seen much service. A horn-handled knife protruded from a leathern belt, by the side of a revolver. The rider was a man of medium size, rather well- built, with bright brown hair, blue eyes, a sparce growth of beard, and an open and quite pleasant coun- tenance. The freshness of his complexion suggested that ho had not been much exposed of late to the weather. The horse, jogging along at a moderate pace, was everv now and then checked by the rider, who, raising him sell in tho stirrups, would scan the plain in a scru- tinizing mtiiioer. Presently ho began to approach a strip of timbti, along the edge of which ran the " buffalo-trail." As he drew near the grove > his attention was arrested by the peouiiar cry of a wild turkey. 10 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE, " A.h !" said lie, in monotone, "if I can't get a buf- falo, who knows but a, fat turkey may be bagged ? Bless me ! out all day, and not a chance to discharge my rifle once. It will never do to return to the fort empty-handed." Saying this, Harold jGrlenclyffe, for that was the rider's name, turned his beast aside from the beaten path, and directed his course diagonally toward the timber, where it was most dense, and whence the "call" of the turkey seemed to proceed. Throwing the bridle over a shrub, and slipping noiselessly out of the saddle, Glenclyff'e examined his rifle, and, assured that it, was in proper condition, moved softly to the edge of the timber. Again the clear "call" of the turkey was heard, and the young hunter concealed himself behind a bush, in hopes that the game might come toward him ; for, knowing that these birds are quite timid, he feared to move unnecessarily, lest he might frighten them. After waiting, however, and hearing no noise, to in- dicate that the turkies were on the move, he concluded to change his own position a trifle, encouraging himself to believe that he could do so without alarming the game. GlenclyfFe's efforts were rewarded. He discovered the spot where the turkies were con- cealed. Resting his rifle, with the hammer set across his arm, the young man cocked his revolver, and covered } the clump of hazels. " '"Ware thar, ye rascal !" cried a husky voice from the bushes, in a half-smothered, cornpressi-d tone. " Hold your fire, youngster. Don't plump me for a turkey." Harold Glenclyffe was stupefied with amazement. He dropped the muzzle of his pistol, and looked abashed, as a man's head, covered with a dense mat of reddish hair, was produced from the foliage. "Don't ye know the law o ? the perary, never to snoot at your game ontil ye can see it. Put up your OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 11 popgun afore \e do onroperable miscbief with it. If my Mnd sight hadn't been as good as ID y fore sight, ve'd shot inc plum centre, tike's not ; winch proves what I've allcrs siikl, that a cliap can't have too many eyes an' euro on the plains. Thar'* game ^ in sight, howsomever, if yo wants to shoot it," continued the unknown hunter. <* It's weightier, too than turkey gobblers. Hist! this way, softly. Walk on eggs, sort o' like." Buffalo, eh 1" asked Harold, in a whisper. "Baffler be shot !" growled the other. D'ye sup- pose that Californy Joe ud hide in the hackberry to kill huffier* Wagh ! you are green. W liars your mammy J ? Peel your opsticks out onto the perary thar if ye want to see' the game. Thought thar was a wild turkey in the bush hyar, did ye ? Ha, ha ! Harold Glenolyffe did as directed, but his eyes rested on neither Buffalo nor antelope. Indians, as I live !" ejaculated Glenclyffe, turning to his companion. " Come ! we can get away, even now They do not know we are here.' Grit away, eh ?" said the hunter, with a comical smile, " Did ye say < git away ? " " Assuredly. We can mount my horse, and as the timber covers us, we can effect our escape." " Clip my top-knot !" said Joe, with a chuckle. " Ye don't understand the sitivation, I reckon. But ye will larn it presently.' 7 The hunter now applied himself again to the busi- ness iii hand. He drew forth his " caller," and put- tin* it to his lips, began to imitate the cry ot the wild turkey. The "caller" was simply the small bone of a turkey's wing. It was hollow like a pipe-stem, and Joe tooted upon it to perfection, sounding the " call " loudly and briskly. "Are you crazy!" demanded Glenclyffe. "There are no turkies to answer the call, ' You will; no doubt, attract the redskins hither,' 7 " D'ye think so." " Certainly," 1 0LD CALIFORNIA JOB. " So do I," laughed Joe. " That's what I'm tryiu' to do." " Want to bring them here ? In God's name* what for ?" il Shoot 'em I" snorted Joe, eavagoly. Harold Glenclyffe recoiled in alarm. " It is downright murder." Old Joe shook his head. " They've been tried afore a jury 5 the judge has passed sentence 5 I'm appointed executioner. Hain't no hemp handy, so I'm goin' to treat 'em like water- melons plug 'em. 7 ' Harold scrutinized his companion's face, to discov- er if he could, any signs of insanity. "Who were the jury?" he asked. " Californy Joe," was the reply. " Who was the judge f " Californy Joe." lt And you are sheriff, too ' " Sartin. Whar timber's skeerce we make every stick go a long way. Ha, ha!' " It's murder," reiterated Glenclyffe. " It's Lynch Law, an' Jaw ain't murder/' retorted Joe, every now and then putting in a "toot" on his bone whistle. " Them red niggers stole my ven'son, and broke down my bark lodge, an' toted off my buf- flev robes an' peltries, an' they've got to sweat for it. Impudent ! snakes alive, ye'd thought BO if yehed seen 'em brilin' the vcn'son at my caiup-tire. Greased Lightimi' fo tohed two uf 'ern a jumpin'. Gveaacd Lightnin' is my old rifle thar. il VVQ tracked them varmints yonder for forty-eight hours, an' I'm tired o' gallopin' ole Crop-ear to death. Crop-ear, is rny hoss, hitched in the timber yonder. Neigh '1 -No, he won't breathe for two hours when I tell him to keep quiet. He's watchin' them redskins like a hawk, I'll bet, air larfm' to himself to see me fool Jem. They'll come hyar presently to catch tur- kies/ an' they'll catch bullets, Wagli ! thar they come. If ye doivi ^ant to help me, just be neutral ', OLD CALIFORNIA JOB. 1$ and ef yo don't want to seo border justice, just shut your peepers." The savages had heard the turkey call, and ir* an tioipation of a savory roast, they turned their ponietf" toward tho timber, and unslung their bows. Harold xv.as in a strait. His refined nature, unused to the rough scenes of the frontier, naturally shrank from the deed of blood which was to ensue. Easing his scruples by a mental protest, the youth watched the Indians, and found himself presently com- pletely absorbed in the novel scene. California Joe loosened his revolver in its sheath. Then he set tho hammer of his rifle, holding the gun in bis two hands. The "call" was held betvyeen his teeth, and occasionally sounded. The Indians, who were Sioux, were quite fair speci- mens of that mighty nation of nomads. Three of them were oldish warriors, past the meridian of life ; the other two were young braves, out, perhaps, on their first expedition. They all rode small, wiry ponies. Considerable caution was used as they drew near to the timber, as if fearful lest they should disturb the game too soon. When they had come within fifty yards, the hunter ceased whistling. "I'll let * Greased Lightnin'' call 'em now," said he, with a deep chuckle away down in his throat, as he drew up tho rifle, and covered the tawny breast of the leading warrior. "I'll give him some dinner-pills as will help 'ein digest my venison what they hooked. Wagh ! liyar's prescription number first." A puff of bluish smoke, and a sharp detonation fol- lowed. The Sioux brave threw up his bow, and reeled from his glossy-haired pony. " Slid off so easy, 'cause he was well greased, I s'pect/' chuckled the brawny hunter, as he throw down his rifle, whipped out his revolver, and sent the nest savage sprawling on the prairie. <: Now "we're on equal terms," cried the huge fron- tiersman, bounding out of cover, with a yell that put to shame an ordinary war-whoop. " If tbar's tlireQ. 14 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. thievin' niggers that California Joe can't ka-wallop, he'd better peg out to wonst." The three surviving fSioux had already whirled about to seek safety in flight. Joe fired away with his six-shooter; but, owing to the fact that the warriors hid their bodies behind the ponies, and kept the latter in rapid motion, no particu- lar damage was done by his shots. When the revolver had been emptied, one of the redskins resumed his upright position upon his pom*, set his Imiee in shape, sounded a fierce and prolonged yell, and galloped down in his most gallant style upon the sturdy trapper. Joe was now unarmed, save his knife, and that weapon, in the contest to ensue, would be useless. But the more dangerous the situation in which an old hunter is placed, the quicker work his wits. Joe threw his still smoking pistol upon the sward, put his knife between his teeth, and, unbuckling his belt, jerked off his hunting-shirt. On came the mounted Sioux, his horse snorting with excitement, and the keen lance-point gleaming in the sunlight. When but two lance-lenffths distant, the hunter performed his coup de grace his master stroke. He suddenly leaped forward, opening, as he did so, the hunting shirt to its fullest extent, and holding it be- fore him. At the same instant he uttered a'n unearthly shriek a combination of the cry of the jaguar, the howl of the. coyote, and the growl of ihe bear. The result exceeded Joe's most sanguine hopes The unexpected unfolding of the garment before his very eyes, the dash forward, and the scream, so frightened the Indian pony, unused to such demonstrations, that it shied abruptly, unseating the rider, and hurling him headlong to the ground, the murderous lance flying a rod away. But the warrior's troubles ended not here. At the very spot where the pony shied, the'*e was what is termed on the plains a " buffalo wallow f that is to say, a circular, dish-shaped hole in the earth, about OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 15 *' twelve feet in diameter, and peruaps a foot deep at its greatest concavity. These u wallows" are often found on the feeding grounds of the bison. The buffalo de- lights to wallow in the fine sand, and to plow up the ear til with his horns 5 and when some to ugh -horned old hull has u broken ground," the others resort to Uie same spot until the hugb hole is made. These, of course, catcli and hold the water, and are often con- verted into mud-holes. When the Sioux warrior was hurled from his pony, hj described the arc of a semi-circle, and landed head first in the "' wallow," and as there was at least a foot of slash therein, the brave found a bed as soi't -as roses. Blinded with slush, he did not discover that Joe had caught up the abandoned lance, and was ready to I charge upon him. Too late the warrior became aware of the fact. Joe caught him on the I'-mce-point, and drove the weapon clear through the redskin's throat. " Thar, ye pesky deer thief!' 7 roared the hunter. u Vd like to see ye trying' to bolt my ven'son steaks with that weapon a-stickin' in your gullet. Wagh ! more mischief, eh ? Clip my top-knot ! I can't pull this lance out.' 7 Fresh danger threatened the trapper. The little episode with the last warrior had consumed time, and seeing the opportunity of getting the scalp of the "brass mounted'' hunter, the two young Sioux rode briskly forward, with arrows notched, and bows bent to the full. But what of Harold Glenclyffe all this time ? He was, as the reader may imagine, no uninterested spec- taior of the thrilling sc<-ne. When, therefore, he saw the two fresh braves riding at full tilt toward the hun- ter, who was tugging in vain to extricate the lance- head froii, the dead warrior's throat, Harold leaped to to his feet, and dashed out of the underbrush, rifle in hand. The Sioux saw the young man advancing, and dis- charged their arrows with marvelous skill. An arrow, penetrating Harold's cap, tore it from bis 16 OLD CALIFORNIA JOB. head just as be was pressing tLe trigger ; which inei- dent so disturbed his nerves, that the bullet, intended for the rider, buried itself in the pony's body, sending it to the ground oh the instant. With the celerity of a cut, the dismounted bravs leaped up behind his companion j and the twain rodo away like the tornado, disappearing beyond a swell of the prairie. "Ha, ha ! ; ' ejaculated the old fellow. "Obleeged to ye youngster, for that last shot of yours. Five out o' seven o' the pelt stealers have gone to thai* happy lirmtin' grounds, an' the ' majesty o' the law is vindicated/ as they say down in the settlements. Whar be ye goin', Harold Glenclyffe, which I believe ye said was vour name-?" " I am going back to the fort whence I came." " Out on a hunt, eh \ n " That was my object." "Mought raise an Injun's ha ? r, an' tote his sculp ic. Big game that would be/ 7 laughed old Joe. Then all at once the hunter raised his head. i{ Waugh ! I thought I heerd 'ein. " We'll have a quarry for you. Ye shan't go back empty-handed." '* For God's sake no more Indians ?" " $& Ha ? ha ! Baffler/' shouted Joe. " Into the crub quicker than scat. We'll hist 'em shortly, Load up keerfully." - It vyas a snmll drove composed of several hundred a ni in alt-. ; ".Tii-y r ro bound foi the creek after water/ 7 said old Joe. k * Don't shoot until 1 tell ye to. The best crit- ters is nigh the tail eend o' the string." In less than five minutes the "tail" came along. *' That's a nice buffler cow," said Joe, pointing to a flue animal near the end of the file. "Put a- ballet under her shoulder. We won't drop but one, for thar's no use being wasteful. If ye be, hunger will pinch ye sometime. If ye don't drop her, I will." Harold needed no directions from the old trapper. 6LD CALIFORNIA JOB- IT He was a superb shot, and sent his bullet into th* very spot indicated. Joe was delighted, and as the cow went rolling over upo4> the prairie, he leaped ont, swung his cap, and scattered the balance of the herd, so that they would not tramp and bruise the fallen beast. u Now/ 7 said Joe, u we'll dissect that animile inside o ? fifteen minutes, pack away the rump, a few o' the fattest ribs an' nice chunks, and then, if yo say $o, skedaddle for the fort. Thar ain't much time to spare neither." Old Joe made quick work of flaying and cutting up what he wished to save. He rolled the choice bits up in a huge piece of the bison skin, and strapped the bundle to his saddle. Whilst engaged in this operation, Harold announced that something was in motion in the distance. Joe looked to the south, and saw ti dark object on a ridge, not more than a mile si way. ^Bodtrkiri on a boss," said ho. "Makhr 1 signals with a bufflcr skin. Thai's mischief browin' down thar, likes not. Them runaway Sioux will git thar friends, and make it hot for us. Ricking Bird, their chief, don't like me since I cropped his ears for -him. I'll toll ye 'bout it some time. It'll make you laugh all ovei. But we must mount and away." * The old hunter bounded into his saddle with the agility of a squirrel, and signaling Harold to follow, dashed across the prairie at y, sharp gallop, CHAPTER II. BLUFF VALLEY was a spot of unparalleled grandeur, and of wild, picturesque beauty. The en- trance to it, as you leave the adjoining plain, is guarded by two enormous bluffs with broken jagged faces, which rise perpendicularly to a height of nearly five hundred feet. These two bluffy separated by a 18 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. space of less than twenty feet, stand like two giants glaring defiantly at each other. Having passed through the chasm, a beautiful pros- pect greets the eye the valley proper. The valley may be five miles long and two wide. A stream fiowV through its length. This stream begins and ends in the valley. Its source is a huge spring, its terminus is a pretty little lake with a subterranean outlet. Along the streamlet are clumps oi trees, and carpet- ing of the most luxuriant verdure. One fine morning Broken Bluff Valley presented an unusual appearance. Men, greedy for gold, Lad in- vaded its lonely precincts. This party of adventurers was composed of twenty odd men, among whom wete Harold Glenclyfi'e and California Joe. The third day after our two friends had reached the fort, quite a furore was created at the station by the ar- rival of a troop of men, who announced that they \\ere going into the Powder river country in search of gold. One of the party declared that whilst a piisoner in the hands of the Nez Perees Indians, he had accompanied a band of that tribe to JProken Bluff Valley vhero those savages were in the habit of resorting each M a- son to procure gold-dust, a certain amount of \\hich