The Halfpenny Surprise, Vol. I, No. 20 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

12 THE HALFPENNY SURPRISE. “Pray do, I want amusing. Help yourself to wine and a cigar, they will help your inventive faculties.” “The sober truth needs no garnishing,” was the dignified retort. Ephraim Lewis had a series of re- markable dreams.” “Ah! I thought something of the kind was coming,” said Sir Percival, sneeringly. Unheeding the interruption, Frank Lister pursued: “He went down to Monkstown, bribed the sexton, pense the coffin—a shabby one, by the way, for the wife of a baronet—and lo! found his sister, who had been buried in the trance you had thrown her into, alive! He wanted to prosecute you, but she begged that he would hush the matter up, and take her back with him to Africa; for you having made one attempt on her life, she feared a second.” “If you want the sequel to this strange story I can supply it, for I met and conversed with your first wife just before my return to England! If further proof is’ wanting, I can produce Job Quilton, the sexton, who left Monkstown, and has been living elsewhere for a on a comfortable annuity, settled on him by phroing Lewis.” he baronet wiped his clammy brow, and said, huskily, almost inarticulately, “Even if this more than strange story be true, it does not prove me guilty of an attempt to murder her!” “Your brother’s diary does that conclusively. You procured the drug, and he put it in her wine when the - nurse’s back was turned. But he overlooked the fact that she saw his act in a looking-glass, and upbraided him with it. : ‘**He pretended that it was only a harmless drug to induce sleep. She put the wine in a bottle, and slipped out ata late hour to get her brother, who wasa ehemist, to analyse it; but she never reached Monkstown. Her body was found in a brook, the same into which Doctor Merton was thrown after being foully murdered!” “Really, Mr. Lister, you place too much stress upon the alleged statements of my brother, who has been more or less insane ever since he was a little child,” observed Sir Percival, with a sickly smile. “If, as you tell me, my first wife is alive, let her return to me, and I will forgive her long deceit.” “Do angels mate with fiends?” asked Lister, his eyes flashing with the fires of indignant scorn. “She is an angel of mercy; forsaking the pomps and vanities of this world, she became a missionary among the natives. “One of them, in return for succouring him when dying and soothing his last moments, confided to her the secret of a submerged palace, once the habitation of a race of ancient African kings. “T have been there; it is situated beneath the River of Death. It is a store-liouse of wealth, but the secret is well guarded, for I was blindfolded before being ‘ admitted” Flinter, who was in the adjoining room listening to all that passed and longing to put a bullet or a knife through the heart of Frank, gave a start, and his face filled with ferocious joy on hearing of this vast treasure. “T will find out the secret,” he muttered to himself, “and the wealth he speaks of shall be mine—all mine!” “What name is she known by ?” asked the baronet. “What is your motive for asking P” “Some day I intend going to Africa, and would like to meet her again.” “ She is known to the natives, far and near, as ‘Queen of the Forest.” “Now, Mr. Lister, I want you to answer me this question: Is Charles Holmes living or dead P” At this moment, the servant announced another visitor, and the interruption prevented Frank from a “TI will call upon you again about this business, Sir “Do you like the ‘Halfpenny Surprise’?” “Yes.” Percival,” he said stiffly, ignoring the baronet’s extended hand, and withdrew. When the brothers were alone, Flinter said: ‘“ You and I must leave for the Cape by the next steamer, Percival. They can’t proceed against you in your absence. England is not the place for you just now. “ Besides, look at the wealth to be obtained in that submerged palace of which your first wife is the custodian. What do you say? Will you stay to be worried, badgered, bullied, insulted, perhaps put in prison, and all the skeletons of our family exhibited in public, or make a bold bid for liberty and wealth, with me to aid you?” «IT will go, Richard. Make all the necessary arrange- ments. I can lay my hands on a large sum of money at a moments notice, and we will travel under assumed es. “ Egad! if I do lose Charlés Holmes’ patrimony, Pll gain greater wealth from my first wife. By playing the RY ROSE Ee I think I can win myself back into her avour. CHAPTER IV. ON BOARD THE “OSTRICH ”—FLINTER AND CHARLES HOLMES ARE WASHED OVERBOAED—ON THE LONE ROCK—SAVED BY NATIVES—TIHE BARONET AND FLINTER GAIN ACCESS TO THE SUBMERGED PALACE —FLINTER DRUGS THE OCCUPANTS AND MURDERS HIS BROTHER—NAJA’S VENGEANCE. THE good ship Ostrich steamed out of the docks en route for Cape Town with a fair complement of assengers, among whom were Sir Percival Greene and ichard Flinter, under aliases. One passenger, an invalid, kept to‘his cabin, névereQnce:‘coming on -deck even when the weather was most inviting: * The passage was an uneventful one until they sighted the coast of Africa, when a fearful storm broke out one night. It burst upon the vessel with all the fury of a pylons causing its timbers to groan and creak until they threatened to burst asunder. Flinter remained on deck, but his brother kept below, for the war of the elements was not to his liking. During a more than vivid flash of lightning he saw someone standing near him, and gave a violent start on recognising Charles Holmes, nota spectre, but a being of flesh and blood like himself. All the evilin Flinter’s nature surged through the black heart of the man at sight of the lad whom he had unjustly accused of the foul crime of murder and tried to hound to death. It has been well said, that those we injure the most we hate the most. “So the mystery of Monk House stands before me,” he thought, vengefully. “ Not content with playing the ‘bogie man’ business there he shadows me fae intent upon my destruction. Surely, on a wild night like this, with nobody about, it ought not to be difficult to rid myself of him for ever?” He made a step or two towards him, when a huge wave burst over the poop, carrying both overboard. At the same moment a lurid, almost blinding flash of lightning disclosed a huge rock, within a stone throw of the Ostrich, and then came a mighty crash, and the vessel struck. By the same wave that had carried him overboard, Charles Holmes was caught and hurled upon the rock, which had a flat surface. Flinter, who seized a life belt, was not quite so lucky, for before he gained the same position his right leg was almost disabled. Luckily the storm of raging wind abated as quickly as it had begun, giving place to a deluge of rain. * Charlie was too exhausted, too prostrate, to pay much attention to the presence of another human being. When day broke he saw and recognised Flinter, who was moaning and groaning painfully. “It will cost‘only a few words to tell your friends so, but you will do us a great favour’ comiclbooks.cormn