Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 581 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

©) ibe tvoman picked up the iron bar that she had taken in her band when Steely Williams iirst knocked at the door, ere she retorted: ‘* Perhaps you know how they found out, Bill Cranch, and perhaps they don’t. But don’t you dare to look at me when you ask such a question, or I'll crack your thick skull witb this poker. Now, you just mind me, will you?” ‘ Mrs. Mullins’s temper was not particularly sweet, as we have seen before. Billy the Buffer knew it, and he did not press his insinuation further, Sie did not condescend to talk any longer with Mr. Cranch, but putting one end of the bar, which was bent and sharpened at the ex: tremity, and was in fact nothing less thana vizantic “jimmy,” into a small iron slot in the floor opposite the door, pressed upon it with all her strength, Tae immense leverage she thus obtained re- leased a portion of tbe flooring and exposed a hole some four feet square. Below flowed the river. Soe knelt on the floor, and reaching under- neath felt about asif searcbing for something, ‘hen she withdrew her hand and looked up in the face of Billy the Buffer. ‘* All right?” he asked. ‘* All right,” was her brief reply. ‘* Sbe was just feeling to make sure that our safe hasn’t been disturbed. There’s some things in it as belongs to you, Steelv.” ‘* Tndeed?” said Steely Williams, indifferent- ly. ‘‘ I didn’t know exactly where the Society had put them, but I supposed they were secure, wherever they were.” ‘* You bet! No ons has ever got the better of the Order yet, and Chromo Castle has never had any strange visitors until to-day, either,” growled Billy. ‘‘Ha!l 'What’s that? By the powers, they have found the west door.” Mag Mullins stood up as she spoke and point- ed to a spot in the floor several feet away where a faint scraping could be heard, ‘* Well, hurry, then. We can’t afford to lose any time,” declared Bill Cranch, as he hastily let himself down the hole. He did not drop into the water, as would have seemed his intention. Instead he supported himself on his elbows and stretched first one foot, and then the other under the floor, He had evidently found some support for his feet, for he slid right out of sight in a horizon- tal position, and declared in a muffled voice, _from his invisible resting-place, that he was ** all right,” The scraping at the other part of the floor was growing londer every instant, “Shall I go under, Mag?” asked Steely Wil- liams. ‘They will bethroughdirectly.” — ‘6 They will,” agreed Mag. ‘Then there will be another mur—” ey stopped. He could not finish the ugly word. The woman laughed mockingly. She was utterly without pity for this young man who had corfessedly betrayed friends and killed an innecent boy. But she was bound by the oath of the Order to which both belonged to assist him to the full extent of ner power, and she would do it till the death. ‘*You mean murder, eh? Shouldn’t call it per when it only affects police an’ sich,” she said, More scrapsng and they saw that the floor was shaking in that spot, ‘‘ Keep them down till I get out of sight can’t you?” implored Steely. oP) try.” | She saw a wav to keep the enemy back fora time, at least. They were coming through the floor by way of what she bad called the ‘* West Door,” which was a four-foot trap similar to that by which Billy the Buffer had disap- ared, eG brani Castle was arranged for the easy escape of its occupants in case of alarm, and the floors and walls were full of secret doors. _ Mag ran across the room and seized the brasier in which the coke fire was still brightly burning, and which was furnished with iron handles that enabled it to be easily moved. ‘She carried it to the spot where the scraping was still to be heard and and put it down on the section of the flooring which she had designated the ‘*‘ West Door.” _“ Now, bump yourself,” was her admonition to Steely Williams, who was ju t drawing bim- self out of sight after Bill Cranch, _ | She looked around, and letting herself _ through the hole after him with much more _ ease than had characterized his movements, 1n spite of ber being a woman, she allowed ber Y a ae qr ty * e, e a . id w JJ +, eR + 4 a es eae Nuc Fy 4 ink et sel - tr . 272% + > = rt! 4nd eee © — . 2 : Se t.. Double-Curve Dan. head to show above the floor as she pulled the trap-door down and held it ready to close at a second’s notice, ‘*The West Door drops instead of pushing up,” she muttered, -‘*Il wonder whether they know that,” ' More scraping, and then—a crash, as the West Door fell in and a shower of fiery coals fell on the heads of Double-Curve Dan and his two companions. ! Mag Mullins laughed fiendishly as she saw it, and witb a yell of defiance, closed the door over her own bead, CHAPTER VIII. DOUBLE-CURVE DAN IN A DEATH CLUTCH. WHEN Mag disappeared and shut the trap after ber she gave berself a push by means of the heavy rafters that supported the floor. Now the secret of the boat was explained. It was hung by means of block and tackle imme- diately under the floor, but not underneath the hole by which access was gained to it. Thet would bave taken away the secret character of this means of escape, which was the most im- portant part of it. Billy the Buffer was seated in the center of the boat, and already had tie tackle in his hand preparatory to dropping the boat into the water, the ropes and blocks were constantly examined, and were always in as good running order as the machinery of a fire-engine. Steely Williams sat in the stern, with the rud- der lines in his grasp. | Both were bent forward, for the boat was too ‘lial the floor to permit of their sitting up- right. As the crash met their ears both involuntarily felt for their weapons, They were separated from their pursuers by a double thickness of stout oaken boards that ex- tended almost down to the water. The design- ers of Chromo Castle had foreseen as possible just such a contingency as the present, when it would be desirable for the regular occupants of the shanty to depart without being seen by visitors seeking admission by another entrance from below. ~— ‘*-You needn’t