CHAPTER XV-—Continued.
Be
“Seems he wasn't doing anything any
more, just hiding out; none of his
gang with him. It had got so hot for
the old devil he was afraid to show
his nose above ground; fifty thousand
for him, dead or alive, you know-—
that last raid had got the U. 8. aftgr
him as well as Mexico, and he was
smart enough to lle out here until It
blew over. Maybe we never would
have got on to him If Sanchez hadn't
struck his trail one day by accident
over beyond Silver springs. That led
him into this valley, and then he got
lost again. After that we kept a
watch, It didn't do no good for some
time, the old fox was too sly. So
finally Garrity put up a meeting with
him—they had some secret signal ar
ranged between 'em—and In that way
we traced out this cave and got him
cornered.”
“Cave! It's a tunnel, ain't It?
“I don’t know what it Is. I've only
been here once before—in the dark.
What's your idea?”
“That Manuel found ‘Alvara’s Lost
Mine'—it's got all the earmarks.”
“The—the ‘Lost Mine! Then—
it's worth millions! You—yeu can't
mean it."
“It's only a guess; let's chuck that
now, and finish up with Gomez."
“Yes, but walt!” exclaimed Meager
himself. “There ain't no use of you
making any gunplay with me, ‘Kid’
What's the matter with us being pard-
ners?
about this—you, Garrity an’ me.
there must be money enough here to
make us all rich; Gomez has got a
devil of a lot
and, good G—d! if this is the ‘Lost
Mine'—"
Kelleen hesitated, not
doubt as to his own purpose,
from
but in
Meager's plan opened new
ties: the man must know more
he had revealed, while Garrity
apparently even deeper versed in the
mystery. Just now hoth men would
be more valuable alive than dead.
“That sounds fair enough, Bob,” he
replied quietly.
is In on it, too?”
“Sure; he got the dope, and you
can't play any tricks on Garrity.
coming here this morning.”
“Here?”
“That's what. We had a nice little
surprise party all made up for Manuel,
ly you cooked the goose"
A low, peculiar whistle echoed
through the passage, and Meager
stopped suddenly. Again the whistle
founded, evidently from the entrance
to the tunnel.
“I'll Play the Game” He Answered
Shortly.
Iy. “Now ‘what Is it between ua, ‘Kid’
—=peace or war?’
Kelleen thrust bis revolver back
into his belt.
“I'll play the game,” he answered
CHAPTER XVI
a.
The Spoils of Crime.
With eyes long accustomed to the
darkness the two men could perceive
shadowy objects In the outer passage,
where little shafts of daylight pene
trated through the tangle of conceal
fog follage. The walls of the tunnel
were gray-tinged and darker objects
one perhaps the dead body of Manuel
Gomez—~shapeless and grotesque, Mt.
tered the floor, Meager, evidently
feeling full confidence in this new
alliance, moved forward, while Kelleen
followed, still suspicious, and alert
for any treachery. If Garrity came
there alone he would take the chance;
if not, then he would fight the battle
out there in the tunnel, asking no
guarter, and giving nope. Meager
stopped, his huge bulk almost blot-
ting out the light,
“That you, Con?’ he asked anx-
fously.
“Who the h—1 else would it be?” ex-
claimed an exasperated voice. “What's
going on here? Nobody on wateh; I
didn't want to come poking In, linble to
get shbt. Where the devil Is Manuel 7”
“Come Inside and I'll explain; just
drop over that ledge; it's only a foot
or two to the floor. You came dlone?”
The fellow did not answer, but no
one followed as he clambered across
the barrier of reck. Apparently he
could perceive nothing when once
within, except the dim, shapeless fig-
ures awaiting him,
“Two of you, eh! D-—n, but It's
dark in here! That you, Manuel?”
“Manuel is dead.” explained Meager
briefly. “He's been killed”
“Dead! Killed!” The judge
pressed his body back against the
rock. “What do you mean, Bob?
Then who is this other fellow-—San-
chez?
Kelleen took
own hands,
“I'm the ‘Frisco Kid.” he announced
enlmly, yet with one hand resting on
his gun. “You know and that It
I'm in on the deal, that's
"
the matter Into his
me,
the only difference
“Now, see here, Garrity” broke In
there was anything else
The ‘Kid’ got onto this him-
We hoth know he's all right, and
these ought to
as if
could do.
conditions he
we won't any of us get
Besides, there's only
left—Manuel and Sanchez
And say, ‘o you know
says he this
any
what
believes dn
“This tunnel? the cave, you mean?”
