Beadle's Dime Library No. 146 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

* _— rey to piteous fear. ‘1 tremble in every limb for fear my connection with the band may be discovered, Just think, it would be utter ruin. I should never survive the disclosure; most surely I should take my own life.” **Oh, what nonsense!” Lescant cried. ** Why, man-alive, this is not the only country in the world; there are others fair to live in. I have made myself at home in my time in a dozen different lands, and under a dozen differ- ent names, too. And, as to this blowing over, why, twenty-five years ago I was mixed up in one, right in this city, almost as bad, and was compelled to fly; and then, about eleven years ago I was obliged to get out at my best speed or else I should have had to do the State some ser- vice; and I was on the eve of making a fortune, toc, and should, if I could have persuaded a foc ish woman to hold her tongue and play the part which I had assigned to her; but, women ‘will be women, and there was no reasoning with Madam Frenier.” A shrill cry in a woman’s voice startled both of the men to their feet, and from the narrow ee into the great vault came Mrs. Judge cQuencher! Her eyes were blazing and her ‘whole form quivering with excitement. Lescant guessed the truth, at once, in regard to the woman’s presence. In some way she had ascertained that the judge was about to pay a secret visit, and having become suspicious had followed him. The ju in his nervous excite- ment had neglec to close the outside door after him; so she had been able to gain admit- tance to the passage without exciting alarm. ‘You are John Frenier!” the woman cried, never heeding her husband, but confronting the chief of the White Band. He was astounded, for it was evident that she knew him; and now for the first time the knowledge of who she was began to dawn upon him. She had changed much in the lapse of years, and from a slender, fragile girl had grown into a tall and ons | woman. “‘And you are Elvira Hollender!” he an- swered. ‘You are right!” “You are wonderfully Pao J ‘** But, notso much as you. I did note t ‘to see you looking so old. There is hardly a resemblance in p= face to the man whom I once knew. But, enough of this idle talk; you know what I seek. Will you repair the wron you did years ago? Will you speak so that aa 7 to the anxious mother tidings of her ce ‘No, I will not,” Lescant or Frenier, what- ever his name was, replied, in a dog and determined manner. The woman of whom you speak chose to set up her will against mine; I was on the point o ing a fortune: she prevented me from so doing, and in reve I stole the child away. It was my child, and I had as much right to it as any one.” “But, you never cared for the r little | oe bing ; you yo oe merci a You stole thec away sole ou might wring the heart of the pa ey | ieee “Quite right! She baffled me, defeated my plan, and so I revenged myself.” ‘“ And where is the child?” ““Upon my word I cannot tell you.” OE know abeointaly nothing fo. regar ow absolutely nothing in d to it. I did not care what me of the cub; so I gave it to an old Irishwoman to rear as her own, and I agreed to pay fifty dollars a year for t gw The first “y I on, in ad- vance, and then, having got the child off my hands, I never troubled my head about the matter.” “Tell me the name of the woman and where she lived. Even now it may not be too late to par gees y truth!” : ve forgotten it,” Lescant answered, with a mocking smile, which belied his words. ‘Ob, you are a devil!” the woman cried, in utter despair, ‘You are not the first woman in this world who has told me that,” the other retorted, in the calmest manner possible. ‘I remember one, twenty odd years ago whom I was obliged to leave, and for the same cause for which I left the woman of whom you have spoken, but the first was lbtnsr or ishett than the second, and she did not allow me to steal her baby away. She penetrated Ay design and declared she would rear the boy herself and make an honest man of him, and perhaps the time might come when he hs se the ae 8 seat would pass sentence upon ty father. You see what a romantic, fanciful creature she was in that respect, and yet she was a plain, simple little woman—one Laura Jewel by name,” ‘Oh, man, haye mercy upon the mother in whose name [ speak!” the woman implored. “*T tell you I have forgotten all about it, and Ihave such a peculiar memory that I am quite 2 ai would be apt to make me remem- 2 gy me try my skill,” said a cold, stern Voice. All started in surprise, and then from the dark mouth of the narrow out into the vault aan tall dark