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stifily, as he eyed Jack in an unfriendly
man
All Tight,” vaplied the Jad addressed.
“I wonder i u've got anything to say
about the way any oar was fixed to break, | a
by Egme rascal who got at it before the
rar
Tom Porter turned as red as a beat, and
all present thought that he looked sus-
piciously gelf- cconsciou:
Bu manded ina angry tones
“What do io you mean? [know nothing
about what you are talking of, Don’t make
insolent insinuations,’
no; certain i not,” said Jack,
laughing, but not ver: pleasant ye
ack has won the bet; you admit
that?” said 3a ay Bi
en rtainly," ‘assented Porte
him the money,” Ja.
Bird, handed Jack the two hundred dollars.
“That's allright,” said Porter. “* Now,
Mr, Fair, I'll say something for your pri-
vate ae ity ‘ou please,
ut for my part I'm per-
Pilling that all present should hear
fect]
bing that yon may have to say to me.”
ht”
anyth
‘ere: are, no secrets between us,
"you 8 say.”
have done with it!”
ack, impatiently.
“All But bese in mind this pub-
licity is ie) your own seeking. ‘The fact fs,
have come to the decision to give you
warning that I won't allow you to cut me
out in a certain quarter, eed mention
noname, You must understand that I re-
fer to a certain young
“ Quite so,” assented Sack, as cool as an
amuse me.”
il
iceberg. ‘‘Go on, please.
and if you
“I’m serious in this matter,
warning you and Iwill have
"1 call you e out. You'll have
o fight for the girl, We have a manly
way of settling such poatters at Brook-
dale Academy—that is, with our fists,
Good day, oink a said Porter, t arrogantly.
He turned to go, but Jack said, quickly :
“Though I know you are the champion
boxer of the Tri-State Athletic League,
and [have not given mutch attention to
boxing, being more interested in rowing,
baseball and other sports, you can’t over-
awe mea little bit, and as for your warn-
ng, as you call it, I care for it just as
much as I do for you, and that’s nothing,”
and snapping his fingers in Porter's face,
Jack turned on his heel.
“You'll od on Bie eel tune if you don’t
heed what I've said,” nctorted Porter, as
he Jtalked et of the
hb, at squeaked Say Bird after
him mocking aly.
“AM aboar for Ashford !” sang outa
porter outside the door a moment later,
and the vietorous crew hastened to the
waiting vehicle which was to take them to
the depot where they boarded the train for
Ashfo rd,
what arousing reception awaited
theme The old academy town went wild.
The academy students built great bonfires
and cheered and howled the Ashford
school yell until long after midnight. And
of course there w:
well balanced lads.
Jack went to cali on Mattie Clayton that
night, though he had hard Work t
away from his enthusiastic frien
The young lady received him aa acon
pacing hero and he was supremely
‘Battie, informed Jack that no news of
ok settled down to the conviction that
had met pith foul play at the hands
or the bank robbers,
Jack had already learned, since his re-
turn from the boat race, that no clew to
the whereabouts of Roy Clayton or to the
mystery surrounding the robbery had been
discovered during the day,
Mattie said:
‘ather is one of the directors of
the bank, and I presume he will be a heav
loser if the stolen money is not recovered.
Oh, I do hope he will not believe that my
poor brother is guilty.”
share @ your hope in that respect, Mat-
ther is a hard man, though he
means to be just. He has no pity for any-
one who is dishonest, and he qustrusts al-
most everyone,” answere:
He the young
some time, a and at last
ing charm
“Thave eT étimes fancied you wanted
me to thinks ‘ou cared a good deal for me,
so do not think me over bold, but I want
to ask you itt am right, to prove it b 7 Go-
£ irl co onversed for
Lattie said, blush-
ng me a great service now. ack,
romise me that Ry will try to find m my
missing brother. his if pon really
care for tae, and once ieoy is found I ai
sure he will explain everything about t
bank robbery in a way to clear himself
from all suspicion.”
