Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 514 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Broadway Billy’s Boodle. 13 There was not enough light admitted through the | the room Billy was in, and then he heard them enter | and then he felt the cords give way. The next mo- transom to enable the girl to see the key, but as her | another room. ment his hands were free. eg ares became accustomed to the darkness, she was “There! came the voice of Abner Hawk. ‘‘ now “Sweet pertaters!"’ he gasped, as he drew his AS 4 | able to see the white knob of the door. ye kin kick all ye want ter,my beauty. I’dtake | hands around to look at bis burns, “ but that was: a aes Taking a long thread in both hands, she dropped | that hankercher outo’ yer purty mouth, tf Ithought | auful/ Great ginger! see how I’m burnt! Hang eR ch! it over and down, and then tried to catch its double | ye wouldn’t holler like all tarnation; but I know ye | meif I ain’t most cooked! Polly, ye kin jest bet yer | +2 end under the key. would, so Pll have ter leave it jest where it is. | boots that ye’ve got ter pay fer these burns with ay * It presently caught, but after a careful test, the | Here, Bill, jest tie her feet,” kisses. No, if I could show Inspector Br— But, ys i Ce girl decided that she had got hold of the knob instead A moment of silence followed. come, no time ter chin. These here burns hurts aes aS of the key. The words had not been spoken loudly. and had | powerful much, but I’ve got ter grin an’ bear it an’ rece pase ves Letting fall one end, she drew the thread clearand | Billy’s ears not been remarkably sharp, he would | git right down ter biz. Ill take one look around, <7 ee Poa: Ea tried again. not have caught them, ter see how I'm ter git out o’ here, an’ then I must ae ee ee And at last she was rewarded. : Hawk soon spoke again, put out th’ light. It won’tdo ter be taught.” *t 4 oo: Sea The thread caught again, and this time the moving ‘* Now, I guess ye won’t getaway.” hesaid. ‘I’m There was @ small, square window opening out. Sven “td? of the key told her that it had caught the right ob- | sorry ter leave ye, an’ I wouldn’t if I hagn’t impor- | into the hall. ig ook te ect. Ae, tant business on hand, but it can’t be helped. ['ll Billy tried this, and to his joy it was not fastened: » a wey eel Making @ running knot, taking care to make it a | see ye later, though, my pretty Polly, and then | except with a button inside. vas Sk secure one, the girl drew the thread up slowly until | we'll see about gettin’ married.” . Blowing out the light he opened the window, and. meet are t one end of it was securely fastened to the key. ‘Sweet pertaters, Jampblack, carpet-tacks .an’ | ina moment more was outside in the hall. yg Vd ES Then she got down from the table, and after an | sourkrout!’ Broadway Billy ejaculated, ‘* kin that His first duty then was to rescue the girl. SA a ei effort or two, sueceeded in pushing the key out of | be Polly Osmond? 1f it is, then by th’ great sea- Moving sileutly forward, feeling as he advanced, a a dip Oa the lock. sarpent I’ve got ter git out o’ here if it takes both | he soon found a door and, much to his satisfaction, “oan ee ee Victory! The thread held it, and in a moment | legs an’ an arm to do it. At first I thought th’ idee | found the key in the lock. 7a ie more Maud had it in her hands, : I had was a scorcher, but now it’s nothin’. I'd burn Unlocking it. he advanced into the room, and them wis HELO, Then suddenly came the recollection of something | my head off fer Polly.” paused and lighted a match. “alt sce the Irishwoman had said, and the victory was in- The reader, of course, understands that this girl This room, much to his surprise, was furnished. cy EN Re, \ stantly overthrown by despair. was Maud Elmore. It was evidently Abner Hawk’s room. And the tg mh Bae The woman had said the key would not go into When she ran down the steps in her hasty flight | girl was lying on the bed, bound and gagged. x a | the lock from that side. from the house where she had been imprisoned, and “Sweet pertaters! Pol'y, how in th’ world did ye ins Sil Maud quickly tried it and found this to be true. ran right into the arms of Abner Hawk and hiscom- | ever git inter this state o’ fix?’ Billy exclaimed. ie we How was it she had not remembered this? Where | rade, Hawk caught hold of her and exclaimed: ‘Don't ye make any noise now,” he added, “ an’ Ilr Thee could her thoughts have been? So great was her ‘**Polly Osmond, by all that’s truthful!’ have ye out o° here in no time.” eee disappointment that she sat down and wept. “You mistake, sir!’’ Maud cried. *' Release me at Having looked around, Le blew out the match, and Ft, a) Presently, though, a new idea caused her to leap | once!” then advanced to the bei and removed the gag aes.) be ae quickly to her feet. * Oh! no I don’t!” Hawk retorted. ‘‘I know ye | from the giri’s mouth. | aid baa Might this key not fit the other door, if she could | too well.” ‘““Now ye kin talk,’’ he whispered, “‘ but don't. a CIT be: only get out the key that was thenin the lock? She As he spoke he clapped his hand over her mouth, | talk too loud.” sey er) would try it. ' caught her arms, and then said hastily to his com- “Who are you?” Maud aske?. . ae nT Crossing the room quickly, she glanced at the lock panion: “Me? Why, I'm killy! Don’t ye know me? I— Meh AP of that door, and one glance tcld her that both locks “Come, Bill. into th’ cab with her! We'll let | Oh! I see! you’re Miss Elmore.”’ a oe. ae | were alike. t’other job go fer to-night.” . * Yes, that is my name.” | + ia ri es With fast-beating beart, she took hold of the end A cab was standing a short distance away, and “J took ye ter be Polly Osmond ag’in, same’s F ayy of the key in the lock, turned it until she found it picking the girl up the two evil rascals bore her to | did t’o.her day when that spider-legged dude «” x ' CA a> was free, and then with the other key pushed it from it, put her in and drove away. yours knocked me down. Well, it’s sll th’ same.,, ny, its place. And they drove t»» Centre street, stopped near the | I’m here ter git ye out, au’ I'm goin’ ter do it. Tt fell without a sound upon a mat : . saloon, and when their driv r gave them the signal | \ here be ye tied? The next instant Maud had tried the key she held, | that no one was near, they cot out hastily and ecar- ‘- Heaven bless you!"’ Maud cried. “‘Get me out and, to her great joy, it not only went into the key- | ried the girl into the saloon and on into the old house | if vou can, ard you shal be rewarded. My hands: hole, but it unlocked the lock. in the rear. and feet are tied.” No time now was to be lost, and quickly putting Hawk's errand up-town, in company with his part- ‘ On! ll git ye out if it’s in th’ wood.” Billy de- on the hat and wee belonging to Polly Osmond, | ner Bill, had been to break into and rob the house | clar d earnestly, and ue set to work at once to free ve Maud turned out the light‘and went from the room. | where lived the woman who had taken Polly Osmond | her hands and feet. ass Closing the door after her, she felt for and found | from her home. In a short time the task was accomplished. oy the key, and then locked the door as it had been, It will be remembered that this woman had trans- ‘The: e!’? he exclaime in a whisper, ** now ye’re She nad put the table back into its place, and ar- | acted some sort of business with Hawk on the day | free, an’ we'll proceed ter git out o’ here post haste.. ranged the room in order. and now came th- desire | when Broad way. Billy followed her home, and on | I’ve had all I want 0’ ¢/is house.” a to return the key of the bath-room door to its place | that occasion wk managed to get her address, and “Why, have you been AM gp re here, too?” ha ~ and thus make her escape a mystery, provided she | he resolved to rob her house. “Hive l? Well, I should chirp! I’ve been here: * did escape. When Hawk concluded to return to the scene of | thirty hours or more, an’ hadn't brains enough ter’ She resolved to do it. which our chapter treats, Billy heard him and his | git out.” is Going down the hall, she soon came to another | comrade leave the room and lock the door after ‘*And how did you escape ?”’ Or " door. This she opened silently, and was surprised | them. ‘* Well, truth is, miss, we hain’t out o’ th’ woods . ae to find a dim light within. She entered cautiously, The next moment they entered his room, yet; but th’ way I got my hands loose was ter hold : ay) ee and there in the bed lay her jailer—the Irishwoman, The instant the boy heard them pause at his door | ‘em over th’ candle an’ burn ’em loose. It burt. you. ail OW snoring musically. “ < he threw himself back upon the straw, turned his | bet! an’ it tock skin an’ all; but I was bound ter git . eae. Maud crossed the room’as silently as a shadow, | face to the wall, and began to snore. loose ef it took a leg. Come, though, we must. * ee entered the bath-room, put the key into the lock, ‘Oh! he’s all ri_ht,’’ he heard Bill mutter. “‘How | mosey. You put yer hands onter my shoulders an’ ) Rts and then as silentiy retreated. d'ye s’pose he could git away?” foller meas close an’ as stillasyekin, There, that’s: wer, . When she regained the hall she drew a long breath ‘He ain’t\very likely ter git away, that's so; but | it: now, forward—march .”’ “i % of relief, and then hastily but noiselessly descended | he’s a boy that'can't be watched too close. Come, In this manner they left the room and descended | the stairs. : thongh, it’s gettin’ on to midnight.’ the stairs. 1 SR In a moment she was atthe front door, Feeling They left the room, and again Billy sat up and Barely had they reached the bottom. though, ba ix 8 t carefully, she soon fourd the it | and the bolts, and gave vent to his feelings. when they heard heavy stepsin the other end of the: st €n A Moment later she stepped out and closed the ‘“* Sweet pertaters!’’ he exclaimed, “ ye’re right he | hall. i iarat © door softly behind her, ! needs watchin’. He ain’t goin’ to stay here long ll was darkness, and Billy drew Maud back close- Lo ee. Without pausing an instant sbe ran down the | now, you bet!” to the wall, and cautioned her to be perfectly still. . Tae steps, and—she ran right into the arms of Abner Billy’s p'an of escape was based upen the idea of | In stepping back, the boy felt that there was an opem ; Hawk and his partner Bill. re door just behind him, and as the my ie approached,. 3 he ——- * The candle was on the table, unlighted, and near | he stepped further back and drew Maud with him rd 3 CHAPTER XVI. it, as Billy had noticed, lay several matches. into the room, eee aa BRAVO! BIL! Y, BRAVO! It was the boy’s intention to light the candle, if At the same moment another door was heard to: <8 “SWEET pertaters! it ‘most makes my flesh creep, | possible, and then hold his wrists over the flame and | o en, and the men, whoever they were, entered am : my hair stand oneend an’ my blood run cold ter | burn away the cords that held him a prisoner. af j , olning room, ; ys i . think of it, but it’s got ter be did.” Waiting until the two men had been gone some fily-a wreak fear was that they werein the same . yr ris, Broadway Billy, of course, minutes he got upon his feet, and then by wriggling | room: but these fears were uickly dispelled. One ; It was night again, Lilly had had his supper and | along, moving less than an inch at every attempt, | of the men struck a light. and it’s rays fell into Bil- MK his few minutes of freedom, and was now once more | he finally reached the table. ly’s room through a broken place in the wall. i _ Jying upon the heap of straw, securely bound. | His hands were tied behind his back, but he could Billy stepped _ silently to the place where the wal? = ‘In fact, he had been lying there for some time | move them a little, and placing his back to the table | was down, and looked through. cy -——-gince_ supper, if so miserable a rtion could be | he pegan to feel for the candle. What he saw surprised him not a little, ——s @aitiied a supper for it was now after eleven o'clock. He first found the matches. There