Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 793 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

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Fin ~ = ee a 5 a _— _ #ebich she did not wish me to rea “and «detective upon his track. i iste ae -% ri fette 4) a ‘mother’s home an to Little Blue Ranch, in Nebraska, tracked you ' : aren —" “T have come from Chicago, Mr. Leffingwell, especially to see you.” ‘‘- You are welcome, sir; but you have the ad- vantage of knowing me, while [I do not recall having met you.” ‘* Neither have you, sir. *‘ But my name is Dick Doom,” **T am glad to,meet you, sir, *‘ Come out to dig yellow dirt, I sappose?” ** No, sir, [ came just to see you.” | *Tndeed! then you must have come from’ my friend.” “ What friend?” “¢ Fritz Von Belo,” ** Yes, sir, [come from Mr, Fritz Von Belo,” and Dick Doom threw himself intoa camp chair and after a short hesitation said: ‘‘ Now, Mr. Leffingwell, while Juan has gone to stake the horses out I wish a talk with you. ‘‘ When he returns, just ask him to get din- ner for us, so as to keep him occupied, for I have something of great importance to tell you,” ** All right, Mr, Doom, firé away,” was the cheery rejoinder, “You will pardon me if I touch first upon painful matters, but Leffingwell is not your real name,” 6s Ah!” . ‘* No, it is Carroll, for your mother married asecond time, after being divorced from. her first husband and you.took your step-father’s name,” ‘‘ My mother has sent you to me, sir.” ‘‘ No, for I regret to convey to you the sad mews of your mother’s death.” ‘¢ Dead! my mother dead, **Mr, Doom, let me tell you that I have only once each year dared write to my mother, ‘‘My step-father drove me from my home, Sek went to sea for years, visiting foreign lands. ‘*T returned to the United States, having made a snug little fortune and sought my mo- ther to again be refused permission to remain near her. . ) **T invested my money, lost it, and came to the frontier and have worked when I could for a living. ‘*T have told you the story of my life, sir; and now I learn from you that my mother is dead,” ‘** You shall hear all, sir, for that is why I am here. ‘‘Do you know your own father?” ‘* | do not, for that is a secret that my mother never told me. “Tt seemed to be a dark page of the past ” . Oo — — *¢T will tell it to you, sir, ‘Your father is one of the noblest of men, and I saw him but ten days ago. | ‘‘He is a millionaire, married a second time and lost hisdaughter. ‘¢- Your mother was divorced from him, mar- ried Leonidas Leffingwell and he is dead,” ‘Yes, I heard so, but I sent my address to my mother and she never replied.” ** She telegraphed you that she was dying, and to come to her. ‘*T never received it, God have walked to her.” ; ‘‘ The man whom you deemed your friend got that telegram and saw in it enough to try and impersonate you, with his striking resemblance to you.” ss W hat )? ‘‘T repeat it, sir. He impersonated you.” ‘Fritz Von Belo?” “= $¢ Yes,” ‘6 Was such a traitor?” ‘‘ He was. It is true.” *¢ Where is he?” ' ‘‘ First let me tell you that he went to your dying mother, claimed to be her son, yourself, eived from her a written confession— which, allow me to give to ycu,” “Ha! where did you get this?” “From among bis private pa in the house with him for six wee knows, or I would rs, for I lived , and I ama ‘ Read that confession at your ‘eisure, but, let % me yon oR he na it to play a bold game _ for fortune and position. Pe _ tHe went to your old father, told him he was peek son, and led him to believe the story, or with the facts ia his possession, and not known to him, the old gentleman could but be- lieve the story, especially as he bad other claims upon him which bad endeared him to him,” ‘“* How do : yourknow all this?” | “I told_you that I wasa detective, sir,” o Drue.” ane . 7 ? J Ton Tote ve been to your Lot..m@ (Coy epee that I went ' ee oo = Dick Doom in Chicago. to Julesburg, got a copy of the telegram sent Ad by your mother to North Platte, went to Jenver after you, then to Chicago to get the links of my chain of evidence of your pretended friend’s guilt, welded together, and now am here to tell you all and take you back with me, ‘* Now read that confession and then we will talk together more, for here comes Juan.” GHAPTER, X XIX, THE FERRET'S CONFESSION, Mr, SAMUEL CARROLL had certainly improved in health during the time that Silas Pry was acting as butler and valet at the mansion; but, after his departure, he began to go down again, He was delighted, therefore, to see Silas Pry come in one day and ask for his place again, The butler then at the mansion was given a month’s pay and discharged and Silas Pry re- sumed his former place, Mr. Leo Carroll was away on a run to St. Louis fcr a few days, so Samuel Carroll told Brush that Pry would look out for bis comfort that night, and he could have a night off, ‘*Now, Mr. Carroll, I wish to have a talk with you, sir,” said Silas Pry, when the old gen- tleman was in his room, ‘*T wish you to listen to all that I have to say, and I know all that you have suffered in the past. “If I give you pain now, it will be but tem- porary, for there is. one near to comfort your old age, mat “I know the influence that Mr, Leo holds over you, and that yourdo not lean upon him as you would wish, for—-” ** See here, Pry.’ ae ON ‘‘Bear with me, sir, for I mean all that I say for your good. ‘‘I wish to tell you that all of us are deceived in life, and that you have been greatly deceived by one you trusted in, ‘You had a son in the long ago, and he did not die, as you then believed. “All the story told by Leo is true about his mother’s confession and death, and your son being alive now, son, sir,” ‘** But, be is not your | d, man! are you mad, or am I?” “Good Go ‘Neither of us, sir; but your