Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 130 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

lll . Smile, “¥ill up again, man, . Good liquor tas glass.”’ ‘Guess I’ve took enough,”’ thickly. “Enough! Well, nobody would call you greedy,” asserted Hogan, filling his companion’s glass again. “* Just a thimbleful then.” “T’ve took quite a fancy to your boat,” Hogan said; “saw her last week and thought her a re clipper.” OWhere did you see her last week?’’ asked Turner, uickly: : ue At Chester,” in the most matter-of-fact tone, ‘Bet a shilling you didn’t!’ his tipsy companion spoke decidedly. ‘Yes, She was streaked redthen. She’s changed her name since from Lucy to Molly.”’ Turner rose, holding in an uncertain way to his ‘chair, ‘T tell you it’s a sell you're trying to get on me,”’ and he now spoke angrily. ‘Why, bless your blue eyes, comrade,”’ said Hogan, laughing cheerily, “you don’t s'pose an old salt can be humbugged-by a streak of , nt and a new name? I'd swear to the boat if I saw her in Hong Kong.” “You're a sharp individual—you are," declared ‘Turner, with a tipsy hesitation, “And it’s all blamed stuff.” * aocae straight up from Chester?” asked Hogan, easily. 4 r fade a stop at the fishing-place, just above the town, to get some shad,”’ was tho reply, quite for- getting that he was acknowledging Hogan's charge. ‘Stop there. sy: ol ‘An hour maybe. Cap went ashore to see the nee house, that lays back there in the mea- ows.”’ , j ‘A haunted house, eh?” with a new influx of in- terest. “ Wish I’d been thero. Did you go ashore to see it?” . a au me I'd sooner run ten miles t’other way,” with em- phasis. , , ‘ “An apy in a haunted house! That’s fun. Did 6 see the ghosts?” * Didn’t cay ghost tome. You're getting blamed anxious about ghosts.” vOut Don’t know anything Ilike better than ghosts,” declared Hogan, emphatically. “* Got a reg: lar pas- sion for them. Did Cap take anything ashore, or bring anything aboard from the haunted house?" ‘ “Oh! a paper Lunch, I guess, seeing he didnt feteh it baek.”’ : “My eyes! that must have been fun; lunc with a party of ghosts,;""and Hogan again laugh “I'd like to have seen that.” | ‘I didn’t.say a blamed word about lunching with gosta,” half-growled Turner, rising. * Don’t think ‘0 stay here to’ have ghosts rammed down m throat every time I open my mouth, r P a a ele ag he door with an unsteady step, ollowe ogan, a. " Reaching the’ soreet they noticed a well-dressed man upon the wharf, who was pacing up and down with an impatient tread. ¢he . one Hm ay sight of Turner’s advance, and hastened ot This ~ Tene icture ~? Foe mo ae —r an- . “ Who has charge 0 e boat now here & Cap. Parker? You have been drinking!’ cy whistie with an old friend I knew down Sout explained Turner, nervously. “ Nothing'to hurt,’ Lasik a ) “The smell of whisky is enough to hurt,” and your legs as well as your head. me aboard at once, sir,” , “That's just where I was going,” averred Turner, with tipsy dignity. He turnéd and waved his hand to Hogan in aan Winking at him as if to assert his independence o this autocratic gentleman’s orders. Hogau stood and watched them as pr stepped aboard the yacho aniaiainappeere’ in the’ cabin, the gentleman first casting a keon look around the wharves. ‘‘Dunno whether I got paid for my whisky or not,” muttered Hogan, to himself. “Only broke the ice to-day.” It:don’t do to go too fast til you know your ground. Guess I’li stroll up this way again soon, apd pay my respects to Mr. Joe Turner. He's vot extra talkative, drunk or sober.”’ He was about to turn down the street when his quick eye caught sight of something that arrested his attention... It was no more than a boy’s head which peered up above the top of a thick pos Me Ra wharf, the eyes fixed searchingly on the olly, Hogan looked at him a moment with a dawning He then walked easily round and behind the lad, moving cautiously up toward him. The deeply- absorbed boy seemed to have no knowledge of his presence, e still stood, with his eyes on a level with the top of the post, when Hogan got near enough to him to give him a hearty slap on the shoulder, saying: ‘Hcy, Dick! Catching musketoes? waiting for a bite?” ‘*“I don’t know as lam cheating Ned Hogan outer any of his,” replied Dick, without a sign of sur prise, or a movement of his head. “Tt might as well: have stirred up the post with my fingers,” muttered Hogan. ‘‘ You saw me, you Fozue?" “Of course. But ‘Well, [ll swear i announced Hogan, admiringly. pow, Dick?’’ “Youseen that man with old red-head?” val ‘tainly I did.” ** Woll, he’s my oyster." ‘ “Just wetting’ m Or maybe ou weren't my game.” he ain't a detective in grain,” ‘“What is your lay You are brushing the bot- tes best from the top of the Detective Dick. “ Have you been moling after him?” asked Hogan with great amusement. ‘*' You've got enough mud on the end of your nose to plant potatoes in,” ‘*Was layin’ low, and keepin’ shady,’’ explained Dick, poss ng the organ in question with the back of his hand I was once by that chap, Had my eye-teeth cut then. he flings me ag’im you kin buy me cheap.” * Who is he, Dick?”’ asked Hogan, curiously. “That’s what 1 want to know,”’ av Dick, ‘* He’s one of your high-toned coves. 