Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 853 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

a! Yn . ho a a.m, « es a Nl nek aks Be ss “Then she played the insanity dodge, and with such success she was released from prison and sent to the asylum, ‘‘There she began to look about for a tool she could use to aid her in her escape, and found that tool in you, ‘‘She had in her keeping some six hun- dred dollars in cash, and a bank book with credits of twelve thousand more. ‘*T happen to know that she wrote a check * your favor for twenty-five hundred dol- u's. ‘*T visited the bank and found the check was payable to Seth Saunders, and sent for collection through a New York City bank, and was paid. *« [visited that bank, and learned that it was deposited by Leonard Saunders, a mer- chant of New Jersey, and wiring a detec- tive friend, he discovered for me that this man came from the same place in Mas- sachusetts where you were born, and had a cousin Seth Saunders, who was a keeper in an insane asylum in the West. ‘* Now you know more about this woman, Charlotte Hull, than any one else, I am sure; and I am convinced, also, that you were to get from her more money than the checks called for, and will make the call on her for the balance when you visit Chicago.” ‘*Do you know this?” "GO, ““ How?” ‘*Il simply guessed it, and betrayed you into confessing it; but now let me tell you that if you wiil make a clean confession, tell all you know about this Charlotte Hull, ive me her address and all other essential nformation, I will see that you are not tried for murder.” “Tl do it, I'll doit! Ask me what ‘you will and I will answer, only donot let me be tried for murder and sent to the gallows, for indeed I did not intend tokill her; I only wished to put her to sleep, so that Char- lotte Hull could get by her unseen, ‘© Will you save me?” pleaded the fright- ened man, now greatly excited at the fate which so surely threatened him. CHAPTER XI. A RUSE THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL. ‘**T will do all in my power for you, Mr. Saunders, but I wish a clean breast of it from you—no keeping back, no trying to de- ceive or to mislead me, for I am better post- ed than you think I am,” ‘* No! no! I feel that you are well informed and I will tell you all I can; but, oh! how terrible will be my punishment to know that I killed that poor woman, Bettie Turner, for I liked her and she was always most kind to me. ‘‘We get hardened in an asylum, sir, we see strange sights that make us callous to human suffering, but when one feels that he has taken the life of a fellow-being unin- tentionally it is awful,” and burying his face in his hands Seth Saunders shuddered, ‘Well, Mr. Saunders, now I am ready to question you.” ‘* Yes, sir.” ‘¢ Did you know Charlotte Hull before she entered the asylum?” ‘*T did not, sir.” W cr: “She was kind to you?” ‘Yes, sir, as I said, she gave me fees for all I did for her, and always talked so ration- ally I began to feel that she was not crazy, though to all others she acted violently.” “Well?” | ‘**She took an interest in me, she said, asked about my family, and sent little pres- ents, or rather the money to buy them, to my wife, son and daughters. ‘“One day she told me that she was a wronged woman, that she had been incar- cerated in an asylum that others might get possession of her fortune, they hoping that would soon die there, ‘*T had heard of such things being done _ Dick Doom’s Kidn -_---- ‘ _- 4) & \ tii oF m f ESF ~ before, and I believed her, and, as she had money, I supposed she was rich, for she showed me her bank book. ‘* One day she asked me to help her escape, but [refused. ‘She offered me a thousand dollars, then raised the offer to twenty-five hundred and at last made it four thousand. ‘‘She gave me acheck, asking me to get it cashed for her.” ‘Tt was for twenty-five hundred?” * Yoo mr. : ‘*You got it cashed?” ‘* Yes, sir, as you seem to know.” ** Well?” ‘‘She put the money in my hand and told me it was mine if I helped her. ‘« T still refused and she then said she would give me fifteen hundred more if I would come to her in Chicago one month after her escape.” ‘*One month after?” ‘* Yes, sir. ‘‘T wanted to go West, sir, so I was tempted. ‘‘T had been offered five thousand for my farm, and this extra sum would place us in fine circumstances in the West, so I yielded.” ‘* And aided her?” ‘*] did, sir, for I gave her one of my suits, packed her clothes in a sachel and, havin only drugged poor Bettie, as I believed, went with her to the town, took the night train for Chicago and escorted her to the place in Chicago where she said she had quarters.” “Then?” ‘IT came at once