Beadle's Dime Library No. 27 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 ‘“Well, buy her something that will please her. What is she fond of?” “All that I can think of at present is the cat,’ re- plied Weathers, thoughtfully; ‘* [remember that she said she couldn't consider any household comfort- able without a well-regulated cat. She didn’t say it in those words exactly, but that’s the idea. It won't do to take her another cat, you know, because the two would fight. Oh, ’Lile! if I didn’t envy that gray and white beast the other night when she had it in her arms!’’ Weathers exclaimed, pathetically. **CGome, we shall be late,’’ Stewart urged; “you can think of something as we go along.” ** All rizht,”’ Then the two donned their overcoats and hats and descended to the street. ‘““We'll walk down to the flower-store and then take a car from there,’’ Stewart remarked, as they crossed over Broadway. ‘*Yes, and while you’re in the store I'll get my present. I've thought of something which she wished she had the other night,’’ Weathers added, triumph- antly. : ‘Wait for me if you get through before I get back.’ Stewart assented, and when they reached the flo- rist’s, he went in, while Weathers hurried down the street and entered a jewelry store. The plants were not quite aa 4 and by the time they were packed carefully ina box, Weathers was back, The two took a car down as far as Fourteenth street, and there got out and proceeded up the street, ‘By the way, what did you buy?” asked Stewart who noticed that Weathers did not have any parcel in his hand. ‘“Ah, that’s telling,’ replied his friend. “I’ve bought two articles; the first one, I think, she will re- fuse, but the second, Pll bet she will accept.” ‘*Let me know what the two articles are and per- haps I'll bet with you,” Stewart insinuated. ““No you don’t!’ exclaimed Weathers; ‘“‘I’m not going to tell. But you have got the shirt-measures all right?” “Yes, in my pocket-book,” ‘Twas only a short distance, and soon the two friends were ascending the dimly-lighted stairs of the tenement-house. CHAPTER XII. A CONFESSION, Tur two girls were in waiting, and hardly had Weathers tapped on the nC pane, when Chocolate opened the door, her bright face as smiling as ever. Mary was sitting in the inner room, sewing as usual, She did not advance to receive Stewart, onl rose and waited for him to come to her, but the loo upon her delicate, spiritual face and the joyous as shining from the great, gray-blue eyes, fully reve: ed how much she was delighted at his coming, He advanced at once to her, leaving Weathers with Chocolate in the inner room, As Stewart passed into the little sitting-room, one of the half-doors swung to, so that the two were hid from the view of the others in the kitchen. Stewart extended his hand eagerly; with a half- blush and a drooping of the gaze of the dark eyes to the ground, she yielded her little hand to his warm ressure. The features of the girl now suffused with btughess the love was in her face; she did not—could not conceal it. The strong arm of Stewart glided gently around the slender waist, then he drew the lithe, supple orm to him until she rested on his breast, supine, 1zed with joy! The little shapely head, crowned wita the dar --brown locks of silken hair, rested softly on his bosom. A moment he gazed with a look full of passionate love down upon the al- most perfect face, so lovely in its fair, young beauty, and then he slowly bent his head, and with one—two —three short, sweet kisses on the soft, red lips, he told the girl that she was loved, ; Little need for words when the lips can preach, and the heart translate. : And while Stewart and Mary were happy in the first transports of their young love, Weathers and Chocolate in the outer room were not getting along so well, Weathers had shaken the girl warmly by the hand, and noticing, like his friend, that the door had swung to, had improved the Sg alban to pass his arm around the little waist of Chocolate and draw her up to him, a proceeding that she submitted to witha good grace, but, as he bent his head and imprinted a kiss upon her plump little mouth, she instantly came to the page i that he was going altogether too far, and, in a second, she freed herself from his arms and dealt him such a spiteful box on the ear that it fairly made his head swim. : And then, a