Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 437 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

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She was Ralph Hathaway’s wife. “‘T think it only justice to me to say what crime Temple Hathaway committed,” she ner- vously said. —_ ' the better. i | speak. You know | slowly. ‘* Wal, ez I said, it’s ter see him—ter gaze on- ter his classic feetur’s. I want ter see ef his face is familiar. I once had a chum named Archibald Woodside; wanter see ef it’s the same map.” ‘This is absurd, sir,” said Claudia, severely, ‘fand the sooner you take yourself out of sight Wedo not care to have strangers on the grounds,” ‘*Oh! come now, you wouldn’t drive me away, would ye? Young chap, say a good word fur me, will yer?’ | Wilberson’s lips moved, but not a word did he He was tov frightened. A word from Woodside was silent for several minutes; then | this disreputable fellow, who knew him well, he slowly replied: “If you refuse to listen to me, I authorize you to say to your lover—if so you regard the young | man—that when he can prove bis family clear from all blame he can figure as your friend. I would ruin all his chances with Claudia. Not suspecting that she was married, he still built his air-castles as lovers will. ‘* All I want is one squint at the boss,” added Abe, who had come to obtain his wish on the have no wish to be severe, and the fact that he | sly, but had grown suddenly bold at finding an is poor is of no consequence. Wnat | ask cf the man who is to be your husband is character to match the sterling honor of the W oodsides,” Claudia’s face brightened, but the professor made a grave gesture, and added: ‘Wait! It is no more than fair that I tell you this hope can never be realized. When the thiopian changes his color, and not before, can Temple Hathaway’s record be cleared.” The girl was not sorry that the announcement of a visitor ended the interview at this point. She felt incapable of coping with her father. He would not explain his own words, and, act- ing in the dark, she could not meet him with arguments. She went to her own room and sat down to think, As she did so her gaze wandered to the grounds beyond the house, and she saw Horace Wilber- son pacing along a walk. She had rather liked her brother’s guest, but as she saw him glance up, plainly with the hope of seeing her come oo rg him, sudden dislike went out against She was not in the mood to tolerate attention from other men now—all her thoughts were of — hat meant this shadow which had been raised by her father? Was there really some- thing horrible in the life of the elder Hathaway? She told herself that she would not allow it to make any difference with Ralpb, even if she was in a position to recede from her attachment to him; but the cold, hard fact that she could not recede if she would, was not to be wholly defied After some minutes’ thought she sat down and wrote a letter to young Hathaway, explaining all, and begging him to clear bis father’s name if he could. She went down-stairs to give the letter to a servant for mailing, and thus ran unexpected] upon Wilberson. e stopped her and asked if she would go out into the grounds. Her first impulse was to decline, but then came the thought that she might succeed in pass- ing the time better if she went. Accordingly she put on her hat, and they were soon walking together. ad she suspected that Wilberson’s sole ob- ject in seeking the interview was to get a chance to make a formal declaration of bis love she might not have been so ready to go; and had he suspected how his intention would be frustrated, he certainly would have prayed that she might never come out until the danger was ast. 3 They were walking slowly along when some one else suddenly appeared on the scene, It is not pleasant for people of high life to deal with tramps in any form, and when an ragged, none-too-clean, disreputable- looking fellow so unexpectedly blocked their way, it was natural that they should feel un- usual emotion over it. Claudia was not frightened. The a ble n was smiling, as though peaceably in- clined, and at the worst Wilberson could throw him out. So she thought, but if she had looked closely at Mr. Wilberson’s face, she might have been surprised, He actually seemed frightened. The rege ot ' knowing manner in which the intruder look at him seemed to have unexpected