Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 332 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

Spring-Heel ack, | 1 ne aera eee ee renee : the home of cholera is found and where the CHAPTER XIV. | ‘‘ But he didn’t,” snapped Sir John angrily. dogs and vultures are the only scavengers, AN ENGLISHMAN’S CASTLE. | ‘He had the impudence to push me—me, Sir ut the room in which they were, was clean, ‘* THE sahibs are not right to threaten a man | John Savage. I never heard of such a thing! ' as far as they could see. who has never seen them before,” said Ram | What is the country coming to, when these nig- A heavy rug covered the floor, all but about | Mandana, in the same even, passionless tones, | gers are treated the same as if they were born two feet at the edge; and a low square erection, | that he had employed throughout the interview. | tnglishmen, Break open the door, and JU take in the center of the room, covered with tapestry | ‘‘I am one who has never harmed any, under | the responsibility.” But the wary officer was not to be induced to — -_—--_— CO CC + SC wT! ££” @ eee «2 ter «ee -_——- Ne ee ee ee ee —e- ee ee ee ee Le — tsa ee — ee ee ee Sees eee ee and cushions, was the only sign of accommoda- | your English laws, and I know enough of them tion for visitors in the way of seats—the Persian ** musnud,” Sir John at once took his seat on this, and beckoned to Reid to follow his example. The general appeared to hesitate, and the old baronet said sharply: ‘* Take a seat, man. It never does to let these niggers see you are polite tothem. Treat’emas we used to do in India, and we'll have no trouble.” Reid took the seat to which he was beckoned, and whispered to Savage: ** But we're not in India now; and he may re- fuse to help us at all.” Sir John shook his head: ** Pve been in the civil service, and I know bet- ter how to deal with niggers than you. You let me do the talking.” Then, without their hearing any footstep to warn them who was coming, they were ad- dressed by a voice right behind their backs, as they sat on the musnud, and turning, with a sim- me?” He spoke in excellent English, but with a cer- tain foreign accent that betrayed he was not speaking his native tongue, and old Savage an- swered him, in Hindoostanee: ‘* We are sahibs, who have heard of the great wisdom of Ram Mandana, and we have come to ask him to help us. Weare willing to pay well for the help, if it come in time.” The Hindoo bowed gravely. He was a re- markable-looking man, with a pale, olive-tinted face, po my beauty of outline, the peculiar, keen thy air of the high-caste Hindoo, mark- ing it, as different from the broader, bluffer, lish faces of his visitors. dana has no need of money, for he has conquered the flesh, and all that a Sir John allowed his lip to curl slightly. “Yes, wo know all about that. The fakirs do the same, but we know that they will take money, if it be offered. If you do work for us, we expect to pay for it.” rtains to it.” | to know that you cannot imprison me, without | a trial. If you have nothing more to say—” | He did not finish the sentence, but waved his | hand toward the door; and General Reid, who _had witnessed the failure of his friend’s method of negotiation, broke out: ‘*I knew it would not do, Savage. _ speak to him.” Ram Mandana turned to him with a sweet smile. | 4 If the sahib has anything to ag I am ready y to to hear it, but Lam not reac threatened by any one, in this country.” ‘** Well, then, look here, Ram Mandana,” be- gan Reid, ‘‘ I am in trouble and I came to you to help me. There isa man who goes about the country and does atrocious things. You must have heard of him. The people call him Spring- Heel Jack. He has nearly killed my daughter twice, and I fear he will do it, if he comes the third time. Cannot you give us a clew to him, by which he may be caught?” am but a humble follower of the truth, and not capable of miracles.” ‘ But you know who the man is,” urged Reid. Ram Mandana shook his head. **] know nothing abouthim. I have taken no interest in the matter. If 1 wish, I can find out; but it will only be for my own satisfac- tion, and not to oblige an Englishman, I owe them nothing.” ‘‘ But if you are a follower of the ‘ yoga’ doc- trine, you must hold that it is a meritorious deed to save the helpless from harm,” urged Reid. ‘* You will earn the gratitude of a father, and the bregere of one you will save.” Ram Man me, and if you have nothing else to say, I shall be es to see your de 2” e had grown perfectly inflexible now, and they saw, from the expression of his face, that it was useless to vere. General Reid bowed stiffly and turned to go from the room, while Sir John Savage, who had | Let me | | ee risk a legal fight. ‘No, no, your honor,” he said. ‘*There’s more ways of killin’a dog than chokin’ ’im to death with butter. Let’s try if we can’t get ’im out peaceable, fu’st.” He ascended the steps and knocked at the door, making a considerable noise, when an up- er window was opened, and the Ram Mandana Imself looked out, and asked quietly: ‘* What is the trouble with the gentlemen?” “This ‘ere gent says as ow you've been a- shovin’ of ’im, and ’e wants to ’ave you took up,” said one of the officers, half apologetically. ‘* Now look-a ere my man. If you want us to go for a warrant, it won’t take long, and it’]] be the worse for you in the hend. You jest come down peaceable and we'll ’ave you afore the beak, and the ’ole thing hover, in no time! Best thing you can do. rd bless me! It ain’t nothin goin’ afore the beak.” The Hindoo waved his hand to the people in the street below. : t ultaneous start, beheld a tall, grave-looking man, | The Hindoo compressed his lips. ‘I have lived here quietly,” he said, ‘‘for a in a robe of dark crimson brocade, a white tur-| ‘‘ The sahib appears to make one mistake. I | long time; and noman can say I have disturbed | ban on his head, looking gravely at them, as he | am no wizard, who makes his living by cheating | the neighborhood. These men came and tried i said: r credulous people, telling them that I can | to disturb me, so I told my servant to put them ‘* Peace be unto you. Why have you sought | find stolen goods, and prophesy the future. I | out from the house. It is my right, and you would all have exercised the same. I ghall come forth, till you bring a warrant.” He closed the window, and the officer shrugged his shoulders, and said to Sir John: ‘““Your honor sees ’ow it is. We can’t do nothin’, till we gits warrants for the Hinjuns. If your honor likes to swear to the assault we can ’ave the thing done quick.” . But Sir John had had time to cool his passion, while looking at the lowering faces of the peo- ple round him, and he said sullenly: *‘No, never mind, now. Let’s get out of this, Reid. We were fools to come in here. The fel- low is only one of those swindling conjurers, not dana bowed gravely. after all. Come along.” : “Iam ready to help the needy at all times,” ‘That is true; but you should have said that And they took their d , followed by he said softly; ‘‘ but not for money. Ram Man- | in the first place. Your friend tened | the jeers of the crowd behind them, the people of the quarter being disposed to think that the Hindoo, whom they had never disliked, had done rather a fine thing in throwing the two ““nobs,” out of doors. The two friends meanwhile pursued their way out of the low neighborhood they had faced, so much to their sorrow, and it was not till they The Hindoo shrugged his shoulders, but made | been chafing all the time, burst out: t to the n districts of the West End of no reply, as if he not care to discuss the mat- ‘‘ All right, Ram Mandana. You shall hear ndon that they breathed freely. ter any further. Then they dismissed their escort, with injunc- “We have come to you to ask you for infor-* mation on a pong Y that— It was Gen Reid who spoke, but his friend interrupted him. - “ Now, Reid, let me do the talking.” Then, turning to Ram Mandana, he continued: ** There is a man who is going about London, ightening all the timid women he can meet, and we want to find who he is, You are, we know, powerful in the yoga, and the n who is doing all this is own to you. If not you can find him for us. If you will, we will pay you a thousand rupees; and, if that is not enough, say what will be, There, now, what do Ping Maa that ans an aps rs , | indoo shrugg shoulders “Tt isa er for one that mn geo : but, as I told you, I have sonenered the fl and I eat nothing. All I need is shelter from the cold of your detestable climate, and that is ‘* But the scoundrel has frightened my daugh- ter,” he said impulsively. ‘It is a Pm if yon know the man, that you should not tell us. ll have you punished, if— No, I don’t mean that; but it is an infernal shame, and—” He had got red in the face, while he was oppeming and Ram Mandana smiled slightly. * But from us before ye al ae sooner than you ee ee eee Id prt stepped out of th ® angry o cer out of the room, follow Reid, Ram Masviaiit but scornful smile, remaining unaltered until they had reached the stairs, and were descend- ing. Tio saw them go to the door; and the servant, who made his appearance in the style of the true Oriental, noiseless and ready, at the mo- ment he was needed, opened it wide, and bowed to the floor as he dd so. But Sir John Savage did not intend to be got rid of so easily. As he stood at the door, he beckoned to the Bow street runners—precur- sors of the modern detective—who had followed the pair to the strange house, and the Hindoo a big saw them coming, running up the Ce Ram Mandana calling