dfer
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,
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ft I m Mini.
By JOHN R. MUS1CK,
AaUor f .Mrtna (Mr. Ilawini," "Ti
Oarfc Strmnxvr." "Cbtrlle AlUnJiU'i
DnUt," etc
QtfTrtJll. U7 !T noBUT Bo !' SOI.
All ttt&U nwrid.
CHAPTER XVI. (Continued.
"Did you leave the other there?"
"Yea: an' lemrao tell yo. It'll take
tour to manage- that woman. I
couldn't stay In the same camp anil
net up Quarters by a big black stump
Jinlf a rallo away from her." '
"Curse such luck: I wish the men
hail staed."
"Why? Who arc you nfralil of?"
"I don't know who he Is, only he
calls himself the Old Man of the
Mountains.'
"Where Is he?"
"In her ten."
"'Where did he como from?"
-Looks as if ho had slid down the
Tl' of Fomi Iceberg. Go nnd take
m squint at Mm."
vCitmmlr.s, though a coward when
there wa3 a woman In the case, had
little fears cf men. Creeping stealth
ily up to the tent ho peeped In and
.beheld the "Old Man of the Moun
tains," seated on a camp stool before
i:e fair I aura, hlo rllle between his
knevs. while she was telling him her
story.
"Umph: It's old St. Nick or an
escaped Selkirk. I ooks as if he
"bristled with weapons, and I don't
doubt but he can ure 'em. The boss
Is right, for a glimpse o that face
and tho arsenal he carries Is onough
to give a polar bear the agcr."
Notwlthstauling the "unprepossess
ing nppcaranee of the man from the
mountains, he pressed his ear close
to tho tent to listen to the conversa
tion between the two.
"Why did you come to Alaska, my
poor child?"
"I came to find the man I love. My
Paul, who was lost."
Laura told the old man her story
.nnd at the conclusion said:
"He tells no Paul Is dead. I do
not believe him. He ha3 deceived me
on more than ere occasion, and he
will do ao again If It serves his pur
pose. My heart tells me Paul lives."
"My child, that silent monitor Is
novcr wrong. Your Paul Hve3. He Is
not far' away, but he, you and I are In
.great peril. We must act with caution
and secrecy or wc will all8 be dead
before., Korning. These men are des
perate crlmlcalk Will you trust aer
"Yes, with mY,,fe!"
"Pretwd as 1ft you had heard noth
ing, but bo read to act as I direct,"
"Do yoa know where Paul Is?"
"V")?, but ho Is under a strong
ward. fJm there) no one with the
'train you can tlrust? No Indian 'or
Esqulmor
"I do got understand them nor
.they me; feu I haTo my trusty ser
vant. Ben Molton."
' "Wiy4s her
"He was sent to-day to see If the
pass could bo opened."
"Tho pass has not been close!."
said the hermit "My dear daughter,
sending him off was only an excuse to
get your friends out of the way: but
all Is well. Heaven Is on your sldo
and directed me here."
"Humph! We'll see about that!"
growled Cummins, rising from his
knees. "They kin put their trust In
what they like, but It the boss will
let me have my way, I'll put mine In
about ten Inches of cold steel!"
Ho hurried to Lackland, who was
sitting on a sled, his face expressing
the deepest anxiety. In as few words
as possible he narrated the Interview
between the mysterious old man and
1-aura. Lackland made several ef
forts to speak before he finally suc
ceeded, then. In a voice stransely un
natural, he said:
"It has come at last! I hoped I
would be spared bloodshed, but there
1b no help for it. Since It must come,
let It come. We will do our worst. If
the old man and Paul Miller are In our
way, let them die!"
"Well, there will bo little Ume
to act."
"I know It."
Lackland, who still shrank from the
thought of committing murder him
self, began to plan to have his myrmi
dons do all the work, and agreed 'very
readily to have reinforcements.
"I think It would be well for you to
start back and get two of the "men."
he said. "Can't you do It In a few
hours?"
"Yes; on snow shoes I can make It
by to-morrow noon. Let us leave
the valley und start down tho trail."
They had to cross the river to reach
tho trail, but by this time the Yukon
was frozen over, so they crossed on
the ice.
Taey had scarce got over when they
saw three tcms coming along the
trail.
