Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 122 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Beans © ar “You rascally you * Leave here now, or Pll give you up to a police- man. “ it on, Josiah!’ said Phil, aggravatingly. “I iike to’ be guv up to Oeilicntieh. t do. And you'd best call Mr. Russell in the wink of a cat’s tail, or there’ll be lively times around these diggin’s.”’ ‘*'Who is there?’’ called a voice from the interior of the house. The man, who had been swelling again, wilted down suddenly. “Ttisa ragged and impudent little street vaga- bond,” was the reply. “What does he want?” ‘Want to see you,” answered Phil, pushing into the hall. “Been tryin’ to beat that into this full- grown potato-bug fur ten minutes; but "tain’t no go. fis hides too thick.” ** Why did yau not bring the boy in?’’ asked Mr. Russell, with a concealed smile. ‘‘I do not wish you to decide what visitors I am to receive. Come in, sir,” Phil entered with an aggravating wink at his an- tagonist, which was as much as the nerves of that individual could bear. Mr. Russell stood back in the hall, newspaper in hand. Phil looked at him curiously as he advanced. He set him down mentally as a very good-lookin and well-dressed young man, with a look of kindli- ness about him that pleased the boy’s observant eyes. ‘* Wonder if him and Miss Alice is sweet?” thought Phil. “T’ve a notion that they'd jist match.” The gentleman u hered his visitor into thé libra room, and helped him toaseat. But Phil felt muc like a fish out of water as he looked at the grandeur of his surroundings, the white busts, the bronze clock, and the cases full of richly-bound books. ‘What can I do for you?” asked Mr. Russell, amused at Phil’s manner. ‘You kin jist hold on till I git the pints of the compass,”’ Phil replied. “Aint takin’ t thing in every day. Wasn’t brung up to style.” “You are quite welcome to any enjoyment you ean get from it.” ““T allers did like statues, and gold-laced books, and picters, and sich,’ announced Phil. “ And they vagrant!”’ he cried, flercely. | dont grow none too much down our way.—How- | somever, there’s a little girl there, 'm kinder soft on, that’s as pretty as 4 picter and as good as a book. And I like her better than a dozen statues." ‘** Ah! your sweetheart, is it?’’ | | “Sartainly,” replied Phil, as simply as if he con- | sidered the of life. ‘* What is her name?” ‘“*Tt’s Susy Lane.” ving a sweetheart a prime necessity ‘Quite a pretty name,"’ said the gentleman, in a | ‘“‘And now suppose we come to | kindly manner. business. What is it you wish to see me about?” os Alpe Miss Alise Homer?” Mr. Russell started violently at this opening of Phil’s business. ‘What do you mean?’ he cried, excitedly. “ Where did you learn that name? You can know nothing of the lady.”’ **Dont you be-a-putting that notion in your pipe.” “You cannot. She isin Liverpool.”’ “Then her part of Live l’s in New York.”’ “Miss Homer in New York! Where is she—how did she come?—Can it be possible?” And his face flushed red as he spoke. ‘**I’m comin’ to that,’’ answered Phil. gota sister, whose name’s Mary?” ‘** 1 have,”’ he said in surprise. ** Know her handwriting ?”’ **T think so.” “Jist put your eyes on that there, and tell me if she writ it.’" He handed Mr. Russell the letter which Alice had received. The astonished gentleman read it with dilated eyes and quick-coming breath, “It is a forgery!’ he cried. “It has no resem- blance to her handwriting!—And addressed to Miss Homer?”’ 4 any bt ‘“* What does all this mean?’* Mr. Russell vehement- ly exclaimed. “I cannot understand her being in America,—And this letter—” ‘** Any chaps in New York that’s down on her?” **T do not know of any.” ‘*Maybe es know & mt whose name’s Cunning- ham? Anda mighty cunning feller, too." “Ha!” ejaculated Mr. Russell. “He is a first- cousin of Miss Homer’s.”’ “Dunno nothin’ bout that,”’ answered Phil. “ But he’s a thunderin’ cay a And I know this much, it was him that stole Miss Alice out of Liverpool and b her here. And then he tried to drown ter. And then he tried to drown mie cause I fished her out of the East River. And now he’s stole her agin and run off with her, and I'm jist out on the hunt.” . Russell seemed thunderstruck at this concise nan Tee excitement had Pigs SepAtICD. e trem and grew red and pale by turns, as he began to realize the extent of “4g villainy which had been practicod. ‘“ Tell me the whole story!” he exclaimed, starting to his feet, and rapid! walking the library. floor. ‘If this is true we must act at once!”’ _“Spose I dont know that?’ asked Phil shortly. ‘*That’s what I’m here for.” He proceeded to give Mr. Russell a detailed ac- count of the striking events of which the reader is already aware. The fentloman's excitable nature was deeply stirred. He could searcely control his indignation as Phil recounted the dastardly attempt at nvurder. * Why did you not inform the police?” ; “Aint you : | ou know a young lady, whose name’s | | | | | | | | | | | ' ' | : | taken. Cunningham’s ame ww eeee — - — -— ~—— oe ————— ee “Cause I aint got no notion of them.