Beadle's New York Dime Library, Vol. XVIII, No. 232 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

~ waggage may bave been transferred to the sta- wos above. | Accordingly Orson Oxx and Donald Marvin made their way 10 the point named, where a large old-fasnivsed hotel stands, There they encountered the same trouble. No one seemed to have any recollection of tbe parties, all which might have been, had the ladies left the cars aj that point, ‘I didn’t expect this difficulty,” said the detective, ‘“but when you striko a.company that don’t know anything, they are examples of monumental stupidity.” They wens into the hotel and procured a meal " On the outside were ssated several persons on the long bench which extenis along tho covered porch, vlose to the house itself. One of these was a tall, sunburned fellow, with long yellow bair, a s-raggly goatee, and he was contioually spitting tovacco-juice over the neighborh od. He had a whip in one hand, with whose lash he was flirting at the flies that were becoming drowsy wih the approach of night. He was laughing and talking in a loud voics about crops, politics and anything that camo in bis mind, The fact that he had the whip in his band, and that two sleepy horses with drooping heats, wee standing a short distance away, fustened to a pst, caused Orson Oxx to sus- pect be was the owner of the team. “Can I spcak with you a minute?’ asked the detective, addressing ths expectorating in- divilual who louked up and asked; ** Do you mean me?” Tol. ‘I’m always ready for business,” he re- marked, rising to his feet. brushing the dust off his trowsers and stepping up to the twu well-dressed gentlemen who seemed interested in bim. “Is that your team!” asked Orson Oxx, pointing to the sleepy horses, » Yea, sir,” “Do you carry passengers out in the country?’ ‘I do when there are any to carry, but since the 'tarnal railroad was built, there's miyhty little doing.” ‘“‘Have you had any work of the kind to- day?’ “ Not a darned thing.” ‘*When was your last jobf” * Yesterday.” “ May I ask what it was?’ As he made the inquiry, the detective pro- dueed his cigar-case and extended it to the countryman. Although he never smoked himself, yet he found it convenient to carry the weed with him. “Why 1 took acouple of young ladies out toSam Turner’s; they wa’n’t much of a load themselves, but they bad a truuak about the sizs of the hotel there; 1 swow it beat any- thing I erer sot eyes on | wanted te put wheels under it and carry them and the old carriage inside.” And the countryman threw back his bead land hee bawed uproariously over his own wit. “ Where is Sam Turner's?’ “Wal, lL ca’kerlete it’s about two miles out.” “In what direction” “Straight down the road yender, among the Pines,” ‘We wanf you to take us there.” ‘‘E don’t know "bout that,” said the fellow, looking dubiously up at the sky; “‘there’s a reg’lar rip-tearin’ storm coming and Jake Cal- kins—that’s me—lik3s to be under his roof on _sueb auspicious occasions,” ‘Shall we wait till morning?” asked Orson, turaing toward his friend; “I think it is per- fectly sate,” * No, a0,” replie1 Donald who was feverishly impatient; ‘‘I will go wild if Iam compelled to stay in this lonely place all night, knowing ‘80 near,” i She? s a mighty peart looking creatur’,” was the impertinent remark of Jake Calkins, who heard the reply of the lover. “ What will you charge to take us eut to Turner’s at once?” “* And bring you back?” “No” ** It orter be worth fifty cents apiece.” ‘* We'll pay it; are you ready to start?” “Yas, but, gentlemen,” said Jake Calkins with a meaning griv, ‘don’t you think we'd better wet our whistle afore we goes out and —_——— Orson Oxx, the Man of Iron. ron the risk of gettin’ wett I take ming straight | be did not urge them to go forward, for he if it’s all the same to you.” He made a suggestive movement toward the broad steps leading down to the bar-room. Orson Oxx handed him a quarter. “We don’t drink; get what you want and hurry out.” Jake Calking followed the suggestion, be- yond question, as he came up the sieps a min- ute later, drawing his sleeve across his wide mou'h and winking one eye. Then he picked up his quid of tobacco from the bench where be had economically placed it, restored it to his mouth and announced that everything was ready. Immediately after he was driving over one of the sandy roads leading out of the village of Farmingdale into the Pives, as they are called, and which cover hundreds of square miles of that portion of New Jersey. Jake Calkins, having started his team, was disposed to sit sideways on the front seat, and keep up a conversation with his passengers. But the latter did not encourage this socia- bility, and intimated that they preferred he sbould devote his energies to getting the best - possible speed out of his sorry nags. a OI EEE EEE ee ee en Gee - — — — ——. ‘‘ All right,” be said, with a grunt, bringing his whip down on the backs of the horses, who merely switched their tails, without increasing their gait. The darkness rapidly deepened. The thuader grew louder and more frequent, and the vivid flashes of lightning cut the gioom as with flaming swords. A terrific storm was at band. Toe horses walked steadily along, as if they felt no earthly interest in the approaching war of the elements. Suddenly the heavy drops of water began to rattle downward like huge spheres of hail. Jake Calkins wrapped a. blanket around bis lank form, but the driving tempest found its way thr ugh the dilapilated covering of the carriage in a score of places. In a few minutes both the passengers were wet to the skin. ‘*It would bave been better had we stayed at the inn,” remarke | O