Beadle's Dime Library No. 152 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

: | ' | AP eee eS clastic —_— = Captain Toes Se es oe ee " ‘ e, the Counterfeiter Chief. CHAPTER XXX. THE GRAVE GIVES UP ITS DEAD. Wuen Ralph and Roebuck entered the tree, they went forward very cautiously, for they knew well that, if discovered, their lives would not be worth a moment’s purchase. Roebuck led the way through the passage, touching the secret spring of the great door, and remarking as he did so: ‘This arrangement would kill a whole army if they did not ‘know its secret,” and then he explained its mechanism to his companion, and Ralph shuddered to think what might be the fate of any one who should try to force ad- mittance. ‘Did you send the word I told you to?’ asked the detective, in a low tone, once when they had paused to perfect their plan of opera- tions. | ‘ Yes,” replied Ralph. ‘There will be a posse of police and a full company of soldiers at Vezgu’s cabin, conducted there by Mosquito, at twelve o’clock to-night.” ‘* But in ease anything should bappen so that neitber of us can get there, how will they dis- cover the Den?” ‘God only knows! If we should be discov- ered,” continued Ralph, a sudden burst of in- spiration coming to him, “‘ you must act upon the aggressive at once, no matter what they do with me; then, as soon as you can get away, hurry as fast as you can and bring the soldiers and officers here to rescue me. You know you ‘could do nothing alone, anyway.” This course of action was agreed upon be- tween them, and then they hurried forward. Reaching the door of Munger’s—or Baldo’s —apartment, Ralph, after telling Roebuck that he had better await him outside, pushed open the door and entered. There was only a dim light burning in the room, and by its aid Ralph saw a form stretched sleeping upon the couch, but he did not see another—and that of a man—dozing in an easy-chair in one of the dark corners. It was Munger, and he saw Ralph almost as soon as he had pushed open the door, but be chose to wait before striking, although he kept him covered with a revolver the whole time. Ralph went straight up. to the Lady Lorna, and touching her upon . he shoulder said: “Awake, Lorna! It is I—Ralph—and I have come to save you; to take you away.” _ Munger had xroiselessly risen from. bis chair, and creeping forward, he stood close. behind Ra ph, with a short iron bar raised, ready to strike, .. Lady Lorna opened her eyes when Ralph tuuched her, and waking from asound sleep as se did, she was frightened. Springing up, she screamed loudly for help, and Ralph turned to speak to her again, when there was a swish through the air; a dull.thud, and he fell to the floor beneath the blow dealt by Jim Munger. The counterfeiter. chuckled as Ralph fell, then crossing the room to a bell rope, he pulled it th:ee times in succession, and in less than two minute:, a dozen men were in the room. ‘ Munger merely pointed to. the prostrate forin of Rulpb, and they raised him and bore him away. _ “I've aone you one service at least, Gordon Ciandyl,” suid Munger, as the men bore Ralph away, aad then he stretched himself once more in bis easy chair in the corner, after comforting his prisover as best he could. He was still there, when the electric bell, connected with the tree, announced Lorna’s wish to euter, The counterfeiters bore Ralph through the cv vidor to the press-room where restoratives were applied, and the captain was sent for, avd when he opened his oyes, he found (randy! leauing over him with an evil smile ou bis face. “*Out of the frying-pan, into the fire;-eh, my boy/’ suid he, mockingly, but Ralph only siuiled seornfully back at him, and gaid: ** All the same, Ironnerve, I will cupper the knaves to lose, and make it a call- tura at that.” Ps I like ” said Gordon, your Crandy}, struck with a sudden idea. ‘' I'll tell you what Pil do. If you will join us, I will call it square.” . “Thanks, captain ”—seornfully—“ but the fact is, I don’t like your company, so I will have to declive the honor.” “As you will; but mind you! you'll be sorry.” ‘‘ We will see.” “ We will see!” had left them, and also three. letters from Ralph, which at once quieted her fears for ‘** Boys!” he continued, turning to hig men, | him, and then she set about devising some “carry him to the council-chamber, and pre- pare the worst tortures you know how,” They raised him, and soon he was in the very chamber where we have already wit- nessed the initiation of Philip Roebuck. This time it was brilliantly lighted; white globes replacing the red ones. ‘‘Let his eyes be put out first,” ordered Ironnerve, and Ralpb was strapped to a long deal-table, while an iron bar was thrust into a hot fire. Ralph shuddered as well he might, for what is more horrible than to feel that one’s eyes are about to be burned out, and be powerless to offer any_ resistance. The irons were heated until they were fairly white, and little jets of fire dropped hissing from them, Then one of the men, seizing them, approached his victim. Ralph lay prone upon his back. He saw the man drawing near with the cruel irons, ready to deprive him of his sight. He shivered as with the cold, but was resolved to die game, and he looked his tormentor unflinchingly in the face. The fellow bent forward. The iron was within a foot of Ralph’s face, and already he could feel the heat from it, Closer and closer it came. Water began to run from his eyes, and he was dazed and blinded as one is when he looks at the sun on a hot summer’s day. Closer yet! He felt that the time had come, but no groan escaped him, * Hop!!!” The cry was clear and distinct, although ut- tered in a feminine voice, and Captain Iron- nerve sprung from his chair as if propelled by some unseen force, while the executioner dropped his iron to the floor and turned with a cry of rage and fear, There, in