Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 526 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

his patients, ali told, tha A eyes reappeared above the balusters; ‘‘I never said nothink ob de kind, Miss Eudora. I ’clare ter gracious I nebber did—” re back to your room, you scoundrel!” shouted Beckwith. “I'll be up there directly and attend to you. Yes, Dll lay that cane soundly over your back. That's what you need |” ‘© Oh! oh!” howled Franklin, as he beat a re- treat. ‘*Now, girl,” added Beckwith, addressing Eudora, *‘ you and I may as weil have an under- standing. From this time 1 am going to be master of my own house. have trusted you and the rest, only to find that I have taken ser- pents to my breast, and—” ‘* Father!” cried Eudora, imploringly, ‘Don’t dare interrupt me. I thought it bad enough to be a hopeless invalid, but misfortunes are multiplying. 1 find all my relatives and servants against me. Am I crushed? No, never! I will defeat you all!” “ But, father—” “Not a word. From this hour there will be a new order of things here. Jam going to be master, ‘To-morrow I shall send for Doctor Chippewa Holdsworth, and install him in this house as my private physician. He will be in constant attendatice on me, and I will see no one else. This is my ultimatum!” With this terrible threat the self-styled invalid turned and went up-stairs with a firm step, not even touching tke rail of the stairs as he went. The trio in the hall looked after him mutely, and Eudora and Katie, at least, were dum- founded. CHAPTER XTI, A NEW WAY OF COMMITTING SUICIDE. Nor a word was spoken by the trio until Mr. Beckwith had reached his room and slammed the door to after him; then North River Nat dropped into a chair and fairly shock with laughter. ‘* You m’ane little wretch!” cried Katie, ‘‘ ye a ter be ashamed ave yerself, ter laugh at such a toime—ye had that!” ** Why shouldn’t I larff, my dear Katie!” Nat coolly asked. ‘*Can’t you see Miss Eudora is broken- hearted?” ‘* Why should she be?” “Tvea good moind to hit'yeza clip wid a club!” averred Katie, ‘It’s killin’ her ter see the ould jintleman in such a bad way, an’ you a-snickerin’ loike ahyena,” | + ‘‘ My b’loved Corn Araya uickly return- ed Nat, ‘‘you don’t diagnose this hyar case correct. e sun is risin’ in the East, fur sure. Don’t you worry about Mr. Beckwith; this is the first step toward his throwin’ off the yoke o’ error. Jest let the wheel keep on turnin’, arnd he wili acknowledge himself a wal man in less’n a fortnight,” A look of hope appeared on Eudora’s face. ‘* Do you really think so?” she asked. ** Assooredly, I do,” ‘* But he acts so stran ely.” ‘His mad is up, arn you see w’ot it did fur him. He didn’t act much like a feeble invalid, did he? Oh 1@jest you keep quiet, arnd you'll see bim all right.” 5 ‘But he says he is going to bring the Indian doctor here to stay.” % ‘¢ | heerd him.” ‘¢ That don’t look favorable,” “He's struck on Chippy, who kin be perlite enough when he tries; a marn may smile, arnd be a villain still. Don’t y@ worry erbout Chipppy, though; he’ll come up at the end o’ his rope with a jerk straightway.” ‘T only wish we could drive him off,” ** We kin.” ‘* How?” ‘Thar are various ways. Do you know any. thing erbout the workin’ arnd twistin’s 0 tie ‘‘T do, Assooredly' Arnd one 0’ the items o’ the Jaw which governs our b’loved city is, that nobody kin practice medicine byar ‘thout a diplomer. Has Chippy got a diplomer? Guess not; the’pestiferous critter never Seen a medi- cal school, I'll bet my left shoe!” “Even if he had no diploma,” Answered Eurora, hesitatingly, ‘‘ what can we do to stop him from practicing medicine?” ‘“* Use the law ez a club, arnd hit him over the head with it, by ginger! Ef we hev him pulled in he will be fined fifty dollars fur each arnd ev'ry effense. Tharfore, ef “we kin find ten o’ r will be five hundred fur him ter pay.” : dollars in Ja ’ are - , és i. ~° , . i. © * (Hs. . ae - i . « Roan eos aA ad °, > a - ses Se North River Nat. “ S **Do it, do it!” cried Katie. ‘‘ It’ll bankrupt the