The Halfpenny Surprise, Vol. I, No. 20 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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16 THE HALFPENNY SURPRISE. By “And there is that disagreeable sound again,” said Sir Percival, starting violently. “I wonder what sort of animal it can be?” “A jackal, most likely,’ said Dick Flinter, leaping up and clutching at one of the lower branches of the tree. “ And it is the jackal that leads the lion to his prey,” Sir Percival thought, with a shudder. “I do not lke the easy way they allowed us to escape. There must be something in it, I am sure.” He climbed the tree as soon as possible, and selecting a forked branch, ensconced himself as comfortably as possible on it. Dick Flinter soon began to snore as loudly as if tucked up in a feather bed. “ What a man he is, to be sure,” the baronet thought. “ Nothing seems to upset him. Here am I shivering and shaking with fright, while he is as happy as a king, and no doubt dreaming happily.” Sir Percival had never made a greater mistake in his life. Dick Flinter at that moment was dreaming most unpleasantly. It seemed to him that a huge creature of the tiger species had seized him by the neck, and was marching off with him to the crater of a voleano belching forth fire and molten lava. The more he struggled the weaker he became, until at last he, with a mighty effort, twisted himself round —and awoke. “By jingo!” he said, sweeping away the beads of perspiration which had gathered on his brow, “I would not go through that again for the best hundred sovereigns that ever came out of the Mint.” Sir Percival was about to make some remark, when Dick Flinter, who was now standing on the branch and peering through the foliage, uttered a cry of alarm and ntl fell. “What is the matter?” the baronet demanded. “Matter enough to drive us both mad,” Flinter pees “Those devils of natives have set the forest on re. Without ascertaining for himself what was going on, Sir Percival flung up his arms and cried out bitterly, “We are lost! Oh, what a fearful death to die! Mercy, what shall we do?” Dick Flinter made no reply in words, but he dropped to the ground, as if the tree had suddenly turned red- hot, and Sir Percival made haste to follow his example. The forest was on fire in several directions. This was Naja’s revenge. Without consulting any one he liberated the pri- soners, only to entrap them again, and to an awful doom. “Which way shall we go?” Sir Percival asked. “I know not,” Flinter replied, gloomily. ‘I fear it is all up with us. The north and west sides are ablaze, and soon we shall be enclosed in a circle of fire.” And even as he spoke the flames, with a terrible rush and a roar, swept round, and then advanced on all sides. In the midst of this mass of fire whirled a column of black smoke, and it bore down upon the two men, who, knowing that it would be useless to seek safety in flight, stood trembling, and trying to utter the prayers they had long unheeded and forgotten. One shriek of terror and agony, followed by another and a hoarser one, and all was over. In afew moments nothing remained of Sir Percival and his villainous brether but a few charred bones. And then the flames passed onward, leaving blackness, desolation, and death in their wake. * * * * Now that both his enemies were dead, Charlie decided to return to England, which he did in the company of the Quéen of the Forest, Rose, Frank, and Naja, and bringing with them vast stores of treasure. Charlie and Rose were married in time. The Queen of the Forest inherited her husband’s fortune, and Frank Lister, settling near his friends, led the jolly and happy life shared by: all. You must have observed that the popularity of the “Halfpenn: All back numbers, parts, and divisions will The following is an Extract from the powerfully written, complete, and splendidly Illustrated Story, entitled, The Four Conspirators. See No. 21 of THE HALFPENNY SURPRISE, March 22, 1895. “The forged one is the one Beatrice herself holds now, and which will leave all the property to her if Spencer goes to prison. It is diabolical, and words cannot tell my remorse for what I have done. Oh, if there is some way out of it!” “There isn’t, I fear,” Hayman replied, in a tone that accorded with the part he was acting; but sudden and critical ideas were flying through his mind. He had made a frightful mistake. He ought to have brought someone with him to take down Bapples’ words. His own uncorroborated statement would count for nothing. Fool! Fool! He sprang up and walked the floor, thinking rapidly. It was a disastrous blunder, but it still might Be rectified. He would return for the two men and have them witness the confession. ‘“‘Bapples,” he said, “ I left one of our men back here on the road to watch. As it is getting late we can sleep here, can’t we?” The old man nodded assent. Hayman rose at once and walked towards the cabin- door, but before he could lay his hand upon the bolt there was the sound of footsteps without, and the snort of a horse as a man was heard to dismount. Bapples fell back in dismay. For a moment every- thing seemed to his dazed senses to be whirling round him in unutterable confusion. He did not know how to act, or what to say. He was trapped, and no mistake. A thundering knock fell upon the rickety. door that shook it like a dead leaf in winter. ““Who’s that, BapplesP” Hayman ejaculated in a dismayed whisper. “Hush! I don’t know. tives.” “What's to be done P” said Hayman. A bright thought struck him. Bapples notion that he was likely to be arrested supplied the young lawyer with a good excuse for resisting the intruders. “ Quick! open this door, Bapples, or, by heaven, you shall answer for it with your life!” came a low, muffled voice against the window. “It’s all right,” said the old man to Hayman, as he went towards the door with the intention of admitting the speaker. “ He’s one of us. I know his voice.” Hayman placed his hand on Bapples’ arm, and held it with a grip of iron. “Don’t move, you fool! or you'll move at your peril! How easy it is for the police to assume familiar, but false voices. It’s only a try-on.” “T could swear that that is the voice of Perryman,” said Bapples, again making his way to the door. “I don’t believe it,” exclaimed Hayman. “And rather than you shall give yourself and us away, by heaven, I will send this bullet through your brain!” Hayman stood with his back against the door, and pointed the revolver determinedly at old Bapples. This was something unexpected by the old man. He sank back, silent and petrified with horror! Suddenly a crunching sound was heard at the rear of the cabin, as if of some one plying a jemmy between the chinks that young Hayman had seen. Possibly they are detec- You must order early No. 21 of THE “ HALFPENNY SURPRISE,” PUBLISHED, NEXT FRIDAY. Surprise” is increasing every week. e always kept in print. comiclooks.comn