Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 655 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

= o. — LS 7 ud ae v : > - - ee eee eee Rieti ee ; ; ' es . —_— |. | | i, { : Sf oor ee ~ a ~ — “to gain his ends. a — - — - - ——- atongue. walt 4 Plucky Paul, the Boy ; more dangerous foe than he anticipated. Per- | haps he had got himself into trouble by too long | His eyes became riveted on the last paper he had | opened, while the color came and went in his This last word came in a sharp exclamation. ‘* What are you talking about, old man?” he | face as he read its contents. He seemed to grow asked. ‘*‘ What papers?” **'You know! You know, you thief! them or I’! follow you to the death! me! Ihave heaps of money. You have none. I'll drive you to starvation. Yousha’n’t havea situation anywhere but what I'll work you out! You shall not earn a cent in this great city. You shall starve unless you give me back what your father stole from me.”’ 7 Roger looked at him with a queer smile. ‘*Go ahead, old chap,” hereplied. ‘‘ Turnme outof my situations. Set my employers against me. But you'll have to find them first. I’m mv own boss, Simon Slink! Nobody orders me around, or pays me wages. Maybe you can make me discharge myself. Go on. Do your orettiest. But I'll tell you this. li have Look at | 1’m bound to | a rich man, and you’re bound to lose your ill- | intensely excited. ‘* By the Lord Harry! Well!” He flung down the papers with a hasty motion | and sprung to his feet. ‘*'Why didn’t you bring me these yesterday? This morning? Fstahd a confounded chance of being twenty thousand dollars out of pocket. I might telegraph, but it’s ten miles from an of- fice,and delay would play the deuce. What’s to be done? See here, Roger. You're a live, active, and lucky lad... Do you want to make a thousand dollars?” ' ** Well, I thinkI do!” cried Roger, springing up in equal excitement. ‘*Tll give a thousand to savetwenty. I can’t possibly leave here now, but youcan. I want you to be fifty miles from here inside of three hours. Never mind the papers; I will take care gotten gains. And then my day of revenge will | of them. Will you do it?” He.drew paper to come! And it will begin when Edward Homer comes to ypu with those papers in his hand. and demands the money which his father left, and of which you have robbed him. Tremble, Si- mon Slink, Your tide of luck is now on the turn.” ) Without waiting for a reply, Roger threw open the door and left the office. Old Slink looked for a moment as if he would follow and assail him. Then he suddenly broke into a tremble, and tottered back to his chair. Into this he fell, and covered his face with his bands, while a hollow groan came from his lips, He had felt the first arrow of the orphan’s re- venge. CHAPTER VIII. A RACE FOR A THOUSAND. In Mr. Burnaud’s office were two persons, that gentleman and Roger Wilton. The latter held in his hand a packet of paper's, which he had just taken from his pocket. . Roger had been telling him a story with which the reader is already familiar, that of the discovery of the hidden papers, and old Slink’s terror on being told of it Mr. Burnaud sat back in his chair and looked at the boy with a doubtful expression. ‘*That’s a queer, business,” he remarked. ** You seem to be in luck with everything you . touch. Here you are going for revenge on Si- mon Slink, and chance has put a powerful wea- ninto your hands.—And yet I am afraid you ave acted the fool.” ‘*I’'m afraid I have,” admitted Roger. **To let out your secret to that old rat.” | ‘* It wasn’t very smart.” ‘* It was sheer insanity. He would cut your throat for those papers. Take care he don’t. You have waked up a tiger-cat, Roger Wil- ton.” ! ‘*T am not afraid of him,” answered Roger. / ‘You don’t know him. I do, That man would as lief kill you as shake hands with you, Beware of him. He has plenty of money, and can hire any agents. He will make a strong effort to get back those pa- rs. ‘*T fear so,” replied Roger, with some anx- iety. ‘‘ There was a stranger at our house yes- terday. He pretended to have some special business with mother, and asked queer ques- tions. Iam afraid he wasa spy sent to find out what. he could.” *¢ Ah!” exclaimed Mr. Burnaud. ‘So the fox is at work! By Heaven, Roger, he must not and shall not have those papers! He has done me more. than one ill turn, and I would like to pinch the old rogue.” _ ‘** Do you think he will try to hurt me?” asked Roger, anxiously. | “itis the papers he wants. You must get rid of them. They are not safe in your house,” © ‘I thought so,” answered Roger. “I have brought them here. I thought you might be hunt for Edward Homer.” ‘*Forwhom?’ , ‘* Edward Homer. 1 give it before?” . »**Homer? I’ve heard of that name. {'ve come across it very lately. He leaned his chin reflectively on his hand. Af- ter a minute he shook his head. ‘‘I can’t re- member, Have you them there? Let me see them.” ar S's Os Roger handed him the.packet, He opened it Thatis the name. Didn’t _ and carefully examined its contents... ‘*Not a'bad pull for the old speculator. A hundred thousand at least. And I suppose all turned into cash by thistime, Ha!” ; care of them, and help me to. ’ Where? Let me see,” him and began hastily to write. ‘* Tl! go three thousand miles to make a stake like that,” averred Roger. , **'You know my confidential clerk, Ellis?” cs Yes. ”? f ‘* It is now twelve o’clock. At three to-day h2 is to close a bargain in my name for a property at Millstone, a country village ten miles off the Loring Station of the Erie Road. He must be stopped. Ihave just found that the property belongs to the Homer estate, and I am buyinga lawsuit. If he signs that paper I am twenty thousand out of pocket. If you stop him you are a thousand in. ‘ Here is my order on him not tosign. Canyou doit?” . ae hat time does the next Erie Express go out The merchant cortsulted a time-table. ‘* Twelve-thirty.” — ‘“*Tf L can catch it, ‘the job’s done,” "Phen don’t lose a second. Here! Take my watch. You'll want to count the minutes, And here’s money,” , He crammed some cash into Koger’s hand. ‘* And, by the way, it is not impossible you may he followed by Slink’sagents. Take this. Don’t let anybody stop you. Use it, if you have to. But go ahead at any price.” He .snatched a pistol from his drawer and thrust it into the boy’s other band. ‘*Now, quick. You must take a carriage to the station. Can’t trust the cars. And drive like Jehu. Follow me.” He ran bareheaded through the store, too ex- cited.to think of his hat. Roger followed him with a gold watch and some bank-notes in one hand and a pistol in the other. The people in the store stared, as well they might. | Most of them, in fact, followed Roger, with the,idea that the merchant was flying for his life anid the boy was pursuing him with the pis- tol, with murderous intentions. {r, Burnaud hailed a cab just as one of the orters caught up with Roger and seized him by the shoulder. ‘* Hold up here, youngster. Drop that there revolver. e.don’t ‘low no shootin’ here,” ** Here! Quick!” cried MrsBurnaud. ‘‘ What?s a matter, Jack? What do you want withthat oy? “Ain’t he tryin’ to shoot hound?” asked the porter. “Het No, I guess not. Put up that pistol, Roger, and hide that money, or you'll have the police and the politicians after you,” Despite his haste Mr. Burnaud could not help laughing. ‘‘Jump in,” he cried, ** Here, cabby, drive like wild. You've only got twenty minutes to reach the: Erie station. Come back here for your pay ff, now,” He slammed the carriage door. A touch of the whip and the horses bounded forward. The carriage. whirled swiftly away. Mr. Burnaud stood looking anxiously after it. **T hope he will do it,” he soliloquized, ‘‘T Couldn’t. have done it myself, but the boy may, ®’s wide awake and has good luck on his side, But what a strange chance it was! To think that I was about to buya part of ‘that very omer estate! To give twenty thousand for a property which has another claimant. And the cash is up. If Ellis signs, the money will be drawn inside of an hour after. I can’t stop it without producing that, deed, and there is no time for that, I hope to mercy the boy will make his time,” There were beads of sweat on his forehead as he turned back to the office, a serious affair, you, the young j ; ya: & oe Ue hee, Aye = . ih A \e ? si f 5 ah 4 pdt ° glee Fe It was decidedly , “A os _ “7 - * —_ - i? 7 i yp ie . sf aw _ oT - + Agy a . ¢ re « . | fa’ ~# - ; Speculator. - : . , , ‘¥ J ~ oe - i .. pd fe * ; F ME ROME een a aati tee While he thus communed with himself the cab was flying through the streets toward the station. Roger now took the opportunity to hide his dangerous-looking weapon and to thrust the money into his pocket, Healso put on the watch with a proud air, It was the first time- keeper he had ever swung. With the delight of a child in a new toy he consulted it every minute, watching the streets they passed as he did so, ‘* We will make it,” he said. ‘‘Butit will be nip and tuck. Can’t you squeeze a few inches more out of those slow goers?’ he yelled to the cabman, ; ‘* NO,” was the short answer. ‘‘ Ther’ ain’t a cab in York ’d do better.”’. Roger subsided. Yet he continued to consult his watch. The minute nand slipped ominously round. As they swung around the last corner and came in sight of the station building it wanted but one minute of the time. The carriage drew up with a jerk. sprung hastily out. ‘Too late. Can’t make it,” he cried. ‘Yes you can,” roared cabby, consulting his watch. ‘‘ Your time’stoo fast. It’s two min- utes to train time.” This was enough for Roger. He dashed hast ily forward, heedless of everybody that migh-: be in his way. Inside of a minute he had his ticket. In another minute he was at the train. It had begun to move. The boy ran swiftly forward, swung himself to the'rear platform of the last car, and was fairly on board. He breathed freely, for the first time in twenty minutes. The first step of the ladder had been er! gained. é ‘*Nip and tuck; but tuck has it,” he said to himself as he entered the car, His heart was light. It seemed to him as if the promised roe was already in his pocket. But he had left unexpected trouble behind him. At almost the moment in which Roger had caught the train, Mr. Burnaud reéntered his office. He had'taken time in his return from the street to give some orders in the store, and to explain to his excited clerks and salesmen, most of whom had followed him td the street, the cause of his strange behavior. He did not care to be reported as insane, vr as flying from an assassin. This reminded him that in his, haste he had left Roger’s valuable documents scattered on the floor of his private office. ‘* lt would have been a good chance for Simon Slink’s spies if they had followed the boy here,” he said to himself with a smile, as he opened the office door. The smile suddenly left his face. A blank look of astonishment took its place. The papers had vanished. With a cry of alarm the astounded merchant sprung forward, and looked hurriedly around him,atevery conceivable point. It was in vain. They had utterly disappeared. Intensely excited he rushed back into his store. ‘* Who has been here?” he demanded eagerly. ‘*Some one has been in my office. Who saw him? Speak, will you? Are you all dumb?” Several of the men averred they had seen no one. They had followed him to the street. Further guestioning brought out from one of the salesmen that he had seén'a young man walking back through the store. He had been busily engaged getting out an order, and had paid little attention to him, ' ‘* What was he like? Did-you notice that?” ** Middle-size. _ Rather good-looking. Light mustache. . Blonde complexian. Wore a busi- ness suitof gray. Chesterfield cut.” ** Would you Re him again?” ‘* Think I would.” ‘“‘Tben if you should see that man try and find out who heis, and reporttome. It is highly important.” . Mr. Burnaud walked back to his office, rather crestfallen. Could he have put the papers away and forgotten it? Na, They were nowhere to be found. He had proved an unfaithful cus- todian of the important trust committed to his care. , Little dreaming of the trouble that lay behind him Roger sat back in full enjoyment of his ride, A railroad journey was almost a new ex- perience to him, and he watched the count through which he sped with great delight. e had left behind him all anxiety, The locomo- tive was doing its best. He might as well take things easy until speed depended on himself in. C ‘*What time is the train due at Loring?” he demanded, of the conductor, as the latter asked for his ticket, Roger ‘ eae ’ 9 ; : : ¥ "y ‘ 7 _ - = + Dt du. ae le : a 2 icbooks.com