Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 434 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

~ Cee ~~ — ees eee ees $c ION ‘happiness. ——— > was stolen, and he offers me five thousand dol- lars to recover it. Although it is a delicate job I shall undertake it. If I get the certificate, I shall think long thoughts before I let it go out of my hands.” ‘Oh! God bless you, sir! You can never know what hope and relief your words give me, If fa- ther was to get hold of the certificate again, he would surely destroy it.” ‘‘T know he would. But does he know that even then, he could not break the validity of your marriage, providing it is valid?” ‘Oh! it is valid, sir, I haven’t a doubt about that. The man who married us is a reg- ularly ordained minister of the gospel, it ap- rs.” ‘‘ But, if so, what was he doing at the cham- pagne party?” ‘*He was on a visit toa friend in the house, who got him to perform the ceremony without knowing that he had been recently ordained.” ‘‘ This is a bad piece of business, all around,” Beak said, with a dubious shake of his head. What is the minister’s name?’ ‘‘ Reverend Timothy Binks.” ‘“‘ Where did. this ceremony take place?” ‘““ No. —— Montgomery avenue!” ‘1s Binks still there?” ‘* Papa told me he had left, and no one knew of his whereabouts.” ‘‘ Where does Terrol Taylor live?” ‘‘ He boards at No. —— Oxford street.” ‘¢ And, now, about this Guion—who is he?” ‘“‘ He is an old bachelor, and reputed to be very wealthy. He has a room at father’s house.” ft, ** You do not like him?” ‘7 detest him, sir! He is at heart a villain. He would marry me to-day, knowing it to be bigamy, were I[ to countenance his suit.” ‘And would your father wink at such a mar- riage as that ?” ‘* Not unless forced to, sir.” ‘¢ Ah! then there is force in the matter, eh?’ ‘Yes, Gilbert Guion holds some mysterious wer over my father, concerning something hat is of the past, by exercising which he can bend my father to his will. My father is a strong-willed man, but his will is weak and use- less when Guion is about, and he would do any- thing rather than incur Guion’s wrath. You may know that, when he swore he would have me shut up in an insane asylum if I[ refused to marry Guion, as soon as he procured a di- vorce!” ‘‘ Ah! a divorce?” “Yes,” ‘‘T took it from what he said to me that your marriage must be kept quiet. He could not well get a divorce without publicity.” ‘6 ou are wrong there. My father has a great deal of money, and he told me he could buy a divorce without the least publicity. As for Ter- rol, he said he could buy him off and send him to the Antipodes.” ‘*‘ And in case you were free would you marry Guion?” ‘Never! AsI told you, there is but one man on earth I love, and he is my husband. If I could have him I would ask ‘for nothing else.” ‘‘ Well, we will see if we can’t arrange mat- ters. Do you think Taylor knows that you are really legally married? I should think if he did he would hesitate about winning another girl for his wife.” ‘¢ Since you mention it, perhaps it maybe so. I know he did not seem to regard it as a mar- riage up to the time he left the party, and unless he Ring learned about it since, he does not know that a marriage-certificate was given me.” ‘‘Then the chances are large that he does not know that there is any. impediment in his mar- ing this other girl.” ‘Oh! sir, if that should be the case, do not tell him to destroy his happiness. I will bear all my suffering in silence, rather than mar his will even sacrifice myself to—death —for his sake.” ‘¢ You are anoble-hearted girl, Miss Hurst, but such a thing as you propose must not be. Tay- lor must know the truth, and then act according to his convictions. I do not think he has the cer- tificate, and so shall have to seek in another di- rection. And now you had better let me see you to the vicinity of your home, and, above all, give up all thought of suicide.” “No! no! I will not go home. Father would accuse me of being out to see Terrol, and -would raise a terrible fuss. No, 1 have money of my own which I brought with me, and I will seek some small respectable hotel for the present, and register under an assumed name. I will never go home until