Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 513 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

oner, and motioned him to his ehair. b “We know—you and I—that this young girl, Lucette, ain’t any more your daughter than she is mine. You don't know whose she is. J do. It will cost you just $12,000 to become as wise as lam. I can get 10,000 for the information in another quarter. That is why I ask you twelve.” ‘You are candid,” observed the Demon Doctor. “Yes, andIam also a man of my word. If you don't settle this business with me to-night, the other mage will get the chance, and you may say good-by O your daughter,” with ironical emphasis on the word. “Twelve thousand dollars is a good deal of money,” said the Demon Doctor, slowly. “Oertainly; but when you consider that there is a cool million coming to that girl when it is proved who she is, it den’t seem so much; now, does it? You see, all you have to do is to be appointed her guardian, which you can easily manage. She has an uncle who will try to head you off in that; but you can get that all settled in court beforehand, and he will be helpless. Then, with papers that I have, and that I will turn over to you for and in considera- tion of the sum of $12,000—as the lawyers say— you can prove the girl’s identity, help her to get her for- tune, and take your own comfortable little slice of it as her guardian.” ‘“How do I know that you have the information you pretend?”’ EP i ask you for a cent until you have full roof.”’ ‘“ And if I refuse to buy this precious secret, what then?’ asked the Demon Doctor, gazing sternly iuto the other’s face. ‘By your own admission, my daughter will secure her name and fortune whether i pay you anything or not, because you will sell the secret to her uncle if you do not close a bargain with me. Are you not afraid of my kicking you out of the house, for daring to come here with a propo- sition that I should become my daughter’s legal gers for the sake of securing part of her for- une?” ‘Don’t get mad, professor,’ protested Barney. “Tt won't help things any, and I am not afraid of ou. Now. whatis your answer to me—yes or no?”’ Before the Demon Doctor could reply, the door was thrown open and Lucette stood in the entry, while her clear, ringing voice uttered the single word, ‘* Yes /” Barney Driver grinned triumphantly. “Lucette,” said her father, warningly. ‘‘Pather, I have heard all, How can you suppose that I would ever leave you? As for the money, why would it not belong to you as much as to me? Pay this man what he demands, if you must, but never listen to any proposition that might separate me from you—the only friend I have on earth.” She threw her arms around the neck of the Demon Doctor, and kissed him affectionately. > Well, when will you bring me these proofs?”’ he asked. turning toward Barney. | ‘*To-morrow night. Is it a bargain?’ ‘‘No!”’ shouted a voice, as the window was thrown open, and Frank Trenton sprung into the room. With a yell of rage, Barney Driver half-sprun from his chair, as if to rush upon the gy er boy, who stood breathlessly, but defiantly, just in- side the window. ’ He made only one step, and then—stopped! He seemed to be rooted to the carpet, while his face, working with baffled rage. expressed the evil emotions of his mind. Some mysterious power was keeping him in check, and he was evidently as help- less as a child. It was a weird picture, The darkened room, with the shaded ravs of the lamp falling over the table; the tall, stately form of the Demon Doctor, as he stood watching the writhing, impotent rascal, Bar- ney; the beautiful young girl, in an attitude half of surprise, half of terror; and the slight, delicate boy, Frank Trenton, standing with dilated nostrils and flashing eyes, like the incarnation of retribution, ready to brave even death in the carrying out of a sacred purpose. ‘“You must remember that in my own house I am absolutely king, Barney Driver,’’ said the Demon Doctor. ‘1 will release you on condition that you sit down again.’' Barney nodded ey in assent. He evidently was powerless to e more than a mere shadow of a movement. The Demon Doctor, as far as could be seen, did not do anything. Yet he, in some manner known only to himself, released the baffled ruffian from the gubtle electrical influence that had held him pris- . ‘“Now, Barney Driver, I have a word to say to ou,” said Frank Trenton, ‘‘It is my turn to dictate rms to you. We are not in the middle of the river now, alone ina boat. I am not afraid of you mur: dering me, and I charge Pa with being concern in the robbe of the Bighth National Bank of Albany, New York, and, moreover, witb being an escaped convict from Sing Sing Prison.”’ The Demon Doctor and Lucette looked in aston- ishment at the boy. Who was this mere child, who seemed to know the criminal secrets of the whole country by heart? Baruey Driver sat in his chair looking fixedly at Frank Trenton, evidently trying to hold down his rage. At last be burst forth: ** You lie!” ““] speak the truth,” returned the boy, quietly. 