Of course Jack Sromised as she request-
ed, and he was perfectly sincere when he
ay Sian Tsland the preceding afternoon,
id | shoul
- “THRAPPY Days?
assured her that he would do anything in
the world for her dear sake,
After he left Mattie he went to the new
clubhouse of the athletes of the academy,
and on the way he happened to meet the
chief of the local police who told him that
everything continued to indicate that Roy
Clayton had stolen the money from the
bank and fled with it.’ He stated that no
strangers had been seen about the town.
and expressed the hope that as he ha
sent out a description Of Roy Clayton by
telegraph in every direction, the young
fugitive, as he chose to designate him,
eS:
‘Then a thought flashed upon Jack’s mind
which had not occurred to him previously,
as he recollected the two ruffianly stran-
3 whom he had encountered on In:
no!
eed ia hours before the robbery of the bank
ast
great “Scott! Why didn’t I think of
those fellows before?” Jack exclaimed,
when the officer had passed on, “I sup-
pose my head was so full of the boat race,
that there wasn’t room for anything else.
Those men wanted to rob me, so the.
none too good to have robbed the bank,
Then it occurred to him that he Cant to
inform the chief of police of his sus i:
cions, and he ran after that worthy, w.
came toa halt as he heard the lad dailing
to him,
“T's ity yon didn’t tell of ‘this be-
fore. It's quite likely the chaps who tried
tohold you up on the island, have
been in the bank job. with young rc ayton.
But there’s hardly any doubt that they
have made tracks out of .these parts by
this time. However, I'll go over to the
island with some of my men without de-
lay. Meanwhile, I wish you would not
mention the strangers to a ad ot else,”
said the officer, when Jack bay told him
about his adventure on the island.
“Ti keep still about them as you say,”
assented the
The next aia he learned from the chief
that he and his men had carefully searche
Indian Island for the strangers, but that
they had failed to find any trace of them.
The chief also told Jack that old Huxley,
the hermit owner of the island, had been
questioned with the result that the reciuse
eclared he had seen no strangers on the
island recently.
That afternoon Jack’s father arrived at
home, and the first thing he did was to ask
the lad if he had paid Huxley. Of course,
Jack explained why he had Rot done 80,
and he rejoiced because he was able to
hand his father back the two hundred Gol.
lars, He mentally vowed that nothing
should ever tempt bim to stake another
person’s money again, and the cold chills
of fear ran up and down his back as he re-
called how near he had come to losing the
boat race,
y be supposed Mr, Fair had heard
then news Jot the bank robbery and all the
particulars about it before he reached
home. Speaking of the matter to Jack,
he said:
“T've lost twenty, thousand dollars by
the robbery, But I'll spend as much more
trying to catch thatungratefal raseal, Roy
Clayton. I'm satisfied th the ais ailty,
and. I want to tell you how t Lwon
allow @ son of mine to associate, With any
member of the family of a thief.”
CHAPTER VI,
JACK GOES TO THE PICNIC AFTER ALL,
K flushed as his father last spoke.
ie Supposed that his parent meant that he
necept his words as a positive com-
mand that he should not pay Miss Mattie
any further attentions,
But even at the risk of incurring the
anger of his father the youth, who was al-
ways loyal to friends and to ‘his own con-
victions, could not refrain from champion-
ing the cause of Roy Cla
“ Father,” said he, “I yen sure you will
not condemn Roy unheard, With all due
respect for your opinion in the matter,
must say that I have faith in his honesty
yet, and even if it should turn out that
am wrong, and he is proven to be huis
don’t thinks ‘it's fair for you to blame the
other members of the Clayton family.”
* Look here, Jack, I know all about your
fancy for that raseaily clerk's pretty sister,
and that’s why I said J would not have you
aasociating with anyone of his family.
ed
1 Do you think, I'd allow you to de-
wee ourself, to a girl whose brother—
whose crim ag almost ruined me!
Twenty thousand in hard cash was my
balance at the bank, I depended on that
to meet certain obligations this
,.and if I cannot borrow the n
my credit is ruined, and it’s likely Tllgo
into the hands of a receiver before the end
ofthe year, No, don’t Jet me hear of your
having anything more to do with that
girl, There's Polly Smith, the bie mill-
owner’s daughter, and only child.
