Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 810 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

-* = way Billy it seemed almost an age as he half sprung out of the cab on the runuing-board, filled with borror at the sight but unable to remove his gaze from it. The speed was grow- ing less, but o0 power could stop the train be- fore the man was reached, The track itself seemed to be in motion, as it appeared to Billy, carrying the poor victim un- der the craunching wheels, swiftly, surely! Another second and it would be done— But, the engineer was there! He let bimself down upon the pilot; he stooped; xand— Broadway Billy saw it all asit happened, He saw the engineer receive a po-.erful jerk, one that almost tore bim from his hold; the next moment—ay, the same moment—there was a sickening something felt under the heavy wheels, and all was over. The train did not run another length before it stopped, and the conductor and trainmen were out with their lanterns immediately. The fireman had sprung to the throttle the moment the engineer left it, and he now quickly shut off steam and brought the reverse-lever to a center position; while Broadway Billy jump- ed down to run back with the engineer and others, ‘* That almost fixed me, Billy,” his friend said, hurriedly. ‘‘ That man was tied fast to the rails, sure as you live!” ‘Tied fast!” Billy exclaimed, struck with horror at the thought. ‘Yes: if he hadn’t been [ could have taken him along, for | gota grip on him that almost carried me under the wheels with him,” ‘That was horrible!” Billy could not help ex- claiming. ‘‘If that was the case, here is a crime, and I think Ill take a hand in working it out. Poor devil, be is done for.” They had now come to where the body lay, under the middle of the last car, and it had been ground in two by the imany wheels that had passed over it, True enough, as the engineer had guessed, the man had been bound to the rail, a rope passing two or three times over bis body and as many times under the rail, so that it had been impossi- ble for him to escape, For a moment Billy had to turn away, fairly sickened at the sight; but in the next moment all his detective instinct was keenly alive, and he stepped forward and laid a hand upon the dead man’s face, the thought having struck him to learn whether he bad been placed there alive or dead, ‘* He was dead long before the engine touched him,” he cried. ‘‘ The body is cold.” ‘That's so?” cried the engineer. ‘' I’m glad of that, anyhow. It’s bad enough as it is, but I’m glad the Flyer didn’t kill him.” ‘* Well, get the body out from there, boys, quick,” ordered the conductor of the train, ‘‘and we'll take it on to the station, We have no time to lose, but we are losing it fast.” The rope was quickly removed and the body lifted out and carried forward to the baggage- ear, all going with it save the young detective, As soon as the others had gone he gathered up the pieces of rope and thrust them into his pocket, and looked carefully around by the light of a match to see if anyclew might be found. There was nothing, however, and he ran for- ward and reached the engine again just as the train started. ‘‘ You won’t need to get off at the junction now,” the engineer said; ‘* we'll have to stop at thestation. You have had more experience than you bargained for, Billy.” ‘‘.Well, yes, rather more,” Billy admitted, “¢ Tl tell you what it is, though, Chinny, I am going into this case and find out all about it, if Ican. My detective fever is away up, now, and | must solve théMmystery of the dead man if it is in the wood,” ‘* And you can do it, I'll bet, by all that Pve read and known about you, l’!l watch the papers Co re ad the case, for I’m sure it will be one. ‘Yes, [ think it will, and Ill tell you all about it af-®r it is over,” They were soon at the Roseford station, where. the body was given into charge of the watchnian, the station being closed, with in- structions that he should notify the proper authorities, Billy asked the man if he recognized the face, but he did not; and aiter he had assisted the trembling fellow to put the body in the store- room where it would be safe for the time being, set out to keep his appointment with Mrs, Robn- wald, baving but few minutes to spare to be there promptly on time. He could little imagine the new complications ee ee ee that had now arisen in the very matter in the interest of which he had been called, and con- cerping which be knew nothing whatever yet. Had not the watchman at the station been a comparative stranger at Roseford, he would have known that the dead man was none other than Gustav Rohnwald of Woodlawn Manor ! CHAPTER V, THE WOODLAWN MANOR CASE. It was a few minutes’ walk from the railroad station to the center of the village proper, and when be came there Billy found that most of the stores and shops had closed for the night, and that the streets were almost deserted. Making inquiry of a person he met, Billy soon learned where Woodlawn Manor was, and turn- ing his steps in the direction of the old manse, hastened forward to learn the matter of business upon which he had been called, W hen be came to the house be found it to be a large, old-fashioned homestead of colonial days, setting well back from the road and partly shut in by the giant trees standing in front of it, As he stepped upon the piazza he heard a loud elccx within striking the hour of ten, and the moment tie clock ceased to strike he lifted the knocker and awoke the echoes in the ball, The door was opened promptly by a man- servant, “I desire to see Mrs, Rohnwald,” Billy made known, ‘‘What is your name, please, sir?’ inquired the servant, * William Weston,” ‘* You are expected, sir. Follow me, please.” He conducted Billy down the hall an opened a door on the left, announcing as he did so: ‘* Mr. Weston, ma’m.” The room was a small but cheerful apartment, and seated in an easy chair by one of the open windows was a womanof middle age, a pleasant- faced lady with silvered hair, ‘You are prompt to the minute, Mr. Wes- ton,” she greeted, without rising. ‘‘ Be seated here near me, please, so that we may talk in low tones.” ‘*T make it a point to be on time, whenever possible, madam,” Billy made answer, taking the chair the lady indicated, ‘* You are a younger man than I expected to see, Mr. Weston, after all I have read about you. ** Yes; [ am little more than a boy, being only in my twenty-second year.” ** You look even younger than that; but, you have won a reputation to be proud of, if all ac- counts are true, and [ have confidence