, 1876-03-12

| - mo IlittI t1u Call me q lf1T AQu HfU.
cod ard. me- 'earty," exclaimed che skipper
''old ard. I WIS about to say thst you're a-s
I-likely young fellow"
At that moment the sound Of hutrying feet d
the deck above attracted tho notice Of tue tw
friends, and sthen the CABIN doors wore hastl
opened by an individual whose gaunt form WA
partly concealed By an Ulster.
He advanced, md abruptly exclaimed:
"Gont!snaen, do any Of you want to subscribe
to Blobbs' rictooresque Eurip-75 cents mum
ber; three steel eugrayings in each number
| Picturesque Eurip"
It was tho young mans Fiend.
You rip: thought killed you in the Arc
! tic Seal" ejacu1nlated our hero.
"Wo come OF family who kill, but we art
never killed." retorted the Fiend, with a Bug
| donic smile.
! Without q moments hesitation, the younl
man drew his trustv navy revolver and seni
seven ounces OF lead crashing into the brains ot
the Fisnd.
Did wo say brains We meant head.
! The book-agent fell insensible.
! Always insansib1o to the feelings Of others,
he was more inseusible than oyer at that mo-
| ment.
"1hrow that carcass to the aharks!" said the
captain, as his crew came rushing in.
Two minutes after, tile lifelesa form was
| thrown rudely over the vessel's aide.
''That does settle it." muttered the young
man, moodlty, Rs the vessel steamed away.
CHAPTER ln.-HuNTED DOWN.
A sandy, scorchiug plain.
A dreary desert land, tree}ess and shrubless.
On all this plain tho only sign Of life an ema-
ciatsd old man. with wealth Of silver hair fall
ing in rich profusion over his stopping shoulders.
In broad leathern belt. which encrcled his
whist, were half-a-dozen diamoud-hilted bowie
knives and as MANY rovolverR. peeping out
from rent in his coat-tails, mountain howit-
The SUD vas high in the heavens, and the air
EfoWed with q furnace heat yet the old mnu trpd
tho sandy soil with the springy tread Of youth.
Ever and anon he glanced uneasily over the
wild waste ahead. and soliloquized aloud:
''1t is now full half-century since I have
gazed on the face Of white man, and yet I can-
not banish thoughts OF home. Yes, it must be !;
I will return to the haunts Of civilization and
rest my weary limbs beside tho graves Of my an
ccstors."
Do you recognize our hero Of the Arctic Sea
1t iH, Indeed, he.
Tho old man halts suddenly and gazes intently
At the earth.
"Injunst" ho mutters, as he draws his revolt
Vers and gl1des behind stalwart OAK,
At that moment q series Of hideous yells burst
upon the mir, and band Of comanches, beaded
by strangely-Rttired savage of ferocious aa~
pect. came toward our hero.
Drawing bead on. the foremost, tho old man
drove bullet into hts heart, us he shouted:
:" Come on, ys red devils, and SEQ how an old
''Hold don't shoot!' said the leader OF the
bsnd.
''And why not ?" asked tho old man, scorn-
fully.
The leader advanced. "Ws arc friends, said
he. ''Frienda."
And what want ve ~
Tho leader drew from beneath his bunting
shirt masty-looking book, and, advancing with
q pesnarive smilo, replied:
- want to know ii you will subscribe to
Blobbs' Fctooresque Eurp-three steel engray-
inss in each installment-all Of these red gon-
tlomen have subscribed p
The old man ehuddered aud gasped for breath.
Fend !" he mustered, ''gaze upon this vast
ed form and whitened head. I was once happy
aud healthy; fortune smiled upon me, aud my
future seemed bright and promising. In an evil
hour you learned that had onco subscribed for
au Encyclopedia, and sinca then have known
no peace Amid tho iccbergs Of the Arctic Sea,
under the Equatorial sun, and now far beyond
footsteps. Hand mo the book"
Tho oook-agcnts eye lit up with baleful
light as he quickly thrust tho subscription book
toward his victim.
With q desperate effort tho old man opened
the book, signed, and dropped dead.
Fooled foiod !" exclaimed tho agent,
1noodiiy: But his relatives shEn pay dearly
for this"
Tho clatter OF his horso'a hoofs upon the
frosty air as he disappeared i'll the darkness.
~, at least. am safe. Only death could stay
his hand, Wonder didn't think Of it before"
CALCULATED the old man. as he arose and staikod
away in tho gloom Of night toward his board
ing house.
But the book agent
EAe1l le is still abroad.