Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 526 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Worth River Nat. SRT ER +8 _--— ~~ | in a short time he was again at Daniel Beck- | there to help you in a way you won’t like. Do with’s. Before he entered he glanced up at the old gentleman’s roomy and saw that the windows wer still open. Beckwith was persisting in his determination to commit suicide by breathing air. The whole house was quiet, however, show- ing that peace had in a measure been restored, Fradora was sitting up for Nat, and he gave her what encouragement he could, but did not mention his latest adventure. An uneventful night passel, and in the morn- ing Nat went down and found Eudora, Katie and B. Franklin Betts together. The latter had knocked at Mr. Beckwith’s door, but without getting any reply. : They were now considering whether it would be well to enter unbidden. This point had not been settled when there was a vicious ring of the door-bell. Katie was busy, so Betts went to answer it. Just as he laid his hand on the knob the bell rung again in a way which made it almost jump out of the hall, and Franklin hastened to pull the door open. Then he recoiled in consternation. His master stood outside, Grimly Mr. Beckwith marched in; viciously he slammed the door to; and then he turned upon Franklin and almost annihilated him with a terrible glare. ‘* Well,” he exclaimed, ‘‘ why do you stare at mi like a half-witted baboon?’ ‘‘T be-be-beg your pardon, sah, bu-bu-but I thought—” ‘‘ What did you think?’ shouted Beckwith. ‘*T th-thought you's in yer room, sab.” a Beckwith suddenly seized Betts by the collar, ‘*See here,” he exclaimed, ‘‘ it’s time for you to explain all this stammering. You never did it before yesterday. Are you ridiculing me?— do you dare to ridicule me?” oor Mr. Betts felt that his blood was turning to water, All the serenity of his joyous nature had fled, and he was quite sure be was servant to a madman, ‘* No, sa-sa-sah!” he gasped. ‘Then why do vou stummer?’ thundered Beckwith. **Cau-cau-cause I's skeered cl’ar out ob my wits!” howled poor Betts, and his head seemed in danger of running all to eyes, so large did his visual organs become, A quick change passed over Beckwith’s face; the truth flashed upon him, This man was actually afraid of him. He had thought that every one was against him, and that he had sunk so low that even his servant ridiculed him. He had resolved to reassert his supremacy: to defeat those whom he thought to be leagued against him. ' A look ot grim satisfaction appeared on his face. ‘¢ You have reason to be,” he declared. Just then Eudora approached. ‘‘Have you been out, father?” she asked, hesitatingly. ‘‘ [—have—been—out!” was the slow, but em- phatic reply. ‘‘ lam such a healthy man that I thought a ten-mile walk before breakfast would be beneficial.” ‘‘T am very “No oi Rs ry gla Oty am. indeed,” ‘‘Furthermore, Miss Beck lad you were able to go.” iss Beckwith—no doubt you are with, I am well - enough so that I shall sit at the family table. I a shal! dc this if 1 expire before the meal is ended. I contracted pneumonia last night and am near the end of my life, but while I do live I am ing to be master of my Own house, Do you ear?" ‘Yes, sir, and—” m ‘‘Tam going to be master /” repeated the old nietoan, as thovgh he thought them all ‘*My dear father, I shall be very glad—” ‘No doubt, no doubt; you look glad) Franklin!” ~ “Yes, sab.” ‘¢-You will stand behind my chair at the table and wait upon me, Do you hear? ‘“'Ye—ye—yes, sah.” » bb Kate da ‘‘- Yes, sor,” faltered Katie McKeevin, alarmed at having that awful gaze turned upon her, ‘Is breakfast ready?” “ Not quite, sor, but—” . ‘Why isn’t it ready?” shouted Beckwith. _“ Why, sor, I thought—” ‘You had no business to think, I don’t hire ron to think, but to work. Why are you idlin ere? Get back to the kitchen, and if breakfas is not ready inside of fifteen minutes, I