Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 379 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

for you. his memory-—it is just possible, father, that he may think what is not so-——that it may not be our boy.” She was trying to break the blow which in- stinct told her was impending, but it was in vain. Her words only frightened the poor old man, Without in the least weakening his faith. And as Ugly Dan saw this, his thin lips curled back from his white teeth more than ever like a wolf, ‘‘ And you, fair lady?” he softly breathed, his voice all deference, while his eyes were bold and lawless. ‘‘ You have no word of thanks for the news [can give? Not one word?” ‘Yes, yes—words plenty!” eagerly ejaculated the old man, as he reached one hand and grasp- ed Amelia by the arm. ‘She says not much because her heart is over-full; but she will thank you—ach! so many times over will her thanks come! Is it not, Melie?” It was doubly hard fer the poor girl. Fear- ing, she scarcely knew what, with suspicions which she could not define, with doubts born of a look, to give thanks for what she felt in her heart was te prove a curse instead of the bless- ing the blind man believed. Yet she must, or make the helpless father suffer what she was suffering now. She hardly knew what words passed her lips. She dared not look up lest she again encounter that glittering, evil gaze. She spoke until her voice choked, then stood in breathless waiting, trembling, sick at heart, fearing—what? ‘And now—it is not too soon to ask for the kind sir to speak the glad news?” tremblingly ventured the blind man. ‘Thanks are cheap, and cost nothing more than a little breath, of which we all have so much,” slowly uttered Ugly Dan—ugly indeed, with that hard, merciless, mocking look in his black eyes! A pained look came into the face of the blind man as he listened, and his clasped hands low- ered. It was nota speech such as he expected from the lips of one whom, until then, he had regarded as but little lower than an angel of light. It smacked of the earth earthy, and none the less significant from being so vague. ‘‘Tt is poor wanderers that you see, my friend, but what we have is yours. I[tis Franz that is so dear to us, and money is nothing worth. Take it all—take everything, just so you say the place where we can find our poor lost boy! ’Melie?” and he turned his sightless eyes toward the girl; ‘‘is it not good that I speak like this?” There came no immediate answer, though her lips parted and her throat worked convulsively. She knew now that her suspicions were not without foundation, even while she strove to banish them. Ugly Dan was watching her, as a hungry hawk watches a bird of which it feels sure in good time. ; ‘Yes, Amelia, what have you tosay? Will you make no sacrifice? Will you pay nothing for the glad news of the lost boy?” ; ** Yes, yes!” eagerly cried the blind man, ris- ing to his feet and with trembling hands empty- ing his pockets of both gold and silver coin. ‘“*Melie will pay too! It is for her brother— for our dear Prenat ’Melie is good child. Ach ! Yes, so good! But it is Franz that was born first and he haf been gone so many long year!” With all her fears, with all her doubts, Amelia was a true child of Vaterland, and with quick fingers she caught up the coin which fell from the trembling grasp of the blind man, casting a defiant glance toward the two lesser ruffians as they instinctively started forward to reap their anticipated harvest. a Ugly Dan laughed shortly, and this feminine trait gave him still greater assurance, if that could be. He fancied that there was a love of money for money’s sake, in that action: “He was a mighty good boy, and that’s the fact, father,” he said,with an affectation of blunt heartiness cunning enough to deceive one with clearer and calmer wits than those of the blind man. need of money again. He will be rich—he will smother you in gold, if you wish it!” “ Gold—poof!” and the old man flung out one thin hand with a gesture of contempt. ‘It is not money—it is Franz I want most!” Just my case, but Pll take the ducats, every time,” laughed the ruffian. “I wouldn’t think of such a thing, but Iam terribly poor. I have hardly a rag to my back, and not a red cent in my clothes, I expect we would have starved to death, only for this lucky meeting.” Tom Wacker and Blister covered their beard- ed lips the better to smother the chuckles which rose in their throats at this unblushing lie, What a facetious fellow Ugly Dan was, to-be- sure!” ‘Tt is a pity that so good a man should come to poverty like that,” uttered the blind man, with genuine pity in face and voice. ‘‘ 1 wish it was more that we can give, for your sake, my friend, but it is not gold we hunt for, my child and me. We take only such .ike we may need, ..to carry us along to hunt still new places