Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 849 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Broadway Billy’s $100,000 Snap. P that, does it look as though I have found the money and am keeping it from him? I assure you such is not the case,” ‘‘ There is, I believe, a serious impediment in the way.” ‘‘ What do you mean, sir?’ ‘He loves another.” *‘Oh! isthat all? I guess he could transfer his affection if he wanted to, I don’t know what love is, but [ think I can have as much re- gard for Norman as for any one, by trying.” ‘‘Then it’s a matter of business with you.” ‘“T am willing to carry out my dead aunt’s wishes in the matter.” ‘* Well, we have drifted from the point, You asked me if I could keep a secret, when I press- ed you to tell me where your means come from. I donot want to suspect you of decep- tion in this matter, Miss Merrett,” ‘+ But you do, nevertheless?” ** No; but I shall be obliged to suspect you, unless you clear yourself,” Well, I will tell you. This house and all it contained were willed to me, s0 why should I hesitate?” **] don’t know why you should, If you have found anything. excepting the tin box, it certain- ly belongs to you, so there is no need for you to secret about it,” ‘That is so, isn’t it?’ ‘* Assuredly .” ** Well, come with me,” She rose abruptly and led the way from the room, Billy followed her, and was conducted down to the basement floor and into the dining-room, ** Sit down, please,” she bere invited bim. ‘I will show you a discovery [ made in this room, and one which paid me well, too,” Billy took a seat and waited for developments, They were alone together in the room, and the young woman closed all the doors which happen- ed to be open. **] knew,” she then remarked, *‘ that my aunt had some money hidden in this room, and once I happened by chance to discover her in the act of closing and locking the secret hiding-place,” Billy nodded, “That was before she was taken down sick sir, I used to stay with her sometimes, Old Betsy and myself discovered her one night as I said, and I tried to fix in my mind the location of the secret drawer, I thought J could do it, and I was not mistaken.” ** And it is there in the chimney?” Billy guess- ** How did you know that?” Spi **] do not say I know it, I’m merely making a guess at it,” ** Well, you have guessed pretty close, then, for there is where it is, as I will now show you.’ Billy could easily guess this, for he had seen Betsy Bennet trying to find the same biding- place, and he was nota little disappointed, for e had hoped here to find the treasure The young woman stepped to the broad, solid- looking chimney-place, and ran ber hand over its carved and inlaid face above the low mantel, till presently she found the spot she desired, when she turned to the detective, saying: ‘* You see where my hand is!” ** Certainly.” ‘“* Weill, here is the secret. drawer, though no one could ever suspect it without having some previous knowledge of its existence. You could never guess how to open it, now could you?” Billy stepped forward te mine closely. He hed to admit tha* ‘. there was a drawer there it was artfully made, and he certainly could not suggest how to uvpen it, “Nor could I, if I had not seen my aunt close it,” said Miss Merrett. ‘* You will understand that I did not mean to be dishonest with her but when I came into possession of the house i had then theright to explore it,” ** Assuredly, Miss Merrett.” “Well, it is opened in this manner. Take notice where I place my feet, on these two stones here in the hearth, see? Then I press so with this heel, and there is the drawer, now open. True enough, as she pressed with her heel on the spot indicated, a drawer opened in the carv- ing of the chirnney, illy quickly looked into it, noting that it was now empty. > * What did you find here?” be asked. “Some money, sir, about two thousand dollars in all. Now you know where my means came from; are you satisfied?” ‘“‘T ought to he, certainly, Miss Merrett, Pray close the drawer again, and do not let the secret be known to another ity not even to Sherwin ‘himself, I have a reason for asking this favor,” “Very well, sir, I will doas you say;” and she closed the drawer and they returned to the room above, and a little later Billy took his leave, CHAPTER XIII. A VERY PRETTY SCHEME, IRENE ATHORNE, since her interview with Norman Sherwin, had done some hard thinking. ** ll do it,” she finally decided, most firmly. **T’d bea fool to throw such a chance away, DO matter if I do love Norman.” Such a decision had not been reached in a moment. It was the outcome of careful study, looking at the matter from every point of view, and figuring well ber own interest, If she could not marry for love and money together, she would venture all for money. Nor was thisall. She felt that Norman Sher- win had scorned her, and that she had been huniliated beyond all bounds, Since he had so despised her offer, she would seek to do all she eould agaiust him. If she could keep his fortune away from him, so that he could not share it with her rival, she would do it, no matter at what cost, ** Yes, ] would be a fool indeed,” she told her- self, ‘* There is no hope thatl can ever win bim, but I can have revenge upon bim, Lyddon certainly meant something in coming to me as he did, and I could not blame him for not speak- ing out, He could not trust me. He knows where Norman’s money is, and wants me to share it with him, Yes,I should be a fool in- deed to throw away any such chance as that,” Less than an hour later she was at the office of Lawyer Lyddon, ** Ab! this is a pleasurable surprise, Irene,” she was greeted; and the young lawyer rose and held out both his bands toward her, ‘* But L bave come on business, Paul,” she re- sponded, smiling, as she gave her bands, ‘*Lawyers are not supposed to receive ladies into we offices upon any other pretext, are they ‘*Then your plea of businessis only a pretext?’ ‘*Oh, no; I mean business, I assure you— There, now, no need to laugh, for I have said nothing slangy.” A few more such remarks, while Lyddon was providing a seat for ber in a suitable place, and when he threw himself into his office chair, he said: ‘*Well, now, I’m ready for the business in hand, Irene, I can titeptice what has brought you, but [ hardly dare hope even yet. . Go ahead, now, and let me know my fate. ** You have a good deal of assurance,” ‘* Ob, no, you mistake; I have none. Don’t I say I hardly dare hope?” ‘* Well, I will come to it without delay, then, I have decided to answer favorably to your question,” ** Bless you! You cannot imagine how great leasure your answer gives me, my darling. ut, do not look at me so coldly as that I beg. Can you not warm up a little?” ‘* Business first, you know. Did I not say I have come on business?” “Yes, but— Well, business first, then, Say ‘*T have decided to give you a favorable an- swer, on condition,” : ‘¢ Name your condition, then,” “That you take me into your confidence fully.” ‘Which I am only too willing to do, asI bave told you before.” ‘‘ Let us not talk at cross-purposes now, Paul, You hinted at something this morning.” ‘* Well, maybe I did, I do not admit it, but I think it’s safe tosay you are more than half- right in what you surmise, loved one,” “Well, tell me everything, Paul, and I'll be your wife,” **'You mean that?” **T do,” ‘* Enough said, then, You are right in what you suspect—I don’t even ask you what you suspect, you see, but guess at it.” Yes, but [ want you to tell me everything in particular, Now I am frank with you and I want you to be the same with me, I don’t love yon, but if I marry you I'll be true and faith- ‘“‘That’s all I can ask, as a starter. Ill be frank with you, certainly, But, when is this happv event to take place?” ‘“* Whenever you please,” ‘““Then it will take place immediately, this very hour. Come, 1 will lock up and we'll go right to a rector not far from here—” ‘Good heavens! So sudden?” _ “ Why not? If you mean business, so do I, 13 and I need your help badly in a certain mat- oo which will be the greatest benefit to us th, Their eyes met, and the woman looked at him long and searchingly. ‘“1"l] do it,” she fully decided, ‘*I came here with that intention, and I do not see why I need hesitate, 1 can marry you as well now as I can a month hence, I will go,” “Thank you, You will not regret it,” Lawyer Lyddon brusbed himself up a little, and when be was ready the pair went forth upon their serious errand, Their destination was not far away, the found the rector in bis study, and in a little while Pau! Lyddon and Irene Athorne were mar- ried bard and fast. “This is, for me, a happy day,” Lyddon whispered, as be came forth with his wife upon hisarm, ‘‘I hope it will mark the beginning of happiness for you, too, my darling.” ay hope it will, sincerely, since now the step has been taken.” ‘‘-You know that we have both taken the step with eyes wide open, and you know the promise was ‘ for better or for worse,” “s Yes,” ‘¢ Hence, it all rests with us, I know that you love Sherwin, and that your only reason for marrying me was to revenge yourself against him by aiding to cheat him out his fortune.” ‘“ Paul!” ‘‘You see I dare trust younow. My only reason for marrying you was that I loved you. There is the whole matter, and the step has been taken. If you can get hold of that hun- dred thousand, it will be the very grandest triumpb you could wish for, We must get it.” ‘Then you do hold the secret?” sé I do.” ‘¢+] was sure of it, But, when and how are we going to get it?” ‘Can you not do it this very night? It must be done quickly or it will be forever too late, 1 have tried it, but missed,” ‘‘ There is danger in it,” ‘© 1t is worth the risk. I always thought I was tolerably honest, Irene, but this temptation has proved too great. I must have that bundred thousand dollars if it is possible to get it,” ‘Yes, we must have it, that’s true, Not only for sake of the money, but for the revenge it will give me.” ‘Can you not go and spend the night with Ermina Merrett?’ ‘‘T might, I suppose,” ‘* And in the night you can get up and find the money and bring it away with you on the mor- w ow, ‘‘ If I do not get caugbt in the act,” ‘You must takecare on that point. There will be danger, of course, but when you think what is at stake it will nerve you, And there is a difficulty I must name, but one which I wilb remove if I can.” ‘* What is that?” ‘‘Norman Sherwin is going to take up bis abode there for the present,” ‘Then I may as well remain away, for he will be watchful, no doubt, and will give me no chance,” ‘*] will strive somehow to binder his being there to-night. But, evenif he is, the treasure will be found in the dining-room and he is not likely to spend the night there,” “Tn the dining-room?” ‘6 You, Wait till we come to the office and Pil explain where it is and how you can get at Tbey talked on, confidentially, till they were once more in the office, Here, when Lyddon had c'osed the door, some papers were taken out of the safe,and among them was a drawing. ‘This is the plan,” he explained. ‘‘In the chimney-place, over the mantel, is a small secret drawer, and here is the explanation how to open ” ‘« Wonderful!” “You see these stones represented in the hearth? Well, you will find two of them slight- ly marked, as they appear here. No one would suspect anything, looking at them, but here is the key to the secret drawer, according to this,” “ Tt seems like a bit of romance.” ‘‘T hope there will be a good deal of reality about it before we are done, my dear.” ** But, how do ao the saewrene “Simply by placing your heels upon these two stones and serene upon this.one, The drawer will fly n, 80 it says, and there will be the treasure, right under your thumb,” ‘** But, I shall be seen taking it away.” _ No, that need not follow, That will be the Se Ss - ‘ ~ of 4 ‘. - — +o ee ee we eat ae ee --+-- yor