Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 880 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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et A - (oes | “T am gladIam in time,” she gasped. ‘* You must keep these prisoners.” ‘* Just what we intended doing, for they so stoutly declare they are not the persons you claim—” ‘‘Pshaw! what folly for them to deny. But, they will be of more use held as pris- oners, for the policeare going to Degin active work against us.” “They have been active.” ‘* Yes, but now they mean to be more so. They are going to make arrests, and may make important ones.” ‘* And what then?” ‘‘These young men are valued, and we might force an exchange.” “Ha! that is a live thought, my daughter. Trust to that wise head of yours for ideas.” ‘‘Flattery to the wind. You must dis- guise, every man of you, and at once, for you are all known, thanks tothe spies who got into the meeting.” ‘*Tt shall be done.” “And so will I, too, for it will be neces- sary. I shall remain in this house as a hide- CHAPTER VI. IN THE BALANCE.—TERROR REIGNS, In spite of their nerve and bravery, Broad- way Billy and his French side-partner felt grave concern for their safety. They had béen in too many tight places to think of showing the white feather here, however, nor would they beg, no matter what might threaten, so they put on bold faces, ‘‘ Yes, we saw the death of Vaillant,” said Harry. ‘* What did we dothen? You were there, and you know. We put ourselves in the way of falling in with Anarchists, and this is the treatment we receive for our fideli- ty tothe cause. What we ask is fairness.” ** That is what you will get.” ‘*Do you call it fair,” here spoke up Billy, ‘‘to take the word of that young woman aguinst us, when she is as likely to make a mistake as any one else? Prove that we are the persons she claims, and we will have no more to say. Think you, had we been de- tectives, that we would have walked so fear- lessly into a trap like this? She said the Anarchist chief bad summoned us, and we came.” ous old crone.” ‘*There’s reasoning for you,” remarked ‘Have you seen Bernard?” Plinquet. ‘‘T have, and he says there must be no meeting soon. The next call will be secretly published in the papers.” ‘* That is wise.” ‘‘This comes of our threats in the meet- ing,” observed the hunchback. ‘‘ Yes, and of your own wild clamorings against the slayers of Ravachol. You are too hot and hasty with your tongue, Meu- nier.” ‘‘Wild clamorings! Ha, ha! You call my threats wild, do you? They shall yet hear from the notorious Meunier, as they call me, the avenger of Ravachol and the accom- plice of Francois!” “But, I repeat that you are too hot and hasty.” “Well, maybe I am, but you must remem- ber that Iam Meunier—Meunier the notori- ous, the avenger!” ‘* What!” thundered Gallichon. ‘‘ Do you mean to say you doubt the evidence given by my daughter?” ‘* Your daughter is only human, like the rest of us, after all, Jacques,” was the re- joinder. ‘‘ Let us have the proof before we go too far.” “The proof by all means,” supported Meunier, the hunchback. ‘‘A mistake would be a serious thing, and we cannot afford to take the risk of making one here. Let us go slow and be sure.” ‘Curse you for the fools you are!” roared Gallichon. ‘‘Has your chosen qucen ever deceived you yet?” ‘* She allowed five police agents to make their way into our meeting,” reminded one man who had not yet spoken. ‘*-You heard her say how that was.” “Tsay go slow.” ‘‘ But, listen to me,” cried their Detective “‘ Well, if that is the voice of all, so be it. | Queen. ‘‘ The police mean to make arrests It wiil not take us long to get the proof, one | as fast as possible, and you must vanish. way or the other, and until then we can hold | You have done it before, and it can be done these men prisoners.” again.” | “That is all we ask, brother,” spoke up ‘* They will find that it can.” Harry, quickly. ‘‘ Hold us prisoners until ‘‘And I, as the old crone‘of this house, you have made sure of the charge against us, f will take care of these prisoners myself.” and then, if the proofs are allagainst us, we ‘*We trust you.” will have nothing further to say.” ‘If they are wanted, you will know Their’bold mien had carried them through. | where to find them. They can never get out They had been held firmly, in addition to |} of my hands, What think you of the ar- bein und, while this was going on. rangement?’ ‘* What's to be done with them?” one of She turned her laughing face to Billy and their captors now asked, Harry. “They shall be chained in the cellar.; “ We could not well havea prettier keeper, First, though, we will search them and see | truly.” said Billy. what we'll find. ‘Nor one more to be feared,” added Har- ‘This may tell the tale, too,” added| ry. ‘* Mistakes of this sort are doubly dan- Gallichon, eagerly. “If my Fanchette was | gerous.” right—and of course she is, so much the ‘*Ha, ha, ba! You still insist upon your worse for them when we get the clincher on | innocence, do you? How you tire me! To them.” the cellar with them, my father, and then “Do with us what you will, if you getthe | seek your safety with all haste, for your proof,” said Billy, boldly. description will soon be in the hands of They were searched, but nothing save | every policeman.” their weapons and some money was found Without further parley or delay, Billy and — ee ee ee eee ee een ee ees ae” CSCO oS Oe seo ee —- e Ee ae Se eee upon them. Harry were taken from the room and down ‘« There is lack of proof that they are our | the stairs, brethern, as well, you see,” urged Gallichon. Reaching the hall below, they were drag- ‘You would not have us going around | ged along to the rear and down.a dark pas- with placards on our necks, would you?’ sage with wide stone steps to a sort of cellar It was fiery Harry who demanded thus under the house. “Well, to the cellar with them,” cried | ~ That is almost too dignified a name for Gallichon. such a hole, for only a bole it was at best, little while.” only deep enough to admit of walking Just then the hall door below was heard | almost bent double. What was worse, it to open and shut, and light steps were heard | was damp and foul. running along the hall and up the stairs. ‘*You do not mean to leave us in such a ‘* Fanchette,” said Gallichon. place!” cried Billy. It was she. ‘‘ The best we can offer you, gentlemen,” The Detective Queen came into the room | said one of their captors, with grim humor. y- And here they were chained to one of the ‘“‘The truth will come out in a Broadway Billy and the Bomb-Throwers. = . ~~ we oe * I center supports of the building, with the chains locked around their waists. It was not likely they could, or would, escape. So they were left. ‘‘Well, this comes of your prying into the secrets of the Anarchists, Harry,” said Billy, when they were alone. ‘“And we'll pry deeper, too, you bet,” de- clared Harry, fiercely, ‘‘as soon as we get out of here. We have been in wore places, and this one will not hold us for long.” ‘‘T agree with you: but at present I don’t just see the way out.” Nor did they see the way out, either, for several days. In the mean time the prisoner, M. Breton, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and to pay a fine of a hundred francs. CHAPTER VIL. PARIS STRUCK ANOTHER .BLOW. On the morning of February 12th there was a lively scare in a Paris court-room. A prisoner named Boisson, one of the many who had been arrested during the past few days by the activity of the police, was on trial. He was convicted of having explosives in his possession, and the judge was sentencing him to four months’ imprisonment, the prisoner standing, meantime, in a most de- fiant attitude. As the judge concluded, Boisson drew back his arm and hurled something with force at the Court. At the same time he shouted aloud, address- ing himself to the Court and the court atten- dants in a manner calculated to strike terror to timid hearts: ‘* You are a crowd of pigs! you a.l up!”’ The missile thrown was not a bomb, how- ever, but only a piece of hard bread, which struck the Court on the nose. Had it been a bomb, the excitement for the moment could not have becn greater, for many thought that was what it must be and there was a lively ducking behind chairs and benches. The dignity of the Court was greatly in- jured, and his nose smarted from the effect of the blow, but evidently thankful that it had been nothing more harmful than it was, he did not inflict further punishment on the prisoner. Boisson was led out of the room. ‘Long live Anarchy!” he yelled, as he was being taken away. ‘“‘ You will feel Paris rocked as by an earthquake before you know it!” True enough, shortly before nine o'clock on the evening of that same day Paris was raly zed. A terrific explosion took place in the Hotel Terminus at the St. Lazare railway station, rocking the building to their foundations. More than twenty persons, men and wo- men, were injured, and the room in which the explosion occurred was completely wrecked. The bomb had been filled with bullets and iron scraps. Yes, a bomb it was. The drawer of the red ballot had per- formed his duty. As usual, innocent men and women were the victims. An instrumental concert had begun at the cafe ut eight o'clock, the room being on the ground floor of the hotel. Just as the band ended a favorite overture, at a few mirutes to nine o'clock, a pale young man with a light, pointed beard paid for a drink which he had taken in the mid- dle of the room. Having done so, he started to leave the place, but when near the door he tu suddenly and drew a bomb from uader his coat hurled it at a group of persons who Wewill blow had sat next to him, at the same time mut-. corr on pe ee 900KS.com |