Beadle's Dime Library No. 260: The Masked Mystery; or, The Black Crescent — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 The Masked I ystery. appeared into the room where Wat Blake slumbered, unconscious of the frail thread upon which hung his life, Exercising great caution, she advanced to- ward the room, and had almost reached it, when Forde’s first words fell upon ber ears. * Wake up, Wat Blake! Wake up, and # meet your doom!” ' Great heaven! he is killing Wat!” Heed- less now of caution she ran to the doorway. The sight she saw fairly brought her heart to her throat. Forde was striving to wring information from the lips of the helpless man, whom he was strangling! Had not Forde been so wrapt in his inhuman work, he would have heard the step of the rescuer, behind him. Closing her hands upon the cane, with all her strength, she poised it above her head. True to its aim, it cut the air, and Forde lay insensible at her feet, ** Quick, quick, Wat! What an escape!” She untied the rope which bound him, and ! be, choking—half blind, gasping for breath, staggered to his feet. With all the enduring iron of his strong fyame, be could not recover himself at once, and weak, dizzy, faint, the room spinning round before his hazed vision, like a vortex of ineonceivable things, he was led, or rather dragged, away. *“Come, Wat! Oh! hurry. He may re- cover at any moment. Come—the crescent!” As they passed a rocm on the second floor, where a light shone through the transom of the doer, she paused to knock, Eola appeared. ‘*Harnden Forde is in the third story, and needs assistance. Go to him,” and without saying more, they burried on to the library. Wat Blake drank deeply of the ice-pitcher, and as the pure, refreshing beverage infused a new life into his body, his first words were: ‘*Too late, Bertha—too late! We cannot - get the crescent to-night. But it is in there— in that desk. I am sure of it, Mark it well,” * Oh! no, no—not too late! Do not say it is too late!” she cried. ‘‘Let us torce it f open!” “I tell you it is too Jate! We must wait ro now till some more favorable time. Hark!” ef Some one was even then rapidly descending the stairs, ““T told you so,” he added, now! Out at the window.” , “ But are you strong enough?” ‘‘'Yes, yes; hurry, There is no time for ry words. Ido not wish to encounter this man n now, or I may do him harm”—frowning and - _ glancing toward the door. ae When he had followed her and closed the sash, he said: . “Go home now, sister. I shall remain “ here. Perhaps I may yet procure the cres- i, cent; for itis in that desk. Ah! it is Forde himself; see, he enters. He is at the desk. ie There—go now; make no noise in getting ees down.” Reluctantly she left him, and turned home- Merciful heaven! ’ ives ~ = a7 ® - “Be quick, » ward. Sea Wat Blake watched—waited. He fairly yy? raised his shoulders above the sill to see bet- _ ter, when Forde opened the drawer in which lay the mysterious crescent. .* Perchance he will leave the library short- ly, and I may secure it after all.” van But he was doomed to disappointment. |. Forde seated himself, and the agonizing ~3 thoughts which dwelt within him were depict- Cie ed thoroughly upon his face, and noted by the ‘watcher. _ “Can it be thatyhe sleeps?’ Blake asked himself, as the moments flew by, and still Forde sat there, still and silent. ‘‘Ifso, I can ___ pick his pocket of the key, and get.the crescent aos and the certificate ere he wakes!” My, But an attempt to raise the sash proved the ii contrary to his hopes; and as Forde started from his seat, Blake dropped to the ground and ai. ‘yan out at the gate—but not in time to escape ‘e being seen by the man who would have been ag his murderer. we CHAPTER IX. fix = AN UNEXPECTED MEETING, “aes THE woman in black, upon returning to her te) home, found Doctor Cauley in an easy-chair, f dozing before the fire. A glance at the lounge told her that Austin “ = sr ae was sleeping, and she addressed the physician in a whisper. **How does he seem, doctor?” ‘“* Ay—ho—um—m!” yawning and looking at her ina quizzical way. ‘ Retains his life and goes to sleep inease—see? ‘You're back sooner than you said. It’s now the bewitching hour of morning’s night, when burglars prowl and— You know it’s one of our ‘systems,’ madam, in Baltimore to leave frout-doors unlocked?” “Wes ”—quietly laying off her hat And shawl. ‘‘I expected to be detained much longer. You are satisfied, then, that the wound is not serious?” ** Pardon me; but you know how it is your- self—we’re all liable to stop breathing at any moment; and this young man must take care | of the sore cut on his shoulder. Let him re- tain his commonsense, and not marry. What’s bis name?” ** Burns—Austin Burns.” She came forward from the lounge, where she had stood for a few sevonds, looking down into the young man’s face, and drew up a chair beside the blunt but kind-hearted Doctor Cauley.” ‘Who did you say?” he asked quickly. * Austin Burns. Do you know him?’ “Know him? Retain your judgment, ma- dam, and see if I look like a jacka—ninny, I | mean. Of coursé I krow him, At least, I at- | tended his uncle, when that good gentleman died—which he would do, despite all the medi- cine I gave him, and I then beard quite a ro- mantic story.” “ Ah 17? ‘Certainly. This party wasn’t his, Austin Burns's, uncle, after all. See? A waif, a basket arrangement, a vestibule sensation. Well, in this basket was— Tired, madam? You look pale. Have a glass of water?” ‘‘ No, no; mere fatigue. Go on, doctor.” ‘Well, in this basket was twenty thousand | dollars! Where the child came from, who or | what it was, nobody in that family could ima- gine. I was the family physician, and I got into the secrets of the occurrence. See?’ ‘‘You knew of the helpless infant then?’ and she leaned forward in her chair, putting the question with such abruptness that the doctor pusbed bis own chair from her and faeed her in a half-startied manner, saying: **Not exactly. I knew the secret of the family having adopted the child; that’s all, madam, And I knew the gentleman who adopted it was a most honorable party. When he died, I knew that young Burns, then grown to be a man, came into possession of a round fortune—or a square bank account, whichever you choose. Rumor has reached my ears of an engagement, too, between Burns and Eola Forde, daughter of Harnden Forde, a gentle- man well known and respected in this com- munity, etc., etc., etc.” ** Respected!” she murmured with sarcasm. “Yes, thav’s what I said—now, my dear madam, you look as if you were smeared with whitewash! Pardon me. Really. Have a glass of water.” ‘ And thatis all you knowof Austin Burns?” ‘¢ Positively the sum total of my information. Retain my reputation as truth-teller by making affidavit to that effect.” “Did you ever hear of one Harold Haxon?’ she inquired after a brief pause in their con- versation. ‘Think I have. Can’t say for certain.” ‘‘T may tell you, doctor, that Austin Burns was stabbed to-night by this Haxon, and the incentive to the foul act was jealousy.” Doctor Cauley opened mouth and eyes, and she went on to detail the circumstances of the existing enmity on Haxon’s part. ‘He wishes to remove Austin from his path,” she said in conclusion; “and he has a strong ally in a villainous wretch named Gil Bret.” ** The rascal! We must catch him—both of them—send them to the peniten—” “No, Not yet, What I have told you, you will retain sacredly private. The time has not come yet; and J am managing matters. I shall consider you pledged to say nothing to any one of our conversation.” “You are a most singular woman!” he ex- claimed. ** And you a man of bold opinions!” ‘* Right!” and the way he scraped his throat and the soberness of his utterance indicated that he considered the compliment well placed, “* You must be tired, ductor.” \ | young man sleep too much. | medicine in the closet. to-day, again. } SE ** Right again. Iam ‘tired now and sleepy too.’ As you are bere, [ll go. Don’t let the I found the I'll call to-morrow, or ‘* One moment,” ** Yours to command.” He was squirming into his overcoat while speaking, and now, slapping his hat on his head, be paused in the doorway. ‘* We shall not be here to-morrow, ** Sha’n’tt Why?” ‘** We have to move. When you call to see your patient, let it be No. —, South Charles street. It will not hurt Austin, if moved carefully, will it?” **Do it easy—very easy. All right. I'll come. Good-night,” and he whisked out at the front door almost before be bad concluded speaking. When she re-entered the parlor, Austin was awake, * Water!” he said, faintly. some water,” Having cooled his feverish lips with that most grateful of beverages—than which the world never knew a purer, sweeter, or more healthful—he sunk again into a calm sleep; while the woman in black bent over him and murmured in a low voice: ‘* And be is the affianced of Eola!—of my child! Who more worthy of her? Who could make her more happy? Sleep on, Austin; you have a friend by you whose aim is your bappi- ness, and whose power shall yet destroy the enemies that surround you!” When morning bued the azure vault with its first soft rays of gold and crimson, Wat Blake entered the honse, “Did you succeed, Wat?” she questioned, eagerly. ‘No, sister; but take courage. Though it be my fault that we have failed, yousball soon thank me for my zeal. For I promise you the crescent shall be restored before a month goes by.” * Your words give me strength, Wat,” but ber voice was sad as she spoke, ** Ah!” he exclaimed, discovering Austin, ** who is this?” “Did I not tell you last night when I left you on Eutaw street that Harcld Haxon meant mischief? See! it was almost a murder. The base wretch fled when I confronted him, as well he might, when he thought his hand had long ago helped in giving me to the fishes,” and she narrated fully the particulars concern- ing Austin’s presence there. ‘** For our poor, wronged niece’s sake, dear Wat, we must assist him.” “* Ay, with my own life, I’ll help him.” Blake retired to bis room, while the woman in black continued to watch her charge, It was after afew hours’ refreshing sleep that be rejoined her. A light repast was spread in the dining- room, and during the meal she acquainted bim with the necessity of removal. ‘ Now, that they know where he is, Wat, they may make another attempt upon his life. We must leave at once—to-day.” Upon this point they agreed, The young man was awake when they re- entered the parlor, and having attended to his wants, she said: ‘‘ This is my brother, Austin—Wat Blake.” He did not know bis real weakness until he raised his band to meet the friendly grip that waited him. ‘Tell me, is my wound fatal?’ ‘No; not if you are quiet. Do not go to sleep again if you can help it; but, be resigned while we leave you for a little while, There is no danger to you here, in broad daylight.” ‘‘Tam afraid of nvthing,” he interrupted, smiling faiatly. ‘* But you are weak, We will not be gone long. Here is water, beside you.” Wat Blake went to order a cab, after which he joined his sister at the market. When he had started in pursuit of Haxon and Bret, as already noticed, she took a car going west, soon leaving that and enterlng a car of the Blue Line. Alighting in the neighborhood of the Jewish Temple, sbe sought a neat-looking boarding- house on Charles street, and dismissed the boy who accompanied her. A pull at the door bell was answered by the proprietress herself—a short, broad, healthy- faced, garrulous old lady, with whom she was evidently well acquainted, Eomichooks: “Give me = ‘ “iy _— a o> S = ——— Ss pe x at