Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 262 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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Fighting Tom. With that he too ran toward the lane, but more slowly, and frequently halting to look back. He was puzzled why the thieves did ‘not come, and looking for Buck Jarvis and his friends. He had not long to wait. Out they came bafore fe was half way to the lane, and the er+ck of pistols showed that they realized they bil been tricked. Their aim was bad in the taint light, and Svenson could see they were , only half-dressed and confused. He counted eight; but his pet aversion, Buck Jarvis, was not visible, and the veteran ran to the lane and darted down. In the increasing light he saw that Harvey had reached the cart and was helping Nina in, witb some trouble. ** Dey need time,” he thought, and with that he faced round and began to fire at his pur- suers, with such aim that one man dropped and the rest ran to shelter and fired as hard as they could. It was like a regular skirmish. CHAPTER XXXIIL THE RESCUE, But the skirmish did not last long, for the odds were too great. Svenson emptied his pistol, falling back all the time, till he heard Harvey shout: “Colonel! colonel! Come back! We’re all right.” As soon as he heard that, he turned and ran like a deer. Harvey was in the cart, Nina beside him, and the young man had the reins, while the horse was plunging. The back seat was open, for the cart was ar- ranged in the Irish jaunting-car style, and Col- * onel Svenson scrambled in and cried: *‘ All right, my dear friend. Go abead!”’ : Then came a cut of the whip, and away went the jaunting-car, with the horse at full gallop, running away under a hot fire from the infuri- ated thieves, who saw too late how they had been tricked. Harvey let him run as hard as be liked into the shelter of the wood, till the animal of bis own accord dropped into a trot, when he spoke for the first time. ' “Colonel.” _ “My dear friend?’ **Tf you don’t mind changing seats with Miss Somers, I shall be obliged,” said Harvey, in an indifferent sort of way and pulling up. The colonel cast a glance over his shoulders and saw that the young lady was only half dressed, and had thrown an old cloak over her shoulders, so the veteran bolted out, as if struck by lightning, ran round and stood by the horse’s head, with his back resolytely turned, and re- » mained there till he heard a swevt voice say: ‘Please get in, and don’t look.” The colonel turned round again with his eyes on the ground, climbed up to his place beside Harvey, and the cart proceeded ata trot for another mile or two, through thick woods, when Nina’s voice suddenly said in tones of satizfac- tion: “Thank guodness! I’m dressed at last.” Harvey looked round, and the transforma- tion had been effected. <A well-dressed lady, with her bair no more rumpled than fasbion v permits, was glancing back at bim with a hightened color and smile. i Nina was dressed. a The back seat of a jaunting-car, with two =e men in front, is rather a curious place for a dressing-room, but perseverance and woman’s wit will accomplish wonders, and Harvey, who had been wondering how to get the girl b 4 "2 on the cart without attracting notice, heaved i a sigh of relief, saying: ~~ * We had a narrow escape, Miss Somers, Only your readiness and courage saved us.” °: “Twas afraid I should have to run for it,” she answered. ‘‘ The woman slept light, so I ~ got all my things together at once, and kept | the bundle in my hand, while I slipped on is piece after piece. .She told me she'd kill me if she caught me trying to run again.” ‘She's not likely to find you again,” said Harvey consolingly. ‘I’m going to take you straight to your uncle’s, Miss Somers. You're gafe at no other place. Do you know any- thing of the trains here?” “No; they wouldn’t let me out. I have ‘been a close prisoner since yesterday morn- ing.” “How stupid of us not to inquire last ry “night,” said Harvey, half-aloud, wuoen the __ €olonel answered: i » oat. » : & <5 “How you know we did not, my dear friend? J manage dis affair. We have just ten minute now to catch de Stoppington morn- ing train. You must whip up.” Harvey started and laid on the whip, send- ing the big horse on a tearing gallop, under which the miles quickly vanished. As they neared Stoppington they heard the scream of the engine, and had just time to scramble aboard, turning horse and cart locse in the road. The last they saw of it, the animal was run- ning away up the road, with the reins over the dash-board; and the colonel remarked, dryly: ‘Dey can take him now. For my part, I do not want to drive dat horsa too much in. de place where people look at bim, Dey might ask question. I borrow borse, I do not steal him, Itis not healthy. I have lived in California, my dear friend.” There were but few people on the train, and they excited no notice as they went on, Harvey | found. having paid the fares. The captain smiled. ‘* Suppose I have ; what would you say?” **T should say you were a brick,” ‘*Thank you. Well, I have.” ‘“What? Where?” ** Your box, with a lot of other stuff, in an arm of the Jarge sewer that runs through those waste lots.” ‘*Have you found the madman?” ée No. ” ‘* No?” ‘*No, but I have an idea I know where he must be.” ‘* Where?” “Still in the sewers,” was the dry reply, | A man with a taste that way can goa good many miles under New York. I haven’t any inclination to follow him, I assure you.” ‘* Please tell me how you found it, and what was in it, captain. Here is the list of the property and papers.” “And here is an inventory of what we The lock was unbroken, tut of course we opened it before witnesses, and can swear An hour later, when it was still early | to the contents.” enough to make