Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 853 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

' r ry 0 A “he 1 + Pe. as . = ae @ <> : ~ ee "| h- ae “— bis Ry @ . ' “15 “ab ts 4s ~ - > Pe 1 4"e hed . =: ~*s Roa et At ¥% Beth Jr., in an out a” ‘ aie Y. 6 fh . Dick Doom’s Kidnapper ‘ Sia als ie 2 are hy >. KnooeOuer ee ee ~ & Bias ~~ ys - — : . Meine a ee Tih oo , Ahoy Speers Phas Bafta te Saye Mid heh . 4 »-* , @ ¥ = bel weleay | 1 if aa", oe -— ’ Lees oe ene CHAPTER VIII. THE SILENT SHADOWER. THE superintendent was both surprised and pleased, when he discovered in the visi- tor the very one in whose hands he had written to place the case of the escape of Charlotte Hull from the asylum. The two had a long talk together and when at last Dick Doom had left the asylum he was thoroughly informed on the whole situ- ation and knew the data already discovered as to the escape, with the antecedents of the keeper, Seth Saunders, who had been a tried and trusted employee. When he reached the little farm, where the keeper’s home was, Dick Doom wired to the Secret Service chief in cipher: ““C, H. escaped three weeks ago. your city of course. Am on track. yond BAZ! og That evening the family of Seth Saunders ‘were surprised to receive a visit from one nnknown to them, He was an elderly gentleman, well dressed, wore gold-rimmed spectacles, carried a cane and his gray hair gave him an air of dignity that suited him well, Mrs. Saunders was at home with her three children, a son of twenty and two girls of eighteen and sixteen respectively. They had a cozy cottage, a well-tilled farm and lived comfortably, the absence of the husband and father being regretted how- ever, his duties as keeper of a ward at the asylum keeping him away from home. The visitor asked for Mr. Seth Saunders, and was told that he was not at home. ‘* Where is he?” “* At the asylum.” ‘*} heard that he was there, so went to see him, but was told that he had come home, having given up his place there.” ‘‘He is not here, sir,” and Mrs. Saunders and her family appeared embarrassed for some reason. “‘T am sorry, for it is important that I should see him, for I wish to return home very soon; do you recall an uncle of your husband who went to California early in the fifties?” ‘“Oh, yes, sir, we have often heard him speak of him, and that he had never heard of him since soon after his arrival there, where it was said he was rapidly making his for- tune.” ‘‘His name was the same as your hus- band’s.” . : ‘‘ Yes, sir, Seth was named after him.” ‘Here is my card, madam, and I have ‘made a fortune, I am unmarried, and I do not know any one l am more anxious to te than my loved namesake and nephew eth.” The woman glanced at the card and read aloud: Is in ‘‘SmTH JONES, “ California.” Instantly, she grasped the old man’s hand ne RT i him into the house, while she cried * ‘You are dear, good Uncle Seth, of whom my husband has spoken so much and loves so dearly. “Come right in and—”’ she spoke in a abe now— © Pll tell you a secret. ‘‘ You see there was one of the lunatics escaped and poor Seth was accused of aiding her, and he is in hiding for fear of arrest an punishment. — | ‘°T thought you might be an officer, dear Uncle Seth, when you came and we were all alarmed; but I know where Seth is and we will send for him to see you.” The rich bachelor uncle at once found a warm welcome in the home of his relatives, and the hiding Seth was sent for, his son, going after him, for he was hiding ouse on the farm, \ es P ug? aise » . % * Su 4 ve) oy ap Sree — wo Tdted : . ais 3 we 4, . => tae we ae) ~ hI ) ¥ 2 > ee ® M o“ 4 ‘We intended selling out ourselves and going to the far West,” volunteered Mrs. unders, and she ran on eagerly about their plans, hinting that Seth had lately gotten possession of some money, and the sale of the farm would bring them more and enable them to start a new home on the border, Just then Seth Saunders the fugitive en- tered, and having been informed whom he was to see, he ran forward to greet his old uncle, when startlingly came the words: ‘Hands up, Seth Saunders, for you are my prisoner!’ CHAPTER IX. BROUGHT TO TERMS. A cory of terror broke from the lips of Mrs. Saunders, as she witnessed the act of the alleged uncle, and a chorus of alarmed ex- clamations came from the son and daughter. The ‘‘uncle” held a revolver leveled at the fugitive, and the position he took was such that he faced the family and could not be attacked from behind. As for Seth Saunders he wilted like a rag, dropping into a chair with a groan while his hands hung listlessly by his side perfectly helpless. ' ‘*You are my prisoner, Seth Saunders, and I happen to know that you have been hiding for weeks, and your wife just told me you were negotiating for the sale of the farm, intending to move to the far West, and buy a home there, as you had lately gotten pos- session of some money.” The accused man only groaned, while his wife cried, as she regained her courage: ‘* Who are you that has dared come here with a lie and betray us?” ‘‘T am known as Dick Doom, the Ferret of the Golden Fetters—see, 1 put them in use now!” He stepped