Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 659 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 wife knew that it was uncertain when he would return. ‘* [appreciate your kindness,” responded the woman, ‘‘ but I will not attempt to thank you. Iam only too glad to accept your invitation, and shall try to repay you for your goodness at some other time. Now that you have promised me your assistance, [ will tell you more about myself,” ‘*'You need not doso unless you desire to,” said Nettie, quickly, “It is your right to know something about me,” the woman returned, ‘‘ What I am about to tell you, however, I would not like to have known publicly. It might frustrate mein the business that has brought me here,” ‘* Whatever you may see fit to tell me will not be repeated, except, perhaps, to my husband,” Nettie promised. **Thank you; I knowI can trust you. The business tbat has brought me here is a huné for arecreant husband. Heis not my own husband, understand; I have never married; but the hus- band of a dear dead sister, whom he robbed and deserted and left to die of a broken heart. She met him clandestinely, married him secretly aud before I was aware of her intentions she had placed her fortune into his hands, In a few months he disappeared, leaving her penniless, and a short time later she diei. She loved him, and her blood is upon his head as truly as though he had murdered Bae outright, “‘ Knowing that he was familiar with this rt of the country, I thought he had come ere, and for three years I have been going from place to place in search of him. Only let me meet him, and— Well, it will be a sad meeting for him,” ** What is his name?” Nettie asked. “The name he gave was Hudson Haver- straw,” was the answer, ‘ but I am inclined to think that that was fictitious,” Their conversation ran on, but all that im- mediately concerns the interest of our story has been set forth, CHAPTER VI. RATHER A SURPRISE. ONE of the prettiest girls at Ante-Bar at this time was Amelia Haydon, , She was the only child of Stephen Haydon, a man who had come to the town with a small capital, opened a good general store, and amassed quite a comfortable fortune in a few years, She was about eighteen years of age, pretty— as said, having a bright and clear complain and a graceful figure; but she was not educated to any great degree, nor was she considered any too bright, Not that she was silly, but she wag not quick, or witty, or deep, nor was she anything of a thinker, She was easily imposed upon, and having no guile in herself, did not look for any in others. The sudden downfall and flight of Morgan Underweed affected Amelia in a manner dif- ferent from that of any one else, She ran to her room, locked the door, and had a hearty cry. The explanation is easy. The rascal had been poying attention to her on the sly, and she loved m, When her cry was out, and it had lasted about an hour, she went down to the store, with her eyes red and strained, and took her place at the fancy-goods counter, She helped her father in the store, and she was, as he well knew, his best card. Her pretty face behind the counter brought many a dollar to his till. As it happened, there was no one in the store but her father. “You are late this mornin’, Melia,” he ob- rved, “Yes,” she owned; ‘I could not help it.” “Couldn't help it, eh?” and he looked at her, noticing that her voice was a little husky. * No, sir.” ** You have been blubberin’, that’s what you’ve been doin’,” her father accused. ‘* What’s been th’ matter?” **]—I have a bad cold,” she evaded. ** It ain’t so bad as yer eyes look, though, gal. ‘You will be a nice-lookin’ one to-day, now won't ye ** Shall I go back, then?” she asked, “No, ye needn’t go back; ye can stay here and be ashamed all day, if ye want to. Say, I be- lieve you have been blubberin’ after that thief of a postmaster, fer I have noticed that you was gettin’ sweet on him. Isitso? lf it is, th’ best thing you can do is to drop him from your mind mighty lively.” Moonlight Morgan. The girl had turned away to hide her emotion, and busied herself with fixing up things in her part of the store. Haydon said no more to her, and when the morning business opened up brisk he forgot all ei it and was happy in the inflow of the dol- ars, Late in the afternoon, when the business was at a standstill, Amelia found herself in the store alone, She had nothing to do, and was seated on a stool behind the counter. Her manner was very sad, and her thoughts were with her dis- graced lover. After awhile she drew a photograph from her bosom and kissed it several times heartily. **T will not believe all the bad things they say of you,” she muttered, ‘‘ You are innocent, and this is only a plot to ruin you, I know that you will come back, and that ves will prove yoar in- nocence, and then we shall be happy. No; though all the world be against you, yet will I be true,” A step on the porch startled her, and with one more hasty kiss she thrust the photograph into the bosom of her dress, The door opened, and who should enter but Driftabout, the ragged, dirty, miserable tramp. At sight of him the girl sprung up with a cry of alarm, “‘Don’t git skart, miss, don’t git skart,” the tramp spoke up reassuringly; ‘‘l don’t intend ter harm a hair of yer purty head.” ‘* What do you want here?” Amelia trembling- ly asked. ‘* What do I want?” the fellow repeated as he shuffled forward to the counter; ‘‘ what does a gentleman most allus want when he enters a store? He wants ter buy somethin’, of. course, That ain’t exactly my case, trough. Say,” in a lower tone, ‘‘] have got a private letter fer ye. Is anybody ’round?” ‘* A private letter for me?” in surprise. ‘*That’s what I have, miss,” ** Who is it from?” “It is from Morgan Underweed,” was the whispered answer, The girl was now eager, excited, nervous and all the rest of it. ‘*Let me have it, quick,” she said, ‘‘ before some one comes in,” *‘ All right, here it is. You must take th’ best of care that no one else gets a look at it, fer it would git Underweed inter trouble.” As