“Sure: he says it's ‘Alvara’s Lost
Mine'—and, by G—d! man, If It Is
maybe It's worth millions of
Garrity made no response. Kelleen
could not discern the expression of
the mhn's face, but was suspicious
that his hand rested threateningly on
the butt of a revolver. The fellow
was treacherous. unscrupulous, miserly
even in crime, capable of any act to
assure his gain. There was only one
safe way of dealing with him-—the
way of force, the heavy hand Yet
he would make one more endeavor,
“Well, Judge, “Kelleen sald quietly,
“I'm d—d if 1 see why I should di-
vide up with you"
“You are rather dull this morning.
Garrity. 1 haven't much of a repu
tation for wasting words, have I? No
doubt you have heard the ‘Frisco Kid"
knows how to shoot when needed?
What more explanation do you want?
I'm in on this deal, or you are a dead
one—that's all. Now say which it is”
No man could have doubted the
deadliness of Kelleen's meaning. Gar
rity knew the border code far too well
to hesitate,
“Of course you're In,
wanted to understand.”
“You've got it clear enough now,
but we'll play safe, Your friend Men.
ger here is unarmed, and you will be
far better off without a gun-—throw it
over into that corner.”
“And leave you free to murder as
both—" .
“Sure, If I decide It's best. Only 1
don’t usually do business that way.
You have heard plenty of mories
about me, hut no one ever sald 1 shot
a man treacherously. If you twe play
square there is ne danger; but this is
a case of two pitted Aantnst one ;
either one of you would cut a throat
for a fivedollar bill. I'll give you a
minnte—throw away that gun!”
He stood fronting them both, the
two between him and the stronger
light. His face was emotionless, but
the voice speaking was crisp and hard.
The two knew him only as a desper-
ado, a border renegade, a man whose
willingness to Kill had been proven.
There remained no choice. Garrity,
growling forth an oath, flung his re
volver into the dark corner savagely.
“Frisk him, Bob; I'm taking no
chances this time-—a knife, hey!
Rather an ugly tool, Garrity—do ali
Judges carry them? Yes, throw It over
there along with the gun. Are you
sure that is all? Now, Garrity, turn
about is falr play; try your hand on
Meager—stripped clean, is he? Better
feel inside his shirt; imagine he Is a
prisoner in your court, Good! Now,
1 reckon, we are in falr shape to dis.
cuss business together. First, gents,
let me say this-] haven't the slight.
owt objection in the world to killing
both of you en general principles. 1
know your style, and I'm going to
make the present situation perfectly
I--1 only
clear. Both of you are d--n rascals,
capable of any dirty deylitry. You'd
kili me in a minute If you only had a
chance. | don't propose to give you
that chance, for I know what my life
is worth, and mean to protect it, I
happen to need you just now alive,
and, If you obey my orders, and an-
swer my questions, you'll go away
from here alive, If you don't, you'll
be buried here—do you get that?”
“You mean to kill us anyhow after
you find the loot.”
“No doubt that's your idea. That
is what you would do, and you have
me ticketed In the same class. Well,
that doesn't happen to be my plan
at all. In the first place, you've got
me labeled wrong. I'm not really after
the loot; I'm after you. Do you get
that, Garrity? Meager here Is just a
common thief: he's a brute, and there
fore dangerous, but a d-n, sneaking
coward. All I care particularly about
him is to save a woman—"
“What woman?’ The surprised
question burst from the other fellow's
lips before he could restrain it.
“Deborah Meredith, the woman you
forced into marriage with you But
Garrity here has been the evil genius
of this border for the last ten years.
There i8 no crime he hasn't had a
finger in. But ne one could catch
him red-handed. Now [I've got you
both—got you good and hard. I'm
going to bring you in, dead or alive—
but alive If possible™
“Who the h—1 are you?" burst forth
Garrity, his face beaded with perspi-
ration,
“My name Is Kelleen, a eaptaln of
8
wl
“After
killed?”
“Sure; that gave us a chance”
“1 sea; the papers were all In your
possession; not above doctoring them,
were yout" .
“What the hI ig that to yon?"
“Not a great deal to me, perhaps,
but of some Importance to a couple of
women | know-—one of them a friend
of mine. Old Tom Menger left an
Invalid widow, whom you fellows bave,
I believe, robbed systemstically, and
then there is the girl Bob forced into
marriage. You didn’t suppose I knew
about all this, | Jmagine—well, I'm
going to get to thé very bottom of It
before we are through. But just now
I want to use the two of you, We'll
find out between us just what Manuel
did have hidden away In this hole,
Line up there against the wall; face
about the other way! Now listen: I've
got both guns, my own, and the one
Garrity threw away; they are cocked
and within three feet of your backs.
I can't possibly miss you, and If you
make ope move, except as I tell you,
I'm going to let drive. Are you ready”
“Ready for what?