son Oxx. ‘* Perhaps so, but I could not stand it to be so near Eva without hastening to her” ‘Well, we mast be hulf-way thére, and we may as well go 020 as to tu’ n back.” The storm was one of the most violent that had ever raged through the Jers y pnes. It would bave been impossible t» see a foot of the way, but for the crimson flashes of lightning which were incessant, Some were 3) close that the tall, column- like pines at the side of the read were riven by the thunierbolts, which sent the splinters flying across the bighway. More than once the horses, spiritless as they naturally were, shied an! stopped. But Jake Calkins seemed unmoved by the terrible and sublime warring of the elemen:'s. He yanked the lines, swung Lis whip, and scolded his nags for their timidity. The rain desconded in torrents, and gusts of wind which roared among the pines, almost overturned the carriage. “Tt cannot last long,” was the comforting conclusion of the two passengers. Suddenly a starlike point gieamed through the momentary darkness, a short distance abead and at the side of the road. ‘*That’s Sam Turner’s,” was the welcome ex- clamation of the driver. - CHAPTER XTX. AT SAM TURNER’S. Tue point of light shone through the Egyp- tian gloom for one instant, and then came a crash as if the heavens and earth were rent asunder, The lightning had struck a huge pine at the sidwof the road, sending the splinters io a snow- storm across to the woods on the other side of the highway, The emell of sulphur was in the air, and the terrific concussion fairly lifted the carriage from the ground. Orson Oxx and Donald Marvin held their breath, for they were appalled by the awful display of the electric forces whiob seem at all times to be slumbering around us. Even the immobile Jake Calkins started in his seat; as the -blinding flash environed them with the intense flame. His horses st.pped of their own accord, and saw it was impossible, The crackling trunk of the splintered pine bad fallen directly across the road, and no team could pass either way until it should be removed. “ Jewhilakens!”’ he exclaimed as soon as he recovered his self-possession, ‘‘there’s the end of that journey.” “ But we are close to the house?” “Yes, it’s only a few steps to walk, though you'll get wet.” ** We can’t get any wetter than we now are,” said Donald Marvin. ‘‘ Come, let’s be off.” “‘T’ll trouble you for your fare, please.” *“T beg pardon,” said Orson Oxx, banding a one dollar bill to the frugal! driver, who thanked him and immediately began back ng and turn- ing so as to face his team the other way. He did this more expeditiously than would have been supposed. The moment the reversal was effected, be lashed them into a trot, as though he had a special reason for getting away from the spot with all ;ossible speed. The young men looked hack, and, by the flashing lightning’s gleam, saw the rickety vehicle turning a curve in the road, avd pass- ing out of sight among the pines, which wall: d in the highway so clesely on either band, that the wonder was how two teams could meet and pass in the daytime. Oxx and Marvin, bowever, had lost all in terest in him, and hastened forward toward the “light in the window.” The lover trembled with excitement, as he f-lt he was on the eve of meeting his beloved, from whom he bad been separated so Jong, One bad traveled thousands of miles since they last met. ‘* She will be amazed to receive such a call from me in this lonely out-of-the-way lace.” Orson Oxx led the way, the two pausing now and then to await the flashes of lightning to show them the path. | Soon the gate was opened, they passed up a sbort walk, and the detective rapped sharply on the door. His summons was instantly responded to by Mr. Samuel Turner bimeelf, who was a hos- pitabls man. ‘Come right in,” he called out, drawing the door wide open; ‘‘this is the worst storm— Heavens!” | . He ttepped back as another blinding crash shook earth and sky, and all felt the tremen- dous pulsation of the air. The wife uttered a scream, and covered her face with her bands. The two waited for no second invitation, but stepped into the cheery sitting-room, where a fire of wood was burning on the hearth. Orson Oxx was first, and Donald, following somewhat timidly, looked anxiously arcund the epartment. He saw no one but the man and wife. “Ob, Heaven!” he thougbt; ‘‘can it be that another disappointment awaits us!” He could scarcely restrain bis impatience, but Orson Oxx had given bim plainly to un- derstand that he bimeelf was conducting this campaign. Almost tenitiiddtiately there was a perceptib!e diminution in the intensity of the storm. The deluge of falling rain grew less, the thunder receded, and the lightning became more distant. The hospitable farmer invited them to sup- per, but they had eaten all they wisbed, and thanked him. He offered to furnish them with a change of clothing (necessarily of an ancient character), but they did not mind the moisture, and, drawing their chairs to the fire, began drying them by that means. There is a wide-spread belief through that portion of New Jersey that the only safe way to dry a garment that hes vcen wet, while on a person, is to keep it there until it loses its moisture. Both the young men were in too vigorous health to care for such a trifle as being caught in a storm without protection. Orson Oxx saw the feverish impatience of his companion, and therefore came to the point at once, “You are surprised to see us here, Mr. Turner; but we bave come to find the two young ladies who visited you yesterday.” ““T do not understand you, sir.” The looks of Mr. Turner showed that he spoke the truth. JOOKS e€om (E (E(0)