Your mother says she likes pou, and I
don’ t object to her in the le.
r to her prospective “wealth, either,”
Jack blurted out with a look of disgust, as
be mentally saw the fat, coarse and home-
ly girl whom his father mentione
“Don’t be insolent, sir! I won't have
te Beg pardon, father, I aia not mean
anything disrespectful,”
“T don’t suppose you did. You are a
pretty good boy, Jack, and I hope you will
try to please me in this matter. Bu
want to be just, and if it should turn out
that I’m wrong about young Clay
shall withdraw my objectio ions to his’ Sioter,
That's the ta last thing that’s likely to hap-
Poh
Then MMe Fair put on his hat and set out
for his office,
The mer vacation was come and the
Star ‘Athletic Club had planned to have a
picnic on Indian Island, “It was to that
outing that Mattie had alluded in her
note. Since Jack’s club had won the boat,
race the young lady was released from her
engagement to go with Tom Porter, and
Jack was in a dilemma, as he reflected
that she wanted to go with him, and it
was his most ardent” desire to act as her
esco'
ots too bad. How unreasonable the
governoris! Since he has forbidden me to
pay Mattie any attention, I can’t take her
to the p enc, I must oxcuse myself in
some Ways a d I don’ mt to make her
dislike my father by telline her t the truth,”
the lad thought.
h the Stars and the Brookdale
clubs were rivals for athletic honors, they
were, as a rule, sociable and friendly
enough outside the athletic field.
a social entertain-
o
ee
iaakedale ‘Athletes were coming
to the picnic, and it’ suddenl awn
upon him.that if he avolded Mattie that
only offend her, but
place himself in a bad light before hisown
club, since the rowing members knew
Tom Porter had threatened to call him
t if he did not discontinue his attentions
to Miss Matti
Jack cogitated the matter for some time,
and the result was that he wrote a note to
Mattie, saying that he found he could not
atte nd the Pi ignic.
wand t's true enough, too. I can’t
goand make the fellows think I’m afraid
of Porter by obeying my father’s command
to avoid Mattie,” he said, as he concluded
the note,
When the young lady received it she
was talking with her mother about the
picnic, and she had said that, because of
the supposed disgrace that had fallen
upon her brother, she did not feel like at-
tending
But Clayton said she thought it
best that ‘Rattle should go.
“We must let everyone see that we
pave faith i in Roy. You must hold your
up and not shun your associates, else
they will conclude that you, too, are con-
vinced of our poor boy’s guilt,” added the
widow,
Of course Mattie decided to heed her
mother’s advice, but when she read Jack’s
note she was not a little surprised and
disappointed, and she began to suspect
something of the true | (heason why he
would not attend the p:
This caused her to ase piqued and hurt,
and on the day after the morrow which
3 the date set for the picnic, when ‘om
Porter called to say that though he had
lost the boat race he came to ask Mattie
to Fe, with him anyhow, she consented.
That morning the Stars had received a
challenge from the Brookdale baseball
club, w. was composed of members o!
the tival athletic club, and Jack, as cap-
tain of the Stars’ Nine, had accepted it,
So instead of going to the picnic he went
out to look after the men who were clean-
ingup the athletic field, attached to the
Stars’ new clubhouse, in which their ball
fround was situated, for the game was to
now hued inere on Saturday, and it was
“But all ae time Jack bitterly regri
that he felt opti ed not to tal ke Mat aos
the picnic. he was at the bal
grounds, his father came there and said:
oe s Huxley has not came around for
his money, I want you to go ren to the
island this afternoon and p ay bim
came about that not lon
little lake steamer had taken fj After te
to it.