father promises to cut loose from that Villain Gilbert Guion, And I want you to bemy ee ee - - ——— ooo friend, sir, for I have no one else to look to in this hour of trouble.” ‘You can rest assured of my friendship,” Beak,answered warmly ; ‘‘ and perhaps your plan of remaining away from home for a time, until matters are cleared up, is best. I shall give m time and attention to this case in your behalf, and if Guion turns out the villain you believe him, I will try to unmask him, and throw off this power he holds over your father.” : ** Oh! you are so very kind. And you will let no one know where lam? I know of a quiet boarding hotel that will just suit me, If you will take me there—” ‘* With pleasure. I shall then be able to com- municate with you when necessary,” ‘Yes. And now you must not do so much for me all for nothing. Here area hundred dol- lars. Take the money, and when you need more you shall have it.” ‘*But, Miss Hurst—” “Tt’s allright. Ihave more than that. My pin-money in past years I have been quite sav- ing of, as papa was indulgent to me, and when | came to count it up to-day I found it amounted to a considerable sum. So, make no hesitation of taking that, and ask for more when you need oe ‘**T will accept it, Miss Hurst, on the condition to do all in my power to clear away the clouds that hover over your life. I hope to see you your happy self once more.” ‘*T fear that can never be, for my life is blighted, and even though Terrol does not mar- ry the other girl, I could not ask him to live with me, when he said in his letter he did not love me. Oh, God! why was I ever born?” And she buried her face in her handkerchief, once more weeping piteously. ‘‘There, there, do not cry, dear lady. Per- haps it’s all for the best,” Beak said, going around to her and laying his hand upon her shoulder. ‘' Perhaps you will yet meet some one you will love better. And now, come, please! Let me accompany you to the hotel.” With an effort she dried her tears and arose, and they left the office. A man stood upon the curbstone as they did so, and was gazing straight at them, At sight of him, Hazel uttered a little cry of horror, and clutched Beak’s arm for support. ‘* Merciful Heaven! Jt is Gilbert Guion !” she gasped. CHAPTER VI. BOTTS, ‘‘ YER may kick me fer a cat ef I wouldn’t like ter have had Jamesy Beak ‘long wi’ me to heerd thet luv-makin’,” soliloquized the Spider, as he dogged the footsteps of Carrol Carter and Myra out of the park. ‘‘Jim he’s kinder of a skeptic *bout women folks an’ love matters, an’ et would do me good ter see sum gal git him in love so bad he couldn’t wiggle his right ear any more an’ say women were ‘N. G.’ ‘*7 don’t think so, Vl jest go a quid o’ per- lice plug ag’in’ a organ-grinder’s monkey thet my gal Botts will make a boss wife. An’ ef she don’t git stuck on some other better-lukin’ fel- ler ’n I, ther chances are big we'll git spliced one 0’ these days, when Botts outgrows her habit o’ goin’’round bare-footed. S’pose, in fact, I an’ Botts orter git married now, so I could help her support her sick mother. Kinder funny, never see’d the old lacy but once sence I know’d Botts, an’ then she was pale and thin, and looked purty sick. She looked, too, asif she had seen better days. Botts never tells me nothin’ bout their past, either. One thing is sure: soon’s [’m through wi’ this racket, | must go an’ give Botts another course 0! lessons in love-makin’, or she will fergit all I ever did tell her, a-settin’ on McKinney’s cellar-door,” Carrol and Myra left the park and immedi- ately sought the nearest magistrate’s office, which was not many blocks distant. Spider was close at hand when they entered, and, by peering in, had the satisfaction of see- ing the ceremony performed, although he could not catch the words that were uttered. Finally, armed with their certificate, they left the office and started for Myra’s home. Spider did not follow them, ‘“They’re married,” he said, ‘and ’tain’t no use 0’ my doggin’ ’°em any more. Let’em go, an’ I’ll shindy down to Middle Alley an’ see 'f I kin ketch Bottsy up.” Most Philadelphians know where Middle AI. ley is, or have heard of it, and those who have not need not want to, for it is by no means the grandest thoroughfare in the city. Indeed, vice and squalor are here, true and tried partners. Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives. 7 a a - e e e - e ee ooo But, to Spider, Middle Alley had all the at- tractions of Broadway, sim because ‘his girl Botts” lived in one of the humble habita- tions that flanked either side of the alley, The house that she lived in was not a tene- ment, like the others, but waS a narrow, story- and-a half structure, containing three rooms, eee the Botts family occupied all by them- selves. When Spider arrived at this house, he found ‘his girl” seated on the doorstep much to his joy. The alley swarmed. with people of rough and ugly types, and various nationalities, but Botts, as she was generally known, was an American, and quite attractive looking. She was sixteen years of age, had a round, intelligent face, sparkling brown eyes, and a wealth of hair of like color, which fell in glossy waves over her shoulders. She wore a pretty chintz dress, and notwith- standing Spider’s previous allusions to the con- trary, wore a pair of brand new kid shoes, which peeped out from under her dress, The young detective paused, and surveyed her from top to toe, in pure astonishment, and then ruefully contemplated his own shabby at- tire. ‘Well, Dll be kicked fer a cat!” he ejaculated. ‘What on earth has happened? Have you struck a fortune, or hev you been tryin’ yer hand at a fire in a shoe store?” ‘** Neither,” was the airy reply of Miss Botts, ‘* Why?—do you see anything green in my eye, Spider?” ‘* No, but I see suthin’ black on your feet, that looks mighty out o’ place there. Where’d yer strike the shoes, an’ the togs? I didn’t see no signs o’ a fire, when I cum down.” **Oh! dry up! Come and sit down here, be- side me, and I’ll tell you.” ‘What! me sit down ’longside o’ them togs? Nixee!” ‘Oh! come along! This is nothing but a cheap dress, Il intend to wear satin and velvet, before long. But come, or I won’t ever speak to you—there, now!” Oh! PH come!” Spider said, yielding to the persuasion, ‘‘ but pears like I was in an at- mosphere 0’ heving. Say, come, now, tell us all about it.” ‘“Of course I will. Don’t I tell you every- thing, Spider? Well, you see I’ve got a job— struck a bonanza”, ‘‘ A job?—a bonanza? What ye drivin’ at?” **T ain’t goin’ to take in washin’ any more, for a living. I’ve got an engagement to go nurse a real old man, in a big grand house, with handsome carpets and furniture, what ain’t go- ing to live very long.” ‘“Which—the furniture and carpets, or the old man?” ‘Why, the old man, of course! Oh! he’s awful old, and he’s awful rich, and I’m to have sole charge of the house, except an old negress, who does the cooking. Ob! wont I have it grand, though?” “Spect you will. mother?” ‘Oh! she is feeling a good bit stronger, and as we Shall have plenty of money, she can have her meals brought from the restaurant on the corner, and Mrs, McGraw will keep the house clean. Then too. I can come home, twice a wees, Just think of it, only—fifty dollars a week |! Spider burst into a roar of laughter. ‘Come, now, cheese that! ot yer givin’ us, Isay? D’ye think I’m a reg'lar slow that calls horseshoes epaulettes?” ‘*T know you ain’t, Spider, but ’m telling you the truth, Fifty dollars a week, and Ive got the first week’s pay, in advance. I’m tellin’ you the solid truth as sure as my name ain’t Rip Jan Winkle.” ‘*T hope you are, Botts, but it kinder looks to me as ef you aire drawin’ it purty strong, What old snoozer would be green enough ter pay so much when one kin git dead loads o’ gals fer three dollars? But say, how’d you come ter strike et?” ‘Well, you see, there’s a gentleman that used to know mother some years ago, and he hunted us up, and to help us along offered me the posi- tion. The old man whom | am going to nurse is his grandfather, and is expected to die prett soon of old age, and needs some one to wate over him, As the grandson cannot. be with him all the time, be is willing to pay well for a nee an’ so help us along, as he’s well able te 0. ‘What's the grandson’s name?” ‘Gilbert Guion.” ‘* And the old man’s name? But, how about your wf ee ©. - earl r | nA IJO00KS y l ~— ‘ees