Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 428 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Fred Flyer, the Reporter Det who presented another paper, which he spread over the previous one. ‘This is the document for you to sign, Mrs, Brierly.” ‘* What is it?” she eagerly asked. ‘It is a transfer of all your property to your child,” said the lawyer who accompanied Fred. ‘You, of course, keep a life right in it, but cannot dispose .2 the capital. 1 wish you to thoroughly understand before signing.” ‘“*f em willing to sign that,” she eagerly de- clared. ‘I want it to go to the child—every cent of it.” She seized the pen with a firm hand. All present expected that her husband would make some opposition to her signature, but he stood raridtedt a cynical smile curling his lip. Ina moment her name was affixed. _.‘* There,” she cried, triumphantly. done! It is all my darling’s now!” ** Think so?” 5 A Mr. Brierly, tauntingly. ‘Yes. Is it not?” ‘‘Guess not. S’pose a husband hasn’t any rights? I’ve got to put my fist to that paper before it’s worth a pinch of snuff, Do you think I'm going to do it? Maybe you're trying to buy Bob Brierly for a fool. Thought you were do.kg it very neat, didn’t you? That card won’t play, Mrs. Brierly.” She looked questioningly at the lawyer, who nodded assent, ‘‘You had better sign, Mr. Brierly,” quietly remarked Mr. Brace. ‘Thad, eh? Much I will! I'd better sign?” ‘‘Only because our Western editor has come back from Chicago, where he has picked ‘up some interesting items about the Honorable Robert Brierly. I am afraid we cannot keep him from ventilating that gentleman’s charac- ter in the Morning Star. If you sign that paper I will see what can be done with him.” ‘*Do you mean to threaten me?” Mr. Brierly had grown slightly pale. ‘*Oh, no! not at all. I only wish to say that we’ve probed your career pretty thoroughly. It is not a very sweet-smelling one. If you don’t sign that paper, into the Star it goes, the vhole story. And I shall take good care that your Western constituents see it.” This was no trifling threat. Mr. Brierly well knew there were incidents in his life that were not very savory. A politician dreads the news- papers as he would dread a rattlesnake, If his whole history were spread before the public his political career wasended. He looked for a mo- ment at Mr. Brace as if half inclined to fling him out of the window. Bunt there were too many to try that game. Suddenly turning, with a gesture of contempt, he dashed his name to the paper. ‘* There it is,” he declared. ‘‘ Make the most of it.” He drew sullenly back as the lawyer stepped ‘That is W hat’s the reason up. x I should like your signatures here as wit- nesses,” he remarked. ‘‘Mr. Brace and Mr, Mason. » Please sign here.” They did so. The lawyer folded the paper, and placed it in his pocket. iv. U bardly think there will be any call for your document,” he satirically remarked to his pro- fessional brother. ** You think you’ve got me foul, don’t you?” snarled the discomfited politician. ‘Maybe I ain’t as green as you fancy. Tl take that little paper back, Mrs, Brierly, which you got from we under false pretenses. That little deed of separation.” ‘No, no!” she muttered, drawing back in alarm. “You he sneere retend to be an honorable woman,” » ‘*T gave it to you on your promise to sign that deed. . sep a document got by false pretenses?” @ Is that your honor! To knew with whom he had to deal. With a look of proud disdain she felt in her pockets for the document. ‘What is it?’ asked Fred, curiously, “Only my consent to a separation, she to aave custody of the child,” answered Mr, Brier- ly, with sneering triumph. “Guess I'll take that back. I’ve got some fatherly, affection, you see. The little thing is mine after it is seven. And won’tI take delight in giving it a nice education!” ‘Here is the paper,” said his wife, proudly, though her face worked with agony. ‘I scorn to. take a dishonorable advantage, or to keep what was received under an unfulfilled promise, But you might be generous for once, Robert, and let me keep it.” ‘‘Much I will,” he retorted, with a brutal Jaugh. ‘‘I’m quite likely to, Just pass it over.” She extended her hand with the paper, while her face bent over the child. She could not bear to see the loss of her fond hopes. ‘* Hold your hosses,” exclaimed Fred, stepping between, and taking the paper from Mrs. Brier- ly’s extended hand. ‘‘I’d like to have a little word in this. The Honorable Bob Brierly can have this document. Nobody’s going to hinder. But if he takes it, justas sure as shooting, there’s a nice little story going into the Morning Star.” | ‘What story?” cried the politician, angrily. ‘* You are trying lies on me. You know nothing about me. hame any story.” ‘We might put in about that little mining scheme,” answered Fred, ‘in which you chiseled some green speculators out of their money.” ‘*Put it in. I don’t carea fig. that paper.” He laughed in scorn. ‘‘ Or the little item of how Robert Brierly was caught robbing the county office at Blooming- ton, Montana,” ‘‘Hand over that paper.” But Mr. Brierly had ceased to laugh. ‘‘Or the little story about how a man was knifed in a bar-room at Benton, lowa. And whose name was on the knife-handle. The folks in Montana don’t know that story. It will be nuts for them,” Mr. Brierly glared at the speaker with dis- tended eyes, ‘“What do you mean?” he faltered. ‘‘ How did you—” ‘“Oh, we newspaper boys have our ways of getting news.” ‘*Keep the paper and be blazed! me if I don’t get even with you yet!” He turned and rushed in rage and fear from the room. Fred had struck home. The poli- tician dared not have that incident in his life made public. ‘* Let me take charge of these papers for you, Mrs. Brierly,” said the lawyer. *‘* You have tri- umphed over your brutal husband. But they are not shfe in your hands.” ‘T shall be too grateful,” she answered, ‘I am not fit to contend with him.” ‘* That’s so,” remarked Fred. tion that ’m his match.” But we must end this scene, and with it the active incidents of Mrs. Brierly’s story. Her discomfited husband went West. He had had enough of Eastern ways, and concluded that it was safest to complete his political record in the wilds of Montana. As for Mrs. Brierly she has settled down in Philadelphia, glad to be as far as possible from her Honorable husband, and happy in the cus- tody of her child, who is growing up into the sweetest and dearest of little girls, Fred Flyer, still a reporter on the Morning Star, is a frequent and always welcome visitor at her residence, and one of the chief delights of the soul of her little daughter. And he will never cease to laugh over the way the Star corps settled the hash of the Honorable Bob Brierly. Hand over But hang ‘* But Pveano- THE END. DIME DIALOGUES AND SPEAKERS FOR SCHOOL HXHIBITIONS AND HOME ENTERTAINMENTS. Dialogues, Nos. 1 to 82 inclusive, 15 to 25 popu- lar dialogues and dramas in each book. Each vol- ume 100 pages 12mo. Speakers, Nos. 1 to 24 inclusive. Each speaker 100 pages 12mo, containing from 50 to 75 pieces, YOUNG PEOPLE’S SERIES, Dime Book of Winter Sports. Dime Book of Summer Athletic Sports, Dime Gents’ Letter Writer. Dime Book of Etiquette. Dime Book of Verses. 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