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BR ma arene deme altace te memchal
A pe
by the window.
You are—Red
night and escaped
pa shot a man, you said.
peSht” said the man, reaching forward
and putting Bis hand on Ben's mouth, “Not
d? Yes, that’s me. And you're one
ot ihe two boys?”
8, and the other was Dick Jones.”
“The sneak!” hissed the man, “I
lieve he would have given me away, if he
Hoe sneaked away and I had a
nd
shipped on this ‘vessel, and I hope U'll never
see New Yous again til! I can come back an
honest m: ”
“Dick Jones escaped when you did,” sald
Ben, excitedly, “He is In the city. I saw
hima to-night. 0 you know old Sue? She
hag a den near the river. I went there to-
ntght to try and rescue a Grankes sailor,
I was hit on the head, robbed ai
into the Ewer and I'm afrald the. sailor got
the si
epiek. ‘Jones in the city? Dirty Dick
here? I'd ike to wring his neck. Oh, yes.
I know old Sue fast enough. So they did
you up there, did they? I'd like to pull the
place. a good mind to do it, any-
how, to get square on the old woman. I'll
go around there with you when you've got
rmed up and get your stuff for you, ,You
dian’ t squeal on me the night I came in on
you, and I'll help you now. Sh!”
three of the men came noisily
down the ladder, and one said:
“We're going out in the morning, so if
you want to have a last look at the old
town you'd better take it now.”
“Guess I will,” said Bill. vuteres sonny,
yer things are dry, and you bet ut ’em
Your folks'Il be. worried.
I'll give you a pair o’ boots and a coat.”
Ben‘ dressed himself, and the two went
ashore, Bill promising to be back shortly.
They walked along the deserted street,
facing the wind and sleet, and in a short
time Ben’s face and hair were dripping
wet.
ctlere. come in and get something hot to
e you up,” sald Bill. “We'll go in on
the side and we won't be noticed.”
Ben had just time to-observe that the
he had seen Dick
e door swung open
Ick Jones, looking haggard
and frightened, standing before him,
“T didn’t do it!” shrieked Dick, and then
he fell Unconscious right at the boy's feet.
CHAPTER XXL
AN ACT OF KINONESS.
There was not much stir made by Dick’s
sudden faint, nor by his agonized shriek,
for the noise in the drinking place drowned
alt other sounds, and besides, Ben seized
him quickly, dragged him to his feet and
took him outside before there was time to
comment upon the oceurrence.
‘Those who noticed the thing at all
thought that it was simply another case
of someboly having too much to drink, and
and singing, and the hilarity and confu-
sion of the place were scarcely interrupted.
“You come here, [ want to talk to yer,”
growled Bill, dragging Dick a dozen yards
up the street and propping him against a
wail while he held on to the boy’s collar
ye his other hand. “Wake up, you
ohvnat do you want?” demanded Dick,
gradually recovering. “I ain't done
nothin’. You leggo me. That you, Bill?
Where's vother one, the ghost o’ Ben
Smith?”
“There wasn't no ghost.
mself.”
“Didn't the crack on the head kilt him?”
asked Dicks in a tone of reli
“No, it didn’t. What ‘aia, “you do with
the stud you got from
“Th woman's got ic “You know the
place, “don't you? Say, you better look
‘cause the cops is on to you
York.”
It’s Ben Smith
“Shut OD ” said Bill, in a warning whis-
r.* “Where's the boy's
“The old woman "s Zot it, SO help me Bob,
she has.”
“You're lying, Dick Jones.” said Ben,
coming forward out of the shadow. “You’ve
got it yourself,” and the boy quickly tore
aside Dick’s coat and sboved his hands into
the latter’s pockets.
Dick protested and tried to shout but
Bill choked him into silence, while Ben re
covered his watch and pocketbook from the
thief.
“Easy! There's some one coming ‘down
the street. You say a word, Dick, and It!
one you.
e three were standing in a doorway,
ten nepraking in-careless tones, when two
men passed, and, a moment later, one man
alone.
opty cops!" whispered Bilt “Did yer no
tice that they didn’t look at us? They're
on some other job. Sh! Here’s more of
them.”
