Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 655 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

’ — — ee <— eee te — —- —- —- 10 [ii EEE ooo ‘‘We pass there attwo. This train does not stop. Loring is not an Express station.” ‘*Then how came they to sell me a ticket for there?” demanded Roger, in a troubled tone. ‘¢You have taken the wrong train, young man. Your ticket is for the way train that starts five minutes after this. You will have to get off at the first stop, and take the accommo- dation, when it comes along.” Here was a check to the boy’s ambition. He wasin a terrible stew. What to do he could not imagine. Two o'clock hardly gave him time to make the ten milesto Millstone by three. He could never make it by the way train. He sat and conjured and thought until his brain | seemed ready to vue. To think of it! A thou- sand dollars gone like a whiff of smoke. More money than he had made in all the hard work and lucky hits since he commenced business. ‘‘ Tf something would only happen?” he groan- ed. “If the train would break down, or run off the track. Or if they’d stop to water or coal up— Ha!” he cried, as an idea entered into his busy brain. ‘‘ It might be done. It’s worth try- ing.” fie sprung impulsively up, and walked back through the train in search of the conductor, He found the latter individual just as he had finished taking up the tickets. ‘(Can I have a minute’s talk with you?” és Yes.” ‘+7 want bai to get off at Loring.” ‘‘Oh, it’s the Loring boy. I told you already what to do.” ‘‘T want to get there at two o’clock.” ‘Then suppose you tell me how.” ‘‘Come, conductor, it’s a big thing to me, Can’t you slack up there and let me jump? You won't lose half a minute, and it will be money in my pocket.” ‘‘That makes no difference to me.” ‘‘ But it will be money in your pocket, too.” ‘‘ Ah! How do you make that out?” Roger pulled his bunch of notes from his ocket and selected a ten-dollar bill. ‘Stop long enough to let me jump off and that bill is yours.” The conductor reflected, shaking his head slowly. But he wept his eye fixed with a covetous look on the bill. ‘“ Wait,” hecried. ‘‘ ’dliketo accommodate you, but I must have a-reasonable excuse. A stop would be reported. I'll see if it can be done.” He hurried forward through the train, leav- ing. Roger excited but hopeful. ifteen minutes passed. Thetrain stopped at The next “oe -place was twenty miles beyond Loring. But Roger kept on. The conductor came hurriedly past. He paused for an instant, bent own to Roger’s ear, and whispered: ‘‘T willdoit. Beready.”’ The boy’s heart bounded. He began again to eagerly consult his watch, The minute-hand slipped round till it was five minutes to two. The conductor came along again, Heoncemore og to whisper: ‘Go out to the platform,” he said. “ Be ready to jump. And—” He held out his hand. Roger slyly slipped the promised bill into it. The Aig. sp got up from his seat and lounged back to the rear slatform of the car. It wasempty. Not even abrakeman was there. He got down on the step, holding firmly to the safety irons. There came a slight jerk. The speed of the train was slacking. His heart came into his mouth, Second by second it drewup. The air brakes were on. The car door opened and the conductor came quickly out. ‘‘Be ready,” he said. Don’t take any risk.” The train was still running at more than five miles an hour, when therisky boy swung him- self forward and landed on his feet on a plat- form which they were passing. ‘“‘ Good-by,” he said to th® conductor, ‘‘ Good-by.” The bell-rope was hastily pulled. The train began to gain speed again. But Roger had won the second round of his ladder. He was safe onthe platform of the Loring station, and it yet wanted two minutes to two o’clock. a station. ‘“Rnt not too soon. CHAPTER IX. A BIT OF SHARP PRACTICE. RocErR followed the departing train for a moment with his eyes, and then looked eager] around him. He saw that he was in a small but active town. The railroad depot opened on a business street that presented a busy aspect. eon et sale) wy we 2 eee —he Plucky Paul, the Boy S . a * cently ie tt le Clay AOE A EE, air ee ee eee) oOo The young traveler turned to a townsman who stood near him. ‘‘Where can I hire a horse and carriage in | this place?” he asked. ‘Wal, I dunno,” drawled the man. * Mought | pick up one at Smart's livery, if that funeral | ain’t tuk all his hosses.”’ ‘‘Té he has nothing better than funeral horses they wouldn’t suit me, I’m not making hearse time. Where will I find the stable?” “Down hereaway. Close by the end of this street.” ‘*Thank you.’ The boy laughed as he went onward at double- quick. He was not to be cast down by any trifle. He was bound to have a horse if there was one in the town. ‘‘Togam?” said the livery-keeper, as Roger hastily accosted him. ‘‘ Like to *commodate you, but reckon as how I can’t do it. Ain’t got a hoss in the stable. They’re all off to Joe Jackson’s burying.” ‘¢Then you must get me one, ) And inside of five minutes. I’ve got to be at Millstone be- | into a well-made country road, fore three, and there’s not a second to spare.” ‘(Can't be did.” The man shook his head. ‘‘ Ain’t hardly a critter left in the town, Every hoss is gone to the funeral. It'll be back in half an hour, young man.” ‘* Half an hour! year?” fretted Roger. He was wild at the drawling laziness of the stable-keeper. ‘‘You must get me a horse,I say. And in- side of five minutes. I’ll pay your own price.” He pushed into the stable. The livery man stood rubbing his sandy poll dubiously. ‘‘ Hello!” cried Roger. ‘‘ What are you talk- ing about,man? What horses are these? Why, here’s a pair of prime blacks, that look as if they were full of go.” ‘‘They ain’t mine, They belong to Judge Loring. Only here on keep. Id get particular thunder if I’d touch them hosses.”’ ‘‘ Judge Loring?” cried Roger. ‘‘ Not the old peculator. oO ee — ‘But s’pose the judge gets inconvenient and wants to know your name. What’ll I tell him?” ‘Toll him it was Roger Wilton that bor- rowed his team.” young man who had just entered the | stable-yard started on hearing thisname. He looked Roger eagerly in the face, and then turned hastily away, with a peculiar ex- pression. The heedless boy failed to observe this, The driver at that minute had gathered the reins, and started the horses. They bowled away with an easy stretch that delighted him. ‘Weve got just three-quarters of an hour,” he said. ‘‘ But I want five minutes’ grace in , Millstone. Can you put me therein forty min-, utes?” “Tf them hosses can’t do it without turnin’; a hair D’llshoot’em. I know how to git speed, out o’hossflesh. Look at’em. I tell you they’re, prime goers.” They had already left the town and turned ' along which the blodded horses sped with an easy, free, | swinging motion that was delightful to see. It did oger good to watch their swelling flanks, and proud toss of the head. ‘(Talk about a locomotive ride,” he declared. Why don’t you say half a | ‘It’s baby’s play alongside of this. I didn’t know the judge kept such horses.” ‘¢ He won't have none but the best,” answered the driver. ‘That off chap now’d make a racer. He oughtn’t neverto be drew double. Itclean breaks his heart to be kept back bya slow mate.” Thus chatting the ten miles were quickly left behind, and they drove into Millstone with a dashing burst that made the few observers open their eyes with wonder. It wanted five minutes of three. Roger straightened himself in his seat, pre- pared to jump and run if necessary. He looked around him as the horses slackened their speed. Millstone was 4 small village, of not more than Behind it were hills and quar- / ee NE eS } ———— te judge? He don’t own these horses?” twenty houses. ‘“Reckon he does. Know the judge, young | ries. Stone-cutting seemed the business of the man?’ place. . ‘“Know him? Just you ask him the next time ‘(Here we are,” announced the driver. | you see him.” The shrewd boy had never heard the name before. ‘He'd never refuse me his horses. Come, gear them DP I'll give you five dollars if you put me in Millstone inside of an hour.” The livery man shook his head. ‘¢ Wouldn’t dare do it, without an order from the judge.” pe Where does he live? Tll get you an or- er. ‘‘Couldn’t see him. He is in York. Won’t be here before night.”’ ‘Why, then he needn’t know anything about it. You can have them in the stable again by four o’clock, The man rubbed his head more doubtfully than before. Roger chafed inwardly at the dangerous loss of time. ‘‘Gome,” he said, briskly. ‘‘I don’t mind a few dollars. Gear up and get me on the road in five minutes, and it will be a ten-dollar bill in your pocket. Here’s the stuff is He held a ten-dollar bill temptingly in the air. The man was evidently shaken. ‘“You know the judge?” “ Just ask him if I don’t.” ‘s‘ Hand over, then.” He snatched the bill from Roger’s hand, erammed it hastily into his pocket, and hur- ried into the stable. Within a minute he was actively at work, gearing the judge’s horses. “JT can’t give you much of a carriage. I’ve only got this oid rattler down. All my best turn-outs are at the funeral.” “ Anything. So it will hold together.” Roger helped him. Every minute counted. “Keep your hands off, young man. ou know nothin’ bout harness, Leave it all to me, In five minutes afterward the horses were poried to a rusty and dusty one-seated ve- icle, It was now ten minutes past two. Roger sprung into the carriage. The livery- keeper jumped in after him. ‘Dll ‘drive you over,” he said. “I wouldn’t trust the judge's hosses in any hands but my own, for a fortune.”’ “That suits,” rejoined Roger. ‘“‘I know nothing about horses. And if the judge asks any questions you can tell him you just took ’ them out for an airing.’ The man answered by a knowing wink. ‘¢ Where do you want to get off?” “T want to find Squire Grimes’s place.” ‘‘That’s easy done. I knowit like a book. It’s that stone house just ahead.” ‘¢ Drive there, then.” Within a minute the carriage was drawn up, in front of a solid-looking stone mansion, that, seemed the great house of the village. ‘‘Waitfor me. I'll not belong.” Roger jumped from the carriage. “You'll find me at the tavern,” answered th driver, ‘‘The critters want a little care.” i The active boy dashed up to the door of tt. house. It wasclosed. He hesitated a momen. — and looked around him, To the left was tb windows of a large room, one of which wa. partly raised. A murmur of voices came to h, ear from this direction. ' At this instant a clock, somewhere within house, loudly struck the hour of three. Thy time was up. ; Inside the room mentioned was a group ¢ four or five men. One of them, a partly balo, ee ee eee» ee dignified gentleman, was seated at a table — writing on a paper before him. He now lai, down the pen and rose from his chair. ‘There, the transfer is all complete with, tl exception of your signature, Mr. Ellis. Yor power of attorney from Mr. Burnaud will mal, your signature for him binding.” “ And the cash?” asked a sharp-featurcd ma," ~ standing near. i +} have it in hand. Mr. Eliis’s-signatuy makes it yours.” 4 ‘“T have never been in quite such a situati before,” laughed Mr. Ellis, a pale-faced, clerk personage. ‘' Mysignature is not usually wor twenty thousand dollars. It will be long bef« it will be worth that to me.” re He seated himself and took the pen. ‘Where shall I sign?” ‘‘ Here, sir.” The squire placed his finger the spot. ‘‘ John Burnaud, mind. on’t mi, a mistake and write your own name.”’ ‘(No fear of that. than my own. Shall I put it here?” j ‘* Yes.” ‘¢No,” This word came into the room like a sh making everybody start in surprise. to come from the grounds outside, through open window. Everyoneturned. The win + young face, that was peering eagerly into, room, opening revealed a handsome and excij oy at t : ’ : ‘ oe ( I write hisname ofte. on Hi } - It seen) yey.