Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 488 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

—- failed to 14 ‘much to the amusement of his hearers, the way in which he had got rid of the police spy. ‘* Hang it! you came near as a flash in drown- ing him,” laughed one of the officers ‘* The poor devil was dragged here like a soaked rat, and shivering to his very bones.” Dick smiled at the remembrance, and pro- ceeded with the remainder of his story, the tracking of Moll, the meeting at the Tramp’s Delight, and the row with which it had ended. He said little, however, of his own prowess in that affair. ‘*T heard of it,” cried one of the officers, ‘* The dead beats there got a deuce of a lashing. So it was you that made that earthquake?” He gazed with admiration at Dick’s proportions, ‘* [ stirred up the pot a little,” answered Dick, modestly. ‘* But that’s not to the point: At that meeting of the conspirators to-night, the whole cat may come out of the bag. I want to be present, and want some of you for company. What say you?” ‘*There is hope in it. We will be with you.” CHAPTER XIV. THE END OF A VILLAIN’S TRIUMPH. It was eight o’clock of a Thursday nightin November. There was a shiver in the wind premonitory of the coming winter. It was dark and gloomy as a woman’s figure came shivering to the gate of Beechcroft and stood before the iron portals as if in doubt about how to gain ad- mission, She was not left long in suspense, however. The form of a man appeared inside the open- work gate. ‘** Ts it you?” he asked, in a low tone. ‘Moll Brandon—and shivering with cold, “Open quick, and fetch me where there’s a fire.” **@Quick! Come jin.” He opened the gate wide enough to let her through, ‘*‘ We must be uick and cautious, The affair can soon be set- tled, and you can cateh the next train back to the city.” | ‘The sooner the better. Why couldn’t you meet me somewhere in the city instead of fetch- ing me away out here this nad night?” ‘*Somewhere in the city. t the Tramp’s He shuddered at the recol- Delight, perhaps.” lection. She laughed grimly. ‘*Come, come; I got it as bad as you. But I saved your purse, and I recovered your watch. [ have it here. Don’t say now that I’m not honest.” ‘You got my watch?" he cried, in a tone of ‘delight. ‘* But, hush! We are at the house.” e opened the door and admitted her to the hall. ere sat a small lamp which he took up -and led the way forward into the mansion. Hardly had they disappeared when, from be- hind the great trees on the lawn, the forms of several men made their appearance, ‘‘ Hist! Jerry, where are you?” asked one of these, cautiously. ‘Here, Master Richard.” gt now. By the front door, you say?’ ‘Yes, Hehas taken the back, This way.” The massive portal quietly opened, and the human forms disappeared like ghosts within. All outside sunk into its pristine silence and gloom. There was nothing to indicate that a living being had been in the Mir son The wind moaned frostily by in the leafless limbs of the trees. From one room a lamp threw a long bar _of light across the lawn, but it only served to deepen the shadows beyond it. ithin the library of the old mansion Moll sat alone. Her companion had left her there, while be absented himself for a minute. She shud- dered with superstitious fears as the faint light netrate the recesses jand alcoves of the rambling room, from which shadows seemed moving toward her, Some odd, faint sounds had also startled her. it seemed as if ghostly footsteps were moving outside the room, and drawing in upon her. The scared woman drew her shawl closely round her, and shrunk back timidly mto the depths of her chair. Phil Morton, however, left her not long alone, He was absent but a few minuteg. ‘* About time,” she muttered. ‘‘T don’t like thisroom. It’s too ghostly. And there’s phan- ‘tom footsteps around it!” He listened for a moment, ‘‘T hear nothing of the kind,” he answered. ‘*T didn’t know you were such a scary creature, Moll, It’s the trees outside, rustling in the wind, that you have converted into ghosts.” ‘+1 don’t know,” she muttered dreamily. ‘I wish I had all thisover. It is bad enough to be a drunkard, without being a murderer’s tool.” ‘‘Hold your tongue, you confounded idiot!” ¥) Bod Wild Dick Racket. he harshly and fiercely replied, ‘‘ What do you mean, confound you?’ ‘*[ mean that [am not the fool you take me for. I’ve heard of the ring found in the dead man’s hand, and I know how to put that and that together. It was you put me up to get Joe to steal the ring. It was for you I made him vas me up the ring, and the pencil which he 1ad as a present from Dick. It was you I gave them to, If I had known your game I would pik seen you to the bottom of the Dead Sea first.’ ** You know a confounded sight too much; or you guess too much, which is as bad. See here woman. You've shown your hand. Now [1 show mine, I am not going to be a trembling tool, at your beck and call. If I give you this money it will only be on conditions.” **T will not take it on conditions. And you'll ive it without them.” There was a threat in er tones. ‘“My conditions are,” he continued as if she had not spoken, ‘‘that you and your drunken companion leave this city. I will pay your way to the West, and get you into a comfortable home there, away from your evil associates.” ‘‘Go West?’ she repeated, thoughtfully. ‘Git rid of this devil of drink? Become respect- able again? Oh! God grant that I may do it! Any life, anything, rather than this!” ‘* That’s what | want,” he replied, with a sly look of satisfaction. ‘‘ Marry the man whom you profess to love. Take him away from the demon of liquor. Go where you are not known. Settle down to an honest life. You are both young yet. But if you go on as now you will soon be in a grave.” She answered not for the moment, being ap- parently lost in a deep reflection. Then her words came slowly and with a regretful strain, ‘*T do love Joe,” she murmured. ‘I: loved another once. But he treated me with disdain, and I grew to hate him—to hate him!” There was a touch of flerceness in this. ‘‘ And yet, af- 3 what I have seen—after that night— I ear— ‘What night? What are you dreaming about, Moll?” he interrupted, in a testy tone. She turned to him witha flash of disdain in her eye. ‘*Tll tell you what [’'m dreaming about, Phil Morton. If you were blind, J was not! Do you know who it was saved you from the hands that would have torn you to pieces at the Tramp’s Delight?” ‘*No. I have wondered ever since who he was. He wasa brave and daring fellow, who- ever he was.” ‘* Just so. And a generous one, to come to the rescue of his two greatest foes, t will not soon forget that he saved me from the weight of that ruffian’s fist. That man, Philip Morton, was your noble-hearted cousin. Itwas Dick Racket, the man whom you have been scheming to throw into a murderer’s cell!” ‘Dick Racket!” The voice of Phi] rose to a dangerous pitch, in his alarm and consternation. “Tt cannot be! It is a lie! You are out of your wits!” “A lie, is it? I think not. I have seen Dick Racket in a fight before. When I saw big Larry go over his shoulder like a chipI knew wi man. It was the same lift he gave the policeman at Joe Groggery’s quarters,” ‘* Dick Racket!” he repeated, with growing dread, ‘* Then there’s the devil to pay in ear- nest! It’s the same man that lay drunk against the wall! By Heaven, he played a trick on me! He heard every word we said! Asweet one you are, to appoint a rendezvous under the ears of a spy! His voice vibrated with fear and anger. ‘‘Where were your own eyes?” she scorn- fully replied. ‘‘You had a bigger stake in the game than I. I flung no man into a quarry.” ‘Hush, you imp! Walls have ears, blast His tone was that of an insane man, ‘* You have betrayed me. You must leave this house and region at once. You must leave the city. I will have no witness to that fool’s talk. If you are out of the way he can say what he leases. I can yal my fingers at him then,” ‘* That is not what | am here for,” she coldly answered, ‘Here is your note of band. Pass over es cash, and let me out of this as soon as sible. ‘¢ The sooner the better.” He trembled with Spprensis as he spoke. ‘‘Take the money. an you you!” d me that paper which I was an idiot to give “Wait a minute,” she coolly replied, pushing back his hand, ‘Be sure, and you'll not be sorry, is my motto,” mee