Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 514 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

—- ee - ee? ee eT, ee eee +e ae” oy « we _—oo_ — «© ie .* - . pe * > >. 5 Se — ne 42 le — en - < ~~ se fe «* “ Opening it wide, the old ne aid P . more ag it - gmom? no reply. - ? ~ ort ‘ a eid et. —<ceti ae eo — © ae? o> y OF BSS sy ae ee . The odor it emitted proclaimed it to be chloro- orm. Having prepared the handkerchief, the woman returned the bottle to her ket, and then ad- vanced to the bed and held the handkerchief over the girl’s face. In a moment her design was accomplished, and the girl was inasleep from which it would not be easy to awaken her. Quickly, then, she was wrapped in a‘large shawl, lifted from the bed, and carried from the room, Out into the hall her bearers went, up the stairs to the next floor, and thence on up the short flight of steps and out upon the roof. What could be their object? The lamp was left behind, of course, and the scut- tle-door was partly closed, and then they lifted up the unconscious girl and carried her away across the roots of other houses, Finally, at the sixth house from their starting poiut, they stopped. Here, too, the scuttle stood Lewd A open. ss descended, having olly Osmond down, and disappeared, Ina nioment she came back, whispered that all - was right, and taking the girl up in her strong arms, carried her down into the house, closely followed by the mysterious woman. The plan of this house proved to be the same as that from which they had just come, Cautiously, noiselessly, they bore their fair burden down the stairs to the next floor, and then the ne- gress opened a door and they entered a room. This room was a fac-simile—if the word will apply —of the one from which they had just taken the sleeping, git! and upon the bed lay a veritable flesh- and-blo likeness of the girl herself, This was the room of Maud Elmore, and the sleeper was she. Quickly the chloroform was applied to Miss El- had been to Polly Osmond, and then she was lifted from the bed. Then the two girls were exchanged, the one for . the other. The clothing of one was put on the other, even to rings and ear-rings. Not an article be- longing to one was left upon the person of the other. When this was accomplished, then Polly Osmond was placed in the bed and left there, and Maud }lmore was carried out of the room, out of the house, and to the room in the other house from : which Polly bad been taken. Then the old negress returned to the Elmore resi- dence, the scuttle-doors of both ‘houses were closed and secured as before, and the night rolled on apace. CHAPTER IV. BILLY’S BANK-BOOK. “Sweet pertaters! JZ smell smok. !” Needless to say the words were uttered by Broad- way enna’ his pet exclamation proclaims that it was he. It was long past the midnight hour, and silence reicned in the old tenement, ut the silence was soon rudely broken. Barely had Bi'ly uttered the words we quote, apringing out of bed as he did so, when the loud ery of “ Fire! fire!’ rung through the house from one of the lower floors. Instantly all was wild cgnfusion. Doors and windows were flung open wide, cries for help were heard, and with wild fury the fiames burst forth with a roar like the sea. Once the windows were opened a draught was created, and the old house was doomed. Broadway Billy took in the situation at a glance. ‘Come, mom!” he shouted, throwing open his door. “git inter yer clothes in two winks, or ye’re agoner! No time ferfoolin’,I tell ye! It’s git right up an’ hump yerself ter git thar!” ‘Oh! we are lost, we are lost!” cried Mrs, Weston, as she ran to the window, wringing her ands, “Hang me if you won't be, if ye don’t git a move on ye!” Billy yellnd. ‘“‘What be ye standin’ there for? D’ye wantter be made up inter roast? Git yer clothes on!”’ his started his good'mother to action. silly had already dressed himself, and in his best clothes, putting his older suit onoverthem, He was quick to think and quick to act, “Now fer that bank-book!”’ he exclaimed. “I mean ter save that, you bet! Where did ye put it, t represents my boodle in th’ bank,” Mrs. Weston indicated where it was, and Billy had it safe into his pocket in an instant. “Come! mom, come!’ he cried. as he ran out into the hall, which was now full of black and blinding smoke, and glanced down at the sea of flame below; ‘‘if ye it cornered here it'll make ye curl yer toes, you bet: Come! don't try ter git th’ stove under yer arm nor th’ lookin'glass inter yer pocket, fer it can't be did! There ain’t no time ter monkey around now, / tell ye! We've got ter— Sect per-taters !” With that exclamation the boy sprung down the stairs, four steps at a stride, to the floor below, end rs. ' then he dashed into the rooms occupied by Osmond. | : “ Polly !”’ he called, “ Polly, where are ye? All was darkness yhere, except rom the fire reflect had matches, and hasty but thorough aearch of the rooms, Neither Polly nor Mrs. Osmond was there. ve ‘ve got out, thank goodness!” Billy exclaim- ged, at ‘on be darted up-stairs again to mother, ni} ‘Come! be ye ready?” he call a eee - eae SS lighting one he made a when the glare | d on the walls, and there was r SAY eile. peta - mm * me apy? ax Ai es ~ ; sip a ' vy 2 ‘ 7. aut oe A Se * ee Nr ig i 2 é 4-24 ¥ heey : Pr. 4? oe 5 ee retest 4 Rif Sy ia vas ele fA iE ts? oe ; = Bas, > é 4 ~ AFR é ye, : ¢ J . ' ? Broadway Billy’s Boodle. “Yer. I’m ready now,” was the reply, and Mrs. Weston appeared with both arms full of things she had gathered up in her haste and «xcitement. At that moment, with a loud crash, the stairs be- low fell, and their retreat was cut off. Nor were they the only ones, Another family on the same floor, on the opposite side of the hall, con- sisting of a widow and three children, were in the same dangerous predicament, ‘ ‘“'There’s no time ter be lost,”’ cried Billy, ‘“ we’ve got ter take t rth’ roof! Come, mom! Come, Mrs. Hall!” and catching up one of the latter’s children the boy started for the roof, He was quickly followed. It was now the only hope they had, é; As soon as all were up, Billy closed the trap, and then he ran to the edge and looked down upon the roof of the next house. That house was about twenty feet lower than the big tenement, and firemen were already upon its roof, ‘‘ Hello!” Billy shouted, ‘‘ any o’ you fellers got a ladder about ye? If ye have, jes" run it up here. There’s a hull fambly o’folks up here, an’ they’re makin’ th’ worst kick ye ever heard tell of ’gainst bein’ roasted.” “You'll have to jump,’ came back the reply; ‘‘ we can't get a ladder here in time.” ‘Well, can’t ye get a bed out there for us ter Junp on?’ ‘*Yes; hold on half a minute.”” and one of the men disappeared into the house below, soon return- ing with a straw bed which he laid down in about the right position. , “Now,” he shouted, ‘come down!” It was now almost as light as day, and those upon the roof could be plainly seen. des were now close to the edge, the fire having already burst through the scuttle. Billy turned at once to Mrs. Hall and told her to jump, but she would nt do so till her children were safe, nor could the latter be induced to leave her; so there was but one thing to do. Catching up the oldest child, = boy of ten, Billy ulled him to the edge, shouted to the fireman be- ow to catch him, and pushed him over. Down he went, and the firemen, with the straw bed, caught him safely. Then the other two were disposed of in like man- ner. ‘* Now, who next?” Billy shouted. ‘‘Come, one or t'other o’ you women take th’ leap fer life!’ Mrs. Hall was the first to go. Anxiety to be once more with her children lent the necessary courage, and she jumped. She. too, landed in safety. “ Now. mom,” cried Billy, ‘‘ your turn now! One, two, three—an’ a go! Come, now, it’s no time ter pow-wow about it; it’s a clean case o’ life an’ death !”’ ‘* You go first, my son; I “Sweet pertaters! d’ye want ter be cooked, then? Jump, I tell ye!” The frightened woman advanced to the edge, made a move 28 though to obey, and then backed ts) +B] uf, ‘“ Oh! Tean’t, I can’t!” she cried, “I—” “Th? dickens ye can’t!” cried Billy, and with a entle push he sent her so far forward that she lost er balance and had to go. She, too, was safely caught; but the things she had had in her arms. not the least important of —— was a wash-board, went flying in all direc- tions, Billy was just on the point of following, when sud- denly a strong hand grabbed him and pulled him back and down upon the roof. One quick glance revealed who it was. “Tet go of me, Abrer Hawk!” Billy commanded. “Do you want_to be the cause of our losing our lives? Let go, I say!” “Ha! ba! ba!” the other laughed. “There won't but sone of us lose his life, un’ that one won’t be me! Abner Hawk was a young man of twenty. He was good-looking and clever, but a rascal at heart. He was in love with Polly Osmond, but had found in Billy, boy though he was, so formidable a rival that he had had but jittle chance or hope of win- ning her. He had often vowed that he would put Billy out of ae Ys and it would seem that this was an attempt 0 do so But if he had found in Billy a formidable rival, he now found him a dangerous combatant as well. Hawk had the advantage at the start, He, creeping up bebind Billy, had pulled him down and then placed bimself on top. But Billy did not relish this order of things, made every effort to throw bis enemy off. Meantime, no one below could account for the boy’s sudden disappearance. | They could not see bim. nor had they seen Hawk pull him backward, and all haste was made by the firemen to get a lad Jer to the roof to climb to his rescue. ' | And haste was necessary, too, for the fire was fast eat ng its way through the roof of the big tenement, and the house next to it, the one on which the fire- men stood, was already burning. No time was to be lost. No one realized it more than did Broadway Billy himself, and he fought desperately. ‘Let me up, you fool!” he panted. “ We'll both be burned alive if ye don’t. Even if ye git th’ best o’ me ye won't dare ter ‘scape, fer they'll rest ye fer my murder.” 