Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 460 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

_— The Lawyer’s Shadow. “or the last time,” added the big man, ‘ will ou talk? Think how small a thing we ask, and ow terrible the alternative is. That w hip will cut like a knife. Tell usall about the glove and you can go.” Luke sincerely believed himself safest while he refused to tell. If they wanted the information, they would not do him any great harm; but, if he spoke, his value to them would be gone, and there was no knowing to what fate he would be consicned. ‘**T haven't a word to say,” he answered. Again the whip cracked. Luke expected to feel it on his back, but not a blow came. The smaller man made a motion, and the big one j-rked Luke to his feet. ‘** You young fool!” he exclaimed, *‘ don’t you think you are outof thissonicely. You'll never leave this house until you speak out—unless you Zo as a corpse!” He looked at the boy with evil eyes as he spoke, but Luke did not waver. He was gaining fresh confidence every minute, and that he had great natural courage was clear, ‘You'll see that this room is fitted up asa prison,” the big man added; *‘ windows boarded up, and all that sort of thing. You can’t escape anyhow, but if we hear you trying, we'll come in and give youataste of the whip. Under- stand?” se Yos. bP] ‘* Well, see that you heed it, Give some time to meditation, too, for not a morsel of food asses qose lips—not a drop of water—till you ospeak. It’s talk orstarve. Take your pick, and when you decide to speak and tell all, pull yonder cord, It will ring a bell and summon us,” With these parting words they left the room, and Luke was alone in his prison. His first move was to try and wrench his wrists free, but the cords defied all his efforts. Clearly, he could not remove them without means not at his command. He then looked about his room. It had evi- dently been carefully prepared, and was strong enough for its present use. Even had his hands been free, he could not have escaped unless by battering down the door, and that would have been heard by his enemies. **Well, I guess I’m in a fix, sure!” he mut- tered. ‘* Talk about your French Bastile—I’m in a Nutmeg State Prison that’s strong enough for my use. Can’t get out, nohow, sol think Tl sit down and meditate, as that big villain advised, but hardly in the vein he spoke of, It’ll be a cold day when I give in!” He sat down and began thinking. Was the disguised man Peter Littleton? He believed ‘‘ yes” to be the proper answer to the question, and that the main facts of the case were about as follows: Littleton was the man he had seen in the ve-yard, and he had lost a glove there. bably before dark of that evening he had seen Luke wandering around near the Gray Stone Church, and had got the idea that he had found the lost glove. The following day he had seen Luke in Lori- mer’s office, and had looked surprised and after- ward menacing. Next came the invasion of the room at Hare’s, and the other boy’s statement that he had seen a man prowling about, whose description fitted Littleton, Had he been there to get what he now demanded—the glove? All this made a continuous story, taking it for granted that the masked man was Littleton; but a perplexing question now arose, hat was there about the glove which made its recovery of such vital importance? Here Luke was wholly at sea, Study all he might, no satisfactory explana- tion could be found. The sexton had said that the glove was old and soiled, and it was strange that such an uproar should be made about it. ‘‘There’s more in this matter than appears on the surface,” thought the boy, “‘and if I can get out of here I'll proceed to investigate the best I know how. After all this, I think I have a per- sonal motive for trying to keep Littleton out of the fortune which don’t belong to him. I'll just o to work to hunt up Alfred Beringbrooke’s ot and if I am as level-headed as Lorimer says, I may surprise them yet. Hello!” e broke off suddenly as the key rattled in the door, supposing that one of the men was return- ing, but a surprise awaited him. Instead, there entered a slender, pale-faced woman who looked like anything but a crimi- nal, | She placed one hand ever her lips, to enjoin silence, and then quickly advanced toward him. He saw with some surprise that she was tremb- ling, and her eyes had a terrified expression which haunted the boy long afterward. ‘* Not a word!” she exclaimed, ‘‘ Don’tspeak, as you value your life, or they will overhear you. Quick!—your hands! Let me free you.” Before he had fully recovered his coolness, she had severed the cords with a knife. ‘* Now, getaway from here as soon as possible. If they discover you, it is sure death; you don’t know them as I 3 Come, come!” She was hurrying him toward the door, but, by this time, he had recovered his powers of speech. ‘** Who are you that is helping me?” ‘* Never mind; only get away.” ‘**Do you belong here?” sé Yes,” ‘* But won’t they suspect you?” ‘* Neve1 mind me; get away at once. the door—go!” She had conducted him down the stairs and to a door different from the one where he entered the house. Beyond was the open air, but it had occurred to him that something terrible might Here is | i ] — ‘** You see the result of bucking against us. Had you been sensible, nobody would have harmed you, but you have sealed your own fate. In half an hour the train for New Haven will ass, and then you will be ground to pieces. ‘ou will have time to think it over and repent of your folly, but repentance will do no good now. We shall not come back, and when the engine drives this timber against you, it will _soon be over—and you will need no undertaker. i i occur when the woman’s work was discovered | and there was little chance that any one would by the men, whom she was clearly playing false, and he still hesitated. ‘‘ Won’t you go, too?” ts No. bP) ** But will you be safe?” ‘* Never mind me—go, go!” With a quick motion she pushed him clear of the door, which she then closed and locked be- hind him. He had no choice in the matter, and though her pale face haunted him, he lost no time in getting away from the house. Where he was he did not know, though it was clearly beyond the city proper. No lights were visible near at