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"PRINCE.
Or, — /
|The Rough Rider ers of the Ranch
‘By istow GARNE.
- (A Serial Story.)
"CHAPTER VIII.—(Continued)
“That’s lucky.. Any ‘more of that gang
“around?”
+, “I saw no one but Flood and the Mexican.”
“Going home?”
“
oN
oy “Yes. I’ve been after the mail.. They waylaid
me,’ ~
Is your father at the ranch?”
- “Oh, Why?”
: “Well, ‘Tve got. bad news for him.”
The girl started and darted a scared, ‘inquiring
“ glance at him.
: “What’s the matter, Bill?” she asked ‘faintly.
~ “Come along and Ill tell-you. We have not a
. moment to spare. Ride-as fast as your pony will
£ go, or your father will bea ruined man. Come up
beside me.’
‘They dashed away toward the ranch:
Jessie was terribly impressed by. the > boy’s
; Words. :
When - they reached ‘the trail she exclaimed
i | feverishly:
‘ “Don’t-xeep me in suspense any longer, Bill.
y Tell me what has happened... You have made me
| very nervous.”
ema
-“Your father’s secret gold mine has been dis-
..covered by Hank’ Sawkins and all of the Flood
igang. They have jumped the claim and driven
“out your father’s men. It is up to us now to raise
fa. bunch of cowboys and attack the villains.”
i “Good gracious, how did you find this out?”
b“My _rough- riders and I were leaving Four
; Flush” an-Hour ago when a wounded man, on a
horse dashed up to us. He was Dick Kerns, the
rforeman of the gang your. father had working
- his claim., He was shot in the head, and on the
“verge of ‘col! apsing. He teld me the news, e@x-
i plained that the mine was the old deserted Buena
! Vista, in Rattlesnake Valley, and declared that
: Flood’s gang attacked and shot his men. . He
managed to escape, and begged me to notify your
; fat
{2 “This ‘is dreadful!” .
“Well,” said Bill, “I sent my cowboys to the
In the
meantime I got Kerns into a miner’s shanty in
» Four Flush and’Sent’for a doctor. Then I started
_ for your ranch. My trail led me among those
‘rocks. I saw. Flood and the greaser just a few
‘moments before the putlaw roped you.’ :
‘Ah, I see!
“Imagine my ‘surprise when I interrupted them
to find that you were the victim. I tell you, Jess, I
was amazed.”
It was lucky. for me you came. that way.”
“There’s the ranch ahead now.”
nee
oe FAME. AND FORTUNE WEEKLY |
"BUCKSKIN BILL, THE COWBOY |
As they went galloping up-to the house Colonel -
Briggs, who sat reading a book on the piazza;
looked around-and a frown of annoyance crossed .
his face at sight of Bill. - .
He arose, and as the young couple dashed up,
~. he bowed coldly to Bill and, turning to his daugh-
ter, he said, sharply:
way?”
- “You have, ‘papa, but .
“See here, colonel,” interrupted Bill, “cut out
that jawing and get. all-the armed men you can
muster right away. Flood’s gang have possession
of your secret mine and have driven. out-your
men,’
The colonel staggered bacl: with a cry of dis-—
-may.
Ary secret exposed?” he gasped. ,
“By accident, sir,” and Bill explained:
When he ended his story the colonel was as pale
as death, but there was a dangerous glitter in his
eyes as he arose and said:
“Buckskin Bill, I’m greatly obliged to you for
this information, but I reckon we'll let the ‘bandits |
hay e.the mine.’
. CHAPTER IX.
Charge | Of The Cowboys.
‘ The cowboy prince, as the cattlemen called Bill,
was staggered by the colonel’s reply, and giving’
him a sharp look, he saw that he had been drink-
ing.
lasted a week at a time.
- During these periods he was one of the most
dangerous men in the West, for he was reckless,
daring, and venturesome to an extent that bor-
dered onto madness.
Bill was not afraid of him, however, and _ real-
izing the folly of what_the colonel said, he re-
ied: -
“’'m surprised at you, colonel. I thought you
had more nerve than you are showing. Do you
mean to tell me that you are going to let your
old enemy beat you?”
This Answer
pride.
He poured a stiff horn of Kentucky rye from a
-decanter on the table into a glass and turned it
down his throat.
Then he lit a cigar, reflected a moment, and,
suddenly banging his fist down on the table, he
roared: -
“How can I help myself, sir?”
“Why. fight for your property, of. course.’ :
“See here, boy, you don’t know what you're
talking about.” /
“Why don’t I?” °
' “Tf you did you wouldn’t speak so.’ /
“Make your meaning clearer, cclonel. "
“Oh, that’s easily done. If my men w ere caught |
napping, and the bandits have possession of the ~
mine, We ean never get in at them. The place is
almost invincible. . A. handful of men in there -
~ could stand off a regiment.”
“Ts that your reason for deciding to not do'any
thing?”
: “Cortainly.
Isn’t.it a good one?” | -
Pie a ate Dea Re
23 ° :
“Haven’t T told: -you to keep out _of the boy’ 3
Colonel Briggs, was known to go on sprees that |.
stung the peppery old fellow’s'—
eye