Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 598 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

™ : ei,’ ae st > i. ty : ™ of Piper mounted to the driver’s seat, and the door of the stable opening and closing automati- cally, drove rapidly out toward the suburbs, The stable was in a quiet alley, and there were no inquisitive idlers to note their depar- ture, _ But scarcely had they turned into the street that led directly toward the Jersey meadows when a lithe, active figure sprung upon the back of the carriage, and rode, unknown to the driver or to the occupants of the vehicle, with a supreme disregard of the discomforts of his perch among the spikes. It is possible that he was going to work some- where in the country, for he was dressed in rough working-clothes, and had splashes. of whitewash all over him. He was none other than the man who had rescued Ezra Piper from a watery grave in the North River, and who is not entirely unknown to the reader as Git Thar Owney. , ' CHAPTER VIII, THE OLD WOMAN IN THF WHITE NIGHT-CAP. WHEN Dennis Carrigan so effectually ended his fight with Ezra Piper by throwing him over- board he was for the moment stunned by what he had done. Tken he saw the laboring man with the white- wash on his mustache leap after the tenor, and rescue him with apparently little effort. ** The shpalpeen!” commented Dennis, “ he couldn’t be drownded, in coorse. I might ha’ knowed that, so I mi ht.” With this philosophical reflection he watched the two dripping figures dragged on board and taken to the engine-room. Then, finding that no one seemed to trouble themselves about him, he sauntered to the front of the boat in the fog, and waited until the ferry slip in Jersey City should be reached. He looked as well as he could in the fog to see what had become of the young lady who had been the cause of all the excitement, but she was nowhere:in his vicinity. ‘Faith! What does it matter to me? She’s a purty gurrl, [ guess, out it’s none o’ my busi- ness where she’s gone,” he reflected, as he step- ped briskly off the boat. He had ‘hardly reached the street when he felt a light touch on his-arm, and turning sharply, found the young lady at his elbow. ‘‘] beg your pardon, but I am almost a stran- ger in Jersey City,” said a sweet voice that somehow did not sound altogether unfamiliar to Dennis. ; ‘* Indade, then, I pity ye, for Jarsey is a noice place to kim ter, whin you are sort o’ toired ©’ the foon an’ divarshin uv Noo Yorrk.” ‘‘ Yes, yes,’ hastily, “but I whnt to find a little street called Hackensack Place.” ‘Well, now, be the powers, that’ a big joke,” ** Joke?” } “Vis, for sure don’t I live there meself.” ‘* You?” ‘** Vis, none other.” “Then perhaps you know the person I am looking for.” ' ‘*Divil doubt—I beg your pardon! I m’ane yis, very loikely,” ‘** His name is Dennis Carrigan.” | ‘* What? An’ is it Dinnis ye be lookin’ fur? Well; burroo! If this ain’t a pienic. Why, I’m that same mon!” The two were walking along as they talked, but the girl stopped suddenly as Dennis made this announcement, and lifting her vail, show- ed the pretty face of Blanche Rogers to the astonished Irishman. ‘‘ Well, be the powers, who’d ha’ thought it? Miss Lucy! Why, your pa’s been a-hunting for you everywhere, an’—an’—” ‘Why, how is it that you know me? I do not think I bave ever met vou before,” ‘‘Och! Bliss the purty facouv ye. An’ d’ye think a mon would ever forgit ye when he’d once seen ye? Haven't ye been down to the bank beyant, an’ havn’t 1 seen ye from me own little office whin ye did not think I was ob- sarvin’ ye? Sure, i know ye, Miss Lucy Argent, right well,” ‘Well, Mr. Carrigan, I want you to help me. I was going to your house. Is it far from here?” : ‘* Jist a small bit of a walk, that’s all.” ‘Then let us go there, so that I can talk to you quietly. ‘Sure, an’ won’t our small house be honored by yer prisence? Come on,” The girl dropped her vail and walked swiftly by the side of her good-natured companion, who strode along with a swelling bosom, and a half- defined wish thatsome one would offer to injure = + i ‘=e... * LLL EE — i? ‘ Flute, the Singer Detective. the young girl that be might have the satisfac- tion