Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 841 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4& Messenger Max. ee am,” he thought, brushing a tear from his cheek | to my house, and get there as soon as you can, that had oozed from his eye in spite of himself. **She would be horrified!” And then he thought of his position with the telegraph company. He knew the company was very severe, and he knew almost to a certainty that he would lose his place, ‘I’m out of a job, sure,” he mused, his thoughts going at once to the little salary which he always gave to his mother, ‘‘ and it won’t be very easy to get another, either. Jobs are scarce nowadays, Maybe Mr. Mordaunt will help me,” remembering that gentleman’s offer to meet just such an emergency as this one. ‘* Suppose these police officers should make him believe that I am concerned in this rob- bery?” bis mind wenton. ‘' Suppose I should be convicted and sent to prison !” and he staggered to the cot and sat down upon it in the horror of the thought. But he recovered himself almost instantly. ** Tam innocent !” he exclaimed, aloud, ‘* and they cannot convict me of a crime with which I had nothing to do. No; I do not think I need fear that.” He thought of the two men who had been the cause of all his trouble. ‘*] will get even with them, some day,” he muttered, with a flash of the eyes and a clinch- ing of thehands, ‘‘I wish I could be a detect- ive; I would follow those villains to the ends of the earth! I would track them down and bri them to justice, if it took me a lifetime, and think I could doit. I know I could!” The City Hall clock struck two, **Only two hours since that big man stopped me,” thought Max. ‘‘ It seems like two weeks, two years, two lifetimes—but it has taught me a life-long lesson.” And thus he sat and mused and thought, while the hours ticked themselves away, It was a strange experience for a boy of six- teen years, but, though young, Max carried an old head on his broad, well-set shoulders, and he had pluck and determination sufficient to carry him through worse trials than these; and, in- deed, he would need all bis nerve, all his pluck, and all his tenacity in the experiences that were to follow closely upon this robbery. Morning broke bright and clear after the storm, and a little streak of sunlight stole in through the apology for a ,window in the cell where Max wasconfined, | **I guess things will come out all right,” thought Max, as he looked at it. When it was time for him to go before the magistrate he felt very hopeful, '. ** Did some one go and release Mr. Mordaunt last night?” he asked, of the officer who conduct- ci bit aes but that worthy knew nothing about it. Soon he found himself in the crowded, bad- smelling court-room, He looked on curiously as the usual round of ‘‘ regulars” were disposed of. Presently his own name was called, and he was led forward to the bench. ‘“‘A messenger-boy,” remarked the judge looking sharply at Max, ‘* What is he charged with? What? Burglary?) Where is the officer who made the arrest?” The officer stepped forward and told his story, making it as strong as he could against ax, The judge listened with close attention. ‘* What have you to say to all that?” asked i judge, of Max, when the officer had fin- ed. pee the second time Max told his side of the story. Just as he finished, the door opened hastily, and Mr. Mordaunt, closely followed by a prominent lawyer of Brooklyn, entered. He made some remark in an undertone to the lawyer, who stepped hastily forward, **T appear for this young geo p Honor,” he said, ‘‘at the request of Mr. Mordaunt, who is the owner of the house that was entered, and who would like to be heard before any for- mal charge is entered against this boy.” ** Very well,” said the judge. ‘‘ Let Mr. Mor- daunt be sworn.” 7 In less than half an hour, the entire proceed- ings against Max were scratched out of ex- istence, and the judge declared that there was no evidence except that he was thoroughly honest, and would have prevented the robbery if he could, was discharged. He left the court-room with Mr. Mordaunt. ** Go to the office first,” said that gentleman } to him;‘‘then to your mother, and then come as I want to havea talk with you. Go now!” Max thanked him with tears in his eyes, and started off on a run to do his bidding, It did not take him iong to reach the office, and when there he went immediately to the manager and again related bis story, adding that he could prove his statement by Mr. Mor- daunt and others, The manager liked Max, he having always been faithful in the discharge of his duty be- fore_that, and after delivering rather a severe lecture to him upon the absolute necessity of implicitly obeying the company’s regulations in the future, told him that bis offense would be overlooked that time, but that should any- thing of the kind occur again, he would lose his place at once, Highly elate at his good fortune, the boy rapt omeward briskly, it being his time off uty. But he was anxious to give the good news to Mr. Mordaunt as well, and so, after relating the circumstances to his mother, and getting her permission, he hurried to the Remsen street house, Upon ascending the steps, Max was surprised to find the front door partly open, but he paused and rung the bell, No answer, and presently he rung again, and again no answer. Three, four, five times he rung, but no one re- plied to the summons, and Max began to fear that something was wrong inside. He did not know what to do. Would it be proper for bim to push the door open, as he plainly saw he could do, and enter? or should he run to the station-house and get an officer to re- turn with him? The last thought seemed the best, but then, if nothing had happened, such a course might greatly annoy Mr. Mordaunt, and so, after con- siderable hesitation, Max pushed the door open and passed through into the broad hallway. He glanced intothe parlor, but saw that no one was there, and then ascended the stairs, having determined to go to the room where the money had been stolen. As