Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 419 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

et og - gour death would Jie at our door, and it’s by his * | PS ee oe ews SS +. a , ‘ 14 be a-passing along the beach and see’d you a-lying there, as cold aad as stiff, jest for all the world like you was cead, but we fotehed you along with us, and I reckon row that ov’v2 got yer eves open, end kin use your onzue a leetie, that you'll cling to life for a while longer, anyhow.” *‘Bus you mustn’t fatigue yourself by talk- ing much, or else the doctor says you'll be apt to slip your cable and slide into the other world, for s:re,” observed the man. “The doctor! has there been a doctor to see me?’ Lesbia asked, astonished, **Oh, yes, 1 reckon he’s been here three or four times—lain’t he, old wornman?’ Shackleton replied, with a wink to bis wifs, he was quick to understand bis meaning. Yes, ves, and if it a-hadn’t been for the stuff he foreed down your throat, you would never bave come to life again.” “Why, how long have I been here?” she asked, amazed, for she was not conscious that there had been any great lapse of time since the moment when she fell fainting upon the beach. “‘Lemme see! is it three days or four, eld wo- man?” ** Four,” responded the hag, speaking in sueh an honest way that Lesbia did not for an in- stant doubt the assertion, “Four cays,” she murmured, “ and it does not seem to me as if it bad been more than four hours.” The wrecker chuckled in his sleeve, for be saw that the girl was completely deceived, ** Waal, you see that is because you have bin ouf of yer head, a-raving away here like all possessed! Fact! I never thought that vou would come ont of your crazy fit, but the doetor said you would, and it ’pears he was right.” * And, sakes alive! child, you’ve no idee how glad me and my old men was when we see’d ow were a-coming to, Why, 16 wes only ves- erday that I sed to my old man, sed I, ‘ Lands! if that gal dies bere outo our hands, won't it be a downright shame!” declared the woman, ly- ing with an esse and ert that really excited the admiration of ber confederate. “Ob, lam not goivg to die, for I feel quite well. I am weak, that is all, but lam geting stronger every moment, and | think I can get ” i ‘* Ob, lands, no!” screamed the old hag, ‘‘ The doctor said as how you wasn’t to be moved for a week!” ** Yes, he said it would be your death if you attempted to get up!” the man added, Lesbia was amazed, for now that the faintness had passed awav, she felt about as well as usual, and pot at all like one who had been confined nt i + toasick-bed for the better part of a week. ‘*]T think the doctor must be wrong. for I do not feel at all unwell, and I am sure | feel quite strong enough to get up.” ** Better mind what tue doctor says; he knows, and since you have been saved from an awful death you ought not to fly in the face of Provi- dence by trying todo what you hadn’t oughter,” the wrecker’s wife remarked, “ Yes, and ticularly when there isn’t any need of it!” declared the old man, ‘ Now, that you kin talk, you kin tell me about vour friends, and i will seud word soas to let em kuow where you are.” * Yes, deary, and you can stay here, nice and comfortable, until they come tor you,” added the old woman, with a leer. The game that this well mated pair decided Sdpon playing when they discovered the girl Iving helpless upon the beach was an extreme); Bimple one. From her ladylike apperrance, ‘they thought she must be a member of the up- r ten, and they concluded by getting her inte eir clutches they would be able to get a good sum of money from her folks as a reward fo) their “ kindness,” and it was their intention to hold on to the girl until a “stake” was torth. gorming. Now Lesbia, although nothing but a child anc one who hed mingled but little with the great ~~ world, yet being well educated, she was no sim. _ pleton, and then too she was gifted with an un amount of common-sense, besides pos- ‘ sessing the peculiar ins\inct so commion to we- mankind, The impression produced upon her by these people into whose hands she had fallen was not favorable. She distrusted them; their evil | —s faces impressed her most unfavorably, and so _ ghe bri fly said she could not comply with t: eir request, She bad no friends to whcm sbe could pend; she “as all alone in the world end bad no one but herself to depend upon, Sie did not ij it necessary to relate the whole of her _ story. She knew that she was to be met by _ gome one upon arriving at New York, and that was all. : She further said she did not wish to trespass ie _ apon their Nan aot but would go to the city as goon as she was well enough, and she felt sure ‘that it would not take long for her to recover strength. “Well, you'll have to stay for a couple of . any wav,” the old man replied, with on ill- _ grace, “ for the doctor is away and will not re- rn until then, and he sed if we let you go, ; ' $ Ma - si se « at t+? . F . +9 The Bat of the Battery. ——_——<$<$_—<$———_— LL wwe - ee ie orders, too, that we fixed up this place for vou for he sed vou must be kept where the dayligh couldn’t get at you, ’eos it WGu.u veapt to throw you into a brain fever.” “It is very strange,” the girl murmured, per- plexed, for her instinct told her that there was something wrong about the matter. ‘‘I know | I am strong encugh to get up, and I[ feel sure I can take care of mys If. I baven’ta great deal | of money, but enough to pay you for your trouble, so if you please I will get up and go) away.” | The old couple shook their heads in decided | a age ikon sé the doctor comes, ’cos if anything was to bap- pen to vou folks would bieme us. and maybe the officers would put.us in jail,” the wrecker excloimed, Lesbia was notin the least deceived by these specious words, She understood that she was a prisoner and would not be allowed to depart, though why she was detained, and how long her lieved conld have dwelt in so innocent a mai- den, she did not make any further objections, out appeared resigned to her fate. The fisher- inan and his wife were completely deceived, and after a little more conversation retired, ad- vising the girl to get all the sleep that she pos- sibly conid, saying thaf they would not disturb ber until she called for them by knocking on the ceiling, “When you get hugry and feel like a good cup of tea, jest pound away end L’ll fotch it to ve,” was the parting injunction of the ojd wo- man, They did not remove the lamp, for they were so completely deceived by ths girl that they cid ne dream that any idea of flight was in her mind, But with the return of ber reason came the firm determination to escape from her prison- horse as soon as possible. When sho atiemp‘ed to get up, thongh, she found thet she was still quiie weak; she hed iniscalculated her strength, so she laid down again, rand then, after an hour or so, she began to fee! sleepv, and, closing ber eyes, was soon wrapped in a strength-giving slumber. She slept until the day was well advanced, and when she ewoke she felt undeniably hun- ry. ‘ Summoning the old woman she said she would be glad to bave a cup of tea. Mr. Sbeckleton bastened to prepare a simple meal, audafter Lesbia had eaten it, she felt like anotuer girl, She was careful, though, not to allow this fact to bevome known, for she did not wish her jailers to take omy extra precautions so as fo make it more difficult for her to escape, So, after eating, she laid down again upon the hed, and the old hag departed, perfectly satisfied that the girl was disposed to be con- tented, CHAPTER XATIL AN ADVANCE IN FORCE. AFTER sending the dispaich Blount sat down in the ~vaitiug-room of the depot; nothing more could be done until he heard from New York. Ile was convinced he wes on the right track: the old scamp had possession of the sail and mast, and from the way in wh'ch he had spoken of the girlit was clear that he knew what she was like. Blount thought he could guess the man’s scheme. The unfortunate maiden had come ashore in an almost insensible state and Shackleton, happening to be prowling along the beach, came across ber; thinking a reward might be offered for her discovery he had conveyed her to some secure place and was determined not to reveal where she was until he was weil poid for his trouble, Blount had c:leulated that it would take about two bours for bis message to reach New York and an answer to come, and so, when the end of the time approached, he sauntered out on the piatform to be in readiness for the dispatch, He wasat the main Long Branch depot where the ‘‘ell-rail” route from the city comes in. and es he reached the platform a train from New York drew up to the station; to Blount’s as- tonishment Mr. Lamardale, accompanied by the old Jawyer sud a couple of rather rough- looking men got out. ‘*T received both your dispatches, all right,” he said, ‘‘but the infernal telegraph compeny delayed the first message so that we were too late to intercept the boat. I burried. immedi- ately to the main office of the Wes'ern Union to wire vou and there received your second dis- patch, and, luckily, we just hed time tocatch a train, so here we are, ready for business, These two gentlemen represent the law,” and the old banker smiled while the two, who looked more like prize-fighters than officers of the law, grin- ned and winked in a highly significant manner. ‘**From your dispatch, brief as it was, I gath- ered that the party we have to deal witb 1, ip- clined to be ugly,” continued the banker, ‘and in all such cases I bave always found it was good policy to advance in such force as to pre- h, we couldn’t think of letting you go till | captivity would last she could not guess. Wiha shrewdness that few would have be- eee el Oe OO Oa OO eee se 4 / . —_ ? ae o> abe iH ‘ 5 4 + . * * * a ¥ > * clude resistaree from beirg offercd. Tf we went alone the feiow migot Jaugh at us, buf with these two gentlemen to back our cause, I've no doubt when our man discovers how matters stand be will be inclined to hsten to reason.” And Blount, when he took a good look at the muscular and determiuved-appearing fellows, came to the same conclusion. ‘We had better get ahead as soon as pos- sible,” the lawyer suggested, ‘‘as we have no time to lose if we mean to conclude the business before dark.” Blount explained that a carriage must be pro- cured, and this was soon done. The four gen- tlemen got in, the young sailor mounted his horse, put himself in the advance, and off they went. Before starting the lawyer was careful to whisper in Blount’s ear: ‘* Stop the carriage far enough from the house so that .he driver will not be avle to either over- hear or see what occurs. We may bave to pro- ceed a, little irregularly in this matter and we do nee any witness to make trouble after- ward, Blount understood the necessity that there was for this, and so halted tbe coach when they arrived at a point about a quarter of 4 mile from the bouse of the old wrecker. The coachman did not regard the invasion with any particular curiosity, for he took the party to be on a real-estate excursion, looking for a site for a new summer hotel, or something of that sort. But old Shackleton was not in the least bit deceived, ‘The moment he saw the “ army ” advancing over the s ndy track of open ccoun- try, and reeognized Blount in the advance, he anticipated trouvle, He was occupying his usual seat upon the boat, and hed got well into the enjoyment of a fresh pipe when he made the discovery. ‘Old woman, old woman!” be yelled, *‘ here’s that pesky young cuss bck and he’s got a big crowd with him. Jest bolt and bar the doors, for I'll bet they mean wischief; if they were a-coming to do the fair thing by me they wouldn’t bring sich a gaug as that ’ere along!” Shackleton and his deme hed a conference after Blount’s departure, so the woman under- steod «xactly how metters stood, While she made the fortress secure, the old may retained his seat, quietiy pufiing away at Ms pipe, Yeatdata had a brief and authoritative way with him, like the majority of men who have become possessed of a great ceal of money, and understand how much money can accomplish. He walked straight up to the wrecker and looked him squarely in the eye, thereby caus- ing Shackleton to scowl in an extremely ugly wav. “There's the mast and sail—now where is the girls” he exclaimed, sternly. “Wot gal?’ growled the other. ‘Come, come, no nonsense, my men!” ex- clsimed Leamardale, in a tone like a master ad- dressing bis slave. “You know what girl I mean and where she is well enough!’ ‘“Oh, do I?” replied the old fellow, rather awed by the manner of the other; ‘‘ p’baps Fou BPOe better ’bout the thing than l do my- se ‘‘ The presence of that mast and sail on your remises is ample proof that you possess a nowledge of the matter, and I give you fair werning that 1 am not in a humor to stand any nonsense, and therefore the quicker you tel all you know, the better it will be for ou. * Did this young feller tell you w’ot I sed?” asked Sbeckleton, nodding his head toward Biount. ‘‘Iu regard to the thousand dollars that demanded?” ‘ That’s it—that’s the p’int!” ‘ “You are crazy, man! If you had said a dollar, now, for your :trouble—” ‘Oh, what are you givirg me?” cried the old man, in a tone of cecp disgust. “A dollar! What kind of a mando you teke me for, any- bow? A éoller! W'ot’s a dollar to me? peng, it ain't euuff to puy for the rum for the O g,”? ; a Well, think rou.and your boys will have to do without the rum if you depend upon get- ting any money frcm me to pay for if. Come! Ili give you just three minutes to enswer my question—where is tie giri¢’ and the n iilion- aire took out bis watch, end sprung open the case while Shackleton surveyed bim with a mys- terious scowl, “One!” counted Lamardale. “ Ain’t I going to have anything for my trouble?’ grow led the old man, hardly know- ing what to make of these summary proceed- you ings. ts Nothing at all, sir, excepting that if you are not careful bow vou conduct yourself you may secure sug lodgings in tbe nearest jail; two!” “ Juil! you be banged!” Sback etoh velled rising in a sudden fury. ‘I reckon that I ain’ done nothing for to be put in jail for! You can’t come bere and skeer me so easy! Whoare you, anyway? I don’t know you—I never saw ee Pn JOO EoOmic SHE)