they buried in the graves of their warriors, and that he felt confident of iiis ability to find the spot again. As, however, the locality was remote ficm any fort, and in the heart of the hunting-grounds of the Sioux, ^ Crows, Gros Ventres, and Nez Perees, it was deemed *V>est to make up a party of some strength. Sixteen hardy fellows, trappers, squatters, and old miners from down the country, had arrived at the fort. Harold Glenclyfte, young, ardent, and impetuous, was anxious to join the expedition j and when old Joe announced his determination to unite with the party, our hero had no more scruples in the matter. "Ye must decide for yourself," said Joe to him, when asked his opinion. u Thar'il be fun, an' thar'll be danger, too. How some ver ; if ye goes >\ith us ; Til OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 19 he your gardeen angel, an ? boost ye through all right, if it's in the pins." Having unlimited faith in Joe's ability to ^ boost him through/' Harold made his preparations, and with half a dozen others from the fort, joined in the gold- seeking party. The journey was begin?, successfully prosecuted, and in due time the adventurers made their entry into Broken I31uff Valley. Tents were pitched upon the border of the little lake, " claims ?7 were duly taken and staked off, that there should be no room for disputes j then all went to work with an energy that was rewarded by success be- yond the fondest dreams of any. But a dark cloud soon began to cast its shadow over the valley, and to palsy the energy of the busy workers. In less than a week after their arrival, an event occurred which produced a terrible impression upon the minds of the gold diggers. This event was the death of one of their numoer, the manner of his decease being too fearful to contemplate without a shudder. Two sentinels were posted each night, the men taking turns at this duty, the one being stationed be- low the camp, in the direction of the twin bluffs, the other having his position a few rods up the stream. This precaution had been, taken more as a matter of course, and in accordance with universal usage, than because any danger was apprehended. On the fourth morning after their arrival, it was no- ticed that Gregg Hardy, the sentinel on the creek," did not make his appearance at the morning meal, and a messenger was dispatched to bring him in. Presently the man returned, with a terror-stricken face. " God help us !" he ejaculated, as he bounded into camp. u Gregg's dead. He has been murdered." "Murdered!" And every man leaped to his feet, and, as if of one mind, hastened to the spot where Hardy had been stationed. At the sight which greeted thorn, all started back. Upon the ground was stretched the body of the un- ^ O&D CALIFORNIA JOE. fortnuate sentinel, lying 011 its Lack, with its head gem! The. miners gazed upon the mutilated corpse of ilicir lato companion, ..with -feelings of indescribable awe. As they recovered their composure in ebnio c;tree, th.ey began to con verso and speculate upon the i\\ pall- ing "eveutl " They set them so Ires to work to examine the -body,. to examine tho adjacent ground, to search every nook arid corner for any "signs "that might elucidate the affair. But nothing was discovered. The wlj'ole affair was enveloped in impenetrable mys- tery. ' After burying the _ body, the men went tardily to work; but ail dciy long there \vasan unwonted silence among them, and long after the eamp-iiro had been lighted at night, they sat about it, conversing in sub- dued tones, upon the one subject that superseded all others. The guard was doubled, two men 1 eing stationed at each point, charged with special vigilance. Harold and old Joe occupied the post held "the night before by the murdered sentry, whilst two old borderers were stationed on the lake shore. Morning dawned, and nothing nn usual had occurred. All felt a sense of relief when it was so announced, anct the gold diggers went to work with decidedly bet- ter spirits during" the day. Two 'nights succeeded, and the utmost tranquility prevailed. It was now pretty generally believed that there would be no repetition of -the afiafr. Gold was abundant, water was plenty, the work of digging and washing went on bravely and profitably, and hope ran high The original number of twenty-two was restored by the arrival of a new-comer. An individual, who, as- suredly, did;. pot belong to tLe party, was seen, one Biouiiug, coin-ing through .the 2fp between the bluffs, an3 approaching, the camp. In a moment the gokl seekers were in^a ; ; ti;nv.ilt. To be. sure the stranger Was alone and on foot, and seemed. to carry no heavier v OLD CALIFORNIA JOB, 21 weapon than a fishing- polo ; but lie might bo ikoavanf courier of a host of others "lie's a pr<^]>6cter," tall Gaspare! Jones. -" He's a .spy," said another. "lie has discovered our digging," cried an old miner from California. " Hang tuo lubber at the yard arm, 11 roared Tom Bridlcr, an old salt who had harpooned whales for twenty years, and tiring of it ? had deserted his ship at 'Frisco, two years before " I say no interloper! hore ; by iho great sea-dogs!' 7 '* 'lire's a rope," said Dyee Richards, a hear hunter from the valley of tho Columbia, as he tossed a buf- falo skin lariat into the ring. "Smother him \vid a blanket, be jabbers! the dhirty son av a spalpeen," shouted Xloary O'Clogeran, an Irish teamster, who had run away from the fort, "Divil a maroy I'd show to a bit av a poacher." **Clip my top-knot !" said California Joe, drawing his tall form up to its fullest height, and running bis bony fingers through the dense mat of fiery red hair which crowned his head. " Thar 1 ! I be no liangin' nor pinotherin' o* that chap, ontil we've heard what ho Las **> say for himself. Wagh ! twenty against 0110, Flint's Indian raid Mexican fashion." The stranger continued to approach, oblivious, or at least heedless of the threatening mood of tho miners. lie wz;s a young man, not twenty years of ag8, with a tl'in, peaked, weather-stained face, llis eyes f black as night, were shaded by tho heavy eyebrows, and a thick growth of beard imparted to him a louk older than his age warranted. His clothes were decidedly primitive, being made up largely of the skins of wild animals. Approaching briskly, lie bowed, and said iu a cheery tone : u So, si-ran gm, you have taken possession of m^ fish ing-g round* ; but as it is gold alone you arc after, you arc welcome. Splendid fish here. Fish can be eaten.. Gold is good lor naught." 22 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. "Been in this port afore f* demanded Tom Bridler the old whaler. "Come here to fish every month/' said the vouth. " W liar's yonr home'/" "Three leagues hence, araonc- the mountains" "Live alone T "No; Panther Claw, an old Crow chief, lives with me. Panther Cla\v calls me Kino-fisher." kingfisher/' mid old Joe, " we've come up hyar from the lower conn try to dig syold j ri this valley. We don't care a continental fig for all the fish, *>%, Jeetle, and striped, in all the. oceans, seas, penin- sulas, and ponds in universal creation; but we're bound to git the gold. Ye say ye are acquainted with this valley. Has it any inhabitant?" "Nothing except deer, big-horn, and smaller game, so far as I know. Why do you ask P Old Joe then informed the yonth briefly of what had happened. The new-eomek deemed stupefied with horror, and declared that it was high time lie was going home again if such deeds were to be enacted. No," said Joe ; " ye have come among us, and we don't let ye go away a/min ontil we are ready to quit ourselves. Mebby ye will blab about this spot, an' fotch others here." The youth protested vehemently against any impu- ations of bad faith, and agreed cheerfully U/remain for any reasonable time of his own accord, provided he was allowed unlimited fishing privileges. This matter settled. Kingfisher went to fishing, and the adventurers turned again briskly to their cradles, sieves, and picks, and the utmost harmony prevailed once more. CHAPTER Til. SEVERAL days passed, devoted to the energetic prosecution of their work, and, as much gold dost was accumulated, and as nothing occurred to disturb the tran^uility of their minds, the gold seekers were almost OLD CALIEOKS'IA JOE. 3 ready to laugh at the fright to which they had been at fir.it subjected. One morning 1 , however, just before dawn, the camp was aroused by the mad shrieks of one of the sentinels upon the upper station, who came tearing through the bushes, as if pursued by a demon. Each tent poured forth its half-dressed occupants, TV bo, armed with rifles, pistols, knives, stew-pans, and whatever weapons were just caught up, swarmed about the sentinel, demanding to know the cause of his alarm. u The monsUr! thj fiend !" was all that Barrel Winters, the sentry, could utter, shaking the while like an aspen. " Gome, boys i" roared California Joe, as he-caught up a blazing brand from the camp-fire, to serve for a torch, t{ let's git a sight of the critter. 3 ' Waving the torch in one hand, and . clutching 1 " Greased Lightning/ 7 his ril ! for it. So I wrapt myself m my blanket ar-d laid down, and soon dropped asleep, leaving Dan rn guard "Bimeby sonietoing struck mo RCIOSS tLo breast, and I woke right np, and found Dan^ rifle ly'in^ 1 r.cH-is me. At first it seemed so dark that I conkhi't seo anything 1 , but pretty soon I saw a dark object lying on the ground, and on soivicr to it, I foimoi it was pool Harpel, lying* in this drearrful condition. Then I gave the alarm. That is all I know so help mo Heaven ! ; ' A brief silence endued. Then* old Joe, ubo, by common consent, waa the acknowledged Nestor of the party, said : " Thai's ono thing to be did right away Scatter in OLT> CALIFORNIA J0E. -* direction, and sarcb for the tracks o' the critter what did the murder.". Tbe men bounded to tbe work with alacrity, An hoar spent in the most diligent and bCiuti&Mng search revealed nothing. Tbe party gathered about the camp-fire^ gloomy and depressed. All tinned involuntarily to California Joe. The sturdy trapper stood leaning upon " Greased Lightning/' bis favorite rifle, with the gold seekers grouped about him. Six feet, one inch, in his- stock- ings, which, by the way, were Indian moccasins ; sinewy and muscular, his brawny breast and throat bared by the opening of his hunting shirt; his keen, blue eyes peering sharply, yet calmly, about tho throng ; his thick shock of red hair, and long, flowing red board, giving him the appearance, as he jocularly expressed it, of " bein' brass mounted ;" his deerskin belt containing his revolver and knife ; the cord of twisted sinews about his neck, from winch depended his " trinkets; 7? to wit, a bone turkey call, and a tooth- pick of the small, sharp bone found first above tho bock -joint of the wild deer ; all these indicated tho character and style of " California Joe/' a We've come plump up to the question, boy s/* said tbe old. trapper. " To. stay hyar, or clar the kitchen that's the matter to be settled now. Wo have had two tlmmpiii' loud calls already, un ? ef we stay, we've got to shoulder a big risk o' losing our heads. On toother band, we've got hyar a leetle the richest gold diggings ia the w*ild, I reckon, arr it goes agin the grain to be ., druv out by whiteskin, redskin, or any other varim-ht. Shall we put, or shall we stay ?" For a moment tbe miners were mute/ Each looted at the other, but not one opened his mouth. " I'd i^aly like to onderstand the mystery o j the thing," said Joe. "If it's flesh an 7 bJood we've got to fight, I'll not knuckle under to any critter as walks on two legs * f but if we find that it's a sperrit, or fiend, or demon, or a ghost, or a spook, or suthi' aS won't ? 26 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. " bold a bullet or a knife in its body, then, I say, we'd better take wLat gold we've got, and vamoose." A shout of satisfaction arose from all lips; this sen- timent met the approval of all. The wild hurrah, however, which had greeted Joe's declaration, that the mystery should' be solved, had scarcely diwl away, when a clear, distinct voice ea.me ringing through the air. Intruders, begone / Are not two 'warnings emuyli " For an instant all stood transfixed with amazement. Then California Joe uttered a yell, and bounding to- wards the thicket, shouting : "Sperrit, demon, or spook, we'll ketch yo now." The others, as they recovered their courage, hasten- ed after the adventurous trapper, and beat up every inch of ground, and searched every nook and corner, and found notHing ! The gold seekers were dumb- founded. CHAPTER IV. THE mysterious voice seemed to open up the ques- tion again, whether the valley should or should not be abandoned. " It's clar enough what ought to be done," said Tom Bridler, the veteran whaler. We hain't goin 7 to ahake out our canvas, up anchor, and leave this goodly port, whether it's Christian or cannibal as bids us. It's time enough to cry 'quarter/ when tiie Iierny is on the main deck. This mysterious critter .reatens to scuttle bur craft ; my opinion is that it has got a hefty job on hand, and, if wo stand to our pikes, we'll beat him off." These bold words had a certain effect, -that was deepened when California Joe made his speech, which he speedily did, at the urgent clamoring of the gold seekers. "It's my opinion, boys, as I said, before, that weM be a set o 7 condemned cowards, to guv up to anything \ve've yit geeii or heard Whatever it is that haunt OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 27 this valley, is as much afeerd o' us as we "be of it. I know this, because it daren't show itself. An' that's one p'int gained. But yit we ought 'not to hev de- spised the c.itter, an' been at all careless. We hain't took the precaution we should, for self-defence; but we must do so hereafter." " Take a scoot up the valley/' said Dyce Richards, the bear hunter. ''Let's hunt the varmint to his hole, an' smoke him out. Then we'll hnrve peace." u Now ye are talkin' like a man/' exclaimed old Joe. il We will scour every foot of this little valley, and see what we can find. If, liowsomevery we don't ketch the owdacions critter, we will fortify our camp as best we may, and resist him till we git all the gold we want/' This plan met with universal approbation, and steps were taken t.) carry it out at once, and the party, under the lead of California Joe, shouldered their rides, and started on their trip up the valley. The party moved off briskly, old Joe and Harold Glenclyffe walking in the advance. It was the first. time that the gold Beckers had made any exploration of the vicinitv ] indeed, they had been so avaricious a:id greedy, that they thought of nothing but to scoop op the yellow dust. To their surprise, the valley was as rich and fertile as a garden, and highly beautiful. Game abounded in profusion. As tho valley was but five miles long, and two wide, the party were not a long time in traversing its r:3a. As they drew near the upper end. the lofty mountains approached -rapidly to each other, until, by their junction, all further advance was slopped. A beautiful grove of trees stood around a fine spring, which gushed forth, making the stream which flowed down the valley. Th'? basin was dish-shaped, with sloping edges, ex- cept upon one side where the water leaped up against an escarped sandstone. This sandstone rose with a broad, smooth face, to the height of ten feet above tho "*8 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE water's level, and upon the polished surface thus pre- sented, were carved, in rude outlines, certain hiero- glyphics. As well as they could be deciphered, they were intended to represent an Indian chief, 1 with a long lance in bis liandti, driving a grizzly bear into the eavern in iho rocks. From the fact that tlio cuttings ^and tracery were worn, and in spots nearly obliterated, it was concluded that the work must have been douo years before. " See how the spring is beginning to boil, 71 said Harold Glenclyffe. "An', by me sowl I" cried Rory O'Clogeran, "look an' tell me if the wather isn't rising share? 