Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 569 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Brooklyn Ben. Before Ben had had time to see more, the hall door opened and Ned Chester appeared. Ro- salthe started up and showed plain signs of leaving the room, but Ned made a gesture which : was somewhat imperative. a ** Wait!” he said; ‘‘I have something to say am the man who brought Damon to death’s door?” **T tell you that I make no charges. say that I saw you in the hall. You have no to you.” whelmed by evidence, What would the police | “Tam in a hurry,” Rosalthe hurriedly an- |! say if they knew that you quarreled with Uncle | ; Mered Franklin, and then came here secretly the night | ** A great hurry, nodoubt. You were sitting still when I came in, and appeared to havea generation of time on your hands. Your burry is sudden and unnatural. Sit down, Rosalthe; T have something to say to you,” The girl remained standing, and Ben saw that her face bore a frightened expression. ‘**] want an explanation,” Ned added, firmly, he was wounded?” | ‘They would say that I did the deed, and [ | should not blame them, [don’t blame you; how | could you think otherwise? Rosalthe, forgive | me for my harshness; I have beena blind brute, : One thing I will say, however—let appearances | be ever so much against me, I am innocent; I | never harmed Damon, nor was I party to the ! ™ %, * ~~. ~ i « a » ; “ * < “ mae ow e way” me -* ny ° P74 oe ny Re **T don’t know what you mean,” she faltered. | crime!” 4 | ai | ‘You sball soon know. Rosalthe, I have The young sailor threw back his head and | SS thought you my friend, You and I have seemed | faced Rosalthe with a bold, frank expression. ip to get along well, and I have been very proud of ‘*Thank Heaven!” the girl murmured, ** Do you believe me now?” **T do—I do!” ** And can you forgive me—” ‘‘]t is not for me to forgive. It is I who have | done the wrong, and I am ashamed to ask for- giveness.” ** Don’t do it, then; don’t do it. my cousin, and of her kindness to me. Allof a sudden you are completely changed. You seem to have lost even your respect for me; you are as cold as ice; you shun me as though I were a |} pestilence. Why is it?” | | He spoke with emphasis which was‘not un- a. = ee Eee On en mixed with indignation, but Rosalthe shrunk My cousin, | ss back and trembled. ou and I are not going to let such a little thing | Le ‘Don’t ask me,” she replied. i a stu:nbling-block. There is a better way to a 6 he ask you, and I want an answer. Why | settle it.” | is it “T don’t know.” city peculiar to young men, kissed Rosalthe be- | ‘* Nonsense!—you do know. Rosalthe, if Iam fore she could object. | rude I hope you will forgive me, but I can’t Just then a footstep sounded in the hall, and | stand this. The change began with the mis- | they had only time enough to move away from fortune to Franklin Damon. Do you blame me | each other when Miss Hannah Damon, who was for that?” an aged relative and a superannuatel house- | **I hope you are not to blame.” —_, keeper in one, entered. Long before she had rh “You ‘Lope’ it! What do you mean?” — * Nothing. ‘That won’t do. I must bave an answer,” “Ned, oh! Ned, don’t drive me to desper- anon” cried the girl. ‘‘I may say something rash. | __ “Say it, by all means—if it will explain mat- ore,” *” “Do you think I am blind, Ned Chester?” she asked, with more spirit. | ‘I’ hope not, for one blind pane in the family isenough. If you know what you mean, tell me,” “You shall know!” Rosalthe exclaimed. ‘* You are unjust to me, when my sole object is to pro- tect you. For your sake I have sworn to false- hoods, and not a word of credit dol get. Yes, you shall know all. When you made your secret visit here the night Uncle Franklin was wounded I saw you! The officers asked who had bad a quarrel with Mr. Damwun. I told them that I knew of no one. I spoke ee I did know vf some one who had quarreled with him, and _ that one was yeu/ They expressed the opinion that some one who knew the house well had gained entrance here, and assaulted Mr. Damon and I told them I had no idea who it could be. | that she had stated a startling fact. Ned looked ana I spoke falsely—and for you. I knew disturbed, while Rosalthe’s perturbation was who had come here secretly; I saw you. Late | shown by the haste with which she answered the ’ ceased to be of any practical use in the house, but, in a general way, she kept her place, and she | made a journey over the house now and then on | general principles, Her oretignt baving become