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CHAPTER L The express trail* of that monument of engineering skil\ nie Denver and' Rio Grande Railway,' daily traverse the ex treme eastern portion of the Rocky Moun tains lying between the city of Denver on the north and the smaller city of Pueblo on the south, and summer tourists as well as ail-the-year-round men of busi ness pass over the picturesque road by hundreds and by thousands in the course of a single year. There was a time, however, and not so very long since, either, when white men were very scarce in that section and when the only means of locomotion was a much- dilapidated coach, whose time schedule was practically filled out to suit the driver, as he, with much grumbling and little speed, carried Uncle Sam's mails from stage tQ stage. Some twenty years since there was, about midway between Denver and Colo rado Springs, a point where the broad valley narrowed into a deep and wild gorge, known then as the Andy Jackson Gulch. In the year eighteen hundred and Seventy-three the individual who for a eonsiderable time had filled the dual posi tion of coach agent and postmaster, made an interesting discovery. By the follow ing spring the gulch was alive with a population of .three hundred white men . and three women—not counting Indians and Chinese. The Andy Jackson Gulch contained a rich vein of silver, enough to rnpke the locakty a scene of much ac tivity for five whole years, and, exactly twelve months after the pioneer post master’s important discovery, the Rose- dale mining camp was Uoating bravely on a flood-tide of wealth and prosperity. Of course, .the assertion that 'Rosedale was a success as regards population and riches does not necessarily imply that the streets were paved with patent noiseless asphalt and lighted by electricity, or that the stores boasted plate glass fronts, nor yet that the camp owned a city hall peo pled with a mayor and common council. Rosedale had no pavements, for the very excellent reason that it possessed no streets to pave. There was not a public lamp of any kind whatsoever from ono end of the gulch to the other, opd tho single store which supplied the i bodily needs of the miners was located in a prim itive shjed which was noticeably innocent ef glass. The total absence of a mayor or other civic official was in itself a blessing In disguise, for taxes were as yet an un known quantity at Rosedale, and no bad language, was provoked among thq citi zens by reasonyof unlit lamps, muddy crossings and other necessary evils which hover about older and larger communities. And yet, notwithstanding nil drawbacks, “good times” were decidedly in the as cendant at the Rosedale mining cnmi. Ndt in their homes did the miners .invest the fruits of their prosperity. A modern architect o> house builder with nineteenth century notions of Improvements and aes thetic art would have received very littlo encurngement at Rosedale, where it is doubtful if there was a single residence or other 'building which contained more than one door, two rooms and two squares of glass, or that had cost its owned a fifty- dollar bill—even at “young Colorado" prices. True, there was “Gllllcuddy’s” hotel, office and store, according to what use eould be made of it, or according to the humor of the person who happened for the time being to be speaking of that place. It was a favorite spot of rendez vous and, except during working hours, was usually well filled with customers and loafers—loafers whom Mr. Gillicuddy fouud it policy to tolerate, having in mind the fact that they were all of them not only past but also prospective patrons. It bore a marked contrast to all the other tenements in Rosedale. The hotel, for such it was primarily, covered a consid erable area and the rough frame building was actually two stories In height, al though it lost some of its upper-story dig nity, owing to the poverty-stricken ap pearance of the stairway, which was a flimsy sort of step ladder placed outside the building. Upstairs nothing existed but several seven-by-eight dormitories, furnished uniformly with a truckle bed and-a camp stool—little dens for the use of which Landlord Uillicuddy charged prices that would have shamed even tho I . lessees 'of White Mountain hotels', | Biit-it was dowrmnirs that Gilljcuddy’s j showed its 'patrons the fertility of its resources and the variety of the entertain ment which it wss able and prepared to afford. First, there was the office—hotel office, coach office, express office, post- , office and ticket office for the railroads, of which Denver was, at that time,- the western terminus. This office occupied one end of the narrow rrawe building and was presided over by Gillicuddy himself, who sat in a chair of the orthodox kitchen species, snrroundcd by full and empty cigar boxes. .Here Uillicuddy installed himself from morning till nbret, transact ing the more important business of the house and doiing.ont cheap cigars at high . prices and innumerable packages of strong iobacco. Back of the ‘‘office’’ was the bil liard room, boasting a solitary