“Well, I guess I'd better go home, ‘cause
A solitary pedestrian was passing at the
moment, and he stopped and
“See that you do. It’s no time nor place
for boys to, be out. Go home and keep o'
of trouble.
@ passed on, and e moment later
three: and “then two men pas
“Fly cops, the tot of them,” ” said Bill,
“There's going to be a haul. Good night,
lad. I’m going | to where I told you. What'll
1 do with Dick
“Take him vith you, and give him a
chance.’
“I guess not,” said Bill with a laugh.
“I guess you won’t neither,” sald aoe
who, finding himself released, m: sud-
den dash {nto the middle of the street “Hi,
hi, police, | watch. Red BIll, the convict, is
in de street!”
“Good. py!” sald Bill,
street and into an alle
men hurrying down the street was he
Dick Jones had slipped and fallen under
an old truck standing close to tne curb, and
could not be seen, and Ben walked care-
lessly to the corner and turned. .
“Here, boy, what’s the trouble?” asked a
man, putting a hand on his shoulder,
“Nothing just now,” answered Ben, quiet-
ly, “but there will be before long.
“lewhat did you say about Red Bue
“Nothing. That was a young tough who
spotted some of us. I'd like to wring his
neck, was a signal to Bill. Did you
know he yes in this neighborhood?”
“No; wher
“Well, he's gone now, on account of that
signal. Some of the boys must have talked
too loud. We won’t catch him now.”
yee ve got your detail?”
darting, up the
“All Tight. I must g ~
“Took me for one of, themselves,” mused
Ben with asmile. “I don’t want Bill to be
taken, somehow, and yet I suppose he’s a
villain and a murderer at heart if not in
fact. Well, Dick’s got away fast enough,
and there’s no use in my waiting here.”
He lowered his head and struggled on
against the wind, the storm having abated
nothing in violence, and had reached the
pier where Bill’s ship lay, when a low whis-
tte sounded from behind a pil& of bricks in
the fey ane as he paused some one said:
“That , Ben?”
“Yes,” in “one e@ same cautious tone.
“It’s me, Bin. [ dodged them.
on board in a few minu'
dozen cops hanging about.
get caught. Iain’t so bad. I shot that fel-
Tow in self-defense, but my record wasn’t
good, and ey made it manslaughter and
gave me ten years, If 1 can get away this
time, I'll Ne straight.”
“All right. Bill, I believe you.
with me. I'll see you on board the ship al
right.”
“But some of the cops may know me. I
got around here by the alley, and then had
to duck behind the bricks. Some of them
are watching the old woman's place.”
“Get up and come with me. There's the
ship. I'll manage it.”
Bill arose, and Ben took bls arm and
started across the street.
“That's all right, captain,” he said in a
mes voice, “I wasn't going to run away;
I just wanted to see a little more fun be
fore I sailed yey from the old town. [Il
be sober eno in the morning.”
He was talking all the time he was cross-
ing the street, and Bill, taking his cue
and taking him back to the ship.
Suddenly two men sprang out of the
shadow and looked at them, but Ben con-
tinued his talking and did not seem to no-
tice them.
“That one of your sailors, captain?”
“Yes, that's ail right; the cap’s got mi
and I'm goin’ aboard. Hold on tight, oo
"cause I might slip. Good night, you-fel-
lers, and don’t get too full, or you can't go
out in the morning.
They passed the men, but Ben saw an-
other one watching them, and kept up his
talk till they went up_the gang plank and
stood on deck.
“You’ve saved me, y boy,” whispered
Bill, “and I'll never forget you as long as I
ive. Some day I'll come back, and you
won't be ashamed to take me by the hand.”
“I’m not now, Bill, if you really mean
that, » said Ben, taking the man's hand,
‘Good-by, and good luck. Now to pass the
guard as well as I did before.”
He started Soon the gang plank at a
brisk pace, calling out a cheery good-by to
some supposed friend, repeated it when he
walked to the wharf, and then struck
straight across the street, looking neither
to the right nor the left, and took the near-
est way to the bridge and the City Hall.
oe was not stopped nor questioned, and
who saw him suspected that he was
the oatupid -looking sallor who had gone on
ard the ship with his captain a few
minutes before.
