Copper Coleson's Ghost

CHAPTER XXIV

THE CHASE AND CAPTURE “Whew!” gasped Dick, who, now that the crisis was passed, had turned suddenly weak and faint. “Let’s get out of here, Ned! I’m scared plumb to death!” Dick was not the only victim of this nervous reaction, amounting almost to panic, that came with the sudden breaking of the strain to which the boys had been subjected; and it was a pale-faced group that was revealed, when Tommy Beals had, with trembling fingers, succeeded in relighting his lantern. Following its gleam, the boys made their way to the opening in the wall and emerged into the blinding sunlight of the quiet morning. CHAPTER XXIV THE CHASE AND CAPTURE For several moments the boys blinked owlishly in the strong light and filling their lungs with sweet, fresh air, that seemed indeed like a breath of new life after their long confinement in the close atmosphere of the mine. “Hah! This is great!” exhaled Dick, who had regained his nerve and courage with his first breath of freedom. “I never would have believed that simple fresh air could smell so good, and besides,” he continued, “it’s a lot of satisfaction to know that we’re giving Slade a taste of what he made us stand.” Without unnecessary loss of time, the boys scouted around the house, and among the scrub oaks they came upon the flivver. “This is how Slade used my car last night,” growled Dave, as he pointed to a crumpled fender. “I guess we’re lucky he didn’t wreck it entirely.” “Slugger probably had a wild ride getting to a telephone,” remarked Rogers. “He certainly got his gang together in quick time; I’ll say that much for him.” “We’d better follow Slade’s plan of getting to the nearest telephone,” decided Ned. “We can call the authorities at Cleveland and let them come out here to take charge of things from now on.” “Sure! That’s the idea! And while we’re waiting for ’em, we’ll have time to rustle some breakfast!” chirped Tommy Beals, his round face suddenly regaining its customary cheerfulness. “Before we go, let’s roll up this canvas and stow it inside,” suggested Dick. “The secret is ours and maybe we can make some use of it later.” It required but a few minutes to return the canvas to its niche in the cellar, and after swinging the stone slab into place against the possibility of prying eyes, the boys climbed into the car and set out for Cedar Hollow, whose single gasoline station was adorned with the blue bell of telephone service. While Ned was closeted in the booth, the others, led by the resourceful Beals, foraged for food at a neighboring farmhouse with such success that a plentiful breakfast of homely fare was soon in readiness. “There’s a squad of plain clothes men on the way,” reported Ned, as he took his place at the table. “The chief didn’t more than half-believe me when I told him we had trapped a gang of rum-runners. He’s from Missouri, but we’re going to show him!” Had Ned realized the resourcefulness of Latrobe or taken into consideration the latter’s intimate knowledge of the old mine and its contents, he might have been a bit less confident regarding his ability to make good his boast; but for the time being, he continued to eat his breakfast in happy ignorance of what was, even then, taking place out at Coleson’s. Hardly had the meal been disposed of when a big, blue automobile whirled into the little settlement and stopped with a squeal of brakes in front of the gasoline station. A tall, official-looking man sprang to the ground and advanced to meet the boys who came hurrying from the house. “I’m Inspector Baker,” the newcomer introduced himself crisply. “Now then, what’s this story about a gang of boot-leggers that you’ve got locked in a cave somewhere out here?” and the officer ran his eye over the group in a manner that boded ill, should it appear that he had been trifled with. “They’re not in a cave; they’re in the old copper mine out at Coleson’s,” explained Ned, who in a few words detailed the main facts of the situation. “Latrobe and Miller, eh!” snapped the inspector. “That’s two of a gang we’ve been hunting for a year. Casey’s another. I never heard of this fellow Slade, but if he’s with ’em, that’s evidence enough. Let’s go!” Only the roughness of the road, which slowed the speed of the blue car, enabled Dave’s flivver to keep up with the official machine, but by strenuous exertion the little car held its own against its big rival and was only seconds behind when the latter came to a stop before the wide porch of the Coleson house. “There’s a secret entrance under the house and into the mine,” explained Rogers, as the boys