Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 332 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

* Se” Gere «4 O48 sh eS he Oo ee ene SPR SE Oger haer_ £6 . bo —e 6S ee ORF a Ae Goer eT eee a er ee r4 — =e 2 — bs > - = zs . == = ew 92ers et sé .* — =a = ay o~_—— a>? — \— es = 2: erreta ene } - = sll ~~, a = ~ rw a. ES Sees 14 eagerly interrupted. ‘‘ My brother committed the pane ae to my charge, and I have done my duty by her; but surely, general, you can- not have any idea of the character of this Mr. Howard, that you praise him openly before our daughter. That is alll meant to say. hy, the young man is not received in any so- ciety now, though they say he is, in some dis- tant way, connected with the great Howards.” ** The connection is so far from being distant, my lady, that the young gentleman is the next heir, and will be duke himself as soon as the present incumbent dies,” said the old general, rather triumphantly. ‘‘ I hope youdo not think the premier duke of the realm an improper per- son for my daughter to be seen with!” But Lady Balcarras was not to be moved by even this appeal to her pride of rank. ‘I certainly think that she should not be seen too much with one to whose rank she can never hope to aspire,” she answered. ‘‘ The court is the place of all others where a girl’s reputation is easiest to destroy; and to have a man of Howard’s bad name seen with her, is of itself enough to make her an object of suspi- cion. The old general had been listenin all this time with a puzzled face, an burst out magne ‘*My dear Lady Balcarras, there must be some strange mistake here. Mr. Howard is one of the quietest and most modest of men.” Lady Balcarras smiled pityingly. ““My dear peveral, you have not lived as long at court as 1 have, and do not know the court reports as well as I do.” ‘I confess that, madam; but may I ask what are the reports as to See Fane Seca ” Lady Balcarras glanced at Rose. ‘*T would prefer to on to you privately, in doing that, general. ere are things that we do not speak about, before young ladies.” ‘Then, madam, the sooner you tell me what is the matter with the reputation of this youn crs mew the better; for, as a fact, he has bu tely asked my consent to his marriage with my daughter, and I have more than made up my mind that it would be a good match.” Rose heard what her father said, and she blushed scarlet, while old Lady Balcarras look- ed scandalized, as she said: ‘*In that case, general, it might be as well that you know what you ae to know, before ou y commit yourself. If you will come into the house, I will tell you what I mean.” The general bowed coldly, and followed the old lady into the house; while , fearing, she knew not what, went to the drawing-room, and tried to occupy her thoughts by r g a book. Her chaperon was in the library, with her father, , for near an hour; and Rose was waiting anxiously for the outcome of the inter- view. Asshe sat at the window pretending to read, her eyes were on the gardens without, and she saw the guard ge te eved, distin ing the ngeye of the officer, who was Oliver Howard. e girl had a repu ce against this young man, which she could not explain to herself; but ty Sos which she struggled; for was he not the brother of George, and would he not some day, perhaps, be her brother-in-law? She watched him at his duties, and could not but admit that he was a handsome fellow; but when the last of the guard was gpd back to its quarters, under the command of the ser- geant, she saw the figure of George, and noted 6 contrast between the two brothers, saying to herself as she did so: ‘* No wonder I cannot like him. Howinferior to my George!” And just as she was thinking this, her father came into the room, and said gravely: | ‘* Rose, I wish to k to you about this Mr. Howard. You will have to give him up, child,” CHAPTER XX. THE BROTHERS’ STRUGGLE. In the mean time George Howard, blissfully unconscious of the storm that was brewing over his head from the secret revelations of the scandal-loving old lady, had just returned to eet Court with the Gypsy recruit as his orderly, and watched the evening relief of the before he went to his brother to tell him he would take his post for the night. He could not help a glance at the windows of the lodge where the Balcarras family resided, in the hope of catching a glimpse of Rose; but she had just been called away by her father for his mysterious cemmunication, and was not to be seen at the pane, though he had been sure he spied her as he entered the gardens. He, therefore, with a disappointed air, went to the guard-house with Spring, and found his brother there, to whom he said: ‘*T have come to relieve you, brether, and will take your watch for the night.” Oliver stared at him. ‘Take my watch for the night? What