Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 516 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

“overlook this. ved at him wonderingly. -old diamonds, and a «contrary. ff 12 ‘* What is to be done?” ‘*Do you want me to leave the trail?”’ ‘*“That, of course, must be as she Says, " Harry answered, after a brief hesitation; *‘ hut, by Jove it don’t please me to see the case gO to the dogs. Vil “see her, and learn what she means.’ ‘Now yon talk sensibly, though I am not so sure that + y will learn, You can, of course, try. I would advise you to go at once to Maudston’s house and see her, and L’ll wait at my home for your re- turn, or for a call.”’ ‘It shalt be done.” Shelby was soon ready, and they left the house and pee to carry out their plan. They parted at the corner of Irving place and Seventeenth street, and Brown looked thoughtfully after the y ounger man. * If it is as { suspect, I don’t believe he will learn ‘anything; and all signs, old and recent, point that way. I believe—but never mind; we'll see what comes of his call.” Shelby soon reached the Maudston house, and was ushered into Stella’s presence. His coming was Sacenty a surprise to her, and he noticed that she chan color perceptibly. More than this, her greeting was far from warm, but when he noticed how ill and troubled she looked, he was willing to When he referred to her illness, how- ‘ever, she interrupted him almost eo insisting that she was well. He overlooked this rebuff, also out it made his manner seem grim and somewhat ie a as he spoke of the subject nearest his min: ‘** Stella, I have seen Brown, the detective.”’ She flashed him a quick glance, but said nothing. ** He tells me that you want the search for your ‘jewels discontinued.’ Still she was silent. ** May I ask why this is so?” ‘*Mr. Shelby, | wish you would go away—hnever wmention this to me again—never see me again.”’ Her voice was tremulous, but the words were such that Harry remained almost stupefie | with amaze- ument. Notuntil then had he thought of connecting himself with the mystery, or dreamed that it was anything that could affect him, or place a barrier between them. ‘In heaven’s name,” he cried, “what do rou mean? Why do you s k like this? What aepenpe that you should tell me never to see you again? ‘Don’t ask me—don’t seek anexplanation. All I ask is that you will go, and—and leave me to my- «self.”’ ‘*Srella, do you want to drive me mad?” ‘Drive you mad,” she echoed, almost wildly. de Who stands in the greatest danger of that youor ‘‘ Heaven knows—I don’t. I am dumfounded, un- merved and bewildered; Iam like one in the dark. Stella, why—hy will ou not explain?” pain, and the girl look- er face softened; she looked uncertain and undecided. ‘*Can’c you understand that I know ail?” she slow- ly asked, ‘* And can’t you understand that I know nothing? Will ou ex lain this wretched mystery ?”’ Stella’s cheeks suddenly, flushed deeply. A new pin a came to her face, and she sunk into a chair * Tam afraid I have made a terrible mistake!’ she His ‘voice was full of sh said, more tremulously than ever. “Pell me all,” he repeated. * You may hate me when I do.” ss Ne ver!”’ * But what if I have wronged you?” ‘- Then I shall have the pleasure of forgiving you,” Stella burst into tears; freshly alarmed, Shelby “tried to console her; she insisted that she had “wronged him beyond measure; he vowed that she had not; the more he said to console her the more sshe wept; and matters were progressing ona very emotional and dramatic plan when he finally suc- ceeded in calming her somewhat, ‘*Now for the secret!’ he said, kindly. ‘* Harry, you remember the dlamands you gave me oe nig ty” ol | hes y are the identical ones that were stolen from me when I came to New York!” Silence followed the announcement. Shelby was ‘really dumfounded at last, and word; utterly failed him. It was Stella who broke the significant pause, ‘* When you gave them to me [ noticed that the stones were very much like my old ones, though the settings were entirely different, but I made no com- ment upon the fact then, WhenI was alone in my room, however, I discovered the truth. They are my art of those stolen from me!” " ‘mpossible!”” Shelby cried. ‘* They have but just .been imported from Europe.” “Harry, | can swear that they are what I say. The «shape of the gems has not been changed in the least, and there are marks upon them—minute peculiari- ties—which have been familiar to me siace I was & child. I am not deceived.” “Ten by Jupiter, I have been!’’ Shelby exclaim- ed. “I bought them of a man who claims to be 4 diamond tmporter. If he is not that, he is an ally of thieves!’ 2 ms is it; but, oh! can you forgive me?” Stella asked, ‘* Forgive you? For what? Ha! I see—you thought that I was an ally of the thieves, Or knowing to the robbery!” ‘*T was mad—mad!”’ Practical-minded Shelby thought so himself, but he refrained from confessing it, and vowed to the tella had not used the best judgment BO PES LORE ALT ON LE eee eR Tim. ee ae eee eerie she had, at least, shown all of woman’s usual devo tion when she decided to keep the secret and save Harry from trouble and suspicion, Considering that she had known him but two weeks, it was but strange that, when the stolen diamonds were brought back to her, she should for the time think that he had guilty’ seekers Je of them, and had given them to rin the belief that she would not recognize them. This misunderstandiny was satisfactorily explain- ed and forgiven, and when peace was fully restored, Stella brought out the diamonds, and they lay spark- ng and glittering before their eyes. Yes, they were there, but a most important ques- tion now arose: What was their history from the time that Stella put them in the basket until Shelby puranared them from the alleged importer? Within hat space of time the had been reset by somebody. Who? Clearly, the “importer’’ was not the honest man he bad seemed, ‘* We will send for Brown!’’ observed age Brown was sent for; he came. His eyes glittered as he heard the explanation. “This is a fine case,” he observed, with a nod. “We have the whole game in our grasp. Our ‘im- porter,’ if not the thief, himself—and, for certain reasons, Ill wager something he is not—is an ally of the thieves; a ‘fence,’ or the agent of a fence. Be- ginning with him, we must trace the jewels back.”’ “ The case looks hopeful now,” observed Shelby. ‘**Hopeful! I should say so; it’s a sure thing.” ‘““Have you a theory?” inquired Stella. ‘*'We shall see,’’ was the evasive reply. ‘‘ How aan perenne have you told of the recovery of these sparklers?”’ * Only you two.”’ ‘Then I want your sacred promise that you will tell no one else—not a soul. Only on this condition will I stay in the case. but if I /o stay in, am going to make the whole mystery plain as day!”’ CHAPTER XIII, PHIL FINDS SOMETHING, Five Pornts Pui. had been two weeks at Miss Sykes's residence, and it had been a period of pecu- liar oe to him. At no time had he been obliged to work hard, but the old lady never tired of talking with him about the cats. These objects of her solicitude occupied nearly all her time when she was not making out checks, at the solicitation of Mr. Maudston and Miss Frazer, for cats and women in general, and Phil’s ready help and sympathy were most pleasant to ber. He could by that time calf every cat by name, though the way he pronounced the names was as eccentric as ever, and his humorous fancy led him to do many queer things which Miss Sykes saw only in a serious ight. One of his notions was to take the big book, in which their names were recorded, and “Call the roll” every'day, answering for each cat as he did so. Queer as this proceeding was, Miss Sykes viewed it seriously, and approved of it. Phil did not forget his expressed purpose of put- ting an end to the vampire operations of Maudston and Miss Frazer, and though he “made haste slowly,’’ he had not failed to do something toward weakening their grasp upon their prey. Having so completely gained the old lady’s affection, this was not difficult. She never seemed to remember that he wasaboy. Ina page way she rralized that he had a good deal of worldly wisdom, and paid as much attention to what he said as though his head had been as gray as hers. The vultures saw his increasing power with mani- fest alarm. From the first they hated him, and, boy that he was, they feared him. Betty, the servant, was devoted to Miss Sykes, but she was no more dangerous than a machine, which she so much resembled. Phil, however, was wide awake; he had brains. Such a person was dangerous to them, and they knew it. Their hatred showed itself in numberless innuen- does intended to injure him, but he saw with pleas- ure that Miss Sykes did not turn against him, but, mildly resented their covert on the contrary, attacks. Then Miss Frazer adopted a new course. She called often, and her spiked cane waved and glittered for hours every day. She preached woman’s rights and wrongs persistently, loudly, tirelessly, and flung in slurs against Five Points Phil as she went along. She was resolved to storm the fort. Phil saw this with serene composure, He noticed that Miss Sykes grew sober when Miss Frazer came, and brightened when she went away. Looking over the field like a shrewd general, the boy saw that the female vulture was likely to « efeat herself unaided. She was making herself a nuisance, and good Miss Sykes could not bear it forever. One day Miss Frazer called when the hostess was making her toilet in her sleeping-room, and Phil, having ushered the visitor into the living-room, gal- cently proceeded to entertain her in the best of style ‘Fine day, mum,” he remarked, genially. “Tt is a wretched, rainy day,’ severely replied | Miss Frazer, ‘IT meant. fine day in-doors,”” », Why didn’t you say what you. meant?” ‘““Must ’a’ been some error in the time-table, mum. ty * You need not explain; I see how it is,” declared | Miss Frazer, glaring at bim inexorably. ‘The young of vipers will become full- -grown vipers. You area boys and you will become a man. That explains a She waved the cane until the spike glittered in a | _ creatures who oppress down-trodden woman? SS | Legislature ter change my name ter Sally — | | | , Charmin’ critter. ‘‘How dared you be born a boy? How dared you be born one of those wretched, ae ae 8 monster, Man, is the evil-genius of the world; the hight of happiness; the demon in incarnate form ; the bane of poor woman’s life, In all probability, you a t up to be a man, if you live. How dare this?