figure of the Doctor De- tective . . / ; The Doctor Detective. CHAPTER XL. JUSTICE. A cry of mingled rage and despair came from the lips of ccant. He guessed that he was entrapped for he feared the officers were without. , In haste he drew a revolver from his pocket: but Diamond, prepared for such an action, held a cocked six-shooter in his right hand and by simply raising it held the other at his mercy. ‘*Put up your weapon!” he exclaimed, = a ‘funless you wish to die upon the spot. Leacent, with all his coolness and courage, was not the man to court death while a chance for life remained, so he obeyed and replaced the pistol in his pocket. “The trick is yours again, I suppose,” he re- marked, with bitter accent. ‘‘I presume the police are within call.” ‘ “You are right; they are. The bolt which oon aimed at me has fallen upon your own ead. If you had not attempted to compass my death—:f you had not brought me into this place and attempted to entomb me alive in the golden coffin, you would not have placed me upon your track, and even if the detectives had by accident discovered your secret, this lace would have afforded you a secure refuge. Fou would not believe me when I declared to you that I did not know your secret, and that the one confided to me by the dying man had nothing to do with your band. I would not be- tray what had been confided to my care, for it was a sacred trust; and then, too, I knew that it would be useless, for I should not have been believed. The dying man had wronged a widow and her orphans, and he directed me how to make restitution. That was all. But ou were determined in your purpose, and this is the result. Both the entrances to this place are guarded, the trap-door leading through the ruins above and this e to the river through which Icame. All 1 have to do is to oot and you will be in the hands of the po- ce ‘‘And why do you not? Why do you hesi- tate? Is it to play with me as a cat does witha mouse? Does that add to your triumph?” cried Lescant, in impotent anger. ** You said your memory was so bad that you could not give this lady the information she seeks. [ama doctor and it is my business to cure such things. I think I can make you re- member.” ** How—what do you offer?” demanded the ss 3 catching eagerly at the chance. ! reps started and his breath came hard and t ‘* For Heaven’s sake don’t jest with the man whom you have crushed helpless beneath your feet!” he exclaimed. ‘‘[ do not jest. Give this lady the informa- tion she wishes and yes shall go free. The po- lice without will not enter until I signal them. No one but myself knows that you are here. You are disguised, and I will conduct you through the line; a boat is on the shore; once in it in the darkness of the night which overhan the river no one will see you and you can easil y escape.” he Wiy do you do this?” asked Lescant, sus- piciously. ‘‘Why should he favor ime, the man who attempted your life?” “*Am [I not at a your judge? Is it not my peg to dispose of your fate?” * But, are you honest—are you not tricking me to my death?” “I give you my word as an honest man you shall go free, and, what is more, I will not in- form any one that you w re here.” ‘*It isa bargain; I accept!” Lescant cried, his a rising at this unexpected happening. Then, from his memorandum-book which he took from his breast-pocket, he tore out a leaf which he handed to Diamond. ‘There is a full account of the matter written down. I put it on paper as I had an idea that it might be use- ful some time.” The doctor read the account carefully, then folded it up and gave it to the judge's wife. ‘* Now follow me,” he commanded. “Ta, ta, judge; I'll see you in, some time,” Lescant remarked, all his old light-heartedness returning now that he seemed likely to get off, scot-free. The Big Judge only ned and covered his face with his hands as if to shut out the sight of the man who had remand him to crime. Lescant left the vault, following in the foot- steps of the doctor without taking the slightest notice of the woman whom he had once wrong- ed so terribly, for, | presume the careful reader has penetrated the thin disguise assumed by Mrs. McQuencher, and understands that she was the mother of the child and the victim of this arch rogue. Not a soul was visible when the two men reached the open air. The police were near at hand but carefully concealed, and warned not to advance until Diamond signaled them, for, although the doctor had been sure that the fu- gitive would seek the shelter of the cave, Dh when he arrived on the spot he had not been certain the chief of the band was in the vault. 