"There they are now." said Lack
lard. Tho three forms could be seen com
ing hurriedly up the path and. wb;a
they drew nearer, tao form of the old
man could be scon coming along be
hind. "Holton. come here!" said Lackland.
As tho old man advanced toward him,
the Indians were ordered across the
river on the ice.
"What d'ye want. Mr. Lackland?"
"Your mistress sent for you to go
hack and meet Miss Willis"
"Me go back!" gasped old Ben.
"This do seem monster queer. Why,
I'm about petered out. I don't believe
I kin go a mile furder."
"It's not over a mile."
"We'll try V stand it."
Lackland took the arm of the tired,
faithful old follow and led turn as rap
idly as ho could travel until the cav
ern was reached.
"Is that the place, Cummins?" ho
asked.
"Yes."
"Come In here In thl3 cavern!"
"What for?"
'Shut your Infernal mouth and conr.c
oc; you taik too much!"
"I won't go!" he cried, for his sus
picions began to be aroused, and ho
mndc an effort to pull away.
The faithful old man seemed to
realize that In some way this attack
had reference to his mistress, and
Lo fought with the desperation of a
madman: but he was choked Into
Insensibility, and Lackland said:
"Take him up! Drag him in there,
and tie him hard and fast!"
Cummln3 obeyed Instructions, and
a few moments later emerged from
tho cave, saying:
"Well. boss, that's done."
"Yes, but there Is not a second to
Icsc, for tho old man at the camp will
not be dealt wlti so easily. You
must get two or thre of the others.
If they have not gone, and bring them
hero at once. Don't waste a moment,
for everything depends on getting re
inforcements before daylight."
The eights In Alas' a were long at
this season, and It was possible for
reinforcements to arrive before dawn.
CHAPTER XVII.
A Groan In the Dark.
When Paul Miller leaped from his
pallet and rushed from the door of
tae hut, he was as Insane as any
Inmate of a maahous-.
"Oh. stop! stup stp!" shrieked
Kate Willis. "We're are you goln'
where are you join ?
"Laura! Laura! ' he shouted.
"Laura! Oh. m goodness sakes
a!lv doe3 he know her." cried Miss
Willis, clapping her hands as a new
and wonderful thought burst on her
mind. "It can't be It must be he Is
the girl's lover! He must be her
Paul!" She shou.ed to some of the
Indian porters left to look after the
camp-
"Stop him!"
The Indians were scon on him, had
htm tied with ;jooscsMn tho? 53 and
carried him back to the shanty, where
he was lain on tae bod. Kate followed
them, sobbing frantically and groan-
If
"He's dead! They've killed him
and I'm to blame for It. Oh. what a
fool I've played all the way through!"
He breathed and. placing her head
on his breast, she discovered that his
heart still beat. Sac placed the kettle
over the little oil stove and prepared
some nourishment, oound up his head,
which wa3 slightly bruised, and soon
had his eyes open. No 3coner was he
rational enough to recall what had
happened than he began to sob.,--'
"Don't take on so!" the kind-hearted
woman said. "I tell ye, ye couldn't
have got a mile away from here! Ye
would have died.- 'and ye must know
It!"
"But Lanra. my darling. In the
power of that man!"
"Say, let's you and I understand
each other, an then there won't be
any danger of maVing mistakes. Are
you Paul Miller, who's been dead so
long?"
"I am Paul Miller and they may
have reported me dead."
"From Fresno. California?"
"Yes. from Fresno. California."
"Hate you a sweetheart called
Laura Kean?"
"Yes yes! It was she you told
me hail gone on and I will"
"Now. look here! I am your friend.
I am the best friend you and Laura
ever had aside from yerseltes. If ye'H
jlst listen f me. we'll outwit the
whole caboodle an" show 'em what's
what lt."
Kate told him he must pretend to
be a great deal worse than he really
was, and she would report that she
believed he was going to die He
at once fell In with the plan, with the
assurance that a3 soon as he was
strong enough he was to start secret
ly for the camp where. Iuiura was
waiting for her companion to Join
them.
Meanwhile there was a change In
guard. Cummin? was relieved and
four men sent to take his place. Tho
Indians went with Cummins, and
Kate bad four white men to contend
with.
She often eavesdropped tho four
men when at quarters, and gained
enough of their plans to realize that
they must act promptly.
