Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 902 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

- oom Cas. } i en ee ~ ee —_—- CHAPTER III. HELEN BENSON’S VISITORS. Wuekrn left alone with his sister, who had so cleverly kept her identity from the lund, and not one of whom had ever seen her face unvailed, New York Nat said: ‘‘Now, Olive, I have something to say to you I did not make known to the boys.” “Yes, brother,” and as Olive spoke she removed her mask-like vail, revealing a young and beautiful face, full of intelligence and strongly marked characteristics, ‘Are you willing, in the discharge of your duty, to havea menial position where you can also play the part of a detective?” ‘‘T am ready to do anything, brother, you think best.” ‘*] was very sure, Olive, that you were, but I fear you will not find this position a pleasant one.” ‘‘Tell me what I am to do, Nat, and, be it what it may, I will undertake it, for remem- ber I am just as much a ferret as any of the boys.” ‘In yesterday’s Herald,” continued Nat, *<T saw av advertisement for a lady’s maid, and it said apply to the very same address where Jack Hammond, the missing miner, was to come or write.” ‘‘That is strange, very strange,” Olive. \ ‘‘ Yes, itis so strange that I wish you to play the little detective for me in that house.” ‘*T will go, Nat.” ‘You will have to ‘apply for the position of lady’s maid, and then keep your eyes open to find out all that occurs. ‘*T shall also go there in the morning to see the one whose name was signed to the advertisement in the Herald for Tack Ham- mond to return home.” pot ut ‘*T understand.” : i — * hen if you should succeed in securing pay’ * Tbe se ie Fe » ‘ Pe SS > said | ‘tain the cause of Jack’s departure from home nM ie 4M “and the motive, perhaps, of his having been -._.. kidnapped by those outlaws, for that there ||. was some outside reason I have no question. Bs HS Upon this information I will be able to plan oy sai my actions in going West to find him.” eh ate, caving the old mansion, the youth escort- ed his sister to the cottage on the Hudson - River where she made her home, » a { Ls oa Pr . * Sd © i fos ) The next morning, bright and early, dress- ss ed in a neat and becoming garb, Olive applied = at the address given in the advertisement. _ +$he found the residence to be an elegant mansion on Madison avenue, and a butler et | in livery opened the door for her, Barly though it was, © number of appli- 3 - ants had already been there for the position, - but so far none had been engaged. The butler cast an admiring glance at We Beis hie SOltNe’s lovely face, and learning that she, | too, had come in answer to the advertise- | ment, said: ' » |) ) +) TL tell Miss Helenyou are here.” i ae a A moment after, & young and beautiful eG eae woman of eightcen swept gracefully into the <1 Raat! Sptiary where Olive was in waiting. i Sie thro * “ Te. . ry , : | a glance she seemed to read Olive h and through and said pleasantly: | ae See “You have come for the position of maid | to my mother, I believe.” | ~~) *T have, miss, and I hope it has not >) already been filled,” answered Olive. yy) Tt has not and you shall have the place.” evr Pe _. “But, you have not yet seen my refer- ‘ , b, ’ - a; x. oy 2” 99 A hy oy ences, miss. | | G43 Fc RCL ys me your face is your best reference,’ ~ ™» * ya |. * Your position will be a tax Upon you, |. for it is that of maid and companion, You Sas ine will find my mother an invalid and peculiar, ~} but do your best and you can please her, + notarduous, When cau you come?” - _ * This afternoon if you wish, miss,” Then come and see my mother.” "sweetly responded Helen Benson, fs ty ‘ ; aes ; s _ P +4 a _ ° 7 ~—— o- - ane ———_ « ey y al —- ee a _ ot re a ee La ae ge - ° 7: - eel 7 6 . Pf | New York ‘the position, you may soon be able to ascer-— | Jack,” as he was called in the mining country —of the attack on the coach by the: #can | mysterious disappearance from’ the ttle will be liberal, and your hours: | “ns 4 Mi : ‘ : ao & hy ‘- _ _ ae - —~ *ue- > - ~~ =~e bs = ~ ee en as oo a " : \ he | . Pia, e. emit sd) saan ad . - “. ey; © " ‘ ‘ U eT Ved : hae a iat a ; Ve ee Wat in Colorad eee —__-- _.. + Olive was conducted up-stairs into a luxu- riously furnished room, where upon a lounge reclined a lady of brilliant beauty, and whose youthful appearance caused ber to look more like the sister than mother of Helen Benson. ‘* Mother, this is Olive, and I have engaged her to look after you. I am sure you will like her.” Mrs. Hammond and replied: ‘Her first duty must be to mold herself to my will. Are you content to do that, gir)?” ‘‘Tam, madam,” answered Olive softly. ‘‘“Then report tome for duty in time to dress me for dinner to-night.” Olive bowed and left the room, and fol- lowing her, Helen Benson said: * ‘‘ Humor my, mother’s eccentricities; speak only when spoken to, and you will have no trouble.” As Olive was ushered out of the door the butler said: ‘‘1’m betting, miss, your pretty face got you the place.” “Thank you, yes; I have got the place.” “You'll find the missus no angel, Miss, but I'll do all I can to make it pleasant for ou.” ‘Thanks!’ dryly returned Olive, and as she descended the steps, she meta stylishly dressed young gentieman ascending them, With a glance at him, she recognized in him her brother, New York Nat, and said in a whisper: ‘“There is a skeleton in the closet of this house, Nat.”’ | ‘““Then we must unearth the skeleton, Olive, dear,” whispered Nat, as he placed his hand upon the door-bell, The door was Opened promptly by the butler, and asking to see Miss Benson, Nat was shown into the ‘parlor, giving his card, upon which was written the name of ‘‘ Chan- dier.”’ Helen Benson came into the room almost immediately, and greeting her courteously, he said: ‘‘ Miss Benson, I believe?” ‘“Yog, sir; but I fail to recall having met you before.” “We never have met, Miss Bénson, I came in response to an advertisement I saw ina Western paper, calling upon one Jack Hammond to return home, or to communi- cate with Helen Benson at this address, on a matter of life and death.” Helen started, glanced toward the door of the parlor, and at once closed it; then ap- proaching near to Nat, she said: , ‘‘T ara Helen Benson, and it was I who put that advertisement in the far Western paper. May I ask if you are Jack Ham- mond? You look years younger than I sup- posed him to be.” : ‘‘No; my name is Nat Chandler, Miss Benson,” e us “Then what interest have you in Jack Hammond?” hard’y glanced at Olive » Thave met him, and under strange cir- cumstances,” ‘Do you know where he now is?” ‘‘IT do not, but Iam going on the search for him. I will inform you under what cir- cumstances we met, and tell you why your advertisiment prompts me to find him,”’ | Without a word Helen Benson led to aseat. } and said simply: pir: “Tell me.” | Then Nat related ing with the young miner, *‘‘ Gentleman. agents—the attempted kidnapping of Jack, and his rescue of him, and, afterwardjof his tavern at the railroad station, % ¥ n I saw: your advertisement.on my Fy way I ast,” continued Nat, ‘‘ I was convinc-. Ved that Jack Hammond was kidnapped for | “Ss © # hut} 1 i a a) Pea) 2 A s ; ; , ‘9 WH i \ @ 7 ° Pa | Hd ' ae faa A os 7 . . i 7 j nA 5 : a) , ' i ay Nyt ’ ° : 4 f * . 7% =f A - srat & 4 ~ ‘ ‘a 5 ok us % &> “Pt, 7. . iy » Yb ‘% hse Lie A sy od y.} | ‘ ’ r et 7% . ¢ 0. the story of his meet-. ‘}hold,” said ¥ bas } 5 r , rr 5 . ™ we so gal MS OA) ROS RR, & VE , oa ‘ - vA re) af d Ata 5 >? ‘ ee ~ eng ge oe At opt he . : 2 a Lt, ot Se d ‘y ry ipa Me f : —— via ‘ =< ' j ~a* wT : to ‘oye ~ i, iM iw ; ty ies | ? +» . s 3 ! A v - —_—— a purpose, and I determined to return West again and find bim,” ‘*And was that casual meeting with Mr. Hammond the only cause of the interest you feel in him?” ‘*May I tell you something in confidence?” asked Nat. “You certainly can.” ‘‘T have a double motive, then: my inter- est in Jack Hammond, and the fact thay lam a detective,” ——=~ CHAPTER IV. A GIRL’S CONFESSION, ‘‘A DETECTIVE?” gaspéd Helen Benson, and she looked positively frightened. ‘Yes; but donot bealarmed. ican serve you all the better by being one, and I feel that you need just the kindof aid I can give.” said Nat. ‘“Why do you think so?” ‘*T will tell you frankly, and decide to trust me or not.” ‘‘T confess that I do need some one to help me; you have guessed aright.” “Tt is not altogether guess-work, for I saw your advertisement in a Western paper, und - found that it had not been published East. ‘This convinced me that there was some secrecy about.it; and, inquiring, I learned that Miss Helen Benson lived in this clegant | house with her mother and step-father, both of whom were invalids, ‘ ‘‘T also heard that Mr. Hammond, when he married your mother, was # widower. with one son—a wild young fellow who was accused of a crime which caused him to run‘away from home, and no one knew what had become of him; though it was never proven that he was guilty of the deed he had een charged with. | cn ** A notice had appeared ina Western pa- per of the death, in a duel, of one Jack Ham- mond, in the mines, and his father seeing this notice, had considered that his son was dead, and he was so regarded by all who had known him, ‘This much I learned, and yet, in the face of this belief, I saw your advertisement—not | one put in by his own father, for him to re- turn home; and it set me to pad ad espe-— cially after my having met him, asI did, and his mysterious disappearance at the little — railway station the night following the at- tempt of the outlaws to kidnap him, | ‘‘Under the circumstances, I decided to look him up and learn his fate; but asa preliminary to my work, to call upon you, as— VK SDee per the advertisement I read, Wea. ‘“T am a detective, but I am unknown even to the Secret Service Chief, for 1 am working for a purpose before I make myself known, ee ‘*T am interested in. finding what the fate of Jack Hammond has been, and through | seeing your advertisement, and now in meet- ing you, it seems to me that I have been © drawn into this case fora good purpose. It rests with you whether I am to bave your confidence or not, or shall have to find your step-brother unaided by you.” | Heien Benscn was silent for full a minute; then, she held forth her. hand frankly, and | Baldr ¢ Mins eh) hae ““T will trust you,” Sh Aaa “Thom she continued: - 1 gi ti ys ee «To trast. you I must make a phere abate Chey -or a partial one at least, and some day. in , future Lmay tell youll.” i -jo 0 So ,. Especially if ] discover it,” : “No fear of that, A much older detective than you ave could not guess. the secret T “Not if. 1 guessed thaty Jack Ham | 4 foe in this house, ang tha man? That there is a fortune ir that hangs upon the life or des step-brother?” . then you can ' t ? s 2 + Abs ’ » } “¥ rl ! : rf - ‘ ity 4 . ”, is ? tJ = Z > : > Col a . .: iar "a4 xs ~~ x . ; Pie ieis's sey ae Ee ee tt : as RR ‘