7 "Yaw, py dunder !" ejaculated Hans, "dat ish shust so ; und see how de vassar begins to stheam oop liko der dnyvil. Vat in der fury does dish all mean f ^"It will wash off the red niggur's feet pooty goon," said Joe, "if it keeps on rising; Why, it steamg UD liko a boilin 1 pot." The appearance of the beautiful spring had under- gone a remarkable change, even during the brief pe- riod that the gold seekers had spent in looking at it, The water rose rapidly, filled np the basin, and poured fiercely out into the creek, until it looked ex- actly as old Joe expressed it " like a big pot a-boil- in 1 over." This commotion of the waters grew more violent each moment. Jets of spray, as if impelled by some bidden force, were sent whirling into the air, to the height of fifteen feet, and presently a cloud of steam and vapor hung like a canopy over the entire spot. At that moment a roar like the explosion of a can- non fairly shook the earth beneath ; the water was sent aloft in showers ; a foul odor impregnated the air. The Dutchman who bad been smoking his pipe at that ln**ftftt, dropped it at his feet, and as the burning to- bacco fell upon the ground, a blue-colored flame leaped up a foot high and spread all along the edge of the spring, giving a most unearthly appearance to the immediate surroundings. OLD CALIFORNIA JOE And then a clear distinct voice was beard, issuing apparently from the cloud of inist and vapor which eauopied the spring. "inbrufers begone / Are not two warnings enough T f With a howl, like that of a mad dog, the Irishman full upon hu face, prostrated by fright; thereat of the band trembled with terror, except, perhaps, old Joe. On the contrary, he drew up " Greased Lightning/' his ever trusty rifle, and taking a hasty aim, sent a bullet whizzing into the spray cloud, whence the mys- terious voice came. A laugh, wild and prolonged, and full of derision, burst from the dense vapor overhead. This was too much for flesh and blood, and the greater portion of the body started on a run down the valley, old Joe, Harold, and Hans following leisurely, the former expressing his sentiments in terms more forcible than elegant. This retrograde movement on the part of the trap- pers di I not COD tin uo long. " What's the use o* showiV the white feather?" said tho old hunter in an angry and derisive tone, " ye hain't tho pluck o" a pack c/ coyotes." "But," said Winters, in an apologetic tone, "we caa't bo expected to fight against ghosts and invisible d'jnvms. Show us our enemy, and you may scalp me if I'll run a step ; but dang it ! I'll admit that I'm afraid of creatures that no eye can see." " And creatures that make mountain springs to boil like pots, and make the earth tremble, and its depths to roar like thunder," added Gasper Jones, with great on erg v. "But my friends," said Harold Glenclyffo ; "I am quite sure that all these things which seemed so mar* velous, may be explained on scientific principles* " There is' absolutely nothing supernatural about it at alh" u How do yon account for them ?" asked Winters. " Listen a moment, until I cun explain them/ said 30 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. Glenelyffe, with an air of a savant fresh from the halls of Harvard or of Yale. "The spring itself is no doubt what is called by scientific men a hot spring There are many of them in various parts of the country. It is also "an inter- mittent spring, or partially so at least; that is, it flows at certain periods more exuberantly than at others. I admit that it is a wonderful specimen of the kind, and, therefore, somewhat marvelous. " Why it should send forth now cold and now hot water, I know not, but doubtless there are wise men who could explain even thai;. " As for the subterranean noises, they are, no doubt, the premonitions of earthquake tendencies." " Bully !" snorted California Joe. " Ye ought to hev been boss o ? a fust class academy, such as 1 oncet taught in the States, when I was a young sprig o' a gallant." Whilst the party were debating what they should do, a messenger arrived from below, having been sent on the swiftest horse to notify the gold seekers that strangers were in the valley. " Who are they f" asked Joe. a Four persons three men and a woman/ ? "lied or white?" " They are white. One of them gives his name as Rowdy Bob, and says he knows you well.'' " Clip my top-knot ?' ejaculated California Joe. " Can it be that Rowdy Bob is thar? Whar did ha come from ? Who are with him ?" "I know not/ said the messenger. u Dyco Richards thought you had better come back to camp/' ^ Wao-h P' said "joe. " If Rowdy Bob is down thar, he's wtith his weight in wildcats for fightiu' Injuns an' what not. We'll go down, boys, but its my opinyun that we've got to solve this mystei;y pooty soon, or else lose some more heads. As IVc only got one/I don't L:eer to spare that. Back to camp it is, if ye say so, I can stand it if the rest of .ye can." All shouted an approval except Harold and Hans. OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 31 Then the party turned their backs on the mysterious spring*, and inarched down the valley. " W ho, pray toll, is this man, Rowdy Bob ?" asked Harold of Joe, as they approached the camp. "You seem to set considerable value upon him." a He, he !" laughed Joe, who was gradually coming into a better humor. u He's a reg'iar genewine penny buster ; one o' the jolliest old coveys ye ever seed. Ye will like him a heap. I think lots o'*hi,n because he saved my life wonst. " I was him tin' a grizzly one clay some years ago, up in the Wind River Mountains, an' Jist as I thought I was goin' to ketch up with the critter, I wentkerchug head over heels down a precipice, some twenty feet high, and brought up in a deep hole. The hole was just big* enough to let your uncle slide in, an ? about five f j et deep. Thar wouldn't hev been no trouble only I went in slick as a greased bullet, head fust. Blmeby the blood run into my head so tluit I fainted, an' when I came to I was lyitr 3 on my back on the rooks, with Rowdy Bob playing' doctor. He had conao along arter the same bear, an' seein' my heels a sttakin' out, yanked yer uncle up into daylight. But hyar wo IK- at camp, an' ye can have an opportunity" to jtf-lge o 7 Rowdy's merits for yerself. Wagh ! yonder he coiuios as he allus does, with a yell and a jump." CHAPTER V. A STTOTIT, stubT>y fellow was Rowdy Bob. He was scarcely live feet high, with broa:l shoulders, capacious stomach, short, fat legs, and a head like a buftalo b;il Fs, covered with a hirsute substance, more Jike bristles than ordinary hair. He always wore his hair short, -and as it stuck up stiffly, his head resembled an angry porcupine about to discharge its quills. Bob never wore any head-covering summer or win- ter, as he said, " for fear o' embarrassin' his beauteous locks." Rowdy wore a jacket of deerskin, hairy side out, <# OJLD CALIFORNIA JOE. buttoned close up to Ma chin his breeches were of rough buckskin $ his feet were bare, the soles being as hard and calloused as a horse's hoof. In winter hs wore moccasins, in summer he ran barefoot. A bcU he despised. His knife was thrust through a holo in Ms roundabout. His powder-horn and pouch were siting about his neck and hung down over his paunch. Rowdy Bob started the moment he behold the miners returning, and ran at full speed toward old Joe, leap- ing up to him with a yell, as if overjoyed to meet him. " Whooray ! how *d'ye do, old Josephus ?" cried Bob. " Whew, hain't I glad to see ye ! Got a gold mine hyar, eh ? Did ye ketch the" sperrit ye was arter! Haw, haw ! the only sperrit Rowdy Bo'b kcers for, are whisky straight." "Raaly I'm drefful delighted to meet ve, Bob? re- plied old Joe, catching the stubby trapper l,y the sol- Jar of his jacket, and lifting Inm a foot high. u Fat ail' saucy as ever. Whar be ye goin' f ; "I'm pilotiir* a precious pair o' coveys from bevand the mountains, down to the forts below/' said Bob, ""That is, me an' Lute Hopper is." .'* Who are the coveys ?" " A man an' young ooman." !f So l.aii 7 ye futched up hyar. Whar be they 1" " In camp, hyar." The party had by this time reached the camp on the lake shore, and were tryin' to satisfy the curiosity of Dyce Richards and his garrison, as to the result of tiicir mission. " Trying to build a fort, eh ?" laughed Joe. W a l ! old boy, it's jest what we've got to do if we stav hvar. lhar'g not much use o> try in' to ketch this nondesoript oritter, as is aanoyin' us. So I'm o' the opinion wo ought to fortify, and then run our chances alter that," Dyce Richards had not shown much favor to the new comers, but now that Joe had arrived and vouched for both Rowdy Bob and Lute Hopper f the strangers were at ono* received cordially, and with true frontier Lospitulity. OLD CALIFORNIA JOB ** It was a novel thing to see a white lady on the plains, in so high a latitude, out of the emigrant routes j find her presence created no little flurry in c^rnp. Wo need scarcely say that she was paid as mucli deference as a queen. The lady was young and pretty. The person with whom she was making this wild and adventurous journey, was a tall, slender man, who wore glasses. His hair was black, his beard was long and ample, his features were thin and crafty, his eyes wore a fierce, determined expression. His age might have Ixseu forty-five. When Harold Glcnclyffo first set eyes upon the young lady, he seemed impressed with the idea, that ho had seen her before, and eyed her with considerable scrutiny. " I beg yonr pardon," said Glenclyffe, advancing and extending his hand, " bu<; I am sure that I kno\v you. Your namu'is Grace Cardington, and you were at 0110 timo employed in tlio Manchester Mills. Tho imiiden seemed embarrassed, and refused to ao- oept the youth's proffered hand. " You are entirely in '/rror, sir," said the tall man fa glasses, bowing very stiffly and formally. "This lady is my niece, Bertha Waldemcyer. She has never been even within the sound of the Manchester Mills. My name irf Karl Wnldemeycr, M. D., graduate of the Uni- versity of Loipsie." This was equivalent to a dismissal, and Harold "turned upon his heel in no very amiable mood. Our friend, Harold Glenclvffe, was a native of Mas- sachusetts. He was just twenty -five years of age, ar- dent, impulsive, generous, and brave. He had nearly broken himself with hard study at Harvard, and when graduated, he determined to take a trip to Cali- fornia, overland, in hopes that the bracing atmosphere of the prairies might build up his shattered health. Ho hud made the trip in part ; had fallen in with a detachment of government troops, among whom was a former schoolmate, then a sergeant; by th per* ' 84 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. suasions of Ned Harm-nil], he had gone to the fort, near where we first in trod need him to the reader, and where he first met California Joe. Harold had been visiting an uncle at Manchester, some four years before. This uncle owned a large factory, and in the mill there worked many girls and full grown women. Among' them, young GlenclyfFe noticed a maiden, perhaps sixteen years of age, who attracted his atten- tion to so wonderful a degree, that he began to make inquiries about her. She was very beautiful, and 'so much of a lady that lie wondered who she was, and ho TV she came to be in sucU employment. He ascertained that her name was Grace Carding- ton that she was an orphan, her parents having been dend but a short time;, that she had \\ealthy relatives in another State, but with a spirit of intense indepen- dence, she had chosen to support herself sooner than to accept of chanty at the hands of any kin or stranger. Harold was so delighted both with the maiden her- self and the .modest and independent character she bore, that he determined to seek her acquaintance. But when he came to put his plan into execution, be- hold, the maiden had disappeared, nor could he find any clue to her whereabouts. So he went back Lome with a sore spot in his heart. ^ GicnclvfFe was by no means, satisfied with his inter- view with the strangers at camp. I shall see old Joe, and he must help me unravel the skein," said Harold. CHAPTER VI. ROWDY BOB and Lute Hopper, the two worthy trap- pers who were " convoying" Karl Waluemeyer and his niece to the forts below, were very much like other men in point of avarice'and greed. When they looked about them, and beheld il.e inexhaustible richness of the vnney in gold, and rcnh^d that a sojourn of a few OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 35 weeks there, would enable tlieni to fill their bullet pouches with golden particles, it is not to be wondered at that they pat their heads together, and, after hold- ing a short consultation, went to old Joe and asked permission to stay and dig gold with the others. California Joe had no objections. But the real trouble arose when Bob made known to Kan Waldemeyer their intentions. That person raved and stormed like a tempest in the mountains. He wound up by declaring that they might go to a certain spot of high temperature, for l>e could find his way alone. "Go alone, eh T 9 said old Joe,- in a private inter- view which ho had with the German doctor- "ye hain't the least idea o' what ye are savin'. Why, c'ood Lor', it's as much as I'd want to do myself, with, nothin 3 along but Greased Lightnin' and Crop-ear. T liar's no eend o' difficulties and dangers from Injuns, b'ars, snakes, hunger, thirst, an' devil knows what. Take ,rav advice. Bob shan't stay over three weeks at the outside, an' that won't be long runnin' by. So far as yer niece is consarned, she's as safe hyar in Broken Bluff Valley as she ud be in the city o' New York." Karl Waldemeyer seemed utterly oblivious to the dangers of proceeding alone ; but, nevertheless, he continued to remain day after day. A week had elapsed since the events occurred at the mysterious spring, and nothing had been seen or heard of the weird enemy that had warned them to leave. An event hud occurred, however, which, though not known to iuor? than three persons, yet excited these three to an intense degree. The German doctor and his niece often took walks through the adjacent vallev. . Upon one of these occasions they approached the spot, wlieie, unknown to them, Harold Gleficlyffe was employed. The young man perceived them coming, and, actuated by an unaccountable impulse, he at once concealed himself in a dense cluster of bushes. The doctor arid Bertha were walking slowly along, CALIFORNIA JOE. engaged in an earnest conversation. They camo di reotly to the spot where Harold lay concealed. " In God's name," said the doctor, passionately, **will yon never yield this point f f "Karl, I cannot do it, replied Bertha, in tears. "Why will yon tins persist in this terrible course. Ton know that I cannot love yon." "Why not V demanded (lie Gerrnan ; angrily. "I ask you for the hundredth time, why not?" "And I must answer now, as always, thr.t I do not know. Love is wot ours to command. It comes, I cannot say how." " Well, then, Bertha," continued Wnldemeyer, "this thing has run its course j wo may as well understand each other iirst as last. Four years have wo known each other. During that time I have loved yon as n;y own life. You owe your life to mo. You know tho wonderful events which brought us together. " You know that I have surrendered everything that makes life desirable to bo in your society. Now, will you, or will yon not become my wilo ?" "If I did consent, where could we live?" "Anywhere; even in these desert wilds/ 1 "It cannot be j exposure might mine any clfiy. To prove that, we have had a remarkable thing happen, even here, of late. This young* gold ^cckei recognized me, and I doubt not he will bear away the repoit with him. Oh, life is a burden ; I wish, Karl Waldemeyer, you would strike mo dead." " You must bo my wife," pressed the other. " Indeed, I cannot." "Then 1 will reveal your secret tho moment \\e have reached tho borders of civilization. How like yon that ?" "You will drive mo to take my own life," Paid Ber- tha, wringing her hands and nioaninsr. "You are no longer mv friend. You are a coward, Karl Wnkle- meyer. You threaten a poor, helpless maiden, whom yon have in your powciv Would to God I had nev^ OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 37 accepted life at your hands. Oh, I hate you I hate jf you .!" " So it has come to this, eh V hissed the doctor, stepping nearer to the trembling girl. " I feared it. Have you been in consultation with this young poppin- jay this Glenclyffe ? Has he been whispering s\\eet words into your ear ? Has he been " "No; he has done nothing. He has not addressed me since the first time in your own presence. He saw that I could not recognize him, and so, with a nobler spirit than you profess, he does not seek to persecute a helpless " Karl Walderneyer was furious. He clenched his fist, and darted forward. " Ungrateful >irl ! take that. 77 But the blow intended for the maiden did not reach the girl's breast. A manly fonn interposed ; a harder blow laid the wrathful disciple of Esculapius prostrate and senseless upon the sward. " Harold Glenclyffe !' 