are ou thinking about? I am as competent as you do my duty.” d “That is not the question,” returned his bro- ther. “Iam in command of the company, in the absence of Lord Dacres, and I wish to take your duty to-night. I order you to leave your post, end I will be responsible to the adjutant to her now he -_-__— ~—— _———aee ee for the change, which I have already arranged with him.” Oliver shrugged his shoulders, ‘*Oh, well, if you put it in that way, of course I am willing; but you don’t e t that | you will ever catch this Spring-Heel Jack, do | ‘you? “T not only expect it, but I am sure of it,” |returned the young officer, firmly. ‘‘If he comes this way to-night, he will get what he has never got before: a bullet into his dis- ise | ** Indeed!” said Oliver, with a smile. ‘‘ And who is to put the bullet into him? I hear that you all tried your hands last night and missed lim every time. The fact is, Spring-Heel Jack is one too many for any of the thick-wits that have been after him. e laughs at danger, and all the plans you can lay won’t catch him,” *“Do you think you could do any better, Oli- | ver?” asked George, coldly. Oliver laughed aloud. ‘** Better? Of course I could. To catch him, it takes a man that can do the things he does, and there are few men in London who can turn C4 sessile ‘** How do you know that?” asked George. ‘*How do I know it? Because I have been among men who can, and I know that it takes time to learn the things this fellow does. The fact is, George, this Spring-Heel Jack must be an acrobat, and if you want to catch him, you must go among the men who make a trade of that sort of thing. I have been among them and learned more of their tricks than you ever will, because you are nothing but a milksop. You can fence, and that is about all you can do. Why, I can throw you on your back myself, and not half try.” George eyed his brother sharply. ‘*Perhaps you may be mistaken. I have thrown men before now, though I do not make a ere as you do of going among ee fighters. Did you see the Gypsy recruit tI brought in?” Oliver turned a queer glance on his brother, ‘Yes, I have seen him. Where did you pick him up, George?” ‘“‘In the street, where he tried on the tricks that you say I am so deficient in. Well, ask him who was laid on his back?” Oliver cast a keen glance on his brother, and then on the stalwart ote of the Gypsy recruit, who was lounging at the door as he spoke, wait- ing for orders from his officer. ‘Why, he threw you, of course,” he said, ‘* or if he did not, and let you do the trick to hin, it was because he wanted to let you think you were a better man than he. You don’t know that man. I have seen him fight in the Fives Court, and there are not many in a can hold up hands before him without getting a licking.” George beckoned to the recruit. Spring. arate fa i's re ly at th p came in and s respectfully at the door with his cap in his hand. ‘*Tell Mr. Howard whether you can throw me on my back or not,” said George, quietly. The Gypsy fid uneasily. ‘* Tt is not for the likes of me to talk of throw- in’ your honor.” | ** But suppose I should tell you that I wanted exercise, and you were to do your best, what then? uld you do it or not?” Spring hesitated, and glanced, first at one brother, then at the other. ‘*T don’t know, your honor,” he said at last. ‘*T ain’t anxious to try, for your honor is a good a back-somerset.” _man of his hands, as I know to my cost.” = y> you don’t mean to say,” burst in Oli- ver, ‘‘ that you think he can get the best of you in a fair tussle? If I thought it—” ‘* Well, what?” asked George. ‘** By Jove, I'd tell you to have a tussle with me, for fun,” said Oliver, measuring his brother carefully from head to foot. It was a singular thing that the two brothers, though they been brought up near each other, had never had a quarrel in childhood which had come to blows, and that their pur- suits had taken them so far apart, in manhood, that neither of them knew, from experience, what the other could do, in the way of athletic exercise. George Howard smiled, ‘“'You ,would not be the first man I have deceived, Oliver, if you tried it.” ‘Then, by Jove, let's it,” cried Oliver; and, as he spoke, he threw o his coat and stood 4 opposite his brother, in an attitude that showed he had studied the art of wrestling in a urned to ‘ ? Shut the door,” he said, ‘‘ and let nobody in, till T have settled this matter.” — Then he beckoned to Oliver, and the other followed him into a court-yard at the back of their quarters, where there was a ¢ lot, on which they would have plenty of room to play. | Spring followed the two gentlemen, after he locked the door, with an nscrutable expres- sion on his dark He saw the elder brother throw off his cont and advance on the younger brother, who had the best