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BRAVE AND BOLD. 31
"So yer spoilin’ fer a fight, are ye ?" hissed Ilurley.
‘"Well, Irish. yer shall have all yer want."
He made a sudden hinge, but Casey parried it like an
expert.
And then began a contest which the half-dazed Tom.
3110 slowly arose to his feet. will not forget to his dying
av,
The boy expected, as a matter of course. to see Pat
worsted very early in the fight. and he was amazed at the
masterly manner in which the Irishman held his own.
But the contest was of short duration. A well-planned
stab of Casey’s knife brought it to an end, and Hurley
fell forward upon his face.
“You've killed him!" exclaimed Tom, bending over
the prostrate man.
“Thin I congratulate mesilf," said Pat. “for I’ve done
a good job. An’, sure, I haven’t a scratch mesilf.”
“You have done wonders, Pat. But how came you
here?”
“Sure, I seen that all was not roight. an’ I jumped off
the train. That's the whole story. sorr. An’ now, will
we have to walk to New York ?"
“I guess not. Hark! here comes a train now."
“Why, sure, sorr, isn't it our own train backin' up for
us?"
At first Tom could not believe this, but it proved to be
the truth.
Through the efforts of Dr. Haughton, who was well
known, and very influential in that part of the Country,
the train had been backed up.
The doctor had learned from the conductor that the
man with whom Tom had dismounted was a notorious ruf-
fian, and he resolved that he would not see the rescuer
of his daughter sacrificed without making an attempt to
save him.
“You've done California a big service," said the con-
ductor, glancing at the prostrate body of the outlaw,
and grasping Tom by the. hand. . ‘
But our hero modestly disclaimed the honor-if honor It
was-and referred the official to Pat. ' .
In a few seconds they were all on board the tram again.
rushing eastward. .
‘No adventure of note befell the party until their ar-
rival at Chicago. , ,
It was deemed advisable to remain overnight In this
City on account of Alice's extreme fatigue from the long
journey.
. Tom was obliged to confes
In a quiet room in a civilized land was a luxury that he
had never before appreciated.
‘.ut the night was destined to be an eventful One-
Tom was awakened at about one o‘clock by a Stffmgev
uncomfortable feeling.
As he opened his eyes he was startled to 56
form stealthily entering his room.
Keeping his eyes half closed and feigning s1‘3CP- he
watched and waited.
As the newcomer drew near his bedside, he was startled
to recognize the features of his uncle. Daniel Crawfr>r<l.
The old man paused when within a few feet of the bed.
an ’ Tom heartl him mutter:
The name on the register was 110i
But Duflield-where is he?"
s that a comfortable bed
e a dark
“Yes, it is he!
that of another.
Tom suddenly sat upright in bed.
“Burt Duffield, my worthy uncle," he said. coolly, “lies
at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.”
This sudden interruption of his meditations produced
a startling effect upon the old mzsin.
His face turned deathly pale. he gasped for breath,
and clung to the back of a chair for support.
“Dead!” he cried, hoarsely.
“Exactly so. He did the bet he could to earn the
money you offered him for my life, but he failed. I sup-
pose you are, even now, on your way to San Francisco
to meet him and learn from his lips the particulars of
my death. You were startled at the sight of my name
on the hotel register, and you came up here to-night in-
tending to yourself commit the crime which your hireling
failed to accomplish."
“No, no!” cried the old man, tremulously. “I “'tl‘,‘iltl
not have harmed you. Thomas.” '
“It is a lie!” interrupted the boy. “You would liaye
murdered me while I slept. But the game is up, Daniel
Crawford; I showed you mercy once, I shall show you
none now, for I know you as you really are, a man utterly
devoid of conscience and principle. I shall pursue you
to the bitter end. and the remainder of your days will
be spent in a prison cell."
The old man uttered an inarticnlatc cry. clutched at
his collar, and then fell, an inanimate heap, on the floor.
Tom sprang from the bed and bent over him. Life
was already extinct.
s The extreme excitement had brought on an attack of
heart disease.
Daniel Crawford stood before a bar greater than any
on earth.
X 35 3!! It >0‘ 7.‘ >1‘
VVe need add but a few words.
The remainder of Tom's journey to New York was
accomplished in safety. -
On Nellie l%ly's arrival. our hero was one of the first
to greet her.
“I hear you no ill will, if you have beaten me." she
said, with one of her most charming smiles; “but I wish
I'd met the airship inventor myself. Never mind, I may
try it all over aggiin some day. and then. if you wish. we
can race with even ch;mcese<for you'll never find an-
other flying machine."
"l.V'e shall see." lauglied Tom.
Pat likes New York immensely. and expects to be a
millionaire in a few years. c
As for Tom. he is, even now, becoming restless again.
“I feel as if I must be ‘on the go‘ all the time." he
savs.
seems :1 little bit so now. Ilut I suppose that's no wonder
after a trip so full of adve: ture as my race around the
world with Nellie Bly."
THE END.
Next week's issue. I03. will contain “Detective Clin-
ketis lnvestisgation; or. The illystery of the Seycretl
H;m:l." by (‘lifforil l‘:n‘l<. You will find that this is one
of the most zilisorliinag mil ev‘ting (letective stories that
you l‘.;lVt‘ ever read. l,)t‘lL't‘llVC Clinltei his a terrible
problem to solve. and he goes through many dangers be-
fore he reaches its solution.
"I never thought New York slow before. but it,