Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 187 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

er | yet. Fred Haly Se 8 Somer +e NNER ———e “ nF emanate st em PE a. blazes, boys, let’s put him through the same course of sprouts that he put poor Fred Halyard. I'll be one to give him a touch of Jersey justice.” This was a firebrand thrown into a powder-maga- zine. In an instant there was a surge toward the officer and his prisoner. Fortunately for the cap- tive there was but the one group of watermen on the platform. The others consisted principally of guests, hotel men, etc., who were not likely to sec- ond any lawless movement. The alert officer hastened to remove his prisoner before this feelin could spread, being well aware of the rapid atorwen of disorder. In less than an hour Amos Yarnall found himself locked up in prison instead of on his way to Philadelphia. The same prison held Will Howard, it being not considered best to give them a hearing until the excitement had subsided. Mr. Darlington was exceedingly interested in these events, They had, in fact, more personal bearing on his own affairs than at first sight would have Spppared. For Jack Bunce was back in Beach City with some interesting information. This went to show that Amos Yarnall had been wrong in his deductions concerning Jim Bundy. The latter’s lost memory, under Jack’s coaching, had really return- ed to a considerable extent, all the prominent events of his previous life being again in his memory. And among the recollections which he had divulg- ed to Jack was one of prime importance. This was that Jake Miller, the mate of the Triton, had been appointed mate of the Monsoon, and had been re- moved at the last minute for other duty. He knew well all the crew of the wrecked vessel, and would be able to identify the wreck with the Monsoon from his knowledge of the fact that Bundy had been one of her crew. It was, in short, his accidental discovery of an old shipmate, Ned Thompson, now sailing under the name of Jim Bundy in the Crockettstown Hotel, which had first revealed the true fate of the Mon- soon. It was a circumstance, however, in which his employers felt little interest, as they had long since been paid the insurance on that lost craft, and they had heard nothing of the rescued infant. But Miller knew quite enough of the antecedents of Ned Thompson to know that he could be trusted in a delicate affair then on hand. It was feared that the hiding-place for contraband goods at the cottage of Bates the fisherman was likely to become suspected. A. similar hiding-place was, therefore prepared at the Red Lion, in which the smuggled goods could be more safely concealed until it was convenient to remove them to New York. Such was the origin of conditions which gave rise to sev- eral interesting circumstances which we have al- ready detailed. Rose Darlington, in these days, was in unusually good spirits. So much so, indeed, as to excite the surprise of her father. She had ‘heard, with indig- nation, of the dastardly attempt on Fred's life, But as the news came to her conjoined with the knowl- edge of hissafety, and of the arrest of his assailants, there only remained to her as a source of discomfort the sorrow to find that Will Howard was mixed u wiih so dastardly an attempt, Another matter th troubled her somewhat was the knowledge of Fred’s new expedition when, as she felt very certain, he could bé in no condition for such an enterprise. It might be dangerous, But as Fred soon returned to Beach City with no reminder of his dangerous adventure but a rapidly healing cut on his head, his young lady friend did not long have this last source of annoyance, ‘‘I do not understand you lately, Rose,” said her father to her one day, as she came suddenly into his narlor, her face radiant, her eyes dancing with a joyous light. ‘‘Here is your lover in prison, and you as gay as abutterfly. You should, by right, be a perfect cloud of tears, instead of a flood of sunshine, ‘He is not my lover any more, father,’’ rejoined Rose, seating herself beside him, and clasping his hand in both hers. ¥ “T thought so,’ he replied. ‘‘But have you and Will quarreled?” ‘Not exactly quarreled,” she answered, lowerin her head. ‘‘ We only drifted apart; I found him ou to be mean, selfish—”’ ie “And guilty of crime,” he added. “I am quite satisfied with your action, Rose. I found him out before you did, and told him of my loss of fortune being quite sure that his ardent love would notstan t 2 . ONO indeed! Ashe was kind enough to inform me, the Howards do not wed beggars.’ But is it really true, father? Are we really penniless?”’ “Yes, Rose. It is unavoidable. But, do not let it depress you, my dear child. We will survive the loss of fortune.”’ He placed his free arm around her, and drew her affectionately to him. ‘* Depress Tne, indeed!’ she cried. set have you d Ihave my health and spirits." “But you have lost fortune an lover.” “Lethim go. There are better left,” exclaimed Rose, with a laugh that held as much indignation as 1) eae ae ‘You don’t mean to say that_you have another Ah aN Spel bs Cae I declare! o is it, child? I ope he is wea . % thought had Yiashed through Mr. Darlington's English-trained mind that he might recover from his losses yet, through a fortunate match. of his daughter. But he .would not dare breathe the thought of any mercenary action in her presence. ay —_— rey -— more, until he was un- able to see her b ing face. ‘* He is not wealthy, father,” she replied, in a low tone. ‘ But he is good, and honest, and I know he loves me dearly. And is not that better than money?" ~ “ ‘T should not like to say yes to that, Rose,” was —— EO oO ei ee ee the grave reply. endure poverty.’ **f could endure everything for love,”’ she an- swered, ‘‘ Don’t fear but that I could bear love in a cottage. I have no foolish pride, nor expensive habits, to get rid of. And I have no fear but that he would make me a wis ‘You do not know what you are talking about, my child,” replied her father, with a shake of the head. ‘Life is all sunlight to you young lovers. But the clouds are sure tocome. Trouble cannot be frightened off by fove. You have not yet begun to know what real life is, Rose.”’ ‘*T must learn, I suppose, as many @ poor soul has before me,” she returned, with pouting lips. ‘‘The most of people are poor I know. And they do not seem to me unhappy. { hope you will not find fault with me, papa, for I do dearly Jove him,” She clasped her two arms around him, and looked with gentle appeal into his face. ‘* Who is it?” he asked, with a sudden dread, ‘I hope your romantic fancy has led you to no choice unworthy of you, my daughter. Thope poverty is his only fault—that he is not gnorantand low-minded,”’ ‘*No, indeed!’ she exclaimed, springing to her feet, her eyes blazing with a mingled sentiment of pride and indignation. “He is one of nature’s gen- tlemen; and I owe him my life; and—he is here!”’ She threw open the doorand ran out, In an in- stant she returned, her hand clasped in that of Fred Halyard, who bore his usual erect attitude and look of self-trust, though his eyes were downcast, and he held back somewhat from her impetuous movement. ‘*He is here, papa! Itis Fred Halyard, to whom I owe my life.” This was spoken with an enforced enthusiasm. Rose was very uncertain of her father’s reception of this announcement. Her eyes, too, dropped, and the pair stood before Mr. Darlington like criminals awaiting sentence, ‘*I would never have spoken to Rose, in this way,”’ remarked Fred, earnestly, but without lifting his eyes, “but that she told me she was poor like my- self. Of course, I know that I can never be her equal in any other way.”’ A slight pressure from the hand that held his an- swered this. If they had looked into Mr. Darlington’s face their suspense might have been sooner ended, Its first show of deep surprise was followed by a flush in which hope and joy were clearly mingled, To their utter astonishment he rose from his chair, and clasped them both in his arms. ‘She is yours, Fred, andI am glad enough it is you. You don’t know what trouble you have saved me, Rose. And as for that lost fortune, it has not floated away so far but that it may return.” CHAPTER XXIX, THE WINDING UP. Our story is told. There remain but the loose threads of our work to gatherup. It will not be very difficult for the reader to guess the cause of Mr, Darlington’s approbation of Fred Halyard’s suit, al though his enthusiastic manner had very agreeably astonished that young man himself. Certainly, Mr, Darlington’s design of handing over his property to its true heir, was rendered a more leasan ry by the discovery of the relations etween and his daughter. ‘*Lam certainly obliged to “You are certainly not fitted to ou, Rose, for turning your fancv in that direction,” he said, with a pleased smile. “Not that I should ever accuse you of mer- d not know cenary intentions, particularly, as you what a lucky hit you were making, But, chance has sean turned in our favor, this time.”’ “Oh, now!” cried Rose, poutingly. ‘I wish you would not talk that way, father. And I don’t know —if Fred is going to so rich—I hardly think I ought to hold him to his promise. Circumstances have changed so.” ‘*Now, hold your tongue, puss,” exclaimed her father. ' You know it is not a Will Howard in this case. Idon’t believe the boy would let you go, for twice the money.” ‘He is not such a boy, papa, s asoldas lam—"’ “And you are not an ee yet. I have seen more venerable specimens than the pair of you. However, when you are two or three years older—”’ “Two or three years older! But you are aregu- lar tease, and I won’t say another word about it, now, for 1 know you like to vex one.”’ But her eyes sparkled as she left the room, as if she felt quite sure of having her own way, when she had fully made up her mind to any fixed way. Meanwhile, the course of justice moved on, slow- ly but surely. . The prosecution against Amos Yarnall and Wilbur Howard resulted in a verdict of three months’ im- te against Amos Yarnall, to whom Fred puted his wound, while he exonerated Wiil by testifying that they had been engaged in a fair hand to hand wrestle, and that he did not believe Will meant him any personal harm, _ thanked him warmly for this generosity. She could not bear the thought of Will being im- prisoned through any one connected with herself, much as she despised his meanness. In the trial of the smugglers, only the members of the firm of Tompkins, Son & Co., the captain and mate of the emuggler, and the fisherman, Bates, were prosecuted with any earnestness. It was easi- ly seen that the sailors, and the driver of the wagon, were not parties to the illegal venture. And as for Jim Bun mM he was cleared of any criminal com- =, by the testimony of the mate, who declared hat Jim was ignorant of the character of the goods intrusted to his care. , Though there was no doubt entertained that he knew he was connected with some underhand enterprise, the prosecution was not pushed against ard, the Life Boat Boy. NE eS ee a a i ie ee eee o_O ee 23 eg ge os ee ee — ewe - ee se ew ee