Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 436 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

Se ee - -s a “= 26 —- — = = ~— = — — +. ~s oe a cae Kentucky Jean. terious shots, and the fact that one of them was evidently fired at her; would people not jump to the conclusion that the same person who fired the shots had something to do with the strange disappearances?” yi an certainly would.” “Well, it is known that J did not fire them, and if [ play my cards with a little skill, may I not escape suspicion altogether?” ** You have hit it exactly! [f you can only et the girl into your possession without being iscovered, 1 believe the rest will be easy; and that mysterious Somebody who did the secret shooting will have to shoulder the blame.” ‘*T believe that is my best chance, and I am going to risk it.” : For an hour or so the two remained in conver- sation, and then they parted for the night. About that same hour—about ten o’clock— news of the missing girl was received at the Dallas mansion. Colonel Dallas, Mrs, Dallas, Charlie Denson and Kentucky Jean were seated in the library, Mrs. Dallas silently weeping, and the others in conversation regarding the mystery; when suddenly and without warning something came crashing through one of the windows, and fell to the floor. Colonel Dallas picked it up, while Kentucky Jean sprung out to capture the thrower; but not a sign of any one could be seen, and after a fruitless search of several minutes, the sport re- turned, The missile had proved to be a stone, and around it, carefuily secured, was a sheet of pe per, on which was written the following in Min- : nie’s own hand: ** DEAR MotrHer:—Knowing how anxious you must be, I have begged and obtained leave to send you these few lines, on condition that 1 do not attempt to let you know where lam, Iam well. My deten- tion may be a matter of days, of even of weeks, but my custodian assures methat 1 am in no danger, and that no harm is intended me, Iam well cared for and comfortable. Your loving daughter, ** MINNIE,”’ Here was mystery profound. a CHAPTER XXIX. 4 THE STRANGEST OF ALL, | Free! fire! fire!” 3.) Loud and startling rung out the cry. ) It was past the hour of midnight, and Bended (m. Bow, for the most part, was wrapped in peace- ful slumber. But the town was soon aroused, f Rube Rittens had just been awakened by the i shouting, when there came a loud knock at his door. . Springing out of bed and throwing up a win- dow, he called: as Who is there?” “Come, Rube, come!” was the response; ‘ th’ , Break 0’ Day is all ablaze!” and having explain- eA ed thus briefly, the man turned and ran out and down the street in the direction of the mine, . Rube had recognized him in the semi-darkness as one of the mine’s employees, and glancing in the direction of the mine, saw lurid tongues of Hi flame leaping up toward the sky 4 Turning back into the room, he hastened to don his clothes and boots, and then threw open _ his door and sprung down the stairs, out of the Be house and away, buttoning his coat and adjust- ing his bat as he ran. a x lue-eyed Belle, awakened about the same . time that Rube had been, had heard the words spoken by the man who had stopped on his way - to call Rube, who, it will be remembered, was a foreman atthe mine, and she, too, had sprung out of bed and raised her window. “Heavens!” she gasped, ‘‘ itsurely isthe mine. — And all of Colonel Dallas’s horses are stabled | there. Oh! I hope they can save them!” Pe) urning away from the window, she hastily bat ut on her dress and shoes, and by that time Rube had gone down and left the house. D4 Old Aunt Dinah, in her room on the first floor, now began to call loudly to know what all the ' excitement was about, and Belle hastened down ' to close the door, which Rube in his haste had _ Jeft open, and to reassure the old housekeeper that there was no danger. + “What fo’ de Lawd am de matter?” the old woman demanded, as she put her white, woolly head out into the room. ‘*There’s a fire down at the mine,” Belle ex- we i plained, as she closed and secured the door, ** and Soll oar, has gone down there.” s **Huh! am dat all? By de way he kem r’arin’ \ an’ tarin’ down de stairs, I done thought de last trump had blowed, sbua!” After a little persuading, Belle finally got the _ old woman back into bed, and then she lighted _ a@ lamp and sat down to await Rube’s return. ‘Barely two minutes had elapsed when there - eame a light knock at the rear door—the kitehen | door—and stepping out into that room, Belle asked who was there. ¢ Bh “It is I, Charlie,” came the reply; “let me ir “Ts it you, Charlie