“l’ye got to hurry,” he muttered, as he
reached ethe City Hall and started across
the park, “I had no idea how late it was.
I hope no one has been looking for me, be-
cause they'd be worried
He was hurrying on, the rough hat which
one of the sailors had given him pulled
down to shade his eyes, and his hands
it ain’t no sort o’ night fur kids to be out,”
said Ben, using the tones and words that
were once so familiar to him.
thrust deep into the pockets of the coat
which was much too large for him, when,
alf way across the park, under a light, a
quickly, appeared to be helping: him along.
shambling figure came in front of him and
a whining voice s
“Kind sir, can sae give a poor old woman
what’s been turned out of house and home
this bitter night the price of a lodging?”
“Not tonight, Sue meee, you old hypo-
crite,” sald Ben, looking
“Heavens and earth, its Fhe boy come to
life again, or his ghost,” gasped the wicked
old woman, and then she turned and fled as
ft pursued by evil spirits.
“So, she escaped the raid, did she?” mut-
tered Ben, hurrying on. “Well, she'll be
wise if she leaves the city at once, but I
uppose, as h hovers about the
flame, she will stay till she’s locked up.
wouldn’t have her conscience for all the
money in the world.”
[ro BE CONTINUED.]
————
‘‘Against Big Odds; or, The Bradys’
Great Stroke,” by A New York Detective,
is out to-day in “* Secret Service ’’ No. 50.
[This story commenced in No. 271.]
THAT
Boy of Brown’s
oR,
The Wreck of the Denver
Mail.
7
* By R. T. EMMET,
Author of “The Boss of the Camp,” vowel
on aes Island,” “Cal the Can
“Nobody's Son,” etc., ete
CHAPTER XIII,
THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR.
The voice which called Ned Dennis came
from a comer 0 of the cave where the shad-
ows hung t]
He re ee (recognized it as the voice
of Teresa
Running over to the corner, he found the
etrl lying on a pile of blankets with her
arms tied behind her back.
“Oh, Ned! I knew you’d come!” she
cried, “Save me from these men! Take
me out of this dreadful place!”
“You will!” responded Ned, “and
I’m not stopping to ask you any questions,
either, but we can’t go noe one gang is
right upon us; perhaps, t , you know
some other way of getting out ot this place
than through the hut.”
wer know nothing about it. Oh, what shall
It is in an old grip over there under
If we could only
! Oh,
what shall we do? What shall we do?”
Poor Teresa was greatly excited and no
wonder, under the circumstances, but Ned,
usual, was cool and calculating.
“Lie still where you are. Wait and watch
me,” he said. “I'll get you out of here if I
die for it, but we can make no move no
‘Thus saying Ned made a dive under the
blankets and lay perfectly still.
e was not a moment too soon.
Immediately a great clatter of hoofs was
beard outside and the whole outlaw band
rode directly through the hut into the cave,
the connecting door being just large enough
to admit them if they threw themselves flat
orses, Indian fashion, w
The next few moments were moments of
contusion.
men dismounted and led their horses
tunther into the
\y was talking at once and the
loss of the money stolen from the Denver
mail was the principal subject of conversa-
&
¢
nn.
They talked about the sheriff, too.
It seemed that the party which had just
been out had gone in the hope of waylaying
Mr. Twaits and making him a prisoner,
but had failed.
As to their future plans, Ned, who lis-
tened attentively, judged that they were
reak,” declared Mat Morgan,
“and I suppose it’s all my fault for leaving
the hands of them two fel-
ke out.
eohilled the boys, but who?’
e it up,” replied Big Joe, “unless it
was ‘that boy of Brown's.’
“That's mere nonsense. What put that
into your head?” retorted the Mountain
Terror. “Do you suppose for an instant
that boy would dare to follow us up even
if he could? Besides, didn’t Billy Pender
say they lynched him in Agua Fria to-
day?”
“r ‘d so,” spoke up one of the men.
“ft can’t say whether it’s true or not, but I
was told so when I was at the store in
Copper Ridge.