the fellow said this he produced a very dirty envelope from somewhere among his rags, and handed it over. The girl took it eagerly enough, ** You will see what he has ter say in it about me,” the tramp added. ‘‘ You are ter send yer answer by me, when ye git ready to answer it, an’ "ll see to it that he gits it allright. Ill drop in some time ter-morrer, when I see yer dad go out, an’ you kin have th’ answer ready fer me then,” * All right, I'll perhaps have it ready. Come in and see, anyhow.” ‘Yer wouldn't mind givin’ a feller th’ price of a drink, would ye, miss?” the fellow asked, ‘No, of course not; here it is,” and she tossed him a ten-cent piece. ‘“* Thank ’e,” Driftaboutsaid, with a bow; *‘ I'll be off now afore any one kin see me here,” “Yes, do,” the girl urged, anxious to have him get out of sight before her father came in. The miserable-looking fellow drifted out, and Amelia hastened to learn the contents of the letter he had brought. She tore it open, unfolded the sheet and read: ‘* DEAREST AMELTA:— ‘* While a i else is against me, I am sure that you will not believe for a moment the terrible things they say about me. I swear to you that Iam innocent of all, and that this is a plot to ruin me and separate me from Ps has I know that you love me, and that I can safely trust you to help me in this hour of great need. You must fly with me and become my bride. I cannot be happy a day with- out you. Come tome as soon as you can, after we have arranged it all, and we will go away until my innocence is made clear, and then we will come back and give your father a happy surprise. As I have been obliged to leave so suddenly, I have no money, so do not fail to come with plenty of that with you. I can repay it all to your father when we return. Donot mentionthistoany one. Thebearer of this is to be trusted, and he will call again to- morrow for your reply. Do not fail me, loved one, and we shall be as happy as mortals can be. “With a heart full of love, ‘* MORGAN.” The girl’s eyes filled with tears as she read, and her whole heart went out in sympathy for the rascal who addressed her in such endearing terms. Innocent? Of course he was! She would take his word against a thousand. It would show him how much she loved him, to tru and believe in him when every one else against him, But, should she run away with him, and at the same time take money from her father to nop them to make good their escape? That was a point that ought to have received aoe consideration and careful thought than it id. It was only too quickly decided. Yes, she would go, and she would do just as he requested. How else could she show her de- votion to him? It would only be for a time, anyhow, and then they would come back, the money would be repaid to her father, he would forgive them, and all would be happiness. The oftener she read the letter over, the more reasonable it seemed, and in alittle time she was in full sympathy with tke rascal’s plan. Her blind love for him made her fall an easy victim, She destroyed the envelope and placed the letter in her bosom with the photograph, and when her father returned he could not suspect tuat anything out of the usual course was in the wind, In the mean time Driftabout had gone back the way he had conv, and it was on this occa- sion that he met the stranger, Azora Warrick. He watched her, after she had passed him, as stated, until he saw her enter the yard of Cibuta John’s house, and then he went on toa saloon, When he entered the saloon, the ** Pleasant Hour” by the way, he met the post-office in- ctor just coming out. ‘“‘ Hello!” the latter exclaimed, ‘* here you are, eh? I have been looking for you.” ‘¢ Lookin’ fer me?” Driftabout interrogated. ‘* Exactly.” ‘* An’ what do ye want with me?” “‘T want to have a little talk with you. Come back in here, where we can sit down, and I will order something to moisten your throat,” ‘‘’m yer chicken,” said the fellow readily enough, ‘If there’s likker in it, 1 am yours ter command.” ‘‘T thought you would be.” ( The inspector turned back into the salcon, and Driftabout followed him to a table where they sat Gown. . ‘“Now,” opened the inspector, when he had ordered something for the fellow to drink, ** want to ask you a few questions.” —__ ‘¢ Fire right ahead,” was the invitation. ‘¢ You are the fellow who saw that thief of a postmaster running away toward the south as you were coming to this place this morning, are you not?” ‘1m th’ feller,” was acknowledged. ‘‘Good. Now, are you sure it was the post- master.” ‘Well, no, I couldn’t swear to it, but when I got here and heard that he'd skipped, then I natrally thought it must be.” ‘¢Oh, then you had never seen the postmaster, ? “Yes, Id seen him, but never at short range.” ee ‘Well, did this man look like him?” ‘Yes, I think he did; but, then, you see he was a-goin’ so like th’ old feller from below that I hadn’t much time ter study bim up.” ‘No, Isuppose not. It is too bad— Throw up your hands, Morgan Underweed! or it is death to you on the spot!” The inspector’s hand suddenly came up above the table, a cocked revolver in its grasp, and he broke in upon what he was saying to utter that thrilling command. CHAPTER VII. FIGHTER JIM’S PROWESS, Tr was a thrilling moment. The post-office inspector had uttered the com- mand in a louder tone than he had been employ~.. ing, and all eyes were turned in his direction, Fine suspense was of only one second’s duration however. f Driftabout was seen to throw up his hands quickly at the order, but the next instant he did something more. His feet suddenly came up under the table witb terrific force, lifting it clear of the floor and sending the inspector’s weapon flying out of his grasp. It was so sudden and so unexpected that it could not be guarded against. But it did not stop there. No sooner was the revolver out of the inspector’s hand than Drift- ubout was upon his feet, and at the same time, as it seemed, he sent a chair spinning through @ window, taking out sash and all. The next instant he had followed it, and al- Ss 200 we <¢om s i :