Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 460 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

o™ , - ’ ————————— ~All ee ot ~ : . _ _— > , o- ry eos eee — en ee ee ee . “ -» 4 ad - + p . +o — ' -was locked. Could he turn the key and pass e seemed likely to reach the door first, but it through in time to save himself? The question was solved quicker than he had expected. In his headlong haste Marmaduke was not careful of his footing, and he suddenly caught his toe in the carpet and went down in a heap, breaking the bull’s-eye lantern into frag- ments. When he regained his feet the door was wide open and the Shadow gone, and there stood the two men alone, startled and demoralized! Luke had turned the key and gained open air, but even there he did not pause. It occurred to him that his enemies would most naturally ex- ect him to take to the street for safety; so, instead, he ran up the slope of the graveyard until near the middle, and then ok on the ground beside one of the marble slabs. From there he watched and listened, but dis- tance and darkness were so against him that he saw nothing for at least ten minutes. Then a dim light shone from the church win- dow, and he suspected that Lorimer and Tripp had lit one of the lamps belonging there, to re- move all trace of their visit. He dared not watch them further near by, so he waited for the light to disappear. Sooner or later he must venture near the church, for his ‘shoes were still concealed in the bushes. Only for that he would have hurried away at once, for he had evidently learned the object of the schemers’ visit. It had been to tear the leaf from that dusty old book. What did they want of it? Accord- ing to what they said at the time, some record was on if, and this record must be destroyed to make safe their attempt to foist Percy Little- ton upon the world as Lionel Beringbrooke’s heir. Just what the record was Luke did not know, but he determined to learn. His friendship so well begun with the old sexton must be made to serve him. At thought of the old man, he looked around and saw that he was almost where they had stood when talking. He looked at the grave- stone beside which he crouched. It was that of William Hallock, the suicide! What strange chance had brought the friend- less, troubled boy to the grave of the friendless, wretched man who had rashly taken his own life when his sorrows became unbearable? “Poor fellow! I wonder what his trouble was? If his grave was defaced because he was a suicide, by people too vulgarly proud to toler- ate his presence here, if wasa shame! Mother always said that the dead should have but one judge, and He their Maker.” Turning his gaze again toward the church, the boy saw that the light had disappeared, and he was aout to move that way when a poarshd step on the walk, and not far away star- tled him, Was it one of his enemies? Hesprung up, and then, as he distinctly saw the figure of the ap- proaching man, dropped behind a rose-bush and gravestone but a few feet away. The unknown came nearer and then paused by the suicide’s grave—unknown, because the boy Shadow plainly saw that it was neither the lawyer nor ty aving paused, he stooped and ran one hand down the surface of the gravestone. Next he lit a match, and, by its rays, continued his examina- tion, while Luke tried in vain to get a view of his face. The match went out, and the man stood erect. He muttered, and the words were borne to the esrs of the crouching boy. ‘Sure enough, it has been mutilated, but who could have donc it? Who, except me, would have a motive? Probably it wassome reckless boy, for nobody else would give a thought to the grave, Well, well, well! you sleep under an unnamed stone after all, and the Hallock lie will flaunt itself no more. I wish the grave and all it contains could be as easily swept away.” The speaker leaned one elbow on the stone an looked thoughtfully down at the mound, while Luke hardly breathed, so interested was e. ’ Tn the name of all that was strange, who was this man who was muttering here at such an hour? Clearly, not Lorimer nor Tripp, but one, it seemed, who must have known as much about the suicide as they. Several things he had said were deeply signifi- cant, and in his voice was something at once harsh, cold and sneering. No friend of the dead man was he, if Luke judged aright, and his way of leaning on the stone and looking at the mound seemed to express great satisfaction that it was so. - (y___ nn a ee e_.ePESvOe=Eeeeeeeeeee O03 __ tener ee SSS ae The Lawyer’s Shadow. If he had remained where he was, all would have been well, but he suddenly moved toward Luke’s cover. His object was undoubtedly a 5 fo one, but the boy did not think of that then. His repeated adventures had made him ner- vous, and, fearin sprons up with the intenticn of taking to his eels, Quicker than his own movements, however. were those of the man. No sooner had Luke risen than a yell pealed from the stranger’s lips, by a deadly foe. Luke stood riveted to the ground, staring in blank wonder, that he was discovered, he | and, wheeling, he darted away like one pursued | What had he done to frighten | away an able-bodied man? Surely he had the | most cause to be frightened. Then the boy suddenly remembered the hour, | the fact that the man had probably supposed | himself alone by the grave, to frighten him so? ‘*Not if he’s got a clear conscience,” thought strange muttering of the unknown. His words had revealed a hatred for the dead Was this enough | ‘*Do you see much of the clerk, Mr. Tripp?” the landlord continued, “Oh! yes.” .