Diamond Dick, Jr.: The Boys' Best Weekly — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

li DIAMOND DICK, JR. OUT OF SIGHT. Bertie, in his light and airy fashion. “Tead on; I’m with you.”’ ‘This way sir.”? He started along the hard road, and the gates swung to and shut Bertie within. The way was still upward, but finally a suminit was reached, and from there a beautiful vista broke upon the sight. There was a long, gradual slope down- ward, terminating at a beautiful moon-lit lake, and on the right were the cleared acres of the mad milllionaires’ estate. Instead of rock, here was soil, inclosed between dense black forests on either side. And across the lake was seen a con- tinuation of the wild and rugged moun- tains in all their grand confusion. It looked as if here a little Eden had been let down out of the skies, the lake being a part of it. Near the lake stood the mansion, electric lighted. Bertie whistled softly as he looked around and took in the beauties of the scene. “There are no flies on our friend Humphreys, that’s certain,’’ he made re- mark, ‘‘He has got a little paradise here, sure enough.’’ The footman made no response. ‘“Why don’t you say something, bottle- green ?’? Bertie demanded. Green was the color of the footman’s livery. “Certainly, anything you want me to say,’’ the flunky responded. ‘‘It is a nice place, certainly.’’ ‘Rhen why didn’t you say so?”’ ‘Tam a footman, and could not pre- sume so far, sir.”? “‘Ah, Isee. I had to break the ice by inviting you to talk, eh?”? ‘Ves, sir.”? ‘How long have you been here ?”’ ‘Ever since Mr. Humphryes took up his abode here, sir.’’ ‘‘And what was his object in burying himself from the world in such a spot as this?”? ‘He was tired of the world, sir. He thought his fellow men were all beggars who were after his wealth and cared noth- ing for him.”? ‘“Vet it seems he allows them to come here.”? | ‘Oh, yes, he has many friends whom he likes to see and entertain, but he has left the world at large and moved into this littie world of his own making.”? ‘‘And does he admit every caller as he -adinitted me?’ ‘No, sir. But then, callers are rare indeed, except those who are looked for.”’ ‘Phen I wonder why he adinitted me??? ‘‘T don’t know, sir. must be a friend of his.”? ‘'On the contrary Iam an utter stranger and I am here out of idle curiosity only.”? ‘Well, he had his reason, no doubt of that. You must be a noted person of whom he has heard, Iimagine. Excuse me, but here I leave you.’ They had come to the place where the cultivated ground and the lawns joined, and here another footman was waiting to I thought you receive the guest and conduct him into » the presence of the master of the mansion. This was the one who had presented the note and photograph to Humphryes, as shown. Those articles, by the way, had been sent to the mansion through a pneumatic tube from the point where Bertie had been stopped at first. ‘‘Mr. Wade, to see Mr. Humphryes,”? said one flunky to the other, and the one who had conducted Bertie thus far turned back, while the other politely said ‘*Follow me, sir,’’ and started off toward the mansion. Bertie followed him, and in a few mo- ments they reached the main entrance to the house. The footman opened the door, and thiey entered. Passing down the hall, the flunky opened a door on the right and announced ‘‘Mr. Wade.”? Bertie entered and found himself in the presence of the mad millionaire and those with him, and his quick insight soon singled out the proprietor. “Mr. Humphryes,’’ he said, advancing toward him. ‘‘Ves, sir,’? said the man, rising and holding out his hand. ‘‘Welcome to Humphryes’ Hermitage, Diamond Dick, Jr.” One with less nerve and coolness than Bertie would have started. Not so Diamond Dick, Jr. COMmiclsOolkxs CO