hastened toward the end of the house closely followed by Inspector Baker and his men. As they turned the corner of the building, Ned, who was in the lead, stopped in his tracks and stared in astonishment at a pair of deeply rutted marks which crossed the strip of sand between the house and the woods. Everywhere the surface had been deep-trampled by hurrying feet and the swinging stone slab that the boys had so carefully closed was now wide open. “Zowie!” gasped Dick. “They’ve got away!” “What’s that ?” demanded Inspector Baker. “What kind of a yarn is this?” By way of answer Ned could but point dumbly to the opening in the foundation wall. Advancing cautiously, the officers reconnoitered the aperture and crept into the cellar followed by the boys. A peculiar acrid odor assailed their nostrils and a thin veil of smoke hung like a bluish cloud above their heads. One of the men snatched a flashlight from his pocket and by its rays revealed the heavy plank door wrenched from its hinges and lying splintered and blackened on the ground. “Blasting powder!” growled Inspector Baker, as he sniffed the tell-tale odor. “Latrobe knew more about this mine than anybody else!” cried Ned. “He must have had a can of powder hidden somewhere down below!” “They took most of the cases of whisky with ’em, too!” added Dick, who had run half-way down the stairs, from which point he could get a view of the small chamber beneath. “I’m afraid it’s a clean get-away,” grumbled the inspector when, after a brief examination, he led the way out of the cellar. “Those wheel tracks show that the truck went around this end of the house, but that doesn’t help us much.” “They haven’t been gone but a few minutes!” cried Ned, excitedly. “Look! The sand is still running into the deepest wheel ruts!” “But in that case we would have met them,” began the officer. “The old road!” cried several voices. “They’ve gone out by the old wood-road!” Pausing an instant to swing shut the stone slab, the boys made a rush for the flivver and sent it bouncing across the rough stretch of pasture. The big blue car was close behind, but when the wood-road was reached, Inspector Baker insisted upon taking the lead. “Latrobe isn’t a fellow to take any chances with,” he shouted. “If we overtake him there may be trouble. You boys keep well behind us and out of danger!” and as he flung this warning over his shoulder, the inspector forced the big car into the narrow bush-lined road at a reckless speed. Close behind came the flivver, taking every turn and twist of the crooked track with all the skill that Dave Wilbur could muster and, in complete disregard of orders to the contrary, keeping a scant ten yards behind the big car. Less than two miles of the difficult road had been traversed when the truck was sighted ahead. Evidently its occupants were not expecting pursuit, for they were traveling at a moderate pace suited to the roughness of the way. As the roar of pursuing motors reached his ears, Casey, who was at the wheel, sent his clumsy vehicle forward at the limit of its speed. “There’s Slade!” yelped Dick, as a turn of the road gave a glimpse of a white-shirted figure clinging to the rear of the bouncing truck. Even as Dick spoke, Slade was seen to heave one of the heavy cases of bottles into the road directly in the path of the big blue car as it rounded the curve. With a ripping crash the automobile struck the obstruction knocking it into a mass of wood and glass splinters through which the car smashed its way, skidding wildly but regaining its equilibrium uninjured as the road straightened. Mindful of his tires, Dave swung the flivver around the wreckage and back into the road without much loss of distance. “That was a clever trick!” cried Ned. “It may work next time!” But before the attempt could be repeated, the fleeing vehicle had reached the sharp curve, beyond which stood the old shack. Here the road narrowed; and crowding the left side in an effort to make the turn, the truck struck the pile of slabs, lurched crazily across the road, and crashed head on against the old shanty, through which it plunged for half its length. The boys had a glimpse of a white-shirted figure that catapulted from the rear of the wrecked vehicle to fall face downward among the weeds. It was up in an instant, and darting forward, disappeared in the thicket. With a shriek of its brakes the blue car slid to a stop, and as the flivver drew up alongside, the boys saw Inspector Baker and his men rush toward the shanty. Before they had covered half the distance, however, a heavy explosion rent the air followed