Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 89 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4 Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. ——— had occurred to him as soon as he perceived the extraordinary likeness between the two boys. ‘* You must wear his clothes and he must have on yours,” Een Belshazzar went on. ‘It is es- sential you should have his, and if the body is ever found, why, it’s only you, and they will never make a noise about a poor scamp like ou. ‘* Strip the dead!” said Jim, in a tone which seemed to indicate that, bad as he was, he was not thoroughly hardened. | “Why not? It is only like laying out a corpse. I worked for an undertaker once and am used to it,” replied the wr of gp Sinat are you to get out of all this?’ asked im. “Your uncle will come out all right,” said Een, with a horrid leer, ‘‘I shall be your pri- vate tutor, and you will have lots of chances to ive me money. Leave your uncle, my dear, take care of himself; he was not born yester- da 7 x No, nor the day before,” replied Jim. Belshazzar got up and knocked the ashes lei- surely out of his pipe. He took up a billet of wood and swung it through the air, regarding it approvingly. “‘This will do,” he remarked; “I could killa bullock with this.” “Say, Een!” cried Jim. ‘‘Can’t we put up the job without killing this chap?’ ‘‘ No!” snarled the Gipsy. ‘“*{ don’t half like—” “One word more,” interrupted Belshazzar, whose little eyes gleamed like an an snake’s, ‘and I throw up the whole thing, and leave you to tramp and starve and slave in prison all the rest of your life. Bah! | didn’t think it was in you to weaken.” ‘*?’m not weakening; only it’s so sudden.” “Would it make any difference if we waited for a week?” és No.” ‘Dry up, then, and keep your eye peeled, while 1 go and start our young friend on his long journey,” said Een. Holding the bludgeon firmly in his hand, the Gipsy entered the barn and crept up the ladder. ick Dimity, all unconscious of coming evil, was sleeping placidly. Throuzh a hole in the roof the moonbeams streamed in, casting a shower of silver over his pale face. He moved restlessly as Belshazzar approached him, and his lips parting, he murmured softly the one word: ** Mother!” Raising the bludgeon, the Gipsy dealt him a murderous blow on the head. The boy sprung up half-way and fell on his knees, blinded with blood. Another and yet another blow followed, and he fell on his side, to all appearances dead, Ken Belshazzar was satisfied, for he dropped the deadly weapon, and taking the boy up in his arms, careful to hold his head down, so that the blood should not fall upon him, he carried him out into the air. Laying him down in the moonlight, he rapid- ly stripped him of his clothes and boots. ‘* Poel!” he hissed hoarsely through his teeth. Island Jim removed his clothing as quickly as possible, and in less than five minutes the living ssessed the garments of the dead, and those of he former were transferred to the latter. ‘Take hold of his legs!” said Belshazzar. Jim obeyed without a word, and, the Gipsy supporting the neck and shoulders, Dick Dimity was carried across two fields until an old apple- tree was reached, Under this tree was an old well which had once been used by the inmates of a farm-house, not far off, but the water giving out, another one had been dug and this one was covered over with boards. Een had discovered it during a search for wa- ter on the previous day. Removing the boards he dumped the body ‘ down, feet foremost, and satisfying himself that it had gone to the bottom, replaced the boards, ‘*Come,” he said to Jim, “all is over; now for the bright and happy future!” ‘*T hope so!” replied Jim, who was ghastly pale and trembling as if he had a chill. This was the first time he had ever assisted at a murder, and everything connected with this tracedy was so cool, calculating, and terrible, that it made his blood run cold. . For some time he and bis partner in crime sat over the fire smokine, after which they went to sleep in the blood-stained loft. CHAPTER OI. THE RETURN OF