She carefully counted the money, and then, with an eir of satisfaction, placed it in some secret pocket in her dress. ‘* The count.is right,” she remarked. is your obligation.” e extended his hand in feverish haste to seize the paper which she held toward him. But he was hardly quick enough. Another hand came down with a stern slap, nailing the ques- tionable document to the table. Into his face peered the well-known eyes of Dick Racket, fuil of mocking triumph. : ‘*Not just now, my smart cousin. There are some gentlemen outside, who are slightly inter- ested in this little game.” Dick had stolen noiselessly into the room, un- seen and unheard by the excited confederates, He now waved the prize aloft in triumph, and gave a shrill whistle, that rung loudly through the halls of the old mansion. Instantly, by the various doors leading to the library, men came filing in, until a party of stern-faced persons surrounded the central group. With distended eyes and open mouth Phil Morton sat looking at the silent circle, utterly overwhelmed with con- sternation. It was but for a moment, and then he sprung at his cousin, with the strength and fury of a madman, ‘*Thief! Spy! Murderer! You have robbed me! Return that paper, or—” ‘** Hold your level,” replied Dick, seizing him with an iron grip, and holding him off at arm’s length. ‘‘Take this, Mr. Jones. Itis a prize worth having.” He passed the paper to one of the detectives, who ran his eyes hastily over its contents, ‘‘T promise to pay Mary Brandon five hun- dred dollars on demand,” read the policeman. ‘The evidence is sufficient, Mr. Racket. I fancy you have nailed thereal criminal. I arrest you, hilip Morton, for the attempt to murder your uncle, and for a criminal conspiracy against your cousin,” His hand fell mes on the shoulder of the shrinking man, whose face had grown deathly with pallor. ‘‘ And I arrest you, Mary Brandon, as an ac- complice in the plot,” said another of the offi- cers. ‘' You have confessed enough to implicate you in the murderous scheme.” ‘‘T had nothing to do with it!” she screamed inalarm. ‘It was he got the ring from me, I did not know what for. I swear I did not know what for!” ‘‘ But you were ready enough to hide and to trade on the murder, when you found it out,” came the crushing reply. What might have followed was checked by a most unexpected incident which arrested the at tention of every person present. For at the door of the library there appeared the form of a tall, slender old man, dressed in a long mca ages that hung to his feet, while his white, disheveled hair, and thin, colorless face, had a spectral aspect in the dim raysof the lamplight. ‘My uncle’s ghost!” cried Dick, shrinking back with a superstitious alarm. ‘‘ The dead is walking again!” ‘*Not the dead, but the ae exclaimed Phil. ‘‘ Who says he is dead? Who charges me with the murder of a living man?” “Living?” Dick’s voice vibrated with a new tone, ‘‘ Living? Theu I have been deceived! I have been played with! Oh, my dear uncle, how glad I am to see you yet alive!” He sprung forwaré to the tottering figure of the old man, embraced him with his strong arm, and tenderly led him forward, Then the rumor of his death which Will West had brought was false? The paper which was to be read only after his death had been read too soon! Dick’s heart was full of regretful feelin as he led the old man to his favorite chair an tenderly seated him. The eyes of the invalid gazed with surprise over the assembled group. He seemed to recog- nize something strange in the situation without knowing what. His mouth opened, The mus- cles of his face strained. A gurgling sound came from his throat. He seemed desperately striving to speak, At length words, broken and fitful, came from bis trembling lips, the first he had uttered since his memorable words to Dick, ‘¢ Who are these? What has bappened? What means this strange scene?” The low, scarce audible voice sounded clearly in the perfect silence of the room. Phil Morton broke from his captor and sprung forward to his uncle’s feet, kneeling like a penitent. ‘‘They havearrested me, uncle! They charge ‘* Here me with trying to murder you! With flinging at Sad