instantly by a sheet of flame. The gasoline tank of the truck had taken fire and exploded, and in a moment the shack was burning fiercely. Dazed by the force of the collision and half-suffocated by smoke, Latrobe and his two companions staggered from the cabin to be promptly seized by the officers and hustled into the big car. “We won’t be bothered again very soon by those three rascals,” remarked Ned when the blue car had passed the barrier of vines and disappeared on the highway beyond. “No, and I guess Slade has had enough for the time being,” added Dick. “At the rate he was traveling when I last saw him, he must be pretty near the Rocky Mountains by now.” “That’s the end of the old shack and the truck, too,” remarked Charlie Rogers, as he stood watching the blazing heap of ruins. “Yeah, that’s the finish,” agreed Dave Wilbur. “Truck, shanty, and Ned’s black ants, all gone up in smoke,” he added with a prodigious yawn. “What d’y’say we beat it for home and get a real sleep?” CHAPTER XXV PROFITS The interest that had been aroused by the cave-in of Copper Coleson’s mine was as nothing compared with the excitement which prevailed when it became known that the property had been used as a base by smugglers from Canada. A large number of automobilists made the Coleson place the objective of their Sunday-afternoon drive, but except for wheel and foot tracks about the tightly shuttered building, there was nothing to be seen. The boys who had taken so active a part in the capture of the gang were overwhelmed with praise and bombarded with questions, but acting upon a preconcerted agreement, they gave out very little information. “Keep ’em guessing,” had been Ned Blake’s brief advice. “We’ll get the fellows together on Monday afternoon and decide what’s to be done.” Owing to the fact that the Wilbur garage was newly painted, the meeting was held in the Blake yard beneath the friendly, though of late neglected, apple tree. Perched upon one of the lower limbs, Ned called the meeting to order, and Treasurer Beals from his soap-box submitted his report which showed after payment of all outstanding accounts a gratifying balance. “We were going good, but I guess the game’s up,” concluded Tommy, gloomily. “Yes, the Demon Dance bubble is busted,” agreed Rogers. “The Ghost of Copper Coleson is laid, and the phantom stuff was really about all that we had to offer.” “But we’ve paid the rent on the old shebang right up to October,” grumbled Dick Somers. “We’ve got to make some use of it, or else admit we’re licked!” “That’s just what we’re here to decide,” declared Ned. “Instead of quitting, I believe we’ll go bigger than ever!” “Do you mean we’ll keep on with the dances?” asked Jim Tapley. “I can’t see why not,” replied Ned. “All we need is some attraction to keep the crowd coming and this raid has given us a lot of advertising. Judging from the talk that’s going round I’d say that everybody wants to see where and how the thing happened. My idea would be to make ’em pay for what they learn. We can sell dance-tickets to include a walk across the canvas track and through the cellar into the mine.” “Swell idea,” agreed Wilbur, “only we ought to run the dances twice a week while the interest lasts. D’j’ever hear about ‘making hay while the sun shines’?” “Great!” applauded Rogers. “Fatty, it’s up to you to get out some new posters advertising semi-weekly dances at the Rum-Runners Retreat.” “That’s the idea!” chuckled Dick. “We’ll get a new crank for the winch and charge half a dollar for a ride on the dump-car down the tunnel. That’ll be a swell job for Weary!” “Aw say, Dick, use your bean,” urged Dave. “There’s another plan that might help us,” suggested Ned, when the laugh at Dave’s expense had subsided. “Suppose we were to clear out the old wood-road, which has played such an important part in all that has happened, and make it usable for our dance crowd. It’s a good two miles shorter than the regular route to Coleson’s.” This was unanimously approved. “All we’ll have to do is pull those vines to one side and chop out the brush along the road,” said Rogers. “In a couple of days we’ll have everything ready for Wednesday night.” “All right, fellows,” said Ned, as the meeting adjourned, “let’s meet at Dave’s tomorrow morning all set for a long day in the woods. Everybody will need a good sharp axe—and by the way,” he continued with a wink at Tommy Beals, “mine is pretty dull. How about giving me a few turns on the old grindstone, Weary?” Dave Wilbur glanced at the crank-handle of the heavy stone and from it to the circle of grinning faces. “Oh, all