Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 513 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

+ or. . 2s? eee The Demon Doctor. MPTP il i re EEE you don’t howld yer whist. Let’s doomp him in the river, jist for loock. We can fish him out ag’in, I guess,” suggested Mike. The coolness of this proposition rather startled Barney. ‘Do you want to commit murder?” he asked. “Have you commitie/ murder?’ was Lawrence Sinclair's response. ‘Where is Miss Le Fevre? I swear you Shall never get out of this boat alive un- less you will promise to take me to her.”’ Barney Driver laughed sardonically. “Allright. Kill me, if you like, and you'll never find that girl if you hunt for acentury. She is where she will have to stay until I tell her to go.”’ The slight shiver of hor or that ran through Law- rence Sinclair’s frame told Barney Driver that this was his best card to play. As long as he could make Lawrence Sinclair and the Demon Doctor believe that he had Lucette hidden away in some of the secret recesses of the worked-out mine, he had not much fear of anything from them, either through law or physically. : Just now, however, his taunts did not help him materially with Lawrence Sinclair, for in the midst of his sardonic laugh, the young man’s hands closed with a tighter grip on his throat, and he thought his plans would be brought to a premature close then and there. F “Tell me where she is?”’ repeated Lawrence. ‘*T won't!” was the sullen answer. ‘“‘Then die!’’ said Lawrence, desperately, as he tried to beat out the brains of his enemy against the bottom of the boat. So intent was Lawrence in trying to wring the secret from Barney Driver, that he had not noticed the loud roar of the water rushing over the dam, or that the craft was drifting dangerously near the wickets. Mike Carroll, however, suddenly became aware that the white foam boiling under the boat was caused by the swirl at the dam, and he howled: ‘Look, Mr. Sunclair. We're a-goin’ over this young Nayagary, an’ we'll all be dhrowned, as sure as we're aloive, so we will. Ow! Ow!” He seized. a per of the oars and bent all his strength toward keeping the craft away from the fatal spot. * Will you tell me where you have hidden that young lady?” repeated Lawrence, not heeding the danger from the water. ; ‘{here was a desperately triumphant gleam in the eyes of Barney Driver. He knew that the boat was surely being drawn in- to the current, and that it would go over the dam unless Lawrence Sinclair took a pair of oars and helped his companion, and he was determined to die with them rather than reveal what the young man would have given his life to discover. J will not tell you,”’ he hissed, “ because I do not choose to let any young squirt dictate tome, Iam a desperate man, and I mean what I say!” “Ow! Be the powers, Mr. Sunclair, we're goin’ over the place, onless you help me. Let the blag- guard gO,and you take an oar and pull,’’ yelled Mike. “You had better take anoar. We shall be over the dam in another minute, and then it won't mat- ter much about anything. The chances are a hun- dred to one that wes all be smashed to pieces among those logs that are tearing about in the foam just below here said Barney, tauntingly. “T don’t care! sald Lawrence, “T'll t chance with you! The boat swung. round and round, and every in- stant seemed as if it would go over the wickets with the floating rubbish that was being dashed into the seething caldron below. | Mike Carroll worked with all his nie at his oars, and so far had kept the craft from the almost cer- tain destruction that appeared to await it. The stars filled the heavens now, and the two men struggling in the bottom of the dancing skiff could look into each other's eyes. ' Each saw there only dogged determination, that nothing but death bonts uench, : With a mighty ekart Barne Driver pushed his assailant back and arose to his knees. The boat rocked wildly, and Mike Carroll pulled at his oars for dear life, The two men struggling in a death-gxin cared nothing for the peril that threatened then in the rushing waters and clashing timbers that would grind a man to pieces as easily as if he were a biscuit. Lawrence still had the advantage of his opponent, who was powerless to arise from his knees, Every muscle of the men was strained to the utmost, “Begorra, ye'll_ be overboard if yez don’t shtop yer foolin’!” said Mike. Knock him into the wather and be done with it.. Mr. Sunclair,” The little Irishman saw that the boat must go over the dam in another second or two, unless there was a turn of affairs. : “Curse you! Here is an_end of you, anyhow,” howled Barney Driver, aS with a superhuman effort, he gained his feet. yelled Mike Ow! We’ Carroll. apa ees There was a second of intense. excitement as Barney Driver aud Lawrence Sinclair erg each other and put forth their utmost strength in the tossing boat. now half full of water. Look out! Be gob! the dam’s just forninst us!” cried Mike, as he gave another tug at his oars. One more effort on the part of the combatants, one more yell from Mike, und the skiff turned over on the very top of the wickets over which the flood- was rushing, tumbliog and boiling. Lawrence felt himself strike against something in the water that loosened his hold on his enemy, and my begorra !”’ ’ then, he did not know how, he was Sreg the very jaws of death and found himse the bottom of another boat, with Mike by his side, while a pair of powerful arms urged the boat with swift strokes away from the dam. And Barney Driver, as he went over the fall, amidst a terrible din of rushing torrents and grind- ing logs, saw, ere he lost consciousness, a tall, white- bearded figure standing up in a spectral-looking boat, with a pale-faced boy at his feet, while a powerful bluish-white light threw a weird reflection over the waste of waters on every side. CHAPTER XII. THE FACE THAT CLARA SAW. ‘‘ Just in time, eh, Deadhold!”’ said the Demon Doctor, calmly, as his powerful strokes took the boat swiftly away from the-dam. “* Yes, but I wish I hadn’t been too ill and weak to help you,’’ said Frank Trenton, sadly. ‘‘I believe [ am getting more useless all the time.” ‘Nonsense! You have been losing so much sleep. Tt is no wonder that you are ill,’’ said the Demon Doctor, kindly. ‘‘ We had better go around and look for that fellow. Heis just likely to have made the shore in spite of the dam. Men of his stripe are not easily kiiled. ‘Ido not think it is worth while,” said Frank. ‘If he is not drowned he has escaped hefore this. He would never stay around the river-bank now. There are too many on his trail.” The Demon Doctor hesitated. He felt that there had been too much dallying with this desperado. He almost doubted Frank Trenton’s wisdom in giving the fellow so much rope, as it were, but the boy had assured him that he had a pone e in it, and th» Doctor had therefore allowed Barney to proceed as faras he had, even to entering the houseof his friend, Alexander Golden, of which project Frank Trent n, or .eadhold, had full nw iedee before, havin planned with the Demon Doctor to catch the ti ief in the very perpetration of | is crime. Now it seemed that, though they had accumulated more proof of Barney Driver’s criminal character, they were going to lose him after all by either death or escape. “Prof ssor,” said Lawrence, as, having got his senses about him again, he put his lips close to the Demon Doctor's ear. ‘‘Well, young man, what is it?”’ asked the Demon Doctor, rather coldly. He had an idea that Lawrence was disposed to admire his daughter, ana he did not know exactly whether to approve of him as a prospective son-in- law or not. Lawrence put his lips closer to his ear, and whispered a few words. Their effect was electrical, The Demon Doctor clutched the young man by the shoulder and looked him piercingly in the eyes. ‘Impossible!’ he groaned, hoarsely. ‘‘No; it is not impossible,”’ was Lawrence’s eager response. ‘“Isaw her in that man’s power in the old mine, and heard her call upon her father for help. then she was taken away, and I saw her no more.” ‘‘Great Heavens! This is awfull’’ groaned the Demon Doctor, pressing his hands to his forehead. + daughter! my daughter!” “Don't get excited,” said Frank Trenton, ‘‘ But tell me what is the matter.” As soon as an emergency requiring the aid of a clear head and a ready expedient arose, the weak boy became Veadhold, the astute detective, and he seemed able to grapple with any difficulty that might face him. The Demon Doctor recognized this fact, and briefly, in as calm a manner as he could, told what he had just heard from Lawrence Sinclair, that his beloved daughter had been decoyed from her home and was now a prisoner in the power of Barney the Blacksheep. * Row all toward the city,” said Deadhold, as we — to call him when he is showing that he is in- deed one of the most reliable and astute detectives in the country. “ Faith, Pil take a pair of oars meself,”’ said Mike Carroll, who had remained perfectly quiet since being dragged into the boat, trying to get his obfus- ticated ideas somewhat cleared, The Demon Doctor took a pair of oars, sitting in the middle of the boat. Lawrence Sinclair rowed stroke with one oar, and Mike Carroll in the bow pulled another, This style of rowing is known as ‘randydan,” With the three men pulling with a will, the skiff, which was built for speed as well as for safety, cut through the water so swiftly, in spite of the fact that the current was against it, that it soon covered the four miles between the dam and the spot where Barne Rick but Shanty LOR lay moored, Deadhold had taken commana of thee ition as soon as he heard that Lucette had been pS oar by Barney. He knew—or thought he knew—where to find her. Barney D iver’s shanty-boat had only be -n ocoeupied by him a short time. and he (Barney) flattered him- self t at no one was aware of the fact that he had taken possession of if. But Deadhold was a detective, and in the charac- ter of the innocent boy, Frank Trenton, had made it his business to become acquainted with all of Bar- ney Driver's haunts, e felt pretty sure that he sho‘ ld find Lucette in the shanty-boat. At all events, that was the place m which to start a clew,. Neither he or the Demon Doctor had