Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 483 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

eel — closet in a gant Ed, he had been sent back into a rear room, and, though the outlaw escaped him, he had discovered that the way to the secret haunt of the Land Sharks was through the florist’s shop and hot-house, All these discoveries Wizard Will put to use, as best he could, but, being saved from assassina- | tion at the hands of Elegant Ed, by the Flower Girl, he protected her, and, to find out more, sent Foxey to her as a poor boy, to get a place. Foxey’s disappeargnce, more mystery, the sailing of Elegant HH in the yacht, followed, and when Will returned from his chase, he found that Flora, the Flower Girl had gone. But where? No one knew. Her shop was closed, yet apparently left as though she had gone out but a short while. Her wardrobe had disappeared, but this would have been taken, had she been kidnapped, or gone off of her own will. She had told Wizard Will that she was the daughter of one of the Land Sharks. ore he did not know about her, nor had Foxey been able to find out more during his stay there as her assistant. That she had a good heart, and seemed not to be wicked, both Wizard Will and Foxey had decided, and neither could believe that she was in reality the daughter of a murderer and thief, as a Land Shark must naturally be, as no man could become one of that band of outlaws who fad not taken human life, for this bond held them together more firmly, as the gallows con- fronted them. In tracking Elegant Ed to his own luxurious quarters, Wizard Will had made the discovery that the outlaw had left open a secret panel, re- Spain, «Si large painting, and which hid a the wall, In this secret receptacle Elegant Ed had hid- den away various treasures, the result of his robberies, and yet one thing, more than all others, had attracted the eye of the Boy De- tective. In spite of his carefulness, and living with his life in his hand, as it were, Elegant Ed had not noticed that he left his secret closet open. He had slung the frame, which served es the door, back into place, but it had not caught firmly on the spring, and, when he closed the room door behind him with a bang, the paint- ing swung open again, and thus Wizard Will found it. Tbe one thing that had attracted the attention of Wizard Will more than all else, was a leather bound book, with clasps of steel, representing handcuffs, and bearing the title: ‘THe Book or Doom.” Upon opening it, Will discovered that its pages were not printed, but written, and a glance was sufficient to show him that he had made a most valuable find. This book he had taken to the safe in the police station, to await his return, and when he went out home, the day of his return from his cruise, he took it with him to investigate its contents, for he was assured that it hela secrets that would prove most useful to him. While on the train he opened the book and glanced into it. To his surprise it opened upon the the follow- ing, written in a fine business hand: *“ Wora—alias—the Flower Girl. Claimed as the daughter of Red Fred Burke, member Number Nine of Land Shark League. “Very pretty, well educated, a good ally of band, but no member. * History wholly unknown. for she will not refer to ast, nor will Red Fred speak of her as other than is daughter “* Vi te—Her past life must be looked up, for she may prove dangerous.” “How strange that I should hit upon this item of Flora the Flower Girl in this Book of Doom,” muttered Wizard Will, as he closed the | book and left the car, for the train was slowing up for the station where he got off. CHAPTER VIL. A FOREBODING OF EVIL, ‘¢ On, my son, my noble boy, Iam so glad to see you home again, for I have bad such a fore- boding of evil of late. ; ‘*T am not superstitious, Will, but I have dreamed of trouble each night since you haye been gone!” ‘Indigestion, mother, that is all,” said’ Wiz- ard Will, as he threw himself into a chair to rest, having just come from the station. His mother and sister had been taken by sur- prise, for they had not been expecting him in the middle of the day. -_——— —_ —_ = -— -- ee The Ferrets Afloat. A lovely woman was Mrs, Raymond, but one upon whose beautiful face the sorrows and suf- ferings she had known had left their imprint. It was a cosey home where they lived, and Pearl was the sunshine of her mother’s life, for Will was much away, and his nature was rather reserved and dignified than joyous. With two such children Mrs. Raymond should have been happy, even though her husband lay in his grave; but she carried a dread secret in her heart that cast its shadow ever upon her face, She had fled from her happy home in Mary- land one Christmas Eve, with a city man, whom the lover to whom she was pledged had saved from drowning and taken to her home. The honest farmer, Kent Lomax, had been discarded for the fascinating city man, Schuy- ler Cluett, and she had left her happy home, her parents and her true lover to fly one night with the man whom she married, and who had, from the time of her flight with him until she heard that he had been killed in a railway ac- cident out West, made her life utterly wretched. She had never been near her old home, but she heard, long after, that her act had caused her mother’s death, and she felt that she was a matricide, From her children she had concealed this fact, and they only knew that their mother had once been rich, and their father had met his death in a railroad accident. In spite of her pleasant home, given her by her son, boy though he was, and having about her every comfort, Mrs. Raymond felt that her life was fading away She always gave Will a warm welcome, and before her children forced a smile to her face: but she grieved in secret, and many a night never closed her eyes in slumber until nearly dawn, It would come upon her in her working hours that some evil was crowding about her and those she loved. When Will returned from his cruise in safety her spirits arose, and the mother and her chil- dren seemed happy, and enjoyed a long drive during the afternoon. That night Will told of his