7 ejaculated the maiden, in the utmost terror, " what have you done ?" "Done? IVe knocked down as cowardly a villain as ever annoyed a lovely maiden, Grace Cardington," replied our hero, with a triumphant smile. " I am no stranger. I saw you lour years ago in Manchester ; I learned your name, your orphan condition, your high character ; I confess that I loved you. Grace Car- dington, I love you still. Nay, start not; we are not children. Life is earnest, real. W T hy practice decep-. tion ? Oh, Grace Cardington, cannot you love me?" I " I dare love no man, whilst the curse hangs over me/ 7 exclaimed Grace, in hot, excited tones. "Oh! what a curse, and over me who am as innocent as tire bale in its mothers arms. But I cannot explain. Fly ! this man is coming to his senses. Go. YoU say you love me; show it by leaving me. 77 Harold caught the maiden 7 s hand, kissed it madly, and darted away. With a groan, Waldemeyer opened his eyes, 38 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. CHAPTER VII. DOCTOR WALDEMEYER was furious when be recov ered his senses, and remembered how he had been stricken down by the young hunter. He repaired to Joe's quarters to demand satisfaction. To the doctor's astonishment he found the old hunter and Harold in close confab, so earnestly engaged, ineeed, that they did not notice his approach and so Waldemeyer con- cealed himself behind a clump of bushes where he could overhear the conversation. " He struck this gal, eh f asked Joe. " No/' replied Harold. "He raised his fist to do it, but I intercepted the blow, and knocked him down." 11 That's the checker," said Joe, with a chuckle. (t Any purp as would raise hand a' the redskins prowlin' up hyar afore mornin'. \\Vlljiist cut up that dead she-b'ar into strips, for like's not we may hev to live on h'ar meat for severial days, an' then we'll see what t'other eend o' this gorge looks like. If thar hain't no outlet thar, we're gone to pot dead beat.' 7 The gold hunters, acting upon Dyce's advice, whipped out their knives, flayed the dead bear, and saved the best of the meat. Then they began to work their way up the gorge, as well as they could in the darkness. Pretty soon they halted suddenly. A small light was visible far ahead. It arose from a fire kindled in the gorge. By exercising unusual skill, the bear hunter man- aged to approach within ten rods of the fire. He gazed eagerly at it, but could not discover any person near. " Gadamighfcy ! hyar's a pooty state of affairs. That fire didn't start itself, an ? the one that kindled it hain't far off, either. Splugerarion ! what's this ? Sarprised royself. No, by hokey ! ye don't get Dyce Richards' scalp 'ithout a devil o' a tussle wagh !" The bear hunter had felt a heavy hand laid upon his shoulder, whilst he was peering at the fire ; he had leaped bolt upright, had whirled about, and raised his rifle, to strike the savage whom he supposed to be at his heels, with uplifted hatchet. He beheld a tall figure, and heard a hearty voice chuckle: " Clip my top-knot ! if I didn't fool the Oregon b'ar hunter teetotally. Ye see, with all yer exparierice, ye can't steal a march on Californy Joe. Ha, ha ; ha !" " Do you say that's your fire f 7 " Bartin. I heerd ye browsiri' round ten minits ago, OLD CALIFORNIA JOB. 68 an' went out on a scout ; an' whilst ye war lookin' for the owner o' that fire, the aforesaid owner ketched ye. Whoop-er-up, Dyce ! yer sold to the Dutch this time. But what in the deuce be ye prowlin 1 round hyar for at night ? I thought I bade ye stay in the grove ontil I returned; explanify the sitivation, if ye please. I've no doubt thar's a good reason for it, old bumkins,' 1 ' " We're hyar to save our ha'r," said Dyce. "Youp! how's that? Redskins 'bout, eh F Dyce gave old Joe a graphic account of the " day's doings/' at which the old trapper snorted with impa- tience. '"' Wai, hyar's pooty consid'able o' a snarl," said he. II Things is scrumptiously tangled up, I should say. Ye hev lied .bad luck, and so hev 1." " So! what's the matter?" " Lost my boy Har'ld. Gone castrut into the paws o' them Crow Injuns. Hain't no idee how it oame to pass ; but he's gone up a gum tree, dead shure. Left him on the mo tin tin side to go up an' rickanoiter a passel o' Injuns what I seed a-chasin a big-horn, an ; when I got back to the spot whar he ought to hev been, he wa'n't thar." "Now, then," said Dyce, " what's to be done?" "It's a sockdologer o' a question," said Joe, "an' I'll admit, what with Injuns at the mouth o' this canon, an' Injuns at t'other eend, we're eenamost as bad oft as yer uncle was when Rowdy Bob yanked iiirn out o' the hole in the rocks ; but so long as our haVs left/ t liar's hope. Go an' fotch the boys an' the critters up hyar." Dyce hastened to perform his errand, whilst Califor- nia Joe walked slowly toward the camp-fire. CHAPTER XII. THE arrival of Bird Song, daughter of Panther Claw, the sachem of the Crows, at the village, with a paleface young hunter lying senseless 'and a captive 64 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. in the bottom of her hide canoe, created a tremendous sensation. Panther Claw greeted his daughter, and praised her prowess. The maid claimed the captive as her prison- er, and Kingfisher had the good sense not to destroy the deception by any unfavorable remarks of his own. Harold Glenchffe, who had not received any serious injuries at the hands of Kingfisher, was presently re stored to consciousness to find himself near enough to his beloved Grace to suit him, but not in a condition to do her much good. To the rear of the lodge wherein he was incarcerated, stood a similar tent, and presently the young hunter- caught a glimpse of a face at the wind-hole. It was the face of a white man. and that man was Karl Wal- demeyer. The doctor scowled so malignantly, that the young hunter gave an involuntary start. . " Why should this man TValdemeyor hate me so?" said Harold to himself. " Tme, ho knows by this time that I have Grace Cardington's real name, and that I feel deeply fur her welfare j but that of itself need not make him so fiend-like, I am sure. If I knocked the brute down, he must remember that it was only to protect the woman whom he claims to adore." Harold threw himself upon the robes which had been furnished him, and after indulging in a train of confused thought for some time, dropped asleep. The next morning our young hunter was surprised at receiving an early visit from Bird Song, the sachem's daughter. She brought him his morning meal upon a rude, wooden tray, with a gourd of clear cold, spring water. Harold, who had eaten nothing since the previous morning, was ravenous, and fell in \\itli an appetite which threatened a speedy consumption of the entire breakfast. Bird Song was a complete strategist. She had come on this visit with a distinct purpose in view, and who knows, but following the custom of more civilized tac- OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 65 ticians, she Lad determined to make^ her approaches by way of a good meal. At all events, she was too cun- ning to open up her batteries upon a man with an empty stomach. " The paleface warrior is contented ?" said Bird Song. " He likes the food of the red men ?" "It is delicious; I thank you for it," replied the young hunter, eyeing with wonder the dusky bean! before him. " The Crows live well." " The Crows are brave warriors j they have in their ',odges many scalps of Sioux and Blackfeet. They jjatch the buffalo, the big-horn, and the Dear/' said Bird Song, with a proud air. " They are great hun- ters. Panther Claw is the greatest and wisest of their sachems. He is a brave chief, and Bird Song is his daughter. The name of Panther Claw is a terrible name." When the maiden had closed her brief address, the hunter said : "You have other captives." The maiden gave the hunter an inquisitive look. "Are they friends of the trapper?" she asked. " He knows the.n both the white man and the white woman," said Harold, with a sudden feeling of caution, for which he could not account. " They are in your village." " The truth is not different from what you say," re- plied Bird Song. "And there will be more captives in the village of the Crows before the sun sets in the west." Grlenclyffe started. " What does Bird Song mean?" "Listen. Te white man and the white woman fell into the hands of the Crows. Kingfisher is a man with two faces, and his tongue is double. He prom- ised to guide the palefaces to the fort ; but his heart was weak. The beauty of the palefaced girl destroyed his honesty, and he brought them to the home of the Crows. Kingfisher has asked her for his wife, and Panther Claw has said yes." 86 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. Harold was on the point of interrupting the speaker, so great was his surprise to learn that Kingfisher had betrayed Waldemeyer through a sudden passion which the wretch had conceived for Grace j but the girl waved her hand, and then proceeded : "Good luck to the Crows, we captured you also. And now a party of braves is absent to get the rest of the palefaces who are on the prairies. There will be many prisoners in the village of Panther Claw, to- night." "And what will the Crows do with them ?' ? "The council will decide whether they shnll be scalped or burnt at the stake. But the white faced lily will be spared, and the young hunter who is now speaking with Bird Song." '' Thanks for your words, Bird Song. Your voice is very sweet to my ears. Why are the lives of my- self and the white maiden to be saved ? Are we to be restored to our friends "P 11 The hunter said the food which Bird Song gave him to eat was good. He will stay in {he lodge ot the daughter of Panther Claw, and Bird Song will call him her husband. As for the white maiden, she will live in the Kinfisher's lodge. Kingfisher is very powerful. He is the son of tile Spirit of the mountain that speaks in the air, and kills in a mysterious way, whose home is in the spring that boils in Summer. When the other palefaces come, Bird Song will come again and speak to the Trapper Brave. Will he be the husband of the daughter of Panther Claw ?" The young hunter was in a quandary. This ab- rupt avowal of love on the part of the maiden, fol- lowed up by a proposal for marriage, was something that Glenclyffe had been far from anticipating ; in- deed, it kind of stunned him at first. " The daughter of the great sachem asks a most marvelous thing. Will the powerful chief of the Mighty Crows consent to have an unknown hunter for his daughter's husband T J asked Glenclyfie, de- siring to delay and postpone his answer. OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 67 "The chief has already consented/' was the pronj reply of the dusky pleader. Foiled in his first attempt, our hero returned to the defence on a new track. "The chief is very powerful. His word is law. His name is a terror to his enemies ; his son should be a man of proven valor and prowess. The daughter of Panther Claw is as beautiful as the flower on tho river's bank. Her love is a treasure more to be prized than the gold of the valley or the untold wealth of the mountains. With the maiden he loves, the young trapper could be happy as the big-horn and its male on tho hillside." "The heart of the white hunter is brave," inter- rupted Bird Song. " His lips speak words that come to the ears of the daughter of Panther Cla\V, as the drops of dew refresh the wild violets. He will marry the daughter of the sachem ?" " The white hunter dare not become the husband of Bird Song, until he has proven himself worthy of one so lovely. He will not refuse the request of Panther Claw's daughter, but he will say this : he will go upon the hunt, and when he has brought to the lodge of the chief the skin of a grizzly bear, he will be in part worthy of Bird Song. White Trapper has fpoken. Are his words pleasant to Bird Song V The dusky maiden had proud blood in her veins. She, like other Indian maidens, admired the coura- geous and skillful warrior, and so she said : "White Trapper's speech is very brave. His words are very ^pleasant. Bird Song is content." The Indian maiden rose quickly, and withdrew from the lodge. CHAPTER XIII. HAROLD'S mind was alltopsy-turvey, \vlien left alone. He congratulated himself upon his strategy and success in disposing of the matrimonial question. 68 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. The party which had driven the hunters into bh*> gorge, just after their exploit at the bee-tree, was Pan- ther Claw and his Crows. There was one thing, however, which Ha void did not quite understand. The maiden had referred to Kingiisher as being tl the Son of the Spirit of the Mountains, that speaks in the air, and kills in a mys- terious way, whose home is in the spring that boils in Sum trier*. Did this have reference to the mysterious creature which had so troubled the gold-diggers in Broken Bluff Valley? It seemed quite probable. The day passed by. No scouts had arrived. Noth- ing was known to indicate the results of the expedition. This prolonged silence was construed by Harold to foretell (Disaster to his friends. " Stay ! there is one ground of Lope left. What am I thinking of? I must not forget old Joe. He will not be captured, I'm sure. And if he is at liberty, I need not altogether despair. All my hopes in life are now centered on Joe. Will he fail meV Heaven forbid. 77 The hunter grew uneasy, restless, desperate. His knife had been taken from his belt by the sav- ages, but his rifle ! His heart bounded with the thought. It was safe on the mountain -side, no doult. He remembered that he had laid his gun upon the grass of the plateau whilst awaiting old Joe's return. Could he escape from the village and reach that point, he would he in possession of weapons. After that he might find Joe. Who could tell 1 Toward night, Harold looked out of the windhole of the lodge. He observed that the village seemed to be quiet. He also noticed the fact that the sturdy savage who had earlier in the day guarded his tent Lad disap- peared, and that in his stead a half-grown Indian lad sat on a buffalo robe not far from the door of the lodge. Why was it? Had Bird Song such implicit confi- dence in his promise as to remove the stalwart guard, and make Lis imprisonment a nominal one ? OLD CALIFORNIA JOE, 69 It was after midnight, when Harold Glenclyffe, af- ter scrutinizing the vicinity carefully, raised the buffalo robe doorfLip of Iris lodge, and crawled upon all fours to the side of the Indian lad, who had been placed on guard. The youth had fallen fast asleep, his lance lying by his side, and his knife hanging loosely in his belt. Having possessed himself of the latter weapon, the young hunter continued his course toward the lodge with the red cross. There was no guard here, which fact led Harold to conclude that there must be vigilant sentinels stationed upon the outskirts of the village, who would trouble him .by and by. Drawing aside the door-flap, our hero crept into the terd, and then, after the lapse of a moment, pronounced the single word " Grace " in a whisper. Receiving no response, the call tvas repeated several times, but with- out any effect. Harold was in a dilemma. Twice he made the cir- cuit of the tent. It was empty ' The revulsion of feeling was terrible. He must abandon the woman he loved. Out through the darkness crept the young hunter, feeling his way slowly and prudently, when a dark figure loomed up directly in front of our hero, causing his heart to beat stupendous throbs, and inducing him to clutch the handle of his knife convulsively. Aa ! the creature wears a peculiar garb the dress of the female Crows. The person is a squaw. ^ He leaped to his feet, he caught her by the throat, and stilled the voice he feared to hear; he bent her by main force to the ground j his knife gleamed in the starlight. All at once the blow was suspended, the hunter started back in horror. "'Great God ! it is Grace Cardington !" he whispered, in tremulous tones. " Oh ! what an escape. " It is I, Harold," said the maiden, feebly. "In Heaven's name what are you doing here, and in this garb P demanded the hunter. 70 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. " Like yon, striving to escape." " But you are returning to the village. Are yon bo wildered F " No. Listen to me/ 7 said the girl. " I was search ing for you and Karl Waldemeyer. 77 " What ! for that bound/ 7 ejaculated the trapper. able to conceal his indignation. " Leave him to ; '7 . !t*. I dare not. Should I abandon him, and he u;t .ay, his revenge would be terrible. I tell \ -. , Harold Glenclyffe, you know not what you ask me uj flo. The curse is on me. Go, make good your o\vn escape. Leave me to my fate.' 7 " You do not love me, Grace Cardington,' 7 said tho youth, impulsively; "or you wouL! not speak thus. r rlie presence of this German Doctor is a curse to you ; and yet you prefer captivity with him (o freedom with me. Grace, you will drive me mad. Again I entreat you, come with me. What can yon expect to accomplish? 7 ' "1 must try and release him." " Grace, you are mad. Reconsider." " On one consideration I will reconsider my deter- mination, 77 said the maiden. " Oh ! thanks. Name it. 77 And the young hunter kissed the maiden 7 s hand. u You will escort me to a secure spot outside tho village. There I will remain and you will leave me/ 7 " What 'desert you ? Abandon you, helpless and. . !:>ne on the prairie ? 