The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 306: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

/ \ = ~ TT a 300 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR; GARIBALDI’'S YOUNG CAPTAIN. ot ai oa “ Never mind that ; consult your own happiness, Think of Harry Steinbeck.” For a moment Emma seemed irresolute, But at last she rose, and, approaching the table, signed the contract and then sank into a chair, The baron’s turn now came, and he was about to sign his name, when Morris said, in a loud tone, ‘‘T forbid this marriage !” “You, sir?” said my lord, in a great passion. “Yes, Tdo, my lord; this is not the Baron Dun- coff—-I do not believe it is he.” “Can you prove what you say, insolent fool?” said the baron. ‘‘ Beware how you speak in your madness.”’ ‘‘T don’t believe you are the baron at all,” re- peated Morris, in an indignant manner, “Were you not in the presence of ladies, sir,” the baron replied, ‘I would strike you to the earth.” “These interruptions, Mr, Morris, are unac- countable,” said my lord. ‘Quite so, sir, most rascally and impudent,” said the little magistrate ; “that’s what I have told the fellow a dozen times to-day,” ‘“T care not what you say, my lord, and I care not what people may think, I still assert that this person cannot be the true baron.” ‘Cannot, stupid fool?” said the ‘baron, red with rage, ‘cannot? Would you have proof?” “T would.” * Can you read ?”’ Veg.” ‘Then read that,” said he, placing a document in Morris’s hands. ‘That, you impudent, yulgar fellow, is my name, title, and pedigree, written and signed by myself, and, as you see, if you are not blind, is counter-signed and sealed in half-a-dozen different places by the various foreign consuls in Holland, who have known me and my family for years.” ‘‘ Quite true,” {said my lord, “‘ quite true, baron. ‘“T have read the document through and through, and am perfectly satisfied of its authenticity.” The baron bowed. “And my daughter also. Is it not so, Emma?”’ “Tt is, my noble father,’ Lady Emma replied ; ‘*T have read the document, and am perfectly satis- fied with its authenticity.” Morris hung his head like a man who had com- mitted some grave fault. “Are you satisfied, my inquisitive friend?” said the baron, advancing towards Morris, with a super- cilious smile upon his countenance ; “are you satis- fied, my friend ?”’ “No, nor shall I ever be,” said Morris, proudly. ‘IT know that both my lord and his daughter are infatuated with you, but lam not. I know in my heart that you are an impostor, and nothing in the world shall make me think otherwise.” These words were spoken in a low tone of voice. No one heard them save the baron himself, From that moment there was a deadly hatred between Morris and Duncoff. Any judge of human nature would have seen in the eyes of each a revengeful fiery glow. ‘Come, baron, sign the marriage settlements,”’ said my lord. , args went tothe table and signed the con- ract, As he did so Morris glanced over the baron’s shoulder, and then burst out into an uproarious fit . of laughter which astonished every one, “He has signed the document truly,” said Morris, “but not in the same handwriting as his Family decds! Heisan impostor ; it isnot Baron Duncoff, he is Jack Dingles! I know his handwriting, To see rw es _- I CE ttt ttt become possessed of this family deed he must have been the man who murdered the true baron on the road to Windermere !” ‘“What !” exclaimed my lord; “not the same writing 2” And he looked first at the signature in the marriage settlement, and compared it with the record of the Duncoff family, ; “Tt is not the same writing,” said my lord. “ Not by a long deal,” said the little magistrate, in great excitement. “There is some mystery ere,” The would-be baron turned all manner of colours and would have dashed out of the room, carrying with him Lady Emma’s dowry, which he had in notes in his pocket. : But on the instant he was seized by the little maeistrale, Harry Steinbeck, and Morris, and firmly eld. “You have got the odd trick, Morris,” said Jack ; ‘it is no use of denying it. I am not the Baron Duncoff.” “T knew it,” said Morris, ‘‘ No one else but Jack Dingles ?” ‘The same.” “Then I arrest you on the charge of murdering the real Baron Duncoff,” said Morris. “ As you like,” said Jack, crestfallen and annoyed, “‘T have all along been playing for a very heavy stake, but lost. I came very near doing the trick ; but you out-played me, I am tired of life; do with me whatever you please.”’ Jack Dingles was led forth, handcuffed, cast into gaol, tried, sentenced, and soon after hung at York Castle. “But what became of the daughter, Lady Emma?” said Tom Ford, “ She ultimately married Harry Steinbeck,” said Gale, “and my lord, through his influence at court, managed to have the title and estates revert to Harry Steinbeck upon his own demise.” ‘“‘And it was proved, then, that this desperate fellow actually did murder the true Baron Dun- coff ?’ ‘Yes ; Jack Dingles stopped at the same road-side inn one night whereat the baron was putting up. He learned everything he could abont him, and waylaid him, stopped the carriage, drove off the coachman and footman, killed the owner, and ap- propriated all his goods and valuables.” ‘What an audacious scoundrel!” said Tom. “ But what did my lord do for Mr. Morris ?” ‘He gave him a very handsome pension for life, and so did the government, and, as you will say, he richly deserved it,” CHAPTER CIV, GALE RELATES ANOTHER OF THE DETECTIVE’S STORIES. ‘“ BRAVO!” said Tom, when Sergeant Gale had finished his narration, ‘ bravo, for the clever fellow APRS Let us drink his health in a bumper, Mr, ale.” ‘With all my heart, Captain Tom,” the officer replied, “And is he living now, Gale ?” “Yes, and doing well.” “Not in the ‘ force,’ I suppose?” said Tom, ‘No, he has retired many years ago.” ‘‘ Well, good luck to him, say I, wherever he is.” ‘And so say I also, Most people, perhaps, might look upon what I have now told you asa bit of oO GComicbooksr#eom