poor, she now recognized Ned and Rosalthe without suspecting | anything unusual bad occurred there, ‘* My dear children,” she said, in a mild voice, ‘*] have good news for you. Franklin Damon shows signs of recovering consciousness,” The young couple exchanged a quick glance. ‘‘The doctor says that the case is a. peculiar | one,” pursued Miss Hannah, ‘‘ and hedon’t know | how to understand it, Mr. Damon is muttering | to himself—muttering veryioddly. Youseem to be in his mind, Mr, Chester. He once cried out, quite sharply: ‘Don’t kill me, Ned? Wild | words, of course, but J am encouraged; it shows that his mind is at work.” Rosalthe changed color, It did not encourag her to know that Damon, in his present condi- tion, had uttered such words; it startled her. ‘T want you, Rosalthe,” adde 1 Miss Hannah. ‘Lois and ” I need your advice; pray come at . The sailor bent his head, and, with the auda- | The mild old lady was wholly unconscious at night, when we were supposed to be all asleep, | call. She went out, while Miss Hannah only I saw you moving secretly in the house. And in | paused to tell Ned to be of good courage, and the morning Franklin Damon lay senseless by an | to tipo for his uncle’s recovery. Then she fol- assassin’s hand,” lowed. She had poured forth these words rapidly, in a low, concentrated voice, and Ned could be blind no longer. He had recoiled, and stood gazing at her in silent dismay, | Rosalthe ceased, and stood looking at him like am accusing spirit. She no longer shrunk and trembled, but was defending ate charges of colduess. Ned stood pulling viciously at his mustache for a few moments, and then abraey. left the room. Brooklyn Ben drew a deep breath and stood erect. He felt ashamed of having acted the lis- tener, but he had heard something of import- | ance, The interview, however, had left him in | a frame of mind as uncertain as ever, Ned’s | declaration of innocence bad almost convinced | him at the time, but bis hopes had gered by the old lady's revelation, Franklin Damon, erself from his “*Good heavens!” he exclaimed, “‘can it be se Xclalr been stag-, » that P ie suspect me of injuring Franklin Da- mon?’ in his semi-delirium, bad | “Don’t kill me, Ned!” ze _“ What else can I think?” lainly muttered: _ *T, an assassin?” s | minous words! In themselves they were | “IT make no, charges; I only know of the | enough to direct suspicion to young Chester, | quarrel, and your secret visit to the house,” > Ned caught her wrist. rt ____, Bo you know why we quarreled?’ ot: No. Bn , And yet you accuse me!” ye “T have said that I do not accuse you,” eS ee And was it for this I upbraided Franklin _ Damon? Was it for this I quarreled with a man _ who coul @ me rich, or leave me a begzar, as he saw fit? You don’t know why we quar- _reled. Well, I will tell you—no, I will not!” { Shon deelpepe oft suddenly, dropped her hand, and Fe . __ “How do you know I was here that night?” he and when taken in connection with what Ben already knew about Ned,they made a strong case, | ‘‘ Deeper and deeper into the dark!” thought | Ben, “‘ but the end of the trail ain't reached yet. something may come of it.” He left the back parlor jnst in time to see Ned leave the bouse abruptly, his manner singularly nervous, Plainly, he, too, had been upset by Miss Hannab’s statement, Ben looked across the way. Detective Sloan was at his post, but, a few moments later, the boy Saw-him hurry down the street after Ned Chester. CHAPTER XVI, “TT saw ou in the hall.” iB _'THE MYSTERIOUS SCHOONER, * _ “You were whenIsaw you.” a yd ; ; °Z 7 “ ; oA Ali ve oi Ar a “We hs . . / 4 : : > : ' } _, s) - ved : ‘\ * % as) J : . ° i? + | * = = f yyw : 4 , : ae ee | : x; Rix ‘ m , : te 4 Ad ’ . ’ a é , \ rit’ . iy ; ; . ” P a ‘ ‘ i , 7 st Tom ; 4) “ . r: wa? ~ « ‘ ' ¥ te f * ’ y . “4 : - te | Pre ka . A, of ~ La “ai a ‘ : JED, a “ % *, +* ; se Js ’ : - “ae aoe! 4 ante ‘ Pty! + a4. \ on ; . na : é ; . : f " f , : % ‘ s/ ¢ _ ‘ "* P ‘ * 4 ; of oe el - ’ ; ’ : " : ** A P i : ri _ ai ys p by E Salle a Pre wars > : eis : he 4 4 ; ran. o ‘ vie : Cad a d = . ~ 4 4 » & ‘ain “- . “3 ’ et) * O Tee SCORES Oran or See | “ a eo i 7 a ie Fiys Re ( v . ik. eat { a" . te Pte 7? ‘‘ And on such evidence as this you think tha; | and watched whatever took place within his | sight, I shall | make none, and no human power can make me | boy, and he wanted to know who it was. day passed slowly on. Ben mlin at-'; which was a full-ri -sbip, and tended to his work, did a good dea] of thinking, | schooner, It was fle latter upon webich the 13 