Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 717 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

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He still felt burt and indignant over Colonel Fenton’s treatment, and, with the pride and fire of youth he assured himself that he would never again enter the paternal home. Before going out with Mosquito Jack his plans for the future bad oscillated between a careér as a street la- borer and exile in some foreign country, but other thoughts were now in his mind. What about Everard Cheslington and his se- cret business? “Nearly all the conversation overheard while on the fire-escape was stamped on Randolph's mind, and as he reviewed it, it became more and more suggestive. Was Uheslington the man who was bleeding Colonel Fenton so sys- tematically? Viewed on the surface there seemed to be any quantity of evidence, but, to offset this theory, came the question: What means had Cheslington of knowing any- thing of the colonel’s business? How could he know anything about it, when Fenton had never made any confidant except his now discarded son? It was a stubborn question, and Randolph’s spirits often fell—fell only to rise again. Hope would not yield to logic; it seldom does, So the young man planned on, vowed to follow up the possible clew, prove his own innoceuce, if possible—prove it only to reject proudly the forgiveness the colonel would tender; and then leave father, friends and home forever, and be a bitter, cynical exile. At this point, very properly, the schemer fell asleep, CHAPTER VIL, FENTON’S DOUBLE, RANDOLPH awoke in the morning feeling weary and lame, but consciousness of this fact soon left him. He looked around the barren, poorly-furnished room and contrasted it with the luxurious apartment in his father’s house, where he had been the morning before, For a while he was disheartened, but courage soon re- turned, ‘*T am young and strong,” be thought; *‘ why should I lament lost a he wk ag Society and nonsense never interested mie. I now have a chance to fight the world on my own hook, and Tl try todoitlikea man. Firstof all, V’ll try to prove that I’m innocent of the infamous treachery charged against me by my father; then [ll cut loose from the old life and see what Yankee pluck can do for me. My first step, I take it, is properly to introduce my stomach to Mrs. Brown’s culinary treasures,” He dressed and went down-stairs, In the hall he met Lena Dalton, whose face lighted up with a bright smile, and, somewhat to his surprise, she advanced and started to kiss him. He retreated promptly. ‘** Pray don’t take me for remonstrated., ** Don’t what?” i ‘*T would suggest that you omit such demon- Bertram again!” he gtrations until later.” ‘** But we are alone.” ‘‘ Are you sure? Bertram may be near.” ** He is near!” ‘*What! have you found your husband? low me to congratulate you—” ‘* How strangely you talk!” Lena exclaimed, ‘* Are not congratulations in order?” * I don’t know. Seriously, I don’t know what to make of your conduct.” ** Nor I of yours,” ‘It is simple in the extreme,” * But after what you said, last night, why should you avoid me so?” ** What did I say last night?” **That you would acknowledge me as your wife, this morning.” ‘** The dickens I did!” Randolph stared blankly at Lena. She was as meek, refined and ladylike as ever, while in her face was a curious mixture of hope, doubt and uncertainty. | | Certainly, you did!” | ** Are you joking, or deranged?” Her persistence aroused all of his previous Al- _ fears of blackmailers, and he used more stern- case, | am your wife, and I love you. ness than ever before. lLena’s eyes filled with tears, “*T don’t know what to make of you,” she sighed. ‘‘If you are more at sea than I, you area subject of pity, Your assertion that I promised to acknowledge you as my wife cannot be taken lightly, however,” ‘* You made the promise |” ‘* Lat Mrs. Brown and Jack be called, They heard all of our talk—” ‘* They did not hear a word!” ‘* No?” We were wholly alone!” ‘* Madame, we stood in yonder parlor with Mrs, Brown and Jack—” ‘It was not then; it was when I met you up- stairs, and you know it, You will yet force me to lose all faith in you, Bertram. enough to desert me, and then deny me; but when, after you promised to acknowledge me as your wife, as you did when we stood in the hall up-stairs, and then deliberately go back on your word, it is cruelly unjust. It really is, Ber- tram!” Randolph gazed blankly at the speaker, If any one’s Manner ever indicated sincerity and truthfulness hers did, but her claim was aston- ishing, ‘*] did not see you in the upper hall,” he as- serted, as soon as he could recover breath, ‘* Until now, [have not set eyes on you since I parted with you in the parlor, in the presence of Mrs. Brown and Jack!” ‘* Bertram, have you no regard for the truth?” Mosquito Jack suddenly made bis appearance, ‘Strikes me you two folks need an umpire, referee, ambassadress, one o’ the sev’ral or a good ’eal o’ both. Never knowed a fair maiden an’ brave man 80 woundedly at sixes an’ sevens in my life, Ter hear yer go on, a feller would think both on ye was the miserablest liars out- side o’ perlitikel offices—they would, by Ebene- zer! Now, as an impartial disvorce cricket an’ criminal lawyer, I’ve listened on the sly ter you, an’ I mean ter step in an’ restore humony an’ family infection. J’m a peacemaker, 1 be, an’ my, caliber is up’ards o’ thirty-two,” he Hustler Gamin had removed his battered bat, and stood before them with an air cf pro- found gravity, such as seemed befitting an ad- jucator of matrimonial tangles. ‘Let us grapple with this conundrum,” he added, ‘‘an’ either win or git p’izonly throwed, Both on you owe it to yourselves ter explain your way out o’ this wrangle, or you'll lose my good opinion; [ can’t admire a precarivator,” ‘* Prevaricator,” sugyested Randolph, me- chanically, ‘So I said, an’ so’tis, In English, the word is liar! Now, Lena, what