Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 657 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

— er ron Ps > a =< 7 age = _ ~— . a vi— = és -, *> ~< Pa. 3 — se ~ ee ae a Si =e re — . Warbling William. — note, and presented him to all who visited the place—and their name was legion, The Warbler was at all times the suave gen- tleman of the song and guitar, and his melli- filnous sentences and rounded perious flowed in @ never-ending stream. His scorched shirt had been replace:l by another with a gorgeously frilled front, but his otter garments were as dingy and his shoes as full of rents as ever, During the heated part of the day, when the crowd had somewhat thinned out, a shapely little man, dressed in elegant and neat-fitting garments, approached the bar, and was intro- duced to Warbling William by the saloon- keeper with an elahorate flourish: ** This is John Leonard, the tip-toppest gentle- man in Rocket Range. You ought to makea good team, an’I hope you’ll git along han’some together. My friend, Mr. Ware, kin give a Philadelphy lawyer p’ints in talkin’, an’ then beat him at his own game. [I tell him he’s missed his callin’, If he’d only start outasa temp’rance lecterer, he could rake in the green- backs by the trunkful.” Leonard’s keen eyes took in every detail of the Warbler’s person, as he returned the latter’s effusive greeting. ‘*Glad to know you, Mr. Ware,” he asserted, **T understand that Tanner has retained you to sing for the entertainment of his customers of evenings,” and with a shapely white hand he smoothed back the brown mustache that shaded his mouth, ** Leonard,—Leonard,—seems to me I’ve heard that name!” the Warbler mused aloud, when that gentleman had departed. ** Not much to be s’prised at if ye had,” Tanner observed, *"Tain’t such an oncommon name but what ye might ’a’ run acrostit in your travels,” ** Your surmise is correct, of course. I almost forget how extensive my perambulations have been. No doubt Mr. Leonard is well known throughout the mountain country? He's wealthy, too, I should say, judging from his attire and manner. The stamp of wealth is un- mistakable, Mr, Tanner.” The saloon-keeper was pleased. by the com- pliments bestowed upon his friend and patron. “Right ye air, Mr. Ware! John Leonard’s about as well heeled as men git to be in this section. He owns the Jim Crow coal mine, and’s got stock in several vallyble silver and gold mines. He holds bis head high an’ lives purty tol’able fast, but he’s got the coin to jestify it.” A number of times during the afternoon, when a favorable CRP Ut a presented, did Warbling William recur to Leonard and his doings, and by deft and guarded questions suceeded in extracting from Tanner a goodly quantity of miscellaneous information, The Warbler’s singing that night drew an im- mense crowd, Heseemed in excellent voice and spirits, and his wit and ready repartee, together with the local flings and hits he indulged in, created much amusement and good humor. To his surprise, for the tumbling on the previous evening had been execrably bad, *‘ Master Harry ’ was called for, again and again. The Warbler sent for him, and the best of their usual programme was repeated. The singing and acting brought such a flood of custom that Tanner and his assistants had, for the first time in months, more than they could attend to, “T’ve struck it rich,” he muttered, rubbing his hands and chuckling. “If I can keep Ware and his boy kyer through the summer [ll make a small fortune.” One of Tanner’s assistants was an over-dressed oung woman who answered to the name of anny Fulton. Sbe was onlyin thesaloon when there was an extraordinary run of business; therefore Ware had not day. yo At alate hour, when #.e singing bad ended, he approached the be , and, in his easy, self- possessed manner, dr’ ¥ her into conversation, Her every word and act showed that she imag- ined herself a gushing and attractive young creature. She posed and fidgeted, minced her words, and was evidently flattered by the at- tentions of the affable showman, Why he was attracted toward her he would have found difficulty in explaining, Whatever beauty of feature she may have possessed was hidden or spoiled by a lavish use of cosmetics, Her plump figure was adorned with flashy colors, and her