Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 292 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Moke Horner, the Boss Roustabout. 15 fell due, but that was the only clew he could obtain so far as the fellow was concerned. He sought for the policeman who had promised to ling reveiation. nor had he ever been a member! Confused, utterly befogged, Horace Ward told the chief of police the whole story, and placed the matter wholly in bis hands to straighten out, if that were possible. He be- gan to suspect anew that he and his were the victims of most cunning and thoroughly un- scrupulous conspirators, But with what end In view? Surely the few hundreds which Shaky Joe obtained that evening, would not repay them for their trouble or the peril which ney ran? he chief of police, through his many hands, quickly performed what Horace Ward failed in. Shaky Jce was found, and put to the ques- tion. He frankly answered al! their questions, and closely as they pressed him, there was not a single flaw to be found in hisstory. He knew nothing of the man whom they denounced as & counterfeit. A servant had been sent out to bring an officer, and this fellow returned with him, The merchant accepted him as genuine, and placed him, Shaky Joe, in his charge. Nothing in his words or conduct gave Im any cause for doubting that he was just what he claimed tobe, and the prisoner, at leust, acted in perfect good faith. He gave them the address of the woman who claimed to be the wife of Marcus Dingeon, and there they found her, sick, almost starving, though she had plenty of money and rich jewels on her person, She begged them to let her alone, to fiud in death the happiness which was denied ber in life. Food and drink were forced upon her, and then, revived in both body and mind, she re- peated her story of woman’s love and trust, of man’s infidelity and falsehood. eft an orphan when just crossing the line which separates'the woman from the child, Rose Enright found herself obliged to earn her own living, and bravely she set about it. A year later she met a handsome young gen- tleman whose attentions became very pointed, and ere long she knew that the earth without his love would be but a dreary desert. Her maiden heart went out to him without reserve, and when his brief visit to the Northern city was brought to a close, they were under en- gagements to be married at some not-distant ay. He told her that he was a lawyer, living at New Orleans, enjoying a good income, and that as soon as he could complete bis arrangements he would send for her, and they would be mar- ried in the city which was to be their happy home for the future. In her happiness at this joyous prospect, Rose confided all to the wom- an with whom she jived, adistant relative. Sve, without saying as much in so many words, sus- pected a snare was being sprung on her young charge, and when the long-looked-for letter came, summoning Rose to New Orleans, the woman went with her. Apparently her fears were without the slight- est foundation in fact, for the eager lover greet- ed her kindly, and at once proposed that she be- come a witness to their marriage. She con- sented, and together they rode to a retired house, where a grave, kindly-faced man of an advanced age met and welcomed them. In bis company they went to a neighboring church, ane the ceremony was performed in due form. er fears and doubts fully dissipated, the g00d woman soon bade the happy couple adieu, and returned to her Northern home, only to sicken and die within a month thereafter. The chief of police looked serious as he heard this fact, for as he glanced at the certificate of marriage, be could see that she alone had signed as witness, He knew the clergyman well by repute, and he knew that he had been blind com early manhood. It was before the days oO photographs, and it happened that there was a ces of Marcus Dingeon in existence. ' a eghiet bad formed a theory, wild and he ka ‘ at the firsc thought perhaps, but which e beheved would be justified by the curious events has bad already occurred. He be- heved the entire plot was aimed at the fortune which would surely fall to Drusilla Ward on the death of her parents. He believed the man who concocted the intricate scheme feared Marcus Dingeon would win her love, and to hold a ter- rible weapon in reserve, he had married this poor girl, assuming the name of another man! He described the young lawyer as carefully and closely as he could, and Rose Enright un- hesitating!y declared that the description per- fectly fitted ber husband. Then, though with eat reiuctance, the chief was forced to aban- on bis very improbable theory, and search for another one which would better fit the case. Secretly as these investigations were carried on, and carefully as Horace Ward guarded the skeleton which had so suddenly taken up its abode in his house, to his dismay and intense irritation, he found that the story had been Spread over the whole city, in a’single day. Fi as though the truth was not bad enou b there were rpranvless variations, some of which sage aa ‘ * “> . 