sort of a giraffe did you meet up in the hall?” She silently indicated Randolph. ‘Tell us all about it.? Lena began the story ina listless way which et ag: that she had no confidence in the re- sults. ‘It was very late, and I thought every one but me had retired. I grew thirsty, and, as there is no running water in my room, went to that which has been vacant since Mrs. Persellus moved out. «la order to see, I lighted the gas at the end of the hall. **T obtained my drink, and came out into the hallagain, Right there I met Bertram,” She nodded to Randolph, who heard in silence. Her air of veracity again impressed him strong- ly, and he greatly wondered what this mystery was which made himslf a bone ii arr a te ‘Bertrand started as if he had rather not have met me,” continued Lena, after a pause, “and then stood still, I spoke and asked the vague question: ‘Haven’t you retired yet? He said, ‘ No,’ briefly. ‘*** Bertram,’ [ went on, impulsively, earnest- ly, ‘I want you to think carefully, to-night, be- fore you goto sleep, and see if you will not do gan tome. I know I am not a fine lady, but trust I have ordinary intelligence. \In any To me this is a matter of life or death; Ilive with ou, or die alone. This is my frame of mind. hink of it!—and I your wife!’ *** You are my wife!’ he returned. ‘*T felt the blood rush to my face, ‘**T)o you admit it? I cried. ‘** How can I deny it? *** You denied it before Mrs. Brown,’ ‘** Why spread one’s secrets broadcast? he asked. | ‘** But, surely, if you intend to acknowledge me, you would not object to having Mrs, Brown know of it. Bertram,’I went on, eagerly, ‘I care not how humble my lot iu life, nor how i iv It was bad | Se SSS = _ sees sss LK LLL ee tennessee So a Mosquito Jack, the Hustler Gamin. poor I am financially, but I want my just po- sition by your side, Promise me,’ I urged, tak- ing his hand, ‘that you will acknowledge me as. your wife. Don’t leave me until you promise!’ Under the strength of her recollections Lena had lost herself, as it were—unconscious of those who now heard ber, she repeated the conversa- tion dramatically, but without regard to effect, , for of that she thought not. Suddenly rousing, she looked at Randolph and added: | ‘Then you bent and kissed me, and declared: ‘To-morrow morning, Lena, I will acknowledge you as my wife!’” ‘* The dickens I did!” cried Randolph. ‘‘The record is beat; time, 2:11, minus 5!” quoth Mosquito Jack, enigmatically. Young Fenton rallied. ‘* State the exact time when this occurred,” he directed, ‘* It was quarter to twelve.” : ** An’ I lef’ you half-past eleven, Peter Woods,” added Jack, seriously. ‘' You jest had time ter get here,” ‘* Be silent, boy! Where did this mysterious Bertram go, after leaving you, Mrs. Dalton?” ‘*'You went to your room, I presume; I did not watch,” ‘*The man was not I, but, unless there are a dozen inen who look like me, you really met your husband, that time. When I entered the house, last night, 1 saw no one, and no light was burning ia the ball. The natural inference is that I was just too late to encounter my double, Now, why was he here? Jack, can he bea lodger here?” ‘* Not fer Ebenezer! No such man here,” ‘‘ Ther he was a visitor, or a thief. Will you please summon Mrs, Brown?’ The landlady was called and closely ques- tioned, but she declared that she knew noeone who looked like Randolph; that no lodger in the house was in the habit of receiving such a caller, as far as she knew; and that on the previ- ar evening no stranger had called to her knowl- edge, The outer door was always kept locked; if a stranger had come in, it must have been in com- pany with some lodger, “Have your lodgers gone out?” Randolph asked, ‘* No, sir. All are now at breakfast.” ** Will you ask them if any one had a caller?” The landlady went to the dining-room, but soon returned with her report. ‘** All of them say they were in the house, and in bed, at eleven o’clock, and not one of them bad a caller during the whole evening!” ‘* Ebenezer Augustus!” exclaimed the Hustler roe ‘* I guess, Peter Woods, the joke is on you Randolph was dumfounded for a moment, but bis mind cleared, and he reached a new con- clusion in regard to Lena. He requested per- mission to see the Jandlady in private,yand she conducted him to the parlor, ‘* Mrs. Brown,” he then observed, gravely, ‘Lena Dalton is deranged!” ** Impossible!” ‘I tell you she is the victim of,a hallucina- tion. She did not see any such man as she states, and I strongly suspect that Bertram Dal- ton exists only in her imagination, As for her assertion that I am her husband, it is not true. I’m going to prove it by remaining right here, whereas, :f 1 had been a man who once deserted her, I should not bave returned here, last night, after once getting out of her sight, should I? Rely upon it, she is deranged!” ‘*She’s as sane as you or I!” declared Mrs, Brown, ‘‘and I know it.” ‘* How do you know it?” ‘** Because I do!” ‘* Do you believe that she talked with a man in the hall, last night?” A at: she talked with you, just as she said! A knock sounded at the door, and one of the other boarders entered, ‘“‘T hear there’s a discussion,” he remarked, looking at Randolph with no friendly eye, “ and am able to putin my mite. What Mrs. Dalton says about the talk in the hall is true; I was in bed, but my door was ajar, and 1 could both hear and see them, The persons talking were Mrs, Dalton and this man ”--pointing to Fenton —‘tand she tells the story straight. He did promise to acknowledge ber as his wife this morning!” =} ** It is false!” cried Randolph, angrily. ** We will see, sir! This case is not my funeral, but [ won’t see a woman misused when she’s friendless, done, Ah! here’s the officer, now!” 4 7 ga \ ’ a <a ; i "= “ * TT \ 4 7 ; \ 1 r ' jo é of, fat Day tpi a | dag 4 . j nS ‘ + | ie pee ; ‘a. <= ee ‘ ™ : - eee np Pve sent for a policeman, and he — oer) i wit a) - A ' shall deal with you, Mr. Woods, and see justice _ bDOoOKS.com™