true son is now here in Chicago, and a most. noble man, ‘* You will recognize your own flesh and blood the moment you behold him, and you will know that the man who has impersonated him is the cleverest impostor alive ip Barty most brazeu scoundrel and daring and _ brilliant adventurer. ‘* See, sir, look at these badges upon my breast. ‘* They show me ag worthy of belief, for I am Dick Doom, the detective, known as the Ferret of the Golden Fetters, &. ‘* It was { who took Belt from your service, and got his emir and I sent your valet, Brush, away ill, to play my hand in his stead, ‘‘When 1 came into this house I began to watch the mau who calls himself your son. “IT soon discovered that the cause of your ill health was that he was slowly butsurely poison- ing you,” ‘* My God, have mercy!” “You know that you improved under my are,” ‘* 1 did, I did!” ‘“‘Tt was beeause I did not let you take the medicine each night given you by your son, ‘IT have had it all analyzed, and know just what it is, ‘*I knew that he was seeking to kill you, to ge your wealth, and he well-nigh was success- u ‘He discharged the old servants because he ms them. ‘He made you give up your old physician banished Mr, Wheatley, your best friend, a bad all his own way, ‘eat J ‘‘He refurnished the house, had the library rebuilt, and got rid of all that would remind him of your daughter. | ‘‘That he did save your daughter's life is true, for he is a brave fellow, I admit. ‘‘ But he used the act to help him to fortune, ‘‘He pretended not to seek you, and yet did SO. : ‘¢He told you of his life, of his mother, and won you over. nessa Fes ‘¢ And to do all this he was trying to sacrifice your own son, for he found out just how matters stood as the two were friends, and he opened your son’s letters and telegrams, | ‘‘He sent him down into New Mexico to get rid of him, and he came here to revel in your Ww t vs ’ ; ‘But 1 read the accounts of your sorrows and eee . sa) © * ' . 4 ~§4, . “16 ““I took the idea, for I study all cases that comé before my notice, that your daughter never committed suicide,” r ‘* My poor child!” | ** | studied up the case from the hotel fire up to the present time, and I had a splendid chance when I was here as Silas Pry. ) ‘I watched my man day and night, and I bave heard him awake from a nightmare and cry out in terror. br ‘ **T heard bim talk in his sleep, and I tell you on my honor, Mr. Carroll, that that man came here to rob Miss Carroll of her jewels, perhaps you of your money in the safe, for he waited un- til she, knowing the combination, opened it. ‘“‘He gota key that fitted your door, for I have the key and know to whom it was sold and where it was purchased, ‘* Heslipped in, bid bimself behind the curtains and started to frighten Miss Carroll into swoon- ing. hv ‘She must have: recognized bim, for I have heard him say again and again in bis:sleep: ‘¢*Oh! if she had not said that sbe knew mein ee of my mask, I would never have struck ‘¢¢ Others have never haunted me, but you do, yes, you do, my Clarice,’.” e% Mr, Carroll was trembling all over, his face white, but his eyes riveted upon the ferret, wko paused as he uttersd the last words; **T believe all you teil me. bis, ‘¢ Something in my heart and brain tells me it is true, Voy ‘* Tell me more,” yi in ‘*f am sure, Mr. Carroll, that he struck that blow, to avoid being branded, yt sd ‘That he placed ber in the chair, and did not rob the safe, for he saw that there was a greater game to play in pretending to be your son. ‘‘T know how well he has played his game through life, and let.me tell you, Mr, Carroll, that you and | have met before,” ‘*When you were here?” «= | ‘No sir, before that, for I was the detective on the steamer going South »who bad two prisoners, one of whom leaped overboard’ in his irons, ‘‘ Ah, yes, I remember now, I remember. ‘‘ But you said my own son was alive?” \ ‘* He is, sir, and you shall see him, for [ sent that impostor to St, Louis on a false telegram, 30 that we could have full sway, gir, , “Your son is in the library now, and I will call him, while, let me tell you that he knows all,” and Dick boom left the room to cail the CHAPTER XXX, | THE FATAL CHAIR, . Or the meeting between the father and gon, let us not speak, j add. er ) The reader can well understand that it was a touching one, and doubly so to the grief-haunt- ed old man, | , But blood is thicker than water, and in the miner he knew in his heart that his own son was before him, mca It was late into the night that the two talked together, Dick Doom retaining his place as butler and valet combined, wel He deemed it best, for it would not do to let the servants suspect that aught was: on of a secret nature, and Brush had again called away, 80 that Pry had the field to him- self. | At midnight Leo Carroll left the mansion, and after a talk with the detective, started for the hotel where he was stopping. The next night the impostor was to return, for he had been telegraph his father. In the evening Leo Carroll went up to the mansion and was ushered into the library by Pry. : , He was accompanied by a gentleman in & high hat and stylish suit of black, and few would have recognized without his uniform the Chicago chief of police, ‘edie 7 At the proper time the detective see : Carroll carriage to the depot for “Mr: and when its. wheels were. heard-on the gravel drive in the grounds, Mr,, Car who was talking in the library, arose and retired toa neThen the door w opened by the detective and he faced the man he so Temorselessly had ‘Some gentlemen in the library to see you, gir,” he announced. wo ay ~ Who are they, Pry? _ Ah! and how ism! father? 6:4 wn » “ Better, sir—much better.” —* 4 4 CC “ i . ~ i» eo * > * a 4 “y to, to return at once to — ; ® vom 7 | ‘e Peg a . = . ‘ . ev a. a “ > Merny <-> a“. - > a é ~~? ,