< “I don't believe a word of it,” declared
Morgan, “I don’t belleve that any more
if cAUE
2 spray
was the
ollow us up here. Now, then, boy:
sweet a
drop all this nonsense and talk bu
than I believe he would have the a
We've lost the. big boodle.
get time to start a correspondence wh
friends and work them up to paying als lay st
som for her, and, besides that, [’velj drunk!
something else which ought to help to q te bie
up our loss if you are game to join mej jim t0
his
dangerous dea f it his b
“Of course ve are, Mat.” 5
“We are with you every time.” - sith J
“Count ate
sian” and similar replies came trom’ are
les. %
ave ll, what’s the scheme?” asked ave
Joe, ghting a pipe. “I’m waiting to hea” che
ae was “that boy of Brown's.” vist t F
at
“ye Ica
‘ully on fhe alert and prepared bi a Kee
worst if it ¢ ide
“Why,” said Nat, "5 hid!
When [ was in Denver last week I g afte know: t
formation about big cash shipments, OD oS
mines down in New Mexico and wi t
“the iden is just
on tae {information ‘and wrecked the e Deni ter
pack number business,”: broke
Je; “Come up to date.
co il get ahead of date if you'll auly ane
me time, This is Tuesday.. On Thursq“T
night there’s going to be another “be get
shipment in the express ¢:
is to go for it.
ver mail again. -
yb
everybody else, will reason that highin:
never strikes n the same pl
They will look for us everywhere but ;
{ say let’s hit the Deny “al Wi
@
everything, and if
the State, make for Pris sco, go out of but
tense excitement as he lay listening to thj 2
bold scheme.
A long discussion followed.
Some of the men were in favor of 4
‘fore
aa he
ness for a while and play the crn ee
at.
in
Tell us wb “ ale
Do
a propose to wreck the Deo me.
a glider
‘We'll be ght sure,” replied Big Fagone
top te
Teresa.
Morgan's plan, others were decidedly ob gis
posed to it. Med
They talked for as much as an hour, th”
whisky jug going around fn lively style Boy
the conversation progressed.
One after another dropped out and san
jown drowsily before the fire; at tas”
all were asleep but Bi
t
res you
Joe, who seemet’ ba
to have constituted himself the guard fo" aa
the nig)
Sreastime no one had spoken to “meres
no one come over the pile o
blankets beneath which Ned lay hidden. {'e
H
ome pushed aside the blankets and looketST
owig Joe sat by the stove with his knee ust
drawn up and his head resting on them. :
‘as he asleep also? ot
he was there would be no better chance
for Kea until all hands left the cave.
a long time the boy watched bin f
but ‘he never mover
“This ought to be my time,” thought Ne ee
“Anyhow, I’m going to make it so,
likely I shall get killed.
It was rather a dismal thought, but Ned’
yait had be
thoroughly tired of inactiot
crawled out from under the blanket
and looked aroun
would surely arouse the whole gan:
4 ute
en a long one and he had grown: ue
thougts say
my
fe
d crept over to where Teresa Tay and, {301
found her as!
e was sound asleep, too; and snoring
Ned knew that his time had *
“What we want is a a horse,” he thought.
“We can’t ‘40 anything without one; bu!
how to manage it—there’s the rub.”
He crept toward the door which com
municated with the hut and was about to.
draw the simple bolt which seeured it whem
all at once he was startled by'a loud knoe
on the other side and a thick voice called} “
i t
ontelto, the cave! Hello!” + ty
t
$y tt
u
80,
ee,
- ‘ore
CHAPTER XIV. ag
HARD PRESSED ON THE TRAIL. - fn
@ Dennis had been a coward bel?
If N '
would undoubtedly have run back to fhe}.
blankets and hidden himself, thereby mi3*}
ing. his chance, ,as we shail presently see. _ Dy
Again the knock came and still
did not stir.
Ned's heart was up in his mouth whet
shot the bolt and threw back the door,
he was resolutely determined to face the
bt ‘
muse come what might. ad,
e door went back a man wear:
bien boots and a cowboy hat came tun .
fa upon him and almost knocked him forer A