combina tion pool and billiard table, together with a few card tables, and beyond this apart ment was the dining room. The last room in the building was the kitchen, but,not even from the kitchen was there any egress to tho. street—or what answered for U street—and nil who entered Gilli- cuddy’s entered it through the little office and passed out the same way—under the landlord's eye. One peculiarity about Gillicuddy’s was noticed by every stranger and new arrival at Rotfiitie, Along the entire length of one side o Jftb ifBUWkable building were ranged about twenty-five empty flour and salt barrels, giving the place the appear ance of a warehouse. This was Gilli cuddy’s verandah, and as sure as evening time came round, just as surely would the twenty-five barrels be occupied by 'twen ty-five men, smoking while they exchang ed snake stories and reminiscences of ‘‘old days East.” It was about 7 o’clock on a summer evening. The fact tbat.it was Wednesday evening brought a larger crowd than us ual to the “verandah,” for on Wednes days and Saturdays the coach arrived from Denver and she was now about due. They were a motley crew, those rough Westerners, yet, although they were dressed Very much alike, they presented a good deal of variety, and it was quite a cosmopolitan gathering. There was one young fellow, who had not secured a seat, who would have been remarked in a much larger, more elegant and more refined crowd. He was not smoking, but, with his felt hat pulled down over his eyes and his hands thrust deep into his pockets, was idly reclining against tho corner of the bouse. Even when the coach drew up this young mnn did. not change his position; he merely raised, his head slight ly to watch the only outsido passenger alight But having ouce rested his eye oq that outside passenger, he became greatly interested and closely scanned the new ar rival as he entered the office. The outside passenger was a man de cidedly on the shady side of forty, who looked as though be was (at least for the time being) well acquainted also with the shady side of life. He looked hungry and haggard—ho also looked sly and vi cious. ‘‘I want to transact a little business be fore it gets dark," said the stranger to Landlord Gillicuddy. ‘‘Keep a room for me, please; I will return in an hour or so/’ The voice sounded strangely familiar to the young man outside the door, and yet he could not place the coach passenger. Again he eyed the shabby man closely as he emerged from the office, and watched him as he disappeared along a track which led to one or two outlying huts and shan ties. Evidently the man was not a total Btranger to Rosedale, for he knew his way about; anyhow, the young follow’s inter est was aroused, for some cause or other known to himself. “Know him, Maxi” asked the occupant of the nearest verandah barrel, who had noticed the young man's watchful atti tude. Max again pulled his soft bat over his eyes as he slowly said: “Fact is, Jimmy, I don’t know and yef I think I ought to know him. I’ll look a little closer when he gets back for the night." It has been intimated that women were scarce articles in Rosedale—that they numbered only three. One of them, Sarah Brown, was a good angel to the boys. Not that Sarah—who was nearly forty years old—was exactly a seraph, but she was n splendid nurse and cook for u sick man, and could mend clothes or write a letter for a well man. - Not even an angel with genuine wings and sterling gold harp could have been more welcome at the camp, and every man in Rosedale had • good word for Sarah. Consequently, when, about midnight- five hours after tho arrival of the coach— Si Riggs staggered into Gillicuddy’s, pale as a ghost aud trembling like a leaf, and announced' that Sarah Brown was dead- murdered—indignation rah high, though .not one of the miners could so much as guess at the culprit. But young Max Brett walked straight to Mr. Gillicuddy and asked him a couple of questions. “Gillicuddy, what name did that strang er give you?” “He didn’t register. Max," was the reply. "How’s that?” “Sold he’d do it when he came back.” “Then he hasn’t turned in yet?” ‘•No, Max.” “I’ll tell you what his name Is, Gilli cuddy,” stated Max loweringly. “Hl» name is Do Watts. If he shows up, hold him until you can give him to the sheriff, and then have the sheriff find me if ii costs s thousand dollars!” Again, as he turned on Ms heel toward the excited crowd in the billiard room, he muttered: “I guessed , it was .that 'scoundrel all the time, but his disguise -was immense and well-nlgli deceived me. I’ll be even with him. though, and if there's half a chance I'll have him before, anpther forty- eight hours. Boys,” he shobted Aloud in a deep, clear voice, “I had intended leav ing here ou tV»« coach next Monday. If Billy Gprmau will leud me his pony I shall go now. Thunks, Billy” (as that worthy nodded assent) “I will leave the nag at Colby Gap station. You saw that stranger to-uight. boys/ Weil, be is the murderer, so don’t forget it if you ever see him again. I think I can run him down. Good-liy, boys.” Half an hour later Max Brett, adven turer (for-waiit of a'better description) wns riding fast along the narrow pony track which led past the murdered wom an’s cottage. He rode ail uight and cov ered nearly thirty miles, but when ho reached Colby Gap station on tho newly built railroad, the east-bound passenger train’ had left two hours before, carrying with it the man he wanted. So, impa tiently enough s Max waited for the even ing train, knowing full well that twelve hours was a long start for an old and ex perienced rascal like De Watts. CHAPTER IL A bitter quarrel was in- progress be tween the Great Occidental Railroad Company and its'employes—chiefly thu engineers.