“To do as | order. All right, then;
light that lantern, Meager, Now
there is plenty of light for me to see
you by at this distance. Move for.
ward slowly-—Garrity, you keep your
hand on the wall, and you, Meager,
take hold of Garrity’'s sleeve; now
don't forget; if you do it's sure fatal,
Go on slow, a step at a time”
They advanced some ten or twelve
steps down an opening scarcely wide
the older Meuger wis
Kelleen's gaze wandering from the
backs of his prisoners to the gray
walls on either side. The light flick.
ered, yet revealed no opening, until
they came to the very end, and fronted
the solid rock. Even then, for an in.
stant, Kelleen failed te perceive the
narrow cleft to the left beside Meager,
but the latter, excited by the .discov.
a rough stone slab which half barred
“H-—1's fire!
men so wild at the sudden discovery
thought
pushed
Men-
but
breathing
climb
motionless,
started to
stood
over,
“I've Been After You Thres Montha™
cavalry; I've been after you for three |
“Good Gd! the
‘Frisco Kid ?”’
“I'm all the ‘Kid’ there ever was”
Kelleen admitted carelessly. “That
party was simply manufactured to
order; here is where he ends his des
peraté career. [| would have kept the |
secret awhile longer If I could, but per |
haps it is just as well. Now we un- |
derstand each other, Garrity, and the
very best thing you can do will be to
answer my questions”
Kelleen paused, turning quickly
over in his mind what he had better |
attempt. He felt a profound con-
tempt for his prisoners. Meager, while |
a physical giant, war mentally ne
more than a mere cowardly brute;
Garrity might be truly dangerous—a
sly, treacherous villain, but physically |
unable to cope with him for a moment,
and now utterly cowed. While he re- |
mained armed, and they were weapon- |
less, he certainly had nothing to fear. |
His first intention had been to hold |
the fellows as prisoners, until the
squad of troopers appearsd; turn
them over to the leutenant in com-
mand, searching the cave later at his
own lelsare. But why watt? It might
be an hour, two hours yet, before the
soldiers arrived-—and then there was
Deborah. His thought leaped swiftly
to the girl; what had happened to her
during those long, dark hours? Where |
had she disappeared after he had
been dashed from the rock? She bad
evidently escaped discovery; be knew
that; had wandered off into the desert
doubtiess, might be there still, lost in
these leagues of sand, struggling for
fife. The vision called te him, yet he
ould not seek her until after his
men came. These prisoners were far
too Important to be left unguarded
His duty as aa officer held him as In
a vise,
But he realized at that moment a
deelsion that his heart was with Debo-
rah Meredith. He must find her, res.
cue her, and-—thank God !-—there was
time enough to accomplish this,
“When did you first learn that Ge
mez was hiding out A this neighbor
hood, Garrity? he questioned sud
denly,
“Six months ago. 1 saw him In Ne
gules” :
“Privately ™
“Yes: we had seme deals together
hefore.”
“Paid you for protection, did he?
What did he want this time?
“Provisions. I was to get him out
grub at night: leave It at a certain
That was all”
“He didn't tell you where he was
Mang out?
“No, but he had plenty of money.
1 dldn’t get much Information out of
him; he never 4i4 trast anybody. The
authorities had run him pretty close,
1 reckon; anyhow, he was all alone,
not one of his gang left. When |
couldn't lod ont anything more, 1 xot
then you're not
Meager to come up here” |
-
his eyes the
shaped
glaring about
room, probably
The
measured
of men.
have
efforts
fif-
to stand erect in,
uplifted lantern. At
tremity lay a pile of debris, scattered
resting just as they fell after an ex-
plosion, the entire end almost totally
covered. Protrading from this plie,
found footing inside,
blazing wick higher,
and held
still covered with Lits of ragged cloth,
Caught by a falling rock, he had been
pinned there helpless until he died
The three men scarcely saw all this,
or gave it a thought, for tifere, imme
diately In front, and all about them,
where they had been thrown
thousand robberies, the
booty of crime from
was unbelievable, staggering. What
suffering, what death, what cruelty and
torture did these things picture! And
wenith—wealth! Whe cuvtld even cal
culate its value? Bloodstained, crime
gotten, the fruits of fifty years of out
lawry, here was gathered, In one vast
heap, wealth to make the mind of man
helpless to grasp its valve
Garrity, digging his fingers feanti-
cally into the stone, unconscious of
what he did, his eyes blazing with
sudden, uncontrollable madness,
dragged himself over the barrier. He
had lost all reason, all fear: with a
mad cry he gathered up into his arms
all that he could grasp--golden eruck
fix, challced goblet, a great silver link
glittering with pearis, a jeweled bodice
blazing In the light-—laughed like a
fiend as be hugged them close, then
staggered on in wild ecstasy, a string
of ouths breaking from his lips
Something tripped him and he fell,
his args flung blindly out; a gripping
Band struck the lantern from Meager's
grasp, Moging tt, still blazing, a half
dozen feet away. An instant there
was silence, a mere flicker of light.
which shot along the floor as though
on a trail of powder—then a glare and
roar, a blast of flame, a report as If
a thousand cannon had exploded; and
utter darkness,
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Marble.”
