Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 837 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

return of his composure. ~~») et, et’s so small.” ok A aay aM ne ‘ Cert!” ta . ar ; a . stp Ue i? c EES eke - { . ~- 7 e * pain was its every inflection, she threw, her- self at the feet of the detective. ‘* No, no!” she exclaimed, ‘* you must not, ou shall not take him away. He shall not eave us!” ‘Be still!” requested the officer, not un- kindly. He tried to break the hold she had fast-' ened on his knees, but she resisted so strong- ly, it was not easy. She had lost all calm- ness, and seemed on the verge of a hysterical outbreak. ‘“You do not know what it means to us!” she added, pathetically. ‘‘Spare him! He must not, shall not go!” CHAPTER IL. DRIVEN TO DESPERATION. , Tue chief detective turned to his compan- on. ‘Take her away,” he requested. The second man advanced and, with strong hands broke the hold of the girl’s fingers. She sunk upon the floor, hen the leader again moved toward Henry and grasped his arm. ‘“There is no escape for you,” he said. *“TDo not force us: to endure this scene; do not force her to endure it.” The argument seemed to impress Corliss, and he took one step forward, but Hecla then leaped up. ‘*'You shall not go!” she cried. She clasped her arms around his neck and held fast, but the hold was_ broken. Patient the officers had been, but they were tired of the delay, and they wanted no more _ of it. Roughly one of the pair cast her aside. He had meant no more harm, but her foot caught and she fell heavily. The sight stirred Corliss too much for his calmness. He turned upon the officer in a fury, and with a blow felled him to the floor. Then he leaped at the second man _ and he, too, went down. By this move, un- expected as it was to all, the opposition was for the time out of the race, and a wild im- pulse came to the accused man. The way to liberty was in a measure made a dash for the door, One of the officers rose with ~unexpected agility and presented a revolver to the flee- ing youth. Corliss grasped the weapon and tried to wrest it away. There was a report and the detective sunk down again. ‘* Great guns! Robert, impulsively. Corliss stood staring at the victim with a dazed expression for a moment; then he turned again and fled from the room. The wounded man rose partially, and, though unable go do more, spoke quickly to his companion: © ‘* Pursue! Do not let him escape!” ete second officer rushed away in pur- suit. | : Those who remained behind were too moved by various circumstances to act to any purpose. Petersen was supporting his daughter’s head and she was moaning in a half-unconscious way; while Robert gazed blandly at the wounded officer, not a little stirred t she he had been witness to such an event. The detective finally spoke: ‘* Boy, tear away my clothing and let me see if lam badly hurt.” . ‘‘ Correct, boss,” answered Robert, with a “T ain’t no sur- eon, but I guess I’m enough fer your case; ou speak up as pert asa gal with a new ‘beau, an’ et’s a good sign,” Be - ** No frivolity; attend to business. ‘*Come now, don’t git cranky, mister. I -ain’t yer nigger this year, an’ I won’t be set down on an’ Slain by yer lip. ee? Wounded? Why, old man, a Bowery boy ‘would take that hurt an’ play base-ball with “It does seem slight.” ’ open, and he } It’sa murder!” cried Risky | ~ . _— = ; ws PT Pe ne a 3 ee ee ete : J ad - or > -~ a wT PY « eos L' loe €@ 44 ee Se te | The Big Four of the Bowery. ‘* But the fellow who did it shall suffer!” ‘‘T believe they ginerally catch rabbits be- fore they cook ’em, don’t they, mister!” “He will be caught easily.” ‘All right.” Bob did not seem to have much enthu- siasm in the matter. In point of fact he had given his sympathies to Corliss, and was not in the least anxious to see the officers suc- ceed—why he did not know. ‘Go for a doctor,” requested the wounded man, suddenly. ‘‘T remember there is one in this build- ing.” ‘* Summon him,” Robert went for the manof medicine. On the way back he took a good look for signs of Corliss and his pursuer, but nothing could he see. Both appeared to have got out of sight mysteriously. ‘“ B’jinks! I hope he will beat out the gavus. But wait, RK. Burns; you ain’t no law-breaker, an’ you don’t know what the rifle is. Bea bit slow until you are onto the game,” The doctor, being duly called, said the of- ficer had a wound which would put him in the hospital for awhile, but one not necessaril fatal or dangerous. He did what he could, while Olaf kept by his daughter and looked on without any degree of good will express- ed in his face. . Finally the second detective came in quickly. ‘‘ Where have you put him?” abruptly de- manded the wounded man, ‘*T haven’t put him.” ‘What do you mean?” ‘* He has escaped.” ‘« Escaped!” : 45 Oe ‘Great heavens! you don’t mean it?” ‘‘He got out of my sight, and I have not been able to find him since. Of