Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 810 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Broadway Billy’s Wipe-Out. 9 “Oh Robby, my poor boy, muttered the old station-agent. ** And it is the sameone you saw him carry when he passed your station, is it, Mr, Good- luck?” ‘¢T cannot swear that it is, sir, I cannot swear that itis,” was the eager effort atevasion. ‘* How do you suppose I can, sir?” Billy did not press the question, seeing how painful it was to the old man and knowing full well the reason, bet turned his attention to look- ing further about on the ground. Suddenly he stooped and picked up something which he put in his pocket, “What have you found there?” inquired Greenwood, ‘‘Something which ma case,” Billy answered, ‘ it known now,” He looked further, it being unnecessary to use the lantern in his search, for the moonlight was so strong that it cast a shadow of the lantern on the ground; and in a few minutes he discovered what he wanted, That was, the trail leading away from the scene, This trail led along by the bottom of the em- bankment till it came to the end of the fill, where it went up in the rain-washed gully that formed the line between the natural bank and the fill. Billy was not following the trail of blood now so closely as he was following the heavy fvot- prints that went with it, and jost here they were very plainly marked, ‘* Stop,” he ordered those behind bim, ‘‘ Do not spoil these tracks, for they may prove the whole case for or against the prisoner.” He went up the bank, taking care not to mar one of the tracks, the others goiug further around in order to get up, When he reached the top of the bank, which there was not very high, Billy recognized at once the spot where the body had been tied to the rails, only a little way distant down the track, at a place where the ground was level, He went no further, having already looked well around there, He indicated the spot to the others, and many of them went forward to il, among them Dolph Greenwood and the coroner. The old station-agent remained behind with those who had the prisoner in keeping, and as soon as the greater part of the company had left them, he eagerly asked, ** Rob, tell me, are you guilty of this crime?’ ** Daddy Goodluck, [ am not,” was the firm answer, clearly spoken, | “Tsank God for that,” the old man said, cevoutly. ‘‘I have your word; now come what may, I believe you innocenr,” ‘You know me, Daddy; you know me as my poor boy!” prove useful in the do not care to make only one other in the world does; and I tell you candidly and sincerely, tbat [ left Gus there by the pools, alive and well, and [ have not seen him since,” ‘*T believe you, dark as appearances are against you, I believe you,” And so, too, did Broadway Billy, He had noted the prisoner’s manner and words when first charged with the terrible crime, and had there and then adjudged him in- nocent, If not, then he was a most perfect actor, and other circumstances went to indicate that he was far from being that. He had not been actor enough to carry out his assumed charac- ter of tramp. | Then, too, if guilty, was, it likely that he would have remained there so near the scene of the crime, and that he could have lain down and gone soundly to sleep? It did not look reason- able to the mind of the young detective, Still, be could not deny how terribly appearances were against him, ‘*Mr. Robnwald,” he now said to him, ‘I want one of your boots fora moment. If you are innocent these tracks are not yours, for they are the tracks of the man who brought the sig from the pools there and tied it to the rail,’ ‘* Hal! that is so,” the prisoner cried, as with a sudden burst of hope, ** Take it and put it to the test.” He threw himself upon the ground as he spoke, and held up his foot that the boot might be re- moved, Billy laid hold upon it and drew it off, and by that time the others were returning, ** What now?” asked the coroner. ‘*[’'m going tosee if the prisoner’s boot fits these tracks,” Billy answered, ‘*Ha!I bad not thought of that. That will Gell for or ag’inst him, sure as kin be.” Billy took the boot and tested it in some of the _—— nearest of the tracks, the others looking on as he did so, eagerly awaiting his verdict. But, they did not get it, W hen he Jooked up, presently, it was to say: ‘* Here, gentlemen, take the boot and fit it to the tracks yourselves, and say what you think. You, Mr, Parkerburg, are the man to do this.” ‘* But, you are a detective, sir,” the coroner argued, ‘**And you are the coroner in charge of the matter,” Billy reminded. This touched Mr, Parkerburg upon his official pride, and taking the boot, he proceeded to do as he had seen Billy doing. ‘*T swow!” he presently ejaculated, “it fits the track.” ‘** Let me see, if you please,” requested Green- wood, ‘* Il hope I can show that it don’t.” He took the boot and followed the example of the others, but when he rose it was with a shake of the head, and he handed the boot to Billy without saying anything. Others made the same test, andit was agreed that the boot did fit the tracks, ‘*But, what is your opinion of it, Mr, Wes- ton?” the coroner inquired, ‘**The boot is certainly about the same size as the track,” Billy had to admit. ‘* Then fate is against me,” sighed the pris- oner. ‘‘I swear to you that 1 was neither up nor down the bank at this place. 