over We take no more until that patience. for our poor boy. “It is worth a neat sum to find him | again, and when you do, you will never feel the And then—he said it was cloudy in Howling Jonathan is gone. Then we haf to crush our poor pride down and make believe we give plenty back in pay, though it is only moosic and thanks— thanks from the sore hearts that grow so faint and weary, so homesick, so—ach / the goot Got knows!” ‘* And the sweet little Amelia?” added Ugly Dan, his voice soft and almost purring as he turned again toward the maiden. ‘‘ She is will- ing to pay, also? She is slow to say as much, though!” ‘* She is young, goot friend,” hastily interposed the old man, eager to please this exacting stranger, ‘‘She is modest and words do not come so quick, so easy to girls, then. ’‘Melie? like me, you say this is nothing worth, just so we find our poor boy?” ‘*T would give all—life, even!” impulsively cried the girl. ‘Now that is hearty,” quickly uttered U aM Dan. ‘' You give us all your money. You wi add the donkey and cart, too?” ‘That, too, if you like,” said the old man. ‘* What use for it now? To walk is good health. To sleep—bah! our hearts are warm enough for cover! Is it not so, Melie?” ‘* Whatever you say, father sponse. ‘But the stranger where Franz is, yet.” ** That is no hurry, my child,” quickly uttered the blind man, with a nervous, deprecatory look in his face as it turned toward the rascal who was hugely enjoying his devilish little farce. ‘* She is so young, and the young think it hard to wait. They haf not patience like old people— no. Now me—I am patient. I can wait. It is so long time that Franz went away, a little more is not matter much. Ach, ves, | can wait. am cool and composed—see!” and he stretched out his trembling hands in pitiful confirmation, ‘It is a bargain, then?” persisted Ugly Dan. ‘You give up everything, and Amelia—” ‘**?Melie pay too—’Melie is goot child!” ‘You will pay, and she will pay,” laughed Ugly Dan, with an evil light in his jetty orbs. “That is enough, and I am satisfied.” ‘*And Franz, goot sir? It is tine now to ask that—not?” ‘**The young fellow—let me see!” and the vil- lain seemed to be reflecting, his brows wrink- ling, but with his eyes gloating over the fair face and perfect figure of Amelia Moskau. **'You said you knew him!” she cried, an in- dignant flash filling her full blue eyes, twin spots of color leaping into her smooth cheeks, ‘**Melie, patience—it is only a little longer, and we haf so long waited already,” nervously muttered the blind man, fearful lest the stranger be angered by any undue impatience. So much depended upon his speech! Poor Herman Moskau! It was a truly devilish jest, and heavy will fall the blow when it comes. ‘*The card looked familiar, but it is so easy to be mistaken in a face,” was the calm retort. ‘I think it is the man you are looking for. He was tall— ** Like a soldier—so!” and the blind man drew his still athletic figure proudly erect, making the military salute, ‘‘So! it was a figure to make fill with joy the eyes of a recruiting officer. That was like my boy. So, ’Melie? Is it not that?” ‘** Like you, father, only younger.” ‘“Yes, younger, and more handsome in the face. That was long time ago, before my eyes grew tired of looking on sorrow and trouble, before I turned blind. So long—yet I can see his face yet! He was my only son, you see, my good friend, and that makes a difference, may- be,” he added, with a pitiful smile, disarming criticism. ‘Tall is right,” nodded Ugly Dan. ‘ The man [ knew was light complexioned, with blue eyes and yellow hair. Hair much the color of this on the head of his charming sister,” and he tried to touch the shining head, only to be baffled by a swift motion, ‘Tt is so, ’Melie,” laughed Herman Moskau, a bright smile lighting up his lined features. ‘*Like yours—only a little brighter and more soft, not?” In every word he betrayed the passionate love which he felt for the missing son in quest of whom he had wandered so many weary miles. And, true-hearted girl! Amelia heartily agreed with him in everything that brought herself into comparison with the lost one. ‘*T won’t say that, for it would be perjury the most rank,” laughed Ugly Dan, taking a mali- cious delight in protracting the scene, though his more matter-of-fact fellows were shifting un- easily, showing their growing impatience as openly as they dared. ‘For a man, he was good-looking enough, but Amelia is more than charming—she is without an equal in all the rosebud garden of girls!” * A goot girl, yes—but Franz, he was mine own boy!” “ ‘* And you are naturally in a hurry to learn all about him. That's all right. I don’t blame you, for a fine fellow he is—or was when I last met him,” ‘*And that was not long? not far away, dear friend?” eagerly uttered the old man, his poor, trembling fingers