Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 581 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

f “By gracious! I see it!’’ broke in Bill, slapping his thigh. ‘*Oh, you do, eh?” sneered Mag. very often that you can see anything.” **Go on,”’ said Steely. “We are taking a poor lunatic to this private asy- lum. You and Billy are officers, and lam a sister of ‘Well, it isn’t the patient going along to see that he is not ill- | treated, and that the room he is to have at the asy- lum is comfortable and well furnished, And Iam all broken up over my poor brother's affliction, _ I cannot bear to have people lo king at him, and I won't let anybody talk to lim, because it excites him, and makes bim much worse, Do you see?” The three joined in a hearty laugh, and Bill Cranch, standing back a little, looked at the charm- | ing Mrs. Mullins from head to foot, and exclaimed rapturously: **Mag, you’re a daisy, that’s what you are, and I'll have to make you Mrs, Cranch some day, as a reward for all your smartness, You're a ornament to your sex, an’ a credit to human natur’,” ‘Shut up,”’ was the gracious response, ** Your plan sounds very well. but I do not know exactly how we are going to get through the streets of New ‘York and into the railroad car without being stopped. Then, besides, I have no desire to be recognized. Isuppose there isa description of me in the hands of every officer in New York by this time,”’ saii Steely Williams, with a frown. ‘** Leave the direction of this thing to me and it will be all right,’ was Mag Mullins’s confident reply. * Bil, what time does the first train go out to Yon- kers in the morning?”’ ** About seven o’clock."’ “Seven! That leaves us four hours. Biil, you ae the carriage at the wharf inside of half an our, The woman spoke authoritatively. Shehad taken the whole management of the matter on her own shoulders. ‘*In half an hour,” repeated Bill, dubious] ‘Yes. Go straight to his house and tell hitch up at once.”’ “I'lig», but [hate to drag a man out of bed at four o’clock in the morning,” grumbled Billy the Buffer. *“‘He’ll be as mad as a wet hen, too, I know.’’ * Never mind about his being mad. He is a mem- ber of the Order, and it is his duty to obey,’’ replied Mag, impatiently. ‘*Now, git!’ Bill Cranch said not another word, but dropping out of sight by way of the West Door, made his way circuitously to the bridge and dark passage that led to the street, some blocks away. He was gving to the house of a hack-driver in the pay of the crooked fraternity of New York, and whose fidelity was assured by his being a mem- ber of the secret Order so often referred to in these ages, “That fellow has too much to say,” muttered Mag, as Cranch disapeared. ‘l’m afraid I shall have to pass him over !o the cops some time,” ‘What do gs say?’ asked Steely, as he shut down the West Door and luoked around quickly. ‘* Nothing.” “T thought I heard you say something about handing over. If I thought there was the least idea of treachery in your shriveled carcass. ’'d— T’d—have another dead person to answer for!’’ he hissed, savagely. ‘*[ didn’t say anything of the kind!” declared the woman, sullenly. ‘‘I’m not giving away or handing over anything. You needn't be afraid of me.” Steely looked at her for an instant from beneath his black eyebrows, and then, with a toss of the tim to head, answered: ‘*T believe you. Excuse my hastv remark,” **Oh, that’s all right,’’ was her careless response, adding inwardly: _ ‘But Mag Mullins never forgets hard words, all the same,”’ She hobbled over to the cupboard, in which the pane had now ceased his noise, and threw open the door, The captive bounded out and flew at Steely Will- jams, but the latter drew his ever-ready dirk and kept is assailant at. Day Not so fast, Mr. Hetherington!’ he sneered. ‘*K>ep off, please!”’ **You wretch! I will hang you before you area month older!” Steely Williams’s gy Bae 9 was a sardonic laugh, At the same moment Mag Mullins, who was stand- ing behind the banker, threw a loop of strong rope over his head and shoulders, and, pulling it tight by means of aslip-knot, held him a helpless rT ner, F Vainly the banker tried to release himself. Every movement only masewae cord cut into his flesh, while the woman pulled &t it and laughed tantaliz- ing! at his efforts to escape. hit oy nie cone if he doesn’t keep quiet,” sug- tee , coo ve os i eT You infernal villain, ’'i—” A nod from the evil wretch facing him, and Mag dextrously threw another coil of the long rope about: him, catching him just below the knees, ee nae natural result of throwing hin heavily to e floor, ‘** Now, stay there!” hissed Steely, bending down to look into his face, * until we are ready to take you away.” ai ime away? Where to?’’ “Where to? Why, to a private lunatic asylum! Thot’s the best are for you,” ** What?” shrieked the binker, as his blood seem- ed to turn to ice in his veins, ‘* You would never dare to do that?” ‘Double-Curve Dan. . ‘““Wouldn’t we? You'll see! Ha’ There’s some- body at the door. Who is it, Mag?”’ The woman hastily reached the lookout in the cupboard, and cried: ** Why, it’s Bill, back already. And he’s got the coachman with him,”’ ‘ “Good! Now, Mr. Hetherington, you make the least noise froin the time you leave this place, and it will mean—this!’ whispered Steely Williams, flashing his knife before his captive’s eyes. ‘* Open the door, Mag.” nove NPA CHAPTER XIV, THE BANKER IN VERY BAD HANDS. ‘‘ HERE we are,”’ said Bill Cranch, He led in a man dressed in the ordinary garb of a New York hackman, with a large overcoat envelop- ing him nearly to his feet and a slouch hat pulled down over his brows. As if this were not enough concealment, he had a big blue handkerchief tied over his chin into which he had sunk his features until nothing but the tips of his nose and a pair of restless eyes were visible. The two men stood by the door as soon as they were admitted into the Castle, while billy the Buffer explained his spe dy return, ‘*Saw the hack just by the wharf as soon as I got out of the passage, an’ then I found the driver who had some {ob on hand, and who was standing ona street corner half a block away, looking for some one, I suppose. He always was a quiet sort of fel- a pon I can’t get him to tell me what he was out or. ‘‘It was none Of your business,”’ put in Mag. ‘*The Order doesn’t give anybody the privilege of asking questions of members.”’ The driver, standing by the door, proval of Mag Mullins’s words, and ed disgusted, as he proceeded: ‘* Well, anyhow, 1 told him he had to come with me, an’ here he is.”’ ‘That is enough talk,"’ said Steely, impatiently. **Here. you, Mr. Driver, whatever your name is, runted his a ill Cranch look- help aah gentleman to the carriage. You under- stand?’ The driver nodded, He did not care about wast- ing words: ** He’s an Invalid.” ** Oh, you scoundrel)’’ cried Mr. Hetherington. “Shut et commanded Mag, as she took a shawl from a nail and tied it over the banker’s head, .0 as to prevent his making any noise. The driver made a slight movement, as if to assist Mag. but stopped. ‘Never mind, I can manage him.” observed Mag, sweetly, in recognition of the driver's politeness. ‘‘He’s an invalid,’’ resumed Steely. ‘‘ His mind is affected, and we want to take him to the Central Depot. He is going up in the country for treatment. You understand, I auneceer Again the driver nodded ‘** Well, take hold of him, And, Mag, you close up the house, Bill, help the driver with the patient.” Cranch and the driver took the banker by the arms and raised him to his fect. He wot ly des- perately, but bound as he was, could not help him- self in any way. i Inafew minutes he wasin a close carriage, and being driven rapid.y through the streets By bis side sat Bill Cranch, with Steely Williams and Mag Mullins on the opposite seat. The shawl still covere:l his head, but as an additional precanu- tion against rescue, the blinds were pulled down closely, and the hack had every appearance of being empry. Before starting Steely had instructed the driver to drive around the s'rce's by a circuitous route so as to reach the depot about the time the train was to start. It was not desirable to have the patient in the depot longer than could be helped. The hack bumped and rumbled along for a time until it struck into Broadway, and rolled rapidly up town, “Say, Steely, where is this fellow taking us? I don't think we want to go on Murray Hill, do we?”’ ‘Murray Hill did you say?”’ Secuatee Steely. ‘*No, indeed, Why, curse the fellow, He’s stop- ping. And here’s Hetherington’s house. What coe mean—I vow—Say, who is this driver? Is he safe?’ Without waiting for an answer to his question Steely Williams burst open the door of the hack and reached the sidewalk, just as the driver leaping from his seat ran up the door-post of which swung the mournful black fod white crape, insignia of the reign of death with- “Stop!” hissed Steely. ‘ Shtop yerself,’’ was the reply of the driver, in a strong brogue. ‘‘Phwat did ye take me fer? Be- gorra, I’ve cotched yez this time, sure.” _ “Come back, or I'll cut you in two,” said Steely savagely, seizing the other by the skirt of his long coat and pulling him backward. * Indade an’ I'll not kim back. Be jabers, it’s not Con Joyce will kim back whin yerself orders it, now. d’ye mvind,”’ replied the driver, as be slipped out of his long coat, and thundered at the door, ‘“*Curse him! He'll bring out the whole house!”’ muttered png as he made a vicious lunge at the ike taiveed ia dah d beyond slittin e misse m, however, an ond 8 & the jacket worn by the other, and whholh, with the rest of his clothes, was still soaked with water, did no harm to bis intended victim. Oh, Miss Ada t's yertlf int?