Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 880 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

rs ut ; - “Let them de what they please with me, if they catch me,” said Billy, carelessly. The details were all arranged, and remain- ing in this house till inthe afternoon, the four Went out upon the street singly, with the understanding that they were to meet at a certain place in the Bois de Boulogne. CHAPTER XVIIL BILLY PERFORMS A REMARKABLE FEAT. EveryYBoDY Knows of the Bois de Bou- logne. This wood, outside the Paris fortifications, has long been famous asa place for suicides and dueling. It is the most fashionable resort for adrive or walk, and it is certainly a charming place, with its paths and drives, its lakes and islands, its groves and cascades. At the hour of four, Broadway Billy en- tered this wood by the Avenue du Bois de Boulogne, proceeding from the Are de 1 Etoile along the Avenue Ubrich in the di. rection of the lakes, finelly turning into a sequestered spot where the firs almost hide from view some rustic seats. On one of these seats two men were sitting, and Billy joined them) ‘Well, you are here, eh?” one greeted him, ** As you see,” answered Billy. “And soare we. We now await only the coming of Number Three, Billy had not learned the names of these men, and he himself was to be mentioned among them as Number Four. ‘*Have you the bombs?” asked Billy. For answer, one of the fellows reached be- hind the bench and picked upa small bag, which he handled carefully. ‘*Here they are, eight of them,” he an- swered. ‘* That ought to be enough, surely.” “You can bet it will be.” “<Tt will lay the Palais de Justice even with the ground, if wecan only get our work in right,” declared the other. “And that is what we must do,” cried Billy. ‘‘ We will awaken them this time to a sense of theirdanger. Long live Anarchy! Down with laws and governments! But, I must be more cautious than that.” He had spoken rather loudly. His companions did not suspect that he had given a signal. 3 Tes, you had better puta bridle on your tongue,” said Number One. “ Wait till our work is done, then shout.” ‘‘And if they catch us, prepare for the State surgeon, who does his work so well that no other surgeon can undo it,” spoke Number Two, referring to the exécutioner and the guillotine. **T wish I could carry a hundred of these bombs, and go through the strests throwing them right and left,” said Billy. ‘“ You would never throw but one.” “Why?” “< The tirst explosion would explode all the "? ‘* Then there is danger for us in the pres- ent undertaking, unless we can all throw at once.” ‘Just what Gallichon told you. But, what care we for danger, so long as we can strike a good blow for the cause? Down with the Jourgesisie /” ‘Have a care!” cautioned Billy. ‘‘ Not £0 . **T wish al) France eould hear me.” ‘“« That would block our little e for us, Let us get in our work first, and talk after- ward.” 3 ‘* You are right.” Just then the missing member put in his pearance. “Guess I’m not late, even if I am the last,” he made remark. ‘“ Have you got the lifters, Number One?’ - «— For answer, the leader of the four picked up again the bag of bombs which he had re- placed behind the bench, and displayed it. ‘* Two apiece,” said he. ‘‘It will be the worst dose the accursed bourgeoisie have taken in a long time, won’t it?” ** Yes, if nothing happens.” ** Well, let me hear the plan in detail,” re- quested Broadway Billy. ‘‘1 want to un- derstand all about it, so I will know just what is expected of me. If a blunder hap- pens, it won't be made by me, if you post me well.” Thereupon the leader went into a detailed exposition of the heinous plot. It was one that must ‘have resulted disastrously for the city of Paris, had not one of the four been a police agent, or had not other witnesses been present, as we shall soon show. While the leader was talking, Billy was toying with a strap that he had picked up on one of the driveways. His jaws were hard set as he listened. Suddenly, as the man concluded, Broad- way Billy sprung to action. His indignation scarcely knew bounds, and the young Hercules was equal, just then, to almost any feat. He had been buckling and unbuckling the ends of the strap he held, as he toyed with it, and his last move had been to buckle it and leave it so. This strap he now flung over the heads of two of the wretches, as they had their heads close together. He gave it a double turn around his right hand like a flash. At the same time he had grasped the third man of thetrio by the throat with his left hand, and he sprung to his feet, bringing all three with