Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 858 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

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But, I am still unwilling ‘“We must get out of here, Clavering,” he ‘All right, I’m glad you did. But, | to believe it possible. Mind, not a word of spoke in low tones. ‘‘ With Pete out of it, | wait a minute, for I have friends with me | this must reach Etta’s ears.” we don't stand a show.” and I want to give you some directions.” The woman had row passed them, giving ‘‘T agree with you; they are too many for He opened the door and held a whispered | them a leering look as she did so, and gone ug,” the response, ; talk with his man-servant, after which he | on her way. “Then get hold of Pete with me, and we | closed the door and said to Dick: They advanced to the door and knocked, will be off.” | ‘«That will make it all right; no one is to It was opened by Mr. Harding whose face Clavering complied, and having taken all | know I am home; and good care will be | bore a troubled look. the weapons of their three captured men, | taken of Pete Parrot, while you and I will ‘‘Clavering!”’ he exclaimed. ‘lam glad. they passed out of the building. be free to work.” to see you. What has happened? You Phis building, they quickly discovered, ‘*Good enough,” agreed Dick. ‘‘I see | look troubled.” " ‘was a Jong one that ran well back from the | you have got up with a clear head.” ‘*] have had a night of adventure, Mr. street, and this partly explained why the ‘* What is to be done first?” Harding. But we will tell you about that shots had not drawn any attention. | ‘* Kat.” later. Let me introduce Mr. Mantell.” Further toward the street was another} Clavering laughed and ina little time they | The introduction was acknowledged. building, and between the two was a narrow | were at the pleasant duty of the day witha ‘“What was that woman doing here just alley, through which a light in the street | keen zest. now?” asked Clavering, then. ould be seen, and guided by this the escaped Nothing further was said about the mat- The man’s face clouded again immediate- victims hurried forward. ter of the night until they had repaired to an- | ly. . When they had gone only a little distance | other room, out of the hearing of the serv- ‘She came here to make me trouble, they could no longer hear the cries and pound- | ants. | curse her!” he grated. ing of the men in the rear of the long store- ‘* Now,” said Dick, ‘‘ we'll talk.” » “In what way?” - room. ‘*T'm ready to listen.” ‘*T dare not tell; she has me in her power. ‘Where to?” asked Clavering, when they | “ Thep you want me to plan?” But, no more of this in. the presence of your ‘were on the street a eee friend, Mr. Clavering.” ‘“T don’t know,” said Dick. ‘* We stop- ‘You have not forgotten our talk of last “On the contrary, Mr. Harding, my ped at a small hotel, but there was where we | night down in that hole?” friend and I must know all about it. Am TI got into trouble.” “It has been my burning thought ever | right in guessing that it has something to do “Tl tell you what to do; come to my | since, Dick Bristol.” with Etta s life history?” : | house.” | ‘Call me Mose Mantell.” Harding paled. ‘*Gladly, if you mean it; just the thing.” ‘* Yes, I will remember.” ‘‘Tt has,” he admitted. ‘‘How came you ‘“This way, then, and it will be all the bet- ‘‘And you are eager to learn the truth | to know the secret?” ter if we can get there unseen.”’ : concerning Miss Elmertine?” ‘*T do not know it; I am not willing to ‘‘You are right. They cannot be sure ‘‘Yes; the truth will be better than this | believe it; but my friend here insists it musé who we were, except myself. They will | terrible doubt.” be so.” | think you and Pete are at the bottom of the ‘‘And if we discover it to be as we sus-} Harding looked at Dick in amaze.“ ~* shaft,” | pect?” ‘ We must talk this mr‘ter over at length, They turned and passed as rapidly as pos- ‘* Ags you suspect; I can never believe it.” | and in private, sir.” said Tic’. | sible in the direction Clavering had indicated, ‘Well, what if it be true?” ‘‘Very well, come yigi:t into this room, half supporting and half dragging Pete Par- ‘My God! I cannot think of it as being | gentlemen.” rot between them, the parrot on Dick’s shoul- ; true! But, if so, my lifeis blighted forever,| They entered a cozy room, where Mr. der. for I love her—love her!’ | Harding invited them to be seated, and he The hour was late, in fact morning, and,} ‘‘ And you would blight hers also, if she | took a seat himself. they met no one, and at length reached their | truly loves you?” ‘‘ Now,” he said, “let us lay the skeleton destination. ‘* How could I wed her?” bare.” Clavering let himself in with a pass-key, ‘ Well, let us learn the truth first, and ‘‘Does this woman tell you that your. and Pete was taken to a room where an ef- | after that face the problem, Shall we go | adopted daughter is the child of a woman, fort was made to put him to bed, but he | and call upon her?” now dead, who was known as Bad Bess?” fought against that, “ We will go,” asked Dick, bluntly. be aee He would allow them to remove his coat, ‘* And after that we must learn all we can ‘‘She does; and worse, she claims she is but not his boots by any means, so, having | about Bad Bess.” able to prove it. She says she has papers taken off his coat, and having bandaged his ‘* Yes, it must be done, for it will never | to show, and that unless 1 come down with head, they laid him on the bed half dressed. | do to let the matter remain in any doubt, }a neat sum of money she will expose the “Ef I’m goin’ to die, pards,” Pete said | now.” whole matter,” ) faintly, ‘‘I want ter die with my boots on. ‘‘ Impossible to doso, Mr. Clavering. I ‘¢ And you have bought her off?” But, | reckon I'll pull through, this time | am here for the purpose of finding the lost ‘“No; I have put her off, for a couple of Give mea couple ov guns fer company, and | child of David Daws, and here is a clue that | days. while I can think about It.” 3 I'll beall right. Well make et hot yet fer| I cannot afford to throw away; in fact, it); ‘‘ Good enough; I will take care of her in them devils, and don’t yer doubt et.” looks like certain proof.” the meantime, and those papers shall not re- « And would her half-sister accept her, if | main in her possession.” : CHAPTER X what you suspect proves true?” “But where does your interest in the | ‘* She would—she will, if sheis such a per | matter come in, young man?” STARTLING DISCLOSURES. son as you describe her to be. Jam sure of ‘‘Tamin search of the daughter of the WHEN they had cared for their wounded | this.” . weman known as Bad Bess,” FO partner aswell as they could, Dick and Clav- oi dd 9 bowed his head. “With what object?” | ering went into another room, leaving Pete They laid their plans as far as possible, “That of restoring her to her father, or -asleep. ) and presently left the house, first looking in | rather, now that her father is dead, to her. They looked back at him as they passed | to see how Pete Parrot was. . | half-sister.” out, and the homely fellow, as he is there Pete was awake, but his head troubled him “And who was her father?” 4 ‘on the bed in his striped shirt, and with his | so that he felt more like lying dawn than ‘One David Daws, of Virginia City.” head bandaged, looked not unlike some pi- | sitting up, and he was left there under the; ‘‘ Would you be able to identify this ‘rate or brigand. | care of a servant, and Clavering promised | child?” | ‘‘Now, what is going to be done?” asked | him a doctor. | **T would, sir.” | Clavering as soon as they were in the other| The distance was not far to the house of | ‘‘ How?” . 5 ‘room, the Hardings. “Her ear, on the Jeft side, is formed “T nominate that we finish our night’s| Here, as they were about entering the | doubly.” ‘ : ‘. sleep, the first thing,’ answered Dick. ‘‘I{ neat yard before the house, a woman came ‘‘My God! Itis true, it is true! Claver- hate to have my rest broken by trifles.” — out of the front door. | ing, what in Heaven’s name is to be done?” — Trifles! Great Scott!” : | She was not a prepossessing créature by ‘You are willing to believe that a _. Dick smiled. : ‘any means, but her face had a smile sugges- | Elmertine is the child of—of such a creature - _ **Me too,” chipped in the parrot. tiveof triumph. At sightofher Henry Clav-|as bad Bess was?’ a car _. Yes, you too,” Dick answered stroking | ering gave a start. eure Fb. ‘Tam forced to believe it.” im his back. a ema _ ‘ What means this?” he whispered, ‘‘But there is no proof!” . ame ae Pe fb) Ope we ae Nee ae eee saa oo 5 aoe Cee ee Comicbooks ee. SO ~— een eee re - 4 fF Sagi ‘ey,