Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 434 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

a — ——-- ~~ —— After lingering a few moments longer, Myra drew a long sigh, and wended her way home- ward alone. It was the first time in nearly six months that she had not had Carrol Carter for her es- cort. She lived in a small street not far from Twen- tieth and Spring Garden, where her mother )- pt a little candy store, and earned a few dol: lars toward their support. ; When she reached home, Myra only with ef- fort repressed her tears. The disappointment of not meeting Carter was keen, for his long and careful attentions to her had truly won her affection. : When she entered the store no one was in at- tendance, but on entering the sitting-room she found her mother seated there, in company with a stylishly-dressed man of perhaps thirty-two ears. Mrs. Morton was a woman of fifty or there- abouts, of portly figure, and possessed of a hard yet not unhandsome face, cold, calculating gray eyes, and hair that was as white as snow. Her companion, or rather her visitor—for Myra had never seen him before to her knowl- edge—was a tall, muscular man, with a singu- larly white countenance, jet-black eyes and hair, and an expression that was both sinister and re- pelling. , He regarded Myra, as she entered, with a stare, that at once created in her a positive dis- like for him. ‘‘Myra, this is Mr. Gilbert,” Mrs. Morton said. ‘‘‘ He has come to see you on a matter of the-utmost importance.” ‘*To see me?’ Myra replied, after a slight nod in acknowledgment of Gilbert’s gracious bow. , ‘Yes, dear. I—I—but perhaps Mr. Gilbert can state his own case best. Be seated.” With no little wonderment, Myra laid aside her hat and seated herself. Vey ‘‘Ahem! You see,” Gilbert began, “‘ this is rather a ticklish matter—ahem!—but there is but one way of doing it, and that is by going at it broadcast. You have, I understand, been re- ceiving the attentions of a young man named Carrol Carter?” , ; Myra’s eyes sparkled with a rifle of anger, while a wave of color swept over her face. ‘‘T have been acquainted with such a person,” she replied, coldly. f hl yes, [ know. Your mother has told me that you and Carter were in love with each other, and there was a fine prospect that your little courtship would result in marriage. Now, nothing in the world would please me better than to sse you two joined in the bonds of wed- lock.” ‘** Indeed!” aed ‘‘ Exactly. You may be surprised at this in- terest on my part, but I can easily explain. Unknown to him, I am a strong personal friend of Carter’s. In every-day life we are no more than speaking acquaintances, but still my love for that fellow is something great. To see him settled down with a nice little wife, such as I infer you would make, would please me exceed- ingly.” : Why, sir, Mr, Carter is not an unsteady young man, is he?” Myra innocently inquired, ‘‘ Oh, no; far from it. In fact, I don’t know of a more exemplary young man. That’s why I want to see him get married right away, you know. ‘* He’s a handsome and dashing young fellow, and naturally much sought after, and therefore in some danger of falling into bad ways, you know. Then, too, he is Hable to come into a fine sum of money, soon, and it were better he were married, than single, when he gets it—for ou know, money is a powerful root of evil. He little suspects what is coming to him, and I beg of you not to mention what I have told you.” “Yes? But, sir, I cannot understand—” ‘“T™nt! tut! Iwill make it plainer. I want you to marry Carrol Carter, at once. Promise me to do so, and I will lay one thousand dol- larsin your hands to start house-keeping with.” ‘‘ Now, then, dear,” spoke up Mrs, Morton, triumphantly. : Myra was more than astonished. Her looks showed it, too. While Mr. Gilbert laughed, quietly. ‘* Why—why, sir, this is all very strange,” Myra said, nervously. ‘‘ Mr. Carter and I are not engaged. Indeed, he has never yet asked me to marry him, sir.” , ‘Not? Oh! well, that isa matter of little con- sequence, You are satisfied he likes you—or, in stronger terms, loves you.” _. “ J—J—really, sir, 1 don’t think you ought to expect me to answer such a question.” Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives. 3 — — om eee SF - S.C --- C78 And Myra blushed, charmingly. “Oh! well, we will take it for granted that you both love one another,” Gilbert went on, dryly. ‘‘ Women havea knack of drawing aman on to propose, when he is least prepared for it. I know that, by experience. Now, my dear Miss Morton, do you not think you could draw Car- ter on, so that he would propose to you when you next meet again?” sé Sir he ‘Tut! tut! now. Don’t let mock-modesty in- terfere with business. You can easily, by a lit- tle hugging and kissing, induce Carter to pro- pose to you, and then urge him to marry you at once. Then you get the thousand dollars.” ‘* Sir, I am astonished to think that you could believe me so bad as that!” Myra exclaimed. ‘* Mother, who is this man?—for he is no gentle- man to make such a proposal as he has!” ‘Mr. Gilbert is a perfect gentleman, dear, and his motives are honorable,”’ Mrs. Morton as- sured, her features relaxing none from their hardness of expression. ‘‘ You will do well te heed his directions.” ‘* But, mother, this is so strange and incon- sistent.’ ‘*Pshaw! Nothing of the kind,” Gilbert as- sured, a trifle impatiently. ‘“/Itsa matter of necessity—not particularly so far as you are concerned, but, in Carter’s case, If I knew of another girl he was in love with, I would try her. You see, the fact is, my dear young lady, that Carter must be a husband within three days. On your promise not to divulge to him, or any one else, the reason, I will give it to you. Myra’s curiosity was, naturally, by this time, wrought up to fever heat. | Carter must be a husband within three days? If so, why? What could be the secret? She hesitated a moment, and then said: ‘** You can give me the reason. I wil. be silent,” ‘‘As I supposed. You look like a sensible girl,and when you come to know the truth, you will see that all is for your interests and welfare. Indeed, I fancy you will drop to the game at once.” Myra looked rather doubtful at this. The ex- pression occurred to her as being decidedly in- elegant, coming as it did from a man who wore a diamond ring and pin. ** You see,” Gilbert went on, affably, ‘‘ Carrol has an eccentric uncle who worships the boy after a peculiar fashion, although he has thus far never helped him toa penny. Satisfied, at last, that Carrol has arrived at an age where good young men beep to think of settling down, this uncle bas concluded to give Carrol a most hand- some sum of money, immediately after his mar- riage, which he has finally decided must take place at once. ‘‘The uncle has had Carrol shadowed, and thus found that he was keeping company with you. He has investigated your antecedents and come to the conclusion that you are the very oung woman that Carrol must marry. I have n commissioned, as his agent, to see that the marriage takes place in three days’ time. If it does not, Catrot . rill never receive acent. Do yousee? Then, too, Carrol must know nothing of this coming fortune, until after the marriage. ‘*On your sacred promise to get him to marry you, which, no doubt, will be one of the easiest things in the world, I will pay you the one thousand dollars. ‘You then can tell him you reli saved up that much, and he will think i y wWpat tell a lie?” Myra exclaimed. ‘‘ No, not I! ‘Tut! tut! A little fib like that won’t hurt any one.” ‘It would hurt me /” was the response. ‘I had better bringing up, sir, than to tell an un- truth.” ; Gilbert glanced at the coldly composed face of Mrs, Morton, as if he wondered how this could be. But he did not speak his thoughts. ‘Oh! well, you can tell Carter just what you piers you know,” hewenton. ‘* Women often avea way of getting around a point, better than men, All that’s required is for you to marry Carter within three days, and don’t let him know anything about what’s coming to him until after marriage. Now, then, you under- stand the case, and of course you will try to score the point which will make you the posses- sor of enough money to start you to housekeep- ing nicely,” and as if. Ap cea what Myra’s an- swer would be, Mr. Gilbert drew a large roll of bank-notes from his pocket, ‘* Oh! of course, Myra will do everything that’s - = = ee __.