Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 899 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

rt ; f as 4 — 10 will sharply watch them, and allow them no freedom on any condition. They must remain bound, See?” ‘* Yes, yes; [ll brain ’em!” ‘* Nonsense! Don’t be absurd, Of course vou will exercise unusual caution. We've ai- ways told you not to let any outsider enter; the order now becomes more imperative. You have an easy berth, Buck, but it’ll be swept away from you like summer dew if you let them es- cape.’ ‘¢ Never you fear,” croaked Buck; ‘‘ they don’t go out unless it’s over my dead body.” ‘‘Good! Now come aside and receive direc- tions,”’ Buck obeyed, and Holmes talked to him earnestly for some time. Once only his voice rose so Basement Bert could hear it. ‘‘ Why are you so stupid?” he demanded; and Buck did seem to be in # peculiar condition. When all was settled, Holmes and Draper went out, and the prisoners were left alone with the guard, They had been dumped down in one corner, where all was dark, but Buck took the lantern, came over near them, and looked long and earnestly. ‘‘Humph! humph!” he finally growled. ‘‘Pretty birds; very pretty birds! Slick as grease! Pretty birds!” ‘‘ Mr. Buck, you seem to have/a lonely resi- dence here,” remarked Warland. ‘* Humph! humph!” ‘‘ Life in New York is much gayer.” ‘¢ Pretty birds! pretty birds!” “How would you like to be a man of leisure, with plenty of money in your pocket—” Buck turned abruptly, left them, set the lan- tern in its proper place, crouched down and be- gan muttering to himself. ‘Ts he crazy?’ Meredith asked, in a low voice. ‘¢ Drunk!” Bert tersely decided. ‘*1o you think so?” “Cert. Didn’t yer notice that his eyes are fixed in his head like glass balls?” ‘* Yes, but 1t may be an indication of more serious trouble.” ‘* Don’t know w’ot is worse than an ugly drunk, an’ that’s w’ot is eatin’ Buck. Hven his frien’s noticed how stupid he was, as they called it. ‘‘Then he may go to sleep and give us a show.” ‘‘ Dunno; he don’t seem ter incline that way. "Way off his uppers, ef I ain’t mistook, Ef you only could buy him up ter let us go!” * Pil try it.” Meredith was about to address the guard again when that person suddenly made a new move, Frots his pocket he took a revolver and began to polish it-on his sleeve—an operation which would not have been so very striking ‘had it not been accompanied with glaring glances at the prisoners; glances which ex- ressed far more than could be described, ut which gave them feelings of great uneasi- ness. The idea was dawning upon them that Buck was a dangerous man, Meredith decided to defer his appeal to the guard’s cupidity, and both he and Bert watched the polishing process with a species of fascina- é tion. | Finally the guard abruptly stopped, glared at them and muttered; ‘¢ Pretty birds! pretty birds! kill!” Getting upon his hands and knees he crept to- ward them, his gaze flashing from one to the other, a wild light in his eyes, And in his hand - he carried the revolver, while the keenest fears , active in their minds, | CHAPTER XI, | _TROUBLE BY THE BUSHEL, JUDGE REESE HACKLAND rose the next day and breakfasted at his boarding house, but he was not in his customary high spirits, The _ Judge and Mr, Sigers Long occupied a peculiar sition in the house, The landJady was of Southern birth, and she kept a standing adver- be in newspapers beyond the Potomac, tating that “transients” from the South would be accommodated. It was that advertisement which had led Just fit ter Hackland and Long to choose the place, but Sewer E:: Basement Bert. eee .not disposed to meet him half-way, but the young ladies did all of that, and had much sport at*his expense, without his knowing it. This morning he was not so talkative as usual, and comments to that effect failed to rouse him, The truth was, Mr, Andrew Moss had alarmed the Judge, and the latter regretted his haste in securing a wife at the matrimonial bureau, Gladly would he have backed out, but he had already paid over a sum ‘‘to bind the bargain,” and then, at that late hour in the proceedings, the manager of the bureau, one Norman Holmes —who, by the way, claimed the prefix of ** Rev.,” but did not use it in business—had given him an insight into what he said was the law on such points, which made the Judge’s position more precarious, He believed that it meant ruin to try and evade the contract—ruin and long im- pri-onment, He was now in a panic, and regretted ever having left Yalobusha county. Leaving the house, after breakfast, he was walkiog along in a thoughtful mood when some one called to him; he saw acab stopping near him, and at the window was the handsome face of the woman he had promised to marry. ‘Come here!” she directed. The Judge’s heart seemed to be traveling to- ward his knees, but he oheyed because he did not dare to refuse. **Get in!” she added. ep be obeyed, and for the same reason. ‘You did not call around last night, as you promised,” proceeded the lady. ‘* No—o!” faintly agreed the Judge. ‘*Is this the way you keep your word?” ‘*T—TI couldn’t help it!” he faltered. ‘* My friend, he was awful bad, last night. The bydro- heap of dogs and monkeys—all imaginary, you understand—an’ was broken up a good bit, I reckoned I wouldn’t be fit to go out to-day, but heah Iam, I—I hope you are not offended at me. There was an evil gleam in the woman’s bold black eyes which showed she saw the speaker’s perturbation and exulted in ft, ‘* Dear love!” she returned, ‘‘ how can I blame you? What should [ doif that man should bite you, and rob me of my future husband? Ob! ae Ad be careful and not get bitten, won’t you She beamed upon him most affectionately, while he perspired like a laborer under his own Southern sun, ! “This woman is awfully in earnest!” he thought, in despair. Then be had a bright idea, ***Oh! Pve been bitten by dogs myself, a good many times.” _ ‘* Are you afraid you'll have hydrophobia ?” ‘* [t’s liable to break out any time.” ‘‘Ts your life insured?” ‘6 T3--igs— Eh? What?’ ‘¢ Ot course f it isn’t insured you will see to it at once, If you should run mad I could care for you—or hire it done—with a good deal more devotion if 1 knew you had made ample provi- sion for your widow. It would take away the pang of your death very much, you know,” Deeper grew the Judge’s horror, Andrew Moss had told him that New York girls were heart- less; was not this striking proof of the fact? He sat speechless until the gentle, cooing, but, withal, mischievous voice at his elbow added; ‘*A woman makes a great sacrifice when she marries—” | ‘‘T should say so, in New York!” exclaimed the Judge, indignation giving him brief spirit. ‘‘She may be a r as Job’s turkey, but she demands that her busband shall rig her out in silks and diamonds; and she wants a flat and a servant; and she wont work; and she nevah will agree to marry until the man can prove he has money. What does she offah in return? Just herself, andnomoah, Yes; a woman does make a great sacrifice when shemarries. Bah!” ‘“‘My love, many women are that way, but our match was one of unselfish devotion.’ The Judge was about to retort that she had not only inquired solicitously about his bank- account, but had demanded a sum down “‘ to bind the bargain.” »Prudence, however, checked He was in misery all through the drive, eager to get away, but dared nof suggest it un= til she saw fit to part with him, When she did this it was near the northeast corner of Ceniral Park, but. he willingly would have been left in Canada, in order to escape. He looked after the retreating vehicle with a face lengthened to a surprising degree, and wound up with a deep sigh. ‘‘Why did I evah leave Yalobusha county?’ he finally groaned, in the bitterness of grief, “*T was respected and happy there, and my neighbors called me-‘Judge,’ because they thought I was wise, Wise! Why, a feeble- minded person might well envy me now. Why did I ever leave Yalobusha county? The dog that bit Sigers Long hurt me worse than Sigers and [ almost wish Sigers would bite me. If could get him to bite that woman it would bea blessed deed !” For awhile he gave himself up to grief, but finally took his bearings, made a few inquiries, and wandered over to the One Hundred and Sixteenth street station of the Elevated Road. This line bore him in due time to Fourteenth street, and he went to Greenwich avenue to see Andrew Moss. | ‘*He isn’6 in,” answered the landlady, who opened the door after he rung the bell, | ‘*[’m sorry for that.” ‘‘T’m afraid something has happened to him,” ‘* You don’t say so!” ‘‘He went out last night as if to be gone only a few minutes, but has not come back.” : ane Judge looked at the speaker in blank read. ‘‘] fear he has fallen afoul of sharpers and got done up,” added the lady. That was all the information Mr. Hackland Andrew had come to grief, and it was a warn- ing of what was in store for others who tam- pered with matrimonal bureaus. ‘‘ Ruined!” groaned the Judge, tragically. ‘‘! am alostman, The othah woman will hunt me down.’ Oppressed with this idea, he walked on toward his boarding-house, but paused on the way to make a purchase. In paying for it he chanced to draw out the two new ten-dollar bills he had received from Andrew Moss. He was not accustomed to carry such a large sum loose in his pockets, but had. neglected to put these notes away. ; The tradestaan scrutinized the crisp, new bill somewhat closely, but received it without re- monstrance or comment, and gave the change. © Then Mr. Hackland walked home, - | His friend of the hoarse voice, otherwise Sigers Long, was in unusually good spirits, for he had not seen any imaginary dogs or monkeys: for some time; and they were talking iskly when a servant appeared at the door, _ “Dhere’s a perleeceman down-stairs phat. ‘wants ter see you’s,” she announced. ‘* A what?” cried the J udge, with a start. ‘‘ A perleeceman. I guess,” added the servant, with a grin, and without any notion she was — getting near the truth, ‘‘he wants ter arrest. yez! CHAPTER XII, ' THE MAD GUARD. ; A MORE startling sigbt than that presented to the view of Bert it would be hard to find. If they had — doubted at the first, they did so no longer; it was plain that Buck was mad from the effects — 1p ged . of whisky, and his muttered words, and there- — volver he carried, bespoke an intention to fix ing the prisoners so they would not need any watch- ing. eS re Neither spoke; they did not daretorisk their voices and run the risk of stirringthemanupto = additional ferocity. What little power of move- | ment was left them could not be used to save themselves, and, perfectly helpless, they satand = — watched the creeping madman witha species of fascination. ae Half-way across the floor he abruptly paused, sat down, and began to polish the revolver again on his sleeve, This he kept u utes, as if it werea matter of the greatest im- Meredith Warland and Basement in FN 3 for several min- phobia cure is working powerfully, and I didn’t | could get, but it was enough to drive away all dare go to bed at all for feah he could bite me. | his remaining calmness, He left the house feel- It was an awful night. Hesawa right smart | ing positive that, in the chase after his wife, ae they had hardly been in their element. Their | the innocent old farmer, and he said nothing of | portance, but Once more he paused, lookedatthe =, country garments, and _ especially Long's | the kind, a prisoners, and muttered: | eS A, a a os colored, collarless shirt, had been ont of keep-| The ride continued for some time, and the| ‘Pretty birds! pretty birds! Just fit bpd 2 Bes {i ing with the dressof othersatthe table, —_| Jady, the mischievous twinkle sti]! in her eyes, it” : %, at ee Vai a Despite this, the Judge was not abashed, and | made love to him desperately. He perspired| Meredith determined to break the painful = = | ss re his prediJection for conversation was not cur- | and edged away as far as he could get, but she silence, | mot 7 eis ints 2 + tailed. He talked freely, and mostly to the | followed him up and, unknown to him, had}. “My friend,” he began, ‘‘ this is a cozy place %, a Ostia | young ladies at the table. 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