Denson?” Belle tcok the a = to inquire, in order to hear the voice “ he ae “Ww ' , 7 % ‘Yes, Belle, it is I,” in a whispered tone; ** open the door, quickly.” eassured, thinking she recognized the voice of her lover, and her mind filled with the thought that he was bringing further news of Minnie, she having been told of the note so strangely re- ceived, she threw open the door, The next instant she was clasped tightly in the arms of a masked man, whoclapped his hand over her mouth and carried her, despite all her strvggles, out of the room and out of the yard, by the rear way, as well. | Just outside the yard he was joined by an old | woman, a Villainous-looking bag, who had a gag | all ready, and in a moment the poor girl was se- | curely gagged and bound. This done, the man delivered her into \he wo- man’s charge, with the one word ‘* remember,” and then he hastened away in one direction while the old hag forced the girl along with her | in the other. In the mean time Rube Rittens had arrived at the scene of the conflagration. The fire proved to be in heither the office of | the mine, nor the stables, but was madly devour- ing some old shedsand a pile of lumber that stood near them. Several men had already arrived, and were doing all they could to subdue the fire and hin- der it from spreading to the stables, and Rube sprung into the work like a very tiger. Ten minutes later, ere Jared Kenneth ar- rived, almost out of breath, and shortly after- | ward came Colonel Dallas and Charlie Denson. Kenneth, like Rube had done, sprung into the work with a will, giving orders and at the same | time helping to execute them, | The fire in the lumber was only in the top of | | who it am. _ open an’ a big man grab onter Belle, an’ den— —— a a Se ee me consciousness, hoping that she would be able to throw some light upon the mystery. Quickly obtaining some water” tis sprinkled it on her face, and then began to rub her hands and arms Aira f After a time Aunt Dinah opened her eyes, and then forcing a little hquor into her moutb, Rube soon had the satisfaction of seeing her rapidly recover. As soon as she could speak, she said: **Oh! Mars’ Rube, Mars’ Rube!” ‘What is it?’ Rube demanded. ‘*‘ Where is Blue eves?” As he put the question, be assisted the old wo- man to her feet and led her to a chair. **Oh! Mars’ Rube,” she exclaimed, in faint. tones, *‘ she hab been carried off.” ‘* Carried off!” ** Yes, yes, she hab been carried off.” ** And who carried her off? Come! tell me al! ye know, an’ tell me quick !” ‘‘It was jest after you went out to de fire. She done locked de door an’ made me go back ter bed, and den she sat down. Den de nex’ minute I hear her go inter de kitchen, an’ hear’ her talk to some one, an’ | jump up quick ter see I look out, an’ jest den de door fly whuff! an’ she am gone.” ‘* My God! and who was th’ man? Did ye know him?” ‘*No, I didn’t know him, Mars’ Rube, an’ he had a big mask over his face, anyhow. Oh! | Mars’ Rube, can’t you go an’ done fotch her back? Can’t you go an’ find her?” ‘* By th’ heavens above, I will find her, old woman; an’ God help th’ wretch who has dared ter carry her away! Ill find her, if I have ter the pile, but was spreading rapidly downward, | search th’ hull world over!” and the buildings near it baving fallen down, | Kenneth and Rube saw at the same time that vile, There was a ladder near the fence, only a short | distance away, and both men ran for it at the same time, Without a word spoken they carried it and placed it against the pile of lumber, and then climbed quickly to the top. The sheds having fallen; as stated, the heat was less intense, and it was possible to gain the top of the pile and remain there, though nearly se whole of the upper part of it was wrapped in ame. Kenneth and Rube understood that both of | them were there for one purpose, and imme- | diately they began to lay hold of the blazing boards and fling them as far away as they could, the superintendent at the same time ordering the men below to carry them still further away as they fell. There, as plainly seen as though it had been midday, the two heroes of the fire were instant- | ly recognized, and a loud cheer was given by the | crowd, which was now quite large and was still | increasing. Four or five others soon followed up the lad-— der, and in a short time the fire was under con- | trol, and was finally put out. And then the crowd dispersed. Colonel Dallas thanked Jared Kenneth and | Rube heartily, and when the danger was all over, returned home, accompanied by Charlie Denson, Kentucky Jean, Willis Stanton and sev- eral others who had grouped themselves