4 7 ‘ _. . b's 1 ; v. “the. i an ae Ym. Se. SS) SPS a a oe, | keep an eye on bim, only to meet with a start- | notorious sporting man of the town, No such man was on the force, | - ae Se declared that Marcus Dingeon had deliberately jilted the rich merchant’s daughter, having de- tected her in very questionable relations with a Though no name was given to tbis latter personage, the hints were sufficiently plain, and then it was that Gideon Gillespie sought a private in- terview with Horace Ward and renewed his oft-rejected suit, A speedy marriage was the best and sur: st method of silencing all scandal- ous tongues, be said, and pledged bis word that if consent and permission were given bim, he would nip the base scandals in the bud, though he bad to call out half of the city and horse- whip the other moiey. In his sore extremity, Horace Ward was inciined to yield, but when he broached the subject to Drusilla, who was now rapidly re- covering her strength, she indignantly refused. “IT loathe and detest bim us nomeretety as I love Marcus! Let them say what they please. I know that he is true to me, be he alive or be he dead. If he never comes back to mein this world, I will join bim in another, pure and faithful as when he left me in this, to go down to his death!” But boldly as she spoke, as the days crept on without word or tidings from the missing man, Drusilla grew pale and weaker, until the doctor told the merchant that she would not live to see another year begin, unless she was taken where she could have change of air and scene. Mrs. Ward, too, was very feeble, never having recovered from that terrible day, and so Horace Ward concluded to dispose of his business and leave the Crescent City for good and all. This he found no difficulty in doing, and when the good boat Water Witch steamed away from the wharf and breasted the muddy current of the Mississippi, then ‘* bank-full,” the Ward family were noted on her books as pas- sengers, Before leaving New Orleans, Drusilla had insisted on an interview with the chief of po- lice, and in his hands she left the duty of trac- ing out Marcus Dingeon, dead or alive. If the first, he was to spare neither pains nor expense to bring his assassin to justice. In addition, he was to carefully investigate the antece- dents of the woman who claimed to be married to the young lawyer; all of which he gravely promised to do. Fearing the results, Horace Ward had never told Drusilla how completely the woman had proven her claim on Marcus, For a few days after leaving New Orleans, Drusilla did not leave her state-room even at meal-time, sitting for the most part by her mother, who seemed very low. And then when sbe did occupy a seat at the long table, almost the first person whose face she saw, seated | Roe where ran the now vacant grooves for the sliding doors which separated the two cabins at night, was her persistent suitor, Gideon Gillespie, After this, dreading another stormy scene with bim, Drusilla kept close to her state-room, only taking the air after dark, and then in charge of her father. On this evening, they were slowly promenad- ing to and fronear the stern of the Water Witch, on the burricane-deck, when the colored stewardess brought Horace Ward a message from bis wife, She desired to see him for a moment, and bidding Drusilla await his return, he hastened below, Though she gazed steadily out over the wide waste of waters, Drusilla saw nothing of it al). She was wondering how, if ever, this black cloud would be lifted from her life, when the quick tramp of afoot on the graveled floor startled ber. Bere “ Father!” she exclaimed, fancying it her re- turning parent, ‘‘Does mother wish to see ” She started back with a low cry as she recog- nized the mistake she bad made, but a firm band closed on her arm before she could turn away, and a stern voice uttered: ‘‘Make a scene, if you prefer, Miss Ward, but now I have found the opportunity so long denied me, you must listen to what I have to say. aT, you are a gentleman, Gideon Gillespie, re wiil remove your hand and suffer me to go elow. My mother is very ill, and she requires my presence,” coldly said the maiden, striving bravely to conceal the apprehension which she really felt. “You may go—but not just yet, Miss Ward,’ was the low, determined reply. ‘* You have denied me whenever I face the customary method of gaining an interview. You refused to see me, or to answer the notes I wrote you.” ‘“‘ Because I knew no good could come of our meeting,” was the steady retort, ‘‘ All the an- swer I had to make, was given you months ago, when you bonored me by proposing mar- riage, You said that yon wished to plead your cause anew, and it was this resolve, not your society, as such, that