—how dare you ”” An ahio shook the cane dangerously near Phil’s nose. ‘“T’m awful Sorry, mum, ” the boy answered, with mock gravity. an’t you help me, somehow? I hate ter be a devourin’ monster when I prow up, and worry women folkses. Say, s’posen t the Ann Jerusha Jones? Hey? “Boy, do you mock me?” ‘*Not a mock! Assooredly not, I ain’t that sort 0’ a pestilerous monster, arm, Fax is fax, and they’re stubborn things.” * It is useless to talk of a change of name; you are what you are, and I suspect that you will be one of the worst of your domineering sex, Yes, you will domineer and grind down poor woman until my sweet sex can vote. Then, sir—/hen we will reduce the male vipers to the level where they belong— among the four-footed brutes of tie earth!”’ ** Melancholy ijee! I bleed at heart fur the mon- ster, Marn! What a pestiferous critter he is, though, One o’ your meek arnd lovely dispersition must sbrink from sech wickedness,” ‘*IT shrink from nothing. I represent injured wom- anhood!”’ was the lofty reply. ‘*Arnd you’re the fairest o’ yer sex, mum.”’ ‘* Beware, bo I mistrust your oily tongue,” and she looked at bim suspiciously. “Thar ain't & bit o' ‘ile onter it, Miss Blazer. What! do ye s’pose I'd hev the ordacity ter poke fun at one o’ yer gigantic brain? Never, mum! The monster, Marn, ain’t no show with you/ I wish all yer sex was like e, by ginger!”’ “They be; and we are a sweet, persecuted class. The monster, Man, is after us,’ ‘Don’t ye run an inch, Miss Blazer. Stan’ yer ground arnd slay the critter. Punch him in the eye with yer cane. Fire a few ballots at him. Vote fur the oppersition candidate, Make ea speeches ag’in’ him. Miss Blazer, mum, Id re’lly like ter see you on the stump!”’ Phil’s face glowed with enthusiasm, and he gestic- ulated wildly. His eyes were upturned, as though he saw the stern champion of woman’s rights even then upon the stump, pouring forth fiery eloquence and irrefutable arguments. “The day is coming when women will vote,” said Miss Frazer, impelling the spike of her cane almost to Phil’s nose. ** Assooredly !”’ ‘When it does come every woman will cast two ballots.”’ “One fur each candidate? tei idee; nobody but a woman could ’a’ thought it out. ‘* Boy, be silent! You only mock me. You think that you can pull the wool over my eyes, since you are a male viper, but my woman’s wit thwarts you. Your vile scheme fails. Ha! another argument to use at my next address before the League!”’ ‘Dish it up,mum; Give it breath! ade io arnd sling yer elerquence ter the four winds. Slash the monster Marn, all ter pieces. Elerquence? You’re it, arnd it’s you, Oh! I'll bet that when you've got a speech ter hummin’ thar i. brimstone in the air, by ginger!”’ Phil was waxing more excited and enthusiastic, and there is no knowing to what point he would have reached if Betty had not come to announce that Miss Sykes would see the visitor in her private room. The eloquent champion of woman’s rizhts went out with a rattle and clatter of her spiked cane, while Phil dropped into a chair and laughed until the tears ran from his eyes. ‘*She's a good ’un, is Miss Blazer; never see’d nho- body like her afore. How lonesome the House 0’ Freaks would be ’thout her! ‘Thar ain’t one in the Menargerie that makes more reel fun than that Don’t see how th~ monster. Marn, kin resist her alloorements. Arnd they won't long, neither. I'll bet su’thin’ thart ef Miss Blazer lives a hundred year longer she'll be a legal voter, arnd— Hello! what’s that?” 4 He stooped and picked up something from the oor. pe was a gold ring, with some kind of purplish-hued stone. “ Jewelry, hey? Rain o’ gold arnd precious stones, eh? Good! let the deluge corntinn:r; I kin stand it: This is a pooty thing ter hev in the fam’ly.” He examined it critically, turning it over and over. Then he glanced up at the ceiling with one of his odd conceits., ** Didn’t come through the plarsterin’, ev’dently; can’t be none o’ my jewels. No; they're all down a | Macdougal street, hid in the Coal-ben. Say, Miss Blazer dropped this!”? Just then tetty called to bim from the rear room. He went fo her aid, and was busy several minutes. eee he returned Miss Sykes was in the living room, ut alone. ‘* Mum, whar’s Miss Blazer?” he asked. ‘‘ Miss Frazer has gone ’ ‘‘ Sorry fur that, fur I warnted ter see her pee Found a vallyble jewel on the floor; rec He fee the ring, and Miss Sykes examined it rtic’- on it’s as he had-ione not long before, “Tt is not valuabl-,’’ she said. “The stone is an amethyst, Red r bably, not worth over five dollars, It must be r zer’s, and we will return it to her were suggesting a sorcerer’s weapon, and severely |; when she calla again.” ed ‘¢ Whar ll I put it?”