> At the same time, the engi neers being, for the'most part, a highly Intelligent and sensible,-body of men, no serious trouble bad thus far been experi enced, nor was any feared or apprehend ed by the company and'lts officials. Tho engineers hnd not yet found it necessary to have recourse, neither did they propose to have recourse, to any acts of violence. They knew full well that moral force, backed by legal methods of coercion, are more effective and decidedly more popu lar with the American public than riot and arson. \ But there were just a couple of men of whom the engineers themselves were tear ful would involve them in serious trou ble. These were one Hughes, an engineer, and his fireman—men fearless and thor oughly capable at their work, but men, who would stop at nothing to accomplish a mean revenge when they considered themselves imposed upon or injured. One evening the fast train, known on the Great Occidental as the Pacific Mail, rolled out of Prairie City on its way to tho far West. At Prairie City was at tached to the. train engine No. 1)00, manned by the very men -who were so much mistrusted by both officers and em ployes. Nothing particular, however, was thought of this fact. They were closely watched in the round honses add yards. When they were in the cob it was tolera bly certain they could do no mischief, be cause any peril to which they exposed the train nnd passengers must, of necessity, include themselves. When the mail left Prairie City she was scheduled to run a hundred and fifteen miles across the plains without a stop, the time allowed being tnree hours and ten minutes. Along this entire distance there were absolutely • no towns or cities and very few settlements of any bind, and as the train held the right of way there was no necessity whatever for stopping or even “slowing up.” Tho sun hnd just set, but the.crimson glory of his setting still spread a rich fiery light across the plains, which enabled n strikingly handsomo man in the parlor car to- continue the perusal of his book. He was the general manager of the Great Occidental,- and to him approached one of the train men,.who respectfully said; “You know who ure on the engine, sir?” “Yes. What of it?” “We are slowing—perhaps you ‘hardly noticed it yet. There is no station, no telegraph cabin nor any water tank near here; there is not oven an up grade. I have good reasons for suspecting mischief, though just whnt shape it \viil take I have no idea. The conductor is on the rear platform keeping his eyes open, but that isn’t enough—the trouble will be in front.” The brakeman paused, as If for some encouragement, and the official, who had closed his book, shuflled bis foot impa 1 tiently. “Go ahead with your story,” ho said. .“It will soon bo dark. What Is it—what next?” “The boys ou the rond understand you to bo a fearless mnn; if that is qo, follow me. 'Have you got a revolver—and load ed?” • “Y'es.” “Good; you may need it. Are you a safe shot?” “I think not.” “Then give me your weapon. For a short time try to forget that you are run ning this road, and obey my orders.” The brakeman took the official’s pistol nnd led the way througli the train until they stood upon the front platform of the forward coach—the baggage car. “I suppose,” said the train man, ”7on are perfectly willing that we should nt ail hazards preserve this train from de struction and get her through to Big Creek in safety?” “Of course—yes.” “Then climb quietly on to the locomo tive with me, and be prepared for mis chief.” The train was now runningjit a rate of not more than fifteen miles an hour, so that the two men managed to hoist them selves on to the tender of the locomotive with comparative ease. As they crawled over tfae stacks of coal anil firewood, both master and man took In the situation at • glance. The engineer was- at that In stant turning on a full head of steam, the fireman was closing the door of the fur nace which be had just filled up with coal, and both were preparing to desert the en gine. Aa the two men I«r stretched at'the top of the tender, the brakeman motioned to the general manager to beep very still. The fireman made a move to get down from the left-hand side of the engine. “Comer* shouted the brakeman, and quick as a flash reshed for the fireman, helping that culprit to the track by a heavy blow. Almost In the same Instant be turned to the engineer, who, though not so far advanced ip his movements as the