Beadle's Dime Library, No. 240 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

+. 4 oes nee is sure to be fatal. Everything it may be said, depended on Orson Oxx and he managed it well. Brayton Russell suspected the meaning of the whistle of Jake Calkins and he was ready. The Jerseyman was the first one to rush for- ward from the wood, The instant Russell saw him coming, he leaped down from bis seat and Jake Calkins, with commendable dexterity, clambered into his place and caught up the lines Just as the young engineer landed upon the ground, ani drew open the door of the closed carriage, Orson Oxx was there with Ethel. At the same moment, the dark figures began rushing forward from the sides of the read. Ethel sprung nimbly in, Brayton was after her in a twinking and Jake Calkins who was | dreadfully flurried, struck the horse a sharp | blow with the whip, They bounded forward with a tremendous | leap, the door of the vehicle flying back and forth, as it plunged away, leaving Orson Oxx standing on the ground, at the very instant he was about to make a prodigious leap for the | seat, Brayton Russell had drawn his pistol, ceter- mined to fire upon any one who should try to | stop them. He supposed in the terrible ex- citement that the detective bad seated himself on the top of the carriage, Jake Calkins didn’t suppose anything except that he ought to get out of such a neighb: rhood with tho least possible delay, He continued lashing the horses into a dead rou, and, when he heard the report of several pistols, he leaned forward and downward, so as to let the missiles pass over his head “ We've got you, old fellow,” exclaimed the indignant captor of Orson Oxx, ‘‘and we'll make you sweat for this!” “ K ep your hands off !” warned the Man of Iron, lesping back, so as to clear himself of those crowding upon him; “the man that touches me will get hurt.” A general rush followed and then the rash _ peop'e began going down like ten-pins, —, Orson Oxx did pot intend to be taken pris- oner just then. When he had created a large sized panic, be turned about and dashed into the woods. By the time his assailants had rallied some- what, they caught a glimpse of a vanishing figure among the trees. Several essayed to follow bim, but the attempt was a weak one, and was abandoned almost as s°0n as begun. If they could not get the best of such a ter- rific man in the bighway, when the sun was going down, the chances were not bright in the wood, with the gloomy night closing in. Orson Oxx was one of those phenomenal do- tectives who thought with lightning-like quick- ness in the most desperate crisis. At the moment of turning and plunging into the woods, he reflected that by making tke *‘cut across lo's,” of which he had spoken to Brayton Russell, he was likely to intercept the team in its furious flight. He would have to “grab ground,” with the utmost alacrity, to succeed in doing so. But he was the individual who was able to do that thing. There could be no doubt that the turn in the road would be made, for it was a single high- way the entire distance, and the start being in that direction, there was no way of escaping the angle. Accordingly the Man of Iron strained every nerve to beat the galloping team. While they were describing the base and al- titude of a right-angled triangle, he was boom- ing along the hypotenuse, Fortunately the distance was brief. Furthermore, he had a distinctly marked path through the patch of forest with which ho bad made himself very familiar a the afternoon, when moving about w Miss Langdon, to escape the prying eyes of those who were hunting for her, A few minutes only were needed to take him, through the wood, when he bounded over the fence and paused in the highway, Looking down the road, which led along the forest, he fancied that through the gloom of the gathering night, he caught the figures of horses and a carriage approaching in a cloud of dust. At the same he beard the vigorous shouts of the driver, who seemed to be consid- erably panic-stricken. A Cool Head. There could be no doubt they were his friends. Stepping into the middle of the road, Orson Oxx raised his hand as a command for Calkins to balt, But the driver, in bis extreme fright did not recognize bim and took him to be an enemy. He had slackened the gait of his team some- what, as it was necessary, in order to pass the bend in the road safely, but he now began lashing them again. Suspecting the truth, the detective shouted, but in vain. Calkins showed a determination to ride down the highwayman, if he maintained his position, and Oxx was forced (o leap aside to escape being trampled to death by the fiercely driven horses, He shouted again at the top of his voice to Russell, as the vehicle bounded by him. Fortunately the young man recognized the figure as it whisked back in the gloom and caught the familiar tones of the voice. | Thrusting his head through the carriage door, he called to Jake in such stentori«n tones, that he was heard and understood. | Instantly the Jerseyman began pulling on | the lines, and speedily brought the animals toa halt. All three looked backward and identified the manly fellow who came trotting toward them. A minute later he seated himself in the car- | riage and laughed over the mishap which had turned out so well after all. — CHAPTER IL. JOURNBYING WHITHER! | ** In the first place,” said the Man of Irun, | “there is no need of driving so fast.” | “Don’t you think we will be followed?” ) **We are very likely to be pursued, but it will take some time for the pursuers to get | ready.” | “There seemed to be a large number of them | lurking