Beadle's Dime Library, No. 240 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee ee the head of the horses, so as to be ready to seize their heads the instant it should become necessary. His horsemanship taught him that the great thing to be feared was that the animals would betray their presence by whinnying or neigh- ing to those passing. “We are acting as though we are fleeing murderers,” said Ethel Langdon, who did not admire the trepidation shown by ber friends. ‘‘And you are treated as if you were one,” observed her lover, who felt indignant when- ever he recalled the outrageous cruelty shown her. **Suppose they discover us, Russell, ‘“T dislike to use violence,” said the Man of Iron, “‘but I do not see how in that event it can be avoided.” ‘““What is your plan?” “Tf they give trouble, why I can compel them to dismount,” said Oxx with a peculiar intonation, ‘and then turn their borses loose, so they will be unable to use them: then we shall leave them out of sight with little trou- ble.” és SH ” Looking down the road, they saw the out- lines of the horsemen, who immediately after entered the shadow thrown out by the wood and became invisible. A minute later they came opposite the fugi- ves. The latter stood motionless in the attitude of intense attention. The steeds were on a sweeping gallop, for their riders were evidently impressed with the necessity of haste, But their beasts were more sagacious than they in the gloom of the night, and were quick to discover the proximity of others of their own species. As they came opposite, one of the animals shied a little and uttered a neigh of salutation to his brothers beside the road. Oxx?’’ asked CHAPTER LIILI. JAKE CALKINS CLAIMS A MISUNDERSTANDING. Tue instant the cantering horse in the road shied and uttered bis neigh, one of the team of our friends, shrouded as they were in darkness, threw up his head to reply. But Jake Calkins had been looking for this and was prepared, Grasping the nose of the animal, he forced it down on his chest with such violence that tbe prute forgot his wish to whinny and lost all interest in the other animals, Calkins was prepared to adopt the same remedy with the other steed, should it become necessary: ? toes But the latter was wise in time and held his e. ne What the blazes is that?’ asked the horse- man who was jolted almost out of his saddle by the uvexpected shying of his beast. “« A ghost I suppose,” replied the other with a laugh. . «“J’ye a good notion to find out,” observed the first, drawing his borse down to a walk, ‘Hang it, what difference does it make? We'll never catch sight of those folks again, if we are to go mousing into the woods for what scared our horses. Come on!” By this time, the impatient pursuer wassome distance in advance of his companion of an in- vestigating turn, who concluded to forego his purpose, and immediately spurred forward again. Our friends scarcely spoke until after the sounds of the hoofs had died out in the dis- tance, Then they conferred in whispers. The plan was to turn back to the cross-roads and take a new course altogether. Could they do so, without detection, there was the best of reason for boping that the borse- men would be so astray that they would be eliminated from the problem altogether. The carriage was carefully turned around, the lovers re-entered, Oxx placed himself on the seat on top and Jake Calkins resumed charge of the reius. The detective was aware of the device by which the driver had shut off the neigh which would have betrayed them, and he gave him full credit therefor. ‘Tt was well done, Jake,” said he; ‘and it is a good thing you are so familiar with the ” “ Of course it is,” A Cool Hea ‘* Can you tell me how far we are from Burrs- ville?” ‘* It is seven miles and a third from the woods we bave just left.” ‘We ought to reach there in the course of an hour or so.” ‘‘ We shall do so,” was the confident response of the cheerful falsifier; ‘‘ give yourself no un- easiness on that score.” “Do you know when the down train stops there?” ** At ha:f-past nine exactly, that is if it is on time.” ‘‘T am hopeful that the principal difficulty of this business is over, though I have felt all along as though Algol Langdon ought to show his hand.” For the following balf-hour, the team bowled along at a spanking gait, the eyes and ears of the two men on the outside seat being wide open, Ocensionally they paused and listened, but nothing was heard to indicate they were being followed, Now and then they met parties on horseback or in conveyances and at rare intervals passed otbers. Orson Oxx for atime bad little to say, for as the night progressed he seemed to become thoughtful. However, he soon threw cff this tendency, brightened up, and if possible, became more observant than usual. When it seemed to bim they had gone a number of miles, he asked the driver: ‘* Are we pretty near Burrsville?” ‘Tt ain’t half a mile off.” ‘* Straight ahead?” ‘* Don’t you see it?” Looking up, the detective perceived they were approaching some town, for the lights were twinkling so brightly that there could be no mistake on the point, Orson Oxx called down to his friends in the vehicle that they were close to the railroad station, and they might make ready to leave the carriage. “We will put up the team and Russell can telegraph instructions to the owner. Russell says he is an old friend, who was glad of the assistance be was able to render him,” A moment later, they entered the outskirts of