The very night the "Old Man of the
Mountains." as he called himself, so
suddenly appeared in the tent where
l-aura was expelling her unwelcome
suitor, they set out. On and on they
hastened over the frozen bcow, and
Paul's heart began to beat wuh pleas
ure. But hark! What ar those omi
nous sounds In their ears? They have
been four or Ave hours on the route
when they hear the sound of feet
cmshing the hardened snow.
"Paul!" Kate whispered, "we are
pursued! (.'an you run?'
"I can and I can do more I can
shoot!"
"Run flrst and shoot when you have
to. Gimme yer hand."
The strong woman took his hand in
her own and they ran along the snow
covered trail swiftly aa bares. They
were almost at the point where the
river was crossed on the ice when
a voice behind them cried:
"There they go!"
"Halt stop, or we'll fire!"
?aul wheeled around and leveled
Lis rifle at one of the dark objects
coming toward him. but Just as his
linger was ready to press the trigger
ne was strucK a blow btween the
shoulders, which sent him sprawling
In the snow.
It was Cummins, going after rein
forcements, who came up at this In
oprsrtune moment.
Tho two j,r!oners were lifted from
the ground and carried to the cavern,
where they were left tied hard and
fast, their fates to be determine'!
later.
Paul Miller was not unconscious at
any time, and when ho found himself
tie!, lying on the hard floor of the cav
ern, he began to calculate on hl3
chances.
Suddenly he heard a groan In tho
darkness.
"Kate Kate was that you?" h
whispered.
"No!" was the answer.
"Who was It?"
And another hollow groan came on
their ears.
"Great goodness gracious! What Is
It?" shrieked Kate Willis. "What Is
It?."
"Hush, Kate!" whispered Paul.
"Some other unfortunate Is here as
well as ourselves! '
Then came another deep groan,
whlcn seemed to be only a few paces
away.
"Who are you?" asked Paul.
"I'm Ben Holton." came a feeble
answer. "1 ain't done nuthln' t' be
tied up here an' left f die In this
way!"
"I know him!" gasped Kate. "He
was Laura's faithful servant!"
In the anguish of his soul Paul
groaned:
"Oh. Laura, Laura, why can I not
reach your side and save you from
those fiends?"
Paul had deep thoughts, but kept
those to himself. He still had faith
that heaen would never permit such
an evil as these unscrupulous men
contemplated to succeed. How
divine Interposition would come he
had no Idea, but he believed It would
come.
At that very moment Paul had a
faithful friend of whom he had never
thought coming to him. The dog
courier that had borne the tidings
that he and his companion were per
ishing in the forest had always shown
a strange fondness for him.
On the night Paul left, his canine
friend wa3 tied with the other dogs,
lest he should follow and betray their
flight. The dumb brute determined
to follow, and when Paul was gone
set to work to deliberately gnaw th
seal riata in twain. His sharp incis
ors did the work and his keen sense
of smell soon told him the course they
had gone, and he Anally brought up
at the cavern.
Paul was lost In painful thought
when he suddenly felt the touch at
cold nose tip on his cheek and be
came aware that a friend was near.
The dog sniffoa about him for a mo
ment. End, reaching his wrists, at
last, realizing that something was
wrong, seized the thong3 with his
teeth and began pulling at them.
"What Is that noise?" asked Kate
Willis.
"Be quiet!" Paul answered In an
undertone.
The sharp teeth of the dog were
silently cutting the thongs, which
tied bis master. In a few minutes
Paul's hands were free. Taen untying
nls ankles, he crept to where Kate
sat against the big rock, her arms tied
around It.
"Who's that? she asked.
"Keep qutet!" he whispered. Kate
was a bit nervous and very anxious
to know If there was any chance for
escape, but she restrained her nat
ural Inclination and said nothing.
Paul released her and went next
to old Ben Holton who was groaning
as If he was breathing his last.
The old fellow, dumb with aston
ishment for a moment, blurted out:
"Be yc agoln' t' untie me?"
"No. no. ye won't!" roared the sen
try, who began to suspect what was
up. Lighting a torch, he started to
the Interior of the cavern, where
they had left the captives, when sud
denly there came a sharp growl, an
oath, a cry and a man was on his
back, a furious dog at his throat.
(To be continued.)
TRADE IN OLD CLOTHES.
Philadelphia Does Large Business in
Cast-Off Raiment.