THE TRUANT. The sun was shining brightly in a cloudless | ‘‘ He reads me like a book,” said Belshazzar, sky and the boys were running about, merrily at _ rubbing his hands unctuously together. lay. regs ‘* Will you, dear sir, will you undertake the _ Inside the house, with its palatial surround- | tuition and guidance, in a spiritual sense, of my ings, in which lived Mr. Dimity, there was deep misguided boy?” and heartfelt sorrow. “For a consideration?” It was a house of mourning. ‘‘ Certainly; you shall have a handsome sti- That day, Mrs. Dimity had been laid in her | pend.” lass home in the cold, cheerless cemetery, and | ‘‘ Charityville will miss me,” exclaimed Bel- as her husband sat alone in his library, the , shazzar, in a tone which had imposed upon memory of years rushed over him like a flood, many a prison chaplain; ‘‘the wail, of the or- and he wept. “ poe deprived of his friend, will be heard in the He was interrupted by the entrance of his lit- | land; but, as I have no family ties to hold me tle daughter, Fanny, who rushed boisterously | back, I accept the offer.” into the apartment. | **'You accept?” ‘* Papa! papa!” she exclaimed, excitedly. | “Ido, unhesitatingly. The voice of duty calls ** Hush, my child!” replied Mr. Dimity, re- me. I wilistrive hard with the world and the ag tri ‘Have you so soon forgotten that: flesh, to snatch this brand from the burning.” we have had death in the house?” ‘“Mr. Dimity, simple-minded and too honest ‘Oh, no, papa; I can never, never forget my | to be suspicious, said; “ I thank you.” dear, poor mamma!” she answered, wiping her | They shook hands, and then the bereaved eyes. ‘‘ But, Dick has come back!’ | father caught Jim in his embrace and kissed his Mr. Dimity sprung to his feet, and his red, | cheek. | | swollen eyes flashed wildly. ‘‘ My son,” he exclaimed, pathetically, ‘all is ** Diek—come—back?”’ he repeated, slowly. forgotten and forgiven. Lead a new life.” ** Yes, indeed! I have seen him.” ‘Pll try, father,” answered Jim, ‘‘and as I ‘Wretched boy! It is fitting that he should | see you feel bad I’ll leave you alone for the pres- have chosen this day for his reappearance. | ent. Come, sis. Is my room as [ left it?’ W here is he?” ‘In the hall, with a strange gentleman.” ‘*'Tell him to come in here,” said Mr. Dimity, adding, in a low voice, ‘‘thank Heaven for giv- ing me back my boy, though he was the cause of my losing my wife—his mother!” A few minutes elapsed, when Fanny reap- peared, leading a boy by the hand, followed by a middle-aged man, dressed in a suit of black. ‘**’ve come back, father!” said the boy, ‘** and I want to ask your forgiveness.” “‘Have you heard of your mother’s sad death ” inquired Mr. Dimity. ‘‘ We buried her Fanny replied that it was, and ran u irs before him, which was very useful, as he had not the remotest idea which way to go. Dick’s room was plainly furnished, and filled with books, guns, fishing-rods, base-ball bats and other things which youth delights in. ‘*Oh, you naughty brother!” said Fanny, ‘‘to run away; but you’ll never do it again.” ‘* Not till next time. Run and tell one cf the servant: to bring some cigars and some beer; and say, sissy, is that old Mandragon in twat | garden?” | Fanny looked out of the window. : ‘* Yes, that is he—nasty, cross old thing!” she ‘** Yes,” replied Island Jim, for it was he, in | his new character, ‘‘and I’m very sorry for i+; but you can’t blame me and it’s no use begin- ning that sort of thing. If you do, Vll run away again, and stay away.” ‘‘ Whatam I to understand by that?” inquired | Mr. Dimity. Mt so what you like out of it,” et J ae | ; he boy was playing a part in which he and was seen no more, been ee sb by Ben Belshazzar. | Fanny went off on her errand and the servant The latter stepped upto Mr. Dimity, and fold- | soon appeared with what was wanted, leaving ing his hands demurely in front of him, said, | the conspirators together. with a pious snuffle, * My worthy friend, allow | , How did it go off?” queried J im. | me ee in this misguided cyt S ne ‘ - b hy ae ! ae aaien oe ae A