empty streets, in the city, a hack rattled up to General Mix’s door, and “That’s all right, captain. You did right.” He scanned the lists, and began to check off Harvey insisted on rousing the veteran of | article after article, the captain writing im- Mexican War memory to present to him his viece, with a short history of her capture and recapture. | said: perturbably the while, till Harvey finally ‘‘The lists seem to agree. CanI have the The general, who wasa widower and a lover | box?’ of luxury, came down in a terrible bad tem- per, but relented somewhat at the sight of the pleading face of Nina, who bore a strong re- semblance to her mother, as the old man re- membered her in ber youtb, He summoned his housekeeper and gave the | | young lady into her charge, alter which he | evinced a decidéd inclination to send Harvey | can bave the box. The captain shook his head. ‘‘ Not unless you can swear you’re the own- er, or bring a power of attorney from her, Who is this Mrs. Jarvis?” ‘‘She’s dead, captain, and her daughter is the owner now.” ‘‘ Bring me the proper papers then, and you I have to do this for my away as if business were closed between | own protection.” them. Harvey rather took him aback by assuming the initiative, saying: ** Good-morning, general. I have brought your niece to you, without a suit as it happens, so it has not cost youa penny, Her fortune, the bonds of which I spoke—” “Ah yes, yes,” interrupted the cld million- aire without ceremony. ‘‘ Bring them here, young man, bring them here, I'l take charge of them, of course, for her benefit.” ‘“Pardon me,” returned Harvey, coldly. ‘‘ There are some formalities to attend to first. Iam responsi je for them. You must take out letters of administration, and give the usual bonds before I give them up. You can address our firm when you are ready, general. Good-day.” And he bowed his way out, leaving the old millionaire looking decidedly blank at the cool- ness of the young Jawyer. Harvey got into the back and said to Colo- nel Svenson, who had not gone in: “‘T think I cut the old fellow’s comb for bim that time. He has no more heart than a stone, but he wants to get hold of his niece’s little for- tune, such as it is. I fear, if we don’t find it for her, she stands a chance of being turned out of his house, after all,” ‘Would that worry you very much, my dear friend?” asked the colonel slyly. ‘* You wonli bave to marry her then, to save her from dis Buck, who, after all, is her step- father.” Harvey colored, : ‘Frankly, Llove her. It’s no use hiding it any more, and this fifty thousand dollars, if I find it, will be a perpetual barrier between us. But it is my duty to my client to find it, and I'm going to do what I can.” ‘* Where we go now?’ asked the colonel, as the back rolled on up town. “T theught we'd go up ,to Samuels’s precinct before we dismissed the hack,” said Harvey in an apologetic tone, ‘ You see I can’t help be- ing anxious about it, colonel. He may have found the box. He promised to explore the sewers for it.” They rolled on and the colonel was nodding in his corner when they fivally drew up at the ninety-ninth precinct station-house and Harvey got out to see the captain. The veteran bad been up two nights, and he stood it no better than the youngster. Harvey left him sleeping in the coach, and went into the station-bouse, where be found the captain sitting at his desk. As soon as Samuels saw him, his face changed to a smile, and he said slowly: ** Ab, sir, is that you? Glad to see you.” ** Have you found anything?” asked Harvey. ! 3 re. . Po ¥ Pe © Pl . ee * 3 ‘nm het Oe ves Bx = - " ' wi ~. * From *hbat?’ “ Buck Jarvis,” replied Samuels lJaconically. “It seems, trom these papers, be was the lady’s husband, and be might want to take out administration papers. You see ycu might have made your complaint and I could have put him out of the way as acriminal, but now he’s as good as any other map. See the point?’ Harvey was nonplused for a moment, and then suddenly said: ‘“Suppose I stand ready to make a com- plaint that will enable you to make a baul of all Buck Jarvis’s stolen property; would you give me the box or turn it over to the young lady herself?” The captain stared. ‘*T don’t understand you.” ‘‘T mean this. I’ve just returned from Buck’s secret place, where bis gang hide tbeir plunder. I recovered the young lady from him, and we drove away in a borse and dog- cart I believe to have been stolen.” Tbe captain started slightly. ‘What kind of a borse?” ‘‘ Bay, one white hind-foot, sixteen or more hands high; dog-cart wood color, silver-plated harness marked with a monogram of M, B, Is that enough?’ Samuels hunted in his desk, and brought out _a paper whicb he scanned, Then he smote his fist on the table. | “ By Jove, it’s the same! Stolen night be- fore last from before a door in Fifth avenue, Groom stunned witha neddy, Where is it?” Harvey smiled, ‘‘That’s my business, You promised to let me have that box without a reward. I can’t give you information for nothing. The finest police in the world ought to be able to find out a handsome and conspicuous rig iike that, surely!” The captain bit his lips. ‘‘ You’ve got me, sir. You shall bave the box, if you'll give me a receipt to protect me,” “Tl give you a receipt in the name of our firm—Smith, Brown & Smith. Will that do?” The captain looked surprised. ‘Certainly. Do you represent them?” ‘‘T am their manager. Where's the box?” “ You'll give me the information, then?” ‘Certainly. I never break my promises.” The famous box was brought out, and Har- vey took it to bis coach and said to the colo- nel quietly, awaking him: “Take that-home for me. It’s the box. I'll come over after ’'m through here. Buck bas escaped again.” The colonel rubbed his eyes, x: 5 geet & >. and <3 >» «# | | |