Philadelphia Is said to do a bigger
business In old clothes, says the New
York Commercial that Is, of course,
In the cast-off or second and third
hand clothes of men than any other
city on the American continent. It
Is the center of the trade in the east
and the buyers of New York men
with bags from Canal, Hester and
Baxter streets and from all over the
middle states "work" the City of
Brotherly Love for old clothes every
business day of the year. Theso out
aiders number nearly COO on an aver
age. The capital Invested In the old
clothes trade of Philadelphia aggre
gates J3.5oO.000. There are about
1.000 flourishing retail stores, and the
average value of their stocks Is set
by experts In the trade at $3,000. Each
of a half dozen stores carries goods
valued at s 15,000 or 120.000. Each
store gives employment to three per
sons on an average the proprietor,
his wife, and the "busheler," or
mender. In all there are fully 3,000
in the retail shops.
Honduras In Hard Straits.
Honduras, since lOuO, has had no
market for her cattle. In the past she
depended on Guatemala, but financial
conditions in that republic have close J
the market.
All He Needed.
"Wonder what Brown needs to
make him a successful author?"
"Nothing but a atorv to tell, nmi
I brains to tell It." Atlanta Constltu
tlon.
Vttue of Texas Cattle.
It Is said that Texas alone market
50,000,000 worth of cattle annually.
A Bstter Understanding.
"Do you 'hlnk you will like me Just
as well." she a3ked. "when I tell you
my hair Is dyed?"
"Yes, dear." answered her elderly
lorer. "I have known it all the time,
Will you think any the less of mo
when 1 ronfes3 that my hair is a
vis?"
"Not at all. 1 knew it wa3, the flrst !
time I ever saw you." i
After which the billing and ccolng
went on with even greater tenderness
tnan before.
The Woes of Cupid.
"Men Is sho' flchle." said Miss Mi
ami Brown. "Dey goes back on you
on de slightest provocation."
"Wh.it'rf been happenln'?" asked
Miss O'Isa Jo2orsoa TompkIn3.
"Mr. Ka3tus Pink ley come aroua' trv.
In to kiss me, an 30 as not to seem '
too wlllla' an audacious. I smashed j
'lm wlf a flatlron, an' Jos' fob dat he 1
Jilted me." 1
Outclassed.
The headless horseman was recent
ly observed standing on the Tarry
town bridge.
"Great Scott!" he exclaimed. a3 an
automobile whizzed by, "I'm out ol
date. The proper thing Is to be a
horeeleaa headsman."
Just then the deck struck twelve,
and he Jumped Into the creek with a
howl of despair.
Organized Labor.
"You are not a worklngman." said
the curbstone orator, "cr you wouldn't
talk that way."
"Tcu ore wrong, sir!" fiercely an
swered the man who had interrupted
him. "I am a member of a Brownlnr
club, and If an Institution of that kind
Isa t organized labor, I don't know
what It Is!
A HOT
rC
''"s. r
11 J B"JrM 1 S. .
l '.'. -wve -& AJMX n
f'.-' fc.Wv3
Lord De Broke You have aw no natural curiosities aw
Mis3 Cutting Hlntz No; we Import them.
Not a Pleasure Trip.
"I suppose you can let me have a
decent room for a few days," said the
Eastern man.
"Sure, for as long as you want to
stay," replied the Chicago hotel clsrk.
"Ill need It longer than that. I
don't want to stay In this town ten
minutes, but I'll have to stay a week
at least."
As Others See Us.
Pat Did yez lver notls how thlm
Oytallans are afther wavln' their
hands an' shakln' ave their heads
whin they're talkln'?
Mike Faith an Ol hove. Thot do
be th' only way the Jabberin' furriners
can make aich other understhand.
Phwat they're talkln' about, b'gorry,
I dunno.
Wild Guess.
"There, thank the stars, that's the
last load! By Jove. I hope we don't
have to move again for 20 years!"
"Look, George there's a man with a
camera! See. he Is setting It up.
What do you suppose he wants?"
"Guess he's after a moving picture,
my dear."
Between Friends.
Clara Mr. Clumsily paid me a
queer compliment last evening.
Maude What was It?
Clara He said 1 reminded him of
sugar.
Maude Well, dear, you certainly
have your sharo of sand.
In the Crowded Car.
"Squeeze along a little, will you?"
"Don't you see I'm right up against
a big, fat man?"