been to the ed from lying Op latter’s home in Mount be beter ye since they left it on the previous night to search through the mines for Barney Driver’s secret headquarters under- ground, and until told by Lawrence Sinclair of Lu- e>tte’s troubles, her father had supposed her safely at home, where he often left her for days and nights at atime when his studies took him away on soli- tary walks or cruises in his favorite row-boat. td was still dark when the boat Rete by the the three oarsmen, ran abreast of the shanty-boat, ‘* This is the place,’’ said Deadhbold briefly. The Demon Doctor and Lawrence ‘Sinclair simul- | taneously j#mped on the deck of the shanty-boat, and knocked at the securely fastened door. There was no response and they knocked again, louder than before. Then afemale voice was heard, asking timidly: “Ts that you, Barney?” Without waiting for an answer, the door was opened, and in the dim light burning in the cabin the slight form of Clara, Barney Driver's wife, stood revealed. ‘‘Where is—’ commenced Lawrence Sinclair im- petuously. . “Wait a minute,” interposed Deadhold, who had by this time joined the other two on the deck of the shanty-boat. The boy stepped up to the trembling girl, and spoke quietly to her in low, reassuring tones. “No,” said Clara, ‘‘she is not here now. She was here, and—and—Barney told me to take care of her until he came back—”’ ‘The villain!” interrupted Lawrence. “ But yesterday I fainted away for some reason, and when I recovered, I found a Pittsburg detective here who had put handcuffs on her wrists because he thought she had murdered me.” The Demon Doctor clinched his fist. “Of course he saw that he was mistaken when I came to. and after looking through the cabins, and turning things over, he went away.’’ * Wall?” said the Demon Doctor. ‘‘Well. then the young lady and I became very good friends, and when she told me how she had been torn away from her home, and how she was afraid her father would be nearly crazy about her, I told her to go home. and I would face Barney when he came. I know he will beat me when he comes, though.”’ The girl broke down and -cried pitifully.. She seem-d to be such a poor, weak creature, that it was no wonder Mike Carroll, who bad sat quietly in oe skiff. listening, should exclaim with true Irish ervor: ‘*Be gob! I'd almost give up me hopes of ould Ireland’s freedom, if I c’u’d give that murtherin’ willain’ just wan thoomp ahint his big ear!”’ ‘‘You sha’n’t face him alone, my poor girl,”’ said the Demon Doctor. ‘‘Come with us to my house for the present, and I'll intercede with Barney for ou, It needed but little persuasion to induce the girl to go with the party to Mount Washington. She was in mortal terror of her husband, devotedly as she loved him. An hour later the Demon Doctor. without touch- ing it, caused bis front door to fly open, and with another secret manipulation of the electric devices: that surrounded his house, caused a flood of light to pervade the hall and his own private study. hind him stood Deadhold, Clara. Lawrence Sin- clair and Mike Carrol watching closely this illus- tration of the power of science over apparently in- animate objects. Before any one could make a remark. however, a white-robed figure came tripping down the stairs, and Lucette was in the arms of her father. “Oh, father, where /ave you been?’ I have been sitting in my room, waiting for daylight. I felt that some evil must have befallen you.”’ It is needless to repeat all the explanations that. ensued. suffice it to say that, acting upon Deadhold’s sug- gestion, when the Demon Doctor had stated that there was plenty of room in his house for every- body, there was a genera] movement of the ch a party to their nespective couches. Clara and Lucette went to the latter’s room; Law- rence Sinclair and Mike Carroll were accommodated in a plain but comfortable attic, the Demon Doctor retired to his own bedroom adjoining the study. and Deadhold, at his own request, lay down on the sofa in the study. ‘“We must explore that cave to-morrow, profes- sor,’? were Deadhold’s last words. ‘I think I have a clew to the secret that Barney the Blacksheep wants to sell to you, and it is in that worked-out “TY trust entirely to you,’ was the reply of the Demon Doctor * Good-night, professor.” ** Good-nig ht.’ In Lucette’s room, where the two girls—herself and Cla'a—were retiring in the dark, Clara stood fora minute at the window, looking out into the black nig*t. Suddenly she started and uttered a faint scream. “What's the matter, Clara?’ asked Lucette, run- ning to ber. : “Nothing,” was the reply, as the trembling gir) pressed her hand to her side. ‘It was a sort of spasm, I often have them.” “You are worn out,’ said Lucette, sympatheti- callv. ‘* You need rest.” “ Ye--yes.” acquiesced Clara, ‘ That’s what it is I need rest.” She spoke mechunically, for her eyes were fixed with a stony stare upon the entrance to the old mine, which was lighted up by the lamp from the: Deron Doctor's study, SP 2" A ~ bi at -_ - . M4 , r bi es so | " ar eae * 1 ee ‘ . ; . ee) 8 en i aa te comicboo! « _ — > oot ; ys - . a}. 7 @ cS