right,” he drawled. “I guess it’s on me this time,” and added with a grin, “they do say that ‘a chicken always comes home to roost.’” THE END Selections from L. C. Page & Company’s Books for Young People THE BLUE BONNET SERIES Each large 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, per volume $2.00 The seven volumes, boxed as a set 14.00 A TEXAS BLUE BONNET By Caroline E. Jacobs . BLUE BONNET’S RANCH PARTY By Caroline E. Jacobs and Edyth Ellerbeck Read . BLUE BONNET IN BOSTON By Caroline E. Jacobs and Lela Horn Richards . BLUE BONNET KEEPS HOUSE By Caroline E. Jacobs and Lela Horn Richards . BLUE BONNET—DÉBUTANTE By Lela Horn Richards . BLUE BONNET OF THE SEVEN STARS By Lela Horn Richards . BLUE BONNET’S FAMILY By Lela Horn Richards . “Blue Bonnet has the very finest kind of wholesome, honest, lively girlishness and cannot but make friends with every one who meets her through these books about her.”— Chicago Inter-Ocean. “Blue Bonnet and her companions are real girls, the kind that one would like to have in one’s home.”— New York Sun. THE HENRIETTA SERIES By Lela Horn Richards Each one volume, 12mo, illustrated $1.90 ONLY HENRIETTA “It is an inspiring story of the unfolding of life for a young girl—a story in which there is plenty of action to hold interest and wealth of delicate sympathy and understanding that appeals to the hearts of young and old.”— Pittsburgh Leader. HENRIETTA’S INHERITANCE “One of the most noteworthy stories for girls issued this season. The life of Henrietta is made very real, and there is enough incident in the narrative to balance the delightful characterization.”— Providence Journal. STORIES BY I. M. B. OF K. Each one volume, 12mo, illustrated $1.75 THE YOUNG KNIGHT The clash of broad-sword on buckler, the twanging of bow-strings and the cracking of spears splintered by whirling maces resound through this stirring tale of knightly daring-do. THE YOUNG CAVALIERS “There have been many scores of books written about the Charles Stuarts of England, but never a merrier and more pathetic one than ‘The Young Cavaliers.’”— Family Herald. THE KING’S MINSTREL “The interesting situations are numerous, and the spirit of the hero is one of courage, devotion and resource.”— Columbus Dispatch. “It is told with spirit and action.”— Buffalo Express. “The story will please all those who read it, and will be of particular interest for the boys for whom it was intended. It is a tale of devotion to an ideal of service and as such will appeal to youth.”— Portage Register-Democrat. “There is a lofty ideal throughout, some court intrigue, a smattering of the decadence of the old church heads, and a readable story.”— Middletown Press. THE BOYS’ STORY OF THE RAILROAD SERIES By Burton E. Stevenson Each large 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated , $1.75 THE YOUNG SECTION-HAND; Or, The Adventures of Allan West . “The whole range of section railroading is covered in the story.”— Chicago Post. THE YOUNG TRAIN DISPATCHER “A vivacious account of the varied and often hazardous nature of railroad life.”— Congregationalist. THE YOUNG TRAIN MASTER “It is a book that can be unreservedly commended to anyone who loves a good, wholesome, thrilling, informing yarn.”— Passaic News. THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; Or, Allan West’s Chum . “The story is intensely interesting.”— Baltimore Sun. THE DAYS OF CHIVALRY SERIES Of Worth While Classics for Boys and Girls Revised and Edited for the Modern Reader Each large 12mo, illustrated and with a poster jacket in full color $2.00 THE DAYS OF CHIVALRY By W. H. Davenport Adams . THE CHAPLET OF PEARLS By C. M. Yonge . ERLING THE BOLD By R. M. Ballantyne . WINNING HIS KNIGHTHOOD; Or, The Adventures of Raoulf de Gyssage . By H. Turing Bruce . “Tales which ring to the clanking of armour, tales of marches and counter-marches, tales of wars, but tales which bring peace; a peace and contentment in the knowledge that right, even in the darkest times, has survived and conquered.”— Portland Evening Express. BARBARA WINTHROP SERIES By Helen Katherine Broughall Each one volume, cloth decorative, 12mo, illustrated $2.00 BARBARA WINTHROP AT BOARDING SCHOOL BARBARA WINTHROP AT CAMP BARBARA WINTHROP: GRADUATE BARBARA WINTHROP ABROAD “Full of adventure—initiations, joys, picnics, parties, tragedies, vacation and all. Just what girls like, books in which ‘dreams come true,’ entertaining ‘gossipy’ books overflowing with conversation.”— Salt Lake City Deseret News. “High ideals and a real spirit of fun underlie the stories. They will be a decided addition to the bookshelves of the young girl for whom a holiday gift is contemplated.”