he went up, he fancied that he could hear a moaning sound from the room he was ap- proaching, as though some one was there and in great pain. Quickening his steps, he sprung into the apartment, and then started back with a cry of U “ the floor, between the table and the window, lay Mr. Mordaunt, and by his side a revolver. The gentleman was parpen yy be little, and Max sprung to his side, and raised his head from the floor. ‘¢ Mr, Mordaunt!” he cried, ‘* Mr. Mordaunt!” but that person could not answer. He sighed deeply, and then the moaning ceased. His head fink Saok limp upon Max Merry’s arm, and so far as the hoy could perceive, he no longer breathed, Just then a heavy voice broke the silence, and Max, turning, with a cry of fright, for he had thought they were alone, beheld the tall, uni- formed figure of a policeman standing in the doorway. a CHAPTER IV. A STRANGE SUMMONS, THe instant that Max saw that it was a policeman who had spoken to him from the doorway as he knelt by the body of Mr. Mor- daunt, his fears fled, for he saw in him the ‘means of immediate assistance, ; ‘‘T am so glad you have come!” exclaimed the boy, to whom so much had happened in 80 short a time;‘‘ some one has shot Mr. Mor- daunt. I willrun for an ambulance.” By the time Max had ceased speaking, the officer was at his side, and as the young mes- senger sprung to his feet to carry out his sug- gestion, he placed a heavy hand upon him. ‘‘Not yet,” he said;** wait—l will go with you when you go, Is the man dead?” ‘¢ Oh, I hope not!” cried Max. The officer looked at him curiously, and then bent over the silent form of the old gentleman, ‘He breathes a little,” he said, rising. “Come, youngster—we'll go now.” ‘*Thereis no need of our both going,” said Max. ‘‘Go for assistance; there are half a dozen doctors on this block,” ‘* You must come along, anyway,” replied the officer, and he seized Max by the arm. But the boy was not to be led thus easily, and wrenching himself free with a sudden jerk he sprung through the door, and, throwing him- self astride of the banister, landed upon the lower floor in an instant, and by the time the officer bad reached the top of the stairs, Max was upon the pavement outside. He dashed across the street and up the steps of a house opposite which bore a physician’s. sign, and pulled the bell sharply three or four times. It so happened that the bell was quickly an- swered, the door opening immediately, and Max was admitted before the officer had emerged from the house opvosite. : SP the doctor in?’ exclaimed Max, breath- essly. **Yes, I am the doctor,” replied a pleasant- faced gentleman; ‘‘ what can I do for you?” ‘* Mr, Mordaunt, across the street, has beem shot,’ cried Max, ‘*Shot! Mordaunt! ‘It’s true, though! was breathing when I came away, and maybe you can save him.” The doctor did not require a second bidding. Mr. Mordaunt was well known to him, and with a hasty word of apology to the gentleman who: was just leaving, he seized his instrument-case and hurried across the street, closely followed by Max, whoin a few words explained to the doctor how it was that he had found Mr. Mor- daunt, and also told him of the officer’s sudden. appearance. he latter individual was nowhereto be seen Impossible !”’ and Max concluded that he was still in chase of | him, A moment more brought them to the room where the stricken gentleman still lay upon the floor as Max had seen him last, The doctor bent over him and found, as Max had correctly surmised, that be had been shot, Restoratives were quickly applied, and at - last, just as an ambulance came rattling up, and. the officer who had surprised Max arrived, Mr, Mordaunt feebly opened his eyes and looked about him. He seemed instantly to remember what had taken place, for he turned his eyes toward the boy and murmured: “‘ They have finished the job, Maxwell. Doc- tor is there any hope for me?” ‘‘T am afraid not, old friend.” Mr, Mordaunt smiled a little sadly, as he said. in reply: ‘+ Better me than some one else who has loved ones to mourn for him.” “Do you know who shot you?” asked the po- liceman, stepping up oOfficiously. ‘‘ No—I wish I did,” replied the stricken man, painfully; ‘I wish I did.” ‘¢ Did you see the person who did itf”’ “é Yes,” **Can you describe him?” * Nos 4 bad been out; was hes returning— came to my room—opened the door, saw a man at my cabinet there, spoke to him and heturned and shot me; tried to run by me; I grabbed at him, caught the pistol, jerked it outof bishand; he ran on; last [ remember,” * What kind of a looking man was hef” ** Don’t remember well—tall—wore a beard,” ** You are sure it was not this boy?” ‘That boy! What, Maxwell? Yes, yes; I am sure if was not he. Now leave me, please. The doctor will care for me, How long can IL live, doctor?” ‘* A few hours only, old friend; you are bleed- ing internally.” , * Maxwell,” continued Mr, Mordaunt, and though his voice was husky and weak, and he sometimes breathed with difficulty, there was still something of the old ring init, as be spoke; ‘trun for Judge Curtis and bring him here; if you can’t find him, bring thefirst lawyer you can get—go!” Like a shot Max dashed from the’house and down thestreet toward the City Hall, and in a very short space of time the judge was ushered into the presence of the dying man. ‘‘Can [doanything more for you, Mr. Mor- daunt?’ asked our hero, “No, Maxwell, no—no—nothing more— Good-by, my boy—remember all I told you— be a man—a good man—watch the nest-egg. Good-by.” When Max was once more out in the street he felt as though he had parted with a dear friend, True, he had only known Mr. Mordaunt a few hours, but there was that about him which had made it seem years instead, *¢Poor old gentleman,” murmured the boy, ‘robbed and murdered. I wonder if the same cellow shot him that robbed him, That seems probable, for they knew that oa was left in the cabinet worth taking, and yet Mr. Mordaunt distinctly said that he saw a man at . cS Please come quick; he co ~: comicboo Bape te et '* Sey > 4 7 onl £3 - 1+ : , « “ . J . 4 cis =. ~ : =