Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 771 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

plans he did not seek to take Fred into his confi- dence—all of which was very unpleasant to the latter. He might have to act without a definite plan. Finally one of the bearded men advised: ‘*Close the door, We are too public here. I don’t know the ways of New York, but I should imagine a closed parlor door would keep others out.” His theories were not of interest to the fugi- tives, but bis plan was. Once let that door swing°away from the wall and they would be revealed. Then— The Keener set Lis teeth tightly. What then? He who had made the suggestion rose to carry it out. He advanced to within two yards of the door, but Eldred interrupted: ‘* Let us retire to our own quarters, and then we sball be sure that we will not be troubled. Come!” He set the example, and the others roze, The foremost man paused with his hand outstretched tolay hold of the door, aud then followed his comrades. All went toward the back parlor, Fred nudged the Man in Black. It was clear that his es :ape would be discovered at once, and no time was to be lost, The fugitives glided from their cover and gained the hall unseen. Eagerly the Keener laid his band on the knob of the outer door, He turned it; the door yielded; they passed out. ‘*Singin’ ’skeeters! ain’t this prime!” he ex- claimed, “Get away rapidly,” the Man in Black or- dered. ‘‘ By diligent use of our legs we may manage to avoid being seen, and if we can throw some mystery about your escape, it will be a wholesome lesson to them.” No more was said until the end of the block was reached, There was still no sign of pur- suers, and the leader paused around the corner, ‘* We part here,” he announced. “Wal, mister, ’m mightily obliged to you, sure. You pulled me out of a fix that might have growed hot for me. I’m yours truly. Guess you ain’t no friend o’ that gang?” ‘*T am not,” ‘¢ How’d you git in? ** | watched my chance,” was the evasive re- sponse, ‘* Wal, why did you come in?” ‘ Are you sorry | came?” ‘* No, but—” ‘¢{ thought you would not be,” Foxy Fred perceived that he was not advanc- ing any. He hesitated, and, before he could say more, the Man in Black added: ‘“ You noticed what they said about some girl?” sé Yes,” **Do you know where she is?” **No; I wish I did. Do you?” “Certainly not. Weill, my young friend, I will not trouble you with my company any more. Itis bed-time for both of us. We sep- arate here, but you will, of course, have no fur- ther trouble ip keeping clear of the men we have just left. I would impress upon you the fact that they deliberately spoke of taking buman life. See to it, that you don’t fal! into their hands again,” ‘*T won't; but say,-mister, before you go I would like some light on this matter. You are a mystery terme, May I ask who you be?” **Possibly 2 man from a remote land, like them; possibly not. Now I will leave—” **But w’ot game be you workin’ in New York?’ ‘*7 am not in regular business, Good-night)” This time he did not wait for an auswer, but walked rapidlyaway. Foxy Fred watcbed him, chagrined and disappointed, “No use,” he agreed, ‘“‘Mr, Man in Black is bound ter keep bis own secret, an’ [ see no way ter prevent it. He grows more an’ more mys- terious. He don’t belong ter the Bearded Breth- ren, unless he’s w’ot they call a recreant, an’ bis work in New York is as much of a puzzle as ever. But it’s him; he looks jest as Mrs. Stannard said, Can't be another jest like bim intown, Wal, Mr. Mystery, Pll bid you so-long fer now. I wonder where my detective com- rade is?” The ner’s thoughts were suddenly recalled to the fact that he had left her lying prostrate on the sidewa'k, and he returned to that point, He was not surprised when he failed to find any trace of her. Next he went to their quarters, where he was relieved to see Mrs. Stannard, in her proper character, Her own expression told how much vleasure his return gave ber. ‘Thank Providence, you are back!” she ex- claimed, ‘I bave been terribly worried.” | Were | pened? Foxy Fred’s Odd Pard. ‘Mum, the Keener tribe always turn up all rigbt. But you—be you hurt?” ‘*No. I] was momentarily stunned by my fall, and when I recovered, you and our assailants goue, Who were they? What has hap- Have you been a prisoner} If so, how did you escape?” ‘Tbe Man in Black did it.” “Is 1t possible?” ‘* Ks so possible that you wouldn’t see me here ef it hadn’t been fer him, But this is how it come about,” and thereupon Fred told the whole story. It left Mrs. Stannard in a state of perplexity equal to bis own, CHAPTER XVII. SOME ONE ELSE THREATENS, Tue following morning Harding Otis had a caller, No card was sent up, and his only in- formation was that a boy wished to see him, After some hesitation be went down, and at once recognized Foxy Fred. ‘* Ah! so it’s ycu?” ‘*Et aint nobody else. I hope I don’t dis- turb ye in any active pursoot, but I called on biz. Anything new sence I see you last?” ‘* No,” Otis returned, sourly. ‘* No furder sight o’ the men who tried ter re- volver you in the stable, eh?” +s No.” ‘* Say, mister, who was them fellers?” ‘** Really, I can’t say,” was the siiff reply. “Some city gang, perhaps. Have you come here to bring up that past-and-gone affair?” ‘*There ain’t no visible need o’ your bein’ so cranky about it,” retorted the Keener, ‘ Ef you want ter sail light, doet: you needn’t tell me yer secrets, by gum! Buz I ain’t goin’ ter be bluffed out o’ tellin? why I am here, ef it dves concern you alone, fer it migbt result ter your hurt. Fact is, I hev reason ter believe I hev seen them ag’in, an’ w’ot they remarked was just w’ct you ought ter know. They, or somebody else, are goin’ ter do you up!” ** How do you know?” ‘*Heerd them say so. Fact is, they gobbled me, had me pris’ner, an’ talked in my hearin’, Who they was I don’t know, except that one was called Eldred, an’ they had come from a distance, More than all, they hey planned