Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 472 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

oe oo —— -. - . ee -_—- ee _— — the revolver and brought the butt down on Joe’s head, It was a cowardly blow—a murderous blow. In the darkness Joe had not been able to guard against it, aud it fell with force which almost stunned him, It flashed upon him that another like it would leave him at the ruffian’s mercy, and with the energy of desperation he grasped the huge wrist and struggled to get possession of the revolver. Over and over they whirled, continuing the fight in the dark, and the burglar could not get a chance to strike again. Joe, however, became aware that he could not long continue his efforts. The fight was too much for liis strength, and the blow he had re- ceived ma-le his head seem to whirl like a top. aa Ls only hope was to escape the ruffian’s old. Collecting all his energy, he made an effort so t axd resistless, that he broke the burglar’s old, #.d then started away. But as he tried to regxin his feet, his head whirled still more and ’ e fell. Ral alarm seized him now. He could not ste‘id, and he thought he was going to lose con- sc’ ousness, He put out his hand mechanically, and it t suched the overturned boat. This rested on ‘imbers which raised it two feet above the floor, eaving a space inside, and obeying a sudden Impulse, he crawled under. nce there he had sufficient presence of mind to lay perfectly still, hoping the burglar would be at fault. The latter had regained his feet and was swearing in a low tone, but he soon became silent, There was a pause, and then he spoke aloud: ‘“'Where be ye, you young whelp? I know mighty well you ain’t left the place, and [ll have you out of your hole if I hunt all night for e,” Joe did not stir a muscle. As long as he lay perfectly still, his head did not whirl, and he could locate the ruffian by his movements, Suddenly, however, there was something more, Joe’s face was turned toward the middle of the boat-house, and he saw the place lighted up without any warning. A lantern threw the burglar into plain view, and a few feet from him stood another man holding the tell-tale light, “A startled exclamation fell from the ruffian’s lips, and he wheeled and made an attempt to dash from the place. Two steps he took, passing for a moment out of Joe’s view, and then he reappeared as though hurled back by astrong arm, and fell sprawl- ing on the floor, nother moment anda third man appeared, coming from the direction of the entrance, and stood looking at the burglar with a face expres- sive of a degree of fury and hatred that startled the watching boy. The burglar saw himself in a position of dan- er—there were not only two, but four men visi- le around him—and once more he drew the re- volver he had once put away. He did not draw back the hammer. Suddenly he found himself looking into the muzzle of another revolver held by the man who had hurled him to the floor, and the latter hissed in a terrible voice: ‘‘Keep your hand down! Make a move to raise that revolver, and Il’ll blow your brains out!’ The burglar obeyed. Half-sitting, half-re- ciining on the floor, he gazed at his threatener with a surprised, startled look on his face, He was thoroughly cowed for the time. Jaunty Joe watched in wonder. His own condition began to improve already, and he was capable of thinking clearly, but the state of af- fairs puzzled him. Who were these men who had so suddenly ap- peared? They did not look like the residents of the town, nor would they have been at the boat- house at that late hour. These men, with their dark faces and rude dresses—who and what were they? oy ypsies!” thought the boy, and there was every reason to believe he was right. This explained how they happened to be at the boat-house at that hour; they had unceremon- iously taken possession of it for the night, and the burglar had aroused the wrong parties, Four dark-faced men were visible, and they had the burglar’s escape effectually cut off, while on the other hand the revolver bore uner- ringly on his head. Joe became aware that something more than @0 ordinary quarrel was in progress, The bur- A Jaunty Joe, the Young \ ¥ glar and his chief adversary looked at each oth- er in a strange way; the former’s frightened ex- pression still on his face, and the latter looking as though he longed to spring upon the fallen man. ‘* ‘You know me, I see,” he added, after a short pause, ** T—I think— burglar. ‘* John Kane, you lie!” the Gypsy thundered. The burglar shrunk further back. He had heard his real name pronounced, but would not —dared not—admit the fact. ‘*T never saw you before,” he persisted. ‘* Coward, as well as villain!” ‘‘My name is Adgarth, not Kane,” ‘* Since when?’ ‘*Tt was always that.” ‘* Wool! do you think to deceive King Ryer? I never forget a face, and yours is branded on my mind—you scoundrel,” Full of concentrated hatred was the Gypsy’s voice, but his outward calmness was surprising. ‘*T never injured you, Ryer,” whined the burglar, suddenly giving up the battle. ‘You dog! you helped him to do the foulest wrong aman could do, Whatever he planned, you cheerfully aided.” ‘*T was afraid of him; I dared not refuse.” ‘* Nonsense!” *Tt’s true.” ‘You were his ready tool, andI know it. You need not lie to me. Ha! John Kane, we are well met. It’s many a year since I saw you last, and I supposed you were dead or in prison, but villains live when honest people die—unless helped out of the world!” There was a significance in this addition which made Kane turn pale, and he looked at King Ryer with eyes that momentarily grew more wild and startled. ‘‘T was only a servant,” he said, humbly, ‘‘and I had to obey orders. It wasn’t my fault—” No, I don’t,” stammered the “* Enough!” interrupted King Ryer, stamping angrily cn the floor. ‘‘ I will admit that you are a coward, and imagine the rest. Your master, John Kane, is dead, but you still live.” The burglar shivered, That terrible gaze seemed to chill his blood. Jaunty Joe, too, felt deeply impressed