Beadle's Dime Library, No. 240 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

| —— = - **'You have seen them?’ ‘€ Several of ’em a number of times.” “ How do you manage to mislead them?” ‘“There’s no trouble about that; Jake Cal- kins asked me as a special favor to Jet him have charge of the business of misleadin’, He’s the boss misleader of the country; I never beard a man te}! such sockdolagers as he does; some of his lies to ths people wbo are out buat- ing for you are enough to lift a man’s hat off his head.”’ * He seems to be proud of his reputation in that respect.” *‘T never saw a prouder man in all my life, well, as l’s saying he’s misled ’em, but about the lady up-stairs; shes as crazy as a loon; I s’pose you know that?” *“‘T learned it yesterday.” “Her parents are old friends of mine and they weuld be anxious to have her put back in the asylum at once.” ‘* How long has she beeu there?” ‘Four years and more.” ‘‘ What made her lose her mind?” ‘Tt wassad business,” said John Burrage with a sbake of his head; ‘‘the one that she loved, died and her folks triel to make ber marry an old rascal and she wouldn’t and her mind gave way; but it’s my duty to help take her back to the asylum.” ‘“‘ Undoubtedly such is the fact.” ‘‘She is very smart; she got away two years ago and it wasa week before the y could get her again. Sbeis strong and active and it takes two or three men to handle her, “Mr. Burrage, do you think Iam crazy?” The maiden looked straight in the face of the honest old fellow, who blushed and at- tempted to stare as directly into her counte- nance, But ber beauty overpowered him, Still he would not prevaricate, ‘*‘T will say,” he replied, ‘‘ that T hain’t seen any signs of craziness in you as yit.” Ethel Jaughed at his earnestness, * And you never will see any; I want you to keep me here and take good care of me un- til my friends can come to me,” “T’'m your friend and ca’c late I allers shall be; but it’s going to be a mighty risky thing besides being very hard to keep you two from being discovered,” ‘‘What will you do with her?” Before Jobn Burrage could answer, the Jady in question was beard descending the stairs, and, at the same moment a resounding knock was heard on the front door. E:hel Langdon instantly moved her chair back so as to be beyond the line of sight. Tbe cunning Hannah Hahlo was equally quick to detect tbe danger and retreated noise- lessly up-stairs again. Jaka Calkins who bad returned from a walk outdoors, went forward and resolved himself into a bureay of misinformation. Two men stood at the door, opened, ‘* A couple of young ladies wandered away when it was from Mr. Julliard’s Asylum last night,” said the spokesman, ‘‘and we are searching for them,” “T'm glad to hear it,” said the unblushing Jake; ‘it is kind in you fellers to stop and tell us about it.” ‘Can you asvist us in finding them?” “If you paye nough wages I mought try it.” While inquiring, the men were peering around and over the shoulder cf Jake, as though desirous of getting a view of the interior. ‘‘You can come in and look around if you want to,” said Calkins, stepping back and draw- ing the door wide open; ‘‘it may bo that the women are hidin’ unter the boot-jack or have crawled up tbe chimney.” “No, I thank you; your word is sufficient,” replied the gentleman, turning away “a his oom panion, CHAPTER XXXV. TURNING THE TABLES WITH A VENGEANCE, Tax shrewdest and most guarded man must, in the very nature of things, sometimes be caught at fault. Orson Oxx, when he walked into the library of the Winking Demon, knew that he faceda remorseless and wonderfully cunning enemy, yet he rather welcomed it as a battle royal. Suddenly, while talking, Algol Langdon whipped out his cocked revolver from beneath the table and Jeveled it at the detective. As be did 80, his artificial eye winked and zeae A Cool Head. ——E the conquering wretch muttered the fearful | words; ** Tt means, sir, you are my prisoner !” The deadly weapor was leveled straight at the forehead of Orson Oxx, who was thus en- abled to look directly down the gaping cham- ber, at the base of which he well kuew nestled | the fatal cartridge. Algol Langdon had the drop on the Man of Tron. Oxx was taken entirely unawares. He was leaning back in bis chair, only a few feet away, with his arms folded. It was impossible to draw in time to defend himself; be was at the merey of a merciless man. The Winki ng Demon shut both eyes several times and grinned with tr iumph. Orson Oxx acted in a singular manner, for, instead of recoiling, as one would naturally do, he leaned forw ard until his face was within one foot of the muzzle of the leveled pistol, when be sat still, bis arms remaining folded. He looked s:raight at his conqueror, without the least appearance of fright or agitation, al- though well aware that a slight increase of the the pressure of the crooked finger, which wound about the trigger, was all that was needed to seni the bullet erashing through his brain, It was his expectation that some time such ‘would be his death, sooner or later, and now he wondered whether bis time had not come. He smiled, 9nd without removing his gazs from the face of Langdon asked: “On what charge do you arrest me?” ‘‘That of being an incendiary: you are as well aware as am I that you bave been indulg- ing in this original style of amusement for several months,” Orson Oxx started. At the same moment he winked bis eye aud unfolding his arms, made a peculiar signal. His gaze showed he was looking ata point directly behind Algol Langdon. His actions were precisely such as if he were signaling to some person stealthily approach- ing. The suggestion was enough to send a cbill down one’s back, and it was so cleverly man- aged that it accomplished what was intended. With all the