ter kill you,” ‘* You heard them say that?” Otis’s manner was no longer indifferent, and the Keener was duly encouraged, ‘“*I did, that; an’ there’s another they’re goin’ ter kill, She’sa girl. Who kin sne be?” Foxy Fred watcbed his companion sharply, and the latter’s change of expression told a good deal., Really, it was no news to him, but mental distress was visibly betrayed. “Tell me all about this,” he requested, in a voice which certainly bad no curtness, The Keener told as much as he saw fit, He did not mention Mrs. Stannard, but spoke of his captivity; the conversation he had over- beard, there, and his rescue by the Man in Black. Otis was an attentive listener, though he asked but few questions, When he had heard all he rose and bezan to pace the room with his forehead thoughtfully knit and his head lowered, Finally he paused in front of the visitor. ‘*Did they seem sincere in trying to force from you the whereabouts of the parties named?” be asked, és Yes.” Again Otis began to walk bis beat, **Do you know anything about it?’ Fred asked, Otis suddenly recovered his caution, ‘*T don’t think I do, Of course we are all liable to have enemies, and I have been going over the list of all the men I know who could possibly have anything against me, but the only result is that I think itisall a mistake, These men doubtless live at a distance, as you have suspected, and have come to New York to pay | off some real, or imaginary, grudge, By some mischance they have erroneously settled upon me as' their man, but they are wrong. Perhaps, 11 here,” added Otis, the natural courtesy of a gen- tleman breaking through his reserve. ‘‘It shows your good will, and lam grateful. If—if you learn anything—anvthing more, I really should like to bave you come again,” lt was an after-thought, dictated by prudence, and he struggled somewbat over the choice of words. Fred was shrewd enough to suspect that he reaily felt deeply troubled, and did rot allow the want of confidence to vex him ** 11] do it,” he agreed. ' Then he left the house, Ooce more alone, Harding Otis resumed his thoughtful pacing, but was soon interrupted by the coming of a servant, ‘Mrs, Otis would like to see you, sir, in her room.” ‘* Very well.” The interruption was rather timely. Mrs. Otis bad been a model wife, in his opinion, and though be could not confide in ber and receive her sympathy, be was not reluctant to havea chat with ber, It would soothe his troubled spirit. So he reasoned, but when he entered her room he was unpleasantly undeceived, First of all she Jocked the door, and then she confronted bim. He noticed that ber face was rigid and her eyes flashing, and he began to be amazed, ‘*T have something to say to you, sir!” she annonnced, frigidly. ‘* You have?” he answered mechanically. ‘*T certainly have. Who am 1?” ‘“Whoare you? My dear, are you ill?” ‘* Answer me, sir!” He was sincerely troubled. Had she gone insane? He gently replied: ‘‘ You are Mrs. Otis, my wife,” ‘* Are you sure?” “Sure?” She clinched her hand angrily. “Can you do nothing but repeat my words, parrot-like? Yes; I ask you again, are you sure? Tbat I tbave been called Mrs, Otis is true, but are you surelam your wife? Dol legal- ly hold tbat position, or is it some other wo- man’s?” ‘You ameze me! I cannot feel that you would jest idly on such a subject, and I wm forced to take you seriously, though all in the dark, Are you my wife? Most emphatically, yes; no one else has any claim ou me, and your right is unimpeachable,” She smiled scornfully, ‘The reply was to be expected, but can you prove it, sir?” ‘*Tcan prove that any claim to the contrary is false,” Otis declared. ‘“On the other hana, 1 am afraid others could prove it to be true. I have been informed that you bad a wife before you ever met me, and she is still living!” ‘* ‘Who dares make the charge?” **T notice that you don’t deny it.” ‘*Tdo deny that any woman upon the face of the earth has any claim upon me, save you,” His manner was so hunest that, fora moment, Mrs, Otis wavered, but she then tore a letter from her pocket and flung it at him. ‘* Read that!” she directed. He looked first at the envelope. It was superscribed in a bold band, and bore the New York post-mark. Further than this he read nothing from the outside, and bis delay to seek furtber information brought a bitter smile to Mrs, Otis’s lips. “You hesitate,” she remarked, ‘‘ What do you expect to find within that need startle you? He nervously drew out the letter. CHAPTER XVIII. THE VICTIM STRIKES BACK, Making a pretense that the lhght was poor, Harding Otis gained a little time by going to the window. Forcing himself to a measure of calmness he read the letter, which was as fol- lows: *“Mapam:—In justice to you, and as a kindness, I write this t» noxvify you that unknown to yourself, too, they are not balf so bad as they tried to | you are occupying a false position in the eyes cf the make out; their talk was not of the kind usually heard at this day, and Power business is ridiculons,” While he was speaking Foxy Fred read be- tween the lines, and it was very evident to him that no amount of urging would make Otis confide in him. He did not attempt it. ‘¢ All right, mister,” he replied. ‘Ef you kin afford ter ignore the matter, I can,” The Keener arose and ‘nade ready to depart. “I thank you for your kindness in coming This Committee of Death | world. It will be painful to you to know the truth, but it is best so, ‘** Before vou ever saw Harding Otis he met and married Gladys Marchmont. Aft r a while he found that. while sh» had many noble qualities, she lacked wealth, refinement. education and intimacy with the ways of polite wong f * Believing the last two, at least. to be essential to the woman of his choice. he, at. the end cfa year, when bis love had cooled, deliberately de- serted her, ‘* Later, he married you. : _ “Tdonor wish to meddle with your affairs, but it is a fact that the first—the legal—wife still lives,