Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 771 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

s/f 12 I have felt it my duty to acquaint you with these facts. ‘** With pitv and respect, I am, madam, yours with ibest wishes for the future. ‘**‘OnE WHo Knows,” Harding Otis needed all of his composure ‘then, and Mrs, Otis read the dismay which was pictured on bis face, It seemed to proclaim his guilt. She waited for him to speak, and he nerved himself for the ordeal, Turning, he ‘tried to assume a look of reproach, ** Do you base your charge on this letter?” be asked, ‘** [sn’t it enough?” ‘* Decidedly not, for it is false. Surely, you would not condemn me on the evidence of an ee letter?—always the work of a cow- ar ‘** You don’t deny it,” ‘**I do deny it, emphatically. The letter is a ‘tissue of falsehoods, I know not who wrote it; possibly it is the concoction of a practical joker, wut, more likely, some enemy of mine, failing ‘to reach me in any open and manly way, has ‘taken this method of disturbing my household peace. It is a cowardly attempt, and the letter as an infamous falsehood,” ** Don’t you know this Gladys Marchmont?” **T do not.” ‘** The statement is clear,” ** On the contrary, it is obscure to a marked degree, If the writer was sincere, why didn’t he give you a chance to prove his assertions? Notice how carefully he refrained from mention- ing any place. Why didn’t he say where the alleged first wife lived, so you could inquire of ‘those who knew her? Why didn’t he say where ‘she is now, so you could investigatein that way? Why didn’t he give bis own name? With all his charges he has not made it possible for any one to prove what heso boldly claims. Does mot his insincerity show in every way?” ‘* You talk well, but I knew long ago that you were cunning, His statements stand until you disprove them.” ‘* The burden of proof rests with the accuser.” ** Not ia this case.” ‘** How am I to disprove what is false, when I do not know the accuser, or any of the supposed parties to the case?” Harding Otis talked well, but he did not con- vince his wife. She bad grasped at the acecusa- ‘tion, and would not see that, if innocent, her husband could not show its falsity, A logical person wou'd have realized this at once, but logical she was not, he now rose with a so-called queenly air of res gg and pride, such as befitted her rank in ife, ** We need not discuss this matter further, but until you have cleared yourself, we live under ‘this roof as strangers, sir,” She moved away. ‘* Mrs, Otis—” ‘*T have no more to say, sir!” She entered her own room, locked the door, He hesitated ; then went forward and knocked. She ignored the call, and be was forced to go AWAY, ** Cowards!—cowards!” he murmured, He went to his private room, There he stayed most of the day. Occasionally he left it, hoping ‘to meet his wife, but sbe kept her seclusion 80. well that she did not even appear at lunch or’ dinner, He found himself an exile, but tbe very ‘fact seemed to arouse all that was combative in his nature. Driven to bay, he did a good deal of thinking, and meditation bore fruit, After dark he went quietly up to the garret and selected a few articles of clothing which hung there, These he carried to his room, and put on in place of his usual apparel. Thus equipped, he looked wholly unlike himself, The garments he had put on were old and ‘coarse, and as they were somewhat too large, ‘they not only gave him a slouchy appearance, but made him look at least twenty-five pounds heavier, and considerably shorter of stature. In place of the immaculate white shirt he usually wore was ove of flannel, and his tall bat was succeeded by a soft one of felt, When he had eg! ace up his beard, he cer- tainly looked little like himself, but he added i 4 disguise by browning his skin with some u The total result satisfied bim, Next he went toa locked drawer and brought out a revolver. He loaded it most carefully with fresh cartridges, and put it in his pocket. When all was done, he left the room and the house, He had expected some trouble by meet- ing a servant, but no one, as far as he could