Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 773 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 ‘‘ What air ye doin’ hyer?” was tne angry uestion, as he dragged the seeming girl toward the outside. ‘‘ It’s you that’s been playin’ ghost, ig it? Well; Ill take occasion to learn ye some- thing!” Tom was almost too startled and frightened to reply; and besides, he bad no adequate answer ready. ‘‘ Now, what air you doin’ hyer?’ Red Fee iercely demanded, when they were out in the starlight and he could see he bad made no mis- take. ‘‘ Rose Latham, bave you been a-playin’ this ghost business? If I thought you had, I'd murder you!” ‘* Indeed, Mr. Redmond!” Tom pleaded, cling- ing to his feminine character. ‘‘ Indeed, | know nothing about it! I—lI have not been playing ghost. 2 He shook her as a spaniel might shake a rat. ‘“*Tell me what you air doin’ bhyer, then!” fairly shouting the order. ‘Speak up, now, and no nonsense! What was you a-doin’ byer?” Rose Latham, taking refuge iu a well-known feminine weakness, began to sob hysterically, “Tt was mere cu-curiosity!” she wailed. ‘Nothing else, Mr, Redmond, I assure you, I had no—po intention of doing anything wrong! There’s been so mu-much talk about the ghost of the mine, tbat I thought 1’d coime down and try to get a peepatit. I dido’t know you were in there; and when—when you ran against me—I —I thought you were the ghost! Boo-hoo—oo!” There were some weaknesses in the story, and Red Fee’s distrust was not removed by it, But the sobbing declarations were not without effect, He released his painful grasp, and stood looking sternly at her. ‘*T don’t know, yit, but you’re a-lyin’ to me!” he declared, ‘‘and if 1 find out you air, it’ll go bard with you. IT’ let you off this time, but you needn’t think I sha’n’t be watchin’ you,” She interrupted him by a fresh outburst of rief, rh Do you believe in ghosts?” he suddenly ques- tioned, ‘*T—T can’t say that I do,” tremblingly. “I never saw one,” ‘*Ner nobody else, That is, the genuine arti- cle. There’s plenty of make-believe ones, like the one that’s been playin’ hob with the Grizzly Bear.” He turned toward the town, without inviting her to accompany him; which she proceeded to do, however, notwithstanding this lack. Another series of sobs shook her form, It would not do to lose the good opinion of Felix Redmond at this stage of the game, and she was resolved she would not, if tears could avail. ‘*You’re a brave one, Miss Latham, J] must say!” dropping back to accommodate bis steps to hers. ‘' There ain’t many women would ven- ture into a ha’nted mine like that, If you'll go ag’in and kill the ghost fer me, and bring me proof that you’ve killed him, Pu give you a thousand dollars!” The proposition was met with more sobbing. Miss Latham would agree to do nothing of the kind; and still under the shadow of his dis- pleasure and distrust, they reached the house, CHAPTER XIII. A QUEER PROPOSAL, A FURTHER conversation ensued when the office was gained; and the result of that conver- sation convinced Tom Craigen that his period of usefulness as Red Fee’s secretary was ended, Throughout the walk from the mine Red Fee had been in a hesitating state of mind. No sus- picion of the true character of Rose Latham came to him, and the potency of her fe:minine cbarms was still strong. But the thought con- stantly gained ground that she was untrue to his business interests, Her lame excuses bad not satisfied him; and he wondered time and again if she was not, after all, the one who had been playing ghost, Tom retired to his room much agitated. Red Fee had hinted that his services could be there- after dispensed with. ‘* Not on account of this business,” he had said. ‘‘ But you’ve seen yourself that for the last two weeks I bain’t bardly had anything for you to do,” Notwithstanding this assertion, Tom knew that the true reason. for his dismissal lay in the events of that nigbt. He could not dorbt it; for, though business had been slack, Red Fee a never hinted that he would not further need im, Tbe dismissal did not so much concern him, He had already mainly accomplished the object which had induced him to assume the disguise of a feminine typewriter and enter Red Fee’s employ. He was distressed because, in leaving