will be i OT ee ——-—- eoorrnnnnrae you hear?” ‘* Yes, sor.” ‘Tien away with you!” Katie fled precipitately, and Beckwith then you vas, yourself?” turned his gaze upon Nat. sé Boy 1”? ‘‘Hyar I be,” was Nat’s cheerful response. ‘* What are you here for?” ‘‘ Wal, | was sorter hoverin’ erround ter see you rule the roost, so ter speak.” ‘* Did I tell you to come here?” ‘*Didn’t hear ye tell me so,” “Then how dared you come? Yes, sir, how dared you come?” shouted Beckwith. He had frightened all the others into a panic, and he aspired to frighten Nat, but the boy stood there as cool as ever, his hands in his pockets, and his manner wholly unconcerned. ‘*{ don’t see nothin’ ter be skeered at,” he answered, ‘* How dare you answer me so impudently,” ‘** Wasn’t aweer I had said anything impudent,” ‘‘l’ve a good mind to throw you out of the honse!” thundered the old gentleman. ‘Great ginger! will yeever make up yer mind w’ot ter do with me?” coolly asked Nat. ‘' First I’m ter go, arnd then I’m ter stay, arnd then I’m ter go ag’in,” ‘* Boy, do you know you are my servant?” ‘** 1m sartainly in your employ.” ‘Then why don’t you act as the rest of my servants do?” ‘That's out o’ the question. TI don’t skeer easy enough ter stutter like B, Franklin Betts, while ez fur actin’ lhke Katherine McKeevin, *tain’t possible, other created thing, kin act like a woman, Women is so pestiferously pecooliar that they can’t be imitated, nor onderstood, even by them- selves,” There was a pause. Eudora waited with fear and trembling. Into what new frenzy would Nat’s fearless, yet quaint and respectful, re- marks throw her choleric father? The old gen- tleman gazed grimly at Nat, his face telling nothing of what was in his mind, while several seconds slipped away. Suddenly he turned to Betts, “ Pranklin!” ‘Yes, sab,” replied the colored man, with a quaver in his voice, ‘Go to Kate and bid her put another plate on the table beside of mine, This boy will eat with me. With me, Miss Beckwith, do you hear?” He had turned to Eudora, as though he bid her oppose him if she dared. She faintly an- swered in the affirmative, ‘‘T like this strange youth, whatever his name is, and he will remain with me permanently. I think that I shall make my will in his favor, and leave him all my property, If [I want to do this, | shall doit. Boy, I have only a few days to live, for pneumonia’s awful hold is apon me. When [ goall will be yours; I cut my relations off with one dollar each, Hang up my hat, and then we wili go to the dining-room arm in arm, Take the hat!” Nat obeyed this injunction, but as he did so, seeing that Mr. Beckwith was looking at Betts, managed to whisper to Eudora: ‘* Keep cool! Let him be ruler o’ the roost, arnd all will end lovely, Assooredly!” CHAPTER XIV. THE INDIAN DOCTOR CALLS. Nort River Nat went to the dining room arm-in-arm with Mr, Beckwith, as the latter had ordered; he sat beside him at the table; and his ease and appetite did not_suffer from being in such august company. He ate heartily, and while he ate, he talked. If he ceased, Beckwith led him on, and though the old gentleman did not smile, it seemed certain that he found pleas- ure in Nat’s quaint conceits. There was a more pean’ feature of the meal. Mr. Beckwith ceased to speak sternly to Eudora, and his voice actually had a measure of its old kindness when he addressed her, When breakfast was finished Mr, Beckwith told Betts to accompany him to his room. That person bad been doing duty behind his master’s chair, according to orders, and in the presence of the whole family had begun to feel safe. This Jast order put him in a panic again, and he went with fear and trembling, Nat was engaged in consoling Eudora, and prving, her a hopeful view of the case, when the resp be Sap Katie answered it, and after some de'ay she reappeared in com with Patrolman Sayderhane sion The fat officer’s face was aglow with good- humor, and he bowed politely to