hand, so ward the nearest, anxious to get an idea of his exact situation. The way was rough and treacherous, and it was not until he had had many a tumble that he neared the light. ———— ee e started briskly off to- | It proved to come from a small house on a | bank, at the foot of which Luke plainly saw a | railroad track. From this he surmised that he | was nearly north of the city, and that this was | the track of the Hartford or Northampton Road. If he could learn which way was to, and which from, New Haven, he could follow the track back to the city. Acting on this idea, he moved toward the house after a pause, and, seeing that a window- curtain was up, crept to that point with the ni 7 of getting a view of the interior. f more ruffianly-looking men were there, he did not care to make himself seen. Only an unocenpied room met his gaze; but, Good-by, my boy, and may your thoughts be pleasant!” A mocking laugh followed this speech, and then the man and his silent companion moved up the bank and disappeared in the darkness. Luke was left alone, and in a situation which might well appall the stoutest heart.. The com- ing of the train meant death to him, and it would be no great while before it would come. He struggled with his bonds, but they were not to be broken or started. He tried to call for help, but the gag prevented more than a mut- tering or moaning which, he knew, could not be heard more than a few feet away. Helpless! All his exertions would be useless, pass that way at so late an hour, Several minutes passed; how many he knew not, but it seemed to be hours. Then a singing sound seemed to run along the rails. Cold per- spiration started to his face. Well did he know what that sound meant. A train was approaching! Louder grew the singing—it became a rumble, and then aroar. He cou!d not look backward, but the whole track seemed thrilled witb life un- der the tread of the iron monster. Nearer and louder, and the glare of the head- light fell upon him. Once mere he wrestled with his bonds, but in vain. He was secure, and no human power could free him now before the engine would reach him. He closed his eyes and awaited the end. CHAPTER X. THE OLD MAN OF THE COTTAGE. Wirs# a terrible glare and glitter, and a crash- ing that no one not situated as Luke Hartley was can realize, the engine and the following cars thundered along the track. Leaving a mass of black smoke hovering over the place, it receded—was gone. And what of Luke? Had death come to him in a terrible form, _ but instantaneously, and with little bodily suf- it was so clear that the people must be near, he | waited for them to appear. him, some one else came first. Without the least warning he was seized by strong hands from behind; a roll of cloth was stuffed into his mouth, his arms pinioned to his sides, a blanket thrown over his head, and then he was borne away. Unfortunately for He kicked and twisted vigorously, but all in | vain. He was conscious that the men went down the bank to tie railroad track, and there fering? No; he remained bound to the track, un- harmed, The train had not been on the rails between which he was bound; it was not the Express train; but a number of freight-cars which had been run past on a side-track, so near that he might almost have touched them had his hands been free. For a few moments after the train was gone he felt weak and uncertain. Then came a measure of hope, but this was succeeded in turn by the knowledge that he merely had a reprieve. The Express train must be almost due, and when that came it would not be on the side- they paused and began a consultation of which | he could hear nothing. It soon ended, and then the blanket was re- moved from the prisoner’s head. As he had expected, he was again in the hands of those | who had abducted him before. This time there was no parley. —— and the men did not, but they occupied their time so well that, in a little while, a plan which they had formed was brought to consum- mation. And this was the situation: : Luke Hartley was bound to the railroad track, in the very path of passing trains. of his enemies could not be mistaken. His es- cape had angered and alarmed them, and they had doomed him to death. The manner of securing him was peculiar. He lay flat on his back between the rails, with hands and feet outstretched in spread-eagle style, and bound to the rails. He would have been wholly prostrate had not his head been elevated and pillowed on a timber He could not | The object | somewhat larger than a tie, which they had laid ' across the track, an end on each rail, and secured to his neck. ' ' | the Express will kill me outright. track. It would do the work marked out for it by the two ruffians, and Luke’s life would go out like acandle, ‘*‘ Better that the other train had done the work,” he thought. “I have only the pain of waiting for the Express.” Once more he struggled to get rid of his bonds, but with no better success than before. He ceased his efforts with a feeling of utter despair. « “* Great heavens!” Without the least warning the words were spoken beside bim. He looked up with a start. Some one was standing over him, and, though the darkness hid the man’s face, he felt sure he was neither of his enemies. The boy made an effort to speak, but it was only a hollow gurgie. ‘* What in the world is this?” the voice con- tinued. ‘‘A man on the track—and bound! What terrible crime have I happened upon? My knife—” There was a moment’s pause and then one of Luke’s hands was cut loose. He reached vp and tore the gag from his mouth, “Quick!” he exclaimed, as clearly as his strained jaws would permit. ‘‘ Cut me loose, or I believe I As a result of all this, an approaching train | hear it now!” would first strike the timber and drive it against Not a word answered the rescuer, but his Luke’s neck and shoulders with a force the re- | hands were busy, and, one after another, Luke’s sult of which was shocking to think of. When all this was done,a strong gag was substituted for the cloth in the boy’s mouth, and their werk was finished. The big man tapped Luke on the shoulder. ! limbs were freed. When he was cut clear of the timber, he sprung up and dragged it from the track. The other train was in sight. ‘* What does all this mean?” the rescuer blank- ly asked.