1'm arter him like a chimley-swaller arter a fly. Yougit! You'ro too big and clumsy for this lay. Been ‘vestigatin’ red-head, ain't your” 6° A. t M e.”’ “Hit any sn . ‘*Only found that the Lucy stopped at the fisheries above Chester, and the captain went. ashore to visit a haunted house there, There’s nothing in that. Ghosts ain't our game,”’ ‘‘ Dunno,"’ murmured Dick, dubiously. ‘* There's hosts sometimes that wear whole skins. Now git, ogan. Your room's better than your comp’ny jist now, I'm goin’ to sarcumvent that pair, or bu'st a- tryin’.”’ .“ Bring word what luck you have,” ordered Hogan, walking away. * Ay, ay, Ti post you/ Fur as Isee fit,” was his eub-) 08a answer. | | A minute afterward the gentleman looked out from the cabin door. There was nothing visible with more life than the post which had concealed Dick, except the distant form of Ned Hogan, now rapidly walking away. Dick was ensconced behind another post near the edge of the wharf. He held in his hand the letter he .had.received from Mr. Williamson, He next produced the envelope of which he took such fre- quent inspection. It was addressed to ‘Mr. Epwarp Hoean, Fifth and Race mig ae) ada. He laid the two envelopes together and examined them vcagenn & Finally* they went et sterage into his pockets, as he said, with a satisfied goats ‘“‘T’ll bet. my new suit ’gainst a doll-baby’s spring hat that the same man writ them both: Tryin’ to ch bis writin’ but writin’ ain’t easy changed. If I ain't gallopin’ on aclean track then nobody never sold peanuts for a livin’. | Dick’s next evolutions were of the stealthiest char- acter. Creeping with cat-like movement to the edge of the wharf he clambered quietly over the wharf- log and Jet himself down the vert side as’ éasily and noiselessly as if he had been on level ground. One of the cabin windows of the Molly, was open, and this was Dick’s objective point. ‘By some acro- batic system of and writhing he established himself on the stern'of the Molly, clinging to the rudder-post.with a death -prip, aud in such a way that nis eyes just reached to the bottom of the open win- ow, Lifting himself a little with both hands he got one glimpse of the interior of thé cabin, the most im- portant feature of which was the forms ‘of the’ two men seated on’each side of a center table, and en- g in conversation, Dick let himself down again, out of siglit, but with every ‘nerve strained to hear. “Mind your eyes now, Williamson: and’ Spey If you talk too much some chap of my size mought git a ring in your nose.”’ CHAPTER XI. | MOTHER AND DAUGHTER... | We have seen the parlor of Mr. Andrews’ resi- dence, on the occasion of Mr. Williamson's some- what curt dismissal. We will now betake ourselves to the sitting-room of the same mansion. It is an elegantly appointed apartment, furnished in the richest taste: Several valuable | pictures adorn the walls, and about the room are scattered costly articles of ornament., It has altogether that home-like aspect of a room whose. adornment has grown out of the needs and tastes of its inmates, A deep bay window occupies. the lower end of the room, aoe seated in an easy-chair, her feet rest- ing on atall footstool, reclines a matronly lady. She bas once been very pretty, and still wears much of her good looks, though age has broadened the lines of her face, and added a decided look of worldly wisdom, , Canoe her sits, in a smal) chair, her arm resting on the sill of the open wiudow, a young lady, whose beautiful face seems a spiriluel copy of that of the matron. They are really mother and daughter— Mrs. Andrews and her daughter Helen. Mrs. Andrews plays leisurely with her fan, for the day is warm for mid-April, and the sun bathes the faée of the window in fervent light. ‘Then you didas I wished?" remarked the mother. “You simply dismissed him, without entering into reasons or argument?” ‘Yes, mother,” with a weary expression; ‘and I was never. so thoroughly diSgusted with myself in my life before." 7 : ‘Why so? The dismissal of a music-teacher is not such a vital matter.” “T don’t know,” returned Helen, with a quick movement of impatience. “I mismanaged it, I suppose. J know [ must have made it look as if I had some personal objection to him. He seemed much hurt,” ‘‘Oh, that. matters very little,” replied Mrs. An- drews. ‘That will easily mend; he can cure his wounds with a new scholar.” “T am afraid a bost of new scholars will not have that effect,”’ and Helen rested her head wearily on the window-sill. The sunlight struck her soft brown hair, and eo ..._- -_—_ —— a) J -—— Lng fap about it like an aureole of brightness. The mother se, her fan to look admuringly at her. “Do you know, Hel that Yow are pro more and more beautiful?” she d, with the air an artist. ‘‘I wish that sunlight effect could o te made perpetual.’ : Helen drew herself back with a vexed movement. The loosened hair flowed in a wave over her fore head, with a gleam as if it had imprisoned some of the sunlight. . “ “You cannot help pe beautiful, my dear,” added her mother. ‘“ But those impatient move- ments are never very graceful.” , “‘ Forgive me,”’ murmured Helen; “I did not mean to annoy you. But 1 cannot help feeling troubled and out of sorts with myself just now.”’ ‘‘T fear your music lessons were allowed to go on even too long,"’ averred Mrs. Andrews, using her fan rer ) nit ‘Why so? No one can object to him aa teacher,” ae “You have been growing entirely too much inter ested inhim. Such a person should be considered a teacher only nothing more, I would not have daughter stoop to waste a second thought on any one so far below her in station.” sdb “ He is a gentleman,’ declared Helen, proudly, “T fear I have not always impressed him as a pas ON ‘t This is ridiculous, child, , Asif it was of the, importance what he chose to think. Iam glad your ype ay. sie Bin pee, been fae of, A man not only 0 ower classes, but seemingly without known father or mother." oe teak ‘Who told you that?” demanded Helen, with a ek flush upon her face. “That is the reason, oe aa that 1 had to give him up? But I know who you." — ity There was a glitter in the young lady’s eyes, and her lips were closely shut. ten “Tt does not matter who told me,” answered her ren? Ny hata dignity. “The only question is as to ruth.” Br ee “* Excuse me, mother; that is not the question at all. Ido not court social d nor do I fear i, if justice and the ones of oe come in The real question is as to the spite which has thus sought. to, injure a deserving young man, by what DAYS bs peuous nist ‘ie ae aya Nato “My dear, Il am surp ou sho yourself to become excited,” sald Mrs, Rhee Freee, more cosily in her chair, and wa the fan with a long, indolent sweep, *There’s n more plebelan; and I'really object to any an discussion on the subject of a mere music teacher.” “A mere man!" retorted Helen, with some gar- casm. “Yet it is not he who excited me, but our blue-blooded Mr. Williamson. The pc gery es - ity that runs in the veins of our social nobility sh certainly not be tainted with such low vices as and spitefulness.’ : wn “Tit is the truth I can ‘see no crime in telling it,” decided Mrs. Andrews, a little roused. a “Truth may be made a vice if told with a spitefel Pe on ‘cling to that word spite, Helen. What pee. ee can Mr. Williamson bear against man?’ "A blight flush came to. Helen's cheek, as she turr her head partly away, as if to look out of the win- al She made no ower aminute, be mother's res ously on her ingenuous face, Mi Pca tee ‘peasons,) the tay ae sponded Helen, with an excited accent. “ An spise him for it! It matters. nothing to me has the entree to the best society and the other not. Whatever fortune may have done for them, | fact remains that Mr, Spencer has been born agen man, and Mr. Williamson not,” “You are assuming too much now, Helen.” | “Tam assuming nothing, Suppose it all be true that Williamson BAyy DRY. all that he implies—even then the stubborn fact remains that his base lowers _him far more than his birth can ps lower Mr. Spencer, All that cant of the invisi virtue of aristocratic birth is dying out in modern society. Men are learning to take their neighbors for what they are, not what some absurd social code declares them.” ” ‘ The young lady’s voice was a little warm, and she spoke with much energy of accent, “ Well, you are improving, Helen,” declared’ her mother, sarcastically. “I think it’ was high time that I changed your associations. Yet people gen- erally, even in these democratic days, would hard! care to mix with gentlemen born out of lawful wed- lock—people in our set, I mean.” “I fear that if people in our set knew all, they would be still less inclined to associate with Mr. Spencer.” As. she spoke Helen had risen and stood, resting one hand on the chair back, her face and the whole pose of her body seeming full of indignant scorn of he verdict of *‘ our set.”’ Mrs. Andrews lifted her long lashes, indolently, and rested her eyes for a moment in admiration upon the graceful pose of her daughter, full of an unconscious charm that would have 8 soul of an artist to its depths, “Knew all?” ‘**Yes,"’somewhat curtly. “There is more. then, to. know?” ** Suppose I tell you,” and now Helen spoke quick- ly, and with repressed excitement, * that this young man has sinned beyond redempuon—in ng an unscrupulous enemy.” ‘What can you mean?” was the indolent answer. ‘“*T mean that Harry Spencer has been arrested— this very day—in my presence. Arrested for no less a crime than being an accomplice ef counterfsiters. The proof was fowl (eta at Ve (OVO) | KS