from the top of the stairs, as he heard the footsteps: With a sudden shove Sir John Savage did not expect, he sent that officer sliding down the steps, and before Reid could defend himself, the ‘ Hindoo had seized him by the shoulders, and pushed him out, after the other, when the door was slammed to, and the bolts shot, so swiftly <= Ss Sls tn of what had happened, and tions to say no the baronet’s house, where wended their way Rose was still staying with Lady why ** One thing is in,” remarked Sir John, as he and his friend smoked their hookahs in the smoking-room. ‘‘ That ni knows more than he chooses to let peop t and he knows the secret of Spring- Jack. ‘Till they have sm ig the rascal, it might be as well for you to send Rose away with Lady Savage to some place where the scoundrel never makes his ap- pearance, He has never been seen, except near ndon. What do you say to Hampton Court?” The old general, who had been looking deject- ed as the day wore on (for he had a nervous hor- ror of the coming night, ever since the way in which it had been made hideous by the appari- tion of Spring-Heel Jack) ws age up at once. ““The very place,” he said. ‘ The scoundrel will never dare to come there. Besides, it is not : secured to me in this house. WhyshouldI work | ‘ Cast them out, quick!” so gloomy as the Tower, and I rather think that for what can avail me nothing?” He spoke in oostanee, and the obse-/| the place has a good deal to do with Rose’s ter- f Reid looked much disappointed. antes servant suddenly developed into an rE, pa can ee obtain entrance there?” iy athlete. ir John n ° ‘* My sister, Lady Balcarras, has a suite in the lace. Balcarras, you know, is scmething in the household, and, between us two, the rooms save him money, for he is as ras a church- mouse, Mary will take her in fora visit, and we can arrange the thing in such a way that the bh ow do you know that I know anythi that, before the runners could get anywhere | child will not suspect there is any plan about it,” | as tothe man you ask of? Iam nota god, that | near the house, the two disgusted gentlemen it was arranged by the kind-hearted baro- 4 I should know all things.” were standing at the bottom of the steps, di- | net, and before the afternoon had worn into twi- r Sir John Savage frowned. sheveled in dress and red in the face withanger, | light, Sir John’s family carriage rolled into the y “Look here,” he said in English. ‘‘ You | but completely discomfited. apa of Hampton Court, then a royal resi- ? g ‘s b 4 . A t yy y : { know well enough what we came after, or you are no true yogin. What is the reason you will not ny bane you want oul Another t smile crossed the impassive features of the Hindoo. ‘*T have said that I need no money, and that I fear no evil. If the sahibs have nothing more to ask of me, they might as well return home,” Savage rose from his seat, and faced the Hin- doo angrily. ** Now, 8 here,” he said, fiercely, in the hec- toring way that Anglo-Indians learn, to treat, all Indians alike. ‘‘ If you refuse to help us, it will only be an hour front now when you will be thrust, neck and heels, into a cell where all your ‘yoga’ won’t get you out. You know The officers came running up, and a crowd was collected in a shorter space of time than could have been deemed possible, the rough peor of the quarter all interested in the fact of the sum- mary ejection of the visitors, and rather inclined to pen with the owner of the house, as one of their own friends, while thestrangers were of another sort altogether. Sir John Savage was furious. _ ‘* Break down the doors,” he said angrily ‘to the men who came up to him. ‘“‘ The infernal scoundrel has dared to puf us out of his place.” But the officers with him did not seem to be in- clined to obey the order; for one of them seid, half apologetically: “It can’t be done, your honor, unless we has ence—the extensive palace being also the resort of quite a number of families, who had from time immemorial the privilege of apartments in the building, and constituted a colony of them- selves, not so large then as it is now, but much more happy and contented; for they were in the immediate presence of royalty itself, and the old king was very c1ous. ere Rose and her protector arrived, and were received with welcome by Lady Balearras, who had been forewarned by a special messenger, and with whom Lady Savage left Rose. CHAPTER XV, HAMPTON COURT, well enough what we have come here for,” a warrant. Hevery man’s ’ouse is ‘is castle, Hampton Court is a sleepy place to-day, The ‘other smiled again, with a still more | you know, and the cove ’ad the right to put | and it was a sleepy place when Rose Reid went settled air of mild contempt. ye out if so be ’e put is ’ands softly on ye.” there. cS Gomichboo con — LL A te