— Los Angeles Saturday Night. DOCTOR’S LITTLE GIRL SERIES By Marion Ames Taggart Each large 12mo, cloth, illustrated, per volume , $1.75 THE DOCTOR’S LITTLE GIRL “A charming story of the ups and downs of the life of a dear little maid.”— The Churchman. SWEET NANCY: The Further Adventures of the Doctor’s Little Girl . “Just the sort of book to amuse, while its influence cannot but be elevating.”— New York Sun. NANCY, THE DOCTOR’S LITTLE PARTNER “The story is sweet and fascinating, such as many girls of wholesome tastes will enjoy.”— Springfield Union. NANCY PORTER’S OPPORTUNITY “Nancy shows throughout that she is a splendid young woman, with plenty of pluck.”— Boston Globe. NANCY AND THE COGGS TWINS “The story is refreshing.”— New York Sun. THE PEGGY RAYMOND SERIES By Harriet Lummis Smith Each one volume, cloth, decorative, 12mo, illustrated, per volume $1.75 PEGGY RAYMOND’S SUCCESS; Or, The Girls of Friendly Terrace . “It is a book that cheers, that inspires to higher thinking; it knits hearts; it unfolds neighborhood plans in a way that makes one tingle to try carrying them out, and most of all it proves that in daily life, threads of wonderful issues are being woven in with what appears the most ordinary of material, but which in the end brings results stranger than the most thrilling fiction.”— Belle Kellogg Towne in The Young People’s Weekly, Chicago. PEGGY RAYMOND’S VACATION “It is a clean, wholesome, hearty story, well told and full of incident. It carries one through experiences that hearten and brighten the day.”— Utica, N. Y., Observer. PEGGY RAYMOND’S SCHOOL DAYS “It is a bright, entertaining story, with happy girls, good times, natural development, and a gentle earnestness of general tone.”— The Christian Register, Boston. PEGGY RAYMOND’S FRIENDLY TERRACE QUARTETTE “The story is told in easy and entertaining style and is a most delightful narrative, especially for young people. It will also make the older readers feel younger, for while reading it they will surely live again in the days of their youth.”— Troy Budget. PEGGY RAYMOND’S WAY “The author has again produced a story that is replete with wholesome incidents and makes Peggy more lovable than ever as a companion and leader.”— World of Books. FAMOUS LEADERS SERIES By Charles H. L. Johnston Each large 12mo, cloth decorative, illustrated, per volume (unless otherwise stated) $2.00 FAMOUS CAVALRY LEADERS “More of such books should be written, books that acquaint young readers with historical personages in a pleasant, informal way.”— New York Sun. FAMOUS INDIAN CHIEFS “Mr. Johnston has done faithful work in this volume, and his relation of battles, sieges and struggles of these famous Indians with the whites for the possession of America is a worthy addition to United States History.”— New York Marine Journal. FAMOUS SCOUTS “It is the kind of a book that will have a great fascination for boys and young men.”— New London Day. FAMOUS PRIVATEERSMEN AND ADVENTURERS OF THE SEA “The tales are more than merely interesting; they are entrancing, stirring the blood with thrilling force.”— Pittsburgh Post. FAMOUS FRONTIERSMEN AND HEROES OF THE BORDER “The accounts are not only authentic, but distinctly readable, making a book of wide appeal to all who love the history of actual adventure.”— Cleveland Leader. FAMOUS DISCOVERERS AND EXPLORERS OF AMERICA “The book is an epitome of some of the wildest and bravest adventures of which the world has known.”— Brooklyn Daily Eagle. FAMOUS GENERALS OF THE GREAT WAR Who Led the United States and Her Allies to a Glorious Victory. “The pages of this book have the charm of romance without its unreality. The book illuminates, with life-like portraits, the history of the World War.”— Rochester Post Express. FAMOUS AMERICAN ATHLETES OF TODAY Cloth 12mo, illustrated from specially autographed photographs $2.50 “From Lindy to Bobby Jones, including Helen and Trudy, they are all here—and a right fine company they are. We are not acquainted with anyone who will not enjoy these fascinating stories of virile people.”— Monthly Book Talk. By Edwin Wildman THE FOUNDERS OF AMERICA (Lives of Great Americans from the Revolution to the Monroe Doctrine) THE BUILDERS OF AMERICA (Lives of Great Americans from the Monroe Doctrine to the Civil War) FAMOUS LEADERS OF CHARACTER (Lives of Great Americans from the Civil War to Today) FAMOUS LEADERS OF INDUSTRY.—First Series FAMOUS LEADERS OF INDUSTRY.—Second Series “These biographies drive home the truth that just as every soldier of Napoleon carried a marshal’s baton in his knapsack, so every American youngster carries potential success under his hat.”