4 ‘ a DOR let that worry ye, my pippin,”’ retorted wk. know what I’m goin’ ter do with ye?” and aig te. . >> - Sionety “I'll swear I tried hard ter save ye. D'ye “oo —— Nm f 7) ah : ‘3 * ~h yeaa! sone bart i Dan Pore) Sonnet Pee — =~ a Ae re ae ey ~ ee i es , a i f ‘ “ Oe co A : ) ~ * Aa : “You won ae much if I once git half a show at ye, ye coward “An’ that ye won’t git. I’m goin’ ter dr to th’ scuttle there an’ pitch ye down, neck an’ heels. I've warned ye ter stand clear o’ me many a time, put Phy poke around, an’ now ye’ve got ter pay er it.’ aN These words were exchanged all in one brie moment, and then the young villain partly rose up» in order to get a better hold of his victim. Instantly Billy took advantage of the moment, made a sudden spring, rolled over under his antag- Onist and regained his feet. But Hawk was upon him again at once, and Billy had to fight with desperate fury. | It.is folly to give a man’s strength to a boy hero, but we must say that in this instance Abner Hawk found about all he could handle, Billy was quick as lightning, and every move he madé was made with a purpose. he struggle had now lasted about two minutes,, and both breathed heavily. Presently Billy’s foot slipped, and in an instant his enemy had him once more upon his back, ‘* Now, curse ye!"’ he panted, “ I'll fix ye!” But he reckoned without giving full weight to Billy's side of the question. As he fell, by some chance the a A hand came in contact with a piece of brick, and grasping it, he watched for an oppertunity to use it with effect, The chance soon came, As Hawk uttered the words above, he drew back his right arm to deal Billy a blow in the face. The blow came, but Billy had dodged his head away, and the rascal’s fist struck the hard boards. Them he, Billy, as quick as a flash, threw up his right. hand and dealt the rascal a terrific blow on the side of his head with the brick, , tN ended the struggle, for Hank fell over insen- sible. By this time the whole top of the house was ablaze, and Billy would have been fully justified in leaving his enemy to his fate. But Billy had other ideas of right and wrong, and laying hold of the fellow by the feet, he dragged him to the edge of the roof, shouted to those below, and pushed him over. Down he went. falling partly upon the straw bed, ay me picked up at once and carried to a place of safety. The crowds, believing that Billy had been back again into the burning house, sent up a wild cheer, and in the midst of it the boy jumped down from bis: perilous position. And he was not a moment too/ soon, for barely had he and the firemen, who, by the way, were just "ge up a ladder to go to the rescue, when Filly rst reappeared; barely had they made good their escape from the lower house when the old tenement fell, carrying the smaller house with it. | Those old buildings, as dry as tinder, burn rapidly, and in no other class of buildings is fire more to be dreaded. Billy was quite some time in finding his mother, but at last he did find her, and she, poor soul! was: running aimlessly about, calling for her boy, and ressing a broken frying-pan to her breast. | * Sweet pertaters' mom, ye saved somethin’, didn't ye! the y cried, when he found her. * Guess ye’d better throw it away, though. It ain't much of a start to’rd beginnin’ housekeepin’ ag’in.” Billy and his mother had friends living in another street, and to them they went and were kinaly re- ceived, * We'll stay with ye till mornin’,”’ Billy said, ‘‘ an* then we'll strike out an’ see about settin’ up another domestic altar, I’ve gota little boodle in th’ bank, an’ I'll draw out enough ter make good our loss, an’— S-reel 2h ih f ‘ In mentioning his bank account the boy natura ut his hand to his pocket to assure himself that sok was there, and to his horror he found that it was gone. Without a word he wheeled and darted out of the house like a shot from a gun. CHAPTER V. SCORES ONE FOR BILLY. ‘¢ SwreET pertaters! I don’t know as muck as f did last year, an’ I didn’t know any too much then, I'd orter be tied to a mule’s tail an’ have both ears; kicked off. I don’t know what I’m good fer, any- how. I'm too dumb ter drive pigs. I’ve got ter make a better showin’ than this, or Pll lose th’ con- fidence of Inspector Br— Hello! What's th’ mat- ' ter?” Billy was running along t’e street at good speed, muttering his thoughts half-aloud, when suddenly a oliceman thrust his arm and club out in front of im from behind a big telegraph pole, and brought him to a stop, \ ' “ What are you running for?” the officer demand- ed. in response to the boy’s exclamative inquiry. "Cause I want ter git thar,”’ Billy replied, briefly. ‘Get where? Where are you going?” “Lae ‘1’m goin’ fer a doctor, pos haste, with a special stamp in th’ upper right detain th’ mail.” we) ‘ ' “Where are you going for bim? Do you know where he lives?” “Sweet pertaters! under full steam an’ all sail set if I didn't kno where I was goin’? Come, old hogs, time is b ter me, an’ I’m in 4 rush.” ‘Answer my 7 ¢+ What question?” “The one I just asked.” & ott %4 . a and corner, Please don’t — d’ye s’pose I'd be goin’ ahead — Ww . question, then, and I'll let yougo — | “What was it? You'll have ter asd aee fer “pee ‘my memory ain’t longer than yer little finger.” SS 7 . ——_. = ~_ s a a ee a ~ ~~ - — . —— ——— ee ae “ a et | * | ee ae I fel 7" . “$4; . P " -