villain’s cunning he was thrown off his guard for a single instant. Holding ths weapon lev eled, he partly turned his head, but it was only for the shortest possible space of time. He suspected the purpose, and brought it back with lightning quickness, but, instantaneous as it seemed to be, the period was long enough for Orson Oxx’s purpose. He made a single flirt with his left band. The motion was so quick, thst it was like magic: the eye was ecarcely able to follow it, and the open p1lm struck the extended hand of Algol Langdon with such force that the revolver was kuocked clean across the room, The two men sat before each other unarmed, ‘‘’'m ratber inclined to the opinion,” said the Man of Iron, in the same insinuating voice, ‘that I ain’t your prisoner just yet; I shal! be pleased to hear your view on the matter, Mr, Langdon,” The Winking Demon stamped upon the floor and exclaimed with an oath: “You shall have it: there it is!” Tbe stamp was a signal, for which two men were waiting. The door opened and they entered. One was Shadrach Yelland, the sanguinary justice of the peace, who was so strongly in favor of lynching the prisoner, when caught under somewhat similar circum-tances, a cou- ple cf nights before; and the other was Pros- perity Jobnson, Both these men were eager to pounce upon the stranger, for whose arrest they bad helped arrange. Both, too, were extremely powerful and would not hesitate to attack any man. True, the justics of the peace, on the occa- sion above alluded to, was handled rather roughly, but he maintained he was taken off bis guard and that his defeat could not be re- peated. Both knew the prospective prisoner to be the man who escaped lynching so narrowly, aud they held not a particle of doubt that he was the miscreant who had started so many fires in their village, Orson Oxx leaped from his chair and sprung into position, His back was against the wall in the corner, and his clinched fists were beld up in front of him, + | | | | | —— — 2 —- ES ge eit EN i gle onl im lily AAD a lin Me | teen a eR I EN i. Cs A a 17 In that position he did not care bow many men charged upon bim. His lever-like arms. his prodigious gkill and marvelous scieuvce turned all such assaults into | child’s-play. Such a guard is an effectual protection against an attack from those who use nature’s | weapons, Hp» did not fear even one who might assail bim with a knife. But it was no protection against the pistol, The Man of Iron was on the wutch tor such a demonstration, Had any ove of the three inen attempted to fire, he would buve anticipated bim. But he always disliked the use of firearms, The result was pretty sure to be death for some one concerved, His tremendous fists were equally fatal, when occasion Ccemanded, but rarely did be ever put forth all his strength. He did not wish to barm Prosperity Johnson, but he meant to give Messrs. Yelland and Lang- don a good taste before he was through, There was not one of these three whom be considered a 1erpectable avtagonist, He could knock them out with very little ex- ertion, The wiry Shadrach Yelland was the first to advance upon him, and he did so in a teadlong, slugging fashion, which did more credit to his courage tban to bis judgment, Instead of striking him a blow, which the Man of Iron could have done, with enough force to fracture his skull, be opened one band and smote him directly across the face, The blow cracked like a pistol, and the as- tonisbed Shadrach Yelland cescribed a hack somercault over tae table in the middle of the room, ‘Tt looks to me,” remarked Orson Oxx, “as though this establishment needs cleaning cut.” CHAPTER XXXVI, ‘CLEANING OUT” AN ESTABLISHMENT, THEREUPON the Man of Iron preceeded to ‘*clean out” the establishment to which he re- ferre’. As Sbadrach Yelland, Justice of the Peace, went backwurd over the table, his legs pointed upward like a pair of dividers, Algol Langdon was baroly able to leap out of his way. He saw thut it would never do to come in personal collision with the Hercules in the corner, Nothing less than a pistol-ball would subdue him; but the pistol of Langdon lay on the floor close to the feet of the monarch of the situa- tion, The Winking Demon, therefore, cou'd only shrink in the opposite corner and wateh for his chance, ‘** By and by he will move away,” thought he; “then I will steal forward, pick up my revol- ver and shoot him in the bac x At the same instant the master of the Home- stead roared to his servant, Prosperity, to at- tack the desperado, ‘‘Dat's what I'm gwine to do,” replied the huge African, beginning to dance about the room with great eagerness; ‘I’m gwine to come de ram trick cher him,” Orson Oxx saw from the peculiar actions of the negro that ha intended to butt him. He was desirous of saving Prosperity from injury, for be was a good fellow whom he liked, and who cou!d not be blamed for the part he was taking in the singular proceedings, “Ps comin’; cl’ar de track!” It was not good geveralship for the African to announce his intentions, besides which it was altogetber unnecessary, Orson Oxx suw the battering-ram approach- ing and leaped deftly aside, The head of the African struck the wall with a foree which made the whole house tremble, “TI tink dem walls am injured.” was the characteris ic remark of Prosperity, as he backed away from the corner and looked at the young man whc smiled u;on bim. “Keep away, my friend, or I shall hurt you!” “T's 'ginning to be ob dat ’pinion myself,” replied Prosperity backing until ha reac ed the door, through which he bolted, as if shot from a i Orson Oxx's blow in the face of Shadrach Yelland was a most demoralizing one. The jus'ice of the peace, as soon as he conl4 shake himself together, crouched unde: she table, where be stayed. ,OO €o AAILICE S (E(o) rs