Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 89 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

| | | } | ‘ ———— eee — ee ee EEE — _ ee ———E ————— eee — He filled a goblet with the fiery fluid, and He picked up one and examined it; then an- drank it down as if it had been water. other; they were perfectly genuine, and the For a moment a bright, hectic flush came into | floor was Jittered to the extent of many thou- his cheek; it died away; he tottered, threw up | sands of dollars in value. his arms and fell to the floor like a corpse. It was a veritable treasure, and he had at his This was no startling novelty in this place, | feet another fortune. What could it all mean? and he was promptly dragged into an inner | room, where he was left to recover himself at his leisure. | written, in a bold, masculine hand. Jim was feverish and impatient. ad Perhaps this would afford a clew. writing a note, in which he told Ken to seek He took it in his hand and read as follows: him at his house, he ordered the missive to be **My son, I felt that you would foolishly squander hoy him when he recovered, . | the money I left you, and I arranged this rope so as Then he walked to the ferry and sought his | to come down with the ceiling at a slight pressure. home. | In the ceiling I hid another twenty-five thousand dol- Beggared as he was, he had made himself en- Knowing that if despair drove you to suicide, tirely dependent on his sister’s charity—that is | to say, on Fanny. | It was about seven o’clock when he let him- | lirs. deserving of a fresh start in life. if this last sad step should be taken by you anc | these lines meet your eye, to live a life more worth In the midst of his bewilderment, he beheld a | sheet of note-paper on which something was Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. —— ei ee coming here to see Miss Fanny, at seven o’clock. | ' | no escape, we will go to Canada, ' ; you would have Jearnt the value of money and be | Let me pray you, | I overheard her tell a servant so.” ‘Well?’ ‘*She shall be pushed into the carriage, and we will conduct her to a lonely house, the occu- | pent of which I am acquainted with, in Hobo- cen. There a priestshall marry you. I think it will be a good spec, as I hear she has an inde- pendent fortune. When she finds that there is I will leave you two in retirement and come back and make terms with Mandragon.” ‘* But the marquis?” ‘*T am armed, and shall be on my guard in future. Once married to Mercedita, your posi- tion is secure, for if we are found out ro one will prosecute us, for her sake. I very much ap- prove of the plan.” Indeed, there were many reasons why it should self into the house. | of yourself and the name you inherit from me, God _ be acceptable to both of them, His footstep called out Fanny, who had been be with you! sitting up all night for him. | ture. ‘Oh! [am so glad you aro here!” she cried. Te ; “T thought you would be afraid to come home, | A Se aaeae oe ify hed apencen after the dreadful scene of last night. As for | yay was likely to happen to a boy of his son’s me, I could not sleep. How ill you look!” disvosition. Spa Fg is face far rae See hag- hakuieadl penitent, yet happier in his mind, gard, ee ee es tee Jim collected the money and returned to the s the marquis dead?” inquired Jim. house, determined not to say a word to any “No; fortunately the knife glanced along the | on, ’ ribs. ‘The doctor says that though painful, the | “ “Ho had the means of a fresh career in his pos- wound is not dangerous. In a week he will be | .ocsion, and he resolved to lead a different life. able to leave his bed. does Mercedit, All that worried him now was the possibility This is good news. What does Mercedita | of the real Dick Dimity appearing on the scene. coe . He retired to rest, and in the evening awoke | ‘She is very angry with you. . _, | much refreshed, to find that Belshazzar was **So they believe the stories the marquis cir- waiting for him. culated about me?” ‘ Not even to his confederate did he say a word No; ‘they attribute it to jealousy, but all | spout the singular windfall of bills which had think you had best go away somewhere for a | Qome in his way that morning. The Gipsy expressed his intention of taking up his residence in the house, under the guise of Jim’s tutor, and they both agreed to defy the attacks of the marquis. Look to him for guidance in the fu- Ricuarp Drmiry.”’ ‘*1’'m tired of living. Everything seems to go against me,” said Jim, viet poe A ‘*'You want sleep; you will be better able to think and talk hel you are rested,” replied Fanny. " There is no sleep in my eyes.” CHAPTER XIII. ‘‘Recollect that I am always your friend, and 4 MYSTERY EXPLAINED. WHEN Belshazzar was fully informed of Jim’s virtuous intentions, he laughed immoderately. In every way he endeavored to dissuade him. ** What is to become of me?” he asked. *T don’t know. You can’t expect me to look after you all the days of your life,” replied Jim. ‘*But I do.” ‘Then you will find yourself mistaken.” The Gipsy laughed incredulously. I will do all I can to make Mercedita forgive ou, though she has a horror of deeds of vio- ence and is thoroughly afraid of you.” Jim pressed her hand gratefully and went in- to the wary, where there was a sofa, on which he threw himself. Sleep, however, would not visit his eyelids. **Old Dimity was right when he left me that rope, in his will,” he muttered. “I’ve a good mind to use it!” The idea grew upon him, and it became dan- gerous in the then excited state of his brain. A door opened on the garden from the li- brary, and through the window he could see the summer-house mentioned in the will. Rising, he opened the door and walked to- ward it, having, in a brief time, developed what the doctors call a suicidal mania. | sailor—you can’t throw me over.” He entered the summer-house unperceived by |“ Why can’t I?’ asked Jim, toying nervously any one and shut the door carefully behind | with his wallet in which was all