Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 880 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

- 7 . , 2. . ~ ’ . ~~ : & . “ ve * * “ : * - A ~ P, . . e e . , : ‘Broadway Billy and the Bomb-Throwers. upon us,” wled one who seemed to be | now they made room for the agents to take the leader. *‘ There is a time to shout, and a | their prisoner from the room. time to keep still.” *“‘And there is a time for work, too,” growled u hunchback who made one of the com pany. about seven o’clock on the Place de la Ro- quette. ‘“‘No, no, that was not the time.” cor- rected the leader. ‘‘ You are too eager, Meunier, in your desire to avenge Ravachol. You would only have blown up a few of the soldiers, without doing any good, What we | | want is to strike at the head.” *“*Yes, yes, Paul Bernard, you are right.” Suddenly, however, Jacques Gallichon cried out: ‘‘ Brothers, are we cowards, knaves and “There was a time for work | fools combined? Will we submit to this, when we outnumber the spies like we do?” ‘* You will submit to it or die,” cried the leader of the officers. They were moving toward the door. ‘* Never!” cried the hunchback. ‘At them!” There was a howl, such as might come from a pack of wolves, and a rush was in- stantly made upon the officers, but their By this time Billy and Harry recognized | weapons spoke spitefully. that they were in the very stronghold of An- Three or four of the band dropped to the archy. That their lives were in danger there | floor, with groans, and the rest stopped short, was no doubt, once they were suspected. They were armed, however. little else about their persons, they bad their trusty revolvers. All the men were talking at once, and ‘here was a confusing uproar. They had [ penta sround Breton, Henry, and Billy and Harry, and an American in the lot was just opening a fire of questions at Broadway Billy when something tcok place. Severai men pushed through to the center of the group, to the displeasure of those whom they crowded, and who did not hesi- tate to complain loudly, complaints that were disregarded. When the men reached M. Breton they laid hands upon him, one saying: ‘** Monsieur Breton, we arrest you in the name of the law.” They were secret agents of the Paris police, and one of the Anarchists’ own bombs exploding in their midst could not have as- tonished the company more. ‘* Who are you, fellows?” M. Breton de- manded, crepe ‘“* For what am I arrest- ed, 1 would ask? You had better have a care, for how do you expect totake me out of such a place as this?” “We will take care of that part of it. Resist, and you die. If any man interferes it will be the signal for his death. Make room,” So clear and ringing the words, so bold and fearless the tone, that the cowed Anar- chists fell back. The handcuffs bad already been snapped on the prisoner’s wrists. One of the police agents, a powerful fel- low, held him, while five others kept the crowd covered with their revolvers. lt was a thrilling moment, and Broadway Billy could but look on in admiration of such a display of courage asthis. The next moment he had reason for even a greater ad miration. Paul Bernard had sprung to a table, from which he caught up a bomb that lay there. “* Release that man!” he ordered, raising his arm to throw the death-dealing missile. ** Release him, or I will blow you to mince- meat!” ‘* Blow away!” was the calm defiance. The police agents never flinched, and not a trace of fear could be read im their faces. “Don’t throw it,” cried Meunier, the hunchback. ‘‘ Nota man of us ¢an escape alive if youdo. We will keep it for a better purpose than killing police spies.” \ SN ee A A EA A ET A A TT TT Tm a while the police agents with their prisoner If they had | made good their escape through the door. CHAPTER IY. DRAWING THE BALLOT. Broapway Brury and Harry Freeman had fallen behind the others without arousing suspicion. By standing still when the others rushed, this had been accomplished, and no bullets reached as far as where they stood. When the police agents had gone with their man, Billy and Harry were found with revolvers in their grasp, glaring at the door that bad just closed. A shot bad been heard from this direction, and Harry's weapon was still smoking. He had fired over the heads of the police agents, for effect, to divert suspicion from him and Billy. “Curse them!” cried Paul Bernard. ‘* They shall pay dearly for this!” ‘*T tried to pick off one of them, but miss- ed,” said Harry. ‘‘ How came they in here with us?’ ‘That is the question,” roared Pierre Marchaunt. ‘‘ There is a traitorin ourranks somewhere, who has given them the secret, Who is he?” ‘* Yes, who is he?’ repeated one of the wounded men, witha moan. “He deserves a dozen deaths, if he can be found. Look at us, one dead and three more hurt by their cursed bullets.” “* Death to the traitor!” ‘* Yes, yes! Death to him, death to him!” ‘‘Pay attention to me,” cried Paul Ber- nard, waving his arm. ~ The others became in a measure silent. “We must get out of here immediately,” the temporary leader addressed them. ‘‘Now that the police know of our place, they wil descend upon usin force. We must deal them a blow.” *Hear! Hear!” ‘But before we go the lots must be drawn, and we will see which of us is to throw the next bomb. We will draw ina new and secret way, so that noone will be able to tell who gets the red ballot save the man himself who draws it. This will be a check on spies.” ‘Excellent! That will foil the foxes!” ‘‘Count the number present, and let the same number of ballots be placed in the box, one being red. Each in turn will secret! draw, and each must keep secret what h Make way!” the leader of the secret | ballot proves to be. The wounded need not agents ordered again, fere with us in our duty.” It was a thrilling moment. ‘We take this man | be counted, but these two new members will out of here dead or alive. What is more, we | take part with us. Is will take the rest of you if you try to inter- |} ing?” turning to Billy and uppose you are will- arry as he spoke, ‘More than willing,” Broadway Billy The Anarchists outnumbered the agents | cried, in the best French he could master. could have overcome them. But, that personal regard which each had for his own safety deterred them, for it | want to,” declared Harry. nearly five to one, and had they tried sana ‘““All we ask is a chance to strike for the cause.” “You may give me the red ballot, if you ‘T will prove to would mean the death of more than one man | you that we mean business. What do you before the object could be accomplished. / want blown up? The Palais de J ? back once, as sald, and Or the Legislative Palace?’ a er eee ee ee ee a rr rr rrr rrr a ‘You seem to know something about Paris.” ‘*T did not live here half a dozen years for nothing. Don’t I speak the language well enough?” ‘Well, ready?” Some of the members of the band had sprung to obey the directions of the leader. ‘“ Yes, all ready,” one responded. ‘Then place the box on the table, and we will draw from it one by one.” The box was so placed, and the speaker himself was the first to advance to it and draw. ‘*Let each man take his ballot secretly, so,” he directed, ‘‘and carry it away with him, letting no one know what he has drawn.” He suited action to his words, and made room for the next. Thus, one by one, they stepped forward and took one of the balis out of the box, without looking until one had been drawn, and then not allowing any one else to learn. When it came to Billy’s turn, he step forward like the rest, and took out a ballot, He looked at it and found that it was white. The same with Harry. And so it went on until all had taken one, and the box was empty. One of the num- ber had drawn the red ballot, and yet no one else knew who it was. “It is done,” spoke up Bernard. ‘* Let the one who has the death ballot do his duty. Within ten days let us feel Paris rocked by the explosion, and let the dead be many.” ‘* Amen!” The feeling was intense, and the excite- ment great. In the mean time the wounded had been seen to, Broadway Billy lending a hand at that. ‘‘What about the dead man?” asked one. “ We will let the police care for him, Plinquet,” answered Bernard. ‘‘ They will plant himin the Turnip Field.” ‘* He is deserving of a place in the Pere La Chaise, with a monument,” cried the hunch- back, Meunier, ‘‘ Another thousand will have to pay the debt forhislife. But, let us away.” They bad not been idle a moment, but each had taken some of the effects of the place, such as could be carried on the per- son. All were now ready to set forth before the police could descend upon them in num- well, to the ballot. Are you rs. The balloting had occupied not more than & minute. ‘“Now, out and away, and every man for himself!” cried Paul Bernard. ‘*‘ We must disperse, but we will meet in two days at the old place.” So shouting, he made for the door, the others following, a2d all hastened out of the building, some by the rear way but most of them through the hall to the front, Harry and Billy going that way. The two detectives ran into a narrow street near at hand, and after a couple or three turnings, came to & walk. ‘“Well, that was lively, wasn’t it?” re- marked Harry. “You are right it was,” agreed Billy. “Tt might have been hot for us, too, if the fight had been oe A “Bet your life! But, I wonder who got the red ballot? That is something we ought to know, for another outrage is sure to follow, now, unless we can get onto his track. “‘T am afraid it will puzzle us to find out.” ‘‘SoI think. I tried to watch their faces so as to detect the man who drew it, but it was impossible.” , ‘* What is to be done?” ‘** Tell the prefect of police.” | —