Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 658 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

- - . a I irr Se ee eee ee ee te eee ae ee wes Pe )—-— * » - Brown asserted. ‘‘ Walden is rude, but he would not uphold remarks like yours,” ‘Then don’t flood the air with venomous words,” stoutly returned the Life-Saver. ‘‘ In yonder room lies a girl whose life has been in the greatest peril, She has been through enough to awaken the pity of any one whose heart is not of stone, ere, on the coast, we natives don’t put on a world of style as the Upper Ben of New York do, Wedress plainly, instead of in silk and broadcloth; we eat plain food, instead of fancy dishes cooked by shallow-pated French- men for city swells; our churches are for wor- ship, instead of for show. And we sympathize for the unfortunate and afflicted, instead of dragging them into the mire and setting our heels on their necks!” Rob Wiley was not a boisterous lad, and his manner was as subdued as his voice was low; but this long speech was delivered with indig-~ nant warmth, which was a warning to the others, Even Mrs. Vincent-Brown saw the need of keeping her worst impulses down, She and Carter were dependent on the humble fishermen for hospitality, and their campaign against Carona must be discontinued for the time, Mrs. Vincent-Brown, however, never forgot the reproof she bad received, and she silently vowed vengeance upon the bold and honest boy. CHAPTER V. SUSPICIOUS FACTS, HALF an hour later another discovery was made by the watchers along the shore, All their diligence had failed to show them another person struggling in the furious water, and they decided that no more were likely to be found alive. The waves were breaking in regular succes- sion over the deck of the Singing Sally, and it seemed that if any one remained there, lashed in place or otherwise, death by drowning must have occurred, The general opinion, based on previous experi- ence, was that all had been washed off and had a oh on the jagged rocks that lined the space etween the wreck and the shore, Pitiless as was the wind, and drenched as they were by the driving rain, the hardy fishermen did not intend to quit their post for some time yet. They kept up a regular patrolling of the shore, and one trip finally bore fruit. Foretop Ben raised a shout, and Roger Wal- den hastened to his side to find that another man was discovered, Sitting down in the midst of the storm, an old man was leaning his back against a rock and enduring his troubles the best he could. He was well below the locality where any one was expected to be washed ashore, and had thus been left for a considerable time uncared for, while he had not discovered their fire on account of intervening rocks, He was fully conscious, and able to talk, but not to move about. His knee had been injured severely, and he could neither walk nor creep away from where he was found. At the very first he, having but little hope of surviving the night, had told Ben that he was a survivor of the Singing Sally; that his name was Horace Addison, and that he lived in Phila- delpbia. Ben soon succeeded in putting him in a mood more cheerful, so that he thought less of ar- rangements for dying than of those for living; and, when Roger arrived, they proceeded to lift and carry him toward the shanty. This caused a good deal of pain to his knee, but he bore it well. In due time the shanty was reached, and they surprised the previous occupants by their en- trance, Wesley Carter’s face lighted up at once at sight of the old man. ‘* What!/is it you, Addison?” he cried, ‘*Ha! so you still live, Carter,” the new- comer returned. ‘‘ Well, [’m glad there’s one other survivor.” ‘* We count three, all told.” e You seem none the worse for your close call, “Tm not.” ‘‘T’m about as near a wreck as the Singing }- Sally is, but I’ve seen too much of nautical life to take it to heart. What makes me sorry is to know that the captain, the crew and the other passengers are gone.” He spoke with feeling, but Carter’s voice was indifferent as he made answer; ‘** That’s so,” ‘* Providence hath us all in its keeping, how- ever, and I suppose there’s wisdom in the sum- mons home when it comes,” ** 1 don’t want it too soon.” ‘* You say we count three, saved. Who is the other?’ ‘*The Dane girl.” “* Poor child!” ‘Oh! ITreckon she wasn’t born to be drowned. They say those born to be hanged, never can be done for t’other way.” ‘* Carter, you are criminally severe!” **Oall it what you will; I stick to the opinion I gave onthe schooner. The captain was not a severe man. but he believed that she stole his money; As for that, it was learned here that the girl had a necklace of diamonds around her neck, and put on in such a style, with such an attempt at secrecy, as to suggest that it, too, was stolen, Perhaps it belonged to Mrs, Dwyer, who had the forward cabin,” ‘*A diamond necklace, say you?” replied Mr. Addison, with sudden interest,” sé Yes,” ** Where is it?” ‘* In the other room,” ‘¢ I'd like to see that necklace,” ‘‘ [jl retire there while you jump into dry clothes, and get it,” volunteered Mrs, Vincent- Brown. “Wait!” directed Roger. “Why do you speak of this article, Addison?” ‘¢T think if may be miue,” és Wh 9”? ‘‘ Because I’ve lost such a thing,” “ Lost it how?” ‘‘T had the necklace in my state-room, and, as it was a keepsake of untold value, I cared for it diligently until, during a crisis of the storm, thinking we were going down,I ran out of my state-room and left iton my berth. It was a false alarm, but, when I returned, the necklace was gone; apd the most careful search failed to reveal it, Now, its actual value was about ten thousand dollars, but, to me, it was worth more than all the money in the world,” ** Describe this necklace!” ‘¢Tt was of diamonds, curiously strung. The body, as it may be expressed, of the necklace was of gold beads strung together just far enough apart so that one diamond could be introduced between each two gold beads. Attached to the chain thus formed was a shield of gold with an inscription, ‘W.to L.,’? made ona groundwork of imitation leaves,” Reluctant to admit anything against Carona Dane, Roger had demanded the description be- before he