stir, gentlemen,” observed Mag Mullins airily. ‘‘ They have enough on their bands—I mean heads—to occupy them for a few minutes without troubling you.” ‘‘ Mag, you are a pretty smart woman, durn my boots, ef you ain’t!” growled Bill Cranch, admiringly. ‘‘If 1 wasn’t engaged to a young lady as was the belle of Long Branch last season, I’d offer you my heart, hand and fortune, sure as you’re born.” ** Don’t be a fool, Bill,” was the. ungracious response to this flattering Ceclaration, ‘‘ We shall have work to do before we get out of this, or | don’t know nothing.” ‘ ‘ All right, my girl. Lower away!” As he spoke he loosened the tackle, and with a plunge the boat struck the river, It was the work of an instant to disengage the tackle from the boat, and the iron hooks and ropes flew back to their places among therafters auto:matically. Bill Cranch put out the oars that lay in the boat ready for use, and with a dexterous pull turned the head of the eraft toward the open river. ‘Easy, Steely! Keep her head on for the current. It flows pretty swift down this shore at this time in the morning.” Steely Williams did not reply, but he obeyed Bill Cranch’s directions in silence, The boat was a good-sized skiff, sitting easily and solidly in the water but having a sbarp bow and a good run that enabled more speed to be made than the boat would seem capable of at first sight. Bill pulled hard at the oars, but the boat did not make very much headway. ‘‘ What in thunderation is the matter with her? She hasn’t caught in nothing, has she?” ex- claimed Bill. Mag leaned over the gunwale and felt around it with her hands, , , ‘* No. she seems to be all clear.” ‘*¢ Well, durn my skin, if this ain’t funny!” » grumbled. ** I’m pullin’ the life out of my- He gave another vicious pull at the oars. The boat slowly backed, going dead against the efforts of the oarsman. ‘‘Look out, Bill! Whatare you doing with the boat?’ whispered Mag. _ / ‘‘Smash my collar-bone if I know,” Bill, as he made another mighty attempt to propel the boat from the shanty. Another tug and still the boat went doggedly back to tae spot from which it had started. It reached the thick oaken wall, and then slowly but irresistibly swung around to the other side of it. ‘Stop it! Stop it!” almost screamed Mag. ‘* 1 can’t stop it, you durned fool,” spluttered Bill Cranch, Steely Williams did not speak but he got that deadly dirk-knife into bis band, aud made up his mind that he would put bis rival out of the way, and remove a dangerous enemy at ons stroke if he got a chance, He knew that Dan Manly was on the otber side of that wall, and he was no longer anxious to avoid him, The murderous instinct was strong within him. Not @ sound bad come from the pursuing party after the brasier of fire had fallen upon them through the West Door. ‘* Wonder whether they were all burned to gontn and didn’t have time to holler?’ muttered ag. The boat swung around the wall, and at the same instant a hthe, active form bounded into the beat, while a pair of hancs clutched Steely Williams’s throat. ‘* Now, Wilfrea Noel, I guess it is my turn,” said Dan Manly’s voice, as be bore tke other back against the stern. ‘*Ow! Be the powers! poreehen ae on the wather. Och! urra! Wurra! Pbhuy did I iver kim. Begorra, all thecurls are singed off the head uv me be the foire, bad ’cess to the ould woman that put it there, an’ now to be drownd- ed in the river, Git out, ye dhirty spalpeen.” The voice was that of Con Joyce, »and was ac- companied by a desperate attack on Bill Crancb, The'little Irishman had his self-cocking revol- ver in his band, but forgot all about pulling the trigger. He preferred to use it as a club and bad given Billy tbe Buffer a hearty thump on the shoulder with the butt-end of his weapon before that muscular gentlemen knew what was coming. ‘* Git off me, you monkey, or Pll break you in two,” growled Cranch, as he dodged just in time to avoid another blow that would have fractured his skull if it had reached its mark. In the mean time Double-Curve Dan was struggling desperately with Steely Williams, The detective had been so indignant, and was so eager to secure the wretch who had taken the life of Ada Hetherington’s brother that be bad forgotten his usual caution, and attacked his foe without getting a weapon 1p his hand first, ‘‘Surrender, Wilfred Noel, or [ll kill you right here,” said Dan. .““Who are you? What right have you to be hunting me down, anyhow? hat should I sur- render for?” | ‘* What are you doing in a place Hke this at two o’clock in the morning?” ‘+ What are you doing here yourself? I believe you are a crook, or you wouldn’t be here,” hissed Steely. The cool insolence of the fellow was almost too much for Dan Manly’s patience. He tight- ened his hold on the other’s throat. ; ‘*By heavens, 1 will kill you!” he said, sternly. With a sudden wrench Steely released himself from bis assailant’s grasp, and threw the latter on bis back in the boat just as Bill Cranch had gained the mastery over Con Joyce. It was a desperate moment. Mag Mullins took no partin the battle, hut sat at one end of the boat, holding to the side with both hands to save herself from being thrown overboard by the violent rocking but pratt not seeming tocare which way things went, Mr. Hetherington was nowhere to be seen. ‘‘ Now I want to tell you something before I put you where you will never Le able to say anything in this world again,” hissed Steely Williams, as he glared down into the face of Double-Curve Dan. The moon was at the full, and gave plenty of light for the young pitcher to note the fierce expression of bis adversary’s dark eyes. ‘‘Say what vou have tosay,” returned Dan, returning the other’s gaze unflinchingly. ‘Twill, You have come between me ina wag. that I do not allow from any cone.” smile curyed the young pitcher’s lip, ‘Tt isa habit I have,” he said, contemptuous- ly. “There is a young lady to whom you have presumed to lift youreyes. That presumption on poor part bas caused the death of her brother—” f **'You villain!” 3 . ‘* And bas ruined my chances wita her for- ever. But that is not all. You have interfered with my business in several ways. When I re- , : i gual; Mir) ioe .. Or books.com