cruise, the rescue of Foxey, the capture of the Plantation Pirates, and the disappearance of Flora the Flower Girl, and both Mrs. Raymond and Pearl were deeply interested in his adventures, ‘‘Whata strange girl that Flora is, Will,” said Mrs, Raymond, ‘‘ Yes, mother, I cannot understand her; for, though she is a foil for the Land Sharks, she cer- tainly is not wicked.” ote And do you think she has run off or been kidnapped?” ‘‘ITdo not know, mother; but I fear she has been kidnapped.” ‘* Foxey is searching for her, you said, bro- ther,” said Pearl, ‘Yes, Pearl.” ‘* He'll find out,” was the conjAdent reply. Ob, yes; Pll wager that you will bet all your money on Foxey, Sis,” Will returned, slyly, and Pearl blushed and drooped her eyes, for, next to her brother, Foxey, the Vagabond was her idea] of a boy hero, Until a late hour the three chatted together, and then they retired. But hardly had Will closed his eyes in sleep, when he was awakened by a wild shriek. He knew that it was his mother’s voice, and he dashed into her room, fearing some robber was in the house. Pearl was awake, and holding her mother’s head in her arms, Mrs. Raymond being uncon- scious, Will quiekly used restoratives, and after awhile Mrs. Raymond returned to conscious- ness. ‘*‘ Has he gone?” she whispered. ‘* Mother, you hada bad dream, for no one was here,” said Will. **Oh, if was no dream, for I distinctly saw him in thisroom. ‘‘See, the lamp is burning, for I never put it out at night, and 1 was not asleep, ‘‘T had just left Pearl’s room, for I sat by her side until she was asleep, and I had not been in bed five minutes when he entered the door there, from the parlor, and I gave a cry and fainted.” ‘* Mother, you did not know it, but you had dropped off to sleep, and it was a bad dream.” ‘*No, Will, it was no dream, for I saw him distinctly. See, 1am awake now, and I know what I am saying.” ‘’ Whom did you see, mother?” ‘*Your father’s spirit, Will!” was the start- ling response. In spite of himself Will started, and Pearl ca LL A LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL cr ———— ee eee eC eel turned pale; but, confident now that his moth- er’s mind was wandering, the boy said: ‘*T will take Pearl’s room now, mother, and she can sleep with you, and my word for it you will see no more phantoms, ‘* W here does that cold air come from?” and Mrs. Raymond shuddered. ‘*The parlor door is open, mother.” ‘* 1 closed it before 1 went to bed.” Will stepped to the door and found it ajar. Then he passed on into the little parlor, for he felt the cool night air blowing in upon him, and he found the front door wide open. This was an intense surprise, for he had hime self bolted ard locked that door. ‘* Mother did see some one; but who?” and as he spoke his eyes fell upon the hall window open the sash having been raised by the intruder. Putting it down, Will returned to his room and finishing dressing, he went out into the yard to take a look about him, The hall window was a small one, some six feet from the ground, and he had never been particular about fastening that at night. He now observed that a rustic chair had been placed beneath it, and thus the intruder had en- tered. A thorough search of the grounds and out- houses revealed nothing, and Will returned to the house to acquaint his mother with his dis- covery, for when she knew that it wasa robber, she would feel less nervous. ‘No! no! no! it was no robber,” groaned Mrs, Raymond earnestly. and then she added: ‘‘It was his face, his foim, and I know his coming was a foreboding of evil,” and nothing that Will and Pearl could say could change their mother’s gloomy feeliugs and thoughts, and it was with great regret that the youth left her the following morning to go to his work in town, for he saw that she was still baunted with the dread of some dire trouble to come upon them, CHAPTER VIII. WRECKED, Ir was a dark night upon the waters, and heavy clouds were skurrying across the skies, betokening a sudden squall, rather than a pro- longed storm. A small schooner was driving along under reefed sails, and heading into the waters of Chesapeake Bay from the Atlantic Ocean, Suddenly there came several savage gusts of wind, the tops of the waves were Pown into s} ray, and the squall had struck the waters, For a few moments all was dark and misty and the little schooner bounded like a thing of life, as though frightened at thé waves that sought to ingulf her. A moment more and through the mist a large black object aerate upon either side of which were two bright orbs that looked like huge eyes. A wild cry of warning broke from the look- out on the little schooner, and loud rung his volce;: ‘* Hard! hard down your helm!” The order was cbeyed, for the helmsman of the little craft now saw their danger; but, as the schooner began to obey ber helm the huge black monster of the deep was upon her, over her, and then came a crash, the snapping of spers, shrieks, curses, groans, and, cutting the small craft in twain the destroyer passed on. Not a sound was beard upon the largé steamer, not a hail was answered, and, in the Carkness and storm the fast sailing monster disappeared from sight. The winds still lashed the sea to foam, the waves dashed high in air, and a few pieces of debris alone remained to show that a gallant little craft had gone to the bottom. Suddenly, out of the waters into the air a boat shot upward. It was a life-hoat, and fast to the davits of the schooner, it had gone de wn with the wreck, until it had been wrenched loose and came te the surface. Clinging to the boat was a human being, and he strove hard to clamber into it, Near where it had arisen to the surface was a man, swimming for life, and battling against death. vis He saw the life-boat, a cry escaped his lips, and he was soon alongside of it, Seizing it, he drew himself over the yunwale, just as the poor wretch on the other side did the same, Exhausted, they both dropped together inte the bottom of the boat, neither able to speak and there they lay, side by side, while the rind and waves drove the life-boat away from “ae fatal spot. NA com 4 \ ' s—* sw. S22. 3 eee oO