tightly clasped together to still their quivering, his face full of loving im- ” was the low re- has not told us — Si tt 4 ‘* Only a little bit, compared with a lifetime. Not many steps, compared with a trip to the moon,” ***>Melie—my head is so buzz-buzz! I can’t make the words out straight come,” muttered Herman Moskau, with a pained look, as his hand reached out in quest of his loving guide. ‘* My poor father!” brokenty muttered the girl, flashing an indignant glance toward the smiling rascal. ‘‘ He is laughing at us! He is a bad man—” ‘‘’Melie, hush! It is some fun of the child’s, kind gentleman,” he hurriedly added, turning his wan face toward Ugly Dan, forcing a smile that was more pitiful than tears could have been. ‘*She is so oxcited, so crazy-mad with joy at hearing of her brother, you see. It is not for you to mind—this little foolishness, my friend,” ** Don't worry on my account, I beg of you,” laughed the rascal. ‘SI rather like it, for it shows she has spirit—-the more credit to him who brings her into the traces!” “Then you do know? It was not a lifetime— ach! I knew the goot Got would not be sv cruel!” There was a brief silence, during which Ugly Dan took a quick look around, nodding shortly as his eyes rested for a moment on the impaticut faces of his two comrades in evil. ‘* Yes, [ knew Franz Moskau. I knew him well—betiter, perhaps, than any living persen, with the exception of yourself and charming daughter.” “You hear, ’Melie? It was a goot friend he has been, this nice man! He knew our Franz— loved him, like a brother! Ach! mein Got!” ‘* You may well say that, old fellow,” with a short, hard laugh. ‘‘l know he never had a friend who ever stuck to him closer than I did, if | do say it myself. And if his span could have been lengthened to a round thousand years, L know he would never have forgotten me, He will tell you as much himself, when you find him, PU warrant.” ‘Find him—is it so, *Melie?” faintly muttered. the blind man, his limbs trembling so violently as to almost sink beneath him, ‘Tf you know—if you are not playing a cruel joke on two poor helpless creatures, you will tell us where to find Franz,” uttered the muiden, slowly, firmly, forcing herself to meet that evil gaze, Ugly Dan made a covert gesture, which Tom Wacker promptly interpreted, saying: ‘Kf it’s wu’th payin’ fer, it wouldn’t do no harm to set eyes on the fu’st ’stallment, would it, now ¢ ‘*Take it all! ’*Melie, child, es them the money!” hurriedly cried the blind man, feeling in his pocket, forgetting that he had already stripped himself of all gold. ‘It is not the poor money that shall keep away the big jo —it is Franz we want most! Pay them, child!” ‘**For myself, I would not ask a dollar, even though I was starving, but my friends—well, you will be the gainer after all. Franz was rich —he must be richer now, He will make it all Be - you, sure!” said Ugly Dan, with a light augh, ‘ Itis the boy, not the gold. Poor, without a cent—without a rag to cover him—I care not: only so he comes home to our sick and wear hearts!” brokenly muttered the blind minstrel. Knowing how vain would be her efforts to defend their little store in case she should make the effort, Amelia flung the coin on the ground, and the two lesser ruffians scrambled for it like boys after a choice nut, And Ugly Dan laugh- ed softly, not one of them fouchioe ‘e the pathos mbign filled the face and voice of the blind ‘ather, ‘That is all—every dollar,” she said, hardly, pointing toward the grazing donkey as she added: ‘* Yonder is Neddy. Here is the cart with all our poor things. Take them all, and now, if you are a man, tell us what we bave paid you for?” For once Herman Moskau forgot to reprove her impatience. He was standing with his hands partly raised and tightly clasped, his wan, lined face lit up with a pitiful blending of hope and fear, waiting for the glad tidings of his long lost. boy. ‘**That is his payment,” slowly uttered Ugly Dan, eaten: his teeth in a peculiar smile that sent a cold chill thrilling over the maiden as she looked and listened. ing, as yet.” “She will—she will pay you all she can!” hurriedly cried the blind man, ‘‘’Melié, you have kept nothing back?” ‘‘ Nothing, father,” sadly replied the poor girl, fresh tears coming into her eyes at this cruel suspicion. ‘It is so if she says it, sir,” and there was a trace of his old dignity in both his face and tones. ‘‘’Melie is a good girl. She would not cheat or lie, not even to bring back our boy! Ach! no!” ‘*T have a wretchedly poor memory, you see. I fear I will not be able to remember just when and where I last saw Franz Moskau, un- less—one kiss from your ripe lips, child, would answer, I am quite sure!” With an indignant cry Amelia shrunk back from the smiling villain as he stepped toward ‘* You have paid me noth- - m 0)(0\(0) (EO) CSE Cc Or