______ _-_--.cOe or SO ae. — ——— — — ee ee a eee right,” Mrs. Morton declared, her eyes glistenin at sight of so much money. ‘‘Myra has Carro fairly snared, and you can rest assured I'll help the matter along all 1 can.” ‘* Myra will very likely consult her own wishes in this matter,” Myra quickly spoke up. ‘‘ This seems to me like a conspiracy, Mr. Gilbert, and I cannot consent to become a party to it, until I have had time to think. As for my proposing to Carrol Carter, that’s out of the question. And it is hardly probable he will propose to me, in the time you have specified. So keep your money. If I conclude totry what you have sug- gested, I will leave word. to that effect before go to work in the morning. Good-night, sir,” and rising, Myra swept from the room, with the haughty carriage of a queen, Mr, Gilbert smothered an oath and bit his lips from vexation. bat had he made this most singular pro- sa Why was the proposed match worth a thou- sand dollars to him? CHAPTER ITI. THE STRANGE MARRIAGE. DETECTIVE JIM BEAK picked up his pencil and writing-pad, with a quiet smile of assu- rance, “Well,” he said, “I have been notably suc- cessful in running burglars into custody, and I have scarcely a doubt but what I can handle YOON cage ina way that will be quite satisfac- ry. Pig so, good! But the offenders are not to be taken into custody without my knowledge and consent.” ‘* Exactly! I understand. Will you now give me some outline of the case, so that I will know how to begin work?” ‘Well, sir, I live at No. —, Germantown avenue,” ‘*' Yes? Have got it. down—know the neigh- borhood pretty well.” ‘* One point in yourfavor,then. Night before last my residence was entered, between the hours of seven and eight, and robbed of a valu- able document that was locked up in my private secretary, which stands in the front parlor, on the first floor,” ‘* You are sure the robbery occurred between these hours?” ‘* Positive. We were at dinner at the time. Before dinner I had the paper in my hands, and replaced it in the pigeon-hole, where I usually keep it, and took particular pains to lock the secretary securely cn leaving the room,” ‘*On your return tothe room, the document was gone, I presume?” ‘* Yes. On unlocking the desk, I made the discovery that it was .gone, I at once ques- tioned all the members of my household, but none of them had been in the parlor since I had been summoned to dinner,” a And no one was in the room when you left bf No. ” ‘* The entrance to the room—” ‘Is from the hall, There is but one door, which was open.” ‘*Tiow ahout the windows?” ‘There are two. The lower sash was raised enough to admit a pair of wive screens,” ‘Could these screens have been removed?” ‘Yes. But it is not likely any one from the outside would attempt their removai, as they would have to stand on their tiptoes; and then, too, there is a cigar store across the street, out- side of which a number of persons are always lounging after six o’clock, and they would have been certain to have seen any one who attempt ed to get into the house through the window.’ ‘** How about the door—the front one?” ‘*No one can gain entrance there, except by being in possession of a latch-key.” ‘** And the rear?” ‘¢ There is a small back-yard, in which a crose dog is always ready to sound an alarm,” Could any one gain entrance to the house from the roof ?” sé No.” . ‘“‘Then it would appear the thief must have had a latch-key, sir?” ‘Yes. I do not see how he could have gained entrance without attracting attention, in any other manner.” ‘Yes? Well, now, let me see, This secretary of yours—has itan ordinary lock?’ Bg ‘*The b . urglar apparently must have had a key that fitted that, too? ‘ Yes.” ** Did any of your household have a key to it?” ** Not that I am aware of, sir.” . i A > ' y a ; a : “P € 2 + -¢ * x a — ‘ ; ae pe a i *, A ot &) a 4 \ ’ pat 5 G 4. ead aes ae , J . , ps rare - 4 PS ie *.; oe iP aes, eT — Y \ be a Kee . ye ( I i eo. ce aaa. ~~~ *comicbooks.com