enough in you to trust my case to you,” ** T will serve you to the best of my ability, madam, if the matter is one I can undertake, Please let ne hear what it is, together with all the particulars concerning it, But, first please say what the nature of the case is,” ** Well, it will come under the head of robbery, I suppose, as you will class it. A valuable doc- ument has been stolen from this house, and I want you to undertake to recover it, But, the affair is so shrouded in mystery that it may prove no easy task for you.” ‘Tt is a case I can undertake, Now, for the particulars of it, and [ will be able to form some idea regarding it,” ‘Then do I understand you that you do not take all kinds of cases that are offered?” ‘‘T do not, madam, Ihave to refuse a good many. The criminal case is my specialty,” ‘¢ So I have been led toimagine. Now, I will tell my story,and then I'll expect you to say what you think of the affair.” ‘* Very well,” ‘*In order that you may have a full under- standing of it, I must give you the family history in brief. I will inform you that I am a widow, as perhaps you have already learned, or as you may have guessed, seeing mein mourning, My husband, Richard Rohnwald, died some months Ago, was his third wife, and he had no children by me, though he has left two sons, one child having been born to each of his other wives, I have a daughter by a former husband, now twenty-two years of age, Her name is Carlotta Gilburt. *“Mr. Rohnwald’s son by his: first wife’ is named Robert, Ths son by the second wife, two years younger than Robert, is named Gus- tav. Heisnow a young man of twenty-four. When i cime into the family these boys were aged nine and seven, respectively, and my daughter was aged five. The boys immediately formed a strong attachment for Carlotta, and, as time passed, their affection ripened into love, and they became hated rivals to each other on her account, Finally, they had a violent quar- rel, and their father, taking the part of Gustav, turned Robert out of the house and forbade him never to show his face here aguin. ‘* A little time after that Mr. Rohnwald made his will, in which, after some minor bequests, he left the bulk of his property, real and personal, to Gustav, giving Robert the sum of one dollar only. This will, and its terms, were no secret in the family or in che neighborhood; and although everybody thought it unjust to Robert, nothing could turn Mr, Robnwald from his pur- pose, and he declared the will should stand just as he had framed it; that he knew perfectly well what he was about, and that it was his own business. So, the will was put away, and it passed out of mind, almost, till the death of Mr. Rohnwald, when it was looked for, but it was looked for in vain, It was not to be found,” ‘* And it has not been found yet?” ‘Wait; lam coming to that, The lawyer, Mr, Percival, offered to take the will, he says, but Mr, Rohnwald did not allow bim to do so, saying he had a safe place for it here in the house, and that be did not want to take any chances of its being lost. Mr. Percival thought strange of that, for he bad taken care of otber valuable pa- pers, and had been doing so for years; but, Mr. Robnwald had his way about it, so the will was left in his keeping, and we knew that wherever it was bid it was not outside of this house; Mr, Robnwald’s words to the lawyer stood as proof for that. But, the house was ransacked from top to bottom, in every crook, cranny and cor- ner, and the wil] could’not{be found. Now comes the mysterious part of it. A few nightsago this bouse was entered and that will was stolen from its hiding: place, of which we are sure beyond question,” : ® * The affair begins to savor of the mysteri- ous,’ ‘¢ Yes, so it does; and still, before Iam done you may sey it isa very plain case indeed, ‘On the morning of the discovery of the robbery 1 happend to be the first one to enter the library, and the moment I entered the door a surprising sight met my astonished gaze, Over the mantel- piece was a hole in the wall, with a door stand- ing wide open; the bole was about a foot square in size, It wasa secret recess of which no one in the bouse had ever known theexistence, With the door closed it was invisible, the door fitting inasa pertof the mantle carving. But, there it was, and that was not all, On the floor lay a large envelops on which was written—‘ Last will of Richard Robnwald,’ The envelope was empty, the will was gone! Afterward, Mr. Percival identified the envelope as the one in which the will had been put when he delivered it to Mr, Rohnwald, and the writing on it was his, A search around showed that entrance had been gained by forcing one of the parlor windows,” ‘‘ And there was no clue as to the identity of the robber, Mrs, Rohnwald?’ ‘*No, no clue whatever; but, suspicion has ointed to a certain person whose whereabouts is unknown, and that person is—Robert Rohn- wald, the disowned heir, Public opinion is very strong against bim, and it is now remem- bered against him that his father strongly dis- liked hiin, for some reason or other which was never fully known to anybody. He may have had knowledge of this secret place in the wall; it certainly appears positive that no one else had. And no one else, as it appears, could have any interest in doing away with that will, since no one else bad anything to gain byit. You can readily perceive how it stands,, With the will Robert was cut off entirely; with no will, then he would come in for an equal share with Gustav, which would enrich him; for Mr, Rohnwald died a very wealthy man, There is very good ground, it seems to me, for the suspicions against Robert, though I am very sorry it is as it is, Now, I would like to have your opinion of the matter, as it looks to you, and then I want to find and recover that will, if possible.” ‘* What is your interest in the will?’ Billy in- quired, ‘*You are quick to note everything, I see,” the woman rejoined. ‘I will tell you. By the will fam more liberally provided for than with no will; and besides that, a small legacy was left tomy daughter, You see, L have an active interest in the matter, Mr, Weston.” ‘“The explanation is satisfactory, And now my Opinion in regard to it: I have to admit the suspicion arainst Robert Rohnwald is strong indeed, If he is guilty, then the will can never be restored, for lie has destroyed it, He would not allow it to exist any longer than he could not help, And, even if he is not the guilty one, I fear the will has met the same fate, My belief is that it will never be found,” | ofele) C ‘Ss, com