Reports from the sick-room were to the effect that Franklin Damon was still muttering uneasily, but he had not regained consciousness, Ned Chester did not return, nor did Mr. Sloan right to judge me harshly if I have been over- | reappear at the window across the way. Ben wondered what they were doing, but be had no means of knowing. It was five o’clock when Ben was sent to polish the plate on the front door. As he stepped out on the stoop be heard voices in the area. ‘Mr, Blair wants an answer,” said a boyish voice, ‘* Tell him I will be there; that is all the an- swer I can give now,” The basement door closed somewhat noisily, and, a moment later,a boy came out of the area. He was fairly dressed, but his face was coarse and hardened. He ooked like one who was destinefi to be a ‘prison-bird” in time. He walked away down the street with a sulky air, Brooklyn Ben stood for a moment in irresolu- tion, and then quickly re entered the bouse and descended to the basement. He had not recog- nized the voice which responded to the unk oe e was baffled. When he reached the lower floor he found Lefranc, Lois and Kittie in the jining- room, but there was nothing to show who had lately been at the docr, He decided not to ask any questions, and re- i to the stoop and his work on the door- ate. ay The plot grows deeper,” he thought. “ That boy brought a letter or oral message from ‘ Mr. Blair,’ ho is that? Why, Exlon Blair, of course. And one of the girls received it and sent back word that she would ‘be there.’ I don’t know whether that was Lois or Kittie, but I’ve observed that Lois is all stirred up since Damon was hurt. Soone of our girls is going somewhere to meet Exlon Blair! I wish I knew when she’s going, and I’d be along, sure as I live!” He scrubbed away at the dvoor-plate, and once more occupied his mind with interesting specu- lations, It was significant that Exlon Blair had again popped into view like a jumping-jack, as it were, and Ben could not drop the subject. The result of bis meditations was that he de- termined to see Blair’s friend when she left the house, if possible. After dinner he was at liberty, and he went to his own room, which was a little den on the top floor, but at the front of the house. He sat down at the open window, thrust his head out, fixed his — on the area, and prepared to wait and watch, Half an hour passed, and still the minutes wore on. He was patient, and bis reward came, At last a female form came out of the basement door and moyed toward the street. The figure was that of a young woman, but her vail was down and he was not certain who it was. ‘** Brown dress!” he muttered, ‘t Ain’t I seen that before? I have, and I know who wore it, Lois, to be sure. Yes, siree, that’s her dress, and there she is inside it. Now then, is she go- ing to meet Blairt Some mischief is up, or she would not think it necessarry to go vailed. I’m going to see where she goes! 7 She had started down the street, and Ben ran lightly down the several pairs of stairs until he could reach the same thoroughfare. By that time the woman in brown was nearly ont of sight, but he quickened his pace and went after _ her as rapidly as possible, He was led along the same course pursued on a former occasion, when he followed Sloan—to Fulton street, to Sands street, and to the East River Bridge. There the woman took a train and started for New York, / She had looked around several times, as | though afraid of being followed, but Ben was sure he had not been discovered. He entered | the car behind her when the bridge was reached. On their arrival at New York she descended the steps and turned to the right. Ben expected to see her go to the Bowery, but he was wrong. Her course was through a part of Chatham ‘street, and then along New Chambers toward I’ve got a few points I want to work up, and the river. Having reached Cherry street she went several blocks, and then turned to the right again and went down to one of the piers. All this was contrary to Ben’s expectations, but he remembered that the captain of the band to which Blair belonged had several times re- ferred to vessels, the ocean, and so on, and the course of events rather pl the pursuer, The woman in brown walked out on the pier. ade coo. ne at bend, pases ae sus- pended for the a pier was ’ ed and quiet. Two hos: lay at the pier, one of e other & vi ap ’ . ' 4 . ; ; ian : cy ee : - 7 _ * : ‘ . , ft ” f ‘ we 2 . » ' oe Ava : * s 7 . i . ~ . ® ‘ad - * Z wi. ¥ é +4, ”~, 4 : tle 2¢ 7 of vite > ~.EComicboo EP ORE ks.c Ane * oS pos _ om and ae