near i him; Charlie and the sport both bearing evi- dence of the assistance they had lent in extin- guishing the fire. Kenneth and Rube remained some time longer, directing the men in making all as secureas pos- sible against any outbreak, and then after the superintendent had given orders to two of the men to remain all night as extra watchmen, they started back into town, talking over the strange affair as they walked. ‘it's a mighty mystery how th’ fire was sot,” Rube avowed, “ unless 1£ was sot a-purpose.” ‘You are right,’ Kenneth agreed, “and it must have been set. There area great many mysterious things happening here of late, Rube. There is no knowing what may happen next.” ‘*That is so, I sha’n’t be surprised at any- thing, now.” And so they talked until they came to the point where Rube turned, and there they said ‘rood-night” and parted. When Rube reached home a terrible surprise awaited him. He found the front and side doors both locked, and his knocking brought no one to open them, though he knocked loudly and waited patiently. Greatly mystified, yet all unsuspecting of the truth, he made his way around to the rear door, which, to his astonishment and alarm, he found standing wide open. ! Hastening in, the first object to meet his | glance, when he passed from the kitchen to the sitting-room, was the senseless.form of his old housekeeper, clad in only her nightgown, lying | prone on the floor. ‘once! Lifting his old housekeeper up, Rube bore her back to her bed, and then telling her to remain. quick action would save the greater part of the there, he left the house by way of the kitchen, securing the door after him, He went straight to the Dallas mansion, where he rung the bell with such energy that the household was soon aroused again, and in a mo- ment he was admitted by Colonel Dallas himself, **(tood heavens! Rube,” the colonel exclaimed,. ** what has happened?” ** Blue-eyed Belle has been carried off,” Rube answered, “Carried off! ‘* Not an hour ago,” Rube told his story. The entire household—servants and all—was present. ‘‘And what is to be done?’ demanded the colonel, as Rube concluded. ‘What is to be done!” echoed Charlie. ‘* Pil tell you what is to be done: The whole town is to be aroused, and a search made at Nota minute is to be lost! Come, Rube,” as he caught up his hat, ‘‘we must find that girl or die!” An hour later the whole town was up and astir, and lanterns were seen flashing every- where. The excitement of the previous day was begun again, and re-enacted, and, we are obliged to add, with the same result as before. Blue-eyed Belle, ike Minnie Denson, was not to be found, When morning dawned, and the searchers, ali tired and discouraged, returned to town, almost all hope was given up. {t was a mystery no one could fathom, Colonel Dallas, Charlie Denson, Rube Rittens Kentucky Jean, Jared Kenneth and severa others of those who had been most active in the fruitless quest, met at the hotel, and there the situation was discussed, but no light could be thrown upon the affair. ) The case was looked at from every pomt of view, but no satisfactory explanation could be arrived at. One thing, however, seemed to he agreed upon, and that was—that there was some connection between these strange abductions and the mys- terious pistol-shots of some days previously, and one of the strongest supporters of this theory was Jared Kenneth. ' CHAPTER XXX. BELLE IN CAPTIVITY. BLUE-EYED BELLE, in the hands of the old woman, or ha, was half-carried and half- dragged to the outskirts of the town. The woman avoided the streets, and making her way through rear yards and vacant lots, met no one, When the western limit of the town was reached, she took to a path that led away into the hills, and along that path she hurried her prisoner with all possible speed. For fully a mile and a half sbe continued in this direction, and at last came to an old and seemingly deserted house. — Blue-eyed Belle, knowing all the country within a radius of five miles or more, knew very well where she was when the old house was. ‘When—how?” And then in few words Filled with dismay, the old miner called loudly | reached. for Belle, and getting no reply he hurriedly | looked the house over to find her. She was gone. Almost in despair, then, not knowing what to This old house was one that did not beara very savory reputation, empty though it was. Many times it had been used as a headquar- ters for desperadoes and outlaws of almost every fear, he next tried to restore the old negress to grade, and more than once had the citizens of. es ag od, ; r Pad _ * ahs, w (E "Ecomicboo A» >