Beadle's Dime Library No. 146 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

— ~ oo - _—— - - - er a eg ge a eee ee ee ~ — —— oe a - ee. ee ee ee ST ee er ee ere -_—=- — - ——— = - —— ome oe = ; r my : | : 3 ' ’ | pee ~ — = +P Use - 2°62 SS SC 22 The Doctor Detective. — me ee way, to bring you home, for I shall send the éarriage after you in an hour or so.” The cool assurance of the man intimidated her, and she could only stammer out a broken sentence of thanks, as she hurried away. Loscant laughed as he watched the graceful form proceed down the street. “Gc! Beat your wings against the bars of your cage to your heart’s content. When you find that you are safely entrapped, and that neither man nor devil can take you from me, ou will be inclined to be more reasonable! Vhat in the world made this woman interfere in the matter? Whois she? where have I met her? and is this all the evil that she has power to work me?” It was a question that time alone could an- swer. - Dura went direct to the residence of the judge, which was only a few blocks away. Or- ders had been given to admit her, and she was immediately conducted to Mrs. McQuencher, who sat in her boudoir, which was a cosey front room on the second story. The judge’s wife received her with open arms, and was all impatience to learn how she had got along with the man who had so cunningly entrapped her. Mrs. McQuencher was a clever, keen-witted woman, but she was greatly puzzled by the story that Dura told. ** You will return, eh?” she murmured, **'Yes; and he seemed so positive about it.” ** My dear child, I must confess that I do not understand it at ail. This man isa very fiend in cunning: I feel sure of it, from what I have heard m Picshuiba say, and | feel satisfied that if he had not some deep purpose in view—the successful accomplishment of which will return you to his power, he would never have let you g0 so easily.” ‘Of my own free will never will I return,” Dura dec!ared. ‘* And Ido not see how he can compel you, but, from such a man there is always danger to be apprehended.” Then there came a knock at the door: the madam said ‘‘ come in,’ and the judge himself entered. CHAPTER XXXT. THE MINE EXPLODES, THERE was a troubled look upon the judge’s face as he entered the apartment, and his wife, well-used te his moods, understood that he was both greatly perplexed and annoyed: angry, too, and when the judge was angry he was no easy man to deal with. But, Mrs. Judge McQuencher was one woman picked out of ten thousand— and those who knew the couple well declared that, in an emergency, she was the better man of the two. To the experienced eyes of his wife, his de- meanor plainly indicated mischief; the frown upon his brow deepened as he beheld the girl, and then he turned and carefully closed the door behind him, Confronting his wife he abruptly asked: ‘*Hivira, who is this lady?” ‘* Miss Eldon,” the other replied, not evincing the least astonishment at the abruptness of the question, ‘Miss Dura Eldon,” Mrs. MeQuencher con- tinued, ‘‘and she is to be my — for a short time—with your permission.” The sentence was smoothly spoken, but, despite the words, the jadge understood well enough that his better- ialf meant that the young lady was to stay whether he liked it or not. Thus confronted, the husband was in a mal dary, but, a certain pressure being upon him, he had no choice but to go on. “* Well, really, my dear, I wish you had con- sulted me about t matter,’ he remarked, fom ing in a nervous way with a folded legal- n _— which he held in his hand, **I did not think it would interest you at all,” the lady answered, surprised, indeed, that the judge should trouble himself so about it. ‘* There are certain circumstances in regard to Miss Eldon which, I fear, will render it im- possible for us to receive her as a guest.”’ Dura’s face became pale; she guessed from whom came this blow, but the matron was fully prepared to give battle. ‘*[T am well acquainted with all the facts ap- pertaining to Miss Eldon,” she replied, calmly, ‘and I am sure you are mistaken. There is no good reason why she should not remain with us. I have long been in need of a companion, and this young lady has kindly consented: to stay with me.’ ‘*But, my dear Elvira, you do not under- stand, and this young lady, in her ignorance of business matters, probably imagines that she is a free agent and can do as she pleases, but it is not 80.” | Dura looked amazed, while the brow of the judge’s wife became knitted with dark lines. ‘* And why is she not a free agent? She is all alone in the world, no living relative.” “3 ain aware of that, but her legal guardian 18. Cor legal guardian?” Mrs. McQuencher ex- claim vd. ‘“My dear young lady, I haven’t the least doubt that you believe such to be the case, but it is not so,” the judge remarked, in seeming kindness of manner. ‘‘ The gentleman is below now, Mr. Lescant, and as he has legal rights in this affair he is not disposed to allow this young lady to have her own way.” ‘* Alexander, why do you interfere in this | matter?” the lady demanded, abruptly. ‘‘ What is itto you? Why do you take sides with this man?” ‘“My dear, pray don’t jump to hasty conclu- sions. Iam not taking any side at all. Ido not wish to be mixed up in the affair. It is ou, my dear, who is taking sides, not I. 1 ave no af pes against this young lady, nor am I’ blinded by any friendship for Mr. Les- cant, but as a public man I don’t wish to be in- volved in any affair of a scandalous nature. This young lady has been under Mr. Lescant’s protection, living in his house. For some rea- son, to me unkiown—and I[ don’t really wish to be any better informed, since it is none of my business—she has seen fit to leave the shel- ter of that gentleman’s roof and come here—” ‘“ At my invitation!” interposed the judge’s wife, firmly. “Tam sorry for it, Elvira,” he said, simply. “But, that has nothing to do with what Iam about to say. She has come here and Mr, Les- cant has come after her. Naturally I ques- tioned him on the subject. I said: ‘ This lady, you say, ishere with my wife: who is she? and ave you any right to control her actions? ” ‘‘He has not—none in the world!” the girl exclaimed. * Against your mere assertion, miss, he puts legal proof.” Then the judge unfolded the paper which he held in his hand. ‘* This docu- ment, executed by your mother on the day before her decease, so the gentleman informs me, makes Mr. Lescant your legal rdian until you come of age, which event, I believe, will not occur until some ten months hence.” The judge handed the paper to the girl, who received it in utter amazement; this was an un- expected blow, and even the strong minded matron of the house was dismayed by it. The document was correctly executed, and at the bottom was the faint, irresolute-looking signature of Dura’s mother. There was no possibility of a mistake; the girl could have eg the signature out from amid a thousand, ut, despite this fact, Dura felt sure that her mother’s hand had never traced the letters. ‘*This is some horrid trick!” she cried, indig- nantly. ‘‘ The day before my mother died she was not strong enough to have been able to write her name, and this inan did not visit the house at all. 1 remember ss emageng he came two days before, and on the day of her death, but not on the previous day.” ‘* His statement is that he visited her in your absence and that she wished the matter to be kept concealed from you.” ‘It is an infamous falsehood!” Dura pro- tested; ‘“‘my angel mother would never have acted so.” ‘*People do stran og Eo rebe mere at the near approach of death. But, as a judge, my dear young lady, it is my duty to inform vou that this paper is legally correct in every particular, and that Mr. Lescant bas the right to compel you to obey him until = are of age. If you refuse to go he can appeal to the nearest court and the law will force you to go.” ‘* This is outrageous!” the lady declared. ‘‘It is the law, my dear Elvira; there is no etting around it in any way. The young ady had best go quietly and avoid the pub- lic scandal of an appearance in a police-court.” ‘* But, surely, this man will not proceed to such an extremity ?”’ , ‘*My dear, he certainly will, for he is very much annoyed and determined about the mat- ter. ‘Oh, I had best go!” Dura cried, wildly. ‘Iv ismy fate, seemingly, but let this man be- ware! lamachild no longer but a desperate woman, and he may rue the day when he planned this cunning scheme!” Mrs. McQuencher was in a quandary; she knew enough of the law to be aware that the judge had spoken correctly, and how to aid the girl was a puzzle. Dura quickly dressed herself for the street, and then, accompanied by the judge and his wife, descended to the avenue. Lescant was in the carriage at the door. The coachman hastened to assist her to enter the vehicle. Mrs. McQuencher kissed her good-by, and took advantage of the occasion to say, loud en- ough for the occupant of the carriage to hear, as she intended he should: ‘‘Remember, myself and command whenever you need them!” _ Dura entered the carriage and away it went. Again the lamb was in the power of the wolf but now long! Oh, Lord! how long? - CHAPTER XXXII. THROWING OFF THE MASK. Nor a word passed between the two in the ‘“Ify guardian! Ihave no guardian!” Dura | carrixge during the short homeward drive. hastened to declare. W Len they arrived at the house, Lescant, in — urse are at your the most gallant manner, offered to assist Durs to alight, but she did not take the slightest no- tice of the proffered