around the spot where you and Ethel were waiting for me.” ‘*There were fully a dozen, but every one was on foot,” “Tt will not take them long to find the means to press us hard.” | ** Long enough to make this frantic beste un- necessary. Besides, we havea long drive be- fore us, and we must husban1 the strength of our horses,” Accordingly Jake Calkins was directed to bring the animals down toa moderate trot and to hold them there, unless he should discover pursuers behind bim, “Well,” said Brayton Russell, who, as may be supposed, was in high glee, ‘‘it looks as though we bave outwitted them at last.” | ‘We are not out of the woods yet ” | ** What is your course of action?” | Orson Oxx now turned about on the front seat and called to Jake Calkins to stop. “You say you are familiar with this country, Jake?” ‘* Yes, sir, perfectly,” was the unblushing re- sponse, ** How faris it to Burrsville?” ** Eleven miles avd three quarters.” (We are sorry to say that Jacob Calkins, on this cecasion, heard the name of that little town for the first time in his life.) “You know the way?” “ Perfictly.” ** Drive there, then, at a moderate pace,” ‘* Ay, ay; you may consider it done.” “Why do you wish to go to Burrsville?” asked Brayton Russell, as the detective resumed his seat facing him, and the carriage rolled on again. “That is a station on the railroad where I think we can intercept the night line to New York.” ‘* Will they not be likely to telegraph ahead to the authorities to stop us?” ‘We cannot escape that risk no matter what direction we take; it will be no greater or less there than anywhere else.” “Why not keep to the carriage for several days and nights, or long enough to pass out of | the State?” ' ‘€T do not see how that will lessen the risk, for we must pass through many towns and villages, every one of which is within reach of the telegraph.” ** Will they not be likely to devote all their energies to pursuing us and leave the telegraph alone for some hours?’ Ba Sok 25 This question was asked by Ethe! Langdon and Orson Oxx was quick to compliment her. on her sagacity. “That is my view precisely; I hope to get beyond their reach before they recover from their flurry and excitement.” ‘* Suppose we should cross into Vermont or Pennsylvania, or New Jersey, what then?” asked the laly again, ‘ The legal steps necessary to take you back into the State of New York will require much delay, and that delay I regard as certain te give you the opportunity to prove the ont rageous nature ot this entire proceeding on the | part of your uncle.” “ And what will uncle do?’ ** That must be al! conjecture,” replied Orsom Oxx, who might have added that in his opinion it was more than likely that tbe Winking De- mon would find his attention engaged very soon by other important matters, ‘* Suppose it is shown that bis act toward me was without the first justification in fact?” “That would be a hard matter to show; his proceedings were legal, inasmuch as they were based on the certificate of two physicians, who, I doubt not, are in good standing in the profession.” “ But can’t we do something with them ?” asked Ethel, full of indignation over the mem. ory of her wrongs. ‘Leave them alone,” was the philosophicai remark of the Man of Iron; ‘‘it never pays to occupy your energies with schemes of re- venge, and time at last is sure to make all things even,” ‘* Which sounds very well,” said Brayton, with a laugh, *‘ but is bardly in accord with your profession.” “Tam never actuated by a motive of re- venge.” ** But you don’t show any alarming dispo- sition to leave criminals alone for time to even up on.” “It is always easier to preach than prac- tice,” admitted Orson, with a laugh. At the same time he eould have explained more fully what he meant had he chosen to do sO, ‘Tf you will pardon me,” he added a mo- ment later, *“I will venture the suggestion that the wish of Mr. Longdon that bis niece should not wed before reacbing her legal ma- jority is entitled to less consideration at this hour than it was several days ago.” [ihel hastened to say: ‘‘T might bave granted his wish had he made it known and had he treated me as he should have done.” ** What?” exclaimed Brayton, turning re- proachfully toward her. “TI think I said I might heve acquiesced; I am not sure what I would have done bad the test been made,” ““T know very well what J would have done,” murmured the happy lover, pressing the dear form close to his side. Being a sensible person, Orson Oxx could not fail to feel that he was altogether a super- fluous member of the little company in the carriage, and yet he was at a loss for a pretext to go outside, Unless he could offer a good one, he knew that both his friends would object. Fortunately the excuse was not long in com- ing. They were chatting in their familiar, pleas- ant manner, when the driver suddenly increas- ed his pace. ‘‘What’s up?” called Oxx through the front to his friend, *' They're chasing us!” *“ How many?” “T make tbirteen,” was the astonishing re- sponse, ‘‘ but there may be a few more.” “My gracious!” exclaimed Oxx; “I must take a look at that.” With little difficulty he climbed to the top and seated himself beside Jake Calkins, “Where are they?” “You don’t suppose they would be in front ?” asked the driver with a laugh. “There is as much probability of finding them there as there is of the thirteen being any where,” “Use your eyes and tell me bow you make a” The Man of Iron bad already taken a sweep- ing glance down the rond in search of his enemies. Such serutiny satisfied him beyon! question that there were pursuers behind him, -- MiGaoo (E() S) (E (0)