Beadle's Dime Library No. 152 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

ae -_- Captain Ironnerve, the Counterfeiter Chief. %o make tim feel toward the miniong of the ‘ae? almost as "nuca enmity as the counter- feiters "nvuma-lves. “Nor uo eriad, and the meaning which those two letters cucvey wis aever more torcibly expressed. Ping! ping—ping! The bullets whistled harmiessty arcvnd the man and boy, some flying over tneir acads, others throwing little jets of spray against the side of their flying boat, and still others im- bedding themselves in its side. Still they rowed on unharmed. Great beads of perspiration were standing out on Ralph’s brow, and his breath was com- ing in short, quick gasps, that teld conclusive- ly how the hard rowing was telling upon him. Escape seemed almost impossible, and yet, while he had a particle of strength left to bat- tle for his liberty, he was firmly resolved not to give it up. ‘Better to kill myself in this way, than to be again locked up in Richmond prison,” he thought, and that thought took the form of resolution. Escape he must, and if he found that to be impossible, there was always left—tbe river. He did not know how hard a death to die is drowning when the victim is versed in the science of swimming, nor would he have hesi- tated if he had, for well he knew what awaited nim if taken. The prison cell, and then— death, a living death; a lite spent betwen four walis, and in drudgery. No—no—no! better anything than tbat, and the thought lent strength to his arms. Another volley from the revolvers of the men in pursuit, and a faint exclamation from Mosquito. “Tm hit, Cap.” ‘“‘Where I sit, but I guess I’m only grazed.” Ralph could not repress a smile, in spite of the calamity the news might hasten. ‘Can you hold out a little longer?” “You bet I kin.” . ‘¢'There’s a schooner just ahead of us, and if we can get around that before they overtake us, we may escape. — “We'll git around her, Cap, ef that’s all we've got to do. Quicken yer stroke a leetle.” The stroke was quickened, and the gallant little vessel shot through the water like a thing ~f life, bounding on and on, from wave to wave, with the bullets whistling over their beads and dashing little jets of spray upon them from ‘before and behind, as well as the sides. Now and then a ball would strike one of the oars, but with the exception of Mosquito’s slight wound, there seemed to’ be a special providence watching over the fugitives, turn- ing the missiles aside that were hurled.at their hearts’ blood. On and on they go. The schooner is nearly reached, and what was a few moments ago a dark and shapeless mass looming out of the river, has grown into a recognized vessel, which Ralph's quick eyes had singled out when. they were some distance away. Ping—ping—ping—g—g! sound the reports of the firearms in their rear, and Ralph feels a sharp pain in his side, but still he rows. He knows the ball has struck him, but he also knows it is not serious, and again he throws all his strength in the effort to escape. “Kim on, ye bloody beasts!” cries the boy, for the excitement bas made him forget the danger that menaces them, and he only knows that a race is going on, of which he is one of the principals, and he is bound to win. Will he? Can these two—one a boy, and the other, though a strong man usually, now weakened by illness—can they hope to escape from the strong arms of the officers, whose muscles are hardened by exposure, and who know that a reward awaits them if they. capture these men/ | ' Ralph does not stop to ask himself if. he can esca His mind is firmly made up that he will; and resolution always lends force and power to a man like him. |. - ry ‘The pursuing boat is much nearer now, and the men in it have stopped firing, for they want to take their prisoners alive if possible, and they have gained so rapidly in thé last few minutes that it now seems to them to be beyond the question of doubt. For the last few minutes Ralph and Mosquito have not spoken, They feel that they need all their breath in the fight for liberty, and it is far ton precious a thing to throw away. The men in the police boat see them row around the stern of the schooner, and then they are lost to view. ' ‘* Pull!” shouts the man in the stern, throw- ing his body forward with each stroke, to help speed the boat along. ‘Pull! curse them! They have gone around that schooner,” and the swish of their oars falls rapidly upon the midnight air. They reach the stern of the vessel and row under it, expecting to see the little boat con- taining the two fugitives flying on beyond it in vain endeavors to escape. But they are mistaken, No boat is in sight, and fora moment they rub their eyes in per- plexity. ‘‘ Quick —to the other side!” cried the leader. ‘¢ They are dodging us!” but the other side is as empty as the one first visited. What has become of them? The officers row backward and forward, peering vainly into the gloom for signs of their prey, but nothing is to be seen of them, and after hailing the schooner, and asking fruitless- ly if anything has been seen, of a boat with two occupants in the last five minutes, they silently row away. Ralph and Mosquito haye escaped. But how? Events, as they transpire, will develop this mystery. CHAPTER XIV, LILLIAN, We left Lillian in the company of Dick Prince, and willing to trust everything to him, to get her out of her fancied trouble. As soon as it was possible, they were closeted together, laying plans for her safety, and free- dom from her complicity with Ralph Gordon, in the murder of Paul Leonard. It was well known to Prince that her uncle Paul had left a goodly fortune, all of which would fall to Lillian, when the lawyers had straightened up the estate and got it into a fit condition to distribute according to the old man’s will. This ‘straightening up” of estates by the lawyers, generally means getting all they can out of it, and then passing over what is left to the heirs. Lillian knew