effect. Wil- berson was dismayed, to say the least. If Duke Dorgan had been there he would have recogni the disreputable man as Abe Benlow, and seen a significance about his pres- ence there. The fellow winked at Wilberson, and then gravely said: ‘IT say, young feller, kin you tell me whar the boss o’ this palace is?” “ee N ” It was really a mechanical reply, but Wilber- son was alarmed, and it came out sharply. ‘‘Whom do you wish to see?’ calmly asked Claudia, thinking this the easiest way to get rid of the man. ** Does one Archibald Woodside live hyar?” ‘* This is Mr. Woodside’s,” ‘Td like ter git my optics onter him,” ** What is your business?” ola acquaintance there, ‘* My father does not want to see you, and I hope you will not compel me to call a servant,” said Claudia, somewhat severely, Abe’s eyes twinkled angrily. ‘* You'd better not!” he retorted, ‘‘ or I might sorter make it hot fur you. Mebbe I could tell that about yer high an’ mighty family that would make it uncomfor’ble.” Claudia changed color. The secret she had to conceal was always foremost in her mind, and she believed the disreputable man knew it. ‘* Won't you go away?’ she asked, almost im- ploringly. ‘Yes, my good man,” added Wilberson, ‘‘ pray go, and I will give you a dollar.” Abe grinned. He saw that both were afraid of “him, and enjoyed his temporary power greatly. , ‘* Don’t think I will,” he returned. ‘‘ Ef Archy Woodside is a chum o’ mine, ez seems likely, L orter hev a seat at his table. I’m goin’ in ter see the old chap.” 4 CHAPTER IX, A TERRIBLE REVELATION. ABE had no intention of keeping his threat, but he enjoyed worrying his two companions, as people of low natures will. He was in earnest when he said that he wanted a look at Professor Woodside. His present movements were the result of his interview with Levi Peters. A chance remark on bis part had put Peters on the scent, and when he saw that the private detective was interested, he magni- fied his own knowledge. Really, he had no idea what had become of the man who had been his friend when they were serving a certain State in her prison. A score of years had passed since then, and he had almost forgotten the details of that unhappy experience, but the scent of gold brightened his memory a good deal, The last interview with Peters had put him thoroughly on the alert, If there was money to be made, he wanted the lion’s share. Peters had declared that he knew the other ex-convict, ‘now a fine gentleman,” and had intimated that his name was Zachary Rose or Archibald Woodside. Abe was not a scientist, and was not posted in recard to the names of those who were, but in- quiry bad caused him to learn that there really was a rich Archibald Woodside, and he had come to see if he was his old friend. He was now playing with the young people in a cat-and-mouse style, and bis last assertion bad filled both with dismay when the aspect of the case was changed by the appearance of Pro- fessor Woodside himself. Neither Claudia nor Horace Wilberson was pleased to see him, The former, believing that Abe knew of her marriage, feared that the dis- reputable man would reveal it; Wilberson knowing what a bold Abe had upon bim, feared that his own character would be ventilated. The professor advanced with his usual placid expression changing to a frown. He was not pleased to see such a person as Benlow on bis premises. ‘‘ Who is this?” he curtly asked. , ‘A strange intruder, father,” Claudia an- swered. Abe had been looking at the professor with a puzzled expression, but he now aroused and took off his battered hat. ‘‘Not so much o’ a stranger ez I might be, I reckon,” he said, boldly. ‘‘Not a stranger?” Woodside repeated, “I don’t recognize you.” “Twenty years change a man,” confidently asserted Benlow. ‘- Twenty years!” echoed the professor. ee Yes.” ** What do you mean?” ‘* Throw yer reekolection back that much an’ you may recall my face.” **T don’t.” **T’m Abe Benlow, yer know?” ‘*] never heard the name before.” “Not Ceme now, think ag’in. I was 61, yer see, ‘* Sixty-one? I don’t understand.” f , : + x. i! =— % ik - y= " : ooo ‘*Oh! I mean the house by the river—the fine old mansion, yer know, See?” Abe winked ina very significant way, but if the professor did know he did not acknowledge the fact. ‘* You talk wholly in riddles. I fail to catch your meaning at all,” ‘* Why, I mean that twenty years ago you an’ me was ‘in’ tergether. Don’t you ketch on? I was 61; Abe Benlow by name. See?” He was still winking violently, and it seemed that Woodside had the idea at last. Abe noticed that he started, looked startled, even lost a por- tion of his color, Abe felt elated. His scheme of settling the matter quietly, blinding the people and having a talk with his old friend aside— from whom he expected a generous sum of money—bade fair to be a success, But—could Mr. Benlow believe his ears?