— New York World. By Charles Lee Lewis Professor, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis FAMOUS AMERICAN NAVAL OFFICERS With a complete index. “In connection with the life of John Paul Jones, Stephen Decatur, and other famous naval officers, he groups the events of the period in which the officer distinguished himself, and combines the whole into a colorful and stirring narrative.”— Boston Herald. STORIES BY EVALEEN STEIN Each one volume, 12mo, illustrated $1.65 GABRIEL AND THE HOUR BOOK A LITTLE SHEPHERD OF PROVENCE THE CHRISTMAS PORRINGER THE LITTLE COUNT OF NORMANDY PEPIN: A Tale of Twelfth Night CHILDREN’S STORIES THE CIRCUS DWARF STORIES WHEN FAIRIES WERE FRIENDLY TROUBADOUR TALES “No works in juvenile fiction contain so many of the elements that stir the hearts of children and grown-ups as well as do the stories so admirably told by this author.”— Louisville Daily Courier. “Evaleen Stein’s stories are music in prose—they are like pearls on a chain of gold—each word seems exactly the right word in the right place; the stories sing themselves out, they are so beautifully expressed.”— The Lafayette Leader. Transcriber’s Notes A few typographical errors or inconsistent spellings were corrected. In the text versions, delimited italicized text in _underscores_ (the HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.) *** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COPPER COLESON'S GHOST *** Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed. Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. START: FULL LICENSE THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license. Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg electronic works 1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. 1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. 1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg License when you share it without charge with others. 1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country other than the United States. 1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: 1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed: This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg™ License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. 1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. 1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg. 1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg License. 1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg work in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg website (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. 1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. 1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg electronic works provided that: • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.” • You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™ works. • You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work. • You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works. 1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. 1.F. 1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. 1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. 1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem. 1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. 1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. 1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg work, and (c) any Defect you cause. Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life. Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg’s goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org. Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws. The Foundation’s business office is located at 41 Watchung Plaza #516, Montclair NJ 07042, USA, +1 (862) 621-9288. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS. The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate . While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate. International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate. Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg electronic works Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. Most people start at our website which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org . This website includes information about Project Gutenberg, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.

Related documents

• The copper box#64515
• The Galactic Ghost#59991
• The Copperhead#52600
• The mill house mystery#64466
• Ghosts#34980