Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 820 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Ss * . . to% oe s ¢ a “J A * ‘ wank, aaa RS. *, , a ; a ma ' broken sob, Nobby Wat, the Tenderfoot Detective, ‘ 15 deserved. Before ho paid the penalty of his crimes, he confessed he had killed Graham -Grant, as the shrewd detective had deter- mined, ‘owe Nathan Kirk sat staring at a scented sheet of paper on which was written: ‘‘Dear Nat:—Come to me! Oh, come to me] ‘** GERTIZ,”” At length he arose and paced twice the length of the roon, ‘Shall I go?” he asked himself, ‘‘I had resolved never to see her again, but—but this appeal seems drawing me to her, Poor ertie! She must be lonely now. Why should I not answer her appeal? Yes, I will Two hours later he was being carried west- ward ona very fast Express, but which trav- eled all too slowly for this impatient passenger, A beautiful summer day was drawing to a close out on the great prairie when a horseman reached the crest of a swell from which he could look down on Cross Bar Ranch, Around him were grazing herds of cattle, while the rich grass beneath the feet of his horse was bespangled with bright flowers, The soft breeze was laden with softest of nature’s perfumes, Away in the west the sun had sunk to rest, but the sky was emblazoned with pen- nants and guidons and banners of crimson, purple and gold, To the east a bluish haze rested on the plain. But the horseman did not note the beauty of the perfect scene, for his eyes were fixed on the ranch, ‘‘{ wonder if she is waiting for me down there?’ he murmured. ‘‘ How shall I be re- ceived? Even after all had been explained, she allowed me to go away without a word. That I thought was the end—that her love for me was but a memory,” He saw a figure come out of the ranch-house and walk slowly to the west. There was no mistaking the person. It was Gertrude, The horseman rode down to the ranch, where bis animal was taken by a cowboy. ‘¢ Miss Grant has gone to her sister’s grave,” explained the man, as he led the horse away, ** She will be back soon,” The visitor made no reply, but walked away to the west, thinking he would find her. Some distance from the house there was a quiet little hollow where the shadows {of night were gathering thickly. His feet made no noise ou the soft grass as he descended into the hollow where, beside a mound of earth at the bead of bich rose & pure marble shaft, a grief-bowed gure was kneeling, : She did not hear him, and he pause. a short distance away, She had brought some flowers which she was arranging on the grave. | ‘*Poor little [vy!” she murmured, with a ‘““You are gone forever, and I am so lonely—so lonely! Will Natever come to me again? My heart is calling to him constantly and it seems that he must know I love him—I love him!” a ‘¢ Gertie!” She rose to her feet—turned—saw him, “With . a great cry of gladness, she sprung into his out- stretched arms, and then she felt his kisses on her lips. They were standing amid the shadows, but the golden glow of the perfect sunset illumined their happy faces, THE END, ‘Treadway Billys Blut; THE MUTE CHINAMAN AMONG THE CROOKS. BY J. C. COWDRICK, AUTHOR OF “BROADWAY BILLY” NOVELS, ETO. CHAPTER I, ~™ THIS WAS STRANGE, ‘“ GaRISTOPHER COLUMBIA! why don’t some- thing turn up? We have got our breath now, af last tussl ckedness, and we want to pitch in again before our muscles stiffen, hat do you say, Silent Seth” ~~ eee Ta ‘ . . , "a 4 te ~ Ph ay. ® ~ +) * LAM ie 3 ny ~~ i TN, Ver : ‘ # * it , ‘¥ " gibt “> cht ay pm WF. p ¥ a Z i.e = 3, <" 5 : . . . ete A. 7 > : ; e - ~ » * fe [i = * * ‘ #5? s . The Silent Shadower nodded, but said no- ing. He had nothing to say. ‘* And what do you say, boss?” and Ha) Harry turned to Broadway Billy, their chief, that rising young detective of the metropolis, ‘“‘Tagree with you, Harry,” Billy made an- swer. ‘We don’t wan’t to be idle. We are cocked and primed forany consarned diffikilty that may pop up, 80, let er pop; sweet, pertaters, yes! Billy gave voice to his old-time exclamation once in awhile, just to delight his admiring ap- vrentices, And they enjoyed it, for in their more youth- ful days, before they ever thought of becoming identified with bim in his work, they had read of his exploits with bated breath, a Crackers an’ cheese!” cried Harry, ‘that 7s the talk! Setb, I don’t see how you cansit there like a Sphinx, when the jeebeeb is jeebing on his jeeber like this! Come, wake up and say some- thing! What’s the use of living, if you don’t let your chin wag?” ‘*Nothing to say.” ‘‘ Well, then, say it, I haven't anything to say either, but | keep my harp in tune just the same, so I'll be ready to play when something is to be said.” ‘¢ And perhaps Seth gives bis tongue plenty of rest so that he can use if all the more to the point when the occasion requires?” Billy sug- gested, ‘* Maybe that’s it, boss; I don’t know.” “Bo that as it may,” Billy went on, “‘ each of you is well in his place. There was never such a talker. asI was when a kid, and my ready tongue has helped me out of many a difficulty. On the other Rad: too much tongue has gotten me into many a difficulty. So you are evenly balanced,” “Tt would never do to have two such stoicks a. Seth,” Harry observed. ‘*That’s true; and I could never stand the cantter of two rattleboxes like you, Harry,” The opening of the office door interrupted their farther talk. A woman came into the office, a young wo- man, perhaps twenty-two years of age, one who was rather good-looking. She was well-dressed, her face showed her to bea person of intelligence, and when she spoke it was shown that she had a firm, musical voice, and that she was a woman of some education, “Do I address Mr. Weston, the detective?” she asked, “Yes, madam, I am Mr. Weston,” Billy an- swered, rising with a slight bow. ‘‘T have called to see you on a matter of busi- ness, sir,” ‘‘ Please be seated, and let me know in what sn can serve you, if it is my service you F@eK, ‘* And