The Red Cloud chief., 1902-06-13

at her powers and boast about their
invulnerable qualities; yet no sooner
do they come In touch with this mod.
crn Gree than their knees grow weak.
and one glance from her bewitching
eyes charms them even as the rattle.
snake does its prey
Your advice is good. | had intend.
ed depending on my own ability to
chcckmate this old reprobatc. and. on
the whole. II may be best for me to
keep my hand at the plow.'
And I'll stand by. ready to give
what aid | may. Don't hesitate to
call on Artcmus Barnaby ii you are
BEN upon some dark and desperate
business that stands for the right.
You know | have some sort Of a claim
upon this affair, seeing that only for
my ~pertinaCity in dragging you ON
that wild goose chase in search of the
new Man in the Iron Mask, of whom
old wives in Antwerp gossip. you
would never have gone there to tho
dungeons of the Steen. and ergo,
would never have had the pleasure oi
saving Lady airline from her distress.
ing position"
The words of his companion aroused
within Charlie a sense of the great
debt he owed Artemus, who had been
an instrument in the hands of Fate to
bring about the result upon which his
whole future now seemed to hinge.
So he seized his hand and squeezed
- xntkh r-nN,.,a .AnI ~ ..p
til the owner was fain to appeal for
mercy.
Yes. | owe you everything. my dear
fellow; and II | can at any time do
you a favor. try me. There are few
things | could refuse you"
After that there vas the fullest IN
fidence between these two. Charlie
confided to Artemus his plans for rout-
ing the enemy. and was glad o adopt
some very bright and sagacious ideas
advanced by the latter.
Everything seemed as usual. Yet
under the calm exterior forces were
working that threatened a speedy up.
heaval.
Capt. Brand had taken the alarm.
hioh VI NV "oiiu Siu
this great traveller was. he read the
writing on the wall, and IL plainly de-
clared his reign had neared It's end.
Hence he detested Charlie with a
m such as could only be compared
with the enraged cobra. seeking to
bury It's poisoned fangs In the object
Of its hatred.
In brief, this fine old plotter began
to cast about him for some method by
means Of which he could get rid OF
Mr.. Charlie Stuart, either temporarily
or for all time.
He was not alone in his scheming.
Other harpies there were who hoped
to share in the glorious plunder-men
whose past lives no doubt could pos
sibly show almost as great a variety
of adventure and bold schemes as his
own.
Accordingly these precious worthless
laid their heads together in order to
devise some brilliant scheme whereby
the obnoxious interloper-this young
Lochinvar who had come out of the
west-might be defeated ere he could
carry the girl of on his feet steed.
And when the conference was ad-
journed, II had all been arranged Just
how Charlie IA to be dropped out OF
sight.
However. these worthless in planning
so neat a campaign failed to take into
consideration several elements which
had a positive bearing upon the ulti
mate outcome.
There was the baron. for example.
Besides-there was Artemus.
No doubt this latter individual, with
his peculiar notions and his apparent
ly in%offensive appearance. would have
been looked upon by the hoary .olt
fortune-hunter as very much in the line
of a freak. and must be brushed aside
without ceremony.
But they made a mistake. Under
that simple exterior beat a bold hear
and a keen brain.
For Artemus had taken a room mex
to Capt. Brands, and during that cele
brated conference his eye and ear die
noble duty at the keyhole of a con
Meeting door.
ITO be continued.)