of laying another of her enemies low. A narrow court in a rather thickly populated part of the city was reacked at last, and Dennis announced it as Hackensack Place. In anotber moment the two were in a small kitchen, with a cot-bed in one corner. A fire was burning in a little kitchen stove, and there was a general atmosphere of coziness that was delightful after the chilly ride across the river in the fog. Dennis bustled about, talking all the while. He explained that he was bis own housekeeper, but that the landlady always lighted his fire, so that his room would {be warm when he came home from the bank in the morning. Then he made coffee, and bringing out bread and butter, invited the girl to eat and drink, ‘* An’ phat can I do for ye, Miss Lucy?” asked Dennis, when the meal was in full progress, ‘*My name is Blanche Rogers now, Dennis. Please call me Blanche,” corrected the girl. ‘*Sure, an’ lll call ye anything ye say, an’ Blanche is a purty name, though not as enticin’ as Lucy, I don’t think.” ‘*[’m afraid you’ve kissed the Blarney Stone some time or other, Dennis,” ‘* Faith, an’ if 1 bac Vd niver find toime to say anything else but compliments for ye, Miss Lucy. But tell me phat I can do for ye.” Ke There is a scheme on foot to rob my father’s bank.” “Phwat? Rob the bank? Where are the dhirty shpalpeens? Show them to me! Bring ’em out.” Dennis arose from the table aud danced abont the room in excitement. Blanche held up her hand to cool him down. ‘* Now, Dennis, we must lay some other plan to catch these thieves. I have already thought of something.” ** Sure you’re as shmart as ye’re purty. Phat is it now?” ‘** You shall see. But, in the first place, can you tell me what became of the man who jump- ed into the river after that sneaking fellow you knocked off the ferry-boat. I looked for him afterward, but he got off the boat beforeI could speak to him,” ‘* You knew him, then?” ‘** | knew who he was,” was the girl’s guarded answer. ‘* Well, be the powers, I was so much shuck up that I didn’t see anybody, though I believe I'd know both those fellers if [ see’d ’em ag’in, d’ye moind?”’ oe you too tired to take a walk with me ‘Dennis@id not reply in words, but putting on his ulster and cap, he buttoned himself up, and waited while the girl put on her own hat and cloak, In another minute they were on the street, and walking briskly up-town. They had reached a rather unfrequented street, and the girl was looking about ber as if doubtful which way to go, when suddenly a crushing blow descended on the head of Dennis, knocking him senseless, while at the same time a heavy cloak was thrown over Blanche’s head, and she felt herself dragged into a house, and heard the door sbut with a bang. Before she could recover herself, she was hurried up a flight of stairs, and into a room, the door of which was closed and double- ocked. She tore the covering from her face and look- ed around. She was in a small, meanly-fur- nished bedroom without a window, the only light that reached the apartment coming from a small opening in the wall, that looked upon a small hall in the interior of the house. ere was evidently a window in the hall, by which light was given, second-hand, to the room, but Blanche could not see it. In fact, she could not look through the opening at all, for it was very near the ceiling. me wrapped her cloak around her, and ered, Who had so boldly attacked her in the broad, open daylight, on the outskirts of a big city? She could not tell certainly, but she had a vere shrewd idea as to the identity of her cap- ors. ‘ She had not long to wait before her suspicions wereconfirmed, - The door opened and two men entered. __ Good-morning, Miss Blanche!” It was the wheezing voice of Ezra Piper. ‘* What does this mean?” demanded the girl, indignantly. ‘* It means that we desire the pleasure of your society for a few hours, that’s all.” ** You wretch!” shiv- eS . See me > ' - ’ . . ~ a 9 Here the other man, wuose distinguishing features were snow-white hair, and a heavy, sturdy frame, joined in: ‘** Keep quiet and you will not be injured. I am afraid that you will not be able to get to the theater to-night, but they will get along