Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 1014 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee ER ee ee OE een ee Ot “i wtvietaae ee ” 12 ge ee eee me a gmt «ey — ra . tn, Ot, el ~ 2 co ae Middy Ned, the Runaway. **Out of the way!’ roared Blood, bursting through the crowd; anJ, snatching up the skin wrapped it around Miss Eirington, who was already half unconscious from fright, and promptly became wholly so when he picked her up. ‘*Go ahead, and find some of the servants who haven’t _— quite mad! Quick, my lad!” directed Blood, Angry at their failure to assist him, and smart- ing with pain, Ned’s method of making way through the excited crowd was, like hisjrecent language, more forcible than polite; but it was very effective, Just as he reached the door, closely followed by Blood, the commandant made his appear- ance, calm, but anxious looking, through the exaggerated report of a servant, ‘* This way,” he directed, instantly guessing the truth, and led the way to his wife’s apart- ment, dispatching a servant for a physician while on the way. ‘*OF the two, the rescuer came off second best,” reported the physician, coming from Miss Elrington, to dress Ned’s burnt hand, ‘*She escaped with a blistered arm, that will be healed long before this poor hand— the hand that probably saved her life,” he added, **No, no! It was Captain Blood who saved her life!” protested Ned. ‘*The really danger- ous fire was beginning to burn, when he came,” But nobody took any notice of the protest— especially as the captain himself laughed at it. ‘**He bad better remain here to-night, and re- tire to rest at once,” decided the physician. ‘* Very well, if pe think it necessary,” hesi- tatingly returned Blood, ‘‘I do. The hand is severely burnt, and it will be better not to permit him to get more ex- cited than he now is,” Accordingly Ned went to bed, and dreamt of a burning iceberg, which suddenly melted into @ beautiful woman. CHAPTER XVII, MIXED UP IN MYSTERY, Doctor RAMSEY, the physician, was a Scotch- mun, He had made certain that Ned should sleep by dropping a pinch of morphine into the drink which the latter took before retiring, and it was late, therefore, when he opened his eyes. Ned had recovered consciousness full of his dream, (which, by the way, had ended with the marriage of the beautiful iceberg woman and Captain Blood!) and could hardly believe himself awake when he found the beautiful woman lean- ing over him, looking at his burnt hand, ‘“‘Ab! You have caught me!” exclaimed Miss Elrington, smiling as she saw that Ned’s admir- iny eyes were open and fixed upon her, ** Yes,” he admitted. ‘‘ but [ knew you were there,” He still was full of bisdream, and certainly not more than awake—drugs at night are not apt to enliven one’s wits in the morning, ‘* Why, how could you know I was here?” ask- ed the astonished lady, This brought Ned to his senses, and with an emba laugh, he explained: ‘* I’m afraid I was mixing my dream with the reality.” ‘* Then you were dreaming of me, were you?” asked Miss Elrington, much interested. ** Oh, yes—of you and thecaptain. He saved you from being burnt, you know,” ** Why, no; you must bedreaming yet. ’Twas yon who saved me from being burnt,” laughing- y protested Miss Elrington. ‘* By no means!” eagerly protested Ned, glad of the opportunity to set things right, from his standpoint. ‘' By no means, Miss Elrington! I manag d to put out the gauze, but the heavy linen was beginning to burn when Captain Blood wrapped you in the skin,” ‘** Captain Blood! What Captain Blood?” Miss Elrington looked strangely agitated asshe asked the questlon. ** Not much iceberg about her, now?” mental- ly commented Ned, and aloud: ** Don’t know that I can tell you that, Miss Elrington; but I’m pretty sure he knows you,” ‘* Why—why do you think so?”—with feverish eagerness, ‘** Well, I don’t think it; I feel sure of it, be- cause he looked as if he had seen a ghost when A passed through the room last night, and here isn’t anything else buman that could do what the mere sight of —- did,” “* Gracious Heaven! It seemed a dream! Still, it was his face | saw last night. Yes, yes— *twas George—poor George!” She seemed oblivious of Ned’s presence, and was buried in thought—sad thought from the “~~ ee +) Foe, expression of her countenance—for several min- utes when, without the least warning, Blood en- tered the room! For a moment, he remained just inside the door, unperceived, but too astonished to take ad- vantage of the opportunity to retire without be- ing seen, before he turned to go. It was too late, however, for the movement—something— attracted Miss Elrington’s attention. ‘*George!” she shrieked, and would have fal- len, had not Blood sprung and caught her, Witb a bitter objurgation on the carelessness of the servant who had informed him that Ned was alone, Blood oe Miss Elrington in an easy-chair beside Ned’s bed, The ex-smuggler was laboring under great ex- citement, and his voice was thick as he almost whispered: : ‘* Ned, you must leave here as soon as this lady is removed, I will send some of the ser- vants immediately, Hurry away without say- in anything to any one, unless you wish to be left behind!” He was gone with the last word, leaving Ned fairly Pein nace with astonishment, from which he had not recovered when acouple servants entered and removed Miss Elrington, This reminded Ned of what he had to do, un- less he ‘* wished to be left behind ;” and although > keygen by the words, he jumped out of Led, ‘*Secrecy seems necessary, so I must be care- ful,” muttered the ‘‘ patient,” when he had man- aged to complete dressing, and, cautiously open- ing his door, listened, Nothing was heard; no one moving, or talk- ing on that floor; but above there was noise enough to make up for the silence below. ‘** Attending Miss Elrington,” commented Ned, and moving quietly, the Yankee boy passed out of the commandant’s house without meeting any one, Just outside the entrance he met Frank, who immediately turned and walked toward the river until they reached a little cafe, which the latter entered, ‘* What’s all this mystery about?’ asked Ned, who had followed a shert distance behind his friend, wondering at this new turn of affairs, ‘*Waita bit. Sit down,” replied Harry, and to the waiter who approached: ‘*A bottle of your best claret.” ‘* We are going to sail to-night,” he continued, as soon as the waiter was out of hearing, ‘‘ and you and I are to meét the schooner at the mouth of the river about midnight, **In a little while we will leave this hole, hire a boat, andgo down the river.” ‘*Why, what has happened?” asked Ned, more and more astonished, ‘*Don’t ask me, for I know nothing. The captain came aboard a short time before you saw me and bade me waitfor you, do as l’ve told you, and say what I’ve said,” Ned emitted an expressive whistle, and Harry nodded grave assent, as the waiter placed the wine before them, Nothing more passed between the lads until they quited the cafe for the water front, where a boat was engaged—the owner of which, re- cognizing them as part of the Volunteer’s crew, refused to accept any security, ‘* All right—and many thanks to you,” said Harry,and drawing a guinea from his pocket, continued: *“*Pve an equally good opinion of you, 80, if you'll take care of this for me, I'l be obliged. I’m afraid it would be spent before we get back.” The Frenchman grinned as he took the money, little dreaming of the true meaning of the “‘ ec- centric American,” ‘* What the deuce did you do that for?” asked Ned, as they pulled out into the stream. ‘*Why, to pay for the boat, or rather the recovery of it, of course,” ‘*tello! Don’t look ’round! Be as deaf as an adder!” continued Frank bending to the oars, and keeping his eyes in the boat, ‘** It’s one of the commandant’s servants,” he explained, as the voice of a man on shore, hailing in French and English, reached them, No attention was paid to the man’s cries, Ned, steering, kept looking straight ahead, while Frank, bending over the oars, was too busy to heed them, and soon the boat was out of earshot, **Tt’s all right; he’s given up.” said Frank, seeing the man turn awayin disgust. ‘‘ They’ll think you've stolen away for a day’s fun, and won’t suspect the truth until it’s too late.” This proved to be the case. The servant was sworn at by the doctor for not following the boys in another boat, and that ended the matter for the day. Shortly after the unsuccessful messenger’s re- turn, the commandant received an invitation to dine on board the Volunteer that evening, which was promptly accepted because of a line at the bottom: ‘*{ have something to say in explanation of last night's fracas,” The commandant admired Blood, but he did not like ‘‘a deserter from the British service, and a murderous scoundrel,” and was really anxious to hear the explanation, Long before the appointed time, it was pretty generally known in military circles that, not- withstanding the occurrence of the previous night, the commandant was going to dine with Captain Blood, uring the afternoon, the French authorities received a request to arrest ‘‘ St. George Blood Howard, formerly a lieutenant in Her Britannic Majesty. service, a deserter,and murderer of Lieutenant George Elrington.” This was a very serious charge against the man who had been honored by the commander of a fine frigate, but the very fact that he had been so honored, as well as the promptitude with which the accusation had been resented the pre- vious night in their presence, made the French officials cautious about acting upon the request of the Englis’ ensul. Shortly after this startling information was received, came the news that the commandant was going to dine with the accused, and there was a general feeling of relief, ‘*Bah! It is jealousy!” exclaimed one of the officials, ‘* More than that—revenge for the way the English were beaten yesterday,” said another, adding: Me We will await a report from the command- ant. Be assured we shall hear something dif- ferent from him, Heis not the man to dine with & murderer,” This speech met with a murmur of approval, and, therefore, when, (after the commandant was on board,) the Volunteer lifted her anchor and dropped down the river, no attempt was made to bar her progress, ‘* Merely a little excursion—they will not go beyond the boundary,” asserted the gentleman who had vouched for the commandant. This was quickly confirmed by a report that the Volunteer was anchored at the mouth of the Garonne, right under the guns of a French seventy-four; but, when morning came the schooner was missing! So was the command- ant! For several hours there was great excitement throughout the city, which became intensified by the arrival of the commandant in a fishing smack, The latter had a long interview with the civil and military officials, after which the British consul, who had been clamoring for information, was informed that the schooner had escaped through kidnapping the commandant ;—and that was all the satisfaction he received. CHAPTER XVIII, THE CAPTAIN’S COUP, A WEEK »fter the nocturnal flight of the Vol- unteer, his Brictannic Majesty’s man-of-war big Rattlesnake dropped anchor off the mouth of the River Garonne, and her first lieutenant went ashore, The Rattlesnake looked like the brig which had received so severe, though deserved, @ punish- ment from the Volunteer, but the French authori- ties were not inclined to be inquisitive, especial- ly asthe English representative had been ina ae ang ugly mood ever since the escape of lood—or, as he was described in the request to seize him, St. George Blood Howard, Personally, the consul ‘‘didn’t care two straws” about Blood’s escape, but he was being pushed by one whose influence carried conside- rable weight at the Foreign Office in London, and he, as well as his assistants, breathed a sigh of relief when it was announced that the Rattle- snake was in the offing. ‘‘ Thank Heaven! Now, if her commander will only see fit to join his ship, we shall have some peace,” muttered the consul, “Gracious! Here he comes again!” continued the harassed official, as he heard anauthoritative voice in the outer office inquiring if he was with- in, A moment later a clerk entered to announce “Sir Henry Wilson,” but without awaiting per- mission, the gentleman himself entered. He was the man who had accused Blood of being a deserter and a murderer, and was the commander of the Rattlesnake. 00.0 Comic : gy? a) ie .cOomM —