Beadle's Dime Library No. 27 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

1O “ Got him up-stairs and locked him upin his room as soon as possible. I attempted to reason with him, but he only replied that he had cautioned me to keep liquor away from him, and that it was all my own fault.” * Oh, the haythen Turk!” growled O’Shane, * You may rest .assured that he’ll get no more wine in this house!’ exclaimed Van Tromp, decidedly. * Wait till I get holt of him! Ill talk to him as if I was his grandmother!” Then the door was flung violently open, and Blackie stalked into the room, A single glance at the bloodshot eyes and the flushed face, and both Van Tromp and O’Shane gave utterance to a ery of rage. Blackie had not only been drinking, but was deci- dedly drunk. ‘*Release me from my bond!” he cried, slamming fhe door behind him and striking a theatrical atti- finde, “I will not marry her, I swear it! Claude Melnotte slightly improved!” Then Blackie helped himself to a chair. Strange to say, the liquor had not seemed to affect his logs in the least, for he walked as straight as usual, Van Tromp shut his teeth together in anger. He had hard work to restrain the impulse to seize Black- ic and kick him out of the house. “Oh, ye murdering divil, ye!” cried O’Shane, jumping to his feet, skipping up to Blackie with the agility of a dancing-master and shaking his fist Hs his face, a proceeding which amused Blackie lugely, “Ha! ha! ha!” roared Blackie, in a fit of drunken laughter; *‘ bravo! encore! do it again! all hands round—gentlemen to the left!’ Then he darted up, seized O’Shane, waltzed him round the room de- ape his efforts to prevent him, and finally landed the exasperated Irishman on a lounge in the corner, all in a heap. “Oh! I’m kilt entirely!’ roared O’Shane, in his rage. “Would you beard the lion in his den, the Douglas in his hall?” cried Blackie, with mock dignity; then he took possession of the easy-chair which O’Shane had occupied, *So, you are drunk again!’ Van Tromp exclaim- ed, angrily. **And being drunk, am therefore an honest man once more!”’ replied Blackie, theatrically. “What do you mean?’ asked Van Tromp, in amazement, ** Just what I said, a moment ago. I will not keep my bond. Ido Popo me of my bargain. I love the sole daughter of the house of Van ‘Tromp, and being drunk, my honesty gets the better of my knavish sober-self, and thereby prompts: me to get myself kicked out of the house as speedily as erg and thus save this poor girl from the cruel fate of be- coming the wife of such a worthless wretch as I am.’ ‘Kick him out at once, the dirty blaggard!” one. O'Shane, in a rage; ‘it’s brock my back, he as!" ‘Oh, you want to be off your bargain, do you?” Van Tromp spoke angrily and with flushed face. “Yes: give me- back my honest poverty and let me go back to my mud-gutter again!” cried Blackie, in a very theatrical way. “Where did you get your liquor from?’ asked Van Tromp, who could not understand how Blackie had contrived to procure any, as be had strictly in- structed the butler to keep the wine-cellar locked pa not allow any wine to be taken out without his order. “Go ask your venerable colored coachman!”’ cried Blackie, in triumph. ‘You will find that dusky Adonis as full as a tick up on my bed. I bribed him with a five-dollar note to go ont and got me a bottle of brandy. I am a thorough vagabond, and like Prince Hal, can drink with any tinker in the land in his own zuage.’’ : “He puts the nagur on his bed, the dirty blag- gard!” cried O’Shane, in disgust. *Oh, no; he’s a very clean African!” retorted Blackie—“ a fellow-soldier too, a dusky son of Mars who shouldered the musket and kept step to the music of the Union. But, I'm sick of this affair. ('ve always been an honest man if I have been a drunken rapscallion, and this infamy is too much for me. So, kick me out at once and wind the com- edy up.” “*T really had an idea that you had fallen in love with the girl,’’ Van Tromp remarked, quietly. **And so I have,” responded Blackie, ‘‘ and that is the reason I have striven to drown my thoughts in drink; but it’s no use; the liquor has lost its power,” “It’s a sheet-iron throat ye have and a stomach of copper!”’ put in O’Shane, indignantly. “It is too late for you to retreat now,” Van Tromp said, firmly. ‘“ You are in love with the girl, and she loves you. If you desert her it will break her heart, It is the first love of her life. Possibly you can guess how great the blow will be to her.” “Tam not worthy such an angel,” Blackie retort- ed, moodily. “Oh, she'll change after marriage!’ O’Shane cried, confidently. “ Faix!.my wifewas an angel before we were married, and a week after, she brock my head wid a poker.” ‘“You can leave liquor alone if you want to do so,’ Van Tromp added. ‘ You have been temperate for a week. Why, man, it’s the turning point in your whole life. Here you have a young girl who loves you as she has never loved before an proba- bly never will love again, a fortune, too, all within your grasp, and if you turn your back on this chance, what awaits you?’ ‘The gallows, bad ’cess to him!’ muttered O’Shane, who had not yet forgotten the discomfort of his down- fall. ‘“‘A drunkard’s fate is written on the gates below,” retorted Blackie, bitterly. ‘*Remember, she may get a far worse husband than you will make her, and can you calmly resolve to give up the woman that you love to another?” Van Tromp demanded. “Tt is because I do love her that Iwish to save her from such a miserable wretch as Iam. I know that she loves me in return; I can read the truth in her face, and, scoundrel that I am, I have tried to make her love me, knowing, too, that I was but a tool in your hands.”’ Van Tromp winced. words or manner, “IT do not know that there is any thing so very bad in our bargain,” he'said. “ Itis simply that you'give me fiffy thousand dollars ‘for my influence with Krnestine, and as she has half! a million coming to her, she will not. miss it. Now, don’t be a fool: lie down here, sleep off the effect of the liquor and try and keep away from it in future.” And alter a rood deal of persuasion, the two suc- ceeded in getting Blackie to lie downy then they left the room, ‘it’s a difficult job ye’ll have, maybe,’ suggested O’Shane, as they descended the steps that led into ; the street. “Oh, no; the moment he gets the fumes of the liquor out of his head, he'll be allright. He loves the girl, and it isn’tin human nature for a man to give up the woman he loves,” ‘True for ye, ouless he has water in his veins in- stead of blood,’’ O’Shane observed. ‘ But, where are ye bound?” **Tam going to make a call upon the heiress that I told you of-——Miss Ameston.”’ ** And where does she live?” ** At the Hoffman House.” ‘“*T'll go down wid ye, me jewel.” CHAPTER XV, _ THE DIAMOND BEAUTY. Tue two hailed an omnibus, gotin, and rode down- lown, Just as the stage reached Twentieth street, Van‘ Tromp, who had been looking out of the window,,. suddenly called O’Shane’s attention to a lady coming up the street. * There she 1s now!”’ he exclaimed. “* And who is it?” ** Miss Ameston,”’ Van Tromp pulled the strap and the two got out. ‘**Come up to the house to-night,’”’ Van Tromp said hurriedly, as he parted from O” hane and advance to the sidewalk to intercept the lady. ‘All right, my jewel,” replied O’Shane. But Van Tromp had not waited for his reply. He stepped upon the curbstone just as Miss Ameston came up. She, seeing him, halted for a moment, shook hands with him, and then, accepting his prof- fered escort, they proceeded up the avenue. And O’Shane, who had remained in the middle of the street, as if undecided which way to go, caught sight of the face of Rosaline Ameston, ‘Oh, mother of Moses!” cried the Irishman, in utter astonishment; ‘‘is it awake or slaping I am?” Then an omnibus driving at him at full tilt com- pelled him to make a hasty change of base to the sidewalk. “ Well, this bangs Bannagher!’’ he muttered, as he stood on the curbstone and gazed after the couple who were walking up the street; ‘and her dia- monds, too, the crayture!—dew-drops set in gold! And it’s Miss Rosaline Ameston ye are, and a heir- ess, too, and ye put up at the Hoffman House? Oh! would ye think of the likes of that? Bedad! it’s Gor- man O’Shane that will have the pleasure of callin’ upon yees afore you’re a ~~ older.”’ He went direct to the Hoffman House, and enter- ing, took up a position by one of the windows that commanded a view of the private entrance to the hotel used by the lady guests. **FWaix! I can’t Ae over it at all, at all!’’ he mut- tered; ‘‘ who the divil would expect to see her here?” He did not havea very long time to wait, for within an hour he saw her coming down Broadway acecom- panied by Elbert Van Tromp. That gentleman part- ed with her though, and aa 5 down Broadway, while she entered the hotel, O’Shane had left the window on perceiving that she intended entering the hotel, asi had preceded her up-stairs. He was not familiar with the interior of the hotel, but he had guessed that by going up- stairs he could see the lady as she entered, and could follow her, and thus ascertain where her apartments were situated. Sauntering carelessly along, as though he was one of the guests of the house, O’Shane had the satisfac- tion of seeing the tall figure of the lady pass through the main hall and ascend one flight of stairs. He fol- lowed at a safe distance, and on the third floor he had the pleasure of seeing her unlock one of the doors in the hall and disappear. _“Tt’s safe ye are, me jewel, now!” he cried, rub- bing his hands together in great satisfaction. ‘Sure, she can’t runaway. Maybe she won’t want to know me, but il try it; it will dono harm.” Then O’Shane approached the door and knocked softly. **Come in!’’ said a female voice. He opened the door and walked in. _ The girl stood in the center of the room. She had So removed her cloak and was busy with the fasten- ings of her hat. There was a look of astonishment in the large gray-blue eyes as O’Shane closed the door behind him, and removing his hat bowed gal- lantly. But the appearance of the Irishman had not progary the result he had expected.. She simply ooked surprised, as she would:have done at the in- trusion o vited. ** It’s delighted I am to see ye,” said O’Shane, with one of his elaborate bows. “Sir! exclaimed the lady, coldly, and her face gave no sign of recognition. ** Now, don’t be after cig so an old friend as if you had never set eyes on his face before. Faix! I mean ye no harm,” the Irishman said, quite humbly; htt | any stranger into her apartment unin- saw ye on Madison avenue to-day wid a mighty big friend of mine, Mr. Van Tromp; ask him, he’ tell you it’sno lie. Sure, ’m a gentleman and mix wid the best of them. Maybe some day you'll want a service done, and where’s a better man to do it than Gorman O’Shane, who was always your friend from the crown of his head to the sole of his fut! But if you don’t want to know me, it’s all right; I'll Vave ye and never breathe a word to mortal that I ever saw you before; for, though Gorman O’Shane may depind upon his wits for the bite and sup, he’s an Irish gentiathan, and comes of dacent people. What is it to be, Rosa; shall I go or stay?” The girl removed her hat from her head, and laid it down upon the table, then she advanced to O’Shane and extended her hand. “Stay, O’Shane,”’ she said; “you always were a friend to me, and I'll not deny you now.” Beadile’s Dime Library. He did not like Blackie’s | ! | “Good luck to ye, me jewel!” eried the Irishman in delight, kissing the slender white hand with a: much reverence as though his lips touched th: fingers of a queen. “Sure, ye always had a heart is) yer body. Faix! ye eould have knocked me down wid a feather when Van Tromp p’inted ye out to mo to-day. ‘There she is,’ sayshe; ‘Who?’ says I; and then I looked and saw the face of dear little Ros: that I used to know long ago, and me heart wa: proud as I looked at the face of me own little Iris): girl, as fresh as a daisy, and as sweet as cow’s breath; and there she was a-holdin’ up her head, the queen of them all!” “Yes?” and a faint smile came over the pale face as she listened to her praise; o*' but, sit down,” anc she brought a chair, and placed it by the table. O’Shane seated himself, and then she brought an other chair and sat down eppoaite to him. ‘*And can you see no change in my face?’’ she asked, resting her arm on the table and supporting, her cheek on her hand. ** Yes, darlint, I can, I’m sorry to say it,’ O’Shane replied, after a long and earnest look into her face. **Phere’s some ugly lines about the mouth and eyes, me jewel, that didn’t used to be there. By the by, how’s the owld man?” he asked, abruptly, as if the thought had just come to him. Then there came a change over the girl’s face; in a second she looked ten years older; the deep, dark lines came out, cruel and hard, and the look of the eyes grew stray metallic. “Sure, darlint!” he cried in alarm, “I didn’t mane to wound ye. I ought to have known better than to have axed after the blaggard.”’ She held up her hand imperiously, as if to stop his Pp ° ‘Not one word against him,” she said, warningly ; “it is not his fault. It is his fate to go through tho world stumbling at every step.” “Yis, but he needn’t carry you down wid him. Sure, it’s you that breaks his fall by throwing your. self between him and the ground. It would be better for you if you l’ave him alone entirely, me jewel.” . ““We shall quarrel if you speak so about him!" cried the girl, almost fiercely. ‘‘ You cannot under. stand it, but I love him better than Ido anythin;: on this earth, better by far than I do myself; and i! he stood on the scaffold to-morrow, and I could save him by taking his place, I would gladly kiss the ‘hands that placed the rope about my neck, and thus gain him his freedom.” **Faix! you women are queer animals sometimes,’ said the Irishman, reflectively. “It’s often enough that ye sind a man to the divil, but it’s not often that ye'll go to the divil for him.” **T would!’ exclaimed the girl, firmly. ‘**T don’t doubt ye, me jewel.” ; “* But don’t speak about him again; it is a painful subject to me,” the girl said, slowly. “Sure and I won’t, darlint.” “You are acquainted with Mr. Van Tromp, you sa pda Mvis, Oh! it’s bosom fri’nds we are. He’s a foine b’y, and it’s a purty sister he’s got, too, wid a face like a wax-doll, all red and white.”’ ‘Yes; Ihave often heard him speak of his sister,” she said, thoughtfully. ‘“‘lihink that he mentioned something about her to-day.as he walked up the avenue. Ernestine is hername, isn’t it?” “Vis. Oh, she’s a beauty—that is for men who like gurls of the wax-doll style. But I like beauty as Ido my whisky—strong, and widout any water to weaken and sp ‘ile the flavor.” ‘*I think he said something about her getting mar- ried soon,” ‘ “Oh, yis, that’s likely. <A foine young fellow, too, one Captain Blackie.” “What!” and the girl sprung to her feet in aston- ishment; ‘it cannot be Alexander Blackie, captain in a New York regiment, stationed at Nashville dur- ing the latter part of the war?” CHAPTER XVI. A WOMAN’S WILL. O’SHANE looked at the girl in great astonishment. That she was greatly excited was plainly to be seen. ‘*What the divil’s the matter?’ he asked, in won- er, x “This Captain Blackie who is to marry Ernestine Van Tromp, is he the one I have described ?”’ _ “Of course I can’t answer for that,” O’Shane re- seine “ His name is Alexander, and he was a cap- ain in one of the New York regiments; but whether he was ever at Nashville or not, I can't say, but I can find out for ye, though, if ye want me to. * He is about the medium hight, not so tall as you are, brown hair and brown eyes, high white forehead, oval face, a very bright, pleasant smile,” the girl said, eagerly. ‘Sure! it’s a fortune-teller ye are, for you've de- BaIne$ him exactly!” cried O’Shane, in astonish- ment. ** And he is to marry that wax-doll beauty?” “Yes, I believe so.”’ “Never!’’ cried the girl, fiercely, and starting to her feet, she paced raplily up and down the room in a state of great excitement. eo O’Shane looked at her in wonder. “Oh, Rosie, darlint, what’s come over ye?’ he ex- claimed. ‘‘ Sure, it’s as fierce as a wild-cat ye are.”’ “A woman of my nature is a wild-cat when she hears that the man she loves is about to marry an- other!’ she sh Daeg still pacing up and down, her hands clenched and every muscle in her frame quiv- ering with passion. - “Oh, murder!” cried O’Shane, in astonishmen! ; *‘here’s a nice kettle of fish! But, Rosie, how is it that you love the captain? Sure, I've heard you say a hundred times that there would be only one love in your life, me jewel.” “Do we always keep to what we say in this world?” demanded the girl, in her imperious manner, halting suddenly and facing the Irishman, ‘1 thought once that the one love that was in my heart would neycr permit another love to enter there, but my passion was stronger than my will, and this man fascinated me,”’ ** Yis, it’s a baste he is for putting ‘ the comither ° over the gurls,”’ said O’Shane, reflectively. “But I can not understand,” observed the gil, thoughtfully, her angry passion subsiding, and calm reflection taking its place. “ What is it that you can’t understand, me jewel?” 7 —— — — iS) Gomilchdoo