Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1015 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

; ‘ | | ’ ee ‘ el _ 2 ee ee — em : — ee i -—_ Ss a —a ge = _ —- - —~——<e At first he was inclined to be discouraged. The contrast between his present position and that of an hour previous was heartrending. Then he was free, and had the man he was run- ning downin a measure at his mercy. But he thought of Agnes and bis hoped revived. ‘**] will not die in this hole!” he said aloud, ** That defenseless girl needs me more than ever. Without my aid Smalley will accomplish but little. By heavens! I will be free again,” He felt of his bruises and strove to rise, Though sore indeed, he was thankful to discover that no bones were broken or cords twisted, Then he began to feel his way about. The roar of the city sounded faint and far away, in that subterranean place, It was, he thought, the disused cellar of the old house dug beneath the low basement. He felt in his pockets. There were three matches there, He struck one on his boot-heel, glanced rapidly about, then looked downward. He reeled and almost fell as the match went out. Within three feet of where he stood was a yawning black hole paved round on its upper edge with brick. Another step in the darkness and he would have been precipitated into its depths, In his look about, he saw that the cel- lar was small and that there were no windows or other outlet except the trap-door. There was nothing but the moldy walls, the damp flooring under foot, the steep stairs at his back, down which he had fallen, and the treacherous well in the center. He was, as it were, buried alive. He took his bearings and began to follow the circuit of the walls, feeling every foot of space tosee if there was any break or obscure outlet that had escaped his notice before. He feared to use his other matches except in a dire emer- gency. Placing his hat at the foot of the wall, he made the circuit surely but slowly, until bis foot struck it on his return after passing the steps. Apparently, he had accomplished noth- ing more than to ascertain that he was immured asif in some medieval dungeon. There was no avenue of escape but the trap. He crawled on his knees to the edge of the well, struck another match and peered down into its depths, He could see the reflection of water far below but—nothing else. Just as the match was going out he saw some object at his feet. Picking it up he felt of it carefully. It was an iron bar, much rusted, and had pro- bably been some part of a former pump, It was heavy enough for a weapon and somehow his heart lightened a little, He was not entirely defenseless. Then he sat down, rubbed his sore places and reflected. The trap-door seemed to be well- nigh impassable, but it appeared to be his only chance of escape. It was worth looking into, Already the close, mephitic air was becoming oppressive, This underground cellar had not, in all probability, been opened before in years, Tom crawled to tha foot of the steps and cau- tiously ascended until he could feel the trap- dooroverhead, Thenhe hesitated. What could he do against those heavy fastenings? An omi- nous growl sounded from above. The beast, disturbed by Tom’s maneuvers, was evincing its famishing condition by a show of its savage tem- r. P poland sat there for a long time, thoroughly rplexed, His case seemed to be hopeless, At ast, more from curiosity than hore, be set his shoulder against the trap and pushed upward with all his might. He had not expected to ac- complish aught more than to test the impreg- nability of the fastenings, The next instant a joyful palpitation so weakened him that he sat down again trembling. The trap-door had moved, The growls were renewed with greater vehe- mence, but Tom sprung up again and applied his shoulders to the door with all his strength, Something gave way above. Either the iron fastenings had rusted or a portion of the wood- \work bad rotted. He raised the trap high enough to know that the door itself had ceased to be an obstacle to his escape, then he reseated himself to consider the manner of his next effort. He was both impatient and anxious, If Le- land were lost sight of, the possibility of his accomplishing a forced marriage would be in- creased, Boland’s only ation guide to the girl’s whereabouts was through what he had overheard in the talk between Leland and this Doctor Studley in the bar-room two weeks pre- viously. Swivel did not seem to know what had been done with the commodore’s daughter. Either that or else the butler was prevaricating, The location of Studley’s asylum was also un- known to the young detective, except that it | doctor’s location. The Reporter-Detective’s Big Pull. 9 was somewhere on Long Island, He had been shadowing Leland as his best course, meanwhile instituting inquiries through Smalley as to the The sooner he was out of this | hole the sooner would he be able to resume his Eee Ee cr ec cS operations, Taking out his silk handkerchief he set fire to it with his remaining match, Then, with the iron bar in his other hand, he threw open the trap with bis back and flung down the blazing kerchief on the upper floor, The red light flash- ed upon a pair of savagely-shining eyes and a low, bulky, crouching form, A loud snarl was heard as the lad sprung into the hall, and with rapid clankings of its chain, a large bulldog leaped at Tom’s throat, He struck one swift blow and grasped the brute’s throat as the light went out. Boland dropped the bar. It was useless in the dark, and all his strength was now needed as he clung with both hands to the dog’s throat, He felt its hot breath steaming in his face, and his ears were filled by its thick growls and chokings. The beast was unusually strong and crazed by hunger as well. Over the floor both man and dog rolled in a desperate struggle, Tom felt that his grip was growing weaker as the dog’s struggles grew more frantic. ‘*‘Am I to be murdered by this brute?” he thought as he panted more and more, He gavea vigorous push in order to enlarge his grasp, when the dog’s body sunk down sud- denly. Boland drew back instinctively. Then the animal’s clanking chain tightened with rigid vibrations, . The dog had fallen through the trap and hung beside the steep stairway. The vibra- eee lessened gradually then ceased and all was quiet. The dog in his fail bad hung himself, As Tom realized