Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 261 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 “T think I am in a fair way to discover his mo- ther,”’ ‘* Vou do?” cried Glendenning, with animation. Pickles winked at him significantly. ** Ah, yes, as if you didn’t know!” fully. “Is there no fair lady, among distinguished friends, whom this boy greatly re- sembles, eh, hab, ah?”’ ‘* Lorania Yorke!’’ answered Glendenning, invol- untarily, and thus falling into the trap that Pickles had laid for him. Pickles could scarcely conceal his satisfaction. he cried, play- your circle of a ‘“ Yorke— Yorke?" he said, musingly. ‘* That's »ne of your firm, isn't it?” “Yes, Elliott Yorke. guardian in my infancy.” ‘This Lorania is his wife, eh?’’ continued Pickles, pursuing the investigation with avidity. “ Who was this aforesaid female before she married Mr. Hiliott Yorke?” ‘‘Tke daughter of old Garret Van Amringo of Bergen Hill, The old man speculated, and Elliott Yorks held mortgages for cash advanced. Ihave always thought that Lorania married him to saye the old man from utter ruin. At all events, the aE age settled the business by giving all to Elliott orke.’ ‘‘Hum! these particulars will be of great service to me, Mr, Glendenning,” said Pickles, “I think I shall be able to make a very clean case of it now. This Mrs. Yorke is very handsome, is she not?” -¥ ele as an angel!l’’ replied Glendenning, fer- vently. Pickles smiled significaptty. ‘““You would kind of like wouldn't you?” he asked, artfu Glendenning rogy excitedly to He was appointed my get a hold on her, ris feet, crying: “You just g t hold for me, Pickles, and I'll make your fort@y!"’ ' Pickles smiled and nodded his*head. Glendenning counted out a number of bills and placed them on the table before Pickles. “There’s a bundred dollars,” he said; “but Pil make it a thousand if you cap obtain tor me any in- formation that will bring ab@nt a separation between Elliott Yorke and his wife. Now I'm off, but I'll look in again in a day or two.”’ So saying, Rufus Glendenning took his departure, ‘*Oh! the pernicious caitiff!’’ exclaimed Pickles, as the door closed upon him. “But I'll scoop in this hundred dollars, notwithstanding my opinion of him, , All’s fish that comes to my net.” He SM Sy up the money and put it away in his pocket-book. : ‘But it’s no use, my gentle Rufus!” he continued, “The lady has seen me and gone five better, and I think she is likely to prove the better client of the two. I'm afraid I shall have to play the odds on you.” The door opened and Lorania entered, attired and vailed as on her previous visit. He placed a chair for her with polite alacrity, and she sunk into it. ‘‘ Rufus Glendenning has just left you,’’ she said, excitedly. ‘I was coming toward your office on the opposite side of the way when I saw hin approach- ing yeur door; so I watched and waited until I saw him leave,”’ ‘* A very judicious movement on your part, Mrs, Yorke—very, indeed,”’ ‘* You know me?” she cried, starting to her feet. “*Did you tell him that I had been here?” ‘* By no means, madam. That would be a breach of professional confidence that nothing could tempt me to be guilty of. On the contrary, he told me who , ou were, | . “Indeed?” Lorania resumed her seat and threw back her vail. ‘‘ There shall be no concealments be- tween ua, I will trust you, and, asI have already told you, it will be greatly to your interest to serve me faithfully.”’ ‘T will, madam.”’ Hereupon Pickles recounted all that had trans- pired between himself and Rufus Piendenning. ** Fool!” exclaimed Lorania scornfully, ‘*does he think that if I separated from Elliott Yorke I would wed with Him? Heis mad to think so! but Mr, Ru- fus Glendenning does not cause me any a a I have someshing, of more importance to think of Have you obtained the boy's release?”” “He escaped last night, aided.and abetted by some one outside, who was probably waiting in a boat for him, for our bold Fergus, with that fear- lessness which is so characteristic of him, Jumped in the river and swam away. ‘* Heavens! he might haye been drowned!” ‘*{ think not, for he can swim like a duok, and there pv a boat waiting for him, as I said. This ‘much I could learn from the officials there, but not who the outside party was; they were too close for me there. “He may have returned to his former home!” cried Lorantia, qui : “T thought of that, madam, and I made a call there en my return from the I d; but neither the woman nor the girl had seen him.”’ Lorania wrang her hands together with a piteous action, “Oh, he is drowned—he is drowned !’’ she moaned, “Banish such a thought from your mind,” said —— Pert “T am confident that = is ve—and kicking, to use a popular phrase, and we shall soon find him.” : ** But why has he not gone to those people with whom he lived?” urged Lorania. “For the simplest of all reasons; the boy does not know anything about his discharge; he looks upon himself as an escaped convict, and he don’t want to be caught, don’t you see? and so he will lay low for the present.”’ Lorania’s face brightened at this explanation. Fergus Fearnaught, the New York Boy. ee -— — - “You are right,” she said. “‘Here is my card. When e4 find the boy, bring him to me there,” Pickles took the card, mechanically. ‘Bring him to you, there!” he rejoined, sur- prisedly. ‘* She smiled at his perplexity. “With all your keenness, you are at fault, Mr. Pickles?” she inquired. ‘* Have you not discovered why I am so much interested in this boy?” Pickles inclined his head, ag aap pe ‘* Madam, it is not for me to form any opinion con- cerning your motives,” he replied. ‘‘It is enough for me to carry out your instructions, and receive such confidence as you choose to bestow upon me. kin due time, I have no doubt, you will tell me all that is necessary for me to know,” ‘You shall know it—all the world shall know it— when the proper time “comes!” she exclaimed; and drew her vail over her face, preparatorvw for her de- parture. ‘ He opened the door for her and she passed out. Lorania Yorke walked down Center street toward the City Hall Park, intending to cross it to Broad- way. By the time she reached the corner of Cham- bers street, she became conscious that something unusually exciting was occurring in the city. People were running about in a hurried and agitat- ed mamer. Little squads of police dashed swiftly past her. The crowd surged in the diréction she was going as if some great sight awaited them, and they were anxious to behold it. as it a fire, or what? She did not hear any alarm bell sounding, nor were there any engines in the street. The crowd increased in density around her, and she. was pushed forward in the throng. She could not have extricated herself from it now if she had desired .to do so. A feeling of alarm seized upon Ker. This wild and excited crowd, that bore her along with it, as one is swept onward by a swift and irresistible current, filled her breast with dread. Danger of some sort appeared to be imminent. But what couldA® be? ‘The bulls! the bulls!” she heard the men shout- around her. at could they mean? If she had been cross- ing a field in the country she might have understood such a cry and taken it as a warning. But, surely, peice d be no wild bulls in the streets of New ork!” . But there was, though, and the wildest kind of ulls. Hight large Texan steers, that had been brought to the city by an Erie Railroad ferry-boat, maddened by starvation aud thirst, when they were landed at the foot of Chambers street became uncontrollable. EFluding their drovers and frenzied by the yells and shouts of an idle crowd of men and boys, that always collects on the slightest provocation in the streets of New York, and the shrieks of terrified women and children, who, returning from pleasure- jaunts in the country, thronged the neighborhood of the ferry-house, the infuriated steers, with blaz- ing eyes, foaming mouths, tossing their horns threateningly, and lashing themselves with their tails, dashed up Chambers street toward West Broadway. ' Lorania attempted to fly across the open space, when one singled her out and pursued her. Fright deprived her of strength, and she sunk down upon her knees, giving herself up for lost, and awaiting her fate with the numbness of yang At that dread moment. a boy sprung lightly before her, holding in his right hand a gleaming bayonet which he had snatched from a soldier in the crowd, The boy's hair was so short that Me could not see any of it beneath his cap, and he had a white face with a vivid red flush in either cheek, and a bright blue eye. His bearing was utterly dauntless. The mob shouted encouragingly to him. **Tt’s Ferg Fearnaught!”’ cried Rowdy Rube. “ And he's a-goin’ fur der bull!” exclaimed Terry. These two youths had followed the steer’ to the park, and were still taking a look at * the fun.” , The steer seemed to be very much astonished to find himself confronted by so slight an antagonist. He paused with Recto head and distended nos- trils and Riased at him. ‘ Fergus bounded swiftly forward and plunged his weapon in the steer’s breast. The animal sprung toward him, blood streamin from the deep wound, but Fergus warily lea aside, and, as the steer passed him, buried the sword bayonet in his side. : He was fortunate enough to reach a vital part, for the steer staggered confusedly for a few moments and then fell over upon its side, dead. The police formed a circle about the carcass and emptied their revolvers ‘into it, and the crowd hacked it with knives, Rowdy Rube and Terry par- eb in this singular amusement with great glee. : Fergus resigned the sword bayonet to the owner, who came just then to claim it, and turned his at- tention to Lorania, who remained upon her knees with her face buried in her hands. He raised her gently Upeane supported her toward a bench, she yielding to direction passively. Lit Ae re , ma’am,” he said. “The bull's ed.” She shivered, and then looked at him, saying: “My brave youth, to whom doIowe— Heavens! ft is he—my own—my boy !