4; You know I do.” Barney Driver tried to laugh derisively, but the attempt was a failure. “Listen,” said the boy, as he stepped to the side of Barney, while the Demon Doctor kept a watch- ful eye on the latter, ready to thwart any treacher- ous movement. “ You have recognized me as—” ’ 2 ig 5 fies? , eee ane * ~< i eat by a ‘ i - - 2 a aS a The Demon Doctor. Barney Driver looked up quickly, wits a horrified | body, so he hasn’t,” wailed Mike. glance that seemed to see in the face of the boy something that he had not observed before. Then he stammered, as if in a dream: ‘* Deadhold, the Kid Detective!” The next minute there was a crash of glass, as, at a single bound, Barney sprung through the win- dow, carrying the sash with him, CHAPTER IV, MIKE CARROLL’S FRIENDLY VISIT. ‘Br jabers, now, Mr. Sunclair, it’s as dark in these ould toonnels as the t’roat uv a black cat. Bad ‘cess toit! Why did me mother’s son iver coom on sich an expedition. It bees no place fora dacent mon, onyhow. You can just bet the boots off uv yez that it’s niver Moike Carroll as’ll be prowling around here = unless very pertickler bisness drags him in out of the daylight beyant.” ‘Don’t grumble so, Mike. We are getting along all right. It won’t take us long to get through, and if we find what we are looking for it will be well worth all the trouble it costs us.’’ The speaker was Lawrence Sinclair, who, with Carroll, was groping ergy. "3 assage in the great worked-out coal mines that honeycomb Mount Wasbington. The two men had a purpose in view as will appear in due time. It was the night which, as we have seen, was such an awful one for Barney Driver and_ Frank Trenton —or ‘* Deadhold,” as Barney had called him.” The “Kid Detective”? had given his friend Sin- clair a hint concerning Barney which had Jed to the exploration of the mysterious mines thro; h which, wih the good-natured little Irishman, he Was now making his way. “*T tell you, Mike,’’ went on Lawrence, “we shall catch Mr. Barney this time, and hold him wp to the world in his true light, or Iam very badly ou, in my calculations.”’ ‘An’ sure that’s a thing yez niver are, Mr. Sun- clair, as I've often towld yez. An’ be’ the same token, I guess you’re roight about us soon coming across the spal en we're a-lookin’ for, because— Whist! Phat’s that?” Mike had started and grasped Sinclair's arm, drop- ping his lantern, as he pointed into the gloom that stretched ahead of them into the unknown. , “What is it, Mike? Ican’t see anything except darkness.”’ ‘You can’t?” as No.”’ ‘‘Then you're loocky; for, be.the ghost of me grandmither, I saw a loight, sort o’ streaky loike, kim across the blackness beyant that wuz as red as a hot steel rail, wid the foire sticking out uv it.” ‘*Pooh! Your imagination runs away with you, Mike. We are all alone in this part of the mine. The gang never come out this way. Pick up your lantern and come along. We are not near the place et.”’ Mike obeyed, but he shook his head doubtfully as he lighted the wick of his lantern from that of his companion. ‘*Oh! Howly Moses! There it is ag’in!”’ He dropped the lantern with a muffled shriek as with trembling finger he directed ~inclair’s atten. tion to the appearance that had frightened him so much before. There was no mistake about it now. A lurid reflection that brought into angry relief the rugged, seamed, splintered masses of slate from which the soft bituminous coal had long since been taken. It made the ruinous scene one of fantastic shapes and dancing shadows. It gave an atmos- here of supernatural warmth and life to the deso- ation and decay which generally reigned in this dismal underground region. It cast flickering points of glowing fire on te side. Jt seemed to place a Presence in the echoing passages that was not of this work. Lawrence stood, irresolute, for a moment, as he tried to account for the strange appearance. He and Mike Carroll had entered the mine about half-way “. the face of the cliff at a small aperture that was hidden by a pile of scrap-iron, accumulated for years from the great iron mill at the foot of the precipice. and he knew that the secret rendezvous of the band of outlaws for which he was looking, and in which he more than expected to find Barney Driver, must be at least a quarter of a mile distant through the winding passages. “Come along, Mike. We'll soon find out who is laying tricks on us,”’ he said, at last, as he dashed ward the light. closely followed by his companion. Even as he spoke, the mine became densely black, as before. “ Sure the ould Jack-o’-Lantern has put a stoong- wisher on the head uv him,’’ said Mike, ‘ But I’m fearin’ that there’s throuble forninst us, and—” Crash, came a heavy body against him, and the Irishman’s observations were cut short by his being sent perenlng several yards over the rough stones that formed the flooring of the passage. At the same instant Lawrence Sinclair’s lantern was knocked from his hand, and everything was in utter darkness, The young man stretched his hands and grasped at the blackness at random. “Who is this?’ demanded Sinclair, sternly, as he felt some unknown person