Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 821 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

my death, for I have been known to come in here,” was the quiet defiance. The two men looked at each other. _** We can fix that,” said the Mad Chemist. i And he did not speak with any of the French ee accent now. | 3 ‘* How can we fix it?” asked Lycurgus. ‘You can play his part,” was the answer. ‘* After dark you can go over to Granton in 4 his clothes and make-up, and ride back A azain to Brisbane with the man who brought himover. That will clear-us.” rs ‘‘ Ha! just the thing. You are a chief, no mistake. That is what we will do, and the world will be well rid of Broadway Billy.” “Call Wun Lung.” a ) a The secretary stepped to the door and bs called, and in a few moments a Chinaman as shuffled into the room. : & ‘Here 1s another boarder for you, Wun Lung,” said the Mad Chemist. The Chinaman grinned. ‘“And you want to take the best of care he that he does not escape, too,” the secretary - cautioned, ‘If he does, your life won’t be worth a cent.” The Chinaman nodded, but did not re- spond in words. ‘*We'll relieve him of his clothes first,” ‘ announced the Mad Chemist, ‘‘ and you can = find some old rags for him to put on, Clothes | won't be of much use to him, for he is going out of society now.” ‘* You needn't take the trouble to look up any clothes for me,” Billy spoke up, ‘for you will find that I have two suits on now,” ‘‘Ha! then you are fixed nicely.” His hands were securely tied, then, and he was freed from the chair. _He was then disarmed, a pair of heavy re- volvers being found in his hip-pockets, to- gether with handcuffs, That done, he was freed and ordered to take off his outer suit, which he did prompt- lly enough, having no choice in the matter. _ «3e was in the toils, View ‘*Now, there you are!” exclaimed the i ‘Mad Chemist. ‘We will lodge you here im for the present, or until we make up our minds what to do with you finally. Take eS him away, Wun Lung, and see that he don’t : escape you.” + - * ‘Phe Chinaman grunted, and laying hold upon Billy, whose hands had been again _—_—_— - ee > a, —_ os tied, forced him out‘of the room and down a | flight of stone stairs. Billy realized that he had hands of his foes. He had considered his disguise about per- fect, and had had no fear in coming boldly into the old house as he had done, — Now the question would be, how to get — is, out again, - | we But, already he had a plan in mind, and ” SS fallen into the 2 Ee Tee Ee ty a. Se ta the Chinaman was his star of hope! — — _. He had in mind, too, what the Mad Chem- ist bad first said to the Chinaman on his first coming into the ‘room, that he had another prisoner for him, ' } - Who was that other, or the first? Was it the missing David Haswick? . He had some reason to believe that it might be he. og When the bottom ‘of the stone stairs was reached, he was shoved along through a pass: age. to a door, which the Chinaman stopped to open. oh Dean —... Here was a dank, dark room, and into that -——s the young detective was pushed, the China- man muttering some incoherent words as a a let go his hold upon him, and the door Pe selon w 82 eq TEP eaAT , t ‘ * < , * J . 4 . , > 2 7 ] “ 4 ts 7 /._._ *whisper, om , | tipo eee ; oa you David Haswick?” Billy inquired, 4 ‘before answering. at Xes,-.am he,” > /* Well, I’m a detective come to rescue Mi you, but ’'m in the same fix you are in your- iy - se © . ® / fate: ee v Ms ° :- 2 Then did they trap you?” — , f- , a . a ae “pot oe , » «* . e 7 ‘ “Who is that?’ asked a voice in a, Broadway Billy’s Bluff. sé Yes.” ? “Who are you?” ‘ Billy Weston, or Broadway Billy.” “Thank God! I am glad that you are here, sir, even though a prisoner, for now I have renewed hope.” “Tm not in condition to be of much use to you, or myself either, just now,” Billy had to declare. ‘‘Still, the way may open for us after awhile.” , “‘T hope it will.” . ‘Tell me about yourself, how you were trapped, and the reason, and so on.” That the prisoner did, Billy listening with keen interest, and as the story progressed he began to get a new light upon the mystery. “*Does that Chinaman bring your supper to you?” Billy asked, finally. ‘* Yes,” the answer. ** And he brings a light?” S08,” ‘Then I think I have a plan in mind by which we can get out of here together; [ll try it, anyhow.” Billy then, on his part, told Haswick all that was goingonin the world outside, or all that he would be interested to know, at any rate. n the mean time, above, the Mad Chemist and his secretary were having a talk over the situation. ‘‘T has got to be done,” the Mad Chemist declared. ‘And at once?” ‘¢ Just as soon as possible. plan from the beginning. now that the detectives are after me.” ‘‘ But I can’t go with you, for I must win that girl if that be possible.” ‘* You would run the risk of prison for a woman?” t- Yes.” ‘‘The more fool you, then!’ ‘*But I cannot be harmed if you get awa and keep your secret. I was only your pri- vate secretary, you know.” | ‘‘But if the secret leaks out, good-by to you! Still, by holding fast to this detective and the other fellow, and putting them out of the way, we may get off free.” “That is what we must-do. about the Hartford lay?” “We did not fool the fellow any on that. He has come right from there here, and maybe his boys are here, too, by this time.” ‘* No, they are there, for I have heard from the other Henry Rubert. That was a bad slip on our part, and it was a wonder the keen young fellow did not notice it before.” ‘‘He noticed it, you may be sure. But after it was made, that was all you could do That was my But what | —to declare yourselves cousins, and both of the same name. There was nothing strange about it, for there -are plenty of such in- stances.” ‘Yes, I suppose so. But now to rig up as Hartly Kyne, and try to play the role long enough to take they train at Brisbane, when [ will soon get back here and all will believe the young Englishman left Brisbane in safety. -That isa good scheme, if it can only be carried out. CHAPTER XUI. GETTING OUT AGAIN. Iv was just after dark when Hartly Kyne reached the hotel at Granton. Jack West, his driver, was impatient, and had the horse out and ready at the doof. He had no desire to remain later than he could not help, for the thought of the Gran- ton Graveyard ghost troubled him. ‘‘ Ha! I find youall ready, do I?” the young Englishman greeted. - “Yes, you bet!’’ was the response. ‘‘T didn’t know but what you was goin’ to stay all night.” . | “Oh, no, not quite so bad as that. ‘But, say, friend, would you like: to remain. late | enough to see that ghost as we pass—” >» oy - 7 . * e — SF 413 7 : . . 2 > .~ , ’ z . : . ‘ & BS ade a a Saad ~ in - 2 ‘ A * ee o* ‘ - P+ ter st, * as % 4 *-> & a 24... Ais a < - 3 1. - se i - * < ae LM white ASS YAK 78 " . Y “4 “nt, f -- : 4 Led | te: o of 7 ie + Rg Se - re 4 = = P , el hie LEAT Aer, , ! | ror the horse increased its speed, to the echo am eee +” meet wee ™ > “=< — z les , - e ds vg = 4 it te . ee oe ee £4 3. + . ‘ - PB th heere es ye ™ 4. se > is "i 7 ghost !” ‘‘No, sir! If you want to, you kin, but you can’t count meinit. If youjare ready, we'll go now, and if you ain’t [Pll put up and we'll stay all night. Just as you say, boss.’ , ‘We will go now, then, if that is the case. IT was only joking, anyhow, for I want to get a train to the city to-night.” ‘* And we'll have jest about time enough to git the Express, if we don’t fool no time away.” « ‘* Let’s be off, then, at once.” The supposed Englishman got into the buggy, and the driver springing: in after him, they were soon speeding along on their return, When they came to the graveyard the driver touched up the horse a little and showed by that how eager he was to get past the place as soon as possible, even at that early hour. As they drew near to the gates and the big tree, a bluish light was suddenly seen around and about the vault, and the driver gave a gasp of fright. “ The . ‘*Great Goshen!” he ejaculated. ‘‘ Where?” cried the Englishman, grab- bing his companion, as if in terror. . * You'll see it,” was the frightened reply. “Git up! Dolly Varden! ‘Git up! I tell rey” He applied the whip, and the horse leaped into a run that almost made the light wheels of the buggy hum as they danced along. Just when they were opposite the vault = I must get out, | the ghost was seen, and with a snort of ter- ay = shin oes of the voice of the ghost and of wild laugh- terin the air. : © pteoe® > a ae » ' — aa * 2 a * i 1 "a da Pie ‘‘ Beware!” cried the ghostly voice. ‘‘ Be- ware! Beware!” | aK And the voices above and around them ee caught up the echo and repeated the warn- ee ing till they could no longer be heard. = “Merciful goodness!” the Englishman_ ae gasped. ‘I wouldn’t live near that place > ae for all the gold in the Bank of England!” + an: ‘‘T should say not,” agreed the driver, i himself wiping the sweat from his face with — his hand. ‘‘I never want to see it again.” | a | It took them some time to get the horse oY down to a moderate pace again, and when - ie | they had done so they talked about the ghost. a ‘No, you can set it down that m’lord | ae won't move out here with my approval,” the a Englishman declared. ‘Ill give him such t a report of the place that he will never care oy Se to see it.” + ee ‘“He wouldn’t want to, if he seen that - Se ghost once.” Se ‘On the contrary, that might make him all Se . the more eager. Tl give him so discourag:- a. ing a report about the Ruins itself that he bi ae | ‘ will never care to investigate the matter fur- = 6: M ther.” a ™ _ ** Yes, I see.” ie “Do you think we’ll catch that train?” ‘Yes, easy, now.” ee ‘Good. Imust not miss it. Drive me right to the station, and give my regards to the landlord, and tell him I have seen al! I want to of the Ruins.” Pee When they entered Brisbane, accordingly, : the driver took his passenger to the station sok direct, and a little time later the Englishman was on his way to New York, and the crime at the Ruins would be covered, ~<a But to return to Billy. > pee: He and the other prisoner, Haswick, passed Die the time in conversation until the returning 7, of the Chinaman. : eS It was after dark when hecame, sometime | after dark, and both men were getting de- = © cidedly hungry when he put in his appear: ar ance, bearing their supper. c fcr “Well, Wun Lung, got here, did you?” Sete questioned Billy. } go oy) ee “He can’t talk,” explained Haswick, as sf the Chinaman only grunted in reply. | ‘“No? What’s the matter?” - “ P * s * ae . a pte’ | amd is * ‘| 6 Sea CF