Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 880 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

Broadway ‘ ; ‘* Ha, ha, ha! It is the least painful death | Broadway Billy made the remark with which known, Billy. The moment that knifedrops, all sensation is lost. Perhaps you are just able to realize that you have lost something bnt that’s all.” ‘You are cool about it, anyhow. One would think you bad had your head cut off a féw times by way of experiment.” ‘* No, no, not quite so bad as that; I’m merely quoting medical authority.” ‘‘ And the doctors know it all, of course.” “Oh, sure.” In the yo of Paris, on the morning of February 5th. ; Broadway Billy and his able French side- partner, Harry, had been all night in the neighborhood of the Prison de la Roquette. They were there to witness the execution of the condemned Anarchist, Auguste Vail- lant, and as it was not generally known what time the execution would take place, they had made a night of it. In the earlier part of the previous evening they,had been enjoying a foretaste of the carnival, in semi-disguise, when, falling in with a police agent with whom Harry was acquainted, he had let them into the secret that preparations for the execution were un- der way. Leaving the merrymakers, they set out immediately for the Depot des Condamnes, or Nouveau Bicetre, in the Rue de la Ro- quette. The prison is to Paris what the Tombs is to New York. It is intended asa temporary place of confinement for criminals con- demned to death, bard labor, or transporta- tion. For several nights past policemen had been standing in groups in the open space _ before the prison, where condemned prisoners are put to death, and about nine oClock on this night a mounted messenger from the Ministry of Justice came and delivered a sealed packet. ° This packet was addressed to Chief War- den Brun, and it contained his instructions respecting the bomb-thrower. He was directed to bave the guillotine quietly set up, to execute the condemned man at daybreak. ; Within a couple of hours afterward per- sons ‘began to gather before the prison to witness the tragic ending. When Broadway Billy and his confrere started for the Place de la Roquette, the sky was overcast, and a little later’a fine rain be- gan to fall, which made the night disagreea- ec. The two found a favorable spot, and held it, patiently waiting while the time dragged along. ms. The news meantime was spreading; men and women loitering in the streets near the prison having learned the secret, the mes- sage kad been hurried aiong, and at every corner groups were gathering. ; About a quarter to two a company of five hundred policemen entered the Place de la Roguette by different routes and took pos- session of the square. - By this time several hundred persons had gathered, mostly from the lower, quarters, and the police placed barriers to keep back the expected mob. | In anotherhour two battalions of the Re- publican Guards marched into the open space from the Rue de la Roquette, preceded by a drum cc and these were followed b & company of mounted guards, after whic came another battalion of infantry, and all took position in the square, while the wait- ing throng knew that the hour of death was now near. ee A little later the guillotine was brought out and set up a few yards from thedoors of the prison, by the Btate executioner’s as- sistants, and when it was ready M. Diebler our story opens. And a hideous affair it was, true enough. It looked doubly so, in the ghostly gas. light, as the State executioner tried the pulleys to assure himself that they were work- ing all right, and as the cruel knife, a foot wide and with diagonal edge, was put into place. More than one person in the crowd gave a shiver. “How would you like to try it, Harry asked Billy, after a moment’s pause. ‘* About as wellas Vaillant wil like it, I suppose,” was the answer. ‘‘It is not a question of whether he likes it or not.” ‘* Well, that’s so. Do you think he will show the white feather?” “No, I don’t, from what I’ve heard of him.” “Ts he a bravado?” ‘« Might just as well be, since there is no help for him. I'll bet he will go to the knife without winking.” And Harry’s prophecy proved true, as the sequel will show. At a quarter to seven the gaslights began to pale, and many persons could be seen standing on the roofs of the houses, from which a view of the guillotine could be had. As it grew lighter the crowd around the square increased, aud promptly at seven o’clock twenty-five of the mounted guards advanced to the front of the guillotine and took their station there. Muskets were slung across their backs, and they carried bared sabers in hand. Detently the little door in the prison gate- way clo straightened up and made perfect their lines, and it was known that now the double doors would shortly swing open and the condemned