—the professor suddenly sharply replied: ‘*No, 1 don’t see, and I will hear no more of your nopsense, I thought you were a man I might have helped some time, but 1 see you are a fraud, All this roundabout, vague talk is non- seuse. I must ask you to move on, and if you do not obey the hint, I will send a servant out to speak with you,” Before the iast word was fairly spoken, Mr. Woodside was in retreat, walking toward the house at a pace unusually rapid for him. Abe looked after him in stupid surprise for — seconds, and then bis face flushed an- grily. ‘* By the Old Harry! you shall pay fur that, my fine chap! So you'll hev me throwed out, will yer? Ef you do, itll be the onhealthiest job you ever grappled onto. Til tell all I know about yer!” He turned toward Wilberson and Claudia, but they had imitated the professor’s example and were erate him to the house. Benlow was left alone. He smiled in an ugly way, and then turned toward the house. “Til go,” he muttered; ‘‘ but ef they think they are rid o’ me so easy, they make the big- est mistake o’ their lives. Driven out, be 1? v the fiends! [Pll drag them all through the mud fur that!” Growling like a sore-headed bear, he made his way to the gate; then with a last malevo- lent glance at the house, he strode away down the street. Claudia excused herself to Wilberson and went to her father’s study. She knocked twice before any answer was returned, and then was surprised to find that the door was locked; poms ae very remarkable. The professor turned the key, opened the door a few inches and looked out. His face looked unusually pale. ‘* What is wanted?” he asked, almost curtly. ‘*T wanted to spe’ k of—of that man.” ‘*T don’t care to hear about him.” : ‘‘ But he went away uttering threats against you, and said he would tell all he knew about you. Of course he could tell nothing to your disadvantage—I know you tov well to suppose that—but he seems to be a vicious wretch, and I wanted you to know of his threats. He might try to harm you.” ‘‘True—true. He looks to be such a man, and I will look out for him—that 1s, his mere idle threats, They amount to nothing. And now, pray excuse me. If Mr. Hathaway calls, let me know. Thank you, my dear!” : The professor spoke hurriedly, and in a voice quite different from his usual «ne. He wag plainly agitated about something, and as he fin- ishea speaking he closed the door without much ceremony and locked it. : Claudia gazed at the barrier in astonish- ment. ‘‘ Why does he act so strangely? What does it mean? Is he so ae angry about Ralph?” She had to go back to her room with the ques unsolved, but not forgotten. Mr. oodside was in a mood new to her, and she could not understand it at all The perturba- tion brought about by her own affairs led her to think only of them, and she did not connect the disreputable man in rags with her father’s strange mood, Half an hour later Ralph Hathaway called. She received him, and plainly explained what Mr. Woodside had said in regard to their inti- macy. It was a sericus matter for both. The secret marrisge had put it out of their power to re- treat if they would, and they nm ust consider the matter, not as lovers, but as man and wife, Whatever Temple Hathaway may have been, his son was a fine-looking young man. Some- what above the average hight, be had a fine, athletic form, and bis face was manly, frank and prepossessing. If physiognomy went for anything, be was one to scorn a mean act—one to deal honorably with all mankind, The new complication troubled him greatly. His father he cou d not rerrember. and he knew next to nothing about him, but this was the first intimation he had ever received that there was a blot on his name, **T cannot believe but there isa mistake,” he said, earnestly, ‘‘ My mother has always spoken tenderly of ber dead husband, and she is the soul of honor. She would recoil from an Ss he a Pap ——comicboo ’ ¥ ° = SS <