BY FREDERICK DEWEY. NEW YORK: BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, 98 WILLIAM STREET. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1878, by FRANK STARR & CO., In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington....

CAPTAIN DOWNING SMILES. The hot Arkansas sun shone hotly down upon Dead-Man’s Forest, that vast, sleepy army of trees which silently overlooked acres of treacherous swamp, silent glade, and tiny hillock. Why it had been so weirdly named, no one knew, as the name had descended from the Indians, and they had regarded it with awe as being haunted with evil spirits. In extent it was some thousands of acres, some hilly, others level, and a great portion swampy and gloomy. The trees were thickly plant

A WARNING. On the skirts of Dead-Man’s Forest, on the side opposite to that on which Cato the Creeper lived, was a small settlement on a hillside. It was very small, numbering but about a dozen houses or cabins, and in the center on the hilltop was a small block-house. The soil about the houses was somewhat cultivated and fenced, but the latter was hardly needed, for the settlers owned but few cattle and these were “kept up,” to protect them from the Indians which infested the country. The settl

“BEWARE!” Walter, after being nursed a while by the tender hands of Katie, bid her an affectionate good-evening, and started toward his lonely bachelor-hall, which was situated beyond the cabin of Hans Winkler a mile, and down the stream. Half of the distance home lay through the settlement, while the other was rendered dismal and gloomy by the road’s running through a projecting cape of Dead-Man’s Forest. It was a lonely, gloomy walk to take in an unsettled country, and through a skirt of such

A SHARP GIRL. The sun rose as usual the next morning, and Jeffries was awakened by its rays peeping through his door; he rubbed his eyes, then sat upright. “Wal, old yeller-face;” he addressed Old Sol. “Yer’ve cotched a weasel asleep this yer time, fur a fact. Wal, I’ll be durned! a-sleeping at sun-up! Bob Jeffries, this yer won’t do; won’t go down; it’s a lazy trick.” He arose, stretched himself, and called out: “Hullo, in thar! you napping, too, gal? Heigho! arise! wake up! go ter the ant, tho

A FIENDISH DEED. Downing and Cato hurried away through the forest, toward Shadow Swamp, Katie meanwhile lying unconscious in her abductor’s arms. But, when they arrived at the pool, and stopped and signaled for the canoe, the cessation of the jolting motion aroused her and she opened her eyes. At first her senses were scattered, and she did not remember the startling occurrence which had just taken place. But by degrees her wandering thoughts collected, and looking at the dark, grim trees, the s

A DOUBLE BRIBE. The pursuing and searching party wound swiftly into Dead-Man’s Forest, with Cato the Creeper in advance. He strode boldly along, whistling and singing jovially, though keeping a sharp eye upon every thicket and matted copse. In addition to his razor, he carried a huge knotted bludgeon which he trailed along the ground. When fairly in the shades of the forest, he commenced a favorite melody, with great gusto: “Dry up!” sternly ordered Sol, the leader. “Don’t yer know thar’s Injuns

A TERRIBLE TREE. Various and many were the threats of the settlers when Cato was not to be found, but they were eclipsed by the settled determination of Walter and Jeffries, who resolved to make him pay dearly for his fickleness and desertion when they met him. And no wonder they were incensed at his conduct. Aside from the delay, which might prove serious, and which was provoking, the thought that this very moment Katie might be suffering terrible evils, was one of anguish to the two who loved

SOMEBODY IS GOING OUT. The day slowly dragged by as Katie, half-crazed, sat on the low stool in the cabin, and pondered on her cruel fate. Hope seemed a mockery—she knew she was in the power of a most unprincipled villain, one who would halt at no deed, however violent, to gain an end. Mere death she did not fear—it was the thought that it would nearly craze and ruin her lover, and would bow her father to a premature grave, that gave her anguish. The most harrowing and painful thoughts harassed

THE CORPSE OF AN HONEST MAN. The next morning dawned bright and fair, and the sun was ushered to the world by the merry carol of thousands of feathered songsters. Brightly it dawned upon the settlement on the hill; benignly on the merry, sparkling river; pleasantly over the valley; but never did it fall upon a busier little world than on Dead-Man’s Forest. Busier?—scarcely. On the edge of the swamp lake were a dozen or more men, peering over at the silent island; angry looks they gave; in the is

A GLAD MEETING SUDDENLY INTERRUPTED. When Katie stepped out of the dug-out on the main-land, she climbed upon the huge log, and looked around. All about her was darkness and grim silence. Close by, a tall sycamore, erect and lofty, raised its head above the forest and waved in the damp night air. Underbrush grew thick and matted everywhere about her; the ground was beset with miry, treacherous bogs, which threatened death to her footsteps; she knew not where she was, nor the way to leave the isl

A SUDDEN MEETING. Three hours after they had left the island, the settlers found themselves on the main-land, with Shadow Lake between them and their homes. Walter had been absent for some time and they began to feel anxious about him. He had started off on a wild and perhaps dangerous errand—that of ferreting out the strange intruder, the owner of the mysterious voice. He had now been gone several hours, and they were alarmed, for they thought the robbers were prowling about the forest, and he

THE DEATH PATH. Walter and Katie fled as fast as the thick brush, the constantly-impeding grape-vines, and the soft and boggy ground would allow, but still the bay came louder and rounder to their ears, and they could but see the terrible tracker was swiftly gaining upon them. They had gone about half the two miles which would have placed them in comparative safety, when it became only too evident they must halt and make a stand against the dog. He was now quite near, being only four hundred yar

WHAT THE GRAY WOLF SAW IN DEAD-MAN’S FOREST. Little more remains to be told. When the gallant settlers, with the happy lovers under their escort, arrived at the settlement, they were joyfully greeted by their wives and daughters, Hettie among the rest. The outlaws were nearly all killed, and were entirely exterminated from their haunts. To Hettie’s dismay, nothing was ever heard of Downing, he having not been seen since the hunchback had felled him to the ground. Much more the surprise at the hu