abundant masses of dark hair were combed high on her head and banged and frizzed in a most bewildering way. Some unerr- sae instinct, however, led him to single her ou men her during the ‘“‘Mr, Ware, your singing is just too deli- cious!” she purred. ‘‘I was so charmed by it I could hardly wait on the customers. Such a thirsty crowd, too! 1t seemed they were thickest just when I most wanted to hear.” The little man almost swept the floor in the bow with which he he acknowledged the com- pliment, “The great bard has told us, Miss Fulton, that he who hath not music in his soul is fit for treason, stratagem and spoil. I sing a little, a very little! I have a brother, though, who war- ble. like an angel.” She giggled as if she considered it doubtful whether any one could sing better than the Warbler himself, ‘“ Mr, Leonard, who was here earlier in the evening, paid you quite a compliment!” glanc- ing at him Tree ; , are started in spite of bim- Leonard!” and self, ‘‘Oh, yes; [remember, Our friend Tan- ner gave me an introduction to-day. And what did Mr, Leonard say?” “That you’re so sharp nothing but a knife can cope with you,” The words seemed idle chatter, but when she had gone, Ware mused over them long and thoughtfully, ‘Can it’ be that Leonard already suspects me?” he soliloquized. ‘‘I must find out if the two are intimate. There was surely a threat back of those words, ‘Nothing but a knife can cope with me!’ I don’t suppose he would hesi- tate to use a knife to rid himself of an enemy. I must be extra cautious, or I'll tumble into some unexpected trouble,” CHAPTER III. STRIKING THE TRAIL, In their room that night the Warbler im- pressed upon his boy pard the necessity of shadowing the barmaid as well as Mr. Leon- ard, The boy attempted it the next day, but found the task an exceedingly difficult one. She re- mained in her room much of the time, only de- scending to assist at the bar or pay burried and surreptitious visits to various parts of the town. But *‘ Master Harry” was a youth of much pertinacity, and his patience and watchfulness were finally rewarded, The barmaid’s room adjoined the apartments of Mr. Leonard, and certain acts tended to show she was his confidante and ally, One evening, as she tripped down the stair- way to assist Mr. Shelby Tanner in his arduous duties, a letter fluttered from her pocket and fell, unheeded by her, upon the lower landing. The quick eyes of the boy deseried it and noted its resting-place; and when she had passed on into the saloon he crept from his concealment and secured it, A look of triumph strangely mingled with pain cameinto his face as he glanced at the superscription. The name was unknown to him, but the handwriting was perfectly familiar! Stowing the letter securely in an inner pocket he went at once in search of Mr, Ware. That gentleman was entertaining Shelby Tan- ner with a dissertation on the peculiar qualities of mountain air in the development of brain power as attested by the intellectual citizens of Rocket Range. An almost imperceptible nod from the boy, however, caused him to drop the subject and wend bis way to their room. ‘* Now, what is it?’ he asked, when he had locked the door behind them, ‘I take it you have run against something of importance.” ‘Look at that!” he exclaimed, with quiver- ing voice, ‘* Miss Fulton dropped it as she went down the stairway, a little while ago,” The Warbler took the letter and stared curi- ously at the handwriting, ‘You don’t understand, I see! Of course, bow should you? Youcan see that the letter is addressed to some young lady of this town, and the handwriting is my brother’s /” Ware now looked at the letter with real inter- est. 1t was addressed to Miss Maud Malcolm, and bore a date of some two months previous, Then he opened and read it, the boy looking over his shoulder and devouring the contents at the Same time. It was simply a love missive, and revealed nothing but the fact that this Miss Maud Malcolm, whoever she was, was _ the writer’s sweetheart. It was signed Lewis Cay- endish, ‘*It don’t tell much, but it tells a good deal that we didn’t know or were uncertain of before. It proves that your brother was in this town some two months ago, and that while here he formed the acquaintance of this young lady. Who she is and whether