Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 292 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 out a signature, believe me when I say that they are | intended for your own good, as_ well as that of another young and lovely lady. You are lawfully married, but your husband never takes you into society. Why? Because he is courting another whom he is on the point of marrying. If you doubt this statement, you can readily satisfy yourself of its truth. at any time after three o'clock, and insist on being admitted. Marcus Dingeon will be there, with the | lady who has supplanted you in his affeetions—and so will be the writer of these lines of warning, “As you hope to save your lawful husband from the sin of committing bigamy, do not fail to act on this hint!” Even this was not sufficient to shake the loyal faith and whole souled love of the maiden on whose devoted head the crushing blows were falling in such swift succession, She flung the anonymous communication from her with lofty scorn, her eyes ablaze as she glided forward and stood face to face with the woman who had produced it. ‘It is false—you are not bis wife!. You think to degrade him in my eyes; but the foul insult shall recoil on your own head! Go! you and our still viler confederate! And take with you he consolation that Marcus Dingeon stands still higher in my estimation—if that were possible— than before your evil charges were hurled at him in his absence! I love him—hbe loves me— and, God willing! we will wed!” So prompt her actions, so swift her words, that Horace Ward was unable to interfere. Indeed, so terribly had the scene tried bim that his heart leaped and throbbed so painfully that he staggered back, gasping for breath, only saved from falling to the floor by a chair into which he sunk. Pale, frightened, the stranger shrunk from the girl; but those last words brought a vivid color to her wan cheeks, and her voice rung out clearly, detent; You shameless creature! You dare avow your love for bim—my lawful husband—to my very face?” ‘Basy, ladies!” laughed Shaky Joe, a devilish glee in bis treacherous eyes as he rubbed bis quivering hands together and shuffled his feet. Don’t get to pulling bair—” The brawny policeman clapped one hand over his lips and shook bis locust threateningly ; but Shaky Joe never once glanced toward him. His whole attention was devoted to the two women, who each claimed the love of Marcus Dingeon. “It is false!” cried Drusilla, the personifica- tion of just indignation and lofty scorn. ** Mar- cus Dingeon is nothing to you, You have no proofs—” With a short, hysterical laugh, the woman drew a paper from her pocket aud unfolded it while holding it before the startled eyes of her rival, At a single glance Drusilla took in its purport, and staggering back, both hands clasping her madly throbbing temples, she ut- tered onc gasping wail, then fell in a lifeless heap at the feet of her parent, ‘“ Back, you devils!” hoarsely gasped the mer- chant, waving aside the policeman and Shaky Joe, both of whom leaped toward the heart- stricken girl. ‘Touch her with your foul hands, and J’ll dash your vile brams out! James!” As he lifted the senseless form in his arms, the door was flung open, and the servant en- tered, ‘* Guard the door, and kill whoever dares try to escape while I am gone!” grated the mer- chant, passing out of the room and bearing bis daughter up to ber chamber. Pale, but resolute, the faithful servant closed the door and stood on guard, with his strong ands clasping the back of a chair, and doubt- ess he would have at least attempted to carry out the stern order, had any one of the trio made an effort to escape. But while the wo- man sunk into a cbair, sobbing ch aghors At & Siaky Joe crossed bis legs, staring up at the frescoed eeiling and whistling softly, while the oe kept a watchful eye upon him, club hand, There came to them the sounds of rapidly- plied feet, with the hasty opening and closing of doors, then Horace Ward returned to the library, motioning James to withdraw. ‘Summon two of the best men, and weep within call. Tell them to bring arms, an prepare to use them, if I give you the word, Go, and make haste!” He turned to the woman, who had uncovered her face at bis entrance, and his voice was very hard as he spoke: ‘Show me the paper that struck my daugh- ter down!” In silence she obeyed, trembling violently. His pale face flushed hotly as he glanced keenly over it, and a grating curse parted bis teeth. It was a marriage certificate, duly signed and witnessed, and stated that Marcus Dingeon and Rose Enright bad been latvfully united in the holy bonds of matrimony, in ac- cordance with the Jaws of man and the church. The paper was signed by the officiating clergy- man, whom Horace Ward recognized by name, and his last hope fled as he failed to detect the slightest sign -of fraud or irregularity in the