would allow the jewels to be produced, but the result was most disheartening to those who hoped to prove Carona innocent, Addison had given an accurate description. ‘* Bring the necklace!” the fisherman directed, addressing Mrs, Vincent-Brown. The latter was not reluctant to obey. As she had already announced, she was a woman of ‘‘ intuition.” When she first saw a person she made an estimate of his, or ber, nature, and from that momeut was doggedly bent on following the aforesaid first impression. Her opinion of Carora was not favorable, and she hailed any chance which would prove the girl as bad as she had proclaimed her to be. She entered the inner room, Carona had fallen into peaceful sleep, and there was little danger in removing the necklace. Roger’s last order had been given whien there was a good deal else on his mind, and he bad not paused to think that the waif of the wreck was wearing the diamonds. If he had done so, he would have insisted up- on waiting until a more seasonable time, The lady from New York had no scruples, and she proceeded to unclasp the chain, Carona moved slightly, raised her hand to her neck and murmured a word, ‘¢ Mother !” she whispered. Mrs, Vincent-Brown bad a mother whom she professed to love, and did, perhaps, to the ex- tent of her dwarfed nature, The fact should bave touched her heart, but it did not, Work- ing steadily, she secured the coveted article with- out arousing Carona, and then returned to the other room and reclosed the connecting door. She held up the necklace, and in the light it glittered with a brightness which seemed to Roger to be of fiendish origin. **It is mine!” Addison exclaimed, Mrs, Vincent-Brown danced it about with her fingers until it shot out a volley of gleams which appeared as baleful..as the sparkle of a serpent’s eye, | ‘* A bonny trinket!” she observed. ‘It is a woman’s necklace,” said. Walden, rallying. ‘Pray, Mr. Addison, how does it happen that you carry such a thing about?” ‘* It was my sister’s!” There was quiet pathosin his voice, and Roger could not doubt bim or his desire for justice. e oa Vie ok ae ~) 4 (ie hb intent ata) ey cw * Sa Sky-Rocket Rob, the Life-Saver. 5 Few men had he ever seen who were as noble of appearance as Horace Addison. His hair and beard, touched by age until they were almost snow-white, framed in a lofty forehead ana earnest, kindly eyes. Honor was the man’s birthright and lasting possession, or all signs went for nothing, ‘* For many years,” the speaker added, ‘ yon- der necklace has been the companion of my wan- derings, It binds me to the memory of my lost sister, and [ hope that, when I join her in the grave, it may be buried with me,” Roger’s expression grew more and more gloomy., ‘* Mr, Addison,” he made answer, ‘‘can you account for it being in Miss Dane’s possession?” ** Indeed, I cannot.” Mrs. Vincent-Brown and Carter smiled sar- castically. ‘* As I said,” continued Addison, ‘‘ 1 left it on my berth when I left the state-room for a short time. When I returned, it was gone.” ** Who had access to your state-room?” : ‘* As [left the door open, any one might have entered at that time. here was danger of the Singing Sally going down at once, and, in the panic, a level-headed thief—that is, a person who kept cool—could have entered my room aud seized the diamonds.” ‘‘When we brought the Dane girl here,” calmly deposed Mrs, Vincent-Brown, ‘‘ the neck- lace was around her neck, but it had been made larger—although originally large enough—by splicing it out. Why was this done, unless to enable it to slipdown on her shoulders so as to be invisible?’ It was an argument not easily met, end Roger’s brows were contracted in a frown, but Sky Rocket Rob warmly answered: ‘*Do you suppose any one would think of stealing when the vessel seemed just going down? ‘* We need not argue the point,” interrupted Wesley Carter, with a disagreeable smile. ‘Theories and sentiment all grow weak in the resence of the fact that she did secure the neck-> ace. The only question is, did she steal it?” CHAPTER VI. AN OBJECT OF CONTENTION ‘‘T grnp it hard to believe ill of that gir)!” declared Mr. Addison, ‘‘She has a most at- tractive face,and my opinion of her has been favorable from the first.” | ‘*Tt does you credit, sir!” warmly answered Roger Walden. ‘* Perhaps pen can explain how she got the necklace,” added Carter. ‘* At present I can’t, nor is it necessary that I should. You and I, sir,” continued Walden, his voice rising indignantly as he went on, ‘‘ need not concern ourselves about it. The diamonds belong to neither me nor you; itis none of our business what becomes of them. Neither is it for us to act as her judge orjury. Let Mr. Addison manage the affair.” ** Your advice is so good that you will do well to keep it in mind, instead of trying to bulldoze those who venture a word contrary to your views,” sneered Carter. ‘* Arrange it to suit yourselves; I don’t care a picayune.” Turning aside he went to a corner of the room and sat down, There was a good deal of ill-will in the party, and all on account of a girl who had spoken in the case, thus far, almost with the voice of silence. Strangely saved from the storm, she had come among them and, by ber mere indi- viduality, had created a strong drama. She had made warm defenders and venomous ene- mies, and those of the party who had leen old friends to a certain extent were now arrayed against each other. Addison had taken the necklace and was ex- amining it in a mechanical way, his mind being on other subjects. His fine old face bore a trou- bled expression, but this finally gave place to.a look of relief. ‘‘ Madam,” he said, addressing Mrs, Vincent- Brown, “‘ will you kindly return this ornament to Miss Dane’s neck?” ‘ What?” The lady from New York looked supremely astonished. ‘*] have my reasons,” he added, ‘‘and ab- solve you from all responsibility, Will you re- turn it?” ; ‘* Certainly.” It was an ungracious assent, but the lady knew which way the wind was blowing, as it were. Whatever might be her judgment as to human nature, she was discerning in_certain re- spects; and she plainly saw that Horace Ad~ dison was one of a high rank in life, : comicboo pr AT Bcd hy SIO Ee. Meaty Me ‘ a ~ st al Tae wd