attitude of the two, and moved round —_-- - CS eS Oe ee ee -—*:t—~—™ with a stealthy grace that reminded one of a panther, as he watched for an unguarded spot to catch his hold. ‘* It’s catch as catch can, George,” he said, and George nodded without answering. Then the two brothers moved pan together, and Oliver suddenly clutched George with both hands on the neck, trying to send him forward on his face by a quick jerk. George, to his astonishment, ducked his head and rushed in, catching a waist-hold before Oliver, who had thought him a greenhorn, seule understand that he had a master before im. The hold secured, the rest was child’s play. In & moment the younger brother was snatched off his feet and dashed down on the ground, with a thud that took away his breath, when George remarked quietly: ‘** You see, brother Oliver, that it is not always the men who hang round Fives Court that are the best at a hold.” Oliver looked up from the ground cn which he had been so rudely deposited. There was a dark scow] on his face as he said: ** You couldn’t have done that, if I had known that you were anything but a yokel. I gave you the hold for fun, You can’t do it again.” George smiled. It was singular to see the way in which he looked at his brother. One would never have thought that any tie of blood existed between the two men; but rather that they were bitter enemies. George curled his lip as he said: ‘**T have no time to waste, trying you at the same thing, twice over; but if you like to get the gloves, at which you think you are an adept, I'll show you that 1 can fight, as well as I can wrestle.” But the other rose from the Mss rar scowling still, and said, with a glance at Spring: ‘**No, no, not to-day. I may give you a chance to try what vou know, some day; but not with witnesses. In the mean time, sir, look to yourself, when you meet Spring-Heel J ack; for he may not let you off as easily as I have.” And, not waiting to explain the nature of his meaning, he went out of his brother’s quarters, and was seen going over to his own chambers. ae g, as soon as he had gone, had a quiet little laugh, all to himself, in the midst of which George caught him, and he became as grave as a ees tical ede “ tare you laughing at, you scoundrel?” asked the young officer haughtily. ** If I choose to have a bout with my own brother, it is not to say that rad recruit must have his fun out of the sight. If I catch you saying a word of this to one of the men, you shall fare badly.” ge | saluted respectfully. R's ain’t the 4 to say a M28 ea m= was a pre row ye gave ‘im, though; warn’t it? "E thought it wt all one ‘way, and the fu’st °e knowed ’is ’eels was in the hair, and ’e on is back! “Ope yer honor ’ll ’scuse me fur go hel but it were ’nuff to make a cat laugh.” rge was mollified; for itis not in human nature to repel praise of physical prowess, no matter what the difference of rank between the praiser and praised. ‘You will attend on me, to-night, Spring,” he said, ‘‘and will keep your piece loaded for ere Jack, if he comes, I am determin- that, before we have done, I will penetrate the mystery of that scoundrel.” Spring smiled softly to himself as he heard the speech, and observed: “Yes, your honor—if we catch him.” CHAPTER XXIT. OLIVER’S VISIT. His grace, the Duke of Norfolk, on the even- ing after he had paid his voluntary visit to the Tower, had returned to his own gorgeous man- sion, where he ordered his frugal meal of toast and tea, in the library, and told Jarvis that he did not want to be disturbed by visitors. The obedient flunky said he would see that his grace was not disturbed by anybody but those- is arace would wikh to see, and asked: _ aps yer grace might like to see the keerds at least. ** Let the cards lie till I am in a mood to look at them,” said the duke crossly. “Bring me my tea and don’t talk.” e had wn very testy and cross, more so than usual, since his last attack of gout; for the doctor had told him that his life depended on simplicity of diet: and the duke had always been a greae lover of fine cookery and delicate meats, des the taste in wines, of which he had ye 3s been so proud. But, since his last attack, and especially since the assault of Spring-Heel Jack, the doctor had told him that the least inflammation might prove fatal at once, and that the least excess of diet: would produce inflammation. ~ since that date, the duke had been very anxious to live a little longer. if only for the gratification of several little spites whichhe had contracted within the last few days. ; So he ate his toast—the doctor had not even allowed him a little butter on it, at night—and — drank his cup of tea, not nearly as strong as he mate have wished it, with the resignation of an anchorite im his cell, till the entrance of Jarvis; GComicbooks co