27 The doctor conducted Lescant to the boat which was drawn up on the beach and assisted him to push it into the water. Lescant got into the boat. **One last question,” he said, as he stood u in the boat, oar in hand, ready to push off. ay am no fool; neitber are you one. Thereis some motive in this deed to-night; why do you let me go free?” ‘‘Laura Jewel told you that your son whom you, like the guilty coward that you are, de- serted, might, when grown to manhood, sit in judgment upon you, and she reared the boy with that idea, but begged him to temper justice with mercy. ‘Give him one chance to reform, but one chance only,’she said. On my right arm are blazoned the two serpents entwined as on yours. My right name is Alcenor Jewel.” ‘*Great heavens, my son!” cried the felon, in amazement. ‘The woman whom you 80 cruelly wronged years ago has saved you this night. Fate de- creed that I should be your judge. I have spared you; go, and sin no more.” For a moment the other hesitated as if about to reply, and then, without asingle word pushed out into the stream, sat down and bent to the oars. The man was a thorough rascal; he was all bad; no thoughts of repentance were in his me he only chuckled at getting off so easily. e rowed away lustily, and muttered to him- self as he made his way out into the stream through the inky darkness of the night. A single light shining like a star upon the opposite shore was all he had to guide him. ‘*The mother lives ininhim! No wonder I hated him! No wonder I had a presentiment that he was destined to be dangerous. But, it is allover, now. Ihave enough money to give me a start in some other land: but, to turn honest! oh, no! I am too old for any such fool- ishness. Money I must have, and I can get it far easier by foul than by fair means. Justice! bah! [laugh atsuchathing! Providence? It is a trick to frighten simple men.” And then, as if Fate had heard the boast and resented it with a buffet,a dark mass came crashing into the frail craft wherein the fu- gitive sat, crushing it asif it had been an egg- shell. A large scheoner heavily laden had run into the boat, never noticing it in the deep darkness, cant was hurled into the water; he was an expert swimmer—this man was a master of al- most e thing—but the large store of —_ which he upon his person weighted hi down. Vainly he struggled; it was not in the sinews of mortal man toswim with such a weight. The gold—his ill-gotten gains carried him be- neath the wave; a few trembling air-bubbles ascended and justice was done. The chief of the White Band would never trouble this world more. But few more words remain to be said. The secret of Lescant’s death the river kept secure- managed ly, and all believed that he had to es- — from the country. he Big Judge never recovered from the shock which the capture of his criminal associ- ates gave him. He took to his bed and within three days was a dead man. Our readers of course, long ere this, have un- | derstood that fate had chosen to bring together the long-separated mother and son in a yv strange manner, and that, when the judge's wife, impelled by her kind heart, gave shelter to the injured little Hoppe she took with- in her doors her own son. the e of the memorandum-book which Lescant surren- dered were inscribed the full particulars at- tending the bestowal of the boy to the old Irishwoman’s care, her name and abode; also a description of the peculiar design which Les- cant, in his a had pricked upon the right arm of the infant—the two serpents coiled to- ther with uplifted heads. there was a bright future in store for our honest and fear- less little street vagabond. . And now that his task was finished, and the secret band hunted down, the doctor turned his attention to the girl who had won his heart at the first glance. It was a mutual passion, and soon Dura became his wife. The golden coffin alone remains. The odd - casket was a crazy idea of a well-to-do man to rob his heirs. Noone knew of it, but all sup- that it was lead, from its weight, but af- ter the death and a vast sum of money was non est, much wonder was excited as to what had become of it. Lescant, always quick, con- cluded that the old man had secreted his gold _ the coffin, and so, cethe ang, had ro 6 graveyard one ni e golden coffin was secured, but, after it was got, it puzzled the robbers how to turn it to account. In one of his mad freaks Lescant determined to bury the doctor in it, and from the chain of circum- stances which arose thereby, it may safely be said that to the golden coffin the ite was indebted for its destruction by the Dector Detective. THE END, JOO EGoOmiie <S (E(0)