Beadle's Dime Library, No. 240 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

| | -— Ss id ——_—— + — ee eee Jake Calkins almost choked with bliss on hearing bimself addressed in this fashion. He coughed so violently that part of the potato iv bis mouth was flung across the room. ‘‘ Jacob was always very brave and ready in defending female helplessness,” remarked his sister. ‘‘ You are correct, Matilda,” responded the grateful fellow; “you know I was that way | when I was a boy at school.” ‘' es, and it seems to have growed onto you ag you got older,” added Jacob's brother-in- law. “T tell you if there’s one thing that riles me,” observed Jake, trying to spread his bread with his for’, “it’s to see any one ’busing a lovely female. My wif—that is, all my ‘quaintances will swear to that, till everything is blue,” ** Jacob, how old are you?” The question was asked by Hannab Hablo, who sat directly opposite the foolish fellow. “Twenty-four, next fourth of July.” In truth, be was very nearly double that age, and every one at the table knew it. *‘How well you carry your years This, it is scarcely necessary to say, was uttered by the same lady who asked the ques- tion. She was pressing Jake hard and he was too verdant to suspect it. ‘Do you really think so?” he asked, with another smirk. * There can be no doubt of it.” “TI allers took good care of myself; never smoked, chawed terbacker, drunk whisky or stayed up late nights.” “You forget last night,” suggested Ethel Langdon, “I mean as a reg’lar diet,” Jake Calkins hastened to say, fully convinced that Miss Langdon was the insane guest. Furthermore, he saw she was becoming very jealous of bim. He couldn’t be blamed for being handsome and attractive. ‘‘T don’t suppose, Jacob, you really know what fear is?’ insinuated Miss Hahlo, “ Wal, itain’t for me to talk ’bout myself, but that’s just what I've heerd about ten thousand times, from them as knowed me all my life. Twenty years ago I killed three b’ars in Jersey in arough-and-tumble fight— Great thunder:” Just then there came a resounding knock on the door, which startled every one. 1? CHAPTER XXXIX. A LADY AND HER ADMIRER. Tar conversation ceased on the instant. Ethel Langdon and Hannah Hablo sprung 4p from their seats and slipped noiselessly into he sitting-room, where they placed themselves Beyond sight of any one at the door. Mrs. Burrage with some confusion of man- ner, answered the knock. A large wan stood there, with his face screwed up into a very interrogation point. “IT am Doctor Adonijah Bell,” said he, by way of introducing himself; ‘ Doctor Thomp- son and myself sent a female lunatic to Doctor Julliard’s Asylum, day before yesterday.” ‘Yes, sir,” meekly replied Mrs, Burrage, not feeling called upon to say anythiag else. Calkins and the husband suspended eating their meal, and listened carefully. ‘That young lady is missing.” ‘Yes, sir.’ “‘T am looking for her.” wee, Sir” ‘Can you tell me where she is, madam?” ** Yes—that is, I'll ask my brother—” She turned appealingly toward Jake Calkins, who felt that the occasion demanded a states- man hks himself, Bhoving back his chair with such suddenness that it fell over, he strode to the door. “ What do you want, sir?” He spoke with the voice and manner of a genera! on the field, “IT am looking for Miss Ethel Langdon.” *‘]’ve no objection to your looking all you want to!” ‘*Can you tell me anythivg about her?” * Not a blamed thing.” “* Has any oue been here looking for her?” With no little impressiveness, Jake took a bulky note book from his pocket. He examined some of the memoranda a mo- ment and said; _ “* You are the one hundred and ninety-fourth caller that has been bere this merning.” _ © Is it possible?” ’ . - os a | A Cool Head. “Yes, and there are several that I didn't | count; ]’ve arranged to have a sign painted and stuck up in front of my house, notifying the public that we ain’t keeping any stock of crazy rupvaways.” ‘‘Indeed; you are disposed to be facetious; | good day, sir,” ‘“Good-day; when you are on your way back, stop and inquire again; you'll be likely to forget you’ve called by that time.” Jake banged the door shut with more em- phasis than was necessary and resumed his seat at the table. ‘‘ As I's saying,” ne resumed, ‘‘when I was a little boy, I killed five wild bears in a rough- and-tumble fight; [ badn’t any sort of weapon but a toothpick that I had made myself.” ‘*And you killed them ail /” repeated Han- nah Hablo, who, like Ethel, glanced nervously toward the door, “Not one was left to tell the tale; ob, ’m vengeance when I’m once roused, If that fel- low who calied himself Doctor Beil hadn’t slid out jest as be did, I would have shet up his clapper forever.” And the valiant Calkins smiled at bis own wit. As may be supposed, Ethel Langdon felt in anything but a mirthful mood, after the visit of the man who had assisted to abduct her from her bome bunt a short time before, “‘ Why has he come here?’ she asked herself; “ig he to torment me continually? He has caused me enough suffering already, without attempting to prevent me getting my free- dom,” But Jake Calkins wasin bigh feather, and rattled on in his wild fashion during the entire meal. Convinced that he was making an excellent impression on the charming Miss Hahlo, he became more reckless in bis statements than usual. lt never occurred to him that every one of his listeners saw through the absurd farce ia which he was playing the clown. The most absolute fool is an old fool Jake Calkins proved it again and again. His attempt to pass himself off as a gallant young man, on the lookout for some eligible lady, was a comedy of itself, ‘‘My dear Miss Hablo,” said he, when the long morning meal was finished, “ will you not tako a stroll with me through the arboreous woods?” A}l looked up in estonishment, not so much aft his original adjective as at the proposal it- self, ‘“That’ll never do, Jake,” said his séster. ‘* And why not, I should like to know?’ ‘Doctor Julliard’s men are every wbere, and they would be certain to discover you,” “I think not; but what if they do?’ he avked, grardiloquently; ‘‘1 shall consider it an auriferous boon to have the privilege of de- fending Miss Hahlo against the minions of the law.” t really seemed that the fellow’s head was becoming turned with his absurd fancy. The rest of the company looked at Hannah Hahlo, Of course she would not consent, Nevertheless sho did. “T will go with Mr. Calkins with pleasure; I shal) not be afraid that he will not take good care of me.” ‘‘Noble lady, thy faith is not misplaced,” said Jake, seeming to grow several inches in stature on the moment. John Burrage was glad the proposition was accepted. He considered it certain that Hannah Hahlo would fall into the bands of some of the keep- ers within a brief while. By evening she would be t_.vly lodged in the asylum, from which sbe should never have been permitted to escape, True, her recapture would endanger the safety of the other lady, in whose sanity he had come thoroughly to believe, Besides i¢ would compromise himself, for he had been a party to a deception which was likely to involve him in troubie, Bué matters had gone so far that an expose must come sooner or later, and he woud be glad to be relieved of the worriment it already caused him, He therefore encouraged the absurd pro- posal of Jake Calkins to take the lady out for a stroll, when he considered it absolutely cer- tain that she would be discovered within an hour or two at the most. a nT 19 ee eee ee ee — —+---sasep But Hannah Hahlo was vot so blind as those about ber imagined. She saw one or two things which had. escaped the eye of Ethel Langdon even, [t was ber wi-h to get out of the house with as iittle delay as possible, Still sbe was too cunning to use the front door, aud walk directly into the trap that wight be waiting. First of all a careful reconnoissance was made, The coast seemed to be clear, Instead of passing out the front, the two went through the rear door, making their way by a circuitous route, to a long stretch of woods, which wasa favorite resort for picnie parties and strolling lovers. Had any one been watching Hannab Habhlo closely, he would have seen the old dangerous light coming back into her eyes. She was nearing one of her violent turns, which was liable to take any form, Before she set out with her admirer, she made sure that the needle poiuted wire was in her pocket, where she could grasp it the very instant she might want to use the terri- ble weapon. +0 + ee re ee oes —_—- ee mee ae ee es | CHAPTER XL. DOCTOR ADONIJAH BELL MAKES A DISCOVERY, THe reader has Jearned enough of Doctor Adonijah Bell to know that he and his asso. ciate, Doctor Darius Thompson, were two first- class scoundrels, Both possessed a good medical education, but they were dissipated, and ready to engage in any enterprise, no matter how questionable, that promised them suitable compensation. Consequently they were the very tcols which Algol Langdon, the Winking Demon, required to carry out his infamous scheme in placing bis niece in a lunatic asylum. The terms on which this diabolical plot was arranged have already been made known, With the additional funds which Doctor Thompson thus gained, he started at once for New York city, bis purpose being to engage upon “a racket’ until not a penny was left, Doctor Bell was more sensible. He concluded on the second day to drive over to Doctor Julliard’s institution, and take a look at bis patient. He had no thought of anything going amiss, but it would look as though he was conscien- tiously anxious to earn the rather liberal salary bis employer had engaged to give him. After visiting the lady patient, he would take the cars to Ardville, report to Mr. Lang- don and secure another installment. It would show the latter that he was alive and attentive to his duty. Doctor Bell reached the asylum on horreback at an early hour, previous in fact to the call of Brayton Russell, His astonishment and indignation on learn- ing of the flight of Miss Langdon may be fancied. . He denounced Doctor Julliard savagely and threatened to make known the rotten character of bis institution, from one end of the country to the other, The superintendent accepted the castigation meekly, for he could not but admit that he de- served it. He assured bis angered patron that the lady | would undoubtedly be recovered in a short time, and he would make certain that nothing of the kind should oecur again. The irate visitor r plied that such assurance was unnecessary, as he would take care that the la?y was placed in an institution where ©ome attention and care would he shown her. Ignoring this significant threat, the superin- tendent told (he doctor that be bad promised fifty dollars to the one who brought back either Miss Langdon or Hahlo, or seventy-five dollars for both, The doctor continued to denounce the dere- lict superintendent several minutes, and then mounting bis borse rode away. But the announcement of the reward offered had aroused his cupidity and he. resolved te earn a part or all of it, The sum was a handsome one and much more than the superintendent usually offered, Doctor Bell rode to the summit of the near- est hill, where be reined up bis horse and toek a survey of the surrounding country. He was like a bunter who looks over the territory before bim, that he may determine _ | the most likely place to fing the game for | which be is hunting. | "alle ew! com Ebooks. cor ee ‘ae >. ¢ “WZ ¢ Cia . a>