in his clutch. A smothered oath was the only reply, as the stranger tore himself away and plunged into the thick cpeune gloom that overhung ail. we Och, . Sunclair, I’m kilt intoirely. The mur- therin’ villain hasn’t left a parfect bone in me hull ‘Sure, be St... Patorick, there seems to be a million uv jagged shtones a-rinnin’ intil the back uv me.” ‘Never mind, Mike; you shall get even with him et,’? said Lawrence Sinclair, as he relighted his. anterp, and lifted tae disgruntled Irishman to his. feet. ‘We must see this thing through, pow. I suppose it was one of the gang, who didn’t want us to recognize him. It is only one more roof that their meeting-place 1s somewhere in the mines. And I'll find it to-night,” he added, with sudden fierceness. ‘if it means death tome. Come along.”’ “Yes that’s all roight; but, me fri’nd, it’s only roight that I should inform yez that I ain't ready to pass in me chicks at this prisint moment, if you are,” grumbled Mike Carroll. ‘Hush! What's that ahead?’ ‘* Where?” ‘Just behind that column of slate, right in the light of my lantern.” “It looks loike a—”’ * A man?” ‘‘No! The saints purtect us! A divil!” stammer- ed Mike, his superstitious fears completely over- coming him. “Pshaw! It was a colored man, that’s all. He has gone, too. There are more holes and burrows in this hill than in a rabbit warren. Follow me!” Without another word, Lawrence Sinclair dashed forward to the spot on which the stranger had stood a moment before, but—was he gone. = low, narrow passage turned sharply to the right. wrence Sinclair unhesitatingly entered it, with: Mike close on his heels. Twenty yards brought them to the end, It was: evidently only an abandoned ‘‘room,”’ as the spaces: “ which the diggers work are called in mining par- ance. “T towld yez he wuzadivil. He kim in here, 80 he did, an’ now he’s gone as clean as & whistle—wint roight through the thick wall, be the powers! Say,, Mr, Sunclair!’’ ‘** Well?” ‘I'm a-goin’ home,” said Mike Carroll, solemnly. “T towld yez I'd help yez put your hond on the gang in this unchristian place, an’ I’d like to a me wurrd, but I’ll be choked if I want to fight fellers as jump through walls an’ wears horns an’ a tail on them.”’ ‘Well, all right, Mike. Go home. Ill see it through by myself, if you're afraid.”’ This last word stuck in Mike Carroll’s throat and dispelled all his apprehensions as if by magic. “Afraid. isit, Mr. Sunclair? And did yez iver know of an Irishman that was afraid? I'll go wid yez, be- orra, if it’s to Halifax or Jericho. I’m wid yez,. r. Sunclair, an’ here’s me hond on it.”’ Lawrence shook hands heartily witb his im ulsive- companion, and then proceeded to reconnolter the ‘*ro0m ” from which the negro had so strangely dis- appeared. “There don’t seem any possibility of his having gone out, and yet, since he isn’t here, after most. certainly coming in, he must have escaped some- how,” said Lawrence. ‘No doubt about it,” added Mike, with senten- tious gravity. “Here, we start with that boy, Trenton, to run down a gang of thieves in the mines, that he seems: to know all about, somehow, though 1 cannot imag- ine how he found it out. Then he suddenly leaves us to keep another appointment, but promises to join us here. Now, where 1s he? I hope he hasn't. rot into any trouble. He is such a weak little fel- ow, in spite of his smartness, that I would hardly like to trust him in a hard crowd.” “Ye wouldn't, eh? Faith, an’ I don’t see why ye should be a-worriting about him, ayther. He didn’t back down much at the mill to-day, when that big omadhaun of a Barney Driver was oin’ for me wid a hammer. I owe him wan for that, too, be the boye. Be jabers, the b’ye saved the loife uy me that toime!” ‘Yes, he is a bright boy, but there is a mystery about him that I should like to solve. Of one thing I am convinced. He has come to this part of the country for something more than to merely get @ living,” returned Lawrence, while carefully exam- ining every inch of the walls, floor ana ceiling of the ** room.” Suddenly he uttered an exclamation of triumph as he held his lantern high over his head and fixed his eyes upon a certain spot in the uneven wall of slate and rock before him, ‘Look, Mike!” ‘* Phwat?”’ “There is ‘* Phwere? ‘Do you see that crack running along the wall about a foot from the top?”’ sae i Shag “* And do 7 see two other cracks, up and down, he secret of the colored man’s escape,”* ” about a yard apart?” ‘Faith, an’ ldo.” ) “That's a door,” said Lawrence Sinclair, quietly but confidently. ‘* A dure?”’ * Youre. ‘An’ how d’ye know? Sure yez wuz never here before, wuz ye?” asked Mike, wonderingly. “Never. But I feel sure that I am right notwith- standing. However, we can soon test it.” The young man jum on the loose masses of slate thet had crumbled from the wall, and placing his feet in fissures and holes that formed a natu ladder, reached the crack near the roof that he had pronounced a door. Mike Carroll and he reached the crack at the same instant, for there was plenty of foothold, and the CDOOKS.cOMmM: + ae _. ee ates . | fle ed Tor | *