at was just then playing for th
dancers at the ia rounds nie a short
distance away in the beautiful grove,
Te was only aboy and no better than
other boys, and the temptation to steal up
unseen and take a look at the ga’ party
and learn if Mattie was there, an also if
= “Ff
Tom Porter, His rival was waltzing with
Mattie, and Poor Jack’s heart sank 43 he
w e young girl smiled upon her
triumphant looking partner,
eantime, Dick Brent and Ned Dacle Y,
who had been wondering why Jack had
not come to the picnic, and above all why
he and not Porter had not brought Mattie
there, had gone to the spring to get water
for the lemonade. As they were corting
back they espied Jack behind the
The two lads thought it would be ai
to surprise Jack, and so thi ey put do dows
bucket which they carried ween
and stealing up suddenly fell eet h m
and dragged him out in full view of ev ery:
2B
ths
body; Dick shouting:
fere’s Jack! The rascal was hi ling
and up to some trick on us, you bet I}
Jack was much put out, but there was
nothing for it but to put the best possible
face on: the situation, so he forced a laugh
and admitted that he had come, bent vpoa
some misc!
ai ue) knew “he ought to go away, bee he
n't.
‘And as mindful of his father’s ‘com.
mands, he avoided Mattie. and permitted
Tom Porter to have the young lady all to
himself, his conduct excited much ;com-
ment. Mattie herself looked indifferent,
but she was more piqued than ever, for had
he not written her that he could not be
present at the picnic.
Ere long, Jack became aware that his
boy comrades were whispering that he was
acting as if he was afraid of Porter; as if
nd | he was obeying the. rival champion’s ‘order
not to to how Miss Mattie any further at-
enti
At “that Jack’s indignation blazed Ups
and for the moment he was ready to
anything fe to show that he was nota pad
hat he was not afraid of Porter.
Forgotten were Bll his good resolutions to
obey the inj injunctions of his father, and he
walked right up to Mattie and Porter-as
they left the dancing floor, and asked the
ung lady to dance the next set with him.
w, Mattie had resolved to snub him,
but oshe liked him very much, and in a
moment, true to the traditions of her sex,
she changed her mind, beginning to think
he might have had good Treason to suppose
he could not attend the picnic when he
wrote her to that effect. So she excused
herself to Porter and took Jack’s urm.
Presently the music struck up, and the
young couple joined inthe dance, Then
ack explained that he had really thought
he should not attend the outing, but that
circumstances had changed s ab the Jast mo-
ment so that he was able to com |
After the dance ended “sack jefe Mattie
for a moment as Dick Brent called to him,
“Jack,” said the ¢roaker, as the fo-mer
joined him, “Tom Porter has te ilonsed
you to go over to ‘Fighter's Glade,’ right
wv, and have it out with him about Miss
Mattie with your fists, but as he is the
champion boxer of the league you stand no
chance with him in a fight according bo
ring rules,” .
(To BE CONTINUED.]
_—_—_—_—_—— eo
ANOTHER NEW STORY IN No, 227.
TITLE WILL BE ANNOUNCED NEXT
WEEK. |
** HANDSOME. HARRY.”
—————— +e ~<04 —__—_
Red Ink, a Redman’s Drink.
VIGILANT as the deputy marshals are in -
Indian Territory and drastic as the appli-
cation of the Prohibition law by the courts
e, several kinds of intoxication
safely defy all statuary provisions, Amaz-
ing quantities of Jamaica ginger are con-
sumed in the territory, The stores handle
ginger asa legitimate drug. A teaspoon:
ful willcause choking and coughing for
several minutes in a throat unaccustomed
to swallowing the powerful stuff, but there
are men in the territor
Jamaica ginger is sold in the Indian ‘Ter:
ritory than in half a dozen States where
whisky selling is licensed.
Red is another favorite territory
tipple. This is not a nickname for some-
thing else. The ordinary red ink which
the Book stores of the States sell for rit-
ing parposes i isa peers e in parts of this
country, in ker of cultivated
tastes Tan bey Porth b the half dov«nat —
a time and swallow the contents with
relish, ng nsenees which sell elsewh >>: for -
flavoring purposes are drinks under this
civilization, Anything which has 4 basis
of alcohol is in demand, Tatoxica’ fon 2
craved,and the stomach of
Territory drinker does not quarrel w::? ‘ihe
form in which it comes, Wood acelcl,
accounted poison in most parta :f the
country, is consumed in considerable :;:11!
tities. “The peddlers buy it in Oklz? -
@ | dilute it with water and sell it by th
on this side of the li