I objected to, All you could say would not alter my decision, and in hopes of sparing us both annoyance if not posi- tive pain, [ declined to see you, I hoped you would accept that hint as final. At least, I never dreamed of your taking sucn ungentle- Ry) eo ee +L ee ps, | LL LLLLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL manly means to force your company upon me, when you must know it is unwelcome!” Tbe man stood in, silence until she ceased speaking; then he replied, still holding her wrist in bis firm grasp: ‘‘T have listened to you patiently, though your words contain a sting sharper than the tooth of a poisonous serpent! Now it is your turn to listen to me.” “You will only waste both time and breath—” ‘*T am well provided with both,” was the dry retort. ‘‘ Do not oblige me to be so discourteous as to use force. I must, if you refuse to listen to me of your own accord. I am desperate now—I know that nothing I can do will make my cause more hopeless, Yet J have one more plea to make,” ‘* Speak, then, but be as brief as possible,” coldly rejoined Drusilla, casting an anxious glance around in bopes of seeing the returning figure of her father. | ‘You know how long and ardently I have loved you,” the gambler uttered, his voice low and passionate. ‘It bas been the one bright dream—the one sweet bope that has cheered me on through an otherwise bleuk and dreary life! I can hardly recall the day when I did not love you. If I could, it would be back of our first meeting, when you was no more than a little’ girl—for even then I registered a silent vow to woo snd win you for my wife when you grew up to be a woman!” ‘“You were foolish and visionary. That dream will never become a reality. I told you as much when you first broached this subject,” coldly uitered Drusilla, trying to free her hand from that close grasp. A short, bard laugb parted the lips of the man. ‘““T know you did, but I had nursed that hope for too many years to cast it aside forever ata single rebuff. You don’t know me yet, Miss Ward, or you would not think that!” ‘*T know that I do not—I cannot ever love you as you wish. I know that every interview with you but deepens that resolve. And now each word that you utter only serves to raise the barrier still higher between us.” ‘“‘Tt isa barrier that I will tear down or over- | leap,” was the almost fierce reply. ** When Iset my mind on any certain point. I always reach it, by fair means or by foul. I swore long ago that I would win and wear you—lI repeat that vow now, and call you to bear witness, If you give me anything like a fair chance, I will woo you as gently, as chivalrously, as-ever knight wooed fair lady! I will be your bumble slave, to do your bidding without a murwur, if only you will let the prize shine before me at not too great a distance, I will yield to ycur slightest whims, and—” ; ‘ Yet you refuse to release my hand!” scorn- ully. ‘*Because I have watched and waited too long for this opportunity to lose it now, before I have unburdened my retort. ‘‘Give me the promise I ask, and see how completely I will be your slave. Marry me— ‘‘That I will never do!” cried the maiden, impulsively, ‘‘ Once for all, l vow that I will never wed you!” CHAPTER XIII. PURE GOLD AND BASE ALLOY, CLEAR and distinct came her reply, Not loud nor vehement, but none the less it showed how very frail was the hope that Gideon Gillespie would ever succeed in Mii a her bund, to leave ber heart entirely out of the question. Yet there was nothing in bis handsome, clear- cut features to show that he despaired of ulti- mate success; his warm fingers still grasped her wrist as they stood near the stern of the heavily- laden boat; there was a dogged resolution in his deep, mellow tones as he made answer: ; ‘It is vow against vow, then, and the mind that is strongest will carry the day in the end! I bave sworn to win you—I repeat that oath, now that you have flung your defiance in my teeth! You think you hate me now, but I woald rather bave your bitterest enmity than the kot- test love of any other weman in all this wide world! If you bate, lam not wholly indifferent to you—you must sometimes give me a thought, even if an unpleasant one.” ‘Slight consolation, one would think!” ‘‘ Nevertheless I find it one,” was the quick response. ‘‘Then make the most of it, for if my senti- ments ever experience a change, it will be to hate and despise you more intensely than I have ever since you dropped your mask to show in your true colors—a despicable persecutor of a weak woman under the pretense of love—bab! You know not the meaning of the term!” ; fo ghes you sbell teach me,” witha sbort, bard augh, With a swift motion, Drusilla strove to free her wrist from his grasp, but without success. ‘‘Unband me, sir, er I will ery aloud for help!” she exclaimed, her voice ringing with eart,” was the quick. maidenly indignation, mighbooks 1 (E(0) oi - — co = a