home, sir, and went into hiding.” ‘‘ At your home here?” ‘*'Yes, sir.” ‘“And the woman?” ‘Remained in Chicago, sir.” ‘*You know the address?” ‘* Yes; sir.” ‘‘It was where you were told to come after the balance of yonr money?” ‘Yes. Sint” : ‘¢ What name does she bear there?” ‘‘T was told to ask for Mrs. Carlotta Cam- eron,” | ‘‘ Give me theaddress, please.” The man asked the detective to take a leather account book from his pocket, and in it was the address written: ‘‘Mrs. Carlotta Cameron, No. —, Dear- born St., Chicago, Ill.” Looking, on the opposite page, the de- tective read: , ‘‘On demand, after Sept. 80th, 1891, I promise to pay. to Seth Saunders, pe aad only, the sum of Fifteen Hundred Dollars, for services rendered. ‘* CARLOTTA CAMERON, ‘* Nee, Huu.” * All right, Mr. Saunders, now I have just what I need and Ill promise to protect you; but you must go with me to Chicago, and if I have your pledge not toescape I'll re- move the manacles from your wrists.” ‘**T'll gladly give it, sir.” ‘ All right, tell your wife to pack your grip and be ready to go with me, and the least they say about what has happened the better for you,” said Dick Doom. CHAPTER XII. THE FERRET AND HIS PRISONER, THE grip was packed, the family were ad- vised by the ferret to keep silent upon the subject, and Dick Doom and _ his prisoner started for the town, distant half a mile. ae they left the house Seth Saunders said: ‘Are you not going to call your men?” ‘‘My dear Mr. Saunders, I have no men wie The d ‘** The deuce you say.” sé Fact. ” y And you scared me, my wife and son out. apper k .ock-Out: : 7 - J oy o4 - : our wits, and we don’t frighten easy, none of us.” ‘‘T took a bold stand, because I saw that it was necessary, for I felt that I would be murdered, to protect you.” ‘Well, you have got nerve, and plenty of it, mister.” ‘«T’ll have something else to tell you when we reach Chicago,” said Dick Doom, and his words created an uneasy feeling in Seth Saunders’s mind. They caught the train in ample time, and reached Chicago without mishap, the detec- tive keeping his eye constantly upon his prisoner, for he knew that he had a very io slippery customer to deal with. Be Straight to the quarters of the chief of the a Secret Service drove the detective, and he | was at once admitted with his prisoner. ‘‘Well, Dick, back again, I see.” “<"Y6s, ‘sir; t ‘You got my telegrams?” ‘Yes, three of them. ‘‘This is Mr. Seth Saunders, chief, late an employee in the asylum, and, I might as well tell you the whole story now, the man who helped Charlotte Hull to escape.” ‘* Ah!” ‘‘He got twenty-five hundred in cash, with an ia ©. U. on demand for fifteen hun- — dred more, to collect here in Chicago, and I have the order and the address; but I wish you to put Mr. Saunders in pleasant but safe quarters for me, until I catch Miss Hull, after which he is free to go, for I have so promised him.” “Will you put me in prison?” whine Saunders, in alarm. : “Yes, but not in a cell.” ‘Will I get my fifteen hundred dollars?” he asked, ‘Not if I can help it, for I think you have got blood-money enough.” Saunders shuddered at the mention of blood-money and asked: “Then I go free as soon as you find the woman?” ts) ‘‘-Yes, for I keep my word to both friend i and foe, and I told you that you should, though you deserve punishment. ie «Still I have made you suffer punishment | in one way.” Sa: \ ‘‘T guess you have.” me ‘‘T told you [had something more to tell you when I got to Chicago, and I'll nowlet you know what it is.” Seth Saunders glanced uneasily at the de- tective, then at the chief, and said: “What is it?” ‘‘T implied to you that you had drugged Bettie the nurse at the asylum, fatally, but such is not the case.” ‘‘T did not kill her?” almost shouted the man. P ‘‘No, you simply drugged her, but she got over it and so you can not be held for murder.” | ‘And yet you scared me into believing she was dead and I made a full confession, and an angry light came into the eyes of the man, ‘‘Yes, that is one of the tricks of my trade, and I tell you that you got off easily as it is.” ‘*Tt was a mean trick, and to now cheat me: out of my money—” ‘* Hold, sir! ‘‘T have made you no promises and [ll put you in a cell the moment that Mr, Doom sets you free if I have an ugly look or word. from you, base ingrate, traitor and scoun- drel that you are,” roared the chief, and: Seth Saunders shrunk back in great alarm,, whining out: ‘7 didn’t mean anything, sir—I beg par- Pd “Well, Dick, what do you wish done with im?” ‘Hold him until I have found out if he rs told the truth, sir, and if he has, set him, ee, —_ * 4 . 7 * : in q ; =) c | a > ’ , ; « é T . a” + a "2s i, . a} : , é' ~v) jj " “e . : |