Eudora. ious to get rid of me. I am resolved to do al IS , if . , } \ pate ee \ ; J >. “a [gs OR ea Fo Sr alae oa (elo) EDOO 0 Thar ain’t no marn, nor any | ** How you vas, Miss Beckwith, 1 see mit my eyes dat you vas feeling charming py your looks. Dot vas kind of Providence to make dose | young lady so beautiful, don’t it? Poy, how | | ‘Do you bring us news, officer?” asked Eudora, ‘** Dot vos shust what I vas pringing.” ‘** About my missing uncle?” és Ya,” ‘* Have you found him?” ‘* Nein, but I have der glue.” “The what? Oh! J see, the clew.” “Ya, I have der glue.” “Stick to it, mister,” advised Nat, facetious- ly. At Foredop Tom has gone mit himself to der Vest. Disis how it vas. He haf drouble mit der Indian doctor, und he think he vas von fraud. How vas he to prove it? Why, go Vest to where Holdsworth game from, und git roof he vas a humpug. Und dot is what he as done: be is all mght, Foredop Tom is, und he will gomes back all right mit himself. I told ou [ would soluv this mystery, und I haf done it. I vas von of der finest!” ‘How'd ye git proof?’ asked Nat, who placed no reliance in this theory. *T haf not got der proof yet; I have thinked it over, und studied it out. Dos vas der way they doit in France, und I pelieve a French- ee vasno sinarter than an American, don’t i ‘* Do you mean thart ye hev merely studied this au as a theory, arnd that you hev no proo ‘* Dot vas it, und I thinks I have done a good job. Miss Beckwith, | shall glaim der reward for finding Foredop Tom, und den resign from der ti-.est, und Katie und I vill both marry mit ourselves und move into a corner grocery,” Snyderham’s face beamed with happiness, but Katie told him to ‘‘go along wid yez,” while Eudora, seeing that the alleged clew ameunted to absolutely nothing, asked if any one knew from what part of the West the In- dian doctor had come, ‘* Nein,” Snyderham answered, ‘‘ but Fore- dop Tom will find out where.” ‘** Do you know how large the West is?” ‘*T haf not der stagistics, but I thinks it vas apout der size of Staten Island, Haf no fear, my tear Miss Beckwith, Foredop Tom is not der man to pe discouraged easy mit himself, und if der Vest vas as large as Vestchester Gounty, or even New Tcharsey, he vould find out all. Dot man should be von of der tinest, py sbimminy!” It was clear that there was nothing whatever in his theory, but he was so innocently pleased with it that neither Eudora nor Nat cared to discourage him, He stayed only a few minutes; then, after a few private words with Katie at the basement door, went off down the street with a placid smile on his face, n a short time Nat was summoned to Mr. Beckwith’s room. That gentleman was sitting in his big chair near the open window, and Nat had never before seen him looking so well. He had nothing in particular to say, but he led Nat on to speak of various subjects, and listened at- tentively to all, is manner continued grave and grim, but ai? pee did he refer to himself as an in- valid, Finally the door-bell rung, and Beckwith turned his head quickly toward Betts, ** Franklin!” ‘* Yes, sah.” ‘That is Doctor Holdsworth. Go and escort him here.” ‘Yes, sab.” Nat said nothing, but he was wondering how the ‘‘ white Indian” would be impressed by the new order of things. Holdsworth was soon ushered in by Betts, but he stopped short as he saw the open windows, Surprise and, Nat thought, consternation show- ed in his expression. ‘“My dear Beckwith,” he abruptly said, ‘‘ what does this mean?” yi a what do you refer?” asked the patient, imly, ‘The windows—the air! Why, sir, this is very indiscreet! You will contract a cold!” Sir,” replied Beckwith, sternly, ‘I already have the pneumonia !” ‘*'You have?” *‘T have, sir.” ‘* Then why in the world are yon sitting in the full current of air?’ Chippewa demanded. ‘* Because, sir, I have decided to die. I have toe found that all my relatives are against me; that eg. they consider me an incumbrance, and are anx-