Beadle's Dime Library No. 42 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

Fm A LTT ET TT All correct?” he asked, cautiously. “Yes, she was a little obstinate when she found out the programme, but at last she yielded and agreed to carry it eut.” ‘** You persuaded her, then?” “Yes, persuaded her,” and Van Rensselaer laughed—a grim laugh with more of scorn than of merriment init. “I threatened to tear the vail from her face and call up the dance-house rabble below to a look at her.” ‘* And that fetched her?” Bishop asked, in wonder. “ Yes, instantly.” “She must amount to something?” and Bishop in his own mind wondered who she could possibly be. “She amounts to enough to wish that all New York ghouldn’t know that she has visited this dance-house to-night,” Van Rensselaer answered. - “Do you know that her voice ‘is very familiar to me?” Bishop said, thoughtfully. ‘I heard her speak when she got out of the carriage and I'll take my affidavit that I’ve heard her voice somewhere before. I’ve been puzzling my brains to remember where it was.” ‘‘ And can’t you discover?” 16 No. ” Van Rensselaer looked relieved. He did not care to have Bishop discover who Coralie was. “Probably only a chance resemblance,” he said, carelessly. “But now will you tell the landlord to send up the wine?” “Yes; I’ll bring it up myself; it’s just as well that the eld buffer shouldn’t see any of the dance-house people or any ene of them see him.” ‘‘That is a wise thought of yours.” Hardly had Van Rensselaer finished his speech when the wick of the candle, which he had placed upon the little stand lim the entry, with a hiss and sputter, went out. The candle tad burned low and had fallen through into the socket. ‘From light to darkness,” said Bishop, sententiously. “Jt makes no difference,” Van Rensselaer replied. ‘Not a mite; particularly as I’ve got a bull’s-eye lantern in my pocket.” “That's lucky!” “ Always just as well to have such things along in a game ef this kind,” Bishop said, sagaciously. ‘‘Hush!” cried Van Rensselaer, suddenly, grasping Bishop by the shoulder. That gentleman had just struck a match upon the sole of his boot and ignited the lantern wick. ‘¢ What’s the matter?” he asked, in a whispes. ‘*T thought I heard a noise upon the stairs.” * A noise!” “Yes, as if some one was ascending cautiously.” ** What reason could any one have?” ‘*Only to spy upon us.” “That’s so, by jingo!” The two listened attentively for a few moments. All was still, except that now and then the shrill squeak of a violin and the shuffle of heayy feet accompanied by boisterous peals of laughter came indistinctly up the stair- ease. ‘“« Well—I don’t hear any thing,” Bishop said, in a whisper, after a long pause. ‘‘ Because the person coming up has stopped, alarmed per- saps lest we should discover him,” Van Rensselaer said. ‘If my ears did not deceive me some one is playing the spy upon us.” Again there was a long silence, broken at last by Van Rensselaer clutching Bishop by the arm and whispering cau- tiously in his ear: ‘Hark! didn’t you hear it that time? Didn’t you near that board creak? I tell you some one is watching us!” Vaa Reuaselaer said, in a tone wherein no doubt was expressed _ The California Detective. 19. “Tt looks like it,” Bishop answered. ‘* Suppose we seize the intruder and see who it is?” ‘* Flash the lantern upon his face?” Bishop asked. ‘* Yes.” ‘*TIt sounds like a woman’s footsteps,” Bishop said, aftez listening for a moment. o The soft footfalls coming slowly but steadily up the rotten broken stairs could now be distinctly heard by both watchers on the upper platform. ‘‘ All ready?” Van Rensselaer questioned, as the sound of the footsteps cume nearer and nearer, ** Yes.” A few seconds more and the footsteps, almost as noiseless in their tread as the velvet paws of acat, dell upon the boards of the landing. The two ambushed in the darkness, almost held their breath as though they feared that the very sound of their ' breathing might betray their presence, and warn the stealthy- treading spy. A few seconds more and the light of the bull’s-eye lantern flashed out upon the darkness of the entry. A sudden spring, and Van Rensselaer grappled with the velvet-footed intruder. He had sprung upon the dark figure before the light of the lantern had fully made known to him who or what it was. Great, therefore, was his astonishment to grasp a man robed in a skin-dress, who swayed unsteadily to and fro without making an effort to escape. Then Bishop flashed the bright blaze of the lantern full upon the face of the stealthy stranger. Van Rensselaer be- held the features of an Indian. He released his prisoner in astonishment, aud Bishop chuckled quietly to himself, ‘‘ An Indian!” Van Rensselaer muttered, in wonder. The Indian essayed to straighten himself up, which waa quite a difficult feat for the noble son of the wilderness to accomplish, for his unsteady gait plainly betrayed that he had been indulging in the fire-water of the white man, Then he beat his breast with his hand as he proclaimed his name and tribe: “‘ Big chief —Pawnee-killer—Yancton Sioux!” said the 1n- dian, in a deep, guttural voice. Van Rensselaer looked at Bishop for an explanation. ‘*Tt’s all right,” Bishop exclaimed; ‘‘ he’s only a tame In. dian that hangs out round the dance-house; perfectly harm- less; drunk ’bout all the time.” ‘‘ Big Injine!” exclaimed the savage, gravely; ‘‘ like white man heap—me want rum,” and the noble red-man looked nquiringly into the face of the two who had so unceremon- iously accosted him. ‘‘Do you suppose this fellow could have overheard any of our conversation as he ascended the stairs?” Van Renssclaer asked, in a low tone of Bishop. ‘Oh, no; he wouldn’t have understood if he had over- heard. He only knows a few words of English. He’s only got about three letters in his alphabet, R-U-M—rum,” “Rum!” ejaculated the savage, with great dignity. “ Git!’ replied Bishop, laconically, waving the Indian away. With unsteady steps the savage departed. Down along the entry he went, and his reeling figure was soon lost in the darkness. ‘*Go for the wine while I keep watch outside the door," Van Rensselaer said. Cautiously the two stole along the entry. One to the door of the room; the ether to the stairway, which he descended = eel Tall apt GRIST BA OR Nt