that this danger was surmounted, he sprung to his feet in exultation. He was saved an’ almost at liberty. ‘* Next time [ zo 2at without my pistol,” he thought, ‘‘ I will deserve just such luck again.” In his hasty toilet that morring when prepar- ing to goto the Hiffman, he had forgotten his revolver and Jeftitin hisroom. Hewent down, assured himself that the bulldog was dead, as it hung beside the stairs with its hind feet within six inches of the floor, hen regained his hat, and going back up, he rearranged his attire as best he could, then tried the basement door, With but little effort he wrenched loose the lock with the narrow edge of his iron bar, and passed out into the area, Theopen air and sunlight almost blinded bim, yet never did it seem so grateful fo his senses, ‘*l might as well go to the rendezvous and wait for Smalley,” he concluded as he hastened along the street. ‘*‘Meanwhile I will study up some new disguises. We may reed them soon,” Gaining Broadway, he walked rapidly for several blocks, thence made his way to where himself and Smalley had taken rooms on the east side. Passing Police Headquarters he ron in and asked aclerk whom he knew very well: ** No news yet, Barney?” ‘“* Faith but there is though, We were looking for you lastnight. Inspector came near opening this, but hesaid he would wait a few hours on you, being you was working a racketof your own.” Barney tossed out a sealed telegram which on at once opened. Then he looked up and suid: ‘*] know the inspector doesn’t think much of my moves, Good reason, Barney. He doesn’t know what I am up to; but he soon will—bet your sweet life! When I finally explain and turn over my prisoner, the least I expect is an offer of a choice job on the force,” ‘*Y think I see you getting it. me boy,” replied Sey with a good-natured but incredulous augh, Out on the street Tom again read over his telegram carefully. CHAPTER XII, SMALLEY’S FIASCO, A CHANGE OF PLAN, THE dispatch ran as follows: **HounTInNGTON, L. I., ** Oct, 8, 189—. ** THOMAS BOLAND:— ‘** Police Headquarters, ** Mulberry and Houstons Sts., N. Y.:— ** Have located her. Come on at once. ** Signed, ““STEPHEN BOLAND,” Tom thrust the telegram into his ket and pushed on rapidly toward bis rootiias >, rrr rrr Se a a NN SS —_—_-_------- OIOoCOCOoOooOoOooo™>— a= > | ‘The old governor hasn’t forgotten his old trade,” he said to himself, ‘* Lucky I thought to write to him, Heis more than apt to, know every old rookery within fifty miles of New York that has ever been under police sur- veillance. I hopeheis not on a wrong scent; but no. An old hand like he is, with the clues and description I gave him, would hardly go wrong.” Arrived at the house where he lodged, Boland let himself in with bis latch-key, hastened up three flights of stairs, opened his door and found George Smalley seated on the bedside in their modest apartment, looking quite de- jected. ‘* Hello, George!” cried Tom, drawing forth his dispatch, ‘‘I thought yau might be here, though I have been unavoidably detained. Now if you have got that Italian safe and haven’t lost track of Swivel, we can fly to the rescue of beauty in distress at once.” . Smalley read the telegram in a listless way, but did not seem to be greatly inspirited there- by. x What's the matter, old man?’ cried Tom. ‘“‘T have had a deuce of a time myself. Any- thing gone wrong?” **T should say so. Italian.” ‘* What?” exclaimed Boland. ‘* Tell me every- thing.” ‘* Instead of that, he, or rather that infernal butler and his master, nearly held me up.” ** Do you mean Leland?” ‘* The very identical cove.” ‘*Tmpossible! It has not been long since he locked me up in a miserable cellar.” For the first time Smalley looked ested. ‘‘ Explain yourself,” said he. ‘‘ Then I will tel] my story.” Tom related his misadventure, George gave a long whistle, ‘‘ Listen to me,” he began at last. When Swivel and I left the Hoffman, I made him pilot me to where Franconi was waiting and there introduce me asa trusted friend. I knew the trust part was too thin for credence, for I saw it inthe eyes of both the rascals to knife me if they dared, But, as we had the dead wood on the game, I cared little for that. We took a cab, drove to the pier where the City of Paris lay, and there is where I made a mistake. I already had the check and I should have had the Italian arrested at first. But I wanted to see what other move I might learn.” ‘‘ There is where you were wrong. You had all you wanted out of the Italian except his precious person, which would be safe only in a. police cell.” ‘*T know, but I thought I would let him get his ticket, then have the pier police arrest him on board, I thought taking him in the actof leaving, with check and ticket in possession, would strengthen the case against Leland. Proof of bribing the bloke to leave, don’t ycu see?’ ‘‘ That was hardly necessary. But—go on.” ‘* Well, when we reached the steamer another cab drove down on the pier just ahead of us, and out jumped Leland.” ‘‘ Leland!” gasped Boland. was that?” ‘* Might have been an hour or so,” Tom made a calculation. Then he said: ‘¢ Agsoon as Leland left me he must havetaken the cab and driven right to the pier. He prob- ably ted, from my following bim, that his pals would also be shadowed, and Franconi’s de- parture perhaps prevented. ‘““That is about the size of it, and the way he blocked my little plan was a caution. You would never guess his method,” “Oh, bother guessing! Go on withthe story.” “When he saw me he sci remembered my watching him in the Hoffman House reading- room, for he drew Swivel on one side, and I sup- pose the fellow told him who I was, end that I had the check,” ‘** T think I understand what his method was,” said Tom, eagerly. ‘* But, go on,George. Let’s have it all,” ** Presently he came tats me, looking as black as a thunder-cloud. ‘My servant,’ he says, ‘ tells me that you have deprived him of a draft of mine, which I gave him for another party. If you do not instantly give it up I will have you arrested for robbery. ‘* He was bluffing you, my boy.” “Wait and you will see. His impudence nearly took my breath away, but appearances were against me justthen. I certainly had the check, and there were his two pals, ready to swear anything, 1 suppose. I naturally hesi- 1 failed to hold ap the inter- **How long ago Ve " Trt - - ‘1. i Jf hgh! - 7) . ‘ a: j ; acl € | @& e “a s.C x«. % a