she still remains in the town we must proceed to find out. It also pre that we have not been wrong in suspect- ng the barmaid, I am beginning to think that, whatever John Leonard knows about this affair, she knows. ‘* How she came into possession of the letter, though, puzzles me, It may be that sbe or Leonard intercepted your brother’s mail, Hither that or she has stolen the letter from this Miss Malcolm. At any rate the post-mark shows that it had passed out of Lewis’s hands.” After the night’s performance he sounded Shelby Tanner on the subject now uppermost in his mind, *“* This Miss: Fulton is quite a jewel of a young lady and a great belp to you!” he assured the barkeeper, at the same time seeming to give more attention to the building and balancing of a pyramid of glasses than to the words spoken. ‘* It’s a pity there aren’t more such young ladies in the town. I don’t suppose there are really a half-dozen young women in the entire camp,” Tanner’s pride was touched, for the tones of the Warbler indicated an opivion that it wasa great pity there were no more; and on a slight wager he ventured to name the unmarried wo- men of the place: ** Well, there’s Miss Fulton to start with. Then there’s Miss Trueblood, what teaches the night school for miners; and Miss Jenks, an’ Miss Stockton, an’ the Holmes gals, three of ’em:; an’ Miss Malcolm, what lives on the hill over there, an’ whose dad died last year, wu’th quite a snug little fortune; an’ Miss Brown, the clerk in the post: office,” ‘* That will do,” laughed the Warbler, pushing ' the wagered cointoward Tanner. ‘' You've won the bet. I’m glad to know that Rocket Range is even a better place than I thought it,” Then he drifted carelessly into a discussion of various commonplaces, and a half-hour later took his departure, The next evening, when the shades of dusk were sufficiently heavy to screen his movements, he cautiously made his way to the house where Miss Malcolm was residing with an aged fe- male relative. He had, in the interval, picked up some fur- ther bits of information, and ke trusted that an interview with the young lady would make clear many matters which were now locked in ob-’ scurity. His dingy coat wag brushed until it almost shone, and his worn shoes were polisbed till they gleamed like mirrors, He rung the bell, and spent the time of waiting in fluffing the frills of his sbirt-front. The ring was answered by the young lady, who, on bearing bis request, led the way to the little parlor and stated that Miss Malcolm would be pleased to see him in a few moments, ‘A snug cage,” he thought, as be surveyed the room, ‘It must be a pretty bird that occu- pies it. It would be a go, now, if 1 should dis- cover that she’s the real cause of the young fel- low’s disappearance, There may have been a murderously inclined rival who put his bloody finger into the pie. I’ve heard of stranger things.” His cogitations were interrupted by the en- trance of Miss Malcolm, a pretty young lady, but with a face that was rather pale and trou- bled, The Warbler was on his feet instantly and greeted her with a bow of Chesterfieldian poiite- ness. ‘* Pardon the intrusion, please,” he apologized, feeling in his pocket for the letter, ‘This Avill serve to ex] lain in part my mission, It’ was found by my protege Harry Cavendish.” A flush supplanted the pallor, and she sunk tremblingly into a chair, as she clutched the let- ter ‘*Pray be seated,” she said. ‘*Did I under- stand you say Cavendish?” He bowed affirmatively and resumed his seat. ** The letter is, of course, your property, Miss Malcolm, I called to return it, to explain how it came into my possession, and to ask some questions.” He had been watching her narrowly without seeming to do so, **] presume it was stolen from you. You may not know me, although I sent in my name, am a sort of traveling showman, and for the present am singing nightly for the edification of the guests at Mr, Tanner's palatial establish- ment, I bave some further credentials which I may present by and by. The letter was picked up by Master Harry Cavendish, on the lower landing of Tanner’s stairway, where it had been dropped by a certain young woman named Fanny Fulton,” The later statement much astonished the yeung lady, as was evidenced by her loeka pg J: