Beadle's Dime Library No. 391 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

@ ify fe at > ee it & ' ‘ Kate Scott, the Decoy Det ee ective. ——_— A _- o . 4 2 passing over the airy way, enjoying the pleasant promenade. It had been a very warm day, and with the coming on of the night a balmy ocean-breeze had come up, laden with the ozone of the great Atlantic sea, and nowhere could the refreshing breeze be better enjoyed than on the spider-like bridge which practically makes the two cities one. : * The elevated pathway was a favorite resort for young people of both sexes, and many a flirta- tion has been carried on there when the mantle of night covered the earth. And on this evening of which we write, two young men made themselves conspicuous by the ‘glances they cast at every attractive-looking girl who came anywhere near them. & The young fellows, too, would have certainly be attracted attention by their peculiar appear- ---—--* They were dudes in the fullest sense of the --word.,: - - & Pooth-pick” shoes, the tightest of panta- / Joons, white silk hats, with odd-sha bell- | erowns and curling brims—in fact, got up re- | _- gardiess of expense, and swinging in their hands Bot 4 dainty little, switch-like canes with golden . eads, . ~ Both of them good-looking young men, too, _ ‘well worthy to catch a woman’s eye, in spite of the ridiculous style of their dress. | _- Curled and gilded darlings were these dainty | young men, so careful of their precious persons, bet if there were any youths in great Gotham fit to | be so termed. at Scions of two of the oldest and best families in the metropolis, no modern upstarts, but an- cient Knickerbocker stock, who assumed to look with contempt on the mushroom millionaires of to-day. Bo. > The taller one of the two, a well-built young nr fellow with yellow hair, parted in the middle of the head, after the English style, and sleepy- _ jJooking blue eyes, was called Charles Van Tromp, the only son of a widowed mother and | the heir to a half-dozen millions, besides being ' ‘worth a couple in his own a tomy _ His companion, younger by a yes | also slighter in build, with brown hair and eyes and incipient side-whiskers, was the only de- - seendant of one of the branches of the great Clinton family, so renowned in the history of ‘ the Empire State. ‘ ; Alexander Clinton he was called, and though he had no property he could reall his own, for the family estates were all tied up for the benefit of his heirs, a whim of his father, who --—-yather distrusted the ability of the son to take care of {the wealth he had accumulated, yet as he had a life-income of twenty-five thousand dollars a year, he managed to get along tolera- »* é ‘a ‘ eg well. oy: he two were fast friends, and were seldom «Seen apart. This was the first time they had ever conde- scended to do the bridge, but as the fellows at _ the club that evening had assured them that it ‘was the proper thing to do, they had taken a - eab and ridden to the bridge entrance and then, for the novelty of the thing, had decided to ) eross the structure on foot. » nb ‘We must really give the ladies a treat, me - deah boy!” Van Tromp had exclaimed; he as- gummed an English air as much as possible, and there wasn’t anything pleased him better than to be taken for a son of Albion’s sea-girt isle. “Certainly — the charming creatures — the _ dear little ducks! I fancy they don’t often get | g@ chance to admire such perfectly stunning bricks as we are every day in the week,” his -. companion replied. And so arm in arm the two had sauntered over the bridge, feeling perfectly satisfied with themselves and all the world. As we have said, they favored every good- Y Jooking girl that passed with a patronizing stare, | _ and were duly stared at in return. And just before reaching the center of the structure, an incident occurred which gave the -_- pair something to talk about. A well-dressed girl, about the medium hight, ' with a finely proportioned figure, and an ex- tremely pares, ul walker, overtook the two and Paes < vane them as they were proceeding in a lan- a. way. ¢ ig yay. Alex, there’s a deuced fine creature é exclaimed Van Tromp, calling his companion’s attention to the lady in a tone intended to reach er ears. TT don’t really know, deah boy, I was not 4 Jucky enough to see her face, but her figure is perfection itself!” Clinton replied. : And then to the delight of the pair, the girl turned her head and smiled. — : The young man was riglit; she was a fine _ ereature, although she could not be called strict- ly beautiful according to the rules of art, for ther features were rather irregular, although finely-cut, but there was an air of vivacity—of - gmartness to the face which was extremely eharming. ) She had brown-black eyes, and brown-black \ hair, worn short, and clustering in little cri ringlets to her shapely head, and she had a a eoquettish way about her which decidedly im- pressed the two young men. pee or two, | ‘*Deah boy, I believe you have made a con- | quest,” Clinton hastened to whisper to his com- panion, as he perceived the girl’s movement. But in matters of this kind Van Tromp need- ed no prompter, and he hastened to raise his hat and bow in the most courteous manner to the lady. And to his delight she acknowledged the salu- tation with a slight nod, accompanied by a pleasant smile, and slackening her pace allowed the pair to overtake her. ‘* Very pleasant evening for a promenade,” NG Tromp remarked, as he came up to the ady. ‘** Yes, very pleasant evening, indeed,” she | replied, without the least embarrassment, and | just as if the two were old acquaintances, ‘* [ don’t think I ever saw the moon look more beautiful,’ Clinton hastened to observe, eager to place himself on familiar terms with the pretty unknown. ‘Just cast your eyes down the bay too, and observe. what a truly lovely view you have from this elevated position.” The three were exactly in the center of the bridge at the moment and, as with one accord they halted and leaning against the rail surveyed the scene which, as the young man had observed, was really beautiful. “Tt is perfectly superb!” Van Tromp ex- claimed. ‘I don’t think I ever saw anything | handsomer in all my life, present company of course excepted,” and he bowed gallantly to the lady, who laughed merrily in return. ‘“ You are inclined to be complimentary, I see,” she rejoined. ** Oh, no, honest truth, I assure you,” and Van Ree bowed again. ; “Oh, yes, not the slightest doubt of that,” Clinton hastened to add, and he too bowed as elaborately as the other. Both the young men were decidedly impre by the girl who had been foolish enough to al- low them to become acquainted with her in this manner. She was no common young woman, no poor- ly-paid working-girl, popes ing for her bread pon the labor of her delicate hands, no daugh- of the under-crust, ground down almost to the dust by the pressure of untoward circum- stances, nor was she either a scion of the uppér- ten, a child of shodd , who had been sedulously educated to believe that she was something bet- ter than the common herd. In fact, although both of the young men prided themselves with the belief that they were ‘deuced knowing fellows, you know,” men who had seen a deal of life and were complete- Py up to snuff, yet in the present instance they w not know exactly what to make of the gir In all their ‘‘ wide” experience they had never encountered any one like her. She was evidently a lady, well educated and used to good society, and yet she had permitted them to make her acquaintance in this extreme- Pik pense manner, still there wasn’t any- thing forward about her, nothing to encourage a flirtation. ‘By Jove! I think I could stand here for hours and gaze upon this beautiful view!” Van Tromp exclaimed in admiration. He was evidently referring to the moonlit face of nature, but he had his eyes fixed upon the pretty features of the girl. **Oh, yes, it’s really, gs bo too awfully charming,” Clinton observed, guidly; ‘* but I think if I had to spend much time here, I should like a cigarette to while the minutes away.” ‘* Allow me to offer you one,” said the lady, with a brisk, business-like air, producing a dainty little cigarette case and proffering it to the gentlemen. : ‘Good gracious! you don’t mean to say that ou smoke!” Van mp cried, pretending to »e horrified, while Clinton also assumed an air of intense amazement, : ** Oh, no, [ don’t smoke myself. I only carr: a weed for the accommodation of my friends,” she replied, laughing. ‘‘Take one; 'T'll war- rant you will find them as good as can be pro- cured in the city. and no mi take!” ) It was quite an odd picture, and none of the parties to it noticed a muscu oy fi stern- faced, plainly-dressed man who had carelessly halted in his promenade a short distance away, | and, leaning on the opposite railing, was watch- | ing them. “T am really too awfully pleased!” ejacu They are genuine Havana lated Van Tromp, as he helped himself to a cigarette. ‘Yas, too awfully, awfully!” simpered Clin- n. The girl had made an impression. CHAPTER IL. THE EHKAVESDROPPER. ‘‘On, don’t mention it,” replied the young lady, in the most matter-of-fact way. “TI am always glad to oblige a friend. Have a light?” and then she produced a little ornamen box containing some tiny wax matches. The young men hastened to avail themselves of the offer, and when their cigarettes were