hand, while he followed her into the house, a threatening look wpon his dark face. | She went up-stairs to her room and still Les- cant followed, After she entered the apart- ment she turned to close the door and then for Soe first time discovered that he was behind er. He anticipated her action and closed the door himself. ‘*You will patdon my intrusion,” he said, in the smooth, oily way which had now become so hateful to her, ‘*‘ but I thought it was bet- ter that we should have an understanding im- mediately.” **As you please,” responded Dura, help ae’ | her hat and cloak, seating herself in a chair an facing him with a stolid countenance. He cast a quick, searching gi:nce into her face, and saw plainly there the reflex of the stubborn spirit which dominated, but he had made up his mind to conquer. He imitated the girl’s actiun and helped itim- self to a chair. ‘*T allowed you to leave the house this eve- ning without throwing any obstacles in your way because I wished to show you how utterly foolish was this mad rebellion against my power. The judge’s wife, who, I shrewdly sus- pect, put you up to this trick, is one of those well-meaning, shallow-brained women, invari- ably at the bottom of all mischief in this world. But, now that I have taken you from her pre- tecting wing I presume you are sensible en- ough to understand that your future rests in ef hands. ltis my intention to make you my wife, and I assure you I shall not allow any foolish, girlish fancy on your part to interfere with that purpose.” ‘You are wasting your time, sir; I will not marry you, nor can you compel me so to do. At last, thank Heaven! my eyes are opened in 24 pee to your truecharacter. You are a care- ful, cunning, scheming villain; I am a helpless woman, all alone in this vast world, wiih only a single friend upon whom I can rely, and she is a woman like myself; and yet, ierrible as are the odds in your favor, I tell you that in the end you will not triumph. A just Providence will mt tym such villainy as yours to go un- punished; the day of reckoning wil)! come for you, and when it does it will be a terrible one.” “My dear child, that sort of thing is all very well on the stage, or in the pages of a novel, but in real life it is positively absurd. The idea of calling down the vengeance of Hea- ven upon my head, simply because I want to make you comfortable and happy in spite of ourself! You are a foolish child who don’t ow whatis good for you. Age and experi- ence have given me wisdom, and as I am your legal guardian I shall exercise the right which the law gives me to control your actions. J] know that, in time, you will get over these no- tions, and therefore I mean to make you my wife, whether you like it or not.” This cool declaration infuriated the girl and she sprung to her feet. ‘“*Never!” she cried, “ never! sible! The law does not give you any such power. I know very little of such matters, but enough to be convinced that such a thing can- not be. What law will compel me to answer es, when I deliberately and resolutely set my Leart upon saying nof Besides, how can you marry me when you are already married?’ This was a surprise—a startling one—but Les- cant’s face did not betray how much he was af- fected; the only signs of emotion were an ugly, ominous glitter which shone from his eyes, and a peculiar contraction of the muscles of the mouth. | és ied!” he exclaimed, after a moment’s pause, with a sort of a contemptuous laugh, ‘and who has been amusing themselves by re- lating that fable to you? e wife of my es- teemed friend, Judge McQuencher, of course, for she is the only one whom you have bad an opportunity of seeing, and being a woman naturally given to gossip and mischbief-makin she retails as truth all the scandalous lies tha float around the world. My dear child, don’t you know that if I am a married man, I should render myself liable to the State prisou by wed- ding you, and I trust that whatever else you may think me you at least will give me credit for not being a thorough idiot.” ‘I believe you to be villain enough to do and dare anything!” the girl cried, with a sudden outburst of passion. “The signature of my mother to that paper of guardianship is a base forgery. You were not at the house on the day stated in that document, you never held any conversation with my mother ner came to any agreement with her in regard to myself. It is impos- Jt was with me you dealt, and I agreed to sel] myself to vou in order that I might procure money to prolong my mother’s life. ‘‘But, now you repudiate that agreement- you are not willing to stand to your word!” ” ‘Why should 1 keep faith and link my oung life toa man whom now, stripped of al} isguise, I know to be a base and h vil- lain?” ECOMMIE NOOO KS t 4 -__ —_ >. com