77 " Only for a while. I expect you to return to mo ;'ter you have released Karl Waldemeyer. You and he will return together to me. 77 "Grace Cardington/ 7 replied Glenclyffe, earnestly } u you ask of me a marvelous thing, but for your sakft I will do it, or die in the attempt, I will conduct you to a safe spot, and then I will release Waldemeyer. 77 " Noble soul ! 77 said the maiden, " kiss me, and we- will go. 77 Harold kissed the beautiful gill, and taking her hand, the two renewed the attempt to leave the village. OLD CALIFORNIA JOB. 71 CHAPTER XTV. THERE was great lack of watchfulness in the village of the Crows, on the night in question. Panther Claw, the sachem, and his most renowned braves were all away on the war path. So it happened that Harold Glenclyffe and Graeo Cardington met but a solitary sentinel on guard, whc i they crossed the outskirts of the village, and this war- rior was sound asleep. Having placed the maiden in a position of security, our hero set his face resolutely toward the village to keep his promise to his beloved. The way having been so lately traversed by our hero, was by no means difficult ; and presently Harold found himself in close proximity to the lodge where was kept the man he sought, and, being* admitted, he stooped over, and put his hand upon the slurnberer, who awoke with a start. " Hist ! Karl Waldemeyer, speak not aloud." "By Caesar! who are you that wakes me up so? Your voice is that of a white man," said the doctor, in 4 voice too loud for prudence. " What do you wish V 7 " Hist ! I say j I am sent to rescue you from the \ands of the Crows." " Who sent you T " Grace Cardington." " The devil ! you mean my niece ; Bertha Walde- meyer ?" " I said Grace Cardington. She awaits you outside the village/' replied the hunter. " Ask no further ques- tions, for each moment is golden." The two men, abandoning the lodge, walked in a stooping posture some thirty yards, until they had passed beyond the inner circle of tents. Waldemeyer paused abruptly. "You are Harold Glenclyffe," said he, in a com- pressed tone 5 "you are my enemy." " I do not deny it ; you, too, are mine/' said Harold, 72 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. tersely. " But what lias that to do with tlie present movement ?' 7 "It lias much to do; you ar'o put ting me under obligations to you which I i!o not like." u Well, go back, then, to your lodge/' said the hun- ter, tartly. "My niece sent you thither, you say?" " Zounds ! yes ; but don't stop here to palaver about it. We are yet in the power of these red devils/' "Yon have intermeddled with my affairs enough al- ready, Harold GlenelyfTe,' 7 cried the other, hoarsely, like an enraged jaguar. "Let it end right here; you think to marry Grace Cardington, which you IH-VCT will do. She is not my niece 1 grant you that. She will be my wife some day. You have released me, for which I thank you, just as 1M thank the devil for an hour's respite in purgatory. I go hence to the spot where you say Grace is secreted ; I lead her thence to civilization and marriage. You are a deceitful inter- meddler. Curse yon ! take that/ 7 During his speech, Karl Waldemeyer had grad- ually crept toward the young hunter, and, as he uttered the closing words, he leaped forward, and dashed against the youth's forehead a sharp stone, which he had, up to that moment, held concealed in his hand. Taken entirely off his guard, the youth had no op- portunity to par v y the blow, but receiving it in its full force, he sank back senseless upon the earth. " Cursed vagabond!" muttered the doctor, bending over the prostrate and bleeding form of the noble vouth, whose generous effort to save him he had just repaid with such detestable ingratitude, "you will not trouble me again, I think. 7 ' Without further delay the German doctor turned away, and walked rapidly through the adjacent shrub- bery to seek the hiding-place of Grace Cardington. OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 73 CHAPTER XV. WE left old Joe sitting by bis little camp-fire, win 1st Dyce Richards, tbe Oregon bear hunter, crept down the canon to bring up the rest of the gold hun- ters and their horses. It was plain, to even a transient observer, that the sturdy old trapper was not easy in his mind. " The hull bottom o 7 the pan's busted out/' said he, in monologue, " an' gold dust, an' chunks, an' mud hev all gone through promiscuous. It's a pooty con- sid'able o 7 a snarl we've got into for sartin. " Drat the owdacious luck ! I'm down in the chops 'bout Har'ld. I told him fair an' squar 7 not to leave the eyedentical spot whar I put him, an 7 now he's gone. " Hyar, too, is Dyce an' the rest on 'em actin' like a passel o 7 fools. I mought hev knowed, howmsoever, that a chap what's allus huntin 7 arter b'ars and bee trees, hain't allus hunky on Injuns. Ha! thai* they come now. 7 ' The rest of tbe hunters were approaching, leading their horses. Old Joe directed them to tie the animals in a cluster of wild crab-trees, and then to gather about the fire. In a few minutes old Joe kicked the fire to pieces, and bade the hunters sit down in the dark and talk matters over. u lf I hain't mistaken/' said he, opening the subject, " this hyar canon opens into a valley a piece above us : but I'm afeevd that the valley is only a offshot o 7 the bigger valley wharin is the village o 7 the Crows. u Considerin 7 that to be the sitivation, we are in a first-class trap, ekal to any one thet Dyce Richards ever sot for a cinnamon b'ar. For if we go down the canon, we pitch into the Injuns a-outlyin 7 at the -mouth )' the gorge ; an' if we go up the canon into the little valley, we'll pooty soon find ourselves nigh the village o 7 the Crows. It's sort o' Try in '-pan on one side, an' hot coals on t'other, an 7 the fish'll git scorched ey ther way. 74 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. " The only thing that strikes me as bein' handy to do, is to perceed up the canon a bit to a cave I found to-day. We kin make it sort o' headquarters for a while, ontil we decide further what's to be did. If 'twan't for Har'ld an 7 his gal, I'd say let the bosses go, an 7 climb our way over the mountains." There being no opposition manifested to Joe's propo- sition, the pi.rty, with their horses, following the old hunter's lead, marched up the canon, which, growing wider as they advanced, at last opened into the little valley spoken of by Joe. The cave was reached in dne tim^, and taken pos- session of by the hunters. It was on the side of the mountains, not very high above the level of the plain. The horses were " side-lined " and left in the pastur- age below, for the simple reason that the hill-side \\as- too steep to allow their ascent. "Now, then/ 7 said Joe, "we can't better ourselves as I know of, an' we may as well go to sleep, for the deuce -knows what we may hev to ondergo on the mor- row. Turn in, boys, an' reel it off lively; it must he midnight now." California Joe was up the next morning betimes, trying to " diskiyer the lay o' the land/' as he snid. Tiiis was readily accomplished ; indeed, the old fellow made some discoveries that were not altogether to his satisfaction. He beheld a huge pile of almost impassable moun- tains, stretching from east to west. To the right were more mountains, through which wound the canon they had traversed the night before. The valley before them was girted in on two sides by a semi-circular range of rough, forbidding hills, impassable for horses, if not for men. In front of the cave stretched the little valley, and through an opening beyond could be discerned far away the village of the Crows. Old Joe walked down the canon moodily, with Dyce Richards following at his heels. " Thar's no excuse, Dyce/' said he, as they walked along, "for you an' me bein' ketched up short this w*y. OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 75 We made a mistake in hevin' them two fools along 1 with us. Rory is fit for a teamster, an' nothin' else ; the old Yankee is a natural fool anyhow. He'd do better in a lunertickle asylum, than contendin' against Injuns an' sech." " Yer correct, Joe," said Dyce, in a low tone. " No man's any bizness on the perary, as can't larn to save his sculp quick. If he can't do that, he'd better utay out o' the regions o' whoops an' sculpin'-knives." When they had reached the point where Joe had kindled his fire the night before, they paused a few minutes to examine some curious tracks, which seemed to have been made since their abandonment of the spot. There was visible a trail which approached the fire from the mountains on the right. It was the track of a a grizzly bear, as Joe quickly declared, upon examina- tion. There was nothing particularly wonderful about this j but the fact that the tracks disappeared at the fire, was not so easily accounted for. Another trail was also apparent, starting at the fire and leading to tbe opposite side of the canon, and disappearing when the rocky surface was reached. This was a man's trail. Where did the bear go to, when it had reached the fire ? How did the man get to the fire without leaving his. footprints ? The hunters looked puzzled. "It's a man-grizzly," said Joe, at last. "Some durnation Injun's been prowlin' around, wearin 7 a grizzly's skin, an' hist ! boy, look tbar." Old Joe pointed to the top of an adjacent ridge of rocks, which, apparently inaccessible from the spot where the hunters stood, ran along the mountain's side. " A grizzly, by hokey !" ejaculated Dyce. " So I'd hev thought hed I seed it an hour ago \ but now I don't. That grizzly is a man disguised. Mebby it's Panther-Caw himself." Forward walked the trappers at a brisk pace for five minutes, casting sharp glances about them, until a sec- 76 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. ond halt occurred. This time it uas brought about by a startling occurrence nothing less, indeed, than the dropping of an arrow at their very feet. The two hunters darted behind some rocks, and when sure of their immediate gaiety, began to peer out to examine the situation. " That's a Crow's arrow/' said Joe, examining the weapon which Dyce had picked up. u See, thar's a fox's tail tied to it. That means that some lig Tn- jmi's prowlin' round. Whar d'ye s'pose the ]'>< l\v thing was shot from? I don't see any p'int \\Lar tht Injuns could hide round hyar, do ye f u No. The pass is level, an' we kin see for tvaiity rod straight ahead. Injuns inonght scronge jihng j.n ; hide behind some angles that we can't see, but 1 can't parceive how they can shoot at us, 'thout being seen. The fact is " " Whoop her up ! wan't that a close un ? Gad- a-mighty ! old b'ar-hunter did ye ever see the like o ; that ? Under this ledge quicker'n scat, or yer head won't be worth a thimble full o 7 Taos whisky." Saying which Joe caught Dyce by the collar, and \\ith a single bound, landed under the shelter of an overhanging rock. The cause of his sudden consternation was this. A huge boulder, the size of a man's head, came whizzing down through the air, striking the flags almost at Joe's leet, and smashing the stone into a dozen fragments. " Injuns in the canon,'' said the bear-hunter. " See Vm sneakin' in yonder." California Joe did see them. He primed hi a " Greased Lightning" afresh and ground his teeth moodilv. OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 77 CHAPTER XVI. How many Crows were creepin' up the canon, it was difficult to tell. That they were aware of the proximity of the whites, and were governing them- selves accordingly, was quite plain. " If 'twairt for that butter-sucker up on the cliffs, over our heads, I'd not keer two percussion caps for a 1 score o' them sneaky Crows ; but when a chap's try in 7 to watch out for his nose, he don't like to hev his skull ka-wholloped in on the suddint. Do you know, Dyce, toy boy, that I'm consumed about that same man- grizzly up tharf said old Joe. Joe caught sight of the man-grizzly far up the cliffs, standing erect, and ready with poised stone to launch the missile upon the heads of the hunters. His rifle ex- ploded, and the grizzly was seen to stagger, then to clutch the rock and slide quickly out of sight. California Joe had looked to see the creature como tumbling down head first into the gorge 5 but in this he was doomed to disappointment. The only satisfac- tion he really had, was in the probability that ho " plugged the varmint." A chorus of dismal yells from the savages strengthened this belief in the mind of the hunters. " Pm not sartin yet/' said Joe, " that my man-griz- zly is mortal hit ah ! see that. Hyar comes a bigger rock than ever. We're like a couple o' grains o' corn a pounded atwixt two mill stuns. What, with Injuns in front a-whangin' arrows at us, an' grizzly b'ars prancin' round like circus bosses on top o' the cliffs a shootin 7 rocks onto our heads, Pm sort o' thinkin' we're in a pooty considerable o' a snarl. Pve been doubting the properiety o 7 our remainin' hyar any longer, for this hyar reason. These pesky Crows may know so^e back alley by which they kin git in behind us an' so cut us- otf from girtin' back to the cave. I'd rayther be riddled with arrows than be out- witted in that way, for I can't bear to hev an Injun 78 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. larf at me. Fll tell ye what. It's a mile to the cave. We hev found out that the Injuns are hvav. We'll withdraw. Mind ye Dyce, it ain't cause we've got licked, for we've guv 'em better than they've sent so far ; but it's only on account o' our 'straordinary dis- creshun. Come, now, we'll fall back. I'll watch ou heads, an' do ye watch our noses,' 7 Away sped the two trappers, with all the velocity rSicv could attain, straight up the canon, now opening into the valley, never pausing for a single second to cast any looks behind them. " Rifles, trapsacks, blankets, pizen, bullets, swords, cannon, air* cavalry, hain't o' iio account now," shouted old Joe, as he leaped forward in huge bounds Up the ascent dashed the two hunters, now well blown, for the speed which they had made was some- thing marvelous. They were now not two hundred yards from the mouth of the cavern. Suddenly a rumbling sound was heard, and on look- ing upwards the fugitives descried the cause. An enormous rock, weighing many tons, had been de- tached from the upper cliff, and was coming thunder- ing down the declivity, with constantly accelerating speed. The two hunters were directly in the path of this huge bulk, and, from the peculiar conformation of the declivity, there seemed to be no way of escape from its course, for the rock was almost upon them ere the im- minence of the danger was perceived. " Whoop her up ! We're in for a squeezin 7 now," said Joe, glancing rapidly about him. " Quick ! thar's a leetle chance o' gettin' out o' the way. Foller me !' ; Joe bounded forward with the speed of an antelope, and just escaped being caught by the whirling stone. But the bear hunter's foot slipped, and he was hurled to the ground. A wild screech from the moun- tain top rent the air a long, defiant yefcl, that seemed to be full of devilish exultation. It was the voice of the man-grizzly, who, having reached the point in question, by an effort that seemed superhuman, had OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 79 set in motion the enormous stone, and was now dan- cing about in tierce delight, at the results of his fiend- ish ingenuity. Old Joe's rifle was thrown upward like a flash ; his finger pressed the trigger, and the sharp ring of the old hunter's gun was mingled with the eldritch yell of the man -beast. The smoke cleared away, and eagerly the stalwart trapper looked aloft to see what might be the result of i his shot. The man-grizzly stood erect upon its hind-legs paw- ing the air, and uttering defiant screams. Old Joe shook his head, and lowered his rifle. " Clip my top-knot !" he ejaculated. " Now I'm dead sartiu convinced on that point. When Greased Lightning fails, I know suthin's wrong. I thought I know'd what that cussed varmint was, and now I'm clean satisfied." The whiz of an arrow, followed by the discordant whoop of the Indians, who had reached the sumach below, cut short Joe's soliloquy, and drove him to seek refuge in the cavern. Dyce, who had anticipated a fearful end, leaped to fiis feet the instant the truth was known to him, and with a gush of devout thankfulness, caught up his rifle and followed Joe, entering the cavern at his heels. The rest of the little band were delighted at the return of the scouts, whose race and final marvelous escape they had witnessed in breathless silence, utterly j impotent to assist their comrades. | t( Here, boys," said Dyce, In an excited tone, " this way 5 the pot's bilin' already/ 7 All rushed to the mouth of the cavern. The sumachs below, and the hazel bushes which covered the mountain side from the base to the vicinity of the cave's mouth, were all in a rustle. The Crow warriors were evidently making 1 a general advance in a body. Oid Joe dropped upon his knees, leveled his rifle, and leu drive at a sumach bush. 80 OLD CALIFORNIA JOB. The sharp howl which followed, indicated that some- body had been hit. " Yawp ! do dance isli began. It vill.be von lively gallop, py sure ! Let dish old boss have de next chance," grunted Hans, occupying the spot which old Joe had vacated, as soon as ho had emptied his gun. A volley of arrows came hurtling through the air, pattering upon the rocks, around the cavern's mouth, like a tempest of hail, one or two penetrating the cave, and causing a lively movement among the occupants thereof. 