Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 821 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

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He was found by the coachman, as one of the Mad Chemist’s men was known, and was at once released snd conducted into the pres- ence of the master of the place. Another man had arrived at the Ruins by this time, and it was none other than the man trom Hartford, the one whom Harry and Seth had been shadowing successfully; oe these two, by the way, were not far off. The two men were in conversation when the Chinaman was brought in, With an angry oath the Mad Chemist leap- ed to his feet, laid hold upon the Chinee and gave him a shaking. ‘Give an explanation of this, curse you!’ he hissed, ‘‘ How came those prisoners to get out of your hands? Where have you been? How did they get help?” * The Chinaman only mumbled and mutter- ed, but was unable to speak. ‘Free his hands and let him make signs,” suggested the other man, ‘** Yes, and then I'll make a sign for him,” the Mad Chemist declared, ‘‘ And it will be one he won't escape, either,” ‘* Let’s get all the information we can out of him, first.” **Oh, to be sure.” The Chinaman’s hands were freed, with that, and again did the Mad Chemist demand the explanation of all that had taken place. Quicker than thought the arms of the sup- posed Celestialshot out, and in each fist was a revolver. ‘‘ Puttée uppee hands!” he ordered. ‘‘ Blazes!” cried the amazed men. means this?” | ‘* Allee samee means you are my plisoners,” said the Chinee, meekly. “Who are you?’ thundered Germain. ‘** Drop those weapons, or your life won’t be worth a cent.” ‘Maybe not worth cent if do droppee them,” the grinned rejoinder. ‘‘ You puttee hands high uppee, else allee samee hear something dlop, you bettee! Keepee up, now.” | The weapons themselves were the stron- gest argument, and they prevailed. The two men put up their hands, cursing. ‘Trapped you that time, didn't I?” the supposed Chinaman then said, in a different voice. ‘‘ This is the second inning, with Broadway aid on top. Don’t] make a move, now, cither of you. or it will mean death,” > He had not forgotten the third man of course, who was standing where the weapons covered him, too, Billy put a whistle to his lips and blew a shrill blast, when in came the real Wun Lung, with half a dozen at his back, among whom were Happy Harry, Silent Seth, Fatty-Skinny, Roger Watts, with a brace of capable detectives for good measure. “Trapped!” cried the Mad Chemist. ** Tricked!” ‘*Yes, and captured, too,” said Billy. ** Men, take them and handcuff them in the best manner,” In a moment it was done, ‘There you are,” cried Billy, casting off his disguise. ‘‘Now, men, two of you re- main on guard, while the rest of us search “What these premises,” and they went down the stone stairs and along the same passage we have seen before. When they, had gone about half its length, though, the guide stopped and openeda door in the side wall, A room was disclosed, and at a glance its secret was revealed. ‘* Counterfeiters!” So it was, but not in the way of coiners, These had a lay-out for counterfeiting bank bills, and everything was in open sight just as they had stopped work on the last occa- sion. This secret out, everything else was under- stood readily enough. The secret did not stop there, but was carried on thoroughly, till the secrets of the old place were laid bare. And when that had been done, Broadway Billy and his Beagles, with one of the detec: tives, took their leave of the Ruins, the others remaining on guard over the prisoners, A conveyance was awaiting them out on the main road, and ere long they were at Brisbane. ** There some arrests were quietly made, and the parties had their choice of going at once to-jail or of being taken to the Ruins. They preferred the latter, and were taken there, thinking, no doubt, that a chance would offer for their escape, which they could not get if they chose to be put in the lock-up. In the mean time David Haswick had not been idle at Granton, but, having been in some manner warned of the scheme at work, was in hiding in the grounds of the Granton manse to await the appearance of the de- signing Lycurgus agd Madeline Pleyton, and a constable was with him to make the ar- rests, | CHAPTER XV: HOW IT CAME OUT. A WOMAN entered the shaded grounds when the vail of darkness had fully dropped, and made her way close to the house. There she remained under cover of the bushes that hedged the main walk, waiting for something or some one. Andaman who had come in after her took up his station further away. These were seen by David Haswick and the constable with him, and the constable gave Haswick aome whispered directions, Haswick immediately left the constable and made his way quietly out of the grounds. | About half an hour later a carriage drew up at the front gates. A