Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 472 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 st le. Whatever his power over the brute kind, he had handled Black Jack as though the animal had always been a pet. It was the wonder of the town. It seemed marvelous that the horse could be subdued so quickly, but not only did Black Jack yield, but he seemed to have the deepest affection for his trainer, Distinguishing him from among who- ever called to see him, he gave every evidence known to his species that he loved Jaunty Joe, and heartily entered into everything the boy asked him to do, Joe Baldwin was voted a wonder, a magician, a prodigy, a meteor, a king of horse-trainers, and everything else that went in the line. He had taken the town by storm. Those who had believed that Black Jack pos- sessed great speed saw their predictions realized. Whether under saddle or in harness, the horse did wonderfully well, and Joe began to think seriously of putting him in a race before the season closed—for Mr, Perkins was more than willing, The youth believed that, with a little prac- tice, the noble black would be easy to handle in arace. Now that be was subdued, his natural disposition proved to be most even and affec- tionate, and the boy had learned to love him, as only a noble horse can be loved. ever before bad Joe been so interested, and he resolved that Black Jack should yet make his name and fame on the race-course. Joe and Mr. Perkins were on such excellent terms that the farmer would gladly have had him remain all summer and improve the horse, but Joe had two or three engagements which he could not possibly get rid of, one of which call- ed him away a week after the events of the previous chapter, He was to ride a well-known horse in a saddle race, and felt compelled to take at least three days’ practice before entering the field. The horse he was well acquainted with, having rid- den him before, but he had never been in the town before, He made the journey—a distance of fort miles—and went to work with his usual “a though he believed that the race could be won without great exertion. He had the best horse and though it was to race with a handicap, had no fear of losing. The town was an old one, with plenty of houses which looked as though they might have been standing a hundred and fifty years before, and one in particular soon arrested his atten- tion, It was a large, rambling edifice, which stood on a hillside, and was surrounded by at least three acres of land, which had once been a well- kept inclosure, devoted solely to ornament and comfort, Its sacred limits were now the recreation ground, not solely of human beings, but of cows and sheep, and its glory was forever past, it seemed, Joe mentioned it to the owner of the horse he was training. ‘* Used to be our crack residence,” was tho re- ply. ‘“‘Seth French lives there now, and his only creed is to make money; but it was a grand old place when Mortimer Banker lived there,” Joe started a little. Thename ‘‘ Banker” had recalled the turf-gambler to his mind, but he had no reason to suppose tbat the latter was con- nected in any way with the old mansion or its owners of bygone days. ‘* He must have been rich.” ‘* Yes,” rather hesitatingly replied the citizen ‘fat least, he was once. He inherited plenty of cash along with the house from his father, but Mortimer was a wild blade, and died poor, His son was left nothing, for the house and land were heavily mortgaged; but I reckon Jasper did his part to scatter the scads,” ** Jasper? Who was he?” ‘* Son of Mortimer.” ‘* Jasper Banker.” ‘Yes. Do you know him?’ ‘* Isn’t he a sporting man?” és Yes.” ‘*T’ve heard of him in connection with races. So he used to live up there?” ‘*Born there, and passed his boyhood there, He was sent to college somewhere when nineteen yay old, stayed a year, run away—and the rd knows how he’s lived since.” ‘* Does he never come here now?” ‘* As often as we want to see him: runs down to the races now and then. | ets SSS LL reteset His stock is’way | upon their conversation and movements. pire oy ‘ r ares OT ether: RY yer SS eee . . ‘ ate | a ell nN a he countryman in New York and Brooklyn bewails the day he met Jasper ‘by chance.’” ** Confidence man, eh?” **T don’t say so, and you'd better not, for [, for one, can’t prove it. And now let us drop the scamp.” : Jasper was dropped, but the old mansion now had additional interest to Joe, though he knew of no good reason why he should care where the turf-gambler had been born. Several days passed, and then the race was run and won by Jaunty Joe. As he passed un- der the wire and made sure of first place, he glanced at the judges and then, somehow, looked at the assembled crowd. Chance, or something else, brought one face among them into prominence—a scowling, ma- levolent face—and he looked once more upon J oer Banker. es, the turf-gambler was there, and whether he had been a bettor or not, it was clear that he bitterly regretted Joe’s victory. He was soon lost to the boy’s sight, but the latter did not value his triumph less because of this closing in- cident, Joe’s work was now done at the town, and he was ready to return to the Perkins farm, but as he could get no satisfactory train until the next day, he decided to remain one more night. + proved to be a night of beautiful moonlight, but so intensely hot that life indoors was almost a burden. Up to ten o’clock Joe talked with his host, and then decided to take a stroll. He went away alone, and without regard to his course, so that when he found himself at the entrance to the old Banker grounds, it wasreally a surprise. The house, which stood nearly a hundred yards from the road, was invisible through the thick tree-tops, but the place looked so inviting that he passed through the gate and along the ConA. winding othe & Ruins of past glory were on all sides. Rustic benches gone to decay; a foun- tain which no longer worked, and upon which stood a marble Cupid with its head gone; peace- ful cows lying on the once well-kept lawn—a.l combined to make a striking scene. The inhabited part of the house was dark, in- dicating that the family had gone to bed, but as he passed by the old wing, for many years de- serted, he was surprised to see a light shining from one of the broken windows, He went nearer, and