Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 627 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

—- . <4 a4 —_— — ee —— = ‘* *. rae , - j. > Gum es a “You have heard, gentlemen,” said Mr. Gordon, gravely. ‘* You perceive what a frightful crime you have committed in destroying that innocent boy. We must take this dying man’s deposition. It will throw light on this dark affair.’’ What Tony Blink testified to, however, we will tell further on,in our general summing up. We must hurry forward to the denouement of our story, In following the track of the tornado, partly with the purpose of finding the body of the murdered boy, which had disappeared, a strange circumstance was discovered, Tom’s body was found, many miles from the town, and near it lay, beneath the massive frame- work of the gailows, aform that was mashed flat, and the head nearly severed from the body. The face was yet recognizable. It was that of Jake Bruce. ‘* Here is a wonderful dispensation of Providence,” reverentially cried Mr. Gordon, who formed one of the party. ‘The gallows which was erected for the death of the victim has killed the criminal. He has met the fate he deserved, and fallen by the gallows. an Providence have completed its work by saving the innocent? Let us examine the boy.’ A moment sufficed to show that Tom’s body was yet warm. No signs of injury were visible on his frame, The abrasion of the rope on his neck was the only mark. ‘* He is alive yet,’ cried Mr. Gordon, thankfully. ‘‘Hfe may be saved. He must be put under medical care at once.”’ The insensible body was taken tenderly up, laid carefully on the bottom of a spring-wagon, and driven off to the nearest town. Then the form of the dead man was removed from under the crushing weight that lay upon it. In doing so, a package, wrapped in an oil-skin cov- ering, fell to the ground. Mr. Gordon hastened to pick it up and examine it. It contained papers, which he quickly opened and looked over. A joyful expression came upon his face, “This settles the question of the murder,’ he said. ‘ John Huntly was killed for these papers. I wi'l keep possession of them till the proper time.” The body was taken back to Mayville. His com- panion in ‘crime, Tony Blink, had died immediately after his confession. The two were laid together. But at the same time joyful tidings reached the town. ‘Tom Bruce had come to life! He was only insensible, but had suffered no seriousinjury. The minute’s choking, and the whirl through the air had destroyed his consciousness, but it had come back again. He returned to Mayville before night, none the worse for his frightful experience. On ths succeeding day a group of the principal citizens of the town were collected at the office of the mayor. Mr. Gordon was present, and near him Tom Bruce, seemingly none the worse for his un- ducky experience. Beside him sat Will Carson, holting his hand, and looking with pride and affec- ticn into his face. ‘*Gentlemen,” said Mr. Gordon, “I am _ the only man who can unfold the mystery of the events which have happened in your town. Yesterday I was uot at liberty todo so. To-day [may be. [am awaiting a telegram which may leave me free to tell, the whole story.” ‘The claims of justice require that the whole story shall be told as it is,’ declared the mayor. *“ We cannot consent to any concealment of crime.” ‘* Wait till I have told you my story, and perhaps you may agree with me,” rejoined Mr. Gordon, He took seatin a chair faci the audience, who sat in hushed suspense. Their curiosity was intense. “To begin,” remarked Mr. Gordon, “I will say that the youne man before us is not the son of Jake Bruce. o he really is I cannot tell, yet. If he bad known this I presume he would not have risked death to save a villain from the penalty of crime.” ‘He never treated me badly, even when he was drunk,” said Tom. ‘And if he had I wouldn’t bave said a word to harm him, I thought he was my father.” “T will tell you my story,” resumed Mr. Gordon. ‘“‘Twenty years ago a family of a husband, wife, and infant son, lived in a town which I cannot name. The husband died. The wife married again in a year’s time—much too sure i as it proved. “She was very i he wealth was her hus- band’s, but was willed her son, and was to be hers in case of the son’s death, that case the jaws of the State would give her new busband great power over it. ‘*Tt was not long before this man showed his true character, A jealousy of the infant son was dis- played. The child became sick, with indications of poison. The wife grew rg 7 frightened. She was in awe of her husband, who had a cold, stern, unrelenting disposition, and when suspicion came to her that he was again seekiog the life of her child she dared not inform on him. Besides, the suspicion was of a kind that would have been of no value as evidence in a court, “In her murtal fear she took a desperate resolu- tion, as the only means of saving her son's life. She knew Jake Bruce and his wife, who lived near her. He was then a sober man, but one of ugly antece- dents. As for the wife, she had received a great wroxz from the gentteman in question—whose name ‘Teaunot give.” At this moment the narration was interrupted by the entrance of a messenger. “I have a telegram for Mr. Gordon,” he an- nounced. ‘I have driven over with it from the of- fice at Franklin.” Mr. Gordon seized the message, opened it, and read it a glance. ** Good!” bercried. “This removes the last need aa ; ‘ 7% . .e ay hw ath iia Tom Bruce of Arkansas. of mystery. I can now tell the whole story, names and all.”’ Marked signs of approbation in the audience fol- lowed this announcement, ‘‘T may now say that, instead of Tom Bruce, you now see before you Robert Austin, and instead of a poor Arkansas boy, the heir to a large property in Cincinnati.”’ Tom started up in surprise and pleasure at this, while a dozen crowded around him, shaking hands and offering congratulations. ‘* But for all that, I’m the same fellow I was five minutes ago,” he said. ““A new name and a for- tune ain’t a new body ora new character.” ‘*Excellent!’’ cried Mr. Gordon, ‘‘ That is well said. and { hope you will always remember if.”’ * Your ey re he continued, ‘' was named Paul Bent. Without going into details, | may say that your mother, fearing for your life, arranged with the Bruces to carry youaway. The abduction was successful. The heir of the Austin property disappeared, ‘*Your mother, to throw her wicked husband off the track, made great show of grief, and spent much money in seeming efforts for your recovery. But at the same time she took care to keep pursuit from the right track, and to see that the Bruces were well Bree ed with money. I was her agent in this latter tasx, ‘‘Years passed on, many years. The husband wanted to give the boy up for dead, and to con- trol the property. She would not consent. At length some unguarded words gave him an inkling of the secret. He at once began a persistent search for the abductors, though seeking to conceal from her his new knowledge and purpose. ‘Mrs. Bert quickly divined what was afoot, and also that her husband was on the right track. He bad hit on me as ber agent, and placed spies on my movements, which led him to the discovery of the Bruces. ‘*Fortunately Mrs. Bert learned what was in train ere he could take any decisive measures. She at once warned me, and | advised the Bruces to seek a new home with the greatest secrecy. I chose the town of Mayville for this new home, at Mrs. Bert’s ee Fy : he had a purpose in this. John Huntly of this town was an old friend of hers, and she placed him on guard over her son and his reputed father, having learned of the dissipated habits of the latter. ‘*On my side | arranged a secret method of com- municating with the Bruces, and supplying them with money. My meetings were with Jake Bruce at first, but as I wished to see the condition and learn the character of the boy for myself, I arranged to commupicate with him directly, and have done so for a year and more past. ‘You know my method from what he has told you. His journeys were made by night, so as to surround them with all secrecy. And that no one might have reason to suspect their purpose they were made on hired horses, which Tony Blink was engaged to leave in a certain grove on the night chosen for the journey, My meetings with the youth were made before daybreak in a grove on the Tennessee side of the Mississippi. ‘* All these precautions were necessary, for the spies placed by Paul Bert were very vigilant, In fact I now believe they were more successful than [ had aoe eee: and that they tracked the quarry to Mayville at least a month ago.” This announcement made a stir of interest in the audience. Tom sprung half to his feet, and fixed his eyes earnestly on the speaker. ‘* There is one thing further to be told,” continued Mr. Gordon. ‘Mrs, Bert, with growing dread of her husband, had deemed it best to put the papers re- lating to her son's property out of danyer. She ac- cordingly intrusted the will and other papers to Mr. Huntly, in whom she had the highest confidence. ‘It is my belief that this was discovered by her husband, that he tracked the papers to John Huntly, and that this placed his spies on the track of the abducted boy, ** This I cannot be sure of. All the parties to it are dead, and if, must remain a suypicion only, but it ex- plains what follows, John Huntly had more than one controversy with Jake Bruce on account of his druukenness and ill treatment of his ward. These have been heard by parties in the town, and I imagine that they gave the first clew to the spies. He also probably let out to Jake Bruce the fact that he possessed those pers, and therefore had aright to keep some con- rol of his actions. : ‘at i have to say now is conjectureonly. I believe that Paul Bert had a palvate’ intery(aed vith Soar heir and bomght him over to his side by high r ; * His first task was torob John Huntly of those apers. In this enterprise he sought the aid of Tony link, who has confessed that they had been concern- ed together in horse-stealing enterprises. Their pur- ee in seeking the Huntly house was robbery only. uni awaking and attacking them, murder fol- owed. “IT came to Mayville shortly afterward, saw Bruce, and from his actions suspected him, but failed then to gain any Prpat. But I believe now that the murder of the boy bad been concocted be- tween him and Paul Bert. Bruce refused to do this at first, but on learning that his ward had seen him on the night of the murder, fear added to his other reasons for making way with him.”’ ‘He thought I told about it after prom not to,” broke in Tom‘ But I would rever have done that. It was Will Corson here that toldit.” ‘And your supposed father thought it was you? That explains effort to kill you in the grove, rh tw 7 — - ee ee C6 SESE NN EE —_----_- —— + nai anes ieee ar ee (@) which would have been consummated only they were frightened off.”’ “Oh, you don’t think that!’ said Tom, in horror. ‘*T wouldn’t let myself believe that! I tried to think it was somebody else.” “Tony Blink has confessed. it,” continued Mr. Gordon. “That effort failing, a new scheme was devised. They stole Colonel Brown's horse, placed him in the grove, and arranged for you to ride away on him. They even sent secret information which directed pursuit to lvanstown, They were satisfied that the state of public opinion on horse- stealing was sure to bring to a sudden end any one caught in the act.” A thrill of horror passed through the assembly on retiecting how near to murder their violence and obstinacy had brought them. Silent vows were taken in more than one breast to never again inter- fere with the due process of the law, ‘*T need say little more,’’ continued the speaker. “ You know the rest. Man could not hinder you in your evil course, but Providence came in to rescue the innocent victim of your blind rage. The tor- nado saved him from the gallows, The tornado sent to his doom the wretch who was seeking to escape —the real murderer—who was flying with his stolen apers to claim the promised reward from Paul jert. There was never a case in which the hand of God was more visibly displayed, and in which hu- wlan wrong was more clearly set right by the justice of Heaven.”’ Silence followed these last words. All present seemed communing with their own hearts. They had been taught a terrible lesson—one which they would never forget. Tom silently pressed the band of his young friend, He then rose and advanced to Mr. Gordon, with tears in his eyes. ‘‘What do Il not owe you?’ he said, ‘“* You have won the gratitude of my whole life. As for Jake Bruce I thought I felt for him the love of a son for a father, and would have died myself rather than bear testimony against him. The thought of bim is a horror tome now. You have opened my eyes. But for Mrs. Bruce, mother I have always called her, I cannot lose my affection. She is the only mo- ther I have ever known.” “She is a good woman,” answered Mr, Gordon. ‘She thought she was only doing what was right, and she had been deeply wronged by Paul Bert. You cannot be too grateful to her.” ‘* But you have not told usall,”’ broke in the mayor, ‘* How was it that you could not reveal the mystery vesterday, but could to-day? What was the nature of the telegram you received?” ‘‘T heard last night,’ replied Mr. Gordon, “ that Paul Bert had been seriously burt in a runaway ac- cident. He had been thrown from his carriage. I read this as a newspaper item, and at once sent a message to Franklin to telegraph to Mrs. Burt. He has just brought me back this answer.” He opened the crushed telegram, and read: ‘“ Bpwarp Gorpon, Franklin, Arkansas ;— - **Paul Bert, my husband, died yesterday, in con- sequence of his accident. Mary Berr.”’ “Good! That clears the deck!” cried the mayor, excitedly. ‘Secrecy may be at an end then, and everything has worked out gloriously. Let me con- ratulate you, Mr. Austin—no longer Tom Bruce; I did my best to save you from hanging.” He grasped Tom’s hand and shookit warmly. * And let me congratulate you,”’ cried Brown. ‘I did my best to hang you, but I’m sorry enough for it to be forgiven.” He in turn shook Tom’s hands as if he would pull both arms from the sockets. And with the outburst of congratulations that fol- lowed we will drop the curtain on the scene, sayin nothing of the Mayville illumination, the bands o music, suppers, and jollifications generally with which the town went wild. It will suffice to sa Robert rather—join felt that he had never before love was. Mrs. Bruce, we need hardly say, was taken care of, and Tom, desp becoming associated for life. THE END. Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. BY HARRY HAZARD. 828 Arkansaaw Jack; or, The Scourge of the Mines, 829 Red-Skin Tom oy The Demon's Trail, 842 The Mountain Devil; or, Yellow Jack, the Outlaw. BY BRACEBRIDGE NEMYNG. 89 Taland Jim: or, The Pet of the Family. : 91 The Captain of the Club; or. The Rival Athletes, 101 Jack Harkaway in New York. BY GEORGE ©, JENKS. 485 Git Thar Owney the Unknown. 492 Git Thar Owney’a Pledge. 518 The Demon Doctor. 581 Double-Curve Dan, the Pitcher Detective. 59S Flate, the Singer Detective, . A New Isaue Every Tuesdays The Half-Dime Library is for sale by all newmloalers, cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, — 98 William Street, New York. ’ olonel in conclusion that Tom—or his true mother, whose ten- derness and warmth of feeling were a thousand- fold greater for their long separation, and that he own what motherly good ite his wealth, hating idle- ness, went into business in Cincinnati, with Will Car- son as his business partner, the two boyhood friends “5. ~ = . *? £33 re - 4 “= 7 3 . ‘ ,