document, , ‘“You are the person called in this by the Moke Horner, the Boss Roustabout. Come to the address inclosed, to-morrow, | name of Rose Enright?” he demanded, folding the paper with fingers that trembled despite his effort of self-control. ‘‘Tl am,” gasped the woman, sobbing. “ He is my husband—I love him better than life— ob, sir! donot take him from me! It will kill me! He is all I bave left in the world—” Her sobs overpowered her voice, and Shaky Joe interposed. ‘‘ Let me do the talking, gov’nor. 1 can tell more than she can about it, any way.” ‘‘Speak—but beware! if I catch you trip- ping, I'll railroad you to State’s prison, if it costs my entire fortune!” ‘‘And serve me mighty right, too,” cheer- fully acquiesced the cool rascal. ‘* But this time I know the moves too thoroughly to make a mistake, even to gratify you.” ‘Speak out, then, curse you!” grated the merchant, ‘“'There isn’t much more to tell for you’ve | got about all of the facts of the case before you now, As I told you, | made a vow to get even with the boy for playing me dirt, and though I kept pretty well drunk all the time, | made sure of my game before playing acard. I dis: covered that the lad bad a woman under bis charge, though I did not suspect the whole truth, as she passed under another name, thought I eould work ber in my game, however, and investigating, I found proof that she was really married to him, and under his right name. Of course I knew I had him foul then, and last night I wrote that letter to ber, bidding ber come here if she wished to save her hus- band from committing bigamy. She came— IT ceame—but our dutiful son and husband has thought it best to keep himself shady. Way, I leave it for you to judge.” He ceased speaking, with an outward fling of his shaking hand as he settled back in bis chair, as though he considered his whole duty per- formed. Horace Ward could no longer doubt the black guilt of the young man whom he had so wholly honored and respected. The proofs were so overwhelming that to doubt longer was simply madness. Yet it was with difficulty that he could bring himself to admit as much, even in- ferentially, to the persons who had brought all this to pass, covering him and bis with sorrow and bitter humiliation. Yet it could not well be avoided, and he made the best of a bad busi- ness, Passing over to his desk, he wrote rapidly for a few moments, then handed Sbaky Joe a check. The villain eagerly grasped it, but a shade fell over his faco as he noted the date— one week ahead of that day. “You've made a little error in the date, gov’- nor!” he exclaimed, but Horace Ward cut him short with the cold words: ‘‘T have made no error. If you have had a hand in this strange disappearance of Marcus Dingeon, the men I mean to set: to work will find some trace of your agency before that check can be cashed. If not—if you bave been acting in good faith—you can well afford to wait a few days for your reward. Refuse, and I will swear out a warrant against you—” ‘‘ won’t trouble you that far, gov’nor,” with a grin, orace Ward tossed him a few gold coins, contemptuously. ‘Those will keep you in food and drink until that date. As for you, oflicer, keepan eye on his movements so that you can produce bim at a moment’s notice, should Mr, Dingeon return to face the charges against bim.” He spoke a few words to the woman who claimed to be the lawfully wedded wife of Mur- cus Dingeon, securing ber address, after which he rung for James to show them out. I As they crossed the threshold, a wild, hysteri- cal laugh came floating down the stairs, fol- lowed by a piercing shriek. Poor Drusilla! CHAPTER X. ‘THE IRREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT,” ‘“‘AuGH! lave off thesilly blattherin’ av ye, ye crooked shinned naygur! It’s sick to the sthomic ye’re makin’ all the dacint white gintle- min that’s aboord the good ould Wather Witch this blissid avenin’ wid yer bloody clickerty- clack! Tie up the tongue av ye, ye black ape, or it’s Purty Paddy that’ll lind ye a bat across the noggin that'll pit ye to slape foor wan few minnits—do ye moind that, now?” ‘‘ De— —Lawd! des lissen to de flannel- moufed bog-trotter ‘peat ober what he one da hearn @ man say—fo’ he wooden pate too full o ign’ance to hol’ so many words eb he own fink- in’. G’way, you low-down white trash! I’s a pow’ful bad niggab when I gits my mad way up! You come foolin’ "long o’ me, an’ fust you know you won’t know nuffiin’!” “ Augh! go soak your hid an’ botthle yer brith fer rat p’ison! Sure, I c’u’d make a bet- ther man wid double the daanger in him, out av black mud an’ sphit! Don’t ye go stbickin’ the painted nose av ye up at the lo av me, or be the r’yal kings av ould [reland tbat Purty Paddy kim down from, I’ll be afther knocken’ the two eyes av ye into wan, wid a poonch av this little bunch ay bones an’ tough mate—smill i av that, ye no-tailed baboon, an’ call it your masther—whirroo !” The good boat Water Witch was steadily plowing ber way through the turbid and tur- bulent current of the great Mississippi, nearly a month after the occurrence of the events which bave already been recorded, When the steamer left New Orleans, the river was “bank-full,” and the passage of each bour since had witnessed the brown waters steadily creeping higber and higher, until it seemed as though the watery element meant to blot out the land entirely. And, though men cf experience and nerve, both the captain and the two pilots in charge grew more and more uneasy the further they left the Crescent City behind them. News was not flashed across a continent ther in a second, as it were, and they bad no means of knowing how matteis were above them; but on each side they were given evidence of the power and extent of the flood. Only where the banks were artificially raised, could dry lands near the channel be found, and often as the Water Witch plowed her way steadily against the swift current, those aboard could look over the long and low levee, to see the muddy water beyond as it swept over low-lying plantations or tore its way through the trees and swamps. The surface of the river was thickly strewn with debris; huge trees tossing and rollirg in the whirling water; masses of tangled drift- wood; the swollen careasses of drowned ani- mals; with now and then the wreck of a cabin or more pretentious building, sailing on its way to the Gulf, Had it not been that the Water Witch carried for the most part freight that would be ruined or damaged by delay in transit, nearly all billed throughto St. Louis, the officers incharge would probably bave tied up at some of the river towns at which they stopped at intervals, there to wait for the flood to begin to subside, or until the worst could be learned from some, downward- bound vessel. As it was, favored by a spell cf clear weather, with the moon s"ining clearly through the nights, the Water Witch pressed on her course, Among those who shipped as roustabouts on board the Water Witch, were Moke Horner and Yellow Jack Tandy, They were not long in discovering the unwelcome fact that two of the young bloods had been seriously injured during that affray in the dark at Maum Jinny’s, and by cautious inquiries, they learned still more, Moke Horner was suspected of having a hand in ibe game, if not being the actual ring- leader, and if caught he would certainly be ‘‘made an example of,” For this reason, among others, scarcely less: otent. but which will appear in due time, oke Horner joined the Water Witch, his pecu- liar reputation insuring him a place, Among the crew were two men with whom Moke Horner lasten yi found himself antago- nized, he could scarcely have told the reason why. The reader may better understand, when er names are given; Teddy Huke und Purty uddy. . They both recognized the Boss Roustabout, though his appearance was now vastly different from what it bad been when they watched his peculiar performance in the Tricolor. There was no trace of the sable dandy left, save in the clear-cut, Indian-like features, the graceful fig- ure and the massive bone ring with the human skull engraved upon it. Here, as in all other boats, Moke Horner in- stantly took bis position as ‘* boss.” of the roust- abouts. No one even so much as thought of Pe ge ee his right to the title, until Purty addy thrust himself forward. The prize-fighting Irisbman had not forgotten the story told by Sbaky Joe that evening in the double saloon, nor forgiven the tlunt hint that the negro would prove the best man should the twain ever come into open collision. Only for the strong tinge of superstition which ran through his composition, the Irishman would have tackled the ebony athlete long ere this. He could hear his messmates talking over the wonderfal powers which the genuine reb- bit-foot gave its possessor, and that kept him pretty well in the traces until the trip was nearly one-half Poame ng But then the long- smoldering re a airly broke out, as noted at the head of this chapter. Moke Horver was keen-eyed enough to see what was in the wind, and though he was far from being of an ugly, quarrelsome disposi- tion, he was always ready to fight in defense of his title as king of the roustabouts. Never more so than in this instance, for he believed he knew Purty Paddy far better than the bull-dog Irishman bad any idea. _ It was early night, and the roustabouts had just dispatched their supper. There was no immediate sarang. prospeet, and the night would in all probability be uneventful and without work for them, save when they should stop for wood, And it was during this idle ape that Purty Paddy insolently broke in on the lively chat of the negroes, prominent among whom was our old friend, Moke Horner. Laughingly the Boss Roustabout retoried, but GOMIGDOOKS: co) reer ——e