1 went down yonder nearer the bridge, and I did notgo up again at all,” ‘*Then you admit that you did go down to the place where your half-brother was standing, do you?” asked the coroner. ‘Yes, l admit that, You can find my tracks there where I went down,” The coroner shook his head in a dubious way. Billy helped the prisoner on with his boot, and then assisted him to his feet, when he gave him over to the coroner. ** What is your opinion in the case?” the coro- ner asked, ‘* It is needless fora man of your age and ex- perience to ask that of me, sir,” was all the answer Billy made. It certainly looked like a case all too plain, and in sorrowful silence the littl company wended its way back to the village, where the justice of the peace was called up and the prison- er was properly committed to jail to await his examination on the morrow, And while that was being done, Broadway Billy went to the Woodlawn Manor to report to Mrs, Robnwald, as he had promised to do, CHAPTER X, GROWING DARKER, Bruuy found the lady awaiting his return, and her daughter with her, in the little back sitting- room where he had before had the interview with ber, The facesof both looked haggard and worn, and the girl’s eyes showed signs of weeping. ‘‘ Well, what have you been able to learn, Mr. Weston?” the woman asked, ‘‘That it was undoubtedly a case of murder, madam,” was the reply; “‘ and, an arrest has al- ready been made,” ‘‘An arrest already!” exclaimed the girl. **Who is it?” “Ttisa tramp—” The gir! clasped ber hands and sunk back in her chair with a moan, Billy grasped the truth at once. Sbe had known of the presence of Robert in his disguise; perhaps had an interview with him, ‘“ What do you know about this tramp, Miss Gilburt?” he demanded, ** Nothing, sir, nothing, Oh! it is so terrible, to think of his having been killed by a tramp, But, are you sure the tramp did it?” ‘* Do not think to deceive me, Miss Gilburt,” said Billy, gently. ‘The identity of this tramp is krown, and I know by your words and actions that you knew of his presence vere,” ‘And do you think him guilty?” asked Mrs, Rohnwald, quietly. ‘*T want it understood that I do think him guilty,” Billy answered. The young lady gave a groan at that, cover- me her face with her bands, and a sob shook her rame, ‘* But,” Billy added, ‘‘I am going to take you ladies into my confidence and tell you, secretly, that I believe Robert Rohnwald entirely inno- cent of thiscrime, I intend to exert myself to the utmost to prove him so,” ‘Thank heaven!” cried the young woman, in a hushed whisper, and she threw herself upon her knees before Billy, clasping his right hand in both of hers and looking up into his face, ** Only — lt —_— —— prove Robert innocent, Mr, Weston, and I will bless you, evermore!” ‘* Carlotta!” the mother chided, ‘* You forget yourself,” The girl was already resuming her seat, ‘* No, mamma, I do not,” she made reply. ‘I was overjoyed at bearing Mr, Weston say he be- lieves in Robert’s innocence, in spite of all ap- pearances,” ‘* Yes: but perhaps he does not know just bow dark the appearances are against the prison- er, Hecannot know what you have disclosed to me—” ‘*Oh mamma! you promised not toreveal that to any one!” ‘* Useless to try to keep it back from Mr, Weston, dear, He has already guessed that you know something important, and he has been able to see by my manner that you have told me all about it,” All of which was quite true, of course, ** But, mamma, it will bang Robert, as sure as it comes to the knowledge of the jury.” ‘* Perhaps it may not be necessary that it should be known further, Since we have heard Mr. Weston declare his belief in the innocence of Robert, we know we can trust him. I ghall tell him what you saw and overheard, and let bim say what he thinks about it,” ‘‘Tt were better so,” said the young detec- tive. ‘The fuller the understanding I have of the whole matter, the better | can work upon the case,” The young lady bowed her head, and her mo- ther said: ‘* What we refer to, Mr. Weston, is something which my daughter and I had made up our minds to keep secret, She had told me all about it before youcamein, But, as I said, now that we know you are for Robert I will disclose it to you, ‘* This afternoon my daughter was out walk- ing in the wood, and her walk took her down by the trout pools near the railroad bridge, As she drew near there she heard voices, one of which she recognized as Gustav’s. She went on, and a few steps brought ber toa place where she could peer through the bushes, and there she stopped, in fear, for two men were quarreling, and she recognized the voices of both, now. ‘* One was Gustav and the other was Robert Rohnwald, and Carlo’ a saw that Robert was in disguise as a tramp, and that he had a big stick in his hand, one that was peeled half-way of its leagth. This stick he was shaking menacingly at Gustav, and Carlotta beard him say in words of bot passion; ‘Take it back, or Pll strike you to the ground where you stand! Take it back, or as I live | will kill you? And being terribly frightened, Carlotta ran away from the spot as fast as she could, fearing that if her presence became known to the rivals it might precipitate a deadly strife between them,” Broadway Billy had clinched tight bis hands, as he heard this, and he fixed his eyes upon the floor, a beavy frown upon bis brow, Here was damning evidence against the man in whose innocence he bad ceclared bis belief, Was Robert Robnwald, after all, a more perfect actor than he had given him credit for being? ‘What do you think?” asked the young lady, eagerly. ‘‘What you have heard has not changed your mind, I hope!” ‘*]t is evidence which would bang him,” Billy said. ‘I only hope I can clear it away so as to make it of none effect, for I am still of the mind that Robert in innocent,” ‘Thank God!” ‘*And you will not compel Carlotta to tell this story at the inquest, will you, Mr. Wes- ton!” asked the mother. ‘*T will not, as I am not working against Robert now, but for him,” Billy answered, ‘‘T can understand how terrible a_ trial that would be for her, loving him as she does,” ‘¢T¢ would kill me!” the girl declared, ‘“l amin the case with the belief that Robert Rohnwald is innocent,” Billy said, musingly. ‘* Why would he tie bis victim to the railroad track, after be had killed bim, if guilty? Some- thing I do not pretend to understand, that, No; Tam still firmly of the belief in his innocence, though the case against him is terribly dark,” ‘* You have not told us bow you found Rob- ert,” reminded Mrs, Rohnwald, “True, but I intend doing so, now. It was with the help of another witness that we—” ‘* Another witness!” cried the young lady. sé Then—” ‘‘One who saw the tramp ov the railroad bank,” Billy explained, ‘‘and heard him in an altercation with Gustav. He met us as we were going out to the scene of the tragedy, | comicbooks