ould h’athen, I know!” ‘* Not so fast,” Nat replied. ‘‘ Ef he’s sharp we can’t bankrupt him, fur the law sez thart even North River Nat held out his hand to Eudora, whose heart seemed on the point of breaking. ‘*T congratulate ye,” he said. ‘*You miserable little scamp!” began Katie ef a marn practices ’thout a diplomer he kin | McKeevin, indignantly, but Nat interrupted collect his fees. Hence, even ef he was fined fifty dollars fur doctorin’ Mr. Beckwith, he could charge a heap over that fur bis pestiferous medical attendance. But I reckon the fine would cut his career short—right off by ther ears, so ter say.” ‘* How in the world did you learn so much of law?’ inquired Eudora. ‘* Picked it up on the fly. As fur Chippy, however, [ don’t think we'll apply the law ter ED CED ee him; ve got another scheme in my mind which — I reckon will lay bim’way out. He's a first- class scamp, arnd I mean ter prove it, That is what will lay him out, Meanwhile, don’t you worry erbout Mr. Beckwith; things are workin’ | jest erbout ez they should, arnd be’ll admit his- self a wal marn afore many days, You see!” At this moment footsteps sounded on thestairs and B, Franklin Betts reappeared. His black face seemed to have grown several shades light- er, and his big, white eyes were certainly several sizes larger than usual, He looked like a badly- scared man, and Eudora’s heart began to palpi- tate with the conviction that he brought very bad news. ‘What is it?” she gasped. “Oh! oh!” groaned chair. ‘* What is it, I say?’ she repeated. Franklin pointed one trembling hand up- ward, ** It’s him!” he lamented. ‘* My father? What of him? Is he ill?” ‘¢ No, no; he’s well—he’s awful well, an’ dat’s wot is de matter. Oh! I wish dis niggah had nebber left old Car’liny!” ‘*B, Franklin Africanus,” said North River Nat, severely, ‘‘ ef yer wits ain’t all gone dead back on ye, make it manifest. Speak out like a marn, arnd don’t set thar a-whimperia’ like a sick cat with the cholera.” ‘¢ Let me know what has happened?” added Eudora. ‘* He’s gone ter bed!” lamented Franklin, ‘* Rather early, but what on’t?” ‘‘ He sez he’s a-goin’ ter commit suicide!” Eudora and Katie cried out in their alarm, but Nat was of a more methodical turn of mind, ‘* Has he any p’ison thar?” ‘No, but he’s had me open both winders,” ** What o’ that ?” ‘‘He sez he'll take cold an’ hev the pneu- monia,” explained Betts, his teeth chattering. ‘*Not much he won’t, when the mercury is jest sizzlin’in the thermometer. But give us pints, Bettsy—give us full arnd authentic infer- mation.” ‘‘ Wal, sah, he came back to de room wid an awful scow!] on bis face, an’ he picks up his cane an’ he sez, sez he: ‘ Betts, you scoundrel, I’s a good mind ter break dis ober yer back!’ ‘ Doan ye do it, sah,’ sez I, all in a tremor ob mental agitation; ‘T’s c’ar suah my back would break afore de cane would, sah,’ *‘ You need yer stupid head broke,’ sez he. ‘’Deed, sah,’ sez I, ‘1 need dat ter keep in my brains, sah,’ ‘ Brains!’ sez he, ina voice which made my knees rap ag?in’ one auudder awful; ‘you ain’t got no brains, you murd’rous pirate!” ‘* He’s got ye down fine, Bettsy,” put in Nat, gravely, “| thought he woul] put medown on de floor, an’ smash in my ribs, but hedidn’t. * Open dem winders!’ sez he, a-pintin’. ‘ But, sah, de wind—’ ‘Open dem winders!’ he sez, in a toneob manner which neah bereft me ob reason; an’ I scudded to dem air winders straight way an’ slid em boff up. «+ Now,’ sez he, ‘I’s goin’ fur ter commit. sui- cide.’ ‘Sah,’ sez I, ‘ef sech am de case, won't rou let me bab an’ evenin’ off? ‘Silence,’ sez e, ‘1's goin’ ter go ter bed an’ lay all night wid dem winders open. _ I shall contract pneumonia, an’ deff will soon foller. Den we'll see ef m vampire companions Will be satisfied, I will die, an’ den send my ghos’ back fer ter haunt dem.’ ‘THe did say all dat, fur suah, Miss Endora, an’ now he’s gone ter bed, an’ de winders is both open, an’ I know dis house will hab crape on de doal afore dis day week, Oh! I wish dis nig- gah had nebber left Car’liny!” B. Franklin Betts told this tragic story with much snuffling, and much rocking of his bi “ly back and forth, and his big, white eyes looked Betts, sinking into a her. ‘Hol? on, my b’loved corntemporary, bol’ on! Don’t go fur ter let yer angry passions rise. Let. us look at this matter in its troo light. Which is the best, p’ison air or fresh air? Fresh, as- sooredly. is pneumonia common when the ther- mometer is in the eightys? Assooredly not! Now, even ef both winders be open, Mr, Beck- with’s bed stands whar no air kin strike him in shape o’ a draught. The result will be be will ter-night hev pure oxygen arnd hogsogen, arnd he will sleep likea top, arnd come cut in the mornin’ feelin’ like a new marn, Fax is fax, arnd they’re stubborn things.” Silence followed this logical presentment of the case. Nat’s arguments sounded sensible to Eudora, but it seemed too good to be true, ‘¢Our sick marn ison the high road ter health,” he added. ‘‘ But he may do some really desperate thing.” ‘¢T think not.” ‘‘ He ought to be watched.” “‘ My advice is, jest let him alone, He’s gone | ter bed like a sulky child—ef yowl pardon my like those of a frightened animal, as far as ex- pression weut. ’ a a, oy '= @ a6. - At de v = tS ~ =. Ps kok. 2 Se SS _ 2 < : “s 4 * > LT ll TT ST — | | brashne-s in sayin’ it, miss~arnd ef he ain't petted, he'll keep it up arnd come out all right.’” ‘Do you really think so?” ** Assooredly.” ‘‘ But that horrible Indian doctor!” ** What o him?” ‘Father persists in retaining bim.” . ‘Leave Chippy ter me, I’m jest, hankerin” fur a skirmish with the pestiferous critter, arnd you will see me beat him ’way out, This ’ere job is jest erbout rich ernough fur my blood, arnd I kin best auy white Injun in New York.” “Do you think be ought to be arrested for practicing medicine without a diploma?” * Not yit.” ‘‘ But we may delay too long.” ‘‘Treckon not. He ain’t goin’ ter injure yer parient intentionally, arnd tharby kill the goose —that word fits wal, by ginger—that lays the golden egg. Leave Chippy ter me, arnd you will see him beat, boss, foot arnd infancy, ter use a military phrase.” **T only hope you can do it,” ‘* Patrolman Snyderham will help yez,” sug- | gested Katie, with a slight blush. ‘* Snyderham is a good feller, arnd he wants & corner grocery,” said Nat, winking gravely at the girl, ‘ Likewise, I persoom he would oe house over the shop, arnd want a cornge companion.” Katie beat a hasty retreat. ‘‘ Now, Miss Eudora,” continued the young detective, ‘‘ I'd thank ye ter show me Foretop Tom’s room,” ‘* For what reason?” ‘* Clews!” ‘*T don’t understand,” “Thar may be thart there ter show why he went away.” “Tf hardly think syyou will find anything, though I do not yet clearly understand, but you shall see the room at once. Follow me!” CHAPTER XIif. A RED-MAN ON THE RAMPAGE, Norra River Nat had a well-defined purpose in wishing to see Foretop Tom’s room, though he hardly expected to see his hopes realized. He believed that the old sailor would not bave been on the pier where he met his enemies had he not been decoyed there. It was more than caance that Doctor Chippewa’s tools bad been at just the right place to assassinate or kidnap him. Clearly, he had been decoyed there. Nat was now basing his hopes on the chance that a letter had heen sent to Foretop Tom, and that this letter was still in the sailor’s room, If it proved to he go it would cert ainly be unusu- ally good Juck, but many a crime had been brought to light by jus? such means, . The room was soon reached, and Eudora light- ed the gas, ‘Youn ean look around as much as, you please,” she said, in her usual kind way, Foretop Tom had not veen a man who bed much baggage: In fact beyond a few notions. collected during ing visible in the room which seemed to belonz to him, though there was plenty of bric-a-brac which Eudora had arranged there with woman- ly taste. pa Nat glanced at the table and bureau, No Signs, of a letter in either place, >" 7) ré - - a ri , . ie ? -% ’ od Pes * ae , wl op Fn ee al” «<- y his last cruise, there. was noth-~—