course it was done by his superior knowledge of the build-. ing.” . ** And has he really escaped?” “Yes.” “What have you done?” ‘‘ Notified a patrolman and had a message sent to Headquarters.” “The best way, probably, Call an am- bulance for me, or some service which will enable me to get to the hospital. Pos- sibly a cab willdo. Yes, I think it will.” A cab was duly summoned, and when it arrived the wounded man was taken away. Other officers put in an appearance, and the search for Corliss was resumed both in the adjacent houses and around the streets. No heed was given to Petersen and his daughter, and Robert stayed with them. Hecla had been in a nearly fainting condition for a time, but as she gradually revived in all respects she took an earnest interest in mat- ters concerning Corliss, Olaf expressed the hope that Henry would not be found, and she agreed with him, ‘It is infamous to charge him with wrong- if doing!” she asserted. ‘Right, child; right!” her father added. ‘* W hat’s the riffle, anyhow?” asked Robert, suddenly. Or; ‘Don't you know?” ce No.” ‘* Corliss seemed to,”’ ‘Why do you think so?” ‘© He didn’t press the p’int about what was Jup. Now, when a man is arrested an’ he don’t know what fer, he is pretty likely ter ask all sorts o’ questions. Henry didn’t, an’ though he may be innocent, you kin jest about bet he was onto the racket.” ‘““ He has escaped them.” ; “‘Not fer long. They will have him.” Olaf turned to his daughter. | “If this is to be, what will become of our bond?” he asked, anxiously. Te 5 ver yi & - “They did not say what he was accused | where Jack is now, but of this Iam ~- A nd 7? —. . 7 a oe Nee we aS ie! i > i te FUT, ya ; . A, * oa — ‘‘ Heaven knows!” murmured Hecla, dis- consolately. ‘“What is this bond, anyhow?” inquired Robert. ‘‘ Ah! it is much, everything tous. We are poor people, and its loss means so much to us!” ‘Tell me all about it ” ‘‘T am not sure it would be wise.” ‘‘Mebbe you would find et would be jest that. I ain’t so green as I look, an’ ef Henry could help ye, I may be able ter do the same. Drive ahead, an’ let me on ter the thing.” Petersen meditated and decided to do as he was requested. He sat down and told his story in these words: ‘*My daughter and I have been poor, and life was so hard for us in Sweden that we decided to come here to America. Once we had been more prosperous, and we had put our little savings into a bond, or certificate of stock, as I hear it called, and this we kept intact through all our troubles. i “Finally I said to Hecla: ‘We must do something or we shall reach the point of breaking in on the bond, to live. N ve be- sides that, we have just enough sah at if we sell all out we can get to America. If we do this I can get work, and we will again be prosperous and not need to sell the bond.’ ‘This was done and we came on. Alas! I did not get the work I desired; it seemed to me that New York was far more full of men than it could hold. There was noth- ing for me here—I searched long, carefully, anxiously, but no work was found and we all the while grew poorer, ‘“We had made some acquaintances, and among them Mr. Corliss. Another was named Jack Webber. He owns a horse, and races at the tracks around the city. ‘When he heard about the bond he told me I was foolish to have a Swedish security when iv this country, for I could exchange, it for American securities which would bring me in far more money. I cannot tell just what he did say, for he talked so much I was bewildered, but I was told that the bond could be thus exchanged, and that what I could get for it in American bonds would almost support us, and make it un- necessary for me to sell it.” | Robert shook his head. “Fishy!” he muttered. | ‘‘ At first Henry Corliss objected to this, but Webber talked with him and he agreed to it. I gave the bond to him, and he was to give it to Webber. He did so, but Web- ber has not made his report, and we have not seen him since. Henry has been look- ing for him, but has not found him. We are waiting, waiting, always waiting, and no word comes from Webber. Ido not see how it is. I donot see where the bond is.” ‘* You never will see et!” muttered Robert, CHAPTER III. THE RATTLER AT WORK. | Derecttve Bos had formed his opinion | of the state of affairs, and he made up his— mind that the emigrant’s bond was gone for- ever unless some happy chance resulted in its recovery, | Both Petersen and Robert had uncon- | sciously looked downas a pause followed the - end of the explanation,and the latter happen- ed to see the letter which he had brought to ‘orliss, and which had been dropped by the | : Wee ; . | young man when the officers came. | Quickly the boy picked it up. ory it “Ah! the letter!’ exclaimed Olaf, ‘ must be kept for H again.” He held out his hand, but Robert coolly proceeded to read what was there. the letter: | “ Dwar Cortiss:—I am unable to tell you BIOs j enry when he comes