Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 881 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

oom o Turkey Billy. He had completed his work, and lifted the basket on his arm. wid ye over old times,” ‘* Third floor back?” he queried. “Are these the clothes you brought from there?” asked Billy, overturning her basket and ‘‘' Yes. But you can l’ave them wid the lady. rummaging among its contents, She'll *tend to that. And be sure and fetch “* What in the wurreld aro you afther theer? | back the basket.” Will you Pave them duds alone?” Billy, however, had no intention to “lave “TI like to look at nice clothes,” answered / them wid the lady,” if he could help it. He the boy, who had already gained his purpose. | wanted badly to get into that third flour back. He had seen several pieces bearing the in- | Fortunately for him, when he boldly entered itials “E. B.” That this stood for ‘ Ellen | the house with his basket, no person was insight. Brown ” he had not the shadow of a doubt. | He did not trouble himself to look far, but ' Pye got. Set down an’ I'll have a bit of a chat | “Them things belong to a young lady that’s | mounted the stairs without hesitation. He there on a visit,” explained Mrs. Cahill, ‘‘ and | continued up the second flight, still meeting no I’ve got to bave’em back this blessed evenin’, | one. for she’s got no change wid her.” ** Did you see the lady?’ *“*She was asl’ape when I got the things. A sw'ate-faced cr’ature she was, too,avick. But tired out and as pale as a whitewashed fence, | poor thing!” “ What room was she in, Mrs. Cahill?’ “*The third floor back. But what is that to you, Master Impudence?” ‘“* You know | always like to know things,” | the gamin. ** Paix, and that’s a fact. to see you, me boy, I wish you’d l’ave me alone for the prisent. l’ve got to wash and iron these duds and bave them back by nine o’clock. And the time’s crue! short.” | There before him was the door of that “ third | floor back.” Hetried thedoor. It was locked. | But the key stood in the lock outside. Without losing an instant in thought he turned the key, opened the door, and entered. | A young lady was seated disconsolately in-a chair by the window, ‘* Mrs, Cahill sent me up wid the clothes,” he remarked, putting on his best brogue. The lady turned hastily at his accents, looked wildly round, and sprung to her feet with a But much as I like | bound. ! ‘* Billy! Billy Turk!” she exclaimed. ‘* Oh, are you come—” ‘* Whist!” he said, as he gazed into the sud- denly hopeful eyes of Nelly Brown. “If you “I'm going. Good-by!” shouted the boy. | give the alarm you may spoil aljl. I’ve found “Bat come back. And soon.” you, and all’s right. Keep up your spirits. Mor- “Tl be back at nine o’clock to-night,” he | ton can’t burt you.” shouted, as he left the door. | “Morton! Was it he—” “* Sure, you're a quare one, Billy,’ shelaughed. | ‘‘Hush! there are steps.—Sure, Mrs, Cahill “But come when ye will, ye’ll be as welcome as | tould me to bring ye the clothes, and here they the flowers of May.” | are.” The successful scout, with an elate heart and | The door burst open, and a bard-faced woman @ rapid step, rode back to the Thirty-seventh | entered like a storm. ag cag fam hope of meeting with Detective ‘‘What brings you here, boy? How dare um, ou—” Bat no such person was visible, and no evi- ice Mother Cahill was clean petered out,” ex- dence that he had been there. Billy waited out- | plained Billy, as he emptied the basket, ** so she side for nearly an bour, thinking that he might | sent me wid the clothes,’ be within, and hoping to see him emerge. “Then why didn’t you leave them down- At the end of that time he gave it up, took the | stairs?” Elevated again and cone down-town to Mr. ‘* Sure, and 1 would, but I saw nobody, and Plum’s office. It been a day of many | she tould me the lady was in the third floor events, and was now growing late. The ballsof | back.” the building were dusky with the shades of ap- ‘*Fool!” cried the woman. proaching evening as the boy passed along them | Empty your basket and get out!” toward the detective’s ¢ flice. ‘* Paix, if I'd thought there was any harm, I'd As be feared, the « flice was locked and its oc- | never have done it,” submissively answered the cupant absent. There was only one thing fur- | boy, as he picked up his empty basket and made ther be could do. He obtained from the janitor | for the stairs, without venturing a look at the of the building Mr. Plum’s home address, to be | fair captive. used in case it should be necessary to seek him that evening. Billy’s next movement was to go bome for nm ge He had been too busy to eat that day, and hunger was now making itself felt. Jerry Jenkins as usual presided at the table, and with bis usual o's attempt at wit. There was noth- ing to show that he bad been engaged in a crim- ina] en rise that day. And Billy was more than usually lively and animated. He felt good, for various reasons, one of the chief of which Was the surprise he was preparing for thesmart Mr. Jenkins. He hoped to take that gentleman downa peg or two very shortly. Billy was moved by a double impulse when he left the house about seven o’clock that evening. Should be go for Mr. Plum and get his aid to raid the den of the kidnappers? Or should he carry out the lan be had formed to obtain an in- terview with Nelly Brown? Boy-like he decided on the latter. He wanted to show all concerned that he knew a thing or twoaboat the art of the detective. Eight o’clock found him at Mrs. Cahill’s resi- dence, moch to the surprise of that excellent lady, who had not the smallest expectation of his keeping his word. She had already washed and fire<idried the clothes, and was now busily iron- them. boy made the next hour pass merrily with her by his quips and jokes. * Paix, I'm tired enough to go to bed, instead of bearin’ this heavy load to Mrs. Carpenter’s the night,” she declared, as she finished ironing the last piece, and fell back wearily in her chair. “| shoald think so. volunteered na 5 “Nomsense! You /” “ What's to hinder?’ He was already busily engaged in replacing the Jaundered clothes in ‘**Come, now! CHAPTER XIV. JUST IN TIME. WE must goon to a time two hours later in the history of that eventful night. They had not been wasted hours. Billy k, after re- turning the basket to Mrs, Cahill, had busied | himself on scme matters of importance. What these were will be shown later. His visit had given a new life to the fair pris- oner, Nely Brown. Plunged before in the depths of despair, she had become suddenly in- spired with hope, and sat, as the minutes grew into hours, in her contracted prison-room, wait- ing with nervous but hopeful expectation for the coming of a deliverer. She bad the warm- est confidence in her boy visitor. It was approaching the hour of eleven. She still sat by the window looking out into the night. No thought of sleep had come to her. It seemed to her that she must be ready and waitisg for the deliverance she earnestly ex- ted There came a st catlike. It was followed b door. She started to ber in the passage, light and a low tap on the eet, while her eyes a ‘*(Come in!” she breathed faintly. Tne click of the lock sounded, the dour opened, and a form appeared in the passage, in the full light of her lamp. Nelly fell back with a cry of dismay, clutch- ing her chair with nervous fingers. ere, be- trusted form of Edward Morton! lips parted with fright and dismay. “It is I, Miss Brown,” he replied, enterin and closing the door. “ Do not frightened. You bave naturally beer << the wretch who has had you abduc and locked up in this miserable den. Fortunately I have pene- I'll carry them for you,” the basket. “I’m your boy, you know.” trated his plots, forced him to acknowledge the “Iev'd be a blessing, indade,” she uttered, _— of your imprisonment, and bave hastened wearily. to you from this vile place,” “Of course Tll do it! You've done as much “You!” she , her eyes distended, ber ee ee oe ee for me many a day.” heart beating as if it would burst its bonds, | is ‘*'Yes, I, who have not ceased to love nor to seek for you. I have not slept day nor night since your abduction,” He advanced into the room toward her. She retreated involuntarily to the window. ‘*I do not believe you!” she cried, with a sudden burst of indignation. ‘‘ It was you who had me brought here! I feelit! IAnowit! It is not two hours since the boy—” ‘“*The boy? What boy?’ he exclaimed, hastily, | the blood flushing his face. : | fore her ae re stood the bated and dis- | have me kidnapped | ‘* The boy that— But I will not teil you. I have told too much already.” ‘* You can tell me nothing [ do not know al- ready, Miss Brown,” he continued, with a smile, Her hasty words had led him to an instant grasp of the situation, ‘‘ It wasonly an hour ago since our mutual friend, the little bootblack, told me that you had been removed from your former rison and where you might now be found. t I flew here with all need not be told. I would not for a world have lost a min- ute.” She looked at him in dread and doubt. His voice seemed earnest and sincere. His eyes were full of a warm light. His knowledge of the boy's visit— ‘Then who was it brought me here?’ she broke out. ‘** What base wretch was it that had me stolen from my home and locked in this prison cell?” ‘*You need fear him no longer, my dear Miss Brown,” he replied, advancing and seeking to take her hand, which she nervously withdrew, still shrinking away from him. ‘‘ He has met. with the reward of his crimes. Heis now locked up in a felon’scell to answer the criminal charges of robbery and abduction.” “But who—who—vwho?” she reiterated. ‘““What harm have J done to any one to be treated thus?” ‘* Whof” be answered, with a show of indig- nation. ‘*‘ Who wasit lured you into the street on that fatal night with a lying note, that he might bring you within reach of his villainous confederates? she exclaimed. It is the basest ‘Whom do you mean?’ “Harry Weston! It is false! of lies! Ob, this is too cruel!” She croucbed back against the wall, covering her face with her bands, ‘* Heaven knows 1 am sorry enougb to have to give you such pain,” he answered, “ But what under Heaven can I say or do, Miss Brown, but tell what I believe tobetrue? You have been deceived, that is all. The man has been a concealed villainfor years. He has been robbing me, who confided in him. I have just found it out and bad him arrested for theft. The villain, thus caught in bis crimes, confessed all his evil deeds atonce. it was thus I learned that he bad been your abductor, and hastened to your release.” he kad sunk almost to the floor while listen- ing to these crue! words, sobs breaking from her lips, her face still covered witi: her hands. But now she sprupg up, ran wildly toward him, clutcbed him by both shoulders, and looked w'th burning eyes into his face. “It isa lice! a base, infamous LIZ!” she cried. ‘You dare not repeat it! You dare not look me in the eyes and say such words!” In this critical moment Edward Morton proved himself a man of nerve. Not a muscle of his facequivered. His eyes retained their sorrowful reasion as they gazed into hers. “I bave burt you too much already, Nelly,” he said, gravely. ‘‘It has torn my heart todo it; but what could I do? Do not ask me to re t those cruel words, I am here for your re ease. Comewith me. You shall] have one pro- tector if all the world besides deserts you.” She listened to bis words as if she had not half burned like stars as she fixed them on the door. | heard them, and continued to gaze with hot eyes upon his face. ‘*It is false! Iwill not believe it!” she sud- denly cried, thrusting him from , -#fth more force than seemed to reside in he alicate fin- gers, “*He loved me,and I retu «i his love, We were engaged to marry. W /; should he ? What bad se to gain b that? Your story has a lie on the face of it, ‘*Great Heaven! you?” she cried faintly, her | ward Morton.” “* My dear Miss Brown, you can have no con- ception of the mental] movements of a man of this kind,” he replied, quietly and calmly, ‘*‘ Nor coukl I bave if he not confessed al] his villainy. Let me tell you what I have learned: He felt himself in a net from which there was no escape except by flight. He wanted you for the companion of flight, but knew that he could never obtain your consent tothis. I[t was for this he bad you abducted. It was part of his plan to appear as your rescuer, hurry you to: