Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 819 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 All was dark and dreary there, but it held no terror for him apparently, as he passed in through the gate, approacued the old, mansion and taking a key from his pocket unlocked the door, He soon had a lamp lit, and the fire burning, and then he set about changing bis costume to appear once more as Dick Doom, Taking up a book Dick Doom had been read- ing but a few minutes when he was startled by a knock at the hall door of his room, Some one had certainly entered the house, and he at once thought of a trap to catch him, He knew no light shone outside, so he remain- ed quiet. Again came the knock, yet still he did not an- swer. ‘Mr, Doom, I know that you are at home, so please open the door.” The voice was a gentle one, a woman’s, ‘* Yos, | am bere. ‘*Who are you?” and Dick Doom stepped to door, but did not open it, ‘* Your Mascot,” came the reply. ** What do you wish?” ‘*T am here to see you, to warn you, to save you,” was the earnest response. ‘*from whom and what?’ ‘‘ Open the door and I will tell you.” ‘© Are you alone?” 46 l am,” Dick Doom hesitated an instant, then, with revolver in hand he opened the door. In stepped a woman in black, vailed and heav- ily cloaked. He locked the door behind her and led her in- to the other room where there was a fire, ** How did you get into the house?” **Through the ontrance door, for thera is a secret panel in it working by a spring,” ‘¢ Ah! you seem to know much of the myster- jes of this old house,” ‘**T should, for | was born in this house.” é You?” es Yes.” She now raised her vail and Dick Doom be- held the face he had seen before, It was the face of the young girl of the desert- ed home, of the one he had seen that night up- stairs, of the one he bad seen drive by the flat with her handsome escort. It was a beautiful face, yet strangely sad in expression, a face toadmire, to fascinate one and to love, | ** Who are you?” asked Dick Doom, ‘Your Mascot,” she answered with a sad ‘smile, ** Somewhere we have met befors,” he said, “i Yes,” ‘When and where?” ‘Some years ago, when I wasa girl of four- teen you saved my life, saved me from being burned to death upon a Mississippi steamer, ‘* You did so at the risk of your own life, and I never forgot you. ‘* My father was once a rich man, but he mar- ried against bis parents’ wishes, and was disin- herited. ‘* This was his old home, and he came here to live, and here I was born, and dwelt until I was fourteen, when we were driven out of the place by the purchaser, Peter Mainhall, after the death of my grandfather, who was unforgiving to the end and disinherited my father. ‘*My mother was ill, and, forced to move, it cost her her life, ‘*My father had obtained work as a detective, and you engaged him in several cases to help you. | ‘* His name?” ‘* Mark Vertner.” ‘* Ah! he waskilled by a crook whom he track- ed to his den, anda noble, splendid fellow he “Yes, and I aided himin his work, disguised as a boy, as an old woman, and as whatever else that was necessary.” | ‘* [ know now that Ihave heard your father speak of you as his Little Mascot, and girl de- tective, ‘* He was always most friendly toward me, as he felt that he owed his life and yours to me on that burning steamer, ‘*So you ure Violet Vertner, are you?” “TI was,” ** And now?” “I am married, though I am just eighteen.” Yes, and I can tell you that which you little dream of, ‘* But why have you sought to help me?” ‘* Because my father and I owed so much to you, and I was ina position to save you from death,” was the earnest response of the ‘ Dick Doom’s Girl Mascot. CHAPTER XXXII. THE MASCOT'S CONFESSION, ‘* LET me tell you now,” said Dick Doom, looking the woman squarely in the face, *' that you are the wife of one of the most clever crooks in the city of New York,” **’'You know this?” . ‘How canlT help knowing it, fcr have you not been with him in his deeds of deviltry ?” ‘* No! no! no! I am not so bad as that,” ‘* Let me teil you that [I know how he has plotted to get gold, and just what he has done, ‘* Why, you were with him several days ago, when he drove out to look over the situation prior to robbing the old woman living above Harlem,” ‘* Ah! but I did not believe he would be so oo and it made me ill when I heard of his pilot, ** But you know this?” ** As Ido that you were with him when, that same afternoon, he drove to the Old Pirate’s home,” ** Yes, but he did not go in,” ** Not then.” ‘“* He intended robbing the old sailor, but when I was sure of it I told him I would prevent any more crimes, for I was sick of them. “tT met that man and loved him with my whole soul, **{ believed him noble, honorable, true as steel, and I married him. ‘* It was not a year before I found out that he was what you detectives call a crook, ‘tHe stood fairly well in society, was a club member, lived in good style, and yet at heart shee no gentleman, was evil and plotting for 9) ** He got together a band of unfortunates, who had once seen better days, and organized a league against those possessing wealth who made no use of it for good. ‘* T was fool enough to believe that I could re- ep him, and them, and I struggled hard to O 80. ** But at last I saw that the task wasa a. less one, that to murder and rob was apparently their delight, ** They murdered Sedley Seaton, and to fright- en off pursuit began to kill the officers of the aw. + any had a band perfectly organized, and a spy at Headquarters and