4< Hyar," said Joe, noticing that Hans hesitated to fire. " Come out o' range. Roll that rock up to the openiu'. It'll stop up half the hole, an' leave a crack one side big enough to poke 'Greased Lightnin" through. That'll keep 'em back, I'll bet." This new arrangement was quickly made, and then old Joe, dropping upon his knees, and sheltered by the rock, peered through the crack at the sumach and hazel. Whenever he saw a rustle he sent a bullet, and present!) 7 not a movement of the bushes could be seen n any quarter, for the Crows perceived that to move was to invite death. This arrangement operated most advantageously for the hunters. They were now permitted to rest a moment. Old Joe, lying behind the rock, with his deadly rifle, was a terror to the Crows, who, though brave as any red- skins, had no courage to expose themselves to certain destruction. After keeping up this situation for an hour, it was evident that the savages were withdrawing or ? at least, a part of them were. " Begorra ! an 1 it's a blissid minit this is, when the red naygurs are getting tired uv the bizness. Now if the dhirty blackguards will jist lave our horses alone, an 7 go about their own matters, an' not worry us any more, bedad, it's a good word I'll spake for thim, whin I return to the gem av the say Owld Ireland." OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 81 " Whist !" said Dyce ] u they're not gone far away. Ye need not thank them yet/' " So much the worse for thim, then. Bedad ! an' if they think a Paddy's good word isn't worth something it shows they're mighty conceitful crathers." " The redskins are only gittin' out o ? the range o' Greased Lightnin'," said Joe, with a chuckle. " WV11 liev a reg'iar Sunday o' it from now ontil daik, I sus- pect. The critters thinks we're sbet up, sartin, an' can't git away, an' for all I know, they are right. The pesky cavern looks black as tophet in thar, an' I hain't no idee whar it goes to. " If the Injuns are goin' to lay still, we mought .be a-lookin' into the matter, an' see whether thar's any chance o' gettin' out o' this bottle, o' which, I confess, I hain't any expectivation at all." 11 Wai, if ye says so, captin," said Tom Bridler, the old whaler, u we'll up anchor an 7 sail off on an explor- in' expedition. It isn't likely we'll find the North Pol<3, nor Semmes' Hole ; but, egad ! who knows but we may find a channel that will carry our fleet out o' this confounded shoal water? Do ye think ye can d fend the mouth o' the grotto if we go huntin' arter ite tail?" " Defend this hyar spot !" snorted old Joe, scorn- fully. "Clip my top -knot! if I can't hold it agin forty Crows ontil dusk. Still thar's no use in all o' ye desertin' a feller. I reckon one or two ought to be enough to s'arcli for the bottom o' this hole. Hans, you an' Bridler go, an' Dyce will stay with iue. The Yank and Irishman may do as they please." " Koom on, Mynheer Tom," said Hans, with a grunt like that of a wild boar. " Ve will pooty soon makes hi;;; all so clear ash de sun at noonday. Yah! Ich vili go ahead/ 7 "What shall we do for a light f " Mcin Gott ! dat ish a fact. Dere ish no torch nor caudle here, x p y shure 1 But we shall go so far ash ever we can mitout any- torch. Koom." The two explorers were gone something like five 62 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. minutes, when a terrible noise was heard issuing from the depths of the gloomy cavern. It consisted of a series of frightful howls, utterly unlike the cry of either man or beast, and pretty soon the burly Dutch- man came tearing at full speed out of the darkness. " Yaw up ! mein Gott in Himmel ! it was one gross duyvel, mit horns a yard long, und a tail as long *s three arms, und dere vas fire nnd schmoke a-kooiuing Mit of his mout. Yaw ! danks to de Lor 7 Ich vas not "lulled all dead to once, py snicketrigger !" "By mighty! Hans Kalbfleisch," roared old Joe. " what tomfolderol is all this f Thar hain't nothin' <>' the devil sort, as I knows o 7 round these parts. W liar's Tom Bridler ? ? > " De whalerman ish gone dead, py shure ! Dish beast run his horn clear through him shoos*, as von Dietcherrnan stick his knife- through his Sweitzer cheese, und mein Gott how de hunter groan." Old Joe leaned against the wall to reflect, when various grumbling noises reached his ears. He was at a loss to account for them. He now determined to light his torch of bear's fat. Having struck a match and ignited the torch, lie stuck the end of the arrow into a crevice in the rock, and, creeping upon his hands and knees for some dis- tance, hid himself behind the projection of a yharp angle. All at once a wild cry was heard, apparently issuing from one of the lateral passages. It was a prolonged, piercing tone, which died away gradually, ending in a tremulous quaver, like the expiring voice of a man in mortal agony. The next instant the cry was repeated louder, and in more penetrating accents than before. A shufflng sound was heard, approaching nearer each moment. Old Joe kept himself well concealed in the shadow of the rock, holding his trusty rifle in both hands, with his eagle eyes bent intently upon lhn opposite opening. Suddenly, with a piercing cry, the hitherto invisible OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 83 creature bounded info sight. Even old Joe could not restrain an exclamation of surprise, though big nerves were like iron. The monster seemed to be a combination of man and beast. It stood erect, some eight feet high. Its bead was like that of a buffalo bull huge horns pro- truded from its forehead, and a shaggy mane dropped upon its shoulders; its body was covered with fur. In, ir.s fore paws it wielded a huge lance, like those of the' Indians. A bluish flame spirted from its mouth. The very instant this creature burst into the cavern, the bear's fat torch dropped to the floor, and went out, leaving everything lurid with the horrid flames which burst from the creature's mouth. The same moment the roar of Joe's rifle resounded through the passage. CHAPTER XVII. BY the reader's permission, we will return to the fortunes of our hero, Harold Glenclyffe, whom we left lying insensible in the outskirts of the Crow village, bound hand and foot by his rival, the German doctor. When the young hunter came to consciousness, he began to realize the unhappy situation in which he was placed. What could be -done to mitigate the perils of his position ? Suddenly he started with apprehension. The noise of an approaching footstep* struck upon his ear. He glanced eagerly about him. A person is corning toward him. It is an Indian. More than that, it is a woman. Harold's heart throbs fiercely. Can it be Grace, corning to rescue him? She wore the garb of a savage. Joy ! it must be she. The thought was on him to cry out. and he did so : " Brave girl ! you have come to my rescue. Your soul is so noble ; you are worthy the love of a king. 84 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. Now, indeed, I know that you love die poor, white hunter." The *maiden leaped forward with the grace and agility of a fawn. She knelt at the side of the youth. ful trapper. She passed her hands over his forehead- She pressed it with her lips, and said: "Bird Song 1 dreamed that the paleface was in dan- ger. The night bird whispered it in her ear, and sleep deserted her couch. What has happenecT to the great hunter of the palefaces? Who has thus confined his limbs 1 Speak, and Panther Claw will rend that warrior in pieces." Harold was stupefied for a second. The maiden was Bird Song, and not his beloved Grace. He re- plied : u Alas ! Panther Claw's braves did not do this foul deed 5 it was the work of the white medicine man. He is a man whose art teaches him many secrets. He knew that I told you that when the scalps of the Sioux were in my lodge I would marry you, and "y this time." " When will the chief come back ?" V OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 85 "Bird Song cannot tell." " The hunter has lain so long upon tlie cold ground that his limbs ache, and his shoulders are full of sharp pains. Binl Song has a warm blanket. Will she let mo wear ir, f" The maiden unfastened her blanket, and banded it io Harold without a moment's hesitation. The latter received it, and, pretending to throw it about his shoulders, quickly dashed it over the head of Bird Song, binding it tightly over her shoulders in the shape of a bag Startled, and perhaps frightened by this unexpected and hasty movement, the girl attempted to struggle; but in vain, for the strength of Harold was very^great. Glencl yffe lifted Bird Song in his arms, and, without much effort, bore her through the bushes, along the margin of the stream, proceeding with all due caution, until he had the heart-felt satisfaction ol knowing that he was outside the village of the Crows. Where he was he had no exact idea, but he knew that he must be some distance from the village. Ke- rnoving the light blanket from Bird Song's head, the youth received a sound scolding from the maiden's tongue. " The daughter of Panther Claw T can go home at once and send his braves upon my trail," said Harold, " but they will not catch me. The pale face cannot YUM! the daughter of the Crows. He has not hurt LKT j he made her a captive to secure himself; he now s Is her free. Go to the village of your father. You will see me no more." Bird Song stamped her foot angrily. "The tongue of the hunter lies. Bird Song will go to the village, she will bring her father's warriors, they will capture the paleface again. He shall yet live in the lodge witii Bird Song. She will make him love her. You can never escape from the mountains. On this side lies the laud of the Crows, beyond the hills is the home of the Spirit of the Fountains. The Spirit will drive you back and we will catch you." 80 OtiD CALIf 'OIlHrA JOJS Having delivered this speech , the girl leaped aw.- ,j and bounded down the canon with the fleetness ot a fawn, turning 1 , as she passed out of sight, to throw a kiss back toward the hunter. Harold was standing under the branches of a huge hemlock which filled half the gorge. Just a little higher up the chasm was seen a female flying toward him at the top of her speed. This woman was Grace Uardington. Close behind her came a Crow warrior who was striving to seize her. Quick as thought Glen- clyfiVs rifle was discharged, and the w T arrior stumbled headlong to the ground. The next instant the white girl fell prostrate at the hunter's feet. Harold assisted her to rise, kissed her face, her hands, her lips ; bade her speak to him, and redoubled his efforts to quiet and calm her. " For God's sake ! Grace, dearest, speak Are you injured ?" " No, I think not ; but, oh ! so frightened, 77 she gasped, in hurried tones. " Are there otlier Indians ? 77 " I saw but the one. 77 " And Waldemeyer? He found you where I left you. He surely did not desert you ? He is where f " There ! 77 she gasped with horror. " Lying dead -lying scalped. 77 Harold bounded round the angle. He saw an open valley beyond. He saw, almost at his feet, a bloody corpse, from the head of which the gory scalp had been torn. It was that of Karl Waldemeyer. He turned away and returned to Grace. " We must leave this spot, 77 said he. " Waldemeyer is dead. Whatever your relation to him may have been, you will never see him more. 77 " Dead ! Oh, God ! can it be? And yet I know it is so. Dead ! and what is that to me ? He was a friend, and yet how he persecuted me. And the curse hangs over me still. True, he alone of all knew the mvstery. Dead ! well why could not I too have OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 87 " Because you must live for me," said Harold, solemnly. u Curse or no curse, you must be mine." "You know not what you say/' replied the maiden. Then gathering more spirit, she added : " I will follow yoir. Lead me whither you will. We were about to cross the valley when the accident occurred." " Let us do the same," said Harold, taking Grace by the hand. The two lovers crossed the valley. CHAPTER XVIII. WE left old Joe in a critical situation. His bear's- fat torch had gone out ; the lurid glare of the flame in the monster's mouth had told him where to fire, and " Greased Li^htnin^" had belched forth its double , charge. Without waiting to ascertain the effect of his shot, the old hunter, undaunted, drew his revolver, and dis- charged two barrels in quick succession. A series of frantic howls ensued; and, then, as they grew fainter each minute, the trapper judged the monster was retreating along the fatal passage-way. A spirit of infatuation seized upon old Joe 5 and, flushed with his victory, he determined to penetrate still further, and drive the monster to the wall. So he fumbled about and reloaded his weapons. Then he got hold of his torch, and finding that it still contained enough fat to burn some time, he struck a match, and, lighting it, started boldly along the gloomy passage. All of a sudden he struck his foot against something, and tumbled headlong to the ground, his torch flying from his hand, and going out on the instant. " Clip my top-knot !" growled old Joe, savagely, as he scrambled up a^ain. "" What in thunder was it that upset my ekwfiibrnm, I'd lie to know? I'll -dis- kiver pooty soon." The torch, quickly relighted, flared and splnrted, 88 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. and lit up the damp passage. Old Joe nearly screamed \vitli amazement at what he beheld. What he had stumbled over was a man's body ; and tlm body was bloody and mutilated, and it was the corpse of old Tom Bridler, the whaler. No wonder he was excited. Tom Bridler's corpse had lost its head ! All at once a peculiar sound struck upon the trap- per's ear. He could not tell what it meant, and so, to be extra prudent, he again stuck the torch in the wall, and, hiding it in the shadow, leveled his rifle. The noise continued. u Now comes the hitch," said old Joe, w ; ith a grit- ting of his powerful teeth. " By mighty ! lliar the varmint comes. Oh, Moses! who'd a-thought it? Golly ! it's Rowdy Bob, as I'm a sinner !" It was Rowdy Bob, his face grimed with dirt, his clothes, never too clean, soiled with mud, his short hair all on end, and his feet black as tar. At every jump, the stubby hunter uttered a quick, sharp yelp, like the cry of a terrified dog. Old Joe rose to his feet and uttered a stentorian yell. " Whoop her up, Rowdy Bob ! Hold yer bosses, my "boy, an' come back hyar, ;; he screamed. u We'll light it out on this heigho ! nip an ? tuck, now r ." The change in Joe's speech was occasioned by the appearance of the mysterious monster, which was evi- dently in pursuit of the flying hunter. California Joe dropped upon his knees into the h:ido\v, and taking a rapid air:, directly at the middle of the creature's body, fired his rifle. The noise of the report was stunning, and when the s uoke drifted away, the be; tt had disappeared. " Haw, haw ' whporay ! how d'ye do, old Joseph us f ' yelled a hearty voice at Joe's elbow. u Yes, it's UK-, Rowdy Bob, jest out o' tophet, red hot as a poker, an' dirty as a pig. Dang yer torch ! it Won't be needed only aminit more. Thai's plenty o' light right ahead. 7 ' Joe was delighted to receive the aid of this dare- devil, rollicking trapper. "Clip my top-knot ! I'm drefful glad to see ye. /'ve OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 89 bin fittiir* that fiend for more'n an bour, all alone. Hyar's my knife an' pistol. Greased Lightnin' I can't give up to any man. Now, then, on to the scrim- mage, my boy." The torch was left burning in the wall, and the two hunters rushed boldly ahead. Before they had advanced three rods, the darkness was dispelled, and a ghastly flame lighted up the large apartment into which they plunged. A jet of gas, issuing from a fissure near the floor, gave a bright, yellowish light, and emitted a pleasant warmth. In one corner of tine apartment, crouching down, was the horrid monster which had escaped thorn thus far. It laid in a sort, of shapeless mass, bedabbled with blood, and motionless. u lt's dead," said Rowdy Bob. " Yer last shot set- tled its persimmons. D'ye see that tother critter f A man leaped out of a corner, and, with uplifted club, darted forward to assail old Joe. A swift parry with his rifle knocked aside the stranger's weapon, and the next instant 'Rowdy Bob had leaped upon hu back, and bore him to the ground. " W hooray, Joe ! my eyes ! it's one o' yer own men. By hokey ! how he fights. Rap him gently. 