a a the house, he would lose the pleasant conversa- tions with Louise. There had grown up in bis beart a strong love for this girl. Louise, on her part, had become extremely fond of the typewriter, never dreaming of the deception the latter was practicing. They were together a great deal, especially of evenings; and thus Tom was enabled to study the girl’s character, and understand the true nobility of her nature, He had been more than once abased in his own estimation by the part he was playing. It seemed a treacherous and mean thing to do, to thus gain the girl’s confidence, But he excused himself with the strange circumstances of the case, reasoning that he could not do otberwise, Many times he bad desired to reveal himself to her, but had not dared. To have done so would have been to defeat all bis purposes in coming there, Now, however, that he was to leave the place, he was resolved to speak out and tell her who he was, and to express his regard for her. Tom slept little that night, tossing and rolling uneasily, his mind so wrought up by thoughts of these things! The only conclusion he came to was that he would leave the house early in the morning, re- turn some time during the forenoon, clothed in his proper masculine garments, ana seek the de- sired interview. But events prevented the carry- ing out of this programme, Louise chanced to be in the corridor, as he essayed to make his way to the street. Her fresh and blooming beauty quite overpowered him. The sudden fear that a delay might be fatal, pressed upon him, There was no know- ing, he thought, but that Red Fee might so poison her mind in the interval of his absence that she would not listen to him, or even meet him when he came again. He could not forget his feminine apparel; and he blushed crimson, as he encountered ber and requested a few words of conversation, *“T presume you know | am going away?” questioningly, taking ber hand, ‘* No; surely not, Miss Latham!” ** Yes: Iam on the way to the street now, I shall send for my things. Your father has no further use for me.” Louise seemed distressed, * Are you blind, Louise, that you have known me so long and have not guessed my secret?” again reddening painfully. Louise started, There was an unaccountable change in the accents of this supposed girl friend, The low, feminine tones, assumed by ‘om as an additional disguise, had been thrownaside. His voice naturally had something of the cadence of a woman’s, a peculiarity that had been ex- aggerated. eT —1—do not understand!” Louise stam- mered, A sudden fear that this friend was losing her mental faculties came to her, ** You are blini!, Louise! Will you forgive me for the deception? I am not Rose Latham—-a woman, as you suppose; but am Tom Craigen, a brotber of Philip Craigen, who is known as Quintius Quartz, the assayer.” Louise give a little scream of fright, and seemed about to fly. “Stay!” Tom adjured, catching her by the arm and detaining her. ‘‘Stay until you have heard me ont! You will not hate me for this, Louise? Assure me you will not! For ob, Louise! ILlove you better than life itself! Not as ope woman might love another; but as one man loves one woman!” Louise stood transfixed, apparently unable, to speak or move, so overwhelmed was sbe by this surprising revelation, ‘* Tell me you are not offended!” Tom pleaded. **Only tell me that, and I wiil go away—” His appeal was brought to a sudden end, The door of the office was quickly and angrily hurled open, and Red Fee appeared on thescene. Neither had dreamed of his presence there, as he had never been in the habit of visiting the office at so early an bour. ‘*Oh, you'll go away, will you?” darting for- ward and clutching Tom by the shoulder and dashing him barsbly against the wail, ‘* [}guess lll have sometbiu’ to say about that! So, you’re Phil Craigen’s brother?” He drew his revolver and for a moment it seemed that he meant to empty its contents into the body of bis false secretary, Tom, who was wholly unarmed, was seized with a panic of fear. é put out his hands im- ploringly, as if to ward off a blow, ‘I’m the biggest fool thisside of the divide, fer not knowin’ that before! But you'll git a chance to do no more dirt!” The Rustler of Rolling Stone, er Louise screamed, believing