among the police, ‘“‘Their den, or one of them, is in the old deserted house where you were fired upon that night, for there are rooms in that place you never found,” ** And you fired the shot that killed my in- tended assassin?” ** Yes, for I heard the orders given him to kill you, . **T fired not to kill him, but the bullet went to the seat of life, ‘*T then spoke to you from the door, for I was wae in the room for the secret council to end, ‘* Not one of the band suspected me, and we fled through a secret way from the house, ‘*T came here to protect you the night the Ghouls came back for their ty, for | knew you would be here, ‘*T had the reports of the band’s spies, who were watching you, and I had my own spies upon you, for I was determined to save you, where they were determined to kill you.” **'You have more than canceled the debt of life you owed to me,” ‘*T have done my duty, and let it atone for crime in being allied to such as I am,” ‘ Now let me tell you who your husband is?” ** You know then?” ‘*'Yes, I know that he drives a pair of dun horses with silver manes pnd tails, and that you arise eenee white pony in a dug-cart.” ™m **T know that your husband lives in good style on ——th street, and that people do not sus- pect him of heing what he is, * His own meu co not know bim as he really is, for he always disguises himself before them. ‘*T know that he did go witb his band and kill that old sailor they call the pirate, and—” ‘*No! no! has he done this crime?” cried the woman, ‘“* He has, and let me tell you that he is now hemmed in so there is no escape for him, and all I desire now is that you may not share his fate, that you may escape from the toils, for I would save you from the shame and dishonor, the misery and sorrow of being known as the wife of such a man as is Clyde Colton, such a crook, robber and murderer, for he will go to the rete, while you shall not be dragged down by infamy.” sth Se : . : . a . — tl oa ens eee de ue te oe ew 2 egg ooo ety Bere ‘¢Oh, how can I save myself now?” gasped the woman, “Why did you come here to-night?” “To tell you that to-morrow right, just at twelve, my husband and his whole band are coming to this place to kill you, ‘‘ They know that you stay bere, and they will enter the mansion by the secret panel, hidein the hall, and let me tell you that they can enter this room, secure as you deem yourself,” ‘*Do you mean it?’ **T told you that 1 was born in this-house, and I know all of its secrets, ‘* See here!” She arose and went to the paneled wall, pressed hard against a certain panel, and it swung open, revealing a space through which a man could readily pass into the hall, ‘‘'Thig can be opened from without as well, and my husband knows all the secrets as well as I, for [told him of tem, little dreaming then he meant to use what I said against Peter Main- hall, ‘¢'he house was built long ago, and my great grandfather had his own ideas carried out in the building, ’ “*It a to warn you.of certain death to- morrow night that I came.” ‘*Can I trust you?” ** Wholly.” **Do you love your husband?” ‘* T despise, I hate him now, when I feel that he is so evil, that he has made me so wicked in hiding his crimes,” ‘- Will bef do as I tell you?” “6 Gladly.” ‘‘ Where is your husband now?” “Ho is at the council of the band to-night arranging to come here to-morrow night and kill you, and get more booty bidden here, for he vows there is more, and he intends to look through all the secret recesses, ‘‘He does not know yet that I brought back the bag of booty, which is to be divided on Sun- day night; with other robberies, and has not yet been missed.” ‘6 You will doas I tell you”, *¢7 will.” “Then go to your home, pack up what you need, and care to take with you, and have all in readiness to leave when your husband departs to-morrow night from his house,” ‘t Yes,” ‘‘Have a carriage for yourself and trunks and drive to the depot, taking the train for New Orleans, and I will give you a letter to the chief of police there and his wife, who will wel- come you, ‘The chief knew your father well. ‘‘Once there you are away from all danger, and you can shape your life differently.” ‘‘T will; but Clyde Colton?” ‘¢ Leave him to me.” ‘‘T will do that too,” was the earnest answer of the unfortunate woman, CHAPTER XXXII. CONCLUSION. WHEN the chief returned to his home, from his visit to the old sailor’s homestead, where he had left several officersin charge, he was sur- prea to find Dick Doom in his hbrary awaiting m, “T have come, chief, to say that you must send word at once to your men atthe sailor’s home not to be seen all day, but to keep close, for the murder must not come out before the ublic,” ‘* Bat why, Dick?” ‘é Well , chief, because I wish the capture of the murderer to be known at the same time that itis discovered that a murder has been perpe- trated.” ‘* Ts this possible to do?” ‘lt is, for I will capture, with your aid, the Gold Ghouls band to-morrow nigh6,” ‘*Grand!” cried the chief excitedly, ‘‘ Now, send word to your men, and to-mor- row select a dozen of your very best detectives to accompany us, and let them go one at a time to the miser’s mansion soon after dark. ‘‘] will beat thegate to receive them, and you also when you come,” ‘“Then that will be the scene of their cap: ture?” “ Yes, chief.” ‘*- You know them all then?” ‘Yes, and who do you think is their chief?” . ee ¢<¢ ) \ our friend Clyde Colton,” Bah!” ‘+ Tt is 80.” The chief laughed, | . 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