the door which led to the corridor, stood the figure of a woman—almost a girl, A red merivo dress, trimmed with gold lace and velvet, adorned her person, and in her left hand ‘she held a tambourine, while the right hand was extended, the index finger pointing straight at the counterfeiter captain. With a wild ery of fear he sprung to his feet and looked toward the door, “Lorna Lenola! You HERE!” he cried. My God! Can.the grave give up its dead ?” ‘¢ Yes!” she replied, ‘‘to prevent such hellish work as that. Loose that man!” and she point- ed to Ralph, but Crandyl did not move, while his men, one and all, stood as if chained to the floor. The figure came forward, and, drawing a knife from her girdle, cut the cords that bound Ralph to the table. ‘‘ Rise!” she said, and Ralph obeyed, hardly believing his senses as he did so; but then he was loose, that much he knew, and he sprung from the table. It broke the spell, and, with savage oaths, the counterfeiters rushed forward, CHAPTER XXXI. THE NOOSE TIGHTENS, Ir the reader will pardon me for a few mo- ments’ digression from the prime cireumstances of the tale, I would once more like to return to Lillian Leonard whom we left at the St, James in Washington, awaiting the success of Dick Prince’s scheme—or rather bis pretended’ scbeme—in search of Ralph Gordon, We have already seen how the lad Mosquito foiled him twice, so that there was a proba- bility of Lillian’s waiting some length of time before she should see Ralph again, unless some other means were brought about to effect it. Word reached her almost every day, from Prince, but she became unsatisfied with this, and being wise enough to know that if she was wanted very y by the police, they would not be very long in finding her in the hiding- piace she had cbosen, she resolved to return to her home in Richmond and run the risk of any dangers which such an action on ber part might incur. Accordingly, without communicating her intention to Prince, she one morniog took the train for home. ae she found things about as she means of communicating with him. The letter which bore the latest date was headed ‘ Laurel Lodge,” and Lillian conjec- tured at once that he was hiding somewhere near there. It was only a brief note which Ralph had dashed off, on the night he bad spent in Vega’s cabin, and in substance, in- formed her that he was tightening the mesbes about his enemies, and could soon walk free once more, the streets of Richmond. She at once sent. for Prince, and told him what she had heard, and he—diseppointed of course, at once more being ‘‘come up to,” told her that he would take a posse of police, and go to Ralph’s assistance. _ Upon this conclusion, Lillian decided to accompany him, and so, at about the very hour, when Ralph and Philip Roebuck were entering the counterfeiters’ den thrcugh the Sighing Pine, Lillian in company with Prince and twelve officers of the law in citizens’ dress —took the train from Richmond for the station nearest to the point they wished to 1each, It was a.strange freak of destiny that led them to that part of the forest where they wished to go, for none of them had any idea of the locality in which they would find Ralph or the counterfeiters. Although strongly urged not to, Lillian was firm in her resolution to accompany them, though why, she could not herself have told, for sbe was naturally timid—at least she had always thought so. And so the little company took their course through the woods, the officers grumbling about “ havin’ a petticoat along,” but Prince was firm, and as they were under his orders, they were compelled to obey. Some distance had been passed over in this way, but Prince was a man who believed in luck, and he thought something would turn up to decide their course of action. Quietly they went forward, when suddenly rince stopped. ‘¢T see a cabin ahead there,” hesaid. ‘‘ Wait here until I reconnoiter.” It was beginning to get dark, and “es crept forward carefully. He was gone about twenty minutes, when he returned. ‘‘ All right,” he said. ‘‘ The cabin is deserted and it will be a good place for us to makea stop while two or three of: us scout around a little.” The reader probably conjectures that it was Vega’s cabin where they made their halt, and Prince, after seeing to Lillian’s comfort, and giving a few instructions to his men, started off through the woods. The men sat idly around smoking and con- versing in low tones, when suddenly there was a sound of tramping feet, and the force that Ralph had sent for, headed by Mosquito, en- tered the clearing. There was a general grasping of weapons, and preparations for attack and defense, and the captain of the military cried: “ Who goes there!” ‘¢We are officers of the law, and demand your immediate surrender,” replied one of the force at the cabin, ‘““So are we!” was the unexpected response, and then general explanations ensued , and scon all was harmony again. : ‘“Be you Miss Leonard?” asked Mosquito, going up to Lillian, and, receiving an affirma- tive response, he added: ‘‘Mr. Gordon will be here at midnight, I reckon. He said he would, an’ he’s right swart. at keepin’ his word,” Prince returned after a long and fruitless search, and it was with mingled joy and chag:in that he found the extra force there; but he was diplomatic, and resolved to make the best of what he termed a bad bargain, so, going to Mosquito, he said: ‘““-You checkmated me, my boy, but I’m glad of it, for I know now, ‘which is which and j which ain’t.’” Roebuck paused in front of the door of Munger’s room, and allowed Ralpb to enter alone, and he waited and listened. He heard Ralph speak to Lady Lorna, and he also heard the dull thud as the implement used by Munger struck his friend upon the head. His first impulse was to rush to his assist- ance, but he remembered the instructions that: a ar ——o im (Elo) (e(0) ebooks