"That's why I asked you to squeeze
along. Ho can be compressed nearly
a foot more. Squeeze along."
In After Years.
Wife "You once said I was the
only woman In the world."
Husband "Yes, dad I ought to have
been sent to an insane asylum before
It was everlastingly too late."
-. rrTnv X
SxgjMssx 111 nl 13 J)
Sparkling Sermon.
Husband I don't believe you heard
a word of the sermon to-day. You
were looking the whole time at the
diamonds that woman in front of us
i wore.
Wife Well, there are sermons in
stones, you know. Puck.
A HOT
Weary I'm afraid I'll Injure ray
Kind Lady I'll let you understand,
bom.
Weary This must be one of them.
No Embarrassment.
"Is It true that Fikor is nnnr.ciallv
f embarrassed?'
"He Is awfully In debt, but it doesn't
ieem to embarrass hli any.
ONE.
rJ. AJM
-over heah?
Got In Too Late.
Brlggs "I diil not see you at church
last Sunday."
Braggs "No; I didn't get in until
you had gone to sleep."
A TIP FOR HIM
Edith Hlntz You must not piny
Willie Why not?
Edith Hlntz You might hurt It or
minutes
m
Two Points of View.
"You can never tell what will turn
up In politics," observed tho wurd
heeler.
"Yes. that isn't tho worst of It," rx
;olned the ex-caiulldute. "You can
never tell who will bo turned down."
Quite Friendly.
"When I wain to borrow n dollar, I
never go to ti friend," ho mild, us It
he were leading up to tuuuottilug,
"Ah! well," replied the other, ox
tending his hand, "let us lu friends."
-J--3m- yTr - J
raajvrz& ri m. - -1
1
I U I
)i IlKi!
alLLLil y)r &
The Worm Turns.
Little Tompkins (on his dignity)
Marie, I've been a good husband to
you all these yearn, havieon patient,
and have put up with trWy humilia
tion, but," fiercely, "the worm ha3
turned at last you shall not have my
son's trousers cut down for me.
COME - BACK.
J3Meiv
teeth !f I eat this pic.
sir, that I made pies before you were
Guaranteed Cure.
"Is hard elder a temperance drink?"
asks the visitor of the farmer who is
pouring the apples into the elder
press.
"It is." says the farmer, while a
reminiscent smile flits across his face.
"It Is. I reckon that after a man so
bers up off of hard cider he Is fuller
of remorse and readier for tho pledge
than after surroundln' almost any oth
er kind of Joy-producer."
Vicinity Counted.
"I have come to the city with my
son, who Is about to eater the law
school. The flrst thing Is to And a
boarding place. Do you know any
place that you can recommend?"
"Well, no, not near the law school.
But I know a good place near the
medical school."
"Indeed? Then I'll have him study
medicine."
The Wise Deacon.
"Deacon." began the old colored
parson, ""do you ebeh say 'Git behind
me, Satan?' "
"No, bruddah. Ah do not." said Dea
con Green. "Ef Ah told Satan to git
behind me he might stick me when Ah
wa'n't lookln'. Ah keep him right la
front whah Ah kin see him."
Unfortunate Remark.
He (pleadingly) Why can't we bo
marrknl right away?
She (coyly) Oh, I can't bear to
leave father alone just now.
He (earnestly) But, my darling,
he has had you such a very long time.
She (freezlngly) Sir!
The New Poster Girl.
"Miss S.'releaf says that she waa
called 'The Poster Girl' at the resort
where she spent the summer," re
inarkud Maude.
"Very appropriate." replied Mamie.
"She was up against the wall most of
the time, 1 noticed."
TO GO HOME.
T.-
-3seLgv
with Mr
lose it.
Borem's uew hat. Willie,
and he'll want it in a few
Really Unkind.
SoftU.gh-"Yaw8. foh two whol
day l-aw-wos nlouo on the bound-
pwulwle-alono wita me
thoughts, doiicher kuow."
Miss Cutting-Poor felloA How
y nithavoufferd from ennui.
A Fatal Case.
"Alt Is t mi ,uu between us." said
h haushty uuld with the emon-
tinted hair. "My Um for you Is dead."
"Another es of heart failure, oh?"
quorliM tho yomK mm ,u tUtf CMa
N
Yl
Lt-rwK" -ytritnjMftav