little way from him, Chocolate shook her head and scolded him in dumb show, afraid to make a noise lest she should alarm the two in the other room, while Weathers rubbed his ear and look- ed extremely sheepish. ‘“T shall be real angry if you ever dare to do such a thing again,’’ Chocolate said, in a whisper, and she threatened him with her little clenched fist. ** By jinks! I wouldn’t have done it now if I had known that you were going to get so mad and hit a fellow so,"’ Weathers po sesaontge ruefully. “Oh, I'm real sorry if Dhurt you,” Chocolate pro- tested, changing in her manner in an instant, and coming up to him; then she ope his cheek softly. “Tt didn’t hurt!” replied Weathers, manfully, but, to tell the truth, bis ear had not got over sting- ing yet. “1 know that I must have hurt you, and I’m sor- ry.” she said, evidently repenting her act. ‘“ But, it tl ways makes me so angry when any one tries to kiss me.” ‘* But don’t your beau try to kiss you?” he asked. “T never had a beau,”’ : “What, no lover?’ he exclaimed, in astonishment. ‘‘No, I don’t wish any either. I don’t believe in love. I'm going to be an old maid,” she said, seri- ously. “Oh, nonsense!” he eried; ‘“‘and do you mean to tell me that you have never given up your lips to a | lover's kiss in all your life?” ** Never!” she replied. E ; “What a rare treasure you are then!"’ he exclaim- ed, in wonder, and in bis delight he came near em- bracing her again, but she retreated and held up her ‘finger in warning. * Now sit down and be good,” she said. Beadle’s Dime Library. He obeyed, and the two sat down by the table. ‘* Do you like to look at pretty things?” he asked. *“T’'m a woman, ain’t I?’ she said, laughing. ** You mean that you will be one of these days,”’ he answered. ‘ But see, what do you think of this?” and he took a jewel-case from his pocket and opened it as he spoke. Within the case was a beautiful little gold watch and chain. A cry of delight came from the girl’s lips as she looked upon the glittering bauble. *Oh! isn't that pretty!” she cried, in rapture. “Who is it for?” ‘For you if you like,” responded Weathers, care- lessly, but his heart was thumping away against his ribs and his face was as red as fire. The girl made a wry face, but as she was busy ex- amining the watch and chain, she did not notice the agitation that was so Saey visible in his face. ‘“‘Tt’s not for me, I know,” she replied, ‘ because you haven’t the right to give me anything as costl as this, and I should be very sorry if you thought, even for a moment, that I would accept an expen- sive present like this from you.’’ Chocolate spoke quite seriously for her. ‘Yes, of course; I know that; I only borrowed it to show it to you. I shall carry it back again in the morning.” and Weathers spoke truthfully here, for he had made such an arrangement with the jew- eler. ‘“‘ But now, here’s something that I really did bring for you,’’ he said, and he closed up the jowek cane and eae it back in his pocket; then from he pocket of his vest he drew a little open-faced silver watch, about the sizeof a half-dollar, one of the peculiar little German time-pieces such as are sometimes brought over by emigrants from the Fatherland. **Oh!” exclaimed Chocolate, delighted, * isn't that cunning?” ‘Yes, now I bought that for you expressly. You were saying the other night that you wished you could afford to buy a watch, and I saw this in the window, and thought of you. ow, won't you please a : this—it didn’t cost much?” Weathers said, um bly. Chocolate looked at the little watch for a moment with her sharp eyes. It was a great temptation. “I’m going to do a real rude thing,” she said, at last. ‘I’m going to ask you how much it cost?” and she laid her little hand on Weathers’s arm, and looked up in his face with that coquettish, persuasive, wo- prt 4 grace which has always had such a dangerous effect upon soft-hearted man since the days of old Father Adam. ‘Tt didn’t cost much,” he replied, and so moved was he by her cunning glance that he had an insane desire that she would request him to jump out of the window, or do something else desperate to prove his love. “But dow much? Please tell me!” she pleaded. ‘*Wive dollars; I got it for just what the jeweler ave. In fact, he said it was about the same as mak- ng mea present of it. I buy all my stuff there. ae said the works were good, and worth ten dollars one. * Five dollars isn’t a very great aeal, is it?’’ Choco- late said, reflectively She was arguing with her conscience. ‘No!’ exclaimed Weathers, eagerly, ‘‘and I'll tell you what, if you feel any scruples about accepting t, you can pay me for it in some way; make me some neckties, or something of that sort.”’ ** Yes, that will do!” cried the girl, quite joyfully; she wanted to accept the watch, but wished to fee free in doing so. ‘‘T'll make you five nice neckties.” And so the matter was settled. Weathers felt quite joyful and quite proud, and there was a softer look 00, in Chocolate’s sharp eyes. The girl really liked him, and far better, too, than she ever liked any one else. And while the two in the kitchen were a, this important matter, the two in the inner room ad quite an important conversation. Stewart and Mary had sat down on the little sofa, side by side. Like a bird seeking shelter in the nest attached to the pendent bough, Mary’s little hand had drooped down upon the shoulder of her lover, And there, motionless, it rested while he, in fond, impassioned tones, strangely warm for one of Stew- art's icy nature, told her how fondly she was loved, and how dear she had become to him. : The girl replied not, but, motionless, like one in a dream, with close-shut eyes she listened to the honey- ed words which conveyed so blissful a meaning. | Stewart would have believed that the girl had faint- ed, had not the quick breath and the heaving bosom told of the happiness which his words had given, And then came the question, the sweet one which the loving maiden craves so to hear. ‘*Darling, I love you better than all the world be- side; will you be my wife?” And then the flushed face was pressed still closer to him, a sob shook the fragile frame, and with a moan like unto a lost soul drifting to eternal fires, she sobbed: **T can not—there is a stain upon me—I am not worthy to be your wife.” CHAPTER XIII, THE ARREST. Sorry and noiselessly the detective turned the knob and swung the door open. Then the three saw that at the further end of the room, seated in an arm-chair, with the. back to the door, was a female form. “There he is!” said Campbell, in a whisper, point- ing to the person attired like a woman in the arm- chair. Then, with rapid steps, the three advanced and surrounded their prey. , : “You're my prisoner, John Blaine!” cried Ir- ving, placing his hand upon the shoulder covered with silk. With a ery of horror, the occupant of the arm- ‘pon rose in great alarm, and, turning, faced the three. If the arrest had been a surprise, the white face that now confronted the officers was a still greater surprise to them, Tt was the face of John Blaine, the escaped con- vict, and yet it was the face of a woman. With wondering eyes the three bloodhounds looked upon the pale, handsome face of the girl, which now wore a look of horror, Little wonder that Campbell, catching but a hasty glance at the face as it went by him, framed in the window of the omnibus, had imagined that it was the face of John Blaine. The resemblance was, in- deed, wonderful. The three were so thoroughly astonished that mer Ce only gaze like three idiots at the beauti- ul girl. They had, indeed, made a terrible mistake. Their prisoner, John Blaine, was a young and handsome woman, magnificent ly dressed, and wear- ing diamonds worth a king’s ransom. A full minute the actors in this strange scene gazed at each other, the three men in speechless astonishment, and the woman with a look of alarm upon her features. But she was the first to recover her presence of mind. She had detected in the faces of the three men, who had entered her room so unceremoniously, that they had made some ter- rible blunder, and she was quick to improve the ad- vantage, ‘*What do you wish, gentlemen?” she questioned, haughtily. The question recalled the three to their senses. *“Durn my cats!” muttered Campbell, in astonish- ment, “if it ain’t wonderful!” ‘*T really beg your pardon, miss,”’ said Lane; “‘ but we are detective officers in search of an escaped convict, one John Blaine.” “ And do you imagine that he is concealed in my apartments?’ questioned the girl, haughtily, and without giving the detective time to finish his speech, “If so, you are at perfect liberty to search for him.” And then the girl opened the door leading to the other apartment, “This is my bed-chamber, gentle- men, Search agiterers I have no objections to offer, although I confess I am at a loss to understand why you should imagine that an escaped convict could find concealment here.” ‘*T really beg your pardon, miss,”’ said Lane, slow- ly, and with deference expressed both in his voice and manner, ‘It’s all a mistake, We are now perfect- ly aware that there is no one concealed in these apartments. It is a case of mistaken identity. Of course you cannot be aware of the fact, but your face bears a most wonderful resemblance to the face of the man that we are in search of.” A peculiar expression passed across the face of the irl; ‘twas as fleeting as the flash of the summer ghtning, but it did not escape the eyes of Camp- bell. “T suppose, gentlemen, that you are now satisfied that Iam not the person you are in search of?” she said, smiling. “ Oh, yes, miss,’’ replied Lane, quickly, ‘and, trusting that you will excuse the mistake and par- don the intrusion, we will depart.” Po girl bowed graciously, and the three with- rew. In the hall, and the door closed behind them, the three held a brief consultation together. ‘Well, now, this beats my time!”’ exclaimed Lane, | in astonishment. ‘ You don't know this fellow, Jim, and, of course, it don’t strike you, but T never SAW ) such a likeness in all my life. Why, this girl is the’ erfect image of John Blaine. Same kind of eyes, haif, and just about the same size. I don't wonder at your being taken in by the likeness,” and he turn: ed to Campbell. . That gentleman was deep in thought, and, on be- ing addressed, raised his eyes and looked vacantly at the detective, but did not speak, “The jig is up, anyway, and we might as well get back to head-quarters,’’ Irving remarked. ‘‘Good-night,”” said Campbell, abruptly, and he walked off down the entry, apparently in a state of abstraction. The two detectives looked after him for a moment in wonder. ‘** A queer customer,” remarked Irving. “Seems a little cracked in the upper story,” replied Lane, as they departed. Campbell walked down the entry a little way; then he suddenly paused, and, pressing both hands on his temples, leaned up against the side of the passage way, “aig! mene at aloud, in agony. “Oh, Heaven!” he muttered, “am I going mad again? This woman’s face is John Blaine’s, and yet she is not John Blaine. I am not crazy, for these men noticed the resemblance, She knows something of John Blaine; I know it! I am gure of it. Isaw the expression that passed over herface. I must find out all about her. I may be mad, but I have au idea that if I watch her she will bring me to him.”’ Campbell at once rp aor to recover his calm- ness; he went quietly down-stairs, and passed through the office into the street, The Hoffman House saw him no more that night, but about nine o'clock on the following morning, at- tired in a fashionable gray suit and carrying a small carpet-bag in his hand, he entered the hotel, regis- tered his name as Colonel Richard Campbell, of po nam Virginia, and arranged for a week’s oard. The colonel lounged in and about the office a great deal during the day, and, being apparently of @ frank and genial nature, he soon got uwpon_very friendly terms with the clerks of the hotel. Onein particular he became quite intimate with; so much so, that he and the clerk visited one of the theaters that evening in company, and then afterward had oysters and champagne, all of which the colonel in- is vi upon settling for, with true old Virginian hos- vitality. " Of course it is hardly necessary to state that the clerk became speedily convinced that the colonel was} a high-toned gentleman. And after they had returned to the hotel, and sat in the office, smoking—at the colonel’s expense, of course—quietly and carelessly, the Virginian led the conversation to a beautiful girl whom he had 1otie- ed passing through the hotel entry. ‘Let me see,’ said the clerk, thoughtfully; “ black hair and eyes you say?” “Black hair but gray eyes, I think,” the «clovel replied. ‘“‘A tall, queenly looking girl, very fair complexion, not much eolor in her cheeks.” ‘“‘Oh, yes!’ exclaimed the clerk, “I know who you mean now. She is a beautiful gil, theugh, to my fancy, her face is just a little masculine, * ‘ Yes, it is a little,” the colonel assented: * Who is she?” OMEN OOr -CoOrr ‘J