lighted, Van Tromp resumed the conversation. **It seems to me that I have met you some- where,” he said, ‘‘for your face is very famil- jar. isn’t your name— Upon my word, I be- lieve I can’t recall it,” and he beamed insinuat- ingly upon the girl. *Flora—Flora Muir,” the girl replied, and ‘then she added, in the most innocent manner possible: ‘It seems to me that I have met you two gentlemen, but I don’t remember .where it was.” **Oh, there isn’t a doubt of it!” Clinton ex- claimed, ‘I’m sure we’re old acquaintances, but I never can trust my memory about any such things; I never can remember places, but when it comes to features they always stick by me. \ ‘*| think it must have been up in the Cats- kills where I live when I am at home,” the girl remarked, ‘‘l am only here on a visit. I live in Tannersville.” A perceptible shade passed over the faces of both the young men, and they cast furtive glances at each other. It was evident that creme ie Pcs the speech ble. of the girl made them uncomfo : ** Tannersville?” Van Tromp drawled, “ yes, I think I have been there, but I don’t remember much about it. That’s near the Catskill Moun- tain House, isn’t it?” ‘* Yes; only a short distance.” ‘*1 think I have driven through it,” and then Van Tromp looked askance at his companion, and Clinton coughed slightly as though embar- rassed and turned his attention to the view. ‘*It is a lovely place in summer time and is always crowded with visitors, and as your faces seemed familiar, I thought perhaps I might have met you. there,” the girl observed, appar- ently not noticing the slight uneasiness of the gentlemen. rr “Yes, it is possible; but I don’t remember the circumstances; but I ek st as elighted to see you now, and if you will permit the ac- quaintance to continue I am sure we will be very good friends indeed,” Van Tromp remark- ed, in his most gallant manner, — ‘Well, I can’t really ask you to call upon me because I am stopping with some friends in the city who are dreadfully strict, and they would pack me off home to my friends in a twinkling if I should be so imprudent as to have any gen- tlemen callers, but I go out walking in Central Park every pleasant morning, and I general] enter the Park at Fifty-ninth street and Fift avenue, just about ten o’clock, so if you should happen to stroll in that direction we should meet beyond a doubt, Mr.—Mr.—?” ‘‘ Thomas; Harry Thomas, at your service,” replied Van Tromp, with unblushing assurance. ‘* And this is my bosom friend, Ro Jones,” . he continued, ti a Clinton, who could hardly refrain from a smile at his chum’s auda- city. | ‘““T should be pleased to see you to-morrow, gentlemen, and no doubt we can have a delight- ful walk. I’m only a country-girl, you know, and need guides and protectors, so 1 shall look for you to-morrow, ‘‘T am on my way to see some friends of the folks with whom I am staying, who live about a block from the end of the bridge on the Brooklyn side, and they are to see me home to- night, so I am obliged to bid you good-by now. Ta! ta!” And with a charming smile she bowed and went on her way. ; The young men returned the salutation in the most elaborate manner, and then when the girl’s back was turned, winked at each other sig- nificantly. “What do you think of it, old chappie?” Van Tromp asked. **Oh, you’ve caught the girl for all she is worth, there isn’t the least doubt about that,” Clinton replied. ‘ But, I say, old fellow, she made a cold chill run all over me when she, mentioned the name of that infernal place.” ‘Yes; it was as much as I could do to keep — my countenance. In fact, I never even hear the Catskills spoken of in common conversation — without wishing that I had never been unlucky enough to go there,” Van Tromp replied, as he turned, as also did the other young man, and began to retrace his steps. | | “But it wasn’t our fault, old fellow; we real- ly didn’t have anything to do with it; we were not to blame for what occurred.” “Yes, I know that, but in a measure we’ were mixed up in it, ges really as innocent as a couple of lambs: and if there should ever be any row kicked up about the matter, the chances are about ten to one that it would cause us con- siderable trouble,” Van Tromp observed, and from the earnest way in which he spoke it was plain he regarded the matter as being a serious one. Clinton being much more of the butterfly or- der was not so much impressed. “Tt would be deuced awkward, of course; all such things always are, and extremely disagree- able; but by the aid of the potential article, cash, we should be able to smooth things over. ‘‘ Perhaps,” replied the other, with adubious shake of the head. com (E > aS - \ oe. A. a é ; ‘ 4 1 =| é J00kKsS.com © bel oe a