ee ee ee ee ee ae ee ee te ee him, there being no positive evidence to show that he was an intelligent abettor of crime. And besides this, Mr, Darlington had exerted a powerful secret influence in his behalf. Against the direct participants in the crime the Government pushed a vigorous prosecution, being determined to break up te nest of smugglers who had so long evaded efforts at discovery. Mr. Proctor gained great praise for his energetic efforts to discover their haunts, but the enthusiastic sym- athy of the court went out toward Fred Halyard, whose modest account of his part in the affair of the capture seemed as interesting as a romance. e will not dwell further on this trial, which though of importance to the country, is @ matter of secondary interest to us, It will suffice to say that the accused were all convicted, and punished to the extent of the law. Meanwhile Amos Yarnall, even from his prison cell, had set in train the first steps of his proceed- ings against Mr. Darlington. His son was at large, and was mae cently a chip of the old block to prose- cute these proceedings with energy. Fortunately Mr. Darlington held a trump hand SBADEs them stronger than they dreamed of, Fred alyard was certainly surprised, and old Tom was overwhelmed, on learning that the peremtage of the ocean waif was well known, and that he was the true heir to the very large property held by Mr. Darlington, This matter, in fact, was virtu proved ere any legal steps were taken to establish it. The record of the period of sailing of the Monsoon, with the names of her crew and passengers, was still in existence. And between Jack Bunce, and Jake Miller, the mate, it was fully settled that the Edward ‘Thompson whose name figured in the list of the Monsoon's crew, was the same person with Jim Bundy of the Red Lion at Crockettstown, But the most important evidence was that of Bundy or Thompson himself. His memory had re- turned sufficiently for him to distinctly identify the child who had come ashore with him as the son of George Bruce, the only passenger of the Monsoon, And old Tom Halyard was sufficient evidence for the "sepa agave ae of his adopted son, Fred, with this c The affair had reached this stage ere Fred him- self was made aware of it; and it had passed to the point of a legal decision in favor of Fred as the true eir of the property in ewate ere Amos Yarnall was made acquainted with the result, He was released from prison only to find that the rosecution of his suit had simply proved effective n aid the more secret 9 mes gs of his ene- mies, and to learn that Fred Halyard, or to give him his real name, Harvey Bruce, was established as the true heir to the estate, It was with no pleasant sense of defeat that Amos Yarnall and his precious son slunk out of sight and out of mind, utterly left out in the cold by the new turn which had come in the tide of affairs. But, there are always two parties to the question of a legal decision, and Fred Halyard, as one of the gh ag in this case, was not at all inclined to abide y the decision of the court. He was em ire deter- mined not to accept the estate of Mr. Darlington, a decision in which old Tom sustained him. , The old man, in fact, felt that the acceptance of such wealth would not only ruin the boy, but would cut him off from himself. He could not bear the thought of losing his adopted son through his in- heritance of any such personal wealth, “You're right, Fred,’ he averred. ‘' You’ve your head and yourarms, And there’s not a soul on the coast as knows the use of them better nor yourself, And, hang me, if I'd have a fortune as i'd never set a sailto win. Stick to honest work, my boy. You'll find it to pay better than all the cash-books this side of Jericho,’ ‘* But suppose I marry Rose Darlington, and come into it that way?’’ queried Fred, with a sly look at the old sailor. ‘I s’pose you will whether I say ay or nay,’’ was the grumbling response. ‘‘ But I hope you won't be silly boy enough to hurry it u ore you get to years of common-sense. Not to say that you're a fool, or any such harsh words as that, Fred, for I think you’re a reg lar steel-trap for sharpness. I never see’d a boy yet as growed into common- sense afore twenty-one, at the very least. And there’s precious few of them that get into it at that e, otek Fred any aes with the cynical old man in this opinion, he had judgment enough to concede that experience might possibly be better than assurance, and to yield his opinion on this point. It is no easy matter for two young lovers, with no obstacle in their way but the invisible one (to them) of age, to wait for years on ths cool ju ent o their elders. But fortunately Rose and d had both the sense to feel that old wit might, after al) be patter than young wit, and to yield the mooted point. Fred took advantage of the years of probation to obtain some more extended schooling than was to be had at Beach City, and with his application, and uickness of perception, he left college with a very air scho p. and with a potieh of manner that bad been searcely obtainable in his life between sand and water at Beach City. But several years have passed since then, and the long-deferred w is now an event of a year or twoin the past. Butif there is a happier couple to be anywhere found in their honeymoon than Fred and Rose,we should like to see them, that’s all. And if there’s a happier old sailor than Tom Halyard, in his cabin-like residence adjoining Fred’s sea-side cottage, we should like amazingly to have some one point him out to us. THE END. om NDOOKS COM