man and his attendants come forth. ‘There was aremarkable silence, there being none of the usual shouting, as Harry ex- plained to Billy. Ten minutes later all the gaslights were extinguished except the one nearest the guillotine, and soon after that Vaillayt ap- peared, wearing only shirt and trowsers, with an assistant walking on each side of him. He walked without aid, as freely as his shackles would admit, and his form was up- right and his demeanor bold. ‘‘ What did I say?’ whispered Harry to Broadway Billy. ‘See any signs of his weakening?” ‘He has certainly got nerve,” Billy had to admit. « The courage of the condemned man was indeed Joutaticnbile. as all who witnessed his execution were free to declare. The troops presented arms in salute, and the condemned Anarchist advanced in a steady manner until he was near the guillo- tine, when he sprung forward a step and exclaimed: | ‘“Death to the bourgeoisie! anarchy!” : His voice resounded over the whole square, and there was something of a faint response from different directions, but nothing intelli- ble. oe was then within two or three yards of the otine, and as he finished his last words on h he sprung forward and placed his — the fatal plank, y for the blade. | -_It is usually the work of the assistants to lace the victim upon this plank, but Vail- t Lelped himself o meet his fate. The k dropped to place, and in less time than the facts can be stated th 9” . Long live e con- demned man’s head was under the knife, and the —_ moment M. Diebler flash of steel as the , a thud, and then the bh —- into the waitin guill , and the deed o , and all the troops in the square Billy and the Bomb-Throwers. Billy and Harry were where they could see well, and as the head dropped it turmed ~ round and fell into the basket face upper- most. It was a fearful sight. In another moment the plank turned and the body was thrown intoa large basket that had been placed alongside the guillotine to receive it, and all was ‘over. The whole work had occupied not more than half-# minute. “Ugh!” exclaimed Broadway Billy, as he turned away with a shudder. ‘‘Don’t like it, do you?” said Harry. ‘* Well, it isn’t pleasant, that’s the truth.” “You are right, itisn’t. I noticed that the executioner himself was nox a little pale. I'll bet it has spoiled his appetite for break- fast. I don’t envy him his office.” ‘* Tt wasn’t the work that made him pale, Billy.” * What then?” ‘“‘ Why, the threats. He has receivea a good many letters from Anarchists who declared they would blow him up if he killed Vaillant.” ‘‘ Well, they have failed to carry out their threats, then.” ‘“* It isn’t too late yet.” ‘‘That’s so; and they have had little chance for their hellish practice here. They would probably get a dose of lead before they could throw more than one.” It was true that the State executioner had appeared pale, and that it was owing to fear was not to be doubted. The crowd had been growing all the while, and many were disappointed at finding they had arrived too late upon the scene. In less than two minutes after the fall of the knife Vaillant’s body was placed in one of the waiting vans and was taken to Ivry Cemetery. The guillotine was taken down, the flag- stones were washed off, and the law had been satisfied for the crime for which Vaillant had paid the penalty with his life. CHAPTER Il. N DANGEROUS GROUND. BroaDWaAy Bruxy and bis partner Harry, as they turned to leave the square with the crowd, found themselves behind two des- perate-looking men. Both detectives were tired and hungry, and it was their intention to take a hot and hearty breakfast and seek some rest as soon as possible, but words of the two men arrest- ed their attention. Broadway Billy, it must here be stated, had now been some months in the gay capi- tal—in fact, since June of the preceding rear. : Hence, he could understand much of the language, and could speak it, too, quite w i, and so it was that the words of the two men claimed his attention as well as — Harry’e. Harry gave whispered: ‘¢ Did you cateh on to that?” “Yes,” Billy answered. ty. “They are two of the bomb-throwers, — sure.” ie ‘‘Not a doubt of it, and they may have ~ some on their persons now.” ak “You are right. Say, here is a field for— detective work, Billy, if you are of that | Billy a nudge immediately, and turn,” “ A splendid field to get blown to atoms in, if we monkey with these fellows, I feel + Billy declared, with & They were talking in English, and were — not likely to be understood evenif heard. What they bee heard was a remark to the __ effect that Paris woul€ have to pay dearly — for the death of Vaillant. * To this the other man had responded that _ it should be at the rate of a thousand for Pilly and Harry tried to catch more, but | pretty certain of that,” a laugh. + . Pi “) a * : ' » * . . * — ’ 7 —— . By FPN Ti =e. #4 -~ . Ce t