Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 850 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

A ‘‘Tt’s my mamma!” repeated Allan, almost dancing with joy. Peach and Caleb were greatly relieved, and the latter sprung to the ground and assisted Al- landown, A moment later and he was clasped in the Judy’s arms, while tie gentleman came forward more moderately, ‘*My friend,” he said to the coal-dealer, ‘it appears that we owe you a great debt of grati- tude,”’ ‘* Be you the boy’s father?” asked Peach, ** No; but this lady is his mother.” ‘Well, ’'m right glad to hear it. that she lives?” ‘No; she livesa mile away; but when Allan was known to be missing she came here to ask myaid, Thechild wandered away—” ** He don’t say so!” sé No?” ‘Says he was kidnapped.” ** Isit possible?” **’ Pears like it,” ** That is strange—but come inside, and let us hear your story. Our thanks are in order, and I do not think you will find us ungrateful.” ‘*T guess not; but itain’t me who deserves the gratitude or can tell the fullest story. Here’sa young man, Caleb Cinders by name, who has done it all, and who—” **Draw’r it mild, Mr. Peach,” suggested the Castaway. ‘* Don’t you dispute me, Cinders!” retorted Peach, shaking bis whip at Caleb in mock men- ace, ‘‘ I don’t allow any person to dodge credit for his good deeds. Sir,”—to the stranger— ‘‘1’m in a hurry an’ bate ter stop; an’ this lad cun tell you all [ know and more,” ‘* Then we will excuse you, my dear sir.” And 80 it came about that Peach mounted to his seat and drove awuy, while all the others en- tered the house, Allan had recovered his usual spirits, but clung fast to his mother, and she, as soon as she could think of anything except the boy, showered the Castaway with grateful thanks. The gentleman, however, while he showed sincere relief, looked at the practical side of the question, Cinders was given a seat in a fairly-furnished parlor; and he accepted the situation as philo- sophically as though he had been in Horace Peach’s coal-shed, ** Now, young man,” said the stranger, ‘‘ we will, first of ali, introduce ourselves. This lad is Mrs, Claribel Garland, Allan’s mother; and am Alton Norway, a family friend.” " ‘* Mamma iikes him real wel)!” put in Allan, with the embarrassing frankness of children. Mrs, Garland blushed; Norway smiled, glanc- ed at the comely widow, and continued: * Now, Allan, tellus how you were lost.” The boy made the statement in detail, He had been allowed to go out on the porch of his mother’s house, and, when an Italian camealon with a hand-organ anda monkey, he had fol- lowed to the corner. There he bad been seized by two men, placed in a cab, driven away, taken to Proctorham’s and locked up in the stable, The men had been rough men, with beards, which was all the description he could giveof them, , Caleb was then called upon for his story, which he gaveix plain terms, but without any effort or intention of making himself a hero. He won Mrs, Garland’s hearty thanks, which was very pleasant, asshe was a charming lady who, obviously, had not seen more than twenty- five/years of l.fe, Alton Norway. was, perhaps, thrée years her senior. Norway meditated deeply for awhile, and then broke forth withthe sudden question: ** Caleb, what do you think of Proctorham’s conduct in thismatter?’ “He acted mean as p’ison!” Cinders de- So it’s here c ** Do you suppose he thought a mere child like Allan to bea thief ™ 7 ‘* He was a crank ef he did,” ‘* It seems suspicious to me,” ‘* Me, too!” “In what way ” ‘*IT can’t see,” declared the Castaway, ‘‘ why total strangers should lock him up in the stable, unless Proctorham told ’em to,” Norway turned to Mrs, Garland. **Do you hear that, Claribel?” he asked. ** What do you mean?” ‘“‘Simply that this affair is very strange. hy should Allan be abducted? You are not wealthy,and no large ransom could bee ted. You will remember that, a few months ago there was a circumstance which, I told you at the time, was anattemptto get your childaway. Caleb Cinders, the a Now, another, bolder effort has been made, W bat was the object?” Norway spoke gravely, solemnJy, and Mrs, Garland changed color and trembled percep- tibly. ‘* What do you think 2” she asked, faintly. ‘*You remember the mystery in your own life?” se Yes.” ' **] think you will do well to let me investigate it, now.” **Surely, you don’t think—” **T cannot help thinking that this bold out- rage of to-dayis very suspicious. As long as you stayed away from New York, ali was well; as soon as you returned, the circumstances changed. I may be wildly imaginative, but I cannot help thinking that the same powers that darkened your own youthful days are again at work, Moreover, I suspect this Irving Proctor- ham. Consider how absurd it would be for the kidnappers to lock Allan up there unless Proctor- ham was in the plot!” ‘* He shall not get my child again!” cried Mrs, Garland, whose mind ran in a parental, rather than an analytical channel. ‘*[T think that the charge of robbery was a sudden thought of Proctorham’s, to get an ex- — e get Allan again in his clutches!” Norway added, ‘*Shouldn’t be a tall s’prised,” agreed Cinders, witha nod. ‘The way the gent broke out was amazin’, an’I hev thought all along thar was a loose screw.” W hile they talked Norway had heard the door- bell ring, but had paid no attention to the fact. At this juncture, however, there was a knock at the parlor-door, and a servant appeared, a troubled look on her face. ‘*]f you please, sir, there’s a gentleman—” She was pushed aside, and a man abruptly entered theroom. Hepausedandswept a glance around, and Allan uttered a cry of terror and clung tightly to his mother. Caleb Cinders started up in was not unmixed with trepidation, monious intruder was Proctorbam! CHAPTER IV. THE EVIL GENIUS CLAIMS THE BOYS. THERE was a brief, ominous silence. Proc- torham looked angry and ugly, as much as though he intended to crush every one present, If he had taken a careful look around the room, he might have read in certain faces there, it is ible, that he would not have everything all isown way. . He did not wait. He leveled one finger to- ward Allan, and vehemently addressed Allan’s mother. : ‘*Woman, put that child down!” he ex- claimed. ‘* You do not know the viper you are ee He is a precocious and dangerous Mrs, Garland turned very pale and had no voice to speak, but Alton Norway took two long steps and reached Proctorham’s side. “You scoundrel!” he cried, in an intense voice, ‘‘ how dare you intrude in my .ouse like a rioter?”’ Proctorham quickly removed his hat, whi | beg your pardon, sir, if I have been too abrupt,” he answered, with a good show of po- liteness, ‘‘I meant no harm, but my feelings carried me away. Allow me to say that you do not—cannot know the two boys whom I see here,. They are old, cunning thieves!” m Have they stolen from you?” ‘* What have they taken?” ‘* A watch which [ left in a vest, hung up in my stable,” ‘* Do you mean to say that yonder child, who is scarcely more than.an infant, is a thief?’ Norway’s voice rung out indignantly, but Proctorham retained his mask of politeness, ** He is much older than he looks, and has had a long schooling ix crime by one of the old pickpockets in New York. My dear sir,I do not blame you for being deceived; his appear- ance is very deceptive. You dc not know his history as I do, or you would not have taken him into your house, His father dieda death of violence; his motheris even now serving time in Sing Sing as a thief and an ally of burglars who did murder!” The boldness and directness of this charge al- most took Caleb Cinders’s breath away, but it as the very opposite effect upon . Gar- She ceasei to cower back and tremble for Allan—she arose with the boy in her arms, and, confronting Proctorbam with the dauntless front of an old-time heroine, and the indigna- rise which he uncere- tion of a slandered woman, retorted in a clear and ringing voice: ‘Sir, Jam the boy’s mother!” As quick as the lighbtning’s flash did Irving Proctorham’s manner change, and the change was as radical as that made by a cyclone. One moment he was erect, bold, confident and im- ressive ; the next he wasa dumfounded, speech- ess craven, Mrs, Garland’s declaration appeared to take him wholly by surprise,, He started back as though he had received a blow; his eyes dilated with alarm; his belligerent hands fell nerveless by his side; his color began to come and go fit- fully; and, in every way, he betrayed the deep- est surprise and consternation. Caleb Cinders felt like dancing a jig. It flashed upon that astute youth that his ex-em- ployer had ‘‘ put his foot into” it in the worst way. Unquestionably he had not suspected that Allan had found refuge with his own relatives, and this made it ook as though he had known where the Garlands lived, and had thus been be- trayed into a fatal error, e had not imagined that the mother would be in a house a mile from her own home, After a little while he began to recover his wits, to try to hide his dismay and command his voice, but he stammered and talked at random when he spoke, ** Are you—did you—did I understand you to say—to Say you were his mother?” iL 4 am his mother!” coldly replied Mrs..Gar- nd. ‘* And you, scoundrel, bave made yourself liable to prosecution for libel by saying that she was @ convict in Sing Sing!” sternly added Nor- way. Meortectiati pulled out his handkerchief and. a, ome his perspiring brow. ‘*There is a mistake—a great mistake!” he protested, feverishly. * You are right, sir!” Norway retorted. ‘*It’s a different boy.” ** Indeed !”’ - ‘* A case of mistaken identity.” ‘¢ When did the mistake begin?” ‘“When I saw him on my premises, and thought that he was a boy named Tom Huse,” ** Perhaps you can explain how he came te be locked in your stable?’ ‘* That is very mysterious,” **Ts it so to you?” ** Certainly—of course, The boy Caleb told me about it, but I did not credit it then. Locked in my stable, was he? Odd, decidedly!” Proctorham was beginning to recover his coolness, and he was acting very we'l the part bag clearly, he must assume to get out of his Norway was not deceived. He understood a good deal and suspected more, and feltsure that the visitor was a scoundrel who had overreached. himself, If he hed acted on impulse Norway would have accused him, anidriven him frem the house, but the young man was shrewd, as well as clear-sighted, and having an object up- on which to turn the suspicions of an old case, he was disposed to go carefully on and reveal nothing. If there was ground for his suspicion, the’ best wey was to let Proctorham think they were deceived. ‘*There must be some explanation of the fact,” guardedly answered Norway, to the last remarks, ‘¢] remember that Caleb said the child was locked in the loft. Possibly the guilty persons thought we would Bot 5° there, ourselves,” ‘You may be nie, im ‘‘That is undoubtedly it,” Proctorham de- clared, with the air of a man who had solved a mystery. ‘‘I willinquire if suspicious persons have been seen around my premises, and report the result. This, however, does not excuse me for my violent conduct here. Madam, I am. deeply ashamed!” : e had turned to Mrs, Garland, but she had lost her voice once more, Norway warned her with a gesture, and answered for her: ** Mistakes will occur, sir.” ** But I was opty brutal.” -*We must allow something for impulse.” ‘* You see, I followed the coal-cart, and, learn- ing that it stopped here, and believing that this r child was Tom Huse, the thief, I made a lunder for which I am ashamed—shocked! I dare not ask forgiveness, but I do regret it “tha speak repariog an casy way out, 3 speaker was p an way ou and Norway abhecanscdated him, To assure . him that he was freely, fully forgiven would be | to overdo the matter, and betray the deception; vare * — Ps —s -~ ie - ae» 2 ~~ i. = se . ~~ =- ~ . : z by - ) . , i - . m4 = - > co > ~ 4 e d ' , A * . ,. ~~ e - 4 ~ * _ 7 > -_ - - - the . its. : . a P - , ~~’ - Aa ee . ox — oP . = Py ad i 4 pier ater ~ a Saad - a . 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