- **'W hat do you think of him?” ** Well, I guess he is all right. He's pleasant tome. But you know, I don’t work for him.” ‘You don’t speak so enthusiastically of him as youdo of Mr. Lorimer. Come, confess that you don’t like him.” There was a trace of eagerness in Hare’s voice now, and Luke wondered more than ever what he wes working around to, ** Don’t you like him?” he bluntly asked. A sudden flash leaped into Hare’s eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came, ‘*Well I don’t advise you to make friends with him.” ‘Why not, Mr. Hare?” ‘** He might not be a safe guide for one of your years,” ‘*T don’t intend that he shall be my guide,” Luke answered, more emphatically than he in- _ tended. the boy, and this brought back to mind the | man; for him who had been to all the neighbor- | hood a nameless suicide, and so buried. Could | it be that this night prowler had known him of old, and as he really was? Luke hesitated for a moment, anxious to fol- low and see if he could discover the man again, but well aware that there was danger in trying. a daring nature, and he followed the course of the runaway. A short walk took him to the further side of the graveyard, but not a sign could hesee of the stranger. ‘* Well, I think [ll have to let him go. Prob- ably it don’t amount to anything, but if I was a man, and had a clear conscience, I don’t believe I'd run away like that,” ; He turned down the inclosure and looked for Lorimer and Tripp, but, as he had expected, found nothing. e men had disappeared, the church door was again locked, and he seemed to be the only person near, As he did not seem likely to learn more by re- maining there, he secured his shoes and started back toward the city. On the way he reviewed the occurrences of the night, Lorimer and Tripp had surely put themselves in the grasp of the law, but with what motive? What was the leaf they had stolen from the church? This he couid not tell until he had seen the old sexton again—which he intended to do the next day—but jt must be something connect- ed with the case they had undertaken. What was Luke going to do about it? So far he did not feel justified in giving evidence against the men, and he concluded to investigate further, and alone. ' The great question now became, had he been recognized in the church? If not, he wanted to continue work at the office; if he was known as the Shadow, it would not be safe to go near Lorimer. His first impression was strengthb- ened by meditation, and he decided that discov- ery had been actually impossible in the dark church. He was safe enough in continuing work, and this he resolved to do in such a way that the lawyer would suspect nothing. He arrived late at his room, but not so late as to discourage a would-be visitor who, it seemed, had been waiting for him. A rap at the door was followed by the entrance of Ebenzer Hare, who promptly accepted the invitation to sit down. ‘* Well, Luke,” he said, after a little prelim- inary talk, “‘how do you get along at the office?” : ‘‘No fault has been found with me, sir, a2 I rather like the work,” the boy re lie ue Of course you like Mr. Lorimer?” Hare asked the question with his eyes turned keenly on Luke’s face, as though he would | in his old bland, confidential manner. read his very thoughts, but the boy never wavered, ** Well, of course I haven’t become much ac- quainted with him, but, as I said, he uses me well.” ‘Just so; and he will continue to use you well. He appreciates a level-headed person, old or young. Luke did not feel at ease, for Hare seemed ‘* No? Good! good!” and the landlord rubbed his hands together briskly. ‘‘ You have come to a wise conclusion; if is just as well that you don’t make too friendly with him. Between rou and me, he is not such a worthy man as Mr. rimer, Of course, a hint to a level-headed _ boy like you isenough. Now, isn’t there a smal] desk in the inner office which Tripp has in pri- _ vate?—a desk in which he keeps a good many papers of his own?” This deterred him but a moment, for he was of | | i trying to analyze him, and it occurred to him | that the old man might be working for Lorimer, and endeavoring to solve some suspicion, but he managed to hide all his doubts and answer nat- urally. ‘‘ Mr. Tripp has a private desk, sir, but I don’t know what he keeps in it.” ‘** Does he keep it locked?” + Vee. air.” ** And never open it?” ‘“Oh! yes, Ive ‘seen him open it severa? times.” ‘Didn't you see what was inside?” ‘*] think there were papers, like any desk.” ** Does he act jealous of it?—act as though he was afraid some one else would see inside?” ‘*T don’t know about that— Wait! now you speak of it, I believe that when I once a proached him, as he was tee, in the desk, he closed it with a bang, and sharply asked what I wanted.” Luke was sorry for this confidence, as soon as it was given: the more so because Mr, Hare’s face suddenly became eager. ‘“‘Ha! Aha!” he exclaimed, with the old smile around his eyes, and the corners of his mouth drawn very low. ‘‘He did, eh? I am not surprised. Yell, now, Luke,” and the speaker drew his chair nearer his companion’s, ‘* ve helped you some, haven’t I?” ‘*'You secured me a situation when I most needed it, Mr. Hare.” ‘* And you are teful?” ou are gra ** Certainly sir.” ‘* Well, now, my boy, can’t you arrange it somehow that you and F can enter the office secretly, some night, and see what is in Tripp’s desk?” CHAPTER V. THE BOGUS HEIR APPEARS. Luke started back in surprise and indigna- tion. His faith in Hare had wavered since he learned that the landlord had deceived him in regard to Lorimer, but he was not prepared for such a proposal as this, ‘What! sir, go in as burglars?” he cried. ‘My dear boy, this is not the way to look at it,” said Hare, deprecatingly. ‘‘ Ycu are em- ployed there, you know.” ** But I have no right to enter the office except in business hours, much less at night, and mits ~ ¥ ** Not even with a good purpose ‘* 1 don’t see how such a term could be applied to what the law calls breaking and entering. What do you care about what is in Marmaduke Tripp’s desk?’ ‘*T care a good deal,” was the curt reply. “Then why not ask bim?”’ ‘“‘ Ah! but that would not do,” said Ebenezer, ‘** It must be done secretly, don’t you see?” ** Even if I was to agree, how are we to enter without a key?” \ ‘“‘ The key hangs in the office during the day, don’t it?” ss Yes.” ‘Well, I will come to the door with the material for taking an impression of it, and you can pass it out; 1 will take the impression and then have one made like it,” ‘* Not with my help,” declared Luke, sturdily. ‘* What would Mr. Lorimer say to a friend, like who proposed to enter his office like a urglar?” ' ~ . , f = J he - 4 . * \ Le ~~ A, “hy | or 4g é-" ty . ad ‘ ‘a ... - - ‘ a TPE fe aaa tye et ae » , to ; ~«< ~ ¢ dt e - / . e , Rs . y an I b a - ] ae