—my boy!” And she caught Fergus in her arms and pressed him wildly to her heart. Fe was very much astonished to find himself so affectionately embraced, but he attributed this action to the lady’s gratitude. —n “Oh! how’short they’ve cut your hair!’’ she ex- claimed. “Yes, that’s the Island clip,"’ replied Fergus, laughingly. ‘* Had you waited until to-day you would have re- ceived your discharge.”’ ‘* Yes, I know it now, but I didn’t know it then; I would have waited if I had.” ‘When did you learn it?” ‘*About twelve o’clock to-day. I was stoppin with Mary Jackson at her house in Harlem, and thought that Mrs. Nandrus and Fleda might be anx- ious about me, ang sol asked her to go down and see them and tell @pm that I was all right, When she came back she said Lawyer Pickles had been there after me, and said he'd got my discharge. Clever in him, wasn’t it? So I just traveled down home, and I tell you, they was glad to see me again, Fleda, particularly,” “The little girl?” “Yes; so afterI bad taken a lunch with her, I te sailed out for a bit of a walk, and I tell you, the oys looked at me, for ee ee knew me with my hairso short. It felt kind of good, though, to think I could walk round and not have to dodge the cops. I’m going to call on Bickles and thank him— though I don’t know why he shouki trouble himself about me.”’ ‘** It was at my request."’ “ Yours?’’ cried Fergus, surprisedly. “Yes; look atme. Do you think you ever saw my face before?” rania put this question eagerly, and Fergus — her features closely in compliance with the uest, | ma Yes, I do remember you now,” he replied. P i You do?’’ she cried, in a gratified manner, “* You o?’ : “Yes, it was you that wae in the carriage on Sag ie and sung out ‘That’s the boy — stop m 99 . * Yes—yes!"’ ‘* What did you want to stop me for?” “Oh, Fergus! can you not guess?”’ The boy shook his head. ** No, I’m blest if Ican!” he answered. **Do you not ey heart yearn toward me?" He gazed earnestly in her face. “You are a nice looking lady,” he said, ‘‘and | feel as if I could like you.” ‘‘ Like me!—you must love me!"’ she exclaimed. “Why must I?” he inquired, quite bewildered by her manner. * Why? Because, Fergus, lam your mother!” “Yo tonite !” sh ted d agai ‘*Your mother!” she repeated; an n she clasped him to her heart. Despite eee penent and astonishment her words carri onviction to the boy’s-heart. ‘*You must be—you must be,” he murmured pleasantly; ‘“‘and oh! what a nice mother you are!" ‘Heaven has been good to me 4 oF prmoanryy ¢ me to find you after all these years,” cried Lorania, grate- fully. ‘*Now, Fergus, you must go home with me,”’ ** What, right away?” ** Yes—yes.”’ ‘*T’d like to go home and tell Mrs. Nandrus and Fleda first. They'll be anxious about meif I’m not home for supper.”’ Lorania reflected for a moment. ‘* Perhaps that would be best,'’ she said. ‘I must explain all to Elliott now, and arrange ny plans for the future. Will you not come to me thi: evening if I tell you where to come?”’ * Yes,”’ answereti Fergus, promptly. She took out one of her cards and gave it to him. He read off the inscription readily, somewhat to her oyrpree. ‘* Mrs, Elliott Yorke, Be ‘You can read?” she said. ** Oh, yes.” '* Who taught you?” ‘* Fleda.”’ **She has been a good friend to you?” * Tip-top!”’ Fergus referred to the card that he held ip his hand. “Isthis your name?” he inquired. “ Yes—my married name.” ‘*And is my name Fergus Yorke?” : No, my boy; your name is Robert Fergus Army: e. ’ ‘ ergus could not understand this at all. “ How can that be?’”’ he questioned. “Tt was your father’s name; but all shall be explained to you in good time, It seems that in some way you lost your first name and were called vy Page middle name jonly. I must go home now. you walk to the ferry with me?” n avenue,” ta 9 “ Of course I *“* As we go along I can tell you how you can find Sines 1 sede al the park togeth out o cS) ether and esha toealwny. The excitement caused by the wild steers had died away, and the street had re- sumed its usual aspect They proceeded uninterruptedly to the Courtlandt ferry, and here Lorania gave Fer some car and ferry tickets, eharged him not to point her in coming that évening, kissed him, and t = opey Vergus hurried, in high glee, to the o ouse in Raxter street to break the strange tidings to Mrs. Nandrus and Fleda. When Lorania reached her home she sought her husband ret rer “I have done zou a great wrong, Elliott,” she be- gan and her voice quavered, despite all her efforta steady it; “and if was allthe more grievous be- cause you have loved me so well.” There came a pleasurable gieam into his eyes. “You know, then, how much I have loved you,” he said; “how much I still love you?” | y GOMIGERVOCGKS (EC)