—And they wouldn’t believe me, neither.” “They will believe me, then.—I am quite sure I know where this house you of is situated. I shall have it searched at once.”’ **Dont you do it!” said Phil, positively. me wh we lb ny Sayed - 7 * Cause, ningham is too ur your perlice, that’s why. If he catches the site ofa orens star ‘bout there, he'll git rid of the woman, somehow. You bet on ¢hut.”” “That is nonsense, boy. We must have aid.” ‘What help do we want? A fox anda lion is worth a whole flock of sheep. I’m goin’ to be fox. And I want you be lion when the time comes.” “The time must come soon!’’ cried Mr. Russe fiercely. ‘*Alice in such deadly danger! I canno bear to think of it. Come, boy, at once! We must not lose a minute.” **Taint minutes that’s the question,'’ replied Phil, coolly. “Ifa feller thinks bout minutes he'll make headway too fast. You’re too hot, Mr. Russell. A chap’s got to be jist as cool as ice cream fur a job like this.” ‘*It is hard to be cool—” ‘When the gal you're sweet on is in trouble, I know that,’ averred Phil, nodding his head a- ciously. “I kin *preciate your feelin’s, 'cause I’m sweet on Susy myself.— But I want you to know that I’m capes of this job, and I’m goin’ to put it through my own way.” ‘‘Very well,” replied Mr. Russell, with a sickly effort at asmile. ‘Shall I order the carriage?” ‘“Spose you might,” returned Phil, reflectively. We kin put itupin Harlem. Wont do to fetch it too close.” In a short time afterward Phil found himself lying back luxuriously on the crimson cushions of an ele- ant barouche, enjoying himself hugely as people urned to look at the strange contrast between him and his companion. ‘* This is scrumtious,"’ remarked Phil. ‘Bet folks think I’m a foreign lord that you’re showin the place to. Couldn’t stare wuss if I was Queen Victoria.” Mr. Russell drove prs roy to the police-head- quarters. He had a will of own, and was not one to yield to Phil’s dictation. He was closeted with the chief for half an hour before he “een appeared. oin’ to take in no peelers, are you?’’ asked ** Aint Phil, excitedly. ‘* Cause if you are I'll git out." ™ No,” said Mr. Russell, quietly. ‘I have been in- corning the authorities of what you have told me. o ahead and reconnoiter.”’ eg ad been We wil In an hour or so afterward they were approaching the house to which Alice lans had failed in several important particulars. Phil's escape from drown- ing. In his getting the forged letter. In his know- ledge of Mr. Russell.—The villain could scarcely have ens, Stat ap how the safety of his plot was being im- Mr. Russell seemed a little doubtful of the exact “Sep neche of the house of which they were in search, he ame each place carefully as they pro- ceeded. ‘** Hold hard!”’ cried Phil, at length, in a guard- ed voice. “I twig a face that looks familiar like. Phil. Hardy, the Boss Boy. ct. tet. stilt et. Cc ll ll lll lll ALL Ll LL A LAL LLL LLL ALA LLL LLL You hang back here while | go up and buzz hima > bit.”’ A short distance ahead of them stood a square stone mansion, deeply embowered in trees. At the ateway opening on the road wasa tall, loose-jointed OW leaning with his two elbows on the gate. t was he that had attracted Phil’s attention. Hastily taking off his coat and throwing it over his arm, setting his hat backin a countrifled fashion, and wiping his face profusely with his handkerchief, Phil advanced until opposite the boys then paused as if tired and looked yD, 9° the youth, ‘** Hallo!’ he said. ‘* Nice kind of day.” ‘*] dont know that I said it wasn't,’’ drawled the youth. * This your place?”’ Phil innocently questioned. ** Maybe you'd like to see the deeds for it?” “No. Not as long as you say so. It’s a mighty pretty, anaay sort of place.”’ ‘You ought to see the garden. Then you might talk,”’ said the youth, removing his elbows from the gate. * Well, I dunno as I’ve anything agin it,’’ remark- ed Phil, opening the gate and walking in as if he had received a formal invitation. ‘“ Tote a chap round to your garding then, and let's see the posies, I’m kinder fond of posies.”’ ey green, he is!’ the youth mentally remark- ed, Phil was not slow in accepting this-invitation. He | toyin NN eeeeOOOOOEOeeEeeeeeEeEEOEeEeEEEeEeEE—EEE_——E———EeeeEEeeeeee ee 13 LL LILLE I LE SS OT ES ET ee ressive manner. But Phil took good care to keep — features turned aside as he followed his guide to e gate. He had ized the voice as that of Cunning- ham. But he was not aware that the latter had seen and known his face before Cpening the win- dow, and was now remarking, with a very dark ook: : “It isthat boy! There can be no mistake about it! ‘Yhe young hound is dangerously s . How under heaven he has esea from Hendricks and Monroe is too much for me to guess, And he has smelt out my retreat already, and humb Willat sight. AsIlive,l am getting afraid of the youngster. He must and shall be put out of the, way. He walked the floor nervously for several minutes, in deep thought. “The boy is not alone in his knowledge,” he con- tinued, “This house may be already watched by the police. I must get rid of my female by hook or crook to-night.