some- how without you; I have no doubt.” ‘Norman KRoundel, I know your real character, and you shall suffer for this,” ‘*Of course; Lam suffering now. Thisisa suffering world,” sneered Roundel. ‘*But I must bear it. I guess yeu will need a fire up here. Itis rather cold. Ill send a woman up to lighta fire. ‘‘ Come, Ezra.” Piper looked at Blanche for a moment, and when Roundel’s back was turaed momentarily, made a deprecatory sign, as if to assure the girl that be was acting against his will, and would assist her if it were in his power. Blanche tossed her head contemptuously and turned away. She knew Piper too well to place anv trust in his protestations, The two men disappeared, and the door was again carefully fastened on the outside. ‘They know that I have found out their in- tentions, and that I was trying to entrap them,” mused the girl. ‘‘ What a triumph it would have been for me if I had been suc- cesful! My pocr father! I know he feels griev- ed over my behavior in running away, and if I[ could bave caught those wicked men in the very act, and made him confess that his little girl had saved the bank, he would have for- given me for my waywardness.” She walked up and down the room halfa dozen times in extreme agitation, as she resum- ed the thread of her reflections: *‘Heigho! I don’t like being away from home! There was a little pleasure in the sense of hberty at first, but I should like to be in my own comfortable home with my dear father, once more. I don’t thinkI1 shall be quite as obstinate and self-willed when I get back again. This has taught me a lesson,” Lucy Argent (or Blanche Rogers, as we shall continue to call her), was not really afraid for herself. She was too near New York, with its splendid police system, she told herself, to ve in much personal peril, but it was important, for the sake of the bank, that sbe should regain her freedom now. ‘“*T must and will get out of here somehow,” she muttered, grinding her pretty white teeth, as she took a small silver-mounted revolver from her dress and examined it critically. ‘** Fortunately for myself, I know how to use a pistol, as perhaps Mr, Piper and Mr. Roundel may discover to their discomfort before they are much older.” A slight noise at the door caused her to return the weapon hastily to her pocket. An old woman in a large flapping white we opened the door and stepped into the room, In ber hand she carried a bucket con- taining kindling-wood, paper and coal, Without a word, the old woman walked across the room, and kneeling down in front of the rusty grate, soon had a cheery fire under way. With a beating heart, Blanche saw that the old woman had forgotten to close the door. There was a space of perbaps six inches, through which the girl looked out into the gloomy ball beyond. i? she could get through the doorway without being observed by the old woman, perhaps she might yet find some means of defeating the schemes of her enemies, It was worth trying! Grasping ber revolver, she crept cautiously toward the door, with ber eye fixed on the old woman, who, kneeling before the grate, was blowing the fire. The girl bad hardly made up ber mind what to do in case the eld woman sbould turn around, but in a vague sort of way expected to shoot her and then make a dash for liberty. Nearer arid nearer to the door, and still the @d woman blew t&e now lively blaze in the grate. Two more steps, and the girl would have her hand on the door. . She took one step, and had her hand extended to pull the door open, when--the old woman arose to her feet and sprung toward her. Blanche tried to raise her revolver and fire, but the weapon caught in her dress, Before she could disentangle it, the old woman was upon her ana bad grasped her wrists. ‘* Don’t fire, for your life!” she whispered. Blanche started, and her eyes opened wide in astunishment, ‘* Don’t you know me?” asked the old woman, eagerly, below her breath. i 3c, a a ‘ ; $ ; f Ps - ¢ 2, y sas Teak tp ah 45 ¥* * . ry oat = te’ , i : ecw STS ews oP. ee Hey M4 Te Le. + ji © La Bo, n - ff . i > 49a a ~ * ae cy 9 & ~~ in rie * e - . ~~ ne-A.* 7 S\N soe _ ’ ? 7 — . a, <, ? a ‘ee all. 7 [} 4 | ae comiIicnbDOOKs.com ~ q a F wi j .? ~ at PO