his money. him. ‘‘Because, if you attempted it, I should de- The summer-house had been built for years, | stroy you, crush you as 1 would a worm!” re- and was in a very rickety and tumble-down | plied Belshazzar, vindictively. condition. “ How?” Plaster had dropped in flakes and patches ‘*!T would turn State’s evidence and have you from the walls and ceiling. convicted of fraud.” Hanging from an iron hook was the rope, the ‘*'You are a cold-blooded villain.” noose all ready to slip round the neck! ‘“‘f admit it. Come, abandon your virtuous ‘‘Here goes!” said Jim, stepping on a table. | career: get all the money you can and we will ‘‘T am ruined. Garcia will never rest till he | carry off this Mercedita.” roves me an impostor. Dick Dimity may be ** Carry her off?’ ound, and it will be better to die now than ‘Why should we not? spend the best years of my life in prison, after | Canada.” living like a young gentleman. Icouldn’t go on In his agitation, Jim broke the elastic which the tramp again. [don’t want to be bad any | contained his wallet and the heap of bills rolled more. I wished to marry Mercedita after pass- | out. ing through college, and be arespectable citizen. | Belshazzar’s eyes glistened, greedily. That dream is over. Tl show them that I had | “Ah! we are rich!” said he. ‘‘It was wrong, the courage to die.” my dear child, to conceal this from your uncle. He adjusted the noose round his neck. | How much have you got, and where did you One kick sent the table rolling over; the rope | steal it?” tightened; there was a sense of suffocation; all Driven into a corner, Jim admitted that he the blood in his body seemed to rush to bis head; | had attempted to commit suicide, and related a mist swam before bis eyes. the result. Suddenly there was a grand crash. “ Bad boy!” replied the Gipsy. ‘“ But, out of He fell to the floor with a heavy thud, and it | evil shall come good. Dimity must have been a appeared as if the whole ceiling had given way | curiously eccentric old man, very. However, and fallen on him. we will drink his health!” It was some time before he could recover from He poured out some wine from a cut-glass ca- his astonishment. raffe into a tumbler. When he did, he got up, removed the rope and ‘*Now we are in funds again,” he exclaimed; im. | ‘my spirits always rise when the cash_account _ to partnership with me, it was for life. As long stick to you like a burr.” ‘*T won’t have it!” a We will take her to ee looked around him ‘* My dear boy,” he said, ‘‘ when you went in- | | With Belshazzar—to conceive was to act. _He went out at once, to make all his prepara- tions, A room was engaged at the Hoboken house; & priest was to be there at a certain hour, to perform the ceremony, and a trusty carriage driver was employed to assist in the abduc- tion. Thus the crafty Gipsy in half an hour scatter- ed all Jim’s virtuous resolves to the wind. The day passed very slowly for Jim; it seem- ed as if the lagging hours would never goby. He felt as if a crisis in his fate was approach- ing, so true it is that coming events cast their shadows before them. After dinner, at which Fanny presided, like the little lady she was, Jim and Dalebacsar went out. They stood in the shadow of the doorway, waiting for Mercedita to arrive. The coach was drawn up close by, and the driver, with his hat slouched over his eyes, awaited the signal for him to open the door. In half an hour they were rewarded by see-; ing the graceful form of Mercedita approach-| ing. . She had carelessly thrown a Spanish mantilla over her head in the Spanish fashion, and was arn a pleasantevening with her friend anny. Before she could utter a cry, she was unex- pectedly seized by Belshazzar, who bound a Cloth tightly over her mouth, and bore her swiftly to the carriage. ‘*Open!” said the Gipsy. The hackman descended from the box and threw open thedoor. Mercedita was pushed in. Belshazzar entered after her, and Jim was about | to follow. | | So far all had gone well. No one had witnessed the outrage. Mercedita /as you have achance of getting a cent, I shall | was in a half-fainting condition, incapable of speaking or moving. As Jim reached the carriage-door, he looked at ‘“How can you help yourself? Iam to you | the hackman. what the old man of the sea was to Sindbad, the« Mies sprung back as if an adder had stung im, ‘‘ By heaven!” he cried, ‘‘ the ghost again !” In the guise of a hackman, Mr. Dimity stood before him, his arm extended warningly. ‘* Come! come!” exclaimed Belshazzar. ‘‘ What is keeping you?” ‘‘T cannot!” replied Jim, his teeth chattering with fear. ‘* What is it?” “The ghost again | Look! It is Mr. Dimity! There he stands!” Impatiently Belshazzar stepped out of the coach. Even he started back, for the driver was so like Mr. Dimity that it was overwhelming. ‘‘ This is not the man I hired,” he said. ‘*Come away!” cried Jim. ‘I cannot go any further with this, to-night.” Belshazzar drew a pistol. ‘*T’ll soon see how much ghost there is about this fellow!” he exclaimed. He raised the weapon to fire, but the driver knocked the pistol from his hand, and closed with him. A terrible struggle took place between them, during which Mercedita recovered sufficiently from Fe alarm to tear the bandage from her face and call loudly for the police. In less than a minute an officer was on the ot. “tie secured Jim, just as the strange hack- driver had thrown the Gipsy on his back. — ‘Take that one into the house!” he exclaimed. ‘*T will follow with this fellow.” The door was soon open. Mercedita rushed His amazement increased when he saw that is all right. To-night we will abduct Mercedi- | into Fanny’s arms and hysterically began to the floor was covered with bank-bills, each for | ta.” . one hundred dollars. ‘How? In what way?” eagerly asked Jim. “ Am I dreaming?’ said he, rubbing his eyes. ‘*T will have acarriage in waiting. She is | laugh and cry, while the servants looked on in am°zement. Jim, held by the collar, looked sullen and de~ COM JOOKS.COM