fireman, was preparing to descend tho steps-on .the right-band si'de of the engine. Placing the revolver close to tho rene- gade engineer’s ear, he shouted:' “Get back there and do your work. Attend to anything beside yonr business and you’ll smell gunpowder! And If this train is'not nt Big Creek on time I will see that we bnve a lynching exhibition in the yard. You need not tako your hand off the lever, for I have brought you'a fireman—the general manager. He will watch the fire while I watch you.” The engineer was completely cowed, and the Pacific Mail, thus saved from a fearful destruction, rolled into Big Creek •on schedule time. Engineer Hugh.es was promptly dis charged with a warning and some advice, but he was afterwards arrested, and then the general manager turned to the brake- man. “My boy,” he said, “you have rendered « great service to the company, and es pecially to the passengers on this train. We must do something for you.” “Thank you; sir,” was the reply. “Some day I may think «t something that you can do for me, and if so,-1 will come to yon. Just- at present I prefer to keep quietly at my own- work, and I shall like it better if nothing at alt is said to tbe passengers." i “Your name, At least?” “Yes—my name is Richards,' Henry Richards.” Whereat the two shook hands and part- ed." . the next morning General Manager Handford was handed a small package addressed to himself, and upon opening it, lie found a letter, inside of which was a .smaller package, unaddressed. He read the letter, which displayed the handwrit ing and style of an educated man; “Sir—Yesterday, with your assistance, I was enabled to. render some slight ser vice to your company—will you now-do something for mo? “Railroading is a risky business, espe cially on thb plains. If death ever over takes mo (nnd you are in apposition to know if it should) will you please break the seal of the enclosed package and hand the contents to the person to whom they- are addressed? When you do so (if ever) perhaps you will tell that same person what you know about me. I have proof that you are a brave man; I think you are a good and generous mnn, and I hope. you will undertake this small commission for me. Please part witli the package to no one but tho person to whom it is Ad dressed and under no other circumstances -'than those which I have stated. You can return it to me if you tire of the trust. “Respectfully yours, 0 “HENRY RICHARDS, “Brakeman.” Mr. Handford thought this a queer oc currence, but, remembering bis offer and promlso of the previous evening, he pock eted the package and proceeded on bis way. CHAPTER III. CMcagoi The man who. has traveled everywhere except to Chicago has failed to soe the world; while he who is familiar only with the great Western city has seen ■a very large.slice of the world. One of the grandest and one of tho wretcliedest —one of the best nnd one of the wickedest cities of the universe. A combination of London, Paris, Now York nnd San Fran cisco, revivified by the blizzards of tho northern prairies and refreshed by tho blue waters of Lake Michigan; whose whirl and excitement fascinate alike the biue-uoacd Scandinavian and the, sluggish Mexican—tbe phlegmatic Briton and tbe hopeful American. Tho city whoso streets ring with the incessant clatter of nearly , two million feet,’bearing hither nnd thith er men and women whoso constant flitting, like figures In n kaleidoscope, mark nn cver-chnnging scene. The eity where the night lamps. like God's great sun, shine upon the evil and upon the good, whore, 'upon tho broad sldeWalks, publicans an<J sinners jostle pharisees and priests, while Dives brushes up against Lazarus; the city where, after ail. there is far more of good than of evil—Chicago. It is not surprising that a mnn of tbe disposition, habits nnd temperament of Max Brrtt should drift to Chicago. In deed, he had made his bendqunrters there more than once, but ns, up to the time we saw him in Rosedale, be bad never been compelled to work very hard or very steadily for n living, he had hitherto been n wanderer from choice. But In October, a month or two after the Rosedale murder. Mux Brett was lo cated in Chicago, and was actually earn ing a fnir living ns a clerk in tbe office of William Rose Sc Company, extensive dealers in oil. The Western Babylon, with its babel of voices and maelstrom of excitement, possessed every attraction for Brett. Of a nervous, restless tempera ment. not nnmixed with a happy-go-lucky nml easily contented disposition, ho al ways found a residence in smnil towns nnd frontier settlements dull nnd weari some. Even in Chicago, where his daily work in the office of the oil warehouse was laborious and of a responsible nature, he frequently felt disposed to complain of a lack of “mental exercise,” as he termed monotony and hum-drum employ ment; but, on the whole, he waa contented. Away from the office nnd outside of busi ness hours, Mr. Brett took life remarka bly easy. He rented a suite of rooms in a flat in one of the mammoth tenement houses located in a fashionable quarter of the city, and, falling back on tbe rem nant of his Rosedale mining funds, had them elegantly furnished. Then he made friends with his Ihnillaily by presenting her with two or three'tickets for the the ater, and, having provided himself with headquarters and a uscfnl friend, he. straightway prepared to enjoy himself and his surroundings. Most of his even ings he spent at tho theaters and places of amusement, and, like most young fel lows, speedily formed a wide acquaint ance among “all sorts and conditions of men.” But Brett possessed sufficient worldly wisdom to keep these easily-made ac quaintances at arms’ length, and never encouraged too wilting friendships. Mux did not care vety much what they or anjr- ,body else thought'of him; he just went his own pace, serenely indifferent to the smiles or frowns of onlookers, and if Max hnd a “past history,”'or hid within bin own heart any, dark secret, nobody could guess of either fact from his bright face and nonchalant manner. . . (To be continued.) Necessitates a Big Outlay. TUe .tot{ii lengtU ,^Jf the common roads In this country, good, bad and indifferent, is estimated by General Stone of the road bureau of the depart ment of agriculture at something over 1,300,000 miles. The majority of these rohds have been opened by common la borers, hired by local supervisors, and no engineering principles have been observed in their construction. As s result, it costs more to keep them In repair than if they were as many fine ly macadamized roads. Keeping these poor roads In repair and opening new thoroughfares cost Massachusetts in 1803, outside of cit ies, $1,130,944, or $60.30 per mile, nnd New Jersey $778,407.82, or $43.23 per mile. The total expenditure for roads in that year amounted to about $20,- 000,000. As a great part of th? enor mous sum was spent in repairing poor ly constructed roads, that would need exactly the same attention next year. It Is not an exaggeration to say that moit of the money was wasted. Fine roads can be constructed all the way from $400 '.o $500 per mile, according to the nature of the coun try through which they pass, tbo cost of crashed stone and other engineering problems. Tho cost of keeping these roads In repair is infinitely smaller than that required to repair the or dinary dirt roads each winter and spring, when great gulloys and ruts are washed into them by the rains and floods. The secret of the success of the fine roads in France Is attribute.! to the prompt nnd systematic repairs made at all seasons of Die year. First debutante—My cheeks are all on fire. Second debutante—I thought there was a smell of burning paint.— Town and Country Journal. All/the world loves a lover, because the world likes to be amused occasion- * ally without buying a dollar ticket. WAVE WRONG MEDICINE. Iioj l oses His Life Through Mistake Slade by Grandfather. Palaemon James, thp 7-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse James, who live 11 miles east of. Albany, Ga., died Sunday afternoon from the effects of morphine poisoning. The drug was ad ministered In consequence of a mixing of boxes containing different drugs, the mistake having been made by the lad’s grandfather, G. A. Janes. Six morphine tablets, thought to be calomel, were given before the boy’s parents discovered the mistake. The boy was hurried to Albany with all possible dispatch,‘Mr. Janes driv ing one horse nearly, to death and be ing obliged to substitute another while still several miles from' town. The boy died in convulsions. BOOSEVELT VISITS PITOBURtt. I* royally Welcomed and Dollreri Fonrlh of July Oration. Half a million persons greeted Presi dent Roosevelt in Pittsburg, Pa., on the Fourth. They came, not only from Pittsburg and Allegheny, but from the scores of Industrial towns within a hundred mile# of tbo city. It was «ho distin guished guest’s first visit to Pittsburg as president, and - his welcome was most enthusiastic. CUBAN HOSPITAL METHODS Cause Complaint From Americans and Britons In Santiago The American and British residents of Santiago de Cuba are Indignant at the alleged brutal treatment at one of the hospitals of a Scotchman named William Housetown, who died, as as serted, of alcoholism Sunday morning. Housetown,was a dry goods clerk, a man of good family and not an habit ual drunkard. KICK CORES PltOH BOSTON. Question ns to Who Discovered Anes thesia Ray Be Rehashed A hornet’s nest is being Btlrred up in Boston, Mass., by the recent action of the Georgia commission In naming Dr. Crawford W. Long os the discov erer of ether as an anesthetic, and it Is likely that there will be a revival of the bitter controversy which so many years raged over this question end was carried to the halls of congress. . i-s Negroes to Fill rtriker*’ Places • Railroads are rushing section men Into Chicago to take the places of striking freight handlers. The Chicago and Alton tent fifty, mostly colored, from Bloomington, III, on a special train Monday night. Cholera Rages fa Manila. The'ClioIera record Monday for Ma nila waa fifty new cases and thirty deaths. For the provinces the record was 460 new cases and 335 deaths.