7 ' Joe did not strike the prostrate man but, catching him 1>} 7 the nape of the neck, ho jerked him upright^ and held him off at arm's length. The man was Kingfisher. When Kingfisher, who resisted all the while, had fit last been securely tied, old Joe and Bob turned their attention at once to the mysterious occupant of the corner. The teri%ble monster was. not so fearful a thing after all. A stalwart man's form Jay dead before them. Its face was nearly covered with hair. Its features were rigid in death. A horrid, stony expression was in the *$Ves. The man had been a large and powerful person. He had taken the huge head of a dead buffalo, and fixing it upon a suitable frame had worn it thus. 90 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. , ; The horns were those of a buffalo. His garb had been made of skins to resemble a wild beast. Upon his teet were bound the claws of the grizzly bear, in such shape, that his footprints would resemble the trail of that animal. " Clip my topknot !" said Joe, as all the revelations were unfolded. "It beats the old scratch, don't it, Bob ? Who in thunderation is this man T ' " P'raps this dog hyar might guv us some informa- tion," said Bob, looking at Kingfisher. " I'll see you scalped first," growled that worthy, sullenly. " We'll scalp you if you don't," said old Joe. The three men glared at ea*ch other. California Joe was the next to speak. " If thar's one thing anymore sartin than another," said he, " it is thet ye hev got to make a clean breast o* all ve know consarnin' this critter what we hev shot to death, or else be put through to kingdom come with sech tortures as no redskin ever hatched up hi his noddle. " We've . had the durnationest, bloodiest time with this varmint 1 ever had anywhar, an' ye can bet yer life we're goin', as the doctor's say, ter perrobe this thing to the bottom. Bufc we can't stop to do it now. Thar's them pesky redskins outside, a-lyin' ready to burst in hyar, must be looked arter fust. I forgot to tell ye. Bob, that there is a band o' Crows outside a tryin' to gobble us up." Joe went on briefly to inform worthy Bob of what had ^occurred since that hunter had disappeared so suddenly ,by the caving in of the peak, where the gory heads were /hung, mentioning the dangers which now Surrounded them, and winding up with the suggestion, that they ought at once to repair to the outlet, and see how things were progressing there. To this proposition, Rowdy acquiesced. Looking again at Kingfisher to assure themselves that he was securely bound, and could not by any possibility escape, tlie two men lighted a torch, of which there were several in the apartment, and began a hasty retreat from the room. Those in the cavern were delighted to see old Joe return, for they had given him np for lost; but their mentknew no bounds when they beheld Rowdy Bfj| with him, and learned that the Spirit Demon had been de- troyed. OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 81 It had grown nearly dark, whilst old Joe had been en- gaged in the depths of the mountain, and the old hunter, after taking a careful look out of the mouth of the cavern, said : "It's my opinyun that we'll be stirred up pooty lively inside o' a few hours, by them Injuns down in the sumach. They've been lyin' quiet, an' getting ready to go fur us when night has sot iu, an' whar tliar's so many oil 'em it'll bother us to hold our own all night long, an' keep 'ere out. So let every feller load up his weepons, an' git readj to hev a tough skrimmige o' it." During Joe's speecli Rowdy Bob was busy digging his dirty fingers into his bristly head. Presently he said : ** We've got the bulge on 'em, arter all, boys. I told old Joe that I hadn't been a captive all this time in hyar for nothiu'. Rowdy Bob had ears an' eyes, an' by golly, he used 'em both." 44 What d'ye say, Bob?" asked Joe. 44 1 say this, that thar's a back door to this ranehe, an' we ain't under no obligations to walk out o' that hole into the claws o' them red&kins. Let's vamoose, and leave this cavern. After a short consultation, it was decided to follow Bob's advice. So the little party withdrew from the outer cavern, and marched rapidly as the gloom would permit along the subterranean passage- ways., until they reached theapartment where they had left Kingfisher. Here a cry of surprise burst from Rowdy Bob. Kingfisher had disappeared ! The mysterious creature whom they had left dead in the corner had departed also. The horns, the head, the body, had all vanished. 44 Boys," said Bob, in a low tone, 44 this is a leetle the skittishesfc place I ever got into, an' I'm in favor o' git tin' out o' it quicker'n scat. If ye will light a couple o' them torches, we'll try an' find that back door." Rowdy Bob led the way along a circuitous passage, for some distance, when all at once the air became stifling hot, aud there were such fumes pouring out of crevices in the rocks, that the adventurers could scarcely catch their breath. Suddenly, a puff of air, hot as the blast of a furnace, 'came up into their faces, and a great pit opened before them, far down in which were seen smouldering fires. Along the edge of this yawning crater, the hunters crept for many yards, almost holding their breath for very aw* Then they came to an avenue broader and quite cool. Pursuing their way a few steps farther, they met hot vapors pouring up so densely, as to forbid any further advance. 44 Do you know whar we be, boys?" asked Bob, with a wink at Joe. 44 We're not a mile from purgatory, be jabers !" said Rory ; 44 that's my honest belief." 4 This stream comes from the mysterious bilin' spring m tbe valley," said Bob, with a grin. 92 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. " But how are we to git thar ?" "The water will go down pooty soon," said Bob, "an* then we kin git out. You'll see how it is by mighty ! w 1 1 a t n oise w as t h a t ?" They all listened attentively. Then a darkish object. darted out of the gloom, and dashed through the midst <> the hunters. Old Joe made ft dive forward, caught the object, and hurled it to the ground. The object was a man, and the man was Kingfisher. lie struggled furiously. "Curse you nil!'"' he cried, hoarsely, "why do you hound a man to death? What have 1 (lone to make you seek my destruction? Let me go; I will not seek to harm 3 T ou more." "No, we won't let you go," cried Bob. "Thar'ssome Secrets ye must divulge first." "But suppose 1 refuse?" "Refuse? Why, ye blasted ninny, then we'll just heave ye castrut over the edge o' that burniu' pit. How would ye like seen a broilin' as that, my larkie?" " Will you release me?" he said, eagerly. "And will you never return hither again, and will you not search these caverns?" " We will release ye an' never come back agin," said Bob, with a laugh ; "but, by hokey, we want to s'areb the spot pooty well, for I'm o' the opinyun that thar's suthin' wuth huiitin' for in hyar, for the Demon hinted it to me. Ye must make a clean breast o' it, an' we'll share the vallyables with ye; won't we, boys?" " What vallyables?" asked Joe. "Never mind." said Bob. "We'll guv him his share, if he tells everything. If he don't, then we'll hoist the ras- cal into. the crater, an' hunt tip the vallyables an' keep 'em all ourselves." "I'll tell all," groaned Kingfisher, dismally. "Spin her out, then," said Joe. CHAPTER XIX. AFTEB a few minutes' silence, during which beseemed to be collecting his thoughts, Kingfisher began his story in these words: "Many years ago, a party of gold hunters were busy dio-ging'gold in the mountains, many miles to the west ot this spot. They were over thirty in number and had come up from the country far to the south, under the lead of a man whose name was Brette Galbreite. He was n Frenchman by birth, a man who had been a 'rover a his lifetime. His party was composed of Mexicans, Americans, and half-breeds of the lower border. "Amonir the party was a beautiful woman. She was the wife of the leader of the band, and was so courageous, that she always went with her husband, no matter bow D CALIFORNIA JOE. 93 hnzardous the journey. The man was rough, and, afc times, brutal toothers; but his love for this woman was so deep and fervent, that he ever treated her as he would have treated an angel, "There was at>oy with the party a lad at that time ten years of age. Tiie boy's name was Mantze. Now this man, Brette Galbrette, was my father; the woman was my mother; the lad of ten years was myself " Well, our party was successful. We dug so much gold that we could scarcely carry it with us. We had a trail*, of five pack mules, and they were laden with gold dust. When we counted over our gains, we determined to return to civilization, and, breaking up our camp, the party started on its route. "But although we had been unmolested during our tarry in the mountains, we had not been unnoticed. In- deed, the ehief of the Gros Vent res, a crafty fellow, stylrd. Walk-in-the-wind, had had his spies watching us all* the time. "By day they hovered about our trail, and at night they shot our sentries and stampeded our horses. Night after night this was done, until one morning at daybreak our camp was attacked in force. We had a desperate combat; but our people drove the redskins off, after losing one half our number. " A band of Crows met the Gros Ventres the same day, and destroyed them. So we were relieved of the Gros Ventres. But the Crows began to follow our trail, and harass us. One night they attacked us at the mouth of Broken Bluff Valley, and compelled us to take refuge in the valley. ' Here we remained a week, constantly fighting for our lives, and losing men every day. At last, but six men re- mained, and we retreated to the boiling spring at the head of the valley. Here we discovered that the spring was an intermittent one; that in the daytime it was full of boil- ing water, and that during the night hours it was nearly dry, and the water was cold. " We also discovered that when thespung was nearly dry, an opening was seen directly underneath the spot where is the figure of the Indian chief driving the bear. This opening was so large that a man might enter stand- ing erect. I need not say that we rejoicexl at this disco v- ery. We at once entered and found a shelter. " The gold dust, which the savages had not taken as yet, was hastily carried therein in tUe sheepskin sacks, wherein we carried it, and then we all returned to bring in what provisions we had left. But the Crows had chased us hard, and a fierce attack was made. Outnumbered we turned to fly, but found ourselves cut off. " My father was a powerful man, and being also a cour- ageous fellow, he determined to save my mother and rny- :.elf. He clubbed his rifle and fought his way to the edge of the spring. Here my mother fell, pierced with arrow's, and my father, catching me in his arms, made good his OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. into this asylum. In a short time the spring boiled Lip full of water, and the savages, struck with terror, turned and fled. My father had a dream that night, in which ray moth- er appeared to him. She bade him remain in the vicinity, saying that she had been told by the eptfits, that when- ever he could get away and carry all the gold with him. she would be restored to life and sent to him. "Brette Galbrette derived great comfort from this visit of my mother, and he declared to me that he should do|his part of the duty, to the uttemost. How we were toi get the gold away was a great problem ; but, we have done so m eh ing toward it. " This spot proved to be a secure haven for us. It is a volcanic range, and the savages of the neighborhood stand in avye of it. Brette Gilbrette added to this terror by playing the part of the Demon of the valley. At different times we knve gone thence transporting much gold with us to points nearer civilization, of course considerable gold remains, which you are welcome to since 1 can't prevent your taking it. You will find it between here and the spring* 14 All the savages near by know of the Demon, and hence this beautiful valley is not frequented by them. Brette Galbrette was this demon. You have plain him and the superstition will end here. Alas! you have brought upon me an irreparable injury." There was quite a pause, then old Joe said : "Iknpw'd that thar was some nateral explanification o' all this humbuggery, but it nevertheless bothered my wits consid'able. Ye see, boys, that the explanifyiii' which Harold gave us at the begin n in' was pooty nigh the truth. The biliri' o' the spring is owin* to something about this hyar volcano, The burnin' o' the gas when Hans dropped his pipe, is accounted for easy enough, for we see that the hull inside o' this mountain is chucked full o' seams a pourin' out their gas. All the growlin' an' grumblin' comes from the fittin' what's goin' on down in the 'arth beneath. But why did this Demon have a grudge against us?" 44 Because," said Kingfisher, "he was afraid lest you would discover this cavern and rob him of his treasures, At your arrival he was much alarmed. He determined to scare you away by awakening supernatural terrors. Ho destroyed your comrades by cuttin' off their heads at a single stroke of an enormous Mexican 'machete.' Being crafty and skillful, he surprised them all and caught them unawares." 41 What did he put thar heads on the peak for?' > asked Dyce Richards. * 4 He knew that you would come hither, and hoped thus to frighten you oif. Where Rowdy Bob fell through \\iis a thin crust of lava. The cause of Hans' sudden flight into the air was thus: There was an opening in the rock, through which the De^on ascended to the peak. He OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 05 kept it covered with a tightly stretched robe. The De- mon was under it when Hans stepped uporfit, and hoist- ed it up so violently, that the Dutchman was sent flying in the air." "Thar's one thing more," said Joe. "How do ye ao count for the mysterious voice in the air that warned us? That got me closer than anything else." 44 That is the easiest of all!" said Kingfisher. "Biette Galbrette and 1 are both ventriloquists. You understand it now." "Lord-a-mighty!" roared Dyce. "What a jmssel o' fools we was. We mought hev knowed it was jest sech torn-foolery." 44 What a set o' durnation fools we hunters was, to come hyar him tin' gold at all!" growled old Joe. " I'll not be ketched up so agin. I'll stick to b'ars an' beavers in the nat'ral way, with Injuns thrown in for sass. But we want one more bit o' knowledge out o' yer. Ye was cap- tivated by the Injuns, same time Waldemeyer an' the gal was. How did ye git away, an' whar be the rest?" Kingfisher replied promptly. 44 1 made my escape by night. The others are safe in Panther Claw's village." 44 Wai, boys," said Dyce, " the steam don't come up any more. We can proceed into the valley." The little party uttered an exclamation of joy, and Dyce led the way onward, waving his torch over his head bravely. CHAPTER XX. THE hunters discovered the treasure spoken of by King- fisher without any difficulty. It was contained in a dozen small sacks of buffalo and big-horn skin. There was enough of it, however, to make them dance for joy. With- out any ado, the sturdy fellows seized upon the treasure trove, and continued their journey. The camp was in due time readied, and the hunters were most cordially received. The wonderful adventures of the little party being most greedily devoured by those who had renamed behind, there was no sleep in cam until the short hours jf morning. Old Joe, however, was restless and uneasy. The cause of his disquietude was, that Harold Glenclyffe was still, as he believed, n captive in the hands of the Crows. The hunter was chagrined at the utter failure of the attempt to rescue the young laviy; but he felt even worse over Harold's fate. Joe, however, had made up his mind to ask Bob to go with him, and make an effort to relieve the captives. " It'll be adesprit affair," said Joe. "Will ye go with me?" "Wai, Joe," answered Rowdy Bob, "hyar's my hand. When shall wo start?" "To once; every minit's worth pure gold, and who knows but " A confused noise of many voices attracted the jiunter's attention, so that he paused in his speech. 