—And of the boy, too,I think. He will be back here, on some burglarious scheme, be- fore the night is old. If he isI will shoot him asI would a troublesome cat.” Meanwhile Phil was saying to Mr. Russell: “Got him! He’s there hisself. And the lady too. There’s fancy bars to her winder. I’m goin’ to git her out of that shanty to-night, or explode.” CHAPTER XVI IN THE TOILS. We must return to Alice Homer, whom we left: ust ushered into the presence of her direst foe. er soul sunk within her as she encountered his shee searching eyes and the mocking triumph of ace, ‘Tam glad to see you,’’ he said, with an expres- sion of politeness, She made no answer, but sunk into a chair, faint at heart to learn how basely she had been deceived. ‘*Mrs, Carson is not at home,” he continued. “But I shal be happy to do the honors of her house in her absence.” “Is this Mrs, Carson’s house?” asked Alice, with a quick hope of relief. “Oh! certainly! It was there you wanted to come, was it not? I am sorry that aunt Hannah will be away from home for a day or two.—But I na ky ne resale, a nike, th *You!’’ she gasped, ng on him her eyes wide with fright. “4 . Yes,’ he replied, with one of his little sneering augne I shall see that you are well cared for.” “Why have you brought me here?’ cried Alice, with a sudden outburst of indignation. “It was the basest, the cruelest of lies, by which you deceived me ” ‘‘ By using the name of your lover, Harvey Rus- aehee a he mocking!y pared. hs) oh “By lying; orging; ev base !” she indignantly exniaiee : lyon cannot annoy me by speaking of Harvey Russell as my lover. Ido love him, as much as you force me to despise you.” i, Now, my dear Alice, you are getting hotter than the occasion calls for,” he quietly replied. ‘“Itis never advisable to lose your temper about trifles,”’ He stood with an elbow on the mantle, his fingers idly with his watch-chain, his cold eyes _ steadily fixed upon her changeful face, at her foe. “Why have you brought me here?” she again demanded, with a frightened glance round. “ You bave already tried to murder me. Is it to repeat your effort?” Indignation tes con with the deep dread in her voice, She. rose from her seat and stood witha trembling hand on the back of the chair, looking up ‘*There, child, you do talk so unpleasantly.” he replied, with ashrug. ‘ You have ee some Tlaiou- lous fancy inyour head. Why, it is five years since <a <> “Come ahead then, boss; I'll open your eyes.” | followed his guide through the grounds, with eyes | wide with wonder and delight at the beauties which the latter pointed out. The youth was thrown off his guard by Phil’s sim- ple manner too much to observe that his new friend inspected the house much more closely than he did the flowers, noting every door and window with quick but keep glances. _—_—siy They were interrupted in their amusement by the sharp lifting of a sash, and the tone of an im- perious voice. ** Will!” it sternly called. The youth hastened to respond ‘What boy is that you have there?” ‘‘ A friend of mine,” replied Will, with a ready lie. “He wanted to see the garden.” Phil’s head was turned away, and he was very earnestly inspecting & rose. ‘Take him out of here instantly, or he may be kicked out, and you after him.” The window was lowered with a slam. The two boys twisted their faces at each other in a most ex- Ilast saw you.”’ ‘Except this afternoon, at the Park, when you followed me for miles through the streets!’ was her indignant outburst, “Tf don’t know to what you refer,” he coldly re- plied. ‘* Your imagination g at work, Alice."’ **Miss Homer, you please,’ she quickly re- spears. ‘Is it your object to hold me as a prison- er here?”’ ‘‘A prisoner? Now that is another of your idle fancies, Of course you are free.” ** Then I shall go," she briefly said. The folding doors of the parlor were at her right hand. With a quick, bird-like movement, she caught the knob and flung the door wide open, darting out into the hall. He followed with some deliberation, She had already reached the front door, and was striving | eagerly to open it, ete ““T am afraid somebody has turned the key in that,” he quietly said. ay y hope you will not break my poor lock.” be turned and ) with frightened eyes down the hall, His fated fora filled the pasnage and hin- dered flight in that direction. She stood at bay, like a startled fawn. “One would think, Miss Homer,” he continued, “that I was trying to detain you against your will.’ **So you are, sir!” she re fed. his tone filling her soul with flerce in on, * Open this door instantly, or I shall call for help.” ‘Why, you may call if you wish to exercise your voice,’” was the mocking answer. “I fear there would be no other result. We are a little isolated here, and voices do not carry far through these _ thick stone walis,”’ | ayy | do you perseente me?” was her appealing demand. “Is it my money? You are weleome to jy. co poo mic cS co _