see, noticed bim at ali, and he was soon on the street, and viosed and A%! wits My sss «steel Foxy Fred’s Odd | Ot He walked rapidly away, never hesitating as to his course. When, at last, bis steps grew somewhat slower, he was in a loc ality not un- familiar in the pages of this narrative, It was the same block where Foxy Fred had been held prisuner, the night before, by Eldred and the other ‘* Bearded Brethren. Otis noted the er toe of the houses, and slowly approached that particular house which the Keener had mentioned to him, Even the brown coloring on his face did not hide the fact that he was deeply moved; the pal- lor struggled through the dye, Despite this he was calm, and his nerves of the best, He had desperate work before bim, and did not intend to hesitate in it, Before the turned back he in- tended to have an accounting with his enemies, or leave his lifeless body as a tribute to their own valor, It was his intention toring the bell, but the necessity was done away witb. Just before he reached the stoop the door unclosed and a man came out, It was Eldred! The old foes stood face to face, The hour was no longer early; the street was one but little traveled. They had the scene to themselves, Eldred looked but casually at tie man-hunter ; he failed to recognize him. Whether the form- er’s face was familiar of old to Otis or not, he did not appear at fault. As the man turned to walk away Otis raised his revolver, He thought he had ample time, and took deliberate aim. He pressed the trig- ger. It seemed almost impossible that he should miss at that distance, but at the very moment he fired it could have been seen that Eldred writhed, rather than leaped, to one side. Then, witha long bound, he gained Otis’s side, The revolver was raised for another shot, but it was Sow twisted from it’s owner’s grasp, He stood helpless, Eldred laughed mockingly. ‘* You don’t know the art!” be coolly observed, Otis stood speechless, He was almost stupe- fied by the calamity, He was well aware that Eldred was far more than a match for him under equal conditions, The revolver had seemed to even matters up, but it was now on the wrong side, **So you rebel?’ Eldred added, meant to shoot me?” ‘**] intended to shoot you dead!” Otis plainly, feverishly declared, ** Don’t you know that I never sleep? I should be unfit for my work if I were to be taken un- aware like that. It is well, Harding Otis, that you proved a recreant. No follower of the Power is fit for his exalted place if he would allow bimself to be foiled so easily,” ‘* Exalted! Andina gang of assasins!” ‘* Man, your words fall on deaf ears. Why should I be angry, why sbould I heed whatva re- creant says? The Power ignores you, as the mighty sun in the heavens ignore the wax candle on earth, Mighty is the Power, and strong itsarm! I am proud that I serve under its banner. Its will is my law; its commands I do, If I have strength and sagacity to outwit its enemies Iam thankful, “Man, you have fail- ed, but I shall not!” Eldred’s utterance had grown deep and somber, In its way it was strangely impres- sive. So was he, with his dark and immobile face, All, combined, made a weird effect which would have led a stran: ger to shiver, How must Otis have felt? Deeply Eldred added: ** When J strike, I kill!” CHAPTER XIX, THE DISGUISED ENEMY, AT an earlier hour on the same evening Foxy Fred was out on the streets, Hereturned hur- dre and entered the presence of Mrs, Stan- narc ‘* Somethin’s up!” he announced, ** 'W hat?” she asked, ** Perce Berthrong bas taken a lesson from you. He is io disguise, an’ has got some scheme in view—mebbe he means ter tr y an’ abduct you, but [ don’t see the need of hevin’ a disguise on ter do that,” ‘* Has he learned where we are?” ** Reckon he has,” the Keener replied, ‘‘ You see, when I first went out, a spell ago, I seen aman kind of sizin’ this house up, At this stage of affairs it don’t do ter let nothin’ go fer granted, an’ I tnought I’d shadder him. I did so, Wal, sir, oh he’d gone a few blocks he met another man: a slovenly, dirty-lookin’ feller; an’ they settled down fer a talk. Now, “So you The servant went