were Abner Hawk, his partner, Bill, and adh | All day long, and all the evening too. he had been He took up two or three of these, and after sever- | another evil-looking man, and with them ae xe | _yeaae g his brain for some plan by which to escape, | al attempts, managed to light one. Maurice Melcin, - | and at last he had hit upon an idea, Then he discovered that the candle was on the op- *. ; To judge from his exclamative declaration above. posite side of the table. CHAPTER XVIT. on pee |: though. it must have been something entirely new Moving around to it, inch by inch, he finally got BILLY'S BOODLK SAFE. es A ae and modestly startling in its character, hold of it, and then pe hting another match he had “ SWEET pertaters!”’ Billy almost cried out, ‘‘here’s. —- And the latter it was beyond dispute, the good fortune to light the candle with it. a p'izen diffikil'ty, an’ no mistake. There’s some peg | a t a blessin’ it must be ter have brains,’ the | This done. he placed the candle on the floor, and | sort o’ dark biz goin’ on, sure’s guns. Lordy! but oi “ boy muttered, ‘Wish somebody’d take a squirt- | then sat down and held his feet over its flame, Ill git my work ip on that spider-lezged dude vet. Ae '- gun an’ inject a pint or so inter My ears, I'd like This was an easy task, as he could see just where | Here's jist th’ chance ter let Miss Elmore onto his: «| aaa _. ter know how it feels when a fc Mer has brains in | to let the flame.play, and ina few minutes his feet | true character, tuo. Must let her see whata nice 7 Aaa __ his bead instead o’ water. Here I've been a prisoner | were free. ! feller he is.”’ ve! fer nigh onter thirty hours, I reckon. an’ this idee | Then came the task of freeing his hands. Stepping back to Maud, he asked: My has jest forced itself inter my thick head. Oh! IT Moving around, he sat down with his back to the “Say, miss, kin ye keep still if I show ye & wish some ‘d put long ears Cnto me an’ turn me | candle and placed bis wrists over the flame. s’prise?” ‘ a out to grass. Why, if th’ fact that I’m sich a lunk- He jerked them away again quick! ‘Yes,’ the girl whispered. “But let us hastem mary head ever reached th’ ears o’ Inspector Br— Hello * Sweet pertaters!”” he exclaimed, but that’s hot! | out of here.” 4 what th’ deuce is broke loose 1.0w?”’ ost Til have ter give itup,an’— What! Billy— ‘** All right. in jist two mi..utes. Want ye ter take ____ Heavy feet were heard on the stairs, and Billy’s | Biny o' Broadway give up? Nixey. I'll do'it if it | a look through that hole fu’st. Mind ye don’t make: rf quick ears detected What he took to be the sound of takes off both hands. What! leave my Polly in that | a sound,tfer if ye do, we’re gone, sure pop.” | > & woman rs '0 Scream. feller's power? Well, Tl reckon rot! Billy, put yer |“ T will be silent.” Ce mee) Sweet per wot! the boy exclaimed, as he man-| hands over there, an’ don’t ve squirm once.” The men in the other room had now begun to ey Pat ie. | aged to sit up, " here’s another horn to th’ dilem-| Shutting his teeth hard, the boy again put his | and the two were not in danger of being heard i mt -—- Mer, sures guns. Pe. that ain’t a shemale in some | hands over the flame and held them there. — they used proper care. Tae sort 0” difficulty, ¢ ona ears ain’tin tune. Won-| Instantly his flesh began to blister and burn, and Leading Maud to the place where the wall was < FS els der who it kin be. rdy! if I kin only make this | his arms and face twitched with the pain, Tears | broken, they both looked Baroe. 3) nm w oko o' mine work I'll find out what’s goin a down his cheeks, but not a sound escaped his Billy — pe girl give a sudden start as her eyes on, I be s n her lover, ' ps. ul | a a3 ‘The heavy steps reached and passed the doorof! Steadily, for full half a minute, he endured this, fer Heavens!” she gasped, ‘it is Maurice Melviny” > “Ss ak “> . ‘ ae ? oe P) ; ° 4 e : ra ds * Te a val ‘ , j ; { mie ; tt Se eae ; ea et 4 " n ; eo . : ‘ : ‘ ‘ - a) AS PT, * : a PA bay WER eh te a “Ss . “Uses aa a ~ee