96 OLD CALIFORNIA JOS "Durn'em! the hoys are yellin' like macf," cried Bob. * Wiin t can it mean ? " The two hunters; were not long in donbt. Two persons 'had arrived at the edge of the camp, and they were Har- old Glenclyffe and Grace Cardiugton. It I?* 'needless to say that old Joe joined the salute of welcome, and roared louder than any two others. Harold's story was quickly narrated. He had, most for- tunately, found a way through the mountains,' and, by dint of perseverance, had brought himself and Grace through in safety. When he mentioned Waldemeyer's dreadful death, the worthy Zerub ibel Potts evinced tiie most intense interest, eagerly devouring every word. He then walked off by himself, and seemed inconsolable about something. That very afternoon, the business of gold-washing was resumed, jiiid in a brief time everything relapsed into a state of clock-like precision, and every one seemed eor- t en ted. Harold was very devoted in looking after the welfare of Grace Cardington. One day they were sitting in a quiet spot in the shade of a cluster of bushes, wheii Ilarold, taking Grace by the band, said : ** Grace, I insist upon your marrying me. What care I for any curse? Oh, no curse could be half so heavy as to be banished from you. Tell me, I beg, 1 entreat, \\hat this fearful mystery is. 1 will shoulder every burden. 1 will press you to my heart. I will defend you with my life. Ol), Grace, dearest, will you put me off forever?'' During this speech the maiden had grown much excited. ' Harold Glenclyffe," she said, solemnly, "listen tome. I feel that you will not be put off longer. You shall hear my secret. You shall know all. Then if you insist upon it, / will marry you.'" " Proceed, Grace. Nothing that you can say will dis- turb my love for you." "Several years ago you saw me in Manchester. I was Jinppy then, for I was innocent and independent. I earned and ate my own bread. An orphan, i( is true, but supporting myself. My mother, whose ma den name wjis Grace Mar weigh, had an only brother, a bachelor, who was very wealthy. His name was Roger Marweigh. lie lived in a beautiful home, on the bank of the Hudson, a few miles above the great metropolis. "Whilst my parents lived, he cared naught for ns. When they died, he cared nothing for me. He had never seen me. " One day a man came to Manchester, and told me he had a letter for me from my uncle. This man was Knrl Waldemeyer. The letter offered me a home, an edu- cation, a fine position in society, at my uncle's. I accepted the proposition, and left Manchester secretly with Walde- m yep, for my uncle desired that my early life should not be known. "Everything- at Fair Haven, my uncle's place, was de- OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 97 Jightful. My uncle received me cordially. He was not quite forty, and I was seventeen. I soon made a startling discovery. My uncle loved me, and asked me to be his wife. I was dumbfounded; hut, not loving him, refused. "During this time, Karl Waldemeyer, who was'a friend of my uncle, and a physician of the village, also made love to me; but his advances were rejected. He took my ;ni- Fver very much to heart, and was angry with me. He was very intimate with my uncle, over whom he had hirge influence. "One day Uncle Marweigh was taken ill with a fever; ! ie lingered awhile, then died suddenly. He was buried; his will was opened, and I was sole heir to the estate and fortune of my relative. "A few days after this Karl ennv* to see me; lie was very loving, but I was reserved. He gre.v importunate, and I resented his familiarity. He UK n threatened me with a fearful threat. "I bade him leave the house, which he did, in a tower- ing passion. 44 The next day I was arrested by the officers of the law on the charge or having murdered my uncle. T was stu- pefied. I scarcely knew what followed. There was a trial; my uncle's body had been disinterred. An exam- ination had been had and arsenic was found in the stom- ach. "Karl Waldemeyer swore that I had procured arsenic from him, a few days before my uncle's death. He had not suspected, he said, for what purpose. A house ser- vant, who had overheard sharp words between my uncle and me at the time he proposed marriage, was also on the witness-stand, "The jury brought in a verdict of guilty. The judge sentenced me to death. The prison received me. llow the time passed I know not. One day Waldemeyer visited me. He said he could get me out of prison, if I wanted to escape. I could not endure the thought of being hung. 1 accepted his offer. He bribed some of tlie jailers, and I was free. But the fear of capture made rne frantic. Wal- demeyer induced me to come west under an assumed name, as his' niece. He was kind, attentive, very respectful. "We traveled in various quarters, but pretty soon I found that his interest in me was purely selfish. Ho still wished to marry me, and was always urging me to it, un- der threat of surrendering me to the law. I refused, and so he persevered, until my life for months had been a per- i'eet horror. "Be is dead. But what ami? A woman convicted of murder. A fugitive from justice. The gallows are wait- ing for Grace Cardiugton. If you many me, you may at any moment behold me led to public execution. "Harold Glenclyffe, in view of all this, can you, dare you ask me to marry you ? Oh, God ! what a fate is mine." The wretched woniau covered her face in her hands, and hot burning tears gushed from her eyes. 98 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. Harold leaped to his feet. " Grace Cardington," said he, " nnswer me one thing, as before Heaven. You are innocent?" "Innocent," she said. "So help me, my Maker 1 !" t6 The world may not believe it," said Harold, " but I oarenot for that. " I love you. I will hold you to your pledge. Grace Car ding toil, you must be my bride, even though I lose you in the awful manner indicated. In th<> fullness of my love, I say let all < lie responsibility hem ne, "Then, Harold, I am yours, for better or for worse, V plied the maiden, firmly, "Such unalterable lov; serves no refusal." The two lovers were about to embrace in the ardor ol their feelings, when a cheery voice interrupted them. "She's innocent! I'll swar to that afore any court or jury in York Slate or elsewhere, by hokey!" Harold Glendyffe whirled around, and beheld Zeruba- bel Potts standing blinking at them with his one eye. "Zounds, man!" said lie, " have you no more sense than to spy upon us thus?" "I ain't spying. I'm only embracing an opportunity, just as you were ab'mt to embrace the loveliest and most innocent girl in the universal creation. I gay she inno- cent of the murder of her nude." " But who are you? What do you know of this affair, you deaf and blind old adder?" "Wai!" replied Potts. "I hain't so very deaf all the while you see, and there's many a man who hasn't as many eyes as I have." With that Potts tore off the red kerchief which had bound up his eye, and a visible orb was sparkling there, just as it should do. At the same time his demoralized * stove pipe" was tossed to the ground, and his gray hairs, in the shape of a wig, quickly followed his hat. The "kinks" too, disappeared, and Potts stood erect as a youthful sapling. What a wonderful metamorphosis! It was like the caterpillar changing into the butterfly. Potls, the decrepid old man, no longer existed; but in his stead, stood a bright eyed, smoothed faced, intellignt man oi thirty, with a cheerful smile upon his countenanrice. Grace Cardingtou exclaimed in a tone of deepest sur- prise and agitation. "Caryl Harver, is it you?" "Aye, Miss Card ing ton, it is I, the student of Karl Wai- demeyer, the German doctor," replied he that was Potts, with a wave of his hand. " You are astonished to see me here, no doubt." "Alas! how the minions of the law follow me," said Grace with an expression of despair. " You come to up- braid me and expose me to apprehension and arrest." "No, Miss Cardington. I come to rescue your name from all taint of crime. I am ready to affirm your inno- cence of the murder of your uncle. I know what 1 de- clare. This German doctor was a knave a villain. Uu- OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. 99 der the semblance of honesty and integrity, he carried the heart of a scoundrel. 44 He it v as who poisoned your uncle in hopes of driv inp: yoli to marry him, and fly with him to foreign lands. I saw this wretch administer the poison. I charged it upon him, and forsooth he stabbed me, ns he thought, to rtaath, lest I should tell on him. But I recovered, and have devoted my life to the exposure of this villainy. Karl Walderneyer is dead. I only regret that he had not died upon the gallows. I am ready to accompany you to your old home and testify to your innocence before all men." ****** No longer interrupted in their work by the Demon of the Valley, the gold-seekers gathered the" yellow dusi in vast quantities, so that within a fortnight a council was held to consider the propriety of returning to civilization. Old Joe advised a speedy return. They had acquired handsome fortunes every man of them ; their number had been materially lessened, and their presence had become known to the Crows, who now threatened to give them trouble. Kingfisher had joined the savages in a crusade against the whites, and, altogether, the propriety of re- maining longer was exceedingly doubtful. Upon taking a vote, it was found that nearly all were in favor of abandoning the diggings; and so, with joyous hearts, the party of gold-seekers turned their faces away from Broken Bluff Valley, en route for the fort. At tiie fort Harold found that a detachment of cavalry was preparing to go to one of the forts on the Upper Mis- souri. He at once embraced the opportunity of accom- panying them, hoping to get transportation down the river to Fort Leaven worth. Grace Cardington and Caryl Harver, we need not say, went with the detachment, also, the heart of the former overflowing with hope. We need not pause to narrate the incidents of the trip to the Empire State. In due time, Harold Glenclyffe, Grace Cardington, and Cat^l Harver stood in the august presence of the Governor. They had procured a private interview with his Excellency, who seemed to sympathize deeply with the lovely maiden, against whom such a fear- ful wrong had been committed. The Governor listened patiently to the details of the ease, and promised to continue the investigation without delay. Meantime, Grace remained in strict concealment, under lock and key and guard, as the Governor deemed it- right that it should be so, until the verdict should be reached, One day the door of her prison-chamber was opened, and Harold Glenclyffe entered with a buoyant step and a radiant countenance. tulft>IIV i^U II I I 1,'^i.Kl IIV^ . - , . . 44 Virtue triumphs at last!" he cried, folding her in his ms, proudly. "Here, my dear, is the Governors par- ..on f full and complete. Your own pure name is restored to you, and you are heir to your uncles estate. The neighbors at Fair Haven are e aerer to welcome you back. 36434-04- 100 OLD CALIFORNIA JOE. * They will greet you with a perfect ovation. Will you go QH as Grace Cardiniiton, or as Mrs. G-lenclyffe?" 'As your wife," said ( he maiden, archly. M72 And to Fair Haven they went man and" wife. The parting at the fort between California Joe arid Har- old was almost painful. "Good-bye, nry boy, Harold. Don't forgit old Califor- ny. He'll often think o' j^e," said Joe, iieai'ly crushing the youth's hand at parting. "Take good cere o' Giactvan' ]( member one tiling," he added, in a whispei*, "an" that is. to name the fust boy after old Joe." For a week after Harold left, the sturdy old trapper had the bines. Buthe got over them presently, and ina<:." up a trapping party to go down toward the Salt La!-:^ country. In this company was Dyce Richards, Haiis KalhfiVisch, and Rowdy Bob, who left their gold dust in charge of the commander of the fort until their return. THE END. TO BE ISSUED DECEMBER 19. Jlnnro's Ten Cent Hovel, 25r THE WILD MAN OF THE PLAIK&. By SAN>Y . V. NOW IS THE TIME TO SUBSCRIBE FOR THE J> T ew Illustrated Weekly i'or BOYS AND GIRLS THE GIRLS AND BOYS OF AMERICA, THE LARGEST CHILDREN'S PAPER IIN THE UNITED STATES. THE GIRLS AND BOYS OF AMERICA is a larger and giore popular style of paper for the boys and girl** than has ever before been attempted. Boys and girls are our greatest readers, aucl periodicals, for home and family reading, to be pccessful, must be adapted to their taste. The aim of the [lew paper is to embody all the features of interest to the pung folks of the home circle. Illustrations will constitute a large and important part 5 and he best artists and engravers have been secured to make this iepartment correspond to the growing taste of the public. The form of THE GIRLS AND^BOYS OF AMERICA is a large folio, of sixteen pages nearly equal to the regular Illustrated Weeklies, and it contains fully as much reading natter, and nearly as many illustrations. In the amount and variety of its contents, it surpasses any similar periodical pub- lished. The best story writers for the young will contribute, and no expense will be spared to obtain anything novel, or specially instructive, or otherwise calculated to increase its value. The leading attractions of the paper will be its stories and Illustrations. The boys and girls may be sure of finding in it jfipod continued stories, and good short stories. Poetry, biog- raphy, science, amusements for the young, and humor, will form important features, and be fully illustrated. Terms for 1874 : One copy, one year. ,$ 3.00 Two copies, one year 5.00 Nine copies, one '/ear , . . 20.00 One copy each of the NEW YORK FIRESIDE COM- PANION and THE GIRLS AND HOYS OF AMERICA, . will be sent to- one address, for one vear, lor $5.00. GEORGE M UNRO,' PUBLISH KB, 84 Beekman Street, New York. JtfllJNRO'S CEIVT XVOY1HLS. 1 The^antin S4 T.onp BoV | a67WapawVMwfr 2 The . -upper's lie treat 85 C.x.no) Hu'lt 1681 \e \VhiteArrmr 4 Fugitive* '-sMouaiuiiu 5'lueTrackc.Fiie 87Spy'rf:iri)elawar*e [Men SS'MWdKit.'-tbfftcout 69 \V hiloil.ired liuater 70 Y, How Jake 71 Tiie \V)7r.l Trapper 6 The Man Eaters 89 II-mk \V iggiii, ttq. 72 \V ar T >;,;!,. i tin- ^miaolet 7 Charlotte tent] If 73 The Kivrr- \Vwlf Sine Death Fate 9 1 OldTrBinjtr'sPrV.e 74 K.-dHi.nd y Thai ndian Slaver 92 Marks niiiii.tLelluuter 75 IJUck Hume 10 The Turd, ( . 11 ThelluMttr 1 ! ', f print t>6 Old U uSr.il,, Ti ail T 78 Z pTiimVle 73 . Ruf-r 105 'i'u.c..ltiosa Sam S8 Gu -ill a /.ett- 23Th;lmp oil! !U SI ; ,uJn,i aO UieUe,! !u Death Shot 2;^ .'o-, : he' Saipiut" lor Kcd K s :-;l Hell n:; i 1)2 Tu.kev Foot ' 11 Hawk Eye, toe punter 114 Madman of tl 96 TheHiilt-Brefd 07 TbeKingolthePlatoi Sv; H -,i>, Y li 115 Dave Bunker 98 The Dhkotuh Chief tl8 raizing Anuw 199 Thuntl..r Spirit i!7 Hickory Jack 2UO The Soul he ir, Crow 3;- fu- F.ul MI IT> \v in Trapper* 2'Jl The Spirit Hunter ^.tXtkt >, ^ 1 din S Twln 202 P 1 g Phtlps *"* -_ 1 rrNirk lii Bl.wdv \\olf W Long Headed Mik '.- '/I.- f. 40 Prairi.- JaKe* 22 ThundMi-Chmd 23 Hiirolilotthc iriN 205 The M oimum Giant 206 Oiil Bono handBeanty 124 TexHs.' * IMayneReld J25 Creole Forger : by Captain 207 R i 21 OCrnwliRg Spider 211 The T: app.ro! the HUto .;,; DM j.riir.iiii. t ScoutoflheficbU 212ThelnviMble'Bcu 47 Miti : 213S'haipKifle 4 Wn.te-Hiaded Hunler 131 Mad B4>y 13* India. SuHtarrrt 2i5 The Ranger 60 'i'li": Scout l l.4.i 133 P..I ];.,. luJa-n 216 S.ilSuwUnea 5i -Siive.-h;el<,the ' 154 \\hi 2i7 TheHnunied Tra!l 52 ttl-ck Bill, tl.eT. pper |.{5 \VralM.llhcSwamj; X 18 The MoniHiik < hkf [Hirer 64 ':/i-n Dirk ,t)..' - IS? liun'..-r" Srrref 2.'0 The G ,.:n '1 rapper of the of. [Mii.n y u.-m'. I'M li >k< > J;.(k | l!r,o Ef. 01.1 Sc I7t Little F?,!."-! 1 ' Vpj^r .'2 The XVh'c- Panther 67 ll.gSndki-.th .' 140TJie\Vii 141 K.).iugl>i(l. Hunter .J r,i g Sc.l,^r j S ,!.iy Hi.nc."'lL r'',arp- lr. 4 h i'.igN-..i ^ [e oi'.i'j im'iTy^r CU 0-p.sy Jack 143 Hunter olLlrrk FlilU W iTJiuiuIerK-l.o Cl Tlw&CHrltf ttt 144 ':>.: .'7 I., t -ChamrCill C> '' I*, Sco'j l w, T |.j i.^n iri 145 1 -i.n 1 >8 Volla-w Sr.lp 64 The Hride"ol\VoH01-B 147 TheTrappt-t'yCa> JO KitC.xr.von.'lhe Scout 1 ntk,ll.r Tapper 148 Paintc-dl'i.ltlu^ Cf S, HI, of tin U'.ilMunde 149 B.lly llowt.g* }2 T.ie M i;imi Cliio/ 67 l)..rm.-BM-k,- 150 O*l rre,tl,. Pawne* C8 CUm vFcut 151 Suiall Pox Line J4 T lie Bo v Scouts .' SThu^er'hOrBve 70 fil.d Nar.ry, the Fore 159 The Shaw ute Witqfc 160 T :-appe.rJoe 842 The Fs i-s i Aetwjer f S j . ( r* .'.hi: l:-|ti . 161 r l he Mountain Demo* 2 ;:j N\"iU Tom o t \V yoaJw, < sfu 162 Old 1'. n ' 844 A New York Boy Anmii the Indian* ' S 2 j'u'xiv'rMf.k 165 The MemonCruher 145 uung calp *3 \\ u l i^TLeTr^r'.lirid. r rjoo;<8 r f for aZ by all Newsdealers, and xent.poftagc pa'd. on receipt of price, Ten cent* each. (iE( HGE HI I? Ml O. Publisher, 84 Keekmau St , N. V.