out, looking dissatisfied, ef I hadn’t had my suspicions aroused I do admit I’d never got on ter it, the disguise was so good, but ef I ain’t way off my horizontal, t’otber feller was Perce,” ‘és Ab!” ‘* Put one an’ one tergether, an’ w’ot do you hey?” inquired Fred, ‘‘T see, One man came here to spy on the house; he met a second man whom you take to be Percy. From this you infer—” ‘* First, that they know where you be; second, that some p’izon scheme is afoot,” Mrs, Stannard needed no convincing. To add to this evidence was the fact that just such activ- ity was to be:expected from Berthrong. He hated her so bitterly that, as she had herself heard him declare, he intended to seek violent revenge. Now, it seemed, be had located her, and intended to hasten matters. She remained cool in the face of the danger, but did not under-estimate if. ‘‘ What do you advise, Fred?” she asked, ‘Dye been thinkin’, We don’t know Perce’s plans, so we are in the dark, but this much I do believe in; you’d better face ‘the music than run, fer ter-night. Now, I know of two stout, honest men nigh here. S’pose we smuggle them in at the base: yent, as a measure of precaution, an’ then let things run?” ‘* A good idea.” None better was thought of, and it was duly carried into effect, Foxy F red saw the men, and, after their arrival, they were furnished with quarters next to Mrs. Stannard’s 'room, The Re eener, too, was to sleep there, and the least disturbance in her room would bring in the three defenders, She also counted something on the revolver she intended to have within her reach, These elaborate plans were destined to ke up- set, however, avd they had a surprise when, about nine o clock, the servant came up with the message: ‘* A man to see ‘*To see me? \ ‘*Sure, I don’t know, for he said his name was of no account, but I’m after thinking you don’t want to see him. He’s a very ordinary person in coarse clothes, and they’re ragged, too, But the worst is, he’s that dirty he would discolor the whole North River.” Mrs, Stannard and Foxy Fred exchanged glances, ‘*T think I will see this man,” returned the former, ‘* You can show him up, Katy.” ou, ma’am,” ho. is be?” “Well?” Mrs, Stannard questfcned. ‘‘ Perce, sure-pop|” the Keener decided, ‘Then we will see what he has to say, It may be dangerous, but we will risk it. Notify our men, and bid them keep near the door, ready for instant service,” ‘¢T’ll arm myself with a sand-bag, b’jinks!” This was done, and none too soon, Katy re- turned, and with her came the visitor, It” was Percy Berthrong, but it would have been hard to make the discovery had they not been prepared. His disguise was perfect, He eluoked like a tramp. He was not ragged enough to be offen- sive, but he was very much unlike bimself in bis old, coarse clothes. He looxed far shorter and stouter, He bad bushy hair and bristling beard, avd the question of dirt had not been exagge- rated by the servant, He stood by the door, turning his felt hat in his hands, and pr etending to be embarrassed, ‘Come in!” directed Mrs, Stannard. He advanced a few paces. ‘* You are the man who wanted to see me?” ‘‘- Yes, mum,” he returned, in a wheezy voice. ‘* Sit down, then,” He obeyed, and continued to show rare gifts as an actor, He planted himself on the chair as if i¢ were of glass, and liable to break under him. He sat on the extreme edge, and kept himself bolt upright, still turning his bat in bis hand, It was a good imitation of a man of humble life, out of bis usual sphere, Mrs. Stannard’s composure was wonderful, and Foxy Fred never had been more at his ease. The former opened conversation. ** Have I ever seen you before?” “No, mum,” he returned, in the same y rery voice, ** What is your name?” ** Jobn Appleton, mum,” ‘¢ You have business with me, have you?” ‘* Yes, mum, I hev. I hey come as a good Samaritan, trustin’ I kin be of some use ter you. { am a bumble man, mum, an’! wear old clo’se, but my heart is in the right place. I like ter act out the Golden Rule, mum.” ‘Yes? Well, you can proceed,” ’ . Pe she en” Seinen iilineieialinaietiaenennieieti cml . ; ‘ - x J 4 ~~ ohh ry : Ht fi 4 4 nea om