itis, sir. But, these young men—?” A glance toward Harry and Seth, who had immediately taken their places at the other end of the office, ‘*My assistants, madam, I will send them out, if you wish, but they are fully intrusted with whatever business I take hold of, and if it 's detective work you require—” “Tt is all sh ge sir; let them remain, It is detective work I require. I have come to en- “age you to find a missing man, Mr, Weston,” And thereupon she proceeded to reveal 4 ‘‘case” which deeply interésted and exvited tLe detective knight and his boy aids. The case wa3 this: This young lady was Miss Gretna Granton, from Granton, New Jersey, where her father 5 owned and operated two large mills, The near- est railway station was Brisbane, eight miles away. | At Brisbane was the bank through which the mill-owner transacted his business, and from which he drew the funds, weekly by special messenger, to pay off his great number of em- i a a’ his messenger was his cashier and general as- sistant, named David Haswick, and to whom the young lady was really engaged, Hence her deep interest in the matter. This young man started quite late one night, from Brisbane, on horseback, for Granton, hav- ing on his person money to a considerable amount, He did not reach Granton, but though the riderless horse reached bis stable the rider was mysteriously missing, and every and all search failed to solve the mystery of his disappearance, Had he run away? Was he murdered? Had he been abducted? These were the questions to solve:—this was x A 7 ; “ ; \ fs i sos pe 2 « > : . 1éé sats te i ws . be ; ie yee j (ee) if q | om SEY AL ee ole a Pe Chat oe Broadway Billy’s new case; andas the young lady revealed several incidental circumstances that gave a motive for his seizure and perhaps murder, the case at once assumed several, com- plicate conditions, He had, apparently, disappeared at Granton Graveyard~a mile or more from the village This was an old burying-place, in whose vicinity were the ruins of a once elegant—almost baro: nial—villa, © These ruins were owned and tenanted in a re- stored section by a singular personage known as the Mad Chemist—who was said to be pursuing experiments day and night, in the transmuta- tion of iron into gold, But more: the whole vicinity of the ruins and the graveyard was made uncanny by the ap- pearance of a ghost, every night, from eleven o'clock until two, and so real was this ghost visi- tant that everybody in all that region shunned the spot, It was ascertained, by careful examination, that atthe very gate of the old cemetery the horse that Haswick rode bad taken fright and made a furious run for home, and the inference was generally that at that very spot the man and money had disappeared, Broadway Billy ere long was at Brisbane, and with apparent lack of caution avowed both who be was and his pu of coming there, and in furtherance of this oy ae way of doing detective work, bired a horse from the landlord of the hotel, and, against the inn- keeper’s warning, avowed his purpose to go out to the cemetery. The crowd at the hotel wished him a safe trip, declaring et would be anxious to learn how he got through. 7 illy found the road a fine one, and being an expert rider, thanks to his Texas experience, he ye dr the trip and went along at a good rate of speed. e had made more particular inquiry about the road as it drew near to the cemetery, and as _ he approached that point he knew just abou" when to expect the cemetery to come into view. The night was not dark, though there was bv moon, and presently the ghostly headstones broke upon his sight, ‘Well, here | am,” Billy said to himself, bringing his horse down to a walk, ‘‘and now let his his Ghostsbip stalk forth and Vil try a sly shot at him and see what the effect will be,” He was proceeding down a gently sloping bill, and the cemetery lay at the bottom of the de- scent, on the right-hand side of the road, Along ‘the road in front of the cemetery was & stone wall, and in the middle of that wall an iron gate. | Billy’s sight was keen, even at night, and these points were easily made out, Then, near the gate, on the side from which he was approaching, was a large tree, and un- der the shadow of that, as he made out when hv came nearer still, was a big vault. ; The young detective approached at a watk, his revolver in band, ready for instant use, As he was approaching the tree, a bluish light suddenly surrounded the vault, and the horse gave a snort of terror! Billy spoke to the animal, and held the rein with a firm grip, bis revolver in hand, Almost sEnultaneouely with the appearance of the light, there came forth from the front of the vault what appeared to be a ghost of the enuine sort, Y The horse gave a cry of fright, but its rider held it firmly, and at the same time Billy let go a bullet straight at the apparition, whatever it was, one that was intended to do damage, too, But no damage was done, apparently, for the host gave forth the most gbostly laugh imag- ble, and lifting one spectral arm, with a part of its flowing white robe, pointed straight at the daring detective and called out, in deep tone; ‘*Rash man, return whence you came! sealed if you ride on to yon village!” Billy’s response was another shot, the effect of which was no more visible than that of the first. For the balance of this sparkling detective story—full of the liveliest kind of Gomge in which Broadway Billy and bis Brace o Boy Beagles show their pluck and skill gloriously, see BEADLE'S Hairy Drmz Liprary, No, 821, now ready name appears at the foot of the next column, The issues to immediately follow are: 822 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Boom, By Edward L, er. 823 Poker J ack, the Detective 824 reer or sia Wane Nonname By Jo Pie . of og TRS ae ne we wy ¥ ‘ oy Noth ing but death is here for you; your doom is’ and for sale by the newsdealer whose rt; Gr, Ms oro ichea tae . - = eee e . fh 1s JA 4 » i ' at ° 1% My a Pd (| 7 3 " , tt | e ‘| a] “aa > >