emee wee oe , 19 are you, sir?’ inquired Mr. Dimity. old gentleman. SO C 2S are -top ** One of the elect, I a peaie hope. It 7 my | deacon of the church, I don’t think te shall humble province to be a deacon of the church | have any a tila replied the Gipsy. ix the 2 eaehie pana I dwell, but, ver 0 re dame qa ABs 2 ths od ge) Msg om ‘‘How did you meet with my boy?” contin- | have to board out of the house, Eon, or yowll ued Mr. Dimity, who was completely deceived be bored in.” raped. ; im took up a putty-blower, and opening the window, shot a pouple of pellets at Mr. Man- dragon, which struck that gentleman painfully in the eye and on the ear. “Oh! my ear!” cried he; ‘‘ who’s that?’ ‘i'm back again!’ shouted Jim. Mr. Mandragon darted quickly into his house by the likeness between Dick and Jim. ‘Certainly ; I shall engage a room at Taylor’s ‘‘He had penetrated into Pennsylvania, sir, Hotel, so that no one will be interested in m and being an-hungered and athirst, he came to | movements, and I guess that New York will my door and did beg a meal of broken victuals.” | see more of us than Jersey City. Leave all to ** Beg? my boy beg?” me; neyer open your mouth to fill other people’s ‘Of a verity, he had to beg or steal, and so | and we shall triumph,” said Belshazzar, confi- chose the former alternative. Feeling interested | dently. ee $n in a lad of hiscomely presence, took himinand ‘I feel certain of one thing,” replied Jim, in did give him wherewith to satisfy his hunger; | the same cautious tone adopted by the Gipsy. then he confessed to me his story and I ger “The old man is as soft as a squash and I ed upon him to come back to the fold, like the | break his heart in a year.’ lost sheep, spoken of out of the hymn of the | Their position was secured; their trick had Ninety and Nine.” | been successful. The wonderful likeness be- Jim made a gesture of impatience. tween Dick and Jim, the latter’s intimate ‘The old chap means to say,” he exclaimed, | knowledge of the household, all combined to de- “that Iwas dead broke and he paid my way | ceiv everybody. home. That is all there isin it, and if youdon't | For the first few days he had some trouble in want me, Ill start out again.” rec. gnizing his associates, but he spent most of Belshazzar held up his hands in deprecation. his time with Tommy Bennett, and from him ‘‘T had hoped, sir,” he said, ‘‘ that the young | derived all the information he wanted without man’s recent experience, and the affliction with | exciting suspicion. which he has been visited, would have softened In a fortnight he was firmly established. his heart. Ifear he requires some one to look Mr. Belshazzar came every dav to give him after his moral character and forge the bonds | lessons, acting the part of his tutor, and Mr. of righteousness about his soul.” | Dimity appeared satisfied with the arrange- “My good sir,” replied Mr. Dimity, ‘‘ you | ment. ; speak well, youmean well; lamsure youarean | ‘Time passed on, however, and Jim became ir- honest man.” ' regular in his habits; he came home late at ‘‘ How well he knows me,” murmured Belshaz- | night; occasionally he stayed out altogether. In his demands for money he became very im- portunate, and his father could not imagine what he did with all the sums he gave him. One day a forged check was paid by the bank to Jim and the forgery dscovered by Mr. ‘‘ A were trifle of a place, sir—a little village | Dimity. | in the oil regions, but of a God-fearing popuia- This raised his ire, as the amount was con- tion.” siderable, and a very painful scee ensued, Mr, ‘‘ And you are an esteemed deacon of the Dimity declaring that if it ever happened church, all love you, your life is spent in doing | again, he would allow the law to take its iz ‘**T feel that you are an honest citizen of—” ‘“*Charityville, Pennsylvania.”’ “Thank you! I never heard of the place, but—” Iv was the afternoon of the fifth day after the | good to your fellow-creatures?” continued Mr. | course. running away of Dick Dimity. Dimity. | The good deacon Belshazzar wept and prayed, , GOMIGEVOOKS: