Beadle's Dime Library No. 395 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

i noticed by : Ul added Cramp. ‘‘The quicker we reach town and set the police on his track, the better our 4 chances of success. Try and recall his face and } figure as perfectly as possible, while we are : getting there. Don’t alarm her, if you can (ge avoid it.” Be With this parting whisper—which, with all i that had gone before it, seemed wholly un- ortia Wellspring in her stupefying | grief—Rufus Cramp, thoroughly satisfied with his success thus far, climbed into the box and sent the horses briskly toward the city. 8 Day had not yet fairly dawned when they en- bs tered the city, for the cunning schemer had | he felt it would be to pass away the hours which must intervene before the Superb started on her trip up-river. He knew that if Marmaduke othe iad even suspected who occupied that coach he would lose no time in following if an atom of life remained in his body. It would be -- much easier to dispose of him if he could be Hh}. branded before reaching town. . All too short Rufus Cramp found the drive, eager as he was to put the hounds of justice on the track of his dangerous adversary. Not only feared to waste time along the way, difficult as | ! ing from the effects. ai 7 o Fs i sy if 4 —_ a a ee a ee ee oe Deadly Aim, the Duke of Derringe a , - » _ ¢ % eee + oS ee es Time was so short I couldn’t soften the blow in any way.”, ‘‘Tt must have made the tinder heart av ye weep tares av blood to shpake the worruds, sor!” demurely uttered Mr. Murphy, his off cheek sticking out with a mocking thrust of his tongue tip. “Tt was a disagreeable duty, but one which was forced upon me by Mr. Wellspring himself. I could not decline it. I have done the best | knew how, and however the matter turns out, I cannot be blamed.” e Say praised, yer hanner,” equivocated Mur- WY. ‘** Let that pass,” more rapidly uttered Cramp, seeing that they were drawing near the chiet’s office. ‘*The young lady is soshaken that she will be better off on board the steamer. Our business will detain us for an hour or more, but you can drive her direct to the Superb. Here are the tickets, and you can attend to the bag- gare, behind. Of course this all goes into your ill. ‘‘ Niver mintion it, sor!” cheerfully cried the man, with a deprecatory shake of the red head. : | ‘* Waitin’ ana swate leddy loike yen’ is pay too ‘had he to lay his plans for that, but he must | big for the loikesav Murtogh Murphy, l’avin’ -— coneoct another scheme for ** dropping” Aunt | out the dirthy money—beggin’ its pardon for tela Honor, which would be an even more difficult | the crooked worrud!” |. task, he hegan to fear. With a flourish he drew up before the office - . _ Yet, although he had not perfectly arranged | where Chief of Police Martin Tullar reigned, his programme, Rufus Cramp showed no hesita- | and Rufus Cramp leaped to the sidewalk. He i +. tion as ak entered the city, driving briskly | hastened fo open the door, whispering as Aunt . _ along until he drew rein before the livery-stable | Honor almost thrust her face against his in the iis of Murtozgh Murphy, the rattle of wheels and | effort to distinguish where they were, in the __ elatter of hoofs bringing that wakefui worthy | gloom of early dawn: to the door. | This is the place where we must lay our aor Businesss was business with the Emeralder, | complaint. Do not disturb Miss Wellspring. and certainly there were no signs of the disgust | Your evidence is all that is needed, added to ~ on his honest face as he came forward, doffing | what I can tell.” ith his hat with an inquisitive glance at the closed Without a word, Aunt Honor stepped briskly window. If not exactly a “ raal intlemon,” | outside, and closing the door, Rufus Cramp mo- ~ Rufus Cramp had money and paid liberally. | tioned for Murphy todrive on. He started at _ “Ts safe back I'm glad to see yer hanner, | once, in a brisk trot, greatly to Aunt Honor’s hie | surprise and indignation. oe ‘ an’ it’s a wee taste toired the bastes luk, to be sure, sor! W’u’d it be a bite an’ a wishp follyin’ a nate rubbin’ down fer the p:rthy pets, now, ye’d be wantin’, Misther Cramp?” he volubly uttered, rubbing the tip of his shining red nose ~~ with the brim of his hat, which he held before him with both hands after a half-bashful, half- Cait bao ae fashion. _- “Not just at present, my good fellow, though the cattle will be left in your charge - for-a few days, probably,” was the hurried reply. rey’ Mts the proud mon Murtogh Murphy ’ll be _. for that same thrust. sor, an’ though he says so =z - .__ himsilf, which w’u’d betther become other lips, ___- sor, it’s not the harses that'll complain o’ the b *) ~keepin’.” ee.) ‘““As I know, else I wouldn’t trust them in --—- your care. They belong to Mr. Wellspring, and his coachman will call for them. But, '- now—can you lend me a trusty hand for a few r st: a nutes , ae ‘Maybe it’s mesilf w’u’d sarve the purpose, ‘ until the noise of the starting hoofs helped to anh Tee hannerj” Ag well as another,” shortly uttered Cramp, fearing ** Jump le + ce he was losing too much time in talk. and lively!” | _ Murphy was beside him in an instant, takin the proffered lines and whip without a word, simply looking into the face of his employer for _. instructions. Ft ’ gh! Rufus Cramp gave them | ‘moving along on the seat to make room, uickly, though not ot -deaden his voice so that it could not si- _ bly reach even the keen ears belonging to Aunt Honor. cca: ea tt OC LLL ML LLL LLL > <eee ‘*Tt’s all right, my dear madam,” hastily ut- tered Cramp, catching her by the arm and checking the shrill summons which was on the phe of being hurled after the unsuspicious urphy. ‘*‘We may be detained an hour or more, and so I thought it best for Miss Well- spring to secure a little rest and quiet. Murphy has my orders to drive her to a quiet boarding- house, just a little ways around the corner.” ‘*' You said nothing to me,” wrathfully breath- ed Aunt Honor, as the coach whirled swiftly around the corner. ‘*The poor child will be dreadfully surprised. I didn’t tell her—how could I?” ‘“T beg your pardon, madam,” and _ the schemer bowed meekly before the indignant lady. ‘‘I’vehad so much to think of—Il’ve lost so much sléep of late, hurrying to carry this la- mentable news to you—that I really forgot that you did not fully understand. But Murphy is thoroughly trustworthy—as the chief will , tell you—and Miss Wellspring will suffer no great alarm. And—I think the quickest way to re- join her will be for us to see the chief at once,” e added, gently drawing Aunt Honor toward the office door. Before she could reply, or refuse, the door opened and the chief himself bade them enter. A little awed in his presence, as those are almost sure to be who pane never had dealings with the representatives of justice in person, Mrs. Magill accepted the chair offered by the polite chief, and Rufus Cramp began his artful story. With growing interest Chief Tullar listened, for he was a true bloodhound who would arrest an own brother as quick as an utter stranger, —--— *& Drive at once to Chief Tullar’s office. It’s | did the occasion arise. Not that he was a brute, | or one who loved his power, through cruelty. early, but I trust we’!l find him there.” returned ‘vo say “Ay it’s on business, ye will, sor,” promptly | Not even his worst enemy could\accuse Mertin 1g Son de jn another of the sume nationality. Re sleeps there, docs Martin, be token he’s a bach- - @lor, widout wife or childher to kape him awake. Sure to foind him, yer hanner! It isn’t Murtogh Murpby w’u’d be so onmannerly as to ax what moight be the reason av sich an airly éall.” | An Trish hint, but Rufus Cramp declined to ¢ ey - aeecpt it. , : 4 ot! “T may be detained somo little time, if the | chief is in.” with a true Irishman’s faith | Tullar of anything like that, ‘‘ Sure he | born detective and policeman, with a nose for ut he was a crime and criminals sure as that of a terrier for vermin. If a man sinned in these times, he did so with hiseyes fully open to the consequences. If he sinned, and was caught, he must natur- ally expect to suffer. Policemen were appoint- | ed to protect society and to arrest sinners. As they were sworn to perform their duy, even so they must keep that oath sacred, is, in a nutshell, was Martin Tullar’s creed, Tersely, but clearly, Rufus Cramp told the pity 3 ‘Sure, sor, it’s me that niver kapes count o’ | story of the attempted highway robbery from ‘the hours whin waitin’ for a gintlemon loike | his selected standpoint, only stopping short cf et yer hanner,” bowed Mump hy, ‘Sure an’ I'd be | naming the Duke of Derringers, Then he fell __ ¢ontint to wait tin year widout wan glimpse av | back a little, to give way to Aunt Honor, | _--s- yer handsome face in the lave of it all,so [| . She was little more prolix, simply stating ss Wu'd now!” what she had heard and seen. She first de- poe Sober as a judge was that side of Murphy's | scribed the face and e of Tom Kearney as - face toward Cramp, but his off eye gave a most | seen through the glass portion of the door, and i out diabolical wink for his own benefit, that told ey! eee ines what the last sentence meant - benea Bot h its surface. You remember what I told you about Mr. a a? t Heaven rest his sowl!” preawy muttered _». Murphy, crossing himself with the tip of oue “ Fis daughter is inside, with her relative, | They are going with me to St. Superb. was a terrible shock 4 * ee Louis, on the val a wy Mal : . we) 2D \ ¢ .* > 3 oU. ‘4 ‘ hy _ for the poor young lady, and she is still suffer- inwardly. dim as was the light where the robbery bad taken place, Rufus Cramp paled a little as he saw how closely Aunt Honor had observed. And Chief Tullar bowed, with a grim smile on his broad, massive face, ‘“‘T know the fellow. Beg pardon, ma’am, Please continue.” The grim smile faded from his face as Aunt Honor proceeded to describe with equal close- ness the second face she had mentally noted. It was the schemer’s turn to smile, but he did so e knew that Chief Tullar must re- ay > , ‘ > {Jb ° Ai, fA DL Pt! g 4 ’ 4 4 ’ 4 ' y ad , 2» , /. = Shes ,, \ . 4 ae r 4 1 4 Schone Fea, $E 18 T De\ é<44 of} 2 ee z ——————— rr a nnn ee ee member that caning affair, and being on fairly intimate terms with the Duke of Derringers, would naturally receive his unsupported testi- mony with no little caution. ‘“You must have seen this—the person the lady describes so minutely,” said the chief, gravely, turning toward Rufus Cramp. ‘*T did see him, plainly,” was the calm reply. ‘*T did more; [ put a mark on his head that is cannot conceal for a few days.” ‘You had a row with him, then?’ smiling a little, as though his memory reverted to another occasion when ‘*‘a row” took place. ‘*? shot at him, even as I shot down his two allies,” coldly. ‘*‘He was holding my team, calling to the other rascals to make quick work.” ‘**And you agree with the description this lady gives?” ‘* In every respect. name, if necessary.” ‘* And that is?” ‘Marmaduke Barringer, better known, per- haps, as the Duke of Derringers,” quietly re- sponde 1 Cramp. “You are prepared to press this charge against Mr. Barringer, of course?’ slowly asked the chief. ‘** Would I take the trouble to make it, else?” ‘‘ Press the charge?’ echoed Aunt Honor, in- dignation in every tone, in everyinch of her stately figure. ‘‘ Indeed we will press it—the audacious Villain!” ‘*T must take your names, then. Of course I know yours, Mr. Cramp, but the lady is—” ‘* A close relative of Romulus Wellspring, Es- quire,” coldly interposed Rufus, ‘' The other lady is Mr. Wellspring’s daughter, She would have added her complaint, but for illness brought ou by painful news from ler father, who—” ‘*T beg pardon,” muttered the chief, springing to his feet, flushing before the prim lady who so f rigidly gazed at him. ** There is no barm done, if you set your men promptly at work. Unless Barringer was killed —which I fear was not the case—he will un- doubtedly try to enter town. You know the road by which he must come. Perhaps you may be in time to intercept him, even yet, it is so early. Or, if he does not come, you can send out along the road until you find sign; it wilh not be lacking, depend on it,” with a hard smile. That was before the days when witnesses were locked up in jails while those they accused of sin were permitted to walk abroad in apparent free- dom, and the chief bowed his early visitors out with much more impressement than he had re- ceived them. Rufus Cramp glanced at his watch with in- ward anxiety. Time was passing rapidly, and each fleeting moment was growing more and more precious. He had not dared show too great haste in that interview with the chief, who might take it upon himself to bold him, at least, as a witness, if he was allowed to suspect their purpose of leaving on the Superb for St. Louis that very morning. He must dispose of Aunt Honornow, for more than ever was he determined that she should not bear Portia Welispring company on that trip. There was time; unless the old lady should sus- pect mischief too soon. She was terribly keen and far-seeing! “There is ample time to devote a couple of hours to breakfast and repose, if you wish, dear madam,” he said, cheerily as they moved away from the office, his blue eyes glancing around in search of a conveyance of some sort, as soon as a corner hid them from the office. ‘Take me to Miss Wellspring, at once,” brief- ly renlied Aunt Honor. ‘That is what I meant, of course,” with a bow. ‘* Tt is not very far, but—ah! that’s lucky!” and he waved kis hand as a signal to the driver of a bright, neat hack crossing in front of them. His easy, netural air hed banished any faint suspicions which had been awakened by his curi- ous conduct iu sending off the coach with Portia Wellspring, and with a little sich of comfort, Aunt Honor sunk back on the soft cushions, un- heeding if she Leard the directions which Rufus Cramp hurriedly gave the driver. Neither the street nor the number mentioned would have alarmed her in the least, thanks to her ignorance of that quarter of the city, but possibly it was just as well for the schemer and his plans that she failed to catch the significant leer and wink which the driver gave on receiving his instruc- tions. : A very few minutes sufficed to carry them to the house indicated, and when they drew up, and Aunt Honor expressed her surprise at not seeing anytbing of the coach, Rufus Cramp has- tily uttered: ‘The horses were tired, and possibly Murphy thought it best to take them around to the stable for afeed. Still, to make sure there is no mis- take, [ll run up and ask after Miss Wellspring.” Without waiting for an answer, he rushed up the steps and rung the bell, pi as well. The door was opened after a short de- lay, and stepping on the threshold, Rufus hur- I can give you the man’s ss g the knocker Ger > « riedly addressed the fat, flashily-dressed woman — who smiled upon him: ** No time to talk—business! An old lady is GoOmic SS G * * > 900k: é < we ete Cath Oo