as he lay under the boat. Plainly, these men were old enemies, or, at least, he who was called King Ryer had a bitter grudge against the other, and Joe knew not what he might have. Gypsies’ reputations are not generally good, and if Ryer saw fit, nobody could prevent him from squar- ing the account with Kane then and there. Swidenly the boy jockey had a new surprise. Interested as he was in this scene his gaze somehow wandered past them all, and, in the remote shadows, he saw a girlish figure standing and looking at the scene near the light, He could tell no more about her, nor gain any view of her face, and his attention was sudden- ly called back by an exclamation from King er, if Bind this man!” he added. ‘‘ Death ought to have had him long ago, and I'll help him to his own if I hang for it.” ‘You wouldn’t kill him?” hesitatingly asked a second Gypsy. ‘“* Wouldn't I? echoed Kin ‘*Tll tie a stone to his neck an lake!” Ryer, fiercely. sink him in the CHAPTER IV. THE LAKE CRIME, THE situation was growing intensely exciting and Joe Baldwin almost imagined he was having a painful dream. The nearly barren boat-house, lighted only by the single lantern; the terrified burglar; and the dark-skinned people who had so suddenly and unexpectedly 0 ae phy on the scene—all were so out of the usual order of things that the boy might well be excused for doubting the evidence of his own eyes. But all was real—terribly real—and it was plain that the stern Gypsy chief meant to do all that he threatened. So thought John Kane, and he flung himself on the floor at King Ryer’s feet. ‘*Spare me! spare me!” he cried, ‘‘Oh! I wasn’t to blame; 1 only did what he told me, It wasn’t my fault. Oh! save me! save me!” The Gypsy spurned him with his foot. ‘*Get up, you coward!” he ordered. Kane did not obey, and Ryer seized him by the shoulder and dragged him up to his knees, ‘*T wish I had him here!” he hissed, his face convulsed with fury, ‘‘ but ‘tis toc late to think of that. You live, and you shall suffer!” The burglar continued his pleadings, but he was bound by the chief’s followers. The latter seemed reluctant to touch him, but they dared not disobey. Whatever calamity might befall them for doing it, they must carry out King Ryer’s orders. ‘*Go and see how deep the water is near the boat-house,” Roger added. ‘‘We may have to row out upon the pond,” Kane began to plead again, but the chief stood with folded arms and looked at him with a dark, gloating smile on his face. Just beyond him, too, Joe could still see the girlish fotm, but if the Gypsies saw her, they gave no visible evi- dence of the fact. The burglar raised his bound hands and brushed them across his forehead, from which perspiration, called there by utter fear, was pouring. ‘‘Mr, Ryer,” he said, eagerly, ‘if you wilk spare my life, I can tell ye something of impor- tance.” ** ‘You can tell me nothing that I will hear.” “IT can give you the secret of a pile 0’ money.” pS answered with a disdainful gesture. te member, your band is poor,” Kane urged, & You cannot make them rich.” ‘““Tcan. Spare my life, and I will tell you where gold is buried—genuine gold coin.” ** Bah! if you knew, it would not long remaim buried.” “But I can’t get it without you. Listen to me, King Ryer, don’t turnaway. It is Claude Clarkson’s buried money, and you know he did bury it, You have the secret cipher which telis. where it 1s, but you can’t read it without the key. I havethe 7 big my life, and it shall be One Oh! King Ryer, spare me! spare me At this moment the men who had been sent. gute: returned with their report. “The water is twelve feet deep by the wall outside the boat-house,” ‘¢ Deep enough, for our purpose.” King Ryer answered readily, but in an absent way. He was looking at John Kane, and as the latter saw that he had produced an effect, he redoubled his efforts. ‘* ’m telling the truth,” he declared, ‘‘ Every- thing is just as I say, and I know where the money was buried. Set me free and the secret shall be yours—the secret and the money, It will make you and your men all rich.” Be chief glanced at his followers, but did not reply. such an alluring bait had naturally made @ commotion in his mind, and coming from an one else, it would have been snapped at greedi- ly. He and his People were poor, wretchedly pasts and he would gladly have seen them placed 5 ay want, especially one of them. ut the hatred of long years still burned in his breast, and urged him to turn his back on everything else and satisfy his revengeful crav- ing. wr There’s a pile o’ money,” urged Kane, ** How do you know?” ‘* He told me so.” ‘‘Tt may be gone.” ‘¢ 1m sure it is not.” ‘‘How do you know he didn’t dig it up him- self?” ‘‘ He lost his mind, and was taken to the asylum,” ‘Have you any idea where the money is?” ‘** No; but the cipher you hold will tell all that. I’ve known it for years, an’ I’d had the paper if I dared, but I didn’t. I thought if you’d let me alone, I would you. But J’m willin’ to tell, and give up all sharein it. Takeit, and you and our band can live all the rest o’ your lives im idleness and luxury.” The burglar spoke with feverish anxiety, look- Oe beseechingly at the Gypsy king. he latter walked back and forth several times in silence, his gaze riveted on the floor, He was moved by rival emotions which urged him in exactly opposite directions. To which was he to yield? Should he make terms with Kane, and secure riches for his people, or satisfy his desire for revenge? . Kane watched him with feverish eyes, and Jaunty Joe, realizing that it was a matter of life and death, was painfully interested. He had never seen a more somber, impressive scene, and, brave as he was, he shivered as he looked at the bound man and his stern judge. In the painful interest of this scene he forgot all anon the girlish figure at the rear of the boat- ouse. Suddenly King Ryer stopped and wheeled pon Kane. ‘‘ No!” he said, in a hard, stern voice. ‘“‘ Your craven plea won't save you. I scorn your offer u boo Comic ne cS com | | | ! / { o —e ee . ~ er ee ee —