quickly forward and clasped upon the unresisting man a pair of solid gold manacles, slender but strong, while Mrs. Saunders cried: ‘*You shall not leave this place alive, sir— I mean itt.” At this the son plucked up courage and it was evident that Dick Doom was in danger, for the prisoner gained hope inspired by his wife and children. But the disguised detective showed not a shadow of alarm and said calmly: ‘‘My dear madam, do not make it necessary for me to put you and your son alsoin irons, for Iam no fool to come here unprepared for resistance, ‘Shall I signal for aid and manacle you also?” The woman’s courage failed her at this and she began to cry, while young Seth turned pale and glanced anxiously toward the windows as though expecting to see the aids of the detective peering in upon them. One of the girls however found the cour- age to say: j ‘*You deceived us, for you are not Uncle eth.” . Oh no; I am glad to say that Iam not you dear, rich Uncle Seth, just back from the gold fields. “But I studied up your family history, and so decided to impersonate the uncle who went to Culifornia, ‘“The bait was ag tg seized and I got my man, who took a large bribe from a lunatic and aided her to escape—to go forth and commit crime as she has in the past. ‘‘ He knew his family and so told them his secret, and decided. to sell out and find a home elsewhere.” | ‘They can do nothirg with me for what I did,” growled the man. ‘* What was your crime?” | ‘I did no crime, I only aided a woman to escape whom I knew was not crazy, and be- cause she told me she was kept for the reason that others might get her fortune.” “Ts that all?” = - i z ~S rv ) Ae = 4 re : 43 s - ae ren A Bi,’ ¢ raf “s- ar v ; ’ ¥ > ° ¢ ' n ‘ ; ’ ‘a ' of r andl r ™ iis be bee Ams’ és ae ’ f by Fe , a Ae ; > e ; ye - ‘é Yes.” > ‘* You took a bribe from her?” ‘What if I did?” ** Ts that all?” "+ 28; ‘*You are mistaken,” ‘‘ What do you mean?” and Seth Saunders turned pale, ‘*You drugged the keeper on duty so that you could get by with the woman unseen?” ‘Who says so?” “‘ITdo! You gave her adrug.” ‘Only a little morphine.” ‘* You are mistaken.” The man started and trembled, for the detective seemed to be looking into his very soul, . ‘It’s all I did.” ‘‘Then you have not heard fhat instead of morphine you gave her arsento and killed her?” A yell of terror broke from the lips of the man and he fell back in his chair, in a half fainting condition. ‘Come, Saunders, rouse yourself and hear what Ihave to say. I wish to be alone with you; but I warn you, Mrs. Saunders, that if one of you attempts to leave this house my orders will be carried out, and you will have only yourselves to blame for what my men may do, ‘‘ Retire to that room, please, and leave me alone with my prisoner.” CHAPTER X. DICK DOOM 8 TRUMP CARDS. Dick Doom’s master mind had quelled all resistance and had gotten the Saunders family under his control. | He had them awed and they obeyed his command to go into the a big room, As they did so and left him alone with the | prisoner the latter cried: ‘Why, have I not heard something of this death? “*Not a word of it has been in the pa- pers.” ‘True, ‘So you have read the papers, have you?” “ Thoroughly.” ‘Then tell me, Mr. Saunders, if you have seen a single item of the escape of Charlotte Hull from the asylum?” The man’s faced paled a little, when he muttered: . ‘‘No, [have not, now I think of it.” “Tt was just for that you searched in the papers, and to see how your act was regard- ed and commented upon. ‘But for the same reason that the asylum authorities decided to keep the escape a se- cret, until a proper time for making it known, the fact that you gave that unfor- tunate woman a drug, drugged her cup of tea, was also kept back.” Seth Saunters buried his face in his hands, and Dick Doom said again: ‘‘Now, Mr. Saunders, there is much more | back of that woman’s escape than your aid- ing her, for she is a criminal, a murderess, and bribed you to let her out to go and do more deviltry.” | ‘“T am sorry.” \ ! ‘*So am I for it has placed you in a very unfortunate position, one with a gallows be- hind you.” , “Oh, Lord, have mercy!” ‘Now, there is a way sometimes in which the greatest criminals can escape punish- ment, save in their consciousness of doing wrong.” \ “Well, sir?” \ | “It isin turning State’s evidence, and let me tell you that Charlotte Hull escaped for dence, when she suddenly made known that she had a presentiment of death and wished _ her crime by doing that very thing. ‘*She was held in prison to give to confess all and swear to it. Rae ‘‘She was allowed to do this, and lawyers of the one she had wronged hel | fresh ¥ » \ ‘ es ~ J - , : - ' J is . : P i vate e AG ¥ . : as ‘ % - ~~ 8 a ‘ ; ’ —_— i The ee 6 Pes 1 {4 ; r bens : > f ‘i ‘ reer ’ iin ‘ i . n e ’ 2 iz 4 | fa} - * . 4 i : a ~ #51) . ., ; : Mp ~ F - £ : . “sf % é " 4 ‘ ne. My | ray (2 2 sae UU her sworn testimony, ete +." - « 4 . f ° oi" pea" Ld : : oe > , ou , i ' ’ + i, OA he a, an) ’ | i » " 1+ » PT oy 2? ta Mt a od 7 \. ve 4 af ‘7 a ty ‘ ; Ve al ' 7? va 7 5 7 ‘ : iva + _ ' r - ger ’ awe f Pe Hi } Oe i . % , i nt *) ae ? . af ‘ , — 2