Marble Is a product of marine sedi
ments and voleaniec fires. It Is laid
down en the sea bottom as shell heaps,
which gradually turn into chalk. If
the strata should be deeply buried In
the rocks, the intense heat of the
earth causes chemical elements to re
arrango themselves so that they crys
tallize Into marble. Various impurities
in the chalk give the marble its vari
HOW HE KNEW HIM
Captain (in elvilinn clothes)—Come
on, fellow, open the gate,
Sentry opens the gate;
passes,
Captain—Why the d—1 do you let
civilians through here? .
SBentry—] knew you were an officer,
Captain—How the d—1 did you know
that?
Sentry—By your
Btockholm Strix.
captain
manner, sir! —
The Advanced Age.
“Doctor 1”
The modern woman approached the
medical man tremblingly.
“Is there no hope of my husband—"
“Go on madam; . . “
“Is there no hope, doctor; is there
no hope?”
“That depends, madam. en what you
are hoping for,” sald the doctor, reach-
ing for his hat.
A GOOD BTART
And has that
young promoter
eornered your
heart?
No, but he Is
beginning to hand
out that “one of
our represents
tives will eall
upog you” line of
talk,
Wants Are Comparative,
At least so he observes,
Comparing what he wants with what
He feels that he deserves
His Quarry Found.
A young Swede appeared at
lieense
Judge license 7”
“No,"
nye
want
Journal
“A hunting
wis the
bane hunting
marriage license
answer,
long enough. Aye
"Freeman's
Assigning Him His Part
The Grocer—Mebbe
weren't quite up to grade but I'm too
busy to talk about It just now,
NURSE FINDS A
PERFECT REMEDY
“From my long experience as a nurse
I do not hesitate to say that 1 con
sider Tanlac Nature's most perfect
remedy,” recently declared Mrs. 1. A.
Borden, 425 Pontius Ave, Seattle,
Wash. Mrs, Borden Is a graduate of
the National Temperance Hospital,
Chicago, and her wide experience in
caring for the sick lends particular
emphasis to her statement,
“I have used Tanlac exclusively for
seven years in the treatment of my
charity patients,” continued Mrs, Bor.
den, “and my experience has been that,
for keeping the stomach, Hver, kidneys
and bowels functioning properly and
for toning up the system in general,
Tanlac has no equal. Recently I had
& woman patient who could not even
keep water on her stomach for fifteen
minutes, Six bottles of Tanlac fixed
her up so she could eat absolutely any-
thing. Another patient, a man, seemed
unable to digest any food at all. Three
bottles of Tanlae put him in such fine
shape he went back to work. These
two cases are typieal. My confidence
in Tanlac Is unlimited”
Tanlac is sold by all good druggists
Take no substitute, - Over 40 million
bottles sold. Advertisement,
Why Not?
If certain spring waters
benefit human beings why should they
not be good for horses who have sim-
flar bodily structures? So thought a
well-known English horse trainer and
his alling horses at Doncaster are now
being supplied with water from
the famous Harrowgate springs, In
spite of laughter of his friends. Did
pot Epsom salts originate in a spring
near the famous race course at Ep
som? And, is there any significance
in that fact?
———
Too many speak twice before they
think.
ie cia
Does any one know where the dead
| of nigh} is hurled?
Sure Relief
FOR INDIGESTION
talk about It?
You listen
Natural Surprise
Mr. Brown-—l had a queer
iast night.
man running off with you.
to him?
london Tit-Bits,
Disqualified.
The caller begged the little daugh-
“Perhaps,” she replied,
eall you one”
A Giveaway All Around.
“1 think,” she sald as she came Inte
the room, “that 1 will give that parrot
“Yes,” replied the young man who
was calling: “it would only be tit for
It has been doing as much for
you.
know what mil.
lionaires ses In
chorus girls.
Paper clothing, paper bags,
Paper dishes, paper tags,
Paper money for your wage
We live In a paper aga
Vivid.
“Any fish where you are going?”
“So the booklet says."
“Rainbow trout?”
“Well, the author paints them in all
the colors of the rainbow.”
———————
The Ultra Modern Woman.
She~—1 sympathize fully with the
suffragette movement. I wear knick-
ers and 1 fence, box, smoke and play
football,
He (dryly)—Do you shave, too?
Oh, Girls!
“And so, daughter, you are mar
ried?”
“Yes, papn; why didn’t you come to
the wedding?
“Why, dear; we didn’t know"
“Oh, shucks! I told my social see
retary to send you and mamma aa in.
sitation. Oh, well, never mind; you
can send your check just the same”
Can't Blame Them,
Visitor What do the inmates think
of the new asylum?
Keeper—Thiy just rave about it