man alighted, and came down the main walk, > Ile was near tbe house, when the woman stepped out from cover and .met him, and holding out her hands, said: ‘* David?” ** Gretna!” was the exclaimed response. ‘*Oh! I am so glad you have come!” the woman cried, in low tone. ‘‘I am in de- spair,” ** Why, loved one, what is wrong? What has happened?” ; ‘*T’ather means to foree me to marry Dick Bardner, and there is only one escape for me. Will you rescue me? You know Iam yours —yours till death, dear Dave!” ‘Yes, come at once. My carriage is at the gate, and I will take you to the minister immediately—” **No, no, for I have been crying so that my face isa fright. But, you go and bring him, and we will be wed under the trees. He will come for me, I 4m sure he will—” ** No, that will not do, loved one, You must come with me, but you need not lift our vail, if you do not wish to; it will not e necessary. My darling Gretna shall not be cheated of her love!” | . There was meaning in that last sentence. Wun Lung led the way, bearing a light, | He took her arm and led her hastily away, arms. . : > . s* . P oe _—* ~~ t+, ai ~ - : ft pe aed ~~. : oe - » - SS, ~~. sb E = = ‘a a x ~ = _ “ and they entered the carriage and were— driven off. As the carriage rolled away, the heavy hand of the constable fell upon the shouider of the other man in hiding, and his voice sternly ordered: ‘Surrender, Fred Lycurgus, for you are my prisoner!” ‘* What—what do you mean?” ‘‘ Just what I sav. If you resist me you will be sorry, for lL can handle you, Give me your hands,” The constable was a powerful fellow, and before Lyeurgus could think of trying to escape him, had snapped handcuff supon his wrists. ‘Release me, and at once,” the prisoner demanded. ‘If you don’t, Pll make such an uproar that you will be glad to do so, This is an outrage, and you have no right to hold me,” ‘You may make all the fuss you want to,” was the cool response to that. ‘‘ 1 know what Iam about, and you will find that you are in a'trap you will not get out of ina hurry. Come along with me, now, and the better for you if you come quietly. You can’t escape me.” Finding that threats were of no avail, the prisoner tried bribing, but that was useless,. and he was forced to submit, On the following morning persons from Granton and Brisbane were summoned to come in all haste to the Ruins. The persons making the call. were Broad- way Billy and David Haswick, and, neediess to say, each one summoned made haste to respond. By ten o’clock all were assembled in the great room of the old stone house, and Broad- way Biily addressed the company, telling the story of the case in full, Among those present were Stanwood Granton and wife, with Gretna; Banker Bardner and his son Richard; Landlord Priceley, of Brisbane, and many others who had interest in the matter, ‘This is the ending of a great case,” Billy said tothem. ‘‘ In the first place, this man whoin you have known as the Mad Chemist is one of the most expert of counterfeiters, and he came here in the guise he did to carry on his nefarious work in safety. ‘‘Lycurgus, his pretending secretary, is an expert engraver, once in the employ of the Government, ‘The others with them were ail in the work, and the story of the Mad Chemist, and their imposing upon him, was all idle talk to avert suspicion from their real business. And they had a branch at Hartford, where a large part of the money . was put on the market. : “They might have gone on successfully for some time to come, had not Lycurgus fallen in love with Miss Granton. To re- move Mr. Haswick he captured him at night when he was Sate from Brisbane, drop- ping a lasso over him from the big tree by the cemetery and bringing him here to the Ruins through atunnel that runs from here to the big vault. It wasa clever trick, and well carried out. But it has been brought to naught. | ‘*The ghost was a trick, too; a wooden figure dressed in white, having movable And the voices from the air, as so often heard, these were made by pipes run- ning from the vault up into the old tree, carefully hid from view, the speakers being down in the vault and out of sight. Oh, es, a clever scheme, but it was overdone, 2s is usually the case. Then the scheme be- tween Fred Lycurgus, as I will still call him, though he has other names and Madeline Pleyton, was another branch of the matter, and that too,has come to nothirfg. ‘* But, let the prisoners be brought in.’’ They were brought, and at length the keen young detective went over every inch — \ aw 0 | Of | uN | la Pte Soenbd 2 : SS ee ~e a Oe ra b ies _* e « E> ~ Pe me | : ue ap ab — é te alk Ar “ - - . - ~ “s° <a? Few 7a ee Se oa » a urs - > Mat 54" A> wp A es ~~ —y ~ . ay eRe a o* 4 « += ‘ a ‘ bt “a + .* vw —— q ° Pad SY 7 2 ie ~ rm . a i ay > . Teaca = dies 6 “F ¥ * ie a" ; - i ‘ A Hes A r ae na = vi > Brug. ee > bd PACS wh : Y Pee Sn | rig > » ‘ > ———e