him, h2lpless in his powerful grasp. | He had the strength of a giant—but, men- tion of that has been made before. It was.a surprise to the watching police agents, who had never seen tbe like in their time, ‘‘You infernal, bloodthirsty assassins!” Broadway Billy cried, as he held the three at arm's length and shook them asa terrier would bave shakenarat. ‘I have a notion to choke the life out of you here and now!” That he was almost doing so, their appear- ance attested. Their mouths were open wide, and they were trying to gasp for breath, but could barely do so. ’ As for their crying out, even had they been inclined to do so, that would have been sim- ply impossible. They were in the hands of Broadway Billy, the New York Detective Samson. Fora moment the hidden police agents were too surprised to act. This was not according to the programme that had been arranged by them, but it was even better. Suddenly they dropped out of the trees overhead, half a dozen of them, headed by Detective Houiller, and the Anarchists were seized and quickly handcuffed. cried ‘‘Weston, you are a Hercules!” Houiller, wal ngly. ‘“My blood fairly boils,” said Billy, quiet- ly. ‘“‘I wonder that I did not twist their heads clear off their shoulders.” ‘* Better for you that you had,” gasped the leader of the band, just able to make use of his tongue. “ Your life shall pay for this, traitor that you are!” ‘*l am no traitor,” cried Billy. ‘‘I am Broadway Billy, a detective first, last, and all the time.” “* Your partner is in a bad fix, unless you let us go.” 4 “Never do you mind about my partner, ogs.” ** What about the bombs?’ asked one of the officers. ‘One of you carry the bag, and carry it ES Broadway Billy and the Bomb-Throwers. ' | 15 very gingerly,” said Billy. ‘* These are the genuine article. What is more, keep it out of reach of these men.” ** You can bet your commission that I will do so.” The officer took up the bag very tenderly, and carried it on his arm with the greatest care. Not that he was at alla coward; he was a brave officer, but a prudent one, and this was a mark of his prudence. An explosion would have shaken all Paris. Houiller could not help mentioning Billy s feat again, and that was the one theme of conversation all the way to the nearest police station, where the prisoners were taken, The prefect of police was on hand there awaiting them. ‘** A success,” he said, simply. “Yes, and it was needless that you sent us,” said Houiller. ‘“* Needless? How is that?” “Broadway Billy could have done the work alone. In fact, he did do it all him- self.”’ ‘** Do not stretch it;” continued Billy, mod estly. ‘Stretch it! Itis the truth. Why, Mon sieur le Prefect, he took all three by the necks at once—” ** At once?” ** Ask the fellows themselves.” “It is true,” admitted Number One, ‘‘ and we would have been dead men but for the others coming to our rescue.” It was admiration of Broadway Billy that enforced the admission, for they could not help admiring the feat that had been per- formed. It was something that would live in the Paris police annuals. The prisoners were taken care of, and Broadway Billy, together with Houiller and others, set forth immediately to the rescue of Harry Freeman and the arrest of other Anarchists. CHAPTER XIX. A STILL GREATER FEAT. Ir was night when Broadway Billy re- appeared in the city slums. His hat was broken, his coat torn, and he carried one hand out of sight under his coat. He slunk and slouched along in the shad- ows until he came to the old house which he and Harry had entered that afternoon, and watching his opportunity, slipped in again. rs his way to the end of the hall, he rapped. A voice greeted him. He gave the pass, and the door was opened to him immediately, by Gallichon. ‘* You?” he sharply demanded. ** Yes,” Billy growled in response. “* What’s the matter?’ “The police got onto us.” ‘* Where are the others?” ‘‘In their hands, I fear, unless paaere one other got away. I had to fight for it, as you can see.” Billy drew his hand from under his coat, disclosing a handcuff dangling from _ his wrist. It was proof enough in itself, but it was evident that Gallichon was suspicious. ‘* Where the mischeif did they attack you?” he demanded. ‘‘Under the trees in the Bois de Bou- logye.” ‘* And why have you come back here? Don’t you suppose they have followed you?” ‘‘I want a bomb. I will blow up the Palais de Justice myself, now, to have re- venge. And the others want you to blow up the prison, even if you kill them at the same time.” Billy spoke with all the earnestness and force he could bring to bear, for effect. | co ce 4 F) 900ks.com