“ Bure the bloody ‘Oh, Miss t’s yerself is it? Sure the F moinded villains has your pap in that there convey- ance, an’ he’s ti up. an’ they are goin’ to murth him, an’ I fooled ‘em, They thought I was the the steps of the mansion upon $$ reg’lar dthriver, an’ I kim here wid the hack. The reg lar dthriver was some peace or ither gettin dhrunk, I guess, an’ they'll have me arrested for st’alin’ the hack, I spose, an’ I don’tcare. Hur- roo! Con Joyce delivered himself of these disjointed ' sentences in a perfect whirlwind of excitemeot, and | taking Ada by the hand, dragged her down the steps toward the vehicle, ‘Ada!’ cried her father’s voice, as having torn the shawl from his face by a superhuman effort the banker, leaned out of the door and recognized his daughter, Ere he could carry out his intention and spring from the hack, he was violently_pulled back, the door shut with a bang, and Steely Williams who had alrcady mounted to the driver's seat, seized the reins and whip and lashing the horses with all his might, drove the carriage ser tygee away. ‘All right, Mr, Hetherington. This means more trouble ior you. Curse that Irishman! I don’t see how we could have allowed ourselves to be fooled by him, fll make it hot for that fool of a Bil. Craneh, too, when I. get safely through this job. I can’t afford to do it now, though, I must keep friends with everybody for a while, But I am afraid my days of usefulness in this part of the country are over for a year or two.” Thus musing, ang Williams drove with the ease: of a experienced horseman, up and down side streets, avoiding the main thorcughfares until he had placed several miles between the hack and Murray Hill, He did not continue his fast gait longer than necessary to escape possible pursuit for he wag of ali things anxious to avoid notice an an arrest for fast driving would have been fatal to him. In the carriage Bill Cranch and Mag Mullins had between them, secured the banker again, tying him with the rope and putting the big overcoat tha had been pulled off Con Joyce over his Londs, thus giving him the appearance of being confined ina strait-jacket, without any suggestion of cruelty,, It was not desirable to make accidental spectators aware that the banker was anything but an insane patient in the care of loving friends. The shaw! was not put over his head again. but a wedge of wood, Psion om by Bill Cranch from am inner pocket, and usea by him in former causes when it was necessary to keep a victim silent, was thrust ‘into the banker's mouth, whence, owing to its pe- culiar shape, it was impossible for him to remove it | without assistance, : “What shall we do now?’ cogitated Steely.. “That Irishman knows all about our plans and there will be a dozen officers on the lookout for us at Forty-second street, That certainly won't do, We didn't give away where we were going to take him to, that’s one consolation, Ha! I bave it, We'll just drive straight out to Yonkers. or a little beyond, get the skiff, which is always in its place under the rocks there and row across. That will be better than taking the train, anyhow,” He turned his horses which were both fresh, and good for more than the seventeen miles to Yonkers, ind started them on their journey. Such good time did they make that it was stil carly in the morning when the carriage ratthd through Broadway in that pretty little town, and struck into the suburbs, A quiet spot abeve the railroad track was reached —a spot where the handsome residences were hidden. bebind shrubbery and large trees and where not a. soul was to be seen at that hour in the morning. — Steely pulled up his horses and looked through the _ front window into the carriage. Cranch was fast asleep, but Mag Mullins kept a close watch upon the prisoner, and at each of bis restless movements was ready 10 pounce upon him with a short, handy billy that she had put in her aha for a weapon in the atsence of her favorite ‘on bar, , ‘*Wake him up,” commanded Steely, Mag Mullins coolly pinched Bill Cranch’s arm, causing him to wake up witha acter ching string o oaths that would surely have attracted attention had not the carriage been in such a lonely spot, * Shut your mcuth, or I’)) cut it clean around to the back of yonr neck,” said Steely, sternly. “ Oh, all right, raD very nearly bored a hole in my arm.” — ; “T’d bere # hole in your head for two cents," re- torted Mag, who always resented being called an old Wigton i ‘*Stop quarretin rupted Steel . Ty there, and attend to me,” inter- am a little nervous about rowin across the river, now in broad daylight. We don't. know who is on our track. Our boat would be seen, and we sbould very likely be traced right to the ranch if we went across now.” ** Well?” qu Mag. ‘‘ Weill, I think the best thing to do will be to lie quiet somewhere until dark, en we can get across and be in the ranch in Jersey before anyone: ows that we have even left New York.’ sa Good scheme, if it can be worked,’ growled Billy the Buffer who was still injury inflicted u ~* Tt can be worked,” said Steely, coolly. ‘** Where shall we go?” “TI have a friend a mile or two back in the ccun- try, who will do anything for Steely Williams. He is an independent old man, who cultivates his little bit of land for pleasure.” ay rea “ That. coker} moat ene who are ually ace | te See aay cae ete eel The fore copversation bad carried on im whispers at tke carriage door, so that the banker "Com s 13 But this durned old woman ~ smarting’ under the®* n bim by the charming Mullins, aes ¥ + 1* Af