the small town and Jake Calkins drew the horses down to a walk. All at once it struck Orson Oxx that there was something familiar in the appearance of the houses as dimly seen in the starlight. He looked againin a startled way, and was confirmed in his suspicion that he was in a familiar neighborhood. He started and peered into the partially illu- minated gloom, Ay, he was not mistaken. The large building on his left wvs the Dela- ware House, where he bad met quite a stir- ring experience. “Jake!” said the indignant detective, ‘‘ this is Ardville,” ‘Ain't that where you told me to drive?” ‘‘Why, no, you lunkhead! I said Burrsville.” “Ob, you did! I misunderstood you; I thought you directed me to make haste to Ard- ville; sorry I didn’t catch the name.” Orson Oxx was so astounded that he was speechless for the moment. Then, when he recovered, te could bardly restrain himself from flinging the fellow to the ground. And the next minute, he laughed to himself. ‘‘He did that out of pure cussedness,” he said to himself; ‘‘ he is an absolute stranger in this neighborhood and he lied simply because he couldn’t help it— Great Heaven!” The carriage was still in motion, when Or- son Oxx made a tremendous leap from bis seat to the ground and instantly vanished in the darkness with the speed of a wild deer! CHAPTER LIV. THE PITCHER GOES ONCE TOO OFTEN TO THE FOUNTAIN, Orson Oxx vanished so suddenly and unac- countably, that Jake Calkins halted the team at a loss what to do, Brayton Russell thrust his head out and asked the driver the meaning of the sudden flight of their friend. ‘‘ Jewhilakens! if I know,” was the re- sporse. “How ia it yon have driven to Ardvillef’ asked the engineer, who naturally enough re- cognized the place. Ne ee eee 274 ‘*It was a misunderstanding,” was the aston- ishing reply; “I thought this was where—” ‘‘Helloa! there’s some excitement; what's up?” A crowd of people were tearing along the highway like madmen, uttering shouts and cries of the fiercest nature. ‘There he goes! Catch him! He's the fire- bug! Dow't let him get away this time!” ‘Great heavens!” gasped Brayton Russell; ‘‘they’re after Orson Oxx again.” He sprung out the carriage, telling Calkins to drive to the hotel and wait with Ethel uutil bis return. Fearfu) that he would be unable to save his friend this time, Russell ran with all the speed of which he was capable, resolved to spare no effort to protect him, But be made a slight mistake. Orson Oxx was in no personal danger. It was a different individual altogether, The Man of Iron was seated on the carriage talking with Jake Calkins and was on the point of upbraiding him for his stupidity or rather deception, when he heard the ominous Oe ine | ” At the same instant, he detected the well known glare which was becoming familiar to him, It was only a short distance to the left, and, believing there was a providence in the thing, be sprung down and dashed for the apot with all the prodigious energy of which he was mas- ter, He had taken but two or three of his tremen- dous bounds when he caught a glimpse of a tall, dark figure speeding away with the swift- ness of the wind. Close behind him were three men, and behind them seemed half the male adults of the vil- lage. It happened in this instance that three of the most watchful villagers were on guard, and they happened to be near where the twen- tieth incendiary attempt was made, They saw the bright, star-like point and ob- served the tall, dark figure spring to his feet and make off. Calling upon him to surrender, the Vigilantes started in hot pursuit. ">* ths fire-bug was fleet of foot, and he sped away like an arrow, threatening to elude them as he had done on more than one occasion before. But at the critical moment Orson Oxx ar- rived on the scene. He was just in time to catch sight of the fly- ing figure, whose identity he knew like a flash, When the long-limbed Winking Demon ran with might and main bis limp was scarcely per- ceptible. Orson Oxx saw that he was heading for the path which led to the wood, where he escaped so narrowly before. “T think I can run you down this time, my beauty,” muttered the Man of Iron, bending his utmost energies to prevent a repetition of bis former trick. Fortunately Orson Oxx had been seen when he sprung to the ground and plunged after the fugitive. There was no confounding him with the criminal this time, The furious pursuit had lasted but a short time, when the most energetic pursuers per- ceived that it was impossible to overiake the fire-bug who possessed sucb surprising fleet- ness, Then it was they would have fired upon him, had they not seen there was a good prospect of his being captured, despite the vasi advantage he possessed, The rough, farmer-looking man, who had bounded like a bull-dog from the seat of the carriage and joined in the chase, developed at once an amazing capacity in the way of speed. It was soon apparent that the contest lay be- tween him and the fug’tive. The latter seemed to have tempted fate by | this daring crime so early in the evening, ; But Algol Langdon knew that the only man in the world whom he dreaded had departed from Ardville, : And having defied all others so long, he grew to regard them with contempt. He felt that he could safely amuse himself again, without fear of being molested, This time he deliberately set fire to the home of a poor man, who had refused to work on hig farm at niggardly wages. According to all buman reasoning, nothing JOO Eom (C Sal)