saw that a ladder leaned against the wall, directly under the window. This struck him as singular, and suggested robbery. But what was there in the old place to steal? He stood several seconds in hesitation, and then, yielding to a desire to know more about the matter, cautiously ascended the ladder. When he reached the top he found a vacant room. The light was in a room beyond, but that and whoever was there were alike invisible. He could hear the sound of voices and nothing more. Up to this time he had no proof that any one was there without right, and he wondered after- ward why he did not retreat and leave them alone, but he seemed to be urged on by some feeling he could not control. He wanted to see what was being done. Cautiously he stepped into the room. Not even a sash impeded his efforts, and the still firm floor did not betray his cautious move- ments, He walked slowly toward the door of the next room, or, rather, the place where it had been, for the door was long since gone—used for wood, perhaps. The position of things showed Joe that it would be risky to peer through the doorway, but there was one chance for him, and a good one. There was a closet in the first room, and the door was ajar. By entering there he could peer through the crack and see the interior of the second room, He gained this position without making any betraying noise, Then he had his fill of dis- covery. Three men were in the second room, and he had a good view of two of them, They were ill-dressed, disreputable-looking fellows with Jaunty Joe, the Young Horse King. ' seven feet alon ——————— a errrrrnssnmenneennmnemnnnenenenmmmemenmeeemmemmmmmmmmmemmmmmemmmmemeee ores reer ec Yes.” The man who spoke held a paper in his hands and he stood still while the other two measured the floor, beginning from the corner Of the old-fashioned brick hearth. **Three feet north,” added the man with the or, he distance was measured off. ‘* Four feet east,” continued the last speaker, Again the others measuned, ‘*Twelve feet west,” ‘*Confounded queer directions,” grumbled png as the tape Was again stretched along the oor, ‘*A queer man gave them,” ‘Yes, Well, are we all ready?” mers ready.” ‘** Then we'll begin to gs All this was heard by Horse-King Joe, and a startling suspicion rose in his mind. He semembered the buried gold which Kane had told King Ryer was somewhere to be found, and the statement that a paper existed which would give the clew to its hiding-place. Kane’s present companions were of decided Gypsyish appear- ance, and they were about to dig for some- thing. What was it? What, indeed, if not the buried gold which he had declared was in existence? Joe grew excited, and watched the move- neents of the men with interest scarcely inferior to their own. Was he about to see a buried treasure revealed? It was an exciting thought to one of his years, and he forgot everything except the work in the next room. Never stop- ping to wonder how Kane happened to be as- sociated with the Gypsies, lately his enemies, he pressed his face closely to the crack behind the door and breathlessly awaited the result, CHAPTER IX, THE TREASURE-SEEKERS, KANE and his companions next produced a crow-bar and ax, and proceeded to tear up the floor at the point where their measuring had taken them. There was little or no fear that their operations would arouse the ssoort for the old wing was practically another building. Only a loud sound would be audible in the in- habited part of the house. It was not hard to raise the board, but as the floor was double they had to go further. The second did not start so easily, but that, too, wag soon removed, A yawning cavity was revealed below. All three men dropped on their knees and be- gan looking eagerly, while Joe stood on tip-toe and tried to do the same. It almost seemed as though he had a personal interest. But neither he nor the men saw any treasure, as the disap- pointed faces of the latter clearly revealed. Kane went down on his knees and began run- ning his hand around under the floor as far as he could reach. Then he arose, his face even more disappointed. ‘*Can we have made a blunder?” ‘¢ Not if the paper talks straight.” ‘‘ Maybe the old man fooled everybody.” ** Are you sure any gold was buried?” ‘‘ Certain,” Kane quickly replied. ‘‘ There ain’t the least doubt about it: Pve knowed it for years, but never knew where. Suspected it was outside the house until I read the paper.” ‘‘T ain’t just satisfied with this paper,” said the Gypsy, eying it with a frown. “It may be all right, but it seems to me like a mighty queer thing to bury money and then leave a paper like this to tell about it.” ‘My master was deranged mentally when he done it,” urged Kane. ‘He must have been,” was the dry reply. ‘Well, if this don’t lie, we can’t be fur from the gold. Go on with your work,” The crowbar was again broughtinto use, and more boards were raised. A yawning, wide Cavity was soon made in the floor, but no con- cealed treasure gladdened the eyes of the search ing trio, They paused again and consulted, all but Kane ex»ressing a doubt that any gold was buried theré or anywhere else near the swarthy complexions and hair as black as night | premises. itself. face was not new to him—he was looking at John Kane, the burglar. He was surprised to see the man thus reap- pear, but all his attention now became 18 ane down with us, and we don’t even want him | held a tape-measure, and he looked at one of his around the race-course. his living by card-playing and gambling on Tis said that he gets | companions and said: ‘Well, ef that’s settled, we'll go on. What races; and I’ve been told on the sly that many a_ does it say next? Seven feet east?” The third man turned slowly as Joe looked, | ; and he could not avoid a start of surprise. That | on his zeal. The burglar was not sc easily discouraged, though their ill-luck thus far was a dampener He declared that, having known the supposed burier of the treasure, he was repared to swear that 1t was undoubtedly uried, But where? There was the rub. They had the chart, but it seemed to lie, and no gold could they find. Jaunty Joe remained a deeply interested lis- tener, for he was now sure of two thin First this treasure which they could not find was that Cc le a a book: ee eg nee —* — ~ __ — > te ae sce : -—-—~—_—s> — —_