that she would be beyond want, but she did not know that the fortune left to her, was as large as it really was, and that once she came into possession, she would be very rich. Somehow, this man’s note had given her con- fidence in him and she resolved,to trust every- thing into his hands, for she was innocent of the knavery of the world, and did nét know that the smoothest and oiliest natures some- times hide the deepest defects. ‘‘I suppose, Miss Leonard, that you are aware that you come into quite a little for- tune?’ said Prince, when they were alone to- gether. “‘T suppose uncle Paul left me something,” she said. ‘“ But then, you know, he was not very rich.” Prince does not know any such thing, but then, he does not say so for this would not be playing his cards as he had determined, It may be added here, that: there was noth- ing maliciously. wicked or villainous about Dick Prince, and yet he was one of those characters which we often meet with, whose bump of self-esteem. has become so largely de- veloped by continual indulgence, that it swal- lows up all the better nature of a man and makes him commit enormities which he other- wise would never think of, So it was with Prince. The note. which Lillian. had first received from him had been penned in a moment of deep and bitter plotting, and when everything about him seemed to be changed into opposing elements, and.debts were coming in upon him far too numerous for him to meet. His attention had been called. to the events of the murder of Paul Leonard, and after a lit-: tle research he had discovered that by con- ducting himself in what. he called the ‘‘right way,” he could at length beeome possessed of all of the murdered man’s wealth. It is needless to say that Lillian Leonard, as -an accomplice in the dreadful crime, had never once been thought of, or, if she had, the thought had been dismissed almost as soon as it came, — — 11 and so we find her in Washington, haviug flown from a foe that had not thought of pursuing her, and which was, in reality, no foe at all, but only a chimera of Dick Prince’s raising. “ What do you intend to do?” asked Prince at length, after carefully regarding his com- panion for some little time. ‘““T hardly know,” she replied. ‘‘I have been in such a state of confusion ever since my uncle’s horrible death, that I scarcely know which way to turn..” Two great tears hovered for a moment on the fringe of her eyes as she spoke, and then rolled softly, gently downward, “Have you beard aught of Ralph Gordon since his escape?” was the next question he asked, and for one brief moment she doubted him; but the doubt quickly fled, and she an- swered him frankly: ‘‘T have not,’ she said. ‘Oh, if I only could know what has become of him. You know he was reported shot by one of the prison guards, but I did not and do not believe it,” She hesitated for a moment, and her hands were locked tightly together as she went on: . “That something has happened to him, lam certain, or he would bave found a way to communicate witb me before this, ‘Oh, Ralph, Ralph! where are you!” she cried, as the full force of his suffering came up before her mind’s eye, and Dick Prince seated there before her, bit bis lip impatiently, for the exclamation told him that she loved this fugitive from the law. ‘*Curse the luck!” he mutters in his heart. *‘ If she’s in Jove with this fellow, how am I to win her? Something must be done,” His motive, when he first made up his mind to act, had been naught but his desire for money—for gold, with which to pay his debts, but already her brilliant eyes had done their work and he felt that in the last few hours, this girl had become very dear to him. He loved her. : But his love was that mad, idolatrous pas- sion which springs up in the breast of natures such as his, spontaneously, and burns for a time, furiously, but the blaze is so fierce, that it destroys all the good that’s in.the victim’s heart, making it desirous to achieve only its own selfish ends, to the confusion of anything and everything that opposes. In those few moments in which he had been sitting there before her, gazing into her beau- tiful face, hé had discovered the sequel to his impulsive adventure, and the one desire which now consumed his very soul, was to make this girl woman his wife, True, that bad been his first intention, but it had only been prompted by a mad desire for gain, and now—he loved her! Quick to think, and quicker to act, he deeided at once to find out the truth regarding Ralph Gordon. He must know whether he is alive or dead, in order to see his own way clear, but alive or dead, be has resolved that Lillian Leonard must become Mrs, Dick Prince. ‘Will you let. me advise you?” he finally asked, leaning a little forward and gazing straight into her eyes. “Tf you only would!” Lillian exclaimed, for she thought she had discovered a true friend in this man. There was a short hiatus, and then he leaned forward and said: ** You had better remain here for the pres- ent; at least until I can discover something definite in regard to Gordon. ‘‘T put your name on the register, as Mrs. Lord, thinking that you had best not be known by your right name at present, so try and re- member, that for a time Miss Leonard is no more. ‘‘ Good-by, for the present,” he added, rising to his feet, and extending his, hand. *‘ Are yougoing so soon?” asked Lillian, rising also and extending hers, . . “ Yes, I am going to start now, on the search for your friend. We. must not lose any time.” | oi ji ‘‘God bless and speed - you!” cried Lillian, and he winced:a little for he knew that he was He had never been troubled with twinges of conscience before, but somehow, with this pure and innocent creature before him he could not he!p but feel his utter insignificanee, for he new that she was good, to the core. Shaking her-hand, he left. ber, and she sunk ‘back ina chair to pray for his success, not knowing that it would make her suffer, | Micboo <S (E() (0) \ bi, Pai SF