her father intended murder, ‘* Shet yer yawp, will ye?” turning fiercely on her. ‘If ye don’t Pll serve you as I’m a-goin’ to serve him. A man rigged out in female finery, an’ playin’ a game like that!” He lifted his hand asif to strike Louise, who was sobbing bitterly. ‘** If you'll let me go, I'll promise not to come here again!” Tom quavered, “Oh, yes; Pll let you go! DPve already played the fool so big that 1 ought to wind up the game by doin’ that very thing!” He was trembling with excitement, and seem- ed scarcely able to restrain himself from flying like a savage bull-dog at Tom’s throat. Not the least embittering reflection was that he had al- lowed himself to fall in love with this pretender. He felt humiliated beyond measure. He kad never so played the foo! before. ‘Hyer [ve been a-lettin’ you into all the secrets of my business, an’ a-givin’ you the run of my affairs! It’s no wonder that Quintius (uartz has been able to lay it over me!” Red Fee had some time before come to the conclusion that Philip Craigen and Quintius Quartz were one and the same; and now he was sure of it. Tom cowered guiltily, shrinking against the wall and trying to edge toward the door, He was brave enough under ordinary circum- stances; but there was such deadly menace in the eyes of Red Fee, and he was so unnerved by this sudden exposure, that his usual courage quite vanished. ‘*No, you don’t!” observing the movement toward the door, and striding forward with the revolver ready in his hand. ‘* You don’t leave hyer, except as you go with me! ‘* Now, you go to your room!” turning threat- ening to Louise, ‘*‘ And if you leave this house before [ git back, you’ll wish to yer dyin’ day that you badn’t, ‘* Go!” as she still hesitated; and Louise, trem- bling like an aspen, could do nothing but retreat to ber room, ‘* Now, you'll walk along quiet in front of me, or I'll fill ye full o’ holes!” commandingly to Tom, when. Louise had vanished, ‘‘No more monkey business, J] tell ye!” He pointed toward the garden, ‘* What are you going to do with me?’ Tom ventured to ask, ‘*That’s all right! Hunt ghosts, likely! You was uncommon fond o’ buntin’’em last night, I’m pretty well satisfied that you’re the one that’s been playin’ that game!” He again waved bis revolver toward the rear entrance, ‘*March along there! I ain’t got any too much patience this morning, as you’ll find out, if you try me, The quicker you mind my orders, the better it’ll be fer ye!” Coerced by the weapon, Tom could do no- thing Lut obey. He looked anxiously about as they stepped into the garden, hoping some one might be near to whom he could call for assistance. He was disappointed, ‘*'Yelpin’ won’t do y> any good !” interpret- ing Tom’s quick glances, ‘‘ An’, at the fu’st one, down yo go!” ‘* Where are we going?” “To lecok fer that ghost! An’ step along lively, or ther thing’ll die of old age ’fore we git there.” He motioned in the direction of the mine, to- ward which a dimly defined trail led from the house, ‘* Right along there, d’ye see?” An’ hold up them dainty skirts, er the sage brush’!l slice ‘em into ribbons, You're an uncommon fpeart female this mornin’! An’ purty! Ob, my!’ There was a bitterness in this that showed how deeply the iron bad entered his soul. He would never be able to forgive himself for bis late obtuseness, More than once Tom Craigen was on the point of attempting to break away by running. But the certain knowledge that be would be fired upon, and the almost equally certain knowledyo that be could not fail to be hit, held this desire in check. Av indefinable fear of what might occur when the mine was reached took posses- sion of him, . Tre black entrance soon came into view, and at sight of 1t Tom shrunk back, ‘“On there with ye!” was the stern command. ‘That ghost’s jist a-dyin’ fer our society, Yeu can occupy your time in makin’ love toit, Itl appreciate the kindness,” Notwithstanding the sternness with which this was spoken, Tom hung back as tiey gained the opening, though he realized that now he was | comicboo * Ae et : . - h : ae ‘ - ; ce oe PS -_ ae ~~ . . - + a geome a P. ° — - _— a i I ta Rly ae cy - - eg . — ae ee pe ae —_ ~- = ~ . ‘ : i al ee > m , - + ~ _ : - ~ 7 ee ee > mo wir ne pe ES en i cule ° , . « ~~ ‘ ,,